Tatting Pieces

Posted on May 1, 2009 by owenjulesmommy

Looking back through my recent posts I don’t see much about tatting – I promise I am working on stuff!

I did these pieces last weekend and I just didn’t get around to posting the photos as of yet.

The first one is Jon’s Heart Snowflake with a plastic ring in the center.  Jon has GREAT directions on her blog on how to do this.  I even got to show my new friend Lisa how to do it at the retreat.

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It is made with Lizbeth size 20 thread – Cotton Candy color.  It is the fourth round in my Colorful Snowflake/Coaster tatting swap – I hope Miranda likes it!  It also is #11 on my 25 motif challenge.

Next I did Marliee’s Quardille earring pattern.  Earring are something I’ve always wanted to try and what better pattern to start with!!

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I used Ladyshuttlemaker’s Easter Egg size 20 thread.  The beads I got while in Center Harbor this weekend on the retreat at Bella’ Beads.  I actually sent these to the owner to the bead shop as she had never seen tatting before – I hope she likes them!  She had a lovely shop I just wish I lived closer!  I do have a new shop that has opened here that I like too – nice to have so many beads close by.

I did show them off to people at work first one of my co-workers liked them so much that this morning I brought it all my threads and beads and she picked out thred for a pair for herself and a pair for her sister.  Now I just have to find time to make them this weekend!!!  They are #12 on my 25 motif challenge.

Next I think I’m going to experiment with plastic rings and earrings – I’m inspired after looking at the lovely work done by Krystle.  But no fun time to play this weekend!  And did I mention that I’m making my Mother a lap size Bento Box quilt for Mother’s Day – 9 DAYS AWAY!!!  I might I want to get started on that too!!!

I have more pictures to share of the hardwood floor progress from last night.  Hopefully later today!

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Wish Us Luck!

Posted on April 30, 2009 by owenjulesmommy

OK, maybe even pray for us!!

Peter and I built our house almost 9 years ago now – when I was pregnant with Owen.  At the time we knew I was not going to be going to back to work for awhile so we had a budget and we stuck to it (IMAGINE that!!!).  So we had to comprise on things like flooring.  We got relocation beige throughout and white (what the heck was I thinking) vinyl in the kitchen/eating area.

Well, a few weeks ago (after MUCH debate on the color) we purchased enough solid cherry hardwood to refloor the office, the hall and the living room.  So this weekend is the weekend we take the plung and start distroying our home – oh, I mean “improving” our home!!

Here are a few pictures as things look now…

Office from hall…

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Office from window…

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Hall from office (notice all the flooring boxes – boy are they heavy!!)…

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And finally the hall from the kitchen…

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Tonight we have to purchase the rest of the supplies to install the subflooring and get the paint.  Notice the nice relocation beige walls too?  They are going too – especially while I don’t care if I drip paint on the floor!

It’s going to be a LONG weekend and I don’t think I’ll get much quilting/tatting done.  Actually I think Pete is paying me back by being at my quilt retreat last weekend.  Wife torture – what fun!!!  I’ll try to keep you updated on the fun this weekend.

Pete also set up a new photo gallery so you can see all the photos there too!  I’ll need to get the password from him so I can add kid photos and quilting/tatting photos too!!

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Photo Fun

Posted on April 28, 2009 by owenjulesmommy

Just something quick today.

I found this website online today and just had to give it a try…

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This is my Teeny Tiny quilt that I made.

What fun!

I just got home from my HGTV quilt retreat.  I was on the committee (with Nicki, Elaine, Carline, Ely & Cheryl) and the event was four days with 70 women from around the country, and one from Ireland – what fun!!  But I was very busy planning that and working on it so I haven’t been doing much else.

Now I’m working on some crazy quilt gifts for a July swap I’m going.  Thanks to my new friend Carolyn (DecPainter) I have been able to improve my seam emboridery work – I’ll post photos soon!

I have also finished my last colorful tatted snowflake which I have to press tonight and mail off so I’ll post photos of that one tomorrow!

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Happy Easter!

Posted on April 13, 2009 by owenjulesmommy

Here are the guys from yesterday…

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It’s a real shame that they don’t get along!!

It was so cold here yesterday – it didn’t get above 40 degrees and it was very windy.  At least the sun was out and it looked nice.

And here is the gripping Easter Egg Hunt video!  Edge of your seat stuff!!

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I hope that everybody had a nice Easter.  I’ve been working on my goodies for the upcoming quilt retreat – I’m up to 46 so I’m getting there!

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Good Friday

Posted on April 10, 2009 by owenjulesmommy

I always think of this quilt on this day…

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Here is a close-up…

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I made this quilt 3 years ago for my husband and it hangs in his office at home.  Two years ago I made another one (exactly the same since I had enough of all the fabrics left) for our priest Fr. Paul.  While I was making Fr. Paul’s I hung my husbands on the wall in the sewing room so I could follow the color placement more easily.  That is when I noticed that the first one I did for my husband was WRONG!!  It’s only one small piece – and you can’t notice it, but I thought it was funny.

The pattern comes from Paper Panache.  If you are into paperpiecing this is a great place to get HARD patterns!  I don’t remember how many pieces are in this, but there are many and matching up all the intersections correctly took a good amount of sewing and unsewing until I was happy with them.  But it paid off in the end!  This quilt is only 14″ x 20″.

I have their nativity pattern as well but have not gotten around to making it – maybe this year!

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Great Weekend!

Posted on April 6, 2009 by owenjulesmommy

What fun this quick weekend was!  On Sunday I took Julianna and her best friend into Boston to see Stars On Ice.  We drove about half way and took the train right into the Garden.  The girls had a great time.

