Cross that off my list!

How are you doing friends?  I know at this point I'm talking to myself, here in print, and in real life!  We are doing fine here in PamKittyVille, the weather is nice and we're getting a few items ticked off the list.  Restrictions are lifting bit by bit, nurseries are now open, so we took a little trip to Alden Lane Nursery They're just open a few days a week with limited hours and limited people. The first week it looked mobbed, long lines to get in, but by the second week it  calmed down so we went in and grabbed some flowers and supplies.  Nice that it's outdoors and very few people. I appreciate all the care that our local shops are taking to insure their employees and customers are safe. I see a lot of people on IG out and about, how are things in your area? Are you out and about? 

In the mean time back in April I posted an IG picture of a cute x-stitch block I made from a tutorial from Heidi over on her Fabric Mutt blog.  You should definitely check it out, you can find it here.  I really like that shape of it, and the size, it's a 2 inch finished block.  I made quite a few testing it, and the one thing that I didn't like about how my blocks turned out, was the way the corners looked.  Not all of my corners  landed in the center of the "x" and it really bugged me.  I tossed all my crappy blocks and moved on...but then Kristen posted her blocks on Instagram and hers all looked so good, so I was back on track to make some more. Do you follow Kristen and Heidi?  

Anyway I decided to order a 2 1/2" ruler.  Of course I didn't have one.  I could have made a plastic template or even a paper template but this just seemed way easier. And safer for me to trim my blocks with to be honest. And right away today I have the results I wanted.  Those points are right in the center of those pink "x"s and I'm thrilled with it.  Now I actually might make that adorable pillow.  

That's a long story about ordering a ruler.  Sorry.  That's how things are in a pandemic. Sometimes I'm excited about a little block and just have to share it. What are you excited about these days! 

Hope you're well !!!  I'll see you on Instagram!

Hidden in Plain Sight: A PamKittyMorning Story

Hi there friends, how are you?  Hangin in there?  We're still sheltering in place here in PamKittyVille, how about where you are?  I hope you're finding what you need at the store and some how getting through it all. We are doing ok, saw Frankie across her garage the other day, dropping stuff off and picking up stuff.  

When I first started this post LAST WEEK, I was about to begin searching for something in my house.  What a clever title.  I typed it in and I was feeling smug, thinking I would find it right off. I knew I had it,and double checked my blog posts to find a picture to make sure, and I was  convinced I knew right where it was. But like all smug prideful thoughts, I COULD NOT FIND IT.  I'm not going to go into the measures I went thru to find it either, as it took a while week for me to just give up (for now).  (temporarily)DEFEATED. 

But also I did manage to get some stuff done.  I made myself sit down and put these blocks together.  I really love the quilt, and while the contrast between lights and darks isn't great, I love how it turned out, even the big contrast red blocks.  I need to find a big chunk of batting around here and get it quilted.  I think I will do it myself, in a simple grid pattern.  The design lends itself to that that. No need to mark it.  

Another thing I did for fun last week was stitch up this cute teapot.  It's from Ayumi Mills Pink Penguin blog, you can find it here.  Here blog post shows how to make it with freezer paper piecing, and I tried kind of a hybrid version of that and paper piecing.  I should have taken the time to just use the freezer paper method as it would have been much easier.  I'm not getting any smarter with age I'm afraid.  I really love it though, it's quite a jaunty little block.  I was inspired by The Sunny Day Supply little tea cup cozy, you can see that on instagram here. Everything Ayumi and the SunnyDay girls make is so charming and inspiring.  I could look at their photos all day. Pretty photos really make me happy.  

While browsing around on Instagram's explore feature, I a saw the cutest cross stitch by NeedleWork Press.  You can find it on Facebook, it's a free pattern. Probably like a lot of you, I cross stitched A LOT before I got into quilting.  I loved it.  

Dug through all my old cross stitch supplies and found all the floss and and a piece of aida and started stitching today.  UGH.  MY EYES.  They just don't see like they used to.  That's how far I got before I just had to say uncle.  Even with my glasses it was a challenge and that's 14 count aida! Still it's such a charming little project, not to big, and I hope you take a peek at it over on their Facebook page or on Instagram. 

