HOORAY FOR THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE

I love red, white and blue quilts! Over the years I have made a few. Recently I arranged three of them together on the deck railing for a photo shoot. How fun is that?!

I just added another member to the Prairie Paisley Club. Libby made an awesome quilt for her daughter who has just returned home from nine years in the Air Force. I am really surprised that I haven't heard from more of you out there making quilts from that beautiful line of fabric. Let me know If I can add you to the list, or if you come across another quilt blogger that has made something from Prairie Paisley, by Minick and Simpson, of Moda Fabrics. I know there are lots of gorgeous fabrics out there, but this one just struck a chord with me. I hope you have looked at the blogs that are listed. They are great!

My grandkids are still hamming it up, as you can see. The oldest one here loves to take pictures, so finally I will have a great selection to share. Here she is with with her little clone that I call Plumpkin.

On occasion we are treated to a rare performance of original dance, by Plumpkin, complete with costume. Let me tell you, this girl can dance and twirl to any music. But I must say that she prefers Barbie Musical CDs.

We are once again suffering from air conditioning woes in the zone that contains my sewing room, office and TV room. We had a mattress on the floor for two of the kids in the TV room, but it is so blasted hot that I took pity on them and moved the mattress to the foot of the bed in the master bedroom. I had to warn my husband not to step on anybody when he returned home last night from being out of town on business.

All in all, we are having a good time. They go down to the beach every day, and hopefully they will make memories for years to come. When I was a kid we went to Crystal Beach on Lake Erie (the Canadian side) every summer. It was such a treat!

I hope you are making some wonderful summer memories also, and tucking them away to bring out on a cold winter's day.

--Marcie

Addendum: Hooked commented about the RWB quilt quilts. All three are from Patchalot Patterns. (Stars & Garters, Christmas Kisses, Wintergreen-some color changes!) You can go there for ordering instructions if you wish. Thanks for asking!

THE GRANDCHILDREN HAVE ARRIVED

The reign of terror has begun!

After driving for two long days from Minnesota to Virginia, my daughter has arrived with three of her children. I wasn't sure when they were leaving, so when Plumpkin, age 3, called me on the phone I asked her if she was driving. "No", she says, "my mom is. I am sitting in the back in my carseat". Oh my gosh, she is so funny!

They haven't been to visit us for a couple of years, so we have been excited to have them come. Daughter and 16 year old granddaughter went shopping today for new swimming suits and came back with really cutes ones from Macy's. The 10 year old grandson sat glued to the TV all day. He doesn't get to watch much TV at home, so he is quite mesmerized with it. Three year old Plumpkin is another case entirely. She is so quick. Her little feet move as quickly as her little brain. We sat on the deck and read a couple books. That was very pleasant. The Poky Little Puppy nevers gets old! Have you noticed? I have been reading that story since I was a child, I am sure. Well, after that she decided it would be nice to have a tea party. We went to the garage and pulled out a box of little dishes and cups that haven't been used in many, many years. We went to the kitchen and she stood on the kitchen chair while we washed the dishes and dried them. I decided to take a quick bathroom break, and hear Plumpkin telling me through the door that she is going to break some eggs for our tea party. "No, No, No! Wait just a minute"! I hustled back to the kitchen and she is holding two large white eggs in her hands, telling me she is going to crack them now. I talked her into putting them back in the carton, and explained that they were very fragile. We took our little tea party out to the deck, complete with Diet Coke in our tea cups, and Rice Chexx on a tiny plate. She cautioned me to be careful because the little cups were "very fragile". I guess she decided that she liked that word, and has used it several times today. She also engaged me in a discussion of birds and eggs, and wondered if the bird families were sad that someone ate their eggs. "They sit on their eggs to keep them warm until they get patched". I keep trying to explain that the eggs get hatched and not patched, but so far she is sticking to her story.

I think it is safe to say that I will be quite busy for the next little while, and loving every minute of it!

--Marcie

THERE AIN'T NO CURE...

