{Post 1,003} Apple Pie Quilt

Might have gotten your attention with that name, huh?  The original quilt is in blue and called Blueberry Pie.  


I opened an Etsy shop last week under the name ShelbyStitcher.  So I've been making items to put in there.  This pattern looked really neat, and I made it up in all Thimbleberries reds and creams.  It seems like a long time since I've done any T'b sewing.  

This measures 65-1/2" x 77", too big to fit on my design wall.  Rachel held it out to the side, but I couldn't get a good picture.  I will try again tomorrow.  I want my Etsy shots to be the best they can be.  


Very unusual for me, especially with a scrappy quilt, but I cut out all the pieces before I did a stitch for this one.  Cut it out last night and sewed all the units, even double sewed the corner seams.  They were BIG--3-1/2" squares of creams.  So I have 120 red and cream HSTs to use up somewhere.


I want to be fair and yet receive the value of my quilt tops. How much would you charge for one of these?  I have a price in mind, but I want to see how close your suggestions come.


Good night!


~Joan

{Post 1,002} Scrappy Bargello

I have a new appreciation for the ones who stage pics for quilt magazines.  You will understand why after you see my efforts:

My bed was already made with my Texas Braid quilt on it, so I just put the newly-finished quilt right on top of it and left the pillow shams there.  Inventive, right?

I realized that by adding one more row (making 7 instead of 6) I would have a quilt big enough for my queen-sized bed.  Maybe next time.

I tried to capture the texture of the quilting, but could not.  

~Joan

{Post 1,001} Independence Day

Did something really unusual for our family today...we all went together to the Kings Mountain National Military Park.  A kind lady took a pic of all of us there:

Then we all pitched in and cleaned up and decluttered the whole house.  (Thanks, guys!)  My husband volunteered to get us some special vittles for a lunch feast.  We had rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, baked herb potato wedges, and fresh corn on the cob (bliss).  Watermelon and apple pie bars to come later.

Wes also surprised me by picking up these beauties to enhance our table.

We watched many short videos of the Revolutionary War days at the Park.  They have a beautiful center where there is a museum and gift shop.  It is so well done.  Evidently the battle at Kings Mountain was the beginning of the end of the war, where the tide was turned.  To hear of such sacrifice and suffering moved me to tears several times.  

Colonel Isaac Shelby was a valiant and brave leader in the Revolutionary War.  Our fair city was named after him.  

So glad to live in a free country and am grateful for those who served in the past and are serving now to keep those freedoms intact.

~Joan, who is off to sew in the basement, where it is cooler :)

{Post 1,000} Bummer

Flying along merrily quilting some Wonky Feathers a la Pajama Quilter inspiration and suddenly, things did not seem right.  The machine was d-r-a-g-g-i-n-g along.  I suspected there were tension issues.  When I pulled the bobbin out, I noticed it was not tightly wound.  So I refilled it onto a new empty bobbin and proceeded.  Fixing the above was actually really fast and easy.  You know, just clip and rip that bottom thread that is completely straight then pull the loops up from the top.  


I have the binding sewn to the front.  Have two quilts in the dryer waiting for completion...I've gotten a lot of quilts finished lately!  Ready to start 5-6 more!  Just kidding.  I know you're worried about me.


Here is the front of the quilt.  It measures 43" square and is destined for a baby girl in our church who has yet to make an appearance.

I tried to get good shots of the machine quilting several times, but it just never panned out.  The texture is marvelous.  I used a variegated purple/periwinkle/blue thread, and it is so silky smooth!  Another baby quilt NEARLY off my list.


~Joan

{Post #999} Giveaway Winner!

Ruth is the winner of these lovely FQs (actually, the gold is a 1/2 yard cut).  Please email me your address, and I'll get them right out to you!

A bit of Parker history that some will find interesting and others will want to skip...


My DH had been teaching in a Christian school from our honeymoon until shortly after our 6th child was born.  The company he started working for bought special season tickets for the newly-established Carolina Panthers football team.  Their first season was in 1996, the same year as my son was born.  They issued these commemorative cups to those ticket holders.  I've had the cup since 1996.  I am not a fan of any team.  We went to one game as a "treat" from his company, but that is the only game I've ever seen.  Never even watched one on TV (largely in part because we have never owned a TV!)


In this day and age, I find it shocking that I've had any one item that long!


1,000th post tomorrow!  What shall it contain?

{Post #998} Fair and Square Quilted!

Wow--this is a big finish.  I have never done machine quilting that was so intensive or dense.  I.  love.  it!!


I am looking forward to seeing it washed and dried.  I sewed the binding onto the front.  I used one shirt and had enough to go around another two sides.  Much more fabric there than I thought.

{Post #997} My World

Welcome to my world!  The above picture is a shot from my life yesterday.  I got a surprise package in the mail from Natasha.  She had told me it was coming, but what could it be?  SELVAGES!  She had cut into some new fabric and had selvages she saved for me.  How thoughtful is she??


This is a shot from my cutting table.  Starting on the left and going clockwise I have incoming mail, car keys (never far from my hot little hand), a set of I Spy squares I listed on eBay, Thimbleberries scraps, my camera case (also never far), a string setting triangle for my Squares Surrounded top, my water cup, and a 6" x 12" ruler.


Guess how long I've been using that water cup?  It is easy to remember.  My 1,000th post for this blog is coming up (how can THAT be?).  I will have a giveaway in honor of my upcoming 1,000th post for the person who can guess most closely how long that cup has been used by moi.  It is easy for me to remember because I got it on what some would consider a special occasion.  I will give away a set of Thimbleberries FQs to the winner.  Let's set the deadline for guessing as Monday at noon my time (east coast).


The cup has some special qualities.  It has a black interior (which you can't see in the photo).  That was important when I used to drink soda because I favored Diet Pepsi, Diet Coke, or Diet Dr. Pepper.  The kids couldn't tell WHAT I was drinking because even water (my current beverage of choice) looks black when in "the cup".  It is double-walled, so no condensation.  Most importantly, it is really big.  It is seldom w/o ice water in it for me.  


Funny memory...all my kids and DH know that this is MY cup.  Once when DH's father and stepmother were visiting from another state, she walked into the living room saying she had to take some pills and needed a little water to swallow them with.  She walked in holding MY cup, and the kids all collectively gasped.  It was akin to someone sitting in DAD'S chair!!  Thanks to their wonderful upbringing no doubt, none of them actually SAID anything.  


~Joan