tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-250077952012-01-11T04:09:28.334-07:00This is where you'll find me, my life, and the various and sundry bits of textiles that inhabit it. Welcome!Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.comBlogger2121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-7381877696174122682011-09-14T22:31:00.001-07:002011-09-14T22:31:46.823-07:00

I decided before I embarked on a big new project, I should do some actual crazy quilting to get back in the swing of things.  So I got a block put together for Chloe, my second granddaughter.  I made a block for Sophia, my first granddaughter, some years ago (it's the background on my blog) so I figured I better get with it and do one for Miss Chloe.  Her room is purple and pink so I went with

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-37658602189479003622011-08-28T16:52:00.000-07:002011-08-28T16:52:11.416-07:00

Hey, ladies... hope all is well with you, especially those in Irene's path.  I've been working on finishing up my Midsummer quilt. I've been going block by block around the edges, finishing up the beading on each seam where I stopped short to allow a seam allowance.  Lots of sparklies!  It took me a few tries to figure out the best way to start each beading thread, since I didn't take the

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-13991288414899121412011-06-27T12:57:00.001-07:002011-06-27T13:45:47.304-07:00

So, let's try this again.  This ranch where we spent a few days was really fabulous... here's the kitchen, with a Wolf range no less... fun!! And this is the living room... Here we are all snuggled up in front of the fire... we even had Direct TV! It pretty much snowed the whole time we were there, so the kids made snowmen... TA-DA! We got stuck going in because the road hadn't been plowed (the

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-36972676187276628912011-06-27T12:28:00.002-07:002011-06-27T12:34:31.032-07:00

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Snow!, originally uploaded by Marty52.We spent Christmas 2010 in Colorado. For a few days we were high up in the Never Summer Range... it was breathtaking! I'm trying to get a catch-up post going, ladies, but I'm having

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-86513909162485503502010-08-26T10:52:00.000-07:002010-08-26T10:52:57.887-07:00

Hello sweet ladies! I've been missing in action the last few months but I think I may have returned to the land of the bloggers. I'm feeling reenergized and ready to try and get some creative juices flowing again. On June 4th I had reconstructive surgery on my left foot and the aftermath was rather... ummm... painful to say the least. I took short-term disability so I could stay home and

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-22570872419718661202010-05-06T12:57:00.002-07:002010-05-06T13:19:41.294-07:00

I had no idea it had been so long since I had posted... my how time flies when you aren't having fun! Long story short... slip in the shower resulting in a torn rotator cuff and a pinched sciatic nerve that took months to show up resulting in sleepless nights and pain (now slowly resolving); yearly physical resulting in biopsy (no cancer so no problem except the pulled off skin from the tape..

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-32180030759493366182010-03-13T14:05:00.000-07:002010-03-13T14:05:11.311-07:00

Hope all of you are well and stitching like crazy! I joined the Bead Journal Project (BJP) this year, just to see what I can do with it. I wanted to keep it in the Crazy Quilt realm, since that is my favorite thing to do. First I needed to do the piecing on something a bit sturdier than just muslin in order to hold the beads well. I found a dress of Ultrasuede at Goodwill and decided it would

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-33176393849939898862010-01-19T13:02:00.000-07:002010-01-19T13:02:11.593-07:00

Well, time sure flys when you are having fun, doesn't it?!?! Sheesh, I really need to spend more time here on my blog, don't I? I'll make that a belated New Year's resolution, howzat? ;0) Anyhoo, further progress has been made. I want to give you some closeups of the bottom border... the woodland floor if you will. I'm really tickled at how it came out. My vision was pretty true on this

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-59670944231545598862009-12-14T13:42:00.000-07:002009-12-14T13:42:52.401-07:00

Hey, ladies... hope all is well in your world this beautiful December day! It's been more than a few days; however, I have progress to show you. Here is the total quilt as it stood last weekend. Of course, it's still in pieces and chunks, but you can get the overall idea. I'll be putting narrow borders between the outer blocks and the center portion, but I'm not sure of the fabric yet.

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-62598487972461418462009-11-23T14:57:00.000-07:002009-11-23T14:57:36.884-07:00

Hey, ladies, howze it goin'? Hope everyone is in fine fettle and stitching away! I'm back from vacation... well, I was back 3 weeks ago actually. But, then, as usual, I was sick for a week after our vacation and then life kinda got in the way. I think that long involved road trips will no longer be a part of our vacation plans... too trying on this aging body! We had a really good time...

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-59983558459766478182009-10-17T14:29:00.000-07:002009-10-17T14:29:04.237-07:00

I had the distinct pleasure of attending a 2-day Improvisational Beading class taught by Robin Atkins. Wow, was it an eye opener! So much to learn and so little time... but I gave it a whirl! She started us out with the basics and then moved into more advanced stitches. First we practiced on a trial piece and then we moved into making our own pieces. More about that later! I took a few

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-282065656221962932009-10-06T16:29:00.000-07:002009-10-06T16:29:28.194-07:00

I am still here! I've been doing some stash enhancement in anticipation of doing the final embroidery and beading on the center piece of the Midsummer Quilt. I bought some Sassa Lynne threads and some beautiful ribbon from Maureen's Vintage Acquisitions. She had the colors and the selection I needed all in one place which is nice. I also bought some flower beads and size 15 seed beads off

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-26073697331554589322009-09-10T16:17:00.008-07:002009-09-10T20:58:00.933-07:00

