Sister's Choice Quilts

Which Witch's Boot

 
It isn't too early to start dreaming of Halloween and Autumn projects!

Look at this incredibly adorable quilting/embroidery pattern by Crabapple Hill.  It is called Which Witch's Boot, and was designed by Meg Hawkey.  I took a picture of the quilt when I stopped by Thimble Creek in Concord on my road trip over the past weekend.

The embroidery is enhanced by a technique that is new to me, but catching on fast in my area.  It is a technique that uses crayons to softly add in additional color to the embroidery design.  You first go over the area to be tinted with a white crayon, then carefully shade in your design area with the colors of your choice (applied on top of the white crayoned areas).  The crayon color is then heat set with your iron, and you achieve this lovely water color effect.  In the design above, you can see that the pumpkins have been tinted, but so has the boot--ever so subtly.

Isn't it a pretty effect?  Once you get the areas colored in, you then proceed with your embroidery.  I think this design is so darn cute.

Now tell me, where am I going to find those perfect vintagey Halloween fabrics?

 

Henrietta Whiskers

 
There is a free applique Block of the Month program going on right now on Anne Sutton's fabulous blog Bunny Hill.  The pattern is called Henrietta Whiskers, and is just about the cutest thing I have ever seen.  The pattern is free to download right now, but when November arrives, the free link will disappear and you will have to spend a lot of money to purchase the pattern.  These block of the month applique patterns range from $40 to $65, so if you can get an original Bunny Hill design for free, I say jump on it!

I was visiting Prairie Queens not too long ago, and Eli was stitching away on a block from this Henrietta Whiskers pattern, and I fell in  love.  She was using some Lilac Hill fabric by Brannock and Patek, and her block was positively adorable.  Each block in the series features a frisky little squirrel (Henrietta) doing autumnal things like flying a kite made of autumn leaves, pulling a wagon full of acorns, checking out a black crow sitting on a big pumpkin, and so on.  Cute, cute, cute.

I went straight home and down loaded the first block and have checked in regularly on Bunny Hill Designs for the others as they have been released.  There are five of them available so far.  The project's basic instructions and block layout (minus the appliques) is shown below.

 

Once I get settled in my new house, I plan to stitch away on these blocks while my grandaughter naps!  I am going to learn the starch/freezer paper method of applique no matter what!

It Was a Fine Weekend

 
I took a road trip this past weekend! 

My first stop on Saturday, was to visit my sister Andrea and her husband Rick in Granite Bay.  As always, Andrea made me feel completely at home, and cooked a fabulous dinner for us to enjoy.  She made a shrimp and orzo salad that was an Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) recipe that she tweaked and made her own.  I could eat that salad every day and not get tired of it.  She also served chicken stuffed pita sandwiches that were delicious.  I woke up the next morning to homemade pear coffeecake.  I swear, that girl got more than her fair share of the family cooking genes.

Rick and Andrea and I solved most all the world's problems on Saturday night, just so you know.  Everything is going to be ok.

 

Sunday morning, I hit the Roseville malls just to see what was what (great shopping, just so you know).  There is a newish center called The Fountains that is definitely worth a stop if you are in that area.  Great shops, restaurants, and the best Whole Foods Market I have ever been in. 

My destination on Sunday was my daughter Sara's house up in Angels Camp, the town where I will be moving later this month.  What a beautiful drive through the California Gold Country it was, getting up there.  I went to the shop that Sara manages (Marisolio, your destination for all things olive oil and balsamic).  Her husband Ryan, the Winemaker, has a tasting bar in the shop, and he was holding court to a large crowd at the bar.  He was all decked out in a top hat and tails while he poured his La Folia wine for his customers.  (His Barbera took Double Gold at the Calaveras County fair a few weeks ago!)  The shop was bursting with people, all of whom seemed to be buying--either wine or olive oil and vinegars.  I was so happy to see that business was booming!  Maybe the economy is on the up turn?

After a brief visit in the shop, I headed back to Sara's house, and let myself in.  After greeting Remy (their Westie) and Louis (the cat), I got to work making chicken enchiladas for our dinner. 

 

That evening, Ryan and Sara and I solved all the rest of the world's problems.

Monday morning, Sara and I drove back over to Murphy's and had a sensational breakfast at a local restaurant called Grounds.  We started things off with a homemade scone and the best cup of coffee I have had in years.  If you ever get up to Murphy's (Queen of the Sierras), do try a meal at Grounds.  They do everything with such care and attention.

It was a lovely weekend and I am so looking forward to relocating up there nearer to my loved ones!