Wacky Pac Quilters

http://www.craftstylish.com/item/945/how-to-make-pretty-pincushions http://www.purlbee.com/very-easy-pincushions/ http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-make-pincushion-by-hand.html http://mimikirchner.com/blog/archives/2006/10/make-a-make-do-pin-cushion/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/verybigjen/sets/72057594099768007/ http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_needle_arts/article/0,,DIY_13768_5148242,00.html http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/make-do-pincushions/index.html http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Felt-Rosebud-Pincushion http://www.stresslesscountry.com/pincushion/index.html http://mybyrdhouse.blogspot.com/2008/01/year-of-mouse-ppp-pincushion.html http://loopylace.com/anniescrazyworld/?p=709 http://www.joann.com/static/project/0705/PA00239.pdf http://tipnut.com/22-free-pincushion-patterns/ http://www.scribd.com/doc/2087389/Make-Do-Pincushions http://www.knittingdaily.com/blogs/patterns/archive/2007/10/14/a-pincushion-to-make-in-irish-crochet.aspx http://www.bhg.com/crafts/sewing/projects/wil...

Christmas trees come in all shapes and sizes, including the 1 dimensional kind. This is a quilted tree made by Kathy L. last year for a class she and Patty were teaching. Kathy was playing around with the design and attempting to lessen her fabric stash.

Our "wacky" pal, Kath loves kits. She bought this one a few months ago at Common Threads in Waxahachie, Texas. The directions were easy to follow and the quilt went together like a dream. Of course the fabrics are ThimbleWar and CivilBerry. If you're confused with the fabric description........so am I.......LOL.......I can't tell them apart unless I read the side labels. BTW, no, this is not Kath's sewing studio. This was taken on a recent retreat.

Kathy L., one of our Wacky members who doesn't have a blog.....I know it's crazy but she doesn't......anyway we did a little show & tell at our Christmas Party and this quilt Kathy made in no time. She is our fastest member when it comes to making a quilt. She is also our long-arm quilter. Very convenient for us. Kathy is a sweet soul who would bend over backward to help with any project we get into. Of course, the picture doesn't do this Thimbleberry fabric justice.....or is it Civil War fabric......no, I know it's ThimbleWar/Civilberry. I always get them mixed up. If you'd like to see more of all our fun and laughter, pop over to HumbleQuilter . She'll give you the low-down.

Today the "wackies" celebrated our annual Christmas party. As you can imagine there was plenty of food, much laughter and a few tears. Molly challenged us to make pincushions this year. Trust me, this was much easier that her previous ideas. Here's the results from those who chose to participate. I am very proud of our efforts and I think I'll make a few more as gifts. Who know, one might be coming your way.

Amanda's blog posted this site for sending neat Christmas e-mail cards or to post on your blog. You and your kids will love it.

And the Christmas Tree Table-runner going to............. Sue ! Yippie Skippy for Sue C. Your table-runner will be on its way to you ASAP!

By Wednesday morning the Give-away Christmas Tree table-runner will be on its way to a luck recipient. Will it be you or you or you. Don't miss out........there's still time to leave a comment to enter the give-away which will end Tuesday, Dec. 9th @ 11PM. Take a look on our sidebar to get a gander at the cute table-runner. It was loads of fun making it and only took a day. A tutorial on how-to is provided in previous posts. Follow the link to view where to start.

Are you looking for last minute activities or gifts or stocking stuffers for Christmas? Well pop over to this blog and check out all the possibilities. This gal really knows her stuff.

I popped in on " Wannabee Monica " to see what she was up to and she had a link to a recipe that you won't believe but it is out of this world. So, pop over the "MUG" which by the way is not her name but I thought it was appropriate for what you will need is the best thing and the quickest.....well that's all I'm saying. Grannie G really knows how to cook!

One of your "Wacky" members sent this survey, of sorts, to me the other day and after reading through it to answer 1 question, I felt I had to share it with our blogger friends, because my choice was right on the money. Here goes...you'll be as amazed as I was......BTW, leave your answer in the "comments" section. If all the 8 desserts listed below were sitting in front of you, which would you choose (sorry, you can only pick one)! This is said to be very accurate. Pick your dessert and then look to see what psychiatrists think about you. Remember - No peeking....Make your choice before you check the meaning. Here are your choices: Angel Food Cake Brownies Lemon Meringue Pie White Cake with Chocolate Icing Strawberry Short Cake Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing Ice Cream Carrot Cake Now, don't change your mind one you scroll down, so think carefully about what your choice will be!!! Have you chosen yet? Good! Now, this is what the researchers ...

