CT Quilt Shop Hop 2013

The local CT quilt shops host a bi-annual shop hop towards the end of September and I joined in the fun this year.  For whatever reason, I missed it in 2011.  I don't remember why.

9 shops participated this year.  In 2009, there were a lot more shops involved and they were located on the western side of the state.  This year was just concentrated in the central part of the state.  Less driving for me.  I wasn't crazy about those shops on the western side of the state anyway.

ANYwho.  I didn't finish the hop.  There were two quilt shops that I decided to skip from the start.  One is along the shoreline (only one) and it wasn't worth the drive.  They have 2 others in the area - family business and they don't have much fabric to begin with.  They specialize in custom window coverings and sewing machines.  The second one I skipped.... they don't need my money.  I loved their shop and the selection of fabrics but the employees were very rude in 2009 and I wasn't going to waste my time there.

I had fun.  My friend's Mom and I went together and split the list between two weekends.  Here are the treasures I came home with.

Every shop gave a free pattern for participating.  These are the patterns I collected plus some little notions.  2 mini seam rippers, pair of cute cat scissors, snail measure tape and a ruler.

Some FQs and yardage for a project I plan to work on over the Winter.  Since none of these color shades are in my stash, I had to stock up.  Of course, I made the decision after the fact to use the cream with black mini dot as my background fabric and all I have is a fat quarter of it.  I need to make a special trip to the shop where I bought it (I saw it on the bolt) or call them and see if they would let me make the purchase over the phone.

Some random fat quarters, a Bali Pop to make a quilt for my husband for Christmas this year (hopefully) and a layer cake.

Halloween yardage for a couple of pillowcases and Valentine yardage for a twister heart that I want to make.

Two new patterns.  That tote is next on my list to make.  There was a sample in the shop and it was awesome.  Great size.  

Lastly - SHEEPIES!!!  In 2011, I was crushing on this fabric line and now a couple of shops had the yardage in as "new".  I find it funny that the line is 2 years old but they just got it.

My sheep panel!  I will be quilting this one up to hang in my sewing room

And some yardage for pillowcases.

That's it.  Put a nice dent in my wallet but that's okay.  I don't do it often.  AND I went with a list and shopping purchase.  Few things got thrown into the mix "just because" but most of it, I have a vision for.  I have one more shopping trip in my near future.  Headed to New Hampshire this weekend and my husband is stopping at Keepsake Quilting for me.  :)

The memory quilt is coming along.  I'm up to 40 blocks finished?  I think that was my last count.  My goal is to get the entire top done and off to be quilted by the end of October.  Pedal to the metal over here!

Enjoy your day!

Jen :)

Boo Crew Mini

Sew Lux Fabric posted a very cute mini quilt in their blog last week using the mini charm pack of Boo Crew from Sweetwater.  I thought it was adorable so I ordered a reasonably priced kit and patiently waited.  It showed up late last week and I went to town on Sunday afternoon. I got it pieced, quilted, and bound... all in one day.  Record timing for me!

Isn't it cute?  It's the size of a place mat so I'm not sure of where I'm going to use it just yet.  Probably on my breakfast bar in my kitchen with the couple of Halloween Longaberger baskets I have.

I would like more quick patterns like this for those mini charm packs.  I'm collecting quite a few but for now, they just sit.  I hate to just use them randomly.

On the memory quilt front, my threats of "no pictures, you're out of the quilt!" worked and I got a bunch.  I started weeding out and scanning and I need to weed out again.  I have an album from my aunt that I haven't even gone through and I'm up to 54 blocks if I use what I've decided on right now.  Soooo.  I will be paring down the pictures once more.  The initial thought of this project being a wallhanging is just laughable at this point.  I just can't decide on the pictures.  We were all so cute when we were younger!  I found a GREAT picture of my brother at the age of 5 or so with my Grandmother in Disney World.  They both look miserable.  THAT picture is going into the quilt!  I laugh every time I look at it.

I did get 5 more pictures printed on the fabric paper and trimmed for blocks.  Did a little sewing yesterday afternoon and managed to get 2 more blocks done before I had to go to Punk's school for her Open House.  I'm down to 1/2 yard of fabric now so I can only get a few more blocks done.  Tomorrow starts the bi-annual CT Shop Hop.  I will be hitting the fabric store this weekend and stocking up on more yardage.  Can't wait to show you more of my progress soon!