Although I've been quiet on this little blog, I have been working away on the Midsummer CQ project. I've decided that 2.5 years is long enough and it WILL be finished by the end of the year! So, without further ado, here's what I have been up to. When last we left Titania she was wingless and indecisive. Due to popular opinion, including my own, I went with the plain purple wings and here's

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-60333416220711613342009-08-04T20:51:00.003-07:002009-08-04T21:50:24.675-07:00

I have managed to get some piecing done... finally and at last. I took the lower left hand block of the center and began to work on it, feeling my way along, trying to make it work. I wanted to do several things with the center portion. I wanted to- use colors that allow the Titania block to blend in rather than stand apart- follow the curve of the light from under the tree to the outer edge-

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-62085794914391112312009-07-13T12:45:00.003-07:002009-07-13T13:23:21.204-07:00

it's been a looooonnnnnngggggg time! (Name that singer!)I've been working on my Midsummer CQ... beading all the outer blocks. It has been an interesting journey, going back over the blocks and really seeing the stitches on the seams again. The beads I've chosen have been matched pretty closely with the background fabric. There have been some purple and green added in here and there because I

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-23735299201286796252009-06-02T05:50:00.002-07:002009-06-02T06:14:23.234-07:00

Made it! I squeaked under the wire and got my entry into the Alliance for Quilts "Crazy for Quilts" contest. I kept the smaller embellishments to a minimum in order to emphasize the main design elements. The ones I did use I kept close to the color of the background. Supplies used on this piece include vintage linens, lace, pearls, crystals, buttons, sequins and gloves. Soie d'alger silk

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-33652221808202806452009-05-26T19:32:00.003-07:002009-05-26T22:11:03.110-07:00

What a weekend! I spent nearly 25 hours this weekend working on my Alliance for Quilts piece, "After the Ball." I'm so glad it was a 3 day weekend! ;0)This addition of gloves to a CQ project is an idea that has been percolating in my little brain for awhile. I knew I could weave a story around a pair of gloves, and when I saw this lovely lady and her hand mirror, everything clicked in my head

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-54372316933623897112009-05-12T12:27:00.003-07:002009-05-12T12:49:13.667-07:00

Hey, ladies... how's everyone today? For those Mamas out there, I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day! I got a call from each of the boys so that made it a banner day for me. I've been working slowly on my entry in the Alliance for American Quilts "Crazy for Quilts" Contest. Time is passing rather quickly, though, so I need to get my butt in gear! Here is the lovely lady that will

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-19093672747811418712009-04-15T05:33:00.002-07:002009-04-15T06:06:56.333-07:00

Hello??Tap... Tap... Tap... is this thing on?? ;0)Believe it or not, I've started stitching again. I've decided to enter the Alliance for Quilts Crazy for Quilts contest as a way to jump start my creative self. I've set aside the Midsummer Quilt for now to concentrate on the Crazy for Quilts contest. I need to reconnect to crazy quilting and bring something to completion. I need to immerse

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-66985912016516647092009-03-12T08:55:00.002-07:002009-03-12T09:22:12.907-07:00

Hey, ladies... so glad you are still hanging around my little bit of the blogosphere!The above title refers to the fact that my continuing tiredness has finally been diagnosed. Over the past two months, we have been through the ringer medically. I had some wonky blood tests come back over a period of several months and my family doctor thought I had lgl Leukemia. She set me up with a

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-73172865808146762872009-02-14T13:13:00.003-07:002009-02-14T13:26:33.388-07:00

I finished the snail last night and I must say I am pleasantly surprised at how much I like it. ;0)I used beads for the body to give it the shine of the snails body in real life. I wasn't too sure about getting the beading to come together without tooooo many gaps but it actually worked. WooHOO!I used some more of the Waterlilies silk floss for the antenna. I used about 6 strands and then

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-84914146157849660442009-02-09T07:16:00.004-07:002009-02-09T09:01:14.499-07:00

I hope all you ladies have had a great weekend! We had nearly half an inch of rain here in Phoenix on Sunday so it has been a lovely, misty moisty weekend for us. We don't get too many of those here so we really appreciate it when we do!I've added a few more bunches of grass to the single one that was there before. Here is a rather elongated picture... I think you'll have to click on it to see

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-33515980902298054992009-01-21T19:42:00.002-07:002009-01-21T20:27:49.825-07:00

Wasn't yesterday a proud day for the US? Democrat, Republican or Independent, you have to admit we have come a long way, baby!! ;0)I've begun adding more embroidery to the bottom border. I took a deep breath and began a clump of grass in the center of the middle block. I decided on the grass because I wanted the center portion to be a little taller than I was getting with the bunches of

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-27960967508894443332009-01-13T13:08:00.003-07:002009-01-13T13:56:45.936-07:00

Good afternoon ladies! I hope everyone has recovered from the holidays. ;0) Sewing every day hasn't been happening; however, creating has! Getting started on the embellishments for the border was very hard. I don't know what the problem was, but I just couldn't get started. I think it was like when an artist stares at a blank canvas and is afraid to get started. It's been awhile since I

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-82380000719533120652009-01-04T20:37:00.004-07:002009-01-04T20:55:18.496-07:00

I have pieced the border together for the Midsummer CQ. The 5 blocks on each end are each a separate strip and so are the 5 blocks inbetween. I put it back up on the display wall so I could get a picture...It's a bit wonky but I was standing at a bit of an angle. I'm not too sure about the really white seam treatments on the black now, but I'll wait to do any changes until it's all together.

