Month #5 Miss Susana

Hello Blossom of Friendship Quilters,

It's a cold and rainy day here in California and the weatherman is forcasting rain for the entire week. So let's begin by brightening your day/week when you receive Miss Susana. This is one of my favorite blocks of the whole quilt......love the basket! I've selected a designer fabric that you will need to cut out "just right" so you can have the floral design running right down the middle.

Pay attention when cutting out the basket handle so that it lines up with the design on the basket. It's not the end of the world if it doesn't line up....but I think it looks nicer.

All of my finished baskets are hanging up in the store. I just basted them together for the time being. I'm almost finished with month #9 which is Miss Zinnia. We will be ordering the fabric for the vine in the border soon. I've narrowed it down to two shades of green. I'll keep you posted.







As always,
Lynn

Miss Daphne Continued

Good Morning Quilters,

Here we are at the end of month #4 and block #5 will be shipping out to you next week. Where does the time go?

I've been busy working on our shop quilt for the March Madness Shop Hop that starts next week. If you are participating in the shop hop, please stop by and take a look at the quilt. Here's the link to the website http://www.quiltersmarchmadness.com/ I'm down to the wire today and all I have to do is sew on the binding and hanging sleeve.

Now, back to Miss Daphne. Didn't you just fall in love with the basket fabric? It's so sweet and really fit in with overall the theme of the quilt. Here are the border flowers that you will be completing this month.

Please note that there are four large pink flowers in the border. We are only completing two of them this month.






The second flower include pieces A67 through A74. Don't forget to make a reverse.




I've been asked a time or two how I get so much quilting done? Here's the answer, I quilt everyday even if it's only for 10 minutes. All of the minutes add up to hours and the hours add up to a finished quilt. Sometimes we get snowed in and what better way to pass the time? I get a lot done until the power goes out and I've discovered that I can't applique by candlelight. I tried it once and ended up ripping out all my stitches when I saw it in natural light the next morning.

It's a little difficult to get out of this door without shoveling about 35" of snow.




There's a woodpile someplace under here. ...really!

Until next week.....

As always,
Lynn

Sit back and enjoy

I've created a little slideshow to keep you inspired. Turn your sound on, and view it in full screen mode. Click on play and when you are finished, hit escape to exit.

--Lynn

Make a Smilebox photobook

Month #4 Miss Daphne

Dear Friends,

If you don't have it already, you will soon be receiving the fabric to create Miss Daphne. What a cheerful vase of flowers to work on during the cold winter days. This is one of my favorite blocks because I love the fabric used in the vase. Cut carefully as you only get one chance to center the floral pattern. (I do have some extra basket fabric if you really mess it up!)

How are all of you doing? I know it is hard to keep up with a block-of-the-month project. I can't tell you how many good intentions I've had throughout the years.....but this quilt is going to be completed, quilted, and hanging in my entrance hall this year.

Now let's chat about the new location for In Between Stitches. I had a chance to see the progress of the renovation after I worked at the old location on Monday. Be prepared to be impressed!! Remember, the new store will be open on February 14th. What a perfect day for the grand re-opening for all you sweethearts.

As always,

Lynn

Miss Ginny Continued

Here we are on Month #3 border flowers already. Time goes just too quickly. When making these, don't forget that you need to make a reverse of each flower.

The yellow flower includes pieces A12-17.

The purple flower includes pieces A1-3 and B2. The purple flower on the side border has a longer stem, so make sure you trace the correct pieces.

There are so many beautiful fabric in the back storeroom just waiting to make their debut at the new location. I promise to incorporate some of these lovely fabrics in our quilt.

If you live locally, or just happen to be in Livermore, please stop by and introduce yourself. I'm at the store every Monday and I'd love to meet everyone that signed up for the block of the month.

Amy stopped by from Alamo and she had some excellent questions that I promised I would address in this blog. I only use silk thread in my applique projects. I love the way it "melts" into the fabric and doesn't show too many of my little bitty stitches. I just recently switched to Best Press for my starch. I love the softer feel of the end product.

If you have any questions, please post them in the comment area of the blog for all to see. Be patient with my response. Quite often I'm up at the cabin for a week at a time without an Internet connection or a computer....which I don't miss at all. We went without a television for years and I didn't miss that either!! For those of you with inquiring minds.....yes we do have indoor plumbing!!!

As always,

Lynn

Welcome 2009

Good morning quilters!



It seems as though I just put up all of the Christmas decorations and this week it was time for them to go back into hiding until next December. I do love to put everything out for the holidays which usually takes me about a week. Putting them away however is an entirely different story!! I try to have the house back together in a day.


I guess I have a "thing" for basket quilts. I love flowers and this little quilt just brightens up the room on a dreary winter day.


This is also a good time to move things around in the house. My very sweet husband lends a hand and moves the furniture for me until I decide on the perfect spot. I also like to move quilts around at the same time. You get a whole different perspective by changing quilts from one location to another.



The Christmas tree was in this corner and now it becomes a great place to display the treadle sewing machine that my Grandmother used to teach me to quilt. Little did either one of us know at the time in the early 1960's, that she gave me the gift of a life-long passion for quilting. Best of all, the machine is still in working condition.










The quilt displayed on the ladder is our picnic quilt. It's a little to chilly for picnics this time of year so it will stay put until Spring.


I'll be posting border flowers soon for our Blossom of Friendship BOM. Take care my friends and enjoy each day to the fullest.


As always,

Lynn

Miss Ginny Month #3

Dear Blossom of Friendship Quilters,

Welcome to the New Year and let's begin by introducing you to Miss Ginny. She's a charming block with three little yo-yo's that gives it some added depth. I used a "large" yo-yo maker to make mine. I like the fact that all of the raw edges are completely contained and hidden in the center of the yo-yo. The colorful iris will have you thinking "Spring" as you work on your block.

After Christmas my husband and I spent some time in the mountains at our cabin. As you can see by the picture, I'm working on beautiful bouquets of flowers while surrounded by 2-1/2 feet of snow. I kept thinking that I needed to do some shoveling...NOT. The snow was so pretty to look at and I was cozy and warm inside with a mug of hot chocolate. Quilting and chocolate.....life doesn't get much better than that!

Here's a sneak peek at Miss Poppy. You'll be meeting her next summer. The main part of her basket is from the Gypsy Rose collection by Fig Tree Quilts. http://www.figtreequilts.com/ This new fabric collection works in beautifully with the rest of the blocks and you'll be seeing it soon in your monthly shipments of gorgeous fabrics.

The pink binder that I'm using to keep myself organized looks totally unorganized.....but trust me, I know where everything is. I also have another binder just for the border flowers.

Have a beautiful New Year my quilting friends. I resolve to make quilted gifts throughout the whole year and have a nice little stockpile of treasures established by Christmas 2009. I may even post some pictures of gift ideas to make me stick with my resolution.

As always,

Lynn