NONNIE'S CEDAR CHEST

Moving

2010-03-01T14:47:00.002-06:00

Well, I am joining my friends over at wordpress. I am going to try to do a better job of blogging and hope to see you there.

please visit me at nonniescedarchest.wordpress.com

Tumbled Stars

2010-02-17T06:42:00.004-06:00

What fun I had testing a pattern for my friend, Cathi called Tumbled Stars. The fabrics are very "spring".

The pattern was designed using Linda Franz' Inklingo method which made it very quick to put together. On this project, I hand pieced the skinny star points and machine pieced the rest. I am a beginner when it comes to machine quilting but this will suffice. If you haven't done so yet, please visit Linda's website www.lindafranz.com She offers many collections for sale and some free projects to try.

Passacaglia Give-Away

2009-12-24T18:39:00.004-06:00

Passacaglia Give-A-Way!

Linda Franz and Tilde have collaborated on a Give Away. The prize is fabulous fabric - enough to make a table runner using the Tilde's Passacaglia Table Runner.

Prize Fabric "Stained Glass"

The link to Tilde's free table runner pattern can be found at

http://lindafranz.com/product.php?productId=55

If you are new to Inklingo, please go to Lindafranz.com or use the links at the right to learn more. There are many resources and information for your convenience. Also visit the Inklingo blog and Inklingoprojects to view the many projects being made by quilters of all skill levels who are utilizing this unique, time-saving, and versatile method of piecing. I guarantee you will be inspired!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T18:24:00.004-06:00

Wishing you all a Blessed Christmas Season.

It has been a very long time since I blogged. My father had a very serious surgery in November and our family has been with him providing constant care and support. We are very thankful that he is now in rehab and doing well. We hope to have him home in 7-10 days.

Needless to say, Thanksgiving and most of Christmas has passed us by along with many other things. While Dad was in ICU I smocked two dresses for each of my granddaughters. It gave my hands and mind something to do while sitting and waiting, and waiting, and waiting. I will have to find the picture of the green corduroy dresses. (hint, hint, Stacy!)

I look forward to 2010 and starting to work on the quilts for the built in bunk beds we are having made in our new home. I will be sharing my sewing room with the grandchildren so they are required to sleep under handmade quilts.

Have a healthy and happy 2010.

Quilts for New Sewing Room

2009-08-14T13:03:00.008-05:00

We are building a new home and my extra large sewing room is also going to house four built in bunk beds for when the grandchildren come to visit. They will each have a built in reading lamp and cubby hole I decided to trim out the bunk beds in a wonderful chocolate brown. I will have a quilt on each of the beds. Pink and Brown; Red and Brown; Yellow/Gold and Brown, and Blue and Brown.

This pink and brown quilt is from a Buggy Barn.

This is the back of the pink and brown quilt. The backing is light pink and white stripe.

This is a close up the two main blocks, sashing and border.

These are some of the brown and yellow fabrics I will be using in the yellow and brown quilt. The yellows are not quite as bright as they appear in the photo. One of the quilts I am thinking of doing a basket quilt and maybe a mariners compass for the other. Still deciding. I have one grandson and two granddaughters, so one of the quilts will need to be a little less feminine. This is my plan for now. It could change tomorrow. I think it would be nice to give the grandchildren the quilt that was on their bunk bed when they start families of their own some day. (or go off to college!)

Biscornu Gift

2009-08-13T07:36:00.003-05:00

I received a beautiful Biscornu from a wonderful friend today. I was so surprised and shocked when I opened the package. It is so pretty and the cross stitch work is impeccable. This is a side view.

This is a view from the top. I am in awe of the Biscornu as I have always admired them. I never did one myself because the construction intimidated me.

There were also some wonderful fabrics in yellow and red in the package along with some stripes that will be great for the POTC quilt top.

New Swags for Inklingo GMFG/Renegade takes a Swim

2009-08-11T15:18:00.004-05:00

After much contemplation and a little advice from my friend, I am removing the red scallop part of the swag and replacing it with a smooth edge. It looks much nicer and makes the workmanship easier and neater. I should have all of the pieces ready to sew this evening. Ripping out is not my favorite thing to do but in the long run, I think I will be happier with the results of the new version.

I took my labrador retriever swimming today at a friend's pool. He dove right in and it took me a while to get him out of the water. You can see his joy! He commandeered a little baby floating toy and swam the entire time with it in his mouth. You would have thought I had given him a T-bone steak. It wore him out so he is now sleeping......actually he is snoring!

