Sentimental Stitches

I don’t think I told you I’ve been adding new items to the Online Store and stuff in ebay auctions. The most notable additions to the store are the Kansas City Star quilting books. I enjoy selecting titles I think you’ll like and will inspire you.

Juniper and Mistletoe


Winter Trees


I’ve haven’t added all of the books I’ll be carrying so if there are other titles you’d like, please email me. If it’s not already in stock I’d be happy to get it for you.



Pick of the Seasons


Treat yourself with a “Merry Christmas to Me” gift – you deserve it and with FREE SHIPPING it’s even merrier!

’cause I’m missing a family Christmas part today to make a little
money for the cottage taxes. Came across this picture of Angela and
Clutch – ahhh, next summer

Tonight Rob and I went to the Christmas party for Standale Lumber and Standale Interiors where Rob works. The last few years the party has been held at the Interiors location which is a bit like a very big house with several living rooms, dining rooms and faux kitchens and bathrooms. A very comfortable setting.

The highlight of the evening for me was being able to see some of our son Kevin’s ceramic tile work. Standale is one of Kevin’s clients and I was just in awe of the backsplash he did in one of the display kitchens.
Kevin works in new construction or homes where people have lived for a while and are remodeling so I don’t often get the chance to see his work.




Yes! Only a quilter’s son would come up with such a beautiful combination! I just had to share it with you.




I’m so glad I took these pictures. I can look at them and dream about the day when Kev will create a beautiful backsplash for me in the kitchen at the cottage maybe.

I’ve had questions from several of you asking how I’m doing the applique on my blocks for the Beyond The Cherry Trees quilt.
I’ve tried just about every technique there is but once I learned how to back baste I’ve been using that the most.

Clutch is always my happy helper and recommends if you’ve never tried back basting to take a look at the detailed instructions on how it’s done HERE.
I always draw my patterns on tracing paper so I can easily see the reverse image of the pattern by flipping the page over.




I lay my paper pattern (right side down) on a light box. Then I center my background fabric (right side down) over the pattern and pin it to the pattern to keep it from shifting.




I trace the design on the wrong side of my background fabric using a marking pencil.
I’m sure some of you are wondering why I would trace the embroidery lines on the wrong side but it makes things easier later on. I add the embroidery after I’ve finished my applique so if I lay the block right side up on the light box, I can easily see the embroidery lines to mark them on the right side.




I’m working my reverse applique before I stitch the flowers on the block. It’s easy to draw the center circle on a square large enough to cover the flower shape. I like to use Clover’s white marking pen. It draws a nice fine line that’s easy to see on most fabrics. My circle templates are Perfect Circles by Karen Kay Buckley. It only takes eight little snips inside the drawn circle (just like you’re cutting a pie) and you’re ready to go.




Cut a piece of your flower center fabric large enough to cover the shape. Pin the right side of the center fabric to the wrong side of the flower fabric.




I needle-turn the edges under using a blindstitch with matching thread for my applique.




Voila! A cute little flower center.

Some of us, (haha) me are still working on Block 1 of The Cherry Quilt. If I spent more time doing my applique instead of stitching over the quilting of an unknown quilter I’d probably be on Block 2. If I weren’t ripping out her applique stitches I’d be working on Block 3 like the rest of you but Clutch and I can’t seem to put that old antique quilt down.

I thought I’d share some random findings to keep you from getting too far ahead of me.

Here’s the flower I discovered in the photo of Block 3

I’ve looked at the block from every angle possible and found hidden stitches on three sides of the pineapples.


This is the design quilted over the seam line between Block 2 and 3.

This flower is quilted on the third side of the block.

Now one would think if there’s something special quilted on three sides of the block, something special must be quilted on the fourth side. If it’s there I sure can’t see it so I moved on to unstitching more applique.




One of the blocks has nearly every piece worn away. Most of the faded green fabric has turned blue and the purple grapes are now brown. In this block the fabric I figured would have been green was tan. I wanted to know if it was actually green, purple or did we have a block filled with brown dried leaves.

Here’s the section I opened up. Darn, nothing underneath but a darker shade of tan.


I still think the fabric was green when the quilt was made but it sure is an odd duck among the other fabrics.


This is one of the flowers in that block. I believe it was lemon yellow and white originally.

So many questions, what a mystery it all is. I really should be doing more applique!

Clutch and I can get lost for hours looking for and sewing the hidden stitches on the Cherry quilt. There aren’t any special quilting designs hidden among the pineapples on Block 3 but I did do some fabric investigating trying to get a better idea of what the original colors looked like.

Oh my gosh!!!

I just finished saying there weren’t any hidden stitches on Block 3 but when I went to Flickr to get the picture link ……………… look closely at the left side of the photograph.

