Favorite Things

Maybe I should write on my blog today. I have fallen into the habit of stalking around on Instagram these days. If you find yourself short of time but still want to stay in the loop, Instagram is the place for you. It's just photos with a brief note attached. You can find me there under "Patchalot". 

I have actually been sewing! I am back in the swing of it now and feeling really good about it. I have done a few wool projects. 

This is Warm Winter Blessings, from Primitive Gatherings. I chose to make the mini version. Those blocks are 4 x 5.5". The 9-patches are 1-1/2 inches. I altered the borders to make mine smaller than the pattern shows. That's what we do right? Adjust according to our own needs. 

The above is a free pattern that I have wanted to make for several years. Again I adapted mine for my own use. I used wool for the appliqué and made mine scrappy. I love it! Thanks to Joanne the Threadhead blogger. Follow the link to her pattern! I pinned mine on PINTEREST for quick reference!

This one I am working on right now. It is a Cheri Payne design. I just love Cheri's primitive style. Especially the wool appliqué, which is so forgiving for someone like me who doesn't really do hand appliqué. Cheri calls her patterns Wednesday's Best Quilt Patterns. The link will take you to her site and you can browse around to your hearts content!

While I am at it I need to post a photo from my trip to San Diego and my visit to Temecula Quilt Company. A very tiny quilt shop with a very big presence! The owner, Sheryl Johnson, is full of clever ideas and projects. Look at that cute display of Valdani thread in canning jars!

Sheryl and me!
The quilt behind us is a beauty and from the book History Repeated by Betsy Chutchian and Carol Staehle

This cute iron bed is front and center when you enter the shop. Loved the shop and Sheryl is delightful! 

Previously I showed a perfectly staged photo of the twins. At my son's house the staging is not quite so perfect. This is the best I could do for a group shot of these three grandchildren of mine. There are not many sit still moments at the Patch house! They are hilarious and I am nuts about them!

We did get a cute one of Olivia on her quilt. And another of her hoping to get a swig of Grandma's Diet Coke! (didn't happen)

This week Danielle was center stage as she graduated from high school here in Mesa, AZ. We are so proud of this girl! She has grown into a lovely young woman. She is charming and entertaining along with being kind and thoughtful. 

Well there is a little sample of my life in recent days. I always say my favorite things are grandchildren and quilts; chocolate and Diet Coke. 

Have a great Memorial weekend!

Needful Things

Let me begin by thanking you, my dear blogging friends, for your warm and touching comments on my last post regarding my Dad. I know we all suffer these losses in our lives, and having friends offer kind words of sympathy and encouragement means so much. 

Today I had the pleasure of attending a class taught by Lisa Bongean from Primitive Gatherings. I was at her website a month ago and noticed that she would be in the Phoenix area this month, so I quick called the shop where she was teaching and got the last spot! I didn't even care what project she was teaching, I just wanted to be in her class. This sweet little table mat is called Needful Things. Lisa gave us all kinds of tips and techniques for wool stitchery. Including "keep the steam iron moving" when you are fusing the wool in place. This was one I needed to keep in mind as I have a tendency to press down and scorch the wool. Ouch. Not a good look. So my project is all pressed in place and I will have hours of enjoyment as I perfect my embroidery stitches. Lisa is a great teacher. I am so glad I was able to take this class from her. Sadly, I was so busy stitching away that I forgot to take any photos!

Now a word about the shop I was at. It is called Olde World Quilt Shoppe and is about a 50 minute drive from my house. I had not been out to the shop before, but will definitely be going back again. The shops close to where I live focus on bright and modern prints. While I appreciate that look, it is not me. (My granddaughters? Yes!) Olde World Quilt Shoppe is filled with awesome plaids and beautiful flannels and wools, along with wonderful Civil War repros. Lots of kits and beautiful quilts on display. Plus the staff was so friendly! I immediately relaxed into a state of total bliss. They were named a Top Shop in 2009 (AP&Q Quilt Shop Sampler magazine). Great shop!

