Heat Stroke

Greetings from the desert where the temperature is hovering around 100 degrees. The streets are deserted and people do not venture outside unless they must.

I finally have a little bit to share, so here goes.

Last year my nephew was expecting a baby boy and they opted for gray in the baby's room. I found some really cute Buggy Barn fabric to make them a baby quilt. This summer I decided to try and use up the scraps on an additional quilt. I changed the design somewhat, but think this will be a nice little boy quilt as well. It has gone to the quilter. Yay!

Now we have a new grandbaby coming and thus another new quilt to create. I am using the same chain block, but in soft and sweet colors for our new little girl! I really need my cage rattled to come back from the Civil War, but this is a nice change. Today I will sew all the rows together. It feels good to get something done!

Last week I got a nice surprise. A message was left on my home phone from Judy Hodges in Tempe, AZ who wanted to share her quilt with me. This is the second memory quilt that Judy has made using my Saddle Tramp pattern. Follow the link to see my original. Judy did an outstanding job of taking my simple design and changing it into this beautiful memory quilt. She placed photos in the stars and chose a palette of purple and green. Since I am still in Arizona I was able to meet Judy and see her quilt in person. Let me tell you, this photo does not do it justice! It is a beautiful quilt! It was taken directly to the quilters after we met, so maybe I can share a quilted photo in the future!

Anyone wondering about Rembrandt can rest at ease. I hear from Sandi regularly letting me know of her well being. She is adjusting in her new home and has taken to snuggling in bed at night with Sandi's son. I know Karen would be pleased. I sure am! 

A week ago we drove a little way out of town to find this pretty sight. Saguaro Lake, with boats even! Saguaro is the name of the cactus in the foreground. The saguaro cactus grows only in the Sonoran Desert which is in Arizona and Mexico. The photo shows buds where the cactus is getting ready to bloom. This lake was a pretty sight, but let me tell you, it is so blasted hot that it didn't even tempt me. Give me a good old Minnesota lake where they actually have breezes!

Signing off from under the fan in Mesa, AZ.

Dear Little Rembrandt

I mentioned two months ago that our dear little Rembrandt, the kitty who entertained us on Karen's blog Sew Primitive, had found a home. Many of us were concerned about Karen's cats after she passed away and so we were gratified to know that they had been adopted by new families. Well, about two weeks ago I received the sweetest email from Sandi in Atlanta letting me know that Rembrandt now resides with her family! Sandi doesn't have a blog, but she read Karen's blog and she reads mine, and maybe yours! She said she enjoys seeing Rembrandt's picture on the side of my blog and that Rembrandt is being loved by her family in her new surroundings. Rembrandt has always been a little skittery and so Sandi sees her zipping from one hiding place to another as she becomes familiar with the house and the hiding places. She also comes out for food and affection. Good to know! I imagine she is getting to know the children, but Sandi says she hasn't quite warmed up to the dog! Karen's house was very quiet, as you might imagine. Filled with fabric and art supplies, it was Karen's own little den of creativity. I can't believe Karen has been gone almost three months. I miss her every day. I often go back to her blog and read old posts from when she was healthy and productive and funny! How nice to have that available at my finger tips. I am so touched that Sandi would contact me and assure me that Rembrandt is being loved and cared for. That was such a concern of mine. I know Karen would be pleased to know that Rembrandt is in a loving home. And now I have made a new friend online as well! Thank you Sandi! 

Ever the artist, Karen had rooms dedicated to her many endeavors. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Are your quilts labeled?

Labeling quilts is a priority for me. I try to get my quilts labeled right away, but it doesn't always happen. When I was checking quilt backs last week I realized that a few needed to be labeled, so I got busy.

My method is a simple one. I open a Word Document and write in what I want to show on the label. For example:

My Happy Place

Marcie Patch

-Patchalot Patterns-

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Quilted by Marae Harris

80-20 batting

2006

I iron a 8-1/2" x 11" piece of freezer paper to a piece of fabric that is cut just a little smaller. Usually the paper curls a little so I press it under something heavy while it cools. I try to do a few labels at a time on the same page. The fabric side faces down in the paper drawer and rolls up to be printed on. Often the top edge catches when it starts going through the printer and the top of the page gets smudged with ink, so I leave a large margin at the top just in case. This isn't a fool proof method, but it works well enough. The more you do it, the more you know what to expect. 

After your page is printed on the fabric you can peel it off the freezer paper and press it with an iron. The heat seals the ink so it doesn't wash out. Now trim down each label, leaving about an inch around each side of the lettering. Add little borders to make it cute, if you wish. Next I sew it right side down to a piece of light colored fabric on all four sides. Carefully slit open the back and turn it in side out. Pull out the corners, press it and it is ready to stitch on to the back of your quilt. You will thank yourself for doing this in the coming years! 

I also like to give notice as to who designed the quilt. Sometimes it's me, but not always. Also, who quilted it, what batting, etc. Sometimes there is a story behind a quilt that you may add. 

Another thing I have done when I make little gifts for friends is to simply make a bunch of little labels with my name and the year, fold all the raw edges in and tuck it into the binding so you have a little tab label.  

I know people document their quilts in different ways. If we post them on our blog we can do a search with the right key words. Today I was able to find a post by Karen Mowery about a quilt that she made that was recently won at an Ebay auction. My friend Paula the Quilter was the high bidder and when she received the quilt there was no label. Luckily we were able to find Karen's notes about the quilt on her blog! It was a great find because it not only gave the date she made it, but also who quilted it and the fabric line and her inspiration in creating it! Now Paula can make a really interesting label!

 

By the way, a few of you have asked about Karen's cats, especially Rembrandt, and whether they found homes. Yes! I am happy to report that Karen's son Tim found homes for both her cats!