Recent Projects 2...

During the last part of September I worked on a small stack of projects...the first two I shared are here.

The next couple are a Kindle/book Clutch and a Pocket Verse Pack...

The Clutch is a little large for just a Kindle...but it makes it more useful for a regular book...I even think that the recipients Bible would fit in it :)

 

She really liked :)

Then...something for a teenage boy? I had recently made Chad a Pocket Verse Pack, so we thought that it would be a good gift for this young man...

The outside has a slot for the verse being currently worked on...then the inside holds more cards to switch to.

Some cards were given with printed verses on them, and other were left blank for him to fill in the verses he wants. He seemed to really like it :) which made me happy because men...let alone teenage boys... are hard to think of homemade gifts for!

Next time I'll show a Season's wall hanging, then a great lap quilt... I just love how it turned out!

From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee,

when my heart is overwhelmed:

lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 61:2

This prayer of David always touches my heart. Even when things are overwhelming, God is higher and can lift us up. We may not be finished with the situation that seems to be drowning us, but we can lean on the Lord and trust Him to lead us through!

Autumn Views...

Welcome to almost the last day of the Leafs Me Happy Blog Hop hosted by Madam Samm and Cherry, our hop cheerleader.

As of the first day of the hop, I had an idea for my block but had not started making it yet...and as blog hops are to do, I was inspired by one of the other blocks :) 

So, my original plan was altered (and changed) to make room for my favorite fall poem to be added.

About the only thing that remained from the original idea is the small patchwork square borders on the top and bottom...however, even throughout this design, they were suppose to go the whole way around...but I messed up my measurements - again! They are going to start telling me 'no' when I want to join a hop because I can never seem to get an accurate block of 10.5 or 12.5! :)

I actually did some fussy cutting for the leaves to show the "Autumn Views" (as I'll name this block) of this great material I got at JoAnn's and appliqued them on.

 This wall hanging finished at 12 x 15 and fits great right where it was designed for...on my wall just to the left of my sewing machine... I LOVE Autumn!!!!!!!! and now I can 'enjoy the views' all year!

As I was using this fabric, I was also inspired to make a couple of potholders...

A pair of fall hued Granny Squares...these unfinished tops are 8 3/4 inches square...with a nice (roughly) 1 inch piece of material to each side would bring me to about 10 1/2 inch  block...but these are currently a nicer size for potholders without the border.

Amazingly, I love math and really do try to get my measurements accurate...but I guess I do it more in the construction so everything goes together well...not so much about the size of the finished project! oops...

And since this is a fall blog hop and I love fall, here are some fun family photos of our fall here...

Until I was going through the pictures, I hadn't realized how quickly it "falled"! This is our back yard on Wednesday, October 3...and just look at how many leaves and colors changed in 5 days! Not to mention the drop in temperature as well :)

Hope you are enjoying fall and to keep it going, be sure to check out these other ladies posting today...

Tuesday 9

Till We Quilt Again

Sheilas quilt world

ferristhoughts

Home Designs by Amanda - You are here! :)

Quilt n Queen

Polka dot classic

Moonbeams in a Jar

Stitch, stitch, stitch

Sew Me Something Good

quiltingbydawn

My collection of Things
Jessisca

I still have a handful of things ready to blog about...and not as many deadlines, so, I hope to get those things up on here soon! 

 And He changeth the times and the seasons; 

He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: 

He giveth wisdom unto the wise, 

and knowledge to them that know understanding.

Daniel 2:21

Here Daniel is praising God for revealing secrets to him. Daniel is showing that God is in control of everything...He can even change the time and seasons! It is a comfort to know that God is controlling things and allowing some circumstances to come through our lives to grow us, make us more reliant on Him, and build our faith in Him. The road sometimes seems long, but He will see us through!

PRAISE GOD for His Awesome Love for Us!

Recently Finished Projects...

The past few weeks have been full of crafting, now I can show the projects :) Here are 2 of the 6 recent finishes...

The first was a rag doll.

I again used the general pattern from Beth's tutorial at Love Laugh Quilt. Liz liked this one and requested one for herself...in blue! [She has one from Christmas already :)]

I used one of the girls' to small sweatshirts for the body and a section of a skirt that I had started cutting up along time ago for the apron. The apron [skirt] material is a nice weight, but I could never find the right shirt to go with it...so instead of hanging in the closet, it has become functional items!