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-55882431392088775342009-01-01T22:22:00.002-07:002009-01-01T22:37:11.604-07:00

I wasn't going to make any "resolutions" this year; however, I have had second thoughts. So... I have resolved that:** I will sew every day** I will strive to get control of my IBS (so I can sew every day)That's it... short, sweet and to the point, but I wanted it on here in black and white on January 1. I hope you all have had a great first day of 2009, and that each and every day hereafter is

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-32109350364200952612008-12-25T17:48:00.002-07:002008-12-25T18:12:44.088-07:00

Hey, ladies! Thought I would check in and wish everyone a very, very, VERY Merry Christmas. It's been a quiet one for us... it's just the two of us this year and I was under the weather yesterday so no super big meal was served today. Just some naturally smoked ham, some hearty cornmeal pancakes and real maple syrup. Simple but very good!I almost got all of my presents where they needed to be

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-17205137207434869682008-12-09T05:53:00.006-07:002008-12-09T14:30:56.587-07:00

Allie asked "What is that gorgeous pink bouquet wallhanging you have on the design wall? Looks yummy....." so I thought I'd give you a closer view. Before moving to Arizona I had started a very interesting class given by Heather Thomas at a quilt shop in Boulder, Colorado. The class was called "The Language of Color and Design" and it was great... at least the first two months were. I ended up

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-8550596667876985782008-11-30T20:16:00.002-07:002008-11-30T20:45:38.982-07:00

I hope everyone in the US had a good Thanksgiving weekend and the rest of you lovely ladies had a great regular weekend. ;0) We certainly did, I do believe I may have cooked the best turkey dinner of my life, everything was great... yay, me! It's such a crap shoot every year as to whether I'll get through the holiday without a stumble or two that it feels good to get it all together finally.

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-91650745182204819582008-11-13T13:07:00.002-07:002008-11-13T13:41:03.889-07:00

So, to get back to the business at hand... I have finished Block 12 AND Block 11 which would be... DA MOON! Here we have Block 12:As with the rest of these blocks, the seam treatments are very simple and monochromatic. Threads used were #8 and #5 perle cotton and silk floss. Here's a closeup of 3 of the seam treatments:Here we have laced cretan stitch, feather stitch with lazy daisy tags, and

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-68558896543639376452008-11-04T22:02:00.001-07:002008-11-04T22:19:34.857-07:00

Yes we can... AND WE DID.

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-39847639115302116602008-10-29T19:44:00.002-07:002008-10-29T20:39:12.034-07:00

Good day to you, m'ladies! How is everything in your world this lovely day? Most wondrous, I hope!I've finished Block 14! WooHoo! ;0)This is the middle block on the top of the outer ring of blocks. Stitches used in this block are Pekinese, chevron, herringbone, cretan, buttonhole, feather, chain and back stitch. Threads used were #8 perle cotton, silk floss and variagated pima cotton (Caron

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-66578233536043246412008-10-16T16:22:00.002-07:002008-10-16T16:39:51.626-07:00

Well, guess it's been awhile. Sorry, 'bout that. It's been a bad summer for me, my IBS has been kicking my butt big time and I just seem to get further behind all the time. Days seem to turn into weeks without me recognizing them. I have been getting around to my usual blogs but actually getting up enough energy to post on my own hasn't happened much this summer. I'm now on some medication

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-43955747847627248042008-09-30T12:35:00.004-07:002008-09-30T13:03:45.682-07:00

Good Afternoon, Ladies!!!Here is Block 15 of the Midsummer CQ... if it seems like I'm going backwards, it's because I'm embroidering the blocks in the opposite direction of the numbering... or something like that! Anyway, this block is finished and I really like some of the seam treatments that came out of it (as always, click to embiggen).Since these blocks are now all moonlit, I'm trying to

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-17248907960106423422008-09-16T05:51:00.005-07:002008-09-16T08:10:06.227-07:00

This block has been done since last week but I haven't blogged about it yet. I know, bad blogger, but life and my wonky digestive system (mostly the latter) have kept me rather distracted. But, it is done and so I shall present it for your perusal...There aren't too many extra special seams on this block, but I did try out a new stitch... double chain stitch. It did the job but I need to

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-19310358570905022852008-09-11T19:46:00.002-07:002008-09-11T19:58:42.847-07:00

There are moments in our lives that stay with us forever. These moments resonate through the years, floating out of our memories unannounced and unbidden. I have a few... Nov. 22, 1963 - the day John F. Kennedy died; Oct. 22, 1979 - the day my father died; and September 11, 2001 - the day the Pentagon was attacked, the day a field in Pennsylvania became a grave for heros... the day a nation and

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-91205608306205033032008-08-27T14:42:00.003-07:002008-08-27T15:40:51.800-07:00

I have been remiss in not acknowledging the Arte de Pico award given to my blog by Lin Moon the first part of August. I feel so honored, Lin!! Thank you so very much!The rules for the Arte y Pico Award are:1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribution to the blogging community, no matter what

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-29697938002691882322008-08-01T15:20:00.002-07:002008-08-02T14:46:16.204-07:00

Look, I've been communing with needle and thread!! Will wonders never cease! ;0)This is the block just below the moon, and where I'm really starting to work with the moonlight. I'm getting there!Here's a couple of closeups of two of my favorite seams on this block. The base stitch for this seam treatment is the herringbone stitch.I added lazy daisy stitches and a couple straight stitches,

