2013

Picture from Timeline photos

By Susan Spangler Pictures + Words

FUSED-GLASS JEWELRY

Early this month, I took a fused-glass jewelry class.  I have never done anything like this.  We selected glass, cut it, stacked it, etc.  We had the option of making pendants, earrings, bracelets, etc.  I made 5 pendents.  This is was relaxing and fun!  Four of them are dimensional - stacked.  The largest one is smooth.  You do this by laying a piece of glass over the whole thing, once it's put together.  They are then fired in a kiln.

Both my daughter and my daughter-in-law received these for Christmas this year.  I love to give something one of a kind and made with love.

Next time, I might try making quilt block shapes.   Hmmm............. might be hard to get the symmetry thing going on tiny pieces of cut glass.

MERRY CHIRSTMAS!

This is our lawn nativity.  Merry Christmas, everyone.  And may you keep the true meaning of the season in your hearts.

OUR CHARLIE BROWN CHIRSTMAS TREE

We drastically down-sized our digs a year ago.  We moved just before Christmas, and didn't decorate at all for the holidays last year. 

In our 'big' house I went nuts and decorated everywhere.  We had a 12' tree in the living room, all in gold.  We donated that one to a youth ranch when we moved.  We knew it wouldn't fit.  The family room tree we kept, but it's too big too.  Maybe next year we can put it up on the lanai.  The master bedroom tree has potential.  It's small and short.  The teacher tree is smaller yet, and might fit somewhere.  Maybe my office.

Now that we are more settled we can see where a tree might fit in our great room, but it will have to be slim at the bottom.  I thought those slim but 6' or 7' tall ones would be just right.  They were sold out locally, but I've ordered one that should be here before Christmas. 

Our stack of gifts for the grands looked sad not being under a tree.  Then, ureka, I found this Charlie Brown Christmas tree at Aldi's.  I've always told DH that all we really need is just a Charlie Brown tree.  Not a fancy one.  Well, now we have one.  It even came with the one ornament and Linus's blanket for the tree skirt!  It's about 12" tall, and all it needs is a little love.

So here's to Charlie Brown, and to the less-is-more philosophy we've embarked on.  Simplify, simplify.

STILL MORE SNOW

Joy arrived all the way from Germany.  Love the way Brigitte placed those outreached hands and made Joy look to the heavens.

Donna's Flakey is just a little infant snow person!

Kathy's Gleam is just a gleam in snow daddy's eye.

Twigs from Cyn in CA has some super arms.  Love her expression too.

Thanks all snow swappers.  There's more to come, so stay tuned.....................

SECRET SANTA

My secret santa gift arrived yesterday.  I received two fabric origami stars, a sweet crazy quilt stocking, and this adorable "Love One Another" pillow.  I love them all.  Thanks so much Debbie M.

Here are photos of both sides of the Cathedral Window ornament I sent to Cindy D.

THANK YOU VETERANS!

Show your appreciation for the sacrifices our veterans have made throughout history and continue to make today.

28 NIGHTCAPS

 

 

There hasn't been much sewing from me this week, with 3 doctor appointments on the docket, and one requiring an overnight.  However my daughter, Melissa, did pop in to sew 28 nightcaps for her daughter's preschool.  

 



The kiddos will be wearing them with pajamas on a float in the Christmas parade tomorrow. We finished them in a couple hours, working together. Many hands make light work! Plus I LOVE sewing with my DD.

EASY STREET BEGINS

Do you love a good mystery quilt?  Bonnie Hunter is famous for them.  Generally her mysteries are tons and tons of tiny pieces.  However, this time she promises this one will be Easy Street.


I have plenty of projects going already, and lots to finish before Christmas.  But (famous last word) I do love a good mystery, and the colors she's using really called to me.  Hmmm..................  Well, I was organizing my stash shelves today anyway, and some fabrics just fell into a pile,, just for this project.

Aquas/teals, limes/aqua greens, purples.  Check,  Plenty of them and good variety.

Black on whites?  Check.  At least 3 yards and lots of variety.  2 yards of a gray?  No, but a mostly black with a gray line, Check. 

These are all from my shelves.  No need to dig in bins.  Did it make a dent?  Ha!  No!  Had trouble fitting the rest back after pulling these.

The first step went up today.  There will be one a week for however long it takes (6 or 8 weeks).  You can click to Easy Street here,, or on my side bar.

Tempted????

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

We all have much to be thankful for.  I'm including my on-line friends in my list.

APPLIQUE 'PILLOW'

Do you use a pillow in your lap when you do handwork?  Many quilters have a pillow they use.  It holds the work up so your arms don't get tired.

I use a Quilter's Cut 'n Press for mine.  I got this tip from Linda Franz of Inklingo.  I put the cutting side down, and use the pressing side.  I can stick my pins and needles into it.  On a larger pin I put the loop of the handle of my applique scissors.  My needle threader rests nicely too.  Thread spools and thimbles can rest on larger pins too.

This is a Dutch Treat bock I'm working on.  But if hand-piecing, the fabric pieces can be laid out on the surface in order and won't move around.

