DOUBLE NINE PATCH

The Nine Patch is a great, easy block and the Double Nine Patch is even better!  I decided to make a quilt for DS#3 and DIL because when they got married, I only made them a small 60" square throw because I was relatively new at quilting.  Since then I have made both DS#1 & DS#2 large bed quilts, so I thought I better get one made for DS#3.  My DIL loves reproductions, so I picked them mostly.  I need 80 of the small 9-patches and I have most of them finished.  They are coming tomorrow, so I wanted to be able to show my DIL that I have been working on it!  :-)

Here are 3 of the double nine patches put together.
Here's my sewing machine where I am chain stitching.
I just finished a quilt for my GS who is turning 13 in November.  He wanted a new quilt for his bed (since they moved into a bigger house) and he also loves "old things" so is getting a quilt made with reproduction fabrics with a pillowcase to match the backing and border.

More Vintage Doll Clothes

My mom made the doll dress and coat in these pictures probably during the 1950s.  I have them hanging in my front hall.

See the wood spools on the little shelf?  I got them from my mom's sewing box.

Baby quilt top finished!

I just finished the quilt top for our expected granddaughter.  I was hoping to get it finished in time for my quilters guild meeting on Oct 13, but getting the top finished will have to do.  I have company coming and a trip before then, so I know I won't have time to get it quilted (I'm going to quilt it myself).  The baby shower is Nov. 1, so I will have time to quilt it before then.

My DH & I like to go to garage sales and we hadn't gone to any for months, but now, with the weather a tiny bit cooler, we decided to venture forth.  I like to look for craft items that I can use to make things to sell, or doll beds to refinish and to make bedding for.  We had some very good luck at one place where I found these cross-stitched pictures being sold very cheaply.  I got a great deal of 9 for $15!  I plan to make quilted borders for these and sell them (or keep a few).  I love cross-stitched pictures and have made many myself - they  take a lot of work, so I feel very lucky to have gotten these.





I love little doll chairs and this little rocker with the bunny was only $2!!!
The heart pillows in the basket made out of an antique quilt was only 75 cents!!!
Have a great week!  I will be binding a quilt for my oldest GS that I just got back from the quilter and will take a picture as soon as I can.  It feels good to get these two projects almost finished.

Some Very Special Treasures

The pin on this old quilt is one that my mom wore in the 50s.  I always loved this pin, so when she died I got it - noone else wanted it anyway.

My mom made this baby quilt when she was expecting her first child, my older brother (who is now 71).  I think we all used it in the crib.  I remember my little brother using it after me (I don't really remember using it myself)!  My mom loved applique.

2 more Stitcheries

The name of this Polka Dot Girls stitchery is "Sisters."  I am the one on the right and my sister is the one on the left with the cat.  She's holding only one of her three cats.  Tee Hee Hee!  I am really enjoying working on these.

This is my latest Noah's Ark BOM from Lynnette Anderson Designs .  We have a new granddaughter due in December, so I think this wall hanging will be for her.  It's not too late to start these - you can download all of them from her blog.  They are small and quick.
I have been real busy at work this week, but today the boss is gone...Yeah!!!  I can catch up & get ready for another busy day on Monday.  I took a quilt for GS#1 to the quilters this week, so I hope to be able to show you that soon.  My next project is a baby quilt for the new GD.

Have a great weekend and get lots of sewing done - or other stuff....

Received Award

Leanne at Lizzie's Page  sent me this award!  I was very pleasantly surprised.  I met her through a trade and she lives in Australia!  It still amazes me how we can meet people this way!  Thank you, Leanne!

In turn, I will nominate 5 bloggers that I admire.  There are so many out there, but I have selected the following as ones that I always enjoy.  They are all creative and have blogs that I find very interesting and inspiring!  They are Elaine,  Joan ,  Bobbin , Wendy , and Holly .  

The Rules are:

1 Winner can put the logo on their blog

2 Put link from person you got the award from

3 Nominate 5 blogs

4 Put links to blogs

5 Leave message for nominees

I haven't shown any quilting lately, not because I haven't been doing any, though.  I do need to take some pictures, but thought I would show a couple items that I am planning to put on an Etsy site, once we get organized enough to get it set up.  I have some of these little flags and the doll quilt below which I tea dyed, made from leftovers of a doll quilt I made for a grand-niece.  I have other items made and ready to be posted also.

I have been working on a baby quilt for our expected granddaughter, and I'm getting the backing ready for a quilt for our oldest grandson.  Pictures will be on their way soon, I promise.

We are getting rain today from Ike.  Hope none of you are getting flooded out.

Vintage Thursday

Confessions of an Apron Queen hosts Vintage Thursday, so be sure to visit that blog for more vintage treasures!
These little dolls are on display in my sewing room. They were mine as a little girl. Someone my mother knew crocheted the outfits on the dolls. I haven't tried getting the clothes off to wash because they are sewn on.
Hanging below the shelf is a doll dress, slip and had that my mom made for one of my dolls.
I hope to post some quilty things soon. Thanks for visiting!

