Paws in the Garden - Terri Stegmiller

I am so excited to share with you my test version of Terri Stegmiller's wonderful pattern, Paws in the Garden!!!

I have SO enjoyed working on this whimsical design - have you fallen in love with these cats yet?  I certainly have! There is so much purrsonality going on here, so many little details that make Terri's Paws in the Garden such a delight!   =^..^=

Paws in the Garden - wool applique

Below is Terri's original design for the pattern, featuring her signature stencil-painted background and some awesome sherbet colors....this girl is one talented artist!!!  She has this pattern for sale in her Etsy shop HERE if you'd like to make your own version of these sweet kitties.  Take my word for it, it's a fun pattern and very well designed :*D

Terri Stegmiller - Designer, Paws in the Garden

When I signed up to test the pattern for Terri, I thought it might work well as part of my Summertime wool wall quilt project.  However, because the original pattern is 24" x 37" I needed to reduce it down quite a bit to fit the 10" block size for this project.  When I tried to get all three kitties in the block, the features lost a lot of those wonderful little details, so as much as I hated to do it, I had to choose to use only two of the kitties.

Many of my wool fabrics in this block were taken from suit jackets and skirts - can you imagine my delight when I found this wonderful deep aqua wool skirt????

I wanted to preserve the smoothness of the muzzles and paws without a lot of stitching, so I took the suggestion of a few of my more experienced friends and simply did an invisible applique stitch slightly beneath these shapes with a thin cotton thread.  I love the play of the pale mint green muzzle and paws on this dignified aqua kitty.....

And of course, a purple muzzle and paws worked purrfectly on this flirtatious little pink kitty....

My favorite feature of this design is the way Terri gives so much purrsonality to these little felines' eyes!

I really wanted to do that justice, and sometimes details are difficult to do in wools.  I decided that the eyes would need to be reverse applique, which means I cut holes for the eyes and placed the bright green eye fabric behind the holes.....

They look a little spooky here, don't they?  Hahaha!!!!

Then I drew in the lines and pupils in the eyes with a black, fine-line Sharpie so I would have a pattern to use for the black stitching.  This is also where I sketched in the features of the nose & muzzle for stitching.....

See how the green eye fabric sits behind the aqua kitty fabric in this pic below?

This forced the stitching to go outside of the eye, giving the impression of eyelashes ......

If I had just cut ovals for the eyes and stitched them down, the eye sections would have been very pronounced, not allowing the natural appearance of the eyes being inside the head.  Plus all the stitchery around the eye would have appeared to be behind the eye instead of surrounding it, as it does here.  (Hope that's clearer than mud LOL!!!)

I added a tiny little hot pink tongue hanging out on each kitty =^..^=

Each kitty has a "design" on its back - the aqua kitty has black dots, while the pink kitty got tiger stripes which I created using the satin stitch - a stitch I really don't enjoy, but it was definitely called for here....

I also added in some french knot centers on the flowers and a few sprigs of grassy stitching with little tiny daisy-like flowers to add interest to the solid black background.....

Terri's design didn't need that because of all the fun stenciling she did on hers :*)

Here it is with the first block I completed for my Summertime wall quilt, and I'm thinking they go together very well indeed!  What do you think?

And I bet you are wondering what my own amazing feline, Gypsy, thinks of this new block, right?

Well, mostly she was quite miffed that it took up her space in my lap 

when we took to the recliner as is our usual custom in the evenings LOL!!!

She was not very pleased to be relegated to my feet!!!

I hope you've enjoyed my version of Paws in the Garden!  

I'm so happy that Terri allowed me this opportunity to play with her design!  

Thanks so much Terri!!!

If you would like to learn more about Terri Stegmiller and her designs, you can find her at any of these cool spots ....

     Web - http://terristegmiller.com/
     Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/TerriStegmillerArt
     Blog - http://stegart.blogspot.com/

I'm linking up with Kathy for her Slow Stitching Sunday linky party; Judy for her Design Wall Monday and Connie's Tuesday Linky Party!  Be sure to pop over to see how other stitchers are partying!  And may you and yours have a beautiful and blessed Sunday ♥♥♥

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

October End of Month Reports

Nothing like being just a "little" bit late, right?  Let's see.... October ended a week ago, didn't it?  

Oh my!  Life has just been so busy, and blogging has had to take a back seat.  Actually, that may be the case for much of November too.  I have two baby quilts to finish up in two weeks time - one hasn't even been started yet -  yikes!!!  I promise I'll try to pop in and keep you updated with short posts about my adventures :)

So, what did I accomplish in October?  

