Cathy's Creative Quiltin'

Megan's Frog Quilt

2008-05-18T21:41:00.002Z

This is a picture of my neice, Megan's quilt. She is a 20 something new quilter, and doing so well! The light on this picture is too bright, causing you not to be able to see the designs in the squares. She used a fatt batt, so the quilting really shows up due to the puffiness. This is a huge quilt, 95x108 or so. She used a pink and a green print with little frogs on it, and the blue sashings are polka-dotted. I think she has a good color sense. She is going to the National Quilt Assoc. show in Columbus, Ohio with me next month. I can hardly wait!

Phesant

2008-05-04T00:39:00.002Z

This is a picture of a wild ring neck pheasant my father caught,then released after taking some pictures. He,Dad that is, has spent his whole 84 years on this farm and has only once before seen a pheasant here,so we were pretty surprised by it. It sure was pretty, but squawks like a rusty hinge!

Wedding Dress

2008-04-27T22:48:00.003Z

Finally, here is a picture of the velvet wedding dress that has consumed me for the last few weeks. Let me explain that. The Bride, as you can see, is no small child. She also could not find a pattern she liked. Can you see where this is going? I ended up using parts of 4 patterns!! The skirt back and train were one pattern. The back bodice laces, and is part of another pattern. The front bodice is part of another pattern as she liked that neckline. I ended up drafting the sleeves myself as her arms are a little large. The skirt front is part of another pattern, but split in half and an underskirt of lace inserted. Yes, the whole dress is lined. There are 129 buttons down the back. It took 15 yards of lining and of velvet!! The blue sash I made was not dark blue enough for her, so had to get more fabric and remake it. All was well till she decided to change the undergarments she was going to wear, which changed the way the bodice fitted in a drastic way. The only solution was to pick out the front bodice, re-cut it, and put it back. Booo on falsies, which are what caused the problem.The sequined and beaded trim around the hem and up the center front was hand applied. I got it for a steal on Ebay! After all of this trauma, I didn't start breathing till she said "I do"!Everyone loved the dress, esp the Bride and Mother-of -the-bride, thanks goodness. The pictures are taken in my kitchen, hopefully I'll get a couple better professional ones later. My 20 month old DGS was the ring bearer, and I made his cummerbund and bow tie and the pillow. Don't have a picture of that yet. He was adorable, of course! Yes, I was paid, and well, for all of this. Oh, I also hemmed three pair of suit pants in the deal.The reason this was so nerve-wracking is the bride is the only sister of my DDIL, so I wanted everything to be perfect. The pattern situation and the brides natural pickiness added to the stress. But on a funny note, the bride doesn't know this, the velvet was obtained years ago from a friend who got it at an overstock sale at the Batesville Casket Company!!! It was my gift to her.I've done other weddings, some with many bridesmaids, but this one was the most trying.

Vintage Stitches I

2008-03-16T17:08:00.002Z

This is a picture of my first Vintage Stitches quilt. It is done with the feature blocks left plain. The second one, which isn't quilted yet, has the feature blocks colored. I have another panel of the blocks and may make wall hangings or purses from some of them someday. I like the colored blocks best, they look so old fashioned.

Snow

2008-03-10T18:21:00.005Z

We had a huge snowstorm this last weekend. We got 15 inches of blowing and drifting snow in 36 hours. This may not seem like a lot to some, but it is a lot in southwestern Ohio!This is a picture of the front of my DHs Ford F150 pickup truck and the drift in front of it. He elected to use the skid loader to clear the walks and driveways instead of a shovel. I don't blame him! By Monday the snow is melting, and it is supposed to be up to 50 degrees tomorrow. Now the weather forcasters are concerned about flooding along the Ohio River, about 10 miles south of us. The top picture is of my son, Rusty, and his son, Ben, in a snow cave they built in a drift.DDIL, Melanie, was in the cave taking the picture. I stayed in the house working on the wedding dress I am making for DDILs sister.

Family Pictures

2008-02-10T02:29:00.000Z

This is a picture of DH and myself, and one of DS and daughter-in-law,taken on New Year's Eve, just moments after they told us we will be grandparents for the second time in August. What a great New Year's present. When their first was coming, they told us on Christmas Eve of that year. I was kind of expecting this as we knew they were 'trying', and when they didn't say anything at Christmas I figured I was wrong, so it was a good surprise on New Year's! We are hoping for a girl this time-I can't wait to make little girl things!

