A Finish, A Mystery & Winners

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.

 Albert Einstein

I wanted to get my finished project blogged about yesterday but I spent most of the past two days in the road running errands.  I didn't get everything done Thursday so I had more to do yesterday.  I had an appointments to keep both days so I was afraid to try to start anything in the studio for fear of being late.  Christmas shopping is almost done but I have a stack of projects for gifts that need my attention.  Hopefully next week and this weekend will allow studio time.

A Finish

My finish is one you have seen before.  It is a charity quilt.  I decided to finish it although there are some ladies who like to stitch the binding down in the group.  That is a good project for some older ladies who don't or can't sew much any more.

Here is a good shot of the quilting.  I used a variegated YLI thread that went from blue to orange so it was perfect for this quilt.  I tried for some glamour shots.  Misty wasn't impressed by the quilt at all.

I did a scrappy binding with the leftover fabrics.  It turned out fine.

I think this shot was after washing.  The fabrics weren't prewashed before piecing.  It shrank some and the color catcher turned blue but there was no bleeding of color.

I tried something new and attempted to center the X on the back.  This is hard to do on the longarm as the layers shift as they are rolled up.  The tension put on the fabric is never exactly the same each time it is rolled either.  I think I did pretty good however it was only about an inch off when finished.  Not enough to be noticed visually.

Misty was one of the reasons for so many errands.  The groomer and the vet.  I'll have to get a picture of her new haircut.  You can see she was a little scruffy here.  She is 10 years old and has been suffering from skin problems this fall.  This is common with her breed but she has shown a little improvement this week.

A Mystery

Last Saturday I had a spike in page views here on my blog, over 2200 in one day.  I'm thinking that someone must have mentioned my blog on Instagram or Twitter because many used Google to find me.  Any of you wonderful readers out there know where this sudden interest come from?  Maybe some of my new readers found me that way.  I'm just curious.  It's nice to get some unexpected hits.

A Christmas Hang Out?

Welcome to ALL my NEW READERS!!!  Even while I've been delinquent in posting my numbers have been crawling upwards.  Thanks for having faith in my imparting something you want to read about.  I am about to hit 400 on Bloglovin.  I haven't check my other numbers lately but that is by far the largest one.  I know others use Feedly, GFC or email to get my posts too.  I'm thinking another drawing will be due soon to celebrate.  How about one to start off the New Year.

Most of my traffic lately, especially while I wasn't posting, was to check out my posts about Christmas projects and the Christmas Hang Out Linkys that I did the past two years.  I have not done any promotion for one this year.  I have been running them the week before Christmas.  If you are interested in having one this year I will be glad to do it.  I was thinking that a theme of Table Toppers would be nice.  This could be anything from Table Runners to Mug Rugs or Placemats.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LINKING UP PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW.  The dates would be December 18 - January 1

If I have at least 10 people who want to participate I will do it.  I think I would leave it open until New Years.  That way the Christmas Rush will be OVER and you will have time to think blog again.  If you have a tutorial for anything that will fit the theme let me know and I can feature it one day.

As I have done in the past I would have a Giveaway for those who participate.  I will make a decision Monday according to those who comment this weekend.  If I don't have at least 10 who are interested in linking up I will just skip this year and do one next year.

The Winners!

Thanks to all who commented on the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway.  I used Random. org to select the winners this morning.  Here are the Lucky Numbers that came up.  I will get the gifts on their way to you when I have your snail mail addresses.

#51 Cindy Dahlgren

#55 Debbie

#47 Lisa

#45 Crickets Corner

Congratulations!

Linking with:  Whoop, Whoop and Link a Finish and Finish it up Friday and Fabric Frenzy Friday

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day

The human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live. 

Ethel Percy Andrus

It's Giveaway Day!  

Let's Celebrate the Season of Giving!

Since I have been away from my blog for a while I thought I should treat my readers to a Giveaway.  I am giving away patterns and there will be 4 Winners!  

