Happy Thanksgiving!

Okay anyone that knows me knows I would rather quilt than cook ... so today was a big day for me ... I actually cooked the entire Thanksgiving dinner all by myself (and cleaned while everyone watched the Patriots WIN! - Yippee!). Which doesn't sound like much - but if you knew my cooking, you would know this was a major under taking. As my son has always said "we know when dinner is done when the smoke detectors go off"!! And he's actually right... can't tell you how many times I've set the alarms off, over boiled things on the stove and even almost burnt the kitchen down (but that's another long story!)

I decided not to stress myself out and since no one in the house eats the dark meat I only cooked a turkey breast ... I made a spicy rub (learned that from yesterday's TODAY show!), made my stuffing and added raisins and green apples, homemade Boston baked beans, mashed potatoes, turnip, peas & carrots ... ugh jar gravy (I was not going to attempt making gravy - it wasn't good the last time - why chance it again!)

After a few hours I called the family to the table and .... they were speechless!!! My son jumped up whipped out his blackberry and announced that it was picture worthy!! Notice hie two forks!!! I

Needless to say I was so pleased to have my family tell me I "made a perfect meal" 

and no smoke alarms!

I also was able to find a great recipe for Boston Baked Beans - similar to the recipe my Dad used to make. I used his old bean pot and gave it a try ... they came out pretty good - I have a little tweaking of the recipe to do - but all in all I was very pleased with how they came out.

OH and don't think I do any quilting  while I was making my Thanksgiving dinner (there was a little down time after all!) ... I had to really pay attention in the kitchen so I worked on a new hand project! I think I'll jump in on the Hexy band wagon!

So I started making hexies ....

 

Also continued working on another class sample for my "Fiesta" block of the month class at Quilter's Stash.

 

"Fiesta" is a great booklet by Lynda Milligan and Nancy Smith

Great pattern and good instructions - great way to use up your stash fabrics. I choose Batiks (of course!)

The line up! and BIG fabric decisions to be made....

Used my patio curtain for a design wall ... it works!

So today (and everyday) I'm Thankful for a wonderful family (who puts up with my cooking even when it's bad and the smoke detectors are going off) and for a quilting craft that fulfills my creative side.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Another Baby Gift

I needed to make a quick baby quilt and found this way too cute panel at my

favorite local quilt shop.

All I did was add a quick little boarder and poof way to cute baby girl quilt!

For the back I used some charm squares from Hunky Dory and various Amy Butler, and a soft pink fabric.

For quilting I did a stitch in the ditch using the design from the quilt panel

Voila ...Baby Quilt!

The new mom to be was thrilled!

I just love making things and having the recipient love it!

Forget the big diaper bag ... go with a Diaper Clutch!

I found the cutest pattern a few weeks ago ... and just in time!

I needed to make a baby gift for a friend's daughter - but since she

is also a quilter I wanted to do something a bit different and

then I found the pattern "Grab 'n' Go Diaper Clutch" from Sew Fun.

Since I was making it for a boy the Japanese Robot fabric I had in my stash was perfect!

And since the baby's mom LOVES frog ... Yes... I had frog fabric in my stash!

Who Knew!!!

I made a cute little detachable wrist strap which came out nice ...

but I think I might change it a bit next time ... I need to experiment with that a bit more.

I think the next one will have a small slip pocket and a zippered closure - but I'm still thinking on those changes.

I even made a little changing pad that folds all up and fit perfectly

along with a few little diapers and a package ofe wipes.

It was the perfect little baby gift and from what I hear it was a big hit!!

Whoo-hoo!!

A Girls Weekend away to the Quilters' Gathering Quilt Show

This was my first trip up to A Quilters' Gathering in Nashua New Hampshire ... well worth the trip ... or in my case the weekend! I decided to plan a girls weekend away - just mom and myself ... but I had the added pleasure of meeting up with a friend I had not seen in several years! Dawn and I walked through all of the vendors while mom rested (the 2 hour car ride gave her back a bit of trouble) then the three of us viewed all of the beautiful quilts that were on display. I was lucky enough to have two quilts in the show!

My Layered Circles (the quilt featured at the top of the blog) and My Batik Stars in the Garden shown below with mom!



The show also featured a beautiful collection of Amish Quilts - all done by hand by women of all ages some as young as 11 and 16! Some how I don't think I could get my 18 year old daughter to sit long enough to make a quilt! Although she did make a table runner when she was 11!!

But my favorite was the quilt that won best of show - it was all in shades of cream. "Essence" was made and quilted by Ronda K. Beyer - she made this" no color quilt to showcase design and texture through my quilting" AND DID SHE EVER!

 Here is the center feathered star with in a feathered star - simply beautiful

the quilting is phenomenal. I kept coming back to it several times during the show -

just to make sure I didn't miss anything!

 pictures just do not do this quilt any justice - this work of art just needs to hang and be admired!

Then of course there were vendors! From places I had only heard about or have

seen on line. My first favorite vendor was the Portsmouth Fabric Co. their booth

was so colorful I just wanted to jump in and swim in all of the fabrics! I refrained!

and purchased these Australian fabrics - don't they just look Yummy!

 

The next stop was to Pinwheels my go to online place for Japanese fabrics. Their booth had such a calm sense about it ... I needed that after swimming in the fabric at the Portsmouth Fabric Co !! I purchased these delectable goodies to add to my Japanese Fabric collection and my Sashiko collection!

                       And who could ever resist books and patterns! Not that I need any more....

AND to my surprise Handmade Beginnings was a signed copy by Anna Maria Horner ...

now how could I leave that there!! Besides there are just way too many cute patterns in there!!

So all in all a weekend away with my mom, catching up with an old friend,

shopping and quilts ....

I ask you can a girls weekend away get any better that that?!