Do you see it? There’s half of a star design quilted on the left side of the block.
I looked and looked at that section of the quilt and never saw it until I looked at the photo tonight.
If you don’t see the designs, click on the picture and it’ll take you to the Flickr version with note squares around the stitching.
I think I better start checking the block photos before opening my mouth next month!

Okay, now back to the fabric we were talking about.

The print fabric used on two of the pineapples was a small scale seaweed print almost the same as one of the prints in the Dear Jane Fabric Collection from Windham Fabrics. It’s print 23879-5. The Dear Jane fabric does look more like the color of a pineapple to me but it’s too golden if you’re matching the original fabric.
You’d think out of the 5000 yards of fabric that must be in this house I’d have one print close to the original but I haven’t found a single piece. I’m now on a hunt and will let you know what I find.

I can’t make myself mark on the quilt with a pencil or marking pen but I don’t mind “frog stitching” some of the applique to look at the back of the fabric. When I was in Shipshewana I think my treasured friend, Barb Perrin nearly fainted when I pulled open some of the red, green and yellow applique in Yoder’s so we could match the solid colors. We did pretty darn good. The fabrics were all P&B solids if I remember correctly. Don’t worry, I’ll applique the pieces down again.

You can see the original print was a tiny, cheddar seaweed design on a cream background. You can also see how much the green fabric has faded.

In the other two pineapples a soft, solid yellow fabric was used. I couldn’t see any difference between the front and back side of the fabric but I believe it was much brighter when it was new.

You can download Block 3 – HERE

This was Dec. 1, 2008 – It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since I was hauling water up and down the hill at the cottage waiting until we closed the Traverse City Items Boutique. On Dec. 16th I will have been unemployed for 1 year.

I’d rather think about the Beyond The Cherry Trees quilt rag!

I’ve been working on the December block but ended up down on a corner
where a feather, three little rings and a couple of flowers appeared.
It’s midnight – off to bed.

I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by family, friends and good food. It was less hectic around here this year although we had a few laughs over my turkey carving capabilities. I can wave a mean knife! We all settled in for after dinner naps and had turkey sandwiches before bed.

No rushing out at 5 am for Black Friday deals for me. I spent many years out on the hunt for the specially requested toys when the boys were young. At the time it was something I looked forward to and really enjoyed. This year I was happy to see at the stroke of midnight I could have ordered online most anything I felt I couldn’t live without.

It was a restful day today organizing quilt patterns, putting away dishes and eating leftovers. Kevin was home part of the day. Paul came over this morning and Angela was here by afternoon. I feel lucky my family lives close by.



This is Clutch, the spoiled Chihuahua who has become much more suspicious and protective now that he isn’t in the shop with lots of people around every day.


This is Pigs, Angela and Paul’s easy-go-lucky rescue dog who loves everyone.

The peace and happiness of the day ended abruptly when Pigs startled a sleeping Clutch and being the barky Chihuahua he is, he jumped off the couch to nip at her heels. I’m sure Pigs was not expecting that so she turned around, grabbed Clutch by the head and pinned him to the floor. Clutch yelped and I went into Mama Bear Mode screaming to get Pigs out of the house.
Clutch was so scared his jaw was shaking and I nearly fainted when I realized I hadn’t heard myself yell like that since Smokey (a cat we had years ago) lunged at Paul when he was little and bit him in the butt and thigh. I screamed then too to get that cat out of the house. Rob had a hold of him in a matter of minutes and we never saw him again.



No winners in this one. Clutch has a couple of marks on his head, some swelling and trouble blinking his left eye but I’m sure he’ll be just fine by morning. I haven’t found out yet if Pigs lost any fur or flesh on the back of her legs. I spent an hour and a half crying because I let my instincts get the better of me and yelled. Needless to say we’re exhausted and it’s nearly 1 am so I hope I can get some sleep.

Here’s hoping for a better day tomorrow!

There isn’t very much free time once I get home from the retreat.
I’m baking, cooking and cuddling Clutch today. Still have to finish thawing out the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow! I look forward to a few restful days with family and hope to do some hand stitching on one project or another.

I thought I’d share a few more pictures from the Fall 2009 Dear Jane Retreat.

My good friend Theresa took this one of me working on some hidden stitches in the Cherry Quilt.

I took a couple of close-up shots of the Dear Jane quilt we made for Elaine. She’s our coordinator extraordinaire!

A pretty 1930s quilt a Yoder’s.

I just loved these two quilts. A set of preprinted blocks, some simple piecing and you’ve got a great quilt.

A beautiful batik quilt for sale at Lolly’s Home store.


This Piece ‘O Cake pattern is usually made with bright polka dot fabrics but I like this pastel version too.

The lights of Shipshewana on Saturday night. Do you know what the sound is you hear in the background of the video? The video’s a lousy one but the sound is music to my ears.

My last trip through Lolly’s on Saturday.


Sunday morning loneliness.

is going home with me. It matches one of Clutch’s favorite blankies.