Thursday, May 9, 2019

Yay for Finishes!!

Hello, how are you today?
I am happy to report two finishes! :-)

This was not a pattern test. I made it because I thought it would make an adorable little boy quilt~ and I still think it does! I used a layer cake of prints with rescue vehicles and signs. I am hoping to order some backing and get quilting this summer! My tops are starting to pile up! ;-) I think if you click on the photo it will get larger.

Next I finished a pattern test. :-)


It is a deceptively easy pattern but has some really nice features.
 It was designed for beginners.  

So what are you working on? 
I have another quilt in pieces and then some smaller projects.

Until next time~
Happy Stitchin'!

Thursday, May 2, 2019

One More Trip~

Hmm, my friend called me a 'gad-about' when I told her I was headed off
 to another retreat center. LOL  :-)
This time I wasn't so much retreating as helping a friend in a couple classes. We went to Sew N Go in Vancouver, WA (sorry no website..yet)
But we did get to sew in our free time and I did manage to get another pattern test done. Pix when I am allowed. ;-)

I was way too busy to take pix during classes, but I did get photos of one classroom~

I loved all the quilts on the walls!! 
In the main house, every bedroom had at least 3 quilts on the bed, and the walls were covered in quilts! Eye candy all around!
I couldn't take pix in the actual rooms because people were staying in them, but I did snap this shot of our room. I remembered it when packing up my camera, so I just took a wall shot~
Quilts were everywhere! It was such a treat!
This week I am back to work on my BOM and other projects~
More pix soon!
What are you working on?
 
Until next time~
Happy Stitchin'!!




Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Sewing Along~

Spring has sprung here and I am itching to go out and play in the dirt! LOL

Our DD & family came down on Sunday and DD and I made teacher key fobs in the afternoon. she has a number of teachers under her in her job and wanted to gift them a little something to show her appreciation~

It was a fun little project :-)

I also finished a bag pattern test recently.
This is a fun size, smaller tote but is loaded with pockets!
Yanna sews primarily in leather, but I chose to make the body from quilted cotton and added faux leather accents.  I really like the divided center zipper pocket.




I just finished a quilt top, but won't be able to show that until later next month.
Tomorrow I am off with a friend to teach a bag making class.  I am excited for it!

Until next time,
Happy Stitchin'!!

Monday, April 22, 2019

More Pix

One of the things I love about going to a retreat is the generosity of other quilters. When I asked if I could take a photo of their work they were always happy to allow it. I don't have makers names, or even pattern names, but these were some of my favorite design walls~




If you click on the pix, they will open larger. ;-)
I am planning a unicorn quilt in my future, that pattern is by Elizabeth Hartman

There were design walls all around the gym, even on the floor~





That's it for today~
Until next time~
Happy Stitchin'!!


Tuesday, April 16, 2019

I'm Baaa-aaack!!

Wow! Where did the past two weeks go?
I have been hopping, have you?

I have done a lot of pattern testing and more will be revealed on that later. 
I also went to a 4 day retreat. :o  And had an absolute blast!
This is the back of the van before retreat~

Yes, two sewing machines are in there. I always take a back-up.
Plus we had a repairman come in and for $50 he would clean your machine.
My old Pfaff now purrs like a kitten. :-)
I take my own table & chair also.
The retreat is held at a Salvation Army camp and we set up in their gym.
They do have some tables, but not a lot and we had 110 retreaters this time! I never take a chance on them having an available table. ;-) 
I also take 2 suitcases~ one with my clothes, the other with my projects. :-)

As for what I accomplished?
I will be back with that, but I'll leave you with this photo~

We do a block challenge and in your registration there is a 6 inch square; you need to use the majority of it in your block, and your block should tie into the theme in some way-- that one is a very loose interpretation.  This wall is 50 of the blocks, by the time it was time to vote, there were 60+ blocks. 
You vote for your top 3 favorites.  We have tried in years past to vote for most creative, best applique etc and it was too hard to count the votes, so it was simplified this year. 

Until next time~
Happy Stitchin'!!

Monday, April 1, 2019

Never A Dull Moment Here!

From bags to quilts, my machine just keeps hopping! :-)
Happy April!
 Have you gotten pranked today? So far, I have not, but hubby has been busy, so I don't think he has thought much about it...yet. I will let you know if he gets me! :-) 

I have autumn quilts, but nothing for Halloween. And I wanted a Halloween quilt. So when I saw this pattern test by Erica of Kitchen Table Quilting I just knew it was 'the one'!
This is The Tessa Quilt and will be available on her website soon.

 Although the fabric in the sashing looks white in the photo, it is really a white with tiny orange dots surrounded by a ring of red. :-) It was chilly and breezy and you would not believe how many shots I had to take to get just this one! And still the side curled a bit. :-)
I plan to quilt it with a minky back so it will be all snuggly come fall.

What are you working on today?  I have another quilt pattern test and a bag test on my cutting table, so I must get back to the fun! LOL

Until next time~
Happy Stitchin'!!

Thursday, March 28, 2019

A Fun Little Bag~

Last week I finished a pattern test for Tori of Toriska Bags & Crafts.
Tori has one of those wonderful minds that can really think outside the box and this bag is proof! 
There is very little hand sewing~ just to finish a turning place~, and loads of special features!  
She also tells you how to add different pockets for your needs, to adjust the size to fit your phone, or whatever else you want to carry. And she did some videos to help you through the trickier parts. :-)

The result is the Elite Crossbody Wallet~




I added alll the pockets! 
Slip pockets inside and out, card slots inside and a zipper pocket inside.
I am hoping my DDIL will love this one. ;)
 The pattern comes in two sizes~ wallet and tablet size. This is the wallet and my phone fits perfectly.
Be sure to check out the links above, she has special pricing through Saturday.

A special thank you to all of you who took the time to answer my question in my last post.  My comments really do work!  It seems we all like to press our bindings in half to start, but not everyone presses them over. I generally don't on big quilts because i didn't like wrestling with them at the ironing board, but I think I will from now on.  (I don't know if you see the following gibberish~ I don't know how to get rid of it!)               <3 all="" and="" appreciate="" big="" binding="" bindings="" br="" but="" comments="" do="" don="" from="" generally="" get="" half="" i="" in="" is="" it="" like="" look.="" loved="" mixed.="" my="" nbsp="" now="" on.="" one.="" other="" our="" press="" pressed="" pressing="" quilts="" really="" seeing="" seems="" side="" t="" that="" the="" then="" think="" time="" to="" took="" very="" we="" will="" with="" work="" wrestle="" write="" you="">

I'll be back in a few days with a new quilt!
Until then~
Happy Stitchin"

B-r-r-r-r

Who knew that having a Halloween Hop last week would bring the chilly weather?! We had rain, wind--- the power even went out for a few hours...