So Adorable...

We were able to design those teddy bear overalls and they are so adorable on Mr. Hairy Bear! I didn't take into account the fact that most bears are doing the splits while seated and my bear would have split the bum seam when seated! These are teddy bear overalls as the big bum is accounted for! He is seated in this pic so you can't see his cuff at the end of his legs. We used some cute buttons at his bib and backside. Sooo adorable! He is so hairy you can't see the fraying on the shoulder straps or the fraying on the cuff at the hem either. Too sweet!

I have also had some time to work on the smaller version of the sad bear I designed a few years ago. I am really looking forward to seeing this one finished. I am hoping my proportions are correct on a smaller bear. This is my night-time hand work. During the day, we are at the machines. I am looking forward to taking pics when we are done for you to see everything we have accomplished.

Christmas is right around the corner. I sometimes don't know why I take on new projects at this time of the year. I am printing off two different mysteries (Bonnie Hunter and Meadow Mist Designs) and I am also doing Quilter's Club of America's countdown to Christmas. The QCA one is a new block each day for the 25 days before Christmas all done in red and white. I am doing mine scrappy! I also want to finish the quilt along before the beginning of the year. I have the top finished, just need to batt and back it. The batting came today, so I can pin and get onto it! YAY! Pics when it's finished.

Have a great weekend!

Debi

Learning Things...

Over the past couple of days, I have been busy with a young lady (whom I love). She has been teaching me how to take patterns off things and how to draft my own patterns for other things. We have made teddy bear overalls, a beautiful shirt for me, we've designed a couple skirts and a couple pairs of shorts, and even had time to figure out a tutu for my ballerina bear! It has been a really great few days. I am not sure I will ever let Nikki go home!! 

We have a basket we are keeping all our "projects" in. We are running two machines at the same time. I am overlocking and she is at the sewing machine putting everything together. We are having such a fun week! I can't wait to see what all we come up with, I see a trendy modest clothing line in my very near future!

I was able to rescue a wee bird yesterday as well. It hit the glass door in the front and stunned itself. The dog let me know it was there, I put on my shoes and went around the house so the dogs couldn't get there first. The sweet bird was so tame, it stayed on my hand with no support for several minutes before flying to the outdoor table. It let me pick it back up from the table and then it flew off my hand back into the trees. That was my wild animal fix for the week. I love to rescue things! We have two rescue dogs, one rescue duck, and I would have rescue cats and other animals if we had more space!! Lambs, ponies, calves.......

Have a great day! Hope you are enjoying the warmer weather if you are in the southern hemisphere like me. All others can look forward to a white Christmas! Who made homemade prezzies this year?? I did a couple, but lost track of time with the mysteries, making any more just too rushed!

Happy crafting!

Debi

Exciting Things (at least for me!!)

Well, it has been a fun few weeks. I have finished a couple of projects and helped a friend make her first quilt. She is pretty proud and so am I. She cut, sewed, and most everything else on her own...I guided her in layout and I did her ironing along the way. We were both down for the count, me with my bruises and other issues with the quad roll and her with a infected spider bite on her foot. We kept each other with our legs in the air for the week. She finished this in about three days, working when we could. She chose "Trip Around The World" for her quilt, made with 5" squares. She added a 5" border as well. She tied this one, as it is her first and it was a way to keep us with our feet in the air. It is an amazing quilt for her first one! Here is her first quilt ever:

I finished a teddy bear. I need to design some bib overalls now. I plan to leave one shoulder open. I can't wait to get stared on designing those! I think this little fella has quite a bit of character and the design of the head and feet is a bit different than I normally do. I have also just designed on and have it cut and ready to sew. It has HUGE feet and long arms, big ears, and most everything is out of proportion large! Can't wait to finish this one and see what it looks like! I love making teddy bears and I love that they go on my facebook page and are usually sold in a couple hours. This has happened to my past two bears. I guess I should start making two so I have one to keep for myself! Those overalls are going to be adorable on this one!!




I also finished a quilt this week!! I tied and bound Mystery Quilt 15 from the Quilters Club of America "Desert Pinwheels". It is my design and it feels really good to have it on the bed!! We slept under it last night for the first time. Looks beautiful and not so "girlie" on the bed. For once, it's kinda manly and homey with the earth tones. My favorite design in a while! The quilt that was on the bed goes on the other king bed in our spare bedroom. It will look fantastic in there! 




I am currently working on Mystery Quilt 16 and a medallion quilt for the QCA and the ladies there. First everyone wants to finish Bonnie Hunter's mystery. So I have till after the first of the year to write instructions. I'll show you the medallion and tell you about the mystery at a later date.

Can't wait to see what you're working on. Have a great day! For those of you in the USA, hope your Thanksgiving was amazing and you have tons to be thankful for and are surrounded by family. Enjoy your long weekend.

Until next time,
Debi

Smelling the Roses...

I am sitting in awe of our amazing God and His blessings on my life. God never tires of hearing and answering our prayers. Seems we have seen a lot of miracles lately, things only God can do. We are a blessed people, both personally and ministry blessings abound. I am deeply thankful to a prayer answering God.

