I'm excited!

All of my bloggy friends know I love my cats and love to take pictures of them.  It should be no surprise to anyone that I look forward to the Pets on Quilt Show every year at Lily Pad Quilting.  It is so much fun!  I get to shamelessly share pictures of my cats on quilts!
For more information hop on over to her lily pad!

Oreo and Tiger

I pulled out my cat blocks from the swap I participated in earlier in the year.  I also pulled out the  cross stitch my friend made me and am making a quilt for the cat quilt category!  I'm adding the final borders tonight, I hope I get it done in time!

I also have hundreds of pictures to sort through to find the best cat on quilt picture, what a tough decision!

The blog hop starts on August second, if my quilt is done, be expecting two blog posts that day!  If you like my posts, I hope you vote for my furbabies!

Missy and her fur babies, Precious, Squeeky, Muffin, Tiger, Pippi, Oreo, Custard and Cupcake.

July Finishes

July was a pretty busy month for me!  

First of all, I finished all of my goals!

My first goal was to finish ten more Scrappy Trip Around the World Blocks.  I am almost done with my blocks, if I counted right there are only 19 left!

My second goal was to finish my nine patch quilt for my uncle.  You can read more about that here.  It was finished and received by my uncle.

I also finished this month's BOM.

We also spent ten days on vacation traveling through KY, TN and Atlanta, GA.

I finished the month off having a Pampered Chef party!  If you want to order some Pampered Chef, Thursday is your last chance!

July was a pretty busy month!  Did you meet your goals?  You can see more goals that have been met at the linky party.

Missy

Tea Cups Row!

 I finished my row for this month's BOM!  There are a few days left to get this pattern free!  Just go here to see all of the blocks so far!

 Since I don't drink coffee I am calling these tea cups!  I guess I could also call them hot chocolate cups though.  I'm not sure if everyone knows this, but I love penguins.  I thought this would be a perfect place to use some of my penguin material because if you were to look in my cabinet you would see a lot of different penguin cups.

 I love how the appliqued steam turned out too, I had the perfect material in my stash for it!

 The middle tea cup is tiny snowman, I only had four penguin fabrics that would fit, I did a lot of fussy cutting for these cups!

 I did not have enough of the snowflake fabric so I had to find a blue in my stash that was close and just mix it up, then as soon as I was done I found these two strips!  Oh well, that is one more row that will have dark blue snowflakes!

Just a reminder that I am having a Pampered Chef party.  We had the physical party today and I had five ladies show up.  It was really nice getting to know some ladies better and making new friends!  If you would like to place an order just go here  
  http://new.pamperedchef.com/pws/amymbrown/guest-landing/8876480674971
 Be sure to click on the "ship to" box and change it from hostess to guest.  Don't worry, Amy will double check all orders to make sure they are being shipped right!
All orders need to be in by Thursday, July 31

What is your favorite Pampered Chef product?  Mine are the scoopers and the chopper, I use them at least once a week!  Imagine never having to cut onions again?  She showed us a new veggie thing that cuts veggies in swirly strips, it was pretty neat!

Have a great Sunday!

Missy

Baskets!

 Donna, from Donna's Lavender Nest, sent me her block and I got it today.

 She said she messed up on the first one but sent it in case I want to use it for a pillow, but I think it looks great and will probably put it in the quilt!
She also sent me a couple of pretty fat quarters!  I think that I am going to make my first pansy block with that pink!

 With the two baskets Donna sent me today, I have one green and three aqua baskets.  I'm hanging them on a line I had my husband string in my room to hang blocks from.  They are too pretty to pack away until I get all of my blocks!  I need some pink blocks and yellow blocks!

For Feline Friday at Sarah Did IT! here are my three babies enjoying the porch.  

Have a blessed day!

Missy

Super Stitches

I got a new book!  I have a bunch of stitches on my Janome that I do not know how to use. Super Stitches Sewing by Nicole Vasbinder is a great book.  It has machine stitches and hand stitches and how to use them properly!

I needed to applique cup handles onto my blocks for this month's BOM.  I knew I should use the blanket stitch, but I was not quite sure the proper way to use it.  The last time I tried, it looked awful.  I looked up applique in the index and there were several listed so I looked them up to see which one I wanted to use.

I decided to go with the applique stitch or blanket stitch.  There were clear photos and directions on how to use that stitch and applique something.  The next page even shows how to do a reverse applique stitch!  

I had sewn this block together before I had thought about adding the handle, so it does not look as  "connected" as I would like.

However, I did remember not to finish sewing the rest of the handles.  I think the applique stitch turned out pretty good this time!

You see in the picture below, that when I sew the handle on, it will look more connected to the cup.

