Hearts Abound!

Exciting news this week when I received a request on Thursday from the International Quilting Festival of Ireland (IQFOI)  to exhibit several of my quilts in their "Under the Sea" exhibit.  This will be one of 19 exhibits featured at their festival in June.  Very exciting!

More hearts?  Yes, I'm afraid so.  This is Moda pattern called Fellowship table runner that I just fell in love with.  So, earlier this week I machine appliqued the stems and leaves.  I decided to just hand applique the flowers and hearts.  Just....  : - )

This morning, over my cup of coffee,  I decided to lay them on the floor to see how they looked together.  Lucy can never resist to lay on any quilt project once it hits the floor.  I guess that is her favorite block!

This looks like a nice spot to finish the blocks with a cup of tea.  (Other projects also easily in reach.)

More Sweetheart hearts being pieced together!  Row number 7!  Looks great, don't you think?

Lucy has her own heart-shaped mark on her back she wears everyday.

Baby Lucy - so sweet!

Happy Stitching,

Deb

Valentine Hearts

I have been keeping up with my Sweet Hearts and really enjoying this little treat everyday - usually done after dinner.  It's like my dessert! (Good diet dessert!)

So... here are the hearts I have sewn together so far on my design wall.  I have changed something...... can you tell what it is?

   This is the heart block I made yesterday on Valentines day.  It is sitting on top of the table runner in my kitchen.  Calorie free valentines candy!

Hearts were everywhere yesterday.  We even had a heart-shaped pizza for our Valentines dinner.  Yum!

I also started to sew the basket blocks together.  Keeping that 1/4" seam allowance in check!

They look beautiful and are going together perfectly!

So it has been busy with Mardi Gras and Valentines Day all in one week.  Hope you all had a good one!

...who is that masked quilter??

Happy Stitching,

Deb

Sunday Sewing Day

I think Sunday is my favorite day.  I can spend the day (or at least most of it) in my studio, guilt-free, sewing; or sit with a cup of tea and do some handwork - also a favorite!  Yesterday we awoke to about 8" or 9" of snow.  Not a lot compared to my brother in Connecticut, who got between 25" - 30" of snow.  Thankfully we were spared this time.

My perennial garden.  Doesn't look like much now, but in a few short months the flowers will come alive again with lots of color !

My brothers house along the southern part of Connecticut.  Poor Riley ..... how is she ever going to get out for her walk???  (there is a porch under all that snow ! )  What did the groundhog say last week about Spring?

I am finally caught up on the Sweet Hearts.  Looks like a nice place to sit and stitch for awhile.  Only thing missing is a cup of tea.  Hmmm.. that basket of thread on the floor might be a little too tempting for our girls.  I better go count them to see if any are missing and have been turned into cat toys.

I like this little wire basket.  It is one of several that I got when my favorite quilt shop, Kindred Quilts, closed a couple of months ago.  I miss the shop and the owner.  Toby decide it was time to move onto other things like relaxing! ... and designing.  She has a pattern in the current issue of McCall's Quilting magazine.

Love the colors on the cover of this issue.

I think this will be my heart block for Mardi Gras on Tuesday.  Looks like Mardi Gras colors, no?  The official colors are purple, gold, and green.  I think I picked up this fabric in New Orleans, as a matter of fact.

"Laissez les bons temps rouler"

Happy Stitching!

Deb

Color, Color, Color !!!

Most of my week has been consumed by hearts.  These little gems have really captured my heart! (sorry...that was a bad joke.)  But I have really been enjoying all the colors as you can see from my work table below.

Lots of colorful scraps to work with.  So much fun on wintery days!

I have started to sew the blocks together.  I decided on the black & white.  Thanks for all the feedback - it was unanimous for the black.

Here are Dawn's beautiful batik hearts!  Looks like she is caught up.  Great job Dawn.  The batiks are beautiful.  Wonder if she will use that purple for the setting triangles?

Here are Karin's first five.  They look great - love the colors !  Karin has also recruited her friend Donna... and Donna's friend Patty to join in the fun!

I have a few more to go  - should be able to get them done in the next couple of days. 

My basket of silk thread ready for stitching.

Maybe today I should work on these two blocks today.  We are expecting a blizzard in northwest New Jersey today and tomorrow.......  A foot of snow will keep me indoors sewing - sounds like a perfect day.

Some friends.

  Looks like it could be a quilt group forming!

Happy Stitching Everyone !

Deb

New Year - New Project??? Yes!

So as you know, I have really been trying to focus on what I already have started and actually finishing some UFOs....  And I have been somewhat successful.  Then I stumbled upon a blog from the Netherlands with a very interesting..... and sweet idea.  The project is called "Sweet Hearts 2013" - and the idea is to make one small heart block a day for a year.  I loved this idea... small pieces.. and a completed quilt within a year - What could be better??

So here is my first heart...... so sweet.  Batik heart on a 4 inch white background. 1 down - 364 to go.

And here are the first five already done.  (Little Kitty likes them too!)
Now, you know it is more fun when you have company so I got my girlfriend Dawn to join me in this year-long project (she LOVES hearts - so it didn't take too much arm twisting LOL).  And while we were at it, I got Karin to join us too - so much FUN!!

Of course..... they are like potato chips.  These are put together and ready to be stitched.  Which do you like better - the pink triangles or the black & white?  I can't decide.

Lots of hearts to make - I need to catch up!  We are a month behind!  

If you would like to do the same, I have added the link to the Sweet Hearts 2013 to my blog homepage.  The finished size is 72" X 72" and the pattern and cutting measurements are on the Sweet Hearts blog.

I am sure you will be seeing lots of these !

Happy Stitching

Deb