A Fabric Affair

Stash Trad Bee Block

2012-02-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

This is February's Bee block made especially for Lee. Bee members were asked to make an Arkansas Traveler block in beach tones of ocean blues & greens, and sandy beige neutrals. This is a paper-pieced block and the tutorial can be found here. It's a fabulous block, so eye-catching. Nature's color combinations are perfect. My paper-piecing experience is on the minimal side, so I did find this block to be somewhat challenging. Definitely a "skill builder!" I so love the soothing color palette and have no doubt this quilt will make a gorgeous beach inspired treasure.

Round Ten

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Round Ten! Time flies when you're having fun. But still, I can't believe there have been 10 rounds of the Potholder Pass. I've participated in nine rounds, and it's always a creative good time. This is the Scrappy Log Cabin set I made for my secret partner Shannon. Shannon made a request for bright colors paired with neutrals like; black, white, cream, and tan. I like the little pinwheel centers. I think it gives them a bit of motion!

13 is a BIG Deal!

2012-01-07T12:56:00.000-05:00

Do you remember your 13th birthday? I do. I finally got to have my ears pierced! An incredibly long awaited wish. And then I got them pierced again. And one more time for good measure. It was an 80's fad I got swept up in. You'll be happy to know that wisdom and good reason eventually emerged leaving me sporting just the original piercings.

My girlfriend's daughter Ashley, is turning the BIG 13 today! So a major milestone for both mom and daughter. She's got a full-fledged teenager on her hands!

To help celebrate Ashley's big event, I made this Rosy Wedge Bag designed by Amy. This one wasn't my first go at the pattern, so this round went a little smoother.

This was the first one I made usingKate Spain's "Fandango" for Moda. Love this fabric. I've had it for awhile now and this project felt like a good fit.

Ashley's favorite colors are purple and green,and she adores floral embellishments. So I added a Kanzashi bloom for some zing. While purple and green aren't the sole colors of the exterior, they certainly were the first to catch my eye when I found the fabric. I think it screams "youthful." What do you think?

I sure hope she likes this cute little bag as much as I do. I get kind of attached to the things I make sometimes. To combat failure, I've included the citrus scented Bath & Body Works goodies in the background. Not that a brand new thirteen year old young lady needs an "energy" boost! What can I say, I had to go with the fresh citrus scent.

Stash Trad Bee Block

2012-01-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

HAPPY, HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone, and welcome to a brand new year. A fresh start for 2012 and lots and lots of new sewing adventures.

This is January's scrappy LynneBobSquarePants block made just for Lynne. Bee members were asked to use Kona Charcoal as the neutral and scraps of your choice, preferring bright colors which pop against the charcoal background. This is my first go at a block of this style and I like it! I love bright and scrappy anything, so this block suits me wonderfully. I could see myself working this quilt up using an all white background. I really like the look of a single block, so imagining an entire quilt is making me think on it hard.
Can't wait to see Lynne's scrappy quilt finished off!

Stash Trad Bee Block

2011-12-30T13:29:00.000-05:00

I'm late in posting, but this is November's block, a scrappy pink pine tree block for Krista. Bee members were asked to use an all white background, a black print for the tree trunk and a stripe for the triangle base. Main color selection was our choice. Krista's received quite an assortment of colors for her quilt and I'm super excited to see how they all work together.

Kindness From Far Away

2011-12-30T12:30:00.001-05:00

Sadly, I dismantled my Christmas tree early this year. An effort usually reserved for after ringing-in the New Year, but not this time. It's poor needle-dropping, limp branches had generated quite enough havoc. It was dropping ornaments like a walnut tree in autumn!

I've received some wonderful mail over the last week, not the least of which is this lovely mackerel pincushion and scissor fob set I won while visiting Katie's blog Booty-licious. This beautifully stitched set comes from her home in the UK, and is Katie's first official giveaway! I'm honored to have won Katie, thank you for the opportunity.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:00:00.003-05:00

For my mom, a vintage inspired pillow in Winterberry red. Fashioned from an Amy original Winter Wash Screenprint, this pillow features embroidery with beading, and free motion quilting for added texture and visual effect.

The little glass seed beads are my favorite embellishment for this project. It adds just the right touch of sparkle.

For the backside of the pillow, I couldn't believe my luck at finding a nearly perfect matching red Christmas fabric at JoAnn's. This fabric complements the vintage feel of the wintry wash scene in a classic Christmas style.

Mom, I hope you love this decorative pillow as much as I do. Do you remember us hanging wash out on the clothesline even in winter? Anything for the fresh scent of the outdoors!

For my dad, a practical reusable Easy Grocery Bag in denim and red cotton twill. For the fella that does all the grocery shopping and could use a sturdy helping hand wrangling the groceries from point A to point B! Fashioned for those trips to Aldi where you have to bring your own bags.

Of course, I'll be stuffing it first thing Christmas morning! Dad, I hope you put this to good use and that it comes in handy on those spur of the moment shopping trips. Just remember to return it to the car. Go ahead and wear it out, I can make more!

Merry Christmas to you both and loads of wishes for a Happy New Year in 2012!

Christmas Kanzashi Ornaments

2011-12-24T19:52:00.000-05:00

A handful of Christmas Kanzashi ornaments for my friends and mom, of course. I finished up well after midnight Thursday morning, which explains the less than ideal photograph above. It worked out okay, since I only needed to post one bloom and hand delivered the rest in person.

This season I didn't use a single scrap of traditional Christmas fabric. Instead I opted for Timeless Treasures Crosshatch Sketch in red, yellow, and aqua. For the contrasting petals, I paired each of those colors with Free Spirit House mini houndstooth in black and white. The centers are embellished with Glamour Gems Rhinestone buttons, which I LOVE. I think they have a vintage look about them.

Hexed In Pillow - The Finish!

2011-12-24T14:21:00.000-05:00

I did it! Okay, so it's been another month, but I stopped counting. I mean come on, it's the silly season with seemingly endless projects. I actually completed this pillow last weekend, but waited for a sunny day in hopes of better photographs. I think the black and grey polka dot binding really pops the color combination another notch.

The natural linen lends to a crisp, clean, fresh finish. A little glimpse of spring during the long winter months.

To me, part of the appeal of this pillow pattern is the attention given to the backside. The back view is nearly as interesting as the front. No plain Jane closure for this pillow.

From the beginning I planned to make this pillow for myself. And now that I'm done, I'm certain of it. She's a keeper!

Meet Fraser!

2011-12-11T15:56:00.001-05:00

Black Friday.
Fraser before.

Fraser after!
A nighttime shot all decorated and ready to go. It's a tight fit but we managed. Just to give you an idea of height, I'm 5'10" and without the angel atop the tree I'm taller!! It's kind of funny, never before have I been taller than the Christmas tree. The bummer of it is I have really high ceilings now and could have a beautifully tall tree, but the circumference of it would wipe out most of the living room space!

My little buddy "Luc" all tuckered out from decorating festivities. The tree skirt is apparently a fascinating experience for a cat. I straighten it up and he immediately pushes it, puckers it, slips and slides on it, and then curls up for a cat nap on it.

A daytime shot.

This handmade angel ornament was gifted to me by my dear friend Lisa. She's a newlywed that visited Germany (among other fabulous countries) this last summer while on her honeymoon. She thoughtfully picked up this little treasure for me to add to my ever growing collection of ornaments. It comes from Kathe Wolhfahrt's Christmas Shop located in Rothenburg, Germany. She noted that this town was one of the highlights. I can't believe she even thought of ME while she was on her honeymoon. Do I rate or what?!

This little angel is just as tiny as she looks, measuring in at 2-1/4" tall. See the bottom of her skirt, can you guess what that is? She's actually constructed atop an upside down rosebud. Pretty clever idea.

This handmade embroidered Santa ornament was given to me by my gregarious long time friend Ginny. We've know each other for what seems like a hundred years, but really it's been more like 28ish! Ginny collects clowns and Santas, and she picked up this little gem at a German inspired craft fair we both recently attended. She was so stealth about it, I didn't even know she'd grabbed him up.

I love to collect ornaments and have been doing so for many years now. I cherish the ornaments I receive and look forward to unwrapping them and reliving their stories each year. Thanks Lisa and Ginny!

This beautiful glass panda is a favorite of mine. I forget what year I found him, but I'd say I've had him for about 10 years now. He sits at 4-1/4" tall and he's still in perfect condition.

This adorably-pink glass elephant is the newest addition to my collection. A Pier 1 find!

Pretty cute, huh? Pier 1 has some interesting finds and it's always difficult to narrow down my selection to just one.

And finally, so this post can tie in as sewing related subject matter, here is my very first sewing project. I remember the huge panel of fabric this little gingerbread man was a cut from. I couldn't tell you where my mom bought it, but we spread it out on the kitchen table and went to work cutting out the pattern pieces. The panel boasted a variety of Christmas themed sewing projects from small to large. For reasons I cannot recall, my childhood eyes were captivated by this smiling, brightly colored fellow. He's machine stitched all around his body except for the top of his head, which was crudely stitched closed with a non-matching thread color!

