Ezekiel's Dream

I've started another quilt called Ezekiel's Dream.  Posted are the four faces and one of the feathers.  I will be thread painting the faces and have about 100 feathers to sew.  The background of the quilt is a large circle made with a 12 inch wedge.

Quilted Journal Covers

I've been working on some quilted book covers.  I gave several away before I thought about photographing them.  Others were photographed before all the beading and extras were added and given away before I rephotographed them.  Hope you enjoy!

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My Studio - On a shoestring budget

I know a lot of people have been posting pictures of their quilt studios.   My ideas may help those of you who don't have a lot of money to spend.  I have been lucky enough to take over my college son's bedroom.  Just a little bit of muscle changes my cutting table area back into a bed.  I have use the headboard and two saw horses to make my cutting table.  A 4ft by 7ft piece of marker board was glued to the same size piece of plywood.  This makes a great top to draw on or for working with paint.  For Christmas I had a mat-board custom cut to fit over this.  My tools are kept on the wall on scrap pieces of peg board.  I didn't even have to throw out my son's teddy bear collection or gymnastic medals





My storage system has just been plastic stack drawers that I try to get when I can find them on sale.  I use them as the base for my pressing table.  The top is again plywood with cotton batting and muslin stretched  over it and stapled on the back.  I removed the closet doors and added boards for shelves and more storage bins.   An empty dresser and two night stands stacked serves as extra storage.

My biggest challenge was for a sewing table.  I had a folding table just the right height  but I wanted my machine set down in like a "real" sewing table.  We went to Lowes to find some 1/2 inch wide smooth wood.  We couldn't find anything suitable, but it was suggested that we as in floor tiles because the boxes had smooth boards in the top for shipping that are thrown away.  We found two that were perfect size.   My husband traced my machine and cut a hole in both boards.  Then we glued them with wood glue.  A frame was made using 2 by 1 inch wood.  Finally a notch was cut in the frame so I could load the bobin without lifting my machine.  It may not be fancy but it sure works great.

My design wall was made with white flannel over fiber board.

The last wall of my studio is where my daughter's sewing machine is and of course a few more storage boxes.  You can see the corner of my pressing table on the left.

School Block Challenge

The National Quilt Museum sent the results of the Moda School block challenge Monday.  My Daughter won 2nd place in the 5th-8th grade division with her block "Show and Tell"  One of the 5 year olds in our sewing/quilting group won honorable mention in the preschool to 4th grade with her block "Swans."  Scroll down the page  to Recent Projects to see pictures.  The blocks will be on displaya the museum in Paducah from January 16th through March 10th. Winning blocks will stay up longer.

What I'm doing now

Christmas is over and it's back to home schooling.  I am working on a small quilt for the QA magazine challenge on Rock and Roll.

The quilting on the beach quilt is taking forever.  I wanted the sand really densly quilted and I seem to not be getting vey far.

I have been sorting all my scraps again.  I have my fabrics sorted by color in drawers that make up my ironing board stand.  Then I have other drwers sorted by color for pieces smaller than fat quarters.   Now I have small drawers for smaller colored scraps all sorted.  I still have my snippet box as a big jumple of pieces.

Family Tree

Make a Smilebox photobook

I am very excited my new custom cut cutting mat is here.  It covers my entire 4 by 7 table.  Now I can just lay out my fabric and cut.  This will be great for larger works.

My First Grandson

My son David made this for his nephew.

Make a Smilebox photobook

Recent Projects

I've been doing a lot of sewing and quilting, but not much blogging. My daughter and I spent several days making scrap quilts for our community backpack program. This program gives kids clothes and blankets when take from meth homes.

I have also made two large fleece baby quilts. One for a friend and one for my soon to be grandson.

I have spent a few days each week helping some home schoolers work on quilt blocks for the school block challenge in Paducah. These quilts were done by girls age 4-12.

My latest endeavor was to make some fleece quilt with angels for a 2 and 3 year old whose house burnt down last weekend. These were designed by my 11 year old and me. We have some other angel designs we would like to make into quilts at another time.

I am still working on my stations of the cross, my triple Irish train boarder, and our challenge quilt for my guild as well as a Christmas wall hanging.

Beach Quilt & Stations

I have finally finished the quilt top for the beach challenge. All the children have been sewn down.  I am getting ready to add boarders and begin quilting.   I finished the Sanhedrin quilt for the stations and just have to stitch the binding,   I believe I have too many projects started and to many floating around my brain.  I am also hoping to do some more rust dyeing this week.  Quilt pictures coming later.