A Retirement Gift for Kim

I started this purse a little over a month ago, then put it to the side and worked on other things...I found it in the spring issue of Quilts and more. It really wasn't hard to put together at all, I was just undecided about adding another fabric, which I decided against in the end. The front is paper pieced, not part of the pattern in the magazine...that was my creation. The back and lining are in the red star fabric, and a small pocket inside is in the blue. the buttoned flap closure is a decoy, it really has a magnetic snap closure underneath the button. It is a very nice design, small...but big enough for a retired person...since she doesn't have to take all her work tools, reading materials, and lunch in it, like I do using my Birdie Sling (tote size) purse. This is a gift for Kim for her retirement. I am giving it to her Sunday. I hope she likes it as much as Joann's purse, and Sharon's quilt. I know I can't compete with them...I am just an amateur.

Nusery Project

Among my many projects in process, I restored the cradle that Bob made for Jesse in 1978 (?). I began the restoration when Mikey was on the way, but fell on it and broke a rocker off after he only slept in it two or three times. It only took about 30 minutes to fix this time. I finished a sheet for it, and now I am just binding a quilt that matches the sheet- A panel Sharon just happened to have that coordinated with the sheet fabric I have had for three years! I backed it with giraffe print. I quilted this on my regular machine, and learned to use another accessory. It is a bar that hooks to your walking foot to keep your quilting lines uniformly spaced. I like the way it turned out.

Trying to Get Kim into Quilting

Kim has retired from her job now, sew she will have lots of extra time for more hobbies. Today, I took her to the Home Machine Quilting Show in Salt Lake City. Here is a picture of us at the show. We had a great time, and she bought lots of quilting gadgets.

Crossstiching

I get so caught up on doing things by machine that sometimes I forget how relaxing and fun plain old counted cross stitch is. Sharon introduced me to this craft when I was in Germany from 1983-1986. I would write her and tell her how bored I was and I didn't have any friends and she sent me a cross stitch pattern to help alleviate my boredom. (Do you remember that Sharon?) I was hooked. Anyway I did the following cross stitch for Tiffany and James. You really can't see in these photos but the swirls behind the letters have alot of beadwork in it. I had to add the fabric border because I didn't buy a big enough peace of cross stitch to frame. Here is another picture so maybe you can see the beads.

I am working on my digitizing program

OK, so I take care of this really cute little boy...who remarkably resembles this Fisher Price "little people" charactor, named "Eddie". Sew, I am making him a book bag for school with this embroidery design on it...it is my first attempt at digitizing on my own. I bought the digitizing program for myself for Christmas...since the last two Christmases, my request was ignored.

I cannot take much credit...I copied a color page off the Fisher Price web site, and colored it in, and outlined it. It is pretty rough around the edges...but after looking at it, I thought it looked like a picture that a child colored...so, I guess it will be fitting for the intended project.

Seriously, look at the little chubby round cheeks, and bleach blond hair...Isn't this going to be a great personalized book bag? I don't even need to put his name on it.

New Embroidery Software

With three grandchildren on the way, I decided to invest in some juvenile embroidery designs...this is a Dakota Collections CD, called Bedtime Critters. They are six inch blocks...I am going to put blocks made of quarter square triangles in between them...green and white. I am going to make one to take to our first craft show also...and see how it goes.

I also finished Elizabeths diaper bag....it turned out very nice! Here is a picture of my pregnany daughters! Elizabeth is showing off her bag. Alot of the fabric is duplicated...I bought alot of it.

My First long arm quilt

This is the first quilt I pieced totally on the long arm. It is also my first original design, although I sort of copied from the American Flag. I call it "Country Flag" I am going to use it as a symbol that my shop is open. When my shop opens, I will not have certain hours of being open, as that would negate the whole idea of being retired! Sew, I'm going to hang this quilt out on the fence whenever I'm in the shop to let people know they can stop in. My customers will know that if the flag is flying I'm in, if it isn't I'm not.

I'm thinking of appliqueing the word "OPEN" on it, but I haven't decided yet.