Another project was a little purse & scarf set. I made them on the 'new' knitting looms. They are the first things I've made and am really enjoying the numerous ideas I'm having for what I could make with yarn and a loom :)

Liz also liked the scarf and also asked for one for herself...in blue! I told her to wait for Christmas :)

I really like the pattern that came about... I used the smallest loom and took out every third peg.

The purse is lined with an adorable bird print fabric that I picked up at JoAnn's...it is really cute! The scarf was a working pattern...things were changed as it progressed, and I really like how it turned out! I think this will be a much better designed scarf for the girls in the winter...I'd better get some yarn and get to work :) Blue for Liz...maybe a purple or green for Amber? I wouldn't mind one for myself, but I only have so much time, haha!

Adding this post at TNT Thursday for my new skill of loom knitting...not quite fabric, but I did add some to the purse :) I have other ideas for adding fabric to loom knit projects in the future :) Trying to get the best of both fibers!

But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, 

and not only when I am present with you.

Galatians 4:18

In reading this in my reading this morning, I found it a great encouragement and challenge to always be doing fervently the work of the Lord. It tends to be human nature to make things nicer for when a special guest comes to church...but we should be making things special continually just for the glory of God!

Leafs Me Happy Blog Hop Schedule...

The Leafs me happy blog hop started on Monday... here is the whole schedule for you to check out great fall inspiration through out the next week!

You'll notice that my day is on Tuesday the 9th...which is really good becasue even though I've had an idea and the fall material sitting on my table for weeks, I haven't started my block(s) yet...YIKES! I better get going on that!

Another way to check out the fun is on the Pinterest page... I'd love to still visit all the blogs, hope I can find the time!

I have a bunch of projects to share, so I think I'll share the first one sometime today!

Enjoy the fall festivities!

Master Schedule

October 1-10, 2012

Monday 1

Fuzzy Hat Quilter

The Cuddle Quilter

Quilts My Way

Country Cabin Thoughts and Crafts

Dream quilt create

Why-Knot-Kwilt

Needled Mom
Quilter in Motion

Sunshine Girl

Meadowbrook

Tuesday 2

Mrs.Pickles Garden

Gingersnaps Quilts

Petit Design Co

A Passion For Applique

Annie Oak Designs

Michelle's Romantic Tangle

CherrysPrairiePrimitives

Krislovesfabric

Scrapbook-ChickADoodle

Wednesday 3

Plum and June

The Recipe Bunny

VroomansQuilts

It's Sew Kiki

PigTales and Quilts

Quilting fiesta

GrammieQ's

Nancy

Just Let Me Quilt

Selina Quilts
The Learning Curve~Quilts and Such

Thursday 4

Debby Kratovil Quilts

Patchouli Moon Studio

Freemotion by the River

Quilt Doodle Designs

Apple Avenue Quilts

Jane’s Quilting

Spoilt Dog Quilts

Ramblings of a Quilter

Deborah

Gracie Oliver Arts

Friday 5

Insanity Defense

Michelle May and the Bunnies

Sparrow In Flight

Quilted Delights

Quilting With a Marmalade Cat

Traveling Quilter

A Stitch in Time

Cherry Blossoms
Tea Time Creations

Moose Stash Quilting

Stitchin By The Lake

Monday 8

Feathered Nest Studio

Grandmama's Stories

From This to That

Little Mama Hen

Quilt Monster in my Closet

Kathy

in stitches & seams

Buzzing and Bumbling

Nunu's Quilt World

Quilts And Dogs

Briarside Lane

Tuesday 9

Till We Quilt Again

Sheilas quilt world

ferristhoughts

Home Designs by Amanda

Quilt n Queen

Polka dot classic

Moonbeams in a Jar

Stitch, stitch, stitch

Sew Me Something Good

quiltingbydawn

My collection of Things
Jessisca

Wednesday 10

Quilter in the Closet

SewMuch2Luv

Peanut's Patchwork

Quilting Lines

Mochawildchild

Ariane Quilts

Lily Patch Quilts

Cindy's Crafty Creations

Hill Valley Quilter

Count it *all* JOY!!!
Rose Creations

Sew We Quilt

GPS Storage Bag...

