Swap received from Sewgentle!!!

Swap received from Sewgentle!!!, a photo by ruthiequilts on Flickr.

Wow! Wow! Wow! Can you see all the embroidery on this little masterpiece?! Karen (Sewgentle) outdid herself with the little quilt she sent to me in the Mini QT Swap… Thank you Karen! I’ll try to post a better picture tomorrow!

This little quilt is just beautiful! The French knots and wording for il neige are a special touch! I am so excited to have this!!! The little appliques on the branches represent the seasons. It is just lovely! Can’t you see why I can’t help but swap?! Hi, my name is Ruthie, and I’m a swap-a-holic…

The Big Reveal!

So back awhile ago, I showed you all some pistachio shells into which I had drilled holes…  Here’s the link to that page:  https://ruthiequilts.wordpress.com/2013/07/25/what-the/?preview=true&preview_id=1530&preview_nonce=ca207831e0

Here’s the canvas…

Now it’s time for the big reveal!

The Roy Quilt Guild had a Recycled Quilt Challenge.  This is the project that I came up with.  The branch is recycled wool and the blossoms are of course pistachio shells!  I won the “Viewers Choice” and got crowned the “Recycle Queen”  Thank you all in the Roy Guild for your votes!!!

And thanks to you my peeps for stopping by!!!  XOXO

Winter Retreat!

Winter Retreat!, a photo by ruthiequilts on Flickr.

Every year in January, the ladies at Village Dry Goods Quilt Store in Brigham City, Utah, offer a retreat taught by National teachers…

This years’ teacher was Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings. Lisa works with hand dyed wools and does incredible wool applique! She taught us several different embroidery stitches, plus how to keep the edges of our wool applique nice and clean! It works like a dream!  Lisa dyes her own wools and has a quilt store in her hometown.  She appliques wool onto cotton, homespuns, flannels, and wool!  I love the added texture that the wool gives to cottons!  So fun!

Now a quick word on Village Dry Goods…  Village Dry Goods is my favorite quilting store!  They’re about 30-45 minutes away from my home, but well worth the trip!  I tell my friends that VDG is like the “Cheers” of quilt shops!  Everytime I come in, I’m greeted by Fran or Rolaine by name!  There is something to be said for good customer service!  Thank you to the Village Dry Good Girls!

Here we are at the retreat…  Fran, co-owner of Village Dry Goods, Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings, Me, Rolaine, co-owner of Village Dry Goods.

Sorry I haven’t been around a whole lot, but that usually means I’m busy sewing! I have a few more fun thing to show and tell, but that will come a little later! Hugs, and keep on stitchin’! The crazy quilter lady…

“Batty About Halloween”

Woo Hoo!  It’s here!  October 1st, 2012…  Day 1 of the Halloween Blog Hop, “Something Wicked This Way Comes”, hosted by Whims and Fancies!  Thanks for inviting me Soma!

I’m just “batty” about Halloween, so what better pattern than a batty bat!  And who doesn’t love candy corns?  (I have to admit that I don’t eat them, but they are so darn cute!)  I thought you might enjoy meeting me, so here I am!  Hi everyone!  (Waving madly!!!)

Just in case we have anyone who is new to paper piecing, I thought I’d leave it to the expert for paper piecing instructions!  Here’s Sewhooked’s tute for paper piecing:  http://sewhooked.com/2008/10/28/paper-piecing-step-by-step/  (Thanks for allowing me to share your link!)  I’ve been a fan of Jennifer for many years, and she is one of our designers!  Lucky us!

Here are the 4 pages of patterns that I have made up for you!  I have them in pdf format now, so they should print up better!

