If Only Food Fasting Were This Easy!

I took a Fabric Fast Challenge that went from Jan 1 - Jun 30. I made it! I did not purchase a single piece of fabric for 6 mos! It wasn't terribly difficult for me because I had the Canada/NY trip to save for. AND in addition to the previous fabric donations I wrote about in May, I was given another HUGE donation!   I have a considerable stash now and I'm honestly considering going another 6 mos - 1 year w/o buying fabric!  I'll keep you posted on my progress.

I'd been wanting to make the Strip Twist Quilt for quite some time. I decided to make it for my niece who is going off to college this fall.  I LUV how it turned out! I even added a flange!  I thought I'd finished the top last weekend (66.5in x 81.5in) but then she told me that her bed is an extra long twin. Good thing I hadn't started quilting it yet. I'm adding another 5 inch border to the top and bottom (in the same pink).

 I also finished the mystery quilt top I was doing w/my chapter - Quilters Anonymous QA.

I made this cute little pin cushion/scrap bag combo a couple of weeks ago. I used this tutorial, but filled it w/crushed walnut shells.

I also made this caddy for my cutting mat (18 x 24). I actually started a tutorial for it but  didn't take all the pics I needed, so I'll have to make another one before I can post the tutorial.

Here are a couple of the smaller projects we're doing at kids sewing camp this year. A pin cushion and scrap bag. Camp is July 7-11. Last year I volunteered for 1 afternoon, this year I'm doing 2 full days! I'm so excited!

I'm now debating on whether to start a new quilt OR start quilting the 4 tops I have completed. Decisions, decisions!!

On another note, about a year & half ago, a friend brought one of her dogs to church.  A Blue Heeler aka Australian cattle dog.  I really liked the look of the dog. She told me they are very intelligent and loyal dogs. I said I might be interested it getting one in the future. Well...her dog just had 7 pups and I'm seriously considering getting one. I've even picked one out! I'm thinking of names for her and am considering giving her a name from a character in the The Outlander Series, but maybe not.

And lastly, as if I don't already have enough to do, I've added yard work to the list. I haven't really done much w/the backyard since I bought the house a couple of years ago and so I've been doing improvements little by little over the last couple of weeks. My "grass" was just weeds really.  I've been getting up early in the morning, having my quite time on the back patio and then I spend about a half hour working in the yard before work. By spring it should be really nice.

I definitely need to blog more often...so my posts aren't so darn long! On my honor, I will try...to do weekly posts at the very least.

Until next week, Happy Quilting!

A Thread for Life
But I am not ashamed, because I know the One I have believed in and am persuaded that He is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day. 2 Tim 1:12 HCSB

Haste Makes Waste... and Mistakes

MPD finally caught up with and got the best of me. I'm doing my own intervention starting immediately!

Here are two more reasons I'm going to start being 1-WIP-Girl.

Having multiple WIPS has caused me to want to rush to finish them, which has caused my quality of work to go down.  My wall-hanging is all cock-eyed because I was rushing to finish. I know the piecing was cut and sewn accurately, but the trouble came in the quilting of the border which was a result of not basting the border well.

Also, while quilting granddaughter's quilt, I had to do some seam ripping.  Again,  I was rushing through this and cut into the border 3 times! I've since patched up the cuts, but I did learn a valuable lesson. Haste makes waste...and mistakes.

Now that these are finished, I can start on basting and quilting 1 of the 4 other quilt tops I have done.

I will not rush through anymore projects. It sucks having spent so much time working on something and then messing it up in the end. =(



A Thread for Life
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 2 Cor. 5:20 HCSB

Happy New Year!

I'm so excited for the new year! I plan to do a lot of quilting and hopefully make some money in the process. I'm doing two "firsts" this year. I'm participating in a mystery quilt along and a crazy quilt along. I also just finished another "first". Sometime in November I signed up to test a pattern for a quilting magazine. Last night I finished the quilt and it is so cute!! I cannot post any pics until the pattern is actually published in the magazine, which I believe will be in April, but I'm sure you'll agree that it is adorable!  I am so excited w/how it turned out. Stay tuned for pics.  Along with all the new quilts I plan to make this year, I have a few UFO's I'll be concentrating on as well.

Wall Hanging - it's currently basted and awaiting quilting.

Mia's Quilt - This is a quilt for my granddaughter which is still waiting for borders.

Summer/Spring Quilt - I really would like to have this done by May...but it's on the back burner because it's so big and I'm not liking where I'm at with it.

 After taking these pics tonight I'm thinking about doing a complete overhaul and it makes me ill to think about all the seam ripping I'll have to do. = (

Check Mate! - top done, needs to be basted and quilted. This is one I plan to sell on Etsy.  If anyone has pointers or tips about selling on Etsy, please send them my way.

4-Step Flagstone - got fabrics picked out and 10" squares cut.

 Oh yeah I almost forgot! Last night was our 1st Quilters Anonymous meeting of the year. I won this basket o' goodies in the raffle!

A Thread for Life

The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn his face toward you

and give you peace. 

Numbers 6:24-26

Blogging vs Sewing

When I started this blog I planned on posting once a week but I haven't been living up to it.  Blogging isn't easy and it takes a lot of time. Writing, editing, editing/posting pics, links, labels, hashtags, sharing...aghhh!! When I get home from work it's shall I sew or shall I blog? It's not always an easy decision but sewing usually  wins. Blogging is great though and I'm excited to say I made a new friend! Meet +Greta Anderson from Material Detachment. A marvelous seamstress/quilter and a remarkable writer. I had the pleasure of talking w/ her on the phone yesterday. She's an admirable person w/a huge heart for kids and humanity! Make sure to stop by her blog.

As you can see, I've made quite a bit of progress on the Kaleido-Hex quilt, officially known as a One Block Wonder (I'll be referring to it as 1BW going forward). It still isn't the only thing I've been working on (see distractions below:  origami bag and applique).  Once I have all of strips sewn together it will measure approx 56 x 90.  I'm planning this for a king size bed so the side borders will have to be substantial.  I picked out border fabric yesterday. What do you think?

Border Fabric

1st Audition

This coming Saturday I'll be heading out for a week long quilting retreat to Colorado w/a couple of friends. I'm so excited! I'm also very ambitious and will be taking at least 4 projects to work on, one of which will be the 1st quilt I'm getting paid $$ to make (A Rag Quilt). I'll also be taking the 1BW, the applique wall hanging and a Quilts w/o Corners quilt that I'm turning into a tree skirt.


For the Rag quilt I bought some charm packs, but I have the backing and fleece already cut.

I whipped up another cute Origami bag over the weekend for a friend's birthday.

The wall hanging is ready to be appliqued which I plan on doing while I'm in Colorado.

This is the Quilts w/o Corners quilt that will become a tree skirt. You can't really tell from this pic...or maybe you can...but the edge of this quilt is all jacked up. I'm going to cut a slit in it, cut the middle circle out AND attempt to add a ruffle of Christmas fabric to the edge.

Until next time, Happy Sewing!

A Thread for Life
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever. 
1 Chron 16:34

I'm linking up on Val's Tuesday Archives.