So that was my fun day. I came home to find that my granddaughter Mary had made dinner and Super Bowl treats. A good day made even better--I didn't have to cook!

 

Needful Things: Good friends, a little sewing, and someone else cooking!

I hope your needs are being met as well as my own were today!

Marcie

Home in Virginia

At last I am back in Virginia. I returned home a week ago after a plane trip that was not ideal. My connecting flight in Newark, NJ was cancelled and I was lucky to get a hotel room, thanks to my husband who procured it for me. The airlines said they ran out of hotel vouchers and lots of people spent the night at the airport. I won't use this format to complain, just use your imagination. 

We have had lots of rain, but fortunately it dried up for the 4th of July and people were able to enjoy the beach and the fireworks without getting rained on. I did not go. Without having our kids here I don't feel much incentive to brave the crowds. I was just happy to be home. 

 I finally got going on this darling sampler project from Primitive Gatherings. I have had the kit for a while and recently Anne at Cottons and Wool blog showed her finished sampler. It got me moving to finish mine. It is wool on cotton applique. The hardest part is the prep work, which is what slows me down every time. But seriously, it wasn't that bad.

I had a blogging friend come to visit on Wednesday! What fun to meet another blogger face to face. This is Joan Parker from Keeping You in Stitches. Joan is a mover and a shaker. She has raised eight children and she is still going strong! She is a prolific quiltmaker! These are two quilt tops that she brought to show me. They are great! The top is made from plaid shirts ala Bonnie Hunter. The flying geese quilt has very small geese that were the ends of binding strips, etc. All paper pieced into this beauty. It was great fun to talk and share our quilts, etc. Quilters just connect with no problem, don't you think?

I'll be back again with more. Enjoy summer! We waited so long for it this year!

FRIENDS AND FUN STUFF

I can't remember if I showed the above photo before, and I am too lazy to check back through my blog right now. These are my friends here at home that I pal around with when possible.  The photo shows Sue, me and Joan at the Olde Green Cupboard booth at Mid-Atlantic Quilt Fest. We just couldn't get enough of that booth! Gloria, the shop owner, and the other gals there, were just so friendly and fun that we wanted to keep hanging out with them. Also, notice that they made up my Indian Paintbrush pattern (in background) and had kits! They are traveling around to different shows, so if you see them in a show near you, stop by and say hello, and buy a kit! Yes, I am shameless, but truthfully, they had other really great kits too. So you could buy Indian Paintbrush and another kit as well!This darling notebook was made for me by my friend Sue. Wool applique, as you can see. It is darling! Don't we all love friends who know just what we like?!

And just to prove that I have been sewing, or at least I was sewing before the wedding, here is a little progress that I have made on my House Sampler quilt. This is a pattern by Cheryl Wall of Country Quilts. Follow that link to see some of her beautiful creations. 

I am still suffering from the illness attacked me in Montana. Oh, I haven't even mentioned Montana. I drove with my daughter and grandkids back to Missoula after the wedding. I will have to remember to share more of that when my brain clears.  Meanwhile, I need to grab a diet coke and go back to the sewing room and get busy! Ideas are brewing in my brain. Are they real or delusions brought on by illness? Wait and see!

A BRIGHT DELIGHT

I am not usually into the wearable arts thing. I admire it, and the fine work involved, but it is just not me. Being the conservative soul that I am, I could never wear this jacket either. But isn't it just so cool? It is all wool! Apparently the judges liked it also.

This is just a short post with another picture to share from Mid-Atlantic Quilt Fest '09. Enjoy and be inspired!

FINGERS FIDDLING WITH FLOSS

Yes, my fingers have been fiddling with floss of late! I showed the above photo last summer when in was in progress. I finished it to this point a while back and still haven't framed it. The pattern is buried somewhere, so I can't even tell you who the designer is. But someone out there is bound to know, so if you do, please leave a comment so I can post it. I like to give credit just as much as I like to receive credit! LOL! Now if I would get my sewing room cleaned up surely the pattern would surface and I could put it in its proper pattern place.

