TGI--FRIDAY!!

It's been one of THOSE weeks:  electricians in and out --a lil' mousie, it seems, ate through one of our wires and threw out the whole bedroom & bath area of the house.  (Sigh); so somewhere in our bedroom wall a "crispy critter" is lying.....ugh!!

OK: enough whining...this is what I am doing with Spiders in the Jardin:

Hand quilting--don't look TOO closely--the stitches are not all that even or small--BUT--it is getting easier--coming back to me a little.  I {heart} doing this at night, so soothing.....( I machined the big seams and tied the corners--so it'll be a 3-way quilt--  :--))

See what I mean, well, I guess if we are defined by what we do, this truly shows that I am not totally OCD....as it is "what it is" and will stay that way..

Here is the signature block I hand sewed together from scraps for the back--since it's a "garden" quilt I thought those veggies would be cute..no????; and it will be a gift for a very close gardening maven- friend.....

And so, mes amies, that is where I am--my leftside:  neck/shoulder/arm/hand etc (aaargh) is/are very sore--sooooo, baby, baby steps...(and why do grocery clerks have to fill our bags soooo full I want to know--do we look like weight lifters, I mean really ...oops--forgot--no more whining allowed..) I think a lil' sippy of wine is in order tonight!!

'Til we meet again..I am as ever, Julierose, La Blageuse

Spiderwebs (in my jardin) Spotted Saturday Special

I got the black and white spotted fabric borders sewn on this afternoon.  The black makes those spiders really pop out, I think....My spiderwebs  are pretty wonky...(anyone else have trouble with all those crossing seam allowances???--yikes--pretty thick to sew over--I will say my Viking tore right through them--even when I graded them a little they were t-r-o-u-b-l-e!!) AND:  presser feet:  my 1/4 foot doesn't really hold that well--VERY disappointing.  And I tense up.  And get a sore neck.  (*%$$***).

I think I will "tie" this one--the thought of hand quilting over all those seams or trying to machine over them doesn't sound right to me.  I also want to "try out" mosaic piecing for a strip across the back...

FOR NOW:   from snowy, windy country:

The wonky crow fabric is waving bye-bye--all gone....I really have used up all but a few crumbs--it is one of my all-time favorite fabrics--so funny and cute and bright. 

(Note to Twist-a-long {see my sidebar}folks:  I starched both sides of my layout!  Hopefully, the dire prognostications about those pesky "bias edges" won't come true.... or my Twist and Shout will be pretty loud!!)

Did y'all let the "good times roll" on Fat Tuesday???  Moi, une rhume--sniff, sniff....here's to Les Bons Temps for you and yours....Julierose, La Blageuse

HEXED by Sea Flowers

Here are those pesky hexagons sewn together:

As you can see, the sides are not even--this is the best I could do w/o unsewing (sigh!!) which I have done about ten times, it seems.  It'll be a table topper, and so, who will notice???? I love the hexagon work, but need to get a "PLAN" for putting them together. 

Here are some of my favorite rosettes:

This one shows how the first two rows are made up of two-fabric hexies.  I have a lot of rosettes left over and will be making another small quilt from those.  But, in future I think strip piecing will be my method. 

Also, here are all the Spider blocks all sewn up.  I need to re-size so that they are even and then decide whether to sash or not or how to border them. 

(Sorry for the bad picture, am having trouble with my computer sending these all over the **** and gone!!)

Do you like the spiders in their multi-colored setting or should I do color familys (eg blue-purple, red-orange, green-turquoise)???? I just don't know. 

FILE UNDER:  JUST A THOUGHT:

Do you ever finish sewing up what you thought all along would be a spectacular quilt and then.....you put it up on the wall and go "Yeah, so....?????"  That is where I am right now.  Maybe a little sewn-out.....Anyhoo.......Have a happy Valentine's Day all.....................

Julierose, La Blageuse

Superquilt Saturday

Bonjour, Here is what I have done this week...

Purple Spider

Turquoise Spider

Yellow Spider

AND:

A couple of these using English Paper Piecing and no glue

SEE, just freezer paper ironed on...it is hard for me to press the seams and stitch with my left hand, but a few at a time seems manageable...

I had planned on using Teresa's method on "Fabric Therapy", but made such a mess of the glue, that I fell back on my usual method of EPP (English Paper Piecing)...

I have a question :  WHAT will I do with all of these triangles leftover from my Spiders dans Le Jardin ?????

