What's new?

Morning friends!  How was your weekend?  The weather has warmed up a lot here (no complaints yet.. but lets face it they're coming) and so it's perfect early morning porch weather.  Coffee and magazines or quilt books are a must. 

 

This past weekend was Quilt Market and I enjoyed watching the sights and scenes on Instagram and Facebook. Did you follow along? It's so exciting to see what's new and coming our way soon. 

 

I have had fun visiting with peeps lately.  My friend Joyce needed some fresh greens  the other day and I went thru my stash to send some her way.  She asked me over to show me the cute quilt she made for a baby shower and you can see it here. I also had lunch with Holly last week, it's been far too long since I'd seen her.   I've missed being out and about with people so it made for a fun week. 

 

Hope you have a good week friends! xo

Good intentions

HI there!  How are you?  What's new on your side of the screen?  Same old thing around here.  Lots of sunshine this week, and I've spent time outside working on deadheading roses and trimming back things that need trimming.  My roses all bloomed out at once, in a beautiful showing.  The rain has been wonderful for them!

 

Last week did you see the really cute tea towel over at Boughs of Holly?  I saw it on Instagram and LOVED IT.  So totally had to have it.  We'll see if I make even one flower. 

 

Also saw these low volume prints on Sharon's Instagram and had to have them.  Since I began quilting background prints have been my favorite.  These will make a nice addition to my own fabrics.  I saw Amanda's Irish chain quilt and fell in love with it so I'm thinking about that. 

And to really mix things up I saw something out and about that gave me some ideas, so I have something else that I want to do.  We'll see how it works out.

 

I have good intentions to all of these things.  We'll see how it all works out.  Tell me what you're working on!  I'd love to hear.

TGIF

Hi there!  How did the week go for you?  Hot here, and I'm not complaining, YET, because today is a cool down.  I thought we had some rain coming too but looks like they took that off the schedule. 

 

I haven't done much sewing lately.    I know my problem is fear of commitment. Every time I look online I see something I want to make but then before I can do anything there's something else.   So for now I just made a little star.  I was looking through my block book and found this pretty Star of Hope so yesterday I made it. Not perfect by any means, but I enjoyed making it.  It's a 4 in finish, and features my biggest challenge, making those inner triangles meet nicely. I made it from scraps on my cutting table.. tiny pieces  used up.  

 

Just in case you missed it on Instagram, I did finish my cute scissors fob from Monday! Super fun.  I'm not used to doing that type of sewing and it was fun, Roseann encouraged me to get busy and probably thought that was the last she'd see of it.   Thankfully her book A Little Something,  had everything I needed to know to complete it.  So cute.  I've got it tied onto my red scissors as you maybe saw on Instagram. 

 

Hope the weekend is fun!  Thanks for stopping by friends! xo

A Little Something Delicious

Hi there friends, how are you?  We've had some lovely sunny spring-into-summer weather here in PamKittyville.  The rain has stopped for at least the coming week so it will be perfect for coffee drinking out back in the morning.   

 

My friend Roseann sent me a copy of her new  book A Little Something and it's super cute. (check the Martingale site for more images from the book.) I'd had a few sneak peeks here and there but wow it's filled with the most adorable projects.  All the photography and graphics in the book are wonderful, I love all the details.  It's so nicely done.   Roseann also snuck in an adorble kit for the scissor fob on the cover, all I had to do was cut out the strawberry pieces and the flower.

 

And believe it or not, I'm on it already.  In fact, after I took these photos I stitched the little seeds on the strawberry, and now I need to find just the right red and green for sewing those together. I'm not a sitching genius but there are nice little photographs of all the stitches used so you can get going fast.

 

You can order an autographed book from Roseann here.  Roseann has a great Wool Workers group on Facebook you can join and keep up to date with Roseann and a other wool working friends! I love seeing all the projects. 

 

I hope you check out Roseann's book.. it's super cute.  I'm lucky to have such a clever friend! Thank you Roseann for sending it to me!

 

Have a great week everyone!

Double Wide!

Good morning friends! How has the world been treating you?   Lots of alternating rain and shine here in PamKittyVille.  I LOVE IT. There's just enough sun to get me through the gloomy days.  The hills are green and my plants are thriving.  Lots of time puttering around in the yard, doing nothing really but admiring all the spring growth. I make no excuses, I have to enjoy all the benefits of the rain while I can.  I know it won't last forever. 

 

A couple of weeks ago my friend Barb from Me and My Sister sent me their new Double Wide Dresden Ruler and a a bunch of super cute patterns to try out. And holy cow look at that cute little pack of Frolic!  

