Mom's last package...

Well, I'm sure it's not the last package I'll ever send her, but it is the last one of this year.  I've managed to send/give her a quilting related package every month this year.  This package includes supplies to finish a couple of things for her.  I traced the last 3 blocks for the Winter Wonderland quilt for her.

Winter Wonderland block 8, 9 and 10

For Christmas, I bought her all the fabric she should need to make the pieced blocks and borders for this quilt too.  All in shades of blue of course.

For this last package, I included block 12 of the Imperial Splendor block of the month.  She's been keeping up with them pretty wall and should be ready to assemble the quilt after making this block.  To that end, I also included the setting kit for the quilt as well as enough fabric for the backing and binding.  It's a pretty generous sized quilt and finishes around 80" x 100" I think.

I also included a book called "Learning to Machine Quilt" by Pat Sloan, a snowman ornament and a photo calendar.  I printed out personal photos for each month and taped them inside.  There's still one more item from last month that I'm trying to finish up and mail to her.  Hopefully, I'll finish it before the start of the new year!

As she finishes up her quilts, I'm sure I'll share the pictures here as I'm just so proud of her and happy that she's taken an interest in quilting too.  I love you Mom!

Until later...

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones" 

Proverbs 17:22 (NIV)

Mom's November Package...

or at least part of it.  When she came up for Thanksgiving, I gave her the bulk of her package for the month.  There's still one more item to it, but I haven't finished it yet.  When I finally do, I'll mail it to her.  Hopefully that will be before the end of the month when her next and final package is due!

It's hard to believe that almost a year has passed since I started sending her a monthly quilting package.  My goal was two fold - to show her how much I love and appreciate her and to get her more interested in quilting.  I think I'm batting 2 for 2 right now.  She's really gone to town on learning new techniques in quilting.

A couple of months ago, I started adding the traced blocks for the Winter Wonderland quilt by Crabapple Hill to her packages.  She's completed them so quickly that I sent her 4 more this month.  Her background is a Bone kona cotton and she's embroidering them using a blue perle cotton thread.  She's already finished the first 3.

Four more blocks for Winter Wonderland

This month also saw the last of the Camelot Snowman mini hangings.  I gave her each snowman a month in advance so she would have them on hand when the time came.  This was the snowman for December.  He might just be my favorite of all of them.  (And I really think the color blue is growing on me!)

December Camelot Snowman

I printed out the patterns for these blocks for her because she now wants to make a set for her siblings.  Of course, she has ten brothers and sisters so it might take her a while!  I also bought a cute snowman tin and included sets of buttons that she can use on her versions.  There aren't enough to do them all, but they'll get her started.

As usual, I sent her block #11 of the Imperial Splendor BOM from JoAnn's and another quilting magazine.  And finally, I included a pattern booklet called Calendar Quilts by Kim Schaeffer.  It's a really cute collection of patterns to make themed quilts for each month. And like I mentioned earlier, there's one more item to this package.  I'll share it once I've finished it and given it to her.

Until later...

"Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me."

Psalm 51:10

Mom's October Package...

Now that my dear mom has received her package for October, I can share it's contents here.  Although to be honest, I've already shown several pieces of it.

Mom's October Package

In the upper left is the pillow I embroidered for her.  The star and berries are small pieces of wool outlined with a blanket stitch.  And in the upper right is November's Camelot Snowman wall hanging.  When she got her package, she confessed she forgot to hang up the one for October.  So she went straight from September to November, but (God willing) October will come around again next year.

Between the pillow and the calendar block is the next Winter Wonderland block.  She's embroidering hers in a deep blue but this is the same one I did in black.

Winter Wonderland Block 3

It's a fairly large one, but goes quick when you do it while watching/listening to TV.  It'd be great if we both finish all of our blocks at about the same time.  Then I figure we can get together to assemble them.  Still a lot left to do on it though.

As usual, I also included the next block for the Imperial Splendor BOM she's doing.  It's block #10 and I actually sent her 2 of them - because I accidentally bought it twice.  Early senior moment I figure.  She can always make both of them and include one on the back as the label.  And finally, I included the new Love of Quilting magazine and a book detailing how to make memory quilts from t-shirts, photos, etc.  She's expressed an interest in doing this and the book should give her the information she needs.

So that does it for October.  Only 2 more packages to go and I think I know the quilts I'd like to include.  Assuming of course that I finish them in time.  Busy, busy, busy...

