The Cotton Quilt

Quilt labels

2011-02-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

Great use for the selvage edge of your fabric. Use it to make borders for the label on your quilt.

Having the selvage tells you the designer, collection and fabric company. Great to have if you want to duplicate the quilt or repair a damaged piece. These labels are from the book "Quilts from Bloom Creek".

Being Creative

2010-01-16T08:33:00.000-08:00

Using what you have on hand is part of the fun of quilting and crafting.
Geraldine Douglas did that with her Christmas wall hanging. She needed to make twelve and it was going to be costly to purchase hangers for all of them. The panel she was using had snowmen with twig arms. She went into her yard and found perfect twigs from her maple trees to diplay the hanging. The twig has so much even texture that it looks like it has it has been manufactured.

Quilt Label

2010-01-07T16:01:00.001-08:00

I found a neat poem that would be great for a toddler quilt label.

From A Toddler Quilt Maker (good for a label)

This quilt is made of cloth and thread
to place upon your little bed.

It's not an heirloom - just to keep,
but to lie upon as you count sheep.

Or perhaps the floor's the perfect place
for a doll and teddy picnic space.

This quilt can be anything you dream -
from Superman's cape to the robe of a queen.

Pretend its a raft adrift at sea,
or just cuddle up when you watch TV.

So use it up and wear it out-
I promise I won't yell or pout,

Just tell me when its days are through,
and I'll make another, just for you.

~One source says the author is Kathy Sherlock.

I think this is a really cute poem.

We are in Sanford hoping it doesn't snow and we have a good quilt show.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T17:41:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope this year brings many blessings to everyone.

If you are interested in embroidery, I found a neat website. You are shown a new stitch every day. They have already gone through many stiches, but they are still on the site with great photography and illustrations to show you how to do the stitch.

The link is

http://handembroiderynetwork.blogspot.com/search/label/Stitch%20A%20Day

Neat Tip

2009-12-31T11:49:00.000-08:00

On this cold, dreary day I have gone back and forth between sewing, packing for the show and surfing the web.

While on the surfing part, I can across a neat tip. I don't remember the site and I apologize for

copying their tip, but I thought it was worth passing on.

Every time you quilt you have scraps of batting left over. A good way to use them up is to cut them to fit your swiffer dust mop. They work great for dusting and if you dampen the cotton you could mop with them. Since the batting would probably be thrown away, this is a great way to get more use out of them.

Smoky Mountains

2009-12-26T06:02:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like waking up in the Smoky Mountains to lift your spirits.

It is a beautiful crisp morning here. Our entire family along with Steve's girlfriend Denise and her mother and sister are here. It is new tradition that we are starting, making different memories at Christmas.

I only got to window shop on Christmas Day to get my quilting fix for the day. We went by Cherry Pit in Sevierville, just to look at the window displays. I will miss a visit as they are closed until Monday.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T15:42:00.000-08:00

I hope this finds everyone happy and healthy on this Christmas Eve.
This year is very different for me than past years. It is the first time I will be without
my parents. I have missed them terribly today but we are starting new traditions and moving on. My family has been very agreeable to trying new ideas.

I would like to thank everyone who has helped me through this past year.
I never dreamed it would have been as difficult as it has been.
It has been wonderful to have so many quilting friends that have been there for me and my family. I think the quilting world has the most generous, kind people there are.
I know my closest friends are those I have met through quilting.

Enjoy your family and the holidays and be safe.
We have much more to do next year.

Snow and Embroidery Items.

2009-12-19T09:29:00.000-08:00

We were blanketed yesterday and last night with 6-8 inches of snow.

It is wonderful to sew with everything so quiet outside. I have really enjoyed my sewing room at the shop.

This is a picture of my shop with all of the snow and beautiful Carolina blue sky

There are so many talented ladies in the area who have embroidery machines. I have debated buying one, but I don't feel that I have the time to devote to it at this time.

Janey James is a good friend and a very creative friend. She brought me a great gift of a
tote bag that she created. The embroidery is so nice. She uses her machine all the time for great projects such as this. This is going to be so nice to take to the quilt shows. It won't tip over and all my stuff fall out.

Another friend, Becky Henderson, gave me a great gift of kitchen towels. She was so clever and kind to make me a pair that matched my shop kitchen perfectly. I was thrilled to get them.

Becky is another one that makes good use of her machine. She is always adding embroidered elements to her quilts.

Wing Clipper

2009-12-15T07:19:00.000-08:00

As most of you know when I get in a new product, and if I like it, I am like an evangelist.

I feel that everyone should know about it.

That is the case with the new Wing Clipper ruler that came in yesterday. You can trim flying geese and they will turn out perfect. It will trim up to 10 1/2 inch blocks.

The new block of the month has quite a few flying geese and I put them aside until I got the new ruler. I finished two blocks in short order after using the trimmer.

The rulers are $18.00 and I have a good stock of them at the shop

and they will be for sale on the website.

Rainy Day... Four Patch Posie

2009-12-05T08:46:00.001-08:00

Nothing to do but sew on this rainy day. My grandson who is nine, ran in a 2K this morning and he was the winner.

Denise Schulz has got her Four Patch Posie together and she designed her own layout which is very unique. I like the way the edges are angled.

Welcome

2009-12-04T06:48:00.000-08:00

I welcome you to my new blog. I have a lot of great ideas and products that come my way that I would like to share with the quilting world. This will be a better venue to keep quilters updated with what's going on in the shop and new ideas that I think you would enjoy.

It is getting close the end of our Block of the Month program and everyone is picking up their blocks getting prepared to put the quilt together.

I am starting the new Block of the Month, "Back to Nature". I get so excited with everyone of the blocks. I finished the first one yesterday and it is so rewarding to see the fabric come together to make such a colorful block.