A Quilty Finish...

 

A Completed Birthday Quilt

 

I sent this quilt off to be longarmed by the guys at Primitive Gatherings a few weeks ago when my machines flat refused to lend me a hand. Don't tell Jane and Destiny, but I'm glad I did. I asked for an all-over Baptist fan pattern, and they sure delivered! I love the way it looks on the design I executed in French General fabrics. 

As I write this, I've put the final stitches into the binding, and it's ready to be gifted - an "extended" Birthday gift for a loved one. I'll be presenting it today. Yesterday, I was telling my friend, Kathy D. that I was doing the binding so I could give it to the recipient today. Nothing like last minute. Her reply was, "Isn't the the way binding always happens?" She's right. It seems we're always sewing on the binding at the last minute. 

Well, I'm happy this one is finished and I'm looking forward to the reactions. Thanksgiving was quiet, but busy. I was baking, not just for dinner, but also for lunch today. We'll have company for a few hours, so I wanted to make something special. Quiche and cranberry cake are on the menu. 

I'm starting the day much earlier than usual for me, as I'm meeting one of my nieces for an early breakfast. Then off to Wendi's so she can cut my hair. I'll be home just in time to greet our lunch guests. My plan is to take a nap after they leave. 

No Black Friday shopping for me, but I will be working on getting my Etsy shop reopened over the weekend, with some sale pricing for those looking for gift ideas. I'll also list up some items here on Monday with direct purchase links. I guess I'd better be off about my day. I'll be back tomorrow. If you're braving the stores today, stay safe out there!

Moving Right Along...

I've completed four placemats and napkins so far. I'll sew the rest today. I've bound the ones that are finished, and even though there are three different styles and fabric combinations from the French General line being used, I'm binding all of them in the same fabric shown on this one. It's also the final border on the table quilt below it.

We bought new hard floors for our dining room and master bedroom today. It's going to be installed on Friday, so I'm going to share before and after photographs on Saturday. It's pretty exciting to have the crummy builder's carpeting finally ripped out of here. I can't wait to share the transformation with you.

Fezzik is working on his post for tomorrow, so I'd better go and see if he wants me to take photographs for him. Thanks for stopping by, dear friends. I hope you have a happy and creative day. If you're getting pounded with more snow today, please stay warm and safe, too!

Sewing In The Rain...

This is the assortment I chose for my table accessories project last week. Of course, the weekend was full and fun (more about that later this week), but I didn't get as far as I'd planned to create my pieces.

Monday was spent catching up on housework (groceries and tidying up), and then I had chorale rehearsal in the evening. No sewing.

Tuesday morning was spent going over some of my music for the Soundsations, and before I knew it, I had to run out to their Tuesday afternoon rehearsal. I can't tell you how much fun I'm having learning new songs and dance moves needed for a few of the numbers.

The weather turned nasty late day, so I decided to stay home from Books a Million knit night and spend time in the studio instead. Back for some much-needed sewing therapy.
I also pulled out the yardage I'd purchased of French General toweling fabric. I decided to make napkins from the toweling to coordinate with the placemats I'm making from the General line.

I've taking our family away from paper napkins, and to tell the truth, I'm really enjoying the civility of using fabric napkins instead. I know my friend, Krisann likes the fact that it's also a green decision - and she's right - but it's the luxe factor that I really enjoy. Simple pleasures, right?
This is just one of the placemats I created last night. I haven't sewn the binding on the placemat yet. I'm going to make all the mats first and then I'll bind them all at the same time. The finished placemats measure 12" x 18" and the napkins are 18" square.

All of the fabrics were used in my French General "Rouenneries" quilt, which I use on our kitchen table. I'm making six placemats and six napkins. All the napkins are the same, but the placemats will be made in pairs, so there will be three different sets.

I bet you can guess what I'll be doing today. I'll show you tomorrow, when I should have everything finished! I really do love playing in the studio.

Dream A Little Dream...

I spent a little time in the studio with the French General again yesterday. I'm not even going to try to apologize. You know how much I love this fabric line, and the colors just make me happy.

You'll remember that I made a table quilt in the "Rouenneries" line, so I decided that I needed to add some accessories to go with it. I'm not finished yet, but probably will be today or tomorrow.

I just wanted you to know what I'm working on right now. Never one to just sit around, you know. I'll be back with more photographs just as soon as I've finished everything. Trust me. It's all cool!
I just got my Restoration Hardware catalog and I have to have these! Belgian linen sheet sets in natural colors. I think they're gorgeous, and I've learned through reading Kari Meng's book, The French General: Home Sewn, that the linen sheets only get softer with multiple washings.
Here's another photograph of the sheets (and coordinating bedding) installed on one of Restoration Hardware's linen-trimmed beds. (You'll have to excuse me. I'm having a serious day-dream moment here.)

I hope this week holds something dreamy for you, too. We all need to have something to dream about, don't you think?

NOTE: I want to remind you (early) that my first Memory Lane Monday party will be on January 31st. I'll give you one more reminder on Saturday, January 29th, so you have plenty of time to write about your own special memories. I'm really looking forward to reading your stories!

Another Finished Blanket Of Love...

The French General quilt that I made with the Moda "Rouenneries" fabric is completely finished now. I sewed the binding onto it on Friday night. There was no daylight left to photograph it, so we did that Saturday morning.

