Tying the quilt

Jan wrote: Good thing Pinky has a big table. Here is April, Pinky, and Mary, busy hand tying the quilt with big needles and some embroidery floss. It went fast and we had time to go play afterwards.

Ideas For Trade Card Display...

The first picture is of Pinky's using adhesive cork squares and mounting the ATCs on the cork with pins. She used the clear plastic sleeves to protect the cards. The second picture is a frame I found at Micheal's. It has hinges on the side and a clasp to keep it from coming open. What I liked about this frame was that it would hold cards that were somewhat 3-D or built up a bit. I also found a frame for baseball cards that holds the sturdier plastic sleeves for collector cards. I got such a steal on it on eBay because the person listed it wrong and I just happened to stumble upon it. It is perfect for completely flat cards, such as ones from artists that have water color paintings on them, etc. I put each one of my cards in a plastic sleeve and used little squares of velcro on the frame and then on the back of each card sleeve. It keeps them right in place and I don't have to dust them...that's the main thing :>))

Jan's Bracelet...

Jan wore this wonderful bracelet that she made, so I had to take a picture of it. Each bead is done separately in peyote beading technique. It is absolutely beautiful!

Finished!!!!

After we tied the quilt, it was finished and here's how it looks...We had some time left over and decided to go to town and hit the scrapbooking store called the Picture Attic in Long Beach. We also went to a store called Consign Me and I think we all left with something from each place!

Now This is Cozy...

We all took turns to see how cozy it will be and decided that we all should probably make one of these...the fleece just is so warm and cozy, too.

Jan Did The Sewing Of The Front to The Back...

Since not all of us could sew, Jan did the honors. She placed the front of the quilt top to the right side of the fleece, sewed around it once and then 1/4" in and sewed again. It made a nice finished look to the quilt. We used the fleece for coziness. I don't have any pics of us tying. We tied the quilt with Jan's hand dyed cotton thread (beautiful...by the way) in the center of each bull's eye block. Pinky has a huge table and we just all got on a side and went for it. It really went quite fast.

Our Project Before The Backing Went On...

L-R Jan, Pinky, and April holding our project (quilt front). We are preparing to put the the backing on and tie it.

Neat Surprise...

Mary says: We had a neat surprise this weekend. Steve and Marlene Hawkins are on the peninsula at their beach house for a few days. Any excuse for a crab pig out, right? We called Pink and Cliff and invited them too. Marlene wanted to meet Pinky as she has been following our S & B blog. We had a fun time. Marlene brought me this neat blue heron that she painted. It is an ACEO. I was thrilled to add it to my little collection. Marlene sells on Esty using the name of lazyhawk.

Hey Girlies...you know what tomorrow is...I think we all have a date at Pinky's tomorrow to work on our project. Can't wait! If I get my act together, I may bring some fabric for you all to go through and see if you want...not promising anything :>)) See you then.

Finally got it to post...I love this stamp...happy dancing horse...

Jan, I tried the Pearl Paper Clay...Great!!!

Mary says: Jan, I opened your package of Pearl Paper Clay and tried it. I love it! It doesn't stick like the Crayola brand did. I just got this neat little dancing horse stamp and had fun with the clay. Thanks for it in my Christmas package...much better. I tried to put a pic on of it, but for some reason wouldn't take it this time.

Pinky was busy all day cutting sqares, cutting blocks, doing dishes, pinning rows...My sewing machine was on the fritz this morning, so Pinky let me use hers...thanks Pink!

Can you tell we have lots of fun together? Tuesdays are the best! Good friends and lots of fun!

Sewing, sewing, sewing....

Once the blocks are made, they are cut into 4 parts and reassembled. These pictures are of the cutting process. Karen, Pinky, and Jan were doing this cutting.

We really put Karen to work today! She not only did the cutting on the blocks, but ironed all those sewn quilt blocks...Maybe we can get her on a sewing machine yet :>))

Go Girls!

Pinky in the front cutting blocks out for the quilt. Jan (left) and April sewing the quilt blocks.

Bull's Eye...

Mary says: We met today at my house and I am amazed at how much we accomplished in a very short time. April, Jan, and I did the sewing and Pinky and Karen did the cutting out, pinning, and ironing. This was a real assembly line. We used mostly batiks...our favorite fabrics. This picture is of the blocks laying on the floor as we adjust them before sewing. The colors are just amazing. We started sewing all the pieces together, but ran out of time. After everyone left, I continued sewing the rows together and we now have a quilt front. Our next thing will be to get some batting and some backing and get it all together. We had a little sense of how the Amish women all work together to make a quilt today...very fun!

