Adding to the stash

* if you are looking for the Large Quilt Block book giveaway, check out this post *

Just over a week ago, we packed up the truck and took a road trip to Bird-In-Hand, PA.  My husband had a few things to get for the farm and corn planting.  Punk had Spring Break for school so she and I tagged along.

We spent a very nice few days in Bird-In-Hand and just hung out.  We toured a small pretzel factory.  Went to tour Turkey Hill and got free ice cream out of that deal.  Swam our cares away in the 2 indoor pools.  It was family time at its best.

What I did was spend some money and brought home some cotton goodness.

I went with a very detailed list.  There were a few things I was determined to find.  Couple things I did, others were a bust.  Ah.  Just gives me an excuse to shop online.

Charms packs, big and small.  If you can't see the minis, those are "Aspen Frost".  I had a generic catagory on my list called "mini charms".  These fit that bill. 

A few patterns.  "Flirt" was on my list and I'm happy I found it.  I bought all the yardage to make this wallhanging a few months ago but never got around to buying the patten.  Now there is no excuses on my part.  I just have to find that yardage I bought.  It's hiding in my sewing room somewhere..... Dilly Dally jumped into my hands; as did Winter White. I think Marmalade will be Dilly Dally and Odds and Ends - Winter White.  That is my thought right now.

This Riley Blake yardage is strictly stash.  I just liked it so I bought a few 1/2 yard cuts from the line.

The neutral peeking in is for a memory quilt and I need to get started on for my Grandmother. 

The rest?  Pillowcases.  The farm themed yardage (the cows) is Punkie's contribution to my shopping.  She and Daddy, according to her, needed farm pillowcases.  I did not get any yardage for myself since there is a farm line that came out earlier this month that I adore and I will make my pillowcase out of it when I buy some.

All the pillowcase fabrics have been washed and now are in waiting.  I hope to get a few done on Friday.  Again, work has been busy and the weather has finally changed to Spring so we've been working outside on our landscaping.  No sewing here.

Hope all is well where you are!

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Large Block Quilts - My day!

Comments are now closed.  I will draw a winner by the end of today.  Good Luck!

Today is my day on the tour!  If you are new to my blog, WELCOME!  I always enjoy new friends.

I was very excited when Vickie asked me to participate in the tour for her new book, Large-Block Quilts.  I'm all about quick, easy and fun these days and this book does not disappoint!  And when I saw this one:

I NEEDED to have this book.  My obession with pinwheels is still holding strong.  But will it be quick to piece?  That is the mystery to be solved.

My journey starts where else?  SHOPPING!  I decided that new fabrics were needed to make the quilt.  Off to Etsy I went to snope and shop.  While I was loading up my online shopping cart, I took pause.  I said to myself "Self. You have loads of fabrics at home on your shelves collecting dust.  I'm SURE there is something there you can use."  {I hate it when the good fairy comes out to talk some sense into me.} 

I debated going random scrappy but I felt the pinwheel blades would have been lost and I like the symmetry look of the matchy-matchy.  I did remember having some fabrics at home that I bought about 3 years ago (at least!) for a quilt for my Punk.  But I never did anything with it.  Question is, did I have enough?

By golly, I did!  Kind of.  I didn't have enough yardage but I had charm packs.  Lots of charm packs.  The longest part was digging out all the charm squares that I would need and deciding on placement.  In no time flat, my patchwork was completed.  I did some stash-busting to boot!  Hooray!!  I had intended this quilt to be for me but with my color choices, I think it will end up going to Punkie.  Maybe she will share with me. 

In a few short hours, I had a COMPLETED quilt top!  Never have I completed a whole quilt top in a day!  It's a generous lap size too.  I really love it.  I would like to point out that the patchworked pinwheels are supposed to be identical (just in case you are REALLY looking closely at my piecing) but I was working with what I had.  I'm sure you all understand.  It's all about speed and stash-busting.  :)

sorry for the lousy lighting.  I forgot to take a picture and took a quick one last night

I'm just tickled to have a finished top to show for my efforts so fast.  I'm not done with this book.  A few more quilts are calling my name. 

