Honorary Stitchin Witch

The SoTA Sisters are blessed to have husbands who are our friends and contributors with our group....Sometime back Tony begin calling us "The Stitchin Witches"...lovingly " I might add"......With that in mind we made him our one and only Warlock..."The Stitchin Witches" pin cushion was made especially for him...Sherry machine embroidery all our names on pieces of fabric and then Jody sewed it together. We presented it to him at the grand opening of Rhona's sewing room....What a special person he is...to allow me to take a picture and post it on our blog...Now that is a REAL MAN!!! Thank you, Tony...We all love you....The Ol' Blogger

P.S. He is grandpa to the children pictured below also...

Little Big Shot

Ashley and her mama came to Wisconsin during spring break. Nicholas and Lucas got skate boards for Easter and Ashley climbed on. Rather proud of herself!

Future Quiltmakers

I went to Wisconsin to visit my grandsons, Nicholas and Lucas, during their spring break. Nicholas's 3rd grade class was making a "quilt" from paper. Nicholas decided he wanted to make one from fabric. He is making a charm quilt from 6inch squares. I helped by putting pieces together for him and he did the sewing.

He was able to get several blocks pieces into rows and then put a couple of rows together so we could get a picture.

While Nicholas was working on his quilt, Lucas asked if I'd teach him to sew. So we decided to make a pillow. Again I helped by putting the pieces together and Lucas did the sewing. Here's Lucas holding his pillow top.

Hoffman Challenge Workday # 5

Sherry looks on as Rhona discusses what we would like in quilting of our piece...

This picture has the piping and border added on and is ready for quilting....
Backing using the Hoffman Challenge Fabric has been pieced adding batting and front piece.... all is placed and tightened in the quilting machine...Rhona guides the machine for freehand quilting...Sherry is busy cutting and picking up the discarded thread...We are coming right along...

"Bluebird in Funky Baltimore"

This was Kathy's entry into the Hoffman Challenge in 2006. It's titled "Bluebird in Funky Baltimore", since it's done in the Baltimore Album style of the Mid 1850's. The originals were done mostly in red, white and greens, but as you can see, she used much brighter colors. To speed up the construction, Kathy fused the pieces, but did buttonhole around each piece with a single strand of embroidery floss. The border used baby ric rac, that she hand dyed to get the shade of green she wanted. It is hand quilted. Kathy was honored to win the Curators Choice Award with this piece and received a huge stack of Hoffman batiks as her prize....They were tied with a speciel ribbon, and she didn't have the heart to untie it for the longest time; she just enjoyed the beautiful gift!!!

Some more of Kathy's Treasures

The piece on the back of the rocker is a flannel Apple Core..It is hand pieced and hand quilted, using the Big Stitch Technique with Perle Cotton, instead of the typical tiny stitches with quilting thread..Kathy made it this way to give a country look, and is much faster to finish:0) Perfect for pulling over to the couch on a winter day to curl up with a good book....

The pillow in the rear on the left was a gift from her friend Nueva...It is in pastel colors and done in Crazy Quilting..Kathy says its such a special piece..

The hexagon in the rear on the right is English Piecing with wool floss embroidery, embellished with tiny buttons. The pattern was given to her by Nueva's daughter, Linda. Kathy, I might add did beautiful creating this pillow.... The Grandmother' Flower Garden center is appliqued onto Oznaburg cloth and hand quilted.

The two pillows in the front she made to sell when she had a little booth at the Antique Mall in Bedford...These pillows were pieced, log cabin style and the center block is inscribed with the sentiments " Remember Me" and "Affection's Offerings". Obviously, no one bought these so, they sit on the rocker her Mom gave her when her son Paul was born, 37+years ago..
I didn't know Kathy, was one of those who's art I was looking at when shopping at the Antique Mall...That would be before our time to meet....I truly love doing this blog...I am learning things about the Angels of Kindness that God has sent into my life.... as I share the stories of the insides of their home and heart... I love all you girls...The Ol' Blogger

Treasure Shelf

This is Kathy's treasure shelf in her bathroom... She has framed special pins that are, in her opinion to fragile to wear, that were given to her by Jody, Cindy and Sherry...The "Sister" on the left were given to her by her sister, Michele and the Willow Tree figure on the right, was from a dear friend Nueva...I really like this comment she made to me about this shelf.... "All have very special places in my heart, and since they're in the bathroom, I get to see them first thing in the morning and last thing at night"....That is our Kathy....Precious
The Red Hat Lady...Jody and Cindy made one for all of us after we were pass 50...Which now all do have... Some have a few years to go before they get their 60 year quilt...That is "IF" those of us who have ours are still around then and can still see...giggle giggle The Ol' Blogger