Vintage Thursday

We had a copy of this book whe

n we were kids in the 50's.  My sister found this reprint somewhere and got me a copy.  
My grandma crocheted this apron - I wonder why?  It certainly isn't the type of thing she would ever use!  I don't know if anyone ever wore it, but I have it hanging on my china cabinet door knob.
Happy vintage Thursday!  Check Confessions of an Apron Queen for more vintage Thursday blogs.

Stitcheries/"Vacation" ending

During the time my DH was in the hospital, I worked on my Polka Dot Girls stitcheries.  Below are 3 of them that I got finished.  I also have 3 more almost finished, but ran out of DMC, so I went to JoAnn's (4/$1) to get that this weekend.  They will be finished soon.  

I also worked on 2 of the Noah's Ark BOMs and this one is finished.  The other one will be finished soon (also needed more DMC).
Since DH has been home from the hospital, I have been home with him and have been working on a couple quilting projects that I hope to get finished soon.  We found out that DS#2 is expecting a girl (yippee!) and I have a quilt started for her.  Tuesday it will be back to work - hope I can remember how to do things!!

Vintage Thursday

I came across Confessions of an Apron Queen

and decided to participate in Vintage Thursday.  I have a few vintage items that are special to me.

This first one is a doll quilt that my grandma made for me around 1950 (more or less).  She made it to go with the doll bed that my grandpa made for me.
This doll bed is the only thing that my grandpa made for us that wasn't given away to other families with children.  My grandpa was a carpenter and he made various toys for all his grandchildren, including doll houses, rocking horses, etc.  I think one of my cousins still has her doll house.  My mom kept it in the store room that you could get to through her closet.  I brought it to my house after she died and put it in my bedroom.  The doll was my mom's when she was a little girl, so we figure she got it around 1920.  It is actually a boy doll, but I don't have any boy doll clothes for it.  Someday, I am planning to make some clothes for it.  I made the doll quilt and pillow case a few years ago.  This is one of my most prized possessions.
These blocks were made by my grandma and I am planning to put them together into a quilt some day.  They are made from flour sack fabric.  I'm not sure when she made them - probably in the 40's or 50's.
I hope you enjoyed my vintage treasures.  I'll take pictures of some others for next week.  I hope more people will participate in Vintage Thursday!

P.S.  My DH came home from the hospital on Tuesday and is recuperating at home.  He is feeling a little better each day.  Thanks for your many sweet get well wishes.

Cancelled trip

We had to cancel our trip to Oregon because my DH has been sick. We kept thinking he would get better in time to travel, but instead, he kept getting sicker. I had to take him to the ER and he was admitted. We found out that he has sick sinus syndrome (bradycardia), which means that the portion of his heart that controls the electrical impulses wasn't working right and his heart rate would go real low (sometimes as low as 38). So, tomorrow he is having a pacemaker installed. Hopefully, that will make big improvements in how he feels.

We felt so bad having to cancel our trip, but maybe we can reschedule it in a month or so. I mailed the wall hanging and also the potholder pictured below . My DIL's sister gave me the "pig" fabric to make something for my DIL (she is fond of pigs). I had been wanting to try out this potholder pattern, and I'm glad I did. It was quite easy to make and will make a nice gift for other friends also.


I have been staying at the hospital most of the time, but I have my Polka Dot Girls stitchery to keep me occupied.

Finished wall hanging

I finished the wall hanging and thought I would show some close up pictures. The panel has a replica of the signatures on the Declaration of Independence surrounded by symbols of the 13 colonies and our first 3 presidents on top. I stippled the whole center section and then stitched in the ditch around the borders. I'm getting a little more confident with the stippling, however, I did stitch over a couple times. Luckily, though, it was in sections that had the blue printing on them and it isn't noticeable. I'm making the label tonight for the back.




I love this fabric and when I bought it, I only bought one yard. Then I got to thinking that I might want to make more than one of these and when I went back to the store, they didn't have any more, and wouldn't be getting any. So I went on line (even my husband searched for me) and found it at a few stores. I called one and they were able to fill my order right away. It was great!

Housewarming gift

I took another picture of the table runner because the color was kind of washed out on the last one.  I finished the second one and have one more to go.

However, I have to work on a wall hanging for our DS#1 & DIL.  We are going to see them next week in Oregon and while there my DIL's sister & friend will be giving them a housewarming party, since they just moved to a new house - actually, it's an old house built in 1885.  So, I thought I would make a patriotic wall hanging which celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  The fabric panel is from Windham's Old Glory III line.  I got it sandwiched after taking the picture and am stippling the middle section.
While in Oregon, I plan to visit at least 3 quilt shops.  One in Bend, OR was featured in the last Quilt Sampler magazine.  We will also be driving through Sisters, OR and I will stop at the Stitchin Post.  There is also a really good quilt shop in McMinnville, OR, which is near where they live.  

I will try to post some pictures while on the trip, but we don't have a laptop, so we would have to use their computer and I don't know if I'll be able to.