I managed to get this picture of David and Gabriel lying together at the back door.  I think they were both resting after a vigorous bout of squirrel watching.  It's unusual for them to lay so close together.

David and Gabriel

Until later...

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord"
Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

Mom's September package...

Note: All of my blog posts this week were written in advance.  I'm currently at a quilt retreat at the beach working on charity quilts.

Another month has passed and that means it's time to put together another package for my mom.  As I've said before, I'm making her a quilting related package every month this year for several reasons.  First, I love my mom and want her to feel special.  And who doesn't love getting a package in the mail?  As I've said many times before, I do!  Also, I want her to learn how to quilt and to love it.  She's not too far off from retiring and I see us getting together for our own little quilting retreats then.  And finally, too many friends lost their own mothers last year and I want to make sure I take the time and effort to really appreciate mine.

 Usually each month I make my mom a quilt, but this time Ive sent her a quilt kit instead.  The kit is from Connecting Threads and is called Twilight Stars.  (I don't know if you can purchase it from them anymore as I bought it at the beginning of the year always planning to give it to her.)

Twilight Stars Quilt Kit

I also finished the October Camelot Snowman mini wall hanging.  I thought this month's pattern was really cute and I didn't have to change a thing (unlike last months).  I was able to stitch it out in about an evening.

October Camelot Snowman Stitchery

I really like the cat and pumpkins on this one...

Closeup of the stitching

I already had a cute Halloween print in my stash to use for the border, tabs and backing.  It only takes a fat quarter to make them.

October wall hanging

This was the first month I've had to purchase buttons, but that's because I'm woefully low on orange buttons.  Except for Halloween, it's really not a color I use.  But I found some cute ones at JoAnns that are the perfect size to go with the black ones I already had.

Buttons and fly stitching

Can you also see the decorative stitching I used on the border?  It's one of the stitches on my machine.  I think it's called a fly stitch.

For the rest of her package, I included block 9 of the Imperial Splendor BOM, the second Winter Wonderland stitchery traced out, a pair of scissors and a decorative case to hold them, and a magazine.

The rest of her package

So that's it for another month.  I'm really going to try to find the time to make her a quilt for October.  I already have it all cut out and it will be perfect for fall.  But first I have to finish the Nature CQ, LeeAnn's quilt and the charity quilts for Interact.  But then, I should have plenty of time, right?

Until later...

Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. 

Mark 10:43 (MSG)

Package time...

It's package time again.  I love getting packages in the mail, but this one isn't for me.  It's for my mom.  Yes, it's that time again where I put together a bunch of quilt related items and share them with my lovely and talented mother.

Note:  It's actually part of my dastardly plan to get her as hooked on quilting as I am, so when she retires we can spend our days together quilting.

August Package

Have you noticed that each package is getting later and later?  This is her package for August and here it is already September.  At this rate, she's going to have to wait until next spring for her December package.

But I digress (as usual).  Included in this month's package are September's Camelot Snowman (which I already shared with you), "Pigs in a Blanket" (old news again), the new Fons & Porter Love of Quilting magazine, the Fabric Fusion coupon book from JoAnn's and block 8 of the Imperial Splendor Block of the Month also from JoAnns.

Another tangent - When I went into JoAnn's a couple of weeks ago to pick up another of these blocks, I was shocked to discover them all gone and a new block of the month in its place.  I'll admit I started to get a little panicky.  Here I am getting my mom hooked on making this quilt and she wasn't going to be able to finish it!  I asked several ladies if they moved them to some other secret area I hadn't found and no one seemed to have any idea.  Finally, one of them suggested checking out the clearance bins.  Lo and behold, they happened to have exactly the blocks (and setting kit) that I needed and all on clearance.  I did my happy dance right there in the aisle.  OK, not really.  That last part was an exaggeration.  I did my inner happy dance and let out a tiny barely audible squeal.

So back to her package, I've also included the first block traced out of the Crabapple Hill Winter Wonderland pattern for her to embroider along with the supplies she'll need to get started.  I figure she can decide whether she'd like to do it in red or blue.  My guess is blue looking at her house, but it's her choice.  It's a quick project she can easily pick up and put down whenever she has the time or inclination to work on it.

I threw in this picture of the September snowman because this post was getting way too wordy with not enough pictures.  When I look at blogs, I like to see lots of pictures.  Let me see if I can throw in some other random ones.  How about this?

Another picture of Gabriel's tongue with a now defunct Rocky in the background.  We now refer to him as Rocky top and Rocky bottom.  Can you guess why?