That's what I've been up to.  What about you? Hope you have some sunny weather to perk up the days.  I'm enjoying the backyard before it gets scorched by the sun.  We put the umbrellas out and cushion on the swing and it's delightful.  I'm headed out there to work on some binding.  Hope you're well.  xop

Monday

Morning friends, how are you? I think by now almost everyone is on a shelter in place protocol now right?  Are you doing ok?  I hope you have everything you need to get through it. I have lots of fabric and plenty of thread so I should be fine.  I hope you are too.  

I've managed the tiniest bit of sewing, I admire how much people are getting done.  I just don't have the attention span for it.  I finished my binding from last weeks post, just waiting for a nice day to find a place to grab a photo. 

Here are the blocks I have completed since we last met here over coffee.  Well coffee for me anyway! They're all cute blocks, trying to decide which ones to make is hard. 

One left, here's the layout of what I have made.  I love it all so far, and I'm thinking of something pink for the bottom corner.  Can't decide what, I have a wheelbarrow left, but I'm not sure if I want that to be pink.  There will be plenty of green once the 'lawn' strips go between the rows.  Oh well plenty of time to think about it.  I could move it all around and put the mole in the center!  I DON'T KNOW! Mostly I should chose something simple, because my brain and attention span aren't working at full power.  

Any plans for this week? Are you sewing a lot? Reading? Working in your yard?  We had some nice weather and I was able to go out and enjoy some sun.  I refilled my bird feeders, but I'm running  low on  seed , hoping to make it till the time I can shop again.  

All you people who are out there creating and decorating and gardening, I appreciate your Instagram photos so much.  They're so cheery.  

Stay safe friends.  I hope you are well.  xop

Monday, isn't it?

So how's it going friends? Just drinking coffee like it's any other Monday.  It's garbage day here in PamKittyVille and normally I get dressed early as my neighbor Ron and I  have a little friendly competition on who can put all the cans away first.  He used to just put my cans away before I could get to them and then it turned into a little friendly competition when I started to try and beat him to the cans.  The Garbage Games as we call it.  The past two weeks though I've just stayed in my pjs way too late to get even one can out of three.  Not intentionally, just lazy. Poor Ron must think I've given up.  

I cleared off my sewing table, not all the way but a bit, and made room to put some binding on.  I have a big bag of quilts I had quilted and I just need to get moving on it.  I have several bound and haven't even taken pictures yet.  I'm the worst.  But maybe that's a project for this week if the rain lets up.  Anyway I found this quilt that I had forgotten about at the bottom of the bag.  I made it several years ago during an American Patchwork and Quilting sew along, stitched it up at the retreat I went to. I made the mistake of looking through my flicker file and found that the top was finished in April 2016.  Its just one of a lot of finished quilt tops, I can't be the only one right?  The name of it is Easy Addition by the way.  Anyway I stitched the binding on it and I'm chugging away at the hand stitching.  It's big and seems very heavy.  I like it though even at the time I don't remember loving it.  It's got all the PKM whites in it and that's what I love the most.  

Trying to greet each day with optimism and gratitude.  I hope you are all doing well.  Keep your distance, wash your hands and be careful out there friends.  I'm thinking about you everyday. xop

More Sheltering In Place

Good morning friends, how are you?  I see so many more states joining in on the sheltering in place orders, and I hope you are doing ok with that.  I think (hope and pray) it works and we can flatten the curve.  I sometimes barely go out all week, maybe just the market, so it's not a huge change, but I do miss the smaller pleasures, like grabbing a Starbucks and going for a ride in the later afternoon on the weekend with Bret. Especially this time of year when the hills are green and there are signs of spring.  Of course I suppose we could still do that and I could make myself a cup of coffee at home, but I think you know what I mean.  

You probably follow along on IG already, so these are a rerun.  I've started working on the Ellis and Higgs Spring Garden Quilt blocks.   They're so cute.  When I was looking at the website just now to get the url for you, I saw the spring flower from last year's block and now I might have to get that too.  So cute.  

