February Ornament :D

I finished my ornament for the Christmas Ornament SAL this morning. I started it last night. I just love Shepherd's Bush (as if you couldn't tell) there are 6 in this series, and I just have to have them all. The SAL gives me a good push to do that! So, here is Shepherd's Bush: 2000 Year Ago. They have silver charms to go with these, but at $12 a piece I am not even going to buy them. This one had a shepherd's staff, so a brown stitched one he gets :D

I took more fancy pictures! It's nice on the weekends, I am home during the day when the sun is out, I can take pretty pics!

I have been working on my Mermaids, the weekends is when I do. So, I actually have some progress on them, woo! No pictures yet, but I will next week :D

Needleroll and quilt

What a lazy Saturday, it's great! It is 11:20 and I'm still in my pajamas. I have the right to do this on occassion :D So, last night I stayed up until 1:00 am and worked on some exchanges and gifts, I wish I could show you, but it'll have to wait.

This morning I rolled out of bed and started working on my blue and yellow log cabin quilt. I thought I'd have enough yellow, but I won't. So, I'll have to go get a few more fat quarters to finish off the yellow, only two more strips per block, but they are the long strips and there are 90 blocks :D

I officially finished my first needleroll, it was fun! I want to make more. I need to get a small basket to put all of these little things in. Didn't it turn out cute? I even tried some fancy camera work... let me know if you approve!

I ordered some fabric from Silkweaver, my stash was dwindling, I like having it on hand for when I have the need to start a new project right at that very moment, here is what I got. I love it. I like the sand linen I got, I am thinking I'll use that for the Neighborhood RR coming up this summer. I hear my Jayne's Attic RR arrived in Iceland safe and sound, I am now waiting to receive the one I am supposed to stitch on, I am excited!

I've been sewing at the kitchen table, and I keep smelling this lovely hyacinth. Mark's aunt gave it to us, it's in a little glass vase, it reminds me of spring! All of my daffodils and bulb flowers are shooting up, the daffodils will bloom in the next week or two. They are a bit early this year! Almost a whole month early.

Have a lovely Saturday everyone! And thank you so much for your kind comments you have left, and welcome to all of you who are new, don't be shy! :D

A few things to share

Well, I've done it again, started yet another quilt... this one is a log cabin quilt. I am making 90 blue and yellow blocks. I am 1/2 way done with them. I have two more rows to sew around the blocks to finish them off. I love this color combination. I had a ton of yellow/blue scraps so those are getting used up.

Then, I finished the stitching for the Shepherd's Bush needleroll. I just need to finish it into a needleroll now. I like it a lot, the pattern was very cute. And the specialty stitches were fun to learn.

Then, I finished this little one. It's called Little Acorn by The Knotted Tree. This was the kit they handed out at the Acorns and Threads night. I like it okay, it was fun to stitch though :D Also, I received my first pair of Gingher scissors :D They are the Alyssa model. I love them. So pretty.

And I leave you with a drawing my son did of himself. I think it's adorable. The house by him "has Christmas lights on it, and he's happy to see the sun." as described by Curren.

The letter Y

A fun alphabet game, I was given the letter Y by Barbara :D
The Letter Y

Yardwork: I just worked in my yard for a few hours on Saturday and really enjoyed it. I love to garden, it’s so rewarding.

Yellow: Such a cheery color! I am making a yellow and blue quilt right now actually :D

Young: I am still young, but feel old… but I have little young ones at home, and they are what life is all about, being young and happy.

Yelling: There is a time and place for it, like a sports game… not like when your daughter spills a full glass of chocolate milk on the carpet.

Yikes: As in Britney Spears… LOL!

Year: So much can happen, and summing up into a year is so hard. And what happened to the year of 2006? I am still trying to figure that one out.

Yawn: What I can’t seem to stop doing today.

Yards: As in yards of fabric, I love fabric *sigh* (yards and yardwork are not the same!)

Yak: This was my first word, or so says my mom. :D

Yoga: A type of exercise… which isn’t in my vocabulary… and is really difficult (for the clumsy me)

If you want a letter just let me know :D

A post is coming tonight, new projects and a finish woohoo!