Swags

2009-08-10T15:53:00.005-05:00

I have been back to work on my Starry GMFG. I added the swags on one of the short ends of the quilt. The other short end swags are prepped and ready to go. I still have to figure out the corner swags and add the flower buds on the tips of the swags. Wow! There is light at the end of this flower garden. There was no pattern for this quilt, so there was a lot of trial and error. The hexagons were at least made easier by Inklingo. I just wish there had been Inklingo for the swags. Usually by the time I get to this point in a quilt, I lose interest. I still love this quilt and can't wait to see it quilted.

Butterflies and Stars

2009-08-06T13:20:00.004-05:00

Thank you to Cathi Godwin for letting me use her Inklingo hexagon and diamond pattern idea for a baby quilt for my granddaughter, Ella Ruth. I finally finished machine quilting it - a major feat in itself as that is truly not my forte. I know Ella will love the texture of the chenille and minky border.

Construction - Foundation Prep

2009-08-06T13:15:00.003-05:00

The preparation for the foundation continues. I think this stage will last several weeks. At least the ground is changing.

Construction begins on my Birthday!

2009-08-05T15:27:00.003-05:00

We have finally started on the construction of our home. It was an awesome birthday surprise to get the permits issued by the city and start the very next day. Our contractor has it "all together!" The picture is me with two of my grandchildren, Kelsey and Brendan. They came for the day with my daughter and baby granddaughter to celebrate my birthday. My grandson really wanted to drive the contractor - he didn't say so, but you could tell by the look in his eyes. It was a very fun day.

Cowboy Baby Quilt

2009-08-05T15:02:00.005-05:00

I have been working on UFOs this week. One of which is a baby quilt for a friend who adopted a little boy. It is a pinwheel cowboy quilt. The quilting is hard to see and is one of my first machine quilting projects. I truly prefer to have the experts do the quilting but out of necessity I attempted this one. I used coloring book pictures for the quilting patterns on each of the blocks. The design was a free Moda design that I downloaded a while back. The pinwheel pattern is also an Inklingo shape.

Vacant Lot, POTC

2009-07-14T07:18:00.007-05:00

There is a possibility that we will turn the first shovel of dirt on the construction of our new home either later this week or early next week. (This is starting to sound like a broken record!) Hopefully the permits will be issued today. Here is a picture of Jeff and me at the lot. We met a couple of our neighbors and they seem very nice and welcomed us to the neighborhood. I am going to have to practice patience if I am going to survive the building process. The most important room - my sewing room - is fully designed and in my head it is already finished. I just want to be there sewing!

The Patchwork of the Crosses block today is Row 2, Block 1. I would never have put these fabrics together in another style block because they would have fought with each other but in the POTC they play off each other to add dimension, movement, and interest. If you haven't been there yet, please visit Linda Franz' website....www.lindafranz.com There you will find so much information on Inklingo, links to projects and her blog is full of information as well as tutorials. You will want to spend the day there.

Making House Decisions and POTC Block

2009-07-11T21:48:00.007-05:00

Today was busy looking at ideas for the new home. Hopefully the first shovel of dirt will be turned next week and construction will begin. It was too hot in Texas to spend much time outside so I pieced another POTC block. The lighting for the picture is not that great as the colors are more vivid than portrayed in the picture.

This is my interpretation of of block 2 on Row 1.

I am hoping to piece at least one block a day. Piecing goes much faster than deciding on the fabric and printing but the whole process is fun and rewarding.

Renegade knows how to stay cool. Unfortunately his tub is in storage so we are doing the hose routine. His tub was a little small for him any way.

2009-07-10T20:04:00.003-05:00

I was determined to stitch today, so here is my interpretation of the first block in row one of Lucy Boston's Patchwork of the Crosses. Much to my surprise the very center has a tiny blue circle - unplanned. Also unplanned was the stripe around the block that give the block a square look. I can only imagine that perhaps Lucy held the same level of excitement at the completion of each block. She had to be a "master" quilter.

Patchwork of the Crosses/Organizing

2009-07-10T09:26:00.008-05:00

POTC has been both challenging and rewarding thus far. The blocks in the original quilt by Lucy Boston are so very interesting. It is amazing how she used fabric and only two shapes to create a quilt that is so extraordinary. My quilt will not be a duplication of Lucy Boston but rather an interpretation of the "feel" of the block. In some blocks, stripes speak to me and in others it is the fussy cut in the center that creates another dimension.

Since my stash of fabric is packed and in storage, I have been trying to acquire, very judiciously, pieces for POTC.

My POTC is a portable hand piecing project. I put the pieces for each block in a Floss-A-Way baggy used for embroidery floss. There is a hole in the top corner of the baggy so I put them on a metal ring. This is a picture of 14 blocks prepped and ready to sew.

