Top is Finished

I have just finished running a quilting marathon.  While the floors were being installed, I had to be present so I tackled a quilt I have been wanting to make.  I literally was in my sewing room for over 24 hours in the past three days.  Today the hardwood floors are in and the 90x108 quilt top is finished.  If I had some helpers, I would have better photos but since the house is quiet, this is the best I could do with this giant topper.  I'm going to get an extra wide backing for this and it will be off for quilting. Have a great day!

Hugs,

Sewing Pretty

Being trapped in my sewing room for nine and half hours made me very, very productive.  I took a break from the normally scheduled sewing program to work on a quilt for my bed.  I have been collecting fabric for this for a long time.  Most of the fabric is Old, New Collection by Atsuko Matsuyama with the rest a combination of Lecien and some Lakehouse fabrics.  There is just something about this fabric that makes my heart sing.  You know how much I love Flower Sugar by Lecien, but it is very bright and not what a wanted for my bedroom.  These fabrics are rich but more subtle in color and are so, so pretty. I am making a quilt from the book, Large-Block Quilts by Victoria Eapen.  The pattern is called "Three Steps Forward" and it uses the Jacob's Ladder block.  These blocks are 18"x18". I will need 25 for a king-size quilt (if I did my math correctly).  I am enjoying this quilt so much.  On the house front, the floors are coming along quite nicely.  The gentlemen are already here today, pounding away.  We are also getting some work done on the outside of the house, replacing a sidewalk and putting in some flower beds.  As you may recall from earlier pictures, we didn't have any. My kids keep saying that its like an episode of extreme home make-over here.  I wish it was, then I wouldn't have to pay for it.  It sure is helping me adjust to moving to get these projects done.  It's starting to feel like my home and that is quite a nice shift in perspective for me.  Have a good day, friends!

Xoxo,

Trapped

I am "trapped" in my sewing room today.  Isn't that horrible?  Being forced to sit amongst the pretty fabrics and sew is such an awful thing.  Downstairs the first floor is getting redone.  New hardwood to replace the old linoleum and carpet.  There is lots and lots of hammering going on.  I'll be sure to post photos when they're finished.  Have a happy Monday!

Smiles,  

Sunday Scripture

Blessings,

Inspiration

Sometimes the inspiration to create is right in front of you and there are times when I see it and times when I don't.  Lately it helps me to look at the pictures I've taken on Instagram when I need a bit of inspiration.  When they are all grouped together I see colors and patterns that I didn't see before.  That little green chair has gotten me thinking that I need to add more green to my quilts, a color I shy away from in fabric.  The same goes with the red, pink and fuschia mixed together in the bouquet from my husband, I wouldn't think of putting those colors together.  The arrangement of pretty fabric and the soft colors of blue and yellow in the other pictures paint a story of their own.  Even if you don't have a blog, you can have Instagram and load your pictures onto your computer to look at them together.  It's also another fun way to share photos with other like minded people.  I get lots of inspiration from other bloggers and friends who use Instagram.  You can see more of my pictures by going to the button on the right side of my blog.  Have a daffodily day today!

Smiles,

Seaside Quilt

Good morning!  I always love it when I can start the day with a quilt finish.  This little one is a pattern from Camille Roskelley's book, "Simply Retro".  I used the wonderful "Seaside" by October Afternoon for Riley Blake.  The solid is linen and the back is a Denise Schmidt print from JoAnn Fabrics.  One of the things I love about this quilt is that you can use a yard and a quarter fabric for the back and it doesn't have to be pieced.  I hand quilted it with perle cotton No. 8.  Have a wonderful day!  I'm off to play in the fabric.

Smiles,

Sunday Scripture

image found here

With joy,

Fun News

I'm taking a deep breath to tell you this…I'm going to be a teacher.  Gasp.  Shortly after we moved here in June I found this wonderful store.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  I have ordered online from Pink Castle but didn't look at where they were located.  Well, about ten minutes from my new house to be exact.  It's the first time I could touch Kokka and Lecien in person before buying it.  The fabric selection is awesome.  Check out the store here.  While you are on the site, look at Camp Stitchalot, I think we should all go (look at the teachers who were there last week!).  I will be teaching Beginning Quilting in September and will let you know when the info is available incase you'd like to join me. I'm feeling very hopeful today…and nervous!

