A lesson in gradations . . . . .

Aren't they just beautiful?

I have spent the last few days with my head in the dye pot.  6 gradations of 5 different colors.  That's 30 pots . . . . at an hour a pot . . . . . . no wonder I feel loopy!

A beautiful blue

Pumpkin Patch

Forest Green

Pimento Red

Old Bronze

These will be bundled up (nice and cute) and traveling with me to my next show in Sanford, North Carolina.  More info on that show coming soon!

Right now it is time to take a little break.  Glad the weather is okay today.  I feel the need to go out and get some fresh air!!

Blessings, Cathi
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Last finish of the year . . . . .

 I just finished what I think will be the last quilt of 2010.  But you never know (wink, wink).

Called Addie's Nest.  It was a freebie on Moda's website and called "Nest".  I couldn't find it when I looked just now.  If you would like a copy of the *.pdf, just let me know.

Hope to send it on it's way to Texas this week . . . . . . if I can ever get my head out of the dye pot.  It sure smells in there!

Blessings, Cathi
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I won again . . . WhooHoo . . .

Are you visiting all the Home for the Holidays blogs?  Today is Tara Lynn's turn.  She has the cutest wool penny mat.  You know me, anything wool!

Last Friday was Lynda Hall's turn with another wool project . . . . . Chilly!

 
She was giving away a wool kit to go with her little wool snowman pillow pattern.  And yes, I did win!  It came in the mail yesterday.

A nice little weekend project . . . .just probably not this weekend ;>(

Another giftie in the mail from Mary at Quilt Hollow.  She showed these on her blog the other day and said they were winging their way to their owners.  One was me!  And just the perfect colors for me, too.  I don't do brights at all!

And Mary, being the sweetie that she is, included a little illustrated Christmas book that just tucks inside along with a Christmas card.

I really haven't been doing much quilty or crafty sewing lately.  Blogging on all my blogs has taken a back seat to my business.  My first show in 2011 is the second weekend in January in Sanford, North Carolina.  I expect to see some of you bloggers from the greater Raleigh area there!  Heck from the whole middle of the state!

I have been dying wool in earnest again.  Nothing to show yet.  I am also making one of the wise men costumes for church.  Wow, I forgot what a 5/8" seam allowance is.

The new niece arrived the other day.  Her quilt top is finished and the top is basted.  Now down to the business of quilting it and sending it on it's way to Texas.

And I haven't taken the first Christmas decoration out of hiding yet or written the first Christmas card.  All in good time!

Blessings, Cathi
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Baby Star Quilt . . . . .

Remember this little quilt I made for my GoCutter demo?

It's all quilted already with binding!   Instead of washing it the traditional way, I soaked it in leftover coffee, then washed and dried it.

The white background was a little too white for me.  This gave it just enough to knock the edge off the whiteness.  I think this will be a perfect little table topper in the spring.

  

Finally getting some great fall weather and I'm talking about Spring already!

Blessings, Cathi
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The Santa Swap is on it's way . . . .

Monday afternoon but still . . . . . .

Here it is  . . . .washed, dried and crinkly.  Sure hope she likes it.  Don't forget to visit Kelly's Mr. Linky so you can see some of the other Secret Santa Swap secrets.

Baby quilt much farther along but still not a top yet.  Any day now . . . .

Blessings, Cathi
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Wow, 7 posts in one day and then . . . . .

Nothing!  I haven't posted because I have been so busy sewing.  I finished quilting the Thimbleberries Star quilt from last Saturday.  It even has binding on but I will wait until the binding is sewn down before I show a picture.

I also sewed the binding on the sample I used in the demo.  Another evening of hand work on that one.

Then that crazy stuff called cleaning and cooking, etc.  I did clean, rearrange and organize 2 closets.  That felt good.

And I started the quilt for my new grand-niece.

Dear Hubby's sister is going to become a grandmother any day now.  Boy, that sounds funny.  First grandchild in the family all sides.  Not my colors at all.  I don't even know if they are hers.  But they are in Texas so I'm not in the loop.  I've never even met her!

I have most of the blocks finished.  So hopefully I will have a top finished by this evening.

Off to the sewing room now!

Blessings, Cathi
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Christmas Quilt-A-Long Update: 2:00 AM EST . . . . .

I am scheduling this to post at 2:00 am.  I really hope that I am fast asleep.  

 

I just wanted to say Good Night to Paulette who may still be up sewing.

And Good Morning to Sue and all the others across the pond who should just be starting that first pot of coffee!

Blessings, Cathi

Christmas Quilt-A-Long Update: 10:30 PM EST . . . . .

The movie is over and so am I.  My back is getting really sore from sitting at the machine or cutting all day.