As I sit here finishing up all the preparations for our annual ladies retreat which starts tomorrow, I love how God brings everything together. We will be discussing prayer, our theme is "In the Secret Place" from Psalm 91:1. Just memorizing this verse has changed my life and thinking. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." It seems we are so busy, we don't take the time to just sit back and count our blessings! We serve an amazing God.

I have designed and executed another mystery for the Quilter's Club of America. This one was called "Desert Pinwheels" and was truly lovely and well received. It took us about eight weeks and we have just finished with the last clue. Our dogs always have to approve of each new one, hence Zoey in the middle!! Here is my version.

We will be doing a "Quilt-Along" with my next design. I designed a medallion style, the quilters love it and asked me to do a sew along to teach them how I made it. Mine is a king size, suitable for my bed, but I designed all sizes from wall-hanging through to the king. If you want to sew along, just let me know and I will get you the info for the size you want.

Now to get to the business of quilting these and getting them ready for the bed. We shifted the house around and added a king bedroom which added a king size quilt to the mix. I need to get at least one of them finished so I can dress that room.  I will take the one I have ready to "tie" with me to the ladies retreat this weekend and in my free time I will sit and tie it (using cotton to hold the layers together, tying knots every few inches). My kind of relaxation!!

Have a super rest of your week and weekend. I'd love to hear what you're up to, we haven't talked in a while. I think I have you caught up on me, catch me up on you!

God's richest blessings to you,

Debi

Thankful

I know it has been a month or more since I wrote here on my blog, but I have been very busy looking after myself. I have been at the hospital in their three week ReCHARGE programme, designed to help people in chronic pain to cope with life and hassles. I am very thankful for the gym time, pool time, education classes, and comradery I felt there. It was a long three weeks, but well worth the time and hassle of being separated from my sweet love.This is so me!! I am thankful for my time there.

Since being home this week, I have designed another quilt. This one is a medallion type (center design with multiple borders). I have never done one like this before and I LOVE IT! I will be making this one available as a quilt along. It is a three color quilt and I have worked out all the sizes from a wall hanging to a king. When Shane saw my pattern, he asked me to make it big enough for our bed, so I did!! I am really loving how it is working up. I am on the last border and I ran out of one of my fabrics...poor me, I have to go fabric shopping.....hehehehehe! I am thankful for a week at home to play!!

Tuesday, the first "real" clue comes out for the mystery I have been working on. I am taking pictures and working hard on all the instructions. It is so much fun doing this. I believe I have found a niche that I really enjoy. It seems a lot of quilters enjoy my patterns as well, many are making my mystery patterns. I guess I need to get busy and design another one for the quick quilters sewing my designs. This mystery quilt is called Desert Pinwheels. Spoiler alert: we will be making the pinwheels first, but that's the only given. It is a beautiful pattern as well. I'll show you in about six or seven weeks when the reveal is public. I have everything ready to sandwich and quilt it. I will be quilting it this next week. Thankful for another quilt for our bed.

Next week, I also hope to design another mystery, finish a teddy bear I am working on, and quilt this mystery. I also want to get the last border on the medallion. I'll show you the medallion when it is finished, hopefully Monday or Tuesday. Shopping tomorrow, church Sunday, and hoping to walk and workout on Monday...all morning things (except church!), so I get my afternoons to play. Looking forward to a great and productive week.

Thanks for listening!

Debi 

Seems Forever!

 

Seems I have been under the weather for ages. I finally did have to get antibiotics, but I have been down for a month. This crazy cough just won't go away. It has been nice slowing down though, I have had more time to pray, read, and relax. One doesn't realize just how much we let slide when we feel we are "too busy". I have gotten back into the habit of that daily quiet time. I am truly thankful I am on the mend now and for the time out God gave me to refocus.

 

While down, I didn't sew much. I am still working hard on the next mystery, I am almost there. Taking pics and finishing the blocks today will just about get me there. I will be busy this afternoon while Shane is gone doing kids club at church. I have part of the instructions written, just need to get these pics put in and I'll be about ready to go. I made a huge one for myself, I had to reduce it for the quilters as most don't want a king size quilt!

I did finish a teddy bear and designed another one. I can't wait to finish this one, he has a different kind of muzzle. Even accomplishing a few things, I still feel it has been forever since I actually completed a project. I guess I should get busy about the completion process now that I am finally up again.

Time to get busy! Have a great day!

Debi

Done and Dusted

Well, it seems a long time since I posted, but for the past two and a half weeks I have been pretty sick with sinuses and lung junk! I am on antibiotics now, so all should be right and I should have this sickness done and dusted!

Mystery quilt 14 is finished on the Quilters Club of America site, it was a huge success. We enjoyed sewing together and made beautiful quilts in the process. I love helping others learn new things. Now that this one is done and dusted, I am excited to start something new! I will be posting a mystery quilt on my blog for you to enjoy. I love designing and this gives me the opportunity to design and help others.

This weekend we have our annual Bible Revival at our church. The churches around the country come together at our church for good preaching, lunch, fellowship, and encouragement. It is a big day for us. We tend to work for a few months beforehand to get the building into shape and prepare all avenues of the day, praying to be a blessing to all in attendance. What a great day we will have! Please make plans (if you are in New Zealand) to come see us this Saturday at 10:00am....we have a great day planned!

Better scoot for now, have a great day. Time for me to rest!

Debi