Valentine Runner

2008-02-10T02:21:00.001Z

Here is a picture of my version of the Sweetheart Runner pattern. I wanted to make it as a wall hanging, so I changed the orientation of the hearts. It made up very quickly, in a day. Since I took this picture I took it down and steamed the waviness into submission and put it back up.

Computer Problems

2008-02-10T02:12:00.000Z

This is a picture of my husband, Art, working on my computer. Yes, all those many small parts spreas across the table are parts of my computer! It just decided one day not to start. It took him SIX hours to figure out and fix the problem, with parts from another old power supply. He is nothing if not tenacious! I would have heaved it thru a window by that time!LOL He saved us a lot of money, tho. He is an electrician, so he has the meters and test equipment to do this kind of work in a pinch. He is a keeper.

2007-12-03T02:57:00.000Z

Hopefully, here is a picture of my sister Carol and my grandson, Ben, sweeping leaves on the deck. Also a picture of the tree skirt and handmade ornaments and the chocolate and special tin of carmel corn from Ellen. This was our 2007 Christmas Swap, and was great fun. Thanks, Ellen.

2007-12-03T02:36:00.000Z

Hello to all. I can't beleive it has been a month since I added anything to this! I have been very busy with my sister, Carol,one of my quilting sisters. She fell and broke both her femurs aboiut 2 weeks ago. Of course needed surgery to pin everything back together. Would you beleive they kicked her out of the hospital after 2 days?! She went home with her son and DIL, bedfast at the time. She now has a wheelchair and linited ability to use it. She has huge incisions on both legs. I feel so sorry for her. Of course my Dad ,who is 82, is worried to death about her. I hate that too.
On a happier note, I got my Hometown Christmas quilt quilted, and bound, and gift wrapped! Also matching pillowcases. Also finished my Goshen Star quilt, bound and all. My quilter, which I was cussing recently, is behaving nicely, moody thing that it is, so I am going to get another quilt on it quick before it changes moods again!LOL I have all my Christmas presents wrapped except two I don't have yet. I have to get everything done up as I'm gaving hernia surgery on the 20th. I'm going to put the tree up on the evening of the 19th.DH is having nervous jitters. I just want it over with,I've got better things to do!!!
My camera has been giving me fits, but seems to be working some tonight, so I will try to get some pictures poosted soon. I got a lovely little tree skirt from Ellen, my secret Santa at the Hollow,I want to post a pic of it. Till next time, hopefully in just a few days. hugs, Cathy

2007-11-01T23:52:00.000Z

I did it, I did it!!After much teeth-gnashing and tearing of hair, I managed to arrive a boarders I like

on my first, non-TB Hometown Christmas quilt.It finished at 96x106, I think it was. The second picture is of a little block I made, a fireplace with felt stockings with the names on them, and one blank to grow on. Do you think I am too blatent about being ready for grandchild number two?! Now I need to get a quilt off my frame so I can start on this monster. I think I will all-over meander it with a golden-taupe varigated thread. I have one last block to make for the other HC, the all TB one that I am making for myself, then I can set it together and clean up the sewing room.

2007-10-28T18:41:00.000Z

Here is a picture of a combine working in the soybean field across the road from my house. See all the dust it is making? Now see the dust in my house!LOL Also. I got one of my Hometown Christmas tops put together, except for the boarders. It is for my DDIL, and is obviously not all TB fabrics,but includes other playful fabrics to keep grandson entertained. It is 1/2 in out of square which is bugging me, so I will have to fix that with the boarders,sigh. Why can't things just go together the way they are supposed to?! I have one more block to make for the other

HC top, the one that is all TB, for me, then I can put the lattice strips and boarders on it, too. I hope I can get the first one done by Thanksgiving. The second one,mine, can wait for a while. I have a pile of tops wanting to be quilted, but that quilter of mine, a Viking Megaquilter on the Inspira frame, is getting on my last nerve with it's constant thread breakage problems. I sure wish I had gotten a mid-arm instead. Oh well, some day. Now back to putting on boarders and squaring things up instead of playing on the computer! Have a great day. Cathy