If you were a kid in the fifties or sixties you will remember "There Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blues". You can read the lyrics to that song by clicking the link. For the rest of you babes, you may have heard it through the years. It's a really fun and catchy song! Well, here is my completed Prairie Paisley quilt that I named Summertime Blues. I just love it! Minick and Simpson did a great job with this line of fabric for Moda, and it seems that many of you have fallen in love with it along with me. I decided that it would be fun to link to other photos of quilts made from Prairie Paisley fabric. I have seen quilts at Kim's blog, and also Darlene's. So if you, or anyone you know, made a quilt with this fabric, please leave me a comment and I will link to you. I will put it on my side bar for a month or so. Can't wait to see what you have done! (Mar? Are you out there?)
By the way, my quilt has some stash fabric mixed in with the Priairie Paisley. The 4-patches and the reds are from my stash. They all play nice, don't you think?

You know how when you are on line and you see little promotional items? Well this one caught my eye and I had to go check it out. French Fry Spam Casserole Now doesn't that just sound too good to be true? I hope my granddaughter in college reads this. She is always looking for good recipes to make for guys. Reel him in with this one Honey!



P.S. On my sidebar I am linking to the blog pages that feature a Prairie Paisley Quilt. To view more of any blog listed click on "Search Blog" at the top of the blog and it will take you to the front page of each blog.

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

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

Blogging seems to have slowed down. Is it the time of year? School is ending, plants need tending, all the world is green. Time keeps going, skin is glowing, pass me the sunscreen.

You may not have been aware of my poetic tendencies. But on occasion it just bursts through!

This cute little guy is my grandson. Actually this was a few years ago. He is going to be 11 this summer. I don't know if I have shown this quilt before. I made it for Jack, as you can see. It is the Road to Oklahoma pattern by Debbie Caffrey. (Book: Open a Can of Worms)

The next quilt was made for my other grandson, who will soon be 17. They start out so cute, don't they? I love this pattern! It was in one of Nancy Martin's books several years ago. I haven't gotten much sewing done of late, so I thought I would pull a couple photos from the archives to share.

I finally have my two newest patterns printed and packaged, so if you find that you just have to have one or both of them, just go to my website to the link for ordering. Or, you can call the LQS here, What's Your Stitch N Stuff, (757-523-2711) and they help you. They are fully stocked!

It is heating up here in Virginia. I am very close to turning on the A/C. I am holding out for as long as I can. I want to cut back on fuel where ever possible!

Have a great weekend everyone! --Marcie

MONTERREY MEDALLION

I don't have anything new of my own to show, so I thought I would share a beautiful quilt made by my friend Marae who lives in Mesa, AZ. Marae is a long arm quilter and she does most of my quilts for me. Occasionally she even gets to make one for herself! She pieced and quilted this one. Marae's color choices are wonderful! The quilt is called Monterrey Medallion and was designed by Terry Atkinson. (Click on the link to see Terry's version at her website.) You know I love medallion quilts and I even have this book. I would love to make it for myself someday. Terry is a Minnesota quilter whose work I greatly admire. She creates clean and original designs and her directions are impeccable! As one who must write directions myself, I can't help but critique those written by others. I am always looking to learn a better way to create quilts and patterns. If you are a new quilter I would especially recommend Terry's designs. I bet there is not a quilt shop in America that doesn't carry them. I am a little more selective about to whom I sell my patterns. Ha ha ha ha ha ---hysterical laughter! If you have purchased my patterns I want to thank you and tell you that I admire your good taste!

So what am I working on now? Wool--I am playing with wool again. I will have a photo soon. I enjoy having something to stitch on in the evenings. It is getting hot here and we will be forced to turn on the AC, but will try and hold out until June 1st. I know it was over 80 degrees in the house today. I have to bear it for a while to convince myself that summer is here. After all, we wait all winter for it to return. I could do without the humidity though.

