Sew Sunshine

18" pillow Playing with the QCR mini and drunkards path blocks Our weather has been pretty crazy with the ice and cold and warmth the last few days. I decided to work at playing with the Quick Curve Ruler mini that I have. I wanted to make some plain drunkards path blocks and then play with layout.  I decided a pillow was a great way to accomplish something. I chose colors that would work in my living room and set out to play.  I came up with many layouts but our guild is going to focus on circles and curves as we start our new year so I went with this layout.  I was not able to achieve a perfect circle with the mini ruler but I like the sort of organic feel this layout has. I added uneven logs around the edges to keep that feel.  I am going to try something similar with the regular size ruler to help with a demo I will be giving soon. The Quick Curve Ruler by  SewKindofWonderful  is a really easy tool to use if you want to try your hand at curve sewing. The

approx 37" x 47"  "Random Logs" finished UFO woohoo I made a quilt with some of this fabric for a charity a few years ago. (below) In keeping with my organizational challenge to not just move things from place to place but to finish things, I decided to just sew. I had 6 small 8" blocks and a bunch of scrap strips cut in a bag with backing fabric tucked in there too. I literally just started sewing strips on to the blocks and made 3 more just from scraps. The most fun was that I didn't once measure the blocks just squared them up after adding each log. I marked on my design wall the desired size I wanted for this crib size quilt and just kept sewing until I got within range. Totally mindless and very enjoyable sewing. Yay!!!  ....another one bites the dust and another one is gone!!   This was on my  2017 UFO challenge  on a secondary list, still, it is a goner!! I made more log cabin blocks but didn't fit them in because

On the farm  approx 15.5" x 18"  This was a free pattern from Moda that a lqs is doing. I picked building permit #2 to do.  I thought it looked like a barn and a silo but of course my husband says the silo should not have a chimney on it. The pattern calls it a tower. I am going with barn and silo! ha After I took the pic at the top I was out at my recycle center and there was this little bobcat parked. I am sure if anyone saw me they thought I was nuts. I looked all over it for a place to clip my little mini. Luckily I had some clothespins in my car.  The fabric colors are not my usual favs. I had this cute FQ with slogans and text on that a friend gave me. I grew up on a farm and milking cows and caring for the chickens and garden were a big part of early years. This has cute little chicks, a jug of milk and a farm fresh strawberry. Ah the memories...... I used only fabrics that were near by because I am in the process of trying to organize my sewing

I have a thing about the art of Amedeo Clemente Modigliani. I have been wanting to practice thread sketching some more so decided to try my hand at this little lady.   Proportion is off but I don't even care. This was so fun to do. This is Madame Raynouard 1916.   I am doing an organizational challenge right now too and I found a couching foot that I have never used before so I couched some yarn to the edge. Needs fuller yarn or rattail but for this practice piece it was fine.  She is approx. 8" x 10" and already stuck to my wall.  I also made up a few drool bibs this week to send to my great nephew. I hope they work. They are the bandana style made with flannel and or terry cloth.  Turned out sweet!!! LInking up with Lorna @ Let's Bee Social  HERE

approx 29" x 29" In my quest to clean and organize a bit in my sewing room(s) I plan to see what I can come up with for challenges that I already have.  This 8 sided spider web is for the Project Quilting  season 8 first challenge - "8 is great". I was working on cleaning up the floor in my sewing room and I came across 2 bags of mostly useless selvages. I didn't know what I was doing when I saved them and they were mostly too skinny to even use or there was no wording or color bubbles. Crazy! So I found enough to do this spider web. Drafted a triangle template with newspaper and started laying them out. The inspiration for this piece really came from my friend  Jennifer . Right before the holidays she started a string quilt spiderweb that is so awesome so I knew I wanted to put it on my bucket list. Well, no time like the present.  I took this when it was 2 degrees F out. My hands were a little shaky to say the least. I am so pleased with this piece. N

  Happy New Year!   There is always so much planning and resolution making going on this time of year. I decided to join a couple challenges that split up some of the things I want to accomplish into monthly installments.  I think with that kind of a set up there will be less  "More" accomplishments and that will keep the good vibes going.  First up is a friend of mine doing an organizational challenge. Steph Jacobson is heading up the   #organizedsewingspace2017 .  I was sure I did not need to do this challenge and then...........I realized that what I have on my shelves and stashed in corners has been around for a while and not getting much use. Just before Christmas I opened a bag and found that receipt from 1997 for these two pieces of fleece (which are now a warm fuzzy blanket) HERE  and soon realized I have a lot more issues than I thought.  My intention still was to do this on my own and I started to look at the scrap bags on the floor before you get to my scrap bi

I decided to join Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs  for Best of 2016 Linky Party. I really felt that I did not do much this year so it was hard to pick my best so I picked most viewed.  1. The "eyes" have it quilt. A kit on one side makes the giant pixel eye and on the flip side I made my own version of a God's eye.  A few finishes post 2.  Scrap Busting 3.  My Way 4.  Cutting room floor 5.  Around the block party   tied with.......... Closer to you This was a lower production year but a fun year of making none the less.  Linking up with  Meadow Mist Designs Linky Party

Happy Holidays! I have been working on a few gifty things that I didn't want to share yet. Yesterday I got hit with a bit of vertigo so I was not able to sew much but I did put together the glass balls I have been experimenting with. I got some ranger inks and played around with coloring them. Found this cool vase and decided to put together a little holiday card.  The words are part of a hymn that my dad always loved and I think it is especially fitting this year.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year! linking up with  Sew Fresh Quilts Let's Bee social

    Mini quilted trees happened today.    I have many many orphan quilt blocks that were pattern samples my mom made when she was trying blocks out.  Most of her blocks are from a picture then she makes a grid and cuts out cardboard templates.  Many times the block didn't come out exactly as she wanted.  She would fold up the block with the templates and label an envelope with the block name or idea.  I inherited boxes of these.     I decided to try this sort of unattractive rust color block as a sample and randomly quilted it.  Once it was quilted I drew tree shapes on the block not caring where they fell really. I took matching thread and stitched over my drawing several times then cut them out.  I really like the way the cuts took on sort of a wonky appearance but like it was meant to be.  I dug out moms button box and added the button to the top and tied a string to make in to ornaments.   While my quilting is the worst part I think they turned out kind of coo

This is the mini I whipped up for our local guilds mini swap.  We were supposed to make anything but keep it between 12"- 24".  I made "Listen" approx 16" x 16" and it is matchstick quilted.   The fabric in the center was the inspiration and it spoke to me so much as to what to add to it so thus..."listen".  Since it was a hurry to finish I added the quick corners at the top for hanging and I added the small one at the bottom for a label. Was super quick to just sew it in the binding.  The guild swap was pretty fun but stressful. We chose the mini's white elephant style so there was lots of stealing of quilts. Not my favorite thing to do as you briefly get attached to the ones you had in your hands.    "Sweetness" is the mini I won made by a new guild member. It is sweet and I am so looking forward to getting to know her in the new year.  Here is the attempt to get our OMQG guild group in a pho