adventures in fabric

The End of Google Friend Connect???

2012-02-27T22:12:00.001-06:00

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I've heard murmurs of Google Friend Connect ending for those of you who are not blogger users. So just in case you want to keep following, you can follow through Bloglovin. You will see the widget on my sidebar if you are interested. Hopefully this will be a smooth transition for Google .... we shall see.

For the Love of Solids Swap

2012-02-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

I know it's been a while since my last post but I promise I have been hard at work! I have finally finished my For the Love of Solids Swap project. Besides one quilt block, this is the first paper piecing project I have done. And I must say, that I am loving how it turned out. I'll be honest, I kinda want to keep it for myself .... but I think my partner will give it a good home.

My partner asked for a mini quilt in these colors so here is what I came up with. I will be sending it off next week sometime. I love this part of swaps ..... hopefully it will put a smile on my partner's face.

Quilts for the nephews!

2012-02-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

These two quilts are for my brother's two boys. They have a family tradition of gathering in the family room to watch the Chicago Bears games with their blankets, pillows, and snacks. So keeping that in mind, I choose prints to match the Bears colors and appliqued a huge football on the middle of the quilt.
Here is Dominic's and Vincent's quilt ....

I am pretty pleased with how they turned out. I tried to make them a little on the larger size so the boys could grow into them. This was my first time to applique anything so I was able to stretch my skills a little bit.

AHHHHHH!!!!

2012-02-17T21:31:00.002-06:00

Alright, so I joined another swap. Yes I know, I was going to limit myself this year but it's no surprise that it didn't work! I must confess, I don't have much information to go on for my partner and I'm stuck. Normally, with the previous swaps that I have been in I can think of something rather quickly but, I am brain dead at the moment. Our styles are absolute polar opposites and I'm feeling like I'm going to make something that she absolutely hates. I am so far out of my comfort level with this one! I have been sitting at my computer staring at her flickr profile and searching for inspiration for 2 hours, and still nothing! And I was planning on taking a drive to my not so local quilt shop to get fabric for her unplanned project tomorrow morning. So instead of pulling my hair out I thought I might write about it. I'm just praying for some amazing design ideas to pop into my dreams tonight! Wish me luck, cause I'm gonna need it!

Bee Blocks

2012-02-17T06:00:00.000-06:00

I'm sure you have heard of the book Modern Blocks: 99 Quilt Blocks from Your Favorite Designers and if you haven't you should check it out! There are so many amazing blocks in this book!

I signed up for two bees on flickr that are based on this book, and I just finished my blocks for this month. It has been such a great experience so far and I have already learned so much by participating. I can't wait to see the blocks each participant chooses through the rest of the year. So far I've completed four different blocks.

This is my block!

The last block is the one that I have chosen when it's my turn to host. This block goes together so quickly and I was intrigued by the layout options. I'm still undecided on how to put it together but I won't have all of my blocks done until the end of July so I have some time to figure it out.

Giveaway Winner!!

2012-02-14T18:00:00.000-06:00

First of all, I want to say thank you for all of the wonderful comments! The past couple of days have been a blast reading what everyone is working on. And it's great to know that I'm not the only one who can be overwhelmed by all of the projects I have started!

Well it's time to announce the winner of the Fugly Fabric Party Giveaway. And so the winner is.......

#28 - Becky who said,
Great fabric - love those huge dots!! I am currently working on a quilt for a niece who is getting married.

Becky, I have emailed you so be on the lookout!

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to enter. Keep your eyes peeled ..... since I reached 50+ followers, I'm thinking another giveaway might be necessary!

And it's done.....

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness, this quilt felt like it was a never-ending project. But I am super excited with how it turned out. You see, it all started when my niece found out that I had started quilting. She is a freshman in college and she "casually" mentioned how cool it would be to have a quilt for her dorm room. Well, I caught the subtle hint and went to work! I wanted something colorful to match her amazing personality.

I used Terrain by Kate Spain for these string blocks. Hopefully this will be right up her alley. It measures about 63x75, just big enough to cuddle with. Up to this point, I have made 4 out of 5 quilts for the nieces and nephews. Hopefully by April I will have the last one done!

Oh and there's still time to enter the Fugly Fabric Giveaway, stop by and check it out!


I pieced the back with large pieces of Terrain.

Fugly Fabric Party!

2012-02-12T16:36:00.000-06:00

Does anybody want some fugly fabric? Now, I wouldn't necessarily say these are fugly but they aren't going to be used any time soon. They are actually leftovers from projects that I have done for other people so .... I have no need for them.