I don't know about you but lately concentrating is challenging and you can see from this  chonky red tulip I missed a step. These blocks are so easy to sew, don't get me wrong, it's all me, not the patterns.  But I have done a lot of seam ripping on almost everyone. 

I've really let my standards slip, photos from my phone.  Back in the day I would never have done that, but lately it's so easy, the path of least resistance.  Then when I come back here to my desk top they look so bleached out and over exposed.  Sorry friends.  I'm just so lazy now.  

The boot is such a cute design to me.  That little buckle detail is so clever.   Doesn't it just jazz up the boot? (Is that who  I am now? Some one who says 'jazz up'?  I guess so.)

Love the rabbit and how serendipitous the gingham placement was, looking like a little glimmer in that rabbit's eye.  

They're all so cute together don't you think?  It's such a cute group of blocks.  I was going to do the larger quilt but given my current level of concentration  I'll stick with the mini quilt.  I can quilt that myself.  More to go .... still have the garden tools and hmm, wheelbarrow, and maybe the mole.  

In other news, we started a new jigsaw puzzle.  We finished our colorful cat puzzle the other day and I had LUCKILY grabbed a couple before we were locked down so next up is a mostly brown Baby Yoda puzzle.  It's going to be a challenge even though the piece count is low.  We need the slightly larger pieces so we see them with our bifocals.  Talk about old people problems! 

Ok, time to let you go.  Thanks for stopping in for coffee with me.  The blog has always been a nice place for me, and everyone has always been so kind.  I hope you are well, keeping a good distance from others and staying safe. Thanks to all of you out there working those necessary jobs in the public, I know we all appreciate it so much.   xop

Classic & Vintage:Carolina Lily

And now for something more normal....

Hi there friends!  Today is Classic and Vintage day here on the blog.  It's one of my favorite projects to do with Fat Quarter Shop.  They take a classic block and make it in a new modern way and I am here for it!!

The Carolina Lily block is one I made when I first started quilting.  At the time I made it the classic traditional way with diamonds and set in seams. That was many many years ago, but Doris, my mother-in-law still displays it at Christmastime.  This updated version is a lot and I mean A LOT easier to make, even considering the applique.

I chose some of Amy Smart's SugarHouse Park, I wanted a nice rich red for the block, going with a traditional colorway. 

The applique on this block uses a 1/2" bias tape maker, but the strip width makes it easy to fold the raw edges to the center and press.   I used monofilament thread with the invisible machine applique technique I learned back in the day, I'm vintage like that. 

I hope you click over to the Jolly Jabber blog and read all about the Carolina Lily block.  And of course I hope you give it a try!  Thanks for checking in with me! xop

Another Shelter In Place Morning

Good morning friends, how are you? I'm up drinking coffee as usual.  Curious of your daily routines and how things are going for you.  Here in California and I know  so far in NY and IL, there are mandatory shelter in place rules.  Are you doing ok? I sure hope so. 

 

Our schedule is more relaxed these days, which is fine.  About three quarters of the time I get up at my normal time and then the oddball days I sleep in.  Weird, I always feel like I've wasted a chunk of the day even though I would have just been watching the news.

 

I haven't done a ton of sewing, I just can't seem to concentrate but hopefully this week will be better.  I went to the grocery store on Saturday and there was more on the shelf than I have seen in a couple of weeks, so I feel a little better about being able to feed Bret and acquire groceries for my mother-in-law.  Miss seeing Frankie, seems like she just got here and now we're quarantined from her, but it makes sense to keep the distance so we have another person who can find things for us if we need it. 

 

I hope you are all well and keeping a safe social distance from friends and neighbors. I'm hoping we can  keep the pace of the virus slowed with our efforts.  Love you guys. xop 

Shelter in Place:Day 3

Hi friends, how's it going?  Same old thing here, wandering around, watching the birds, some sewing, thinking about sewing, refreshing my Instagram feed and worrying about the supply chain for goods. 

 

Last night Bret went up to the market around 8 when we figured most people wouldn't be there.  I had been thinking about how all the fresh produce was gone for the last week or so, and wondered if that was going to be our new normal for a while.  But he came home with 2 nice big heads of cauliflower and I couldn't be more grateful. There was some restocking and the shelves weren't completely empty and I felt a lot better about the situation.