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-26211567459618112322008-07-23T14:10:00.002-07:002008-07-23T14:39:53.480-07:00

Organization is a good thing, and I'm up to my ears in it in my sewing room. Moving to a smaller room may seem just plain wrong; however, it's helping to focus my efforts and take care of stuff I've had packed away for years. Behold, my fabric stash...We have quilting cotton on the right-hand set of shelves, and crazy quilting and clothes fabric on the left-hand set of shelves. I also have

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-27721983347109923602008-07-09T13:22:00.005-07:002008-07-09T14:39:45.357-07:00

While we were in Colorado, we helped Josh remove the carpet from his livingroom, revealing the hardwood (and some plywood) underneath. It really got Glenn in the mood to get started on a few things around our house. So, when we got back from our trip, he was all ready to attack the first thing on our to-do list... we wanted to switch the guest room and the sewing room around. We are going to

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-31220658601609305202008-06-26T15:54:00.007-07:002008-06-27T05:25:18.614-07:00

Oh, boy... the drive from Colorado really kicked my butt and I am just now coming out from under the cloud. I suppose a 16 hour drive in this heat and no air conditioning will do that... must make a note to remind myself of that little fact. More on that later, though. I'm going to do the trip all in one post, so hold on!To start from the beginning... we had a great time. Having more than a

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-2056664190837945182008-06-19T21:23:00.002-07:002008-06-19T21:29:38.087-07:00

Sorry for the lapse, ladies. Things kind of snowballed just before vacation and I didn't have time to update. I have some pictures to sort and upload and then I will do a proper post, hopefully on Saturday. Suffice it to say, we had a great time, we held grandbabies, ate too much and definitely didn't sleep enough... it was great!! ;0) We are back in one piece with Glenn's new baby (a 1978

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-70683572907239793412008-05-22T14:17:00.003-07:002008-05-22T18:37:56.490-07:00

Well, I've been trying for several days to finish this block so I could show it to you; however, such is life that I present it to you only partially done. There are a couple of pretty nice seams on this block. This one is the lock stitch, brought to my attention by Elizabeth at Quieter Moments. On this seam the threads used are #12 perle cotton for the straight stitches (that you'll have to

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-50615967220783732972008-05-12T18:22:00.004-07:002008-05-12T19:12:54.097-07:00

Hey Ladies! Surprise... I actually finished another block this weekend! I treated myself and stitched for quite a few hours, happily finishing off Block 8.This one went pretty fast, the seams just kind of fell together. Here's a closeup for you of two of the better treatments.This is the last dark block on the left side, so now I'm moving on into the light, moonlit sky blocks... cool!I also

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-84278440960049022012008-05-08T13:10:00.002-07:002008-05-08T13:43:01.782-07:00

I wish to introduce any remaining readers to the newest edition to the clan... Miss Chloe Ann, born May 2nd and weighing in at 7lbs 1oz and 20 3/4" long.Her little eyes are soooo slanty; however, she does come by it naturally... see?They are very happy, albeit very tired. It looks like Chloe will be a blonde, too and I don't think there is any way she can escape being "blessed" with massively

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-68278912402124683602008-04-17T15:41:00.003-07:002008-04-17T18:15:01.319-07:00

Hello, ladies. Long time no post... life gets rather busy for me around this time of year, apparently... one of these days I'll remember that.Anyhoodles...There has been a little (a very little) stitching going on... I have proof!Block 19 for your viewing pleasure:As I'm going up the right hand side of the quilt, I'm blending the seams a bit more. My favorite seam on this block is feathered

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-49064041816574025372008-03-28T12:49:00.003-07:002008-03-28T13:16:32.714-07:00

Alert the media... stitching has been seen about Ms Marty's palace! No really... see?Isn't it cool? It looks just like the last 7 blocks, doesn't it? Hee! Anyhoo... this is my fave seam treatment on this block...It's a detached raised chain stitch (I think) with lazy daisies alongside. The detached raised chain stitch in white #3 perle cotton was too stark, so I added the lazy daisies in a

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-5558244085221168922008-03-18T13:09:00.002-07:002008-03-18T13:54:20.236-07:00

I received a most welcome gift in the mail on Saturday. Allie had asked me for my snail mail addy last week so I was all atwitter with anticipation. The package was nice and squishy and when I opened it there was a lovely surprise inside. (click on the picture to embiggen - go to all sizes)Isn't it beautiful? It belonged to her grandmother who was a world traveler in the 50's. This looks like

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-81636522712301766122008-03-10T10:14:00.003-07:002008-03-10T10:37:46.145-07:00

Sorry about the unexpected hiatus... I have been, once again, sick with the flu from hell and am only now feeling back to normal. Three days of feeling terrible, followed by a week of slowing waking up. I will be SO glad when this winter is over! I have never been so sick so many times... either Glenn or I have been sick since Thanksgiving and I am soooo over it. Blech.'Nuff said about that.I

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-59732849952144593872008-02-26T14:31:00.004-07:002008-02-26T15:02:39.068-07:00

Goodness but it's been a sick winter for us... both of us had bad colds again last week and pretty much hibernated all weekend. We watched some Cadfael DVDs and a couple of movies and pretty much vegged all weekend. Of course, I did manage to get some work done on Block 7:(click to embiggen)This one got done quickly! ;0)I thought I'd also show you a pic of the entire bottom row of blocks. I

