Monday, October 31, 2011

Vintage Puppy Embroidery

New meaning to the old saying "A watched pot never boils".

A finish to the latest vintage embroidery piece that will be placed in a quilt I am making for my grandbabies.

I was drawn to the colors and design of the pot. It reminds me of our Danish heritage.

I especially loved the cute little flower on the lid.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Blogger's Block of The Month/Block #2

Have you joined Blogger's Block of The Month?
This month's pattern is now available by Vicki Welsh of Field Trips In Fiber.

I had fun rummaging around a little bit in my Kaffe's scrap pile.
His shot cotton's make beautiful backgrounds, but they do tend to stretch and shred.
I need to remember next time not to use them on anything with a bias edge.

Block's #2 and #1

It's never too late to join Blogger's Block of The Month.
Sign up's are with Jackie of Canton Village Works.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Joe's Farm Grill

If you are ever in the Gilbert, Arizona area, and want a unique place to grab some fast food, make sure to check out Joe's Farm Grill.

The restaurant sits on a 12 acre parcel of an Urban Farm Community called Agritopia, surrounded by fruit orchards, gardens and Arts and Crafts style homes.
The grill is a remodel of the original home built by the Johnston family in 1966.

Dining is Al Fresco, which is pleasant through most months here in Arizona.
We met as a family to celebrate our daughter's birthday, and there was plenty of room for the little children to run and play.

The setting felt like a step back in time as we sat under citrus trees, and looked out on the well groomed surrounding gardens.
Joe's Farm Grill uses as many fruits, vegetables and herbs as they can from Agritopia. They pride themselves in using local, organic or natural ingredients in their menu.

In fact, they were recently featured on Diners, Drive-In's and Dives with Guy Fieri.
(we love that show!)

Portions are huge.

I really enjoyed my Grilled Wedge Salad.

Happy, Happy Birthday to our sweet daughter Amy.

This was a great family setting, where we could relax and visit and take as much time as we needed.
Our SIL brought Amy's favorite traditional birthday dessert of cheesecake. (They even chose cheesecake to serve at their wedding reception instead of cake!)

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Daisy Cottage

My friend Lori Holt (Bee In My Bonnet) has just released her 2nd fabric line Daisy Cottage, and I'm in love!
Fabulous combinations of pinks, golds, grays and brown.

As Fall Market begins, Lori will be introducing quite a few new patterns she has designed to showcase Daisy Cottage.
I think my favorite is Shabby Shades, complete with the most wonderful embellishments.

Lori always gives her creations that vintage feel.

Daisy Patch has appliqued ric rac in the center of each flower.

Lori produces her fabrics through Riley Blake Designs. I remember her explaining to me over lunch one day that one of the reasons she chose to go with RB is because they will re-print the fabrics if there are enough requests.

Lori is having a GIVEAWAY with stacks of Daisy Cottage fat quarters over on Bee In My Bonnet.
Run over right away and see if you can win!

And make sure to check out her new patterns like Daisy Chain...



...and Home Sweet Home.

Love them all Lori, and I know you are going to be a BIG hit in the Riley Blake booth in Houston.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Kim's Halloween Wall Hanging

With Halloween around the corner, Kim (of Nimble Thimbles) finished her wall hanging that she shared during Show and Tell.

A fun design using iron-on applique.

I wish I had gotten the name of the pattern from Kim.
Edit note: (Thanks to Karen) Pattern name Sweet Addictions by Letitia Hutchings for Mount ReDoubt Designs
The design has a lot of creative details, especially around the face.
Every witch should be able to sit on a pumpkin and eat a caramel apple.

Especially when she wears such cute shoes and socks.


What kind of backing do you use to hang your small wall hangings?
I've noticed a lot of people here in Arizona use an additional diagonal piece of fabric in the top two corners, where a dowel can easily stretch across.
Good idea!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Quilto

The Nimble Thimbles Quilt Guild always come up with the most fun activities.
I like to share them with you to give you ideas that you can take back to your own guilds or quilt groups.

