Thank YOU

Thank YOU for visiting!  

I apologize to all of my faithful online friends and to new visitors.  The dreaded Word Verification has been turned on for my blog, because the spammers finally found me.

Thank YOU for your understanding!

Hazel Atlas Apple at Home

It is almost summer, not autumn, but I found a lovely yellow apple.  It is the salad bowl size from the Hazel Atlas Apple Line.  You might remember the pattern from my place a few years ago.

It is already proving its usefulness by keeping my pencil from rolling off of the table.  I don't believe I have shared that draw.  For years folks have been suggesting that I publish embroidery patterns.  Maybe that can be a new Texas adventure.  Until then my apple and I will just keep having fun.

Quilted Tea Cup Hot Pads and a Bit of Vintage Fun

This pair of tea cup hot pads was for Mom.  The flower fabric reminds me of the drifts of roadside wildflowers here in the Texas area.  The blossoms are wrong, but the colors and airiness are right.  One of the nightgowns I recently made is of this fabric, and is trimmed with the orange bias tape that is on the handles.

What I really want to share with you today is this wonderful vintage hanky.  It is amazing, because the edge is applied.  For those of you who do not sew, that means another layer of fabric was added on top, and the edges were folded back to be sewn down with the teeny, tiniest stitches imaginable.

  Adding the shapes in the corners is simply mind boggling.  It would be very had for me to do all four corners to match.  The petals on the flowers are so very, very tiny!  I could embroider them easily, but never have I attempted applique that small.  Have you?

Do you want to know a secret?  This one year break from my shop to get us settled here in Texas is driving me bonkers.  The plan was made for good reasons, and it is working really well.  It is just that this absence of constantly finding and funning with vintage goodies is driving me nuts.

Before I open up again I need to check the Texas small business laws, find a good venue for hunting down vintage goodies in Texas, and possibly change the name of the shop.  

I am going to let myself do some small stuff, so that I do not go completely insane.  The Texas Ware Sun Plate is listed, because I decided I want more blue where I was going to put it.  Last week I did find some fabulous designer hankies for the shop.  I will share them with you as soon as they are laundered.

I guess when you really love something, you just cannot stop doing it.  What would be unable to stop doing?

Quilted Coffee Cup Pot Holders

Too Busy To Blog.  I know, it's unbelievable!

Projects have been multiplying around here like bunnies.  I am so busy crafting and sewing, that I am forgetting to share them.  These coffee cups were "put on the shelf", at least their photos were, in order to wait for Mother's Day to pass.  We would not want to ruin any surprises.

That's right, you guessed it.  They are hot pads with handy handles for hanging.  Go ahead, say that five times really fast.

You might recognize the fabric from the baby quilt in April.  When fabrics are this yummy I want to use up every bit.  This colorful pair were for a gal whose cheerful outlook and positive attitude brighten any day.

Most quilted hot pad patterns you find have edges bound with bias tape.  I wanted to slip the handles in the edge though, so I turned them like a pillow case, and slid the double layer of heat resistant batting in afterwards.

Those of you who quilt will know what this is.  I love these miniature patchwork squares in the seams on the reverse side of pieced fabric.  They are like the little tiny wildflowers that hide in the grass.

I have also sewn three new nightgowns trying three different patterns.  For the first time I made a purchased, printed pattern item that actually fits!  There is way too much fun going on here in Texas.

May Basket Pouch with Crochet and Quilting

A Tisket a Tasket, a Green and Yellow Basket!

Each corner of this crocheted doily has a real little bitty May Basket to last all year long.

This is one of the few scraps I brought to Texas.  It was definitely worth the trip and the wait.  

Blue Bonnets as Far as the Eye Can See

Blue Bonnets have become my favorite wildflower. Queen Anne's Lace has been my favorite for years, but I cannot resist these beauties.

I have been wanting to see fields of Blue Bonnets, so Hubby being the nice guy he is, took Little Miss and I to the Ennis Blue Bonnet Festival. It is a nice little town with a charming museum in the old train depot. What is really great though, are the surrounding fields of Blue Bonnets in the spring.

Folks said that Indian Paintbrush flowers and Blue Bonnets were made for each other, and they were absolutely right.

Just the other day I found two Texas wildflower books at the library. Now I can find out what these little purple charmers are.

I love cows! We felt so at home with the cows, the old train depot museum, and the polka festival.

Mama Cow is not amused. What are those birds? Aunt J will know!

It was good to just take the day off, and meander around the countryside. I can honestly say that I do not miss driving through it every day, but it sure is nice to visit.

Crocheted Trim Means I Really Love this Kid

Crocheted trim on blankets is one of those projects that need to be labeled "looks simple, but takes forever".  

I know of five different ways to attach crocheted trim to a fabric project, and I tried two new ones on these receiving blankets.  The paisley one used an embroidered chain stitch foundation, and the cat one used a crochet chain stitch foundation.  I think to really figure out which I like better it would be best to test them on thinner fabric like a cotton pillowcase or napkin.  The nice plush flannel made it a lot more work.  The next time I do a thicker fabric I am going to sew the crocheted trim on after it is made, which is one of the five techniques I mentioned.

It was worth the effort though!