Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you from my little family to yours!



I'll be back soon to show you the pajama pants I made for the boys this year!

May you and your family enjoy all the many blessings of the season!

Friday, December 7, 2012

Me and Larry David

There is this hilarious story that Larry David tells about quitting Saturday Night Live. He was frustrated that the skits he wrote weren't being produced, so one day he yelled "I quit" to the producers and walked out of the offices. He reconsidered over the weekend and taking a friend's advice, he went back to work on Monday like nothing ever happened. To his amazement, everyone else acted like nothing happened too.

So, that's what I'm going to do about my unplanned, prolonged blogging break. I'm just going to pretend I've been here the whole time the last six months (I can't believe it's been six months!). You don't want to hear my excuses anyway. Very boring...

I did however finish a project while I was gone...kind of. I finished the cross-stitch, isn't it cute?



 The problem is I took the advice of the shop owner who said the linen I was stitching on was a little short so I should start stitching two inches down from the top. This was not a good idea because I have no room at the top and lots of excess room at the bottom which makes it very hard to frame. I talked to a custom framer who said they could do it for $250. Yeah, I have two kids, a mortgage, and a fabric addiction. I will never spend $250 on a frame!! So long story short, I'm now turning this cutie into a pillow. Which is great except my finished project has suddenly become a WIP. Especially considering I have no idea how to go about doing this, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. Oh well, I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I completed a Christmas project by Halloween. That's just not my style!


Thursday, June 21, 2012

One Row Down...


and a pretty good start on the second!

Isn't the fruitcake the cutest?


Speaking of Fruitcake, is it strange that it's looking a little like Christmas around here? It must have something to do with the weather (the temperature will be 100 around these parts today) that is putting me in the mood for a cold weather holiday. When I was choosing a project to take with me this past Saturday to the DCMQG sewing day I knew I needed to take one of my WIPs. While there were plenty to choose from, I found myself drawn to my Fruitcake quilt that I started last year. I made six more blocks to add to the collection.


I have found myself daydreaming about cuddling under this quilt this Christmas with some cocoa and a child (or two) to keep me company. We'll see how that works out for me...

I just love these snowmen!



While I've enjoyed my little bit of Christmas sewing I think it's time to get back to the baby quilts! I will keep working on my Christmas cross stitch in the evenings though. That is too much fun to be put away!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

WIP Thursday?

As usual I'm a little late to the party. I try to post with everyone else on Wednesdays at Freshly Pieced, but this week has really passed me by. However, that doesn't mean that I don't need/want to show everyone in blogland my lack of progress! Oh no, I want the world to know how unproductive I am!

Just kidding! I'm not unproductive, I'm just not very good at quilting so it takes me a little while. Especially when I make a mistake. Then, not only do I have to pull out the stitching, I also get extremely frustrated and have to step away for a little bit to work on something else. Now a smart person would work on something they already have in progress, correct? Especially if said person's projects are taking over their basement, right? Well, I've never claimed to be smart or sane because I've started something new!

You won't blame me for wanting a break from quilting when you see this photo. I'm apparently the worse baster in the world because look at this:



Isn't it awful? I have about 8 inches of quilting to pull out and then I'll try it again. I'm going to try to finish it this weekend. That will be hard to do because this weekend will be busy, but it's what I want to do. I'll let you know what happens.

My other quilt project is going pretty good. Last Saturday I met with the Quilting Angels and finished the blocks for my next Quilt of Valor. Now I just need to arrange these in a pleasing manner, sew, and then attach the borders. By the way, I hate attaching borders, so I don't know why I keep choosing Quilt of Valor patterns with them. My next one won't have one, much less the two that are required for this quilt!



My new project is a Christmas cross stitch I bought a couple of weekends ago. So far I'm loving it! It is so nice to curl up on the couch after the kids are asleep and work on this project. It is very slow going, but so relaxing. I'm positive I won't finish it by Christmas this year, but I love it just the same.


So far just two bells, the letter C and the beginning of a lower case a, but it's still progress. I'll keep you up to date on the project as I go along. My plan is to quilt in the morning before the boys wake up and cross stitch in the evening while hanging out with my beloved.

I hope everyone else is making heaps of progress this week with their work. Hopefully, I'll remember to update my progress next week on Wednesday. WIP Thursday just doesn't have the same ring to it...

Take care!