 

I wanted to try it right out, so I pulled out that cute Dragonfly pattern and got busy! I really love these, those cute pieced antenna and the easy  appliqued wings.  It's a snap to make.  I used invisible machine applique to stitch them down, but you can use any method your like.. straight or blanket stitching or even hand stitch them down.   

 

I'm so lucky to have such clever friends who brighten my day with their generosity.  Barb and I are long time pals and I wish we were geographically closer so that I could hang out with her on a regular basis.  Those sisters, Barb and Mary, are hilarious, and I love all the fun things they do on their blog, you should take a peek.

 

Hope you hop over and check out what Barb and Mary are up to, and check out their cheerful fabrics and all their amazing patterns.  So many clever  and cute projects!  Have a great weekend everyone!  Thanks for meeting me here! xo

Charming

Sometimes you happen upon something that is so sublime you have to stop what you're doing and make one.    I love little mushrooms, as you friends know.  Anyway, I was cruising around on Instagram when I came across a bunch of little mushrooms cropping up.  I found the original pattern at Larisa's blog, Stitching Notes.

 

You too can download the free paper piecing pattern.  Don't paper piece?  Well it's not hard, I was able to do it.  So you should try if you're a fan of little mushrooms as well.  If you need some inspiration, check out Instagram here on the #stitchingnotespattern hashtag.. so much cute!  And check out Larisa's IG feed here.  Lots of  adorable things to be seen there.

 

What are you up to? 

 

 

When good ideas good bad

Over the years I have been the recipient of some lovely items from blogging friends.  Blogging has changed over the last ELEVEN years, and while I love the new social media platforms, I remember the old days with great fondness.

 

Old friends may remember when I received this wonderful owl made by Laurie of Old School Acres.   I have carefully guarded it over the years after I blogged about it here in 2008, keeping it from harm and by harm I mean DUST.  Because I AM THE WORST.

 

He's still in his pristine condition.  I've looked for good display solutions over the years and today I figured I'd hit on pay dirt with this cute cupcake stand at the Dollar Spot at Target.   It's got scallopy edges, and for those that can resist those cute scallops there's plain ones.  And then also larger cake stands.  Just an FYI.

 

I've been looking for a cute cupcake stand figuring if I could find a nice dome, my owl could stand on it and be safe. 

After months of fruitless searching for domes, enter my bright idea, the wide mouth mason jar.

 

Ooops. Maybe not my best idea.

 

Hope you have  a nice week friends. I appreciate your visits! xo

 

 

SEW SPLENDID!

Exciting times !!!    Today we're celebrating the release of The Splendid Sampler book! 

 

I was so excited to be inclulded in this great project by Pat and Jane.  Today on  the Stitch This! blog there's a great Q&A post with Pat and Jane and I hear rumors of  big give aways prizes by  sponsers Martingale, Moda, Aurifil, Schmetz Needles, and Reliable Irons that are up for grabs!

 

You can check out more images from the book here!

 

 

True confession

Hi there, how've you been?  Still struggling with the virus that has it's iron grip on PamKittyville, but I hope we're REALLY kicking it the curb this week and not just getting kicked ourselves.  We'll see.  So far it's the thing that never leaves. 

 

But I did get out, had to run a quick errand that put me over near the Cost Plus, so I treated myself  to a little shopping.  I didn't buy much, but I did get this cute tin of Walkers  Shortbread. 

 

It's about 5" x 3 1/4" and it's completely cute.  And look at the cookies inside.  Union Jacks.  Union Jacks people.  Remember when we were all about Union Jacks?  I mean quilts and mugs and more mugs and pin cushions and tea cozies.  And everything. We couldn't quit the Union Jacks? 

 

And then we all moved on to something else.  I don't even know what replaced the Union Jacks.  But British stuff always catches my eye, like on Instagram when someone posted pictures last week of floral bags or tea towels from the UK  which sadly I can't find now.. it was all I could do not to jump up and head to Home Goods to find them!  But back to the tin.  I just know that someone will get this tin and turn it into the cutest little sewing box ever  and then take the most delicious photo of it, with the cookies of course and maybe some coffee or tea in a perfect mug and my I WILL LOSE MY MIND OVER IT.   Then I would have to search the planet for the tin and it would already be gone and I would only be able to find it from some place that had it for an exorbitant price and lets not even talk about the shipping.... and then it would come and I wouldn't be able to open it or even worse eat the cookies and would set it aside and then pile something on top of it and then forget about it.  Till the next time I saw it. 