As you can see from his worn arms, legs, and neck, he was well loved and never forgotten year after year. I estimate he's around 33 years old, which would make me......never mind how old! It's going to be a great Christmas, I'm looking forward to having some time off to spend with family and friends.

Hexed In Pillow Progress

2011-11-27T19:32:00.000-05:00

This project got its start back in the middle of September with this pile of over 100 paper-pieced hexagons. I found this pattern in the very first issue of Fat Quarterly, titled Fresh Start. The main colors are a variety of purples and greens, contrasted with a few black and white prints, set against natural linen.

With the front panel pieced and the hexagon strips stitched together, I played around with the final placement a bit before committing to it 100%.

My goal was to have this project completed this weekend, but with the hustle and bustle of the Thanksgiving holiday it took a back seat. However, forward progress has been made and I'm pleased to report that the front panel is now complete. I've machine stitched in the middle of each white border strip, and framing the center hexagon. All eight hexie strips and the center hexagon piece are edge-stitched in place.

I just have to make the back panel, sew the pillow layers together and bind it. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now, the finish line is near!

Block #3 for the QAYG Quilt-Along

2011-11-20T12:59:00.000-05:00

I must be the queen of unfinished projects! Or maybe I should call myself the queen of "projects-in-progess?" That applies a bit more of a positive spin on it, don't you think? Although I'm no longer tagging along with the quilt-along, I will be finishing this quilt. Someday!

I began this project way, way back in the autumn of 2010 with this block, and this block. I'm still in love with loads of color and the straight line quilting. See all those stitching lines? They're a 1/4-inch apart. That's a lot of sewing in a 14-inch square!

Pretty {little} Pouch Swap - Round 3

2011-11-12T15:23:00.000-05:00

I discovered this fabulous new swap on Flickr and I joined right up! I'd been scoping out all the beautiful creations from the previous rounds, and I was immediately hooked. The rules for this swap are that the pouch cannot be larger than 12", it must have a closure, and whatever extras you include for your partner must fit inside the pouch!

This is another secret partner swap where partners aren't revealed until you receive your swap package. This is the beautifully made pretty little scrappy pouch my secret partner Kelly made just for me. It arrived stuffed full of deliciously colorful scraps that I already have plans for.

It features all things I love: The shape is adorable, a zippy closure, fabulous scrappy fabrics, hand stitching, quilting, and a sweet coordinating charm. Very nice - I love it. And see the postcard above spotlighting the bench seat crafted from Authentic fabrics? Kelly made that herself! Isn't it beautiful?

I thoroughly enjoy my swapping adventures and the whole secret partner aspect of the swaps. It's fun, inspirational, and takes the edge off of picking up the mail! Thanks to Kelly for adding to my "swap-happiness."

This is the pretty {little} pouch I made for my partner Lori (Sew Addicted to Fabric). I used the Inset Zip Clutch pattern by Keyka Lou found here, adjusting the front panel area to accommodate my applique design. Lori's likes included: favorite colors of blue, green, and orange; linen; embroidery; and a willingness to welcome all different styles. I really like that last part, it helps ease the pressure off of deciding what to make your partner.

Aiming to incorporate as many of my partner's preferences as I could, this was the result. Learned a new zipper technique too - this was my first go at an inset zip and I liked it! Thought it would be tricky but it wasn't.

I like the smooth, neat finish of an inset zip. I'll definitely use it again!

I used some Anna Maria Horner Good Folks and natural linen for the exterior. Added some embroidery, a little raw-edge applique, and a tiny floral embellishment to complete the look.

And Amy Butler's Lotus Full Moon Polka Dot in tangerine for the interior. Which obviously I cannot get enough of since I seem to be using it in much of what I'm working on these days.

A Kokeshi of My Own

2011-11-06T21:43:00.000-05:00

Isn't she darling?! I loved her so much...I copied her from inspiration found here, just so I could have my very own Kokeshi Hanging Hoop Wall Pocket! I was maxed out on swap obligations at the same time the Hanging Hoop Wall Pocket Swap was taking off on Flickr, so consequently I missed out.

But then Amy posted this cutie and I was a goner, I could resist no longer. This "Defining Kokeshi" silkscreen print is my all time favorite of Amy's screenprints. (That is, until she whips ups the next genius design and I swoon all over that one too!) Paired with Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 medallion print - who could abstain?

My House to Yours

2011-10-30T22:09:00.001-04:00

I've been busy swapping. And sewing. Swapping and sewing...a lot! September is when it all began and it's just now entering the home stretch. And that's a darn good feeling with Christmas just around the corner.

I joined in yet another round of Amy's Potholder Pass, which offered the opportunity for a double-swap this round; potholders and/or coasters. We had a from "My House to Yours" theme to adhere to for the potholders this time, but no required theme for the coasters.

This is the set of four coasters I made for Carol (mamacjt) who enjoys clean, bright colors mixed with white.

If you look closely you can get an eyeful of my pintucks. I enjoyed embellishing with colorful ribbons and ric rac for a little something different.

This is the wonderful set of coasters I received from Lauree (locodowo). Two shades of linen (I heart linen BIG time), colorful wool felt for the applique, very cool thread-sketching, and a piece of Little Apples for Moda fabric.

All of that and an adorable matching basket for stacking my beautiful coasters! A really wonderful autumn inspired swap package. Many thanks Lauree!

This is the house themed potholder set I made for Melinda (quirky granola girl). Green is Melinda's favorite color, but she enjoys a mix of colors with only a touch of pink or purple.

I used white linen as the background fabric and machine appliqued the windows, shutters, shades and doors.

I added a couple embroidered flowers, a few blades of grass and some quilted leaves at the entrance.

The chimney loops are made from a stone fabric I've never had call to use until now. Glad I kept it! Finished off with red and white polka dots and black and white houndstooth fabric for the roof tops and binding.

They ended up a little oversized at 8-1/4"x12", but were soft enough to be flexible.

This package I received from Wendy (wen_ot) all the way from the Netherlands! Wrapped so beautifully.

The first thing I noticed about these sweet potholders were the pups! Hard not to be drawn right to them - dog lover that I am. Nothing says home like your own pack of pups. And of course I like the design of the house, the homey details of the flowers, the birds, and the curtains too. Many thanks Wendy for a great swap package!

ALFALC Swap Completed

2011-08-26T22:50:00.000-04:00

Goodies for my partner Tiffany for my first round of A Little Fabric, A Little Chocolate {Swap!}. Four fat quarter favorites with what I hope are two pleasing shades of purple. Dark & milk chocolate, and a little Lazy Girl Designs Perfect Pouch made with Shangri-la fabric by 3 Sisters for Moda. A very enjoyable swap!

Swapping Fabric and Chocolate, Oh My!

2011-08-20T21:53:00.001-04:00

Tell me that's not a perfect combo?! A swap group that combines two of my favorite pastimes: fabric and chocolate. Going strong since June of 2008, A Little Fabric, A Little Chocolate {Swap!} has been on my get-to-know list for a bit now. So I finally did what any fabric/chocolate loving woman would do - I signed up and got myself a partner for August.

I received this deliciously generous package from Tiffany in Virginia. In getting to know my partner it turns out we have a lot in common, starting with the fact that we share the same first and middle name. Pretty cool, huh? We both learned to sew from our moms and grandmothers; we're both lab techs; we like many of the same fabric designers; and our favorite color is PURPLE. I think this makes us great partners!

Prospect Park, Aviary 2, and Bear Essentials; these fat quarters are beautifully coordinated and they suit me perfectly. Colorfully wrapped dark chocolate in two distinctly different varieties (which I've managed to stay out of so far.) A charming pin cushion accompanied by a box of tried and true super fine pins. See the trio of hexagons above? Those fussy cut hexies are made using Kate Spain's Central Park fabrics. My partner has fashioned me a little travel size-squared journal for sketching my "on-the-go" quilty ideas. Very nice idea.
Thank you Tiffany for a wonderful swap. I'm making the final touches on your package, it's soon to be en route.

Ruched Happy Bag

2011-08-07T21:09:00.001-04:00

Hi. My name is Tiffany and I'm a bag-aholic! I love bags, pouches, totes, and purses. I like them in all shapes and sizes, handles or straps, zippers or snaps.

This is a sweet little bag. The pattern is designed by the talented Amy and available here on her Etsy Shop. This bag also features one of her hand printed screen prints called "My Happy Place", also available on Etsy. I love this print, it's definitely a favorite of mine. The exterior of the bag features Moda Peas & Carrots Blue Pez by American Jane.

While the interior fabric is Michael Miller's Old Script fabric. It's a fun bag to make and an easy pattern to follow.

Finally!

2011-07-27T20:32:00.004-04:00

I finally made the reusable grocery bag! And it all started here with Amy's bag, which I totally copied. I've been doing a fair bit of ogling at all the terrific grocery bags posted on Flickr.

