One Whole Month Down....

 January is about to bite the dust....ALREADY!

The studio has not seen much action this month....
My nephew, Wilbur*, asked me to repair a pillow  that had originally belonged to my mom (his g-ma).
His dog chewed a couple of holes in it.  I tried to find an old chenille bathrobe to cut up for repairs...that didn't work. 
So, instead of trying to match the flowers, I just went with repairing as best I could.

The only other thing I accomplished in the studio this month was making a pillow for Kathy's Mom using one of the blocks in the gifted bundle.  HERE .  After the First Saturday Needle Group took what they wanted, I did take the remaining items to the National Quilt Museum for their sale.

I will admit, I cheated and changed my UFO list...added these two items as #3, January's number, which was originally
Auntie Nyla's Row-By-Row wall hanging....just so I could mark them off!  Feels so good!  Whatever gets you down the road, eh?

If you are participating in the UFO Challenge, February's number is #6.

My #6 is a companion quilt to one that I made for my sister, Renee in 2021.  So, it's not TOO old.
July 4, 2021 I had traveled to Vegas for a quilting weekend with my niece, Desiree. HERE
That's when I started this quilt using a  layer cake, "Violet Hill."

This will be a fun one to finish up....the First Saturday group is meeting this next week-end for a Quilt 'Til You Wilt...
perfect timing!  It's not too late to join the UFO Challenge!  HERE

Well, folks...that's all the news that is fit to print!

From the Kitchen of "My 'Ol Kentucky Duplex": Melty Chili Casserole Bake HERE

 

 

*Yes, I am "Charlotte" and my nephew is "Wilbur" and he does like pigs. 
I made him a "Piggy Quilt" for Christmas 2015  HERE. 

Freshen Up Your Look

Christmas has long been put away....anyone know how to decorate for January?  Think about it....October has Fall and Halloween; November has Thanksgiving; December has Christmas and February has Valentine's day.  There is nothing for January.  It is a chilly, boring month (where I live it never really gets COLD).  I suppose you could do something with
National Spaghetti Day or Learn-Your-Name-in-Morse-Code Day.  Click HERE for a full list of days to celebrate in January.

Instead, I decided to freshen up my living space.  As I continue to go through shelves and drawers of quilting and craft stuff,
I came across a piece of fabric that was originally intended for a skirt.  Well, that never happened.

So I decided to make sofa pillow covers, instead.

Before

After

I like 'em!  Cheery.

The cover is a simple, envelope style with no zipper.  I watched a YouTube video by Jann Newton.  It was fast.  It was easy. 
I used this same method to make pillow covers for Christmas.

These covers are so fast and easy, you could have a different set for every month of the year! 
April 24 is National Pigs-In-A-Blanket Day and I have just the fabric!

 

In case you are wondering....it is left over from a quilt I made my nephew, Wilbur, in December 2015.  He likes pigs.  
I'm Charlotte....he is Wilbur.....get it?

Happy Sewing!

Some Cities are Wakingn Up - - - Slowly

Arriving....while I've been to Paducah many times over the years, I've always flown into Nashville and driven the two-plus hours to Paducah.  This time I decided to pay the extra $$ and fly direct.  This airport is even smaller than Walla Walla, Washington! (Which has two flights a day back-and-forth to Seattle.)  Paducah has only one flight a day--to/from Chicago.

 

 

 

You know you are in a small-ish town when you can call the taxi driver at home...
Population and information about Paducah HERE

The Family...After hugs all around and my nephew, Wilbur, leaves for home in Nashville, Daddy and I settle in.

Sunday we went to one of his favorite places for lunch,  Waffle Hut, where everyone is polite and calls you "ma-am."  Honestly, I miss that!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Plan...Then came Monday...Yeah!  I made my plan ... walk the dog,  hop over to Hancock's and pick my fabrics for The Horse, maybe stop for a yummy coffee....

 

Woah....Not so fast there, Bucky.....

While normally I would never actually buy quilt fabric at JoAnn Fabric, the thought did cross my mind...except the closest JoAnns is 173 miles away!!

Ok, well, let's see what they have at Hobby Lobby.