October 2013 NewFO Challenge project:  One of my favorite things to do each month is start something fresh and new, and then LINK UP with Barbara at Cat Patches!

Sneak peek - "Paws in the Garden" wool block in process

Terri Stegmiller - amazing mixed-media artist and art quilter! - asked for volunteer pattern testers last month, and I just couldn't resist these adorable, purrsonable kitties in her pattern called "Paws in the Garden" - so I said, "Sign Me Up!"  I thought these kitties would be a really cute addition to my Summertime wool quilt (click on the name to see the designer's quilt).  As a reminder, I'm only doing 9 blocks and substituting some of them with a few of my own choosing - such as my wool rendition Terri's "Paws in the Garden."  I had SO MUCH fun with this NewFO in October :)  You'll be seeing the finished project soon!!!!

As my regular followers have already seen, I finished Moonglow and it won 1st place at our local Oktoberfest Quilt Show (click here for more) - woohoo!!!  

I'm hoping to get a better picture of this quilt soon!

After a marathon quilting session that lasted 2-1/2 weeks, I was pretty much "quilted out!"  I took a much-needed break from the machines and did some soothing hand work instead.  I sat down to my sewing machine for the first time last night to sew together a backing for a quilt to go on Joanne's longarm today.  I'll share pics of that fun finish in a few days :)

We also had some company this month, which is the absolute BEST reason I can think of for not getting all my Get It Done items completed this month, wouldn't you agree? :*)

Mom & me, at Olive Garden with our favorite fellows, celebrating my birthday - shhhhh!!!!!!
(It was such a fun time, we couldn't sit still; hence, the blurry pic LOL!!!)

Early in the month, we had our oldest grand-daughter Emma for a week - always a pleasure!  And then last week we had the rare treat of my mom and stepfather here for a few days while on their way to visit my brother in Los Angeles.  My friend Lynn came in from Seattle for a visit also last week, and we enjoyed some wonderful time together piled up in the recliners and covered with comfy quilts while I introduced her to the excellent PBS series, Call the Midwife. This is absolutely my favorite show on TV right now.  They are showing repeats right now, gearing up for the 3rd season which starts in March 2014 - can't wait!!!

Since I was in a place where I just wanted to rest and relax, I picked up my needles and put on a new pair of plain jane socks - and I finished them in 10 days!  If you had told me a year ago that I could make a pair of socks in 10 days, I would have sworn it was impossible!  But here is the proof...

Surf Serenity socks
Two at a time using Magic Loop

They fit very nicely!  

Still a tad loose around the foot though - I'll take a few more stitches out of my next pair.

For the cuff, I went to DPN needles one size smaller than those used on the socks, 

and tried out a new-to-me method called Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-off.

The cuffs are easy to stretch out but hug nicely when worn and

go back to shape quickly when I take them off  ----

Yes, I was happy with Jeny's bind-off and I'll use it again :*)

So, in summary, my October accomplishments - or lack thereof - look something like this ..... *drumroll please!*

October 2013 Goals:

• RSC Challenge Blocks - The color was Black/Gray, so I chose to let these blocks slide last month so I could concentrate on getting Moonglow quilted.
• NewFO project - ?????? - I want to do a pumpkin project - will I have time???  No, I didn't have time for a pumpkin project :(  However, "Paws in the Garden" has been great fun!!!
• Quilting - Moonglow, Genevieve's Banners, Mom's Valentine table-topper - Moonglow is DONE, but the other two are still on the To Do pile at the side of my machine.  They MUST be done by the week before Thanksgiving - yikes!
• Finish prepping and begin stitching on the next Summertime block - DONE!
• Yarn Projects - start Wingspan knitted shawl so I'll have an easy take-along, no-brainer yarn project - YES STARTED and two "wings" done :)
• Christmas QAL - Finish Bargello Tree Skirt; start on Jovial if I have time - NOT TOUCHED!
• Make at least half of the Talkin' Turkey flying geese - Cut most of the neutral pieces, but still a lot of cutting to do before I can even start sewing on these geese :(
• Continue washing stash - this one is ongoing and I did make some progress this month - Yay!!!

November 2013 Goals:

• Finish and post about Paws in the Garden project
• Quilting (domestic sewing machine DSM) - G's Banners, Mom's Valentine table-topper
• Quilting (longarm) - UFO - Christmas Geese (Christmas QAL)
• Make a baby quilt for newest grandson for shower the week before Thanksgiving
• Make several receiving blankets, etc., for shower also
• Yarn Projects - continue Wingspan; cast on new socks for working on over the holidays :)
• Enjoy time with family for the Thanksgiving season!!!!!