Sunday, June 3, 2012

Thirteen by Thirteen

I was inspired by Jenn of All Trades to create a wishlist of things I'd like to do by the end of the year. I know I won't be able to do some of these before New Year's, but it's nice to have goals right?

1. Join my local quilt guild. I have been thinking about doing this for a little while and I'm hoping this year I'll make it happen. My plan is to go to the first meeting of the new session in September. There are many reasons I'd like to join this guild. First, they are a successful guild that started with 10 members and has grown to over 100 and I'd like to see how they did that. Second, the meetings are during the week, twice a month, so I'll be interested to see if I have more luck attending these meetings. I've had a hard time joining in with the two other groups I sew with on Saturdays (Quilting Angels and DC Modern). I'm finding that now that my 3 year old is involved in more activities it's not so easy to sneak away on Saturday mornings. I don't know how moms with school age children do it! Finally, I would love to participate in their Annual Quilt Show. While I had a great time at the show yesterday and could appreciate the beauty of the quilts displayed, I would love to see patterns, designs and fabrics that are more "my style". Know what I mean? Also, I think it would be so cool to see one of my quilts on display.

2. Make some progress on WIPs. I'm not going to specify a number because I feel like that would be setting myself up for failure. I will know when I'm making enough progress. I'll know when life is too busy or when a special project needs to take priority and I don't want to feel bad about it. I would just like to finish some of the things I've started so that my craft area won't be so crazy. Besides, the more quilters I meet, the more I realize that EVERYBODY has WIPs. It is just the nature of the beast, so no more guilt especially if I finish a few this year!

3. Begin working on Christmas crafts this summer and have at least one Christmas project finished by the time we get our tree. I love Christmas and nothing would make me happier than having a house full of awesome handmade Christmas items, but I need to be realistic. I also need to finish something for my family this year. HAVE TO DO IT!

4. Open an Etsy shop. I've been toying around with the idea for a little while and I think this year I'm going to do it. I've had several people ask me if I sell some of the items I make and I always respond "Oh no, I'm not good enough to sell my quilts". It finally dawned on me that the reason they are asking is they might actually buy my stuff. I'm a little dense sometimes, what can I say?

This won't be my top priority for this year, but by New Year's I'd like to have either accomplished it or be very close. Don't get me wrong I know I'll never make a living selling my quilts, but even if I could recoup some of the costs of fabric it would be worth it!

5. Do more work with Quilts of Valor. I do a decent amount of sewing for the organization, but I'd like to get more involved. I'll give more details on this later this month. So excited!

6. Learn to bake really good bread. This isn't something I will work on until Autumn rolls around because it is too bloody hot here in the summer to leave my oven on for an extended amount of time. I've always wanted to learn how to make bread, so I'm going to try it. I'll, of course, let you know how it goes and share any good recipes I find with you.

7. Sew something other than quilts. I don't care what: pincushions, purses, pillows, aprons. Just something else.

8. Start doing cross stitch again. I have been thinking I wanted a project to work on in front of the TV in the evenings after the boys are asleep. I'm not a big TV watcher, but the hubs is, and I miss him when he's upstairs watching TV and I'm in the basement. I love my new sewing space, but I do feel very isolated when I'm down there. I bought a new cross stitch kit this weekend and I'm eager to start working on it this week. It's a slow process, so I don't expect to have it finished this year, but it will be fun. Besides, this way I don't have to feel guilty about "wasting" time watching TV.

9. Spend more time with the DC Modern Quilt Guild. This is separate from #1. This group is very casual which is one of the things I like about it, but the founders of the group want to see it grow into a more active group and I'd like to be a part of making that happen. We really are a great group and I think we could do big things together! I don't have a specific amount of meetings I want to go to just more. Anything would be an improvement! I've been a pretty slack member!

10. Learn how to knit and stick with it. My poor mother in law has tried to teach me multiple times. She even bought me classes at an awesome local shop for my birthday a couple of years ago. I had a great time doing it, and it isn't hard, but I just never stick with it. Unfortunately, once I take a break everything I learn goes flying out of my mind. My hope is that between the books I've purchased, my mother in law's guidance and my memory (ha!) I can at least finish a scarf this year! I'd settle for a washcloth! If not, I'll take the beginner's class again and not stop until I've "learned" how to knit.

11. Do a major purge of all the "stuff" in our house. We live in a tiny house and we are filled to the brim with stuff. I haven't decided my plan of attack yet. I'm either going to spend one weekend going through stuff to either pack/give away or I'll do one area of the house at a time.