Baby Quilts

2009-06-20T07:58:00.004-05:00

Here are the pictures of the baby quilt tops I finished yesterday. The first is for a friend's baby boy. The pinwheel's are cowboy fabrics. I wanted to do something "Texas-y" for him since I am in Texas and he is in Florida. I added the prairie points to give it dimension and something his little hands can fiddle with.

The second quilt is for my granddaughter Ella. I used Cathi Godwin's pattern with embroidered butterflies and Inklingo stars. I will add Ella's name and birthdate to the blank hexagon block in the lower left corner.

I am off to the fabric store today to see if I can find stripes, paisleys, plaids and prints for the POTC blocks. I think "ugly" fabrics would look best with those blocks. It will be a fun challenge to make "ugly" fabrics interesting and pretty in creating the POTC blocks.

Sewing Day

2009-06-19T20:59:00.004-05:00

I did some sewing today as I am trying to catch up on some projects that sat idle during the move and travels. I finished two tops for baby quilts - one for my granddaughter and one for a friend who adopted a little boy. Both are very cute. I will post pictures tomorrow. Now I have to get them quilted or find time to quilt them myself.
I used chenille and minky in one of the quilts and it was a mess. Lint everywhere.

Renegade is adjusting to his new home very well. He doesn't have a large space to run but he makes the best of it. I love this picture of him with his "baby". We adopted him when he was a year old and are pretty certain he was abused. He finds comfort in his stuffed animals. It is funny to see an 85 pound lab dragging around a stuffed toy!

2009-06-17T15:42:00.002-05:00

2009-06-17T15:42:00.001-05:00

2009-06-17T15:38:00.001-05:00

POTC

Patchwork of the Crosses

2009-06-17T15:22:00.003-05:00

As they say in Texas "Back in the saddle!" The middle of May we sold our home of 26 years and moved to a rental home while we build. Four days later we were on a trip from Athens Greece to Venice Italy. We returned home for four days and then took another 10 day sailing trip to the British Virgin Islands. I was able to stitch 6 Patchwork of the Crosses blocks from Lucy Boston/Inklingo. I will be starting a baby quilt for a friend who recently adopted a precious little boy. I have had the design and fabric since April but not the time.

Hope you enjoy the new blocks. They are very relaxing to do thanks to Inklingo. Please visit www.lindafranz.com and read about the Inklingo collections. They will definitely change your quilting life.

Matching Easter Dresses and Handsome Grandson

2009-04-18T12:07:00.003-05:00

When I previously posted the Easter dress for my granddaughter, I could not post that I had made a matching one for the new baby as my daughter did not know she was having a girl. Only the grandmother knew (that would be me!) Here is a picture of the girls in their dresses, along with my most handsome grandson. By the way, his baseball team is undefeated so far.

This Time of Year

2009-04-14T12:00:00.005-05:00

This is the week of my mother's passing nine years ago. I still miss her so much. My mother was quite a character to say the least. This story is so much like my Mother as she could make us laugh and cry at the same time.

A couple of days before she passed away peacefully in her sleep, she had asked a neighbor for a rose from her rose bush. The neighbor told her she could have one but not off a particular bush because that bush produced roses that were planted in memory of her deceased husband, Mack. My mother returned to her house with a rose from another bush. The day of her passing, the neighbor called me to tell me about my mother. Upon my arrival, as I entered my parent's home, I saw the most beautiful Peace rose in a vase. The bloom was full, huge and perfect. The neighbor came to visit and as she was leaving she spotted the rose. She said "Bobbie took that rose! I wish now that I had given it to her". My mother had gone across to the neighbor's bush and cut the rose she originally liked. We all laughed. That was my mom!

After my mom's funeral and of hearing the story, my husband's sister sent me a Peace rose bush. It has honored me with a rose almost every year on her anniversary. I hope you enjoy it too.

Ironically, my mother is buried directly above the neighbor's husband. The joke is that my Mom is nudging "Mack" with her foot. It is not uncommon to go to my Mom's resting place and see that a rose has "mysteriously" been placed there.

Pickle Dish - My Version

2009-04-09T18:41:00.005-05:00

I had done this version of pickle dish back in my day of paper piecing. It was hand quilted in Thailand. A friend of mine was living in Thailand and had made a connection with a quilting group. An American was teaching the Thai's to hand quilt and they were learning very quickly and did superb work. During the time my friend was in Thailand, we shuffled quilts back and forth through relatives and friends that were going for visits.

