HAPPY TO REPORT

You may recall my post regarding my quilts and patterns going to Hershey, PA for the Quilt Odyssey show. Well, today Jean from The Happy Sewing Room, in Hamburg, PA, called to say that my quilts were a great success and she sold out of Indian Paintbrush (pictured above).

The photo above shows Wintergreen, a small version of Table Scraps (little brown churn dash), Scrappy Patches, above right, and Pioneer Trail in the lower right. The red star is not one of mine, but I like it a lot! I only sent them two quilts, and the rest are samples that they made up, including one that you can't see. So hooray for The Happy Sewing Room! You might want to check out their website.

Thanks for stopping by! ~Marcie

PUTTERING WITH PATCHES

My friend Pat, who lives in North Bend, WA, recently sent me a box of R-W-B scraps that she knew I would love. Pat is responsible for teaching me to make quilts. I always had the urge, but never the opportunity, until I met Pat. That was in the early 1990's when we lived in Issaquah, WA. The above photo was taken of us at the APNQ (Association of Pacific Northwest Quilters) in front of a quilt that neither of us made. It was in August of 2000, and happened to be the day the moving truck was at my house, packing us to leave for Virginia, where we now live. No way was I going to miss that event just because a moving van was parked in front of my house! That was eight years ago, and we have only grown more lovely with age. (Don't ask me to prove that).

So this box has been sitting on the floor of my sewing room for a few months at this point. I didn't want to split it up and put it away, because any minute I knew I would dive into it and make a quilt. Last week I had to empty the box onto the floor because I needed the box to send things to my son that he left while he was here. So now visualize all these scraps in a pile on the floor of my already disastrous sewing room. It is like playing hopscotch getting across the floor on any given day.

I had finished three aprons, and now I needed to work on a quilt. I should be completing one of the many UFOs that are hovering about, but luckily my Dad called with the news that my nephew (and his wife, of course) just had another baby boy. Yea! I get to make a baby quilt! My eyes settled on the pile of scraps on the floor, and I decided to spread them out and take inventory. Imagine finding quite a few strips of red, white and blue! You must know by now that this is my favorite color combination. So here I am with lots of two inch strips. What to do, what to do? I started looking for ideas. One of my best resources is YOU out there in Blogland! I just happen to have a few photos of quilts that you have shared. I saw one made from 4-patches and these colors recently. "Oh yeah! That is perfect for my new nephew", says I. Since I already have the two inch strips, it was an obvious decision to make the 4-patches from two inch strips. So zip, zip, and zip, and I have red and white 4-patches all over the place. The next day I cut up a bunch of 3.5 inch squares of various blues, and began sewing these pieces into strips.

Today I finished sewing the rows together, and voila, a quilt is entering the world. This is what I love about quiltmaking: you take a pile of untamed matter (or scraps, as we like to call them) and create something totally new and wonderful! Borders are in the works, and then the quilt will finish at about 42 inches square.

For your viewing pleasure, I included a little picture of my cute granddaughter from a few years ago on the 4th of July.

In actuality, I have made this design before, and love it. But this coloration was inspired by a fellow blogger. I normally include the quilt makers name when I save a photo, and, for whatever reason, I neglected to do that with this quilt. If you happen to read my blog, and you think I may have seen a similar quilt on your blog, let me know and I will happily mail you one of my own delightful, and original patterns! (Disclaimer: if I get too many claims, you may have to send proof)!

Well, that turned out to be the long version of the history of a small quilt! Now I am off to the border!

TIME WARP

I finally got to work on a quilt today, but really don't have anything to show. I made a bunch of 4-patches and they are not too exciting yet. I can report that I finished my granddaughter's apron! Yea! It is so cute, and I hope that she loves it, but will reserve showing it here until she receives it so I won't spoil the impact of her seeing it for the first time.

So, I thought I would share a couple other things that might be of interest to someone out there, hopefully! Most of you probably have a quilt hanger in your home, of some type. This one is mine. She began life as a perfume model, standing on a counter in a department store. She carried a slinky scarf and a come hither look, urging people to the perfume counter to buy her product. It was sad, really, a beautiful young woman shamefully displaying her body in an effort to sell a product, when, what she really wanted was to be recognized for the person she was on the inside. When she first came to me I recognized her potential immediately! I offered her a vintage quilt, something I dearly love, and she was so thrilled that she tossed her arms in the air for joy! She has remained that way to this day. I have thought of making her a frock to wear, and still think it would be nice. Either way, she is unique and I am pleased to have her share my enthusiasm for vintage and other quilts. Every so often I hear her softly singing, "some day my prince will come". She may have placed an order at the Fat Quarter Shop, I don't know.


Speaking of vintage, I happened upon this darling dress in the back of the closet today. It was my mother's dress, probably worn in the 1940's, and made by my grandmother. It is a tiny coral checked fabric, trimmed with tiny blue rick rack and blue buttons. It actually is similar in style to the aprons that I have been making. I would love to have my granddaughter try this on. I bet it would fit her. We are so taken with everything retro today, but this is the real deal.

