mokuroku (journal)

I love heavy cotton fabrics with rich, dense colors printed in big designs. The fabric for this project is "morukoru (journaling)" The Alexander Henry Collections 2004. I instantly thought of Diane, and her love of red, and journaling. The other fabrics are Funky Monkey by Erin Michaels for Moda, and a blue polka dot, part of a holiday line called "All Wrapped Up," by Maywood Studio from Huckleberry Patches in McCall. I included the knit print to curtsey to Diane's avocation, knitting. Here are her new pillowcases:

Close up of the fabrics.

I finished my September goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes. I used Hoffman Batiks to frame the paper pieced Christmas Trees. I machine quilted this piece. :

25" x 37"

Close up of the fabrics.

Catching Some ZZZZZ's

I made up some sets of pillowcases for gifts. What a fun and easy way to make a thoughtful gift that is sew nice. I used this tutorial and highly recommend it. If you have never sewn a french seam, you will after this. I like to make the cases long, so they will fit a king size pillow or cover a regular pillow modestly. I always include laundering instructions with my gifts. Happy Sewing!!

Wedding gift for Ruthie Hennings Traxler and Ben Traxler.

Get well gift for Uncle Pat Holbrook's companion, Sonja Mann.

Christmas cases for the Pinehurst Guild Quilt Auction.

Thank you gift for Aunt Ann Holbrook Rousselot.

Close up of the fabrics.

Retro Visions

 September is a busy time of changes, whether you are going back to school or back to work after summer off, or harvesting and preserving and moving the beauty of a garden into the pantry.  Our local quilt guild takes the summer off and now is gearing up for the annual quilt auction ~ our big fund raiser for community benefits and our spring retreat. My UFO for this month is a set of batik paper pieced pine trees, made by guild members at last April's retreat. They need to be made into a table runner or wall hanging for the auction.  It will probably take a day to complete this little project, if I skip the avoiding and staring dreamily and just get 'er done.  Here are the trees:

These trees remind me of aluminum Xmas trees of the 60's, with the rainbow lighting.

One thing I have learned about paper pieced blocks: don't remove the paper until they are sewn to their lattices or adjoining blocks. They have lines that make joining super simple.