3/20/15

Welcome to the Meet and Greet Blog Hop!

Well, hey there! Thanks for stopping by! I've got the place all spruced up for you, and it's lovely to see you! I'm one of the stitchers participating in the Meet and Greet Blog Hop...international, baby! A big thank you goes to our Lady of Blog Hops, Madam Samm for organizing and hosting this event. I hope you'll visit the other participants as well. You can see the list right here. As a person partial to hand embroidery, I've pulled out some of my favorite projects to show you today, so let's get started.

When I was much, much younger, I did a lot of needle point and crewel embroidery. When my kids were born, I took a lengthy, shall we say, leave of absence from all kinds of stitching. I didn't actually learn to quilt until I retired in 2008. Very shortly thereafter, I became acquainted with the world of embroidered quilts. The first one I saw hanging in a quilt shop was "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" redwork by Crabapple Hill. I fell in love with it the first time I saw it, but all that embroidery was very intimidating. I saw it again in the same quilt shop and admired it out loud to one of the owners.  She told me she'd seen it done in blue and that it was beautiful.  That made it even more desirable to me, but I was still intimidated by the hand work. Then I saw it again in yet a different quilt shop, and I couldn't resist it any longer. I ended up purchasing the pattern. Third time's a charm right?

Once I got started on it, I quickly became hooked on a daily dose of hand-stitching, and so this quilt is just the first of many, many hand-embroidered projects.


My talented long arm quilter was Tammi Ortega who used a pearlescent thread to quilt large snowflakes onto the quilt. Also, I embellished some of the snowflakes with hot fix crystals.


My favorite block is this one with the snow lady hanging candy canes on her clothesline to dry.


Coincidentally, while I was working on the Winter Wonderland quilt, I was in the process of working on a block of the month quilt designed by Lynette Anderson, called, "A Kitten's Tale". When I purchased the kit, I thought it was going to be fusible applique. Little did I know there would be so much hand embroidery involved, and so I like to say that I cut my embroidery teeth on this one. It was quite a challenge for a novice embroiderer to be doing satin stitch through fusible applique. Nevertheless, I got it done, and this is one of my favorite quilts. It hangs in my family room now.


As a new quilter, this was also my first time making yo-yo's. These are about the size of a dime.


There's that dastardly satin stitch through applique. Sheesh. A thimble comes in handy.


Tammi Ortega did the quilting on this one too. You can see why I was saddened when Tammi sold her business and returned to the traditional work force. 


This is sweet quilt was created with Lynette Anderson's very own cat and dog in mind. And here they are:


As a cat lover, I'm very familiar with this next scene. What cat owner hasn't gone to sit down in their favorite chair and found it already occupied?


This next quilt is another one of my favorite quilts ever, called "A Day in the Life of Mr. Bear". It was designed by Tricia Cribbs. It's the story of a little girl's day with her best friend.


The beautiful quilting for this quilt was done my Marcia Wachuta of Marcia's Crafty Sewing and Quilting. I gave Marcia just a few guidelines, and she went to town with some of the best free-hand quilting I've ever seen.


This is the largest center block:


All of the blocks for this quilt are sweet, but I particularly like these next two, showing the two main characters reading together:


and Mr. Bear having his wounds tended. When I finished embroidering this block, I wrote a little story to go along with it. You can read that story right here.


This next quilt is my "most decorated" quilt. I was thrilled when it took first place and won the large quilts division in the 2014 Oregon State Fair. This is the Vintage Miniature Sewing Machines quilt pattern designed by Ella & Skyse Designs.


It was interesting in that I learned a whole lot about the history of sewing machines while making it. For instance, this one:


As my husband and I like to say, "How do it work?" I liked the block setting the designer came up with as well, which incorporated strips of silk into the pieced block border.


I used a fancy stitch on my sewing machine to stitch a row of sewing machines above and below each embroidery motif, and then I quilted it with a simple spool of thread unspooling with a threaded needle at the end.


Finally, I wanted to share this small stitchery design that was featured in Quiltmaker magazine a few years back. The original stitchery had a banner above that said "Bless this Home". I made this one as a housewarming gift for my son and daughter-in-law when they bought their first home in October of 2013. I changed the wording in the banner to read "Home Sweet Home" and I added their house number below the upper window.