So, this is one big bundle up for grabs and in it you will find:
1. Top left - 1 yd blue with white
2. Top middle - 1 yd blue
3. Top right - approximately 10"x44" piece of blue and white polka dots
4. Bottom three prints are fat quarters

If you are interested in having these pop up in your mailbox (and I will take care of the postage) here's what you can do.....

There will be two opportunities to win this giveaway.

1. leave a comment and tell me what project you are currently working on

2. leave another comment and tell me that you are a follower of adventures in fabric for a second chance to win

The giveaway will close Tuesday, Feb. 14th. at 5:00 pm CT.

So good luck and check out all the other fabrics up for grabs at Lucy's :)

This giveaway is now closed.

a "new" toy!

2012-02-11T18:07:00.004-06:00

Last month I was lucky enough to find a great deal on a vintage 301 Singer machine. I took it into my local sewing machine repair shop for a tune up and when I picked it up I was amazed at how quiet and wonderful this thing is! I am super excited to start a new project on it! I can't wait to start seeing what this girl can do!

Laptop Sleeve

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

The last time I was in my local quilt shop I spied Melody Miller's new line, Ruby Star Shining. I couldn't pass it up, but I limited myself to two prints. I was so hard to choose between all of her amazing fabrics.

Well I opted for the vintage clocks with the teal background and a mainly orange fabric with tan dots. They were too cute together. I had no idea what I was going to make with them, but I knew I would think of something! So here's what I put together.

I used Amy Hodge's, Laptop Sleeve Tutorial, and I was so pleased with the results. The tutorial was so easy to follow and I completed this project in just a couple of hours. The fabrics are absolutely perfect, I can't wait to go pick up a couple more. I absolutely adore those typewriters!

I will be linking this project up with ...

One Thing, One Week Challenge

2012-01-22T16:45:00.000-06:00

I'm getting closer to getting my niece's quilt done. My goal was to finish 18 blocks this week. I sat down at my machine all day on Saturday and cranked out 18 blocks! Only 14 more to go! So here's my goal for this week, and it's a lofty one .... I am going to finish the last 14 blocks, piece the top of the quilt, and piece the back of the quilt! Whooo! It makes me tired just thinking about it. I am hoping to be all finished with this quilt by February 6th.

So I'm linking up my progress with ...

For The Love of Solids Swap

2012-01-21T19:24:00.000-06:00

Alright, so one of my goals for this year was to limit the amount of swaps that I participate in. And I promise I had every intention of making that happen. But when the second round of the For The Love Of Solids Swap opened up, I just couldn't resist. I absolutely love this swap and there are so many talented people participating. I'm looking at it as more of an educational experience rather than an extra "project". Well, partner's have been assigned, and I have the best partner ever! I love having a partner that knows exactly what they want and isn't afraid to be specific. I have ordered and received fabric already. This isn't a color combination that I would usually go with but it's really growing on me.

I might switch out the light grey for a darker grey, I'm not sure though, I'm still thinking about it . I have a design in mind, but it involves paper piecing. And as of right now, that is a skill that I do not posses. So, it looks like for the next week or two I will be trying to master the art of paper piecing. Wish me luck, because I think I'm going to need it. Does anybody know of any good tutorials that explains the process? :)

One Thing, One Week Challenge

2012-01-16T21:27:00.001-06:00

I came across Amy's One Thing, One Week Challenge and decided it was exactly the motivation that I need right now! I have been working on a quilt for my niece that is made up of string blocks. After I had already started making the quilt, I quickly realized how time intensive these little buggers were! Before last week, I had completed a measly 8 blocks. I need to get this quilt done pretty quickly so last week I began Amy's challenge with my goal of finishing 10 more blocks this week. Well, I finished 16!!! Whooohoooo!!! I still have a long way to go but I put a good dent in it this week.

My goal for next week is another 18 blocks! Here's hoping for some good sewing time!

A quilt for my new baby niece

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

I absolutely love the "Ruby" line and when I heard that we were going to have a new baby niece in the family, I knew exactly what I was going to do. So I ordered my fabric and got to work. I used the Shortcake pattern by cluckclucksew. I saw this pattern and fell in love. Well when you combine that pattern and Ruby fabric you get .....

I was so pleased with how this quilt turned out. New baby Stella, will look so cute with this quilt. I personally think the Ruby fabric can make anything look phenomenal! I used the Aqua dots fabric for backing and it's just too precious.

