Autumn ... love those colors!

I went on a little road trip last Thursday to Steamboat, Colorado. I have to tell you, the colors were fabulous along the Colorado river.  The Cottonwoods were more vibrant with their yellows and golds than I have seen in a long time!!  Stunningly beautiful!

Seems only right to work with the colors of my favorite season.

 This little quilted wall quilt or table topper is perfect for the season!! And of course Maple leaves are more than appropriate!  It is currently for sale in my etsy shop if you are interested: https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/pinsandtangledneedle/tools/listings/stats:true/486683181

Then there are my gowns.  This one, though the picture doesn't show it to its best beauty is a wonderful green plaid.  A reproduction of a 1880's walking gown.  It, too, is being sold: https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/houseofpoleighnaise/tools/listings/stats:true/473187434

And this one as well!  A reproduction of a bustle ball gown ... I love it! https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/houseofpoleighnaise/tools/listings/stats:true/488765263

Even though Autumn is my favorite season, the winter holidays are near, so on to sewing with the Christmas season color palette .... bring on the reds and greens!

On a little side note, the 8th is a very important date.  Of all of the elections we've been faced with, this one really needs your vote.  I do not care to know which candidate you like or dislike. Just vote.  We have an interesting future ahead of us .... I wish I had a crystal ball, but alas, I do not.

Chloe's eyes will dance Baby Quilt

Good morning!!!

Last week, my niece had a baby shower for her and hubby's first baby. They are a wonderful couple! So accomplished in so many ways :)

I like bright colors for baby quilts. More importantly, babies like bright colors. Stephanie said the nursery was in gray, yellow and pinks.  I substituted coral for the pink, and went with a bright yellow and soft grays. Personally, I think its really pretty!  Chloe's eyes should dance when she looks at it. 

 And because I like the backs of my quilts to be in busy prints (isn't Steph beautiful?):

Then there are the scrapes. I wasn't quite ready to give up playing with the color scheme ... So I made this little 26 inch square cutie to go on the etsy site to sell for Corgi rescue.

Fall is in the air. Duh!  October LOL.  Next quilt started are fall colored oak leaves.  This will probably be the next blog entry.  The squares are finished and on to sashing and completing.  

Autumn.  My favorite season!  The cool air, crisp sounds. and the colors!!!!   

Have a beautiful day, my friends!!

I DEFINITELY have been absent. My apologies!  However, I am back :)

A lot has happened, and a lot of moving forward is going on.   Needless to say, new things are happening. Reviving past loves is one of them.  I love quilts!  I love making them! I love wrapping myself up in the. I love giving them as gifts, hanging them on walls and draping them over tables.

A passion of mine are my Corgi's. They have given me joy in some of my darkest days. Their boundless energy is contagious. I feel it is time to give something back to this hilarious breed of dog, and I fervently want to open a Corgi Rescue facility. A GoFundMe campaign is underway: https://www.gofundme.com/2mstp4zx

I do not believe in taking without giving something in return, so I have been making quilts to give to those who give certain amounts. I have also devoted the Pins and Tangled Needles etsy shop to aiding with this goal.  All proceeds from that shop go to the sanctuary of Corgis in need: https://www.etsy.com/shop/pinsandtangledneedle?ref=hdr

So!  I am keeping pretty busy!  LOL I am loving it!

Some of my projects?  Here, take a look :)

And yes, my life wouldn't be complete with making a doll LOL

I am still busy making historical reproduction gowns.  A gal needs to eat, and you know how we quilters love that pastime, but my evenings and other moments of spare time are at the other sewing machine creating quilts and such. 

Abba and Boston a year ago,

... have grown into their ornery selves. This picture taken after instructing them to sit pretty for a picture.  Sigh .... hahaha

Creating a safe haven for Corgis, and me, is an on going project, and the thrill of everyday life is a happy place.

I am back!  I am busy!  I am happy!!  :)

Wishing you all a great day, and remember to smile!

Celebrity Loss

Sometimes we look at Celebrities as being larger than life.  Many are deemed Royalty, and whether it is on the screen or the stage, nothing seems to get in the way of their success.  We tend to forget they are people just like we are. They have their trials in life. Their emotions are not any different than any one else. They love, they laugh, they cry, they live .... and like we have found out this week, they die.

 On August 11th we lost a tremendous Man.  Not only was he a huge success as an actor and comedian, but an incredible humanitarian.  Loosing someone through natural causes is difficult enough ... suicide amps the loss to another level.  Seems harder to believe.  Harder to understand and comprehend.  Robin Williams captured the hearts of probably everyone in one form or another, in a multitude of age groups.  He was literally adored.  As a friend of mine stated, "he was different". And as his wife stated, "remember him by his life, not his death", and remember we all will. At 63, he was way to young to leave this earth, but Heaven all the richer to have him.