If you stuck around this long, reading about my pinwheel adventure, you should be rewarded!  Each blog participating in the book tour is giving away a copy of Vickie's book!  Lucky for you!!  You'll be able to make a quilt top in no time flat too.  If you happen to be international (not US) and a winner, Vickie may opt to send you an electronic copy (eBook) instead of a hard-copy.

To win, just leave a comment on this post.  That's it.  How easy!  A few rules though:
- One comment per person
- No anonymous or "no reply" comments will be counted toward the giveway
- Unless you provide me with your name and email in the comment.  I need a way to get a hold of the winner

Comments will be collected and winner will be announced on May 1st.  Good luck!

Be sure to visit all the bloggers on the tour to get their thoughts on Vickie's book. Plus it increases your chance of winning your own copy.  :)

4/20 Vickie Eapen www.spunsugarquilt.com

4/21 Me & My Sister http://www.meandmysisterdesigns.com/blog  

4/22 Natalia Bonner http://www.pieceandquilt.com/

4/23 Kathy Brown http://www.theteacherspet.typepad.com/theteacherspet/  

4/24 Jen http://www.misspunkiepie.blogspot.com/  - ME!!!

4/25 Carol http://www.carolscraftblog.blogspot.com/  

4/26 A Spoonful of Sugar http://www.aspoonfulofsugardesigns.com/  

4/27 Kate Spain http://www.katespaindesigns.blogspot.com/  

4/28 Stefanie http://www.littleladypatchwork.blogspot.com  

4/29 Stitch This! Martingale’s blog http://blog.shopmartingale.com/


Vickie- Thank you for including me in your book review and tour.  I really enjoyed myself and your book is awesome!  I think I'm going to make myself another pinwheel quilt.  :)

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Large Block Quilts blog tour - Days 2 and 3

If you haven't heard yet, there is a blog tour going on for Vickie's book, Large Block Quilts.  Day 2 was yesterday and today is day 3.  Sorry for not posting about day 2 yesterday but we were on our way home from a nice long weekend away.  By the time we got home and settled, being on the computer was the last thing I wanted to do.

Yesterday was Me & My Sister's day on the tour.  They made such a fun block from Vickie's book.  Today is Natalia Bonner's day.  Be sure to go and visit.  Ten chances to win your very own copy of Vickie's book!

4/20 Vickie Eapen www.spunsugarquilt.com

4/21 Me & My Sister http://www.meandmysisterdesigns.com/blog 

4/22 Natalia Bonner http://www.pieceandquilt.com/

4/23 Kathy Brown http://www.theteacherspet.typepad.com/theteacherspet/

4/24 Jen http://www.misspunkiepie.blogspot.com/  - ME!!!

4/25 Carol http://www.carolscraftblog.blogspot.com/

4/26 A Spoonful of Sugar http://www.aspoonfulofsugardesigns.com/

4/27 Kate Spain http://www.katespaindesigns.blogspot.com/

4/28 Stefanie http://www.littleladypatchwork.blogspot.com

4/29 Stitch This! Martingale’s blog http://blog.shopmartingale.com/


I will be back soon to show you what I bought on our mini vacation. 

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Large Block Quilts blog tour - Day One!

And the fun begins!  Today marks the start of the "Large Block Quilts" blog tour; book written by Vickie.  It's awesome, by the way.