Of course, Hobby Lobby has A LOT of stuff (including all decked out for Christmas) but not much fabric.  Certainly not what I'm looking for.  Strike Two!

The Hobby Lobby lady suggested: "try Calico Country, ma'am. They're just down the road a-piece." Taking her advice, I drove on over since it was close by.  NOPE! Closed. Strike Three--You're Out!

 

 

 

Quite disappointed I had about decided to give up on The Horse altogether until I return home (and Charlotte-the-Tall could help me pick fabrics) but decided to check out the National Quilt Museum and buy some post cards for my besties.  Chatting with the gift shop volunteer she suggested Backyard Fabric in Mayfield (an hour away.) 

A Google search took me to their Facebook page.  I sent them a message asking if they had Grunge fabric and they answered YES!  And they are OPEN!  We're back up to bat!  I can hardly contain myself! I'd go today except daddy wants to go to his second favorite place to eat, Hutchins, and he is not interested in a road trip.

When sissy returns from her respite on Thursday we'll have a sisters afternoon out. Auditions, here we come!   I'll treat Joy to lunch.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

Christmas Quilts FINISHED!!!

This was the last one...it went out in today's mail.

As I've mentioned, I have a nephew name Wilbur.  He likes pigs.  This lap quilt is for him...

I've been collecting piggy fabric for a while...some from eBay, some from Etsy.  I had no idea what to actually do with it...

I started with an Atkinson Design pattern
"All About Me."

The nice people at Piecemakers Country Store helped me pick out the coordinating fabrics.
























I got a bit creative with the back.  It's "pigs in a blanket" by Timeless Treasures.






















 It actually turned out better then I expected.

Merry Christmas, nephew.

What's on Your Design Wall?

We are in the Club House Turn!
How many of us are frantically sewing up a storm, finishing up Christmas gifts?

Me, for one...with my travel schedule, it was a very ambitious undertaking, but I do have two of the four Christmas quilts all finished and even boxed and ready to ship.

Here is what is in the boxes.

A dragon quilt of my own design for the number one son of my nephew.

Missouri Star's skateboard quilt for the younger brother of the above-mentioned grand nephew.


I have one quilt at the quilter's  and one on my "design floor."
My goal is to get them both in the mail and delivered by Christmas Day.

Harry Potter's Bookshelf is at the quilter's.
It is called the "Project of Doom"

If you like paper piecing, do a Facebook search...for "Project of Doom."  It was challenging, but so fun.

Wish I could be at my sister's house on Christmas morning to see his face when he opens it. (My sister will have all her kids home for Christmas this year.)

This one is for another nephew (the brother of the above-mentioned nephew.)  My nephew's name is "Wilbur."  Get it?  And, even though he is a grown man, he likes pigs. (He is also one of my favorite people.)

Not as ambitious, but I think he will like it...

IF I get it finished... it is still on my "design floor."

So, keep at it.  We still have some time to make Christmas Morning magical! 

What's On your Design Wall?

I'm so excited... I have been working for months on my "Christmas Quilts."
I decided to choose one branch of the family each year and make quilts for them all for Christmas.
This year, I chose my baby sister, who lives in Kentucky.  (She is my favorite, but don't tell anyone.)

Every-other Christmas she has all three of her children, and their families, home for Christmas.  2015 is her year.  So, I am making quilts for the kids (3) and their kids (total of 3).

I am making good progress.... have one done (except the binding) ... have one at the quilter (see previous post) ... have one on the design wall (making progress on it--I'll post a pic later, doesn't look like much right now) and now it is time to plan quilt number 4. (And, actually I'm only making 4....one child already received a wedding quilt 2 years ago and a baby quilt earlier this year...she'll get a table runner.)

Here is the back story....my name is Charlotte... my nephew is Wilbur (sister's oldest)...
how funny is that!!!

Joy did not plan that based on the book... Wilbur is a "junior."  But, fate does play it's tricks so of course Wilbur LOVES pigs...so, of course, my quilt for him will have a pig focus.










Here is my problem.... I've collected some fabrics, but I don't know what to do with them.

I NEED IDEAS!!

Various sizes

Four Corners?

Great Focus Piece

Pigs in a Blanket for the backing

I just don't know what to do with these... help!!