HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

 

 HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Sending you, my friends,  best wishes for a lovely day via a small quilt made years ago.  The colors are much softer than shown here, but the sentiment is the same.

 

 A fifteen inch Crazy Quilt, hand stitched with many hearts.

 

 With handwritten quotes around the borders.

 

 And in the center square.

 

 A scalloped border done with tube paints.

 

 Quotes:

  "When friends meet, hearts warm."  

proverb 

"The greatest gift we can give to one another is rapt attention to one another's existence."

Sue Atchley Ebaugh

"If you want an accounting of your worth, count your friends."

 Merry Browne

"No life is so strong, so complete, But it yearns for the smile if a friend."

Wallace Bruce 

from

 Bird Nest Cottage

  until next time

♥♥♥

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY! Celebrate with a Flag Quilt

 

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

 

If you have visited this blog before, then you've seen this quilt several times, but I'm hoping you will still enjoy seeing it.   I made it for a class, way back in 2001.   It measures 24 inches x 36 inches. 

 

 It was pieced together on my Bernina sewing machine, but the applique and quilting were done by hand...my favorite way of making quilts, for now and always.

 

If you look closely, you can see the 'feathers' and curving lines of the quilting stitches.  Since it is a flag, I wanted some movement in the quilting design. 

 

 Don't ask me how long it took to quilt this little flag quilt, as it's a little detail I don't care to know, so I don't keep track of the hours.  If I actually kept track of that kind of thing, I'd probably never make anything.  I prefer to enjoy the process and realize that it 'takes a long time.'  Actually, every quilt I've ever made was stitched in little short segments of time, squeezed into whatever else I had to do in a day.  Just like everyone else.  On occasion, I TRY to keep track of my time, for instance, if I intend to sell something I've made....but, really,  I love the process of making something out of a bit of fabric and a needle and thread, so it's all a labor of love on my part, no matter how long it takes.

 

 More stitching.

 

And, a bit more.  This photo is kind of blurry...so sorry.  I have to say, and I haven't said it in a very long time...when I am quilting, I take one stitch at a time.  I don't put a lot of stitches on my needle and then pull them through the fabric.  I never could get the hang of that, preferring, instead, to do it my own way.

 

I love the fabric I chose for the back of the flag.  Just a gorgeous piece of fabric.

 

I like the stitches on the back to look almost as good as those on the front...if you can tell from this photo.  You do remember I'm very obsessive-compulsive, right? Yeah.  It's a burden.

 

And, now, the quilt label.  Written on a very hot summer day.  I ironed the fabric to a sheet of freezer paper to keep it nice and smooth as I wrote, something I've been recommending for years.  And, there you have it....my flag quilt. Loved making it back then....and sharing it with you now as I celebrate the 4th of July.

 

  

 And, out front....Old Glory...a beautiful sight here at a different home, under different circumstances, but, as always, waving proudly. 

LONG MAY SHE WAVE!

Have a very Happy and Safe 4th of July weekend America!!!

from Bird Nest Cottage

Until next time,

♥♥♥

 

Red, White & Blue Quilts for a Happy Fourth of July

Tonight I wanted to post two quilts in Red, White and Blue, since we will be celebrating the Fourth of July in a couple more days.  I have a flag quilt which I'm quite proud of....but I've shown it before and thought it would be good to show something else on this holiday.  As I've said before, green and pink are my favorite colors....RED, being a darker shade of pink - if you ask me, makes it one of my favorite colors also.  And, of course, I'm happy to wave our flag whenever possible!

I found this hand-pieced quilt top at the Freeway Emporium a month or so ago, and have been saving it just for this holiday post.  It's a pretty simple quilt top, just a four patch repeated many times with a two inch strip between.  I was shocked to find it was hand-pieced, but excited at the same time.  That seems to be a thing of the past...as am I.

I like it a whole lot and fancy myself quilting it this winter when it's cold....imagine that now??.....and when I do, you'll probably get another look at it.  By the way, the quilt will fit a double bed, but you'd need a dust ruffle.  I've got it hanging over the side of the bed by quite a lot, just so you could get a good look at it.  I know you are going to ask....the money part of the deal...$25.  I just had to get it!!

Trying to dress up the photo a bit, I added that red silk ribbon embroidered heart with the pillows.  Just for fun. I also had to put some red and pink flowers in the background.  Brightens up my little Nest for sure.

I just had to take a photo of my black purse along with the red beaded purse.  The black one, vintage, the beaded red purse was purchased at Hobby Lobby a very long time ago.

I made this little quilt in 1996.  Boy, time flies!  It is about ten inches by fourteen inches or so.  It was made for a guild challenge back then.  I made the little doll and she is attached by a little snap on her back.  She has sequin stars on her ankles and hat and holds a heart button.  I had to scrounge to find enough blue buttons back then to do the embellishments on this quilt.  Also in the waves of buttons are some additional star sequins.  There is red embroidery covering the 'stripe' seams.  The big star is appliqued with the Buttonhole stitch and the little starts are Straight Stitches.

"Jane Doe and the Star Spangled Banner" is the name of it.  I enjoyed making it and remember it as a fun challenge.

Here you can see the back of the quilt...I was so excited to find this backing fabric...I thought it looked like fireworks and just had to use it.  You could see where I sewed on the buttons, so I just had to cover up those 'scratchy' stitches. So used a Herringbone stitch to cover them up.  What fun that was!  Does it look like a fireworks show to you?