I'm offering a variety so maybe you will like at least one of them.  If you haven't been to my blog before I hope you will take the time to look around.  I post when I have things to share and since I didn't even post once during November I am a bit behind.  I have made a few things and even finished them!  Maybe the shock of actually finishing the things I started was too much for my system.  LOL  Either that of hitting the big 60 back in October has thrown me for a loop.  Whatever it was I think I'm over it now and have a bunch of pictures of what I have been up to ready to share in the next few days.

So if you like Santas, Angels, Trees or Snowmen you should like a chance to WIN.

These Santas have been dieting.  The single one would look great on a door.

Some days are tougher than others so you might want a few angels 

watching over you.  This sweet applique project would be fun even if you decided 

not to add the scalloped border.  I added a close up of this one.

Not into applique?  How about piecing or embroidery.  These trees and houses

could fit in with your Holiday decor or most any Season.

If snowmen are more your style you could win these 2 patterns.  

The one above is for some little ornaments or a lapel pin. 

The wreath below could warm your home all winter.

They are made with cotton batting and can be dressed

in recycled  shirts or sweaters.

Giveaway has ended.

Leave a comment below as to whether you prefer Santas, Angels, Trees or Snowmen.

Make sure you leave your contact info if you are a no reply blogger.

My followers, new or old, my leave an additional comment for a second chance to win.  Just state how you follow my blog in a second comment.  If you would like to say what you have read on it that you liked best that would be great too! 

Giveaway closes at 5pm PST Friday, December 12.  Winners will be announced this weekend.  

Thanks to Sew Mama Sew for this Giveaway Day!

The Winners Are

A winning smile makes winners of us all. 

Unknown

Well another week has flown by.  Today has been a bit frustrating.  My earpiece on my glasses broke and I so my view of the world is a bit cockeyed.  Makes more eyestrain than usual and corresponding headache.

I have pulled out a couple of older projects.  I'm tired of having so many UFOs hanging about.  They clutter up the studio and my brain.  This one is a modern piece I did at a sewing machine dealer class.  It just needs borders.  I put up several choices.  Which one do you like best.

I think it needs a small black border to start with.  If I use the mottled black that is in the geese I'll have to piece it because I have very little left.

This one I've shown on the blog before.  I still need to add the borders.  This curved piecing was a lot of work and I have been disappointed in it.  I just didn't put enough contrast in the fabric choices to make it visually interesting.  Up close it is OK.  I just need to finish it and move on.  The quilting may help pull it together.

Here's a closeup shot. It has a very African feel.  The masks fabric is an African one.

I have been working on blocks from an old BOM that I designed when I had the shop.  They are in 30s prints.  It's amazing how I have pulled fabrics from the 30s bin for 2 bed size tops and it has not made a noticeable dent and the bin isn't a very deep one.

Moving on to today's news... the Winners as selected in a set of Random Intergers:

Congrats to:  #23 GranChris

                       #29 Jusmom1

 and                #34 Margaret

I'll get your prizes in the mail as soon as I get all the contact info from you.

Thanks again to all my wonderful Followers!  Your comments and encouragement keep me going and give me many smiles.

Linking with:  Patchwork Times and Anything Goes Monday and Linky Tuesday and Fabric Tuesday 

A Giveaway for My Followers

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. 

Brian Tracy

Somehow the last week just flew by and so did this one.  Rather than share what I've been working on I'll just share some of the flowers that are blooming in my yard.  Then I'll show you what I'm putting in my Giveaway.  One of the reasons for this Giveaway is because I passed the 100,000 page views and I have 324 followers through Bloglovin now.  Thank you all very much for being interested in what I have to say and make.

Since I can't send you flowers of thanks I'll just share the pictures of the ones in my yard this week.  After having these come up for 3 years they finally bloomed this year.  There are a couple of new ones that have come up this year.  Apparently they have to grow a year or so before blooming.