I got sucked in by the combination of Chef Words fabric and Amy Butler's Lotus Full Moon Polka Dot in tangerine. I couldn't help myself really - I LOVE this look!

And then there's the easy, peasy pattern by Keyka Lou. This pattern is truly a joy to make. You know, for when you just want sewing to be all fun and games, and no hassles!

Summer Swapping

2011-07-11T22:45:00.000-04:00

Here we go! I have two tasks for this round of PP8, and two separate secret partners. The first task was for a set of hexagon inspired linen tea towels sporting an embroidered summer theme.

In keeping with my partner's color preferences, I've used shades of aqua, red, and pink.

The second task was for a set of summer themed potholders. Can you think of summer without thinking of butterflies?! I can't. This is a paper pieced pattern called "B is for Butterfly" found at www.quilterscache.com. I haven't paper pieced in a long time, so I had to brush up and practice some before starting. My partner's color preferences lean toward blues, greens, and purples.

BLOOPER REEL: Tea towels that didn't make it!

Good idea here - poorly executed. This design was my favorite, but once I had the HST's rows sewn together, it was too bulky. I couldn't get it to lay properly on the linen. Uurrrghhh!

And then there was this set. A portion of this set fell victim to an ironing catastrophe of ugly-spots on the final pressing. I had to breath deeply and count to ten on that one!

Handy Home Goods

2011-06-26T12:12:00.000-04:00

Isn't this handy helper cute? Cute and practical. This plastic bag dispenser is just the storage solution I have been searching for.

This here magazine...I love it. LOVE IT! It's always chock full of a variety of stitching inspiration, the latest and greatest. This is the spring 2010 issue and it's still giving me plenty of love.

Here we go. Inspiration found. This patchwork bright idea is designed by Auymi Takahashi of Pink Penguin. Auymi shares lots of ideas and tutorials on her blog.

I love the scrappy look so I stuck with it. Bright and cheery (even if it doesn't fit the decor!). Actually, I don't really have a set decor as of yet. I suppose I can always go for the eclectic look!

There's linen of course. And quite a bit of Anthology Fabrics High Society for a fresh, sunny feel.

A few Michael Miller prints and Ta Dot in Sunny Yellow. And finally a smidgen of Robert Kaufman Tufted Tweets Birdie in Sorbet (which sadly, I'm running short on).

Aside from the rainbow of color, I think the best design feature of this bag is the zigzag topstitching, adding both contrast and texture. A colorful, easy to make, useful project with excellent instructions.

Tea Towels in Rural Jardin

2011-06-10T22:08:00.000-04:00

This is me getting ready for PP8, and sewing my first ever set of tea towels! I used 100% natural linen I purchased at Jo-Ann's, washed and steam ironed. Following this tutorial, and adjusting the hems to 1/2-inch rather than a 1/4-inch, I made two tea towels that measure roughly 19" x 29". I've discovered that at least for me, working with this size linen requires much diligence to maintain its shape. It was kind of tough for me, the linen shifted a lot while folding and pressing the hems. In an effort to preserve straight hems on these towels, I edge stitched around each side. I think it looks nice and it makes for a sturdier hem. I've learned making tea towels takes some time, it's not quick work as I thought it would be.

For the applique I used Lite Steam-A-Seam fusible, and French-inspired Rural Jardin fabric by French General. I'm drawn to the soft pinks, reds, and blues in this simple but elegant collection. I like the look of a satin stitch, just not mine...yet. My satin stitch needs improvement. I'm just saying! For a hanger I secured a length of twill tape at the top corner of each towel. No grommets this time! But I could see grommets in tea towels working.

Handmade From Germany

2011-05-19T21:58:00.000-04:00

Turns out my secret Potholder Pass partner for round 7, lives in Germany! Simply gorgeous. This set was created by Joanna (Shape Moth). She really did a superb job meeting my color request for aqua. Her design and workmanship are even more perfect in person. Unfortunately, my photography skills (or rather lack of skill) doesn't do this set justice. You can check out Joanna's photo here, it shows the coordinating colors in a much more illuminating fashion.

Did I mention I love hexagons too? Oh yes, they're totally fun. The theme for this round was "Anything But Square", and hexies sure fit the bill excellently. The binding/loop fabric is my favorite, and so expertly sewn. Joanna also included some fabric extras for my stash. I really do consider myself lucky to be the recipient of this stunning set. Many thanks to Joanna for a super international package!

Zero Hour

2011-05-13T18:42:00.002-04:00

Whew! Way to meet a deadline, huh?! I’m reminded of John Lennon’s famous words, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” That is so totally true and WOW, can I ever relate.

Despite my utilizing every minute allotted for this round and sliding into this deadline like it's home plate, I’m pleased to introduce my version of the "Anything But Square" theme for this round of the Potholder Pass. The good news is that I have learned two new-to-me techniques in accomplishing this project. The first is bias cut strips sewn together to make my own bias binding. Very nice. Kisses to Google for great video tutorials. And the second is that I actually fastened the bias binding into the shape I was shooting for. Round, and guess what? They actually look pretty round! Considered making hexagons (because I love this set so much), but scrapped that plan this time. I have been admiring the many fine hexagon potholders posted this round. I'm quite inspired with the handsome and practical selection of grocery bags. Love 'em.

My secret partner this round requested lots of red and loads of color. I sure hope this delivers some happiness!

As Promised

2011-03-12T15:57:00.000-05:00

At last I've finished this potholder set for Jeannie who kindly agreed to a swap with me. Jeannie is the sewing talent behind these three lovely grocery bag samples. As soon as I spotted her Easy Grocery Bag fashioned out of the cutest ever fancy chicken fabric, I immediately thought of my mom and how much she would just love this bag. Grocery bag pattern found at www.keyka.typepad.com/.

You see, my mom's a down home country gal who loves to collect and display uniquely decorated chicken finds. Her birthday is at the end of next week, and this beautifully crafted bag is going to make for a terrific surprise.

Jeannie also popped in a little something extra just for me! This adorable little pouch made from linen - an absolute favorite of mine. I so totally love linen. I'm not yet using this sweet bag, as I'm still oooing and aahhhing over it and plan to save it for a special time.

I would have liked to make something more for Jeannie, but she assures me she loves potholders. And I know she loves to bake too, so they'll definitely get some use. And if you're thinking you've seen these before - you have. I made this same design for the PP6, only in monotone pink for my swap partner. Please forgive the lack of variety in my sewing of late - 99% of my supplies are in storage for the time being.

I attached actual fabric "loops" this time, first time ever. Check 'em out. I generally insert grommets in my potholders, they're super easy and I like the look. And if you've finished making your potholders, binding and all before you realize you've forgotten to add the loops - you can still save yourself with a set of grommets. On more than one occasion grommets have come to my rescue!

Thanks again Jeannie for sharing your many talents and inspiration. I always look forward to your well made clever creations and beautifully coordinated fabrics.

PP6 Swap Received

2011-03-12T15:53:00.000-05:00

I received my potholder set from the PP6 swap! This package actually arrived last weekend but I haven't had a chance to post until today. Our theme this time around was monotone, and green was my color choice. My secret partner and fellow sewing enthusiast was Katie of fabrikatedesigns.

My potholders are wonderful and I love the variety of greens she incorporated. Green was Katie's pick too, she said she had fun selecting all the fabrics. There is plenty of quilting, and loops fashioned from coordinating ribbon which I really like. She also included a cute little wallet, a journal, and a few fabric scraps to top it off.

Basically, I've been spoiled. Thank you for a great swap Katie!

Potholder Pass 6 Theme: Monotone

2011-01-11T14:31:00.000-05:00

Hello there! It's been soooo long since I've posted, that I nearly forgot how. No kidding, just navigating around my blog has me feeling like I'm learning a foreign language again. The New Year 2011 promises to be full of fresh adventure for me. Out with the old and in with the new, as they say. I'm hoping to accomplish much more this year in the way of sewing and creative inspiration. Plus I still have a few projects to finish up from 2010. I'm happy to be participating in another highly anticipated round of the Potholder Pass with Amy over on Flickr. Wouldn't miss it!

The monotone theme intrigued me right from the start. I like the idea of creating within a theme and then having the opportunity to view what everyone else designs utilizing that theme. As you can see, my partner's color request is pink. I like pink. I can't wear pink, but I do enjoy working with it for its bright and cheery personality. In the bitter cold of winter in early January, an invigorating flash of fabulous pinks warms my heart and reminds me spring is not far off.

I think they have a bit of a "Valentine's" feel about them, but it was not intentional! The pattern I used is "Shooting Squares" from The Quilter's Cache/Marcia Hohn. Fabrics include Modern Meadow, Avalon, Spirit, Summer Song, and a pink solid from Moda. Nestled inside each potholder is a layer of Insul-Bright lining and a layer of Warm and Natural cotton batting. The set measures 8-1/2" square and is finished off with handy grommets.

