Almost been a year!!!

Really neglected this blog....I blame Instagram! It's just too easy to post there....also our computer bit the dust and we are using a hand-me-down from our girl.  That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!:)

Ok..since the last post I did back in March 2016 was about the Mini Mania Challenge let's just start there!  Do you remember that this is a monthly challenge to sharpen skills and take us out of our comfort zone?  Come join us!:)

Here we go....

Challenge #14 Drunkards Path

Yes...it's tiny!

#15 Cathedral Windows

The letter "D"!:)

#16 Seeing Stars

Smorgasbord!:)

#17 Seminole

Another tiny one....I was lazy!

#18 Dresden Plate

Love that ombre background!

#19 Flying Geese

Be on the lookout for this one again!;)

#20 Joseph's Coat

Ticker Tape style!

#21 Applique 

Used a lot of leftover EPP shapes.

And now getting up to date...

#22 Our House...

...or a wee village of them!  This mini flew away to New Jersey as part of the first ever 

Modern Quilt Guild Swap and I'm excited to say....

I'm going to QuiltCon East 2017 in Savannah, Georgia!! 

WoooooooHoooooo!!!

Ahhhhh....glad to be back!

~d

New Year, New Mini Mania Challenge #11

Hmm...what to do for the Mini Mania Challenge?

 Had some scraps.

Leftovers from this quilt. 

 Which was in this book.

Challenge 11 was to make a sampler....with nine blocks.

So I did....eight around the border and one big one in the middle.

 A bit of hand quilting with perle cotton to finish.

I love the stripe stems....and everything else about it! 

So glad I get to keep it!

In the meantime we had a Blizzard...

...a really big Blizzard with over 30+ inches of snow.

 There was loads of time to do some English paper piecing.  The Glorious Hexagon quilt pack #1!

Of course that was after we did some shoveling!!

~d

October # 9 Challenge Applique & Orange

Mini Mania strikes again!  

Leslie got us to put our thinking caps on....all applique and a shot of orange.  

Well, I love orange so there was no problem for me!:)

Looks kinda lumpy on the sides but you know there is a reason.

Had this top leftover from the seven samples made for the Angled Frames tutorial. 

Perfect for a background so cutting a piece from the upper right corner another....

....pillow was created!

A few buttons, some embroidery and a bit of quilting was all it took.

A couple more sections cut out for the envelope back.

Our shower curtain was my inspiration!:)

The pillow insert is one from our couch and a bit too snug but it worked for picture taking.  Now it is packed away with the others until the house is finished.

Happy Ghosty Day to you from me, Mr. Pumpkin-head and the Bride of Frankenstein.

I'm Ghouling away at Houston International Quilt Festival!

btw...new phone...new app...I'm on Instagram!!

https://instagram.com/deeroodesigns/

~d

1st finish of 4th quarter.

August #7 Mini Mania Challenge

Ah Leslie....you about did me in with this challenge!

Of course I had to do something different. After the frustration paper piecing the sewing machine I didn't have the heart to piece the draping fabric....

....so I used some draping fabric!;)

 Used some clear vinyl to make the jar with off centered lid and stuffed it with tiny buttons.  There is yarn on the wonky spool and for some reason a huge indentation on the sewing machine body...I must have had some of Lynda's wine!:)

There was all this empty space under the fabric so.....

 ...I appliqued a little surprise!

Still trying to perfect my needle turned skills....don't know if the kitty has a funny tooth or he is licking his chops in anticipation!;) Thank you Charise for letting us use your design!

This was a fun challenge true to the word.  Next month it's my turn....watch out gang!;)

Participated in this month's Mini QT Swap....Circles and Curves.

Used the tracing wheel...this is the Dritz product we can get in the US. 

I do like the wooden handled one better.  

The photo was my inspiration.

 The mini on the right went to Nan, my swap partner.  The mini on the left is hanging in the shop.  I used Nan's product Chenille-It for the grass. That stuff is so much fun!

Lastly Halloween bunting flags for a side swap at Mini QT.   Little sparkling net pockets.  

Serious skulls on one side....

....a little wacky on the other side!

One stayed home and the others are on their way around the world.

Fly little skull flags....fly!

~d

Different way to applique...at least for me!

My boss went to Amsterdam meeting up with one of our loyal online customers.  This lady does amazing hand work...in fact she will have a quilt in Quilt Mania soon and I don't think it's the first time!  She showed Carly how she prepares her bits for hand stitching....a tracing wheel and a piece of leather! 

 (I used a piece of pleather...worked fine.)

Carly knows I love to do handwork and not only showed me this new way but bought me a lovely wooden handled tracing wheel. All you do is trace your pattern piece on the wrong side of the fabric and the edges curl up....turning under so easily!

 Makes appliqueing a few leaves for a baby quilt a snap!:) 

 Used some of the Chenille-It to add the wee ones initials and embroidered the year to the left.

 Now our girl needs to send it to her friends in Canada!:)

Set the last quilt top hanging in the closet free...now it is basted awaiting hand quilting.  

It's just too hot right now!

But the temperature is perfect for peppers!

~d

5th finish of the 3rd quarter.  The List.

Medley of Jen (Kingwell)...the quilt!

It started with Green Tea and Sweet Beans.  

No, not the foods....the quilt pattern.

Then I saw the quilt in person at the 2014 Fat Quarter Retreat in London while at a class with said enabler.  I learned some good tricks.  Enough that I felt comfortable giving it a try.

But then I saw Bring Me Flowers, The Circle Game,  Gardenvale Stars AND Jen's newest book Quilt Lovely (almost wrote loverly!)  I was torn.  There was no way I could (or would) ever do all those quilts. While pondering with itchy fingers something magical came to the shop!

 Gardenvale the fabric line arrived and I was a goner!

 Beginning of May the first stitches were sewn and teases were shown with the above peeks.

It was very easy combining Gardenvale with loads of other fabrics for that scrappy look.

Thought I was done then Quilt Lovely came to our shop. 

 Glitter, Mrs. Bannister's Stars, She Loves You, Home Run and Flea Market Dash called to me.

Make me....make me....make me...make me....make me too!

So I did.  Over half of all the blocks in this quilt were done using 

English paper piecing and applique. 

Next brilliant idea was to hand quilt it all.  Not one of my best since it's been averaging over 90 degrees (32.2C for you peeps across the pond) most days and we don't have our window air conditioners in yet!

Quilting it in sections using size 12  Perle cotton kept the quilt sandwiches smaller. This way I didn't have so much draped across my lap.

(Doe and Succulent on the back)

Before sewing on the bottom section I accidentally trimmed off the piece that was supposed to be turned under and blind stitched hence that loooooong skinny strip of yellow!  If anyone asks I'll say I meant to do that.  You'll keep my secret right?:)

Introducing...

 Medley of Jen!

 Had the MOST fun stitching and appliqueing.

 Putting the puzzle together in a pleasing way.

 Hand quilting, hand quilting, hand quilting and then of course a nice wash and dry up!

Crinkly goodness at it's very best!

Now she hangs in the shop and will be at Hershey end of July AND Houston end of October at the Webfabric.net booth.  

If you are there go say hi!!:)

~d

PS.....I'll be at Houston too!!!:)