I tried the trick of packing away some of the toys and then pulling them back out at a later date for Hurst and it was amazing! This weekend has been like Christmas! He didn't want to go to the park this morning because he wanted to stay home and play with his "new" toys. Now I know why my mother did that!

12. Tackle some house projects. A short list:

Paint our downstairs
Paint our front porch
Install a sump pump in the basement (husband, are you reading this?)

There are more, but these are the most pressing. This part of the list will depend on time and money, so we'll see how it goes. I would love to accomplish all of these, but if only two happen I'd be satisfied.

13. Organize my craft supplies. My hobbies are starting to get out of control, and I've promised myself that this year I will get my act together. After years of cramming in hobbies when I had a few minutes here or there, I've decided I deserve a calm, soothing space and a dedicated time of each day to call my own. I have the space, it is just out of control currently and that does not lead to a very serene crafting experience. There are several factors that I think will help alleviate this problem. Here's what I have in mind:

1. Organize my fabric using Jeni's tutorial
2. Finish some of my WIPs.
3. Decide once and for all what to do with my fabric that I bought years ago that I don't use and never will. I can't decide if I should sell it or just donate it to the Quilting Angels. Either way, I want it out of our house. It is taking up precious room that we don't have. I'm hoping to make a decision soon. Does anyone have any tips to offer on selling calicos from about 10 years ago? They are good quality quilt store fabrics, I just don't want them anymore.


Wow, so there it is! I better go get busy and stop typing! First I'm going to print out this list and put it somewhere I'll see it everyday.

If you are still reading this thank you! I know it's long, but sometimes I love to make a really long list. It give me the feeling of organization even if that isn't the reality of the situation!

Anyone else care to join me? If so, let me know! We can encourage each other!


Saturday, June 2, 2012

Northern Virginia Quilt Show

Today I had the great pleasure of going to the local annual quilt show. Just in case you're reading, THANKS for taking care of the boys honey!! I had a great time!

What I love about this quilt show is quilters of all levels are allowed to submit quilts and there is no judging. No pressure, just a lot of fun and a lot of beautiful quilts. Sadly, there aren't many what would be considered "modern" quilts in the show, but they are spectacular! I'm always amazed by the talent of other quilters. Everyone says it just takes practice, but I'm not so sure...I think some people just have IT.

Here are just a few pictures I snapped from the show:


Gotta love a Scrabble quilt!


I thought these bright, polka-dotted baskets were adorable!


I had to take a picture of the Mount Vernon quilt. Not only do we live about five minutes from this beautiful part of history, but my husband is a huge history buff. As soon as he saw it he thought I should make one. Sorry buddy, way too much work for me!



I really wish I could have gotten better pictures of this pair of Pickle Dishes made from Kaffe fabrics. Absolutely breathtaking! I would love to try this pattern one day. Maybe I'll bust into my stash of Kaffe...


I thought this was incredible! Those are teeny, tiny yo-yos if you can believe it! Aren't they cute?


I have wanted to make a scrappy spiderweb quilt for ages, and this really made me want to dig into my scraps.


There is even a spider in the middle. So clever!



I had to snap a picture of this quilt because it was inspired by the Rappahanock River and the Northern Neck of Virginia which is where I grew up. It is a really beautiful part of the state!


Finally, a close up of a large scale Ruby Hexagon. I couldn't get a good full shot of the quilt, but this close up not only shows the hexagon, but also the beautiful quilting. Makes me wish I had bought more of this line when it was available...

I had a great time admiring the quilts and browsing the vendors, but I really couldn't wait to get home to my machine. I am so close to finishing the quilting on the baby quilt I'm working on. I hope by tomorrow I can finish it up!

I hope you liked this abbreviated tour of the show. There were many, many other quilts displayed, but these were my favorites at least the ones I was able to photograph. It was crowded!


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

WIP Wednesday

Hello! I don't have as much progress to report as I'd like, but I do have some. I'm very sad I didn't work on my Quilt of Valor on Memorial day, but I've promised myself I'll work on it this weekend.

Elephant Baby Quilt:



I'm quilting, quilting, quilting, but it doesn't look like it. I have a new admiration for those of you who do such beautiful straight line quilting. Not only does mine suck, but it's getting boring and a touch tedious. Perhaps it's because I'm dying to start sewing my Going Coastal picnic quilt?