"Indian Wedding Ring" or " Pickle Dish"

Kathy hand pieced and is hand quilting this quilt...It is made up of 9, 20" blocks. The finish size is 68 with the border..While hand piecing she would take it to work to work on during breaks and lunch.. she was asked how long it took to piece a block...She had no idea, so she wrote down from start to finish...it took 40 hours to piece each block...That doesn't include the marking and cutting out all the pieces...in her words "needless to say, it is a labor of love... I forgot to ask her how long she has been working on this beauty...maybe she will comment and tell us...How about it Kathy???The Ol' Blogger

Amish Fan / Chicago

Kathy told me this little wall hanging was made from 2" fabric swatches she had received by mail, around 25 years ago..She made tiny templates and hand pieced and hand quilted it about 20 years ago..The finished size is about 6' square...I am sorry to say the pic I took is blurred...but still one can see its beauty..
Four of the SoTA Sisters are back safe and sound after taking a trip to Chicago for the Quilt Show.. The Elder, Jody, Cindy, Kathy and Rhona left on Wed. and arrived back home Sat. Sherry and I can hardly wait for Sat. when we go to Rhona's for our monthly "Fun Meter Fill Up". They will share the event with us then... The Ol' Blogger

Prom

Spring brings proms at high schools all over...Our is no exception....I as Nanny, have two grandson who will be attending their junior & senior proms tonight....Tyler my oldest grandson wanted me to make a corsage for his date....Never having made one before, with some hints from the SoTA Sisters and Internet I went for it...above is picture of his...I used white and silver...all his flowers were bought...I did do some beading and used silver stars for some extra detail.
After seeing Tyler's, my next in age, grandson ask for one for his date....They even text me a picture of her dress... Which is gold...on this one I used some bought flowers....Then remember I had a video of "Judith Baker Montana" that show how to make flowers using silk ribbon...I decided to give it a try and I made some and added gold glass beads to the center... Jody had shown Sherry and I how to use Mokuba ribbon to make flowers.... So I made 5 of them for Jacob's date's corsage.... Glad I don't have anymore grandson's going to the prom this year..:)
My grandchildren are like my SoTA Sisters, they accept me for myself, believe I can do anything...and see beyond the flaws...Hope their dates do the same.....The Ol' Blogger

As You Like It Purse

I started this purse before the wreck and I have finally finished it tonight.... I like the interchangeable, reversible decorative flaps...This pattern is from "The Creative Thimble". For my first flap I use "May Basket" applique..by Betty Alderman. Some of the quilting I did with Sulky Shimmer thread....To add an extra zing....
On the front and back are zippered pockets...I love the pockets on the sides of this purse also..perfect for cell phone and eye glasses....makes them handy....Plus the pockets inside...Room for lots of STUFF...
The Ol' Blogger

Buttons and Bows

This piece Kathy titled "Buttons and Bows". Instead of the usual piecing technique, with the inset corners for the bow tie patter. She made a 4 patch, then appliqued the squares, on point to create the bow tie appearance. The border has embroidered stems and leaves, then buttons as the flower heads..
I am telling you her mind is simply amazing.....And this quilt is breathe taking.

Kathy told me when she designed this pattern, she thought about selling the patterns, but she never got that far...I think she should reconsider and go for it....

English Pieced

This is one of Kathy's favorite miniatures....It was English pieced...which means she hand cut the little papers, wrapped tiny pieces of fabric around each paper, basting each, then whip stitched the tiny hexagons together...The border is embroidered using a single strand of floss. This piece was entered into the Indiana Heritage Quilt Show a few years ago and won Honorable Mention. It hangs in her kitchen most of the time...
As a side light...she adds...the figure at the bottom right is a bird her brother Scott carved from a piece of drift wood...He also made the bread box it's setting on...You can only see the top of the bread box.....But I can tell you it is beautiful....Which is not surprising...Kathy's whole family is very gifted...

Happy Easter

I am posting Kathy's wall hang she hangs at Easter time...A friend gave her the pattern back in the 80's...It is fused on a background of linen fabric...She double fused the ears, so they are loose.. I believe she uses this spot in her kitchen to display her holiday quilts.
We all hope you all have a HAPPY EASTER !!!!

