April 2013 NewFO Challenge

April was a slow month for starting new projects - and boy am I glad!!!  Considering that Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville fame was the National Teacher at Music City Guild this month, I think I did great with only starting one new project :*)  Of course, I had to start at least one in order to be eligible for Barbara's NewFO Challenge for April!

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I would have had two starts because I signed up for two of Bonnie's classes, but I ended up giving one of the class spots away to a friend who really, really wanted to take her Smith Mountain Morning class.  As you can imagine, the classes filled up quickly and we ended up having to have a lottery for SMM.  I figured I can make that quilt another time since I have the book :*)  But I did join in on the fun in the Jared Takes a Wife class and had a ball!!!  You can click HERE to read my post about that class.

I finished up these two blocks in class....

 And then I made up two more while I was in Gatlinburg last week.....

All of them together so far ....

These blocks look nothing like Bonnie's quilt - here's a picture of me and Bonnie in front of her quilt....

I graphed the block to half the size (6 inches finished) because I want my quilt to be a small wall quilt - maybe 16 blocks max in a 4x4 setting.  This picture gives you an idea of the actual size of my block....

And of course, my bright solids on black background is a huge departure from Bonnie's colors too LOL!!!  I'm naming my quilt Amish Beauties because the original block name is Blackford's Beauty.

Did you start a new project this month?  Share it with all of us HERE at Cat Patches!

I also managed two finishes this month!   Both Easy Street and Hudson's Heroes are official finishes for 2013 - whoohoo!!!  It would be a great year if I could manage to finish two quilts to every one I start each month, right?

And I also wanted to let you know about a great giveaway going on.  Remember my friend Jacquelynne Steves?  She is giving away a copy of the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 7!  Go on over and check it out HERE!!!!  Don't you just LOVE the cute block she designed for this issue?

Photo:  Candy Stripe by Jacquelynne Steves - Source

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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Also linking up with Connie's Tuesday Linky Party!

Finally Back Online!

We were delighted and surprised to be visited by our friendly Charter Communications serviceman yesterday afternoon, and now we are back up and on the information highway once again!  Halleluiah!!!  I got tickled at my husband yesterday morning when he said, "Boy, it sure is boring around here in the morning without the Internet!"  LOL!!!

I have so much to catch up on - all your wonderful posts I've missed!!!  And lots of things to share with you too.  First off  are a few pictures of Hudson and his cousins with his new play quilt, Hudson's Heroes.  I appear to have had a severe case of shaky hands because these are pretty fuzzy in places - sorry!

Opening up the quilt......

I think he likes it!!!!

And Reaghan and Adam got in on the fun too ....

It's so much fun to see a child enjoy the work of our hands, isn't it?  Now, my next labor of love is to make a sweet baby quilt for Miss Genevieve Rose.  Poor little cherub has been suffering from colic :(

Since today is Sunday, I always like to link up with Kathy's Quilts for some Slow Sunday Stitching when possible!  At Divas last Thursday, I managed to get a little bit of stitching done on the last regular block of the Promises & Borders quilt.... have I mentioned lately how GLAD I will be to get this project done?  It is languishing for lack of interest I'm afraid.  I've decided I'm going to have to set up small periods of time each week to work on this until it is done.

And I can't resist sharing a few pictures of some of my favorite people as they stitch too...

Granddaughter Reaghan as she works on her very first stitchery attempt - a counted cross stitch turtle!  She is concentrating very hard.....

And apparently very happy with her results!  Hopefully, this will be the first of many happy stitches for this beautiful girl :*)  It is not often that we get to see her without every shiny blonde hair in place - and she wasn't happy with this picture, but Grandma loves it!

And this is my wonderful friend Debbie, sitting on the balcony of our condo in Gatlinburg last week and lovingly repairing a quilt that was hand stitched by her grandmother many years ago.  What a treasure!!!!

Are you slowly stitching on a treasure of your own?  Please share!!!

Click HERE

Hope you have a delightful Sunday!!!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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No, I Haven't Fallen Off the Face of the Earth

I'm so sorry to be away from blogging for so long - I miss all my blog friends so much!!!

I was away on a trip to Gatlinburg with friends, and then went on to North Carolina to enjoy a wonderful visit with the children & grandchildren. What a great week!!!

But our Internet has been playing tricks with us since I returned, and now it has died altogether :( They are telling us it may be mid-week before our service is restored!

As soon as I can, I'll be back and catch up on all the fun things you've been doing!

Hugs & Blessings!!!
Teresa
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Checking In ......

Breakfast Pancake Factory in Gatlinburg - YUM!!!!




Pecan Waffle

Wish you were here!

Teresa

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Racing to the Finish Line!

I'm going to be visiting my grandchildren in North Carolina next week, and I'm so excited to be taking the littlest grandson his new "play" quilt!

Hudson's Heroes is a finish!!!

The quilt is lying in the grass, but no sun so it looks like a black background - go figure!

For the quilting on this one, I broke out these wonderful Auril colored threads set that I won from Madame Samm during her Books About Women blog hop...

The darker red was just the right color for working inside the vehicles, while the lighter, more orangey red was perfect for outlining the vehicles in the outer border...

Look at all these gorgeous colors!!!!

I also used the yellow to outline the vehicles, after doing a little red SID inside for stability....

