Happy Heart Day!!!

found on Pinterest

Happy Heart Day to you all!

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As you read earlier this week, 

I've been bitten by the 'pillow' bug.

I happened to have six 1/2 yard pieces

of Parson Gray Seven Wonders

by David Butler...

with nowhere to go.

So, I started putting some

pillow cover tops together.

Here's what I have so far...

 

  

I like some of them better than others.  My faves are the last three...the half square triangles, the split rail fence, and the simple patchwork.  The pillow covers range in size, so I'll have several pillows of the same fabrics in different sizes (16, 18 and 20 inches).  I'll quilt them and make the backing with a solid fabric.  I will probably make a few more and decide which ones I like best to finish.  

What are you all working on?

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psssssst....

My birthday is coming up

and what better way to celebrate

than to have a small giveaway?

If I can decide what to give away,

that is. 

Stay tuned.

edited to add:  I did it!  I put together a fun little package...kinda red/heart-themed...what with my birthday's proximity to Valentine's Day! 

 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Another Small Project...

When I finished the bowtie quilt (which I have yet to show you), I had some cut off corners that I sewed into hst's and made a mini quilt with.  See it here.   That's all I did.   So there it sat.  Waiting.  

Last week, Amanda Jean of crazy mom quilts wrote of nothing but pillows.  And, it seemed that every blog I read was promoting pillows.  Amy, of Amy's Creative Side, had pulled together a group of bloggers to form 'Pillow Collective'...a way to share tutorials to help us all 'spruce up our living space one pillow at a time'.  There are some really cute...and great!...ideas there...you might want to check it out.

I've made pillows in the past...lots of them...but mostly to give away.  All the talk about pillows made me decide that I was really just going to have to make some.  For myself.  Finally.  Another 'been thinking about it forever' thing...you know how that is, right?  

Yesterday, when I ran across the little mini quilt, I immediately knew that it needed to be a pillow.  I pin-basted the top to a piece of batting and quilted it with a simple stipple pattern.  I used a variegated brown/cream thread...and then backed it with one of the fabrics from the same collection (Normandy Court) that most of the fabrics on the front were from.

Here it is...sorry, no pillow form.

Here's the envelope back...

It was a quick and easy way to use up some scraps!  

And, of course, this one is to be gifted.  But, I plan to make more pillows in the near future.  I even pulled fabrics.  That's always a step in the right direction.  

Have a good day!



"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Sunday Night...

I never get as much done 
on the weekend as

I think I will.

But.

I got this done...a pillow cover for
sister Julie (the one who lives here with me).

The pillow cover is her (late) Christmas gift.

 The fabric was in one of the boxes

received from Cathy of 
Quilting on Turtle Hill.

I bartered with Julie...

I supplied the pillow form for her cover

and she bathed Tag.

Methinks I came out on the

better end of that deal.

 

I started quilting on the baby girl quilt.

But, because I took time out to watch the 

U.S. Figure Skating Championships,

I only got half done.

 

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Please say a prayer for my friend, Doreen.

Her latest ct scan showed that

the lung cancer is growing.

She's coming down here to

Madison to the UW Hospital

to see about a clinical study.

Doreen is being very positive

and believes all will be okay.

It's got to be.

Right?

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."Jeremiah 29:11

More Handmade Gifts...

This could go on for a bit, yet...

A few gifts I made have yet to be given.

I'll post photos of them as they are received.

 I showed the coco express quilt at our 

Thanksgiving celebration and Jill fell in love with it!

I didn't give it to her, though.

I did, however, make these two pillow covers.
Quilted.  Decorative.  18".

One for her birthday and one for her Christmas gift.

For my sister, Joyce, I used scraps

of her black & white quilt to make these.

Also quilted.
The first two are 14" and the third is 18".

 

My sister, Julie, received these today.

Four 15" cloth napkins.

The colors are much prettier than shown.

Perhaps she'll take a photo I can snag from her.

(she didn't want pillows)

I guess that's it.

Thus far.

About 5 things left to show.

Yeah, I know, I am a slowpoke.

But, hey!
I am all excited...

and so looking forward to the new year!

I have many projects in mind that 

I am really looking forward to working on. 

One goal I am setting for myself this next year...

increase the level of difficulty in what I do with my quilts.  

AND, I have a lot of organizing and

rearranging to do in the very near future.    

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. - Ecclesiastes 9:10