Kathy's Table Quilt/Hanky Bowl

This is Kathy's "Tribute to Michael James". She has admired his work since the 80's when she first saw it....His early work was done with strip piecing, later he added curves. Kathy used a metal 1/2 clam shell template from Ardco to form the apple core pattern for her creation. The "rules" she followed were to use striped fabric for 1/2 and batik or something else for the other half. No strip was to touch the other fabric...Backing for this jewel she used bright green and earth tone batik.....She says it is one of her favorite pieces....One can understand as it catches your eyes when you walk in the house.
A basket hold pieces for another she has started and is setting on top of the work in progress...
Hopefully when you click on the top picture it won't be blurred and you can see the bowl on the piece..
While in Houston Texas, Cindy took a fused glass class at "Harmony Stain Glass". The bowl is her creation, she brought it for show and tell...With four layers of strips of fused glass she made this "Hanky Bowl". The detail is amazing and oh so dainty.

Crab-apple Hill Sampler Pillows

Sherry's Summer pillow has been used....as you can tell....She had it done for summer...We all are going to make them for each season....That was last summer....Girls, I am behind, I do have the summer embroidery done and am working on the spring...That is because while in the neck brace hand sewing was all I could do...shhhh, don't tell the SoTA Sisters...they will think I am on the ball...... Thought I would get the spring done by spring....uhhhhh..... Well, the brace came off and I am on to sewing with my machine....Can you blame me?? I was having withdrawal!!!!
Wouldn't you know it....our sweet Sherry has her summer one completed...it is gorgeous...Click on the pic. and see the close up of her pulchritudinous (can pronounce this word...but I like the way it looks and it means beautiful...sooo I am using it).... hand embroidery....
You guessed it she has started drawing out her fall one.... "seriously what is her deal :0)"
The word "Spring" is hand done (all of it is) but "Spring" just blew my mind...I mean talk about perfect...just have a close up look. Love to you all...The Ol' Blogger

Churn Dash Quilt

While picture snooping around Cindy's house I came across this jewel....She tells me "this is an old"Churn Dash" quilt probably from the 20's...Cindy traded her aunt a store bought comforter because she didn't care for the quilt...Instead she wanted her yard sale comforter.....I would have traded with her too....
This poem seems to speak of this quilt....

Dear old-fashioned quilts with your patches so gay,
You retain all the charm of an earlier day.
Like the old-fashioned garden our grandmothers grew,
Our love never wanes for them or for you.....Author: Carlie Sextan.

Though Cindy has no history for this work of love...It is hanging on a quilt stand her Mom and Step-Dad made..A place of honor...

Kathy's Sewing Studio

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We all have more than one machine...Times are different than in Grandma's day of one machine for all things...We are blessed with newfangled machines that do so many different jobs....
I apologize as we had almost concealed her sewing area as we were working.. We didn't need a sewing machine on this day just a place to sprawl things around...giggle giggle
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Kathy uses every niche of her room...Shelves with books, fabric, baskets,and different containers.
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She uses many kinds of containers, cups, pitchers, glass jars and trinket boxes. If it has an open space.... her mind will find away to fill it..as you can see.:0)
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Pictures of love ones, her pin cushion collection, dolls and wall quilts decorate her room. She has treasures both she has made and those made for her all around her while she works in this charming room.. I hope you enjoy touring Kathy's Sewing Studio...The Ol' Blogger

Hoffman Challenge Coming Right Along

Here is Saturday's completed work from Kathy's...It is amazing to watch this quilt unfold....Each worked on panels in our sewing studios, then came together to share and decide what was next... None of us had ever done this type of technique... A lot was learned.... Sherry and I made and delivered piping to Cindy...She will add the piping and border we have chosen...April 25 th we will all gather at Rhona's for the quilting....Also to observe her new sewing room.... So much fun....

Hoffman Challenge Work Day 4/ April 4

Saturday we begin putting our panels together..Jody took on the fun of sewing the panels together for us after each was cut to the correct size..
Left to right...Cindy with her rendition of Jody...I had the privilege of turning fabric into Rhona.

Sherry has been added with her creation of Cindy...


Kathy joins the group by adding her beauty "me" Elaine..Jody has attached Rhona with her interpretation of Kathy.... And then there were 6.....We are now complete with the joining of the Elder's (Jody) rendering of Sherry....More tomorrow...The Ol' Blogger