Quilt Squares and Stuff

Just you wait, Henry Higgins! This is a too filled blog entry. You all are going to wish you stopped somewhere else!!!

This is my little Yorkie, Clara. She's into all of my business. Here, she's wondering why I'm spending so much time at my computer and failing to give her chicken bones. She has several doggie friends among our stitching blogger group. Clara is very choosy with her friends. She loves to read about Glenna's rabbits.

Here is the recent update on Elaine's Quilt project. These are the amazing 6 1/2" fabric squares from the following stitching friends:

Margaret - from http://daysofasamplerlover.blogspot.com/

Stacy - from http://snippetsandstash.blogspot.com/

Kathy A. - from http://kathyssitandstitch.blogspot.com/

Shari - from http://sharissharings.blogspot.com/

Deb - from http://artisticneedle.blogspot.com/

God is really in this Quilt. All of the pieces fit together so well. Deb was a dear. She sent a roll of several pieces to help me coordinate things. I'm so grateful for everyone's generosity of heart. The notes have been so lovely. I'm giving Elaine everything, so we'll be hearing from her soon. She can't write anymore, but she can dictate to me.

Look at this beautiful thing! Deb made this amazing clutch for holding Elaine's tissues, but it really is so gorgeous, she can use it for lots of different things. Thank you for taking the time to light up Elaine's life, Deb.

Deb also sent me these really sweet stitching pieces! Bet you didn't know I collect these needle cards, Deb! :] I just loved these little RAKs. Thank you for thinking of me, and for your sweet note.

Above is Jinger's Quaker Friendship Sampler from our RR. Her fabric is just beautiful, which doesn't really show true color here....it's more a plum hand-dyed color and her thread is dark plum. This has been a great RR. We only have two more rounds!

I'll have other updates of RRs and SALs by the end of this week. Right now I'm signing off to watch the Bachelorette finale! I'm making a quick bolongna sandwich for dinner, too!

Oh, BTW, I saw a fabulous Bette Davis movie last night, "The Old Maid." If you haven't seen it, or if you haven't seen it for a while, I highly recommend it.

Hugs to all,

Deb

Elaine's Quilt Update & New Blogs

Oh, my Kellan..playing with the new Tommy the Train pieces that Grammie Debi sent him. He loves these little trains. His t-shirt says, "It seemed like a good idea at the time." Mommy, Jessica, says now that he's getting around faster, he's able to have his favorite "no-no Kellan" treat.....the dog food!!! Yeck!

ELAINE's QUILT is coming along every day! I received our first swatch this Thursday from Margaret...who is from NY. I'll be posting the swatch when a few more come in. But, I want to say, Margaret, it's as if we went shopping together. The piece you sent is absolutely perfect for the quilt!! Thank you so much! :) *Note to Barbara: No, it's not too late to be included in Elaine's Quilt project. Please do send your piece!

NEW BLOGs (at least new to me!) I've had the most fun today looking at new blogs and seeing what's going on with stitchers I've never met or seen before. As quilting is in my mind these days, I found the most wonderful blog to share with you. Please go by and see Kim at http://bittybitsandpieces.blogspot.com/ . She has such awesome quilts and things, and she has great links. I love her personality, too.

Another new blog to me, and one I thoroughly enjoyed is: Vanessa's V and Co. which you'll find at: http://www.vanessachristenson.com/

Wendy Jo's http://wentostitch.blogspot.com/ was fun for me to see because Wendy Jo and I and several others are just beginning to start our "Emblem of Love" Quaker RR. You'll like seeing her, too, I think.

Reading List for Summer that's left:

Dark Lover - A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood by J. R. Ward

Fractured - by Karin Slaughter

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

The Elegance of the Hedgehog - by Muriel Barbery

The Proper Education of Girls - by Elaine DiRollo

East of the Sun - by Julia Gregson

Books on Tape and Audiobooks:

Mary Cassatt - The Morning Paper by Harriet Scott Chessman

T is for Tresspass - by Sue Grafton

The Historian

Undone - new one! by Karin Slaughter

I've also been fabric shopping online on Moda and Etsy's Two Love Birds shop for patterns and fabrics to make my Hadley a couple of Summer and Indian Summer dresses. Couldn't resist the gorgeous fabrics!