Linking up with -

Cat Patches - 2013 NewFO Challenge

Patchwork Times - Get It Done!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

The Blue Screen of..... Uh Oh!!!

Talk about a scary way to start the day!!!   I was just minding my own business this morning, happily enjoying a relaxed Sunday at home by reading some of my favorite blogs, when all of a sudden, the photo I was viewing pixelated in some totally weird ways, and then.....POOF!!!  The Blue Screen of Death popped up!!!  I wasn't quite sure what was happening, but I was pretty darn sure it wasn't good!  Good thing my very own Personal Technical Expert (my wise and all-capable hubby) was in residence and came running when I screamed LOL!!!

Friends, I don't have a clue what he did to our computer - he tried to explain it to me.... something about drivers and service packs and downloading a bunch of stuff (of which I understood not one word) - but in no time flat he had it back up and running - Hooray!!!!

We do have another computer - our desktop system upstairs - but this laptop downstairs is so convenient and only a few years old.  It would have been a shame to lose it.  Plus, I'm pretty sure there are quite a few pictures on here that we have not backed up on CD or flash drive.  You can be sure that will be taken care of this afternoon!!!

So, while my husband worked to keep our laptop from going to computer heaven, I picked up my Dreambird bag and headed out to the side patio to knit and calmly reclaim the peace of my Sunday!

I have 11 feathers done now and this project is really getting into a rhythm.  It's going quickly now that I pretty much know what I'm doing.  Of course, just saying that guarantees that my next feather will develop some sort of problem, right?  LOL!

One of the bloggers who has been instrumental in inspiring me to pick up the knitting needles is Denise Russart at Just Quiltin.  She is always knitting something new and beautiful, and making it look easy in the process too.  She's also a very talented quilt designer and offers some amazing patterns, often for free.  She's got a sale going on right now for a fun set of patterns - Dog Pound Pals Adoption Society.  These are some really adorable dog patterns, so check it out HERE if you are interested.  This past week, I received this fun mousepad that I won from Denise in a giveaway she held last month......

Don't you just love the design and colors?

Believe me, I was pretty tickled when I saw I was a winner!!!

Thanks Denise!!!

This weekend, I've managed to mark off a few tasks from my list....

I finished off the BABY BLUE scraps for the September Rainbow Scrap Challenge, making the above Lone Starburst block as well as my Hatchett blocks and left-over HST's (not pictured).  I'm not sure what I was thinking when I put these together - how is that fabric in the bottom right a "baby blue"???  Oh well... sometimes my brain just goes on vacation!  Thankfully, this is not a block by itself, and all these sections will be mixed up with the other colored sections I've been making all year for a scrappy rainbow quilt, and that darker section will fit in great with the overall quilt :*)

I managed a little slow-stitching embroidery on my Winter Wonderland, but not enough to post a new picture yet.  I also prepared the next pattern for my Summertime wool applique project......

Darva's Daisies by
Mary Lou Designs

I just couldn't resist doing the cat block next!

=^..^=  

The pattern needed to be reduced by 54% to get it to the 8-inch square-ish size to fit in with the other blocks for this project.  I will probably not do the dragnfly unless I can find a way to make it fit without distorting the block.  It also occurs to me that it might be fun to have a few colorful dragonflies floating free over the quilt... hmmmm.

My friend Daryl, who blogs at Patchouli Moon, shared a few tips with me about how she works with wool applique.  She doesn't use fusible because she says it makes the pieces harder to stitch.  She just uses an Elmer's Washable Glue stick and no staples.  I think I'll try that with this next block :*)

The rest of this week, I think I'll be busy doing some quilting.  Have to get ready for Oktoberfest the middle of October!  What are you up to this gorgeous Sunday?

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

Linking up with:
SoScrappy - Rainbow Scrap Challenge
Kathy's Quilts - Slow Sunday Stitching
Freemotion by the River - Tuesday Linky Party

Crazy About Wool Blog Hop!

When I agreed to join Denise Russell (Pieced Brain) in her fun Crazy About Wool Blog Hop, I really had to stop and think about it first.  I am the lowliest beginner at wool applique!!!  I've done only one wool project before this Hop, and that was almost 3 years ago.  But.....of course, I can't resist a challenge!!!

This is the first block for my Summertime wool applique wall quilt!

My colors are a little washed out here - the yellow in particular is much more vibrant as you'll see in later photos.  

Here is a picture of the original quilt by designer, Erica Kaprow....see my little block on the bottom left?

