Happy Holidays and Santa Sack Swap

I finally turned on my computer today.....it's about time.

I received beautiful gifts in my Santa Sack Swap from Kim at Lily Patch Quilts (click here).  Her work is gorgeous I feel so special!

Kim finishes all her seams so beautifully.  I mentioned this to her and she sent me one of her patterns for a zippered pouch.  I can't wait to make it.  A new project for 2015.

This is a quilt I made for my Dad, he's 86 and going through chemo.  He's doing pretty well and I wanted to send him a warm 'hug'.

(back of the quilt)

It's time for a rematch of Clue.....I won all four games we played on Christmas day and won both games of Jeopardy......DH and DD said it was a fluke - we'll see!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Danette

FNwFand 12inch Mini Swap

I had a great night sewing with friends here in Illinois and online.

I managed to finally finish my September BOM for ABC - Quilt With Me by Under the Garden Moon.  This was the eighth month - blocks O, P, and Q are below pieced together with a four patch.

Here is the 12 inch  beautiful Mini I received from Jennifer (click here).  (I took the pictures before the wrinkles came out from the shipping.)  Look at the back...a Heart!  Thank you Jennifer for the gorgeous mini, it looks great in my home.

Oops!  You get the idea, I'm not sure how to turn the picture.

Thank you Cheryll for hosting FNwF and the 12" Mini Swap.  Its always fun to join in your swaps.  Please stop by and visit Cheryll at Gone Stitchin', click HERE.

FNwF

This post is for Gayle who reminded me I hadn't posted for months....

Last night I got a late start with the quilting and ended up working on it into Saturday but I finally finished!  A few minutes ago I finished with the binding and took this picture:

Oops!  I just noticed I forgot to add the buttons for the middle of the candy corn flowers and the rick rack for the stem and leaves.  I'll finish after posting.

This is suppose to be a bench pillow from KimberBell "Halloween Boo!" but I made it as a hanging for above the fireplace.  This is a "pillow of the month" so you should see a finished piece here each month.

Thank you Cheryll for hosting FNwF, you are the best 'Swap Mama' around!  Click here to see what everyone stitched. I'll be heading over there soon to see all the beautiful pieces.

This past week I also finished this wool banner by Woolkeeper.  Click here to visit her site and see all the beautiful kits and patterns she's designed.

Happy Stitching!

Danette

FNwF

It's a beautiful Sunday morning here and I thought I should post.
. 
 Friday, I started my day working, then a little stitching and I spent a few hours helping set up a Quilt Show. The Saturday Quilt Show was wonderful and I had my daughter take pictures so I'll post them later this week. 

 Here's what I stitched on Friday

This is a kit by Kathy Wall of Woolkeeper called Summertime.  I love her kits - she labels all the wool pieces so there's no time wasted on guessing and you can start stitching sooner, my favorite part.  I still have a lot of stitching to do, many details to add.

In the beginning of June I finished another of Kathy's kits, Laurel Summer Splendor

and in May Laurel Spring Splendor.

As you see I've been enjoying hand stitching.  Visit Kathy at Woolkeeper (click here) and see what other patterns and kits she has. 

I was also in a zippered pouch swap and here's the beautiful bag and wonderful goodies Mary sent me

and what I sent Mary

Please stop by Cheryll's FNwF (click here) and see what everyone was working on Friday Night. Thanks Cheryll for hosting such a wonderful night. I'll be joining you this afternoon with a cold drink and my IPad out on the deck enjoying this wonderful weather with FNwF.  See you then!

FNwF and Two Mini Swaps

I just glanced at my blog and realized I haven't posted since the last FNwF.  I continued working on the same project as last month, but I have now completed all the border blocks and in about an hour I'll have 33 of the 48 Log Cabin Blocks needed for the center of the quilt. I haven't started on the corner pieces yet, but there's only FOUR corners right?

I have received two wonderful minis.  The first one is from Terry at QUILTY-TF (click here). 

