Pumpkins...

It's the first day of Autumn...

time to make some pumpkins

 

I pulled some fabrics and made strip sets,

sandwiched them together with insulbrite

and cotton batting...

If you look close you can see

curved machine quilting lines...

Back view shows the machine quilting...

Using a template, I cut out a pumpkin shape...

Back View...

All ready for a binding

I made a few for gift giving...

The bindings are done...

Found a green fabric for pumpkin stems...

I layered these with batting

and stitched them into stems...

The first stem is on the pumpkin...

These quilted pumpkins can be used for 

trivets, hot pads or candle mats...

This is the first project I have created with

my new Bernina 440 QE...

it sews like a dream.

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May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi 

Surprise...

The Cowboy SURPRISED me with a new

sewing machine...

Bernina 440 Quilters Edition

This machine was made in 2007...

It is just like NEW...

only 32 hours on the machine...

how wild is that !

2007 was the 75 year Anniversary of Bernina

I love the large, white extension table...

I also like the sliding speed control

and the blue on/off button...

I played with the BSR foot and

even though I have been free motion quilting

for over 30 years I actually liked it !

It came with a dozen feet and most of them

are my favorites...

I have made it most of the way through the

manual and the machine operates the same

as my other Berninas, so not a lot to learn there...

180 Stitches...

I feel so lucky to have this machine and

I want to take good care of it so....

The very first thing I stitched with it is

this sewing machine cover...

The front has a large zipper pocket

and both sides have handles and pockets.

This should keep my new baby dust-free.

Thank You Cowboy!

 

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May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi 

Hard Work made this Country...

 

Phyllis Burchett

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May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi 

Hollyhock Quilt...

 

Hollyhocks

Old Fashioned Hollyhocks

have always been a favorite of mine...

They are in full bloom...

If you look closely in the very center

you can see a 5 point star...

You can plant the seeds in the ground 

spring, summer or fall

 and they will sprout right up and begin to grow.

They winter over really well.

The next summer they will bloom beautifully.

They are drought tolerant and don't need water.

They are prolific and re-seed themselves.

Not only beautiful, but easy to grow.

Midnight in the Garden

This is my Hollyhock quilt from 2010

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May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi 

Heart Garland...and Tutorial

I started playing around with hearts this week:

 

No pattern...just an idea 

I wanted to work through...

Before I knew it I had a heart garland

to hang on a mantel or wall or window, etc.

I pawed through the fabric cupboards

and found some pinks...

so made another Heart Garland...

These are FUN and don't require

a lot of your fabric or your time...

I hung them up on the design wall

for a photo shoot...

I turned my back and there were FOUR !

I ended up making SIX Heart Garlands

and already gave two of them away...

If you want to join in the FUN

here is a tutorial...

Supplies:

5 inch squares of fabric (two for each heart)

Heart Template for Fabric (I made mine from freezer paper)

Batting scraps or Felt (cut into heart shapes)

Heart Template for Batting (smaller than 5 inch template)

Pinking Shears and Scissors

Jute cording

Glue Stick

I cut 2 squares of fabric at a time

with the pinking shears...

I cut out 9 hearts (2 fabrics each for 18 hearts)

The length of jute you need will depend on

how long you want your garland to be...

Stretch out the jute and place one heart shape underneath

(wrong sides of fabric facing you) and apply some glue stick.

place one batting heart shape on top 

and press down...

apply glue stick to the batting...

Place the 2nd heart shape on top 

and press down...

Iron the heart to set the glue...

Topstitch the heart on your sewing machine,

this will hold the jute in place...

Keep adding more hearts, 

leaving and inch or more between them...

I am working on a wool press mat

and use pins to hold the jute in place

for easier handling of the hearts...

Keep adding hearts until your garland

is the desired length.

I leave 12 inches of extra jute on each end...

Cut 1 inch strips of fabrics...

these will be used to create ties...

Place 3 fabric strips in between each heart...

tie the strips in a knot...

Keep going until you fill the garland in with ties,

even at the beginning and end of the jute...

These are a great deal of FUN and

will make great gifts next month for

Valentines Day !

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May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn Kessi