Chugging along

It is my goal to have this quilt top finished and ready for quilting by the time I head back to school in August. I think I have a very realistic chance of actually making my deadline too. If you know me, you know I get overwhelmed by large projects so I finish very few large quilts. I'm much more comfortable with small, wall size quilts because they are so much more manageable, but since this is a bucket list quilt, I want it to be a BIG one. I'm hoping for bed size. I made a lot of extra blocks but we will see how far I can get before I run out of fabric.

Ring of Roses

I've been sewing up a storm and I have to say that this quilt is much more involved than I thought, and I already thought it was going to be tricky.

I have had a few hair pulling moments so far but have managed to piece four blocks together to get a little sneak peek of what this quilt will eventually look like.

(Don't look too closely, these blocks aren't squared yet.) I do think I will love this quilt when it's done, if I don't shoot myself before it's finished =0P The directions on this pattern could be a little (or a lot) more clear, I have had to go on a scavenger hunt to find blogs with tutorials to figure out what the heck the lady is talking about on the pattern, but I still think that this method is MUCH easier than the traditional method so I am going to just go with it.

Now I have to walk away from them for several days because I am going to go hang with my mom and my sister and have some girl time with our Grandmother's Flower Gardens. Have a great Fourth of July!

And so it begins...

Do you have a "Lifetime Achievement Project"? You know, that one thing you really really want to do, but you don't see it happening...ever?

I have several.

One of them is a Double Wedding Ring quilt. It's something that seems so complicated and so far beyond my skill set. But guess what?

I've begun. It may turn out to be a total nightmare, or I may surprise myself and have something beautiful when (if) I'm finished.

I chose Lecien florals for the most part. I really want this quilt to be soft and romantic and "Make your heart flutter" lovely.

This is definitely a lifetime achievement quilt for me. Along with my Grandmother's Flower Garden that I am still plugging away at five years later *Sigh* I don't know how the pioneers did it!

Great Granny Mug Rug

I had so much fun making my little Great Granny Square quilt, you should try them!

I was cleaning off my sewing table at the end of a project and came across a little pile of scraps left over from my blocks and thought "Hmmm, I am sick to death of looking at my mug rug at work, maybe I should make a new one." So I did.

All made from scraps left over from my quilt. It went together really fast because everything was already cut out, and I love it =0) It's been so long since I made something for ME and now I have made a mug rug, a mini quilt, and have another mini quilt in progress. I should get booted from swaps more often LOL

Also, I turned off the word verifications on my comments form. I hate them too! As long as there is no spam I will leave them off. I know I have tried to comment on other's blogs in the past and been so frustrated with their word verifications that I end up just leaving rather than leaving a comment. So I understand. I hope it takes a good long time for the spammers to find me again.

All Done

My little Flea Market Star is all quilted, bound, and ready to go!

I chose to just use some simple line quilting to accent the pattern of the star. I think it worked out well.

One swap down, two to go =0)

Flea Market Fancy Fractured Star

This week has been one of our crazy ones at school and by Friday, when I had worked overtime almost every day, I was burned out. I was feeling guiltily relieved when I drove my boys to the church Friday afternoon and dropped them off for Scout Camp. Does that make me a horrible mom? I was to that point where I was so tired that all of their noise this weekend would have made me cranky and I would have been snappy and not such a fun mom! I think the timing of that Scout Trip was serendipitous!

Anyway, since I didn't have to spend the morning begging, pleading, cajoling, growling, and snapping to get my boys to do their weekly chores, I spent it in my sewing room instead =0)

I am working on this little quilt for the Denyse Schmidt Doll Quilt Swap.

This fractured star is one of my favorite patterns to make with left over triangles. I think this is the first time I have ever made this pattern with triangles I have made specifically for this pattern! It lends itself so well to scrappiness and when I saw something similar in my partners mosaic, I knew this was what I wanted to make for her. I wasn't sure of the gray at first, but since she asked for gray background I kept going and now that it's done, I like it a lot, it lets the colors stand out more so than white would. My original plan was to do a wider border of the large yellow floral, but now that it's finished, I see the border would be overwhelming and take away from the quilt, rather than add to it, so the border will not be added.

Now I just have to figure out how I want to quilt it. Ah quilting, not my favorite thing. I much prefer piecing.

Argh, there be Pirates here

I started this quilt way back when for a swap. It was a Disney swap and my partner's son liked pirates. I came up with this wicked awesome idea and I was so excited!

I tried black wool felt and I just didn't like it, it wasn't BLACK! Mickey ears have to be black, not dingy gray!

So, I did a bad thing, and I used acrylic felt to make my mickey ears (Fabric just wouldn't have been the same right? Right?) and then I goofed. I goofed BAD! I ironed the felt!