This table runner could grace your table, mantle or be draped over the back of a sofa in time for the holidays. All you have to do to get your name in the hat, so to speak, is leave a comment on this post. If you, also, copy and paste a picture of the runner onto your sidebar and link back to this blog, you name will be entered twice more. Hurry, because is give-away will end December 9th at 11:00PM, just in time to be mailed to its new owner in time for Christmas. (8 1/2" X 40" roughly)

Stitch around trees and trunks before you sew all units together. It's easier to manipulate that way. Next , choose a fabric for the ends of your runner. Cut two 4 1/2" by 8 1/2" and sew to either ends. Note the creased area. This will help with the next step. Using a ruler with a center angle line, place ruler onto the center fold and the edges of the ruler will match the edges of the fabric. Trim off. Edges should look like the picture. You can round off the pointed edges, if you like. Now , choose a backing and of course the batting. Suggestion: For table runners, a thin batting is recommended. This makes it easy to set objects on runner that are flat. Layer the top, batting and backing together. Secure them in place in order to quilt, using pins or clips. An alternative is a bonding spray as shown in picture. It is fast, doesn't gum up your needle and will evaporate within days. Quilt table runner in desired method. This picture shows machine stitching every h...

(1) Sew the units of twos into units of fours as shown in picture. (2) Choose four shades of green from your scrap bag. Press. (3) Trace or draw your own version of a pine tree. Remember whimsical is just fine. (4) Using Steam-a-seam, trace tree pattern onto adhesive leaving enough space so that each tree can be cut apart for one another. (5) Follow the manufacturer's instructions and press each tree pattern to the back of each green fabric. Cut and place onto the 4 units of tone-on-tone. (6) Choose a brown fabric for the trunk. Use Steam-a-seam again. I did not use a pattern for the trunks. Just free-hand it or use a ruler. (7) Place each trunk with each tree. When you are happy with placement, press. You now have 4 units as shown in picture.

Congratulations to Lani ! Your FQs are waiting for you to claim them.

A BIG WELCOME to all of you Wacky Pack Wannabees! I'm so excited that sew many of you are wanting to be a virtual member of our group. I hope you realize what you are getting into! LOL! It's a CRAZY group. I don't have any blood sisters, but these girls are as close as they come. We have lots of fun together and you never know what will happen next. We love to quilt, share ideas/projects, laugh (to the point of moistening our underlayers--LOL), and just have FUN. I hope you enjoy your time with us. I want to publicly thank my WP Sisters, Molly and Rhonda, for all the work they have been doing on our WP blog. Ya'll are doing a FANTASTIC job. When my turn comes up, ya'll have created some really big shoes to fill! Happy Quiltin' Kathy E (have to put the "E" 'cause there are TWO Kathy's in the group!)

Let's make a quick table runner for the holidays. Our project will measure roughly 8 1/2" X 34". Remember, I said roughly. We bloggers understand that terminology, right......LOL The construction of the top should take about 3 to 5 hours. But if you have little interruptions such as making dinner, shopping for groceries or the daily chores of cleaning, as I often do, this may take several days. With that in mind, I have designed this project to stretch out over a few days. (1) Choose several tone-on-tones to beige. Starch and press; (2) Cut sixteen 4 1/2" squares from chosen fabrics. (3) Sew the squares into units of 2 and press seams down. So may prefer to sew the seams open, whichever you prefer. Stay tuned for the next steps tomorrow. BWT ...... For your "Virtual Wannabee," the FQ drawing is tomorrow, as well. And there's still time to become a Virtual WackyPack Wannabee. Come on join in the fun. Just click on the Wannabee logo on our sidebar t...

We've had several ladies who have joined our "Virtual Wacky Pack Wannabees." We are so excited to have you all in the group. To kick off our new group, the "Wackies" are having a Fat Quarter drawing . Sorry, this drawing is only for our "Wannabee" members, which, if you aren't, you still have time to become. Just leave a comment on this post expressing your "wackiness" and we'll get back to you very soon. It's still possible of a newbee to get in on the drawing. Six FQs are up for grabs. They are from Chateaux Rococo by Robyn Pandolf for Free Spirit and Timeless Treasures Fabric, Inc. For their prompt actions of placing the "wannabee" picture on the sidebar and linking back to the WackyPack blog, Gina , Debbie , Karen , Toni and Cindy have gotten their names in the hat, so to speak, 3 times. So, come on ladies, get those requirements done in order to be entered in the drawing. The deadline is Saturday, November 22, 2...

My "wacky" friend Jerri talked me into showing off some of my quilts to a group of warm and friendly ladies from a local extension club. I teased the President of the club about her voice which, when she first contacted me, sounded very much like a telemarketer. You can imagine that I was going to hang up on her when she finally mentioned Jerri's name. Anyway, we made quick plans to meet. When I hung up, of course I called my good friend Jerri who promptly apologized and offered to help. However, things didn't work out that way and I wound up doing the trunk show alone but with the full support of the "WackyPac" group from the night before. (Ladies Night Out) Sorry, I don't have pics of the quilts I showed but the ladies were happy to pose and said that they enjoyed seeing all the quilts and wondered what I did in my spare time.....LOL

Seven of the nine met at our local eatery last night. And of course, we had a blast. It was non-stop at one point. We always sit in the back, in a corner. Trust me, it's better for everyone. We eat, drink and are very merry. Throw in a little Show & Tell, discuss what we want to do for the next couple of months and we all walk away refreshed. Some of the words we live by are: Keep only cheerful friends because the grouches tend to pull you down; Keep learning all the time. Never allow your mind to become idle because an idle mind is the devil's playground whose name is Alzheimer's; Enjoy the simple things, you know flowers, nature, a sunrise, the full moon. The next one, we really take to heart .... Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you can't breathe and if you have friends who laugh....spend lots and lots of time with them; And surround yourself with what you love. These are just a few things that keep us young.

