Elf on a Shelf - Ideas

Hot Air Balloon

Elf of a Shelf - ideas

All dressed up for church.

My Beginner Hawaiian Quilt

I am going to teach myself the traditional Hawaiian Quilt method. I was hoping to take a trip to Hawaii and learn at the feet of the masters, but that will most likely never happen. I have learned however that the design of ones hawaiian quilt is very important. One should NEVER use anothers design but draw one of their own. In that manner, the long days required to create a Hawaiian Quilt will be more enjoyable because one is working on ones own design - be sure to start small so you don't get discouraged. My design is a pineapple topped with a fluer de lis. Usually the design is cut with special scissors on an eight fold triangle of the darker fabric. The light fabric is ironed into a triangle as well with the purpose of using the ironed lines to aid in pinning the design. Before the needle turn applique can begin, it is best to baste the entire design approx. 1/4" from the raw edge.

In the Belly of the Bloodhound

The best of the Bloody Jack series by LA Meyer that I have read so far.

Fabulous Fabric Finds - Hondo, Texas

Sandra Payne, of Fabulous Fabric in Hondo is retiring to spend more time sewing rather than selling her wonderful fabrics and supplies. She will close her doors Friday, November 11th, 2011. Be sure to stop by at 1109 19th Street, which is at Ave K and Hwy 90 behind the Owl's Nest. Big savings! She will be open Saturday, November 5 from 10 - 3 pm. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 12 - 7pm with Happy Hour Special from 5 - 7pm and Friday from 10 - 5pm.

Great Reads

Messy Fat Quarters

My fat quarters have gotten out of control. I sorted and folded them today. Brights, novelties, 1930's and civil wars.

Harvesting my Zinnia seeds today!

Finishing the blocks

I added sashings all around the sides and sewed the blocks together.

Repairing the four blocks

Out of the thirty blocks in the damaged quilt top, four of them needed reconstruction work. Just like the Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt I blogged about.... I made templates with a double thickness of freezer paper and found reasonable matches for calico fabric in my stash. I wasn't going for exact matches because I love the scrappy look. After I repaired the four blocks, I squared them up, which is a misnomer because these "squares" are actually rectangles measuring 12" x 11".

Quilt Top met with unfortunate accident

I bought this quilt top at an estate sale for two dollars. It originally had 30 squares, four however had big holes. Each of the four corners were shredded. It looked like it got stuck in something and someone pulled it free. I am going to try to make another quilt out of it using the calico's that KK gave me for Christmas. So far, using the seam ripper I have salvaged all the squares including the four that have the holes I left extra fabric around the squares that need repair to reduce wear and tear on them. I will make templates for the missing pieces, square up the squares and put them back together. Maybe someday I will finish it enough to post it again.

Gone Quiltin in Bandera, Texas

About one half hour from my house is a delightful quilt shop called Gone Quiltin in Bandera, Texas. Not only does owner Debra Pavelka feature the widest selections of western theme fabrics in the state, she also teaches classes. If you are lucky enough to have a local quilt shop near your home, be sure to treasure that jewel! Gone Quiltin is located at 1115 Cedar Street and it's website is http://www.gonequiltin.com

Best old quilt wash!

I use Orvus a livestock wash. It's great for soaking stains out of old quilt tops or washing quilts. I use color catchers also, look how much this color catcher absorbed from a recent quilt soaking. The top turned out great too!

My hummingbirds