Ack, melted felt all over my iron, and melted felt all over my quilt! I didn't have time to create this quilt all over again, it was all but done and the deadline was fast approaching so I chucked it in a corner and moved on to plan B.

Well, it's been a year or two and this pathetic pirate with his melted ear was really bugging me, so I got out the scissors and carefully trimmed away the melted part and attached a new ear. You can't even tell! I'm so excited because I was so pleased with how this quilt turned out! 

I'm glad my little quilt has a new life. Now I just have to figure out what to do with him!

Sewing Sewing

I have been having fun in my sewing room lately, and even accomplished a few things, yay me!

First of all, I made my last three blocks and put the top together for my Great Granny Quilt. Now, unfortunately, I'm stuck. I keep looking at all those tiny squares and trying to figure out how I want to quilt this. I haven't had any ideas yet, so it's still just a flimsy. I'm willing to sit on it for a bit because I don't want to be disappointed with it when I'm finished.

I have to say, I really love this little quilt. It's so ME. It's my favorite colors, it's bright, fun and unashamed of it's colorfulness =0) I love everything about it (Except maybe that one hot pink and white polka dot on the left side, I don't love that one as much).

I tried to hurry and get block three of the Fat Quarter Shop Mystery BOM done before block four arrived but I didn't quite make it. But now both three and four are finished. I love this quilt too. I'm so glad I joined this BOM. I nearly didn't, I HATE mystery quilts. I am very OCD and not knowing where something is going makes me a nervous wreck, but I figured with Vintage Modern fabric, how could you possibly go wrong? And I have every reason to believe that this will be one of my favorite quilts when it's finished.

I've also been playing in mom's scrap basket again. These are little tiny triangles that she cut off when doing her "Love Letters" quilt. She just rolled her eyes, laughed, and told me I was crazy when I started sewing them into squares. This little quilt measures 9.5" with borders. This is one of my favorite quilt patterns, I have made it in several sizes from several different fabrics, but this one is definitely the tiniest!

Progress Report

It seems like it has been ages since I have had any good, quality time to spend in my sewing room. B's schedule has changed and he now gets home from work somewhere between three and five. While I love having him around more, it's been hard because I'm not getting any ME time. I'm a home body, B is not. If he's off work, he wants to be out and about doing something. Which means no sewing time for me, I feel like I am never at home anymore!

Anyway, onto the progress report.
I started sewing this quilt a while back to go into a little wagon that sits on top of a cabinet in my living room. For the past several years it has held a little primitive quilt and while I love that little quilt, it no longer fits in with my brighter, no longer primitive, decor. I needed something new up there. I had found a quilt on pintrest that I fell in love with and wanted to replicate on a smaller scale.

I got to spend lots of time with this little darling while taking care of my mom after her surgery, and on various road trips, but I can't sew for very long, my hands cramp up and get very painful. This little quilt was taking FOREVER!

I decided I needed a plan B, a little quilt I could put together quickly that could add charm to my little wagon until I could get my tiny Flower Garden completed. So, I started my little Great Granny quilt and now I have another problem. I think I like this little quilt more! So, I think I will keep going on this quilt and put it in the wagon, and put the flower garden on the wall or something.

The two newest blocks are the two on the left, I have three more to go then I can start assembling this little quilt.

I also received my name tag swap, all the way from Germany! Isn't it cute? Cherries <3 p="p">

Hi, I'm With the Band!

I have always had an aversion to following the crowd. If everyone is doing something, that usually means that it's the LAST thing I want to do! I refused to read Harry Potter simply because everyone else was doing it.

But in every life there comes a time when you just have to put all Lemming fears aside and just jump off the cliff with everyone else.

Enter...Lori Holt's Great Granny Along.

I resisted as fervently as I could, but in the end, I caved. I can't help it! They're so cute! I am making my great grannies tiny. My finished square is 5.5". I wanted to make mine doll quilt size to go up on a shelf in my Living Room.

I have my first four blocks finished, just five more to go! I think I am going to be totally in love with this quilt! I'm in love with it already!

My first square made from fabrics chosen for another project that I will show you soon. I loved this one so much when I first made it, and now it's my least favorite...go figure. In fact, it may not make it into my little quilt at all, we'll have to see.

So how about you? Did you jump on the bandwagon with me? If you haven't you should! These little guys are very fun, and addicting!

Magnets and Mug Rugs

I know you're not very surprised but I joined in on a few more swaps!

