Undecided. Need some help

Another UFO/WIP is now in top form.  But I'm not sure about it.  A few years ago, my cousin and her new family took a trip to the UK to show off their new baby boy to her husband's family.  She brought me back a fat quarter bundle of very cute fabrics and I tucked them away until inspiration struck.  I had found a pattern (Snapshot by Terry Atkinson in her Happy Hour pattern book) to use with them, cut them, pieced a couple of blocks and again, tucked them away until inspiration struck again.

I think what made me put these blocks and fabrics away is while I do like the fabrics individually; together, not so much.  But I wanted to get the blocks pieced and together in a top so I finished those up yesterday.

Here's a problem that I'm having.  The pattern has 6" borders but since these blocks are so busy, I'm tempted to leave it off.  The three choices I'm debating:

- use the pink cupcake fabric as the border.  I found some online that I can get
- use a solid soft pink and/or green as the border - a possible double border; thin green border with a wider pink.
- no border at all

close up of cupcake fabric that I'm debating for the border

The top is a decent lap size the way it is right and I plan to give it to Punkie anyway.  I have plans to find any cupcake novelty fabric for the back.  Just to add some more fun to it.  I am happy to have these blocks out of my WIP/UFO basket!

So what do you think?  Border or no border?  And if you vote border, which idea do you like?

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Friday Night Sew In Results... A few days late

Hello there!  Well, I DID participate in the FNSI but just took the time now to snap a couple of pictures.  The weather here has just been gray and cold, wet and dreary.  And my motivation went with it.  Truly has been lazy weather.  Today, the sun is trying to peek out and it has warmed up.  My heart goes out to those in the Midwest with the weather they are having.  I hope that sometime soon, they will catch a break.

A few years ago and a visit to TX, I purchased a table runner pattern, charm packs and yardage to go with it.  I started making the blocks when I got home from that trip and never thought of it again.  It's been my mission since I've been home to work through at least some of my WIPs and get them done.  I finished piecing the table runner a few weeks ago and I quilted it during this last FNSI.  Nothing fancy.  Just some straight line quilting.

I used Cotton Blossom charm packs.  It will be for my buffet or table this Fall.

Today I pulled out another WIP and I'm getting blocks pieced.  Maybe by the end of the week, I'll have a top to show you.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Friday Night Sew In - TONIGHT

I signed up.  Have you?  I don't know what I'm going to work on.  I have a tablerunner that has been in my WIP stash for about 2 years now.  I finally got the top pieced a couple of weeks ago and then I walked away from it.  Maybe I'll prep it and get it quilted.  It's dark in color so it will be for either my dining table or buffet for the Fall.

But more exciting news... we have a new mattress being delivered this afternoon!  HOORAY!!!  Maybe I'll get a decent night's sleep tonight for the first time in months.  We got the Tempur-Cloud Supreme.  Oh what a COMFY mattress.  I can't wait to get to sleep tonight!  I REALLY wanted the ergo adjustable foundation where I can raise my head and feet too but my husband wasn't buying it.  Shucks!  Maybe we can upgrade in the future.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Elephant Fun

You remember Patches?  My BFF's oldest daughter spotted Patches and asked if it was for her.  Her Mama told her no but said that "my friend Jennifer will make you one."  Julia said "my friend Jennifer will make me a yellow elephant!"  How precious is that?  Her friend Jennifer sure did make her a yellow elephant.  Well, I wish it was a bit more yellow but I was having a hard time finding yellow fat quarters that I liked.

Julia's elephant

And so that little sister didn't feel left out, I made her a pink and purple one.

Sydney's elephant

and here they are, posing together.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Danger, Will Robinson!

Oh boy.  I'm in trouble now.

There is a family owned sewing and vac business in my area.  They have a few locations spread throughout the state and they do carry fabric.  A smallish selection but it's there.  What I like about the shops is that they carry more of the fabrics that I like (Riley Blake, Heather Mulder Peterson...) but they are out of my way so I don't go to them very often.  If I go, it's a "special" trip.

I got their newsletter/ad pamphlet in the mail yesterday.  One of their locations is moving in June.  Moving RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER from my mom's house!  Seriously.  I would drive by it every time I went to visit my mom!

I didn't know it was literally at the stop light where I turn to get to my mom's until this morning.  The address was bugging me.  It sounded familiar so this morning I did some searching.  I googled a bunch of the big business along the route to figure out their address and once I hit it, I realized just where this new shop is going to be.

When I visit my mom, I will have to leave my credit cards at home!  Too tempting!

On another note, looks like my 12 Days of Christmas BOM post has been restored from the whole Blogger mess.  If you missed it, it's a few posts down.

Have a great weekend!
Jen

Onto the next steps

I'll have to re-write my post from yesterday on my 12 Days of Christmas BOM but for right now, I would like to share my Bliss disappearing 9 patch blocks with you.  I have 25 blocks pieced and I was going to make more but I think 24 is going to be plenty for my new idea; well, until I measure things that's my thought.

Before I tell you my idea... here are a couple of snapshots of the block (please ignore all clutter in the background)

Now for my idea.  Our bedroom gets a bit chilly in the winter.  My husband needs to look at the heating duct work and figure out what he can do to fix that.  We have an outdoor wood boiler that heats our house and it is located at the opposite end from our bedroom.  For whatever reason, the heat just isn't strong on our bedroom side of the house.  Like you all needed to know that.  ANYway... I was going to have these blocks become a traditional quilt but I have since decided to make a duvet cover for our feather duvet insert.

I've been looking online to get some ideas on how to construct this duvet cover but everything I ran into pretty much just uses two sheets so here are my thoughts.  Tell me what you think.

