All Hallows Eve

Some Stitchy News

I'd like to give a 'shout out' to my friend Margaret. Thank you so much, dear friend, for blessing me with the One Lovely Blog Award. Margaret is a truly talented stitcher of reproduction samplers with a blazing fast needle. She inspires me with her lovely 'fini' posts on her blog, Days of a Sampler Lover.

A special thank you is being sent to Deb, the finisher extraordinaire, for providing the names of the BOAF Halloween designs. 

I have a bit of stitching news to share with you today. I picked up this piece from my framer the other day.

1848 Reproduction Sampler

Barrick Samplers

Belle Soie Silk on 36 ct Lakeside Vintage Examplar

I've made some progress on Witches Hollow - The Primitve Needle. I made a counting error and decided to be creative in finding a solution that didn't involve unstitching. So my piece is not true to the chart... 

Witches Hollow

The Primitive Needle

40 ct. Lakeside Vintage Pear w/GAST and WDW

 

Come join in the fun! La Brodeuse Brode is having a Christmas SAL. It starts November 1st. The Thread Basket and  Jardin Prive have organized a 4 week SAL, with a new part being released each week. Check out the blog for photos of the stocking designs and more detailed information.

I'll leave you today with a snap of my sweet Owen.

The Winner Is???

Congratulations to Pam R for winning the What in the World is Laurie Quilting Now??? contest. Thanks to everyone for leaving such creative comments. Emma and I especially enjoyed the comments about  all those circles. A few of her favorties:

• CORGIS SOAR - stitched circles filled with helium
• Corgi pillows - a girl can never have too many pillows
• Margaret's suggestion of a beret was very appealing for those days she's feeling very French!
• The one that created the most laughter, from both Emma and I, was Pat -WI and the 'pasties' comment. I don't think tassels would survive long in this house. lol
  

It's still raining in my little corner of Iowa.... but all your humorous comments have brought that beautiful Corgi smile back to my Sweet Pea's face. She also wants Santa to bring her a crown, like the Queen's Corgi.

Pam R... the package will be on the way to North Dakota soon.

Edited to add: If you'd like to know what will happen to all those circles and the 9 patch blocks.... well, my faithful readers.... you'll just have to check back for those project update posts! :-) 

Name that Design

Dear Stitching Friends,

Cari left me a comment in a previous blog post. She wanted to know the name of the following design. I realized that I never took a snap of my Halloween stitching. I no longer have the charts. I do remember that they are Birds of a Feather designs. Can someone help me with the names of the designs?

Thanks for your help!

What in the World is Laurie Quilting Now???

Sweet Pea (aka Emma) is bored. The days have been damp, cold and grey since the beginning of the month. It makes her fur curl and wave.... which puts her in a funk.

I thought a contest would be just the thing to pick up Sweet Pea's spirits. I'm working on two quilting projects at the moment.

 

Project #1

Lots of 9 patch squares... oh and look at that neat fabric with the birds!

Project #2

Good grief... what could she possibly be doing with all those fabric circles???

The rules are simple.... Please leave a comment with a description of the finished results of Project 1 or Project 2 or both Projects. I'm not looking for the correct answer.... I'm looking for some funny/inventive/laugh out loud comments. We need to put that famous Corgi smile back on my Sweet Pea's face.

If you link this post on your blog.... your name will be entered twice in the random drawing for the prize.

Prize

Mary Ellen's Best Press - Lavender Fields

Moda Charm Pack - Winter Song by Deb Strain

If you aren't a quilter... the 5" squares contained in the Charm Pack can be used for Christmas ornament finishing. Mary Ellen's Best Press is just the 'best' spray starch on the market IMHO. The scent is an added bonus. I use ME's Best Press during the piecing process. It helps keep those small squares in shape and a liberal dose prevents the bias edges from stretching.

Everyone is welcome to participate. I will ship the prize to a non-USA address. Contest ends midnight, Wednesday, October 21, 2009, central standard time. Please help bring the jolly back to my Sweet Pea!

