Wednesday

Hi there!  How was the holiday? I hope it was a happy time for you!  We're closing in on the end of the year now.. I can't believe how fast 2015 went.  When I was a little kid I couldn't imagine HOW OLD I would be in the year 2000, like how could it even be possible, and now look, we're 15 years into it. 

 

I ventured into the outside world this week, I needed to head over to Target and OH HAPPY DAY the Valentine's stuff is out!  To me it's a feast to my eyes after so much relentless Christmas for the past three months.  So much.  There wasn't a display I didn't fawn over.   And I know I'm not the only one, the stuff was already picked over!  I just was happy to see it.  Something different.  

 

I've totally fallen in love with those little scallops from my  Great Granny post, I'm making more pot holders and already thinking about other things.. hence the heart. I haven't headed back to the rabbits yet, but they're on my list.  I'm just playing around right now. 

 

Hope things are good on your side of the screen!  xo

Christmas Eve

Ohh it's almost here! Are you ready?  I'm as ready as I'll ever be!  Today is for a few last minute errands and then let the festivities begin.  Frankie will be home late afternoon, fingers crossed for her the traffic isn't too bad. 

I hope that your Christmas is a joyful one!

 

 Safe travels for all of you out there who are traveling on Christmas!  xo

Hop to it.

Good morning!  How are things on your side of the screen?   We're plugging along here.  It's the countdown now!  I've really been enjoying all the holiday decorations photos on Facebook and Instagram. 

 

Have you been pleasure sewing  or are you wrapped up in last minute holiday sewing? I don't sew much for gifts anymore, so none of that going on here.  I did treat myself to Elizabeth Hartman's Bunny pattern.  I envisioned a PKM flowery version and I like my prototype except maybe the crazy eyes I've got going!  I didn't want to go black like pattern because of the pale pink bunnies I have planned but maybe it doesn't matter. I'll have to think on that a bit.  Maybe just a darker gray eye?  Feel free to chime in on the topic.  Maybe the psychedelic feeling is ok. 

 

There's been lot of driving around looking at lights on my end. Hope you're enjoying the season! xo

 

Great Granny with a Twist!

Good morning! Happy Friday and hello from the last day of the Great Granny Twist Blog Hop with Fat Quarter Shop and Lori Holt!   It's been a fantastic week  of clever people  using the Great Granny Squared book as a jumping off point for new and exciting projects! 

 

When Daniar from Fat Quarter Shop first asked me to play along, I didn't think I could think of anything new and fresh.  But my friend Greg had a pile of great ideas and he inspired me to think about it some more. It didn't hurt that Daniar was persuasive!  Fat Quarter Shop has a wonderful staff.

 

I pulled out my PamKitty stash and got busy making the mama blocks blocks from the Bonus Quilt in the book.  I like their size and the method to make them.  The block floats, so there is some wiggle room in the finished size, and I was sure I could use that to my advantage.

 

Taa Daa... Mama's Doily blocks!  

 

I trimmed my blocks to 6 1/4 inches and added scallops from Holly's scallop stripes fabric.   I cut the strips apart then counted over 3 scallops, and measured 3 1/8 inches to the right, cut, and then  cut 3 1/8 inches to the left, and ended up with the 6 1/4 inch strip I needed to frame the blocks.  You can see below I'm set to cut the right hand side. The  waste is minimal.

 



Egads, totally addictive.  I had planned on just  a small 3 block runner, but I couldn't stop making the blocks.  I whipped up a couple of Fog City Kitty blocks  to test out my quilting idea.  I love grid quilting and for my two-too-pretty-to-use potholders, it's perfect.  But on the whole quilt? Not sure. Well that's a problem for FuturePam to worry about.  No time for quilting now!

 

Thanks to Fat Quarter Shop for including me in on this project!  And thanks to Daniar and Greg for the extra encouragement.  Holy cow though people, kid stuff compared to all the wonderful projects made by the other people on the list.  Be sure and check out all the projects.   I really love all the wonderful photography out there.  Ohmygosh.  I can't stop looking! And while you're at it, check out the great video from Fat Quarter Shop on how to make their Great Granny Circled  Quilt! Super cute!

 

Ok, here's the list!

 

 

Monday, December 14, 2015

Fat Quarter Shop (Hey, that's us!)

Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet

Vickie of Spun Sugar Quilts

Katie of Good Golly Ginger

Sinta of Pink Pincushion

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Tina of Emily Ann's Kloset

Renee of Sewn with Grace

Tricia of Notes of Sincerity
Debbie of Happy Little Cottage

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Melissa of Oh How Sweet

Nadra of Ellis & Higgs
Marni of Haberdashery Fun

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Jennie of Clover & Violet

Erin of Why Not Sew

Sherri Falls of This & That Patterns

Rachel of P.S. I Quilt

Sharon of Daisy Cottage Quilting
Jessie of Messy Jesse

Friday, December 18, 2015

Greg of Grey Dogwood Studios

Pam of Pam Kitty Morning

Jamie of Busy Bee Quilts

Daisy of Ants to Sugar

Gerri Robinson of Planted Seed Designs

 

Have a great weekend everyone! xo

Snapshots Quilt

Hi there and happy Friday!  I don't know about you, but this past week drug on like it was two weeks long.  But I'm kicking it to the curb today. 

 

I did finally get the binding on my Snapshots quilt!  Good thing it felt cold and chilly, perfect for handwork.  I'm pleased with how it turned out.  And I'm extra pleased seeing how much money was raised for the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.  Great job everyone!

 

Next years quilt along has already been announced, and you can read about it here over on the Jolly Jabber Blog.  It features a lovely quilt designed by Joanna of Fig Tree Quilts and featuring Strawberry Field Revisited, her  line of fabric due in stores the first of the year.   There are lots of fun people sewing along, so go check out the list!

 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend peoples! xo

Drink up!

Hi there!  Hope you had a nice weekend.  I had a good one, picked up my Snapshots Quilt and I'm working on hand stitching the binding down.  Looking forward to grabbing a photo of it soon so I can share it!  It turned out super and I'm so pleased with it.

 

Since last week I've gotten a lot of emails about my thermos block. I needed the quilt back to check my numbers, I've 'misplaced' my notes.  And by misplaced I think we all know I mean lost.  I needed the quilt back to double check what I thought the numbers were. It's surely not genius work, but I like my proportions.  It reminds me of something you'd find in a school lunch box from the 50s and 60s.. without the funky smell. 

 

So here you go!  It should measure  12 1/2"  x  5" unfinished, and should slide in right where the wine glass would be.  I'm glad you liked my thermos enough to want to include it in your quilt too!

Hope your week is off to a good start!  

TGIF

Hello Friday!  Another week gone leaving a whoosh sound in it's wake.  I managed to get a lot of sewing done, for me anyway.  Gone are the marathon sewing days of the past. My days are no longer ruled by the schedule of a school aged child.  Sometimes I miss the routine, I'm much more organized  when I have a regular timetable.  But then when I'm sewing in my pj's in the morning I think, hmm. This is good too.

It looks like butterfly migration season, right?  My friend Roseann sent me this Sizzix  butterfly die months ago.  Even before I had my Sizzix die cutter. I think we originally saw the shape at CHA one year and I was in love with the scalloped wings. I designed a small butterfly quilt  but it's been languishing in photoshop while I waited to get around to making it. 

 

I'm  a little closer today.. butterflies are cut.  It takes no time at all, and I used the Quilter's Select Appli-Web Plus that Alex sent me.  Wanna see something crazy, you can see Alex and I chatting about it over on the Quilter's Select Website. 

 

Anyway I fused the Appli-Web Plus to my butterfly fabrics, then ran them thru the die cutter, and it worked perfectly.  I can tell already how light and soft the fusible web is, can't wait to fuse and blanket stitch.  The quilt also has some hand drawn shapes, so there's more fusing to go before then, but it's a start right?

 

Well time to get busy!  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We're well into the holiday season!  Are you bustling with plans?  Tell all.  xo

 

 

Snapshots Month 12

Good morning!  It's only the second of December and surprise!  The final Snapshots block is available to you now over at The Jolly Jabber!    A Walk in the Park is the name of this month's block, and you can see I made a little change to it. Not being much of a wine drinker, I decided to whip up a coordinating thermos to go with my picnic basket. 

It was easy, just rectangles.. not genius work by any means. Today that thermos would hold some hot coffee or cocoa, brr it's been chilly here in Northern California! 

 

Just in case you didn't  make a quilt, do you know that there are three Snapshot's quilts being auctioned off over on eBay?  You can read all about it here on the Jolly Jabber.  Kimberly, Pat Sloan and Anne Sutton have their quilts up for auction!  All proceeds will go to the St. Jude's Childrens Research Hospital. The sew along was a huge success and the auction proceeds will be the icing on the cake ! 

 

I look forward to showing you my quilt soon!  I had so much fun making it, and even more fun seeing everyone's blocks.   Thanks for all your support!

 

Happy Sewing!