Wordless Weekend

Happy Quilting

(Or Should I say Happy Crafting?)

Kay Lynne

Friday Night Sew-In & A Hawkmoth Hummingbird

Yeah--I finished my quilt Courthouse Steps quilt top!

This lap quilt is a special request from a friend.  I plan on sandwiching it together and machine quilting it before Christmas.

I also found a UFO that I had forgotten to finish.  There was only about 12 inches of binding to be sewn down!  So Friday night was the night to get it done!

I had sewn this wall hanging together many years ago when I worked at a quilt shop.  I have many projects like this one that I have the top together, but it needs to be finished.  When I was teaching at Machine & Needle, I found it extremely hard to finish a project when we were always trying to sew up samples to inspire our customers.  I am glad that I always bought enough fabric to finish the project :)

Please check out the picture above to see the Hawkmoth hummingbird that has been enjoying my flowers in our backyard.  I told a friend that works for the park district and he said that they are very rare in Northwest Ohio because of our climate.  This is the first time I have ever seen one in person.  This picture was taken just at dusk.  I didn't plan on the cement alligator being in the picture--it just happened that way :)

Happy Quilting,

Kay Lynne

Rainbows, 4H Quilts for St. V's, and Antique Quilts at a Garage Sale!

This has been a very busy week at our house.  Unfortunately, I haven't had time to do any sewing.  I've been scraping painted wallpaper in my new sewing room closet.  Since I'm remodeling, I should do it right and paint and update the closet.  There's no hurry because it's been really hot and I'm not going to ask my husband to run new electrical wiring in the attic for my new sewing room until it cools down outside.  This week we were blessed with a rainbow.

I had to work all day at the bakery and received an exciting text message from my sister that the kids gave their quilts to St. V's that afternoon and the local news had filmed them!  Unfortunately, my local news isn't the same as Jenny's.  I'm sure that someone has recorded the news story.  How exciting to be involved in something that helps others!

While driving home from work and feeling sorry for myself because I wanted to be at St. V's with my sister, I ran across a garage sale and I decided to stop.  It was hot and I didn't really want to stop, but a quilt caught my eye and I decided to stop.  What an amazing garage sale!  Guess what I bought--three antique quilts at a dirt cheap price!

This Grandmother's Flower garden quilt is in fairly good shape.  There is some fabric that needs to be replaced and a few repairs.

This pink and white quilt caught my eye.  It's in fair condition, but with a little tender loving care I can fix it.

Have you ever had your quilt teacher tell you to never fold a quilt in the same way or give a quilt a rest from hanging?  Well the picture above is why.  It has literally wore the backing and batting away over time.  My guess is that this is a 1940's quilt.  I plan on repairing this problem spot with vintage fabric so the quilt top is protected.  

Does anyone know the name of the pattern of my pink and white quilt?  Please let me know it if you do.

The third quilt is a simple nine patch.  I haven't really dated it.  It's not 1940's fabric.  I'm thinking maybe 1950's or 60's--what do you think?

This Nine Patch quilt is in really good condition.  There are a few minor repairs, but overall is in good shape.  So this was a great garage sale to come across and I wouldn't of have had the opportunity to buy these quilts if I wouldn't have had to work overtime :)

Don't forget the Friday Night Sew-In is August 20th.

Happy Quilting

Kay Lynne

Wood County Fair Quilt Show and Wedding Cakes

I was very happy to have the opportunity to go to the Wood County Fair Quilt Show.  Although I was disappointed about missing my sister, Jenny, (http://quiltcrazygaljennalouise.blogspot.com/) speak at the quilt show and Kelly of I Have A Notion (http://ihaveanotion.blogspot.com/2010/08/quilt-day-at-wood-county-fair-update.html); I seen a lot of wonderful quilts and visited with many quilters.  

The pictures below are the St. V's quilts that 4H kids and their adult mentors had started after Christmas.  I was honored to be one of the helpers for the day.  What a special gift to welcome a premature baby into this world!

If you're interested in learning more about St. V's quilts, please visit Jenny's blog that is posted above.  Just in case you're wondering why there are no names on the quilts--I retouched the photos so the kids and their mentors can have some privacy.

Now for the reason I missed Jenny and Kelly at the quilt show:  wedding cakes.  I had two wedding cakes to get done.  Both cakes have clear pillars and will be stacked at set-up.

There is also another smaller basket weave cake that is not pictured.  I also did a full sheet cake that had the basket weave pattern.  I sure had a busy week keeping up with all the orders at work.  Hope you're all having a fun summer.

Happy Quilting!


Kay Lynne

Future Sewing Room

I have a new sewing room in the works!  The walls were painted with a lighter shade and I sponged painted them with one shade darker paint.  It was just something new that I wanted to try since I've had the sponge for years and never tried it.  I finished stenciling last week.

Below is a toy sewing machine that inspired me to make the sewing machine stencil that I used.

I bought this sweet little toy sewing machine at an antique shop over 25 years ago.  It doesn't sew, but it makes a really cute decoration.

My kids, Ron and Jamie, helped me roll up the old carpet and throw it out the window, which was much easier than carrying through the house.  I've never threw something out the window before--it was a great feeling.  Many years ago I had a lemon sewing machine and I felt like throwing it out the window, but I behaved--oh well that's another story.

Now I'm deciding on what type of flooring I want.  There are too many choices out there.  Do I want hardwood, carpet, or laminate?  I will have to shop around for prices.  I also want to redo the closet, which has painted over wallpaper in it that needs to be scraped out--what a mess!  I have already updated three of the closets in our home over the last six years.  It's a lot of work, but well worth the extra storage room it creates.

My husband will be rewiring and adding new outlets.  The weather here has been very hot and humid and I'm not going to ask him to work in the attic until it cools off.  We also want to finish up our outside projects first, but I have a great start and my old sewing room is still in working order while I'm waiting.

Happy Quilting,

Kay Lynne