1880 Barbara Bucher Snyder Sampler Quilt Update

Charlene from New Hampshire sent me a beautiful collage of her 1880 sampler blocks.

She is doing a great job and the fabrics she has chosen are so true to the original quilt.

Life happened over the last few days, so the setting and sashing instructions are coming sometime this week. 

The AAQI auction is going on the first half of this month.

Go here to bid on the wonderful quilts.

You will also find a free pattern for one of the quilts that is being auctioned.

The pattern will only be available until the 7th, so hurry over.

February Focus

Recently, Madame Samm asked the question, "What will you throw your heart into in February?"

My answer was 'quilts for charity.'

My goal is to make one quilt for the Linus Project, above is a sneak peek.

Machine quilt a Breast Cancer Fundraising Quilt.

Finally, finish the sleeve on my Alzheimer's Quilt Initiative donation and get it in the mail!!

Next in line is to finish the one I started for the Quilts of Valor.  It will be added to my list of 10 WIP/UFOs I am working to finish.  It will take its place after my Kim Diehl quilt is bound and removed from the top of the list.

I really do have good intentions and it helps me to publicly declare them.

Keeps me focused and committed.

How do you stay focused on the finish line?

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative and more Maple Leaf blocks

My donation is about ready to mail, but I wanted to encourage you to visit Lori at Humble Quilts. Her recent post is about this very worthwhile fundraiser. 

Quilters Newsletter magazine and Electric Quilt have paired up for a contest.  The deadline is quickly approaching, so visit them here.

Pieced more of my maple leaf blocks together. Blocks in this one come from Australia, Canada, Idaho and Wisconsin. Don't know which direction I will take with this.  I may wait for other block exchanges in the future to continue to add on to it.

I selected the fabrics for my follower appreciation gifts yesterday.

Each cut is a 1/3 yd of fabric. 

Because I love reproduction fabrics, these are from Jo Morton's Annadale collection.  

And these are from the French General by Moda.  Red and aqua blue are becoming two of my favorite color combinations. Check back on Saturday morning to see if your name was drawn.

Just call me Laura Ingalls Wilder!

Today was a very domestic day for me.

I felt like I was on Little House on the Prairie.

I harvested my garden.

This is half the carrots.

I don't know what a bushel looks like,

but I think I came close.

I know some friends in AZ who will be getting some of these. 

They say that tomatoes are fussy.  These guys will beg to differ. 

They survived over 45 days without water in my greenhouse.

I don't think they will last much longer though. 

They are sweet and make great 'pop in your mouth' treats.

I baked pumpkin zucchini bread (recipe to follow.)

The staging was suggested by my DH.

He is getting the hang of this blog thing.

A few (two) followers will recognize the placemat!

I hand quilted two quilts. 

The bow tie quilt will go to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

and is smaller than 9"x 11". 

The log cabin will go in a rough wood frame

 and then on the wall of our log cabin.

I am enamored with hand quilting again.

I don't know if it is the challenge of getting those little stitches to march consistently around the quilt

 or the texture they create.

I used a wool batt and it was like butter to needle.

I think I will hand quilt most of my small quilts from here on out

 (did you see the word-most!)

And here is the recipe I promised.

3 eggs, slightly beaten

2 c. sugar (I used just 1)

1 c. canned pumpkin

1 c. butter, melted (I used 1/2 c.)

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3 c. flour ( I love to use this 50/50 blend by Hodgson Mill)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice

1 c. shredded zucchini

1 c. chopped walnuts

Add the ingredients in the order listed. 

 Pour into a greased and floured loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. 

I had enough batter for 1 loaf and 6 muffins.

Another participant was added to the SAL list today-Lisa in PA.  I am anxious to see everyone's progress.  Post them on your blogs or send them to me and I will display them for you.

Everyone has had so much fun with this that I will do another. 

 Perhaps 4 1/2" finished blocks next time so I have more design options.

Any requests?

Remember!

Ready to quilt. I am going to try to brush up on my hand quilting skills. My dear friend, Betty, is a marvelous hand quilter, so I will ask her help. Then off to the Alzheimer's Quilt Initiative auction.

And Miss Daphne loves Autumn Bounty. Lin and Debbie will start testing the pattern tomorrow and then Kathy will join in as well. I guess I better get to work writing it!
Besides this being a somber day to Remember events in NY 9 years ago, something else is happening in NY this weekend that makes me very happy! Top quality tennis with the top rated men's players in the world battling it out and my favorite female player, Kim Clijsters, going for her second US Open title. So guess where you will find me on this super Saturday. You got to love that Rafa! And Roger, such a class act.