PUMPKINS AGLOW 2021

Franklin Park Conservatory always has a great display of Pumpkins. 

The Pumpkins Aglow  is a lighted tour at night. 

I made it to the day light version with my Pumpkin Quilt I made in 2018.

They say a picture is worth a thousands words…

Hope your pumpkins were aglow…too! 

GENDER NEUTRAL BABY QUILT

I had a plan to make this for someone's baby

but found a quilt already made, that was perfect.

Still, I finished the quilt and will hold it for

a future baby.  It has all the makings of a wonderful

gender neutral quilt.  All the fabrics are from my stash.

I decided to make a disappearing 9-patch.

Make a 9-patch block

then the 9-patch disappears

when you cut those blocks into 4ths,

flip them around and sew back together.

I love having custom labels to attach to my quilts.

My name, my business name and the year the quilt is made. 

I had some pieces left over so

I made a horizontal strip to put in the backing.

It turned out so great and I am

ahead on the possibility of gifting this

to a new baby!

A BIG AND GHASTLIE HALLOWEEN

Today is Halloween!
There's a Nightmare on Widows Peak!
A GHASTLIE creation that nearly drove me INSANE!

I am not an inexperienced quilter! 
I can follow directions!

I even joined an Instagram Group SAL
to get this DAMN quilt finished.

The Make Modern Building Blocks by Moda
was NOT a fun journey.

I kept giving up on making blocks and putting it
back on the shelf because...

The directions SUCKED!  

Pieces didn't fit together correctly!

Strips had to be added to make sections FIT!

I spent the good part of 5 years hating this quilt!
Then one day, it dawned on me...

I don't HAVE to USE the DAMN pattern.

I gave myself permission to make it "my way"
I made blocks I liked...with bigger pieces.

I fussy cut Ghastlies to the sizes needed.
This GHASTLIE NIGHTMARE 
was finally finished in 2018!

Cassandra Beaver, quilted his HUGE quilt 
with a gray Auriful thread and the

E2E design is called Malachite!

Sew take a look at some of the blocks/sections 

and the excellent quilting.

This was the monster when it was returned

 after Cassandra quilted it.

Deciding on binding fabric.

And the dots won!

Folded up and outside for a breather.

It turned out 7

Here is the back.
I had 5 yards of the original gray
 "The Ghastlies" Line from 2009.
It wasn't enough...
so I added Pink Ghastlies Forest

Finished size is 84" x 96"
374" of binding...stitched down by hand.
It is deliciously dark and a MONSTER!

I couldn't get enough pictures.
I couldn't believe it was done!

and yet...it was!

There may be a reason Alexander Henry follows my work.
There may be a reason The Ghastlies designer, Phillip De Leon 
had me send some of my work to their booth at Quilt market.
There may be a reason I am know on Instagram as
"The Ghastlies Queen"
There may be a reason I am quite Ghastlie!

2018 Year In Review

2018 has been a fun year...

It started in Ocean Isle Beach, NC

where I spent the winter.

I was only an hour from my son in Myrtle Beach

so I got to see him at least once a week! 

While at the beach I made 3 quilt tops

and later finished them at home.  

Ghastlies by the Sea

A Ghastlies Moments Panel

transformed into large Economy Blocks

Ghastlies Peep Show

I used 4 early lines of Ghastlies from 2009 - 2012

The Ghastlies, Ghastlies Night,

Ghastlies Reunion, Ghastlies End

 Thimble Blossoms Red Velvet Pattern variation.

Painted Forest pattern by Blue Nichols Quilts.

A dark background of stash fabrics

making it a Halloween Version 

with Cotton and Steel Spellbound and Boo

"Don't Go Into the Forest"

I did an asymmetrical setting vs straight

rows of the trees

I also made a few zipper bags.

The Clarissa bag is my favorite.

Back to Ohio in April and sewing was done for a while.

Spring brings my garden work!

May rolled around and I made this Poolside tote

for a special friend who retired.  

June, I began sewing a quilt for a good neighbor.

His birthday is July 4th and Red, White and Blue!

Sadly, Mark was diagnosed with lung cancer.

