Happy Halloween !!!!

My second favorite holiday of the year!  I love the colors of fall, the kids in all their costumes, giving out candy to all the excited trick or treaters (although where I live, we never have any trick or treaters, bummer!), and all the Halloween decorations.

The 2013 Wicked Blog Hop already started on Oct 22nd, but if you stop over to my friend Joan's, blog, Moosestash Quilting, you can see all her wonderful Halloween projects.  She is so talented and I covet her collection of Halloweenie items.  If she lived closer, she'd be missing a few of them, lol.  Then check this page for the list of bloggers participating.  You'll see some fabulous example of why I love Halloween decos.

Amy's annual Blogger's Quilt Festival has started.  Be sure to stop in every day and see all the wonderful quilts made by bloggers from all over.  You'll find lots of inspiration for your future projects!

My friend Joan is entered in this one - check out her entry called Wish Upon a Star.  Isn't it beautiful?  Go to her blog and view all the other pictures of this quilt, you won't be sorry!

Then mark your calendar and vote for her in the Applique Category from November 1 – 7th.

I found these 2 cute Halloween quilts on the web years ago, but never could get the patterns.  Aren't they cute?

I'll leave you with some cute Halloween cartoons.  Hope you have a safe and happy Halloween.

Happy quilting and Happy Halloween from Sharon and the Marmalade kitties, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash

     

Stitch and Bitch....

We had two birthdays to celebrate this month in my Stitch 'n Bitch group and my fire hall group, Donna G and Gail.  For their birthdays, we went out to lunch at an Italian restaurant and then on to the new quilt shop in our area,  The Witch's Stitches.  Lots of laughs and eating went on, but forgot my camera again, so sorry - no pics.

Some of us get to celebrate Gail's birthday again in the S 'n B group, so this time we're going to the best local Oriental restaurant in the city, Beijing Gardens.  We'll also be celebrating Carol M's birthday that day, so I'm looking forward to the shrimp and scallops in hot garlic sauce. Yum!  Afterwards we'll come back to my house for birthday cake and ice cream and presents!  I love presents!  (And birthday cake and ice cream, too, lol.)

Mary has been really busy this month, with several projects to show us at S 'n B.  She made the 1600 Strip quilt with a black and white jelly roll and it came out stunning.

Then she made the cutest witch's boot to put on her front door!  Of course, Patsy Cline had to check things out!

 

Mary showed us another of her fruits and veggies wall hangings - this one has a jar of dog bones with a doggie trying to get at them.  Too cute!

And I actually finished a stitching project this time!  It's going to be a gift, so I can't say for whom it's intended, but I wanted to post it just to show some people that I do eventually finish things, lol.

This was the very first (I think) First Friday Freebie that Kaaren at The Painted Quilt gave us.  It's only taken me 1 (or 2 ?) years to get it done.  Kaaren is a very talented lady from Nova Scotia, whose blog I follow.  She has lots of wonderful free designs on her blog and often show pictures of her gorgeous home.  You can follow her by email if you subscribe to her blog and believe me-it is worth it.  I love her creations.  Stop over and see her and tell her I sent you.

Until next time,
Happy quilting and Happy Halloween from Sharon, Patsy, and Johnny

Hug Club

Once a month, a group of us meet at O'Susannah's Quilt Shop in Watkins Glen, NY to make quilts for people who are having a hard time and just need "a hug" to let them know someone cares.  Last month Sue asked us to make items for the community hospital's Christmas bazaar fundraiser.  She had some cool Riley Blake fabric samples for us to use, so we decided to make placemats, hotpads, potholders, and mug mats.  We worked at her store on our meeting day and took home fabric to work on them at home, also.  When we came back this month, we had 64 placemats, plus lots of other items ready to put together.  We got all the placemats sewn and turned, now in November, we'll finish up the rest.

