Dresden Turkeys

Carrie of Freckles Galore just e-mailed me the news that she used my Dresden Turkey block pattern to make a wallhanging. You can visit her blog, http://www.myfrecklesgalore.blogspot.com/, to see her turkey.

If you'd like to make one, the block pattern is available for free on my web site: http://www.sundropdesigns.com/thanksgiving.html. You will soon find some other Thanksgiving ideas on that web page, too.

It's a Banner!

When I sat down to sew my leaf blocks into a table runner, I suddenly changed my mind! I blame it on those stark, white sheets of drywall that seemed to be screaming for something to decorate them. I decided to make two simple banners instead - one for my shed and one to give to a friend. The scan of a portion of one banner shows the fabrics I used. The other graphic shows a rendering of the banner made with Electric Quilt software. You can get the applique patterns and very basic instructions for making this banner on my website: http://www.sundropdesigns.com/specialdays.html

Kitty Block

My sister and nephew showed up without warning on Saturday to put the drywall up in my sewing shed. Needless to say, my sewing plans flew to the wayside. It took me the better part of 3 afternoons to get things back in enough order that I could sit down at my sewing machine today and finish the alternate blocks for my Halloween table runner. But the disruption was worth it as the drywall will make my shed a warmer place to work.

For my altternate block, I decided on a black kitten batting at a falling leaf. It's cute, but I've dicovered that I have a difficult time seeing what I'm stitching around when the applique is black.

More Fall Leaves

I collected fallen leaves from the silver maple tree today. This is my favorite tree on the property because there's such a variety of colors and sizes. Leaves on the other trees generally turn just one color or another, often a dull brown.

I chose 4 leaves of various sizes and traced them on brown freezer paper to make templates to keep on hand for future use. They look wrinkled because I salvaged this paper from a box of art supplies that I ordered years ago - the paper had been used as filler instead of styrofoam peanuts. Of course, I had to try a couple of the templates out now using some fabric scraps. Wow! I really like how this simple block turned out. I'm now inspired to make a few more to make a small table runner for the bowl of Halloween candy to sit on.

By the way, I noticed something odd about the silver maple tree: only the leaves on the east side of the tree are turning color. The leaves on the west, south and north sides are all green!

Fall Leaves

You can blame one of my 3rd grade teachers (I had 2 teachers that year) for my interest in leaves. She assigned us to collect "pretty colored leaves" for an art project and I've been fascinated by leaves and their changing colors ever since. Today, I found an internet article that explains why leaves change colors and gives a toll-free phone number for the U. S. Forest Service's Fall Color Hotline (who would have guessed there was such a thing?!): http://my.att.net/s/editorial.dll?eetype=Article&eeid=6104281&render=y&ck=&Table=
(800) 354-4595 Fall Color Hotline

Leaves are one applique pattern you don't need a designer for - nature provides them in abundance! Take a walk, collect some leaves, then trace them on paper or template plastic. Or sandwich the leaves between clear adhesive-backed plastic (i.e., Contac paper), then cut about 1/8" around the leaf (leave enough seam allowance for the plastic to adhere to itself). Now you have a pretty leaf to look at and an applique pattern to trace.

If you need an activity for kids, have them collect the leaves and sandwich them between the adhesive-backed plastic, or press between two sheets of waxed paper (adult help required), then cut them out. Punch a hole at the top of each leaf, thread yarn or string through the hole then tie to make loop. With adult help, hang leaves near a window or above child's bed. Small leaves can be used as bookmarks. Have fun!