Christmas Kanzashi Ornaments

2010-10-26T20:47:00.000-04:00

I'm busy, busy making Kanzashi flowers again! When I first experimented making these pretty little blooms over the summer, I kept a thought in the back of my mind that they would make beautiful Christmas ornaments.

And they do! I really like these festive, generous-sized blooms. The larger ones measure approximately 4-1/4 inches in diameter, while the smaller flower measures roughly 3-1/4 inches in diameter. I used all Christmas fabrics, a little ribbon and embellished their centers with Favorite Findings buttons.

I can almost see these bright and beautiful blooms decorating the Christmas tree now. Do you have a favorite?

Christmas Swan Ornament

2010-10-24T17:40:00.000-04:00

I've finally gotten down to business and worked up my first of three ornaments to be handcrafted for the Trim the Tree Handmade Ornament Swap on Flickr.

Swans are just so beautiful and elegant, and I really, really love this embroidery design. The mitten is made from ivory colored wool felt, embellished with white turkey feathers at the cuff.

Although I used a tiny amount of DMC cotton floss for the swan details, most of the stitching is done with DMC 100% rayon satin floss. I especially like its shiny, glossy finish for ornaments.

I stuffed the mitten with a small amount of polyfil in hopes that it would prevent the embroidery from sinking inward, and I think it worked. The mitten is finished off with a few bits of beading and a length of green trim. This ornament is destined for one of my 3 secret swap partners. I do hope it will be enjoyed this Christmas season.

Bahama Bound Magpies

2010-10-23T23:36:00.000-04:00

It seems my "It's a Love Connection" magpie potholders have caught the eye of fellow Flickr-follower Kimberly of www.bahamadawn.com. Shortly after meeting, Kim suggested a private swap between us and I was only too happy to oblige. Kim's interest was in a pair of the same magpies I had made for the Potholder Pass round 4. In return she invited me to browse her photostream and let her know what I like. There certainly was lots of inspiration to choose from, but I finally narrowed it down!

So here's "It's a Love Connection II" en route to the much warmer, sandy shores of the very tropical Bahamas. I had just enough of all of the same fabrics to make two more pairs of magpies. I really love the color and design of the batik binding fabric, but holy cow - it takes forever to stitch the binding. It feels like I'm pushing the needle through cardboard, very tough. Perhaps there's some tip or trick I don't yet know of for binding batik fabric?! At least I only have to get through one last pair.

Turns out Kim and I share not only a passion for sewing and quilting, but a strong fondness for dogs as well. She works Rally & Agility with her dogs, and is also deeply involved in rescue work. These are all good things in my book! This private swap was a great idea, and I'm very excited to see what Kim has created for me!

Block #2 for the QAYG Quilt-Along

2010-10-08T00:42:00.000-04:00

I had hoped to be a little further along at this point, but I'm learning to embrace the process and relax my time frame a bit. I mean after all, it's supposed to be fun right?! Too often I find myself assigning a self-imposed, unattainable deadline.

My revised approach: I'll finish when I finish!

These blocks are full of color, and it's surprising to me just how much I like it. For me this includes a variety of styles & colors outside of my comfort zone. That said, even with the scrappy look I find that I tend to spend too much time worrying over which fabrics to combine, and where. But I suppose as long as I'm good with it, that's what matters most.

Here I Go...I'm With The Quilt As You Go Quilt-Along

2010-09-26T17:37:00.000-04:00

It feels like ages since I've sewn, and it sort of has been. It's good to be back! I finally achieved my official start to the second round of the QAYG quilt-along with Heather over at http://alamodefabric.blogspot.com/. For this round, Heather is hosting a free-motion quilting style technique as an alternative to the traditional straight line quilting technique offered by Penny from http://sewtakeahike.typepad.com/sewtakeahike/. I really like the look of straight line quilting, especially in this block, so I've opted to stick with the traditional method. Plus, free-motion quilting scares the dickens out of me!

This round started September 8th...so I'm about 2-1/2 weeks late getting started. It's taken me a little while to gather my scraps...mostly because I don't have much in the way of a scrap pile. At least for an undertaking of this magnitude. Cutting into brand spanking new fat quarter bundles for "scraps" just felt wrong, so that effort took some adjusting to on my part. I did buy a couple scrap packs from Hawthorne Threads, so that helped to increase my variety a bit.

Block one here measures 14" square, and it took forever to complete! The center square is a little bird print, but it's difficult to see. I'm testing the waters here, so I'm not certain what size I intend the finished quilt to be. If the stars align for me, I'd be thrilled with queen size. If not, I'd be happily content with lap size!

Side Note: This is my sewing-support-system directly underfoot and asleep on the job.

It's a Love Connection!

2010-09-17T00:04:00.000-04:00

This pair of sweet hearts have made a "love connection", and are ready to fly to their new home. These are the potholders I made for my secret partner for round 4 of the Potholder Pass with Amy of http://duringquiettime.blogspot.com/.

My partner likes all colors really, with an emphasis on blues & greens. And after studying my partner's photostream, this seemed like a good idea. I used mostly batik fabrics in this project. The background is my first effort at machine curved-piecing, and I'm pretty pleased with it. It was more time consuming than I expected, but the end result was worth it. The magpies and the hearts are machine appliqued using Lite Steam-A-Seam.

To give these cuties a little "pop" off the background, I quilted around each of the appliqued pieces. And then I added a few motif quilted hearts in the background. To finish them off I punched in some grommets, which seem to be my hanger of choice these days. I just can't help myself, I love the look and let's face it - the efficiency of grommets.

I'm surprised by how much I've come to like this twosome. I think they're charming, and who couldn't use a little amusement in the kitchen?! I only hope my partner doesn't think it's too cartoon-ish!

All the Way From Massachusetts.....and Then Some!

2010-09-10T13:55:00.001-04:00

These are my beautiful potholders from the ever creative and always inspiring Amy of http/:duringquiettime.blogspot.com. Amy is the clever leader and creator of the Potholder Pass over at flickr. We have good times sewing for secret partners, making the swap, and then posting pictures to share. I'm so happy these made it to me. Turns out, on the way here (NY) they made a little side trip to Cambridge instead of Boston, and then who knows where for 4 days. Yikes! The postal system is scary at times.

Just look at these. I love them starting with the vibrant Anna Maria Horner fabric, all the way to the grommets. Amy's reverse applique effort with fussy cut centers is notably appreciated, as I myself have only scratched the surface of that technique once, by hand. She set all that snappy color against the fabulous texture of linen, which I have a weakness for. I crave the look and texture of linen, and I think it makes for great contrast.

Plus she spoiled me good with these nifty extras. A handwritten pretty Puff Sleeves linocut card on a soft green paper. A pansy linocut print in bold pink on linen, with which I will make something special. And a tissue keeper (I hope that's what it's called) fashioned from both natural and pink linen, with an adorable little birdie fabric.

I do need to apologize for these photos, they just do not do justice to these beautiful gifts Amy made me. The weather here this week has not been cooperating at all. Rainy and overcast, and positively dreary. Unfortunately this pushes me to take photos indoors, which I'm not so good at.

This has been another wonderful swap - thank you so much Amy. Also thank you for your graceful understanding of my"communication" bungle. And P.S. ...mom definitely approves!

Back In Business!

2010-08-31T21:13:00.000-04:00

Can you hear that? Oh yeah....it's me doing a happy dance and squealing like a three-year old because my sewing machine is back home and perched in its rightful place. Diagnosis: upper & lower tension adjustment, plus a cleaning! No major repairs or parts. Can you believe it? I can hardly believe it. All that time & worry over simple, simple stuff.

I took my machine for a trial run, finishing up this Scattered Dots mini quilt I began some weeks ago. The stitching looks great, and best of all there's no more crying! I'm smiling and happy with this little mini, and I'm considering hanging it in the bathroom once it has a fresh paint makeover and a bit of a redo. (Hopefully soon!)

I wrapped up another of my no-sew projects with this peppy pink memo board. It's the padded sort, built around an artist canvas, and measures 18" x 14". I gave it a little touch of pretty with one of my Kanzashi flowers. Now I just need a spot to hang it.

No-Sew Fun!

2010-08-20T11:14:00.001-04:00

Here's what I've been up to while my sewing machine is on the fritz! (Three weeks now, but who's counting?) From time to time I have admired the elaborate and beautiful hair ornaments worn by Japanese women. So I have newly ventured into the world of modern Kanzashi.

More to the point, I am self-learning the simplified Kanzashi techniques taught in this book. Overall, I like this book, and it does offer excellent written and photographic instruction for three different styles of flower petal. Round, pointed and pleated. Nevertheless, I do wish it offered more than three flower styles. A little disappointing.

While traditional Kanzashi are made from silk, these simplified petals are made using quilting cottons, and batiks. Someday I would love to try my hand at fashioning some flower petals from silk and other more delicate fabrics. I did complete all three styles of the flower petals and used buttons to decorate the centers of each.

This final shot is of my favorites. I like the look of the round style petal (like the yellow one above) the best. Plus it's a quicker finish than the others. Some of these will make pretty gift toppers, and the rest I may string together and hang in my room for a splash of color.