I was thrilled when Quiltmaker published my project in a subsequent issue of Quiltmaker magazine.


So there you go. I hope you've enjoyed my little trunk show today. Before you go, don't forget to leave a comment and enter my giveaway.

With this being a post about embroidery, I thought this little fat quarter bundle of Lazy Dasy Baskets to celebrate Redwork from Darlene Zimmerman for Robert Kaufmann would be just the thing. 



There are six fat-quarters and one 23-inch panel in this pretty little bundle. All you have to do to win is leave a comment...any comment will do. Followers of this blog can get a second chance to win by leaving a second comment letting me know how you follow. If you'd like to become a follower, just check up there in my left side bar for lots of ways to do so. Finally, be sure to leave an email address. No way to contact you equals no chance to win. I will ship internationally, and so everyone is welcome to enter. Don't dally, though. I'll choose a winner sometime on Monday afternoon.

To return to the blog hop, click right here.

141 comments:

Renata S said...

Love seeing your embroidery.

Renata S said...

I follow you. Looking forward to your tomatoes in the greenhouse.

Donna said...

Such pretty embroidery. I especially love the Vintage Sewing Machines.

Donna said...

I follow through feedly. I especially love the adventures of Smitty.

Val's Quilting Studio said...

I so enjoyed this post Barbara! I found myself enjoying each and every picture! you know I'm a follower and fan....my daughter and SIL just bought their first home and know ya have me thinking what I could make for a housewarming gift as yours is adorable!!

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

I love your little tour of your quilts, and I especially love your Winter Wonderland quilt. I've been pondering doing a quilt featuring some embroidery, and seeing yours has clinched it for me.

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

And I'm a follower (through Feedly). ;-)

Elizabeth Coughlin said...

Your embroidery is all so lovely!

SJSM said...

Always enjoy looking at your quilts. You find the most interesting ones to make. Love the cat quilts and adventures of the 3 cat ranch.

Marj said...

Love all your quilts! Wish I was half as productive as you. Thanks for the chance to win some beautiful fabric.

SJSM said...

I'm an email follower. :-)

Sparky said...

your stitchings are fresh as spring...your choices to embroider are soooooo lovely..be sure to add your post to link too

barbaraw said...

Love looking at your quilts, and reading the descriptions of your travels.

Dasha said...

I've always enjoyed your embroidered projects Barbara. You were one of the first bloggers I came across when I started blogging 2 years ago, and I have followed you ever since. Love your "Kitten's Tale" quilt.

Dasha said...

And I follow with GFC

Podunk Pretties said...

I'm a GFC follower.

Podunk Pretties said...

Love your embroidery handwork, may need to dig out those old patterns momma gave me.

Bonnie58 said...

Love your blog, Barbara - especially Smitty and Gracie's antics. I usually get a daily chuckle reading about your escapades with needle and cat!! Thanks so much for sharing.

Bonnie58 said...

Ohh, forgot to mention, I am an email blog stalker... thanks again

Cathy Smith said...

Ah, crewel! As a teenager I spent many an afternoon in the Super Yarn Mart trying to decide which Erica Wilson kit I was going to tackle next! A true blast from the past!

Cathy Smith said...

I follow the antics of Three Cats Ranch through both email and BlogSpot. I can be reached at cackysmith at msn dot com

Rhonda Casey said...

I follow your blog via email and also on Facebook. Don't want to miss anything ;)

Brenda said...

I love all of your work! I wish mine would look so good!

Brenda said...

I follow you by emails.

Becky said...

Thanks for the eye candy of the close-ups of the embroidery. I think I started following you when you were on the sewing machines.

Becky said...

I follow you per RSS feed.

Anonymous said...

Your embroidery is fabulous!!! I've done a couple of sets of embroidered blocks but have not yet made the quilts! You inspire me to "get with the program".

Anonymous said...

I'm a new follower of your blog. I just found you a couple of weeks ago and we're nearly neighbors here in Oregon!! (big smile) spnquilt2@gmail.com

works4me said...

So nice to see several of your projects all in one place. I enjoyed the post. I incorporate cross stitch into some of my quilts. The handwork adds a different dimension, I think.