I still have some of this fabric left over; I'm sure I can find some sort of project to start!

I will be linking up with ...

2012 Finish-A-Long and WIP Wednesday

2012-01-04T18:15:00.000-06:00

It's hard to pass up a challenge, especially one that motivates me to get projects marked off my list! So I decided to link up with Quilter In The Gap's 2012 Finish-A-Long and WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced. For this quarter I have three WIP's that need to be completed! So here we go ....

First .... I need to finish a mug rug for my Dad. The pieces are leftover parts from a quilt that I made for him last November. It needs to be layered, quilted, and bound. It shouldn't take too long.

Second ..... I need to finish the binding on a quilt for my nephew. Last September I started three quilts for my brother's three kids. I finished two of them before Christmas but I still need to finish up the last of the three. Almost done!

Third ...... This is the biggest project by far! I am in the process of making a quilt for my niece. She mentioned she would love to have a quilt for her dorm room. So, I took the hint and now I need to finish and finish quickly! I'm making it x-long to fit her whole bed. You gotta love those x-long dorm beds! I have 8 blocks done and I need 72 more..... holy moly, I need to get to work!

I am hoping it will end up looking something like this ....

There you have it! My goal is to have all of those completed by the end of January. It's going to be tough because my parents will be visiting during that time but I think I can make it happen! Alrighty .... it's back to the sewing machine for me!

A Tote for a special lady!

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

One of the very special ladies that I work with requested a tote. She is a fellow teacher, so I can relate to the love of totes that she has! She requested certain fabrics, and I think she did a great job choosing; her combinations look great! So here it is!

I kind of went on a whim when creating this tote. I didn't use a pattern, all I knew is that I wanted the quilting to resemble a Vera Bradley bag. I'm not sure how close I actually got to my goal but it's done. Hopefully she will like it.

New Year's Project List

2012-01-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

Instead of a New Year's Resolution this year I decided to make a "want to" sewing list. There are so many techniques and projects I would love to try so here's my 2012 list.

1. I would love to try curved piecing.
2. Make a king sized quilt for our bed.
3. Finish a top secret project, which cannot be named.
4. Make a tree skirt for next Christmas.
5. Make some table runners for next Christmas.
6. Set up an etsy shop and stock it full of wonderful items that buyers can't resist. :)
7. Finish my Farmer's Wife Blocks
8. Turn the guest room into a sewing room! Whooo that's an exciting one. No more sewing at the kitchen table!
9. Put together at least one pattern this year.
10. Try working with a purse frame for the first time.
11. Work on my photography skills. They aren't so hot right now. :)
12. Make a chevron quilt, possibly out of solids.
13. Dive into the world of free motion quilting. (I will admit I am terrified of it!)

These are just a few goals I can think of but I know my list will grow. Hopefully I can get through this list by the end of 2012. Here goes nothin'!

Also, Lily's Quilts has put together a Small Blog Meet and I have decided to give it a try. I have only been sewing for about a year and discovered the quilting blog-land in the last 6 months. I had no idea how many wonderful quilters were out there and how many resources were available. I have learned so much and am so grateful to be involved in this community. I am inspired by something new every day.

Wishing you a blessed New Year!

Reflecting on My First Year of Sewing!

2011-12-31T07:00:00.000-06:00

It all started last year when one of the teachers I work with brought some of her creations to show me. I had never touched a sewing machine until last Christmas but her projects had inspired me. I asked my mom if I could borrow her sewing machine and it was all over! I had found my "thing"! Over the past twelve months, I have tried a variety of projects trying to develop new skills. I still feel like I know next to nothing about sewing but I have loved every minute of the discovery. Here's a look at my past year of adventures in fabric.

From left to right:

1. My Mom's birthday quilt.
2. A queen sized pinwheel quilt. It was the third quilt I have ever done and I decided to wing it without a pattern. (Looking back that probably wasn't the best idea, the process was very slow, but it all turned out great)
3. A Synchronized Squares Quilt from the ps i quilt sew along.
4. A wedding quilt for my sister-in-law.
5. A Block Keeper to keep my finished Farmer's Wife Blocks
6. My first swap! "Pretty Little Pouch Swap Round 2"
7. Teacher Tote
8. My first attempts at embroidery.
9. A quilt for my husband. He will fight to be able to use that quilt in the evenings! He has warmed up to my hobby. :)
10. The beginning of my Farmer's Wife Blocks.
11. Mini Design Boards to help organize intricate blocks. So useful!
12. My second swap. Pillow Cover for "For the Love of Solids Swap"
13. Mug Rug to go with the pillow cover
14. My third swap. A pincushion for the "Sewn Spaces Swap"
15. Random Tote
16. My first commissioned project! An x-large tote for a new bride!
17. Traveling Sewing Kit. My own pattern, I was pleased with how it turned out!
18. My fourth swap. "Pretty Little Pouch Swap Round 3"
19. A birthday gift for my dad. He was a military guy who loves Jesus and his country.
20. Mug rug for my desk at work. My first attempt at a wonky block.

