Thursday, January 27, 2011

Lots of sewing not much blogging

I seem to be in a "funk" I cannot explain. I am getting lots of sewing done yet feel like being a hermit and not sharing. What is going on with me? I do not think I am depressed just withdrawn....but I still love you all!
I keep working with these scraps and more and more items are getting made! And I still have more scraps! I made a sample Log Cabin block before cutting into Gladys' fabric. We want Log Cabin blocks all around the border on her Deer Quilt. As a result I ended up making four blocks and they became place mats! WHOOHOOO!
 I joined another swap of neutral 2 1/2" strips. This swap is connected to Bonnie Hunter's Yahoo group "Quiltvilleswap". I have swapped with them many times. I cut up and bagged these strips in record time. I will get them in the mail on Friday. It is so exciting to get the return packages back. I get so much variety in my scrappy fabrics swapping this way!
 I am the Hostess on the Yahoo group called "Postage Stamp Swap". We/I swap 1 1/2" squares of fabrics that we call Postage Stamps. I am hostessing neutral swaps and Everything But the Kitchen Sink" swaps on alternating months. This keeps me on my toes and on a first name basis with my Post Office workers!
 And here they are just before I left for the Post Office. I love these pink crates. So girlie and yet so functional. And I just remembered I neglected to take a picture of my newest purchase for organization. I found a hot pink/purple 3 ring binder and spent the day punching holes in all of my Bonnie papers. I will have all her wonderful patterns and tricks in one great location! Pictures to follow.
 I LOVE MY BREAD MACHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look at this perfect loaf. Yummy too!
 Here is one of the 48 Log Cabin blocks I have made for the Deer Quilt. I added two small framing borders to the quilt today. Now I need to add more fabrics to the outsides to make them accept the Log Cabin blocks. I am thinking this quilt will be a BIG 112"X120"! Gladys said she wanted it BIG!
A basket of strips that made the Log Cabin blocks.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

When work for a friend is NOT work.


 I am sewing up a quilt for a friend of mine,Gladys. We met when I first joined my quilt guild. I cannot say enough about her. We clicked even though we are as different as night and day. Fast forward a few years and go back to last April's guild retreat. Gladys and I went shopping before we arrived at the retreat. She bought a twin size quilt kit plus extra fabric to make it into a King size quilt. After the holidays she asked me if I would sew it for her. I gladly accepted. A gift of myself for a friend who needs help.
The quilt center is now 60" X 80". I will begin to make the log cabin blocks that we agreed on to make the quilt much bigger. I hope Gladys checks out my blog to see the progress I have made. It was like putting a puzzle together when you use panels. Thank goodness, so far, all the measurements have played well together.
 Front of my RRCB block. Loved the sewing process of this mystery!


Someone asked how my back of the block looked with the seams all pressed open. Here it is. I learned a long time ago that Bonnie's quilts have many seams and pressing open makes them easier to quilt. IMOO

 MaggieMae's second haircut.
She turns into a whole other kitty when she is not weighed down with all that fur!
 A quilt for Project Linus.
 Another quilt for Project Linus.
This Saturday our guild is having a sew-in. We have cut and kitted up 30 some quilts to donate to the local Project Linus. It was really fun ironing and cutting up MASSIVE amounts of fabrics. And when Sara and I kitted them up we were actually short on strips! We made enough kits to hold us for the sew-in day.
 My daughter, Lisa, always finds the nicest gifts for me. This incense burner is so cool! First you spread the powder into the spirals (a very relaxing movement) then light the end. If you need to stop the burner, you simply move the powder from the flames passage. It burns for 6 hours. Love it!

The above is a picture of the organized chaos of swapping out the Postage Stamp Swap.