And what about David?  This cats knows how to nap.  Of course he's young and flexible so he can contort himself in all kinds of positions.  It's like when I see kids sitting indian style and I think, "I used to be able to do that.  Way, way back when."

OK, I've really digressed.  I think I must be getting loopy from lack of sleep.  I hope you're enjoying you're holiday weekend!

Until later...

Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. 

Proverbs 4:23 (GNT)

Just a few days late...

So I finished the August Camelot Snowman Monday and managed to put together and mail my mom's package as well.  She should get it today, so I feel safe in sharing it.  It's actually her package for July, but I'm a little late.

July package

There are a couple of items she gets in every package.  The first is next month's Camelot Snowman block and the second is the next block for the Imperial Splendor Block of the Month (from JoAnn's).  And kudos to mom for keeping up with these blocks!  She still works full time but has managed to complete the first 6 already.  (I can't wait until you retire...)

This time I also included a couple of other items, an Easy Quilts magazine, some 'Grandma Loves Me' clothing labels and a photo quilt pattern.  The pattern is neat because you can change out the photos in it anytime you like.

And there was one other big item in July's package...

Blue Boxes

It's the Blue Boxes quilt I finished back in early July.  Although the weather is hot, hot, hot right now, she'll have it to enjoy this winter.  She's usually cold and it's a good size for snuggling under.

Blue Boxes in the sun

I wonder if she'd like me to start making her quilts in colors other than blue.  I know it's her favorite color, but perhaps she'd like some variety.  Hey mom, what do you think?

I have something else I'm currently working on for her right now.  Bet you can't guess what color it is...

Until later...

Whenever we have the opportunity, we have to do what is good for everyone, especially for the family of believers” 

Galatians 6:10 (GWT)

Purple Mountains...

is now complete!  I put the final stitches in it around 11 pm last night.  (I had a midnight dealine, so I just made it.)

Purple Mountains

 I entered this quilt as my project for a UFO challenge.  Each month you can enter a new UFO (unfinished object) and you have one month to finish it.  You have to send pictures of the completed project by midnight of the deadline to be eligible for a prize.  Although finishing another project is enough of an incentive!

 I really didn't think I was going to make it, but after some long hours yesterday, I managed to finish.  And guess what...  It turns out I won the drawing!  Woohoo!!!

 The pattern for this quilt is "Sew What Quilt Mystery" by Debbie Caffrey.  I just made mine in a smaller size.  It finishes at 44" square.

 I quilted various fans in most of the light purple background and echo quilted around each star.  I was a little uncertain what to do in the outer border, but my friend, Susan, suggested some straight line stitching.  I took her suggestion and think it works well here.

 Again for this quilt I used YLI 100 wt silk thread in purple and red for the top and Aurifil thread in the bobbin.  Although I matched the bobbin thread to the backing, I think next time I would choose a contrasting thread.  I like all the quilting on the back and it would be great if it showed more.

 There were places on the quilt (where I did the large fans) that I kept coming to the same point as many as 20 times.  With the 100 wt silk thread, I had no problem with thread nests or buildup.

I don't know if you can see in the picture above, but there's a very slight waviness to the edges.  The quilt top was perfectly flat when I basted it, but I think the edges got stretched some during quilting.  So I'll block this quilt as soon as I have time.  Once it's dry, it should be fine.  And then I think I'll hang it in my entryway so I see it whenever I come home...

And I wanted to share a new tip I learned from The Quilt Show.  I bought a piece of plexiglass 28" x 30" from Lowe's.  I taped the edges with painter's tape and use it as a sounding board for my quilting designs.  Just lay it on top of your quilt and draw your designs with either a dry-erase marker or vis-a-vis marker.

Plexiglass sheet and possible quilting designs

Just don't forget to tape your edges because you don't want to accidentally draw off the edge and onto your quilt!  I also used a disappearing marking pen for the first time (but not the last).

Disappearing Ink Pen / Water Soluble Ink Pen

You just draw your design on your quilt and quilt over it.  The ink will disappear over time (less than a day).  The other end of the pen is the water soluble side.  It will stay on your quilt until you wet it.  Of course, if you iron over the blue side, it's there to stay!

I took this picture of my parents, nephew and Gabriel when they came up to celebrate my birthday.  Gabriel usually feels the need to be the center of attention...

Dad, Gabriel, Robbie and Mom

Until later...

