one shabby chick

Enabling

In case any of you don't have enough fabric (is that even possible?), Randi is having a great sale...

 

Head on over and check it out - you can see the details here on her blog - and a giveaway too!

A plan for April

I have a plan...

 

I sewed up a sample block and am pretty excited about it now.

 

I cut all the dresden plate pieces out of scraps and cut the circles out of 12 different dot fabrics.

I'm sorry to my fellow bee members as this isn't the most "creative" block for any of you...but I'll be very happy with the results :-)

I sewed up the house blocks too - just need to decide if I'm going to do a border (I don't think I am - if I do, it will be more of the solid pink).

 

Another quilting bee quilt to sew up....

Quilting bees

I am in 5 right now...Common Threads (we are on year 2), A Notion or Two (also round 2), the Bee-autiful Bee, the Block Swap and the 3 x 6 Quilting Bee (which is heading for the second quarter and getting bigger).

I also got an invite to Busy Bees - I'm so flattered at this one - and she has AMAZING ladies participating - I'm in shock that she asked me and so excited to get to work with these ladies! We are starting that one this summer...

I think that's the cool thing about all these quilting bees - working with people who inspire you and getting to try new things...

I do have to admit - I haven't actually finished any of the quilts for any of these bees yet! I do have one - from the second round of Common Threads that is ready to be basted and quilted - it's on the top of my to-do list (along with a million other things - lol!).

 

I have my first round from that same quilting bee - it's going to be queen size so I need to add some borders and then attempt to quilt it too....dreading that one but right now I just can't afford to send it to get professionally done - so I have to "make it work"!  (and p.s. - don't you think Tim Gunn should be one of the judges since he seems to have much better taste - I did not like Emilio's fabric...There's a great post about it on True Up!)

I'm starting to receive my blocks for March from the Bee-autiful bee....aren't they so great! I'm really excited about this one!

And today I hope to start piecing together the blocks for Bela's quilt from The Block Swap...

I finished up this quilt on Thursday - I like it so much better now that it's quilted and bound...I used a purple thread which I like with all the pastels...

Here's the back - just two fabrics I pulled out and pieced...

 

and the binding:

 

I need to get working on fabrics to send out for April for A Notion or Two - I am thinking something like this....

 

but with different color dots in the centers - scrappy dresden plates...and I should probably lay off the Hope Valley for a while - ha ha!!

Thank you

Kathy and I are so humbled by your generosity in helping with this project...she's so excited! And she has added a blog post about her giveaway too - so now we'll have two winners! Yipee...

I had a few blocks already put together in these pastel colors so I'm finishing them up for a girl quilt and then started on one for a boy quilt too - I know, they aren't pinwheels but if you make your own top you can choose any style you want :-)

I've been feeling so un-motivated to sew lately...but my Saturdays are no longer filled with soccer so I hope I can start getting a lot done on those days - have to start making things for that craft fair! And I have a new audiobook to listen to (and it's not about vampires - lol!)

I also got some fabric to make a quilt for this mother-to-be.

I had called her and told her I wanted to make her a quilt and asked her color scheme...she said she was thinking of Dr. Suess and I told her it would be fun to find some fabric like that - so she ordered this off Ebay...I think it's from a Pottery Barn sheet. I'm thinking of using it for the center and doing something like this or this.

And I figured out a sashing fabric for my quilt class quilt - yes, still working on it...at least I get to quilt it on a long-arm!

Working on these too - binding these Amy Butler's pre-quilted fabrics....we'll see how they wash up....

ok off to start working my way back to sewing motivation..... 

Quilting

It's such a wonderful hobby isn't it? And the fact that we have a huge online community to share it in is even better.

I met Kathy last year through one of my blog giveaways and we got to emailing. You know when you just click with someone - anyway, Kathy had posted this last year and I thought it was a great way to help out and be generous with a hobby I love.

She had her son in July and wanted to give back to the hospital unit who had been so kind to them.

So I thought I'd ask all of you if any of you would be interested in helping out too?

We are asking for 8.5" quilt blocks - that's all...I was thinking a pinwheel block would be good so they could all match in style, but we could just do different colors. Kathy has offered to sew up the tops - but if we get too many I will help out with that as well.