I follow your blog by having it as a favourite and checking it daily.

Hilda said...

I am so happy to meet you at Mdm Samm's blog hop.
I am sitting hear and gasping because of all these masterpieces. I have never seen so many stunning quilts at one site.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Hilda

Hilda said...

And now I am following your blog via Google Friends Connect!

Hilda

Jeanie said...

Thanks for the trunk show! I've been following for quite awhile, but there were a few goodies that were new to me. You're always so creative!

Thearica said...

Love your projects! The Winter Wonderland quilt is still making its way around the circuit as it was so popular. And one can never go wrong with Lynette Anderson's designs. She is one of my favorite designers! Thank you for taking part in the Meet and Greet!

Debra said...

Such beautiful stitching! I wish I had more time to embroider. I have been tempted to make some of these projects in the past. Wonderful to see them done!

Debra said...

I am a regular follower through Google Blogger.

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

Love your embroidered pieces.

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

I am a follower via bloglovin cause you live in Oregon, and post some gorgeous pictures and it helps me not get quite as homesick. Thanks

Joan H. said...

Your embroidery work is so beautiful. Can't decide which I like the best.

Joan H. said...

I follow your blog by email.

Heidi said...

Good Morning! Enjoyed your trunk show - your stitching is always a pleasure ;-)
I enjoy following by you by email since Bloglovin cant keep up with your mad blogging skills -haha. No one can keep up with your mad quilting though - I cant believe you are already binding Psycatdelic !!

Needled Mom said...

Your embroidery is so pretty. I love how you incorporate your hand stitching into your quilting.

Barb H said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Barb H said...

Thanks for the overview of your lovely embroidered quilts. And thanks as well for the giveaway--I love red and white quilts!

Barb H said...

Barbara, I follow you faithfully every day on blogspot.com.

Deb@asimplelifequilts said...

So much pretty in this post! Thanks for a chance for those lovely red & white fabrics too.

Deb@asimplelifequilts said...

I follow you via Feedly.

Sher S. said...

love your quilts and all the embroidery on them. Would love to win.

Stephanie said...

Red & white fabrics are my absolute favorites! I follow you and get your blog sent by e-mail. I love your embroidery. I've started to do more embroidery of my own and I love it.
Sewin_Mom at verizon dot net

Sher S. said...

I follow your blog also. Love Mr. Bear quilt.

Stephanie said...

I follow you via e-mail.
Sewin_Mom at verizon dot net

tktl said...

I'm amazed by the time and detail you give your work!

t_ktl at yahoo.com

tktl said...

I follow via bloglovin.

t_ktl at yahoo.com

Judy Cooper Textile Artist said...

Beautiful work. Thanks for sharing and for the giveaway.

juliehallfeldhaus said...

I follow by email:)

KMSC said...

I love seeing all of your beautiful embroidery! I have the Crabapple Hill snowman embroidery but have not started it yet; I love it in blue! Thanks for the great giveaway.

KMSC said...

I am a follower of your blog via email.

Nita said...

Oh, that kitten's tale quilt...love it! Thanks for the beautiful trunk show!

Nita said...

Good morning! Your posts come into my email,every day :)

Anita said...

Great work! I especially like Winter Wonderland and A Kitten's Tale.

Debbie -- Sheltered Stitches said...

love the new look and thanks for all your helpful advise on getting back into embroidery!

Debbie -- Sheltered Stitches said...

I follow your blog with feedly..

Luci said...

Love your quilts, love your blog and love the fabric bundle we could win. Thanks for the chance to win. I don't follow via any of the standard methods, but I read your blog every day.

Kathy L said...

Love your projects. I am a follower. Thanks for the chance to win.

Anonymous said...

Your cat quilt is so nice, and I fully agree as a huge cat and quilt Lover: you can never have enough of them :-)
Hugs from Switzerland

Linda M @ Pieceful Kingdom said...

I love all your stitcheries. And the giveaway fabrics are gorgeous!

Linda M @ Pieceful Kingdom said...

I follow both by email and Facebook.

quiltzyx said...

What fun to see so many of your finished stitcheries all together!

quiltzyx said...

I follow through blogger, bloglovin' & Facebook!

Natureluvr57 said...