Last week we played a fun game called Quilto.
Think of Bingo, except substitute quilting terms.
Each person was given two Quilto cards and a stack of buttons.
The host would pull a letter combined with a term from a bag. For example, if she said "Q-Batting", I would place a button on my card.
When 5 buttons lined up in a row, we shouted "Quilto!"

When I saw my pile had covered buttons I knew I had to play.

Stacks of wonderful prizes were waiting up on the table.
When we became eligible for a win, we pulled a number from a basket...

...and located our matching gift on the table.

It was my lucky night!
I won chocolate (yes!) and a kit, complete with fabrics, pattern and ruler to make a pillow.
My thanks to Kathy O'Brian, activity chair, who keeps the meetings fun and full of surprises.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Jewish I Spy Quilt

One of my most favorite quilts that Ferne Zabezensky shared with us during her Jewish Quilting presentation was an I-Spy quilt.

Using many of the 100+ fabrics containing Jewish symbols Ferne has collected, this quilt is unique and a true labor of love.

Novelty fabrics featuring the Menorah, Star of David, lions, Torah, crowns, goblets, doves, bird nests, Jerusalem, dreidels, and gelt (to name a few).

Isn't this a wonderful way to share and teach faith to children?
While they look to find the matching picture within the quilt, allows a perfect opportunity to teach the meanings within the symbols.

An I-Spy quilt can be applied towards representation of many faiths and beliefs.
After meeting Ferne, I have begun looking at novelty prints in a whole new way.
I will now be aware of Jewish symbolic fabrics, and wonder if Ferne has this particular piece.(probably so!)
And I would like to start collecting symbols in fabrics that represent my values and faith.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Jewish Symbolic Quilts

When Ferne Zabezensky presented the history of Jewish quilting, not only did she bring over 100 fabrics with Jewish symbols, she also shared several quilts she has made representing her faith.

(Ferne on the right)
Anything with a 6 pointed star may represent the Star of David.
Ferne is a very prolific quilter and a good portion of her quilts have been given to family members.
Most are hand quilted.

Ferne often incorporates Jewish symbols within the hand quilting, too.


The traditional colors are blue, yellow and white.


Some of her quilts are still in the process of being hand quilted.


A break from the traditional with the use of batiks.


Ferne also shared with us some of the needle work pieces she has made.


I believe this is a bread cover used for Passover?

(Feel free to correct me with the appropriate name)

Friday, October 21, 2011

Jewish Quilting

Recently I was invited to join a quilting group here in Arizona called Quilt Study Gathering, led by Lynn Miller.
The purpose of this group is to share, study and learn about 19th and 20th century antique quilts.
I've always had an interest in the history of quilting, and this group really has some talented and amazing women who generously share their indepth knowledge.

This month's meeting was led by Ferne Zabezensky, gatherer extroidanaire of all fabrics containing Jewish symbols.

I had no idea there were so many published fabrics representing the Jewish culture and faith.
For years Ferne has collected well over 100 pieces. She takes a small sample of each fabric and makes them into placemats, and yes(!) she brought all 100+ to show us.

As Ferne displayed her fabrics, she presented a history of Jewish quilting in the United States.
We learned that the first Jewish community was formed in Manhatten in 1654.
The first known Jewish quilts in America were Baltimore Album beginning in 1840's featuring symbols such as the menorah, Star of David, birds nests or trees with 3 fallen fruit.

Ferne gave a rich history of the Jewish faith, explaining rituals (such as Shabbot, Havdalah and Bar Mitzvah) and major holiday symbols (including Purim, Passover, Sukkot, and Hannukkah).

I gained a clearer perspective and appreciation of the faith and sacrifices of the Jewish people.

Such an impressive collection. I asked Ferne if she knew of anyone else in the United States collecting Jewish Symbolic fabrics. What a tribute if at a future date these fabrics were catagorized, photographed and placed in a book.

Ferne grew up in a small town Christian home in Indiana in the 1940's, where she knew of no other faiths except Protestants and Catholics. She attended college in Arizona, where she met her and married her husband, who was Jewish.
She began collecting Jewish symbolic fabrics with the desire to make handmade gifts for family members.
Now Ferne has 25 places in her home that she changes out 14 times a year with needlearts and quilts representing her faith.
Thank you Ferne for such a insightful and well prepared presentation.