C'EST FINI

                                                CHEZ NOUS is done--finished, complete--
                                                                              "Fini" ..

Here is the reverse:

                       (I've left the label out of the picture as this is to be a surprise gift...)

The quilting on the backing is minimal which makes for a very soft look....and feel...

I was able to use up some old paisley red for the binding...which turned out to be
 just perfect....

Ahhhh, don't you just feel a sigh of relief when the label is on and your quilt is truly DONE??
But, of course, along with that, as I have lived with this for so long, is a little bit of
sadness that it is over....and so, now what???

I do so love the "process" --even though, I must admit, that at times it gets tedious and
I often wonder why I ever began ...;0000

So, as of today, in the past year and one-half I have thought out, sewed together
 and made 8 fairly good size quilts...
AND:   that is a lot...for me, anyway...;*))))

********************************                      ****************************
And now for something entirely different (to quote Monty Python...):

TAH_DAH:  
                                       SLAB FEST: news report:
             
I have begun working on Dawn's Slab sew along swap--

we have a small group of four right now;
( anyone is welcome to join in--
just contact Dawn who is our "High Priestess of Slab")

we all will be making one slab in each of the recipient's choice of color (s) and size and exchanging them....

Take a trip to her blog (above) and see what she has begun...

Oooh to get that "squishey" mailing envelope enclosing a slab of your choice 
will be exciting...
my color choice is neutral--
sounds blah, you say?? 
Not so, "me hearties...." (aaaarrrrhhh...what am i a pirate???);000

We have : browns of all hues, prints and solids, cocoas, off whites, cream-ey wonders,
and maybe maybe a few novelties to spice it up...

I cannot wait to see what will arrive at my doorstep.;))) ...
In preparation I have begun making strips of
2.5" neutral squares to enclose my slabs for a nice summer
 tablerunner {or tablecloth if I get carried away--do I ever?  ah--hahahaha #)))) }.

My slabs are a lot like "log- cabin - rounds" sewing...but they can take any form 
really...and I find them so freeing--

just grab yourself a couple pieces of fabric and sew that seam--and keep on adding bits and pieces--whatever you have or whatever floats your boat...;*))) --such fun!!

We are supposed to have a warm and sunny weekend..looking forward to doing
more Pansy sewing on our deck.....

Hugs, from SUNNY (yes sunny--but still chilly, CT) 

Julierose, La Blageuse (glad-euse and sad-euse)

CHEZ NOUS

                                    It's a flimsey--I have quilted it onto the batting, so
                                    just the backing will be needed....all the Dinner
                                    Plates have been hand quilted...then sewn into strips on Helga...

TAH DAH: The reveal....

Looks a bit washed out in the bright sunshine...but is really just low volume pastels...

Here's a better idea of the colors...still more muted though than in person.......

Here's a close up of the ("chez nous=at home in French") doorways' strips leading into the home....
Love that fabric...seemed just right in colors and in content...

I have chosen the backing; now need to trim it up and sew on a few inches for width as the 2 yards is fine for the length...getting excited--at the finish line....;}}}}}

I don't know if the front needs borders, but now am thinking "not"....
letting it rest (and my shoulders, too...But, I do like making a quilt using this method... with my walking foot....)

I am hoping that this "home-ey", old-fashioned quilt will warm the heart of someone special
that it's going to.....shhhhh it's a surprise.....
*******************                   ***********************        ********************
Need to quilt the two I Spy quilts next....and am still sewing Star Rise rows together...
along with the red/gold stars and butterflies--I have been flitting (ah--hahaha ;}}}}) from project to project and NOW:
DAWN has suggested a slab quilt swap...oooohhh  just my sort of thing....my brain says, "No, No, Juli-ette" ;{{{{---but my heart says "You go, girl, just jump right in..."
Can you guess what I'll do?  Hmmmm????

hugs from S U N N Y (yes it's still up there in the sky evidently YAY!!) CT
Julierose, La Blageuse (sewing together-euse)

TEMPUS MEANDEROUS

                                    Seven done--- 5 to go... a few centers done, too....

Taking my time on this one as I am enjoying the process; but....
holey moley--

wait a "gol'darned" second, Thelma!!...;0000

Is that the Merry Month of May I spy on our horizon--the month I turn----

G A S P ...