Tomorrow I think I will watch a flower bloom. It could be a long, quiet day. --Marcie

THE SOUND OF FREEDOM

Today is a good day for flag waving! I see the flags displayed on many homes in our neighborhood, and they line Shore Drive as well. Flags are posted on every corner of Shore Drive, near where I live, all year long. When there are troops coming home their buses go right down Shore Drive and the flags pay tribute to them. Many times the neighbors go out and stand on the corners waiting for the buses so they can wave to the soldiers and cheer for them.

I wanted to contribute something for Memorial Day to honor our veterans. The photo shows planes flying in formation over the JFK Aircraft Carrier. I found this photo online and I think it is a beauty! The JFK was actually decommissioned last year after serving her country since 1968.

Around here we see the planes quite often practicing maneuvers in the air above us. They are stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. Believe me they are loud! Around here we call it "the sound of freedom". I have to confess, it does give me a thrill to see them, as well as a sense of pride in the young people who serve our country. Some of the quilters with whom I associate have husbands or sons serving in the Middle East. Some actually served in the military themselves. To all of those who have served--past and present, I salute you, and I add my prayers to the many grateful people in this land of ours that you will be watched over as you watch over us.

In gratitude. --Marcie

INDIAN PAINTBRUSH

A new week is almost upon us, and dang! where did the old week go? Do you find time slipping away more quickly? I think we need to start a petition to put an end to that! Maybe start a lobbying group and go before Congress. All in favor? Aye!

I have been home from Arizona for a week now without much to say for myself. I have been trying to catch up on some blogs, but frankly, there are way too many, so the going is slow. I made it down to Jo-Ann Fabrics yesterday to use my 40% off coupon on the last day. I wanted to get a sheet of vinyl to cover the table on the deck now that the weather is nice. I always find it at Jo-Ann's and it is heavy duty, like they use to cover boat cushions, etc. Often they have some on the clearance table, which was the case yesterday, so I couldn't use the coupon on it. I found a nice dark blue for $6 a yard. I ended up using the coupon to purchase some fusible Pellon batting for making tote bags. I love mine and I want to make more! Also, I found this cute little Sandpiper birdie, just like the kind that run around on our beach! He is posed on a sweet little mat that my blogging buddy Joan, from Keeping You in Stitches, sent to me.

This is my latest quilt to be finished! Marae, my wonderful quilter in Arizona, quilted it for me while I was there. She did a lovely job, as she always does. The funny thing is that when I took her the quilt she quickly called her friend Debbie and they both wanted to make it on the spot! Please, I am still working on the pattern! But, sweet little quilter that I am, and being a sucker for a complement, I met them one evening and showed them the basics, and off they went with it. Yes, it is that easy! Actually, I don't design difficult patterns. I can't face writing difficult directions! And honestly, I prefer simple. So here it is, INDIAN PAINTBRUSH. I decided on that name because the border gave it a Native American feel, like arrowheads. Indian Paintbrush is actually a flowering plant that grows in the western US. By the way, the border idea is one that Joan (Keeping You in Stitches) shared with me. Thanks Joan! Also, I used a number of fabrics from the Jamestown line by Jo Morton at Andover Fabrics. Love, love, love it!

Thanks for all your nice comments about my dad from my last post. I wish I could share him with all of you, but he would probably hit on you, and then I would be embarrassed. Yeah, he's a player. And some of those ladies in walkers are not that difficult to catch! ---Marcie

SUMMERTIME BLUES

Finally I am reporting in from Arizona! I thought I would spend more time on the computer, but it has been busy here. My brother and his wife came from Minnesota for a few days and we have lots of relatives to visit here, including my dad. Last time I was here I mentioned the cool Mexican tiles at my favorite restaurant, Tia Rosa's. I took a couple pictures of them, and of my dear old dad sitting in front of them. Does he look happy or crazy? Well, maybe a little of each. That's what I love about him--he is happy AND crazy! He is doing very well now after having blood sugar and oxygen problems earlier in the year. He turned 85 in February. Now that the weather is so nice here-in the 90's, he goes to the pool every day and swims, does water aerobics and then worships the sun for a while. He LOVES the sun! So he is all tan and healthy looking. How do you like that jazzy shirt he is wearing? He brought me three new pair of pants to hem for him. A pair of gray, a pair of canary yellow, and a pair of persimmon. Nothing shy about my dad! Have I mentioned that I adore him?