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

She has a new dress

Just over 4 years ago, I made my ironing board a new cover.  I have been looking at it recently and a new cover was needed.  The area where I do most of my pressing on the board was discolored and crusty with starch.

I stopped at Hobby Lobby on my way home on Wednesday and spotted some very pretty fabric that I felt would work just fine as a new dress for my ironing board.

The gray and yellow I find striking together.  I'm going back on Monday to get more yardage for some pillowcases.  This girl can't have too many fun pillowcases for her bed.

I've been thinking hard about reorganizing my sewing space.  It's out of control.  I went to my local sewing center where I purchased my Koala cabinet and ordered the additional shelving for it.  I spotted the most AWESOMEST new machine that was begging to come home with me.  The owner gave me the trade-in value for my current machine plus all kinds of extras but... the price tag was, well.... kind of insane.  I came home without a new machine.  It's still on my mind but I'm holding strong.  MAYbe next year I'll cave but right now I'm good.

Back to reorganizing - with my new shelves coming for my cabinet in the next week, I'm going to slowly start getting my space back in order.  I would take a picture of it but it's horrible.  I can't bare to show it off.

Punkie had her first Spirit Day for school yesterday.  Crazy hat/crazy hair - one of our favorite Spirit days.  This year she wanted a punked out pony tail on the top of her head.

Next year we're going to add some hair color.  Lots of kids had fun colors in their hair this year but nobody teased it like I did.  :)  In my humble opinion, we rocked it again this year!

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Bitten by the Schnibbles Bug

I have been working away in my sewing room these last couple of weeks.  My sewing mojo that left me earlier this summer has found its way back to me.  Must be the cooler temps we've been having.  Summer is over here in New England.  Leaves are falling off the trees and our pool has been drained and put away, ready for next year.  However, the weatherman is telling me that 90 degrees temps are coming back for the middle of this week.  Whatever.  No wonder Punk caught her first cold of the season and is chilling at home today.  Poor thing said she didn't sleep well and just felt lousy this morning.

Okay - back to my sewing.  The last week of August, I decided I needed to sew something.  I had no clue what.  The memory quilt that I'm working on for my Grandmother is on hold until I get more pictures from extended family members.  I went digging.  Digging in my stash and came up with lots of treasures.  Found fabric I thought I used up or lost.  Found border fabrics I thought I never had (and ended up ordering 2 additional yards that I have no use for now).  And some charm packs with a few patterns attached.

I got to work.

First up - Full House made with Reunion charms by Sweetwater.  I hope to get some backing and binding fabrics soon so that I can get this one quilted and on my dining room wall for the Fall/Winter.  I gave each house coordinating roofs and doors.

McGuffey is next and it's made from Lucy's Crab Shack charms; also by Sweetwater.  I have backing and binding for this already.  I had intended to make the "Plan C" Schnibbles with it but I was in no mood to deal with HSTs.  I just wanted something quick and simple.

This is for my wall for next Summer to match my LCS table runner that I've already completed.  I have decided that these piano key borders are not for me.  Even though my top measured correctly without it and my piano key borders measured fine, they were still too big and I had to remove a piece from each and on either end of my border, my fabric is a bit cut off.

In my stash digging, I found several quilt kits that I've been hoarding.  Enough was enough and I busted one out. Working on getting the blocks done for that one.  Once it's in a filmsy form, I'll show ya!  Lots of multi-tasking going on over here.  OH!  And I'm working on a new tote bag for myself too.  :)  As well as bindings at night if my hands aren't bothering me.

I hope to be back soon to show you some more fabric fun!

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

8 years old and 3rd Grade

Another year has gone by.  My baby is officially 8 years old.  We celebrated twice over the weekend.  Big family/friend party on Saturday and ice cream cake on Sunday.

Today was the first day of school.  A 3rd grader.  Where did my little preschooler go?!

