St Patrick's Day is coming!

I had made my grands something special to wear for St Patrick's Day. I used to do this for Ashley and now get to do it for 3 little ones.

The first vest is for Alexander, Mr Joe Cool himself.
The inside is a leprechaun who is playing a fiddle - and Alexander has started to play the violin.

The second vest is for Allison. Both sides of the vest sparkle!!!!
I hope it is "fancy" enough for her!!!

The last is a little something for Andrew. He just had to be "cool", too!!

I figure they need these to counter the fact that they have NO Irish blood in them!!!!!!!

Block Exchange Update

I have finished many of the blocks for this exchange. I hadn't really expected to do so many so

quickly, but I have had some sitting time of my hands - so have hand pieced some of these.

My mom has been seeing a doctor in Beverly Hills, MI and I am the designated driver - and

office sitter!!

The first picture has mostly 12 inch blocks - ones for Ruth, Phyllis (April), Eileen, Louise, Lisa and Daisy.

The second picture has blocks for Cindy, Carol Schon, Dorothy, and one for National Quilting Day - I used the block pattern from Lisa.

The third picture is a bonus - my latest basket quilt. The little baskets are all striped fabrics with backgrounds of black/white. Those are all hand pieced. It needed to be a rectangle, so I added the top and bottom vine with circles. So far, the quilt is hand quilted......but it needs some more..........don't know what yet........ I will enter it at Sauder Village Quilt Fair in the spring.

Kitchen Chefs and More

The kids were with us on Saturday when the parents had a business meeting.

Alexander will be 9 years old next Sunday - February 25. So we had an early birthday celebration. The Kitchen Chefs were busy - making and frosting a cake - with green, of course!!! I think his favorite gift from us was the walkie-talkies!!!

Alexander and Allison decorated foam door hangers to hang on doorknobs of bedrooms - total of 6 for special people - including themselves......they also decorated their faces!!!

Andrew was wearing a little sailor hat that Ashley wore as a little girl - found in a box of dress ups as we were cleaning out a storeroom. He is a happy little guy.

The kids played restaurant downstairs - had to get out take out menus that we had stored in the kitchen. Also pad of paper and pen for taking orders - they are very familiar with restaurant procedures. And very creative at filling the orders with the play food in the toy kitchen area. Notice the journal quilt in the background - waiting to hang at Capitol City show in March. Allison always wants to find the day she threw up at Horrocks!!!!!!!! Alexander likes to find days that we went somewhere together - like Lake Michigan or MSU.

We always enjoy our time together..........

A Special Valentine

I just made a special little valentine for John.

It's about 8" x 9" - and made with lots of love - and my new sewing machine.



February 14 Update -

When I gave this to John this morning, he asked what shape that was!!!!!!!
I told him it was a funky heart, just like him!!

Challenge Quilt for Sauder Village

This is my challenge quilt for the Sauder Village Quilt Fair this Spring.

There was a packet of oriental fabrics that I purchased. Instructions were to use at least 6 of the fabrics and curved piecing.

The given fabrics are half circles and around the edges on the lower portion of the quilt (swirly fabric). One is around the painted piece that I found in my oriental fabric bin. I have LOTS of fabric from Japan and used some in this banner.

I think I will call it Around the World. I hope to "sail" around the world to Japan some day. Hey....we can all dream, can't we?

Erins' Wedding Quilt

This is a sample of my block exchange for this year. It will be a wedding quilt for my niece Erin and her beau, Scott.

The block is an old fashioned Wedding Ring. I have asked my fellow quilters to use dark, dress navy blues - Scott is in the Navy!!!!

I have done 7 blocks and today found a batik fabric to use for the borders. I was going to sash the blocks but like the secondary pattern created when placed side-by-side.

I hope Erin and Scott will like this..............if not........TOUGH!!!