 

Sigh. 

 

So if you see a cute sewing tin made up and photographed I'm not sure if you should tell me or not. 

 

Have a great week everyone!!! xo

 

P.  S. TELL ME. DUH.

Two By Two

GOOD MORNING!!!  How have you been?  We've had some lovely spring sunshine here  in PamKittyVille. I couldn't love it more!!! 

 

 

 

I FINALLY got the binding sewn down on my Two By Two quilt!  I'm so lazy about these things.  I really love how it turned out, Holly's great design and scallop fabric and Amy's wonderful quilting makes it! 

Hope things are going well with you!  I'm just getting over a crappy cold and I'm into the coughing zone.  What a pain that is, but thankfully it won't last forever.  I'm glad for some really nice days to open the windows and let some fresh air blow through the house to clear away the stale germy air!

 

Hope you have a great week friends! xo

Little Clover

Happy Friday!  Hope you're doing well!  Another spring like week here in PamKittyVille.  Sunshine and rain both, very nice.  The dose of sun between storms has really helped.  So did a nice day sewing with friends.  I feel grateful when I am included.  Patty hosted and I she gave me a tour of her beautiful gardens, full of drought tolerant plants that have loved this rainy season.  Check out  the amazing  Banksia I posted over on Instagram.  I need to grab up one of these plants this season, it's so cool.

 

Did you see this cute little clover block over at The Splendid Sampler?  DYING OVER IT.  Designed by Jane its so darn cute I can't stand it.  You can click over here and grab your pattern.

 

I still need to add my log cabin style sides to it, but I just love how cute and small this is.  And green.. I'm in love with green these days. 

 

Hope you have a nice weekend friends!  xo

TGIF

Hi there, how was your week? 

 

This week I had a dentist appointment and drove out through the country to get there.  Everything is so green and lush, I haven't seen it like this in years.  During the drought especially, the hills would barely turn green at all, maybe just a hint and as fast as it came it was gone.  Driving through Clayton this lane filled with trees.. oh my.  All the plants and trees so happy with all our rain!  

 

Sorry they're just phone pictures... not as nice as a real camera but I wanted to capture how pretty it was and didn't have my camera.  Words I cannot even imagine saying 5 years ago.  How much our lives have changed.

 

Tried to recapture the HomeGoods feeling this week.  I guess now that I have a HomeGoods just a few freeway exists down it no longer holds the same thrill. Of course how much more stuff do I need?  I didn't even see one cute mug!   Still it was fun walking around. 

 

Hope you have a good weekend everyone!!! Happy St. Patricks Day ! xo

Monday

Morning! How was your weekend? So sunny and nice here.  Saturday we went for a drive in with the top down on Bret's car.  It was pleasant enough to just wear a light jacket!  Not unheard of for this time of year..it's mid-March!  I don't know where the time goes these days.

Took time to wash off the swing and get the cushion and canopy out.  No rain till the end of the week, so plenty of time for enjoying the backyard.

 

Sorry for the phone picture.  I was stitching along and grabbed this photo of my Big Foot.  I kept looking at it for a long time then realized I had a leftover large square.  DUH.  His left leg has some problems.  You can see him  in his corrected glory here.  When I started this project I didn't cut the sashing so I have some work to do before I get started. 

 

Hope you have a nice week!  xo

Sunshine

Hi there! I know it's been a while since we met here in this space.  What  have you been up to?  So many people are sewing away and I see so many great projects on Instagram and on Facebook.  Thanks for sharing your great PamKittyFabric projects, it really is so exciting to see so many of you diving into your stashes and cutting it up to make some lovely things. 

 

I haven't sewn much lately.  Not really sure why.  Well probably because I can't decide what to do. I have a lot of tops sitting around, so I pulled those out so I can determine what I have for backings.  As usual well laid plans  went awry and some backing fabrics became separated from the tops.  No surprise, I pile stuff up then dig back through it.  It's my own fault.  I did find my stripes for binding on the Two by Two quilt and have it sewn on.  Hand stitching next. 

 

Yesterday I was determined to sit down at the machine and get to work on the last block of my Legendary quilt. Here's as far as I got.  I couldn't help but head outside to putter around emptying pots and getting ready for some patio planting.  Even though we've had record rains I'm not sure I'm ready to get into any big garden project quite yet.  But I'm sure enjoying all the green everywhere.  The hills around town are so green and lush, so different than they have been in past winters. 

 

I hope you're well, as days go by and I don't bring my coffee here to join you I do think of you and wonder what you're doing. Happy weekend friends! xo