May the Road Rise to Meet You

This week I said farewell and good luck to someone who has helped me dust off my ethereal pieces and start rebuilding. My therapist for the last few years has retired after dedicating a good portion of her life to helping those who need it most.

I wanted to do something special for her, as not only a thank you, but to mark the end of a long chapter in her life and celebrate the beginning of the new. It needed to be easy to transport and not take up too much space since a cross country move was in store.

After I bit of hunting through various shops, I found this little cake plate dome. It's about the size of my favorite teacup, so I knew the size would work.

Then I started pondering and designing. This is the final result.

And here it is inside the dome.

So thank you for everything, Jean. May you enjoy this next chapter and have many happy days.

The Friendship Star Quilt

One of the ladies in my stitching guild moved to Florida this year. She was the editor of our newsletter (for so many years) and very active in the quilting interest group. We, the interest group, decided to make her a gift and invited the guild at-large to participate if they wished. We weren't sure if we'd end up with a wall quilt, a bed runner, a lap quilt, or even a queen-sized.

The rules were simple:
* make a 9.5 inch Friendship Star block (9 inches finished)
* use purple in the quilt block somewhere
* sign your name and/or personalize the block with embellishments of your choice

If someone wanted to participate but didn't know how to or have the time to sew, then if they provided fabric one of us would make their block. I personally sewed eighteen of the blocks. The one below is my block. I cut the tulip applique from a piece of fabric another member purchased for her block. She told me to keep the rest in exchange for sewing it.

The organization of patterns, instructions, etc and getting blocks made/collected was largely my project. After I tore up my back and shoulder in July, the piecing, quilting, and binding fell to the interest group's chairperson. I think she did a lovely job. I've blotted out faces to protect identities, but the lady on the left in pink and black is the recipient. She was back visiting at the last General Meeting and we presented her with the fruits of our labor. The lady in the right in green is the talented chairperson of our quilters' group and did the lion's share of work on the quilt itself.

As you can see, a couple of people missed the part where we were using a specific block pattern and did their own thing. We chalked that up to "personalizing their blocks" and rolled with it. Another lady used the pattern instructions, but arranged the pieces to create a "disappearing" or deconstructed star instead. I'm not sure if that was intended to be different for the sake of being different or represent our friend moving away, but either way I think it's lovely.

There were four blocks left over from piecing the top. By this time I'd recovered enough to turn them into pillows that match. Here'e the fronts and backs after quilting and before I finished the pillows. They happen to be four of the blocks I made. Two blocks (top and bottom right) were done for ladies who wanted to participate but had severe health issues. The other two (top and bottom left) were done in memory of two members we lost within the year.

After I'd pieced the pillow sections it dawned on me I didn't know how the quilting on the quilt was done or what color thread was used, but after a phonecall I was in business. Meandering and lavender were the keys, so I let my mind drift whilst my machine did the work. Apparently I was thinking about my time in university because the quilting ended up looking a lot like topographic maps! ;-)

Each stupid zipper had issues... that took about three hours per zipper to contend with. The results were worth it though. Incidentally, the fabric used in between the light purple solid and the white tone on tone is the quilt backing.

This project was a lot of work and a long time in progress, but it was full of love and the look on our friend's face was totally worth it.

Super Groovy Birthday Gift

I only finished one project this week, but it was a doozy.  Remember the "Super Groovy Tote" bag I showed two weeks ago?  Well it's matched purse is now complete.  My friend's birthday is today and my plan had always been to make her a matched tote bag and purse.

 I made a few changes to the original "10 Strip Wonder Bag" pattern as I went along.

1. The original directions didn't call for quilting the lining fabric to the fusible fleece, but I thought (rightly) it would look better quilted.  So I took about 90 minutes to mark, quilt, and erase my markings on the lining halves.  Then I got to work on other things whilst the fabric dried.

2. The number of pockets the designer planned for just didn't seem like enough.  I added more and even made one with a gusset and a Velcro flap.  It's the one with three green buttons on it.

3. The original lacked a zipper.  I can see a tote bag not having a zipper, but a purse doesn't seem right without either a zipper or a full-sized flap to hold all one's "stuff" inside.  Happily I had a zipper that was the correct color green in my box o' zippers.  Now my friend can choose whether or not it gets zipped shut or just utilizes the button flap.

I did have two snooper-visors whilst I worked.  I warned them that if they "helped" then they had to pose for pictures.  Pollux had the grace to stay sleeping upstairs whilst I worked, the old sweetheart. 

See you all next week!

Shaded View and A Wedding Gift

"Shaded View" is what I'm calling my tote bag.  I used the same pattern as the others and the last of the strips from the Bali pop.  The fabrics made me think of a lone tree branch in one's view as one looks at the sky on a sunny day.  I fell in love with the piece I used for the contrast strip and built the bag around it.

I also have an older finish to share.  One of our veterinarians missed the holiday party because she'd left to be married.  This is the same vet who conspired to get Artie into our family, so she has a special place in my heart.  She's also the owner of "Flowerpot Kitty" and one of the Yellow Kitty ornaments.

After forming a conspiracy of my own with the ladies who work in the office and the vet techs, I had his initials.  Hers are on her business cards and another vet supplied the date in conversation.  Then I needed a design.  I found a little bridal bouquet motif in one book, but changed the colors to fit better with a winter theme.  Then I scoured my library until I found the perfect alphabet for personalization.

