Daisy has done it again!

Sharon has worked her quilty magic once again!  And quick, too!  I send her my hexagon table runner and a wallhanging that I pieced for Amelia over a year ago but did nothing with.  LOVE them both!

On Amelia's wallhanging, she quilted happy sunshines and butterflies.

On the table runner, she quilted bees.  Love it!  It's on the recliner because my table is loaded with papers and I REALLY didn't feel like cleaning it off to take a proper picture.

Now it's binding time.  I really should hand stitch the binding on the backs of these things but you know what??  I'm STILL hand sewing the binding on the first quilt that Sharon quilted for me and that was done over a year ago!  In my defense, I was scared to hand sew because I didn't understand the process.  But I finally started it and I understand but it is slooooow going.  I get hand and eye fatigue so I do it when I can.  I try to do it in the evenings but sometimes I'm just too wiped out to bother.  I think I'm going to machine these on.  At least the table runner.  I want to get it on my table!

Thank you Sharon!  More will be coming your way soon!!

Enjoy your day!
Jen

OOOOOO! I can't wait to bust it open!

Oh. I got one. Delivered yesterday...I can't WAIT to open it! Well, I have opened it and peeked at a few of the fabric squares. I already have my list of fabrics that I want to get in bulk once they are available next year.

I think I need another. Just to look at.

Enjoy your day!

Jen :)

So? Didja see me??

Anyone out in blogland watch the Jerry Springer show? Did you watch it TODAY??? Today was the day the show that I went to see taped back in August was aired. And you know what? I made it on camera! LOL.

No. I wasn't one of Jerry's guests. LOL. The camera panned on me a couple of times. And there was one part, when MAMA stood up in the audience to address a comment from the panel that I was on camera for more than just a brief glimpse.

I'm FAMOUS! LOL!

I finished a tote bag that I've been working on. I will post a picture or two over the weekend.

Enjoy the rest of your Friday!
Jen

Friendship Bag Received

Babs over at crazylady quilts was my secret partner and she sent me a very pretty friendship bag with some matching goodies. A decoupaged picture frame for that very special picture of Punkie (which I have already set up in my sewing room) and a covered journal. She also sent me the rest of the fabric strips that she used. I think I'm going to make another one OR use the strips for another project. I'm undecided but I love my goodies. I have hidden my pretty little bag out of sight of Amelia. I'm afraid she will claim it for her own; as she often does and I want to keep this one! I'll just have to make one for her!


Thank you Babs!

I have to get my bag into the mail. I don't know why I'm dragging my feet. It's all done! Just have to pack it up. I also have Thank You cards to get in the mail for all the gifts Punkie received at her party. I'm dragging my feet with that task too.

I did a bit of sewing yesterday. I started on some Christmas gifts and worked on a version of the Mill House Inn tote that was featured on the Moda Bake Shop blog. They are very pretty (I'm making 2 so far)! I need to make one for myself. My yardage should be delivered today so hopefully I will have some time this weekend to continue working on them.

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Tablerunner - WIP

I wanted to get this table runner totally completed for Amelia's birthday party but I only got the top pieced and then I ran out of steam. Well, I wanted to stipple it for the quilting but I got scared so I put it aside. LOL. But for Punkie's birthday party, I took out the top and put it on my table anyway. I don't think anyone noticed it to tell you the truth. They were all outside. But I know it was there!


Very appropriate for a family who loves chocolate!

So, I will take it off my table now and quilt it. Maybe this weekend if I get the time. If not, I'll save it for Labor Day weekend when I think Punkie will be going to my mom's for the long weekend.

I have other things to show you that I've been working on AND party pictures from yesterday's celebration.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

The fabric part of the trip

I chose one shop to go check out in New York. I picked The Calico Gals in Fayetteville, NY. It's a very cute shop. Located in an old barn which I should have taken a picture of. Sorry I didn't. There was 3 shops in the barn. A florist and stitchery store on the first floor and The Calico Gals occupied the upper levels. I should have shopped some in the stitchery place. They displayed some wonderful projects but I was so overwhelmed. I'm not a stitcher (but I can learn). They had some very cute ones for Easter and Christmas embellished with adorable buttons. Yup. I should have shopped some there too. Oh well.

Here's the few things I did get. I was hoping to get more off my list but I didn't see any of the fabric I wanted.

Cute little wallhangings in "Snap Sacks". I bought 2 of them. The cupcake one is so cute! They have about 10 different ones to chose from. Chris helped me chose the 2nd one. I was debating between 2 different ones (vase with flowers and Spring Break pictured below) and Chris found the fabrics in the flower one "too busy".

Next... A table runner. But not just ANY table runner. This one promotes CHOCOLATE! The fabric in the checkboard has mini chips on it. Perfect for a chocolate loving family!


Close up of the border fabric...