 

Today I saw 3 women friends walking down the street enjoying the sunshine and getting  some fresh air.  They were walking apart as the CDC guidelines suggest so good for them! Earlier this week I saw a mother with a toddler in a stroller and a 5 or 6 year old trailing behind,  taking a daily walk.  I was on the porch and waved at the kids, and it really cheesed the toddler off.  I could see her gesturing to the mother and looking at me and clearly was mad I was waving.  The kid following wasn't too pleased either and no one waved so lets just say I did what any old crone on the porch would do and waved some more. 

 

Anyway on day three  I'm thinking about how grateful I am to have a nice fresh cauliflower to eat. In fact it might have been the best cauliflower I have ever eaten. I have some sewing to work on, my people are healthy and it's sunny out.  I hope you are well friends. 

Sheltering in Place

Good morning friends! Welcome to day 2 of Sheltering in Place, SF Bay Area. I'm lucky in that it's not a huge change in my normal way of life, staying home, doing what I want, except with a side helping of anxiety. Trying to overlook that part right now.

Yesterday we were treated to an afternoon weather event to perk us up. The past couple of days have been California Cold, and there was snow on the foothills around us. It hailed A LOT for about 30 minutes, lots of thunder and lightening to go with it. It was crazy. My backyard has a snowy look to it, and there was maybe an inch of hail on the ground by the end of it.  My old lawn area is just dirt now, but looks so charming covered with snow (hail, it's hail Pam) I forgot it's a dud on most days.  Bret and I really enjoyed it, and later the birds came out in full force and we watched those out the kitchen window for a while.   

You might remember this bundle of fabric.  I really love it.  I added a lot to it and turned it into a pile of 9 patches.   

Then turned those into some blocks.  I have 2 left to make and then I can put it together. Holly and Greg mentioned my IG photo had 1 red block that really stood out.  You can see that picture here. I need to see how it all looks once I finish and maybe make more red blocks or take that one out.. I have other reds there but maybe not quite a solid looking.  We'll see how it goes when I lay it out again.

 

This is Joyce's quilt that inspired me.  She used a fat quarter bundle to make hers.  I love it.  Here darks show off more than mine, mine is pretty mooshy  I love it, but also realize it's not that great design wise. Mediums are my weakness. Even most of my lights are mediums. 

 

It was fun to put together a pile of fabric that wasn't all from one line.  I miss seeing those kinds of quilts. 

 

Also my friend Elise sent me some  shamrock EPP papers and I made this cute shamrock.  Mine looks a little less shamrocky than the other's I've seen.  I should have maybe tried matching pairs.  She made a quick little Instagram IG TV post about how to make them, and I would recommend it if you're a novice like me.  Also, that button covers a lot of sins there. 

 

Now I'm on Day 2 of Sheltering in Place.  Lots more days to go, and I'm all for doing it and hope and pray that we can make a difference for all the people we love in our lives and the people they love and so on and so on.  Take care people, wash your hands! xo

Patchwork Gifts Book Tour

Good Morning!  Today is my day on Elise's Patchwork Gifts Book Tour.  I've been very excited about this book since Elise announced it.  Count me in as a fan of Elise and Emilie on Instagram, I've even done some EPP just so I could stitch up some of those cute Dilly flowers.   

 

Thanks to Tuva Publishing for sending me an advance copy so I could start working on  my projects.  First thing up was the adorable mushroom shown on the cover.   Why oh why have I never used my hemostats to stuff anything before.  I've had them for years.   The pattern is so easy to sew up by machine, and really once you start sewing them you can't stop.  And the hemostats really get that stuffing into the tiny spaces.  I feel foolish for not trying them sooner. 

 

When I chose my 'official' project for the book your, I chose the Bon Bon Pouch.  The list of makers on this tour is pretty intimidating and I didn't want to venture out beyond my capabilities of making something that would turn out book tour quality.   I had some of the cute Peko fabric from Sunny Day Supply so I checked with my sunny friends to order some coordinates and the supplies needed.