I am so happy to announce that we have 4 new members to the Virtual Wacky Pack Wannabees. These ladies are very brave and very talented. We welcome to the group: Karen - http://merrylittlequilter.blogspot.com/ Marie - http://mariequilts.blogspot.com/ Monica - http://buttoncounter.blogspot.com/ Toni - http://thequiltingpirate.wordpress.com/ Cindy - http://quiltingcindy.wordpress.com/ Hop on over to their blogs, congratulate them and check out what they are up to. Being a Virtual Wacky Pack Wannabee (VWPW) simply means that you get a front row seat and open invitations to sew along with "The Wackies." At this time, as some of you know, we are working on Patriotic quilts. The idea steams from our Fisher House Quilt featured in a previous post. Our new members will have a chance to join in the fun and make their own. We will share block patterns, ideas for center blocks and there will be plenty of laughter in the process. There's plenty of time to become a Virtual Wacky...

So many have yearned to be a member of the infamous "Wacky Pac". We thought it would be fun to form a VIRTUAL group of all the gals who WANNABEE WACKIES. So we came up the Wacky Pack Wannabees. BUT---------there is certain criteria that must be met. You may be a Wacky Pac Wannabee if-------- 1. You are in AWE of the Wacky Quilting Group. 2. You know or want to know the meaning of "MINE"S BROKE". 3. You like to talk about alcoholic drinks more than you like to drink them. 4. You would be willing to crowd into a photo booth with 8 other Wackies . 5. You would perform a group cheer in a crowded elevator. 6. You have ever wondered where the term "Ape S__t" comes from. 7. You take your medication and then wonder what you just swallowed. 8. You love to laugh to the point of moistness. 9. You own 2 to 10 sewing machines and know how to use them. 10. You are gutsy or stupid enough to ride a zip line in Honduras . 11. You perform best when surrounded by all W...

This is the Wacky Packs current donation quilt. Blocks were made by the pack earlier this year on a retreat. Random Red, white, and blue blocks were made and put together by all members. The quilt will be quilted soon and donated to Fisher House , which provides free or low cost lodging to veterans and military families receiving treatment at military medical centers. This quilt spurred a desire to make Red, White, and Blue quilts for ourselves. We are swapping blocks in February and then each Wacky will make her own quilt for her retreat bed. See some of the members blocks below. These overachievers are finished way before the deadline. We will use for the center a rendition of ourselves using a book by Amy Bradley called Quilters Yearbook . Using the components of many different drawings of quilters, you make a likeness of yourself. It will be fun to see the Caricatures we create of ourselves. --------------------------------------------------------------Kathy's Block Rhonda...

Our Halloween Weekend Retreat is over. We are back to the grind stone, so to speak. Working, whether doing laundry, housework, household chores, or jobs, it is definately not the fun time we had at our yearly Quilty gathering. We all got lots done. Some finished Red, White, and Blue Blocks for our swap, some attached borders, and some wrapped up other swap obligations. We also learned some blogging skills from each other. We all assume that we all know what the others know until we get to gether and begin to talk and then we start saying, "WHAT---HOW DO YOU DO THAT?" Also we made a pact to keep up with our group blog better. Each will be responsible for it in a designated month. I am the first one for November so here is my first attempt. The retreat food was great as, usual. Several recipes were requested to be posted. I will do that as they come in. Here are the first ones: ANNALE'S POPPYSEED CAKE 1 YELLOW BUTTER CAKE MIX 4 EGGS 3/4 CUP OIL 1/2 CUP SUGAR 8 OZ. SOUR CRE...

We felt so privileged to retreat at Lakeview Methodist Conference Center. The grounds are scenic, the lodging comfortable and the people friendly. This area is called the Prayer Circle. It was very peaceful there as you could imagine. I love birdhouses and found this one unique. To see more pics of what went on at the retreat visit Kathy , Kath , Rhonda , & Molly .

The picture has nothing to do with copyrighting link but I liked it and wanted to share. This link will explain alot. We Wackies don't retain info for very long so this is a great referral.

I wanted to post these pictures and thank our wonderful Wacky friend Molly for encouraging us to participate in the TDA (Texas Department of Ag) quilt block contest. As you all have read from our perspective blogs, the contest is held every two years and offers a different theme each time. The wine industries of Texas was the theme this year. Molly prodded, push, cajoled and dragged us along to make blocks. I, for one, just want to participate for the fun of it. I had no illusions of even placing but I didn't want to let Molly down by not even trying. Low & behold, 3 "Wackies" were accepted and it's all because of Molly. I salute you, Molly.