Have a stitchfilled weekend. Thank you very much to all my consistent friends who keep up with me, share new things with me and keep up their own blogs so I can have such fun visiting.

Love you all,

Deb

Elaine's Quilt Project & Belated Birthday!

Thank you to all my stitching and blogging friends who so generously answered my call to give to Elaine's Quilt. I am so grateful, and I know Elaine will be moved to have this lap quilt made just for her from friends around the world when she has to go for chemo...and when she needs warmth in her remaining days.

You each are so kind and thoughtful. I can't tell you how much this means.

I've posted above some of the quilt (6 1/2") pieces that are mine, that I'll be using for Elaine's Quilt. Just wanted to give you an idea of the color palette I'm looking at for the moment. I'm sure all the squares will fit together perfectly well....I'll make sure they do.

Please know that if you want to join us in the Elaine's Quilt Project, you can look below at my recent blogs to get more information.

Look!!! Patti (Tapestry of Dreams) spoiled me and surprised me this week with a belated birthday present! She saw that I loved the Primoriginal pieces on Etsy, and sent this darling bracelet and little magnet for my needle. I was so delighted to receive this little surprise. It really caught me off guard and just when I could use a boost! Thank you soooo much, Queenie.

Psst....those who know me, know I'm a miserable photographer....so please bear with the picture! :[

Again, thank you to those of you who are working on Elaine's Quilt with me. For any of you who wonder who the contributors are at the moment, please look in the comments for the Quilt information blogs below. :]

Love and hugs,
Deb

Elaine's Quilt

Thanks so much to all of you who've been emailing and writing comments about being a part of Elaine's Quilt Project. It has really made me feel so good at heart that you care and are willing to share to be a part of her life in these coming weeks.

So many have asked these questions so let me answer here:

1) Her favorite colors are greens, pink, and slate blue

2) The size piece of fabric needed is 6 and 1/2 inches square

3) Her home is decorated as Traditional, and she used to collect large Victorian dolls

4) My address is: D. Previte, 1810 Tarpon Bay Dr. S., Naples, FL 34119

5) Elaine is not a needlewoman, but she loves pretty napkins and those small decorative Kleenex/tissue packets for your purse

Again, I just want you to know how very grateful I am that you all want to be a part of this special quilt for her.

Love to you all......Deb

Quilting and Naked Reading

Halloween quilting time is coming up on me!!! These above are the basic centers for my grandgirls' quilts.

This Haunted House Halloween quilt center is for Kellan's and little Jack's lap/floor quilt. I'm making lap quilts for each of my little grands...Jack, 2 yrs., Hadley, 3 yrs., Kellan, 1 yr., Ella, 15 mos., and Amelia, 8 yrs. BTW, Kellan highly recommends full Naked Reading this Summer for the best enjoyment of books! :]

***I have a special REQUEST: Many of you know that my best friend, Elaine, is struggling with terminal lung cancer. She is brave in the face of a 3-4 mo. prognosis, though she sometimes (and rightly so) believes that she has more time with us than that! And, we applaud her for that awesome spirit.

It's sometimes often difficult to help her keep her spirits up. She can't find something to look forward to, or that would make her feel like she's accomplishing something. She says she only has her tv to look forward to every day.

My REQUEST is that as many as would like to participate would send me a 6 1/2" piece of fabric for a quilting project for her. She used to love to quilt...I taught her last year and she made two quilts...but now she can't cut anything out or sew. I would sew them together for her into a lap quilt for her chemo sessions or to use on her bed. It would be sweet if you would also like to send a note with your name so she would know who the piece is from.

