JUST HORSIN' AROUND

                                 Here is my Slow Sunday Stitching entry this week.

This filly is all ready to be stitched down--it took me hours to turn her under...
;ooo.  that mane is still not perfect, but will have to flow as it is for now...

AND:

Filly Number Deux is ready and waiting for her operation..hahaha.

And when I get tired of appliqueing I can pick up Mme Eagle and quilt..

I only did 3 rows around her
as that fabric pattern just keeps moving before my eyes!!  Aaargh...

                                 Rich blue here, that mostly disappears ;000 because of that solidly
                                 textured print--which i would not use again...
AND.....

I am using DMC No 8 cotton to big stitch on the borders on this one...
I really find that I love to hand quilt this way....

So I will be on our deck stitching away this Sunday....

Hugs, Julierose, La Blageuse (slow-Sunday-euse) (linking up with Em 
also)

CIRCLING BUTTERFLIES

THE first row of my circles added to the sashings....

three more to go.. my accuquilt Go! Baby circle cutter really is great--
I love cutting my x-tra index cards into circles and then using the starch and iron method around them ....

on the left is a possibility for the side border--but I don't know--- kind of same old, same old and bland...we'll see what else I can come up with....

Oh.............. still not perfect, but better..
I love this fabric--and why didn't I get a yard of it?? ;(((

*****************************************
Today, Thom and I took a ride and found this lovely tree to add to our front yard...
A Colorado "Baby Blue" Spruce...I love the shape and color...

We added it along our paved sidewalk leading to our front door... and what's nice is that 

it echoes the

blue spruce we have along the front of our house....

I just love this color--and am imagining how beautiful it will look when the ground is covered  with snow....and perhaps a few little wind chimes...
hanging from the branches....
("Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree...")

hugs,
Julierose, La Blageuse (circling-euse)

TUESDAY THREADTAILS

GRAND'MERE'S HOUSE....(No way near perfect, but mine own.....)
.Julierose, La Blageuse Appliqueuse

A-TISKET-A-TASKET

Last night, I was gazing at one of my all-time favorite applique pattern books (and drooling as usual):  
"When the Cold Wind Blows" by Barb Adams and Alma Allen from Blackbird Designs--and remembered that I had prepped their basket block called "Trick or Treat" to try out a new applique method.  After unearthing the tin I had them stored in, I looked at the 1st block I did and saw just how LOUSY the applique was!  But, I really, really love this little basket block--Whaaaa!! I just love that little diamond in the middle...aaaargh....

Well, allright then:  So, right then and there, I decided to try out my old standby favorite "blanket stitch" applique with No. 8 perle cotton...and...

Here they are: I don't know if the stitching shows, but the perle No 8 cotton thread is a warm honey golden color:

I had made a dresden plate quilt (called "Chez Nous"--which means "at home" in French) yrs ago for my cousin, Jeannette, as a housewarming gift; and used that stitch then....and loved doing it! 

 Soooo, why not try that--since it seems that I am absolutely, congenitally unable to do a good blind stitch--even with prepped pieces ---and just forget needleturn--I just make a 
H U G E mess of that!! And. It makes me very nervous....

Phew! I am really enjoying this and I like the old fashioned look it gives--just a teeny bit primitive.  The background blocks are a "white on white" muslin that I coffee dyed...(Maybe I shouldn't have had that second cup of coffee this morning LOL)

I guess I have a lot in the works--YA THINK?  But, right now, the plans and ideas keep on popping into my head.....so here I sit in the rain and wind working my little baskets--I took out the first one and am now BS-ing it also uh-oh--now THAT didn't look right BS= blanket stitching :--))))  Julierose, La Blageuse on coffee...

Hats Off to you MA/Applique???

On this gloomy, freezing rain-spritzed day, after 6" of the "white stuff" yesterday, I was feeling kinda blue...

WHEN:  Mr. Postman brought me a package:

WOW!!  Just look at the lovely hat my good friend, MA, knitted for me.....way to go!!  It just lifted my spirits.  The rasberry highlights perfectly match my new "puffy coat" (down) that I got for Christmas.....no excuses now not to walk.  Will wear it tomorrow--if it ever stops raining here....

AND:

My same good friend made me a floppy beret (I just {heart} berets) in a very light dove-gray blue for Christmas this year--aren't I lucky to have my own personal knitter now that I can no longer knit??

A huge thank you goes out to you, MA.....

Here is The applique pattern  (by Lori Smith):  In my header I stated I want to learn to applique; well I am jumping off the high board and diving right in.....

Teresa  has excellent tutorials that I will be following. 

Today I cut out my templates for the first block (top left above)  will post my progress (my feeble attempts to do this!)

Bon Soir all  Julierose, La Blageuse

Back to What Passes For Normal

My Mom came through her hip replacement operation really well and is back at the Nursing Home. (Three day turnaround!)  At 92 that is really amazing....don't you think???  I am thankful she is doing so well.

I did purchase "The New Applique Sampler: Learn To Applique the Piece O'Cake Way" by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins--am spending my waiting time reading through it.  After which, although right now, I don't really need aNOther project, I am DEFinitely going to try to set up a block to work on.....

More about my learning adventures in the next blog--w/pix....

 Julierose, La Blageuse