He is doing ok but is happy to have this

quilt to snuggle under with his recovery.

August rolled around and I wanted to make the

Range Back Pack.

I used cork, Essex linen and 

 Buckeye colors of scarlet and gray.

September I quilted my Pumpkin Quilt

that I had sewn together at a May retreat.

October new baby received this sweet quilt.

But the quilt I was happiest to finish was...

My Ghastlies Mode Make Modern Building Blocks.

A five year project...drove me nuts

the pattern sucked, sew many tiny pieces 

and the sections often did not fit together

requiring "strips" be sewn to make them fit!

Really Moda? who tested this pattern?

I decided to make the blocks I wanted

and fill in some fussy cut blocks 

to highlight my Ghastlies fabrics.

THEN....it finished quickly!

Cassandra Beaver quilted this huge 82" x 96" monster!

I made over 50 projects in 2018

 bags, zipper pouches, table runners, place mats, 

pot holders, baskets, pin cushions, cushion covers

 and numerous blocks or WIPs that still remain on my shelves.

AND this number includes

7 Lap size or larger quilts!

I also knitted some scarves...this is my fav

I am now in a card making group that meets once a month 

and having a great time creating with paper and ink.

I also usher for 6 Columubs OH Theatres.

Since July 1 (when the season begins)

I have ushered 28 events.

I ushered enough shows before July that I earned

free tickets to the Summer Movie Series.

I invited some crazy girls to join me in a night of

American Graffiti FUN!

Oh yes, we stopped traffic!

The best project this year was my sewing room remodel!

I spent two weeks at the beach while my

nephew did all this work.

All I had to do was fill in the color!

I look forward to 2019

Lots of sewing, card making, vacations

and time with family and friends. 

Wishing you a very KWILTY New Year!

VIRTUAL COOKIE DIVA!

The Virtual Cookie Exchange organized by
Carol at Just Let Me Quilt begins today!
I happen to be the first of many bloggers who will share
their holiday recipes, traditions and fun!

I have been a COOKIE DIVA since 2000



 I hosted Christmas Cookie Exchange Parties
with my girlfriends for 10 years.
This is a pic from the last year...when
I presented each sweet friend with her own 
"Cookie Diva Apron"

My party was not your typical cookie exchange!
I prepared and served a complete meal,
made each guest a "handmade" party favor,
made Cookie Recipe Books (using their recipes) for all
AND I decked my halls with as many as 17 Christmas trees.

COOKIE DIVAS had to bring 6 dozen, of 1 cookie
(no duplicates...they had to call asap with recipe)
NO store bought, NO no-bakes, HOMEMADE!



Dress in the party theme...different FUN theme each year!
Girls dressed in everything from Santa's Suites,
to this Christmas Mouse



I had wonderful prizes every year for best dressed, best cookie, etc.
Sew many wonderful memories with my friends.


The "Vintage Apron Theme" was one of my favorite parties.
I asked each girl to wear the apron and then gift it to me.
They each signed a muslin square 
with their name and the year we met.

I wouldn't tell them why!!!
I made this Memory Quilt with Friendship Stars
using those aprons and signed squares

Block close up 

FMQ on a longarm by Shirley Haller.

Here's the label

Of course, because of these parties the girls
crowned me "The Cookie Queen"
 I have a special "cookie baking" apron...

I have many cookie recipes to share with you today

They are on my Sweet Celebrations tab...

For quick access click here  !

But THIS cookie is a favorite!

November 27

Kwilty Pleasures (me)

Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

Songbird Designs

Creative Latitude

Ms P Designs USA

Gray Barn Designs

Alycia Quilts

Happy Cottage Quilter

Sew Many Yarns

Get the entire 3-day lineup here at

Just Let me Quilt 

And as you read this I am on my way to see to see 
The Biltmore Estate decorated for Christmas. 
See Asheville, NC holiday lights
and stock up on my Biltmore Wine! 
Our 19th Anniversary is Dec 4 but this is our celebration.

I will respond to your comments as soon as I can...
Please tell me what your favorite Christmas Cookie is...