Here's hoping you have a lovely July 4th....Happy Independence Day!!!  And, come back to visit soon.....I'll probably show you my latest quilt purchase....well, maybe that, maybe something completely different, but do return.  You know I love hearing from you.  Take care out there and stay cool if you can!  pat

From My Porch to Yours

 I thought a nice way to wish you a HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY was to show you my porches.  It's sort of like inviting you in without you actually being here.  As you will notice, the flags are out.
The old navy man likes the flags to be out on all holidays, and especially this holiday.   We have to have our American Flag and the Navy flag both waving!  ( My sister and her husband presented us with a beautiful flag that flew over the capitol in Washington, DC, but I keep it in the house so nothing will happen to it.  So, Debbie, just in case you were wondering...this one is not the flag you gave us!!)

 Our house is not large, but does have a generously sized front porch. We enjoy it a lot.  I thought you might want to see where I sit and watch the traffic go by when it's not too hot outdoors.  It's a good place to read or sew and listen to the birds, have a glass of sweet tea, or, as I often do...enjoy the porch swings.  (It's even more fun when there is a little kid here and we can swing high! Or, an adult who wants to remember being a kid!) 

 This old screen door came from the third floor stash of 'old stuff' at my son-in-law's family store when they sold it.  I have several things from there, including this screen door and one I have going from my kitchen into the laundry room/pantry.  Love the old things.  The blackboard/sign I got at a local flea market...with the writing on it. 

 I bought this long basket on the door at Green Alley the other day and  filled it with paper flowers from Hobby Lobby.  I like it so much.  And, you can see where we might sit were you here.

 Or, we might sit here.

 Yes, it IS a long porch.....I've never measured it, but I'm guessing it's at least 32 feet long, maybe 8 feet wide.  Two swings, two ceiling fans.  With the summers we have...those fans come in very handy.  Nothing at my house is 'fancy' as you can see, but we do use and enjoy what we are fortunate enough to have.

 I'm thinking this porch needs a little 'sprucing up'....but, for now...it's ok with me the way it is.  I think I'd like to paint the concrete....well, maybe not while it's hot out!

 If I say 'from my porch to yours' then I have to include THIS porch.  This is the porch to my NEST.  As you know...BIRD NEST ON THE GROUND, my backyard studio.  I took these tonight and it was beginning to get dark, so I left the lights on in the studio.  Another way to invite you in!

 And, with an open door!  Just a peek inside.  I've shown it to you before...but as you may remember, it never stays exactly the same for very long.

This is the perfect weekend to sit on one of these porches and REMEMBER all those who made it possible for me to have a flag and to sit on these porches in PEACE and to live in this great country.  The old navy man and I wish you all a very lovely, peaceful and Happy Memorial Day weekend!  Take care out there....pat

PS.  Special good wishes to my friend, Claudine, in France, for giving me blog posting tips.  THANK YOU, dear friend!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Well, here we are! 2011 has only a few hours left. I'm ready to look forward to a Happy New Year and I know you are too. As you can see, I must not be going 'out and about' to celebrate. No, the old navy man and I are in for the night. He's watching football and I'm out here in the Nest wishing the New Year in...well, not yet. I have to talk to you first! As soon as I press the Publish button on this blog post, I will join him. We'll be cheering at midnight, just as we always have....together! Well, that's a great start for a new year right there~~

I've chosen to show you some buttons. As I know many of you do...I collect them. No, I'm not the type of collector who sorts them into files and photographs each one and find the value of each, entering those numbers in a notebook. Not even close. I have buttons, as you can see, in all kinds of containers and I have FUN with them. I have plain ones, fancy ones, old ones and new ones. Some of the nicer buttons live in my old green 'button cabinet' which in reality is a vintage cardboard box with three segmented drawers in it. All the rest live in all kinds of containers in just about every room in the house and lots of them in the Nest. (Well, there aren't any in the kitchen right now, but there has been and probably will be again. And, there are some in the bathroom, but I forgot to take a picture of them earlier when I took these other photos.)

For some reason....well, mostly on a whim, I thought I could use buttons to celebrate tonight. I've no idea what that means about my mind....but you know me by now....so I know you 'get it.'

There is a compote full of buttons....it's there with my Happy New Year sign, made just moments ago. As you can tell, I spent no time on it....but thought I needed to include a sign wishing you a Happy New Year! I have an old toy pickup truck. One day I plunked some buttons down in the bed of the truck and there have been buttons in it ever since. They get changed once in a while.
There is a photo showing where that pickup 'lives.' It could be moved at any time...we just never know how long I'll leave something in one place, but for now....this is where it lives. Same for everything I've got, really. I have an old compote filled with buttons on my coffee table. You see it here with a vintage bowl with a bird sitting on the edge and a pink rose. Love it so.

There is a tray of buttons sitting on an antique oak chest in my living room. In that photo, you can also see buttons in the little glass cabinet. Some of my friends and relatives kinda think I'm a bit 'over-the-top,' but I don't concern myself with things like that. These all seem perfectly logical places to keep buttons if you ask me.

I've recently set up a workspace in the living room. No, there really is no room for it....it's crowded in there....but I'm sensing we might have a bad winter and on really cold days (and especially cold, frozen nights) I will not want to spend much time out here in the Nest and also will save that heating expense. So....in one of my photos you will see the work table. There are three glass containers there...vintage....holding an assortment of odd buttons. As you can see, there is room for MORE in those containers. Do you know what those containers were used for?
I thought they were old aquariums, but someone said they were used to hold batteries. I don't know, but I do know that I will put buttons in just about any container.

So....hope you've enjoyed the button 'tour' and later tonight when we are welcoming in the New Year, I will also be sending you good wishes for a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thank you so much for going through 2011 along with me and I hope to hear from you often as we make our way through 2012. You make my day!!! Stay safe, warm, cozy and HAPPY....hugs, pat