February Snapper done :)

Hi there :D I saw about 3 other people had just completed their February snapper as well! Here is mine:

Also, today there was a sale at Sharon's Attic, a local quilt shop, 25 fat quarters for $25.00! Woohooo! So here is what I bought:

The green and pink fabrics on the bottom left will be for my cousin, she just had a baby girl this week, so of course she earns a quilt. :)

My neighbor is going out of town, so she couldn't go, so she gave me $25 to go and get her some too :D Stash shopping for my neighbor too? Cool!

I've been working on my Mermaid's just a little bit. I have decided I just don't like beading. It's tedious for me. So, I keep putting them off. I have decided I'll work on them at least once a week no matter what, and I will get them done! Cindy just finished hers and they are GORGEOUS!

So, no pictures today. I have been steadily working on a few things, but none of it is picture worthy yet :)

I am ½ way done with my February block for the Bent Creek Snappers. It is looking cute. And I have been working on my little wall hanging. I came home last night, and found a package, it was the walking foot I ordered for my sewing machine! I got it installed and made sure it worked. I get to try it out tonight. Cool :D

I don’t have the gusto to work late into the night like I did back in January. I think I wore myself out :) I do have a lot of projects that need some attention. I am going to not start any quilts until I get some things finished up. (I hope anyway) I am so impulsive, it’s hard to say that and stick to it!

Can you believe the month is already ½ way over? What the heck, time just slips through my fingers. I can’t keep up.

Happy Valentine's Day :)

I just wanted to wish all of you a Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you can spend time with your loved ones today!

(this was brought home from my son, one of his classmates made it, I think it’s awesome!)

5 Questions

I am feeling brave and following in Jenna’s footsteps with this one.

Anyone may ask me five questions. They can touch on any subject and while I might have to think about them for a bit, I will try to answer every question that is asked of me. Just leave a comment to this post with your 5 questions.

This should be an interesting exercise. You’ll learn more about me and I will learn a little about you, based on the questions that you ask me.

Fire away!

Using Fusible Gridding

Here is how I would define fusible gridding (for those of you who aren’t sure?) I wasn’t a few months ago!

It’s fusible interfacing, the interfacing has a grid, which you can buy in sizes I think up to 3” x 3”. This gives you a template to lay out your quilt squares on. I used 1-1/2” x 1-1/2” gridding for mine. So I cut out my 1-1/2” squares and layed them out how I wanted them (in the trip around the world pattern) and then ironed them to the gridding, so they were stuck on there completely. Then I folded my fabric top to top, and sewed down ¼” seams one direction on each of the lines. When I completed all of one direction, I snipped the corners ¼” all of the way down each line, and then folded it top to top going the other direction. (the cutting of the corners makes it so your fabric will fold the other direction) Then I was done! You leave the fusible interfacing on the fabric, it does not come off. So, the quilt is a little bulky, but I am told over time, with washing it’ll loosen up and not be so stiff and heavy. Does this make sense? The best part of it is, it goes very fast. And your corners are perfect! Woohoo!

I was glad I did a test run with this interfacing before tackling the queen size quilt I plan to use it with. I got used to it, and decided to cut it into sections to make it easier to handle. The only hard part of it was transferring it from the kitchen table where I had it layed out, to the ironing board. I didn’t want to mess up my little squares.

I found out about this at a quilt shop where a lady makes watercolor quilts, and they were so stunning. I asked her how she did it, and did it take forever? She was so happy to tell me about the gridding, very good tip :) I hope some of you try it out, I’d love to see what you make!

Added the border

I added the border to the wall hanging quilt. I've really enjoyed this. I think I'll have to make some more wall hangings in the near future. It was fun! Thanks for your comments on it, you guys are all so nice :D

New quilt to hang :)

I tried something new today, fusible gridding, and it was quite nice! I wanted to do a "test" run on something small. My trip around the world quilt I am planning will be used with the fusible gridding, but it'll be a queen size, this is a wall hanging I came up with today with batik fabric from my stash. I love it yay!

The squares are 1" x 1" so it's small. I have a model for you below showing it off :D

I'll get a border on it in the next few days or so and finish it off, and hang it above my bed. Woohoo for small projects :) Hope you are having a great weekend!

A Pile of Broken Dishes

Here is my pile of broken dishes I made today :) I call them pinwheels, then saw them called broken dishes, then saw them called hour glasses. Whatever, here is a pile of half square triangles! :D

I also finished some birthday blocks for the exchange I am in:

Amish Diamond

Pieced Box

I found a pattern for a table runner and the fabric I bought for it many months ago tonight, so I will start this soon. It is my most favorite colors and fabrics, I LOVE this, I can't wait to start it.

