Pinwheel Sampler Quilt Along - Block One

Rachel is feeling better and has started her Pinwheel Sampler Quilt Along and posted the first block instructions last night.  I was so excited that I made both my blocks last night.

Here they are.

Eh.  I like them but I don't LOVE them.  I personally like the yellow pinwheel/red gingham block better than the other.  I think it's the stripe I'm not loving.  And if you notice on the yellow pinwheel block... bottom right corner.  I sewed it on upside down and my HST seam is off.  Of course I notice all this AFTER sewing the whole block together.

I wasn't going to officially join the quilt along; just watch what was going on and then do the blocks at a later date by myself.  But I got this fabric line for Christmas 2008 and I bought it specifically for a pinwheel quilt for MY BED.  So why not?  I can handle a block or two a week.  I hope.  I'm going to have to make a few extra of each block style since I do want it for my bed and Rachel's will make a generous-sized lap quilt.

If anyone is interested, the fabrics are Darla by Tanya Whelan.  I just LOVE it.

Enjoy your day!
Jen  :)

My Friday Night Sew In Results

I got quite a bit done and I'm happy.  I started early (4 p.m.) because I knew once Punkie got home, I wouldn't get much more sewing done.  She horned in on my sewing time anyway and wanted to work on her sewing project.  I'll share that with you another time.

Okay, what I accomplished...

First, I can only show you this because I'm working some something special for Easter and I have lurkers/peekers and I don't want to spoil the surprise!

Second, I put a binding on some paper piecing blocks (my first) that I did last year.  I'm going to hang it up somehow in my new sewing room.

Lastly, a Spring table runner made from Fresh (Deb Strain).  I really like it!  I hustled today to get it quilted and the binding on so that it is done, done, done!  One table runner OFF my To Do list!  WooHOO!!  Inspiration came from Kris and her Valentine's Day runner.  I just loved it and so easy to put together.  I will say that I ripped out rows about 4 times because I stitched them on upside down.  So much for the husband keeping the child occupied!

 

 

But it's done and I love it.  I machine-sewed the binding on.  And my quilting... well, I need practice.  I wanted to do swirls and loops on it but I totally chickened out and I just followed the blocks.  One of these days I will practice my free-motion quilting.  Someday.

Thank you Heidi and Bobbi for organizing.  Looking forward to the next one!

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Friday Night Sew In

Is everybody ready??  I know I am!  I have a few projects picked out to finish and get started.  Just need to get through the work day. 

I will  be posting pictures tomorrow!

Enjoy your day!
Jen

More Maggies!

My orange polka dot pouches were a big hit with my cousins.  BIG hit.  They wanted some for themselves.  Like, yesterday.  LOL.  One of my cousins wanted, I think, 4 sets for various things but I can't remember exactly what she wanted so I only made one set for her.  I'll have to find out how many more she wants.

So I finished them yesterday.

 

Purple ones for my cousin and a family friend....

Brown for my other cousin (sister to Purple)...

And this white one is for my, follow this CAREFULLY now, my cousin's cousin's cousin.  Didja get that?!  LOL!  No relation to me what-so-ever.  But she saw my orange pouches out on my FaceBook page and really liked them.  She told my cousin Jessica that she REALLY liked them but wouldn't tell me.  So I thought I would make her a set and send them to her at college as a surprise.  They will be going into the mail this week.

Punkie wants a set of her own so I have to get on it.  I have one almost done.  Just need to start the bigger one for her.  Then I'm done with Maggie pouches for a while.

I have some other things that I have been working on.... Easter projects.  But I can't show them yet because I THINK I have "peekers" and I want them to be surprised.  LOL.

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Clowning around on a lazy Sunday

I think the pictures speak for themselves.  Amelia was playing quietly in her room in the afternoon.  She changed back into her pajamas and walked downstairs like this...  she wore the apron for the rest of the day.

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Love Is In The Air....

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone out in Blog-Land!  Give everyone you care about a hug today.  I know I did!

 

Enjoy your day!
Jen  :)

Potholder Pass 2

The first potholder exchange was such a hit, a second one is starting up!  Sign ups are happening right now until the end of February.

I signed up for a second time.  The potholders were very quick to put together and you have a month to get them done. 

So if you're interested, click on the link or the potholder signup button on my sidebar and sign on up!

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Here's a fun one!

44th Street Fabric is having a giveaway of Blush!  *swoon!*  1/2 yard cuts for a total of 4 yards!  *double swoon!*   WOW!  But you have to pop over and play the game (it's easy)!

Head on over and try your luck!

Enjoy your (snow) day!
Jen :)

Designer Mystery BOM at FQS

I signed up.  Thought it would be lots of fun.  I've never done a BOM before and I think I can handle one block a month.

I love this one.  Why?  I love, love, LOVE the Christmas fabric used.  I do like 'traditional' Christmas fabrics but most times I lean towards the fun and funky.  This one is it for me.  I love the colors used in the fabrics and the prints on the fabrics.  I just love it.

So I'm going to do it.  I just keep adding and adding and adding to my To Do list for 2010.  I need to stop!  LOL.

Enjoy your day!
Jen  :)

So. I had an idea

I'm gearing up for Easter.  I made my recipient list and I have 5 Easter baskets to fill.  F-I-V-E.  I may be overly generous but I like to give and they all remember Amelia at Easter time too so it's a wash.

