My Cup Runneth Over...

Baptist Fan quilting on Applecore Quilt, originally uploaded by Cathi O'Neill.

First thing, let me show you the baptist fan quilting I've been doing on my applecore doll quilt. I decided on natural thread (thanks for your opinions!) and I am doing the freehand baptist fans I learned about in Tonya's tutorial on Bonnie's Quiltville site. I love the textured look it is getting. Doll quilts are great for practicing too!! It won't take me a year to finish a quilt, like with my big Dear Jane!

There is a new small quilt swap starting up, a four seasons swap, check it out here!

I have also started my second sock and am working my way down the leg now, cool!

But let me tell you why my cup runneth over this week! My good friend Carrie (who I've only met a few times in real life, and keep in touch with mostly via Windows Messenger!), came for a visit yesterday and look what she brought me and the girls. She is the sister in law of a friend I made back in our old area near Waterford, and we bonded because we were both Americans married to Irishmen, and both liked crafting, lol. Carrie, her husband, and her two gorgeous kids came for a quick visit on their way back to Maine yesterday and look what she brought me! Some Heather Bailey, Joel Dewberry, and Amy Butler fabrics, some wool for felting, some dishcloth cotton, a gorgeous felted bag, a magazine, a pattern, a crewel embroidery project...and some great stuff for the kids too!! So wonderful!


I am very lucky to have made such wonderful friends both in real life and online. I have sent out some Dear Jane starter packages for a few online friends in the last few weeks, and got a lovely thank you packet back from Monica at Quilt While You're Ahead, some lovely fabrics! Another friend just emailed me today to tell me she's sending me some batik pieces as a thank you to help with my dad's quilt. I sometimes think I get more back from the universe than I send out. Thank you everyone for your generosity!!

On another note...we are having a very wet summer here in Ireland so we've had a few days of sunshine this week and have taken advantage. The girls helped me pick lettuce from our small veg patch tonight for a nice salad. I love being able to make a meal from our own patch of earth.



Aine has started her own pink quilt. I mark little dots where she should put the needle up and down and she has sewn the square together on her own...will have to get a photo of that!! Aisling has been potty training for the last three days, so we've been staying close to home. The first day was abysmal, but something tweaked yesterday, and she has been doing great since then!! Oh the joys!

I've been contemplating Christmas gifts lately, my dad's quilt, a special thing for mom, and now all this wool yesterday has me thinking of face cloths with the cotton, felted bags...going to start going on those soon so that maybe this year I can get more done!!