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-1606673212416685652008-02-20T19:41:00.004-07:002008-02-20T20:56:46.220-07:00

Evening ladies... hope all is well in your world. My world has been rather busy, with not much going on in the way of stitching; however, I have done this:This is a variation on Elizabeth's Eskimo edging stitch. I really like this stitch and decided to play around with it on Block 7. Here it is in situ:The gray #8 perle cotton is the eskimo edging stitch and the white #12 perle cotton is just

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-3399762562948628472008-02-12T18:22:00.001-07:002008-02-12T18:52:29.546-07:00

Another busy weekend has passed but I did manage to get some stitching done. When I first started the embroidery on the luna moth (from January's TIF Challenge), I decided to use variegated thread for the veins in the wings. I'm not sure if that was the right decision. I think a single, soft green strand of floss would have given it a more delicate feel; however, it is looking better since I

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-50423346536291656672008-02-06T09:41:00.000-07:002008-02-06T18:24:01.235-07:00

There hasn't been alot of stitching going on around here, I'm afraid. I have been sucked down into Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series... again. I just love these books and for some reason I needed to read them right now! I'm on the fifth one, it's only the second time I've read it, so I'm discovering a few things I missed in my haste to find out what happened... ;0) Anyhoo... that's one reason

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-43255387638707434132008-01-29T16:07:00.000-07:002008-01-29T16:37:50.438-07:00

A quick post to bring you up to speed... I worked on my little luna moth this week. The first version gave me major problems... I sewed it shut all the way around, leaving an opening at the top of the lower wings. Everything was fine until I tried to pull the wing tips through... I twisted and turned, I coaxed and cajoled (and cussed), I did everything but turn handsprings but finally I gave up

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-88096542593898753792008-01-23T19:01:00.000-07:002008-01-23T19:33:47.106-07:00

Ah, well... best laid plans and all that. If, during the past week or so, I haven't visited your blog or, if I did, left a weird comment, I must apologize. I was sick with what I can only assume was the flu and my thinking processes were practically non-existent. I hurt all over and was soooo sick to my stomach... gah. And the nightmares! I pretty much didn't sleep for 3 or 4 days. I would

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-49005458179555694592008-01-15T14:51:00.000-07:002008-01-15T15:35:11.341-07:00

Evenin' Ladies!Christmas is officially gone at my house... we packed up the last of the ornaments, etc. this weekend. It took forever to get it all organized but it's finally done... woohoo! I love Christmas but sure am glad when it's all over and done with. My goal was to get everything packed away in plastic bins in the house. Ha! Not so much... four bins in the house, two bins and numerous

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-91387419734055128472008-01-07T18:17:00.000-07:002008-01-07T19:42:25.919-07:00

Evening, ladies!Well, Glenn is dug in on the couch (he's feeling much better by the way - thanks!) in hopes of watching LSU beat the tar out of Ohio State, so I thought I'd do a little update. I'm delighted to report that I've been tagged for a "Make My Day Award" by Annie, Allie, and Judith. I'm supposed to “Give the award to up to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-79879347706158748022008-01-03T14:21:00.000-07:002008-01-03T14:40:01.232-07:00

I've been doing some thinking about the January Take It Further Challenge that SharonB is running. The color scheme is right up my alley and, in the spirit of multi-tasking, it should dovetail nicely with my Midsummer Night CQ. I'm going to make a Luna Moth to put on my quilt, using this photo as a guide. (Edited to add: As a disclaimer, this is not a photograph of mine, I pulled it from this

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-36007025989812983552008-01-01T15:54:00.000-07:002008-01-01T16:38:25.921-07:00

Ahhh... the best laid plans... but I'm back and I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season of your choice! Ours was rather unusual... two days after my last post Glenn hurt his back. He was unjamming a copier at work and his back felt kinda funny when he stood up. The next morning he could barely get out of bed and actually called in sick to work. When he called in sick the next day, too,

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-76956950834306985442007-12-17T14:19:00.000-07:002007-12-17T15:04:17.848-07:00

Hoo Boy, time sure flies when you are too tired to think! This cold virus really packed a wallop and I have been just barely keeping my head above water, so to speak. I really am feeling alot better; however, I feel like I'm slogging through mud most of the time. Ah, well, I'll be back to normal soon (I hope!).First let me thank everyone for the wonderful comments on my Gingerbread House post!

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-20303279558922562462007-12-07T11:11:00.000-07:002007-12-07T11:50:17.664-07:00

I've had a great time this week working on my little gingerbread house. I wanted to make the house a different shape than the regular kit house so with some judicious use of a bread knife I was able to alter the pitch of the roof to make it look a little more "cottage in the woods." On Monday, a trip to a local big box yielded a nice 16"x24" shelf to cover in aluminum foil for the base and I

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-42786382300152034442007-12-03T13:38:00.000-07:002007-12-03T14:10:58.834-07:00

Hey, ladies, how's it goin'? Everybody ready for Christmas? LOL! Last week was pretty much a wash as I was super sick... stayed home and slept for two straight days and on the third day the boss sent me home at noon I was so sick... gah! Bad cold, courtesy of the grandkids, but I'll take it in exchange for a visit with them! I'm on the road to recovery, though. Yay!I was feeling good enough

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-13501281156872775692007-11-26T19:46:00.000-07:002007-11-26T20:56:57.474-07:00

Evenin' Ladies! I have a very picture heavy post for you. As always, double click to embiggen.I am here to report that you can spend a week with your son, his wife and their two adorable (OK, I'm prejudiced!) children and have a grand time! It seemed like a week long party, albeit with several nights of sick kids. Both Glenn and I took the whole week off so we could fully enjoy our visitors

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-7277055796831532072007-11-17T21:38:00.000-07:002007-11-17T21:41:22.262-07:00

No time for stitching... but my sewing room is clean!!No time for stitching... but my patio is clean!!No time for stitching... but my house is "almost" clean!!No time for stitching... the kids are leaving a day early!!GAH!!!!!!!!