These are just a few of the projects that I was able to attempt over the past 12 months. I have gained so much from trying each and every one of these. There are so many more things I would like to learn but I think I have a good start. Instead of making a New Year's resolution maybe I will make a list of all the new things I want to learn next year! Sounds like another post to me. :)

Blogger's Choice Fat Quarter Bundle Picks

2011-12-28T12:02:00.000-06:00

Quokka Quilts has put together a great opportunity for bloggers. I have scoured the fabrics at Fat Quarter Shop and have come up with a group of fabrics that I would love working with! Hopefully my collection will be well received! I would love to have a bundle of these! Here's hoping!

Bella SolidsOrange

Echo Gray Aneta

Treasures andTidbits Leaf Tiny Florals and Dots

Weekend Clubhouse2012 Linen Random Pencil Check

Grand BazaarPumpkin Sari Wrap

Ruby Cotton GreySundae

Dazzle Sky BlueBasketweave

Amy Butler SlateQuilting Solid

Strawberry TeaParty Herb Honey Vine

Sketch AquaScreen Texture

Sew Cherry GreenSew Dots Yardage

Treasures andTidbits Orange Tiny Florals and Dots

Pure ElementsFresh Water Solid

Citron Gray GrayQuarter Dot

Floral Folio DarkOrange Allover Leaves

Scrabble Coaster Tutorial

2011-12-27T16:43:00.000-06:00

What you will need:
1 fat quarter (or 1/4 yd) of main fabric for the coaster
3" x 7" of fabric for the letters and numbers
Heat 'N' Bond
stabilizer
batting
black thread
cream thread

*For the fabric, I used a cream and black denim. I like the feel of the coaster after they are finished with a more dense fabric.

Out of the main fabric cut 8 - 5" squares

5" squares of the main fabric.

Out of the batting cut 4 - 6" squares


6" squares of batting.

Create the templates that you will use for the letters and numbers.

To create my templates, I created a word document and found the font that matches the look that I am going for. The letters are quite a bit larger than the numbers. After I printed out the letters and numbers that I would need, I glued an index card to the back of the letters and numbers to make the templates more stable. I then cut out each letter and number individually.


Here you can see that the letters are backed with an index card to make them more durable.

Now is when you prepare the black fabric! I am a big fan of Heat 'n' Bond. I use it for all of my applique needs!

I cut a piece of Heat 'n' Bond and ironed it to the back of my black fabric.

Then I traced the templates onto the Heat 'n' Bond. *Make sure you trace the templates the correct way! The right side of the template needs to be facing down when you trace!

When you are finished tracing, cut out each piece and peel off the paper back. Center the letter on the front of the cream denim and iron until the letter is secure. Iron the number to the bottom right of the letter.

Now it's time to applique! I pinned a piece of Pellon Stitch-N-Tear stabilizer to the back of each square.

Applique around the edges of the letters and numbers with black thread.

You can see the stitching from the back of the square.

Tear off the excess stabilizer.

Next you will stack your blocks together to get ready for sewing!

Step One: Lay down one piece of batting.

Step Two: Add one 5" square good side facing up.

Step Three: Add one Letter appliqued square good side facing down.

Now it's time for sewing. I used a 1/2" seam allowance for this part of the process. Sew around the edge of the blocks, making sure to leave a section open in order to be able to turn right-side out.

Cut excess batting and trim corners.

Turn right-side out. Press. Sew around edge of completed block!

Finish with the remaining letters and voila! You have a completed coaster set that will look amazing in your home or work wonderfully as a gift! Hope you enjoy! I would love to see pics of your completed project!

Quick Project!

2011-12-17T08:51:00.001-06:00

I needed a quick White Elephant gift for a church Christmas Party so I whipped up a coaster set. I added some hot chocolate mix and a mug in with the gift. The party is tomorrow so hopefully none of my church peeps see this today.

