Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Mystery About to Begin!

Bonnie Hunter is at it again! She has announced her annual Mystery Quilt on her blog today.

Starting Nov 18th and running for approximately 8 weeks, she will post a new step every Sunday. Today’s post included fabric selection.

Now, if you haven’t seen her stuff, she does AMAZING scrap quilts – great way to use up those little pieces. Her theory is (to paraphrase) “if you think your fabric is too ugly, you haven’t cut it small enough!” She is also the brain behind “leaders and enders” (thanks to her, now I have about 3 scrap quilts “in the works” at all times!)

Even if you don’t have time to participate now, make sure you stop by each week and save the steps. She’s taking it down in May to appear in her next book. I was lucky enough to save all her previous ones including the gorgeous Roll Roll Cotton Boll (which will appear in her newest book released 2012).

Also, stop by her free tips and tutorials tabs – she gives away a ton of free pattern for some fabulous scrappy quilts. I follow her blog and her Facebook adventures – she’s a hoot!

Happy Stitchin’

Elisa

Birdie Stitches BOM - October

This one is one of my favorite ones so far!  I'm geeked I had it stitched in time for Halloween!

Again - white background but overcast day

I'm thinking I might not join these 12 into a larger quilt, after all.  I just finished something very similar for Christmas, and I can't bring myself to use my embroidered quilts.  Instead, I have one of those fabulous wire quilt frames that holds a 12" quilt.  I may finish each of these as their own mini quilt and have a different one for display each month.  What do you think?

Happy Halloween!
Elisa

Birdie Stitches BOM - June

Ok, I know it's well past June, but I've had a lot on my plate this summer.  

Finished June's block - woot! woot!  Haven't decided if I'm going to use it for June or for the label.

Background is white, but today is very overcast.

Happy Stitching!
Elisa

Bits 'N Pieces (Wayne, MI)

I can't believe I haven't shared Bits 'n Pieces in Wayne, Michigan yet!  LOVE - LOVE - LOVE this shop!

I still chuckle over the first time I visited.  I was driving along Michigan Avenue.  I looked over and saw all these people staring at me from grandstands, balloons attached to the railings, food carts along the route.  Why were they staring at me in my little Ford Taurus?  Because I had inadvertently driven into their annual "Wayne Cruise" and, amongst the classic cars that engulfed me as I drove, my car was a tad bit conspicuous!

Located in a 10-sided building, this shop is within driving distance from Detroit Metro airport (in the quaint little town of Wayne, MI).  It was featured in the 2009 edition of B&H Quilt Sampler.

Many affordable blocks of the months. Huge selections of Modas and Benartex.  Lots of pre-cuts and many, many, many samples.  They have a class room and a full line of sewing machines and notions.

My favorite room - holds reproductions and batiks.

Did you know they are known for creating their own patterns?  This one is my absolute favorite and versions of it have made the appearance at several local quilt shows.  Stop and ask the owner - she will tell you the trick for easy machine-appliqueing of all those little leaves.

I really love this shop because the staff is so friendly and so helpful.  It seems like every time I'm in there they have a new trick to share.  The owner, in particular, takes an interest in all her visitors.

Let me know if you go!

Elisa

Snagging a Label

I've said that I don't applique.  I really don't - except for quilt labels.  However, I have a little trick.  This method: 

1. Secures the label in the binding (so no nefarious persons can remove it) 
2. Hides the seam allowance of the label so you don't see its shadow from the front
3. You only have to hand stitch 2 sides.

Here's my label - love it!  Notice I added sashing, pressing the seams to the outside.  If you applique the label down without sashing, then you will see the shadow of the seam allowance through the light fabric.

Since I'm adding my label to the lower right corner, I pressed back my 1/4" seam allowance on the upper and left sides of the label.

Align label to lower right of quilt back.  Pin in place, and then sew on the binding.  Notice the stitching on the right and bottom - the label has been "caught" in the binding and is secure.

Applique the top and left side down.  Fold the binding back, and stitch binding down on all 4 sides of the quilt.

Easy trick but very effective.

Happy Stitching!

Elisa

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - Waymarking Edition

Museums Without Walls

My family has simple pleasures: history, travel, art and photography.  You can understand our love of waymarking. 

Waymarking is an activity where people locate and log interesting locations around the world, usually with a GPS receiver and a digital camera. ~ Wikipedia

One of our favorite categories is cemeteries.  Now, we aren't morbid.  Instead, we appreciate the original purpose of the cemetery: a peaceful park, away from the bustle of the city, to perambulate, to visit with family, and honor the deceased. 

Cemeteries were once considered "museums without walls" with some of the most beautiful monuments and parks created during America's Golden Age.   Cemeteries were also the foundation for our National Park System.

As a former military wife, we have explored Civil War battle & burial grounds, New England parks filled with patriots and poets, and Old West burial grounds with their fabulous epitaphs.

In celebration of Halloween, I thought I'd share some of my favorite local cemeteries and headstones from Southeastern Michigan.

Mausoleum door ornamentation

Mausoleum Door

More doors

Dodge Brothers Mausoleums

Tree headstones are VERY popular in SE Michigan

Joyous Duck in Oakwood Cemetery, Farmington

Zinc headstones (also called "white bronze") were mass produced for about 40 years (1870-1910ish).  They glow light blue, have raised lettering, and the side panels could be installed at will.  They were produced in Detroit and Chicago.

Must visit the fallen heroes.

Another zinc stone

Someone added an ad to this zinc headstone!

Protected grave of Henry Ford.  The grill is called a "mortsafe".  His wife  (not pictured) is buried next to him in an identical grave).

You can see an additional mausoleum and monument, in the background, across Willow Lake.

Willow Lake in Woodlawn Cemetery

If you peek in the mausoleums in Woodlawn Cemetery, you can see some amazing stainglass.

Can't have Ford and Dodge without adding Buick, in the Motor City!

A tree stump normally signifies the person died young (or "in their prime").

Hope you found this interesting.  Happy Halloween!

Elisa

  

My First Appliqué Attempt

Here it is. I finally made my first appliqué attempt. Don't look too close but a pretty good beginning. For anyone not aware yet, my SAL group is doing an appliqué quilt, and I've decided this year I would finally learn the "A" word! I love piecing and embroidery but have successfully avoided appliqué all these years :) I figure by making a block a month I can really improve within the next year.

On this block I tried the "freezer paper on top" technique; already made notes of changes when I attempt my actual block for the quilt.

1. Need to be more patient and take smaller stitches
2. Need smaller seam allowances along the side - little more at the ends.
3. Making small "placement" pencil marks didn't work for me. Need to think that out.
4. Need to pin a little closer to each end - my pieces flopped around too much.

I'm hoping to make several butterfly blocks trying different techniques. Now, my question to you. When I sewed on the body, do I sew the body to the wings or sew all the way down to the background?

Hugs, Elisa