Pincushions Abloom

2010-08-11T10:27:00.000-04:00

SHE GOT IT! Final destination - British Colombia, Canada. So now that my pincushion creation has arrived at Krista’s home, I can share a few of the details. I was very happy when Krista was revealed as my partner. Already a follower of her sweet blog http://www.poppyprintcreates.blogspot.com/, I’m drawn to her beautiful creations, and witty, enjoyable writing. What can I say? I like her style.

Krista remarked that she fancies dual purpose pincushions and offered up a photostream mosaic of inspiration. She indicated that she’s not into frilly, and doesn’t like 30’s reproduction prints (nor do I), or country fabrics. She does like more bold, graphic things. Loves stitchery, and has never met a color she doesn’t like. Taking my cue from her mosaic, I knew right off I would have a run at fashioning a pincushion atop a glass jar.

Here’s what resulted:

My first attempt (above) was too big to properly fit the lid, so I had to scale it down some and try again.

The second time was a charm. This colorful floral pincushion utilizes fabrics from Michael Miller’s “The Big E” collection and is crafted with Heather Bailey’s Square Deal pattern in mind, only a bit larger. I created the fabric flower using this tutorial by Dawn from http://sewritzytitzy.blogspot.com/. I love the flower! The glass storage jar was a great find from Pier One. I was hoping to find a similar jar with a lower profile, but never did. The jar was the desired width, but taller than I wanted. Although in the end, I figured the lid could be lifted from the jar for a more convenient use of the cushion itself. Okay, pincushion task completed. All set to ship.

Or so I thought.

And then it happened. I worried myself into making another. So…..this happy little sunflower pincushion was born out of sheer nervousness. I got to thinking maybe the first cushion was just too darn big, and perhaps it is too large for its intended purpose.

The head of the sunflower is made from brown velvet, and it’s embellished with a few embroidered stitches and beads. For the petals I found a fitting fabric called “Sunflowers” by Leere’ for Clothworks. With a little machine sewing, fabric manipulation, lots of hand stitching, super glue, and my new favorite adhesive "GOOP", I achieved my objective of a smaller, more user friendly pincushion.

The petals stand out pretty well, no floppy sad looking sunflower here. So, in the end I shipped both and fortunately all that glass arrived safe & sound, with flower petals intact.

And guess what? My partner likes them both! Thanks Krista for a wonderful swap experience. And also many thanks to Master Swap organizer, Amy over at http://duringquiettime.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html. This pincushion swap has been lots of fun and I've been enjoying all the photos and posts on flickr.

New Stash Storage

2010-08-09T19:17:00.000-04:00

Not having my sewing machine around has motivated me to the three R's. Re-think, Reorganize, and Remove. It's been fantastic! I'd say I'm normally a pretty organized, everything's got a place and everything in its place kind of gal. But stuff happens and things get out of whack, and before you know it, there's utter chaos. Well, at least that's how it works for me. Clutter actually drives me C-R-A-Z-Y. It messes with my ability to function. Seriously, I can't think straight.

Enter my new two-tiered, storage cabinet with hinged doors. I found this piece at an antique shop called "Country Junktion", not too far from my home. It's usable space is about a yard in width, a foot in depth and roughly 23 inches in height. It's just great for fabric storage. It sits atop my old quilt cabinet, so it's at a really great height for me. I'm not in love with the color, but my only other option was black. It's a sort of olive greenish color. It's a little blah. I preferred the black one, but I couldn't take the leap. I just felt it would darken my space too much. Still messy I know, but I'm working on it. Baby steps, ya know?! A bonus to all this three R's business, is that I'm finding fabric I'd forgot about, and perhaps some new inspiration along the way.

From Shabby to Handy

2010-08-09T17:02:00.001-04:00

I'm a quilter.... without a single quilt rack. Or at least I was, until I got my hands on this shabby old ladder over the weekend. I've been keeping my eyes open for just such a find, albeit I was hoping to find one a bit more 'spindly'.

My husband evened up the ends for me - thanks honey! I took the wire brush to it, sanded it (hate sanding), and glued each of the rickety rungs to tighten up the whole deal. I was so surprised that the glue worked on the tightening of the rungs, and quickly too.

I covered the ladder with a base white high gloss latex porch & floor paint, and it took four coats. Although it isn't a treasure or even pretty, I am very happy to have it.

Just as soon as it was dry, I put it to immediate space-saving use. This useful addition to my sewing room has allowed me to free up some most valuable storage space. And its best feature is that it's light weight and highly portable. Love that part!

P.S. Sewing machine still sick...

Sewing Machine Woes....

2010-07-31T23:16:00.000-04:00

I love my sewing machine....BUT lately....uurrrgghhh! It seems my hearty Rose is out-of-sorts and struggling with some thread tension issues. This became apparent while I was well underway with this colorful mini. I fell for Amy's Scattered Dots tutorial a few months back, and I've been wanting to give it a crack ever since. But as I began to quilt, I noticed my top stitches were a horrid mess, while the bottom stitches continued to look just fine. So this week Rose is off to be serviced for I don't know how long. I can't complain really, as this is her first true hiccup ever! Considering our nearly 9 year partnership, I'd say that's pretty good.

On the brighter side, Emma is coming up on graduation from Beginner's puppy class next Thursday. She's been breezing through her obedience training and loves everyone. This is an essential first step for us on our journey to Therapy Dogs International. Our instructor has arranged for a playful, but casual agility course to be set up graduation night. Should be lots of fun watching all the pups navigate the obstacle course. We've been encouraged to bring a camera, so I'm hoping for at least one good photo to share. Rumor has it, the pups get graduation caps! We'll see how that goes.

Friday Night Sew-In Results

2010-07-24T19:21:00.000-04:00

My FNSI resulted in another Love Sewing Pincushion. You can find the free pattern here. I wasn't prepared at all for last night, so I kept it simple and went with a project I was familiar with already, and for which I knew I had on-hand supplies for. Plus I needed a break from my machine, as it's having stitching hiccups I can't seem to resolve. With little machine sewing necessary to complete this pincushion, I stuffed and finished it up this afternoon.

I finished one similar to this just a little while ago, but I have plans for it to have a new home. So this one will stay at home with me as I'm kind of partial to it. This time I changed up the embroidery colors a bit, stayed with linen for the side panels and gave it a Michael Miller "Ta Dot Mustard" fabric for the top and bottom. I managed these quick shots just before it poured rain here at home this evening. It's been threatening to all day, and the humidity is cranked right up there too. At least I got something done. See ya next month!

Friday Night Sew-In

2010-07-23T00:30:00.000-04:00

Friday Night Sew-In TONIGHT! Kind of snuck up on me this month. What happened to July??! I'm joining up with Heidi again over at http://handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com/ for another, hopefully productive evening of sewing. Only hours away at this point, I don't have a plan for tonight. So I guess I'll just 'wing-it' and see what happens. Hope to see you there and happy sewing to all.

Five Gathered Clutches All in a Row

2010-07-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

I feel like I'm the last person to get to making these pretty little clutches. Thanks to this terrific tutorial by Anna from http://noodleheads.blogspot.com/, I now have a small stash for gift giving.

I opted out of making the divider panel and card holders, but did make a single pocket for each. For interfacing I utilized fusible fleece on the exterior and SF-101 woven fusible on the lining with good results. I have learned that a zipper foot would make my life much easier, less seam ripping and so forth. So I ordered one on Ebay and am patiently awaiting its arrival.

Even using a walking foot, I have the hardest darn time sewing it together at the bulky zipper part. After five, you would think I'd have it down to a science. Not so much!

I did get a great Liquid Stitch tip from a fellow blogger. No more basting the zipper in place, just glue it! A great time saver, thanks for the tip Jeannie

Mail Call

2010-07-21T23:23:00.002-04:00

Today I received this super groovy pincushion/thread catcher all the way from British Colombia , Canada. My sneaky peak of "Cut Out Domesticity" posted on flickr by my Pincushion Pass partner Krista, was stirring my imagination for sure. And now that its reveal is complete, I can laughingly say that it is indeed "rebellious" and much fun.

The name totally fits and I love it! I am delighted to have a Poppyprint Original to call my own. I mentioned to Krista that I'm drawn to pincushions that have some weight to them, and this spicy number fits the bill nicely. Krista noted that she utilizes sanitized sand for filling her pincushions. I like the weight and feel of the cushion very much. No slipping, sliding, or falling off my work table.

See here, already positioned in its new spot. Out with the old and in with the new.

And that's not all, Krista sent along some more goodies. The Quilter's Connection magazine was the Poppyprint in Print giveaway prize I won back in May. This was in celebration of her being published! I can't wait to dive in. The other gifts include a lovely Nature's Chorus charm pack by April Cornell for Moda, Clover patchwork pins, a skull & cross bones lanyard, and last but not least a bittersweet chocolate bar. Lucky me!