First up is round two of the RATZ swap, our theme this time around was Magnets. I had so much fun making these, who knew magnets could be so fun! Now I need to make a set just for me =0)

I started out with the little mini tomato pin cushion, then made the red pinwheel, and the blue four patch. I wanted something to go with them and found these incredible vintage sewing machine clip arts prints online. All in all I think it will be a fun little package for her to receive. I hope she likes them.

 I also received this darling little patriotic mug rug from MamaCJT. If you don't know her, this woman is amazing, she cranks out high volumes of whatever we are swapping that round and they are all amazing. She is very generous and is a swap angel almost every round, meaning she sends out packages to people who for whatever reason don't receive theirs. Or for goofballs, like me, who miss the sign ups! Isn't she sweet? Now I need to come up with something that is worthy of her. I think she's awesome!

In other news, last week was the Shop Hop. Fifteen stores across the Wasatch Front, in four days. It has become a yearly thing that we all look forward to. We have so much fun. My mom's best friend comes from Alabama every year to go with us, and her daughter Amy has now started to fly in from Colorado every year to join us as well. Making us a party of eight. We really have a good time and spend LOTS of money. But this year I didn't take any pictures! Don't know what I was thinking. I was too busy having fun and shopping I guess =0)

Hope you are all having a great Summer. See you soon =0)

What was I thinking?

Well, I didn't feel like I had nearly enough unfinished projects cluttering up my sewing room, so I decided to jump in on a couple of sew alongs.



When Anne from Bunny Hill announced that she was having a Dresden sew along this year, I decided to dig out my old Delilah dresdens that I started clear back in...who knows. I spent two days flipping blades, ironing, and arranging into plate groups, and have started sewing them together. My original plan was to make a quilt for my bed, but now, I am thinking I must be nuts, because I would FREAK OUT every time one of the boys, or the husband, flopped down on my bed. Now maybe I will just hang it on the wall behind my headboard.



Four down, 16 to go! And don't worry, I won't be putting them on fuschia backgrounds! They will be soft and sweet on white backings, hopefully with tiny yellow dots if I can ever find some somewhere other than Joann's!



The other sew along I joined was the Swoon-Along with ImAGingerMonkey. I bought the Swoon pattern, and my fabrics back in June, during the shop hop, but I never started the quilt, this was just the inspiration I needed. I am making my quilt out of a mixture of Sew Cherry, and Cherry Fizz. This quilt is just for me, can you tell =0P


I made my first block last saturday, and it took me literally all day long. I started at about 7:30 AM and finished at about 8:00 PM. Of course I had to take about two hours out of that to run to the quilt shop for replacement fabric that I screwed up which is another adventure all in itself. I had been there the day before and they had a bolt of the yellow check Cherry Fizz on the clearance shelf. It was about half gone, and I thought about buying some more, but didn't. So when I messed up, I really wasn't worried and off to the quilt shop I went. But guess what? The entire bolt, and every last fat quarter was gone! I panicked and asked the girl in the shop if she knew if they had sold it, or if the bold was behind the cutting counter. She checked for me and no bolt. UGH, what was I going to do? Then she said she would check the swatch drawer and see if they had a little piece of it in there and they did! it was a strip about 4" wide! She asked if that was enough and I said yes, I just needed four pieces 3.5" X 6.5"!



So I came home and finished up my block and after spending all day working on it...I didn't like it! I was so bummed! I don't know if it's the red and white dot background, or the fact that there's not enough contrast between the colors, or what it is, I just don't like it. I was really bummed. I posted my obligatory pic on flickr and one of the other Swoon-along participants said the sweetest thing "They can't all be the star, some of them have to be the supporting cast" and instantly I felt so much better! This not so little block is just fine, it will be a sweet back up to a fabulous block!

So check out the links above if you are crazy, like me, and don't feel like you have enough unfinished projects going on =0P

Keeping Busy

I have been so busy at work lately that I come home pooped and have no energy left for crafting. Things are finally starting to slow down a little though, so hopefully I will get my craft on soon.

This past weekend my mom, sister and I had our twice yearly girls sewing weekend. The guys all went golfing, the kids played with their cousins, and the girls hid out in mom's sewing room making tree skirts. I didn't get very far on mine because I decided to be sick that day *Sigh* so mine is only pieced and basted. I love the way our different personalities come out in our projects, even though we all make the same thing.



Last night I was browsing through pintrest and came across the photo of a crocheted minion hat. I LOVED IT and thought "I could easily do that" so PF and I ran to Wally World for some yellow yarn and off I went.


In hindsight I wish I hadn't put the space between his goggles, it looks kinda weird to me. And I made his mouth so it's saying "Whaaaaaa" cuz that was my favorite part of the whole movie =0)Now my other two boys want one too. Guess I know what I will be up to for the next few days!

Going Batty!