All cut out and just waiting for me to start sewing! I should start working on the other baby quilt before I make something for me, but I'm not going to do it. I want a picnic quilt for the summer and that's that. Besides the baby won't need a quilt during the summer anyway (that's what I'm telling myself to absorb some of the guilt).

Even though I have way more quilting projects going than I'll ever live long enough to finish I am really dreaming about starting a cross stitch project. Seriously, I haven't cross stitched since high school, but I can't stop thinking about it. It might have something to do with our broken A/C (don't get me started) making me not want to wrestle a quilt at the moment, it could be this awesome project from Knotted Thread or just my desire to skip summer this year. I don't know what it is, but I'm really itching to start a Halloween/Autumn cross stitch. I did a little research and found a cross stitch store down the street from my LQS, so I might have to make a little trip this weekend. If I don't find anything I like at the store I have found some cute things online of course. I'll keep you posted...

To see what everyone else is up to head over to Lee's to check out her WIP Party.

Friday, May 25, 2012

SMS Giveaway Winner Announcement

I want to thank everyone who visited my little piece of blog-land this week especially those of you who chose to become a follower! I'm so flattered! I'll try to keep you entertained! What a fantastic time I've had reading each of your comments and finding new blogs through the giveaway! I wish I could give everyone a prize, but there can only be one winner and it's Jenn who said:


Blogger Jenn said...
We'll be spending lots of days at the pool this summer!! Love, love this print!

Congratulations Jenn! I hope you have fun at the pool and at the sewing machine this summer!

I hope everyone here stateside has a happy and safe Memorial Day! We are going to visit my parent's this weekend which is always a lot of fun. On Monday to celebrate the holiday I will work on my Quilt of Valor top and hopefully finish it. Anybody else planning on doing any sewing this weekend, patriotic or otherwise?

Have a great one everyone!

Monday, May 21, 2012

My Literary Moment #2

I am so happy to share this book with you. If you are a fan of southern fiction, you will love this book!

Tomato Girl

I had read about Tomato Girl a few years ago, and I added it to my long list of books to read. A couple of weeks ago I was browsing at my local library and saw it. I checked it out because I had remembered hearing such good things about it. I was not disappointed! At times it felt like I was reading a book by Flannery O'Connor or Truman Capote, it was deliciously dark and sad. This isn't what I would call a light-hearted read, but it is excellent. When I wasn't reading, I found myself wondering about the characters and what would happen to them. That's always a good sign!

The story is about a little girl ,Ellie, who is growing up in Virginia with her mom and dad. Her father runs a local country store and her mother is at home. From the beginning you learn that her mother experiences unspecified "spells" and that sometimes she isn't herself. Sadly, the pressures of caring for her mother gets to be too much for her father and he falls in love with the Tomato Girl who sells produce at his store. Suddenly, Ellie finds herself in circumstances that no 11 year old should ever have to face.

This is another title from the fabulous Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. I promise I do read other books, but I can't say enough good things about this publisher!

As a side note, the author, Jayne Pupek, passed away in 2010. During her life she published two books of poetry, but sadly, Tomato Girl was her only work of fiction. It's so sad to think of what else should could have written.

If you like to read fiction, I do hope you will check out this book. It was fantastic! If you do, please let me know what you thought of it.

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!

I'm so excited to be participating for the first time ever! I usually miss it!

I am giving away something that I hope someone will love as much as I do! One day I was browsing at my LQS (sadly it has since closed it's doors) and I saw Echino on display. I fell in love with it instantly! The colors are so concentrated and I LOVE the animals in the prints. I bought it with the idea of making a pillow, but honestly, it has just been sitting on my shelf since I bought it. I've decided it's too pretty to sit! I would love for this to go to someone who can make something beautiful out of it!



Without further ado, I'm offering up a 1 yard cut of this beautiful Echino print. To win please just leave one comment. You can tell me about your summer plans, what sewing project(s) you are currently working on or whatever is on your mind. It's your choice. The giveaway is open to everyone! The winner will be selected randomly and I'll contact you Saturday morning.



Have fun looking at all the giveaways and Good luck!






