KatyQuilts

This and That Thursday

Posted on November 5, 2015 by katyquilts

I slept most of the day away yesterday, but it seems to have helped and I am headed back to work today. I do have a few things to show from earlier in the week. While quilting on Monday, I set the embroidery machine to stitch out a few things. I really like this basket of flowers design. I need to some up with an idea to use this now.

I’ve always liked this red work eagle and I think it would look great alternating with a simple 9 patch for a QOV.

And I finally stitched up a few more sawtooth stars. I carried these bits to Wisconsin and back without working on a single one. I got quite a few made in Arizona last February so they are well traveled.

In my day job, I work as a librarian. It is an interesting job and I get to meet such a wide cross section of people. One patron has gotten to be an e-mail pen pal of sorts. She has even loaned books to me! She is sadly losing her sight and I am always on the look out for large print books that she will enjoy. Her husband comes in to pick up books for her so I don’t actually see her often. Tuesday Susanne came in with her husband to see me. She gifted this set of books to me because she can no longer read them.

I feel so honored to have these! But most of all, I am so thankful for her friendship. I was so glad she came in so I could give her a hug in person.

Time to get ready for work. I hope you have a great day.

Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Comments

Opening a Charm Pack is the Hardest Part….

Posted on November 4, 2015 by katyquilts

So it should be easy from here, right?

I’ve been playing with some ideas for the challenge hosted by Julie at Intrepid Thread.

I’ve come down with a cold so not much actual sewing being done. I may rearrange these a few more times. Or I may just go back to the couch.

Have a great day!

Linking up withe Sew Fresh Quilts, Freshly Pieced

Posted in Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Vintage Fabric Finds

Posted on November 3, 2015 by katyquilts

Every time I go home and spend time with my sisters, we make a trip to Good Will. We love thrift shopping! Here are some vintage fabrics I found there last week.

I love this border print!

This one looks like it could have been purchased in any online modern quilt shop today!

I love map prints, even if I am not from Illinois!

And this vintage antique shop print was just too fun to leave behind.

This strip will be the perfect backing fabric for the shirting quilt I am making for Baby E.

You just never know what you will find. I am not sure what I will use most of these for yet, but sooner or later, they always get used. The backing fabric for Baby E’s dino quilt came from this same thrift shop a few years ago.

Have you ever bought quilting fabric at a thrift store?

Posted in Thrifting, Uncategorized, Vintage Fabrics | 14 Comments

Design Wall Monday

Posted on November 2, 2015 by katyquilts

I have the shirting quilt loaded on the frame,. Now to decide how to quilt it.

Once again, I’ve been playing with my Adobe Ideas app on my iPad.

These are 8 inch blocks. I really want to get the quilting on this finished today.

I received these in the mail over the weekend:

Julie at Intrepid Thread issued a challenge to make something, anything with these fabrics and post progress shots on Instagram. These are not my normal color choices and I thought this would be a fun little challenge. So I’m going to open that mini charm pack today and start thinking on this.

Linking up with Patchwork Times, Cooking Up Quilts

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Slow Stitching Sunday

Posted on November 1, 2015 by katyquilts

I think I am finally starting to feel rested up from my trip home to see my family. I spent very little time at all sewing while I was gone. I only managed to get a few hexies basted.

That’s it. I added a couple to the center of my Brinton Hall quilt last night and hope to add another hexie medallion to it today.

It was a hard trip in some ways, but quite wonderful in others. My kids and I surprised my parents by having them all show up at their house over the weekend. All my siblings live in Wisconsin, but two of my kids and I live in Michigan and my other kids live in Arizona. It was quite a party! My mom is still in the rehab facility recovering from her knee replacement; happily, she was able to come home during the day on Saturday and Sunday. My dad is currently dealing with chemo. It was tiring for them to have so many of us around at the same time, but also an encouragement for them to see how much they are loved. Little E from Michigan and Little L from Arizona also came so this was one happy Nana! Here are just a few pics from the weekend. Daughters #1, #2, and #3.

#1 Son and yours truly.