*** Jeanette commented and said the pattern is from Threads That Bind. Thanks Jeanette!

I haven't done cross stitch in a really long time, but I do love samplers, and when the Blackbird Design ladies posted this free pattern on their website a while back I copied it. I finally got it started before Christmas and finished it last night while watching The Big Country on the western channel on TV. (Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, both so young and handsome!)

Sorry, I don't think this pattern is still on the web site. They have other wonderful cross-stitch patterns though. Often they are much like their quilt designs. Barb and Alma, my hat (if I had one) is off to you! They are both so amazing! This project, by the way, was supposed to be done on a much smaller thread count. But 14 count is about all I can handle, and it is still a nice size.

Have you noticed in the upper corner of my blog I put a corner of this quilt? It is a scrappy version of my Williamsburg Medallion pattern. I had it hanging here at home for a while and decided that little wool birds would look very nice in those four spots around the star. So I stitched them on, and I love them! The quilt is now back at the LQS, What's Your Stitch 'N Stuff, where they are kitting it up, including wool for the birds. I know, I need to get a better photo. This one was taken on the fly!

I want to give a very big THANK YOU to all of you who commented on my last post with such lovely things to say. I hope you all know that I was kidding around, as is my tendency, about being at the top of the blog list. Thank you especially to Dawn at Quilts and Pieces, who sees right through me. Ha! Isn't blogging a blast?

LITTLE GIFTY THINGS

I have a few little things to share today. Above is my own little calico creation! I just love the way it turned out. I was sewing scrappy strips together, and thought about adding little tongues and buttons. One of my friends is receiving this in the mail, probably Monday.

This sweet little guy is from Sweden. They call him Tomte! He belonged to my Swedish mother-in-law and I am lucky enough to have him now. He has always been a favorite! His face really looks like he has spent a lot of time in the cold outdoors! Now any of you Swedes out there feel free to enlighten me.

I guess I have a thing for gingerbreadmen. I cross stitched this pillow quite a few years ago. I think the pattern was in a magazine. Just thought I would share it with you as it is one of the few things I get out at Christmas. You must think I am a big humbug, but we are never here at Christmas. Someday I will decorate again!

In spite of the fact that we never decorate, I do love making things for Christmas. I showed a picture of a mitten I made in my last post, then I got on a roll and made more. I just noticed that the kitty doesn't have his snowflake on. It is amazing what a difference these little details make! The little trees and birds are from my mother's collection of trinkets. I think she would be happy to see that I am using them. And the mittens are from old wool blankets.

Everything has been mailed and all that is left for me to do is clean the house (somewhat) and pack. Then we are off to the nice warm climate of Arizona! We have someone staying at our house while we are gone, so that is good too. I will be reading blogs as best I can from my son's house, but for now let me say, as I ride out of sight,

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL,

AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

CHRISTMAS CHEER

Really, I don't deck the halls much any more because we always go to Arizona for Christmas. But I do have a few favorites that I like to get out. I LOVE my Santas! My dear and talented friend, Kathy, has made these for me over the years. When we lived in Seattle she made the Santa in the yellow slicker with the fishing pole and the fish. These are all hand made with paper mache. The Santa in the back holds all kinds of sewing objects, including a little sewing machine, scissors and fabric bundles on his back. His face is paper mache and his boots are furry, etc. The faces that Kathy makes are so detailed and beautiful! I hope these all click to open larger so you can see the detail.

I had to photograph the back of these guys as well. Look at the posture on the center Santa. It is so real! I have no idea where she comes up with all these little detail items, but she is a collector of grand scale, and finds things that many of us would pass right by.

