Category: Crafts

An Awesome reason to have a Quilting Blog

Besides being with like minded people, there are awesome opportunities to strike up friendships with some of the most wonderful people.  I recently had the opportunity to email back and forth with Nanette Chopin Cook from Chopin-A Passionate Quilter.  She is so kind and wonderful.  Sometimes in life you can feel all alone and then someone like Nanette pops in and renews your Faith in People.  Nanette sent me the 2 beautiful books by Edyta Sitar.  They are gorgeous and have some awesome quilts.  I love scrap quilts and these 2 books are packed with them.  Such a wonderful and thoughtful thing to do.  Thank You Nanette.

20170514_122126_resizedSo, I did get some sewing done this weekend.  Made some pillow cases for the quilt guild.  Haley helped me with picking out the fabrics and ironing.

Mothers Day was wonderful.  I hope you all had a wonderful mother day too!

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family

 

Sewing for Charity with help from the kids

So, since joining a Quilting guild, that does lots of charity work, On Friday night, I decided to work on a few of those items.

Since my 13 year old was in trouble, I decided that she was going to be my assistant.  At first she made a face at me and then I told her potentially wat the alternative could be (something crappy), so she quickly changed her mind.

I explained to her that we would be making these hearts for the local Hospice.  Once someone is hospice passes, they write a message on one side of the heart and then all the nurses that cared for that person sign the back.  A very sweet gesture at a difficult time.

So, I let Haley pick fabric out of the scrap basket.  Then I gave her a pattern and had her cut out the batting for the hearts.  Of course she informed me that she was not good at that and I told her that she would have to practice until she got it right.  Then, Miranda felt left out and joined the party.  She became the chief ironer.

They did not do too badly, there were a few rejects, but overall a success.

Since I am finally feeling a bit better, I also go to work on my one monthly goal project.  I totally need to get it off my design board so I can put something else up there.

My projects have expanded out of my sewing room and are not taking over other parts of the family room.  I have stolen the pool table and placed a board on top of it so I could use it as a work area.  I also put my design board in the pool room.  My shape cutter is sitting next to the bar with several plastic tubs of important stuff and then of course I store a couple of things in the corner of the kid’s family room.  Then there is the long table on the other side of the bar where I usually do my quilting.

I should probably real it in a bit before I have a full scale family revolt on my hands.

Happy sewing

Happy quilting

Treasure your Family

One Monthly Goal for May….

I am still not quite 100% after getting pneumonia, however I did manage to go near my studio and determine what my May monthly Goal would be.  I am at about 70%.  Back to work, but by the time I get home, I am totally done.  It gets slightly better each day, but at this slow rate, Ugh….

So, my daughter Haley laid this out for me.  She sometimes like to think of her self as the “Designer”  These are from Mini charm packs.  I love them and usually use them for my English paper piecing, but I had multiple of the same ones.  So, I decided that I would make a smaller piece.  mostly because I want to try to make a scalloped border.  I have never done it before and bought one of those fancy scalloped border rulers.  I figured this would be the perfect thing to try it on.

My goal is to sew together all the little tiny pieces for the center.  I also need to get them off of my design wall so I can put something else up there.

I do have to admit, the One Monthly Goal does prevent me from being a total slacker or letting my quilting ADD take over.

 

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family

One Monthly Goal Miracle Finish……

While I know it does not look like much, but since I have had pneumonia, it is pretty monumental.  Good thing I got this done earlier in the month or I would not have made it.  I have not sewn anything in over a week.  That is a sure sign that I am am really sick.  Managed to make it to work today, but I am pretty sure by the time the day is over, I will be done and there will be no sewing.  I do need to figure out my goal for May though.

This is already on Kevin’s nightstand.  I am not sure he recognizes any of this as a shirt he used to wear (blue and white plaid dog bone).

If you haven’t registered for my give away, don’t miss it.  See my previous post. 

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family

Charm Packs to give away and Show my appreciation

I have been truly amazed at how much enjoyment and satisfaction I get from my blog.  It makes me feel like I am surrounded by like minded friends who all love the same thing. I managed to get over 200 followers and more than 7000 views.   So, to say thank you, I am giving away 2 charm packs.  They are Soho calico’s.  I love the colors.  Lots of teals and greens.  I figured that 2 charm packs can easily be turned into something awesome.  I have recently started a “Zipper Quilt” with two of my favorite charm packs.  I am sure I will show some photos as soon as I have a bit more to show.

Even though I spend my days at work as a “Nerd Whisperer”.  I am going to do this the Non-scientific or non nerdy way.  Just leave me a comment with your first name and name of a favorite quilt that you made.  You have until the last day of April to comment and then on May 1st, I will put everyone’s name in a bowl and have someone from my house draw the lucky winner.  I will notify you all of the winner.  Best of luck to everyone.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your family

 

 

 

A Great Idea for Quilt Blocks……Thanks again to Lynn

So, once again, I borrowed this idea from my friend Lynn.  She keeps all her quilt blocks in pizza boxes.  What a truly awesome idea.  My nicely ironed blocks stay that way, and everything stays together.  It took me a while, but the other day I stopped by my local pizza shop and asked if I could buy some boxes.  They gave me a bunch of ones that were misprinted or printed crooked (didn’t bother me).  They work just as well as the perfect ones and I did not have to pay for them.  I am still in the process of getting all my projects ironed and put in my pizza boxes, but I am almost there.  Just wanted to pass along a pretty good idea!