This table runner is my next project, by the way.

Other odds and ends...

They had a sample made of the Tahoe Tote in the shop. Nice size for a carry all. So of course I had to get the pattern. The "treats" green fabric and the blue swirl are going to be used for pot holders and kitchen stuff. Something cute.

Now THIS is cool. My MIL, Punkie and I went to an Amish country store to do some browsing. Their pamphlet said they had 10,000 bolts of fabric so OF COURSE I had to go! Must have been a typo. They had a little bit of fabric but not much. I did get some fat quarters but I found this really cool thing.

When flat, it can be used as a trivet on the table. Very nice star pattern.


Pull up on the handle and you get...


A really cool basket!

I really liked it so I bought it. Amelia thought it was cool and so did Chris when I showed it to him. Handmade of course and the bottom is signed and dated. There were a few different designs but we all voted on this one.

I actually got some sewing done when we got home! I finished piecing my SIL's quilt top. WOOHOO. Batting fabric needs to be pieced together and it will be going to Sharon for some quilting magic! I will show you the top tomorrow!

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Going to the top of my TO DO list!

Vickie at Mid-Ohio Quilter (Knitter) created the CUTEST Moda Bake Shop tutorial. Just the cutest! I can't wait to make a few. Going on my TO DO list for kids christmas gifts. Yup. I am.

Enjoy your day!

Jen

Done!

Just in time! I leave for Texas on the 23rd for my BFF's daughter's 1st birthday and I finished up the wall hanging. Are you ready to see???

Here it is... I did no fancy quilting on it. Just followed the pattern. I really didn't want to practice my stippling on it. If I screwed it up, I would have cried. It's bad enough there are many mistakes in it already!

And the back....

And the label that I created today. I need to figure out this whole stabilizer business. I thought I was okay and the darn thing still puckered and pulled. And with all that, my image shifted and the black outlining is off a bit. But I think if I ignore it and not point it out to anybody, they will ignore it too!

I also made a little tote bag that I'm going to put three board books in. Amelia loves her different totes and bags to take with her and I think, or should I say hope, Julia will feel the same way when she gets a little older.

I had intentions of embroidering Tigger and Pooh (theme of party) onto a t-shirt for Julia too but that project was a complete failure. Again, the stabilizers! I need to take a course or at least read a REALLY good tutorial. But I will try again. I have a few embroidery projects in mind that I would like to do.

Done. I'm happy. I can relax on my vacation next week and not worry that I have work to do when I get home before I get on a plane. I'm going to take Punkie's quilt with me to New Hampshire so that I can get started on hand sewing the binding down. I machined it onto the front while she was away. Now I can focus on that AND my SIL's quilt.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Jen

(Somewhat) Instant Gratification

My vacation is over. Punkie is home. And I'm very happy because I was missing her terribly and getting a little bored with my free time. I will say that every mom friend that I talked to over the week who asked me where Punkie was were a bit jealous that I got that free time. And that Amelia was willing to spend all that time away from home with Grandma and Grandpa. I'm glad I started farming her out to spend nights at the grandparents' homes when she was 3 months old - and that they were willing to take her. She's very well adjusted like that. LOVES to go on vacation. But she was VERY happy to be home and back with her Mama and Daddy.

I got some work done on my various projects while she was gone. I'm half way through with sewing the binding on the pinwheels, I cut some of the Clementine FQs for my SIL's quilt, I did some machine embroidery - which was a COMPLETE disaster. I'm so sad. But I did some more machine embroidery practice and came up with another project for myself. I'll talk about that in the next couple of days.

I did start and finish a project yesterday and I LOVE it! I bumped into the bag on Gudrun's blog... after all, it is her pattern. It's called the Strip to the Beach tote and it's HUGE! Wide and deep. I love it and I can't wait to use it. I went and ordered the pattern book from the Fat Quarter Shop, along with my Oh-Cherry-Oh jelly roll and got started yesterday.

Here's the bag...

And the inside...

I'm glad I did the red polka dot fabric on the inside. Breaks up the cherry look. The bag IS a bit obnoxious looking with all busy cherry fabrics and colors but for the summer... I don't care! I will make this bag again with a calmer look. Now that I know what the yardage is, I can go and buy some fabric and make my own 2.5 strips. I have the fabric in mind too. :) And I will make the handles a big longer for myself. Personal preference.

The bag is very easy to make. I started at 1:00 p.m. and finished at 9:45 p.m. with a 5 hour break when Amelia got home.

Well, I need to get my pasta salad made for a picnic we're going to in a bit. Enjoy your day!

Jen

I've Waited Long Enough

I am ready to bust open those Clementine fat quarters! I have waited long enough! 3 whole weeks! I'm ready.