This has been great summer fun and I am pleased to have participated in this swap. I am enjoying checking out all the pincushion creations posted at flickr, and there's still a little over a month to go. Krista's package is currently in transit and should be arriving very shortly. Thank you Krista for a great swap!

A Birthday Remembered

2010-07-17T23:59:00.003-04:00

Remembering the life of a very special man every day, but especially this day. This is my grandfather, Richard C. Wagner, and me on my wedding day. I never show photographs of myself, but turns out this one is my all time favorite of him. His inner "cutie" came out that day and was forever captured wonderfully by the photographer. Makes me smile every time I see it, which is often. He probably wouldn't want me to post this photo of him, but my dad will love it as much as I do.

My grandpa was a quiet, often shy, hard working devoted family man. He has been gone now over 10 years and missed more than words can express. Were he with us today, we would have simply and quietly celebrated the arrival of his 95th year. There would have been a meal of course, but then we would have gotten down to business with dessert. Vanilla cake with lots of colored sugary roses and spiked with lit candles. Neapolitan ice cream, and ice cold root beer or iced tea. We would have sang "Happy Birthday" off-key, laughed loudly, made new memories, and snapped a few photographs. It would have been a good time.

Pincushion Trials and a Sneak peek

2010-07-08T19:00:00.002-04:00

Here’s a few of my practice pincushions. Starting at the top in the above photograph, is the “Love Sewing Pincushion” I saw featured in a few of the mosaics posted on flickr. The pattern is compliments of Pacific Fabrics and Crafts. I was drawn to the embroidery in that one. I used linen on the side panels and for the top and bottom I used two Santorini charm squares by Lila Tueller for Moda. Cute pincushion, but man did that ever take a long time to finish.

Next, on the right side is a “Petite Gateau” cushion from Fig Tree Threads. More Santorini fabrics and linen here. This cushion is filled with firm pak poly fill and lead shot for added weight. And finally on the bottom is Heather Bailey’s “Square Deal” pincushion. Here I used a striped Bleeker Street fabric by Michele D’Amore for Marcus Brothers and a dotted (?) fabric for Henry Glass Fabrics. Filled with firm pak, lead shot and lavender buds. Lavender because I’m crazy for the stuff. I have to say that this little cushion is much smaller than I expected. Mine measures barely 3-½ inches square.

This last shot is a sneak peek for my partner, Krista from http://www.poppyprintcreates.blogspot.com/. We are partners in the Pincushion Pass hosted by Amy from http://duringquiettime.blogspot.com/2010/05/pincushion-pass.html. We are hooked up for some summer fun and sharing over on http://www.flickr.com/. More details and photos to follow. I like the sneak peak idea and hope you’re stumped!

Dog Days of Summer

2010-07-08T18:00:00.021-04:00

Hiya Everyone! This incredibly vicious and persistent heat wave is really cramping my creative energies. Oh for heaven’s sake, it’s zapping the life force from everyone in the house. The Fourth of July was a humid 90 something degrees, the 5th was 94, the 6th was 92, the 7th was 93.…or so, and last I heard today was hovering around 92ish. Yuck! You get the picture. Sadly, I’m not a gal that EVER prefers the heat & humidity. I’m just not made that way.

So there hasn’t been much sewing going on around here. However, despite the intolerable weather, I have made three batches of cold-process soap. This is a good thing. We’ve been out of our usual supply of handmade soap for months. It’s true that it’s kind of a lavish treat and that we enjoy the ‘pampered’ nature of a handmade bar. It’s great for gifts too, and I have family and friends that seem to really enjoy the benefits of a non-commercial bar.

Olive, coconut and palm oil lend to a moisturizing, firm, and affordable bar. They’re scented with a few of my long time favorite essential oils: lavender (no surprise there), rose geranium, lemongrass, clove, and lime. I wire-cut this soap by hand and only trim each bar just a bit to square it up. I’m so happy to have this done. Now I just have to be patient and wait for the bars to harden up.

Hexie's All Finished

2010-06-29T21:42:00.000-04:00

I finished my hexie potholders....finally. Heaps and heaps of hours sewn into these tiny little quilts! As for the quilting of these, I felt less was more and only stitched in the ditch of the outer edges of the second and fourth hexagon rings. I wasn't certain about fitting this pair with grommets, seemed almost sinful to punch a hole through them. Ultimately, in the end the grommet won out.

My kitchen is in desperate need of a surface makeover, and when that wondrous happening occurs these little beauties get a spot center stage.

Friday Night Sew-In Results

2010-06-19T22:34:00.000-04:00

It's been a weekend full of celebration around home, lots of goodness happening. Our family gathered for a combined birthday and Father's Day wingding today. Very nice, also very hot and humid. I managed some forward progress on my hexagons last night. I hand quilted inside each of the hexagons following the shape of the hexagon. And I started the embroidery of vines, leaves, French knots, and flowers. These hexies are the 1/2-inch size, and oh my goodness do they ever move slowly. Believe it or not, I intend for these to become potholders! Can you believe it? It must have been a moment of insanity on my part. At this point, I just want to be done, done, done.

Friday Night Sew-In

2010-06-18T08:14:00.000-04:00

Okay, it's that sewing time again. Good thing too, because there's lots to be done. I'm joining the Sew-In again with Bobbi over at http://craftyvegasmom.blogspot.com/. I had been planning to work on my pinwheel sampler quilt, but finished that a few days ago. Check that off the list. I'm not exactly sure what I'll be working on tonight, but there's always plenty of works in progress to choose from. One thing is for certain, by 6:00 PM I'll be grabbing a snack, shutting my door and getting down to business. Hope to see you there and happy sewing to all.

Happy Mail Day From Jessica

2010-06-17T16:09:00.000-04:00

Sweet mail delivery today, literally. My secret swap partner, Jessica of Rosebud Johnnies, was revealed to me this afternoon. Along with the arrival of my super cute potholder set, came a lovely hand written note, and a couple of extra goodies. A box of Saratoga Springs Chips and a Saratoga Tradition Sundaes Best jar of Hot Fudge Sauce. The potholders are adorable and I love 'em, especially that striking blue fabric, the striped binding, and the quilting. They're a positively delightful boost to my kitchen.

My sincere "thanks" to Jessica for her beautiful work and yummy extras. And for dealing with the "mysteries" of the USPS not once, BUT twice, in the extended effort to get this package to me.

Pinwheel Sampler Quilt

2010-06-16T22:47:00.000-04:00

Whoo-hoo, it's finished! And in under a months time no less. I certainly wasn't expecting to be done so soon, but WOW, does it ever feel good.

I decided to add an additional row to the quilt, bringing the total number of blocks to 20 rather than 16. It measures 58-1/2" by 72-1/2". I made one more block each of blocks 3,4,5, and the double pinwheel.

When dropping it off for quilting at my LQS, they explained it would likely take upwards of six weeks to return it to me. So when they phoned and said it was ready after only two weeks, I was thrilled about it and got right to work on finishing it. I chose the Wildflower 2 panto, which I think enhances the "garden" theme of the fabrics. The quilt looks very pretty outside on a sunny day, and is much more pleasing in person.

And a bonus deer sighting while I was looking for a good spot to take a few photographs. She had two youngsters with her also, but they quickly slipped under cover and out of sight.

Hexagons...Honeycomb Style

2010-06-15T23:51:00.001-04:00

Isn't that pretty? We all love hexagons, right? You bet. This is the yummiest honey I've ever had the pleasure of sampling. And best of all, it's local! My parents have been having some "bee" issues for a few years now. The bees seem to like to build their nests directly on the house and surrounding nearby trees. Walking the sidewalk to the house, you can hear them working tirelessly right above you only a few feet away. Kind of daunting, especially when you're allergic. Although, being allergic never stopped me from enjoying honey!

Turns out it's sort of difficult to find professionals that are willing to deal with bees and beehive removal. Well, one thing leads to another, names are exchanged and finally my folks find two willing teams of skilled people to exact removal of two separate hives on their property. My dad reported that it was quite an operation to watch. I don't doubt it. I would like to have witnessed that task....from afar of course. Perhaps I'll get a chance, as their is yet a third hive to go.

This is the honeycomb made from beeswax, and where the honey is stored. Very interesting I think. Intricately, detailed works of edible art. This comb honey can be eaten "as is", it does not require any processing. Let me tell ya - it's delicious. This honey is so light in color, you can see right through it. And it's flavor is...sweet of course, but different than any other I've experienced. It doesn't have a heavy, strong flavor at all. I wish I could describe it better.

This was a fascinating experience for me. And I've come away with a renewed appreciation for the life and work of bees.

Poppyprint Published!

2010-06-01T10:13:00.003-04:00

I'm helping to spread the fabulous news of a fellow quilting blogger and potholder swapper, Krista from Poppyprint. She has been published in the 4th issue of Canada's very own national quilting magazine, Quilter's Connection. Cheers for all of quilting Canada! That's such exciting news. And to further celebrate this impressive report, Krista is sponsoring a giveaway of a copy of this inspirational new magazine. Jump on over for a visit and check out all the hoopla!