2007-10-07T21:18:00.000Z

Here is a picture of my sewing room and the fabrics spread out to make the Hometown Christmas quilts. You can barely tell my poor Featherweight is under there!
The above picture is of the three rows I have finished, the two top rows, one for each quilt, and the second row for one of them. I love the little school house block, but don't know what on earth posessed me to use a blue background!! I am already remaking it with a neutral background. A little un-stitching will have to be done!I used it as DDIK, the intended recipient, is a teacher, and I even stamped the school name on it.Now to make the house and tree blocks for the other quilt. Am I confusing you? I'm confusing me!!LOL

2007-10-05T23:48:00.000Z

I hadn't realized it had been so long since I posted. I've got the top row of each of the two Hometown Christmas quilts I'm making done. I'll try to get a picture tomorrow. I found a ppp of a schoolhouse on the new software I got for my birthday. My DDIL is a teacher, so I am going to make it to substitute for one of the houses in the original pattern. Should be fun.I also found a pattern for a fireplace. I am going to make it and hang personalized stockings on the mantle. I am having fun with this, but my sewing room is a mess!LOL

2007-09-27T20:32:00.000Z

It was raining here today, and I did not have my grandson to babysit, so I spent most of the day sewing. I paper-pieced the little church block from Town and Country Patchwork software that works with Electric Quilt. What tiny pieces are in that block. I made a couple errors in color placement,and may re-do it,but I'll try to post a picture of it and the other paper-pieced 6.5 in blocks I've made to replace some or all of the pinwheels and hourglass blocks. The Evening Star block is 6.5x9,so I will have to make something to space it out to 12in wide. I'm also going to enclose a picture of my grandson, Ben, taking his first steps,just 'cause he's cute! This week is our county fair, it is the largest county fair among the 88 county fairs in Ohio. Schools are out for the week as so many of the rural(that's all of them!) kids have livestock projects to tend to at the fair.The fair started Monday and runs thru Sunday,so I don't have Ben this week, as his Mom is a teacher and is out of school also. This fair is a huge deal around here. I don't know how many categories of competitions there are, must be hundreds. Everything from quilts, to horses and cattle and chickens and bunnies with everything in between. It is always fun to see the biggest veggies, the cake and flower competitions,and of course the couple of dozen quilts on display. There is new farm equipment to see, and the famous pork tenderloin sandwiches that the Pork Producers sell. The Beef Producers sell steak sandwiches, but never sell as much as the Pork Producers do. The stand is the last one on the way to the parking lot, and is is not uncommon for the line to be thousands of feet long. It's a fair tradition, along with the candy apples, fudge, and cotton candy.

2007-09-18T16:04:00.000Z

2007-09-18T15:59:00.000Z

2007-09-18T15:56:00.000Z

2007-09-18T15:52:00.000Z

2007-09-18T15:49:00.000Z

2007-09-18T14:33:00.000Z

Here are the pictures of my two Hometown Christmas quilt blocks that I have done this far. One of them I am going to make some more changes to,take off the light colored ends and put a different fabric there. The Candy Coated Christmas blocks take the place of the holly block in book two, I didn't care for it.

2007-09-18T01:10:00.000Z

This is a wallhanging I made out of swap blocks from Quilter's Hollow. Each one is signed by a friend. My little year old grandson loves it! Cathy

2007-09-18T00:50:00.000Z

Here is a picture of a small wall-hanging I made a few weeks ago. t is a Pearl Krush design called "Family Reunion"It was great fun to make, and I am going to give it to a friend for Christmas. I think there is something wrong with the Hometown Christmas pictures. I will have to re-load them and try again. Thanks for your patience.

Testing Pictures

2007-09-18T00:40:00.000Z

Kim is helping me, so I am going to try to upload some pictures of my Hometown Christmas quilt progress. We'll see.

2007-09-16T16:55:00.000Z

My GH finially got my camera fixed, so I will try to upload a picture of the Hometown Christmas blocks that I have done. I tried to upload them on the Quilter's Hollow site earlier, and they wouldn't upload. No idea why. I've also been machine embroidering Vintage Stitches images onto kitchen towels for my daughter-in-laws birthday present, and Christmas presents for others. Can you tell I got a real deal on towels?! $1 each at the grocery, of all places.Tomnorrow my sister will have surgery to put two plates in her right arm where she broke it falling out my front door. No, not a flight of steps, just one shallow one. So I will be at the hospital with her son, doing some redwork to keep me busy. This is the same hospital and department where I worked before my nervous breakdown 3 years ago, and I am NOT looking forward to even being there. Maybe noone will know me, I hope.