I still need to applique the steam on top of the cups and then I will be able to finish sewing this row together.  I'm trying to decide if I want to use the blanket stitch on the steam or maybe a zig zag stitch or a different stitch to give it a different look from the handles.  What do you think?

If you would like some more information about the book and it's author you can go here or here.  It really is a handy resource for different stitches, it has 50 different machine stitches and 20 different hand stitches and tips to choose the correct needles, threads and sewing machine accessories.  I'll be using it a lot more!

Missy

"I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review."

A Cup of Tea?

I put this tea cup planter outside while I decided what I wanted to put in there, I'm thinking cat grass for the babies to eat.  Meanwhile Cupcake is nosy and had to put her face in there.  

 She would not sit in it, so I grabbed Oreo who was half asleep and stuck him in there for pictures.  Isn't he adorable?

 I admit it, I did not make my bed this morning, but the fur babies don't mind!

Oreo, Tiger and Pippi

 I made two hot pads for a swap I am in.  The colors in her kitchen are the greens in the binding.

 I practiced making feather vines or wreaths, I'm not sure the correct term.  The first one I spent an hour unpicking all of it!  This is my third try - awful!

 This is my fourth try, better - but still awful!

I think I might try something more simple on my Drunkard's path quilt.  I wanted it all fancy with the quilting, but I am not able to do that and I don't want to wait forever to get good enough.  That is one reason I have not quilted it yet even though it has been finished for nine months.  Disappointed but being realistic.

Do you change your mind about the quilting you are going to do to fit your abilities?

Missy

1Peter 4:11  If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Quilting Suggestions

After finishing my Drunkard's Path last September I finally have time to quilt it!  The problem is that I am not sure exactly how to quilt it.  I was thinking feathers?  I've never done feathers before - what do you think?

 I was thinking in these spots a butterfly with feathers as the wings or maybe just feathers coming out from the center.

 And theses spots a feather wreath that will have extra feathers extending into the arms, what would you do?

The lump under the top is a cat, he was asleep and did not want to move!  LOL

I know the quilting will really show up on the white so I am open to suggestions!

Thank you!
Missy

Have Hand crank, Will Travel!

Normally I have a lot of time to sew in the hotel when I go with my husband to his work conference.  I actually did not get much sewing done this time because I hung out with a couple of other wives who had come with their husbands also.

I wanted to work on my Scrappy trip around the world quilt but I already had the blocks all laid out and ready to sew.  I couldn't carry them on the tray  because they might spill.  So what is a girl to do?  I laid the blocks (which I had already separated out with finished blocks in between)on a hand towel and just rolled the towel up and secured with rubber bands!  It worked perfect!  It also fit great in the sewing machine case.

I just laid everything out in the sewing room, but I did have to ask for a new ironing board since the one in the room was broken, I think someone let their child hang on it.
I had a huge window behind me that let in a lot of light!  I am using my 99 hand crank which is a 3/4 size of a 66.  Perfect for traveling!

Yes, I moved the lamps around too!  LOL  I loved the desk in the room!  Since his work was paying for it we were staying at the Hyatt Regency which was a very nice hotel.
I only got four blocks done, but that was four more then I would have done otherwise!

I also worked on some hand quilting int the car, my problem is that I am either sleeping, helping my husband watch for signs, or am busy looking at the scenery so I do not get much done.

Do you like to quilt when you travel?

Missy

New Basket!

I got another block yesterday!  This one came from Clara from Clover and Violet .  She also sent me a charm pack!

 I now have an aqua basket and a green basket with a pink handle!

I won some turtle fabric from Kathy a Kathy's Quilts.  She has a Slow Sunday Stitching linky party for hand stitching and a Treadling Tuesday where she shows what she is working on with her treadle.  Be sure to check out her blog!

I am really enjoying checking my mail box!  I am hanging my baskets above my window in my sewing room so that I can enjoy them until I get all of my blocks!  I am waiting to make my baskets until I see what colors I get in case I need a certain color to balance it out.

Missy

Mail Call!

I got home from vacation yesterday and had packages in the mail!
I got my first Bee block from Renee at Sewn With Grace.  I have been following her blog for years and love the quilts she makes!  I love the basket block she made for me!  She also sent me a charm pack!

 I have also joined a swap.  Kathy from Made with Love and Ladybugs sent me a hot pad!  This will be great for putting hot casserole dishes on my table!  I love the aqua and red colors.

I bought some cute fabric at a flea market in GA.  I paid $3 for this cute cat fabric and text print!

 On July Fourth we went to the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY.  You are not allowed to take pictures inside the museum.  I bought a really cute mouse pad that has a wedding ring quilt and cats on it!
Before we traveled on we went stopped at Hancock of Paducah.  I bought this great batik flowered material off the clearance table.  Isn't it gorgeous?