My husband and I each have to bring a separate gift and he definitely didn't go the practical route! He has an amazing sense of humor, so this is what he picked up during our shopping adventures.

Yes, he actually bought a white elephant for a white elephant gift. I'm sure it will be a hit! There is never a dull moment with this guy! I am linking this up with Quilt Story Fabric Tuesday. It's such a wonderful way to connect with others!

Christmas Projects!

2011-12-16T18:50:00.001-06:00

I have some good friends at work that I wanted to do a little something for. I decided on some mug rugs, their favorite beverage, and a snack item. They aren't anything big but at least it's another project done off my list! I hope they like them!

Holy Moly! Two Giveaway wins in one week!

2011-12-14T18:43:00.000-06:00

Laurie Wisbrun from the Scarlet Fig held a giveaway for some wonderful fabric and guess who won?! Me! I was so surprised to win two giveaways in one week. I actually contemplated buying a lottery ticket, but I thought I shouldn't press my luck. How cute are these fabrics? I definitely am a fan. Thanks Laurie!

I love Giveaways!

2011-12-13T18:42:00.000-06:00

Look at the loot I won from Sherri at A Quilting Life! I won a Chemistry charm pack and jelly roll! Thank you so much Sherri, this giveaway was way too generous. I'm not sure what I will be doing with it quite yet but I'm leaning towards a baby quilt. Only time will tell! Thanks again Sherri!

The Secret is Out!

2011-11-23T09:10:00.001-06:00

For the past few months, I have been working on a top secret project. I had the idea last summer to make a quilt for my Dad's birthday. But knowing that he is a guy who is not necessarily into the whole crafty vibe, I was stumped on how to make this extra special for him. Then I thought about the three things that he loves most: Jesus, his family, and his country. So I decided to try and incorporate all three of those things into his gift. I came up with this ......

There are two pictures at the bottom of the quilt. Those would be pictures of my Dad, who served in the ARMY and a picture of my Grandpa (his Dad) who served in the Navy. Dad received the quilt last week and was very touched by his birthday gift, so now I can let the cat out of the bag!

Pretty Little Pouch Swap 3

2011-11-02T16:31:00.000-05:00

I just received the most amazing pouch today. I joined round 3 of the Pretty Little Pouch Swap and I received my pouch from Tiffany! It couldn't be any more perfect. It has all of my favorite things: linen, green, blue, orange, embroidery. What more could a girl want!? Thanks Tiffany!

Sewing Travel Kit!!!

2011-10-09T17:13:00.001-05:00

I have been thinking about this project for months!!! Every morning I have early morning duty at school and I supervise about 150 kids in the morning before their homeroom teachers come and pick them up for the day. Well, basically it's me and 150 kids staring at each other for about 30 minutes. The kids are great in the mornings, everybody sits in their rows waiting for their teachers. They might read a book or draw some pictures while they are waiting but I am super bored!!! So, I started taking some small projects in and working on them. Well my scissors fall on the floor constantly, my thread rolls across the gym, it's a total mess. I decided to make a sewing travel kit to organize all of my little sewing gadgets. :) Plus it helps sooth my spouse diagnosed, OCD organizational tendencies. :) And here it is ....

The front. My students were so entranced watching my hand sew these little things.

The back of the sewing kit.

The inside!

There is a place for everything! I absolutely love how it turned out! There are three different pockets. A place for thread and embroidery floss. A special home for my scissors! And an area for my needles, pens, and a hoop. I'm super thrilled and can't wait to use it!

Totes Galore!

2011-10-06T17:05:00.000-05:00

I have been on a tote making spree lately. I had my first commissioned project, which was super exciting. I was asked to make two totes for a bride and her maid of honor. The mother picked out the fabric and gave a brief description of what she wanted and I went to town! I made two, very large totes for her and she loved them!!! The fabrics match the brides wedding colors and I was able to quilt the fabric for a Vera Bradley type of look! It's awesome to see something that you have made bring joy to another person!

And since I was making totes, I figured I might as well make one for myself, right? So I found a charm pack lying around and out popped this simple, but cute, tote!

I was acting like I had all the time in the world, while I have about 20 million other projects that I should be working on! But sometimes it's nice to have a quick project every once in a while. Sometimes I need a little instant gratification. At least that's what I'm telling myself to justify it! :)

Another Swap ... or two

2011-10-03T14:52:00.001-05:00

I think I might be addicted to swaps! I joined two more in the past two weeks, the Sewn Spaces Swap and the Pretty little Pouch Swap.