We have several crepe myrtle trees and this is the largest one.  It has grown a lot in the last year and has never had so many blooms.  We are debating as to whether or not we need to trim it back so it doesn't overhang the porch roof.

The color is so rich and deep. Each blooming cluster is made up of many smaller blossoms.

The yellow cone flowers came up again this year.  Not as many as the past few years but they are still pretty.  The variations in the amount of brown in the different flowers is interesting.

One of the chrysanthemums we have blooms during the summer.  The others wait to show off in the fall.  They were from my Mother's funeral several years ago.

So the prizes I had selected back before the 4th got buried under some other things when we were cleaning up for the family coming over.  They finally surfaced this week.  I also came up with another one.  I hope you like them.

The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E. Brunstetter is a novel about 6 new quilters taking their first quilting class.  It is a heart warming story that gives insight into the divergent personalities that are drawn to quilting.

Northwoods Retreat by Brenda Henning is filled with great patterns using the stained glass applique technique.  I've used this method before and it works well.  Good patterns for men are sometimes hard to find and this one has a great ones.  Brenda is one of my favorite quilt book authors.

Quilt Your Stash is a special edition magazine that surfaced in my studio.  I don't remember how I got it but it is filled with 10 projects that would be suitable for beginners or for quick gifts.  I think they would appeal to many quilters.

How to Win:

There will be 3 Winners selected.  This Giveaway is for Followers of my blog only (new or old)!  To be included in the drawing leave a comment stating how you follow me and tell me what your favorite linky party is and whether you like to link up weekly or monthly.  If you are a no reply blogger be sure to leave your email info.

Drawing will close at midnight EST July 27.  The Winners will be selected and announced Monday, July 28.

Grow Your Blog Winner

I am already kindly disposed towards you. My friendship it is not in my power to give: this is a gift which no man can make, it is not in our own power: a sound and healthy friendship is the growth of time and circumstance, it will spring up and thrive like a wildflower when these favour, and when they do not, it is in vain to look for it. 

William Wordsworth

I

It's time to announce the Winner of the Grow Your Blog Giveaway.

6.  Vicki HJanuary 25, 2014 at 12:14 AM

I have been following with GFC.

Congratulations Vicki!!! I will get your keychain in the mail as soon as I have your snail mail details.

It's been a week of contrasts in the weather here.  Today is sunny after rain last night.  Remarkably there was some patches of ice that survived the rain and warmer temperatures of yesterday.  I'm sure they will be gone later today.

I thought you might like to see a picture or two of the contrasts in my life.  The pansies were briefly overwhelmed by the sleet and snow.  They had recovered and were fine yesterday.

Inside the house is a different story.  My begonias have been in bloom for a number of weeks.  These are fully open now and are a lovely shade of pink.

Here is a closer look at their delicate beauty.

My violets are still blooming away also.  You can see more of them in this post from the first week of January.  Like I said they have been blooming for a while.

We watched the grandkids last night.  Today I am sore from picking up the baby.  He will be 9 months next week and weighs about 27 lbs.  He is crawling and pulling up.  Needless to say he is determined to get into things he shouldn't and must be picked up and distracted in another direction.  I don't pick up heavy things on a daily basis so I am feeling it today.  He is a sweetie and a very happy little boy.  

I haven't gotten any new pictures of my projects made yet.  I'll get that done this afternoon and have more to share then.  I will also get the linky up and running for the Fab 4 Quilt Along tomorrow.  Hope you have something to share!

Grow Your Blog

Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful. 

Mark Victor Hansen

Welcome to all the new visitors here for the 

Grow Your Blog Party!!!

I'm so glad you have found your way to my little corner of blogland.  I hope that you will look around and get to know me a little while you are here!

Let me start off by introducing myself.  My name is Patricia and I am a quilter.  I started sewing before I started to school and haven't stopped yet.  Quilting caught my attention in the mid 70s.  I took my first class in 1979 and haven't stopped yet.  I began teaching quilting in the early 90s and opened a quilt shop in 1996.  Before I closed the shop in 2002 I had begun 'stand up' quilting.  I own a longarm quilting machine and enjoy quilting the tops that I have made as well as doing a little quilting for friends.