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-73049583957968070272007-11-09T12:09:00.000-07:002007-11-09T14:36:07.483-07:00

Thank you so much, ladies, for your input on how you do your beading and embroidering. Quite a mix I must say! Embroidery in the recliner seems to work just fine; however, like some of you, I think I'm going to try the beading on a table and see how I like it. We have a roll around office table that should work well for me. Cool... you guys are great to let me in on your methods. Oh, Rian?

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-85082002235259249112007-11-05T14:54:00.000-07:002007-11-05T15:11:57.609-07:00

I found some wrist braces/splints at Tarjay this week. They are more comfortable then the ones I wore a few years ago when my carpal tunnel first showed up. This time, I got the braces when the symptoms first appeared so I'm hoping to stave off full blown problems. Exhibit One: Embroidery with bracesThis is my main stitching position... feet up in the recliner and lap stand at the ready. I

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-21499760600221045182007-10-29T12:52:00.000-07:002007-10-29T13:59:52.225-07:00

I have had limited success with my CQ stitching this week. My hands have been giving me problems... tingling fingers and cold all the time. I have had troubles with carpal tunnel in the past so I knew I needed to be careful and limit my needlework time. I didn't even stitch until Thursday, and then I just did one seam. I managed a couple more this weekend, and here's where I am at this point:

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-64616805462098152552007-10-22T14:11:00.000-07:002007-10-22T21:24:39.094-07:00

I have been tagged by Judy and Rissa to show 7 weird/random things about myself. Hmmm... my family would tell you that 7 things is just the tip of the iceberg!!Here are the rules which you must abide by if you are tagged.1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-11925518941199062032007-10-19T12:26:00.000-07:002007-10-19T12:37:34.324-07:00

Block 4 of Midsummer Night CQ is coming along rather well... I think...I'm really not too sure about the curving french knot seam treatment. I love doing those off-the-cuff seam treatments; however, I think I may have gotten a teensy bit carried away on this one. It seems rather cumbersome, and is going to need some more finessing before I'm done. Oh, well... onward!This block, so far, has

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-57222413913255133602007-10-15T06:27:00.000-07:002007-10-15T10:00:27.212-07:00

Thanks for the comments on the last post, ladies. Unfortunately, threadspider, my kitchen isn't always this tidy! That was part of the problem, I had stuff just sitting around without a home. I have actually managed to keep it clean and tidy all week, though, a major accomplishment for me. ;0) It's easier to keep clean when I use everything that is in the kitchen... I've moved all the items

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-81498269475002571122007-10-09T14:30:00.000-07:002007-10-09T15:11:38.674-07:00

Warning: Lots of pictures ahead!********************************Last weekend was spent doing some much needed reorganizing in the kitchen. I want to remodel it (soooooo bad) but finally decided (after much wailing and gnashing of teeth), that now is not the time to do it. In a few years we'll revisit the idea. Anyhoo... I decided that a hanging pot rack was the best way to go to get some much

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-48664838485031106792007-10-04T13:58:00.001-07:002007-10-04T14:17:52.553-07:00

I've been able to do quite a bit of stitching the past few days. I finished all the seam treatments on Block 1 (click to embiggen, as usual)...and then I got started on Block 2. This one seems (I typed "seams" first, LOL!) to be flowing better. I've been able to move from one seam to the next without staring blankly at it looking for inspiration! ;0)The feather stitching in the upper left

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-86465518113999124922007-09-30T15:14:00.000-07:002007-09-30T15:41:48.538-07:00

The previous homeowners left us this lovely "bush" that was beginning to block the driveway, so we decided to cut it way back today.Glenn was cutting and I was hauling... after much cutting and much hauling, that huge 10 foot wide bush was gone, leaving in it's place...a tree stump. Oh yeah... that's nice. Not!I think Priss had a better idea...napping is always a better idea! ;0)Now, a hot

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-674614758005651312007-09-26T13:39:00.001-07:002007-09-26T13:39:09.155-07:00

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Block 1B, originally uploaded by Marty52. I'm blogging this using Flickr's "Blog This" feature, so we'll see how this goes! Three more seams done. I especially like the gray and purple one in the center section. I'm out

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-55501514827589144392007-09-22T18:45:00.000-07:002007-09-23T06:44:22.516-07:00

Edited to fix the mistook on the TAST link. Double oooops! ;0)********************************I was talking with my son Nat (he's painting Titania for my Midsummer Night CQ) this week... HI NAT! and all of a sudden he said, "I think we have a problem."Erm... what problem?Well, he read my blog entry about my vision for this CQ, and after taking a good look at my crude rendering of the quilt, and

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-22888899305286746812007-09-19T13:13:00.000-07:002007-09-19T14:02:02.029-07:00