Quilt by Erica Kaprow, Designer
Photo courtesy of PatternSpot.com

The blocks are only 10", and I am only going to do 9 of them, so it will be small.  It's tough deciding which 9 to do, too!  Of course, I have to do the watermelon, and the teacups, and the birdhouse, and ..... well, you get the idea!  Complicating my decision is this cute pattern I won in the silent auction at guild a couple weeks ago.....

Darva's Daisies by Mary Lou Designs

...... and I think it would make a totally CUTE addition to the quilt if I just reduce it in size to fit the size of the blocks.  Gotta have a cat in such a fun quilt, right?

=^..^=

Here are a few closeup's of my first completed block ....

The happy little hosta in the front is going wild with blooms!!!
And how about those wonky stairs LOL!!!
One of the things I love about wool art is that it doesn't have to be perfect :*D

These leaves and berries were hard to keep in place because the fusible started separating
 from the background as I worked on other pieces....

So I took a tip from a Pinterest pin and stapled them down until they were stitched securely!
Worked like a charm!!!

I have had this set of patterns since 2006 - yes, 7 years.  Now, bear in mind, that I started quilting in 2006!!!  Everything was still so new and exciting - and I had definitely "drunk the Kool-aid," as they say.  My brain was totally rewired to think about nothing but quilts and quilting LOL!!!

One of my new quilting friends was working in wools on a similar set of designs by Erica and of course I was enthralled by all that color popping on the black background! :*D  A quick visit to the Web revealed that she had a new set of patterns available - Summertime - and they were mine in the blink of an eye.  Then the pattern sat... and sat.... and sat.  I didn't have any wools and none of my LQS carried wools, so it just continued to sit.

A few years ago, though, I got smart!  Yes, indeed, I really did!  Don't you dare listen to anyone who tries to tell you that's not true LOL!!!  Anywho.... I started picking up wool jackets at my local Goodwill.

These are 100% wool jackets, reduced regularly to $7.99 at Goodwill, but I get them for 99 cents on Wednesdays :*)

I had 3 black jackets in my stash - enough for 3 block backgrounds each......

I think I'm going to love the variety of blacks for this background!

  And I cut them up into usable pieces.....

I also had some fun colors to play with!

Of course, I've also been picking up the odd wool piece here and there as I found them at quilt shops - and I've been collecting threads as I come across them too.... I found these on our way home from Runaway at a shop that is going out of business... $1.25 each - score!!!

Of course, now that I've discovered the joys of working with wool - and I have this stash of wools and threads that need to be used!!! - I'm finding projects everywhere that I'd like to do!   One of my students at Runaway had this fun pin cushion that caught my interest immediately....

Isn't this just darling?!?

And I've already traced off the pieces in fusible for this fun ball of yarn that I found on Pinterest.  It will be for a simple block that I will use as a pocket on a new knitting bag I plan to make someday.

http://weefolkart.com/content/ball-yarn
+-applique-block

I've pinned SO MANY ideas on my Pinterest board - you can see them HERE if you like :*D

 If only there were more hours in the day LOL!!!

Thanks SO MUCH for stopping by to share the fun with me today!

I hope you've had fun seeing all the fun wool projects during this Crazy About Wool blog hop!

Now please be sure to go and check out the other posts for today!

Kat and Cat Quilts

Rosebuds Cottage

By The Bay Neddleart

Sugarlane Designs

Sheila's Quilt World

Pieced Brain

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

DWM 9/2/13 & A New Blog Hop!

I know!  I KNOW!!!  I'm too busy to join a new Blog Hop!!!  My first thought when I agreed to join in was, "My friends are going to get such a laugh out of this!"  And they will....  =^..^=

But I think it will be fun, and Denise over at Pieced Brain assured me that I only need to do a SMALL project ....

....... and I have some pretty wools ....

... and lots of lovely perle cotton threads from Anna Marie Horner's visit to our guild a few years ago (never touched!)...

...... a little experience working with wools - as in very little!  My first (and only) wool project was this sweet little applique wall quilt for my granddaughter Emma...

I even have a few ideas percolating in the old brain... so come and join us for the Blog Hop!  It should be very colorful and creative and lots of fun seeing what everyone creates!

So what's on my Design Wall today to be shared over at Patchwork Times?
            Genevieve's Banner quilt....

See more pictures HERE

Her name and a heart will be written out on the lines in the dark cranberry yarn, and I'm having to really put my thinking cap on to make sure I do that right.  I'll share more about my processes as I go along.

Have a glorious week, my friends!!!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=