Please make sure to visit all the blogs on the tour.  I promise you will love it.  :)

4/20 Vickie Eapen www.spunsugarquilt.com
4/21 Me & My Sister http://www.meandmysisterdesigns.com/blog/
4/22 Natalia Bonner http://www.pieceandquilt.com/
4/23 Kathy Brown http://www.theteacherspet.typepad.com/theteacherspet/
4/24 Jen  http://www.misspunkiepie.blogspot.com/  - ME!!!
4/25 Carol  http://www.carolscraftblog.blogspot.com/
4/26 A Spoonful of Sugar http://www.aspoonfulofsugardesigns.com/
4/27 Kate Spain http://www.katespaindesigns.blogspot.com/
4/28 Stefanie  http://www.littleladypatchwork.blogspot.com
4/29 Stitch This! Martingale’s blog http://blog.shopmartingale.com/


Have fun!!

Jen

Barn Raising!

I've been taking part in Lori Holt's Quilty Barn QAL but I decided that I needed instant gratification so I only went with 4 barns.

Now that my 4 barns are done, I'm thinking I will go with a whole 20 block lap quilt.  I will slowly work on the 6" quilt blocks for each barn and put them together as I feel like it.

I am happy with my barns and hope to pick up something fun for the back when we are in Amish Country, PA next week for a couple of days.

The blocks in my barns are: postage stamp, churn dash, granny square and a pinwheel.

That's all for now.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Getting back to it

I mentioned in my last post that Amelia was going to my Mom's for the weekend and I was hoping to get in some major sewing time.  Pedal to the metal and I got things done!

Three more personalized pillows.

Lilly

Sophie

Anthony

I fell in love with this doggie fabric and knew I wanted it for Anthony's pillow but I didn't know how to use it without losing the overall look of it.  So I used it on the back of his pillow instead of the plain white like the girls.

And a wipe holder.  My cousin has been asking for on for herself for a couple of years and I held back since, at the time, her oldest was out of diapers.  Now she has a new baby boy (my Godson this coming Sunday!) so I thought it was time to make her one.

I love this "classified ads" fabric!  Riley Blake - Peak Hour

I think she will be happy with me finally.  LOL!

I would have gotten a bit more done but those pillows take a few hours each.  I'm just happy to have them done since I have to give them to their respective owners this weekend.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Hello? It's me.

Sorry to have been so quiet on the blog front.  You know the old story; life gets busy.  Work is crazy.  Blah, blah, blah.  With all that going on in my family life, no sewing happening.  I did take some time to work on 2 more barn blocks for my little wallhanging that I'm doing but decided that I will show you my completed (but not quilted) progress of a filmsy top.  So you will have to wait a little longer for any sewing progress pics.

What else?  Oh.  I have 3 personalized pillows to get done for next weekend so Punk is going to my Mom's for the weekend this week to give me some quiet sewing time.  She's looking forward to the sleep over and I'm looking forward to a whole Saturday of nothing but sewing.  I had planned on tearing apart my closet and Punk's linen closet but those boring chores can wait.  I want to sew.  That is my priority.

Did everyone have a nice Easter?  We sure did.  Eat too much but had a great day.  My husband made it out of hiding too.  He was down and out for 4 days last week with a terrible head cold.  For him to spend almost 2 days in the house, in bed?  He must have really felt lousy.  Between work and caring for Punk, I played nursemaid to my whining husband.  I'm glad he is feeling better though.  Double glad that I'm not sick nor Amelia.  We can do without it, thanks.

Remodel update?  Ummm.  Since my husband was ill, nothing progressed there.  Walls are painted in the dining room.  Our new dining room lighting was put up (my husband did it in between feeling better and not feeling better).  Flooring is still not in.  Fingers crossed that he finds time this month to do it.  I'm really hoping he will.  I'm tired of looking (and walking on) the sub-floor when I know my beautiful hardwood flooring is in the garage.  Our new back deck is staked out.  Maybe by the end of the summer that will be put in.  I need to clone my husband.  I hate to push him to get these projects done because I know he is busy.  But it would make me feel so much better to get my house in order the proper way and just be DONE with it all!

And that is that.  You have a run-down of everything that has been going on the last few weeks.

I should have something sew-y goodness to show you this weekend.  I have to dig in my stash for some fabrics for some upcoming fun but you'll have to wait to hear more about that.  ;)

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)