Purge update and some finishes

I did really good with part of the purge.  I will show a picture once I am done.  Right now it's an organized mess.  I have been trying to put everything in it's place.  But I had to stop and do some sewing.  My friend has a store in Rockton Il called Gracie's Nest.  You can find her on facebook.  I like to make things for her to sell.  I had made a bunch of these drawstring bags but my dad is in the nursing home right now and wanted them to give to the nurses.

I also made 12 jewelry rolls for her to sell.

That's what I have been doing.  More about the purge later.

Blessings

Amy

 



The great purge weekend

Hello Friends

I had a revelation this week and discovered that my fabric is not making me happy.  That means it is time to let go of it.  I will be working all weekend on cutting down the fabric I do like and bagging up the fabric I don't. I will be organizing what I do have with the patterns I want to try.  I just have too much and the stress of using it is not worth it.  I was very blessed with a lot of free fabric when I first started quilting.  Because of that I will pay it forward and give the fabric to others.  I have so much stuff that it's too hard to start a project because I am exhausted by the time I get everything out and ready.  Do you ever feel that way?  I think part of it is Spring fever.  It has been cold here.  But it's supposed to be in the 70s this weekend.  Time to open the windows and air out the rooms.  Stay tuned for pictures of my new sewing space.  And pray that it really happens.

I will leave you with a picture of my cousins with their new quilt.  I bought a curtain rod and hooks with clips so they can hang it.  They were really happy with it.

 

Blessings

Amy

I'm back?

I can't believe it's been so long since I last posted.  I will really try to update this little blog more regularly.  February brought my son's 19th birthday.  How did that happen?  It also brought some health issues for my dad.  He ended up in the hospital for a week and is still in the nursing home now.  He should be home soon as he was only there for physical therapy.  Because of all of the running I have had to do with my family I have not had much time to sew.  I was able to finish a few things lately though. 
For Christmas my sister and I bought my dad a Kindle.  He is loving playing games on it.  The case just doesn't sit up right for him so I went to Pinterest and found a pattern for a tablet holder.  I increased the pattern to hold his 10'' Kindle.  It was so fun to make that I had to make 3 of them.

 

They are filled with rice and hold the tablet nicely.

While on Pinterest I also discovered sugar scrubs. A friend was buying some essential oils and asked it I needed some.  Perfect timing.  She is getting married in June and I wanted to make some scrubs for her bridesmaids.  Her colors are purple and black so I went with lavender.  This is the big one I made for her.  I made littler jars for her girls.

 

They were so easy to make and actually fun.

 I was able to finish my cousin's quilt.  My friend Gael quilted it with a leaf design.  I think it gives it a very organic feel.  I just love it and I hope they do too.  And this morning I entered it in the Wisconsin Quilt Expo.  Fingers crossed they like it and want to show it.

 

 

His girlfriend and co owner of the new home loves elephants.  So I thought I would make something to go with the quilt.  Enter the elephant pillow!

 

I really hope they like them.  They are having a housewarming party this weekend.  I hope to report back with better pictures.

In other news, I have been sewing up a new quilt.

I bought fat quarters in the complete line from Amanda Jean Nyberg.  It's on Connecting Threads and called Good Neighbors.  I pictured a pinwheel quilt with this fabric.  I found a pattern for making pinwheels by using a 4 patch.  You have to make 2 of each color and then cut them and move the triangle.  I don't have a picture of one complete but here are two of the steps I used to make them.

 

I am thinking that I could have used just half square triangles and made this faster.  But this was a fun process too.  I just love this whole line.  And making this quilt only used a small portion of the fat quarter.  I have a lot left to make something else. :)

 

So that is what I have been doing lately.  I think I am overwhelmed with fabric and don't know what to make with it.  I am going to clean and organize my sewing area(pictures to come).  Maybe that will inspire me to make more quilts.

What are you working on?

Blessings

Amy

 

 

 

What a wonderful year it was

Hello Friends

Hope you are well.  Sorry it has been so long.  I thought I would have more time with my son in college.  It seems I was busier than before.  I have some things to show you to finish off the year.

First up is the Halloween quilt I made.  I have been hoarding Halloween charm packs and decided it was time to use them up.  I made this using the disappearing 9 patch technique.  It's a little blurry. Sorry.  This stills needs to be quilted.

Then I took a class from my friend Trisha.  It's called Birch Bark by Sam Hunter.  I takes a jelly roll and a half a yard for the contrast bar.

I used batiks.  This also needs quilting.  My cousin just built a new house and it has an open floor plan.  It echoes in the house so I think I will add a hanging sleeve.

Those kept me busy for a few weeks.  Then I decided to start some Christmas gifts.

Amanda Jean had a wonderful tutorial on making these tea towels.  You can check her blog out here-crazymomquilts.blogspot.com.