Page 1  https://ruthiequilts.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/page-1-batty1.pdf

Page 2  https://ruthiequilts.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/page-2-batty.pdf

Page 3 https://ruthiequilts.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/page-3-batty.pdf

Page 4  https://ruthiequilts.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/page-4-batty.pdf

Use the line drawing as a guide to help you put your paper pieced sections together…  When you have finished paper piecing your sections and joining them into a block, it’s time to decorate them!  For the eyes and fangs, I used fabric paint that requires heat setting to make it permanent on fabric.  (Heat setting is ironing after 24 hours of letting it dry.  You need to iron the front and the back of the painted areas.)  I used buttons for the pupils, and embroidery (stem stitch) for the bony hands, feet, mouth, and hair.  I also used the stem stitch for the candy cane hangers.  I used a little circle of wool (I prefer a wool fabric to wool felt as it holds up better overtime…) for the nose.

I hope you all enjoy making my Halloween Bat!!!  Thanks for playing!  Let me know if you make him!

What I’ve been working on…

What I’ve been working on…, a photo by ruthiequilts on Flickr.

These are the little projects that I’ve been working on the last few days…  They involve a little handwork, so they’ve been good to take with me to work on at the park!  I’m doing a series of 3 little mouse pincushions (I’ve made Frankenmouse before, just in case he looks familiar, but I keep giving him away!), Frakenmouse, Mousecula, and Witch Hazel!  (She’s not done yet!)  My friend Denise, picked up the pattern at Village Dry Goods.  (I already bought them when they came out last year and the year before!)  Karen, Denise and I are getting together and working on them…  They are too darn cute!

In the Roy Quilt Guild, Sue was teaching us to make 3 jack-o-lanterns stacked on top of each other.  They were a little big for the space I have left for Halloween decorations, so I made a smaller pattern for myself.  Denise and Leslie wanted to do the smaller size too, so the three of us did my little pattern!  Denise and Leslie were both doing things differently, so I stole, ummm…, borrowed the ideas I liked best from all three of them.  The pumpkins are the end result!  Thanks ladies!!!  I’ll add them to my Halloween mini quilt display on the clothesline…

Sew and Save Block…

Sew and Save Block…, a photo by ruthiequilts on Flickr.

This is the first block of the new series at my local quilt store, Sew and Save. It will be 12 blocks that we make over the next year… The fabrics are really fun! They’re flannel with a wool fabric print. Maybe I’ll back it with wool! It really looks fall’ish to me, so I love it! (This time of year I’m always inspired to make fall things! And halloween, if you haven’t noticed!)Poukie had to give it the scratch test…  It passed with flying fall colors!
It’s due on Saturday, and I’ve had a month to finish it. Nothing like waiting until the last minute! LOL!

Thanks for visiting!  Keep on stitching…

Look what I got!

One to one pincushion swap- side view…, a photo by ruthiequilts on Flickr.

I am an admin for a flickr group. On occasion, we get a request for a new member that doesn’t have any swap experience. I offer to swap with them if they have some of their art/quilty works in their photostream and look like they might be a good fit with the group. This way, we can ensure new members have some swap history under their belts.

Sadly to say, I have seen enough flakers and slackers that I want to make sure all swappers receive a wonderful little quilt! (Slackers mail late routinely, and flakers just up and disappear after their swaps have arrived to them and never send to their partners.)

I received this beautiful little pinnie from Jeanfiberarts today!!! It is beautifully made, and I always love quality wool projects!!! Thanks Jean! I love it!

Now to get busy making something for Jean!

Sheep pincushion for FLiPS on flickr.

Without a base…, a photo by ruthiequilts on Flickr.

This little lamb is the pinnie that I made for my secret partner in the Fabulous Little Pincushion Swap on flickr. I’ve given her/him the choice of an added base or not… I like the base, which I got at a thrift store and is really a candle holder! (Love recycling!)  It’s legs are the same shape as the swirl on the sheeps back.

However, if my partner doesn’t want the base, I’ve cut out 3 more of these little sheep for myself and 2 of my friends for Christmas!  I can always use it on mine!

We were at the quilt store while our friend Sue (of 2 Sue’s and a Ruth) was visiting from Ohio. The 2 Sues asked me to make them this pinnie. I said, “Sure! Buy me the pattern and I’ll make them for you for Christmas!”

Suckers! I’ve wanted that pattern for a long time! LOL! (Please note: It is not my true intention to insult my friends! No friends were hurt in the making of this pincushion.)