Sew Sunshine

Thought I would review how my first month of blogging about my creativity went. Looking back to the beginning of the month I know I was on a high from all the Christmas gift making. Confident enough to start a blog and  share my quilty-ness and join a few BOM's, Quilt-a-longs and Challenges.  Results: BOM = Skill Builder over at  Pile O Fabrics             Block 1 =  Sound wave             Block 2 =  Magnum Project Quilting =challenge over at  Persimon Dreams             Challenge 1 & 2 out of 6 so far completed             1=  Rear Window - Rain             2=  Rift - Something wicked this way comes Quilting Gallery =   Show and Tell week              I entered two pieces               Sweet Caroline   ...

Emily over at  Mommy's Nap Time  is starting a Linky party called  Sew Thinky Thursday . Today she is asking when did you start sewing?  a bit about your sewing history and when did you know you were hooked? Well??? I am the youngest of 7 girls. My mother had to sew all our clothes with that many girls. From the clothing scraps we made Barbie doll clothes, designed paper doll clothes and learned to iron old wash clothes and hankies. I think one of my proudest moments came when I had cut out and made an entire outfit for myself when I was about 6 or 7 years old. No matter that it was pink variegated  snub double knit! I think it was the idea of cutting something up and putting it back together that had me hooked. I joined our local 4-H group and made items and clothing which I modeled. I remember a tweedy suit jacket that won and went to the State fair. When I graduated from high school my present to myself was to buy my own sewing machine. I ...

Update! I won 2nd place on Nature's Pirouette over at  www.quiltinggallery.com  last week for the theme of the week "new beginnings". I am so excited. Thanks to all who voted for me!!! Nature's Pirouette I finally got a chance to post my wall hanging. I made this in the spring of 2012 for a challenge in my quilt guild. The challenge was to make a piece that had NO more than one right angle in the outside edge. I got the crazy idea to try curve piecing and make a circle but when it came to the end I did a little revamp.  The  basic idea of this quilt is from the book A new spin on curved piecing by Joyce Lawrence Cambron. This was a fun challenge because it uses freezer paper on the right side of the fabric.  Once all the curved strips are together you then sew the spokes together. Then the reveal when the whole piece is done. The curves went together pretty nicely and the seams matched up. The center I was uncertain about and ended up doin...

Have you ever had a project that started out one way and then just took off on an adventure all its own?  I have to say this has never happened to me in quilting until this week.  Lots of things are going on in my personal life right now.  My sisters and brothers are getting ready to sell the household belongings from my Mothers house.  Not all is going well and there have been many unhappy moments.  Long story short...I was happy that the new Project Quilting project this week is My Favorite Color.  Happy thoughts indeed! Until.....digging through my stash I see my favorite  color (one of that is) -  teal and see I already have a quilt all cut out and ready to sew in this color way.  That's okay I have lots more favorite colors...um black? Well working on a project right now in black and white etc...  No problem.  I do love me some coral/orange....but did a challenge last year in that color.  Okay I think that navy and whit...

Well I have been hit by a series of 'want' to do projects. I thought I was totally in control and going to finish up lots of projects this year before starting new ones but................?  I can't help it I keep finding so many fun things to join in and do.  First I have completed the sewing part of my first two blocks for the Skill Builder BOM fun over at  www.pileofabrics.com   I was so unsure of the fabric choices I made but seeing them all ready to quilt the last day or so...I now love them.  I had a whole bunch of the background gray s o I figured I should use it. I have a large scale black and white print for the back since this is a QAYG quilt.  Then I joined another group that is doing a Favorite Block Quilt a long.  http://www.persimondreams.com/quilt-alongs/lapaceks-orchard/my-favorite-block-quilt-along My first two so far: Update: Birdbath Relay for Life Auction Quilt Still no progress except I have the bac...

Yesterday I finally made some progress on my Relay for Life auction quilt. I was a bit stuck. I had cut out 120 squares to finish off each Birdbath block and then join...however I did not like the fabric I had cut out. It was so blah. So I took a break.  I keep seeing +Pat Sloan talking about her UFO projects and how she is busting a move to get them done or get them out of her sewing room. I did  not have to look far to find a charity quilt top I had hanging on the rail in my dining room since October of last year. I just pulled out the backing and put the thing together and finished.  Yeah me! 1st charity quilt done for 2013.  Simple straight line quilting on the diagonal and then did a machine binding. (all the charity quilts I do require a machine stitched binding). Gosh, from this picture it almost looks like sewing machines but it is just a simple rail fence quilt. All scraps I had but it looks cute.  So after that break I came back to my BirdBath ...

I am so excited!  I finished my first start to finish quilt...well wall-hanging today! I actually did if for a challenge quilt over at  www.persimondreams.com  where they are hosting "Project Quilting".  I admit I was a bit scared to join in but I put my thinking cap on and worked on it off and on all week and finished it today.  Season 4 # 1 challenge is A square in a square in a square.  Here is my entry: It is different sized squares inside strips to make squares, all pieced.  I tried a Sulky variegated  thread that is very shiny and changes from black to silver to sort of make it look like rain dripping down the window.  I call it Rear Window - Rain The winner is just random so it is fun just to challenge yourself with whatever comes to mind. I am glad I gave it a try.  In another note... voting is going on over at  www.quiltinggallery.com  on their show and tell fun page.  I entered a ...