Halloween is just around the corner! Are you excited? I am, I love Halloween!


My husband however...loathes Halloween. He kinda rains on my parade sometimes LOL But I don't care, I just go crazy decorating without him.

Christmas however? He goes NUTS at Christmas =0)

Version two

Totally forgot to post the second quilt, sorry, it's been done since the day after the other quilt.

Oh well, life is nuts, what can I say?
Not the best picture I know, I really should take one in better light I guess.


And side by side for your viewing convenience. It's kind of funny, I thought everyone would prefer the non-pink version, but I was wrong, the pink one seems to be the most popular. Go figure.


I'm also making a little mug rug for my desk. I have so many cute mug rugs from various swap partners but I can't bring myself to actually use them! What if I ruin them? So... I am making one, a simple one, that I won't feel bad about using, and if worse comes to worst, I have left over fabric and can always make another one!


Now I just need one for my desk at my new job. Yesterday was my first day, and frankly, I'm more than a little overwhelmed. But, I have been overwhelmed before and done just fine. I'm sure I will be fine this time too! I am going to miss working with kids though, little ones that come up and wrap themselves around my legs and are happy to see me. Working with teenagers is going to be a whole new ball of wax.

Booooooooring!

Seriously! The WORST thing that can happen to a quilter with ADD! But, I am so excited about the little quilt I am making for my STUD (Swap til U Drop) partner, I think it's going to turn out so great, that I am willing to make 3 million (ok, slight exageration) little half square triangles!

I am making one for me at the same time, which is why there are three million of them, but I couldn't make one for her and NOT make one for me, I love it THAT much!

I am so excited, can't wait to show you more!

Mini Dresden= Mini Pinnie

Last weekend was the HMQS Quilt show. I went with my mom, on friday, and the just couldn't leave without this darling little Dresden ruler. I think it's only meant to be a key chain(It came with a key chain thing on it) but hello...mini Dresdens???


I couldn't wait to try it out!

My sister and her family came down for Mother's Day and we had a girls' sewing day on Saturday. We try to do this a couple of times a year, it gives us a chance to just hang out together without having to run here, or do that etc.

I took several projects with me to work on, but that little ruler was calling to me so I got it out and dug into mom's scrap basket. It's rather funny, I was planning to make her a little pin cushion and while I was sewing she sad "Man, I wish I had a pin cushion!!! Somewhere to stick a needle where it won't get lost!"



I love how tiny and sweet it is! I also made a full Dresden circle with these teeny tiny plates. No idea what I'm going to do with it yet, but I made a fabric covered button to go in the middle of it =0)

On the cutting table

On the cutting table one 4 1/2" stack of delightfully delicious Delilah dresdens!


Well, mostly Delilah, I had to add a few extras and some yellows in there. I am so excited to start sewing! I haven't been this excited about a quilt in a long time!

I heart Delilah!

Nadine from Material Girls, and Tanya Whelan, and the poor girl that had to cut all this, are my three favorite people today.

I went to Material Girls with my mom this weekend. They were having a HUGE New Year's sale and we wanted in on the action. Plus mom had $100 gift card burning a hole in her pocket, so we HAD to go!

Then I saw it, from across the room, and it was love at first sight. It was the choirs of heavenly angels singing kind of love at first sight! A whole shelf of Tanya Whelan's Delilah line!!!! Can you hear them singing? I instantly knew what I wanted to do.

I had visions of heavenly Dresdens in my head.

So a huge thanks to Nadine for giving me 40% off even though it wasn't technically on sale, and a huge thanks to the poor girl who had to cut 1/4 yard each of 31 different prints. And a Huge thanks to Tanya Whelan for designing fabric that makes my mouth water and my heart palpitate!

Quilting, it's not just a girl sport!

A few months ago my middle child made his very first quilt block. Since then both of my other boys have been bugging me to let them make one too. I have put them off as long as I could, but today my oldest was having a rough day. He was feeling left out of the play while his two brothers had friends over.


I figured it was the perfect day for a little Mom/PK one on one time. We pulled out the scrap bins and he chose his colors, I threw together a rough sketch of a sailboat for him to sew and we spent the afternoon making a little quilt or pillow to put in his room.


He was pretty proud of himself but doesn't want to advertise his talents too much because he's afraid his friends might make fun of him.

I think he's pretty awesome =0)



I also got two blocks done today for my liberty quilt, the two I finished are the bottom right two. I did have a moment of panic on the bottom middle block when it said the little red and beige half square triangles should measure 2.5" and they were only 2" but happily figured out it was an error in the pattern. Then I had a second moment of panic when it said the block should measure 9.5" and it was only 9" thankfully just another error *Whew*