**Giveaway is now closed as of 8:00pm May 25, 2012**

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

My Literary Moment

I have a confession to make. Before I had children I used to be someone who read at least a book a week.  I loved to read! I was constantly on the lookout for the next new book. I read all of the Man Booker Prize nominations before the winner was announced and was positively bummed when editions weren't readily available in the US. I only read book blogs (I know shocking considering how many quilt blogs I read now), and constantly scribbled little notes of their recommendations on little pieces of paper I kept in my purse. At the time I lived in a cute little condo in DC, so I was always going to hear authors speak at various bookstores and universities. Then I had kids and moved to the suburbs and everything flew out the window.  I would try to read when my children were babies, but honestly I couldn't concentrate.  My foggy, sleep deprived brain couldn't handle any new information, so I stopped trying.  I also fell back in love with quilting!

While I'm still in love with quilting, the past couple of months I have been finding more and more time for my first love.  It has been wonderful! While the baby is napping in the afternoon and my toddler is playing with his toys or watching Nick Jr I've been on the couch reading. It has become my new favorite escape (again)!

I've noticed over the past couple of weeks others have been asking for recommendations for good books to read, so I've decided to start mentioning on my blog when I have read something I've enjoyed.  I don't know how regular of a feature this will be, but I excited about it! I'm hoping someone will find it useful especially with summer just around the corner.  Everybody's looking for a good beach read right?

I've actually finished two books recently that I wanted to mention to everyone: Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes and A Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein.

Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War

Matterhorn is the story of the Vietnam War told by a veteran. It took him more than 30 years to write, and once you read the novel you understand why.  It is absolutely brutal! Marlantes starts the novel off right in the middle of the war.  No background about the characters, no history lessons, just the Vietnam War presented to you through the eyes of a young lieutenant, fresh out of college. I of course have no idea what it is like to be in a war, but it really was almost like being in the jungle with them.  There were times I had to put the book down because some of the scenes were too much for me! **Disclaimer** While I highly recommend this novel, it is not for the faint of heart. If you don't like violence and filthy language this probably isn't the book for you. However, I think this is the closest way to know about the inner workings and thoughts of troops on the ground without having to actually fight in a war.

jacket image for A Friend of the Family

The book I read while escaping from the jungle of Vietnam was A Friend of the Family. I picked this book up from the library based solely on the publisher. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill is my absolute favorite publisher. I have never read a book from their collection that I didn't like. If you are a reader I highly recommend you check out the link above. I don't think you'll regret it!

The main character is a man who is "living the dream".  He's a successful doctor, has a happy marriage, and a cherished son.  He, like so many of us, never really appreciates everything he has, and only starts to when he is about to loose everything. As I approached the end of the book, I couldn't put it down.  I was dying to know what happened to Dr. Peter, his family and his best friends. The story is essentially the tale of the dangers of trying to have it all including the "perfect" child. I think one of the things I liked best about this story is that I could relate to the main character.  I've been known to take things for granted and I also have BIG dreams for my sons. I'm sure I probably won't go to the extremes Dr. Pete does in the story to protect my dreams for my children, but I can see how it would be easy to get caught up in making what I want happen instead of letting them do what they want.

If you are still reading this I appreciate it! I hope if either of these seem interesting to you that you'll check them out.  Also, if you have any questions about either of these books please let me know.  I would love the opportunity to discuss them with you. I'm always looking for new books to read please leave me suggestions in the comments.






Sunday, May 6, 2012

Sunday Stash Report

Well, I have some progress to report this week!  I finally finished the top and back for my elephant baby quilt. Hopefully I'll have time to baste it this evening.  The quilting shouldn't take too long.  I'm just planning to do some simple straight line quilting along the seams.  We'll see how long it takes!



I'm still plugging away on my next QOV.  I've made good progress, but can't count it out until the top is finished. I've got my fingers crossed that I can count it next week! The pattern is Fourth of July by Bonnie Hunter. It is my favorite type of quilt pattern: easy to piece, but gorgeous!



I've started cutting out a sailboat baby quilt for my step-sister.  It will be awhile before I can count this fabric out, but at least I've started!  Her son was born on Tuesday in South Carolina.  Fortunately, it's pretty warm there is time of year, so I can get away with not having his quilt ready quite yet!

Since I'm just not happy until I've got a million projects going at once, I cut into my Going Coastal stash this week! After much deliberation, I've decided to make a simple patchwork quilt.  I wanted something easy and quick so I can use it this summer, but that would show off the awesome prints, so I think this will be perfect.  I can't wait to finish this one!

Along with the sewing I also added some fabric too.  I really just added more to my stash of fabrics I already have.  More Flea Market Fancy, Dear Stella Anchors Away and Going Coastal.  No pictures to share of the new additions because they've already been cut or mixed in with the existing piles, but trust me they are gorgeous!

