Magpie Quilts

Beautiful machine embroidered snowmen + Scrappy pieced blocks = a unique quilt! Irish Chain scrappy blocks There are so many beautiful machine embroidery designs available and it's been such a fun time browsing and looking to see which ones I could use in a quilt. One of the sites I spent a lot of time browsing over the Christmas holidays was Bird Brain Designs . Their designs have just the right amount of primitive and I've always loved redwork. Embroidered Snowmen While busy making Christmas items, I cut all my scraps into 2" squares and started sewing them into scrappy blocks for a double Irish chain quilt. When I put them up on the design wall, I had a light bulb moment and decided I could use some embroidered blocks for the centers of the alternating blocks. Partially laid out I did run out of embroidery thread just one snowman short of being finished, so I'm not quite finished, but I'm pretty happy with how this is looking. I'll need a gre...

Tea is a favorite beverage at our house and we love it when we can brew it in a pot, where the tea leaves have room to expand and give full flavor to the finished product. Trouble is, tea in a pot cools down and by the time I'm ready for cup #2, the tea pot has cooled down! Except when I use a tea cozy. My go-to tea cozy is one that I have from northern Canada made from heavy wool duffle fabric. I've had it for close to 20 years, so it's showing a little wear and tear! Inuit tea cozy With a little bit of hand embroidery, I've been making some patchwork quilted tea cozies that I love! But first, tea. - SOLD Tea, (n) a hug in a cup. - FOR SALE but first, tea - FOR SALE Drink tea. Read books. Be happy. - SOLD If you are a tea lover like me and don't have a tea cozy yet, isn't it time to get one for yourself? Or would you like to see a tutorial on how to make one for yourself? ---Ann

Way back in January I posted a list of Unfinished Objects (UFO's) that were awaiting completion in my sewing room. 12/17 done! Not too bad! Here are some pictures of the finished products! There were many more quilts made throughout 2017 - it was a productive year as I've got more energy than I've had for a long time!  Little House simple Table Runner - FINISHED Bow Tie Table Runner - FINISHED Pink & Violet Star Table Runner - FINISHED Spring Wallhanging - FINISHED Tan w/ pink border lab quilt - FINISHED House Row by Row - FINISHED Blue jean circle quilt - FINISHED Race Car Toddler Quilt - FINISHED Pie Hot pads - FINISHED Feather & Star Gray & Burgundy - FINISHED Christmas Tree Skirt - FINISHED Clearer photo of the tree skirt - FINISHED I don't seem to have a photo of the Christmas Sampler Quilt, but I'll get one done as soon as I have someone to hold it up for me outside where the light is ...