"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law [the Word]" 

Psalm 119:18

Mail call...

When I returned home on Sunday, I found a package waiting for me!  I LOVE to get packages in the mail.

(Tangent - Way back when, Amazon used to offer to wrap your books for you before they mailed them.  And even though I was the one that ordered them and knew what they were, I always use to have them giftwrapped just so I could unwrap them when they arrived.)

I was expecting this package, just not so soon.  I though I'd have to wait another few days for it to arrive.  It was my new purse made especially for me by Penny.  (She has a great blog where she talks about the passions in her life, including Oklahoma.  Makes you want to visit there.)

Moses likes it too!

We're in a group of 12 ladies who each make a new project for each other every 6 weeks.  The challenge for this first project was to make a handbag or tote incorporating yoyos.  Do you see the blue yoyo at the top with the gorgeous silver button?  There are also yoyos on the back and each side.

And not only did she send me the handbag, but also a smaller version without handles and some fabric.

I'm going to put the smaller one beside my sewing machine and use it for scraps and such.  And look at the decorative stitching around the edges...

Thank you Penny for my new purse!  And for those of you who really know me, you know how I love fabric with touches of metallic in it.  It's just beautiful!

And on a related note, I delivered my mom her package for June.  I could have mailed it, but considering I was traveling down there anyway, I figured I'd save myself the postage.

Mom's June Package

This month's package included block 6 of the Imperial Splendor BOM, an Easy Quilts magazine and a pack of quilting labels you can design and print out from your computer.  I also sent her the Twilight Frost fat quarter pack from Connecting Threads.  (She doesn't have much of a quilting stash yet.)  And no package is complete without something homemade, so I gave her the Stuffed Feathers table mat I made (and that she admired last time she visited!)

Stuffed Feather table mat

She's also having to learn how to do applique for some of her BOM kits, so I included the basic supplies for doing several variations of applique (Steam-a-seam, glue sticks, hera marker, applique needle, silk thread, etc).  She tried fusible webbing and satin stitching this weekend.

And I forgot to post about her May package.  It included the June and July Camelot Snowman wall hangings, block 5 of the Imperial Splendor BOM and the Blue Feathers wall hanging.

Mom's May package

So now I'm all caught up.  And I'm almost finished quilting a quilt for her July package!

Until later...

So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. 

Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

April package and some ladies of the sea...

Well, I mailed my mom's April package just in time.  Each month, her package's are getting later and later as things pile up.  I've already started on June's Camelot Snowman block so I'm hoping to be better about it.

This month's package was a more sparse than the others.  I'm working on a quilt for her, but didn't finish quilting it in time.  I just haven't had much time to spend on it lately.  Hopefully it'll be done in plenty of time for May's package. 

I included the next Camelot Snowman mini hanging, the 5th block for Imperial Splendor and a general quilting book by Fons & Porter.  I bought this book back when I started quilting and it has information on almost every subject pertaining to quilting.  I figure it will be a good how-to book for my mom.  She was asking me some questions on how to bind a quilt, so I also printed out a couple of tutorials and included them.  Isn't the web great for finding information?

Since I started putting together these packages for my mom, I'm always on the lookout for things I think she'll like.  I found this little box at Michael's and it made me think of her.

Inside I included several things geared towards quilting your quilt top.  These are few of my favorite notions as well...

We basically have the same sewing machine (hers is just a newer version of mine) so they take the same type of bobbins.  I'm always running out of them so I bought a mega pak online and split them with her.  Also, if you haven't tried the Machingers gloves, I highly recommend them.  They make such a difference in controlling your quilt when free motion quilting.  There's a water soluble blue marking pen which makes marking quilting designs on your quilt top so easy.  But if you've never used one, I'll warn you that ironing over them before erasing will set them permanently - so be careful!  And have you tried the new Sewline fabric pencils?  You can get the lead in different colors as well as an eraser to remove the lines.  I use mine mainly for marking applique projects, but they work well for marking your quilt top too.  And finally, I included a little stencil so she can see how she likes it. 

I forgot that I had picked up some fabric for her as well, but it will keep until I see her.  She's so busy right now, I know she wouldn't have time to play with it in any case.  In fact, she's walking for the March of Dimes today.  Way to go mom!!!

While sitting in front of the television at night, I work on some hand sewing projects.  Lately I've spent most of the time working on my Ladies of the Sea blocks.  I work on them 2 at a time because I find it easier to baste a bunch of pieces in place on both blocks and then applique them down before repeating.  After several months, I've finally finished the outer wreaths for both blocks.

