More Back Yard

This is my favorite hosta. It is a sun lover so its leaves are mostly yellow when they mature. I like the different shades of yellow and green as it goes from top large leaves to small bottom leaves.

In my back garden I have a plant hanger that I can hang 2 plants on. Here you will see its summer use, and in winter I hang suet cakes for the birds.

Well you get the idea, I hang them for the birds and some of the furry gang that entertains me all winter climb up for a snack. I have greased the pole several times but that only deters them for about 3 days.


The birds and squirrels have different feeding times so they rarely bump into each other.

Addition to Kaleidoscope post

I forgot to add this closeup photo of the brown/rust quilt. Also, all of my photos have been clickable until this last post where this quilt picture wasn't so I'm putting it in a second time to see if it was my fault or if it just isn't clickable for a larger view.

Strip Pieced Kaleidoscope

This morning I will teach the second half of the strip pieced Kaleidoscope class. I always emphasize to my students that it is the fabric choice that makes the quilt. With this particular pattern you need a smooth blend of values from light to dark no matter what your color choice is.

There are two different layouts for this pattern. The brown/rust quilt shows the alternate layout with all blocks in the X position. The other two quilts have the position alternated between the X and + positions (looking at the dark fabric wedges).

The bottom picture is a quilt made with all multicolor floral prints.

Paper piecing

When I started making this piece it was going to be a small wallhanging. When I got to the point where I had to make 2 more paper pieced sections, I just couldn't do it. I had to find a way to use the pieces I had and be done with it. After a little playing around this is what I ended up with. It is a good size for a table centerpiece.

Here is a closeup view after it was quilted.

And here are the leftovers, that little pile of tiny scraps left after trimming during the paper piecing process. I used a pink metallic thread for both the quilting and the edge so it was hard to photograph it. Maybe I'll try without a flash next time.

Strip Piecing Scraps

I made this piece last spring after the redbud trees and crabapple trees had bloomed. It seemed pink all over outside. I just kept making parts until I decided I had enough to make into something.

This is a picture of my backyard in late April and early May.

A Big Thank You

How exciting it is to get comments from around the world! I want to thank everyone who is veiwing my blog and especially those of you who have commented. I used to give programs for quilt guilds, starting in 1987. I also had my own quilt shop and worked for several other shops so my quilts have always been "out there" on display. When I left my last quilt shop manager job in 2000, I continued to make just as many quilts, but I no longer had the exposure that I was used to.

Now with this blog, I feel like I am doing a program again, but instead of having to lug the 3 heavy suitcases and 2 backdrop stands and 80 quilts and quilt tops, I can take my time and just show one at a time. I will continue to show older pieces, partly because it is forcing me to get them out and take a digital picture of them, since they preceeded digital cameras. I am always making new quilts too, because I am driven to keep experimenting with color and pattern.

Thank you again for giving me a reason to continue this blog.

Strip Piecing

Earlier this year I decided to play with the narrowest little batik scraps, ranging anywhere from 3/4" to about 1 1/4" in width. They were again from the cutaway when clean cutting a batik for a project. I sewed together groups and played with several layouts and configurations.

This is what I came up with for my final idea. Notice that the outside border is made of two different black background fabrics with a very subtle difference. A photo doesn't do just to this piece. It literally glows like jewels.