Projects from Desire to Inspire...

I am Pat Carter, and I live on No-Name Mountain in Alpine, WY, a small town nestled between the Wyoming and Salt River Ranges in northwest Wyoming.  We are located south of Jackson Hole, WY, at the southern end of the scenic Snake River Canyon.  Grand Teton National Park (40 miles) and Yellowstone National Park (90 miles) add another dimension to the many outdoor activities of this area:  snowmobiling, skiing, fishing and lake recreation on Palisades Reservoir, ATV, mountain biking, hiking, hunting, etc.  Wildlife abound in this area--from Petunia the Skunk to elk/deer/moose and bear.  All of the trees we have planted on our lot have been creatively pruned by the deer who call our lot their favorite dining-out spot.  The annual snowfall in this area can exceed 500 inches. 

My husband and I are retired teachers and are year-round residents.  We love it in the summer when all the snowbirds return, but we also love the winter months when the town loses its summer folks and our mountain becomes a winter wonderland.  The snow drifts straight down, and the trees shed extra snow weight in mini avalanches.  Then the sawdust flies in my husband's shop, and several of the beautiful wood turnings find their way down to my quilting studio!   

My mother and grandmother were quilters; they spent many winter hours hand quilting on a frame my father made and set up in our farm house.  I learned to embroider, crochet, and sew as a young girl, but did not make my first quilt until several years later when my high school was closed for asbestos removal in 1989.  We went to a split session, sharing space in the other high school.  I spent those free mornings taking a quilting class--and a new love was born!  This new hobby led to the purchase of a longarm quilting machine and another aspect of the quilting avocation.  I became involved in making quilts of valor, a project dear to my heart; I would often combine machine embroidery with piecing.  My personal quilts gravitate toward traditional patterns, with a twist (i.e., a basket within a basket, machine embroidery in a center block of a log cabin, etc.).  I have incorporated Sally Fields' shoes (machine embroidery found at BFC Creations) in 4 quilts--her shoes have such creativity and detail!  I'm currently trying to reduce my stash, some of which is 15+ years old--and I'm using those favorites that I have just "petted" fondly throughout the years.  Does anyone else have fabrics that are so pretty that you have not cut into them?!  My bucket list of "quilts to make" grows longer each time I visit Pinterest!

Some of my favorite fabrics have been from the Henry Glass collections.  I used a Henry Glass fabric book panel named "Why" to make a quilt for our grandson, and liked it so much that I made a second baby quilt!  (You can see the "Why" quilt on my blog:  http://tetonnuggets.blogspot.com/2015/01/stash-report-week-2-2015-11015.html

And then I was notified on August 1 that I had been selected to complete the August Desire to Inspire Challenge--thank you Henry Glass Fabrics!  What fun!  I anxiously awaited the arrival of the fabric which landed on my porch on August 8 (we are a little out of the way!).  Since the Country Cuisine fabric featured strawberries, my thoughts turned to kitchen projects.  I kept adding items to my "want to make" list, but finally ran out of time.  So, here is the fabric collection I received: 

I made a 72-inch table runner, a liner for a basket with ribbons/strawberries on the outside, and a small fabric basket for napkin rings, teabags, or whatever.  (I have little jars of jelly in it.)
 
I made a small table runner, 4 placemats, napkins, and a fabric basket to hold napkins.
  
I made an adult apron...

and 2 children's aprons.

The table runners, placemats, aprons, fabric baskets, and basket liner were all lined. 

What a fun project this has been!  The Country Cuisine collection by Isabelle Biche lends an air of spring to any kitchen, reminiscent of soft breezes, fragrant flowers, lush green grass.