The numbers this week:

Used this week: 7 yards
Used YTD: 23 yards
Added this week: 8 yards
Added YTD: 51 yards
Net Added: 28 yards

To see how everyone else is doing with their stash management go to Judy's.

Friday, April 27, 2012

A Friday Finish

I am so happy to report that I have a finished quilt top to share this week!  I am absolutely thrilled with how it turned out!


It is super simple, but I think it really shows off the adorable orange elephant fabric!  I love these bright colors for a baby quilt, don't you?

This weekend I will focus on piecing the back, making the dreaded quilt sandwich (my least favorite part), and then I'm going to do straight line quilting along the long seams.  We'll see how long it takes to finish.  Straight line quilting always seems to take a long time for me, but I really think it's best for this quilt.

What is everyone else working on this weekend?  Hope it's fun!

Today I'm linking up at Finish It Up Friday with Amanda Jean.  To see other's accomplishments this week check out the linky.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Sunday Stash Report

Happy Stash Report Sunday!  I am very pleased to say I did quite a bit of sewing this week, but I didn't add anything to the stash.  After last week's confession, what a relief!

I'm still plugging away at the elephant baby quilt.  It super simple, so even though I don't have as much time to sew as I'd like it's still coming together!  It's a rainy, gloomy day here in Virginia, the perfect day for sewing!  Unfortunately, my son has different ideas!  He thinks it's the perfect day for baking, bubble painting, and playing   board games.  Oh well, duty calls!  I've been told many, many times that before I know it he won't want me within 5 feet of him, so I'll enjoy his company while I can!

The numbers this week:

Used this week: 0 yards
Used YTD: 16 yards
Added this week: 0 yards
Added YTD: 43 yards
Net Added YTD: 27 yards.

Boring, Boring, Boring.  Same as last week, but at least I'm sewing and not shopping!

To see how everyone else did with their stash this week, head over to Judy's.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

WIP Wednesday

Happy WIP everyone!  I can't believe it's time for another WIP post!  Fortunately, I have actually made some progress!

I have finished all 12 of the blocks needed for the elephant baby quilt!



Pretty cute if I do say so myself!

I'm using a pattern from the Spring 2012 issue of Quilts and More called "Animal Crackers".  At the very top it says that this project is "super easy".  So far it has lived up to that statement!  I'm sure others would be presenting a completely finished quilt this week for you, but I'm really slow!  My plan is to have a completed top by this weekend so I can start quilting this little baby.  I'm thinking I will do straight line quilting following the lines of the rectangles.  Super simple and clean lines.  Easy, peasy.  The next baby quilt won't happen this quickly or easily, so I'm glad this one has been so far!

I have been itching to start something new this week, but I've stayed on task!  I am determined that the new babies in my life will not have to wait until they are six months old for their quilts!  Once these two are finished I am going to start something new for me.  Even if it's just a couple of blocks...

If you'd like to see what everyone else accomplished this week, go to Lee's to check out the linky!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Sunday Stash Report--The Catch Up Edition

I decided to take a little blogging break and with it came a stash report break.  I didn't mean for it to be almost two months, but sometimes life gets in the way.  Of course that doesn't mean I took a break from shopping and sewing...a girl has to have some fun right?

You might want to grab your favorite beverage and perhaps a snack because we've got some catching up to do.  Hope you are ready for some (or a lot) pictures of my pretty fabric!

Flea Market Fancy:

This was no surprise!  I have been talking about adding some of this to my stash since I heard it would be re-released!  I have to say I'm not disappointed in the least.  I take this down from its shelf quite often to admire it.

I do have plans to add more, but not until I have made a little more progress on some of my current projects.  I'm not sure what I will make with it, but I will make a least one quilt for my bed from the whole collection and I'm sure I'll have plenty to spare.

Pezzy Prints:

I do love these Pez prints from American Jane.  I missed them the first time around so I couldn't resist this cute little fat quarter pack.  I'm sure more will be added later.  I will definitely need a little of the red pez!

I don't have these in mind for a particular project, but I think they are a perfect basic to have on hand.  Love them!

Pearl Bracelets:

I love these Pearl Bracelets from Lizzy House.  I'm sure before the year is over more will find their way into the stash!