I finished 4 of the 8 star blocks.  Overall, I am very pleased with what I accomplished today.  I may have to have a weekly quilt-a-long from now until Christmas so I can finish some of these projects.

Hope you enjoyed your day . . . however you spent it!

Blessings, Cathi

Christmas Quilt-A-Long Update: 9:00 PM EST . . . . .

Still chugging along here.  Took a break to cook dinner with Dear Hubby.  Hamburgers on the grill . . . sweet potato fries . . . Waldorf salad (apples, cheese, raisins and mayo) . . . tasted really good!

Since then, I have put the rows together from the previously mentioned post.  Notice "White Christmas" is on the telly now.

Through the doorway on the left, through the foyer and into the living room is the Clemson/Florida State game.  Lots of noise and so far in Clemson's favor (as it should be).

It took a little bit for me to re-orient myself to what I was doing.  I had to figure out how many blocks of each I needed to do and am finally moving in a forward direction.  First the star blocks since they are a little harder to do.  After that it should be no time at all to have another flimsie on the list!

Blessings, Cathi

Christmas Quilt-A-Long Update: 5:18 PM EST . . . . .

I have finished the top and am back in about 2 hours as promised!

This will be my Secret Santa Christmas Swap being sponsored by Kelly and Joan.  I sure hope whoever it is, she likes it.  She had a Thimbleberries project on her website and these are all Thimbleberries fabrics.

Going to take a break from this one tonight.  The backing and binding fabric I want to use are out in the storage building.  The sun is going down and it's getting right chilly out.  It can wait until the morning.

Next on the list. . . . finishing up the Christmas Star Trip that I was working on during the September Christmas Quilt-a-Long.  I never took it out of the box to work on it again since I put it away.  I'm so close to finishing.

Forgot to tell you that I am in the middle of "A Christmas in Connecticut".

Football is on in the living room.  Thank goodness I have a tv with DVD player in the dining room/sewing room.  Unfortunately no doors in between! 

Blessings, Cathi

Christmas Quilt-A-Long Update: 2:49 PM EST

I'm back and ready for phase 2 of the day.  Demo went well.  Not too many showed up but that's okay.  They got a lot of one-on-one time!

I let Brenda (no-blogger) use my camera.  She took a lot of pictures of me.  Of course, I am only going to show the least offensive ones!  Only Teresa of Stitchin' Friends has a blog although some read a lot of them!  Teresa and I haven't talked any of the others into starting one yet.  But we're working on it!

Here is a picture of the project we did for the rest of the day (we go from 10:00 until 2:00).

After they started on their projects, I pulled out my fabrics.

And PRESTO, CHANGO in under 2 minutes, I had my quilt top cut out !

I started to put my quilt top together.  Didn't take pictures.  As soon as I unpack, I will get back to sewing.  I hope to post again in about two hours with a completed top!

Stay tuned . . .  

Blessings, Cathi

Christmas Quilt-A-Long is here ! . . . . .

It is just now 8:30 here on the East Coast.  Sue is in West Yorkshire, UK having her lunch and Paulette is probably still in the bed in British Columbia.

As usual I will be headed to my Stitchin' Friends meeting at 10:00.  Today I am giving a demo on my GoCutter that I won off of Paulette's blog.

I know, not my colors.  They are both made from leftovers.  The block on the left is obviously from the Dresden plate die and the one on the right is from the value die that comes with the cutter.  I am taking a Christmas project with me to work on after the demo is over.

TurfBoy is home for the weekend.  He hasn't been home in months.  I think since homecoming at church back in August.  I hope to spend a little bit of time with him today but mostly I plan on sewing!  

 I have my Christmas Swap project to do still.  Aaaaaggghhh!  And I am hoping to make two stockings for Nelson and Reagan.  They really have been good boys this year.

I hope you will join us today.  If not for the entire day, at least a little Christmas sewing for a little bit.

I will post again when I return from Stitchin' Friends.

Blessings, Cathi

It's Christmas quilting all next year ! . . . . .

Announcement, Announcement!

Sue at Quilt Times and I will be co-hosting the Christmas Quilt-A-Long all next year !!

We have big plans for next year.  One of the things that will stay the same is that we will still "meet" on the second Saturday of the month. And the name will stay the same.

We will be offering a free Christmas BOM so at the end of the year, you will have a lovely Christmas sampler quilt.  More information will come out later but we were both too excited to hold this news any longer!

We hope you will all join us in January.  You don't have to sew on a Christmas quilt but maybe a Christmas gift or some ornaments or stockings.  You'll be surprised how much more relaxed you will be come Christmas time when a good bit of your Christmas sewing is finished ahead of time!

Don't forget that this weekend is the final Christmas Quilt-A-Long of the year.  Make sure you pop on over to Sue's blog first thing Saturday morning to join us!

