Kari Quilts

My granddaughter has been learning to sew/quilt.  She saw some "Hippie" embroidered blocks that I'd received to put into a comfort quilt and asked if she could help me with it.  She went to my fabrics and chose what she liked.  She's still intimidated by the rotary cutter, but she did all the sewing and quilting on this quilt.
She really, really likes the TL:

I had a practice piece set up and showed her a few things that I thought might be easy for her to do.  She played a bit and decided she likes to do loops.  She did a fantastic job and is just so relaxed using the TL and now is looking forward to helping me quilt some more comfort quilts I have 'in waiting'.

The finished quilt.  Sorry I didn't get a close up, she really did do an amazing job!

Katie

Father's Day

I no longer have my dad with me but he was a big influence in my life and loved him dearly.  I thank him for his patience as I was not the easiest child to raise.  I thank him for his unconditional love - I'm sure there were times I didn't make it easy :-)  And as I remember my dad today I look at my two favorite guys - my hubby and my son - who also are great dads.  My hubby who took me on with two little girls and raised them as his own.  Who also helped me achieve the birth of my son :-) who has simply amazed me at how wonderful a father he turned out to be ('course he had a good example to follow).  Father's Day is about all the dads out there who deserve some special recognition, but for me it's also a day of being surrounded by the people I love.  That said I'd better get into the kitchen and get busy :-)

Katie

Scrappy Saturday

This is what I made for my Scrappy Saturday:

I layered a poly batting on top of a plain muslin and started pulling strips from my scrap bin.  If the strip wasn't long enough, I added another strip to the piece!  I just did stitch and flip and finger pressed as I added strips.
I knew I wanted to have enough for a 19" square, and this is what I ended up with:

When I was done stitching and flipping 'strings', I had about a 22 X 24 piece of quilted fabric:
I was so impressed with this: http://thestitchinchicken.com/2009/06/13/tutorial-fabric-bucketbasket/
That I made this:

And I really wanted to have a pocket to put a note pad and a pen in, so I added one to the lining,   And because this is scrappy, I used a discarded quilt block that was in my scrap bin to cover the plastic canvas bottom insert:

The bottom insert gives the basket more stability.

I like the handles folded in better!

I've made small baskets and used a fusible fleece and they were plenty sturdy, but using simple batting on this larger basket..... it's a bit 'wobbly'.  When I make another, I will probably use a canvas inner lining to give it more stability or maybe get a heavy weight fusible interfacing....... 

So.... do you have a scrappy project to share???

Katie

Scrappy ......... when?

As some of you have seen, I have an overflowing scrap bin and have been trying to find ways to use those scraps and maybe get them under control.  Because of other committments, I don't feel comfortable joining some of these 'quilt alongs' or 'sew-ins', etc..... In theory, I think they're a good idea if you can stay on track - I find I'm too sporatic to do that.  That said,  I will be 'trying' to post a scrap project every Saturday.  I would love to see some of your scrap projects as well!  Come see me on Saturday (or whenever you get the chance) and post that you've also posted a scrappy project and I'll come take a look.  Sorry, no give-away at this time, but if I see some people taking a look and using up some of their scraps, maybe I'll consider putting a give-away together........
Okay, for my projects, they will be everything to coasters to baskets to who-knows-what.  Look for my first Scrap Saturday project tomorrow!!
Have a great weekend.

Katie

The Burly Quilter

Bryan, over on The Burly Quilter  http://theburlyquilter.blogspot.com/ , is having a really nice give away.  Might want to check it out, but Bryan's also a great quilter and well worth visiting.

Katie

Antique Baby Quilt

This baby quilt has been in my family for almost 60 years.  It was made by a lady that we grew up knowing as "Grandma Corey" and was a gift for my mom's first baby, my brother.  Mom used it for all three of her kids and as you can tell, it truly was well used!  The colors are really faded as mom bleached everything that had to do with a baby.  I have managed to get possession of this quilt from my sister with the promise to try to replicate it.  I know I will never find the exact fabrics, but I am going to try and find as close as possible.

Here are some pictures of the individual blocks:

 These greens shouldn't be too hard - the trouble I'm seeing is finding the white polka dots on color.  Most of what I see is color polka dots on white.

The colors in this block are so faded it's hard to see that they are, for the most part, florals.

Look at that double circle fabric - how cute is that.

 I have found some nice cotton gingham, but it's a lighter blue.  I have some smaller blue floral calico that I think might work for the small floral on this one.

Replicating this quilt - well finding the right fabrics - will be a challenge, but I think it will be very gratifying when it's done.  I plan to make 3 quilts - one for each one of my mom's kids!  And - I'd better practice my hand blanket stitch!









Katie

OMG - I can't believe it!

I love to read "Stash Manicure" with all Madam Samm's guest bloggers.  I've learned so much from all of them.  And what great inspiration.  Well, I commented on John'aLee's post about the hexagon templates and her tutorial.  Lo and Behold I won a set of those mylar hexagon templates http://thescrappyappleyard.blogspot.com/!  Thank You so much to Madam Samm and John'aLee!  I never win anything, but I know those hexagon templates will be put to good use and maybe my scrap bin will go down a bit!

Katie who's so surprised!