Progression of a Crazy Quilt Block

Find a great centerpiece picture, print it on fabric.

Choose the fabrics to go around it.

Sew the fabrics around the picture & press.

Add some lace, and embroider.

This was made for a friend's parent's anniversary. (I removed the names.)

It is 8" X 10" and ended up in a frame.

Miss Me Two Times

Two variations of the same angel. The first is made on a neutral color combo crazy quilt piece, the second on the vintage quilt. Both are 5 X 7". I prefer the color, but I think the pastel one is more romantic. You will have to click to enlarge the picture, as it did not come in very large.

I put some U-finish quilt blocks similar to the pastel one on Etsy, plus both the above.

I enjoyed making these, they make me think of letters to soldiers from loved ones.

Time to Ride

With the wind in her face, she rides.
Cares have blown away.
On a long stretch of hi-way she’s free.

Okay, enough crazy quilts, I'm going nuts, it's time for a ride!

Night Angels & Hope Bird

NIGHT ANGELSHOPE BIRD

Just listed on etsy. I'm realizing I have a lot of stitching to do to get a good sized etsy shop going. [sigh] And it's still SUMMER time - but lately too hot to be outside, so this works for now. Soon, though, the heat wave will pass and I will be back to gardening and away from handwork.

Speaking of gardening... Bell Peppers have come off the plant tonight and are in the oven stuffed with sausage, mushrooms, and cheese... hungry?

Custom Crazy Quilt Memory Block

I finally started an etsy shop. I am featuring 8x10" custom crazy quilt blocks whereas the buyer can send me their picture files and I will print and press onto the base block. They can have the fun of embroidery and embellishing.

Wish me luck.

I hope the shop will grow as I make time to get more cqs done, I plan on selling my finished pieces as well.

Check out these great vintage pictures in this sample cq block - the little guy is my Dad, the two above are my Grandparents, and the top picture is my Great Grandfather with my Grandfather to the left of him. They are in front of their home in Holland.

I'm putting an etsy link on the right bar above the ebay link.

Simple

Simple natural colors for the base, a picture of Thumbelina and the mouse, a bit of lace, a button, and simply green embroidery thread were all the items used to make this little 5x7 mini crazy quilt piece.

We are baking in Utah - the air is smokey from all the fires and the temps are in the 90's. We have 4 days of triple digit temps coming up too. Hot stuff! We had 2 small fires on the mountain here - they seem to pop up and usually don't get too out of control. The biggest fire right now is in the central part of the state, and has burned over 340 acres. Cough choke argh...

And other states are flooding??? Wow what extremes!

Dutch Oven Cooking

Dutch Oven cooking is a good way to avoid turning the oven on in the house during these hot days of summer. I’m not a pro at it, but I love it.
I'm refering to the heavy cast iron kettles with feet on them to straddle the coals, and the lip around the lid to hold more coals. You can cook anything in a Dutch oven that you can cook in a conventional oven. You’re not limited to stews or chili, but can make wonderful cobblers, cakes, breads, etc.

What’s inside…?

Garlic Cheese Rolls!
I used a recipe [click here] from my favorite Dutch Oven recipe site, Byron’s Dutch Oven Cooking.

Note: I lined my D.O. with foil to easily remove and wrap the rolls to take to dinner at friends.

I substituted sourdough for the bread dough, and for next time I've decided to add jalapeno pepper slices. Don't they look good! (They were)

Threads

Ah - color!

I don't split threads. I know, call me lazy, but I take the easy way... I almost always embroider with the Pearl Cotton no. 8.

And I love it! This picture is of my new stash that came in the mail, I ordered it from a blogger, Sue, with the VINTAGE TO VICTORIAN BLOG. She has a ton of embroidery threads of all kinds [check out this post] and is selling them.

Meanwhile, this little guy below is peeking over a bud to wish you a

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

I've posted pictures of my pets Blue and Jet, there is one more, her name is Shady. She is about 17 years old and is a calico manx (notice the stubby tail).