I have decided to back the completed top with a solid and do some (very light) quilting.  Reason is this, I don't want to see my block seams.  I want to believe that if I do this, it will help with washing and drying.  For the backing, I'm leaning towards Bliss flannel OR that Moda Snuggle fleece.  Just for extra warmth.  The fleece may be too much with the feather duvet so I'm still kicking the idea around in my head.  But it would be so snuggly!

My next steps are to sash the blocks but more importantly, find my other duvet covers that are hiding in this house somewhere and measure them to make sure I have enough blocks and figure out how wide of a border to add.  And to figure out how to actually finish the open duvet end.

I'm excited to do this.  I hope it comes out as well as it looks in my head.

Have a great day!
Jen

Of course

My post from yesterday has disappeared with Blogger's earlier issues.  Looks like I'll have to sit down and figure out what I said. 

I'll be back again shortly.

12 Days of Christmas BOM

I'm working diligently through some projects that have been hanging around the sewing room and needed to be completed.  I have gotten all the blocks that I have in my possession pieced for the 12 Days of Christmas BOM that the FQS has been hosting the last 12 months.

Here are blocks 7-11

And here are all 11 so far

Only one more block to go!  Just waiting for it to arrive.  Should be here any day now.  I feel good getting these blocks done.  I was debating buying the finishing kit that the FQS has for sale.  But for $64.00, I'm going to pass.  This non-working girl doesn't have that kind of money right now and what money I have set aside for fabric is ear-marked for other projects.  So I'm going to finish it myself.  I think I'll sash it with a solid red and make aqua cornerstones in between the blocks.  I have some of the aqua from this line in my stash.  It will work out perfectly.

The kits are more than generous with the fabric and there is enough for a second set of blocks; I think block 10 (pinwheel present) will give me a little trouble because I know there isn't enough of the blue fabric left in my kit but I think I can substitute something else.  I know others have gotten 2 blocks out of the kits.  I'm thinking that I will make a 2nd quilt and put it away for Amelia for when she gets older and has her own home waaaaaay in the future.  Makes no sense not to use it.  I went around and around trying to figure out who would get my 2nd quilt and the logical answer is Amelia since I don't want to have hurt feelings among my extended family if I gift to one cousin but not the others.

Now, what next?  Postage Stamp blocks or Bliss?  Or trimming threads from Vintage Summertime pinwheel top to get it ready to send out for quilting?  OR my Birdie Stitches?

That's all for now!
Enjoy your day!
Jen

Some easy sewing

Did all the Moms have a nice Mother's Day?  I did.  We went out to brunch with some of my extended family and Mom.  It was nice and we all left the restaurant fat and happy.  Chris and Amelia gifted me a double thread cone holder for my sewing machine.  I love it.  It actually clips to the top of my sewing machine.  I should go and take its picture to show you.  When my cone of thread gets delivered, I will do just that.

I have many projects to work on but I just haven't felt like concentrating on them.  I had some fabric here in my stash and figured it was enough for some pillowcases so that's what I did.  I made pillowcases.

The 4 on the left is from Kari Ramsey's Tidbits fabric collection.  2 for us and 2 for Punk.  The cupcakes ones... well, they were supposed to be for Amelia but you know what?  I'm keeping them for myself.  I have another idea for her using these two fabrics so you'll have to stay tuned.  Hopefully in the next couple of weeks, I'll show you.  :)

That's all for now.  I signed up for the Santa Sack Swap and I have some ideas brewing in my head for my partner, Melissa and a long list of small projects I would like to make for her.  I'm just not sure what Christmas fabrics to use for my sack.  I think a trip to the fabric store for some inspiration is needed soon!  I have been working on my Bliss disappearing 9 patch blocks too.  I have 20 of them done and since I shifted gears with these blocks yet again, I have some re-measuring to do.

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Happy Mother's Day

To all the "Moms" out in blogland....

Have a great day!!

We can all help

Through the blogland grapevine, I found this post and I felt it needed to be posted here so that those that don't follow Carol's blog can see it and see if they can help.

Please read Carol's blog post and lend your support.  Your heart will be happy.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Patches the Patchwork Elephant

Hello there!  How is everyone today?  Things here are good.  I finished a quick project for Amelia and she will be SUPER excited when she gets home today.

On our way home Saturday, she and I stopped at Joann's.  We were standing in line to get some fabric cut and she proceeds to tell me that after our turn at the cutting counter, we had to browse the store so that SHE can get something.  This is a very bad habit that my Mom got her into.  Any store they happen to shop in together, Amelia gets whatever she asks for (within reason).  My husband and I are trying to break her of this habit... I digress.  She wanders away to look at the buttons and returns to me with a sleeve of buttons shaped like buses.  She tells me she needs them.  I tell her to put them back.  In front of the cutting counter, there are some items displayed and Amelia spots something she HAD to have.  And then begged me to get it for her.  Pleaded.  Told me she would listen to me all week long if I JUST got her this one thing.

Meet Patches.

Patches came in a kit.  I think the kit is called "Make a Stuffed Friend" or some such thing.  I got Patches done in a couple of days because I really didn't feel like making Patches but Amelia has been good and honestly, I'm tired of her asking when her elephant was going to be done.  But if you had nothing better to do, you could get this done in an afternoon.  The directions are really easy to follow and I suppose it was worth the $12.00 I paid for the kit.  I need to stop at Joann's sometime soon and get a couple of larger black buttons.  I only have one and the kit just has you sew two fabric circles on for eyes which to me seems really weird and freaky looking.  Buttons are better.

So here Patches sits, on the couch, waiting for Amelia to get home.  She will be very surprised!

Enjoy your day!
Jen