Tuesday...YEA!!!

Mary says: Hey Girls...The chili is a cookin' and I can't wait to see you all here tomorrow! This is going to be one busy place...See you all soooooon!

Jan's treasures

These are the postcards that I received in trade from the other S&B's. They are all great, aren't they? I love them.














Here are my ATC's from the group. They are each one little works of art. So much detail in each one! Wonderful. Jan

The second picture is of the match boxes Pinky decorated for us. The other pictures are of our postcard trade.

Tuesday's Christmas Party...A Little Late...

Mary said: Tuesday was soooo fun! We had our belated Christmas party. All of us exchanged names this year and did the exchange on Tuesday. I think everyone was as thrilled as I was with my goodies. We were also exchanging our postcard size ATC's. As if we didn't have enough to do...we all brought rubber stamps we are no longer using and put them out on the table for anyone to take. It was great...take the old and leave with the new. I love my stamps! I figured that we would probably only have a little bit of time left, so brought a tub of air dry clay and we each did some rolling out, stamping, and just generally fiddling around with it. I had never used it before. Jan has done things out of it and probably has the most experience with it. You can stamp it and put what you stamp (after painting or embellishing) on cards, etc...whatever you choose. It wasn't really a workshop, but just a little goof off time...very fun!

I'm going to post some pictures now of what we were doing.

Pinky ended up making us all small boxes of matches covered. She did a little creative stamping or drawing on each one...so neat!

The Gang's All Here

 
Today we had our Christmas party. A bit late but it was worth the wait. From left to right are Jan, Joan, April, Pinky, Karen, and Mary. It seems that everyone had some extra things to share with the group besides all the wonderful Christmas gifts we gave. Mary took lots of photos so I will let her share those and tell about them. Thanks ladies, for another wonderful creative day!
Jan

Christmas Party on Tuesday...

Mary says: Hey girlies...tomorrow is our belated Christmas party at Karen's and stamp trade. Bring some stamps to work with also (ones you like) , a piece of saran wrap or a large baggie to work on, a piece of newspaper, and some stamp ink. That's all...maybe some wipe cloths for your hands and I will bring the rest. I figure we might not have a lot of time to work, so we could just do this little project.

Mary says: Jan...Refresh My Mind...

Mary says: When you want to transfer rust item to cloth, do you make the cloth wet first?

Mary says...April, I did it too!

You will see below that there are two pics of Jan that are the very same! How could that possibly happen??? Hmmm...

Tuesday at S & B...a wonderful day!!!

As usual, Tuesday was a great day at April's. We were missing Karen and Joan today, but hopefully will see them next Tues. for our belated Christmas Party. Amber's friend, Julia...from Germany was there today and making a card for Jeff Lieferman. Jan was working on a very colorful piece made of hand dyed cheese-type cloth stitched on to a base of colored tissue glued to backing. While we were there, she did some beading and hand stitching...very coooool piece. Anxious to see it all done. April was working on her postcards...due next week. We are going to do a postcard size trade next Tues. Pinky was working on a new paper folding technique to use with cards. The papers she used were oriental looking. The first one took her some time, but the second one, she said, was easier. I think I might like to try it. I worked on a birthday card and a Valentine card to trade with a DAWG member. We all planned a special group project to start in a couple of weeks. As usual, the time went way too fast, but we did take care of some of the problems of the world...

Mary saying...

I'm so glad you have started posting on here. I was feeling like the Lone Ranger...I think it just gives us all boosts to see what each other is doing when we don't get to get together. I love it! Now, we need to get Pink that new computer so she can put things on and Karen too. We might need another lesson the the posting. I know Karen is working on things all the time and Pinky too. Hey...see you tomorrow. I have really missed you all so much. I am feeling alive today and over the yucks...

Diana, Debbie & Amber's ATC's

Diana's ATC was made with flowers, fiber and hearts (which she cut off of a playing card. Debbie's ATC edges were singed with a candle and has a little tatted embellishment. Amber's ATC is made with a playing card that has been embellished with decorated fabric. They are pretty talented, aren't they?

Craft Day ATC's

Although there were only three Stitchin' B's at the Birkenfeld Community Church January Craft Day, I thought you'd like to see the ATC's we made. I will put up a couple singles, too. (If I can figure how to do it.) Posted by April