Below is a close up of the quilting:

Where Have I Been

2009-04-05T21:55:00.002-05:00

It has been way too long since I posted but I have a beautiful excuse....Ella Ruth. My granddaughter was born March 25. She required some special care and had to remain in the hospital longer than we anticipated but all is well now. She is a wonderful baby and her siblings think she is grand. I have quite a bit of sewing to do to catch up. I will be posting the dress I smocked for her that matches Kelsey's dress. I couldn't post it along with the big sister dress because my daughter didn't know she was having a girl - The doctor clued me in!

Smocking, Sewing Buddy and Sunset

2009-03-06T18:04:00.006-06:00

The last three weeks has been a whirlwind but I did manage to finish smocking Kelsey's Easter dress. It turned out very sweet. I can't wait to see her in it. Last year her dress was pink and smocked with chocolate bunnies. She said the bunnies matched her "chocolate brown" eyes. Someone was looking at the picture of her in the pink dress recently and commented on the white gloves she was wearing. They were very impressed. She enjoys the dresses but not half as much as I enjoy making them for her. I am still working on the baby quilt for the new little brother or sister that will be here on March 25. I am definitely behind the curveball on that one! I am also getting ready to make a lace ring bearer pillow for a good friend of my daughter. Jennifer is in the wedding party and the wedding is in June. We will be traveling a great deal between now and then so I am getting a jump start on the pillow. I have it designed so it shouldn't take too long.

This is my chocolate lab, Renegade. (I sure am using the word "chocolate" a lot today, hmmmm). Renegade stays under my feet when I am sewing and seems to gather my cut threads. It is easier to pick them off of him than the carpet but sometimes he accidentally throws his 85 lbs on the foot control of my sewing machine. Uh, oh. He is great company and unlike my husband he doesn't yelp when he steps on a long lost needle or pin.

Lastly, we have great sunsets in Texas. I almost missed this one. It looks like the sky is on fire.

A Smocking of a Day

2009-02-10T18:11:00.004-06:00

Well, no work on my hexagon today. I am going to have to put it aside for a few days while I finish my granddaughters Easter dress. I finished the smocking over the weekend and today it got a steam bath to set the pleats. Here is a picture of it in its blocking stage. Kelsey is a sweet little thing and loves all of the dresses Nonnie makes for her. She can rough it up with the boys but enjoys being a "girly" girl too. The dress is snow white with pastel Easter baskets.

This weekend my grandson Brendan had his 7th birthday. He had a Davy Crockett birthday party. The picture is of the coon skin cap cake that my daughter made. She is very creative and talented but doesn't know it. Since she has a hard time with the sewing machine, I think she is a great candidate for hand piecing. She will be delivering our 3rd grandchild at the end of March. I am working on a baby quilt so that is another reason the hexagon has been shelved.

Progress on Grandmother's Starry Garden

2009-02-08T19:35:00.002-06:00

The day was spent working on the layout and measurements of the border. Since I am doing this quilt from a picture that is 4 x 4.5 it is taking a lot of experimentation to achieve the correct balance. Everyone enjoys a challenge ever now and then. Right?

I thought I would share with you the little I know about the original quilt and its maker. The maker was born in 1831 and passed away in 1888. She was a farm wife who tended a large garden and raised turkeys. The quilt was finished around 1880. The quilt techniques used were applique, piecing, and stuffed work. It appears the star was actually appliqued to the background. The quilting is very detailed especially in the open areas toward the corners.

I thought the quilt was very interesting. Have you ever seen a 10 pointed star? Don't you think it is unusual to see an applique border on a pieced quilt? Of course the maker used fabrics she had on hand; wool, silk and cotton. It is quite a treasure.

Grandmother's Starry Flower Garden

2009-02-02T14:52:00.002-06:00

Grandmother's Starry Flower Garden took 1 year to hand piece. I still need to add the applique borders. This is an 8-pointed star made of 3/4" hexagons using the Inklingo method. The original quilt was made in the 1860's.

Dear Jane Quilts

2009-02-02T00:15:00.005-06:00

Jewel Haseltine Jane is a Dear Jane quilt made in Civil War reproduction fabrics. It is named for my sweet grandmother who was born in 1896 and lived a wonderful 96 years. The 30's Dear Jane originated from an online block swap of Dear Jane blocks. I participated in about 3 swaps - each time adding borders thinking I was finished with it. In the end, I decided to add the Courthouse Step blocks which was originally going to be an entirely separate project. Dear Jane goes to the Courthouse was my first entry at a quilt show and received an Honorable Mention ribbon. Sheri Mecom quilted both of them. She is an awesome Long arm quilter.

Folk Art Angel

2009-02-02T00:08:00.005-06:00

The Folk Art Quilt was an applique learning experience.

Chimneys and Cornerstones

2009-02-01T23:45:00.003-06:00

Chimney and Cornerstones is one of the first large pieced quilts I did after learning how to quilt.