Pincushions are the theme for the Sewn Spaces Swap this round, and I have been checking out my partners info. I made a pincushion that isn't necessarily what I would make for myself, but I think she will love it!

I am still doing a little research for my partner for the Pretty little Pouch Swap. I think I know what pattern I am planning on using but fabric choices aren't made yet. I am planning on going to my LQS this weekend and hopefully I will be starting her pouch sometime next week!

I have so many other projects that I should be doing right now but I can't say "no" to a good swap! :)

September, where have you gone?

2011-10-02T16:39:00.000-05:00

It has been forever since my last post. The beginning of the school year is always crazy but this year has been even more nuts than normal. My husband, who is also a teacher, started coaching football this year. Let me modify that last statement ..... my husband is coaching Texas football this year. To some here in the great state of Texas, football is a religion. So needless to say, my wonderful hubby hasn't been home as much as he used to be. So, trying to be a good wife, I am now taking care of everything around the house, while maintaining my full-time job. I don't know how you ladies with little ones do it! It's hard enough just managing everything for us two, I can't imagine having a child to take care of too! So all you moms out there .... I give you props!

Well, in my absence, there is sooo much to catch you all up on!

1. I realized I never posted about the Pretty Little Pouch Swap. It is my absolute favorite swap ever!!! The talent that comes out of that group is amazing! It definitely has stretched my skills!! I made this pouch for the swap ....

And I received this amazing pouch from Diane, from from blank pages.

2. I entered my second swap, For the Love of Solids. This was an amazing swap as well! I made a pillow cover and mug rug for my partner. I had to cover my partner's name to keep it a surprise. It totally slipped my mind to take a pic without her name covered. Ooops!

And I received the most fantastic sewing machine cover from Nicole! And yes it is reversible!!

I did a few other small project in September but time was limited. I have realized how much I love the summer time. I found myself walking by my sewing machine every morning on my way out the door, thinking, "I wish I could stay home with you, and sew all day!" Please tell me I'm not the only person out there that talks to her sewing machine. :)

Thanks Madame Samm!!

2011-09-02T16:37:00.000-05:00

I was lucky enough to win one of Madame Samm's giveaways last week and look what showed up in the mail today!!! It all is absolutely amazing. I can't say thank you enough!! Make sure you all check out her blog.

Check out this giveaway!

2011-08-13T07:26:00.000-05:00

There is a giveaway happening over at "This Crafty Fox". Go check it out! She made such a cute tote which I would absolutely love to win.

Another quilt finished!

2011-07-29T11:03:00.000-05:00

I finished my last project for Meg's "Finish It Up" challenge! Well, I had a sewing cover on my list that I didn't do but I have a good reason! I just joined For the Love of Solids Swap and I might have mentioned to my partner that I am wanting a sewing machine cover! So, I decided to hold out and see what amazing item my partner sends my way. But other than that, all my WIP's have been finished! Thanks so much Meg for putting this together, it was a fantastic idea! Now that my WIP's are finished it's time to start a new list of projects to do, I'm sure it won't take long for it to become a mile long!

New skills!

2011-07-29T08:05:00.000-05:00

Well, this was my first attempt at embroidery. I have a few more elaborate patterns that I wanted to try but I thought I should probably start with something easy. I have found something new to add to my arsenal!

School starts in 2 1/2 weeks and I am not ready to go back! I have too many projects left to do! Well, I must get back to my sewing machine, my quilt's binding is calling my name! :)

Awesome Giveaway!!! Check this out!

2011-07-23T21:12:00.000-05:00

Calling all Wantobe Quilters?

"Hello friends and followers, I would love to welcome you

to a Wantobe Quilters Campaign over here. ( http://stashmanicure.blogspot.com)

They are having quilting supplies to giveaway 5 x a week for 12 weeks.

Supplies that will have you quilting

before you know it...From sewing machines to irons, to die cutters,

to mats, to rotary cutters, sewing baskets, scissors, batting, needles,

rolled sewing machine bags, patterns, books, magazines...everything

you could imagine to assist you in being a NEW Quilter.

Even if you are already part of this community you can win

quilting stuff too...Tuesday and Thursday are days for us..

All you have to do is give me your name and phone number

and email sew I can submit this to the organizer, because if you win

anything I can win something too.

All you have to do is be my follower and a follower

over at Sew We Quilt @ Stash Manicure....

That is all! There are over 49 Sponsors involved.

I am pretty excited to be part of this, sew should you.