Bettina, Mary, Lynne, Judy

 

Darlene-our iron lady

 

Judy also brought her latest creation to show us--a patriotic stars quilt made for her nephew.  It is so gorgeous and she does all her own quilting on her regular sewing machine!  She does such beautiful work, and I know her nephew will love it.

Until next time,
Happy quilting and Happy Halloween from Sharon, Patsy, and Johnny

Where did the last month go?

I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted.  I guess I've been so busy that the time just flew on by!

Yesterday was sewing at the fire hall again.  Most everyone was there, but we did miss Bonnie.  She always has such neat projects to show us that she's working on.  But she went to PA to spend the week sewing with Beverly, so we know she was having a good time, too.  Since it was such a chilly day, Donna G's choice of menu was perfect.  She was so excited the past week over "traveling tacos" that we all brought different taco fixings and she showed us how to make these "walking tacos".  You take a small bag of Doritos-the nacho cheese are best-and crush them up in the bag with your hands. then add all the fixings right into the bag!  You eat out of the bag with a plastic fork or spoon, while you "travel/walk" around and talk to your friends. It was really cool--and soooo good!  Donna says it's her kind of meal, no dirty dishes, just toss the bag and silverware when you're done.  I can't wait to try them again when we have a family gathering.  Wish I'd remembered my camera so I could have shown you pictures.

With Mary's help, I finally got my Halloween quilt finished and am using it on the couch until I can get a large enough dowel to hang it with.  It's a pattern I tested last summer for Jessica E. Smith of the Quilt and Needle.  I couldn't wait to show it, as it has a black cat on it that brings back memories of our beloved "JD", the only black cat we've owned.  He was such a sweetheart, so I'm glad to have a quilt to remember him by.

I have to put his purple bow tie and green eyes on yet, but I love this pattern!

We've been doing serious sewing at Joan's house on Wednesday's, and we had a visitor one day.  Donna W's daughter, Rae, came to say hello.  Donna W is back in Arizona at Rae's house, recovering from knee surgery, so it was nice to have one of her twins visit and give us an update.  We so miss her stories and laughter, but we're hoping next year she'll be back for the summer again.

 

 Here's some of the gals hard at work.  And look at Sharon D's newest baby quilt!  It's so cute.

Until next time,

Happy Quilting and Happy Halloween from Sharon, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash

WHEW...What a week this has been....

 

Friday was my "official" birthday, but I am so lucky to be able to celebrate all week, make that all month long, lol.  

     Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes--and they're still coming in.  It's been a wonderful birthday, made more special by hearing from so many of you on Facebook.
      Tuesday my wonderful granddaughter, Bre, brought me roses, candy and presents, and stayed for dinner.

      Wednesday I shared a gorgeous weather day traveling with my quilting buddies (that sew at Joan's house every Wednesday) to several quilt shops around the beautiful Finger Lakes.  We had lunch out at OakView, which has a great selection of sandwiches and baked goods, and then shopped in the bulk food store there.  It's owned by some of the local Mennonite families and has a great selection of baking supplies, meats, cheeses, jams and jellies, condiments, and snacks. I brought home two different types of horseradish cheese--it is so yummy!  The girls all gave me birthday cards with fat quarters in them-great additions to my stash!  And my Secret Pal made me a beautiful Autumn table runner that she had Jane (Blackberry Acres Longarm Quilting) quilt for me with acorns and leaves.  It is perfect for my Fall decorating and I just love it!