Isn't it pretty?! The colors are so bright and cheery! After our long winter here it really brightens things up.  Look at the detail - the pretty flowers have dragonflies on them. Thank you Terry for the mini and all the goodies! 
This was an Easter mini swap Hosted by Cheryll at Gone Stitchin' (click here). Thank you Cheryl for another great swap.

The next beautiful mini is from Ida of My Sister made Me do it (click here)

I love tulips, they're my favorite Spring flower.  Right now, this beautifully pieced tulip is the only one around.  Most of the snow is gone, but we haven't been warm enough for the flowers to come up.  Usually by now the Spring flowers are blooming, adding color to the dreary landscape.  I love the pink rick rack around the mini and the cute little stitched bee.  Thank you also for the goodies...

Thanks to Terry and Ida for bringing a touch of Spring to my home.

I've been taking a few classes and need to take pictures of what I've been stitching.... BUT I hear my Log Cabin Blocks calling ' come finish me'!

Bye for now and Happy Stitching!

FNwF

I had a great Friday (and Saturday) night sewing with everyone and will be heading over to Cheryll's to see what every one was working on.  Why don't you join me by clicking HERE.

I worked on paper piecing Log Cabin Blocks using a pattern by Cindi Edgerton.  I have a lot of Kansas Troubles scraps and kits never completed or even made so I thought this would be a good time to use my stash (and a few lights from a friend).

I have 14 blocks finished and I have 13/17 of 11 more blocks (there are 17 pieces to each block).

I also have one of the border units made.

I haven't decided on the arrangement yet, but there's still plenty of time.

AND....of course there was also a little secret sewing which I'll show you later.

Happy Stitching!

Danette

You know what day it is?

It's One Flower Wednesday!

I've added one flower to my garden this week.

Visit the other gardens this week and see what's growing.

Thank you Karen for hosting!

Have a great week!

Danette

Giveaway Winners and Valentines Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

The winners of the wool kits Giveaway are:

Shez:  Hearts for You

and 

Christine M.:  Christmas Flock

Congratulations!

I will mail these beautiful Woolkeeper wool kits by Kathy Wall to you as soon as I receive your mailing information.

I took a few hours off work today to take a class and made this:

Stopped by Prairie Stitches Quilt Shoppe and received this:

Went home to find my DH cleaned the bathrooms and ordered pizza for dinner.

How was your Valentine's Day?

Mine was great!

Danette

FNwF (Saturday too!)

I had a wonderful Friday night and Saturday sewing.  Today I took a class to learn how to make a wallet, I was very happy with the results.

 On Friday night I worked on angels.  I managed to to get all five of the angels cut out of wool and I completed one of the angel ornaments.

This is one of the patterns by Kathy Wall at Woolkeeper.  Stop by her website to see beautiful wool projects.  If you'd like to win one of her kits, please leave a comment on my previous post (February 5,2014).

I'm now heading over to see what the other 63 stitchers have made at FNwF.  Thank you Cheryll for hosting such a lovely evening.

A Giveaway, Initial Valentine Swap, OFW, and FNwF

WOW!  Look what Martha my partner for the Initial Valentine Swap sent me.

 What fun!  I'll love carrying this gorgeous tote to sewing classes and everywhere else.  Thank you so much for the wonderful bag and of course for the delicious chocolates.  You can visit Martha's blog  sew what's new here to see what else she's been doing.  Come to find out she used to live near me and we might meet when she visits, sounds like fun!

Thank you Cheryll for hosting this wonderful swap.  Visit Cheryll at Gone Stitchin' and join others in a sew along this Friday night.

 It's been cold and snowy here and my garden is still growing slowly.  Just prepared another flower to add to my garden. Visit One Flower Wednesday to see what's blooming!

 And now onto WOOL......

I completed my Winter wool banner (you've seen Spring and Fall in 2013.)

I love the patterns and kits this designer makes so I thought I'd have a GIVEAWAY! The designer is my friend Kathy Wall and her website, Woolkeeper, opened in December. She has so many gorgeous kits and patterns for sale (so of course I've been there a few times!)  