I made the twisted cord from some of the colors in the bouquet.  There's a lot of metallic DMC in this piece, which has it's ups and downs.  The final effect was worth the fraying frustration though.  The backing fabric is some that I'm had in my stash for at least a decade.  It was going to be a vest front for me, but I've gained a bit of weight since then.  Better to re-purpose it, especially for something fun.  The silvery leaves accent the metallic silver on the front perfectly.  In fact I drove myself crazy looking for it since I knew it was somewhere.

That's all for this week.  I'm not sure what direction I'll jump in for next week.  See you next time!

Colorful Totes

The first finish this week is called "Tidal Flats."  It's a late Christmas/early birthday gift for my MIL's twin sister.  I made an almost identical one for my MIL, which I'll post below.

The pattern I used is the "10 Strip Wonder Bag" by Suzanne Sievers' Designs.  I picked it and the Bali pop jelly roll of fabric up at one of the local quilt shops in town.

Full view of "Tidal Flats."

Side view of "Tidal Flats."

Full view of "Sandpiper Through the Water."

Side view of "Sandpiper Through the Water."

 As you can see, they are almost identical, save for the top row of fabrics being reversed in order and I used a different color of thread for the top-stitching along with a different decorative stitch.  Honestly it didn't feel right making one of these for one sister and not the other.  Especially when both of them love spending time on the beach and travel as much as possible.

My second finish this week is a bag for the girl FH's brother is engaged to.  She's a lot of fun to hang around with and I've turned her into a stitcher, so a pretty tote bag would be quite useful.  The fabrics for hers came from the same Bali pop as the twins' bags.  However the prints are lighter and more green and yellow.  In fact they made me think of snake skin and foliage, which is perfect since she keeps snakes as pets.  (For those concerned, the snakes are non-venomous and she used to work as the manage of an exotic pet shop.)  I call this one, "Snakes In the Trees."

"Snakes In the Trees," full view.

Button detail on "Snakes In the Trees."

Decorative stitching detail.

 There were a total of 40 strips of fabric in that Bali pop.  As the name states, you need 10 per bag.  The last bag from this Bali pop will be mine.  I'm hoping to have it finished as my project for next week.  It's pieced already, leaving the quilting and assembly. 

From the same pattern I also my a tote bag for my best girl-friend, who is a busy ICU nurse.  She loves the bright lime green that's en vogue again, and I'd bought these fabric strips with her in mind.  Personally I find the colors a little on the "eye-bleedingly bright" side, but she loves this bag.  This was an earlier finish, as it was her Christmas gift, but I thought I'd share anyway.  Oh and FH picked out the button for this one.  If you poke the picture on the right, you'll see I used two colors of thread on the top-stitching.  The regular quilting is done in blue whilst the decorative stitching in the narrow strip of blue is done in green.

"Super Groovy Tote," full view.

"Super Groovy Tote," close up of button and decorative stitching.

That's it for the first week of January.  I'm hoping to have my bag finished for next week.  I've also got a piece that I finished right after Christmas to show you.  See you next week!

**And in case you missed yesterday's post regarding the past year and new posting schedule, you may want to pop over here and take a look.

A Surprise from Aunt Pat

When I went over to Aunt Pat's on Saturday, she had a surprise for me.  A few years back she asked everyone in our mini group which of her scenes were our favorites, then she made a list to give to her attorney.  None of us thought anything about it after that, content in having her with us to play.

After another mini friend passed away and her family ignored her wishes regarding her miniatures, Pat apparently decided to go ahead and send everyone home with their favorites at the last Christmas party.  She said she'd rather see us enjoying her pieces now than worry if everything would be done to her instruction later.  Also it makes more room for her current projects.

So now I am the proud (and somewhat soggy from tears) owner of "Vermeer Vignette."  The box itself is a Houseparty Helper gift from San Jose, CA in 1993 and has been reworked.  (I helped cut the skylight.) Both dolls are by Pat Boldt, dressed and wigged by Aunt Pat. 

It still makes me giggle thinking about how we came up with the "seasoned serving wench" from a Mrs. Claus doll.  We must have sat for three hours trying to figure out her clothes and pose.

 I made the doll's pipe after the one she bought vanished (while we were both sitting there working... I think it bounced someplace strange and was sucked up by the hoover) and also the knife when she couldn't find one in her stash.  She made the loaf of bread in a class, but she didn't recall when.

The painting is an original oil done after Jan Vermeer's "Girl With A Pearl Earring" by D.J. Chol. 

 All of her pieces have a black and white cat in them, it's her signature.

 Here are some closeups of the delftware.

 

 If I'm remembering correctly, Aunt Pat was given these tulips as a birthday gift by Mary Ellis, IGMA Artisan in plants.  Mary has been a friend of Pat's for years.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this room.  It will be one of my greatest treasures for as long as I live.  The best part is that Aunt Pat's still around to make minis with.  In fact I'm trying to plan a trip down there to get some projects off her "Have Kat Do This" list.  ;-)

Musical Roses: The Last of January's Work

Here's the last picture from the previous update:

Now for the next four days worth:

My goal here was to create spaces that could be filled in while riding in a car or while something interesting was on PBS.  In the last picture there are five such spaces.

Back to Musical Roses Again

The last time I showed progress, I was here:

Here's the stitching for the three days after:

I wasn't able to really sit and work, so the progress is very slow.

Musical Roses: Continued

We left off here yesterday, with the roses starting to take shape.

This is the next day's worth of work.  The piano is starting to show itself and the vase is almost ready to fill in.

Each photo is taken after one day of working.  I guess I should mention that I began this piece on the 28th of December.  So this bottom picture is the work that I did on the 30th.  I didn't get anything done on this piece on New Year's Eve, which had been my plan.