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!

Bloglovin and More

I guess I am joining the throngs of bloggers moving over to Bloglovin, so I am hereby claiming my blog!!! Not sure what that means, but since they tell us to do it, I'm doing it. This is the second time I have had to move my blog list to another program. Each time I am disappointed and maybe a little less involved than before. Guess we shall see what this one does for us. I have to say that I am surprised that Google eliminated their program, but oh well. 

I have all these little quilty things around that I need to finish. This one is a doll quilt for my granddaughter, Ellie. Maybe you remember her baby quilt that was published in McCalls a while back? They called it Teaberry Stars, and included it as a free online pattern in a bed size quilt. 
I added the border to this doll quilt today and now I need to get it quilted for her and maybe find a dolly too. 

 Here I am making progress on my wool sampler. I am excited to see this coming to life!

I just saw that Lisa Bongean (of Primitive Gatherings) has a new fabric line out of little flowers and also pastels. Blow me over! Last time I spoke to her she told me "I like dark quilts", which we can believe because she is Primitive Gatherings! The new line is darling and I can't wait to see what Lisa does with it! Follow the link and check it out!

Happy summer friends!