FNSI Giveaway Goodies!

2010-05-31T22:51:00.001-04:00

Hey, guess what? I'm a winner! That's right, I won one of the "Giveaways" for the May Friday Night Sew-In. Here's a photo of my loot. A darling pincushion, a brightly colored "Santorini" charm pack from Moda, and a yummy vanilla bean black tea. A sweet prize from Heidi over at http://www.handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com. Many thanks, Heidi. I just love it and I'm already looking forward to next months FNSI.

Pinwheel Sampler Quilt Progress

2010-05-24T22:22:00.003-04:00

Moving right along. I've completed the remaining pinwheel blocks, so that's 16 total. Pictured above are blocks 5.

Here are blocks 6. I really like the blue one! I was thinking I may remake the green block - it's not especially working for me. I'll have to see how it looks when I'm playing with the layout. Uh maybe, and then again maybe not?!

Here are blocks 7, which I love. I think these framed pinwheels are so pretty. They look so sunny, I can't believe I almost didn't go ahead with them. This is my first quilt sporting 12-inch blocks and it's kind of nice working with a substantial amount of fabric.

These are the final two blocks 8 and 9. Block 8 is the Mosaic 2 block from Marcia Hohn at http://thequilterscache.com. Block 9 is the Double Pinwheel block from http://www.mccallsquilting.com. And so now I'm a huge fan of the double pinwheel block, it just makes me smile! It looked a bit tricky and I thought there's no way I'll get that to come out square. But no worries, it was easy.

Next up is sashing and possibly some mini pinwheels. I'd like to at least have all that done before the Memorial Day weekend arrives. I'm getting excited to see it all come together.

Friday Night Sew-In Results

2010-05-22T12:04:00.000-04:00

Yippee-yahoo, my first Sew-In was a success, as I have four more completed pinwheel blocks to show for it. This makes me very happy over here! Virtual motivation is a wonderful thing!

For a while there it was touch and go. Despite several "puppy interruptus" episodes, I still managed to stay on target. The top photo is of Block 3 and the bottom photo is of Block 4, following the Pinwheel Sampler Quilt tutorial at http://www.psiquilt.blogspot.com. This was fun, productive, and I'll definitely join in again.

Friday Night Sew-In

2010-05-21T18:20:00.000-04:00

I'm all jazzed up, signed up and ready to go for my first Friday Night Sew-In with Heidi over at http://www.handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com. I've been wanting to join the fun since February, but other obligations took priority. Well, not tonight! I've plenty to work on and hope to accomplish much. I'm seeing pinwheels, lots and lots of pinwheels. And maybe ice cream, as it's most definitely ice cream weather! Happy sewing to all.

I Wish I Had....

2010-05-21T10:19:00.001-04:00

I wish I had joined the Pinwheel Sampler Quilt Along over with Rachel at www.psiquilt.com, when it was suggested to me. Sometimes a "do-over" is required and that time is now. So, I'm sort of having my own quilt along using Rachel's tutorial. I'm using more of Jason Yenter's "Eclectic Garden" fabric line (and one from his "Floragraphix IV" line) for In the Beginning Fabrics. I used it for Potholder Pass 3 and liked it very much. It's just a start, but I think the colors will make for a pretty little quilt. Above are my two color scales for Block 1. And Block 2 below.

International Package

2010-05-16T23:02:00.002-04:00

This is my Potholder Pass 3 package all wrapped up and ready to go in Monday's mail. It's shipping USPS Priority International Mail with delivery confirmation and should take 7-10 days. We'll see! I recently picked up a new issue of Stitch Magazine, where I found this sweet pattern by Rashida Coleman-Hale for a lavender-filled trivet. I LOVE lavender! Seemed like a cool idea with linen and all, so I decided to include one in the package for my partner. I hope she likes lavender?! Plus more grommet action. Yay!

I will update the package destination just as soon as my partner takes delivery. Until then, shhhhh!

Hexagon Progress

2010-05-12T17:52:00.003-04:00

I've finished piecing my hexagons and appliqued them to Kona cotton white. I figure the white will make them "pop", and it will also be a suitable background color for the embroidery. On the backside I have cut away the background fabric inside the applique stitching, and removed the basting threads and the paper hexagons. That is my least favorite part, I must confess. Removing basting stitches is just no fun at all.

Next up, I need to fuse a piece of fusible fleece to the wrong side of each piece, quilt the hexagons, and add some embroidery. Although I have chosen the embroidery floss colors I plan to use, I haven't decided on a design pattern for certain. I may just use the same design I used with Nana's Flower Patch, minus the buttons. I don't know...I need to think on that one. Decisions, decisions.

Growing Emma

2010-05-05T18:36:00.002-04:00

Little Emma is not so little anymore, weighing in at 26ish pounds! She is 14 weeks old in this photograph and enjoying the fine, fresh scents of Spring.

I too have been thoroughly enjoying the fresh scents of Spring, especially the lilacs. Just outside my sewing room window there is a monster white lilac bush in full bloom. Its perfume is very strong this year and the blooms are still quite pretty. I do wish it was the deep purple color, but it came with the house. I am appreciating its heavenly scent more with the passing of each year.

Potholder Pass 3

2010-05-05T14:27:00.005-04:00

This is my offering for my secret swap partner for the third round of Potholder Pass with Amy over at www.duringquiettime.com. The quilt block pattern is "Sarah's Choice" by Janet Wickell, found in the quilting section at www.about.com. I think this design is very appealing and a terrific showcase for a variety of fabric choices. This block incorporates half-square triangles and flying geese units and results in approximately an 8-1/4" finished block. The flying geese units are a new technique for me and I like them quite well.

To accommodate my partner's color preferences of blues and grays, I selected fabrics from the Eclectic Garden collection, designed by Jason Yenter for In the Beginning Fabrics. Personally, I love this fabric line, I think it's gorgeous. I find myself wanting to create more with this fabulous collection. Although the binding fabric deviates from my partner's color preferences a bit, I just couldn't help myself. I hope she will be as happy to receive this set as I was to make it.

Robin's Pinwheel Sampler Back

2010-05-03T23:28:00.001-04:00

Robin's Pinwheel Sampler Back
Originally uploaded by AFriend2

This is the back of the Pinwheel Sampler Quilt for Robin. I love it. The fabrics, the colors, the quilting, the binding. It's all just perfect.

Robin's Pinwheel Sampler-Front

2010-05-03T23:14:00.007-04:00

Here it is, the finished Pinwheel Sampler Quilt for Robin. Many thanks to Amy for all of her creative energies and skill in putting this quilt together, both front and back. I am pleased to have been a member of this fabulous team of creative and generous ladies.

Robin's Pinwheel Sampler-Front
Originally uploaded by AFriend2

Hot Tools

2010-04-30T21:52:00.001-04:00

I love tools. No, I really love tools. I used to think my husband was overly obsessed with his tool collection. As it turns out, I am now equally obsessed with the tools of my craft. My latest great find is the Petite Press from Dritz. It's a handy-dandy portable mini iron with a 4-position adjustable head. The Petite Press is lightweight, heats up quickly, and has four temperature settings. It takes up so little space, it's perfect to use while I'm piecing at my machine. I also have the Clover Mini Iron, but have never been too keen for it. The handle on the Petite Press is ergonomically designed and a much more comfortable fit for me. The adjustable head makes for superior maneuverability in compact spaces, and I have found that this little iron maintains its temperature setting nicely. I picked mine up at Jo-Ann's and with my 40% off coupon, found it to be decently affordable. It's an excellent addition to my "tool box"!

Worn and Loved c. 1870

2010-04-26T11:11:00.000-04:00

I'm off and running with my "Suzanna Quilt" by Jeanne Horton. I found this pattern in the quilt magazine, Quilt Mania and fell in love with the aged-look of the fabrics. I like the authentic feeling this quilt inspires. I have cut and paired all the Monkey Wrench block fabrics, but plan to hold off cutting the sashing strips, cornerstones and border triangles until all 61 blocks are completed. I definitely want to make certain the measurements listed are correct before I cut the remainder of the fabrics. Lesson learned from a prior rather costly, bad experience. So far I have 5 blocks down and 56 to go.

Hexagons

2010-04-26T10:42:00.000-04:00

I'm working on some more English Paper Piecing hexagons. I enjoy this hand work for times when my brain is just too tired to navigate more involved thought. It's kind of nice as it keeps my hands busy. These little cuties are the 1/2-inch size hexagons boasting reproduction prints. The purple print is from the Civil War VI from Windham Fabrics, the black print is from Colonies Archives by Windham Fabrics, the yellow print is Cinnamon & Spice by Jo Morton for Andover Fabrics, and the purple and red flower print in the center is Civil War Crossings by Barbara Brackman for Moda Fabrics. I'm still in planning mode for the end product, but eventually I want to incorporate some embroidery in this project.