Good Afternoon, ladies! Hope you're having a wonderful day.I've started embellishing the seams on the first block of the Midsummer CQ. Not much to show yet, though. I should have something picture worthy this weekend. Originally I was going to use just blacks and greys but VERY quickly realized that the threads were so close to the fabric colors that the embellishing would only show up upon

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-7481190514236384222007-09-12T13:22:00.000-07:002007-09-12T14:04:11.886-07:00

I thought I would explain my concept for the Midsummer CQ, as I seem to have caused some confusion. The quilt is based on Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and specifically, the scene where Titania, Queen of the Fairies, is sleeping in the forest.Here's the scene:Imagine yourself sitting at the edge of a forest... you can see some grasses and flowers right in front of you, with some of

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-81574652073400820562007-09-10T10:28:00.000-07:002007-09-10T10:45:15.869-07:00

Getting started on the final piecing for the border this weekend was a challenge. I was getting all wrapped up in making sure the values were the same on all my fabrics and I couldn't get my head wrapped around it. It was very strange. I kept plugging away at it and finally on Sunday I think I got to the point where I said "screw it" and after that every went along just fine! The last 3

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-57860981162020934782007-09-06T12:46:00.000-07:002007-09-06T13:19:38.203-07:00

I moved the quilt blocks to the design wall Tuesday night and played with fabrics until I had the ones I wanted for the next two blocks. Then last night I sat down and started piecing as soon as I got home from work. I pieced two more blocks... the ones between the lower left corner and the moon. I also decided to go with the moon centered on the block and added some pieces to the corners to

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-63590671748731214412007-09-04T11:27:00.000-07:002007-09-04T12:01:03.592-07:00

Ah... such a great weekend! I played in my sewing room all weekend... about 6-8 hours every day for all three days. It was great!First, I consulted my final plan:pulled piles of fabrics:and sorted thread, ribbons, laces and beads into carry-along cases:Then, I took a deep breath on Sunday morning and started sewing. I started with block 1 on the lower right-hand corner and worked my way across

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-43446477732637984572007-08-27T14:41:00.000-07:002007-08-27T15:22:08.341-07:00

Hey, ladies... how's it going out there in blogland? It's been an interesting week at our house. Neither one of us have been sleeping well... lots of aches and pains and general tossing and turning. Probably just age catching up with us (again) but it's getting old! No pun intended!To top it all off, at 3:05 on Thursday morning the air conditioner had a screaming hissy fit and died. This is

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-20139815144216834012007-08-20T19:14:00.000-07:002007-08-20T19:34:49.204-07:00

I finished the first piece for the Sumptuous Surfaces class this weekend. Actually, it will be the first and only, since the class is now over. I think I'll continue on my own, though. I've had an idea in my head for a year or so that I was going to try and do in CQ but I think it will lend itself more readily to freeform embroidery. I'll probably do it along with the Midsummer Night CQ as a

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-44931814278869928872007-08-15T16:43:00.000-07:002007-08-15T17:36:19.992-07:00

I've been asked to post about how I covered the donut beads in my landscape so here's a tutorial on how I do it. The pictures are rather large but this way you don't have to keep clicking back and forth for a close-up look. OK... covering a donut bead is really simple; however, there are several points to remember that will ensure you have a nice, even result. Start with a donut bead (

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-62713673466692228422007-08-13T11:01:00.000-07:002007-08-13T11:24:11.813-07:00

Thanks for all the encouragement in the comments... ya'll are the best! Kisses to everybody... ;0)Harry Potter:I finished the Harry Potter series... great final book... all I'll say is that reading how Molly Weasley channeled Sigourney Weaver from Aliens just made my day!!Sumptuous Surfaces class:Here is my progress on the monotone piece for the Sumptuous Surfaces class :I'm close to the final

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-12448241293892150332007-08-08T14:39:00.001-07:002007-08-08T14:52:30.450-07:00

Between Harry Potter (I'm on the final book), being sick over the weekend, and Glenn shifting his work hours back to days (he's been working the midnight shift for 8 months), I haven't done any stitching... on anything! I always feel guilty when I don't have anything fiber related to post about, so I tend not to post when I'm in a slump. From now on, though, (if you ladies don't mind) I'll post

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-40844263115142373242007-07-31T10:48:00.000-07:002007-07-31T11:05:48.268-07:00

More progress on my Sumptuous Surfaces homework. I wish my homework in school had been this interesting!! (click for access to larger sizes)Lots of french knots and bullion knots in #5 perle cotton, and wooden beads have been added. I especially like the little donut beads covered in silk floss. They came out so cute! I'm sure they and others like them will be showing up in alot of my

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-24609576342609159012007-07-28T18:50:00.000-07:002007-07-28T19:17:50.663-07:00

I've been working on my Sumptuous Surfaces piece, as you can see.Not too much done, as we have been working on the house... again... Just trying to recover from the past few weeks, sorting and rearranging. We are continuing to pare down a little here and a little there... sorry, got sidetracked!Anyway, I've just been using #3 and #5 perle cotton to start by using buttonhole wheels as trees and

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-59559127496666658022007-07-22T13:10:00.000-07:002007-07-26T09:57:33.650-07:00

***Edited to fix the links that didn't work... sorry 'bout that! They should be OK now!***I've been working on my piece for Sharon's Sumptuous Surfaces class at Joggles. I found a nice piece of 28 count Irish linen at Joann's and then sat down and started pulling goodies out of my stash in shades of brown (we have to use a monotone pallet). Here's what I came up with...Silk and cotton floss,

