Autumn Table Topper

For the past few weeks I have been sneaking into my sewing room for a few moments at a time to make this table topper for fall:


Mine turned out wider than what the pattern called for since I used 3 inch fabric strips instead of 2.5 inch strips. Mainly because I bought a Moda scrap bag that had all of these beautiful 3 inch strips and there was no way I was going to cut them all down to 2.5!

Also, I was only supposed to use dark and light fabrics, but I mixed in lots of pretty mediums, so I don't have quite the contrast that I should have. But I really like it anyway.

The best part? It's reversible! The other side is similar to this side, except more dark fabrics and fewer light. So when I have a little spill, all I have to do is flip it over!

Lots of cutting and piecing, but I like to call that "therapy".

The pattern is in Quilter's World June 2010.

Rubber Duckie Spud

Today I found a potato that looks just like a rubber duckie. I'm hoping it will make me rich and famous.

Remind Me To Never Go Running Here

see more Very Demotivational

Baking Photos

Here are some more pics of the baking that I did for the Black Walnut Festival. Again, if you would like recipes, let me know.


Oatmeal Cookies with Black Walnuts and Cranberries:

Black Walnut Cake:


Pinwheel Cookies with Black Walnuts, Raspberry Jam and Coconut:


The sale is today and we are having fantastic fall weather. Hopefully we will sell out!

Black Walnut Baking

On Saturday, our church will have a baked goods booth at the Black Walnut Festival in Camden, Ohio. Needless to say, I have been doing LOTS of baking with black walnuts. Here are some things that I did today:

Banana Black Walnut Bread:


Pumpkin Black Walnut Bread:



Black Walnut Bars (not sliced yet):


If you've never tried black walnuts, they are different from the usual english walnuts. The taste is much stronger and more aromatic. They are also very expensive--about $12/lb. If anyone ever invites you to help shell black walnuts, just say no! You have to open them with a hammer and then use a little pick to remove the nut meats. And they stain your hands. It's not a good time. But they are delicious! Email me if you want recipes.

Mitten!

I tried my hand at machine applique yesterday--and decided that I need a lot more practice! But this block will make a cute table runner or wall hanging if several mittens are made in different fabrics. I got the mitten template from the Connecting Threads site--it's a free pattern for a mitten garland, which is also really cute.

Redwork Hand Embroidery

I've waited a long time to post this project on my blog!



I made this for an embroidery challenge in my Yahoo group Quilt Makers International. We were each given the simple embroidery design and told to make anything that we want using it.

I decided to go with simple redwork, since I have been wanting to do some redwork for a long time. I embroidered by hand onto some white on white fabric, and then used that as a center panel for a table topper.

I couldn't show you the finished project until now, because our group members were voting for their favorite entry during the month of August.

Wow, this gives me the itch to sew! I haven't done very much in my craft room this summer. It's time to get back in my groove!