Please take note of the Prairie Paisley link on the side of my blog. I added a couple more links of late, and they are super-cute quilts. Let me know if you are making a quilt from the Prairie Paisley fabric or if you know someone who is. I love seeing them all!

Pushing toward the weekend again. Where does the time go? Anyone? Anyone?

SMILES to everyone! Remember, that is the longest word in the dictionary. There is a mile between the first and last letter. Now I am going to run and hide for a few more days to avoid getting pelted with rotten fruit!

~Marcie

QUILTS AND KISSES

When it comes to Kisses, do you first think "love" or "chocolate"? Probably a silly question, as we all seem to love chocolate! Well now think "love+chocolate+quilts" and that equation equals only one thing! The QUILT ODYSSEY in Hershey, PA! It begins this week, opening Thursday, July 24 -27. Unfortunately, I will not be there, but lots of my Patchalot Patterns will be, and also a few of my quilts! I am excited to have them attend this event, and wish I could be there also. I will be home with some of my other quilts and some of my own Hershey's!

So here is what I want to know: Are any of you, who read my blog, planning to attend this event? I would love to have someone take a picture or two of my quilts and patterns and e-mail them to me to post on my blog. They can be seen at the booth of The Happy Sewing Room at the show.

Have fun at the Quilt Odyssey show, and blow my quilts some kisses--but not chocolate ones please! Save those to eat!

~Marcie

I WOULD RATHER MAKE AN APRON THAN COOK IN ONE!

Just so you know that I have actually created something recently, here is what I made for two of my granddaughters while they were visiting. The intention was to make an apron for the granddaughter away at college who is becoming quite domestic. Yeah, I heard she made cup cakes! So my daughter and I went to Jo-Ann's and bought a pattern. She wanted something retro, and there are some cute patterns around. We decided on this cutie!

When Mary, on the left in the photo, saw the pattern, she wanted an apron too. So we went through my fabric and found fabric that she liked. As I was stitching away, Danielle, on the right, comes in and says she wants one too! So we went through my fabric and found something that she liked as well. As I was stitching away, Plumpkin came in and she wanted an apron too! We can't leave her out!

This is Plumpkin thinking, "Hmmm, I think I want an apron too"!

Well, I didn't get Plumpkin's done yet, and I actually need to make our college girl's apron first. So that is next on the agenda. So, as you can see, I have two more apron's to make before I can begin thinking QUILT again. But I am smiling! It is always nice when you can actually make something that makes kids happy these days!

~Marcie

WELCOME TO THE BEACH

Welcome to our house in Virginia Beach, VA! We are all "decked out" and ready for company! Of course we decorate with quilts around here and I happen to have a few red, white and blue ones that are perfect for our 4th of July celebration. This year we added the outdoor drapes to the west facing side of the deck to block out the sun at dinner time. I was resistant to putting drapes outside, but my husband thought it would be great and I finally agreed. Now let me tell you, I couldn't be happier! These are from the Pottery Barn catalogue and made for outdoor use. They are a sturdy synthetic and look similar to canvas. I am hooked! It makes all the difference to have them shade us while eating outdoors! You can't quite see the wicker furniture, but we had all the cushions recovered in denim, which happens to go very well with my quilts!

Additionally, we added beach cruiser bikes this year. As you can see, they were a big hit! Plumpkin, in the back seat, managed to get someone to take her for a ride every night. There is a path nearby that goes through many miles of Seashore State Park for walkers, runners and bikers. It is great and a nice alternative to the beach. Jack, Polly and Plumpkin pictured here.

These two have been best buddies since they were babies. My son's son, Kyle, and my daughter's daughter, Mary. Both are 16 years old. Most of the good pictures that we have were taken by Mary. She carries her camera everywhere and gets some great shots! This one I may have actually taken, but you never know because these days kids manage to snap lots of pictures of themselves with their out-stretched arm. If you have teenagers around you know what I mean. We combined photos from three cameras onto a disk, so that is why I don't know for certain who took the picture.

Plumpkin was amazed to see the little crabs that skitter all over the beach. It it amazing how quickly they bury themselves down a hole.

Jack decided to try it himself. Buried up to his neck, he may be having second thoughts after what Kyle found living close by. What is that pinching your toe Jack?

Kyle loves nature. In fact, he had to chase his cousins down the beach to show them the wonderful specimen that he found. I once ordered a soft shell crab sandwich at a local restaurant and this is what was on it, legs sticking out of the bun, with tomato, lettuce and mayo. I am not a native of this area, and it was kind of weird!

In closing, I have to share what is probably my favorite picture of the summer. My son, in the middle (duh!), is a crazy man, and always is goofing around. The kids love him for it, and so do I! His daughter Danielle, is on the left and googly-eyed Plumpkin on the right.

Did I mention how quiet it is around here? Everyone went back to their own homes in Minnesota and Arizona last week. It was wild and wonderful while they were here, but the quiet is a nice change too! More later...

Marcie