Another Week...I've lost count

I missed two weeks ... due to craziness in my life and a slow computer.  But, enough of excuses.  I have finished a few things.

First, the display for Shop Hop.  My theme was picnic, so I did a little girl's picnic, with an apron for Mom.  This picture shows the apron best out of all of them.  It is very feminine.  In the basket on the window ledge are two extra place mats and napkins.

I made a cake plate out of a goblet and a glass plate.  Then, I made most of the goodies.  The center one is a pin cushion from Lyn.

I found a tea pot at Ross, and the glass plates were from a secondhand store.  The cups were in my cupboard, but originally from a secondhand store.  The place mats roll up and have a ribbon to tie it closed.
All of this is sitting on a table my neighbor purchased to have for picnics with her grandchildren.  She is very generous to let me use it first.

I knew it might get played with a little.  On Saturday, while putting away fabric, I noticed a little girl, rearranging the fabric treats.  She also has rearranged the cup and plate on the left.  I am glad she had a nice time while her mother and sister were trying to find fabric for a quilt.

The next finish is the quickest one I've had for a while...unless it has been a store sample.  This one isn't.  A store sample, that is.  This one got quilted and the binding finished in one day.  Hurray!  I am so excited to finish it in about 3 weeks time, from the time of purchasing the fabric.  It is 52" square.

Here is a closer shot of the quilting.

This weekend is my mother's birthday, so I am quilting a quilt for her.  I think I can get it done fairly quickly, I just have to decide a good thread color.

It is also child #3's birthday tomorrow.  My baby will be 13!!!  He is an absolute joy to have around, and I love spending time with him.  Happy Birthday, sweetie!

I've given away 6 hot pads now, because of wedding gifts.  I've made 21, but only have 15 here.  I think I might need to make more than 40.  Still, I am plugging away at it, especially when I am too tired to sew.  It is also a good Sunday activity that keeps my hands busy, but allows me time to think and listen.

I am slowly whittling down my list.  I got the borders on my Spool Quilt, and it is next on the agenda for quilting, after Mom's quilt.  That will be nice to get it done.  It is a fairly good-sized quilt and will take me more than an afternoon to quilt.

Thanks for reading my blog.  Let me know what you are working on, too!

Happy Sewing!

Quilt Guild Challenge Revealed and Week 15

What a great week!  I worked hard, and have finished quite a bit, but the best thing was our Quilt Guild meeting today.  We finished our challenge quilts, and revealed them to each person.  It was exciting to see everyone's reactions to the quilt.

Here are the rules:  We each brought a bag with fabric in it to quilt guild.  We could not add our name or a pattern or suggestion to the fabric.  We then traded bags and went home with someone else's fabric and we were to make a top approximately 24" square for the other person, using only the fabric as inspiration.  We traded in October of 2011 and today we brought them back to trade back again.  We had 5 participants, and many wishing they had participated after seeing the results.

I started it off showing the quilt I finished for Alice.  I took this picture before taking it to Guild meeting.  I think it needs a border of the red, then another of the floral, but I ran out of the red fabric.  I think Alice can add to this very nicely.  Now, I want to make one for me.  I wrote down the instructions so I can.

Then, Alice showed the quilt for Lyn.  She hoped (by the fabric choice) that it was for Lyn and left stitching space for Lyn to fill.  Lyn does amazing embroidery work :)  I love the fun picot and scalloped borders.  Also, I love the green radiating lines formed by the squares leading out from the center.

Then, Lyn showed the one she worked on for Leslie.  She did some amazing embroidery work on it.  My pictures aren't close enough to show, but she worked very hard on it.  Leslie was almost in tears to realize it was for her.  It also has lots of fun buttons on it.  Beautiful work, my friend, Lyn.

Then, Leslie showed her work for Carol.  Leslie doesn't do pastels, so this was out of her comfort zone.  However, she pulled it off beautifully...I love the flowers in the corners.  I also enjoy how the colors play off each other.

Then, Carol showed the one she made for me.  It is a fabulous feathered star.  She said it was a difficult pattern, and she may never make one again.  I have always enjoyed the look of the feathered star, but never thought I would ever make one.  Now, I don't have too!  :)

Weren't those fabulous quilts?!  These ladies did an amazing job (that word, again...but true!), and I am so glad we took part in it.  There was a lot of excitement as each shared what they had done, and each saw what they received.  This was a very rewarding challenge - both to share and to receive.  There were several who expressed that they wished they had done it too, now that it was over.  One even asked me if I would do it again next year.  I am the president-elect, so I will not be able to do that, too.  I have to find 6-7 teachers for classes next year.  That is overwhelming enough!

Now for my finishes this week:

I took the time to make 2 skirts for me.  I loved the fabric and wanted to wear it, instead of hanging it on the wall.  This first one I bought in the shop I work in.

The second was on clearance at a shop 30 miles away.  I love the big flowers on both of them.  They make me smile to see them.

My hot pad count is up to 19.  I think I will make my goal of 40 for the year.  Hopefully even more than that.  It is a good thing for me to do when I am in meetings and need to listen, but like to keep my hands busy.  It is also good for those times when I am waiting for someone, or too tired to sew in the studio.

Now, for a confession.  I did really well, for one month, not buying any new projects.  However, when the new "Butterfields" line, from Henry Glass came in, I could not resist.  I had to do something with it.  So, on Wednesday, April 4th I bought the fabric, and by Monday, April 9th I had the top pieced.  So, here is the completed top (52" square).

And here is the fabric closer up.  I fell in love with all of the colors, but especially the pink dot.  I will use it for the binding after I get it quilted.  I have fabric left over, so I am trying to decide what those pieces will become.  I'll share more on these later.

So, all in all, a good week and lots of sewing time and accomplishments.  Thanks for letting me share with you.

Keep Sewing!

Week 14

I skipped week 13, kind of like hotels skip floor 13.  However, it isn't because I am superstitious.  I just didn't get it done. :)

So, here we are at Week 14, and I have just a little bit finished.

First, I added a window treatment to the living room.  I love how it sets off the window and yellow walls.  It really changed the look of the room for me.

And then, I also finished an "Itty Bitty Pinwheel".  It is about 10" square.  I did one last year and it was more scrappy.  This time I experimented with only two colors.  I like the scrappy one better.  Richard likes this one, so it may go to his office, after I share it at our mini guild meeting.

I am working on a display for the upcoming shop hop, so when it is done and in the store, I will take pictures of that.  I'm only part way done on it.  I have 17 hot pads finished, and more on the way.  I have to get our Guild Challenge quilt done this week, it is due next Tuesday.  I also want to make 2 new skirts.  I already have the fabric for them, I just need to get them done.

It is spring break for the kids, so I am planning a little trip later this week - just a short get-away.  It should be fun.

Keep sewing!