Don't look too close at the stitching - I didn't plan this one to be perfect LOL!!!

I used that really fun red/yellow/lime dot for the binding, which turned out really cute I think!

Stitched down by machine of course - much sturdier for a child (and quicker for me!)

Of course, one of my favorite parts of this quilt is the backing - the Happy Town panel that gives him a place to play with his own little cars!

I hope Hudson loves his little quilt as much as I do!

Linking this finish up with Patchwork Times =^..^=

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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Bring on the Greens!!!

I really enjoyed playing in the GREEN scraps today!

Here are my GREEN Lone Starburst sections....

My biggest problem was making myself use the dark greens - I am so in love with lime green right now, it's all I want to use LOL!!!

Did you notice this one?

       ........ I didn't notice until I was taking the pictures that the "dot" fabric had the word "DOT" in the gray word fabric - too cool!!!

I had to do quite a lot of scrap taming to get these to the point where I could use them.  I started with this....

And after a few hours of ironing and separating into value/size stacks, I finally had this lovely working basket full of GREENS  :*)

I'm a little bummed that I haven't used any of my crumb scraps so far this year.  Last year, my Rainbow Pineapples came exclusively from crumbs, so they got thinned out a good bit.  However, they've begun growing again.....

Looks like I'm going to have to add a block to the mix that uses up these sweet little crumbs :*D

Have you been playing in the GREENS?  

Share your work with us at SoScrappy!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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On the Needles - 4-12-13

I've started my first sock!!!

After so much wonderful encouragement from all of you, I screwed up my courage, picked a pattern and yarn, and cast on my first stitches    .......... and the first few attempts were almost comical!

I pulled it out at least five times before I finally got something I think I can work with.  It started out like this...

..... then (eventually - after much pulling out!) grew to this......

And as of right now, it looks like this.....

This the Tesserae pattern from Ravelry.  It's probably not the easiest pattern to start with but I get really bored with just knit and purl rows.  It's hard to tell the pattern coming through yet, but I think it's working.  :*)

I'm telling you, getting used to working with all these pointy needles in the way.... 

              ................. it's like trying to dance with a spider!!!  I know I'm probably not holding them right - hopefully I'll get the hang of it as I go along and get more comfortable with it.  I'm also a little concerned that it's going to be too small, but even if it is, the practice will do me good, right?

I've purchased a short circular needle to try that method when these are done.  And I've watched videos about using two long circular needles, as well as one long circular needle and doing the "magic loop."  It's all so confusing!!!  It's really hard to know which way will work best for me.

But I am having fun, and that's the point, right?  (Yep, pun intended!!!)

I also finished up another dishcloth - I like the bands of color in this one :*)  And I started another one using this pattern to add a little picot edge to it.  

It's much fussier to work with but I like the effect so far.  This one will be a gift for someone special :*)

What's on your needles today?  

Please share with us at Judy's Patchwork Times!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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Thankful Thursday!

This day, I'm thankful for....


Finally getting this sweet little grandson quilt quilted!!!

Starting my first ever pair of socks!!!

Making a new dishcloth with a cute little picot edge :*)

Seeing those amazing signs of Spring everywhere!!!

And of course, spring means dressing up the little piggies :*)

Spring also means thunderstorms.... this is the front view from my house today :*)

But thankfully the weather held off at Augusta so they were able to get the first round of the 2013 Masters Tournament in.  I'm especially thankful for this because my husband was there today, and I would have hated for him to miss out on such a special treat :*D

Play on!!!

What are you thankful for?

Share at Patchwork Times :*)

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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The McDonalds at Biltmore

I almost forgot to share these photos with you!

http://www.biltmore.com/

On our trip back recently from North Carolina to Nashville, we had to make a pit stop for gas, coffee and the restroom.  We were just outside of Asheville in the mountains, so exits were not very plentiful and we took the first one that came up and looked promising.  It turned out to be the exit into the Biltmore estate area!  No, we didn't visit, although that is definitely on our bucket list to do someday :*)  I took my kids years ago one summer, but my husband and I have never gone together.

Biltmore castle is just simply amazing!  The prime times to visit are during the spring when all the formal gardens are in bloom - they will absolutely take your breath away! - and at Christmas when the estate is decorated to the hilt! You can click on the link beneath the picture to find out more about it if you like.  It was built by "the" Mr. George Washington Vanderbilt, and was sold to the federal government after his death to keep the estate and property intact and unchanged over the years.

As you can imagine, it is quite a tourist attraction, and it seems the town has now decreed that all buildings in the immediate area must have a similar old-dutch type of architecture throughout.  Nothing but the best for this town!  I was told by one lady that they recently tore down the Hardees restaurant in order to rebuild it in this style.

We stopped at the McDonald's, and my camera immediately began to click pictures!

Is this quaint, or what???

Inside, the restaurant has a circular feel, with massive columns and 

elegant touches everywhere you look - and check out that ceiling!!!

The tables were real wood, and wrought iron filigreed railings 
surrounded the eating area, which included a fireplace!  
It wasn't lit while we were there - I'm sure this lady was quite glad of that :*)

This water fountain was casually located above the tray and trash receptacles!

But the thing I loved most....

This piano in a roped-off corner area, playing classical tunes - 

All by itself!!!

It was wonderful :*D

As we left, I grabbed one more shot of the surrounding buildings....

What a magical place!!!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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