Checkerboard

Have some fun and watch the video on checkerboard blocks....laugh a little with me and life alot!....Quilted Blessings!!  Karen 
these two make me smile!.....alot!......

Wonderful Handguided Quilting Tips!

I am sure I was suppose to find these two ladies!!....I must share!!.....a great! video by Kathie James

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And on another Web page I had on my Bloglovin' I found some beautiful quilting by a longarmer too....I contacted her and she was so sweet to offer any help setting up my business; as I do have nervous feelings about quilting someone elses' labor of "love"!,so check Kathy out at ....Stitch By Stitch   
Just search her page for her designs.  You will be blessed!

I just realized these two ladies are both Kathys"....isn't that great!!......  Quilted Blessings!!  Karen

Magnify My World!!

Swooooooon!!

Just stopping by to give a couple "HELPS" for those that do quilting with a longarm....I am working on my Swoon right now with circles and I thank A Quilting Sheep for her gorgeous picture of one completed with circles using a computer....I am my own computer, so I also thank Jennysdoodlingneedle for her wonderful quilting and circle templates from Lindas Electric Quilters.
So, enjoy the couple you tubes I have for you to watch on using magnets and snap on tools to get your quilt loaded instead of 45 mintues of pinning.  I am going to try it on next quilt loading and let you know what I think too..... Please enjoy!! Quilted Blessings!  Karen

Quilted Eye Candy!!

Had to share this block and tutorial.....it is really so pretty.....I love  the Quilts of Valor colors and really do want to do a quilt for them....Please get a cup of morning java and sit and enjoy!!.....send me a picture of your block if you get one done....I think it is one that will catch on and many will enjoy!!

Wonderful!

Lanieybug Designs   Have a wonderful day is my wish for you!!  Quilted Blessings!  Karen

Did I Swoon Too Soon?

Determination....or stubbornness?....that is what my Mom called it when I was a teen....just plain stubborn....not that she wasn't....that is a story for another day!......:):).....

Carry Me Away!!

hang on ropes....awesome

Swoon.....NOTE OSU colors....on this block :)

I did get my swoon top complete....as it is....it seemed to be a difficult top to piece....or maybe it was just me....but it is done and together and Now to figure out how to quilt it!!....I am also anxious to try some hand quilting with my new thimble by the thimble lady!....I thought I ordered plastic to start but you know how you "click" things...so  a stainless steel one arrived on Friday.  I think God wants me to get serious about hand quilting things too....so that is on my goal list for this week, along with quilting the Swoon quilt.  I saw a great way to display quilts on
Pinterest, that was shown in Pottery Barn.  SO!! I do want to do that on the main wall that folks will see when they enter the quilt shop....and have the lesson availability pinned to each quilt offered in classes.  Even if God only brings me one person a day or two a week, I just want to encourage them and help them in their Quilting Journey.  Fabric is therapy as is quilting in my life.  It gives control to a point in a world that seems to have gone madd in some ways!   sigh!!....breath in worry and exhale prayers, right?
....so come and quilt....anytime....  and maybe try your precious hand at a swoon quilt....it truly is, as a online quilting friend said, "timeless"....
I need more time not less......sorry.....bad joke.too much ripping and resewing!!
Humor me!! Have a blessed day!!
  Quilted Blessings!!  Karen

Swoon

Bake Shop Arrival

All the Colors!

 Swoon....I thought that was a different name to give a block, but it fits it now that I have worked on my first block.  I had "one of those" sewing days....rip rip rip!.....I cut things wrong, I placed them together wrong....I love the colors and I love the pattern, I just could not get my brain and my hands to work at the same pace and at the same place.....does that make sense? ...... So, I was determined to get the first block done today, you can find the pattern with Camille at Simplify....

A rough look at my first block!

I love her work...there are only 9 blocks in the quilt so it should go fast....if brain and hand coordination is going at full speed!...I want to teach this in a class....I know I will have to take extra time now to help those working on it so, it will be a couple days of classes, I think.

Our West side Porch Being Built

  My hub has been faithful to keep working on the porch, one piece at a time....he put the stairs rails on and has some of the smaller posts covered with larger pieces of wood to somewhat match the raw lumber that came with our kit 10 years ago. To join a new porch to an existing porch is not that easy and he is up there on that ladder, balancing and hammering at the same time....He asked to to help with a piece last night.  I had to pull against the board so he could angle it in. And wouldn't you know that our two Goldens wanted to come back on the back porch with me at that moment....while I was on a step ladder, and one foot on the porch railing, pulling against the board above me....they finally realized that the space was too narrow around the step ladder to come on my side!!...ARGH!!..... I really dont know how Gary and I built this big old "Ark" (my dear friend in Denver calls it Noahs Ark)....but we did and we still are!!
  I do like the new porch and next year we will add the east side porch for a complete wrap around. Just extra news!! I  thought I would add a little of what we are up to, besides quilting. Well, my hub does not quilt but he hears about it and drums up business for me where ever he is at! Sweet guy!!
We do have a small apple tree so I hope that they are ripe when the grapes are ready in Berrien Springs Michigan....Stovers is a great place to get peaches, grapes, apples, etc.  Years ago while we were in Oregon I picked up a stainless steel juicer...made in the Netherlands...and OH, how we love juice made with it....so folks may get grape-apple juice for Christmas this year, if all goes well.
  So, I do feel like I accomplished something today; I conquered the Swoon block!....now to get better points on the rest of them!!....it is ok, if it is not pieced perfectly; the quilting hides "alot"...and hey, only God is perfect anyways!tomorrow is a day with "no mistakes in it" said by Anne with an "e"........my cord to computer finally just bit the dust!  See you in a few when I get it replaced!!....JOY!!

may you have peace and joy is my prayer for you!  Quilted Blessings!!  Karen

Intense

My son just shared this on facebook....it is funny because I don't spend time on facebook much.... but I was scouting around for a recipe and you know how you get "side tracked"?....anyways I caught my sons' post.... I will probably tweet this article....I see how these technologies are forcing us to fall in step and I thank the Lord for "family tech support!"
....but I quilt and my hub builds things....invents things........and we do other things with our hands....I am going to learn violin, he is going to blow on the trumpet.....and I must spruce up my piano keys with my sweat.....we were raised that way....using our hands.....that is cool for us....and just imagine if we could tap into the folks below that are using their hands on the internet or on devices to use their hands too in the "old ways"...what a different world we would be going into, I don't mean to cut down the generation that thrives on these devises .....:)....so.....enjoy the info...and don't get too overwhelmed....it is out of control!!....
 So, plan for my day?.....Cutting out my Swoon Quilt to teach in my shop using Bake Shop fabric from Lori Holt today and making an Apple small quilt wall hanging for my daughters' 5th grade class.....I really just YELLED that!! we are so elated that she landed a teaching job....she will be awesome!!....busy Mom and teacher now.....God Bless You Leah!!......Quilted Blessings!!  Karen
Check this out! One Second Designly