If thoughts of Neil Diamond singing this song pops in your head right now, you are not alone. However, for me it brings fond memories of my mom this past year. Caroline of course is her name and she was indeed sweet. I learned all about sewing from her when I was very little, watching her make and create everything from clothes to quilts.  I started this blog because I hope to continue learning and doing and sharing. Since she passed away this last fall I miss my project sharing with her. In a way sharing with the world makes me feel like I am still showing her all that I am working on and doing.  "Sweet Caroline" is  the name I gave this quilt I made for her when she was moved to a nursing home in the spring of 2012.  It is a tumbler pattern made from a template she bought me.  I wanted to cheer up her room and show her that I could keep the learning of quilting going after she was gone.  I sort of did my own layout and added some fun little tum...

One UFO done! Back in the fall of 2011 I started this little wall hanging. I found the idea in a magazine and I wanted to try the sew and flip method. I had left over fabric from the baby quilt I made my great niece in purples and aqua, dug out some old scraps and cobbled it all together.  The FMQing is not all that but it is still cute.  Now back to the Birdbath quilt for Relay for Life. Here are the blocks so far. I like the blocks individually but not so happy with them right up against each other. It is supposed to have the corners added on yet to finish the birdbath but I think I will need to add sashing in order for me to like it. Even if it is just a 1/2" between them. hmmmmmmm??? Any thoughts? 

Sewing Clothing Challenge - Entry #1 Well I did it! I  pulled out some fabric from my stash, dusted off that old serger,  found an old pattern and I made myself a new pair of flannel pj's!! I am so excited.  My husband was sort of nagging me about how bad my old pair of flannel jammies were looking AND I really want to challenge myself this year to sew more!  The Sewing Clothing challenge has begun.  I am going to try to make one new thing for myself each month besides quilting this year.   Am I the only person who has tons of fabric in my stash that is not for quilting?  Well that was over 4 yards of flannel. My stash should look a tiny bit smaller. haha

A while ago Aurifil had a slogan contest and my title was my slogan.  If you use Aurifil thread you probably know this already. It should have won but that is just my opinion.  Anyway, I love the way Aurifil lays flat when you press the seam open and when you quilt over it.  Alas, I was putting together my first round of strips on my 30 Birdbath blocks and I ran out. Luckily I scrounged around and found a new spool. :) I am using Aurifil Mako 2 ply thread to piece.  What threads do you like to use for piecing and or quilting?? Here is the first round of strips. One more set of corners and strips go around this square and then corners again. I am not sure how I am going to put it together yet but this is a see as you go along type project.  It is coming together nicely. 

Today I decided on the fabric for my Relay for Life quilt. My niece does a silent auction each year to raise money for Cancer research.  I have been trying to donate a quilt or something each year and this year I it will be a small quilt.  I am really excited with what I have picked out.  This time I started this idea with just the fabric and then looked around for a pattern that would suit.   This fabric is called Dogwood Trail by Moda. I just loved how fresh and lovely this fabric was. I found a couple coordinates to go with it then hit the scrap box of mine for the others. In the mean time I had to find a pattern.  Luckily I was just looking through some quilt books and then ...there it was.  The practical guide to Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartman has a beautiful pattern called "Birdbath". Perfect right? Well you will have to go look in the book or wait to see how I do. I had to find quite a few pieces to go with this but I think I have what...

I am so excited.  Things seem to be moving right along.  First my fabulous design board I made for in my sewing room has been a huge success. I finally put together all those diamond blocks from the <u>Kaffe Fassett</u> kit that I purchased back in June from <u>Material girls quilt shop</u> in Grand Island, Ne.  It looks fabulous if I do say so myself. I put together 5 other prints of his for the back and I think it will be wonderful. IT is huge for a quilting project for me so that might have to wait a tiny bit. Still it is progress! Then I decided since I signed up for the Skill Builder BOM over at PileOFabrics.com that I better finish my Craftsy BOM. I had two left and they are the paper pieced blocks. I already had the copies to sew on so it was just a matter of doing them.  Now the question is how to finish the blocks. I was thinking since I am behind on my charity quilts I might just take these blocks and split them into t...

I am really excited that I signed up yesterday for the Skill Builder BOM over at Pileofabric.com.  If you watch the video that Alyssa made she will convince you that you can do it.  I have signed up in the past for the Craftsy.com BOM with Amy Gibson from StitcheryDickoryDock.com. I have two blocks left to go on that one and then quilting it somehow someway.  Not to miss out on anything I signed up for the Craftsy.com 2013 BOM class too.  I think dreaming about this all night left me a bit dizzy this morning and with a slight hurt foot from all the sewing and running around in my dreams....or I have a sinus issue coming on. Either way sitting around will accomplish nothing so why not sign up. Go to Pileofabric.com for more details. I hope to meet some new friends and get some fabulous blocks put together.  www.pileofabric.com

Well I love fabric but I also have a love for pretty paper. I am not a huge scrapbook person though I have made a few. I just really really like pretty paper. Doing things with it...not so much!  Today I broke out of that for a minute to make this cute magnetic message board. I think it will make a cute addition to my sewing room walls which have gone bare way too long.  Here is what it looks like: This is a great recycle project too. I used and old 8 x 10 photo frame. Scuffed up the finish with sandpaper to give it a worn look. I had my trusty husband bring some old scraps of sheet metal home from work before Christmas. He cut them to fit the opening (s). I think it is so cute I might just make a couple more since I have the old frames sitting in a pile.  I made some cute little lacy doily (from stickers) type magnets and there it is. So cute!