My Banner

Some of you have mentioned that you noticed my new banner. I thought today I would share the quilts that are in the stacked up in the picture.  
This is my very first quilt. If you look hard you can see the bow tie pattern. I hand quilted this one too.
This quilt is actually a sample of a class I was going to teach for beginners but it did not make.  It is from a pattern called Just Can't Cut It.  Look close at the yellow fabric and you will see tea cups.
I think this was the first kit I ever bought. It is from a patten called Yellow Brick Road.  I have made eight quilts from this pattern and have given them all away.  If you need a quick pattern this one and the one above are very fast patterns to sew together.
This quilt is from Joann's craft and fabric store.  It was one of their BOM.  It was also one of my first attempts at applique.  As you can see from these quilts I really like the combination of blue and yellow fabrics together. It is just such a cheery combination.

With Passion, Carrie P.

Don't look for one right answer. This keeps you form seeking less-obvious alternatives that might provide more creative solutions.  Anonymous

Show and Tell

Here is a photo of what I have been working on lately. This is just a portion of the donation quilt for my quilt guild. I am working on it in sections which is much easier.  I also have a friend helping me with the applique.  I am now working on the middle section and hope to have it all put together in a couple of weeks.  Someone else will do the borders, machine quilting, and binding.

Here is some show and tell from the applique bee from last Thursday. Very beautiful work from these ladies.  The first three photos are from a pattern called Aunt Millie's Garden.  If you want to see some finished versions of this pattern go here. You will be inspired.

This photo is from a Fit to be Framed pattern.
Look close at the pansies. They are counted cross stitch.  Beautiful!
And another name tag finished. Cute! The bee wings are done with silk ribbon.


With Passion, Carrie P.

Why not learn to enjoy the little things... there are so many of them. Anonymous

Lots to Share

Ta-Dah!! Here is the quilt! This quilt was a $5 BOM and I added the applique to the baskets. I made this in 2006. I also entered it in the North Carolina Quilt Symposium. Can I brag just a little? I won a ribbon for Best Hand Applique. I was so surprised and excited.The back is flannel.  You can see the machine quilting better on the back so that is what the next two pictures show.

Now I will warn you that this is the longest posting I have ever done. So when you have time come back and read it then.  

Remember the other day I mentioned that I went shopping?  This is the shop that I went to.  I invited two friends which were also my students at one time.  We drove two hours to this shop and it was worth it.  Here are some photos from inside the shop.

Here are some photos of the things I bought. Didn't buy a whole lot of fabric.  I didn't go with a quilt in mind. I just wanted to see what they had new since I had been there last time.
Towels, rick rack, and some twill tape.
Look at those pillow case patterns from Crabapple Hill.  Aren't they the cutest?

The other day I was also given an award from Crispy. Thank you so much. I appreciate the kind words.   I have not seen this one before. 

In order to officially be the recipient of this prestigious award, I need to do a few things first--
1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate 10 or fewer blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received your award.

First let me say that you can see from my blog list that I have many favorites but I will tell you that since I have started blogging I have made friends with a lot of people.  I started a list of people that I would love to give the award to and I came back to edit this blog because I started thinking about all the people I didn't mention.  There are just so many great people out there and I didn't want anyone to feel left out.  I just can't make the list so if you want to accept the award feel free to take it put it on your blog because you probably deserve it too.  You all are great and I really have enjoyed getting to know you all.  

You all are an inspiration to me and I just want to thank you all for your friendship and including me in your world of blogging.

When you have time go over to Loris' blog and say hi.  She is a baby in the blogging world. Only two entries so far.  Welcome Loris!

With Passion, Carrie P.

If you keep a green bough in your heart, then the singing bird will come.  Chinese Proverb

I'm Back

I am back. I went out of town yesterday to quilt shop that was having a 25% off everything in the store sale and today I had my applique bee. I will share those in the next couple of days but I wanted to finish showing you the basket quilt. Here are the last three blocks. Tomorrow the reveal.


Look what I  finally got to do.  My Tisket, A Tasket blocks.  I am caught up and ready for block number four.


I forgot a pincushion when I was showing you the rest of my pincushions.  The reason I forgot it was because it is so cute I put it on my windowsill at my kitchen sink so I could admire it.  I will use it eventually.  I know some of you have seen it already because it is the one I got from my Tea Swap partner, Darlene.

With Passion, Carrie P.

Imitate the sundial's ways... count only the pleasant days.    German Proverb

Pincushions!

Can a quilter have too many pincushions? Yesterday I posted the new pincushion that Darlene sent me. Lots of comments were made about how cute it is, which is very true but some said that you can't have too many pincushions. I know a lot of quilters collect them. I read about pincushion clubs on the Internet that some quilt shops offer to quilters. I don't have a lot of pincushions but I am finding out that I have accumulated a few more. Mine are nothing fancy but they do the job.
Here is my big wool pincushion that stays by the side of my machine. As you can see it holds a lot of pins.
My daughter made this pink polka dot pincushion. The white portion is actually a little wooden box and the pink part comes off for some storage.
This strawberry pincushion stays in my applique tool box.  It was given to me from a lady in my quilt bee.  
This one stays on a table where I sit and applique upstairs in my sewing area.  I made this one. I bought some wool roving and made several of these.
Now this one will stay downstairs where I sit and applique or embroider.  I keep pins in the little pin holder underneath the scissors but now I have this very cute pincushion from Darlene I can use for my pins.

So let's see your fanciest pincushion.  I am also curious, do you all sit and sew in different places around your house?  My place downstairs is near the kitchen so while dinner is cooking or while I am watching TV I will do applique or some embroidery or sew on binding.

Here are a few more baskets blocks.

With Passion, Carrie P.

The door of opportunity won't open unless you do some pushing.  Anonymous

More of Spring

Before I share more pictures of the $5 BOM I wanted to share this picture of this cute pincushion from my tea  swap partner Darlene. She sent a thank you note along with the pincushion. Thanks Darlene. You are so sweet.

Here are three more blocks from the $5 BOM.

With Passion, Carrie P.

Optimism is a powerful tool.  When we create a vibrant image of good things surrounding us, it is much more likely that our reality will follow suit.  Think good thoughts.

Where's the Applique?

I bet you all have been wondering why there is not any applique on a blog that has "applique" in the title. Lately I have been working on a donation quilt for my quilt guild.  I sort of have a deadline (which I put on myself) to finish the top so that I can get it to the next person to put the borders on. Then it will be taken to a longarm machine quilter.  I am not doing this quilt myself. I am doing a lot of the applique along with one of my guild friends. I have been busy prepping the pieces and working on two sections which I will show you when I get them finished.
So while I am working on this quilt I thought I would show a $5 BOM from 2006.  It is perfect to show since spring is arriving. That year the blocks were all basket blocks and I decided to put some applique in each basket.  Some applique was my own design and some was from my quilt books.  I will show close up photos for the next several days and then I will show you the whole quilt.



With Passion, Carrie P.

Enjoy the moment...in a second it will pass.