Then, I got STASH!!! Finally my stash arrived from Stiching Bits and Bobs, it took 1-1/2 months, because of the WDW floss I ordered... isn't it great? The floss on the left is for Old McMary's Farm, I now have everything to start that!

This is floss I bought just because it was pretty :)

And in cross stitching I finished my start for the RR I am in. I am sending it off next week to begin the RR!

Phew, see what happens if I don't post every night ;) I have had fun reading all of your posts, I am learning so much from all of you. Thank you so much for your kind comments *hugs*

Horse quilt border done :)

Well, I got the border on this last night, it looks very cute. Horses romping all over it, it's perfect! Jessie still hasn't managed to see this yet, I hope I can keep it a secret until April. I don't know if I can! I am horrid at keeping secrets :) Good thing she can't figure out the internet and see my blog yet... though I bet it'll be soon.

I am almost done with my part of the RR for the Jayne's attic board, it is looking good. And guess what?? I was accepted in the SBEBB board today by Becky! I am thrilled about it :D More exchanges, and more wonderful people to meet. I can't wait.

I ordered a walking foot for my sewing machine tonight. I have been wanting one. I have never used one before. But from what everyone and their dog has told me about them, they are a necessity for quilting. I think anything to make life easier when quilting is worth having! Here is to hoping I ordered the right one! LOL!

Thanks for your kind words and support, it's so uplifting to me. I have enjoyed getting to know all of you. I look forward to your posts every day :D

What a day!

I had such a fun day today! I went out with my friend to Acorns and Threads, the needlework shop and picked up some charts and fabric for upcoming exchanges, it was great! My friend hasn't stitched for years, she picked up a small kit to try it again, I hope that she will start up again :) We then went to Fabric Depot, a huge fabric store out here. All of their fabric was 40% off, so I went crazy! I will be starting a Trip Around the World quilt for my cousin now. I am doing it in purples, greens and creams. I got 4 of each color. I still need one more purple to complete it, I just couldn't find one I liked. Here is what I bought!

I love them! I can't wait to start.

Then when I pulled up the mailman had a package for me! This is my exchange from the USEBB. My partner was Myrna, and she made me a beautiful pillow! I love it. The design is Mosey n Me, called Hearts and Flowers. Isn't it cute? Inside the package was all sorts of goodies, socks, candy, stationary. Thank you Myrna, you are so generous :D You stiched a lovely design.

January Review, and Goals for February

Gasp! What is this I didn’t finish another quilt last night?!? LOL! No, I had a meeting for church and then got home and was too tired and wanted to hang out on the couch. I didn’t even cross stitch… double Gasp!

I’ve been going through my lists of projects, and there are so many of them. I was so proud of myself for all of the work I did in January. I was a woman possessed I tell you. Here are my finishes:

JBW: Country French Apple (MIL B-day present)
Bent Creek: January Snapper
Prairie Schooler: F is for Friend (exchange)
Ink Circles: Biscornu (PIF)
Shepherd’s Bush: Be Happy (still need buttons)
Country Cottage: Blue House Ornament

Also, in my quilting, I got my machine back after two months of it being broken, and I couldn’t be stopped :)
I finished:

The top of my mom’s quilt WOOHOOOOOOO!!!!
The top of my Carpenter’s Square quilt
And have a almost finish with Jessie’s horse quilt.

I have had such a fun January doing all of these things. I’ve never made a monthly “goal” list, but I am going to anyway, to see if I actually stick to it :P

To do for February:
1. Finish the top of Jessie’s Horse Quilt (just need to add a border) *done 2-5-07*
2. Begin the Trip Around the World Quilt for my cousin (getting materials Saturday)
3. Finish Bent Creek: February Snapper *done one 2-15-07*
4. Jayne’s Attic RR: Finish my 1st part, and mail it to Iceland by the 19th, begin on the one coming in :) – this is my first RR, I can’t wait to see what I get to stitch!
5. Work on the Mermaids of the Deep Blue, so I can keep up with Cindy :)
6. Find design for USEBB Quaker Exchange and get materials for it. *found design and bought materials! 2/3/07*
7. Find a ornament and finish it for the ornament SAL.
8. Make 3 blocks for Birthday block exchange

*started and finished Trip Around the World wall hanging 2-10 to 2-14*