Smiles,

My Current Project

Thank you friends for your kind words.  It is a comfort to know that others have traveled this path before me and some of you are traveling it with me and your words of advice are so helpful.  I want to share with you a book that a friend of mine recommended.  It has been very helpful but be careful if you are in a tender place because I couldn't get through the first three pages without tears.  Tears can be helpful too (insert hug).  I am currently working on hand quilting a baby quilt.  I'm using Seaside by October Afternoon and the solid is linen.  A simple churn dash block kept the piecing simple and straight forward, just what I need.  Have a blessed day!

Smiles,

It's The Little Things...

Have you ever noticed that the little things can bring such joy to an ordinary day, can comfort and sustain, can bring a smile where maybe there wasn't one before?  That little glass creamer bottle with a sprinkling of flowers calms me whenever I walk by it.  The strawberry handmade by Heather brings me a smile whenever I walk in the kitchen.  I ordered some beautiful items from Heather and she took the time to add all these lovely touches…it's the little things.

Moving has been hard.  What I've noticed in the 2 1/2 months that we've been here is how much I miss the little things.  I walk into the grocery store as an invisible shopper.  No one smiles, no hello.  I pulled up some day lilies over the weekend and set them by the road thinking that I'd meet some neighbors.  All the plants disappeared but not one hello.  We come and go to various churches as we search for a new church home and I am surprised to know that we are invisible there as well.  I didn't realize how much this was affecting me until we ran into some acquaintances we know through college baseball.  I was asked how I was and this person kindly touched my arm and it almost brought me to tears...it's the little things.

I'm not telling you this to have you feel sorry for me.  This has caused me to open my eyes to my own behavior and I thought perhaps we could learn together.  I walked by plenty of people at church hurrying to get to my pew and my friends.  I breezed through the grocery store intent on my list and not the lady next to me.  How many people needed a hand on their shoulder or someone to look them in the eye and ask how they were and then stayed long enough to hear their response?  Why do we always have to be in such a hurry?

God has taken me right out of my comfort zone and placed in me in the wilderness.  I know he's here with me and that his plans will be revealed.  I know this is going to hurt for a while.  I also know that God wastes nothing so today I'm going to be looking around me with a set of brand new eyes and looking for ways to bring joy to others through the little things.

Hugs, 

Sunday Scripture

With Joy,

Scrappy Trip Quilt

It has been a week of binding and finishing up quilts.  I am happy to share with you my "Scrappy Trip Along" quilt all bound, washed and ready to snuggle.  The sewing technique for making this was so addicting and fun that it will go down in the books as one of my favorites.  It is a bright, cheerful quilt and will be able to cheer me up in the dead of winter.  I used up all of the Lecien Flower Sugar I had in my stash to make this quilt so I really had no choice but to purchase the new Lecien Flower Sugar 2013 (wink).  Blessings!

Smiles,

Quilt Finish

I'm so thrilled to share with you my latest quilt finish.  The pattern is from Trish Poolson at Notes of Sincerity for Moda Bakeshop.  Trish is a dear, sweet friend of mine that I got to meet right before our move.  When I saw the pattern I knew I wanted to use the charm packs I had of Aneela Hoey's "Sew Stitchy".  The pattern is great for beginners and also for more experienced quilters who want to play with pattern and color.  The pattern is very well written and easy to follow.  I highly recommend it.  I love Trish's quilt using "Avalon" by Fig Tree Quilts.  I backed the quilt with a fun retro sewing pattern fabric I had in my stash which I purchased a couple years ago at JoAnn Fabrics.  The binding is "Oh Deer" by Mo Mo for Moda Fabrics.  A thank you to Mary my quilter/friend for her great quilting and a big thank you to Maddie, my daughter for holding the quilt up but didn't want to be photographed (nice sunglasses, dear daughter).

Sunday Scripture

image found here

Blessings,