I'm already planning to just send a couple of quilts (she said they should be around 24" x 36" so pretty small) to her and if you feel inclined to send a quilt (and you can make it any style - not just pinwheels) that would be awesome! 

I'm having a giveaway to help sweeten the deal too....for every block you send in, you get one entry....a quilt will get you 10 entries. So what's the giveaway?

How about some munki fabrics....

 

and a pillow cover - something like this...

 

or this....

(I'll find out the winner's color preferences and then custom-make them one - does that sound good?)

So leave me a comment if you are interested in making a quilt block (or two) and I'll send you my email.

Kathy lives in Canada so I figure it will be cheaper for everyone to send their blocks to me and I'll send them in one big package to Kathy....I hate to put a deadline on this but we will eventually need to finish the quilts so let's say May 1st....that way I can announce the giveaway winner right after...

OK hope we can get some quilts together - I think I'll go work on mine now!

Liberty

Couldn't help myself - yesterday I walked in to see racks of Liberty in Target (I had checked last week but there was nothing)...

I got a dress (and top) for me but had to take it back - my chest is just too big for anything the style of dresses/tops...but my girls lucked out....

(how's the pose?) 

Also found something for my sewing lamp....

 

a new wallet...

 

And a couple cute frames...

 

And while I was there today (returning the stuff that didn't fit) I had to pick up this....

Also got a box of fabric from Fabric.com yesterday - found a coupon code in this Flikr group (discussions) for 25% off so I got a few things...

Amy Butler's double-sided quilted material...figure it will be great for some quick, easy quilts.

 

Gnomes and buses

Finished up the binding on this little quilt this morning.

   

It's been so dark and rainy this week so the pictures are a little dark - good thing there's lots of white!

 

I love these fabrics and know this is going to a sweet little guy and his wonderful mama (my new nephew in Florida).

 

I love this stripe - used up almost all I have left for the binding but it just worked so well with all these fabrics - and why do I just let fabrics sit on the shelves - they are supposed to be used!

Wish I could spend the day quilting but my son's last soccer game is today (you know, those frustrating 12 year olds I've been coaching!) - and tonight we are going to a marriage date night for church - we've been watching these videos....very funny!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Pink and Grey

It's been raining all week - so it's been fun to sew....

 

Finished up the last bit of binding this morning while watching this (gotta love that instant Netflix!) with the kiddos.

Not sure where to put this one yet - for now it's on the couch ready to be snuggled with....

  

the back:

 

My sister came over and gave me a beautiful pedicure (she put peppermint oil in the water and my feet are still tingly - they feel so clean) and traded me for some fabric - I should have taken a picture...great color combos of grey and yellow....I think she's going to make curtains - haven't convinced her about a quilt yet!

I finished up the quilting on this one last night...

(used this pattern)

  

and then attached the binding today - I've been serging the raw edges of my quilts and binding and then sewing the binding on - makes it so nice and clean - no threads...I first saw it here.

Guess I'll have something to do while watching tv tonight!

A first

this is the first time (that I can remember anyway) that I've made a patchwork binding....

 

I couldn't figure out a perfect fabric to use and so I decided on a patchwork binding instead - it's all sewn on and just waiting to be hand-stitched.

 

I made this bag up yesterday too - starting the "craft fair stash" now.

 

  

We've been on Spring Break this week so it's been fun to get more sewing in - I'm working on the little gnome and vw quilt for my nephew now - it's all pinned and ready to be quilted....off I go....

new bag, new quilt

Here's my quilt that I've been working on....

 

made using this amazing tutorial.....

while listening to this great book.....

 

I still haven't picked a binding fabric yet but it's on the top of the list.

And I found out I did get in to the Lanikai craft fair so now I have to start making things! Made up a tote today - I figure if I do a little bit each week it will add up....

   

I'll be making totes, aprons, maybe some patchwork pilllow covers, little dresses (I just bought this pattern and it seems perfect for a craft fair) - and of course some quilts.

Oh.....and I got the cutest blocks in the mail yesterday for the Bee-autiful Quilting bee.....

OK off to try and get a bit more sewing in before soccer (those wonderful frustrating 12 year olds) and Bible study tonight....