When I get up it's easy to just move the whole thing and set it on a flat surface.  Everything stays in place, ready to pick up when I'm ready.

Hope all you blog-hoppers find some time to stitch today.

MORE SNOW

This little cuttie arrived yesterday from Frummie.  He's machine embroidered and appliqued.  Looks like a playful little guy, ready for a snowball fight.  He joins my Melty on my design wall.  Two here, ten to arrive.

HEARTWARMING GIFT!

My dear friend, Ginny, who is always looking out for others, was at a sale yesterday, where an elderly woman was selling off her quilting book collection.  Ginny selected two of those reusable grocery bags full for me!  Ginny doesn't quilt, but she knows I do.  Her specialty is warming the hearts of all those she comes in contact with.  What a blessing she is.

I tried to get a creative picture to show how many books and some of the titles.  All these books are copyrighted 1985 through 1995, so there's some real classics in the lot, including three of Georgia Bonesteel's originals, and an early Judy Martin book.  All of these books are in excellent, hardly ever used, condition.  No writing, no tears, etc.

Perhaps you can see some of the titles better here.

Or not, LOL!  But you get the idea!  I'm a kid in the candy store, scanning through old pictures of Fons and Porter and Debbie Mum.  Treasures!

Here's a quilt I'm adding to the ever growing to-do list of WHIMMs -- Works Hidden In My Mind.  This little Baltimore Album quilt is only 20" x 25" total.  The blocks are 4".  Why as my eyes and fingers get older, does my mind want to take on greater and greater challenge???

Of course Ginny wouldn't tell me how much she paid, just saying the lady was happy to get rid of them as she moves on to an assisted living, or something like that.

I think I have a way to pay her back for the kindness.  But mums the word for now.  However, thank you Ginny!

Hope you are having as wonderful a day as I am.

FLYING SNOWPEOPLE

My snowpeople are in the mail.  Here's the whole gang, minus one.  That one was already sealed in it's envelope when I decided to take the picture. 

While they are pretty much the same, they each have thier own personality too.

WHITTLES FABRICS

Just a little plug today, for one of my favorite online fabric stores.  I sent them an email on Friday asking about a certain fabric (how large is the print, how much do you have, etc.).  I heard back right away and placed my order the same day.  On Monday my ordered arrived.

10 yards of a lovely print at $4.00 per yard, all stuffed in a flat rate $5 envelope!  Amazing!  Fabric at the best price, shipped at the best rate, and the fastest service ever!

I have no affiliation whatever.  Just sharing what I know.

VOTE TODAY, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!

Don't forget to vote today, my American friends.  It may be 'inconvenient' in your busy day, but stop and think about what our foremothers went through to win this right for us.  I took advantage of early voting here in Florida.

I think I'll spend the afternoon working on quilt blocks for my Women's Suffrage quilt.  You can link to the project on my sidebar.  There's a block a week, as well as historical information on the movement.

HURRICANE SANDY DONATION BLOCKS

Here are my six Disappearing 4-Patch blocks that will go in the mail tomorrow on their way to Erin of My Patchwork Life.  She's collecting blocks to be made into quilts for the victims.  As Carol, over at Brown Quilts, said, it's nice to be able to actually DO something to provide a little comfort, and to let people know we care. 

Click on over to Erin's blog for details on how you can get invovled, and a tutorial for the block pattern.

A CHANCE TO HELP OUT

Do you have time and fabric to whip up a couple Disappearing 4-Patch blocks for those in need, after Sandy?  Erin, over at My Patchwork Life blog ia collecting these 12" blocks to assemble quilts for the disaster victims.  Check out her blog for info and a tutorial to make the blocks.  Quilters always care, and are so generous.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I'll be busy handing out candy at DGD;s preschool in the morning, and at trunk-or-treat at church in the evening.  Have fun and stay safe!

SNOWPERSON PROGRESS

 

The production line is all ready to roll:  Statbilizer cut in pieces for the backing, 12 fused blocks ready for white stitching, noses and arms cut, buttons for eyes and cap, floss for top of cap.  Away we go!

SNOWING IN FLORIDA

 

It's hard to make a snowman in Florida before it melts!  This is my first prototype block for a swap on Dear Jane Alternate group.  Here on out it will be production line work, twelve at once.

I hear Sandy may be bringing snow to New England.  Geesh!  She just brought lots of wind here, occasional rain, and those classic hurricane band clouds.  Good weather for staying in and stitching!

MORE DUTCH TREAT BLOCKS

I finished two more Dutch Treat blocks this week.

 

5 of Diamonds

 

 

 

 

And Squirrels

 

Progress, slow but sure.

MINI SWAP QUILT ARRIVES

 

Look what arrived yesterday!  It's my mini-swap quilt from Zoe in South Africa!!!  I just love the colors, and the beautiful trellis borders.  The stitching is so nice, and those button embellishments really make it pop!

 

She included that lovely spoon, which has ethnic beadwork made by rural women in Kwazdu Natal.  I just love that sort of thing, where purchasing it helps the women support themselves.