I just realized that my 5th blogiversary is coming.  I also just realized that I started my blog on my wedding anniversary!  HA!  I never noticed that before.  I think a giveaway is in order but I'm going to hold off for another month.... when I celebrate my own milestone.  :)

I have been doing a little sewing.  Working on getting some bindings done but I also made a little wallhanging for myself.  I'll show you that soon!

Enjoy your day!

Jen :)

Birthday Gift

It's me again and so soon.  Are you surprised?!

In between working on the blocks for the memory quilt for my Grandmother, I've been working on a birthday gift for a friend of mine.  I take a weekly ceramics class and August is a busy month for birthdays there.  My teacher, my good friend and her mom - all August birthdays.  And our class is small.  Only 5 students.  We do one big August celebration.  No need to have cake 3x in one month.

My teacher has a round table and has been asking for placemats to fit her table correctly.  I bought this book by Gudrun Erla for another project (the super tote on the cover - I haven't made it yet) and in the book? Curved placemats!

I bought some Fig Tree fabric and some coordinating ones and got to work.

The fabric right in the middle is what I used for the backing.  Quilting as you go is a wonderful concept.  These were quick to sew up.  Just need to take a pressing to them, box them up and wrap.  Good to go.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Memories

It's been on my mind for quite some time to create a memory quilt for my Babci (Grandmother) and if I was on the ball, I would have done it for her 90th birthday celebration last July.  I wasn't but I am now.  I've been collecting pictures from back in the day; when my Daddy was a little boy in Poland and such to pictures from the stylish 60s, 70s and early 80s.  ;)  Current pictures as well.  I would like wedding photos of everybody. Myself, Brother, Cousin, Aunt, Father and Grandparents.  My grandparents don't have a "true" wedding photo.  My Aunt tells me there is a composite photo of them somewhere in my Babci's house.  She needs to find it.

I had intended to make a wall-hanging sized quilt for her but I think we're going into lap/twin sized quilt.  I have 16 blocks done so far.  Since the pictures all range in size and I really didn't want to fight to resize the larger photos, I decided to follow the Sweet Pea pattern by Anka's Treasures.  The pattern works well with the different sized pictures.  The larger ones don't have an inner border around them but the end result will all be the same size.  Depending on the size of the quilt, I may or may not put an outer border around the entire thing.

Want to see a close-up of our memories?

Me (age 2) and my cousin (age 5)

One of my favorites in the upper left.  Me (baby) with my cousin and Grandfather

My Daddy and my Aunt.  Not sue how old he is here.  My brother at that age could be his twin

My brother (age 3)

My brother and SIL on their wedding day in the upper right

My Grandparents

I need more pictures.  There is one picture of my grandparents that I want to put in this quilt but I can't find it.  It's in a frame in her house but she tends to move things around and nobody can find it.  On top of that, nobody knows what picture I'm talking about.  In my mind's eye I see it.  She's wearing a red dress or coat and standing with my grandfather.  Sigh.  I need to find it.  I want it for myself.  I would LIKE to keep the quilt to the 30 blocks in the pattern but I've earmarked 26 pictures of my own (!) so I'm thinking it will be growing.  2 blocks need to be re-done.  I screwed up somewhere and they aren't wide enough.  I am happy with the progress.  

I'm using this product for the photos and it's working really well.  Prints out beautifully on my printer.  I just wish it wasn't so expensive.  Thank goodness for Joann coupons!  I'm buying the 10 pack and I need my 3rd package of 10.  The 25 pack is $50.00 at Joann's.  

My goal is to give her this quilt for Christmas.  I'm waiting for more pictures from various family members.  I put a deadline on my request for earlier this month but due to some very unexpected family issues - I'm giving everybody a break.  It's not like I've asked for pictures at least 3 other times earlier this year (I hope my sarcasm is coming over in that statement).

All other projects have been pushed aside so that I can work on this.  It's been going together quick but it's a process with the photo transfer/printing.  When I purchased the fabric for this gift, I bought 3 yards and I'm thinking I will need more.  I HOPE the shop where I bought it still has it!  Unfortunately, the shop is an hour away from my house and I don't see myself getting out that way in the next few weeks. 

That's what I've been up to.  Hanging out in the past and enjoy the fashions we wore.  LOL!!

Enjoy your day!

Jen :)