chickensense

The perfect gift for the guy who has everything

Instructables.com Crocheted Hand Grenades

“How cute can a grenade possibly be? About this cute. These crocheted versions of deadly explosives let you re-enact WWII scenarios with something that’s fun to squeeze.”

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I have 2 blocks of my Vintage Valentine Applique Quilt done.  I’m plugging away at the 3rd. I love the pattern, but am not so happy with the fabric that was in this kit.

Vintage Valentine Block 1

Vintage Valentine Block 4

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Recycle old CD/DVDs using beads, string and glue.
Look at these pretties! I’ve heard that if you hang CDs out by the garden the flashes from the sun keep the birds and other pests away.

You’d never guess that these were anything more than pretty garden art. They’d even be a great gift for a gardener.

From Country Woman magazine: CD Spinners

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I am having so much fun designing on Electric Quilt! I can make quilts with fabric I could never afford to buy.

Here is another one from the Leaping Frogs pattern. I call it Beautiful Batik Frogs. Click on the image to see an enlarged copy. I’ll bet a real quilt in batiks would really shimmer. I’ve made the frog block in two sizes now, 12″ with a wide-body frog, and 10″ with a narrower body.

UPDATE July 2009: I have my very own blog now: chickenlady quilts on Blogger.

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My friend, Mrs. Jean, showed me the most darling frog block. I couldn’t find it anywhere online so I made it myself in Electric Quilt. Here is the block, and a quilt I designed for it.

(I have found out that this pattern was in Quiltmaker Magazine #24, Fall 1991. It is called Leap Frog, and was a 10″ block. Mine is 12″)

If you would like the Electric Quilt 6 version of the block and/or quilt that I drafted, email your request to kbarberms at yahoo dot com.

UPDATE July 2009: I have my very own blog now: chickenlady quilts on Blogger.

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I recently joined a very active online quilt group called Quilting Around the World. It is a great group of people, and they always have lots of swaps going on. So many swaps, as a matter of fact, that you have to be careful not to get in over your head.

Not heeding my own advice, I immediately signed up for several swaps:

Yellow Churn Dash Swap, which is swapping yellow churn dash blocks. This one I’ve already finished.

The Barbie Swap, which is a swap of pink, black and white blocks. I decided to use a block I call “Throwing Stars.” I spent several hours last night struggling to get the first one done. It is a paper-pieced block and it is a little tricky. I think I’ve got it now. (I hope.)

1930’s Dresden Fans, where we are swapping fans made from 1930’s reproduction fabric. These are so fast and easy to make! I’m loving it.

The January Block Lotto, where people send in one block and there will be a drawing to see who wins them all. I’m making a block I found on Quilters Cache, called Goshen Star, except I’m making it a 12 inch block in blue and white.

The Garden Swap, a 3 round swap which includes applique blocks in a garden theme. This one is, by far, the most ambitious. The first round has to be applique, so I’m making a flower with a butterfly on it. (I’ll get a photo soon.)

UPDATE July 2009: I have my very own blog now: chickenlady quilts on Blogger.

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This pattern is too cute! I just had to share….


Little Mouse Pattern by Kristie

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?p=369114

I used ww yarn, and an F hook.
Do not join rounds, the mouse is made in one complete spiral.
Use stitch markers or safety pins to mark end of each round
Starting at nose, and working down to tail:
Ch 2
1) 6sc in 2nd chain from hook
2) (2 sc in first sc, sc in next sc) repeat around ( 9 sc)
3) (2 sc in first sc, sc in next 2 sc) repeat around (12 sc)
4) sc in each sc around
5) (2 sc in first sc, sc in next 3 sc) repeat around (16 sc)
It is easiest if you embroider face here
6) sc in each sc around
7) (2 sc in first sc, sc in next 4 sc) repeat around (18 sc)
(2 sc in first sc, sc in next 5 sc) repeat around (21 sc)
9) sc in each sc around
10) (2 sc in first sc, sc in next 6 sc) repeat around (24 sc)
11) sc in each sc around.
12) (sc dec, sc in next 4 sc) repeat around ( 20 sc)
13) (sc dec, sc in next 3 sc) repeat around (16 sc)
14) (sc dec, sc in next 2 sc) repeat around (12 sc)
Stuff
15) (sc dec, sc in next sc) repeat around (8 sc)
16) sc dec around (4 sc)
Do not finish off
Chain 12 (this will become the tail)
Slip stitch in 2nd chain from tail, and in remaining chains going up to body.
Finish off leaving long tail.
Use long tail to close hole if necessary, weave in end.
Ear (make 2)
Chain 2
1) 6 sc in 2nd chain from hook
2) 2 sc in each sc around (12 sc)
DO NOT JOIN THIS LAST ROUND
Finish off. (by not joining, it gives you a few slightly flatter stitches, this part gets sewn on to mouse)
Contrast Ear (make 2)
With contrast color,
Chain 2
1) 5 sc in 2nd chain from hook
Join to first sc, and finish off leaving long tail
Sew contrast to ears
Sew ears to mouse.
Placement notes: I cross stitched a small “X” at the very tip of mouse for nose. (in pink)
I sewed on small button doll eyes between rows 2-3 for eyes
I sewed the ears on, using row 5.
Enjoy your mouse!
__________________
Little Mouse Pattern - Crochetville Forum.

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I’ve really been in a quilting lull these last couple of years. In 2007 my New Year’s Resolution was to finish the quilt tops I already have before I would allow myself to buy any more fabric. I’ve mostly stuck to my resolution, and I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Tomorrow I will cut and apply the binding for my floral quilt. This quilt is made up of 5″ squares of floral fabrics which were swapped with about 15 ladies in Faith Quilters group in Barton, MS. After the swap we had a sewing day where we all worked on our floral quilts. It was so neat to see all the finished quilts and recognize the squares of fabric we had swapped with each other.

Today I started piecing the backing for my sunflower mystery quilt. This was another quilt project the Faith Quilters all did together. It was led by Ruthie Mann. It was so fun to see how different everyone’s quilt came out.

I have the sashing and borders cut and ready to apply to my Kandy Korn paper-pieced wall-hanging. I still have to sandwich and quilt my small Christmas appliqué wall-hanging. All I have left on the Pumpkin appliqué wall-hanging is the quilting, which I was going to do by hand, but I’m now going to machine quilt so I can just get it done. My last finished top to sandwich is the Christmas Minnesota Hot Dish that I made in a class with Linda more than 5 years ago.

UPDATE July 2009: I have my very own blog now: chickenlady quilts on Blogger.

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