I can't tell you how much I'm loving this quilt. The colors, even though there are reds in it, are restful to me. I even have enough of the fabrics left to make another quilt, adding some navy fabrics that I have in my stash. Don't you think they would combine to make a perfect, all-purpose, patriotic-feeling quilt or table cover?

I found that the French General's newer fabric lines coordinate perfectly with "Rouenneries", too. So, I could also add fabrics from "Lumiere De Noel", "Rural Jardin", or "Maison de Garance" and they would all work together. Good to know if you'd like to make one of your own and can't find any of the "Rouenneries" line.
Here, you can see both the front and the back of the quilt. It measures 60" wide by 74" long, so it's perfect as a table cover for my antique oak table in our dinette area. The table I'll use it on was our dining room table in Wisconsin. It was a wedding gift from my parents, and I couldn't part with it when we moved to Florida. As we have a teak dining set here, this well-loved antique now resides in our alcove which features windows facing out onto our pool.

The quilt fits it perfectly, so I'm sure it will cover the table for many future gatherings. It's really funny to hear the reactions of friends when they realize I've set the table for a meal on top of one of my quilts. "You mean, we're going to eat over this pretty quilt?" I just laugh and remind them that it's washable, just like a regular tablecloth.

Don't you think it's just being a gracious hostess to set a beautiful table with beautiful things? Of course, you do! I've seen many of your tables, and am inspired by each and every one of them.
Here's the label on this quilt. I always credit the machine quilters, too. Without their talent, my quilts wouldn't look nearly as good. Thank you, Kathy! You're a true artist, my friend. Whether it's used over my table or as a warm cover for a nap, a quilt is a blanket of love. I think that's why making them is so special to my heart.

On A Wing, And A Little Prayer...

A little nervous, a little apprehensive and a lot excited. I'm taking a little leap of faith, and puttin' myself "out there". We'll see what happens. I promise to let you know more as soon as I do. Do you like what you see? I hope "they" do, too!

On another note, I picked up my French General and Williamsburg Welcome quilts this week. Kathy at Sandy's Quilt Shop does a beautiful job of quilting my everyone's pieces on her long-arm, and I'm thrilled with the results. I'm looking forward to my final contributions - the binding and label to make "complete".

Williamsburg Welcome will be raffled at the Consort in September to raise funds for music student scholarships, and The General will become the newest member of our private quilt family. I'll show you what they look like when they're all finished and ready to use.

The Winner, A Giveaway, And A General Update...

And now, for a celebration of my own!!!

It happened when I wasn't even watching!
The next thing I knew, Brynwood had 400 friends.
Of course, it's time to celebrate with another drawing.

I'm humbled and honored that you like what I write here.
Enough to put me into your blog roll or in your reader so
you can keep up with my projects, activities and thoughts.

You mean the world to me, really!!!...and you make me
want to be a better person. I try to make Brynwood an
interesting place to visit with new things to share.
I always try to put my best foot forward for you, and
really treasure the friendships I've made here.
I look forward to getting to know all of you even better.

I'd like to say "thank you" to
Karen at Graphics Fairy
for this fabulous vintage image of two ballerinas.
I'm going to offer FOUR giveaway gifts using this image.
"What are they?", you say.
Uh, remember the part where I told you
I was taken unawares?
I have no idea what I'll do with this image yet.
I might make a gift tag. I might make a cushion.
I promise that, as the drawing progresses, I'll share
each of the gifts with you as I make them up next week.
Here's how you enter the drawing...
Only comments on this post will count for the drawing.
• One entry if you leave a comment
• One more entry if you are a follower, or become one.
• One more entry if you blog about my giveaway,
post my button, and link back to this post.
PLEASE LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.

The giveaway will end at midnight Saturday, July 10, 2010.
I'll announce the winners on Sunday, July 11, 2010.

Feel free to use any giveaway image above in your blog.
Good luck, y'all!
Announcing the winner of my
Strawberry Rose
from the
"Where Bloggers Create II" event.
#57
Rebecca from A Gathering of Thoughts
Congratulations, Rebecca!
Please email your address to me so that I can send out your strawberry.
I finished piecing the French General quilt top yesterday.
I added two more borders from what I showed yesterday,
and today, I'll take it out to be assembled.
I'll add the binding when it comes back.
My Bloggerette Sorority Sister, Marsha,
from Marsha's Musings and Sassy Mini Dolls
is having a giveaway, too!
Deadline to enter is July 14th.
Click on the giveaway photo to enter.
UPDATE: Midnight July 14th
The Giveaway Drawing Is Closed.
Thanks for entering!

The General Advances With Good News...

Day Two of my French General quilt...
When I showed it to Handsome, he really liked it!

Another cool thing is that, when I'm finished, I'll
still have enough fabric left for another project or two.

I just saw that Brynwood has 400 followers.
I can't tell you how much this means to me.
So, you know what that means for you, right?
A Four Hundredth Follower Giveaway!!!

I'm going to draw a name to win a Strawberry Rose tonight
for the Where Bloggers Create II studio hop. If you haven't
entered that drawing yet,click here to enter.
The drawing will close at midnight tonight.

I'll announce the winner in my post tomorrow.
After I announce the winner of that giveaway, I'll
show you what I'll be offering to celebrate my newest milestone.
I hope you'll come back to visit and enter.