 

The templates for this project are wonderful.  Elise uses a classic method of marking I learned many years ago, and my darts and match points ended up perfect.  I love that she has you cut the interfacing smaller so it doesn't end up in the seam, this makes for a nice crisp edge.  The bag works up so cute.  I had never used those  beads  for the pull ties before,  and I'm definitely not a genius about it but they're so cute.  Really, those knots should be inside the bead.  Don't judge me too harshly.

In my excitement I forgot to add some trim in the seams but it still turned out so cute.  I pulled out my cute Heidi Staples fabric to make a cute cherry version that includes some rick rack. 

I couldn't stop with those mushrooms.  Cheri made the cutest mushrooms with lace frills and I loved them.  Check them out here. 

I hope you check out the Patchwork Gifts book. There are plenty of projects for gift giving or keeping, and many techniques are covered.  Elise's instructions are great and the book is a pretty one.  I love when the pictures are pretty don't you? 

 

 

And now since you've followed along  leave me a comment today for a chance to win everything you need to make this little BonBon pouch. (you will need the book)  The girls at Sunny Day have packaged it all up for me in their cute way, so it's extra adorable.    I'll chose a winner this coming Friday. 

 

Thanks for following along,  and thanks to Elise for inviting me to participate.  I love her new book and I think it would be a great addition for your library of sweet sewing books!  There's a lot of cute projects included!!! xop

February!

Hi there friends! How is 2020 going so far? It's offered us some challenges but nothing we can't face.  Can you believe we're already in February?  Before you know it I'll be complaining about the summer heat right?  I'm thinking of all you in the snow and sending your pretty primrose greetings from the temperate climates here in Northern California. 

They're the prettiest harbinger's of spring popping up in nurseries in January around here. After Christmas and all it's winter themes I'm ready for them.  It won't be really spring here for  a while, but these beauties can stand our frosty mornings.  Monday morning it was 30 degrees when I got up!!! Kid stuff I know for all you snowbound people but definitely cold for here in PamKittyVille.

I've been in my sewing room more lately, even doing things, not just sitting there and looking at all my things. (chaos) Terry of Atkinson Designs came out with a new pattern called Let's Play Hearts, and it's so cute, fast and fun, I couldn't resist it. It's clever, the thing that takes the time is picking fabrics and deciding which order to put them in! I used my Quilter's Select Free Fuse which I love so much.  I really hope you give it a try.  This isn't sponsored content, I just REALLY LOVE IT. 

The other thing I did over a few days was cut some hearts.  I've been inspired by so many cute heart projects on Instagram, particularly those by Helen Philipps, I ordered a die from Accuquilt to cut a bunch out because die cutting is soooo easy.  I used the Quilter's Select Appli-Web Plus on my fabric so when ever I get around to getting started I can fuse them on background fabrics and blanket stitch them up.

I went through my big box of jumbled scraps and sorted them out, coming up with this selection, lots of scraps from my first line of fabric PamKittyMorning in that box. It was fun to go through and pick out pink, red and blue fabrics. I had enough smaller pieces to cut tiny hearts too, and I have those packaged up for some future project, who knows  It was fun and I couldn't stop cutting.  I like this particular die, it has symmetrical hearts, plus that folky looking heart as well.  

Monday was definitely a happy mail day around here.  I received my quilts back from Amy of Big City Quilting. Amy and I have been friends since way back in the beginning of the blog days, her blog Mrs. Schmenkman Quilts was always so inspiring.  I have been such a huge fan of Amy for years, and was thrilled to have her quilt my quilts.  

I had three quilts quilted, and I can't wait to show more when I have the binding on them.  I just stitched the binding on  the Jelly Roll Railway quilt  today, and can't wait to do the handwork and show it off.  This photo doesn't do any of them justice, but most particularly this one at the bottom, which is so vibrant and cheery. 

Also made a few of these, which you already know if you follow me on Instagram.  I'm loving the Elise's new book, Patchwork Gifts, Tuva Publishing sent me a copy and I'm excited to be participating in her book tour.  Her book is available March 1st. 

So that's a big big catch up from me.  What's going on with you?  Hope you are well! 

