Grandma's Little Helper

Teaching my 6 year old grandson to use my

Singer Featherweight.

What fun!

He especially loved "giving it gas"

the foot pedal. 

Ready to sew a pillow case on his next visit.

Customer SHOW & TELL.

From November.

I'm a little behind.

Ya think?

Feather wreaths in every square and border.

Love Kathy's "controlled" scrappy triangles. 

The backs are my favorite.

The quilting really pops.

Have a great week!

Stitch Me Up!

I signed up!

For my very first blog hop.

I'm so excited!

If you'd like to join in check out

Jane's Fabric and Quilts

for all the details.

I was busy being Grandma this week.

Watched the 3 youngest grandkids while Mommy and

Daddy are on a (much needed) sunny vacation.

What a joy getting all those angel kisses.

Here is a picture of the art project we made.

Could not get them to look at the camera, 

smile and hold up their signs.

One things for sure.....

Grandmas need a nap everyday to. 

I just have to finish binding my

 "rescued" nine patch.

 Oh,what a beauty!

Wait til you see......

A New Year.....A New Start

While I'd love to promise that I am going to be a better blogger from now on.....

all I can say is I'll try. Harder.

For those of you that blog, don't you feel like you just run out of interesting things to share?

I sure do! 

My life is pretty dull compared to some on the web

(not that I am complaining mine you....drama free is good)

AND

I'm not nearly as productive as some of my fellow bloggers.

Almost makes me feel lazy! LOL

I quilted a few customer quilts this holiday that I'd like to share.

The photos aren't the best.

 I miss my front porch in winter!

Chris made 2 Laurel Burch Christmas quilts.

The fabrics were so fun and bright.

I used metallic gold thread on both quilts.

That black background fabric made the quilting just POP.

Check out this T Shirt quilt Kim made for her son.

I love her orange, grey and black combination.

What a treasure.

Look at this fun print she used for the backing!

Perfect.

I'm so happy the holidays are over, aren't you?

While I love the decorating, baking, eating, 
shopping and family visits

with 6 grandkids it's WILD!

BUT I WOULDN'T CHANGE A MINUTE OF IT!

Hope your having a grand weekend.

We are mourning our Packer loss here.

Well, someone is.  

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about my new love.

It's on tonight!

I know, I'm a little late to the dance.

I played catch up over the holiday 

and watched Season 1 & 2.

Hugs,

  

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Spring!

Oh my....SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

Blogger has a new format for posting.

Keep your fingers crossed, I'll do my best.

I've been busy..........
Had the youngest 3 grandkids (under six years) for the weekend.

   It was their Mommy's birthday. So on Sunday when they came to pick them up
we surprised her with a special dinner, a very decorated birthday cake and handmade cards.
Wouldn't you know, it rained all weekend!
Lots of coloring, puzzles, movies and Uno games for Papa & me.
I Love to have them around!

Spend last weekend at retreat.
12 crazy quilters and a ton of chocolate.
What could be better?
I worked on a 30's pinwheel quilt, set on point, 
that just needs borders.

I can't decide, piano keys (like the pattern called for) or
maybe a ribbon? Or flying geese? Zigzag?

Need to leave wide open spaces for feathers.

I spearheaded a sewing marathon to piece two "comfort" quilts

for guild members who are facing serious health issues.

We wanted something bright and cheery that said "Spring".

Members wrote words of encouragement and signatures in the white strips

 The pattern "Summer in the Park" is a free video

from Missouri Star Quilt Company.

They made it look so easy, and it was!

EXCEPT......edges are on the bias.

And you know how tricky bias edges can be.

My title was "Happy Spring" because I wanted to show you how

beautiful my flowers are in the front yard.

I can't wait to fill my planters on the porch, trying to hold off for

another week or so. Temps are still dropping in the evenings.

Hope all is well in your world.

Ain't it the truth!

(pinterest)

Lovin this sunshine!

And the unseasonably warm weather.

The grandkids came for the weekend and played outside till dark.

They love being able to run and visit the neighbor kids.

They're growing up so fast.

 The grandkids enjoy helping out in the kitchen.

We baked Chocolate Chip Cookie bars.

Found the recipe on Pinterest.

Where else?

Click on the photo for the recipe.

SOOO much quicker than cookies and just as good.

(Photo from Pinterest) 

Paid a visit to the Apple Butter House.