If you want to see some of the quilts I have made over the years there are a few under the Finished Quilts Tab at the top of the blog.  This is not by any means ALL the quilts I have made.  There are more scattered throughout the blog posts as well as pictures of many in process. 

My Favorite Quilt

Blogging is my way of reaching out to the quilters around the world.  I try to share some of the knowledge I have learned over the years.  I also love taking pictures and reading.  This year I have joined a couple of reading challenges.  You can find out more about them by clicking the tab at the top of the blog or here (Reading Challenges).  I am also trying to share a photo each week to fit a theme for the 52 Photos Project.  You may have noticed I started my post with a quotation.  This is something I try to do on each post.  I love quotes and make an effort to find one that relates to something I have to say in my post.  I guess you could say that is a personal challenge for me.

Now would you like the chance to win a little gift for visiting my blog?  I tried to come up with something that would be nice for quilters or non-quilters.  I found this nice little pewter key ring.  It has a basket quilt block on it but I think that many people like baskets and almost everyone needs a key ring.

How to win?

Anyone can enter a comment and might win here's what to do.

Leave a comment below about why you like to read blogs.  Anything you want to share about what kind of blogs you like to read or what content makes your favorite blogs appeal to you.  Is it personal tidbits, common hobbies, humor, food, etc.

If you are a follower of my blog, new or old, leave a second comment for a second chance to win.  

Be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you if you are a 'no reply' commenter.

Drawing will be held and winner announced February 15.  That gives you until midnight, February 14, EST to enter.

  

Thanks for stopping by!

Small Things

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson

For the past few years I have been wanting to improve my photography skills.  I feel that my blogging has been helping me do this since a picture certainly makes my posts more interesting.  I have wanted to do one of the many photo challenges on the web and I have been watching this one for a while.  It is just to take a picture that fits a simple theme once a week and post it.  I missed the first week of the year because it was to take a picture on New Year's Day and I didn't.  This week's theme was for something really small.

New leaves on the schefflera 

One of the things I like about my schefflera plant is the each new leaf bracket starts out as a small but perfect version of the full grown ones.  The new one in the center of the picture is about the size of a dime.  It's so much fun to first see them start out even smaller than that and watch them grow and the green change from lime to a deeper forest shade.

It's been cold here but today is better.  Maybe up to the 50s.  Not a fan of the single digit temperatures.  The heat runs and runs and the air is so dry.  We went out to eat Friday night and it had dropped down into the 20s the night before.  The fountain at the restaurant had frozen.  This is not a sight common to Georgia.  I only had my cell phone with me so the pictures aren't too great but I thought I'd share anyway.

I'm sure after this week's low temperatures the pool below the fountain was frozen too.  I didn't go back just to check it out though.  My son, who lives in an apartment complex, said that the swimming pools had a solid layer of ice across them there.  Even the one that was supposedly heated was frozen.  I told him not to try to walk on them. ;-)

No quilting pictures to share today.  I did get the blocks for the grandson's quilt trimmed and the fabric cut for the sashings and fill blocks.  I need to put the blocks on the design wall to decide on the arrangement and then I can get the top finished.  

I also prowled around the stash to find the backing for 2 of the quilts I need to get quilted. They are bigger than I thought the were but I'm determined to get them done.  I had to restitch a few seams in them.   The lady that made them is deceased and they are made from double knit, yes that indestructible fabric from the 60s and 70s.  The blocks are simple bowtie blocks but they are about 14 inches across.  Needless to say the fabrics stretch and the tops are not square.  They are actually well made and have a very modern look.  I'll try to remember to get permission to share some pictures.  One thing about knit quilts that you may not know, they well keep you very warm in very cold weather.