Perfectly Pretty Patchwork Book Tour

Hi and hello friends!  Today is my day on the book tour for Kristyne's new book, Perfectly Pretty Patchwork.  I'm sure you know Kristyne, if not from her blog Pretty By Hand, then from Instagram.  I'm a long time fan and friend of her's and I was so excited to be invited along for her book tour.  Its an honor to be included in such a great collection of makers and designers.

 

I love the book.  There's no detail overlooked with the projects, there are lots of pretty embellishments, lace, embroidery. #KlassicKristyne  The styling and photography is wonderful, and of course the instructions and illustrations are clear and concise like you'd expect from Kristyne and Martingale.

 

The book is in sections, each section incudes a classic block and two projects.  I couldn't resist this little basket.  You can see it's quite small.  I did applique the handle, but you know what's great about this book, or really any book, you can adapt the projects to suit your method of choice.  If I was making this whole quilt, I'd probably fuse the handles and blanket stitch them down, but I wanted to try the classic technique. My handle looks a little chunky on one side but you know with practice I bet I could get it right.  The best part, the book inspired me to just try something for the heck of it. 

 

I love this Mill and Stars block.  The book has a beautiful blue and green quilt with both large and small blocks.  I picked some Christmasy fabric when I made this block, again, just inspired to give it a try.  Along with the quilt, there are 3 sizes of pincushions to make, so I made the largest one, but how darling is the tiniest one?

 

Perfect to use a vintage button on.  Check out how adorable Minki's  pincushion is.  I saw it on Instagram on Monday.  Love it.

 

Photo courtesy of Martingale. Photographer Brent Kane

 

One of my all time favorite blocks is the honeybee and I love Kristyne's interpretation of it. In her small quilt, she used embroidery for the wings.  Her pattern also includes Colonial knots for the 9 patches.  I tried the tiny embroidery for the  wings and just could not make my stitches tiny and sweet so I turned to my favorite lazy daisy stitch to add those little wings.   

 

 

Obviously, not a genius at that either, but you get the general idea of what I'm going for.  And isn't that the best thing about a book that inspires you, encouraging you to try something and finding a way to make it work for you.

 

This book is a wonderful addition to your library. There are fun projects, beautiful photographs and pages of inspiration. I hope you check it out, check out the #perfectlyprettypatchworkbooktour hashtag and of course follow @prettybyhand to see all of Kristyne's beautiful creations. 

 

 

Sewing

Hi there!  Are you ready to say good by to this decade? Was it good? I guess like every decade or even year or day, it was filled with good things and bad things and all manner of things in between.  Next year or decade will be the same.  Perspective and attitude make all the difference. 

 

I managed to get in some sewing lately.  Not a lot but enough to keep me busy and out of trouble.  I finished a third watering can and love it.  Had  some problems, I stepped away from it too long and managed to mess up the spout.  It's just fabric luckily and I simply  cut some new pieces and moved on.  I decided to make this into a 3 watering can table runner.  I made the first one in July and I'm just done with it.  I was so happy with my flag table runner from last summer I wanted another runner.  Its a wonderfully clever pattern by Margo of the Pattern Basket and it's not hard.  You just need to pay attention which is sometimes a problem for me!

 

Tablerunners are not just for tables.  Do you follow Heather of Anka's Treasures on IG? She recently had some interesting ways to showcase a tablerunner that has given me some new ideas.  I love IG, lots of inspiration there. 

 

When Fat Quarter Shop had it's sale on books I treated myself to Lori's Farm Girl Vintage 2. I have been in love with that zinnia block which is included, and there are a lot of nice project layouts in the book so it was a no brainer.  I think a  quilt filled with pretty flowers would be fun.  I have some bigger tulips from Lori's Scrappy Project Planner and I could include those.  Dreams.  Who knows what it will all turn into, but I do get how people find big bags of blocks in antique stores!  In the meantime I love these zinnias.  Who can resist them.

 

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and your new year is filled with good things! I'm grateful for your friendship !  HAPPY NEW YEAR!  xop

Ho ho ho!

From all of us here in PamKittyVille…

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!