DRESDENS IN A BOX

This post is just a bit different from most in the

 Dresden Hop and you won't want to miss my story below.

First,  I must thank Madman Samm 

at Sew we Quilt for allowing me to post what
I'm going to show you today and to Christine 

over at Quilt Monster in My Closet for hosting.

AND these bloggers for sharing the day with me.

January 30^th, 2013

Charlotte H @ “that Other Blog”

It Seems to be Sew

Merry Gay in Stitches

Water Penny

Granny Good Stuff

Under the Presser Foot

More Stars in Comanche

Sew Me Something Good

The Day Before This Day

Farm Road

Livin' Blue Quilter

I Piece 2 Mary
Kwilty Pleasures (that's me)
Espritpatch

____________________________________

I like to yard sale and usually I never find much.  

I'm always hoping to find old sewing items.  

At a yard sale a couple years ago
I found a box of old fabrics and 

began to dig around in it.  

Could it be...no wait...

OMG..it is....

Stay Calm

don't look excited....breathe deep.

 I found some unfinished blocks.

Stay Calm

Fabric looks like feed sacks...

I'm pretty sure it is.  

Dig deeper.

Stay Calm

Hands are shaking..heart pounding

Stay Calm

12 hand pieced 

"Dresden Plates" 

Stay Calm 

"How much for this box of old fabric?"  

Stay Calm 

 $1.00

I almost Peed my Pants!

So although I didn't make these 12 Dresdens,
I am guessing were made in the 40s...
from feed sacks and clothing.

I wanted to share them with you!

LOOK at these TEENY, TINY, hand stitches 

My Dresdens in a Box!

Isn't it great that both young and old,

both Traditional and Modern quilters

can ALL enjoy such a block with roots that are so deep!
"What goes around comes around" was never more
true than with this quilt block design.  

Keep you eyes wide open and dare to dig around
for Dresdens and other antique Kwilty Pleasures!

SEW ALONG

I have just enjoyed my first Friday Nite Sew In!

I had no idea what FNSI when I saw it on

 "Handmade by Heidi" blog.

What a fun idea...a big thanks to Heidi

for organizing!

First UFO was to finish this quilt top.

Then I began making a diaper bag for a little boy using 

the Chubby Charmer pattern

Isn't this giraffe fabric just the cutest!

Then I had a toddler quilt - pinned and ready to quilt

Quilted - Front View

Backing...I love the freedom of Modern design!

Close up of the meander quilt design using a soft gray thread.

And a dark gray for the border.  

Will sew binding on later today 

and DONE!

I am happy I found the FNSI  !!!

I hope you have enjoyed my projects.

PJs, Wine and What?

Sew, of course, I have found yet more trouble to get into!

FNSI

It's Friday, Jan 25th and I'll give it a try.  

Maybe you will too!

Handmade by Heidi Blog has participants,

from all over the world, that now includes me.

Click here for more info.

I have plenty of projects I can choose from...

But the BIG decision will be "red" or "white" wine?

Sunday Snippet - The Moral of my UFO Story

We call those unfinished sewing projects, many things.

Some of which I cannot print here!  (wink)

I call them UFO's (unfinished objects)

Some call them WIPs (works in progress)  

I have even heard them referred to as 

PIGS (Projects in grocery sacks).

Well I "might" hold a record here for the time 
(5 years)

it took to finish a UFO.  

This quilt was made from 
Louisa Smith's "Strips and Curves" book
and templates.

The first delay was my fear to 

 "sew" the curves.  We were shown "how to"

in the class but by the time I got to it..well...

you know how that goes.

But I finally said more "unprintable words" 
jumped in and made the blocks in Fall of 2011
then finished the top in Jan 2012.

Then came the dilemma...how to machine quilt it? 

I don't want any traditional quilting design

and I want to quilt it myself.

So, I drug my feet for another year. 

Then I was introduced to MODERN quilting designs

and I found my way across the top of the quilt 

Concentric Circles took a lot of time

but were oh so worth it!

Free motion design between the circles

A view of the backing

The soft inner border gives the eyes a place to rest.

I sewed one straight line vertically down that border.

A keyboard border is made form all the strata scraps.

I quilted one vertical line down that border.

The outside border was a sold batik and 

I quilted organic vertical lines using the edge of 

my walking foot as the guide.

and views of the finished quilt.

The moral of my UFO story is...

don't fret over your UFOs.  
When you are ready to finish your project 
you will know it.  
 Don't worry about it...
just wait til you feel the creativity.  
Sometimes that can take years. 

I can't come up with a name for this one,

any suggestions?

"Once in a Blue Moon" 
winning title

WORDS WINNER!!!

I received 194 comments on my post for the
"In Your Words" Blog Hop.
Thanks to "everyone" who took the time
to leave me your kind WORDS!
They mean so much to me!

The Random Number Generator selected  #57 
 that belongs to....Bonnie58

57. Bonnie58 said...

I am a new follower. Love the stitching. 

Thanks for sharing

January 7, 2013 at 9:52 AM

Bonnie, I have sent you an email for a mailing address 
so I can send you this batik jelly roll!

Til next time I hope all you are enjoying your own

Kwilty Pleasures!