I'm visiting your blog via Madame Samm's stitchers around the world. I look forward to seeing your older blogs. I love embroidery (yours is gorgeous), I'm a newer quilter, I crochet (love doilies), I used to do X-stitch but with age I haven't done much. I love animals of all kinds. I have a cocker spaniel (sadly she's battling cancer) and help about 8 feral cats. I'm allergic to cats sadly so they can't come inside the house but they have access to our large shed to get out of the elements plus they are well fed. I think I will enjoy your blog in days to come.

Celtic Thistle said...

How lovely to see your Vintage Sewing Machine quilt again, I enjoyed watching that quilt progress!

Celtic Thistle said...

I am a happy follower on Bloglovin!

Judy B said...

What a great group of projects you have shown us! My Winter Wonderland is still a work in progress. Love yours in blue. The Vintage machines is gorgeous, hope to locate the pattern.

Judy B said...

I follow you via email!

Janet S said...

Barbara, I follow you every day and it is due to you I started to embroider again! I love all your quilts and embroidery projects. You go girl!

mumbird3 said...

Love the redwork - i have been waiting to start one!

mumbird3 said...

I follow as mumbird3 on bloglovin!

Michelle said...

I absolutely adore your sewing machine quilt - that one is just so neat!

Quiltsmiles said...

I still love all your embroidered quilts and can't imagine all you've got done since just starting in 2008! All of them are absolutely beautiful Barb, thanks for sharing.

Jane

Anonymous said...

HAPPY TO FOLLOW YOU+SMITTY+GRACIE ON BLOG LOVIN' !
msstitcher1214@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

HI, love your Blog! Love this sweet little red+white bundle too! Thank You for sharing!
msstitcher1214@gmail.com

legato1958 said...

I love all of your embroidery! Especially your quilts with kitties!
Susie

legato1958 said...

I am a long time follower of your blog.
Susie

Michele T said...

I love the idea of quilts that tell a story!! Your embroidery is beautiful!!!

Michele T said...

I am following you via Bloglovin!!

Shirley said...

Your quilts are just beautiful! Thank you for the opportunity to enter the giveaway. (shirparks@gmail.com)

Lyndsey said...

I always love seeing your stitcheries, they are all beautiful

Lyndsey said...

I am a devoted follower and just love reading about the happenings at Catpatches.

Donna said...

It was fun looking back at all the quilts you have done. As always....lovely work!

Cathy said...

As someone who doesn't quilt, I'm always fascinated by the amazing work that quilters do! Yours is no exception. Lovely, lovely work on all of your projects!
Cathy
CraftyCat

StitchinByTheLake said...

I love your Winter Wonderland in blue - I did mine in red but my best friend did blue like you. Gorgeous! blessings, marlene

Paula said...

I am still working on my Winter Wonderland. Love the blue. Always enjoy your blog.

Marei said...

Well girly, I feel embarrassed to try to win something on a "meet and greet blog" since we've known each other before the written word was invented....but I do love me some red and white fabric! Nice to see all your wonderfully embroidered quilts again.

Marei said...

And I am one of your faithful followers...or stalkers....whatever works for you.

CathieJ said...

I love the way you combine your beautiful embroidery in your quilts. Thanks for the giveaway.

Anonymous said...

I follow you on bloglovin and love your cat!

Anonymous said...

Love the fabric....thanks for the giveaway

Bev said...

I read your blog almost daily. I thoroughly enjoy the cat antics and all the projects you complete. Amazing work.

Anonymous said...

I have followed your blog for a couple years now. I really like that you blog almost daily with lots of photos, especially of your cats. I live in Portland, Oregon. Thank you for a nice daily "read". Robin

Mary said...

You have done beautiful stitching on your quilts. I love it.

Baa. xxx said...

What beautiful quilts with all the embroidery. You are one amazing stitcher and quilter! Super!

LethargicLass said...

I never tire revisiting your quilts through these posts... you always have interesting information :)

LethargicLass said...

I am a follower :)

maria demina said...

Your quilts are beautiful! I couldn't imagine that it is possible to do all of them during only one life... Your work is priceless. Thank you for share! I am glad I found your blog! iammariab@gmail.com

maria demina said...

And I follow your blog via Blogspot service with pleasure!