     Friday I went on the bus with my quilting friends from home and O'Susannah's Quilt Shop and spent the day at a great quilt show outside Philly.  I found some great patterns I just had to add to my already overflowing stash of books and patterns, lol.  Got the Witches Hooray TR from Bird Brain Designs to add to THAT pile of stitcheries to be done someday, lol; the Reindeer Table Mat by Primitive Gatherings; ANOTHER Wooden Bear little quilt kit, the July Sailboat; and a paper-pieced Little Bits pattern-A Little Bit Shorter Tall Tree pattern (I already have the mini version with the train going around the tree).  This tree is 17" x 41"  but the larger one is 26 3/4" x 76 3/4".  I wanted the biggest one for my front door, but decided I'd better stick with this medium-sized one if I actually wanted to get it done, lol. 
      Only purchased a half dozen FQ's-mostly for gifts and swaps-and only 1 yard of background fabric (already cut) that was such a bargain at $5 that I couldn't pass it up, so I really was good this trip!  My friend, Ann, and I both purchased the Creative Grids Log Cabin Trim Tool for 8" Finished Blocks Quilt Ruler that we'd heard about from other friends who attended a quilt retreat where it was demo'd (thanks Josie and Donna).  I've made millions of log cabin blocks the Eleanor Burns way, but this looked neat.  And the lady we bought the rulers from showed Ann how to use her X-Block ruler that she lost the directions for.  So now we can use Ann's X-Box ruler, too.

     My camera malfunctioned, so I only got 2 pics at the quilt show-this fabulous Halloween Baltimore Album Quilt

and a potholder made with the X-Block ruler. UGH!! 

     After I got home though, I found out it wasn't the camera that was malfunctioing, it was me! I had charged the battery before we left, and had taken out the memory card.  I forgot to put the card back in when I put the battery in--how dumb is that!!

It really was a senior moment, sigh.

     Saturday evening my son took hubby and me to what-used-to-be our favorite Italian restaurant (Moretti's) where we always celebrated birthdays and anniversaries and I had the best filet mignon in the world.  It's to die for!   Son's GF also made me a dozen really delicious chocolate chip cookies, all gift-wrapped in a purple (my fav color) box with a fancy gold bow!  Yummy, yummy, yummy!  Everyone enjoyed them--thanks, Chrissy!
     And to top the week off, on Sunday I get to spend sewing time with two of my BFF's, Mary and Lynne.

How much better can a birthday be?

Until next time....
Happy quilting from Sharon and the Marmalade Kitties, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash 

A new Quilt-Along is starting....

over at Christa Quilts.  This one is number 7 and is a modern Christmas tree quilt.  Her quilt will finish approximately 30″ x 40″ – perfect for hanging on the wall or draping over a couch or chair. The finished size of each block will be 6″ x 8″. You can make a larger quilt with more blocks, or by adding sashing or borders.  Click on the icon on my sidebar and you'll find her schedule and fabric requirements.  I love her first quilt diagram.  Might have to do this one-another to add to my UFO list if I don't get it finished, lol.

Wednesday's our quilt group meets at Joan's house for a day of sewing, eating, and laughing.  I like to post pictures of the great projects my quilting buddies make as inspiration for you, so here are the latest completions.

Susie's Hexi Quilt

the girls at work

Gail's house quilt

Sharon D's scrappy quilt

 Then on Thursday's my stitching group meets and they make some fabulous projects also.  I've been bad about showing you their projects, so here is a nice showing of their talents.

Linda's birdhouse WH

Lynne's blackwork herbal WH

Mary's wonky bunnies

Linda's flower quilt

Mary's storm at sea

Over at my ScrappyandHappy Yahoo group we've been doing a small quilt swap.  Annette in Las Vegas had my name and made me a gorgeous lap quilt in reds and tans.  I love it and can't wait for the weather to turn so I can start snuggling under it!

Don't you just love it?  I sure do!  Thanks so much, Annette, I will treasure this quilt always. 

I had Rebecca in California, who loves pink.  I showed you a few sneak peeks a while back of the small quilt I was making for her.  She has it now, so I can show you pictures of the finished product. 

front against the back

full view

hanging on my porch

This is my second completed  larger project since my shoulder replacement surgery, and I was happy with how it turned out, except for the binding.  I had to machine sew it down and unfortunately, the arm just does not work like it should yet, lol.  Hopefully, I'll get better with more practice.  But Rebecca says she love it, so as long as she's happy, so am I.

So until next time....

Happy quilting from Sharon and the marmalade kitties, Patsy Cline & Johnny Cash