Loaves and Fishes

Finally finished one of my patterns from last week - my burst of creativity fueled by dinners out - and interestingly enough, it has to do with food.

One of my favorite passages in my bible.  Jesus feeding the five thousand with nothing more than 2 fish, and 5 loaves of bread.  And when the disciples cleaned up the leftovers, they filled 12 baskets!  I was reading this passage last week, and the quilt idea popped into my head, just like that.  A whole picture of it.

This passage reminds me that my Lord will provide, and provide abundantly...and now my quilt hangs on my wall to remind me too.

I used more scraps for this little quilt, it finishes at 22 inches square, so not MANY scraps, lol.  I started to blanket stitch with my Viking, but it pooped out on me and I ended up doing it by hand.  Maria, my little Featherweight, came to my rescue for all the piecing and putting the binding on.  I used the walking foot on her for the first time, and it works wonderfully!  I do love my little workhorse.

So, Loaves and Fishes is up in my craftsy shop now, if you'd like your own reminder of the Lord's provision - just click here > Allie-oops Designs or on the link on my sidebar.   

By the way - this is my first time doing diagonally striped bias binding - oh how fun.  I followed a tutorial from The Quilt Rambler, and held my breath until it turned out perfectly!  Click on her blog name to see it, it's great.

Now to get to work on those other patterns....it's Wednesday already!  For those of you who pray, could you please say one or two for my mum?  She had an extensive stress test last week, and they found a blocked vein - she's on new meds now, and we're not sure what else they're going to do.  I know she'll appreciate the prayers too.

See you soon....

All Quiet On The Allie-Front

But behind the scenes - that's a different story.  I sketched up three new patterns this week!

And I've figured out what fuels my creativity the most.  Eating out.  That's right....not having to cook makes my brain work better.  I ate out three times this week, and I have three new patterns to play with.  I'm telling everyone.  Buy me dinner!

Here's mum on one of those evenings....remember mum, the diabetic???  Do you SEE what she's eating???



What you can't see is that she asked for extra whipped cream.  She didn't want her sister to get more.  These kids, I tell ya.

Anyway, today has been spent at home, quietly having a play with fabrics....



And forgetting to reverse my templates, and having to trace, cut and fuse all over again, as usual.  The templates in the pattern will include the reversed version as well, pinkie-promise.



One of my new patterns is a stitchery.  It will be colored with crayons, and I'm thinking of doing a tutorial here on the blog.  What do you think, would you like to see a tutorial on using crayons?

I'm having a problem with marking it, none of my usual pens are working properly, so I'm waiting for a pen to arrive from Dick Blick.  We have a few of their stores near me, but none of them carry the Zig Millennium pens in-store, you have to order online.   Jenny from Elefantz uses them in her stitcheries, and I'm anxious to try them!

Tomorrow is more playing with applique for me - how will you spend the day?

My Anchor Holds

This is what Port Huron does to me - it inspires me!  My Anchor Holds is a new mug rug pattern in my store here>:  Allie-oops Designs - love the instant download from craftsy!

Based on the hymn by William C. Martin, written in 1902, this will be my morning coffee and evening tea mug rug.  I need that reminder, that Jesus is my anchor and will never let the storms capsize me....



It's a quick and easy project, quick enough to make for anyone you know who might be going through the storm.  I used some leftover scraps from a charm pack, don't you love being able to use up some scraps!  My scrap pile has diminished by .000000000000000000001% now.

I've included already reversed templates for your convenience, a layout diagram, and step by step instructions with photos throughout.  Also, the words to the hymn, which I find so inspiring.


I tried to embed a youtube video to a contemporary version, but it didn't work.  So here's the link to a young lady with a beautiful voice, singing this hymn!
My Anchor Holds

My New Toy!

I'm so excited - I just got a new toy.  My son John and I went looking for a lawn mower, and the store we went to was closed - gone - so we stopped for an ice cream.  Just down the street was a garage sale sign, and on the spur of the moment we decided to see if it was open - it was 5:30pm, and that's kind of late.  Well, it was, and I found this!!!!!



It's a huge light box!!



It uses fluorescent tubes, they're 2ft long.  Not the light box on my wish list - that one is only an inch thick and uses LED's - but for $15 it will more than suffice.  I've already used it and it is amazing.  Much better than my piece of plexiglass, held on my lap over a lamp, lol.

I think I'm going to get a lot of tracing done....don't you just love garage sales!!!

Second Verse, [almost] Same As The First....

I had a great post for you [haha], and blogger ate it.  I'm trying to remember what it said - it was five whole minutes ago, so we may be out of luck.

Gratuitous ship pictures throughout - you're welcome.

I went to Port Huron this weekend, visiting with a dear Canadian friend.  She has a passport, I don't, so we meet on my native soil.  Oh it was good to catch up!!  Unfortunately the weather didn't smile on us, monsoon-style rains and wind and a high of 50F.  Ooh it was cold.



I did make it down to Thomas Edison Parkway, under the Bluewater Bridge to Canada, to watch the freighters.  One of my favorite things to do when I lived in Port Huron.  There's something very relaxing about it, watching the water go by, seeing the great ships heading out to the horizon....



Port Huron is halfway between my friend's house and mine.  We've been meeting there for years.  She homeschooled her four boys, and I homeschooled my two.  I think those trips were the favorite parts of our summers.



Our boys are all men now, and it's so lovely to catch up, just the two of us.



I'll never forget the time we were all standing on the walk next to the river - a man in full scuba gear came duck-walking down through the park, reached the railing by the river, and plopped right over.  He came up about an hour later, and shared with us what was down there.  Deep still pools packed with fish.....



Wouldn't catch me down there, the currents are nasty.



When I was younger, I contemplated joining the Merchant Marines.  I was something of a romantic, wanting to go down to the sea in ships....silly girl.

The waves on Lake Huron were 4-7 feet yesterday, I saw one lone sailboat out, with no sails up.  Very unusual for a Sunday, but it was cold!  Still is, as I sit here shivering, must be time for more tea.

I'm home for awhile now, so I'm hoping to catch up on your blogs, it's been too long!  I'm dying to know what you all are up to.  See you soon!


That's the Canadian shore, across the river.