A while back I showed pictures of this quilt in progress. The primary fabrics are from the Prairie Paisley line by Minick and Simpson, from MODA. I finally completed the quilt top and took it over to my wonderful quilter who happens to reside here in Mesa. I dropped off two others as well that she will have completed for me before I go home. Pictures of those will be forthcoming. Meanwhile, this quilt is made from the Patchalot Pattern's Wintergreen design. I have dubbed it Summertime Blues. I will show it again once it is quilted, but couldn't resist posting a photo of it draped across the bushes in my son's front yard.

My aunt loaned me a wonderful little book called The Quilters, by Patricia Cooper and Norma Bradley Allen. It has been around for years, but is new to me. I loved it! It is a compilation of interviews with quilters. The introduction says this: "This book is about a group of women who make quilts in Texas and New Mexico. They are our ancestors. We sought them out because we were interested in their art. We bought quilts from them, sold quilts for them, and in the process became so impressed with their wisdom and strength as individuals that we wanted to record what we could of their lives. Through them we came to know our grandmothers and mothers, and finally to know ourselves. Through long conversations, visits, shared work, we got a sense of our history we had not before experienced." This book is a little treasure, and a tribute to those women who have gone before us and whose work and art we carry forward. I love connecting with our roots! I bet you will love it too!

Bye for now! --Marcie

OPERATION CHAOS

This is what my sewing table looks like when I have too many projects going and can't make a decision about which one to work on. The good news is that I actually cleared it off today and sewed quilt backs together for three quilts. I still have to finish the third one because I was using up big and small pieces from my stash and it was taking forever! I leave tomorrow for Arizona and I am taking three projects to my quilter there. Hopefully I will be able to bring one or two back quilted! QUILTED! Isn't that the best feeling?! My Prairie Paisley project is all packed (there I go again)! I have all the stars completed and all the sashing units and hopefully I can assemble it while at my son's house.




I did complete this little cutie this week. It is a design by Cheri Saffiote-Payne and I saw it on Dawn's blog last year and fell in love with it. Last week Melanie from Covered Porches and Wooden Screen Doors showed her version, which is also very cute! Then my friend Karen at Sew Primitive got in the act. I really had to race to finish it before Karen because she dove in so fast. Luckily she didn't know I was racing with her! Ha! Yea, I won!
Well, you will notice that each of us changed a little something from the original design. It is fun to see what each person has done to make it their own.

When this project was almost completed I went to the Country Loft website and ordered two more of Cheri's patterns! I am really loving these primitive-folk art quilting projects!

Well, that's it for now. Next time you hear from me I will be posting from Arizona! Hasta la vista Baby!

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!)

PATCHALOT OF PRAIRIE PAISLEY

Can you tell that I enjoy alliteration? I couldn't resist this Pairie Paisley line of fabric by Minick and Simpson. I bought a few fat quarters to play with. I looked at various patterns and decided that I like mine the best! Isn't that a glowing recommendation? The pattern I am using is called Wintergreen, and I designed it for Christmas 2007. Some of you will remember it, I hope! I think I will call this quilt Summer Blues. Get it? The link above for Minick and Simpson will take you to a really nice blog about them at The Fat Quarter Shop, which also carries the fabric line.

OK then. So like a good little blogger, I layed (laid? Is there an English teacher amongst us?) the pattern pieces out so everyone could get a glimpse of the pieces. Make lots of 4-patches! I actully drew the perfect fabric from my stash to complement the beautiful Prairie Paisley. (I just want to say that name over and over again). So the 4-patches and the stars came from my wonderful stash. I love my stash, and I am so glad that it combines so well with Prairie Paisley. You could actually make the whole pattern in Prairie Paisley, but I feel righteous if I can add stash to any quilts I make. (It kind of supports the whole idea of having a stash).

