Dog Sitter & Quilt

Hey while Pappy is dog sitting ....... I'm quilting.

I sewed up a storm on Saturday. Christmas coins strips are together and trimmed. Now to select sashing/borders.

Christmas Coin Strips

AND even finished a small wall hanging (30x30) I started 3-4yrs ago. I had to laugh at the wall hanging which was a kit from Joann's. It's called Serendipity. The pattern was a "string" block using templates. Man how dumb I was way back then.

Farewell String Quilt for Fr. Casey Mahone

Banner to say Farewell.

My string block quilt.

A few weeks ago our Parish Priest, Fr. Casey Mahone, announced that he was being transferred. Although he has only been at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church for 4 years the Community was stunned at this announcement. He was a perfect fit for St. Xavier and St. Monica's.

Of course, right away I said to myself I must make a quilt. I thought about it, asked friends but I just couldn't come up with a quilt idea. Yes I own a million books, magazines, free downloaded files but nothing, absolutely nothing was working for me. So I gave up on the idea. Sunday (4/20) morning I woke up and said "the string blocks, they'll be perfect, the string will represent the people of our Parish". God does work in mysterious ways!!!

About 2 years ago I was in a swap to make scrappy string blocks. Things were going sour in the swap so I dropped out but made my blocks. Afterwards I looked at them and thought "what was I thinking" ... I hated them so I put them in the cabinet and closed the door. Awhile back I showed the blocks to the Heartstrings group and had decided to cut them in half to add plain fabric on one side. Thank goodness I didn't move forward with my idea.

When I woke up Sunday (4/20) I knew exactly what I wanted to do. So right after breakfast I got started. The top was finished on Monday morning; Monday afternoon I stopped at Sheryl's looking for the perfect backing ... a red backing. I found it, perfect red with just a touch of gold fleck .... it's by Blank Fabrics. Blank fabric are so nice ...... it came out of the washer/dryer just like it was on the bolt ... absolutely no ironing .... beautiful. Tuesday morning I loaded the quilt on Prince Charming (Nolting longarm) and got started. Tuesday about 9:30PM the quilting was done, quilt was trimmed, bias was made and binding was on the quilt. Wednesday I got to work hand stitching the binding to the backing ........ it's done, it's done, it's done with days to spare.

I used the Trailing Vine pantograph by Lorien Quilting. Now I'm fairly new to longarm quilting and points are alittle hard for me. I decided to make the inside section of the leaf rounded. I'm telling you this in advance because when DH (who is an ordained Deacon) looked at the finished quilt he said "WOW I love the flame and fish" (popular religious symbols) motifs and I thought "What, flames and fish?". I then said "it's a vine, honey". I have to admit that because I rounded that point inside the leaf sure enough it does look like a candle flame and the other leaf does look like an eyeless fish. Perfect!

By the way it was only after I had the binding on that I noticed the fabric had a tiny leaf design. I couldn't believe it ...... double perfect.

I like to make my labels by hand using the IdentiPen by Sakura. I sew the label with my Janome 6500 sewing machine to the backing fabric "before" quilting. Too many quilts are stolen and labels are removed .... when the label is quilted into the quilt it's pretty hard to remove. I do want to give credit for the label wording to my very best friend, Irene. I knew what I wanted to say but couldn't put it into words. I sent her a HELP email and in less than a minute she responded. The label wording is all Irene's. Thank you Irene.

To end my long write up ......... I LOVE the quilt. Here are a few photos..........

Do you see Flames and Fish?

575 reservations ..... the largest local dinner ever in a Catholic Community according to the Vicar, Fr. Peterson. Over 100 parishioners volunteered to setup, cook, serve, clean up and more.

Fr. Casey and his brother.

Fr. Casey and his quilt.

Joe giving Welcome speech and Fr. Casey's story.

Our gift to Fr. Casey from St. Francis Xavier and St. Monica's Parishes

Much better photos here by the Church Photographer.

Good bye Fr. Casey .......

Pink/White String Quilts

Last year I joined a swap over at HGTV for pink and white (only) string blocks ... 6.5" and/or 12.5" blocks. In the end I only sent in the 6.5" blocks .... mostly because of the rising postage rates.


So I made 2 quilts from my 12.5" string blocks. I did make a few extra blocks with aqua centers as I wanted to make a heart shape in the middle.

Here's my 1st String Quilt with the aqua heart shape. I used Hearts and Loops pantograph.

Here's my 2nd String Quilt ...... by the way DH picked out the border/backing fabric. He has such a good color eye .... so much better than me. I used Angel Wings pantograph by Jodi Bemish on the quilt.

Both of these quilts will be donated to charity.

Quilters All Over

I want to say Thank You to everyone who has visited my Blog and left messages .... I cherish each and every message.

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This past weekend (3/29) an anonymous message (see below) was left on my String Quilt posting. You know anyone can say they're Mark Lipinski.