The barn is decorated for Spring.

So many vintage-prim beautiful things!

I found this vintage quilt pocket for my front door.

It's soooo me.

If you're in the area be sure to stop in and say hello to Caroline.

She's a real sweetheart.

I'm still working on yo-yos .

Had the longarm repair man "Ray"

(my new best friend) here 2 days last week.

Hoping "Violet" is fixed and ready to rumble tomorrow.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Enjoy the day!

Fall is in the air...

I woke this morning and thought...

I better get my cozy flannel quilts out!

With this chill in the air it feels like Fall has arrived.

I've been busy but haven't finished anything to take pictures of.

I have the cutest Folk Art Country quilt on my machine

that I'm going to work on today.

Wait til you see the whole quilt!

I'm working on my September Birdie stitchery block.

And...

Collecting fabrics for the 15 minute table runner.

Here is the link to the FREE pattern.

The first one may take you 30 minutes but the rest are

15 minutes, I promise. They're really fun to make.

Our Quilt Guild is donating/sewing 40 runners for 

Holiday Cheer Baskets this year.

 Sandy sent me this photo and comment this weekend.

She said "my mom and dad would not eat zucchini bread.....to blah they said...

so last year I made your recipe and my dad LOVES it.........".

Here's the recipe again in case you missed it.
Click on image to enlarge for printing.

I wanted to bake soooo bad this weekend but

with just the 2 of us....well, neither one of us needs it.

 I am going to bake a Pumpkin Gooey Cake on

Thursday for our guild meeting.

I'll save you a piece.

On Friday I'm going to Madison for Quilt Expo.

It's a huge show with lots of eye candy.

And vendors...

My grandson helped me bake brownies

to take to our family gathering.

I thought you might enjoy the pictures.

And ......please
keep Sweet John'aLee and her family (Scrappy Appleyard)
 in your thoughts and prayers.
Her soon-to-be son in law was killed last week
in Afghanistan.

Warm Wishes

Remember the "Warm Wishes" link from last week?

Well, one of my quilting buddies, pieced one for her son's wedding gift.

Didn't it turn out beautiful?

I'm sure the Bride & Groom will love it! 

Look at the perfect "love" fabric she found.

The chocolate brown color adds such richness.

And the striped inner border, a perfect accent.

At our August "Saturday Sew Day"

I demonstrated how to make bias binding

using my favorite "tube" method.

By Shelly Rodgers.

Doesn't the diagonal stripe bias binding add zing to the quilt!

Notice the perfect backing fabric?

Check out the bowl she made using

fabric covered clothesline.

Don't ya just love when a project comes together.

Perfectly.

Last weekend we had a "family gathering" at my son's home in Tomah.

It was so nice to see family and catch up on their lives.

Hard to believe I'm one of the "old aunts" now.

Where have the years gone?

I was able to corral my grandbabies for a picture.

They had such a good time, jumping on the trampoline, playing whiffle ball,

and, of course, a water balloon fight.

 After all, isn't this what life's all about?

***************

I'll leave you with a little campfire entertainment.
The beautiful voice belongs to my niece Ariel.

Don't forget to check out my new Buy-Sell Shabby Chic group on FaceBook.

Not Much Going On

At my house.

Except that the "Brewers" are kicking butt!!

Hubby is a St Louis Cards fan.....what can I say?

I made this quilt for him..... Christmas 2004.

It is a free pattern called "Warm Wishes"

from Quiltmaker magazine.

It's easy to piece! A rail fence really.

Take a closer look.

Unfortunately, the fabric is no longer available.

(Except on Ebay for $75.00 a yard, I kid you not).

I purchased the logo blocks from a seller on Ebay.

Speaking of Brewer fans,

 I just have to share this picture of my grandson.

Again.

He's gonna hate me when this shows up

 in his high school year book!

I did quilt a Sampler for my sis-in-law in MN.

Her first quilt.

She did a great job. Love the colors! 

I am going to deliver it this weekend at a family get together.

And of course, my favorite, the back.

The quilting add so much texture.

Don't you think? 

Love those curly border feathers.

I never tire of quilting them.
(Yes Leeanne, my feathers are freehand.
I use school chalk to mark registration lines).  

 I'm busy selling over on Facebook.

Check it out.

Karen's Mercantile......a little bit of everything.