Pinwheels For A Friend

2010-04-24T09:34:00.000-04:00

I'm kind of in pinwheel making mode recently. What can I say, they're fun! And so I've made a set of potholders for a family friend that has just this week been the recipient of a kidney transplant. Although she is now recovering at home, she must be vigilant regarding her environment and what she is "safe" to receive. These fit-the-bill. I used this superbly cheery fabric Hunky Dory by Chez Moi for Moda Fabrics. I adore this fabric and just looking at it makes me feel good.

Got Coffee?

2010-03-27T21:59:00.000-04:00

A funny thing, or maybe it's weird. I've always loved the smell of coffee brewing, but I cannot stand the taste no matter how it's prepared. I'm in the minority, I know this. Thank goodness for hot chocolate! Anyway, the goodies above are for my secret swap partner for Potholder Pass - round 2 with Amy over at www.duringquiettime.com. My partner didn't list a color preference, noting she loves every color. So I guess this will be a surprise in every way.

The blue floral set is a variation of the Monkey Wrench block designed by Jeanne Horton for use in her "Suzanna" quilt, which I will be getting to work on shortly. I used mostly Moda fabrics here, Wildflower Serenade II and Kansas Winter. The backing fabric is from the Centennial Collection by Windham Fabrics.

The espresso set was last minute really. I was visiting my LQS Friday, when I spotted this "Espresso Yourself" fabric by GP Creations for Wilmington Prints. It's festive and yummy looking don't you think? I like it very much and I think it's a fitting theme for nearly any kitchen. I managed to forget sewing the loops on this set, so I opted to try the grommet route. I discovered grommets are actually fun to install! I was always too nervous to use the the darn tool, but it's truly easy and provides a polished finishing touch.

It has been an enjoyable experience planning and participating in this swap, my first swap. I hope my fabric choices suit my partner's taste and that she'll have a bit of fun receiving some "good mail" next week.

Baby Dogs

2010-03-21T21:23:00.002-04:00

They're here, they're here! After what feels like an eternity, our girls are finally home. As we prepared to usher in Spring this weekend, we also welcomed home two beautiful new additions to our family. A 7-1/2 week old creamy yellow female lab named "Emma" and an 8 week old sleek black female lab named "Shelby". We traveled to a breeder in Ohio, where we picked up the pups. Many thanks to my dad for safely chauffeuring us there and back. We've been looking forward to this day for several years and we're over-the-moon happy with their arrival.

Puppy breath, the pitter-patter of puppy feet, chubby bellies, waggling tails, cute butts, and juicy puppy kisses. These are just a few of my favorite things. Once reunited with the familiar traits of "puppyhood", I can honestly say there is nothing sweeter than the scent of a puppy. Simply yummy!

We've had a full weekend of introductions between the baby dogs and the established elders of the house and so far...so good. As they should be, the puppies are playful, active and curious. We're eager to discover their personalities and daily progress. This has truly been an exciting unforgettable time for us.

Friendship Bag

2010-03-17T23:12:00.001-04:00

I was quilt surfing online when I came across this terrific tutorial by Rachel Griffith at www.psiquilt.com This bag is a super cutie and will make for sweet gift giving ideas. Oh the possibilities....

These two bags are made mostly from the Whimsy fabric line by Fig Tree & Co. for Moda. If I found this little bag at the quilt shop, I would fall all over myself to buy the pattern or the bag itself. It's just so darn cute. So getting it for free was a bonus! And I love that it's a crazy fast project from start to finish. Sometimes, I just want to make something uncomplicated and this fits the bill.

I filled these bags with recipient favorites - dark chocolate, homemade pecan biscotti, and popcorn. One is designed to be part of a birthday gift for my mom and the other is a thank you gift for her best friend Chery.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I hope you have fun with the ladies.

I'm On A Roll.....

2010-03-10T10:47:00.000-05:00

Last weekend's triumph is another tote. For this undertaking I constructed the Practical Bag from Grand Revival sewing patterns by Tanya Whelan. I chose the Rouenneries fabric line by French General for Moda. Have you seen this fabric line? I was a goner the first time I set my eyes on this fantastic vintage-style find. I love, love, love the color combinations, especially the reds and grays.

Although the instructions did not call for utilizing interfacing with this pattern, a sturdy medium weight cotton was suggested for the lining. The Rouenneries line isn't a medium weight fabric and I absolutely should have added some interfacing. Live and learn! I will definitely try some light or mid weight fusible on the next one. I like the style of this bag and find it to be just the right size - not too big at all. I have enjoyed this pattern very much and found it to be relaxingly easy.

Potholder Pass Practice

2010-03-02T15:43:00.004-05:00

After recently joining round 2 of the Potholder Pass with Amy over at www.duringquiettime.com, I figured I'd better get practicing. Perched on my bookshelf for who knows how long, has been a dedicated potholder book filled with inspiration. This book,"101 Fun-to-Quilt Potholders" by Trice Boerens, has ideas for all sorts of occasions. Cracking this book open was a good place to start.

So far I've made a total of three sets. The first is a coordinating set of "Spin Art" potholders utilizing the templates given in the book. I really do love reproduction fabrics, so for this pattern I chose patriotic fabrics from the Centennial Collection by Windham.

The other two sets are identical potholders utilizing the "Broken Dishes" quilt block pattern. I used mostly Moda fabrics here. My practicing has been fun and motivational. Now I'm looking forward to the exchange and meeting my swap partners come April. In the meantime, a set of these will brighten up my kitchen.

The Finishing Touch

2010-03-01T21:01:00.002-05:00

Got it, & lovin' it! My custom barnwood frame finally arrived, adding the just the right rustic charm to Nana's Flower Patch.

Tons of Snow....A Good Thing

2010-02-28T21:55:00.020-05:00

Okay, so it snowed! I confess that I figured the warning for this latest snow storm would be yet another - "almost, but not quite", on the snowfall scale in these parts. Almost as soon as the snow started to accumulate, I knew it was going to be a good thing! I could feel a sewing-marathon brewing and I knew exactly the project I wanted to tackle.

Although I've never made an Amy Butler design, I do love her patterns and fabric. I decided to pull out my pattern for the Birdie Sling and these fabrics from Amy's MIDWEST MODERN collection and go to work. I started Friday and finished Sunday. I followed the instructions to the letter and learned a rather PAINFUL lesson. From this day forward, I will always check for pattern corrections on the web. There was an error at step 6, that I didn't figure out until I had sewn all four panels. After venting a bit and lots and lots of seam ripping, I was back on track. I'm uncertain if I'll make this bag again. But if I do, I will definitely make a few alterations. I would use a lighter weight fusible interfacing or perhaps a sew-in fusible. I think the SF-101 by Pellon alters the drape of the fabric and I just don't like the feel of it. Plus, I would add a zippered inside pocket. This time I did add a magnetic snap, as this is an awfully large bag not to have a secure closure.

Here's my finished Sling boasting Spring colors. I'm pretty happy with it, and thrilled I actually accomplished a project start to finish.

Portraits Of Alaska

2010-02-04T13:13:00.000-05:00

This is probably my most ambitious effort to date. "Portraits of Alaska" is by Trish Stuart. While visiting Alaska in the Fall of 2004, I signed up for this 12-month BOM quilt kit at Seams To Bee quilt shop in Homer, Alaska. There was a finished example of this quilt displayed right in the center of the shop and I fell in love with it on the spot. I started this project in January 2005 and finished it in June 2007. This quilt features raw edge applique, which at the time I was quite new to learning. I had this quilt custom quilted by Mt. Pleasant Quilting Company in York, New York.

Red Medallion

2010-02-04T10:56:00.000-05:00

This is the center block of the "Red Medallion" quilt by Shirley Gillam. Pattern found in Down Under Quilts Magazine, issue 117, 2008. Block features a selection of madder red prints and black fabrics to add contrast against a cream background. I began this project in mid January 2009 and finished mid August 2009. This block is accomplished with needle-turn applique, reverse needle-turn applique and hand quilting. Once completed, double-matted and framed, this was given to my parents in celebration of their 40th wedding anniversary in September 2009.

Current Work In Progress

2010-02-03T22:25:00.000-05:00

This is "Spring Storm" by Toni Whitney, pattern from Bigfork Bay Cotton Company. From the moment I first saw this quilt, I knew I had to make it. This pattern is designed for raw edge appliqué. I purchased this quilt kit in 2008 and didn't begin work of any kind on it until June 2009. With several months pause, I returned to working on it in late December and have finally finished the piecing and fusing in January 2010. I still need to quilt the entire piece and bind the edges. I am pleased with it so far,but can't wait to finish it and hang it.

If you too have made this quilt, I would love to see your work.

Nana's Flower Patch

2010-02-03T20:14:00.001-05:00

"Nana's Flower Patch", pattern from Mountain Patchwork, is my most recent finished project. This was my first experience with English Paper Piecing and already I love it. This is an easily portable project, no sewing machine required and best of all it moves right along. All that's left to do is frame it. I've ordered a barnwood frame and am patiently awaiting its arrival.