74 ????

already? 
how did that happen....???

I guess it really is T E M P U S  F U G I T after all...

and with that in mind --I've re-thought Bonnie Hunter's leader-ender method.

I have never really felt that I HAD to make two quilts at one time....but with my 

L  O  N  G  list of quilts I want to make and my

S  H  O  R  T  amount of years in my future, I have decided to jump on that

bandwagon...{wait for me!!};0000

And so, my new leader-ender is a string star quilt that I spied on Angie's site
yesterday when I was reading posts...it just hit me that I NEEDED to MAKE this one right now, for me  ...hard enough did I get hit that...
I went immediately and pulled out
my blue strips and fat 1/4's stash...yikes--not many in there..
WHAAAA????

Oh, yeah, blue being my favorite color, I've used most of those 
deep blues up...

I made one more Dresden using my 6" muslin blocks and the 
leader-ender method to sew these two up:

                            Aren't they pretty?? 

Oh my gosh, I am super excited, silly old Grand-mere that I am....6 more to make in blue and then some blue and white and some all white.....

[shamelessly copying Angie's quilt that I am;
 shall I call her an enabler instead???? ROTFLOL????]

 Hi Angie ..

 I hope that I have enough of these deep blues to finish...
or else, OH NOOOOO...I'll have to visit Jenny hahaha

Here's my new iron and set up (remember the sad cracked ironing board saga?)

Am using my June Taylor (veryvery old and stained) cut n' press board....

Here's the next Plate set up, a mix of 
leftovers on this one...

And just because I think it's so cute, I had to show you my under the harp pin cushion...;)))

So, on this extremely windy and rain-soaked day... gray, gray gray...

I am making this for dinner:{ after all, hubster had surgery Thursday...
so and he is doing really well for those of you who 
wanted to know ;))) }

meatloaf [hub's favorite], mashed potatoes, and string beans....

Hugs
Julierose, La Blageuse (Stringing along-euse)

WINDY SUNDAY = FUN!

A New project (I know, I said finishes first--but see above: 
"Sunday=Fun")

I've had this charm pack of Bramblewood (I think it was called that) for a long time and had set up a Plus quilt with the charms, but didn't like it at ALL--
soooo.........................

I want to make a surprise quilt for a sweetheart that I know....I LOVE Dresden
Plates and thought that these would be a lovely set of dishes...for someone special...

I have no idea what color 14.5" squares I will use for a background or the centers as yet....just improvising along.  
(As in "No worries, just having fun") 

This plate takes 20 little wedges 5" long; so, I can get 2 
wedges from each square...
and the resultant dish is 12" give or take....I want to do a big stitch by hand on this one...make it really special....

I will need it for later on this year...just sayin' Shhhhhh...........
Each plate will feature 2-3 of each pattern and color in the set.

Here are the rest of the colors in this lovely, low volume charm pack...
(Ya think this board is old??? yikes--) gorgeous lavenders, turquoises, corals and pinks...all flecked with bits of gold--kind of like those gold-rimmed plates 
I would love to have...

And so on this windy and cold Sunday I find myself excited about quilting 
again-;))))

-out of my funk of not liking anything; 
I was cleaning out my stash when I came across this stack and

Shazaaam!!!!!

 It hit me---this  would be a perfect set of Dresden Dishes--

MAKES ME REMEMBER.....

My Mom and I made a Dresden quilt for my cousin, Jeannette, when she found out she had cancer (since sadly departed from my life--she was like a sister to me) and we gifted it to her calling it "Chez Nous" meaning At Home [or really you are always welcome in our house.]  

Because that is how she was--"Oh come on over, stay for dinner with us" Always so happy to see the family...I truly miss her still --she passed way too many
years ago now and way too young....

So, 
I think this one will be named Chez Nous " also.......in her honor....

{I am thinking of her as I make my Sunday Dinner "Chez Nous", of pot roast, mashed potatoes and a nice tossed salad...she was the crock pot queen, too; as I have become ......
if you're up there Jeannette-- ma cousine,
I hope you are smiling down at us and enjoying 
seeing my new set of "Dishes" coming together...}

Hugs, 
Julierose, La Blageuse-Dresden-euse