And then while I was on Facebook earlier this evening, I saw that Lauren Bacall passed away today at the age of 89 of a massive stroke.  I like to think she is now, finally, back with the man she was so perfect with in life.  Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall together at last.  I loved the sound of her voice!  She was a class act. A beauty .... who didn't even see herself as  such, and in my minds eye, that made her even more beautiful.  Her most famous line came in the movie "To Have and Have Not": "You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together ... and blow."

Rest in Peace you two!  You will be sorely missed

So many things I love to do

I have been busy working on UFO's ... my goodness I have more than I thought I did LOL  This one is still a work in process, but closer to finished than when I first retrieved it from its boxed coffin haha

And this one is getting closer as all I need to do do decide what border I want to put around ...

But as is the story of my life, quilting is not the only thig that brings me joy. Since 1983, I have been making historical gowns. This picture is the inspiration photo of the 1878 Natural Form era gown:

And here is the completed gown, the back:

And the front:

 As well as a close up of the skirts ruffles:

So now it sits on ebay with the hope and dream of someone desiring to purchase it. Busy hands and all that ... I still manage to find elements of trouble however haha.  Wishing you all the very best!

UFO's unearthed

Kind of on a roll!  When I moved to the townhouse, everything went into boxes, and nearly a year later, those boxes are being opened with. "Oh!  I remember this!"  I am sure you know how that goes.  Or if you don't, you ought to try it sometime. Kind of fun seeing something that was almost forgotten, and now has the opportunity to get finished.

This is my Dad's quilt, and since this picture was taken, the final row was pieced and attached, and now it sits waiting for me to purchase the backing.  My Dad.  A tremendous Man.  He has an easy smile and an infectious wit.  A Civil Engineer, a Rancher, a Realtor, County Commissioner ... he even ran for Wyoming State Congress.  He's just pretty amazing.  He wanted a lap quilt, and he wanted brown.  Off to the stash I went, and found pieces which were appropriate with a western theme.  Only thing was, the print was a large scale, and cutting too small would take away from what the print represents. So I chose to use 4 1/2 inch wide strips and make it look like the strips were weaving in and out on an irregular avenue.  Kind of how we weave in and out during life ... at least to me at any rate.

Found this UFO in an old crock I use to hold some of my fabrics making them close at hand when
needing a small scrap of something.  Couldn't tell you why the finished blocks were in there, but hey!  At least they were found. This picture just shows them on the flannel board, but I sewed them all together a couple of days ago.  It sits and waits for backing fabric, too ... but I think I would also like to put a couple of borders around the edge, only IF I can find fabric to compliment.  I used a Free Spirit line, and this quilt top is made from 1 Jelly Roll, and 2 different tone on tones I had in my stash.  Turned out to be a lovely large square quilt, that is bright and cherry and I love that.

And then there is this one.  I pulled it out yesterday.  Trying to remember when I started it, and the closest I can come is maybe 3 or 4 years ago.  I love Sampler Quilts, but I like them done in this fashion.  That way, wherever you look at the quilt you see something new.  Worked on it some last night finishing off the top row section as well as a block into a lower section.  Picture later.

Western Colorado is beautiful!  Semi arid desert region, and where I live is at the conjunction of the Gunnison and Colorado rivers, thus the name Grand Junction for this little city of ours.  The fabrics in the last picture remind me of what I see as a color scheme here.  Depending on when you look around, whether it is the morning sun burning away the night time sky, or the end of the day as the purples enter to chase the sun away. Or if you look at the numerous trees with their varied shades on greens, flowers dotting each yard, and even the concrete sidewalks and the asphalt streets have a way of enhancing color.

 But when you look beyond that, Grand Junction sits in a valley surrounded by the Bookcliffs, Grand Mesa and Colorado National Monument.  Three very different looks, each carrying their own unique color scheme.  This is my home ... and I love it!

The infrequent blog entries are going to end!  New things happening in the life of Diane and Pins and Tangled Needles.

This last year has been a year of growing, healing and New Beginnings.  And at a time of seeing the Sun shine brighter than I have ever seen it, I am enthusiastic for what lies ahead.

I love babies!  They are the greatest thing in the world, especially when born to some pretty amazing parents.  So with this quilt, now finished and delivered, I am finishing one up for my amazing Dad! Pictures of that soon!  Not to mention an increasing amount of UFO's which are no longer whispering their existence ... they are now screaming LOL .... it will be good to revisit them

A new thing is about to happen at Pins and Tangled Needles.  A Long Arm!  Huzzah!!!  I have been waiting a long time to get one of those  beauties, and as soon as the details are worked out, I'll be sharing that with you as well.

But for now, I wish you the best of days!  Be well and Smile