Corgi Cottage is Ready for Halloween

I invite you to take a tour of Corgi Cottage all decked out for Halloween. All of the photos on my blog can be enlarged  by clicking on the photo. Enjoy!

Our black feather tree. Don't you think those Blackbird Designs Halloween stockings are going to make a wonderful addition?

The antique writing desk is the perfect setting for the punch needle Halloween cushion and tombstone angel candle. Click on the photo, to enlarge, so that you can get a closer look at  the primitive wooden tray holding some needlework smalls.

 

Top of Curio Cabinet for Needlework Smalls

 

Another curio cabinet  for the rest of my needlwork smalls collection.

 

Penny Lane Quilt - Jo Morton  on the wall of my bedroom. You can see a bit of the Civil War era reproduction quilt on my bed.

Tombstone Angel wall in my bedroom.

How appropriate for the season!

I'll leave you with a snap of my Sampler Wall

The photo in the frame above the quilt rack was taken in the late 1800's. It is a photo of my home that was gifted to me by a neighbor when I moved into my newly renovated home.

Until next time my faithful readers...

Emma, Owen and The Prairie

Emma and Owen wanted me to share with you, my faithful readers, their favorite place to visit. Since late spring we've been going on daily runs (the pups do the running) in the prairie, located 1/2 mile from Corgi Cottage.

 

 

Off Leash Freedom 

 

  A romp in the tall grass.

 Sweet Emma Lou

Owen, checking back, in the hopes of getting a treat.

Their favorite tree.

Do you have to share this private moment????

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Tanya and Siobhan for mentioning my new blog. You are the best!

Next up is a tour of the seasonal displays at Corgi Cottage. Talk to you soon!

So.... What Did You Stitch at Retreat????

We bring our own projects to work on at the retreat. The members brought their stitching, needlepoint, knitting and quilting. We all usually bring more than one project to work on so boredom doesn't set in.  

I brought a quilt along that needed to have the binding hand sewn to the back of the quilt.

Harvest Time

Anka's Treasures

 

 

This quilt was started in 2008... so it's been a work in progress. I'm very proud of the fact that in addition to piecing and machine appliqueing the top I also did the machine quilting.

Of course I brought along some stitching. 

Blackbird Designs

Halloween Stockings  

32 ct. R&R Iced Cappucino

 

The Primitive Needle

Witches Hollow

40 ct.Lakedside Vintage Pear

Don't you just love that sweet little tombstone angel candle??? It was one of my stash purchases at The Country Sampler in Spring Green, WI.

I also picked up a few other things at The Country Sampler and Vintage Threads in Dyersville, IA.

 I adore my tombstone angel finds, the Jo Morton greens that were sadly lacking in my collection of Jo fabrics, some Worn and Loved II fabrics for a quilt top in progress, the velvet for the pumpkin pinkeep, and the Gettysburg quilt kit. It was displayed, hanging on a cupboard door, at The Country Sampler.

Thank you all for taking the time to read my blog and leave me comments. I read each and every one. Till next time.

A Weekend in Wisconsin

I was at Sinsinowa Mound in Wisconsin this past weekend with some members of the Mississsippi River Sampler Guild. MRSG  The Guild goes on a stitching retreat in the Spring and Fall of the year. It's a time to reconnect with members, relax, stitch, eat and consume way too much sugar.

I enjoy walking around the grounds of  Sinsinowa Mound. SM is a retirement community and final resting place for the Dominican Sisters.

It was cloudy and we had snow flurries on Saturday, but I think you can still admire the beauty of the surrounding countryside.

This post wouldn't be complete without a snap of the members of MRSG.

Next time I'll be sharing some snaps of the projects I worked on at my weekend retreat.

Some Quilts to Share

I thought it would be fun to share some of my recent quilt finishes with you, my faithful readers.

 

 

Country Garden

Lucinda's Dance

Jo Morton's Lucinda's Needle fabric collection

Of course, Emma is always front and center when it comes time to take snaps of the quilts.

Nana's Attic by Crazy Old Ladies

Blackbird Designs - Beach House Jelly Rolls