Here's what you can win:

 or

To get a chance to win one of Kathy's beautiful wool kits all you have to do is leave a comment on this post.  

You can visit her site here to see the other gorgeous patterns she has to offer. 

Tell me your favorite kit or pattern in a comment for another chance to win.  

There will be two winners and is open Internationally!

This giveaway will close Thursday, February 13th at midnight (central time).

Thanks to my DD for editing my post and fixing the wool photos.  I'm very tired tonight and made many mistakes.

Danette

OFW and Santa Sack Swap

It's Wednesday and time to visit all the lovely hexie gardens.  Click here and thanks to Karen at Journey of a Quilter you can follow the links to see beautiful blooms.

My garden's blooms don't like all the cold, windy and snowy weather we've been having so I've made a few more stepping stones again this week.  I was hoping to add a few flowers to the garden but I ended up working a few extra hours today.............

Just to add a little color to my post today, here's a picture of what I mailed my Santa Sack partner.  Debbieann didn't have a blog and I forgot to post this in December.  A Friend stitched the tote for me but I made all the rest, thanks Jinnie!

The table runner is very long (longer/taller than my DD).

This swap was hosted by Cheryll at Gone Stitchin.  Sign up for this year's swap starts June 1st....it will be here before you know it!  Click here for info.

Another below zero morning heading this way.....

Stay warm and Happy Stitching!

One Flower Wednesday (Thursday)

I made a few stepping stones to add to my garden and fell asleep................
Since my goal this year is to work on my garden every week I thought I'd just go ahead and post today.

Have a great week!

Danette  (I'm not on my own computer and it won't let me do much!)

FNwF results

I spent Friday Night with Friends sewing with others from many countries.  See what they were doing by clicking here.  It's hosted by Cheryll of Gone Stitchin'.  Thank you Cheryll!

I worked on my sewing for Initial Heart Swap

and I bought 20 fat quarters and received 15 free.  I'm not sure what pattern to use but I tried Jacob's Ladder and liked the results.  Maybe by next FNwF I'll have chosen a pattern.

I finished the top for 

but I haven't taken a photo of it yet.  Maybe I'll quilt it first.

Happy Stitching!

Danette

OFW, FNwF, Valentine Swap.......Swap Pledge of Integrity

Happy New Year!

First things first....2014 Pledge

I Danette will try my utmost...

·        To always swap on time.

·        To always email a THANK YOU to my partner.

·        To be considerate and thoughtful when choosing a gift.

·        To give my partner the quality of gift that I would like to receive.

·        To communicate when it’s required.

·        To NEVER over commit and let a partner down.

·        To advise the swap mama when I receive my gift.

This I sewomly pledge....

It's Wednesday and time for OFW hosted by Karen.  

I attached three flowers to my garden which is growing quite quickly considering the bitter cold we've had in the Midwest.  This morning when I was outside collecting water samples it was a balmy -9 F!  (Monday and Tuesday were much colder).

Click here to visit the other flowers blooming.  Thank you Karen for hosting.

I've also joined Cheryll's Valentine Heart Swap and have signed up for FNwF (Friday Night with Friends.  Click here to join up with Friends on the first Friday of every month (Jan 10th this month).  I enjoy looking at all the wonderful projects - it's so inspiring!  Cheryll hosts so many wonderful swaps.  Stop by and visit her and don't forget to take The Pledge!

I also meet with a group of friends one Friday a month.  This past Friday we exchanged wrapped packages containing one yard of fabric.  The challenge is to use at least 3/4 yard of that fabric and have the project completed by our June meeting.  I have no idea what to make yet but here's the fabric:

And now for mail - Yeah!

I won this beautiful pattern from Carole (click her name to see the beautiful projects she's been working on).  She also sent some of the blue fabrics she used in hers.  Thank you so much, I can't wait to make the runner.

I just finished a quilt top but haven't taken pictures yet....

Stay Warm!!!

Danette