 



There are two labels on the back, making it even more special.

The packaging was pretty special too -- a tube with tons of cool stamps.  We actually got pretty excited about that too!

So the mini I created went to Australia, and the one living on my sewing room wall came from South Africa.  Making quilting friends around the world, one swap at a time.  Love it!

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE: Rebekah

 

 

 

 

I reread the story of Rebekah last night. Again my block was made a couple years ago, but this is what I wrote at the time.

I used blue to represent the stream or well where Rebekah said just the right words. The tan represents the camels, so many in number, which she offered to water. The green is for the jealousy and rivalry between the brothers. I also planned to use the right contrast of fabrics to make the cross appear. 

I think sibling rivalry is a normal thing, but favoritism by parents is something else again. And Rebekah's trickery to ensure the blessing for her favorite son, hmmmm........................

 

Each time I go through this bible study, I get more out of it.  Welcoming Hand block is used to represent Rebekah.  Making the quilt block to go with the woman of the bible sure helps me remember her story, her place in history.

ROBOTS

I'm so sorry, but word verification is back, to prove you are not a robot.  While my spam detector did catch most of them, I'm spending way too much time making sure there are no spam comments on my blog.  Please comment as you always have.  Thanks!

ANOTHER DUTCH TREAT BLOCK

This week I stitched Lattice.  I had it about 1/2 done yesterday.  We had grands overnight, and today went to a park.  It was so nice stitching outside on a park bench as they played.  These blocks are so portable -- this is the first one I've done away from home -- but not the last, LOL!  I see a little warp in my lattice.  That's ok.  If it were aged, it would be.

Hope all my followers are having as wonderful a weekend as I am.  Two of our grands for an overnight.  Church, smocking class, and an open house tomorrow.  All is well in the universe.

We had a 'cold front' FL style.  That means we now are into dry weather (as opposed to humid), and it is not hot or cold.  Just perfect weather to be comfortable in shorts and short sleeves.  Love it!  Bedroom windows are open for sleeping tonight.

GRANDMOTHER'S CHOICE: ALICE'S FLAG

This week's block  for the Grandmother's Choice quilt is Alice's Flag.  It is reminiscent of the flag Alice Paul made.  She used three panels, and then added an askew star every time a state ratified voting for women.  The 19 amendment had been introduced in the late 1800/s, and was brought up again and again at every session.  What the women wanted was a national ammendment that would allow all women in the USA the right to vote, as state by state ratification of the 19th amendment was so slow.

LOTTO BLOCKS

Last night I made these 12" blocks for a small group Block Lotto I'm in.  On the left is my October entry, and while I had the black and whites out, I decided to stitch Nov. too.  I love black and white blocks with a touch of whatever.

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE: LOT'S WIFE

This week we are studying Lot's Wife.  I completed my my Crossroads block 1/30/08, and my journal thoughts from that time follow.

In pondering the quilt block for Lot's wife, I have several thoughts.  What would Sodom look like with the burning sulfur raining down?  Would it be red and blinding?  Would it be white and gray ash, reminiscent of the pictures of the towers on 9/ll?  In the end I've decided to make the "stripes" of increasing urgency to look back dark.  Dark represents the evils of Sodom that Lot's wife was so reluctant to let go of.  I'm combining that with blue, the light.  That's a color I associate with heaven.

DREAMY BEACH

Yesterday I put my row robin quilt together.  I'm naming it "Dreamy Beach" and it will go on the wall of my guest room.  I hope it helps my guests have balmy dreams.

 

Here's a close up of the top. The top row is sunrise/sunset, rippling on the water from Angela. She's so creative -- the ripples and blending colors are perfect.  The next row is beach umbrellas. I love how Cindy D. slanted them, and made perfect shadows! Third is my starter theme row, with paper pieced cabanas and palm trees.

 

 

The fourth row is pails and shovels from Terry.  She used dimensional handles on the pails (ribbon attached with buttons), and added sea shells too.  Carol sent the flip-flops.  Each pair is unique and has embellished straps.  There's also a little applique crab at the bottom, suggested by her granddaughter.  The bottom row is from Linda.  She made the beautiful fish swimming through the sea weed. It's so realistic how they are swimming in and out.

 

Here's a close up of the border fabric.  The green is all beach names, and the corners are beach clothes hanging on the line.  They're from Lucy's Crab Shack by Moda.

 

 

I wanted to give this quilt proper documentation, so I used the blocks from Cindy F. to embellish the labels from each participant, and well as the long one from me in the center, explaining the whole thing.  This will be part of the backing, not attached afterward.

 

My quilt exceeded my expectations.  I'm so touched to be in a group of such caring women who put so much effort and love into the rows they make for others.  I only know Carol in person.  The others are on-line quilting friends.

 

We each set our own theme, made our starter row, added some fabric to be used or not, and sent the pack around the circle.  The 'owner' sets the rows together to her own liking when she gets them back.  I'll be sharing some of the other rows belonging to other gals in this swap, as they get back to their owners.  It's all secret until then, so I couldn't share what I made for them as we went along.