Sentimental Stitches

Good grief stitchers - do you realize how long it's been since I've posted any free designs other than our Midget Blocks or the regular Block of the Month patterns? Well, I realized it's been too dog gone long!!!

No complaining about how busy I am or how much needs to be done, tonight and tomorrow is "FREE PATTERN TIME"

Isn't this a fun and simple quilt? I love the "whisker cover" that was sewn on one edge to protect it (I'll show you a picture later).
As simple as it is, it's a fun block and you can stitch a few up now and then with special fabrics or it would be a great friendship block to swap. We've all got a little pansy in us. Wonderful blends of color, strong and hardy!
I'll be listing this one on ebay along with tons of other things for a neighbor who is downsizing her huge collections of everything from old Halloween costumes to feedsacks, tablecloths, crystal and some awesome costume jewelry and Storybook Dolls.

See you tonight!

I am in awe of the beautiful colors in my Stargazer Lilies. First I marveled at the four buds and decided to tie them to the deck railing so they wouldn't fall over.

Then the first flower bloomed and it's fragrance began to fill the air.

Then there were two -

And three -

Finally the grand finale of four!

Their fragrance greets me when I leave for work in the morning and again when I come home. The gentle lake breeze sends reminders inside the cottage every now and then. I'm no photographer but they sure are beautiful. Paul took some pictures when he and Angela were here last weekend. He's a fantastic photographer so I can't wait to see his pics.

I'm sure you've all heard the saying "When life gives you scraps...... Make a quilt! Well that's exactly what I plan to do this winter along with a whole list of fun projects for the Polka Dot Garden.

The store is scheduled to close at the end of the day on Saturday, Nov. 1. I imagine by the end of the following I'll have moved back to Grand Rapids. That leaves me about a week before the Fall Dear Jane Retreat in Shipshewana. I'll arrive there on Nov. 17 and stay until the 23rd. My roommate already has her airline ticket so it's just a matter of counting the down the days. Some days it seems like a long way off but I've been getting block patterns together for the 3" block swap I'm in. If I stick to my schedule the blocks will be finished in September but..............I keep thinking of things for the Polka Dot Garden. Remember those embroidery blocks from the Motifs of March I said to set aside if the little Katinka logo was colored in? They were all flowers - duh - they grow in the Polka Dot Garden and will be part of our stitchery quilt. If you're new to the Motifs of March embroidery, the past blocks can be purchased in the Online Store. You'll need Blocks 4, 9, 13, 18 and 21. Now don't fall over when I tell you there are over 100 blocks in the quilt.

Look at those little flowers, they're small, stitch up quickly and I guarantee you're going to love the quilt!

Aren't these cute? Polka dots and flowers. I wonder what they'll grow into?

Oh ya, I've signed up to be a Stitchers' Angel. Did you see the emblem in the sidebar? When Paul tells me how to make it a link, it'll take you to the Angel site but for now you can read about it HERE.