I pretty much caught up with some of my more pressing projects. The little tote that I wanted to make is done. I have started quilting the pinwheel wallhanging so I should be done with the quilting in the next day or two. Binding strip is made. I just need to attach it. I still need to machine embroider the T-shirt with Winnie the Pooh and Tigger but I'm scared. I'm afraid. I'm afraid to do the machine embroidery. But I'm going to try and get over it.

So, since those projects are pretty much done, I'm going to start my SIL's Clementine quilt. I will post progress pictures soon!

Very excited!
Jen

My Darling Clementine...

My, my, my... what have we got here?

Delivery from the Fat Quarter Shop! Well, what's inside?!

Oh my darlin'! Oh my darlin'! Ooooh my DARLIN' CLEMENTINE!


And a Sewline pencil. LOL.

The charm squares and pencil are for me. The blue and orange FQs and yardage is for my SIL's quilt that I will be starting soon. Very soon. She wanted a blue and orange colorway quilt and Clementine fits that bill so well! The orange is ORANGE like the fruit. I love it! And I'm glad I could just get the blue and orange FQs. But I have a feeling I will be buying more of them for myself.

I soooooo want to tear into the packages NOW but I can't. I have too much on my sewing table that need some attention. Once those projects are done, I will start the blocks for Charlotte's quilt.

It's going to drive me crazy! I left everything in the box and put it away. Out of sight, out of mind. Let's hope...

Enjoy your day!
Jen

A New Project

I'm bored. I have the pinwheel wallhanging to finish but I need to get to my LQS to get the white fabric for the second border (yes, I made up my mind) and I was going to do table runners for Mother's Day gifts for Amelia to give to the grandmas but I'm not feeling it. I have them pieced together and I have the backing and binding for them... bah. I'll save them for their birthdays in August.

So I decided to make this for myself...

using this....

but you know what? I DON'T like the charm pack. I don't know. I don't like the yellow-ness undertone in all the squares. I've been arranging and re-arranging my charm squares to find the "pattern" I would like in my tote and I'm not feeling it. Sooooo, I'm going to go back to the drawing board and figure out another charm pack to use. Because I do want to make the tote. Just not with this fabric line. Maybe I'll use Oh-Cherry-Oh. I REALLY like that one. I want a tote for the summer. Something happy.

That's all I got.
Jen

Quick Check In

Just thought I would do a quick post. Nothing too exciting happening. Thank you to everyone who spread well wishes to Punkie. I think they worked! She is feeling much better today! I've been working on a couple of projects at the same time. 2 table runners for Mother's Day and a pinwheel wallhanging for my BFF's daughter's 1st birthday. Here's a sneak peek of that one.


I really like how it's coming out. All the pinwheel blocks are done. I just have to attach them into rows and think up a border. Then it will be ready to be quilted. But I am going to put it aside as the birthday party is not until July. I need to focus on the table runners.... which need to get quilted as soon as I figure out what I want to do for backing.

Here are a couple pictures of Amelia in her Easter finery. Notice how she likes to be all "hollywood" in one of them. LOL. She loves getting dressed up so she can twirl. And this dress was extra twirly because of the pleating. The poncho was knit by my friend Sue. She also knit Amelia a purple one but it didn't go with the dress.



And as we speak, my husband is hard at work getting my quilt back nice and straight so that I can FINALLY get my very first quilt to Sharon to get quilted. I promise Sharon. It will be on its way soon!

That's all I got!
OH! Quilt back is all done! WOOHOO! Sharon be on the lookout for my quilt!

Have a good night!
Jen

Oh What a Bummer!

A few weeks ago, I posted about an online fabric sale that I found out through another blog that I read. Well, look at this.... http://www.quiltartsonline.com/. Out of business. What a shame. So for those of you who placed orders, check your credit card statements and make sure you weren't charged for anything.

I guess the saying is true... if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Jen

Sale! Sale! Sale!

You need to go HERE: http://www.quiltartsonline.com/ and SHOP!

50% off sale!!! Most yardage... $5.00 a yard. Fat quarters... $1.25! One dollar and twenty five cents!

I just spent $50.00 on fat quarters. YOU need to as well! LOL!

Some Gifts

I worked on some gifts the last couple of days. I made a pillowcase and blanket for my godson's birthday. He turned 11 today and I'm going to be seeing him tomorrow. He's a Yankees fan so I thought this would be appropriate for him. He has so much already and I have no idea what to get him so a blanket, pillowcase and some cash. I think he'll like it.

Next are some letter pillows for my cousin's little boy's nursery. I LOVE the animal flannel and now that I see the name put together, I would have rather done them all in the animal print versus alternating the letters with the cloud fabric. I have a feeling my cousin is going to feel the same way. Even though she is the one who picked out both fabrics. I should have prepared myself and done the 3 letters in the animal flannel. I would do them now but I'm tired.