I love being a QUILTER!

( p.s you will not be eligible to win anything if you do not register

with a blogger where you see this message)

My new tote!

2011-07-18T16:39:00.000-05:00

For the past two days, I have been busy working on my new tote! I only have 4 more weeks of summer vacation left and then it's back to my teaching gig. Well, as much as I love teaching, I love my vacation a little bit more. I decided that I needed a super bright, cheery bag to take to work with me. These probably wouldn't be the colors/patterns I would choose on a regular tote but my elementary kiddos will love it and so will the teachers. Plus how can you be in a rough mood when you look at this thing! :) So I decided happy and cheerful was the way to go! Maybe I will be ready to go back in four weeks, but then again .... maybe not. :)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along: Week #1

2011-07-15T15:54:00.000-05:00

My local quilt shop started a Farmer's Wife Quilt Along and so of course I joined in with the craziness! I figured 2 blocks a week wouldn't be that bad, right?! Well, I finally decided on the fabric and I got to work this morning and produced my first two blocks for week #1.

I decided to try out solids for this quilt. Every week will have white as a base color and then I will change the solid color. This week was a bright yellow with a little bit of a yellow print added into the mix. I'm thinking next week might be orange or pink, we shall see!

The book comes with templates to use for piecing the quilt and this is the first time I have used templates. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be; I am pleasantly surprised! I probably shouldn't speak too soon though, I have only done two blocks.

I know the blocks are traditional but I was hoping to jazz them up a little with some modern fabric. Hopefully that won't offend anyone. :) Has anyone else done any of the Farmer's Wife blocks? What kind of fabrics did you choose? How did you piece your blocks? (paper piecing, templates ...)

My new quilt block keeper!

2011-07-11T13:38:00.000-05:00

I am starting a Farmer's Wife quilt-a-long and I wanted something, other than a plastic bag, to keep my blocks protected. I got to thinking a couple of nights ago and I came up with this.

This is the front of the quilt block keeper.

This is the inside where the blocks will be kept.

Basically the blocks lay nice and flat underneath the elastic. What I liked about this is that they won't get wrinkled! When I am ready to piece the quilt together I will know right where they are located and I will be ready to go!

I designed this myself, and this is the first one I have made. After completing the first one, there are some things I would do differently the next time but hey, you live you learn! And this one will get the job done, so no worries from me!

I put some leftover blocks from a previous project in here so you could get the idea.

Modern Meadows Quilt Block

2011-07-09T15:02:00.000-05:00

This week I have been working on my Modern Meadows quilt. I finished cutting all my fabric and finished my first block. The block measures about 20" x 20", so it is pretty large. There will be 5 different block designs but they will all be similar to what you see. With 12 blocks total, the quilt will measure approximately 60"x80", the perfect size for lounging on the couch! Hopefully it will turn out alright. There was so much cutting involved and trying to keep all the little pieces straight is quite a chore.

As you can see I used tons of sticky notes. I'm hoping to have this done in the next week or two. I will keep you all updated!

My first "for real, for real" clutch!

2011-07-08T16:36:00.000-05:00

I needed a break from my "modern meadows" quilt so I decided to practice a few pouches before I make my pouch for the pretty "little" pouch swap. Here is my first attempt! I was pleasantly surprised with the results. It's nothing fancy, all I wanted was to get the general idea of how to put it together. Next time I might try to do something to make it a little more creative. I love learning new things! Time to get back to the quilt, I'll post pics later of my progress.

Scruffily Quilt!

2011-07-02T16:58:00.000-05:00

I finished the binding on my scruffily quilt today. I love how productive I have been! If only I could be this way in all areas of my life! Well, I was planning on making this a lounging around blanket for my house but I think I have decided it will be going to my sister-in-law. I had planned to do a quilt for her using the modern meadows fabric but I just realized that she picked out all of the fabric for the scruffily quilt. So it only seems natural to send this one off to her and her new husband! All it needs is a label and it will be on it's way.

How do you label your quilts? Do you use a printer? Do you hand write them? You get the idea .... share with me your intelligent ways of labeling your quilt. I have not found one that I am particularly in love with!

Pretty {little} Pouch Swap

2011-07-01T19:53:00.000-05:00

I just joined the Pretty {little} Pouch Swap and I am so excited for it! This is my first swap and after seeing the pictures in the flickr group I know I am really going to have to step up my game! The pics from the last swap were absolutely beautiful!! The talent and creativity just blows me away! Hopefully this will be inspiring and a great learning experience! Anybody have some good patterns for pouches that they could direct me towards? :)

I finished the Synchronized Squares Quilt Along!