I always tell her how important my worldwide stitching friends are to me. Since she doesn't stitch, she really has no frame of reference for that! Sad to say!! :i Aren't we lucky to have eachother and our stitchery!!

I'm off to stitch and watch the JK Rawlings Special on tv. It seems to be awesome, so far....

Love and hugs,

Deb

PS: I've has some strong hesitations to put this request out for Elaine, so for those whom I may offend or upset...please forgive me. I only want to make my friend's life beautiful to the end... Please don't feel you can't comment because of it, as well.... :)

Worldwide Mirabilia RR Update

I'm so happy to share my first stitching on my new Mirabilia RR group through Yuku. Kathy A., among others, is with me on this RR and I know it's going to be fabulous. My piece is focused on Mira Mermaids. Hopefully, somebody will post a progress of mine soon so I can share it with you.

The ones I've stitched are the two small spaced fairies. The lower right-side is the Petal Fairy.

The upper left-side one that's nearly finished is the Feather Fairy. Jen worked the child in the longer section for her own piece because her theme is children and fairies.

Won't this be fun!

Please take time to give me a comment. I really love to hear how you're doing and what you're stitching.....any Mirabilia's???

Hugs, Deb

Primoriginals Giveaway!

Look at this darling Giveaway from Primoriginals on Etsy! She is giving away this $20 valued print and picking up the shipping, as well. Stop by and see all of her really precious items and sign up for this one at http://primoriginals.blogspot.com/2009/o6/its-give-way-time.html

Her pendants are so sweet and just the right price, too!

Hugs, and thank you so much for stopping by and saying "Hi" to me. I love to hear from you!

Deb

Giveaway Winners!!

I'm so happy to announce the winners of my giveaway! While I originally said I would choose 3 people, I extended it to 5 just to share more. This was a random choice, so I had nothing to do with those who won! Here are the winners:

Dani
IvorySpring
Maren
Shari
Wendy

Congratulations!! I'm so excited to send you all some charts. Please email me your addresses!
Hugs,
Deb

Scissors & Stuff

Kellan and Grammie Debi before we got into trouble sticking a little boy's hands into ice cream at his first birthday party around Grammie's Club pool. June 7, 2009

Several comments about my new Mermaid Roses scissors: so I have to tell you they are from ABC Stitch Therapy. They have the best selection of scissors IMHO, for those of us who are collectors. They also have Zecca accessories...scissor point protectors, et. al. One of our bloggish friends pictured and talked about a new blue and white scissor out at JoAnns, which I'm on the hunt for asap.

Also wanted to give you this, my conversion for Mary Wigham. This is the DMC to AVAS. Thanks for mentioning it, Cindy.

Mary Wigham Sampler

Conversion Threads

DMC to Au Ver A Soie

DMC AVAS

725 / 2525

407/ 4611

356/ 4612

963 /943

3857 /no conv. (Dk. Rosewood)

3768 /1746

3052 / 3714and - or 3713

Ecru / Ecru F 2

930 /1715

White/ Blanc

739 / 4241

3822 /2531

927 /1744

Black/ Noir

934/ 3726

352 /931

435 /4236

225 /1011

3855 /4242

433 / 4116 and - or 4122

519 /1442

746 /2542

Other colors I've chosen to use in addition:

1715, 1724,(Blues) 4624, 4615, 2945, 3031 (Reds & Pink) 1833, 2124, 2125, 2133, 3726 (Greens) 4224, 4226, 4614 (Rusts) F14, 2141, 2222 (Tan & Lt. Yellows)

Hope all of us are in a SAL for Mary Wigham by now! It's going to be another challenge like Beatrix Potter.... :]

Hugs to all of you, I appreciate so much your kind thoughts and prayers for Elaine and Jessica. We're all doing well for the moment. You should hear some of Jessica's culture shock stories about Lousiana. Remember she's a New Englander raised in the Boston Area (Wellesley) so the deep South is a foreign as Italy to her!!! LOL