Where has the time gone.....

Today is my daughter's 25th birthday. Happy Birthday Katherine! You are a blessing and joy to me and your Dad.

Hallowe'en 2009......

Well, half of the wait is over. I got the pattern yesterday for the new Blackbird quilt pattern, Hallowe'en-1904, and it is fantastic! Thanks to my friend Janice. The second half is the fabric......and I just ordered the fabric kit, made up by Common Threads Quilt Store in Waxahachie, Texas (just happens to be my fave quilt shop) !!! So, I won't have to wait much longer to get started on this quilt....is it possible that I will have it finished before Hallowe'en 2009? Never mind the fact that I bought the Midnight Silhouette kit about a month ago from Common Threads when I was in Waxa for a bridal luncheon. Stay tuned, there is more to follow.......

My favorite fabric.....

I purchased the fabric for the quilt 'Anna's Starry Night' about 5-6 years ago. Can't remember the exact time frame as I had just started quilting and found the pattern and I loved the fabric. Don't remember where I first saw it, but I knew I had to have it. I think the fabric is Blackbird Designs, 'Anna's Starry Night' and I don't know where I got the pattern. Possibly from the Moda website under their 'free patterns' section. This was before I realized fabric had several designs within a group. I just thought this fabric was 'randomly' chosen and put together to make the quilt. I have learned a lot since then. It was one of the first quilts I made and it is still one of my favorites. So, when I finished the quilt, I had some scraps of fabric and didn't want to wastethem, so I started hand piecing a hexagon quilt, using plastic templates called 'Quilt Patis' from Picking Up the Pieces. Once again, I bought these several years ago on the internet, so I don't know if they are even available now. From time to time, when I am between knitting or embroidery projects, I get my basket of hexagons out and sew a few together. One day I will have a throw size quilt that just for ME!

This makes me smile......

I don't know where to start with this post as I have so much to say. First of all, if you haven't seen the movie 'Julie and Julia', I highly recommend it. It is such a romantic, funny, feel-good movie. I can't wait to see it again!

Last weekend, I had friends staying with me, so I am catching up with the last couple of weeks. I finished a couple of quilt tops, as shown above. The red and brown quilt is....you guessed it.....a Blackbird Design, from the book 'Birds of a Feather'. It is hand appliqued and will probably be finished on my sewing machine. Haven't decided yet. I made it smaller from the original design by leaving out some of the blocks. Birds, flowers and vines...what could be better? The other quilt top is a Crabapple Hill pattern, 'Over the river and through the woods...' and it is a combination of embroidery and quilting. I can't wait to get it finished and hung on my wall.

I will see my quilting friends this week as we meet once a month at my house. It is always so much fun to see what they bring to 'show and tell'. Maybe they will allow me to share some of it with you on my blog.

There's more, but that's for another post......happy quilting!

Afternoon Tea.....

My daughter and I had afternoon tea today. It was her idea and she brought some lovely small sweets she bought at Walton's, Sandra Bullock's new eatery, here in Austin. She also brought a pasta salad and some cherry tomatoes stuffed with bacon, basil, and cream cheese. I made some finger sandwiches. We drank tea from the Tea Embassy ......Scottish Breakfast blend and Bavarian Chocolate. They were both really good and you can find them online at www.teaembassy.com . This was a really nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon and something that we both really enjoy but don't get to do very often. Later in the afternoon I went to my brother's house and he grilled steaks with twice baked potatoes and salad. Spent time with my two nieces, their husbands and kids. A perfect Sunday!