Four per block= 36 of these lil' babies--AND I just LOVE this fabric--it has such cute sayings all over it along with garden implements: (like: Gardening is good for your soul", Happiness is in your garden", "my heart is in the garden" etc).  So I do not want to waste it. (A la Bonnie Hunter and "using all of your scraps")( which really cost $9 and up per yd--what a disgrace!!  REALLY--end of rant) Maybe cut into strips along with the different colored strips from the spiders?????  Any thoughts???

AND look what I found for my travels in the car or over short day trips (note:  My Tommy LIKES to drive, so I can sit and sew--yay!!)  :

This Vera Bradley Small Travel Hanging Organizer (I saw one on someone else's blog and cannot recall where --not trying to steal anyone else's idea--if you read this let me know and I will give you credit for this super idea) It is just right to put everything in that you'll need for small blocks AND I found one online at the Vera Bradley Site (I have no affiliation with that CO.  just love her stuff) and it was reduced and sooooooo  of course I got it!!

It even has a cute all round zip and handle --out the door and ready to go n' sew:

And so, with this (phew!!) I and my four wonderful grandchildren bid you adieu-

-Hugs  Julierose, La Blageuse

Friday's WIPS --a Shout out to MA--love le beret

More wonky spiders creating webs.....

Orange and red and....

Blues and greens...and

yellows and purples =

 

 Don't know if I like the arrangement yet--need to make more of each color and, I think, perhaps a shocking pink one, too....we'll see  and...the yellow seems pale compared to the other colors...but yellow has a way of sparking up things.....

 AND

I have discovered that my sore left thumb is most likely tendonitis, not just arthritis...no wonder I get these sharp pains using it for piano, picking up items and holding things....thanks to my good friend, MA, who visited us (bearing her homemade pickles so dear to my heart!!)  over the past weekend, I have sent for a thumb support which should help.  Thanks MA!!
LOOK HERE:

Using Bonnie Hunter's "Leaders & Enders method (see her at "Quiltville") I got all these "twosies" made at the same time I was making my spiders.  Amazing, huh?

Found this January House :

And February House

...during my final  fabric bin clean-out:  .two older blocks I had begun, using the fused applique method and hand embroidery.  From an HGTV show with Alex Anderson called "Strolling the Block"--hope to continue finishing these  up this year.....

If I EVER can rid myself of this mega-cold bug that is....hangin' in tho'.

Mmmmmwah to all

Julierose, La Blageuse

Back from LA-LA-Land Fever

Finally, my fever has broken --it was stubbornly up over 100-101 for three brutal days--aargh. 

Am done with meds and just have that hack-ack cough....

BUT--guess what got done for me by my husband while I was sick....

Look here:

A 72" long cutting/designing table installed over a cabinet of drawers-- and

see that one storage bin on the right hiding underneath--that's all that's left of my unsorted fabrics--the new spot is here:

Let's go open those closet doors... and...peek inside...

and the other side..

VOILA!!  There is my color-sorta-sorted stash!  I am so excited to have this done.  These shelves and the cabinet with drawers were being thrown out by a local school!!  Tommy rescued them, bought a door--polyurethaned it to death, and mounted it atop the cabinet and to the wall.  A Spacious new sewing room.  I can't wait to get in there and sew.

As far as Resolutions:  I think mine is S-L-O-W  W-A-Y  D-O-W-N; do one thing at a time and really enjoy it....it's not a race to see who can make the most quilts, but rather, a hobby for me.  Fun.  Relaxation. Stress buster.....

And here is my first "web" of my Garden Spider quilt...such fun..

I know that Grand'mere Rose would love it, too

She and my little bear friend perch atop my storage cabinet next to my machine and keep me company--

Julierose, La Blageuse (P.S.  Thanks Rosemary and Waggonswest for your well wishes--love hearing from you)

IT IS A WONDER-FILLED LIFE

Our family had our celebration yesterday filled with laughter, a few tears, memories, music  and much gratefulness for being all together again....and so blessed with our 2 1/2 month old granddaughter, Fiona..

Cassidy was our "santa" this year handing all the presents around....

Steven liked his presents

My daughter, Candice, held Fiona a lot.....she says, "been there, done that!" after her four... 

 Cassidy held Fiona, too--isn't that  a sweet  picture?

AND  Grand'mere gets her turn, too...

All over for another year....such a lovely day... I loved every minute...

Here is what I am working on now:  My Spider (in the Jardin) Web  --next comes bright blues:

This is why Mrs. Spider is "in the Jardin"--don't you just love this fabric??

I am making each block a bright scrap-filled primary color  and am using up my stash--such fun--AND:  am using   Bonnie's "Leaders and Enders" idea and making a whole batch of "twosies at the same time....ya gotta love that Bonnie.. 'til next time...

Julierose,   La Blageuse