We don't travel much and when we do, it's usually only a couple of hours away or less to other churches for special meetings...so, we don't own a GPS of our own, we use my in-laws :)

We pass it off back and forth as needed. It had been in a ziploc bag to keep it with it's cord...which was functional, but I always thought that I should really make it a nice little bag. Well, after a few years, I FINALLY made it a cute new home!

I used a layer of batting in it to make it sturdy and protective.

Added snaps to both sides to keep it closed.

And some nice straps so it is easy to throw over our wrist to carry out to the car...because, like most, we are usually carrying out a bunch of stuff to the car when we are getting ready to leave!

It was a quick project...that I should have done a while ago :) but I'm glad the GPS now has it's new home!

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7

This was in my reading lately and is something that we needed to continue to remember when we look around and things seem so out of control. "Let go and let God" is also a great phrase on how we need to turn things over to God and let Him do His working in our lives.

Scrap Explosion...

Today I started working on a new project that is stretching the organized/coordination aspect of my personality... a very scrappy project.

I also realized today that, though I don't have much stash material...I have a massive amount of scraps, as seen from the picture of my table today.

And this didn't include any scraps out of the big crock yet! Oh, and the containers by there respective color pile are still full!

I'm very much a coordinate the fabrics going into a project kind of person...making sure it all is cohesive and evenly laid out. I pushed this a little in my last quilt, but this time I'm going over the edge... just pulling and laying out piece where they fit. Surprisingly, it is going well, and I thinking I really am going to like it! I may have to try a few more of these (in different patterns) to use up my scraps :)

Here is a sneak peek at the project...

This is a present, so it is intentionally bad lighting :) However, once it is gifted, I'll show the whole project!
I actually enjoying this and liking how quickly it is coming together!

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isaiah 55:8

As I was working on the above project today, I was thinking about how all the very different fabrics were being put together...about how they may not necessarily look right next to each other and how it seems very random. It made me think about how our lives can seem like that. Things can happen in our lives that seem very separated, maybe even more so the placement of things we don't understand...but once all the pieces come together, they make a beautiful arrangement. For some of us, we won't completely see the arrangement our life made till we get to Heaven...however, for now, we can see how God leads us and rejoice in the amazing things that He has brought us through!

Blue Lattice Quilt...

Friday, I was able to finish the Blue Lattice Quilt! I really like the way it turned out and the recipient, my Secret Sister at church, loved it too...especially the blue ;)

 Once I had half of the HST trimmed, I started sewing big blocks of the top together. It was rather random...just made sure that there were 4 triangles of each color (obviously not the blue) in each big block... and then checking that when the big blocks came together, there was one of each color in the diamond! That's probably as random as I get... in the back of my mind I still would like to try a completely random, let go of myself kind of quilt, but that may be a while down the road! [Note: it happen sooner than expected...the very next quilt I started is all scraps randomly placed! So much for waiting :)]

While taking pictures, the girls decided it was a good item to run around :) and the wind picked up just as I tried for the first picture of the back...

I did a simple wave stitch around the edges of the blue sections... It went really well, and I love the way it transferred the pattern to the plain red backing!

One last look at the Blue Lattice quilt...

Design: seen on Pinterest, tutorial help from Quilt Story
Size: generous lap quilt (forgot to measure finished but is roughly 58"x67")
Fabric: Keepsake Calico's from JoAnn's
Quilted: by me :)

I love a finished quilt!

Adding to Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story!

For mine eyes are upon all their ways:

they are not hid from my face, 

neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.

Jeremiah 16:17

Today is September 11... 11 years ago a terrible tragedy struck our nation (the USA) and everyone felt at least slightly effected by it. At that time I remember all the God Bless America stickers turning up on cars and signs in peoples yards...it seemed as though the nation may have started to realize the need to return to God. However, things in the nation still leave a little to be desired... and so, we as Christians need to be praying for God to help our nation see the issues that have turned our nation from Him and ask His forgiveness and return to a God fearing nation to prevent worse calamities than what happened in 2001.