 Look at this penguin material I found!  I bought a yard of the pink and green and half a yard of the purple.  I love this material.

 I also got The Angler 2 ruler, I am so excited about this!

I am going to be keeping my eye open for more of that penguin batik material in different colors.  I can't wait to make a quilt out of batiks!

Have you gotten anything fun lately?

Missy

Pampered Chef Party

I'm having a Pampered Chef party and I want to invite you!  I wish you all lived close to me and could come and join me, but since ya'll don't, ya'll can attend virtually!

My favorite thing from Pampered Chef is my chopper, which I use all the time!
I use it when I make my Dill Pickle Cupcakes here.
You can see it here with my spaghetti sauce recipe also, here.
I also love my pizza stone, I use it all of the time!  You can see it here.  That is the bar pan, I also have the pizza stone and use both a lot!
Then my third favorite thing is my scoop, you can see that in this post about some of my favorite baking tools, here.  I am going to order the other two sizes this time, my ice scream scoop is pretty bad!


Be sure to check out the online catalog and if you would like to order anything, you can from this link.

http://new.pamperedchef.com/pws/amymbrown/guest-landing/8876480674971

You have until July 31 to order.  If you want to come to the physical party, it is July 26, just let me know.

I have had several friends comment on my blog, but they are no reply bloggers.  I answer every comment made on my blog - unless you are a no-reply blogger, so if you have not heard back from me, that is why!

I hope you can join my party!

Missy

Boat Anchors

Image Source

Boat Anchor - Sewing machine a little past recovery (http://www.treadleon.net/glossary.html)

I am sure you have heard somebody refer to an old machine as a boat anchor.  One time I was at a huge yard sale/flea market.  This man was selling an old machine that was missing the needle plate and the boat shuttle and it was very rusted.  It was UGLY!  I figured if he was willing to sell it for $5 or $10 it could be cleaned up with a lot of work but then I would still need to buy the missing parts.  When I asked the price he said $100!!!  I told him there was no way he would get that much money for it.  He insisted that an antique dealer would pay that much for it because it was old.  That thing had been sitting in his garage for at least two years and I am sure a lot longer then that!  It is probably still sitting there!

I was reading on Treadleon.net and one of the ladies shared a neat story that I wanted to share with you.  Have you ever wondered where the term boat anchor came from?  I thought it was used in jest.

Cyndi of M & M Quilting(long arm quilting), in Midland, VA shared this neat story:

"My little vintage machine collection has been attracting more attention than usual lately ... possibly because I've got a new acquisition (more of a project machine than I expected when I picked it up) opened up in my quilting studio and it invites a mini-tour.  So a customer was talking about the old machines, and mentioned that many years ago she was stationed in the Solomon Islands, and when they had sewing machines that wouldn't work right, the guys would LITERALLY use them as anchors for small boats!!!  I never would have guessed that the term actually had some history behind it!  She said that after a while, a nurse wrote up a set of sewing machine maintenance instructions and copied them on a mimeograph machine, and distributed them around the different islands to stop the practice.  Wonder how many sewing machine heads are sitting at the bottom of the South Pacific???"

What a sad end to a sewing machine!  Remember that the majority of these old machines can be fixed, unlike these new fancy machines.  The picture above was actually used on a boat in Fiji.

Have you heard anything about these old machines being used as boat anchors?

Missy

Free Vintage Sewing Machine Clip Art

A friend shared this great link with free Treadle clip art and I though I would share it with ya'll!

Here is the link:
 http://olddesignshop.com/2014/06/free-vintage-treadle-sewing-machine-images-catalogue-page-and-clip-art/

Be sure to browse through, there is a lot of great stuff on here!

Missy

Nine Patch Finished!

I finally finished our prayer quilt for my uncle!  I got it mailed today.  I love the binding material that Allison sent me, it was the perfect touch!

 It was a simple block, but I just love it!  My signature penguin block is right in the middle!
I just love how wrinkly and loved on the quilt looks after it has been washed and dried!

Pippi decided to take a nap on my quilt while I was quilting it.  Of course, isn't that what quilts are for?

She was really hamming it up for the camera and I took a ton of pictures of her!

I was trying to get some good pictures of the cats on the quilts, but they would not cooperate!

Why is it that when I do not want them on the quilt, they won't get off, but when I want them on the quilt, they won't stay?  LOL

I actually had Cupcake moved over and lined up with her brother and sister and went to take the picture, and a car peeled out on the street and all three cats jumped up to investigate - so irritating!

Please continue to pray for Uncle Johnny.  The chemo and radiation is not working and the tumor is getting bigger.  I am not sure what their next step is.

Missy