So here is a taste of how the pattern will look in my Patchalot Pattern with Prairie Paisley. Yum! Take a look at that beautiful border fabric. Can you read the selvage? It says Prairie Paisley, of course! (I should get a promotional check from Moda for this post)!

I made a trial of three blocks, added sashing and called it good! Then I began cutting and stacking. Five blocks from each of five red fabrics. Maybe more, as I think I will make this quilt bigger than the original.

Well, after I decided for sure what I was making I had to hurry back to the LQS and buy more Prairie Paisley for the background and sashing. My original plan was that I was going to get all the cutting done and then take it with me to work on when I go to Arizona next week. I may have to find something else though. This is going together so quickly that I will have the top finished by then! Oh well. Do you know I have a stash in Arizona at my son's house? Just a small stash, but enough to play scrappy.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I am off to my sewing room to work on my ......... You fill in the blank! (If you said Prairie Paisley, you are right)!

THIS SISTER'S CHOICE!

This post is totally promotional! But don't let that stop you from reading on...

This darling little quilt with the bird in the center is what Lea, my Japanese blogger buddy, created using my Medallion Doll Quilt pattern! She is so talented! I know lots of you have discovered her blog and her charming personality, but if you haven't been there, please go visit! You will be happy that you did! So many cute things to see!




Are any of you into needle-punch? Karen, from Sew Primitive, has created the cutest little needle-punch patterns! The girl never sleeps! She has them displayed on her new website Folk Art Children. Even if you don't do needle-punch, you should visit her website to see her other patterns and her wonderful Folk Art Children Portraits! Then check back often because she creates like a mad woman! She just can't help herself!

I have been watching for this Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazine to come out and I finally got it last night at the quilt shop. I do buy this magazine often, and I love it, and this issue has Tazzie's Sister's Choice quilt in it! (Click that link to see her quilt) Yea TAZZIE! I love Tazzie's designs because she uses lots of scraps in very creative ways. If you read her blog you already know that. OK , here is the thing that drives me nuts about that magazine: It doesn't give us a date or year on the cover, or inside. It says Volume 16 Number 7. There are usually a few different issues in stock and I never can tell which is most current. I never know if I missed an issue. It's just a minor little irk. I think it is a great magazine, and I LOVE knowing that cute little Aussie designer they have!

These links are some of this Sister's Choice!

A DAY WITH KAYE ENGLAND

This is me with my new best friend, Kaye England. Lol! Last week the local Bernina shop, A Different Touch, had Kaye come and speak about tools and cutting techniques. That, and push Bernina just a little, which was like preaching to the choir. Kaye, as you may know, is a very entertaining speaker. It didn't take much to get her off message and talking about her childhood in Tennessee and corn cob fights in the barn. She still lives on a farm, though now in Indiana. She has llamas and goats and at least one chicken that she spoke of that gives her one egg a day.


Of course she stressed the importance of accuracy in cutting and in sewing and in RULERS. She has helped to develop a line of rulers for Nifty Notions that she guarantees are the best and most accurate. You can find them on her website. Kaye touted the importance of a straight-stitch throat plate (single hole rather than slot) for accuracy in quarter inch stitching. Apparantly the slotted throat plate that comes with most all machines can cause the fabric to cave from the pressure of the needle, distorting the seam allowance. Huh! Who knew? Well, as you can imagine, there was a run on straight-stitch throat plates at the cash register! Mine is on order.

Probably the coolest thing that I learned was to use two colors of thread when sewing. If you have a different color in the bobbin then it is easier to take out the seam should you need to. She says you can just pull the bobbin thread, if you know which one it is. Is that cool, or what? Yes, it's good to get sewing tips, but who ever gives great seam ripping techniques?