Soon I'll start the ships that go in the centers.

The ships usually take much less time than the wreaths do to applique.

Until later...

"Wherever your treasure is, your heart will be also"

Matthew 6:21 NIV

March's Package...

My hope this year was to put together a 'quilting' package for my mom each month.  Sort of like the secret sister program I participated in last year on the HGTV Quilting & Needlework Forum.  She always been a sewer and made a log cabin quilt probably 20 years ago, but recently she's started to become more interested in quilting (and I'm encouraging that interest).  I hand delivered her March package to her on Thursday (April 1st). 

And now that she's seen it, I can share it with you.  Included in this month's package was block #3 of JoAnn's Imperial Splendor BOM and 2 magazines - The Quilt Life and Threads.

And this month I wanted to teach her how to make HST's (Half-Square Triangles).  It's a very basic quilt block and is used in so many quilt patterns.  To help her, I printed out instructions for making these units and included some tools that make things simpler.  First is the 'Quarter Inch Seam Marker' by Fon's and Porter which is a tool for marking your sewing lines.  Then there's a 4.5" square ruler by Omnigrid which is the perfect size for squaring up HSt's made from 5" charm squares.  And finally, there's the 'Summer Thyme' quilt pattern by This & That.  This pattern uses a lot of HST's so it'll be good practice and the finished quilt is small enough to make pretty quickly.

And what good is a pattern without the fabric?  So I included all the fabric to make the quilt - 80 5" charm squares from Indigo by Timeless Treasures, 2 yards of Navy and 3 yards of Snow Kona Cotton.  And she should have enough left over to use for another project!

And I think no package is complete without something handmade.  I finished 2 small quilts - both with a winter theme.  Here Mom is looking at Mr. Snowman and I also included Snowflakes.

I'm away from home this week - pet sitting while my family travels to Disney World.  (Who has the better end of that deal?)  Actually, I'm glad to do it.  I think my days of amusement parks are long over and pet sitting is more my pace. 

I'm watching 3 dogs and 2 cats while I'm here.  They're all older pets so mostly they just eat and sleep.  But like all animals, they have their quirks.  My sister's dog, Abby, is an American Dingo.  She's 12 or 13 years old but looks much younger.  She's missing my sister and her kids pretty badly and is crying a lot.  She also woke me at 5:30 this morning howling.  Every so often she breaks out in this mournful song.  I wish I could just explain to her that eventually they're coming back.

And then there's my parents cat, Cricket.  She is actually the mom to my Jack and Sam.  She refuses to drink out of a water bowl and has my dad trained to pick her up and put her in the sink whenever she's thirsty.  (I'm so glad mine haven't inherited this trait.)

She lets the water drip down her face before drinking...

She gets all nice and wet by the time she's done...

We repeat this scenario about 3 times a day.

The other 3 pets are fairly camera shy so I don't know that I'll get any pictures of them.

Until later...

'But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!' Romans 5:8

February's Package

Last weekend I hand delivered my mom's February package.  (For an explanation of these packages see here).  She'd gotten a couple of things earlier in the month, but this was the bulk of it.  And now that she has it, I can finally share some pictures with you.

First of all are the flannel pillowcases for her bed.  I pre-washed the fabric in very hot water and it made them so soft.  And of course she loves snowmen.

And I also gave her both March and April's mini wall hangings.  I posted a tutorial on how to make them here.  (I wish I'd learned how to make a photo collage before doing the tutorial though...)

I've also already shared with you the stack of fabric's I split with her to make Barbie doll clothes.  Last weekend, we each managed to complete an outfit using this fabric.  I made a special occasion silk dress that took almost 2.5 hours to sew!  Shouldn't such small items be quick?  My mom completed a skirt and top outfit.

I also gave her a bunch of patterns for clothes for both Barbie dolls and 18" dolls.  (I think we'll end up making  more of the 18" clothes because the bigger scale is easier to sew.)  And of course you need a model to try clothes on, so I included this beach barbie.  She came in very handy when sewing.

Finally, I included block #2 of the Imperial Splendor BOM, another spool of Aurifil thread, a quilt magazine, the instructions for making the pillowcases and a pair of hemostats.

I've already got lots of ideas for March's package.  I'd really like to include more hand-made items and I have a bunch of quilt tops already made for her.  But it's always the quilting of the tops that seems to take me so long.

Until later...