Monday, September 7, 2009

Summers End.........

Summer is officially over at my house Labor Day weekend (although I just HAD to quit wearing my white shorts and pants on Sept 1st, Memorial weekend to 9/1, that's my rule). I like summer but like fall better and Christmas better yet, so I'm never sad to see summer go.

I have two decor items that I put in storage for the winter that I AM sad to see go...

These adorable gerbera daisey napkin rings


and my summer centerpiece .












My daughter sent me the napkin rings for Easter one year, and every Easter since I get them out and set them all over the house, until Labor Day Weekend. They always put a smile on my face, they are one of "Thelma's Favorite Things".

The centerpiece I created with the help of Martha Stewart, it was a little "make it yourself" project in her magazine, the only thing I have ever made from her magazine. Once, per Martha's suggestion, I collected pine cones from the yard and had them running down the center of my dining room table, that was until an hour later, when I noticed tiny brown bugs creeping all over my white table cloth. They must have forgotten to mention the "fumigate to prevent unwanted guests" step.

I've replaced my summer items with just a few fall things...

These placemats on my kitchen island





and some of these little guys.









I'll add more the first of October.


Fall is the time for this quilt, it is called "Summers End" and it's quilt #32.


This quilt won 2 Best of Show awards at some local (ie small, make that very small) quilt shows. I don't have very good pictures of this quilt, it now lives at my folks house. I checked this morning and they have replaced their summer quilt (another story for another day) with this quilt on their bed.

Of all the quilts I've made this was the easiest one to give away. It's a stunner, I can say that because my part in its beauty is minimal.

There is little of me in this quilt.

This quilt is a kit I purchased from Starr Design Fabrics. They have lovely hand dyed fabric and marvelous patterns. The directions were great, they even provided the fabric order. It's not very often that I create a quilt exactly like the pattern or use every fabric in a kit. I like to add a little of my own personality. But in this case I followed the kit's directions and only used the fabric provided.

The piecing was a breeze, I put this queen size top together in under
two weeks. Bargellos are one of those patterns that look like you worked really hard on the piecing but if you can cut and sew a straight line they are very simple.

The quilting on this is amazing. I don't quilt, I only make the tops. The quilter used an all over ivy looking design. The leaves I just pressed on with steam a seam, the quilter brought them to life by using a vein design.

My folks went on and on this morning on how thrilled they are to have this quilt....I'm happy they have it too.

1 comment:

  1. I can't believe you gave away your award winning quilt and they actually put it on their bed.

    ReplyDelete

I try to respond to all my comments but sometimes I just don't get the job done. Please know that I am reading your comments and appreciate you taking the time to add a little of yourself to my blog.