I have a new design on my other blog: Trunks Up!

I have just finished the first version of a new design. I should have the pattern ready for testers this week.

I call it Trunks Up! Tradition says that elephants with their trunk up are good luck. I hope so. I loved fussy cutting the paisleys for the elephants. Thier ears are free to move, only attached on one edge. The tails move, too.

McCall's Quick Quilts February/March 2012 - My Winter Quilt

My seasonal mat patterns are being published by McCall's Quick Quilts starting wiht the Feb/March 2012 issue. I love the way it looks in the magazine.

You can see more here:

http://www.mccallsquilting.com/quickquilts/articles/Through_the_Seasons__Winter

http://www.mccallsquilting.com/quickquilts/issues/February_March_2012

Quilt for Doris

This is the quilt I made for my sister, Doris. I didn't have a pattern, but had seen a picture on the web, so made up my own pattern. I used a light and a dark of complimentary fabrics. I made a positive (dark center) and a negative (light center) from each pair of fabrics. Some fabric selections, I had enough to make two pair of blocks. The quilting is simple stitch in the ditch and the centers of all the blocks have an orange peal pattern. I think it turned out really good, and she loved it.

A close up of some of the squares.

I'm still here

I havn't posted for a while now because I am having computer problems. I am still working on patterns. I have the first version of the "Lucky Elephant" pattern put together. I also have an owl quilt I am working on. As soon as I get the computer thing worked out, and can post from my own computer, I will post pictures here and on suelynndesigns.blogspot.com.

I spent two weeks working on a quilt for my sister, Doris. She had to have some tests done on her heart. It was like an obsession for me. I couldn't work on anything else. I was up till midnight the night before her tests, finishing the binding. It was not a full size quilt, 50 x 80 inches. Just big enough to use for extra warmth. I know I was cold when I was in the hospital last year, until I had my family bring a quilt from home.

When we went to the hospital the day she was scheduled for tests, we walked into her room and I had the quilt in a pillowcase. I asked her how she was, and she said she was cold. I said, "I think this will help", and pulled the quilt out of the case. She was thrilled.

When I am back on my own computer I will share a picture. She is fine, the Doctor said her heart looked good (for her age) except for a small valve leak they already knew about.

Until next time.

Update

I have been busy trying to get a design business going without much money or success. I am putting all the info on another blog
http://suelynndesigns.blogspot.com/. If you are interested go there to see my quilts and tests on new patterns.

Around here the weather was very good, for fall, until this week. We had one out of season snowstorm in October, that caught us unprepaired. We hadn't taken the cover off the metal frame that shaded the patio, and the weight collapsed the frame and rippen the cover. We weren't expecting the snow so early. Two days later, it was gone, but so was the patio cover.

I think it will be winter for the next few months, now.

I Can't Believe It's September!!!

Where did the summer go!.

I spent some time remaking a set of small quilted wallhangings and sent them off to a publisher. I will post pictures when I know more.

I got a virus and spent a little more than a week in bed, fever, chills, the whole thing. But I survived without going to the hospital this time.

I also created a new quilt, Winter Geese, and sent the pattern to Quiltwoman.com. I hope it is published soon. I'll let you know.

The garden is not doing well. We did get a fair crop of peas. The tomatoes are slow and the corn is.... well, lets just say, it would be a joke if we showed it to you. Short, short, short, no ears. I haven't checked the potato plants for little ones yet. The greenhouse is not much better. It sort of piddled off about mid July and we sort of neglected it after that.

I was working on a new pattern last week, when my sewing machine stopped working. Had to take it in, but because the place I go to for repairs is a big vendor at the fair, I won't know the damage until at least next week.
I tried mom's old machine, but it wouldn't work. I may have to get Nyda's machine out to the workroom if I get sewing withdrawal too bad.

I am getting some other things done since I can't sew. Like vacuuming, sweeping, dusting, mopping the kitchen floor. Cleaning my room. I culled a lot of books and magazines out of my shelves. I was able to sell some to the used books store. Not much money: $25. and $12 credit at Hastings. I told Nyda she could use the credit towards more video games. She is working customer service for Sony Playstation now and gets a playstation to use at home.
I put some craft stuff and the magazines on freecycle, and they were picked up fast. I still have too much stuff.