My cousin doesn't think that "Joshua" is going to fit on the wall where these are intended to hang but I had the fabric so I made his whole name. I'm going to give them to her tomorrow.

That's all I got. Tomorrow is a busy day. I have a baby shower to attend and then dropping off gifts. I have a feeling I'll be home late. Weather dependant of course. I don't drive when the weather is lousy. One accident in my lifetime is more than enough for me!

Enjoy your night!

Jen

Honey Bun... Who Needs the Extra Calories?

I mean, fabric? I would! But I don't have the funds right now and my LQS doesn't have the Moda Honey Buns yet.

BUT I do have fabric in my stash that would be perfect in making Vickie's Lil Zipper bags from her tutorial on the Moda Bake Shop blog.

What do you think? Cute, no? I think so.

I'm starting it tonight. Let's see how long this lil zipper bag takes me. I'm home alone with Punkie tonight so sewing will be at a minimum until she goes down for the night. We'll see if I have the energy to sew after that. Maybe I'll at least get the fabric pressed and strips cut.

Enjoy your day!

Jen

Quilt Pattern using both Fat Quarters and Charms...

Know of any? I'm sure I can come up with my own "design" but I'm not confident enough (yet). I bought, I should say my husband bought (late christmas present), the Darla fat quarters for me and I also got the charm squares for Oh-Cherry-Oh!. I want to use both these fabric lines in a lap quilt (or bigger) for myself because I just love them! But I don't have a pattern that uses both fat quarters and a charm pack.

So? Any body out there got any ideas?? Know of a nice (read - SIMPLE) pattern that I can do to utilize both in one quilt??

Jen

Sew Some Love Swap Items Received!

The mailman left me some good mail yesterday! Kris (our swap leader) was my secret swap partner. How exciting!

She packaged everything up so cute... look at all those hearts.

I just LOVE the table topper! Can you see it under all the stuff? Now I have to clean my house so that I can display it on my table. And take a new picture so that you can really see it. No rest for me today. And the towel is oh so cute! I need to know where Kris got that nice waffle weave towel. I can't find anything like that over here. Or maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place. I've been using regular kitchen terry towels to embellish but I like this one so much more. And she was nice enough to include Amelia and gave her some Play-Doh (Punkie loves play-doh!) and some cookie sprinkles and heart cookie cutters. We will be making some sugar cookies soon.

Thank you Kris!

My cousin and her family came to my mom's house to visit last night since we haven't seen each other in a while. Her little boy is getting so big and Punkie can't wait for him to get bigger so that they can play! I can't believe he's 4 months old already!

My cousin also came bearing gifts. She, her husband and baby boy went to the UK for Christmas to see his family. She brought me back some yummy fat quarters! I say yummy because they have cupcakes and sweets on them. I can't wait to pick out a pattern and make a lap quilt for myself out of them. Add another quilt to my ever growing list!

So, I am by myself today. Punkie spent the night at my mom's so she won't be home until later this afternoon. My husband left very early this morning to go snowmobiling in upper Vermont. He won't be home until Wednesday afternoon. Punkie and I are solo. But since I'm free, I don't know what to do... clean my house, veg in front of the TV with a movie or sew and watch a movie. Decisions, decisions! I'm sure I will sew since I don't get this kind of free time very often and I'll get a lot done. Maybe I'll start on Magoo for Punkie... I will finish my swap items! Or do I work on the quilt top for Amelia...?

Well, I better get started on something!

Enjoy your day! Thanks again Kris!

Jen

Recent Pattern Purchase...

I've been wanting these patterns for a while now so I broke down last week and ordered a few of them off my list from Treasured Threads.

First order of business is to make Magoo. I LOVE that little monkey! Has anyone out there made Magoo? I read the instructions about 4 times last night so that I'm familiar with what I'm getting into. I'm okay up until I get to putting Magoo all together. Of course, I'm not following along with fabric pieces, just in my head so that makes things a bit tougher. But of course, I'm still confused. What else is new? LOL. I'm sure I can always email Melly for tips and advice. I am envisioning a purple Magoo with pink shorts for Punkie. And I found the perfect fabric for it. And of course, I need to make one for myself. Not sure what color mine will be...

Of course I have a bunch of OTHER stuff that needs to get finished before I start on Magoo. Like Punkie's lap quilt. I keep staring at the finished blocks and they stare back saying "Finish us already!" So I think that's what I'll be working on this weekend. Punkie's lap quilt and my Valentine's Day swap items.

I also wanted to thank everybody for their thoughts on my fabric stash and how much to buy question. Seems like everyone is in the same frame of mind. If you love it, buy as much of it as your wallet will let you! I will keep everyone's suggestions in mind when I go shopping this afternoon at my LQS... they are having a sale. Can't pass that one up!

Enjoy your day!

Jen