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family

My new Pepsi take along craft Bag

20170401_145652_resized_1I found this fabric so cute.  Could be because I have an addiction to Diet Pepsi.  Too bad they did not have diet Pepsi fabric.  That would have made it even more awesome for me.  I found that I take my English paper piecing projects around with me in Ziploc baggies.  Didn’t seem right for a quilter.  So I just created this bag.  Now I have plenty of room for all my English paper piecing stuff that I haul around whenever I will be waiting somewhere.  Can’t stand just doing nothing.

Happy Quilting

Happy Sewing

Treasure your family.

More Dog bones for My April One Monthly Goal

20170401_135727_resizedSo, this month, I plan on quilting, trimming and binding this piece.  This one is for Kevin’s nightstand.  These three dog bones are  tied to him.  The middle one is Ohio State, of course.  We (especially Kev) are Ohio State fans.  The light colored plain one is actually a shirt he wore that got a tear in it in a place that could not be easily repaired.  Since it was a nice shirt and 100% cotton, I figured what the heck.  Then the last dog bone is dog bone fabric.  I have turned him into a dog lover, so it is appropriate.  Not a big giant project like last month, but still something that needs finished.  I am still piecing the one for my nightstand and then one for his dresser.  I did not use the cling wrap like last time.  I created a template and traced my dog bones on it.  Seems way better than trying to pick plastic out for hours like I did for the last piece.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family

WooHoo I actually made it…The One Monthly Goal

I wasn’t sure if I was gonna make it, but I did.  I actually got this quilt quilted.  This is the UFO 20170329_192321_resizedolder than my daughter (who just turned 13).  This Sunday I was going to post an update.  I even had a video, but can not post videos unless I upgrade.  Might have to consider that.  I thought I was going to finish on Sunday, but had sewing machine issues for about three hours. Was just about ready to give up, when I just re threaded the machine and Wala, it worked.  Felt like a total idiot.

So, the quilt is off the frame and ready for trimming and binding.  Not sure of I will make that my next monthly goal or not.  The jury is still out on that one.

 

Initially, I don’t hate the quilting.  But, as I trim it and see all my mistakes, that will likely come.20170329_192333_resized  I am happy that I decided to do something other than meandering.  I just have to remember not to nitpick.  I did do meandering around the lanterns, but everywhere else I did Bamboo.  Good thing Leah Day has all those tutorials.  While oddly, my lines look a bit straight than hers, this pattern is pretty forgiving.

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal Finish March Linkup .

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure Your Family

Once again, my Quilting ADD has taken over

20170309_203711_resized_1Well, once again, my quilting ADD took over.  Worked on a multitude of projects instead of spending all my time on my one monthly project.  I did spend a little time on it, but I made the mistake of doing a little shopping, which makes my mind wander to other projects.

I bought some lovely fabric (you can never have enough).  So, I find the cutest dog fabric on the clearance rack.  As the crazy dog lady, it was my duty to purchase some.  Then I found some Pepsi fabric.  As soon as I saw it I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it (I will get to that later).  Then, I found some giraffe fabric.  Since my daughter and I (and a lot of other crazy people) have been watching/waiting for April the giraffe to have her baby.  I will likely make some sort of Giraffe applique and save it for my daughter.

So, about that Pepsi fabric.  I have to admit, my one vice is Diet Pepsi.  I am also a quilter that takes her handwork projects (Hospital Hexies) in a non-quilters bag.  So, I decided that I would make a bag to carry my projects around when I am working mobile.  I mean I am a quilter after all, so I think it is appropriate that I have a quilted bag.  Duh.  So, I will use that Pepsi fabric to make a bag.  I am sort of winging it (no pattern).  But, it will be quilted.  And yes, I have already started it. I should have been working on my “One Monthly Goal” project.

I almost forgot about the Fruit Loop Fabric.  It was just plain old cute.  I also have a Jar UFO that needs finished and a jar of fruit loops sounded awesome.

In other news, one of my fellow bloggers, Mary Puckett at Zippy Quilts, has included me in the “One Lovely Blog Award” chain.  As I discovered a few years ago, this isn’t a contest, it is a way for bloggers to promote each other, and I’m all about that.  You can see Mary’s blog at https://zippyquilts.wordpress.com/this-blog-and-me  Thanks, Mary!

The rules for the One Lovely Blog chain are:

  • Thank the person who nominated you and leave a link to their blog.
  • Post about the award.
  • Share 7 facts about yourself.
  • Nominate at most 15 people.
  • Tell your nominees that you have nominated them.

I’m nominating the following bloggers because I like what they do.

Kathy Nida@https://kathynida.com/ – Kathy makes the most fascinating Art quilts and she always has photos of her dogs with her blog posts (love that)

Susan @DessertSky Quilting – https://desertskyquilts.wordpress.com/ – Susan manages to get so much accomplished, I am jealous.  She is also one of the nicest people you could ever know.

Tracy @Its a TsweetDay –  https://itsatsweetsday.blog/category/quilts/ – Her blog is just so pretty.  I am jealous

And now for 7 facts about me, which is part of the deal:

  1. I am a widow, twice
  2. I am the crazy dog lady (I have 4)
  3. I have spent nearly 30 years working in IT,so I am a nerd
  4. At 52, I have a 12 year old (Woops)
  5. I live in the country but work in the city
  6. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis (which sucks)
  7. I worked as professional cake decorator in college.

Happy Quilting

Happy Sewing

Treasure your Family