Now as for little ol' me, I keep my activities quite simple. Last year my friend Kathy sent me a box of old wool blanket pieces. So now I am making these cute little woolly mittens. I was all over Michaels the other day looking for little things to stuff in these mittens. I found a few things, but I found the best stuff at home in a box of craft items from my mom's huge reservoir of things. I saved some of it after she passed away and now I wish I had saved more. All these little items are so old and forsaken. Chipped paint and discolored felt, etc. In other words, just perfect for all the shabby chic, primitive stuff we love!

MS. PATTERNS AT YOUR SERVICE

From the northern reaches of Alberta comes a Christmas Sparkler to warm the heart! Janet at Mrs. Sew 'n Sew created this little beauty. As you can see, Janet added a second blue instead of red. It is very pretty. I hope this picture enlarges so you can better see the lovely fabrics Janet chose.

I am happy to see these little quilts beginning to trickle in. Are you making one? Please share it with us if you are.

Also, I can finally show you the wool pillow that I made for my friend Joan. Her birthday was in October and we had trouble connecting. Joan loves acorns and anything pertaining to fall, so I knew she would love this pillow. If it looks familiar to you, perhaps you saw the larger quilt version by Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings, in the American Patchwork and Quilting magazine, October 2008 edition. Yes, I can see that it could have used a little more stuffing. Dang.

Running errands today I stopped at the bank and went in the drive-through to deposit checks in my Patchalot Patterns account. After sending me my receipt the teller said, "Thank you Ms. Patterns". Isn't that funny? I keep chuckling over that.

It is storming here in Virginia Beach again. I cut my running around short and came back to my warm home. I lit a vanilla candle and am now I am headed into my sewing room to work on Christmas Sparklers. You know all my kids expect their own and I aim to please!

P.S. Do you want to add the little Sparkler block to your sidebar on your blog? I would love it if you did. That way more people will notice it and news will spread. Here is my method.

Save a copy of the block picture from by blog onto your computer. Open a posting page in your blog. Add the picture of the block in the center position. click on the picture and reduce the size so you have a nice little picture like mine. Click on the picture and the link icon to link it to my website. (http://www.patchalotpatterns.com/)

You may also add words, as I did. Center them as well.

Now SAVE the draft, DO NOT publish. Next, click on the tab above that says Edit Html. Click on the mouse to hi-light the whole page of HTML. Right click and copy.

Click on the tab above that says Layout. Open the list of gadgets and select the one that says HTML. Paste the copied HTML in the box. Title it, save it, and you are all set.

It may sound complicated, but it is really easy. This way you only get a small block on your sidebar instead of a quilt size picture. Plus you have it all linked, as easy as can be!

SEWING IN TONGUES

I am making progress on my latest quilt. I love the simplicity and the soothing colors. I love antique quilts and this one has the softened feeling that often takes years of wear and washings to achieve. I am a cut some sew some kind of gal, so I am still cutting and still sewing! I try to be careful not to sew too many rows together because if I introduce a new fabric I want to scatter a few pieces throughout the quilt. But I just couldn't wait to see what these blocks look like sewn together. I need seams to get the whole effect!

Meanwhile, I have been stitching on a couple little wool projects. I even finished one! It sure is easier to sew those little tongues in instead of out! I am pretty sure this little pillow is a Whimsicals project. I love stitching on wool. I made a binding on this, just like on a quilt, but it is a strip of an old blanket, so it is pretty thick. Piping without the extra effort!

Sewing in Tongues: You no doubt know the Speaking in Tongues reference, but since I like to play with words, I am Sewing in Tongues - on the pillow, of course. I am sure I don't have to explain that with my quilts I am Speaking in Scraps.

SWEET SAMPLER 'N STUFF

Well the heat has finally hit Virgina in a big way! I broke down and turned on the air conditioning, only to find out that one unit was totally devoid of freon. Luckily my repair man actually returned my call and came and fixed it. The problem was in my sewing room and office, so I would have had to call it something like, oh, "the sweat shop" or something original like that.

