on a roll...

I've been very goal oriented lately and have finished another quilt. I do better if I set goals before I start a quilt. I find I actually will stick to it. Here is a quilt for my 12 year old niece Mindy. Since all my nieces and nephew are in one family, I can't just make for one and not all of them. They welcomed 2 babies in 2008..not twins, just one born in January and one born in November. Those little cuties got quilts, so now I need to be fair and make the 3 others a quilt. Mindy's Birthday came first and she got an I.O.U in a card....so here it is.

I somewhat took the simple path and used pre-cut Layer Cakes. They are fun to work with and I can get every piece of fabric in the collection without having to search everywhere for it. I simply place RST and draw a diagonal line from corner to corner, then sew 1/4" on each side of the line so I don't get that dreaded bias stretch. Next I cut down the center line and arrange my blocks and voila...instant quilt.

I have a baby shower to go to next weekend, so I plan on making a little quilt from a panel like this. I think it would be super sweet for a little girl!

sew what did you do today?

......I quilted another quilt. I've been on a kick lately and figured I better just go with the flow.

I decided to branch out and tried a stars and loops pattern. Still needs a little work, but was very fun!
Seems like every time I lay a quilt out for a picture, Max gets into gymnastics mode...here he is attempting a somersault. What a goof!

think spring...

Even though we are now supposed to get snow in the upcoming week, my mind has switched to spring mode. I did a bunch of cleaning around the house and now things are squeaky clean...we will see how long that lasts after Max's nap!!

I finished my girlie quilt yesterday. I am planning on using the same pattern (different fabric) for my nieces quilt. I love using Layer Cakes! It's nice having things already cut out and ready!!

I added cornerstones since I decided to try a different layout for the quilt and just got by with enough fabric for the borders!

I am now in the process of finishing my husbands Pheasant Quilt Throw and am starting to cut into my Good Folks Fats...I'm thinking Turning Twenty on that one.

Here's wishing you all fast approaching Spring weather!!

sew little time..

....to do all the things I want to! I guess that's usually how it goes though. We just need to MAKE TIME! I knew I wanted this fabric when I first saw it. So now I will be looking for the perfect quilt pattern. All of these lovelies are on their way to me, I just can't wait!!!

I have an idea for the retro space ships. I just thought this was too cute!

Some stripes that were fun! And who can't resist dots!

I've been taking a Contemporary Heirloom class to get more acquainted with my sewing machine. I have learned a lot and had a great time. I have 2 blocks to get caught up on yet, but I'm so excited to start on the quilt. We are learning piping next month and how we will be setting our blocks. I am going to use browns to complete the quilt.

These are the browns I plan on using. The polka dots are jacquard and I will be using them as backgrounds and the steamy fabric will be used on my piping.
I'm making a little owl blanket for my friend's new little baby. I just need to finish the quilting on it then add the binding.

I picked up these Moda Layer cakes in Urban Chicks Sweet.

Here is a sneak peak at my spiderweb quilt. It is so much fun and a great way to use up any small scraps!

That's all for now, I think I am going to go and MAKE SOME TIME!

cozy little improvements

Didn't get much quilting done this week. Busy with home improvements. New carpet, new layout, new floors, new cupboards...I was very productive in other ways.

spring ahead...

It's time to start thinking about Spring...I am at least. I started and finished this wall hanging today. Wasn't the most challenging. I used Moda Turn Overs in Mary Engelbreit and pieced them together, then sashed the panel with them. I love the colors and how they instantly made me feel more cheerful!

What I didn't like was my how Mr. Pfaffy Pfaff treated me (broke 4 needles). I decided that my sewing machine must be a man because when he is sweet, he melts my heart....but when he gets a hitch in his step, nothing goes right. Doesn't sound anything like how a woman would act, right!?! ;) Anyhow, he had a little tension problem and after I calmed his nerves he started acting sweet again!! I think I'm in love!!

trying something new...

So I decided to pull out the crochet hook and try making a hat. I've never made one, but thought I would just mess around. This is what I ended up with.


One thing I have learned is Maxton isn't the best model anymore. He rarely likes to stay in one place!



The other thing we learned is that if the "King" doesn't want to do something, the "King" doesn't do it!

This is one of those times!!

And he's going.....

going....

And gone!!

Elmo really wasn't much for modeling today either!!

what i love...

I LOVE homemade!! Here are some of the awesome homemade things we received in our house!

A new ornament for the tree


A crafty lighted wine bottle for the kitchen

New hat and mittens for Maxton

Handbag for on the go

Knitted scarf all of my own

A pillow to rest on the couch

A gift is always that much more special when it is handmade. I plan on trying to do all handmade gifts this year if possible. I think they speak for themselves when it comes to telling someone how special they are to you! Happy New Year to you all!!

silent night...

Wishing you all a very...

Luke 1:14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth

and a little of that...

Here are some of my finished embroidery work. I think I am off to tackle the pretty little maids. I think I might try to finish another gift using those!!


In other news, tomorrow I get my braces on. I'm not looking forward to having to trudge through the next 30 months with them, but I do look forward to the rewards! It's also nice to know that there are so many adults with braces nowadays...so here's to having a reason to stay away from gooey fudge, caramels, and sweets in general this holiday season, may my smile and waistline benefit!!

a little of this...

I've been on this embroidery kick lately. It's nice to settle in on the couch with a christmas movie playing and just stitch the night away. I picked up this cute little pattern from Jenny B. Harris at AllSorts, so it's been a lot of fun working on a holiday stitchery!

I also purchased a set of her pretty maids all in a row. I just couldn't resist. I have a couple girly quilts to make and I think this just might work for one of them. I'm very excited to get started on this, but I'm thinking after all my christmas projects!

Holy Wows Batman...

I can't even remember where I had left off....It's been a crazy crazy couple of months in our house. While I have been busy with business work (learning, learning, learning), raising our now 10 month old baby, playing house wife, I have found the time to finish 2 quilts, and am still stairing at a box all packaged up and yet needing to make it's way down to the post office. I promise it will get there!!! I have been making consignment items for my favorite local store The Little Red Hen, which has been a lot of fun. There is always something new to try out. Here is what's on my list of to do's:

1) 2 baby quilts (one blue, one pink)--as we do not know the newest niece or nephews gender yet.
2) 2 Christmas Quilts
3) 30's box quilt
4) The Very Hungry Catapillar quilt
5) Baby blanket for Parker, my friend Christina's baby to be
6) Stitchery wall hanging for my aunt.

I know the list isn't that big, but with as crazy as it has been here....it just seems overwhelming to me!!!!!!!


Well, here's a couple of my accomplishments this past month.

missing in action...

It has been one crazy week... and so was last week! My husband has ventured off to start his own business and I've been behind the scenes doing a lot of work for that. I think this is going to be an adventure, but as long as we put as much work into things as we can, we will be alright!

I decided to make a pair of shoes for Maxton from a pattern I had filed away since he was born. I think they turned out cute, but I will have to make some more for him and maybe make them a little larger as he has chubby feet! I've been searching for a perfect pair of shoes for the summer that he can wear without socks...these might just be what i've been looking for! Since they were so simple and fun I decided to make a pair for my niece Ava too..it's fun making little girl stuff for once!

I'm also in the works of finishing up a prize and a quilt for my mother-in-law....I can tell this is going to be one crazy summer!!