Prince Charming:

I'm slowly still gathering these prints.  I love everything Tula Pink does, but especially this line!  Next year I want to make a Single Girl quilt and I think this line will be what I use.  I can't wait!



Grinch:

We love Dr Seuss in this house, so I knew we had to have the Grinch fabric for a Christmas quilt.  The best part is I found a lot of these on sale! 



Going Coastal:

Once the weather started to turn decidedly Spring/Summer my son and I started talking about the beach.  He wants to build a sand castle and jump in the waves.  Since I couldn't indulge his snowman fantasies this year (winter never showed up around here) I told him we would hit the beach A LOT this summer.  I think this is the perfect quilt fabric for hitting the Maryland and Delaware Beaches.  I will have to order more, but I think this is enough to get me started!



I wouldn't want you to think I was completely selfish.  I did buy some fabric to make quilts for others.

Red, White and Blue:

I bought some beautiful fabrics to add to my next Quilt of Valor.  I don't think you can have too many red, white and blues!

I'm proud to say I've already cut into the two on the right.

Baby quilts:

It's the year of the baby for my friends and family.  I'm such a trendsetter!  I had my two boys and now everybody wants a baby.  I think it's because mine are so cute and sweet...most days!  :)


The oranges are the backing and binding of a baby quilt I'm piecing currently.  It's going to together really quickly so hopefully the top will be finished soon.  The gray is just a great solid that I got at Joann's with a coupon.  Couldn't pass it up!


This gorgeous pile of Anchors Away is for another soon to be new arrival in the family.  My sweet step sister is expecting her baby next month.  I can't wait!


Her husband is big into sailing.  Won't this be perfect for them? 

All in all not too bad when you think that I spread this out over two months!  Especially when you consider I do have a finish to report.  I finished my first top for Quilts of Valor in March.  In my haste to turn it in, I forgot to take a picture.  I will post one when I get it back from the Longarmer.

I hope you've enjoyed looking at my fabric as much as I have!  Now I'm off to go finish that baby quilt before my beloved comes back from his mother's with the boys!

The numbers:

Used since February: 4 yards
Used YTD: 16 yards
Added since February: 39.25 yards
Added YTD: 43 yards
Net Added: 27 yards

Not so bad!  I still have plenty of time to get back down to zero!  I'll just have to go back to my plan of no more buying until I finish at least these two baby quilts!

To see how everyone else is doing, go to Judy's!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Friday, April 13, 2012

Fabric Wishlist

I have seen a couple of bloggers featuring the fabric they are dreaming of sewing with this summer and I couldn't resist joining in!  One of my goals for this year is to try to use what I have, but there is just nothing like new fabric for new projects.  Of course, I usually leave new fabric on the shelf to occasionally take down and pet.  (You know you do it too!)

I'm someone who cannot get enough Christmas fabric, so it's no surprise that some is on my wishlist:

Sheri Berry's designs are so cute, and Alpine Wonderland is no exception!  I can see Christmas quilts, but also some pretty aprons for the bakers on my gift list this year out of this line.



I have loved all of Aneela Hoey lines, and I can't wait to get my hands on Cherry Christmas!  I would love to have a cute little quilt for my living room out of this line!  Not too mention  a couple of pillows...




I think Sweetwater's Lucy's Crab Shack is the perfect fabric for summer sewing.  I'm really loving the bathing suits hanging out to dry!  Too cute!!



Of course anytime Tula Pink has a new line coming out I'm always interested!  I'm intrigued by her take on Halloween fabric.  Nightshade is so beautiful I think I'd keep it at all year long!



My favorite new Halloween line has to be Guising from Lizzy House.  The candy corn, the ghosts, the new pearl bracelets...can't wait to make some Halloween decor from this!

Lizzy House - Guising - Jack O Lanterns in Pumpkin

As someone who loves to make quilts for babies and kids, I can't wait to see The Simple Life by Tasha Noel.



I think my son might need a pillowcase or two made out of Ed Emberley's Happy Drawing.  Especially with either of these:

Ed Emberley - Happy Drawing - Elephants in Gray

Ed Emberley - Happy Drawing - Frogs in Green

Of course there are many, many more, but I think I've gone on long enough.  Time to stop dreaming about new fabric and go finish some of my current projects!

Are there any fabrics that you are picturing in your dream stash that I didn't mention?  Do tell!


Pictures courtesy of the Fat Quarter Shop and Hawthorne Threads.  Two of my very favorite places to shop!