So I have been playing around and thought I would clean up my sewing space a bit, since it was nice and cool in there. What do I find but three little Tree quilts from last December. These were going to be gifts, but never got that far. (I did finish several of these!) Actually, one is for me because I ended up giving mine away. Darn cute, isn't it? I at least got all the loose ends sewn together and now they need a little quilting. This is smaller than the pattern on my website. I scaled it down so that the tree top is 3 inches. Many of you made one or more of these last year. If you are a new reader, this was my Christmas treat to everyone last year. The pattern is still available on my website for free, and Christmas fabric is flooding the shops-so what are you waiting for?

Cheryl at Polka Dots and Rick Rack has a photo of My Happy Place quilt at her site that her friend made. It is very cute and she made it for a good cause. Check out Cheryl's blog to read about it. I love that she used 30's prints in the quilt. They are always so cheerful!

I designed this quilt a couple years ago to hang above my sewing machine. So far that hasn't happened. It has been hanging at the LQS, What's Your Stitch 'N Stuff, since its creation, which, oddly enough, also happens to be my happy place! Plus, they sell all my patterns! That makes me very happy! The shop just recently started a blog called Heidi-Idy's Happenings 'N Stuff. I LOVE this shop! It is so in line with everything I do! Civil War, Primitive, plaids, wool, needle-punch--they have it all! And KITS, lots of KITS! Plus some kids fabric and brights, and minky for those who require it. If you come to visit Virginia Beach you need to check out this shop!

I mentioned last post that I was playing with wool. Well, here is the progress so far. I love wool applique and embroidery. This one is called Sweet Sampler, by Shawn Williams, and I got the pattern at the above mentioned shop! There is lots more to do on this, so come back again, but don't hold your breath. I am not known for my speed.

--Marcie

TAKING A CHANCE ON LOVE

It seems that I have had a lot to say lately. Tomorrow I am going to a friend's house to play with wool. Doesn't that sound fun? I found an old camel colored wool coat in my closet that I will never wear again and it wants to be reincarnated into something cute. Tomorrow my friend Joan and I are going to take the coat apart and wash it. We already picked out a really cute project with a beehive on it and other cute stitchy things. Fun awaits!

I was just visiting my blogging buddy Perry and she has a fabulous quilt on her blog that is being raffled off to benefit Cystic Fibrosis. You absolutely must see this great quilt, and then buy a chance or two to win it. If we each buy one ticket we could help to benefit this cause, and someone will get lucky and win the gorgeous quilt! $5 gets you in the running! Perry's darling little granddaughter is suffering from this disease. Perry has instructions for us on her blog. http://okperisplace.blogspot.com/



Probably many of you are familiar with the Quilts of Gee's Bend. They have been shown on TV specials and have been exhibited around the country. I saw them on display here in Virginia Beach a couple years ago. These are amazing quilts that were born out of poverty in an isolated area of Alabama and have come to be respected pieces of textile art. As quilters we know what it means to have a relationship with fabric and we feel the force of fabric speaking to us. I know these women felt that same creative force as they constructed these quilts, primarily from old work clothes and donated materials. The pictures of the quilts are fascinating, but to see them in person has unbelievable impact. You feel like they want to reach out and tell you their story. So, in fact, they do! The museum gave us headphones and a recorded history of each quilt so that we could listen to their story as we wandered through the gallery. It was a wonderful way to personally connect with the quilts and their makers.

Now having said that, I had to chuckle when I saw this ad in the paper last Sunday. I really and truly hope that the Quilters of Gee's Bend are enjoying every minute of this, and that they are benefitting financially.


Apparently my clever title missed the mark! "Taking a Chance on Love" is a song and I was playing off it regarding the raffle quilt. You know, take a chance-win a quilt! No, I am not off having a mad affair! Sorry if you are disappointed. (Annamiek!)