But I don't want to go all crazy with all kinds of little store bought things that are going to get lost or break. 

Now, Amelia really likes to sew and I like that she likes to do "creative" things.  I bought her this kit after Christmas and she really likes it.

That's great!  Downside?  We've already put them both together and decorated them.  Another downside?  Kit costs about $7.00.

Sooooo, as I sit here today (supposed to be working), my brain is thinking "what can I put in these Easter baskets??"  And I had a GREAT idea!  Since I have to make 3 Easter baskets for "older" girls (Amelia included), I can make my OWN little sew kits!  I'm sure someone out there in blogland has done them before... I mean.  How HARD can it be??  Get some felt, trace a simple image, hole punch and viola!  Done.  Add a plastic sewing needle, yarn, some embellishments (maybe) and some cotton batting for stuffing.  Cute, yah?  Good idea, yah?

My list of images:
- bunny
- duck
- flower
- owl
- bear
- cupcake

Can  you think of any other "simple" images that I trace onto felt?  I thinking 3 kits per basket.  They can all be the same or not.  I don't care.  I will have to make them under the radar or Amelia is going to want to make them as soon as I'm done!

I need some ideas!

Enjoy your day!
Jen  :)

The DIY Dish

The creative girls at youcanmakethis{dot}com are launching a new brand new show  for all kinds of things creative.  FOR FREE!  And they are having a FANTASTIC giveaway of TWO Janome machines!  One is a sewing machine the other an embroidery machine.

Check it out here...

Check out the video too.  This is going to be fun!



Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

My Newest Project

My newest project is that I've moved into my very own sewing room!  Before I was sewing in a wee corner of the office but I was busting out of it.  Not enough room for my fabric.  It was occupying any open space I could find so it was time to move.

I moved into Amelia's old bedroom.  She is now in our old master bedroom and bathroom.  When I was pregnant, I NEEDED a new bedroom (when I nest during pregnancy, I nest BIG.  LOL).  So we put an addition on the house, above our garage.  The addition wasn't ready until Amelia was over a year old.  It's our new master suite and I love it.

I digress.  Since Amelia was moved into her new bedroom, I moved upstairs.  And I love that too.  Now, it's not fancy by any means or even that organized yet but I thought I would show you.  I would LOVE to have all kinds of shelving and storage behind doors and all that.  Make it all pretty but I have to think into the future.  If I get pregnant again, this again, would have to be the nursery and then I'm back in my wee corner of the office. So I couldn't go crazy with furniture.

I am however, getting a bigger cutting table and it needs a paint job which I will do in the Spring.

See Amelia's window valance is still up.

Ignore the mess and chaos on the shelves please!

One more view.

So.  That's my newest project.  I'm happy that I'm able to spread out and have my own space.  It's very refreshing.

I hope you enjoyed seeing it!

Enjoy your day!
Jen  :)

Getting Things Done

Hello!  How is everybody today??  Seems like it's been a while since I've posted something that I've worked on.  Work has been hectic.  No time for any fun.  But I've had some things that I had to get done so I've been sewing on and off during the evenings for at least 30 minutes.  Just to play catch up.  I also would like to bring my machine in for service before I start anything new.  Now that I'm all caught up, my machine will be going tomorrow.

First up... my signatures blocks.  102 of them.  DONE.  They will be going into the mail this weekend.

Second... my potholders.  DONE.  I made two covered button magnets to go with them.  One I put on a binder clip with her first initial.  Cute, no?  I found that idea (and the embroidery letters) here... I have plans to make more.  Some for my own fridge and a few for Amelia and all her artwork that she likes to display.  Potholders will be in the mail this weekend too.

Third project... two travel pillowcases for my BFF's little girl.  My BFF emailed me a couple of week ago asking if I would make her daughter an Eeyore pillowcase for a travel size pillow.  She's currently not using a pillow but a stuffed Eeyore to sleep on.  They want to give her a small pillow to have her get used to the idea of a pillow.  So I said SURE!  Of course, can't find just Eeyorre fabric so I got Pooh (Eeyore is on there somewhere) and I just thought the yellow with the baby animals was too cute so I bought that too.  I had the cloud fabric here at home.  If you can guess.... these will be on their way to Texas this weekend too.

Fourth (and last) thing I'm working on... spooling ribbon!  I found this on Jodi's site who found it somewhere else and I just adore how the ribbon looked all spooled like that.  My challenge was finding the old fashioned clothes pins!  I looked in every hardware store, Walmart, Target and Dollar Store that crossed my path!  I finally had a revelation to check out the art and crafts store.  So I went to Michaels and found wooden doll pegs.  Works just as well.  They are a bit smaller and don't have the tapered ends but I'm happy!  This is just a small portion of my ribbons.  I have a few more to spool.  I have a lidded glass jar in the basement, doing nothing so I will get it dusted off and my ribbons will live in it when I'm done.

That's all for now.  I have another project to show you that I've been working on.  Tune in tomorrow!

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

You Can Make This {dot} com Giveaway!

This collection of sites is AWESOME!!  They have fun and fresh embroidery designs.  I lose track of time when I go visiting there.  Check it out.  They are having a great giveaway!

I'll be back soon with some updates as to what's been going on here.

Enjoy your day!
Jen