I like to give so I made 50 of these towels for friends and family.  Here are about 47 of them all rolled and ready to give.

Then I was on Pinterest and found these adorable pillows.  Had to make a few for my friends and family too.  But I only made 5 of them so far.  I have a few to make for some friends, then I am making a bunch for my friends store.

I cheated a little and bought some flannel shirts at the local St Vincent store.  Cheaper than the fabric store.

I was so excited for 2015 that I have not thought once about 2016.  There are a few things I would like to finish.  I don't have any goals or resolutions yet.  I just want to be better than I was last year.  Kindness goes a long way.

From my family to yours, happy 2016!

Quilt Expo and New Adventures

Hello Friends,

On August 27, we moved my son to Milwaukee.  It was a long day but the start of a new fun adventure for him and for me too.  He is on the 13th floor so we had to take the stairs after moving the carts of stuff in though the elevator.  That's a chore when you have asthma.  But we did it!

He was so tired when we left.  But he seems to get along well with his roommate and is going to classes.  Right now he has a cold.  It has been cooler here and with lack of sleep and not eating good he caught something.  I hope it's just a bug and will be gone soon.

 

The Wisconsin Quilt Expo was this past weekend.  I didn't win any ribbons but I am just honored to have been involved with this.  On Friday, my sister and I went to the expo to see my quilt.

 

Here I am!  It was so cool talking to people about it.  On Saturday I went to pick up the quilt and was able to spend a couple hours there.  I only spent a little money because I already have too much.  When I walked in Nancy Zieman from Sewing with Nancy was at the WPT booth.  I asked her to sign my letter telling me my quilt was accepted.  She did so and we chatted for a bit.  It is always an honor to see her.

I got so many wonderful ideas at the expo.  I even have an idea for a new quilt for next expo.

This week I am working on finishing my Ragged Squares Quilt.  Amanda Jean is the pattern maker.  She has a blog Crazy Mom Quilts.  I found out at the expo that she is the guest speaker for the Mad City Quilt Guild at the end of this month.  So I am trying to finish it and I will see if she can sign the label on it.  I am so excited to meet her.  I read her blog all the time.  Check it out!

Other than that I am trying to finish some other WIPs that have been around too long.  I want to start a Halloween quilt and a Christmas quilt.  Stay tuned for that.

How many quilts do you keep?  Do you have a hard time giving them away?  I do.

 

Blessings,
Amy

Another finish!

Hello again Friends!

I am on a roll!  I am a member of the Madison Modern Quilt Guild.  As such, they like us to wear a name tag.  I have been a member for a year and a half and I have finally finished my name tag.  I used my Liberty of London fabric that I was hoarding.  Since the name of my blog is The Turquoise Button, I of course had to include one on it.

 

I am happy that this is done.  If they call my name for the first door prize tonight at the meeting, I will be able to win the prize. :)

Now to finish some other WIP's.

Stay tuned!

Blessings

Amy

A finish and a start

Hello Friends!!

Summer is winding down and I thought I would share with you a few wonderful things.  Well, I think they are wonderful. :) Let's start with a new start and end with a finish.  Do you remember my Swoon 2013 quilt?

 

I thought I would try to enter it in the Wisconsin Quilt Expo.  I had to send in 2 pictures and $5.  They would notify us by mail by July 31.  Well, July 31 came and went.  On Monday August 3 my son texted me that I had received a letter from the quilt expo and could he open it.  I said sure.  And I waited.  And waited.  I texted him back and asked what it said.  He then called me.  He read the letter starting with the date and my name and address.  UGH!  Just tell me already.  Congratulations he says, my quilt was accepted!  I really was okay if the quilt was not accepted.  It was my first try.  There will be quilts there from all over the country.  I am truly honored that they chose mine to be a part of this.  There is judging and awards for these quilts.  I did send the $5 to get the judges critiques.

I would like to know what they are really looking at when they judge them.  So please wish me luck and if you are in Madison Wisconsin on Sept 10-12, please check out the expo!  This is my new start.  Not sure where it will take me from here but it has motivated me to try new things.

 

So here is my finish!  I have been making this quilt for 3 years.  Not really.  Three years ago I started this quilt.  I had some muslin for the backing and basted it and was ready to start quilting.  I was gifted a very nice and expensive Pfaff sewing machine that was able to do free motion quilting.  I started and thought I was doing pretty well.  Until I really looked at it and noticed the tension was all wrong and loopy.  I ended up ripping out a quarter of the quilt.  I was mad so I put it in a tote and stuck it in the closet.  Two weeks ago I got it out and decided how I was going to quilt it.  I did stitch in the ditch in the bigger squares and x's through the smaller ones.  You can't really see the quilting in the picture but it is done!!!

 

I am sending my son to college Aug 27.  Stay tuned for pictures of that.  If he lets me take some.

Hope you are having a blessed summer!

Amy