Blessings, Cathi
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12 years in the making . . . . .

Yes, I pieced this top about 12 years ago.

It's been packed and unpacked and moved as one sewing room then became another.  Put into storage and back out again.  All 4 kids have graduated from high school since then.  One was married off.  College graduations have occurred.  Numerous birthdays.  2 new driver's licenses.  Well, you get my point.  

It's finally finished.

Blessings, Cathi
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Seasonal Fruit . . . . .

I just had to share this new free BOM from the Rabbit Factory.

Isn't it just yummy?! 

They will post the free download for each block on their website for the next 4 months.  The first one went up on November first.  So HOP on over there and download your pattern.

Can't you just see this made up in wools?  Yummy !!!

Blessings, Cathi
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About the tabs . . . . .

I have finally finished vending at my last show of the year and have time to get back on the blogging wagon.  I would love to show you pictures of the beautiful quilts the ladies in New Bern, North Carolina made but I forgot the camera!  They were just stunning.  The venue couldn't have been better.  Right on the waterfront of the Neuse River.  Sailboats were going by, the sun was out, the water crystal clear.

Several of you have asked about how to put the tabs on the top.   First of all, depending on which template you use, the tabs may look like traditional tabs but others may not.  On my blog, they show up as text. 

Click on any of the text right below my header and you can see lovely pictures of me and my adorable family.  There is another tab with all the quilts I have actually finished in the two years.  Yes, I have finished a few.  Too few.  But that's for another post.

To create your own tabs, click on New Post or go to the Posting tab in Blogger.

See up at the top under Posting ?  There is an option called Edit Pages.  You will get a page like this . . . . 

I am showing you my Primitives blog because I haven't added tabs to that one yet.  You can either click on the New Page button or the words Create a page.

You will get a page that looks VERY similar to your posting page.  

The Page Title is whatever name you want the tab to be . . . . . add your content just like you were writing your post.

When you are finished, click on Publish Page at the bottom.

And you are finished!  I don't know how many tabs (really pages) you can add.  But have fun with it.  If you have any questions, email me or leave a comment and I will try to help.

So why am I telling you all this?  I have exciting news coming soon that has to do with tabs.  Stay tuned!

Blessings, Cathi
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Up to my elbows in hot water . . . . .

I don't want you to think I am ignoring you. I have been up to my elbows dying wool and making kits and making samples and redesigning my booth.

After my last show of the year (which is next weekend) I hope I can get back to some REAL sewing for me.  And some real blogging and commenting.  I have been able to skim some blogs on my sidebar but that is about it.

And for those who have asked, as you can see in the picture above, I am still trying to find the elusive barn red we are so desperately looking for.  I think a lot of it has to do with my water.  We have horrible, horrible well water.  It's made better with a water treatment system and water softener.  The water softener is on it's last leg.  We have wound up replacing it about every 7 years and it's time again.

Dear Hubby is insisting that we take the day off tomorrow and head to the mountains for one last apple hunt, enjoy the scenery and eat breakfast at Daniel Boone Inn.

A picture from last year

As you can see from last year's picture, almost all the leaves were spent.  We are hoping we make it in time tomorrow to see a little better view.  But if not, it will be worth the time spending the day alone with my sweetie!

Now, off to the dye pot . . . . . . 

Blessings, Cathi
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Finally a home . . . .

Last summer, I bought this great spice cabinet on our trip to San Antonio.

I painted the edges to match the accent color in the house and hung on the kitchen wall . . . . .

Then found a new home for all my Cushing dyes.  So much more convenient than in the box I had them in . . . . .

There are 96 Cushing dyes all together.  I only have 50 so far.  I can't fit them all in here  and I might not even need them but it will work for now.

Blessings, Cathi
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The Great Coverup . . . . .

Sinta and Sherri have thrown down the gauntlet again.  Besides the new LePetit (a year of small projects), they have challenged us to cover up those less-than-beautiful ironing boards.  Here is mine . . . . .

The beautiful BEFORE picture

With the hole that was all the way through to the foam underneath . . . . .

Here is the base.  I received this board as a "gift" from my college roommate.  ie: she didn't want to take it home when she graduated so she left it for me.  And that was over 32 years ago!!!

I fused the hole shut over the foam . . . . .

Added another layer of batting on top of the old cover and foam . . . . .

And added one of my favorite Waverly home dec fabrics on top with a drawstring to keep it in place . . . .   This whole project cost me $ 0.00 and 2 hours of time.  What a deal !!

I had intended to spray paint the legs and add some new rubber feet.  But I figured I had spent enough time on this project that day and would get back to it later.  You know how that goes.

If you would like to join the Great Coverup, you have until Friday to get yours covered up and tell Sinta or Sherri.  No problem . . . . . you can do it !!

Blessings, Cathi
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