I have been negligent to post that I WON a lovely prize back during the Blog Hop Giveaway a few weeks ago.  My prize arrived during the holidays.  Thanks Sharyn!  I'm looking forward to using them for something special.  Sharyn's blog is Quilty Pleasures

2 Charm Packs

Well that's about all for today.  A little something small, something cold, something old and something lovely.  I hope you have enjoyed a few little somethings lately too!

Linking with:  Really Random Thursday and Let's Bee Social and 52 Photos

The Winners Are

Nothing can seem foul to those who win. 

William Shakespeare

Thanks to ALL of you that joined in the Party!  I had fun reading all the comments.  I know it is a busy time of year to get things done in blogland.  Maybe next year I will either run the Linky Party longer or earlier.

So on to the exciting part - the Winners!

The Winner of the Participants is #4 - Connie.  She even provided a tutorial! 

The Winner of the Commenters is #39 - Linda, she also enter a lovely redwork skirt!

39. LindaDecember 19, 2013 at 12:40 PM

Hi, entered # 7 as my Christmas Tree Skirt Round Up !
This is a FUN LINKY!
Thanks for sharing!
MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Your prizes will be on their way once I get your snail mail info.

Thanks again!

Prizes Oh Joy!

Things won are done, joys soul lies in the doing. 

William Shakespeare

I know you are anxiously awaiting a glimpse of the PRIZES that I am giving away at the end of the CHRISTMAS TREE SKIRT ROUND UP.  So here is a peek:

Thangles and a Wreath Stencil

Beary and Santa Shakes 

Two Great Quilt Patterns

Santas Elves

There will probably be a Christmas Fat Quarter or two that find their way into the package too.  These prizes will be divided (some will be in both) between TWO WINNERS, one from those that ENTER the linky and another from those that COMMENT on 
THE CHRISTMAS TREE SKIRT ROUND UP POST HERE.

Be sure to check it out and comment. Linky will be open until Christmas Day so there is plenty of time to join the fun.  

Christmas Tree Skirt Round Up

It's time for the Christmas Tree Skirt Party!

I hope you are ready to share your favorite Christmas Tree Skirts!  I plan on sharing mine!  You will notice that the Christmas Tree above has no skirt because it is looking for a really beautiful one to wear. (That's the best I can come up with to explain why after many attempts I couldn't get one drawn to look the way I wanted it to. LOL)  If you are new to my blog let me say WELCOME!  I hope you will take a look around and get to know me a little better.  You may want to check out the Christmas Stocking Hang Out that I had last December.  There are a number of post following that one on Christmas Stockings.  This year the focus has been on Christmas Tree Skirts.  If you need one for this year you may be a little late getting started but you could check out my directions for making a Hexagonal Christmas Tree Skirt HERE.  I also share My Favorite Tree Skirt here.

I did manage to create my own little button to share, finally.  (I won't tell you how many hours that feat took. I did have some readers that offered to help me but it was something that I really needed to learn to do for myself.)  Please grab it for you blog or share it on your favorite social media site so we can have more people come to the party!

There will be some PRIZES given to some of those who enter.  I'll let random.org pick the WINNERS on December 26.  What will the prizes be?  I'll put up pictures in another post  (Click here to see them) so this one won't be too long. Those who add LINKS to their Tree Skirts will be in one drawing for prizes and those who leave COMMENTS will be in another drawing.  

Please link up below and share with all your fellow quilters and sewing enthusiasts what you have made to Deck the Halls under your Christmas Tree!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

1- Leave a comment about the Christmas Tree Skirt Round Up here to be in drawings for the Goodies.  

2- Extra chances go to my Followers, new or old, leave another comment if you are one.

3- Linky Participants get their own drawing. 

4+ - Those who spread the word about the Hang Out on their blog, Facebook, Google +  or Twitter etc. can leave a comment on what they did.

Make sure you leave your email contact if you are a no reply blogger.

Linking with: Freemotion by the River