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-42574152215059857082007-07-18T20:11:00.000-07:002007-07-18T20:59:24.046-07:00

I'm taking Sharon Boggon's class Sumptuous Surfaces through Joggles.com. I've been intrigued by her freeform embroidery ever since I first set eyes on it and jumped at the chance to take this class.The first week's assignment was to determine the Concept, or the idea, for our first piece. At first I was going to use something from the Midsummer Night CQ but after reading through the class forum

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-40914291763677928942007-07-16T19:06:00.000-07:002007-07-16T22:39:06.337-07:00

Well, so much for posting three times a week! I've been totally slammed at work and haven't had time to even think, much less put together a coherent post. Home hasn't been alot better... we've been finishing up the laundry room and associated projects.Here's the laundry room as it stands now... Washer and dryer together? CheckPretty colors? CheckOrganization? CheckFinishing details? Not

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-29423987406446789152007-07-09T20:18:00.000-07:002007-07-10T08:55:10.028-07:00

Although we worked on the laundry room this past weekend, I was able to get some work done on the Half Chevron Stitch for Take a Stitch Tuesday. It took me awhile to get the hang of Half Chevron Stitch, as you can see by this line of stitches along a crazy quilt seam:The bottom line is rather uneven; however, such is the wonder of crazy quilting that, with some judicious additions, all the bad

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-82549253738460788662007-07-04T08:32:00.000-07:002007-07-04T08:46:08.383-07:00

I think it is entirely appropriate that I managed to finish the binding of my Quilt of Valor last night, just in time to post the final quilt on Independence Day in the US.I love the way it turned out. It will be going to the Women's Stress Disorder Unit at the VA Center in Albuquerque and I hope that whoever receives it will find peace and harmony in her life.I hope you all have a wonderful

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-3274947142445228522007-07-02T18:46:00.000-07:002007-07-02T19:08:22.384-07:00

I took everyone's suggestions (thanks to all of you) and came up with another revision that feels just about right. Allie, I made the center block bigger. Susan, I didn't put a border around the center panel because I want it to blend in with the other blocks on the sides. Threadspider (welcome!), I put the full moon back in because I agree, it's more of a Titania-ish moon that way. Rian,

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-13919535437040567962007-06-29T06:20:00.000-07:002007-06-29T07:02:52.579-07:00

Hokay... at Allie's suggestion, I played a bit with the second design last night, trying to put the painted fairy panel in the center. When I originally came up with Design 2, I used the dimensions of a Golden Rectangle to get a proportion that is very pleasing to the eye. I kept trying to get the same proportions with a center panel (also a golden rectangle) but just couldn't get it done

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-57186093739295663142007-06-27T21:27:00.000-07:002007-06-28T06:35:29.054-07:00

I thought I would share the creative process that has been going on behind the scenes as I have worked through the design of the Midsummer Night crazy quilt. When I first thought of this theme for a crazy quilt, I knew I would be making it encrusted... VERY encrusted. I love looking for and deciding on what types of embellishments will be used to enhance a seam or a bit of fabric! The fabrics

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-71328840124664535722007-06-25T23:29:00.000-07:002007-06-26T00:58:42.102-07:00

The weekend plans fell to the wayside after a stop at a local estate sale Friday morning... the purchase of a lovely dresser/buffet at said estate sale... and the reshuffling of furniture that ensued. The new dresser went into our bedroom (it goes very well with the end tables I got a couple of months ago), and the old dresser from the bedroom went into my sewing room. Of course you see where

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-72837726677037501392007-06-20T16:19:00.000-07:002007-06-20T16:49:54.050-07:00

TAST:In between buckets of TSP laden water and coats of paint, I have managed to get a few French knots done... but only a few.So, I thought I'd put a couple of pictures of other times I have used French Knots. This little gecko was done for a Bags of Fun Challenge, also with Sharon B. And these I did on Josh and Beth's ringbearer's pillow: Laundry Room:After much futzing around and a couple of

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-51290196874513237242007-06-15T20:21:00.000-07:002007-06-15T20:43:14.804-07:00

Well, I certainly know why people like to have a longarm quilter do their quilts.... wowzers! Look... isn't this simply stunning quilting?Suzanne took the swirls from the horses tails and used that type of motif to quilt in a yellow thread that matches the golden yellow in the main panel.It's just simply lovely! It brings the quilt to a whole new level... I'll just show you the details now...

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-20456751316437536532007-06-12T14:48:00.000-07:002007-06-12T14:58:07.240-07:00

Well, so much for planning. Hubbie was sick as a dog all weekend, I wasn't much better and to top it all off we got food poisoning yesterday (that's why I didn't post). Blecch! We'll try again on the laundry room this coming weekend.I did; however, manage to get some stitching done on the Wheatear Stitch for Sharon Boggon's TAST. I really like this stitch... after a few stitches you really

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25007795.post-45444131877163643262007-06-08T17:49:00.000-07:002007-06-08T18:24:27.566-07:00

I want to make the center panel/block of my Midsummer quilt a picture of Titania, Queen of the Fairies. There are many depictions of her out there that are copywrite free that I could use, but I wanted something special, of course! I am not an artist and I was wracking my brain about how to do this and then that little light went on again... my oldest son is a fine amateur artist... ah, hah!

Marty52http://www.blogger.com/profile/13237461237107850391noreply@blogger.com4