Finally, here is my favorite piece of advice: "Art is a personal decision! If you put it (fabric pieces) together, it goes together!" I totally agree. Too often we look for everyone else's opionion to validate what we do and what we, personally, like. What a fun day!

And then came the quilts! You are probably familiar with Kaye's Voices of the Past series. The quilt here with the flags is called Betsy Ross-surprise! The next one below, with the very scrappy stars and chain blocks is Amelia Earhart. Oddly enough, one of my designs is the same pattern, which happened to be hanging on the wall, and Kaye pointed it out! How funny is that? Mine is called Tea in the Garden, and has a little bit of applique on it. Obviously a traditional pattern in the public domain. Each beautiful and very different. I have actually been wanting to do a scrappy version, so now I know just about what it would look like.
I hope you enjoyed this little tour of England. I sure did! *VBS*

COUCHING CROW

A couple years ago I remember Melanie, at Covered Porches and Wooden Screen Doors, mentioned that she put out fabric scraps for the birds to build their nests in the spring. Such a cute idea! So I decided to try that. We have a deck on the third floor that is surrounded by trees. (Remember the squirrel probelms?) Anyway, I placed a hand full of fabric strings on top of a table and anchored them a bit with shells. I was hopeful that the birds would recognize the wonderful bounty that lay before them! The pile became smaller, and I wondered if some got carried by the wind, or had the birds found this little stash? One morning last week I was sitting in the livingroom, just off the deck, and saw a bird on the table. In my mind I saw him picking up a strip and flying off with the strip blowing in the wind. I sat quiet and hopeful that the bird would figure it out. Then what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a couching crow! Yes, this dear birdie had a creative bent! He picked at the same strip over and over again until he had ruffled the little strip into a flower, and off he/she flew with it! He is not just building a nest, he is decorating it! Wouldn't it be funny if birds had contests to see who made the most creative nest? Suddenly I am seeing reality TV in birdland: Flip This Nest! Or how about Decorating Cheep! Seriously, I wish I had a picture of that bird. It was so cute!

So how do you like my blog's new look? I asked my talented granddaughter to see what she could do to give me a facelift, and voila! She performed her magic! I always have to depend on the generosity of others when it comes to this techie stuff. She did good! Now she needs to teach me!

For those of you who wondered if I would ever come back with the completed eagle quilt, I am happy to show you the finished quilt. It measures 21" x 21". The corner stars are foundation pieced, which makes them quite easy to construct. I am still working on the pattern, but it will be done soon. I will keep you posted. I am scheduled to teach this as a class in June here in Virginia Beach. Can you tell I took the picture on the deck? I love that deck! Sorry, no squirrels allowed.

We are receiving our daily share of April Showers here, so that can only mean lots of May Flowers, Right? I do look forward to that! Have a happy day!

GLOBAL WARMING THROUGH QUILTS

I want to show this wonderful magazine that my friend Lea sent me from Japan a couple weeks ago. So much was going on around here that I didn't get this posted. But I do want to share it. This is the cover, which is actually on what we would consider the back. This works well for me because I have a habit of thumbing through a magazine from the back, which in this case is the front.


The magazine is loaded with photos of beautifully detailed quilts and also quite a few bags. It is apparent to me that the Japanese women have taken this craft to a whole new level of perfection.
Everything is meticulously crafted and hand quilted. It is a treat just to feast your eyes on this.

I like to tease Lea about doing everything by hand, but I suspect she gets more done than I do with my machine. Isn't it wonderful to see where creativity leads people, and how the same craft develops in different ways in different locations around the world? These are things that make us unique, and also bring us together. This is also one of the joys of blogging: meeting quilters from over the globe. We see talent that we appreciate and enjoy, and before long we have found a friend. I have surely found a friend in Lea. This is my kind of global warming!

Now oddly enough, Lea loves all things primitive! When you visit her at her blog, be sure and check out her photo album of projects she has completed. Cute, cute stuff!
Thanks Lea, for the magazine. I am enjoying it and so are all my friends!