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Times like this remind me that she won’t be young forever and one day soon she won’t even speak to me, much less what to spend time with me!!  I also started teaching her how to make a pin cushion – the jumbo yo-yo template is perfect for this and makes it very easy for her to sew!  I’ll I have to post her finished cushion tonight.

Owen and Daddy spent quality time at the movies while we were gone!

Last month one of the women in my office retired and I just had to do a quilt for her!  I used my Bed of Roses jelly rolls that I had gotten a few years ago.  I knew that she would like the soft colors of that line.  The french braid pattern came from the book Jelly Roll Quilts by Nicky Lintott – it’s the one on the cover.  She really liked it and her daughter-in-law (who is my hairdresser) told Peter that she’s got it on her sofa and is using it – which is my rule whenever a quilt as a gift – it’s a blanket – USE IT!!

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I can post about the table runner that I made for Nichole through Emilie’s Easter Swap.   This is the third one of her swaps that I’ve done and I’ve been delighted with all of them!  I can’t wait to receive my package from Nichole – hopefully it will be today!

This pattern is from Nancy Halversen, I love her work – I’ve done at least 6 of her designs.  I actually bought this book a long time ago because I liked this table runner so I’m glad I finally got to do it:

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I used a Moda Simplicity charm pack that I had and some other fabrics from my stash.  The basket fabric I actually purchased to make small Easter baskets for the kids and I had enough for this project too – got to love that!  I even had all but two buttons!  I’m pleased with how it came out.  Here is a close-up of my hand blanket stitching…

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When I first starting doing fusible applique about five years ago, my machine didn’t do a blanket stitch so I had to do it by hand.  Now that my machine does a blanket stitch – I still do it by hand, I like the results and I enjoy doing the hand work.

Last night I spent some time working on my retreat goodies for our Circle of Friends retreat that is happening on 4/23.  I need to make 70 goodies – I have 20 done so that will be my priority.

And last but not least, I send my fat quarter of fabric off to Tina for the mini log cabin swap we are doing.  I can’t wait to see what she does with it!  I should be getting hers soon – I already know what log cabin pattern I’m going to do with it.

log-cabin-swap-fabric

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Tatting Day Projects

Posted on April 1, 2009 by owenjulesmommy

Here are some tatting projects that I have been up to recently.

First I made my favorite cross book mark for our Deacon, Ed, and his wife Christine.  They are both made with Lizbeth thread size 20.  The pattern is from Tatting with Visual Patterns.  This will count as #10 on my 25 motif challenge.

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I made a mistake on Christine’s but I don’t think she will notice!

Next I did a bookmark as a birthday gift for my friend Carline, she celebrated her birthday on Monday and I’m going to see her tomorrow.  The pattern was from Jane Eborall’s blog and the thread is size 20 Rhubarb Pie from Yarnplayer (my favorite color – I think!!).  This one is going to be #11 for my 25 motif challenge.

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And lastly, I’m so proud of myself, I’m jumping into my first TIAS (Tat it and see), it’s Dani’s Easter TIAS.  I sure hope I got the first day right – I hope others post photos on their blogs so I can double check my work.  I almost never do a pattern without a photo or a diagram so this should be interesting!  I just hope I can keep up.  She recommended pastel colors so this again is Lizbeth thread, size 20.

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I’ll be posting some quilting photos soon – I’ve been very busy on that front too!!!

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Got Quilts???

Posted on March 19, 2009 by owenjulesmommy

I can’t tell you how many quilt tops I have nearly ready to be quilted that are just waiting in line to be finished.  I don’t know how many of my quilting friends follow my blog, but if you have projects that just need quilting – check out

Joanne’s Stimulus Package

She has a GREAT deal going on for getting those patiently waiting tops done!  And if you do post, please don’t forget to mention where you heard it from!!

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When God Closes a Door…

Posted on March 19, 2009 by owenjulesmommy

We got some sad news on Sunday morning.  Our new puppy, Beast, had suddenly passed away after battling pneumonia.  We are all very sad but we realize that he’s with God now and will be forever happy so that does give us peace.  Door Closed.

Peter and I discussed getting a different puppy (there are literally TONS of dogs/puppies that need forever homes) and we decided that we should.  So Tuesday evening, Savannah joined our family.  Window Openned.

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She is a 3 month old husky mix and is just as sweet as can be!  And even after only one day, she loves her crate and is really catching on with the house breaking!  This morning during her 4am walk (it’s just like having a baby), she went right out, did her business quickly and RAN right back in.  She got right back into her crate and went right back to sleep!

Tanyon seems to be doing good with her.  Although there was the issue with her wanting to chew on his favorite bone yesterday and he let her know that he would not allow it (mind you she does have her own special “puppy bone” to chew on)!  When she is full grown she will be just about Tanyon’s size or maybe some what smaller so they will be good buddies soon enough!

I’ve been working on so many different projects I can barely keep up!!  I have pictures to post of two finished items so I’ll do that later today.

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Silk Ribbon Roses

Posted on March 12, 2009 by owenjulesmommy

I’ve been doing hand work since I was eight years old (and we won’t do the math – OK!) and I find it very satisfying.   One thing that has always intrigued me is silk ribbon work.  Since I’ve been working on the crazy quilt blocks I’ve been brave enough to try some.  And now that I think about that, maybe other people’s blocks aren’t the best place for my experiments!!  But they seem to be working out well so I guess it’s ok.

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For this design I did follow a layout on a book cover.  The roses are spider web roses – VERY simple to make.  The stem and the leaves took me about 15 minutes.  But the result is just wonderful.  I think the roses are a bit large for the space, but I used a circle template and this was the smallest size I could find.

I think I need to continue my silk ribbon experiments because I’m having so much fun and enjoying the free form design.

My to-do list for this week is still very long but completing these roses were the finishing touch on my crazy quilt round robin block so I can take that off my list!!

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