Pumpkins, Paper Piecing and Pirates....Arrrgghhh!

 Last week we finally got around to buying our Fall pumpkins....never been this late in October!  The one on the left is called a Cinderella Pumpkin.  It's supposed to be the best eating....but that had to wait...while we ate our Route 11 Sweet Potato Chips and Stewart's sodas!!

 Dana at Old Red Barn Co. had a quilt challenge for us. Find a color palette and interpret it any way you want....I found one called "Alone @ the Airport" and I knew that was the one...since that's been our girl....alone at many, many airports!

 Still having fun with English paper piecing....and buttons! 

 This month's theme at the Bitty Block Bee is Sewing.  I was a little stumped because I kept thinking of past sewing theme bitties.....then I looked at my jar of buttons...and made a jar of buttons!  The wee quilt was supposed to be on a clothesline...but it was too short so I made it a hitching post.

(Polly the Patchwork Pirate....arrgh matey!)

At work we have been busy cleaning the shop while Carly is at Quilt Festival in Houston....but we are still having fun!;)

~d

Guess Where I'll be next March?!!

Yep....the Sew South Retreat....gabbing and needle stabbing....into fabric!;)

Tickets are still available....come play!

Thanks Dana!!

~d

The Girl Reviews the Boy's LP!

(At the Tower of London in June) 

Here she is...wearing the latest Hold Tight! tee...it's a photo I took of the them walking through the aftermath of the Blizzard of '96!!:)

She's smiling and proud of him and the band's latest album and shared her thoughts in a review on her blog... I just had to share what she said with you! You can click on the above photo and get a free download....or like she said...buy it!;)

(Sorry...I don't know who to give credit to for this photo!)

The boy's are now getting ready for The Fest in Gainesville, FL the weekend of Oct 26, 27 and 28.   They are playing Saturday the 27th at The Laboratory at 6:20pm.

If you live nearby check them out!;)

~d

Sand, Sunsets, Selvedges, a Flower and a Shower!

 Ahhhh...Outer Banks of North Carolina in October.....Awesome!

While climbing the largest sand dune on the east coast at Jockey's Ridge State Park we watched all the varied looks of a sunset with the girl who is home for a visit from the UK.

 What could be better?

 I'm not the only one that was taking photographs.

 Looking over the Sound.

 Worked on a double Grandmother's Hexy Flower....we are making kits for these at work!

Speaking of work...that was the real reason we were at the beach, so Don could remodel a bathroom and do a few other things.

 He didn't get a lot of time to relax. Among the many things he worked on during our week at the beach this was the main change....from this tub/shower insert to this...

...lovely marble tiled shower!

 While there I finished my Round Robin quilt....is this staged nicely enough Lynz?:) I had to wait til we returned home so I could put the couch pillows on the bed!

Yesterday I did my first selvedge blocks for Hollie at our Sew Fun Bee.  I don't think I'll be making any more because I just don't remember to save my selvedges!

Hope you've had time to enjoy a great sunset!

~d

Old Red Barn Co. Quilt Challenge Throwdown!!

 Yep!  Dana at ORBC has challenged us to be even  MORE creative!;)  She wants us to pick a color palette and make either a mini, lap/wall hanging or twin+ sized quilt and write a little blurbage about how your creation embodies (her word:) that palette...go HERE to check out the details AND the prizes!!;)

I picked a palette that spoke to me the minute I saw it and the name the palette maker gave it.  I'm not going to tell you what it is yet....but here is a peek at my initial drawing.  Now to pick my fabrics!
Hope you come play along!
~d

Seven of Sixteen....DONE!

September's weather has been perfect for finishing things...when the wind is blowing and it rains four inches in one day I have no problem snuggling with a quilt while stitching the binding!

Sunrise, Sunset is the name of this quilt....I love it so!  Scraps of Kaffe sewn together randomly...really....I didn't plan how it would come out!  Can you see the sun I quilted in the bottom half?:)

This quilt is going to Pennsylvania.  A childhood friend and college roommate of the girl is getting married next month...

....boy and girl met at West Virginia University...can you see the WV stitched in the corner....and the black-eyed-Susan hiding a hole I snipped in the backing?:)

The backing of the gift is flannel....this won't be the last quilt that gets flannel....so warm!!

Two more gifts given...to my sis-in-laws.  A runner made from favorite childhood books and another quilt out of scraps from work.  My coworker Penny long armed it....the all over leaf pattern is perfect!

 This was just for fun but will be heading to the UK with the girl for a friend's new baby.

Big prints by Jane Sassaman....leftovers from my With New Eyes quilt...

....I really need to stop buying so much fabric that I have enough leftover to make another!

This cutie was a joint effort of our ARRR8 Around the Bend Across the Pond group. We found out one of our own is expecting her 4th child....we had to make the baby something fun and colorful.  All I did is add the center block and put it together....easy peasy!  You can look here to see who helped out...Thanks gang!

Lastly is my favorite of the seven.  Is this not the most inviting spot?  My in-laws have the most lovely place looking out to the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Isn't that view gorgeous?!!

These blocks are from the Blogger's Quilt-Uberfest. One block a day for 16 days and I kept up....

 ....but it has taken me eleven months to finally put them all together and quilt it!  I'm really digging the orange, brown, aqua and pops of Grunge green!  This is the first quilt that I have successfully used quilting cottons and batiks. Definitely a keeper!

New total....three in the closet and six waiting for hand stitched binding!:)

~d

9+2+2+3 Does not equal 13!!

A while back I think I mentioned having thirteen quilt tops hanging in the closet waiting to be quilted....well....I totally finished this one and this one... three are still hanging in the closet...I made two more which  are pin-basted waiting for machine time and....

 ...nine are sitting here....waiting for the weather to get a little cooler so I can hand-stitch the bindings!
I do believe that is sixteen and not thirteen!:)  One day I'll show them all to you...but they have to be finished first!

 So how about these instead?  September's theme for Pattiann at The Bitty Block Bee is sunflowers....great timing since the little wild ones are blooming all up and down our dirt road!

It's Heather's turn this month at Sew Fun Bee....she picked a string block made from our scraps.....I made three!:)  I really think I need to try making a quilt with this block....I do have a lot of scraps!

Oh....and I have a confession Jo (sewjo)....

.....Slate really loved your ARRR8 quilt top!!!;)

~d