----- Original Message -----
From: Anonymous
Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2008 6:08 PM

Subject: [Quilting Nanny] New comment on String Quilt, my first.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "String Quilt, my first":

OH MY GOSH! If you like string quilts just wait until you see the new book that AQS is putting out by Karen Griska! I know it's at the printing/manufacturers now so it will be out in the stores by the end of summer, I'm guessing. I had the pleasure of seeing the "mock up" book before it was printed. YOU WILL FAINT. HINT: Don't throw away your selveges! LOVED your string quilt by the way. Really pretty.

xoxom
Mark Lipinski
http://www.marklipinski.com/


I pondered for a day wondering .... "hmmmm was someone playing a joke? Mark Lipinski, the real Mark Lipinski, who has a magazine, been on Simply Quilts and more really leave a message on MY Blog. Well, I decided to write him an email and ask .... I mean if you want to know something shouldn't you get your answer from the 'horses mouth' as my grandmother use to say. So I got up my nerve and wrote Mr. Lipinski ....... and he answered, the real Mark Lipinski:


----- Original Message -----
From: PickleRoadStudio@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, March 30, 2008 12:44 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: [Quilting Nanny] New comment on String Quilt, my first.

ROFPIMP.....Please God, don't let TWO Mark Lipinski's roam the earth! LOL

Yup, it was me who loved your string quilt. xooxm

Mark Lipinski
The Quilts of Pickle Road
13 Pickle Road
Califon, NJ 07830
(908) 876-1208
Check out my new and updated WEBSITE and BLOG: www.marklipinski.com PLUS Find out what's happening on the Quilter's Home website: www.quiltershomemag.com


----- Original Message ----
In a message dated 3/30/2008 12:24:12 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, mermaid@fultonian.com writes:
I'm just too curious to let the email posted on my blog go by ......... so did you, Mark Lipinski, the real Mark Lipinski leave the message? Of course, I'm hoping you're going to say "Yes, I did" ....... I would certainly be sew sew happy. Thanks

Merry Quilting
Sandy



Well how about that!!!!!!!!!!!

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AND Lisa Boyer, Kauai, Hawaii, too has left several messages. Now I knew it was Lisa as she too has a Blog so her name displayed. You know Lisa Boyer author of two (2) marvelous books "That Dorkey Homemade Quilt", "Slash Envy", from Simply Quilts, her many beautiful quilt patterns and so much more.

Oh you might be interested in the story behind those cute, little, hand tied bows on each and every pattern of Lisa's. LOL

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AND, of course, all my many friends all over the internet. Google Alerts is the greatest. Through Google Alerts I've read so many interesting blogs on quilting. sewing, tutorials and more ...... I love it. Thank you Google.com

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Thank You Everyone

String Quilt, my first

I admire the String Quilts ...... I've made one of my own at last. I see lots of String Quilts at Mary's blog. LOL

The blocks are pink and white, 12 inch finished size (48x60). It's hard to see but the aqua center strips are suppose to made a heart shape. I've decided to not put borders on, just quilt and bind. I probably should have used darker fabric. It's not quilted yet but soon I'll load it on Prince Charming. I plan to donate it ... not sure where yet.

I have tons of scraps so I see many string quilts in my future .........

Project Linus # 9 and #10 Quilts

I made a personal committment to donate 12 quilts to Project Linus this year ...... today I turn in #9 and #10.

I try to make my donated quilts in the range of 40 x 50 and although these 2 are "girlie" I almost always make boy quilts. Boy quilts are in great demand as are larger teen size quilts. Girlie/baby quilts outnumber boy quilts 4 to 1 across the country.

I turned in 8 quilts back on Project Linus Blanketeer Day, Feb. 16. All of these were boy quilts.

This one is 52.5 inch x 34.5 inch, quilted with hearts and loops (front and back).

This one is 50.5 inch x 36.5 inch, quilted also with hearts and loops (front and back).

Quilts for The Military

For some time I've wanted to help honor our military personnel. So on January 28 the following note was posted on the Heartstrings yahoo email group. She said: "A few weeks ago I pulled out the blocks from our summer block swap in anticipation of my son coming home from Iraq I started a quilt for him. The Family Rediness Coordinator from his unit explained that single soldiers come back from deployment to sterile looking rooms in the barracks, therefore upon arrival they like to make the rooms nice for the soldiers and they are allowed to have personal bedding. Most parents will adopt their own soldier and send bedding that will be put on the bed including comforters etc. I am making my son a quilt. Because not every soldier has family or one that is in a position to provide one I am looking for r/w/b twin quilts for those who don't get adopted. I am expecting to be in Savannah end of March to meet them. I will be using Heartstring labels on all of the quilts whether they are string quilts or not. These 140 guys have passed the one year mark and it will be 15 months by the time they get back! (This is infantry so all guys) "

I thought about her comments and decided I could make a difference and in my own small way show my support for our military. I received the red, white and blue string quilt (blocks by Lynn, pieced by Fran) and scrappy log cabin (pieced by Marlene) ....

I emailed her back offering to long arm quilt using the Stars & Loops pantograph by Linda Taylor. (I'm not a freehander and love pantographs.) I started on 2/29 quilting and binding the quilts. On the log cabin quilt I quilted in a few words in the large stars. I'm so happy to say THE QUILTS ARE DONE and ready to mail. I know their lives are changed forever and I hope that in some small way I've helped to make a difference.

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Thank you for all you've done for our Country and for protecting me, my family and everyone.