Little L and Little

On the last night there, my dad and I made a pie together.

And here is a picture of my siblings and me.

I hope you all have a restful day and that you are able to get some stitching in.

Linking up with Kathy’s Quilts

Posted in Life | 19 Comments

October/November Goals

Posted on October 31, 2015 by katyquilts

I don’t want to freak anyone out but there are only 7 more Fridays before Christmas….yikes! I need to get planning! Especially since we have another grandbaby due before then!

But before I get ahead of myself, here is my list of goals for October:

Finish the Tree quilt for my sister. Done and delivered!
Finish the Downton Abbey quilt. Done!
Time to get going on the baby dinosaur quilt for our newest grandson due in just 9 weeks! Done! I will show the finished quilt next Friday.
Get my 6 Brinton Hall Medallions together. Not Done. In fact, I didn’t get anything done on this on my trip. So this is where it is at right now.

I also finished the Calendar quilt so I can mark that off my UFO list.

I made this table top quilt.

I made some mug rugs.

And a small quilt/hot pad for my sister.

And I finally got this top from my UFO list pieced.

Now to plan for November….

I want to finish the shirting quilt I started for Baby E.
I would like to get the pink and green top shown above quilted and finished.
Quilt any QOV tops that come in.
Make new Christmas stockings for Baby L and Baby E.
Get my Brinton Hall Medallion together!

I really should consider finishing (starting?) my Christmas shopping!

Posted in Finishes, Goals | 8 Comments

Embroidery Anyone?

Posted on October 31, 2015 by katyquilts

When I got home from work on Thursday, this was on my doorstep!

It seems that my hubby has been doing some online shopping while I was away! I have a Singer CE-200 embroidery machine that he bought me for Christmas a number of years ago. He was rather intrigued and asked me to show him how to use it before I left on my trip. While using it, he decided that I needed an upgrade. So here is a Singer XL-580.

And yes, there is a definite difference in both the software and the machine. Here is Mr. Wonderful trying out the new machine.

This machine comes with some digitizing software called Auto Punch. We found a Cookie Monster image online and digitized it using Auto Punch.

At one point, we removed the hoop and put it back in and I think that is why there is some misalignment. With a little bit of work, this could be a fun, useable design.

I have to work this morning. I can’t wait to come home and see what else he has learned. He is way ahead of me at this point! Maybe this machine was for him and not me? I’m good with that!

Have a great day!

Linking up with Quilt Shop Gal

Posted in Machine Embroidery, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Finish It Up Friday – The Tree Quilt

Posted on October 30, 2015 by katyquilts

The second sister quilt is done! This quilt surely did not want to cooperate for pictures! It took three outings to get any photos at all to use. Even then, my only straight shot of the whole thing had to be done in the house. Here it is along with an avalanche of shots.

  I quilted the initials of my sister and her husband into the trunk along with the year of their marriage.   I quilted the names of their children into the branches.


All quilting was done freehand with Glide thread. I used 80/20 Pellon Legacy batting.

I was able to give this to her in person last weekend. I think she liked it!

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts, Richard and Tanya Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, A Quilted Passion

Posted in Finishes, Free Motion Quilting | 27 Comments

I’m back!

Posted on October 29, 2015 by katyquilts

I got in last night from visiting my family. I have a full work days head today so here are pictures of a quick little project that I finished just before I left. This is for my sister who has chickens.

I made this block ages ago and ran across it last week. So it didn’t take long at all to turn it into a large hot pad.

Here is a picture of my Little L visiting one of her chickens that is being held by my awesome nephew.

He was not quite sure what to make of it!

Have a great day!

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Blogger’s Quilt Festival ~ Little Sister Quilt

Posted on October 23, 2015 by katyquilts

Here is my second entry into the Fall 2015 BQF. It is my Little Sister quilt and it is entered into the Small Quilt Category.

I used some leftover blocks from a larger quilt that I made for my older sister that can be seen here.

I had a lot of fun with the quilting on this one! It was my first time using curved crosshatch, but it won’t be the last. I also firmly believe that one can never have too many feathers on a quilt!