2011-06-30T14:40:00.000-05:00

It is finished! And on time! Whoooo hoooo! Three weeks ago, I joined the Synchronized Squares Quilt Along put together by rachel from ps i quilt. It was my first quilt along and I really enjoyed it! I will definitely be looking forward to the next one!

This is the fourth quilt that I have finished! I love quilting/sewing even more with each completed project. I can't believe that it took me so long to find this passion of mine, but I'm so glad that I did!

Well one more project down .... now on to the next one!

Done, done, and done!

2011-06-28T20:45:00.002-05:00

Pillow Shams .... done. Quilt .... done! Two more projects checked off the list! I just finished the pillow shams this evening and the verdict is still out on those. I'm not so sure I'm a fan yet but I'll live with them for a few days and see if they grow on me. I'm thinking maybe since the quilt is so busy that I should just go with a plain pale blue sham without the flange. What do you think? I am open to suggestions! If I put the white pillows in front of the blue it looks a little better. I don't know ..... we will see. But nevertheless, this project is finished!!! YAY!

Synchronized Squares Quilt Along

2011-06-27T18:38:00.000-05:00

About two weeks ago, I joined the Synchronized Squares Quilt Along with Rachel from ps i quilt. I was able to choose fabric which I love, and I came up with this. I've got quite a busy schedule the next couple of days but I think I can get it done! This is my first quilt along and I'm loving it! It's so much fun to quilt with other people and see the progress they make. And not to mention, to see all the fun fabrics that they choose!

My first zipper project!

2011-06-26T09:03:00.000-05:00

My mother-in-law mentioned she needed a new eye glass case so I added a new project to my list this summer. I have never done anything with a zipper before and as scary as it looked, it really wasn't that bad! I was pleased with how it turned out, and it only took about an hour! I might try to make a couple more in different sizes! I love the feeling that comes with a completed project!

Here are my projects!

2011-06-21T10:31:00.000-05:00

Here are the projects that I want to complete this summer!

1. I need to add a border to this pinwheel quilt, quilt and bind it!

2. I plan to make pillow shams to match the quilt. I have the fabric but I haven't cut it out yet. I have never made pillow shams before so it should be exciting! I am going to make a big blue and white pinwheel and border it with the light blue fabric. We'll see how it turns out!

3. I need to bind my scruffily quilt!

4. I need to complete the quilt-along with Rachel from ps i quilt! Luckily, everything is cut, I am just waiting on instructions about how to piece it all together!! This is my first quilt-along and it's tons of fun!

5. I have a pattern for a sewing machine cover and other accessories that I really wanted to do this summer. I have the fabric, now I just need to do the work!

6. Finally ....... I had plans to do a quilt for my sister-in-law, who just got married.

So it begins ..... two months ....... six projects ....... here we go!

Finish It Up!

2011-06-20T19:33:00.001-05:00

So remember how I was talking about all the projects I needed to get done this summer? Well thanks to Meg's Finish It Up! challenge I have the perfect motivation! I will gather my WIP's and post pics tomorrow! Thanks Meg, that was a fantastic idea!

wedding handkerchief

2011-06-20T08:55:00.000-05:00

My sister-in-law got married this weekend and I needed a quick little extra gift. I stumbled upon the old tradition of the wedding handkerchief and thought .... "Hey, I bet I can do that!" So, I took a trip to the local fabric store got what I needed and came back home to get started on the project! I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was!

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to be at the wedding; it was half way across the country. So, I had my mother-in-law deliver the handkerchief the morning of the wedding. I sent with it, a poem and letter describing the history of the wedding handkerchief and I explained the tradition that she could start for her own family! She loved it! What a quick, easy, and meaningful gift!

I think I have a new favorite crafty gift!

Tons of work to do!

2011-06-18T22:02:00.001-05:00

Well it's summer time, and since I am a teacher that means I have a lot of time off. That means a lot of time for projects!!!!

Here's my list:

Finish a pinwheel quilt that I started

Pillow shams to match the pinwheel quilt

Scruffily Quilt (by Rachel of ps i quilt)

Quilt Along with p.s. i quilt

Another Brick in the Wall Quilt (Carolina Patchworks pattern)

Sewing Machine Cover

Alright so I have all of these projects and I have about 2 months......Let's see if I can get it done! I'll post pictures as we go along!