Lydia said...

Your quilts are beautiful. Each quilt leading to an even lovelier one. You do beautiful work.

Christine M said...

I just love all of your quilts, Barbara. I don't think I could pick only one as a favourite!

Christine M said...

I'm a happy follower of your blog. Thanks for the lovely giveaway, Barbara.

Dar said...

Barbara, It was fun to walk down memory lane with you. I remember seeing your trunk show as it was being created since I've been a follower of yours for quite some time. Those are wonderful memories.

Dar said...

I follow you on Google plus and get an email each time you post. You always bring a smile each day with some fun thought or picture.

Donna said...

I follow you, Smitty and Gracie. Your posts bring a smile to my face and envy in my heart. Your work is so lovely!

mkloeti said...

I love the nurse block as I am a nurse :)
Mkloeti@gmail.com

mkloeti said...

I follow your blog.
Mkloeti@gmail.com

QuiltSue said...

It's all due to your posting about them, that I got tempted and have just ordered the patterns for the Quilting Snowladies. Now I just have to hope my embroidery skills are up to it.

QuiltSue said...

I follow you (and the cats of course, specially Smitty) through Bloglovin.

Diane Wild said...

I never saw the Kitten's Tale quilt before. Always a joy to see your quilts, Barbara. I see something new every time I gaze upon them. Sew on.

Diane Wild said...

You know I'm a loyal follower, even if I skip a few days. LOL

Sherry said...

Your work is just beautiful. I love all of the embroidery and the way you put your quilts together.. I am inspired to get started on one of my redwork patterns this minute but have to finish a few projects first. I am so glad that I came to visit your blog today.

Sherry said...

I have been a follower by GFC and Bloglovin but just started following by email so I don't miss a post.

Anonymous said...

I am just blown away by your embroidery art! Just so beautiful! busy wiping away my drool from the keyboard! lol!! Thanks so much for sharing and you should be winning prizes. Amazing and beautiful! Helen hrglover@hotmail.com ps, would love to win those reds! Cute, cute!!

Quilting Tangent said...

Following on Bloglovin'. 24Tangent@gmail.com

Quilting Tangent said...

Wonderful trunk show! :) 24Tangent@gmail.com

Tami said...

Love your trunk show today

Anonymous said...

Barbara, Looking at all your embroidery has reminded me that I used to do quite a bit of it. Beautiful work--I'm glad you stuck with the initial challenge.

Marie mgodfrey39@mindspring.com

Clare said...

Lovely to see your beautiful finished quilts. Nice to others and their colour ways. Happy Stitching.

Betty said...

Your embroidery is just lovely! I need to bring out the redwork project I haved tucked back in my sewing room. The fabric bundle might just be the inspiration I need.

Betty said...

I have been following via Google for a few years now.

Beth said...

I love seeing the stitchery retrospective, Barb. As a former cross-stitcher, I've been thinking of starting on some Crabapple Hill quilting projects. But since we have a home much like Ms. Anderson's, in which dogs and cats are furrever friends, I may check out some of her projects instead. Thanks for the inspiration.

Beth said...

I follow you via email. You make my day. :)

Sheryl said...

A lot of very beautiful quilts and stitching. So pleased to have found your blog.

Unknown said...

So many beautiful quilts and embroidery !!
Greetings from Germany
Marion

Unknown said...

I am a new follower with Google Friend Connect.

MoniqueB said...

Those vintage sewing machines are just wonderful!

MoniqueB said...

I follow you on Bloglovin

Anonymous said...

Your quilts are beautiful! You are very talented. Thanks!

Please click on the delaineelliott above for my email link.

Anonymous said...

I follow you on Bloglovin. Thanks!

Please click on the delaineelliott above for my email link.

Rhonda D. said...

I love your embroidered blocks! Thanks for the chance to win!

Rhonda D. said...

I follow you by email and through Bloglovin.

Michelle said...

I love your embroidered block quilts. They're all so wonderful.

Kate said...

Your Winter Wonderland is still my favorite of your embroidered projects, but all of them turned out beautifully.

Mary Ann said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mary Ann said...

Just catching up today and I am loving all the projects you have shared. Thanks for sharing. Your Winter Wonderland is beautiful.