Peer Pressure

I signed up for Instagram.

I couldn't help it.

All the cool kids are doing it.

I don't want to be left out.

I am not exactly sure what to do next, but if you want to see if I figure it out, I am Justmerely over there.

It's less words, more pictures. That is probably not a bad thing...

WIP Wednesday - Picnic Pals Quilt

During the holiday weekend, I started thinking about putting these embroidered blocks together with some fabric from the same designer, Alyssa Thomas from Penguin &Fish.  

Last Spring, Alyssa offered some of her fabric and a copy of her new book in exchange for making samples for her Quilt Market booth.  Besides the fabric and the book, I also got ten of her alphabet animals designs to make the samples from and to keep for myself afterwards. 

They are very cute and quick to stitch up, so I stamped some squares for a travel project and finished up a set for me, earlier this month. 

The fabric I selected is her Picnic Pals line and she sent me fat quarters of all 18 prints as well as eight coordinating solids. They are all organic and really nice to work with!

(this block is not wonky, just my photography skills...)

I am trying to decide whether to make a couple of duplicates so I can make a bigger quilt, or maybe make some 'alternate' blocks.  

I think I will make a few more blocks and then decide...

Stash Update - Week 21

I have been re-thinking the way that I am tracking my fabric acquisition. I have decided that I am not going to track fabric that I do not pay for.

My goal is to sew from my stash, but also to break the habit of fabric shopping. (The main exception is shopping with our guild sponsors on meeting nights.) If I am given fabric as a gift, or prize I am not going to include it in the totals.

I am not going to go back and change what I have counted so far, just going forward.

Since my last report, I added three yards of 'souvenir' fabric, purchased in Windsor, Colorado while I was visiting DearSis. It is some of Tula Pink's Parisville that was on clearance. ( I kind of am sort of thinking about maybe doing some or maybe all of the blocks in her "City Sampler" book...)

I don't have any finishes to report, but if I get my kitchen floor cleaned tomorrow, I might get two tops basted and ready for quilting!

Fabric added this week - 3 yards
Fabric added YTD - 66.58 yards
Fabric used this week -0 yards
Fabric used YTD - 55.68 yards
Net Stash change -+10.9 yards

Sweet Liberty!

Last November, Penny at Sewtakeahike had a giveaway of a Liberty Scrap Pack offered by Jo at the Organic Stitch Company. I was thrilled to be chosen as the winner!  The original package apparently was lost in the international post ether,  but I finally received it a few weeks ago!  

Aren't they gorgeous!

Some of the pieces are tiny gems, but many are larger. By weight, there is a total of about 3/8ths of a yard!  Such precious little bits of yummies!  

These are some of my favorites!

Tall Ships!

I love the bee!

I am not sure what is going on here...

I didn't have any idea what I would do to showcase these little treats, until I ran across this gorgeous bag by Kim at My Go-Go Life!  

I have always been fascinated by the magic of cathedral windows, but I have never tried them.  I think I will be learning a new technique in the very near future!

Thank you Penny and Jo!  

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Doll Quilt

Here we are, almost to the end of May!  The last couple of weeks have just slipped through my fingers!

There has been lots of busy-ness, but not much in the creative department, so I decided to join in the Blogger's Quilt Festival for the first time.  I have enjoyed past festivals (hosted by Amy's Creative Side), but always as a spectator. Since I don't have anything new to talk about, I decided to show you a little quilt that I made about this time last year.

I wish I had a better photo - this was snapped with the phone just before they arrived!

I made two of these little doll quilts to take to some great nieces last summer when I visited them.  I am never sure how hand made gifts will be received, or any gifts for that matter,  as I don't see them often enough to be in-tune with their current interests/development.

I needn't have worried.  They were a hit!  Throughout the visit, requests to play "blanket" were repeated often!

The pattern is by Aneela Hoey  from  "Pretty in Patchwork - Doll Quilts". I used Aneela's Little Apples fabric, mostly.  The solid is a Kona and the doll and bunny are from a Suzy Ultman panel.  I embroidered the clouds with glow-in-the-dark floss, instead of applique.

The dimensions are 12" x 14" (the dolly quilt is three inches by three and a half and the bunny's quilt is two inches square!)

Check out the other gorgeous quilts entered in the festival!  It's not too late to enter!

Absence

This week, I feel like I have been absent from my real life. Or, maybe real life has interrupted my self centered world of doing (mostly) what I please.

I made a quick trip West to help my cousin manage some of my aunt's affairs. I had not been to see her for several months and it was an overdue visit. I stayed at my cousin's farm and saw the new spring calves and the ones that were born since my visit last fall. He has been developing a small herd of Scottish Highland cattle over the last couple of years. I always
like to go with him to take them some treats. I pretend they are glad to see me, even though after they figure out I don't have any goodies in my pocket they lose interest in my conversation!

We accomplished a lot, although not all at needs to be done, so I will make another trip at the end of the month.

No stash update this week, but there was no change. It is very doubtful that I will have any change this week,either, as the only day available for sewing has a dentist visit scheduled. I may do a bit of shopping at guild, since we have a meeting sponsor, but maybe I will just buy thread! The Fat Quarter Shop had Mod Century by Jenn Ski 50% off, this week and it took every ounce of discipline not to order a bundle or jelly roll. It is a line that has appealed to me since I saw it, but I remind myself that there will be another!

At any rate, I have not done much of anything in the creative department, except for the embroideries that I started a couple of weeks ago. I finished three more and have a couple in progress. I have been thinking about how I want to use them when they are complete, but I have not settled on a plan. For now, I am just enjoying the feeling of accomplishment!

'G' is for Giraffe

'H' is for Hedgehog

'A' is for Alligator

WIP Wednesday - Embroidered Blocks

My quilting mojo has taken a dip, lately. The Mister and I took a weekend road trip to rural North East Kansas, last weekend, to attend a memorial for my BIL's dad who passed away last winter. It was in a very small burg (pop 650), but the town maintains a tiny RV park (4 spaces) so we took the camper and stayed three nights (why not when the rate is $10 a night!)

The service was very nice and we enjoyed visiting with DearSis and her guy. She brought me new slippers to swap for an estate sale dress form I found for her. I brought the fabric and embroidered blocks for our next quilt collaboration and we swapped some books to read.

There were a couple of small towns near-by that had antique stores so we explored those and hiked up a very tall overlook to see wagon train swales (wheel ruts) made by pioneers crossing the Big Blue River.

I gained an new appreciation of the hardships of westward expansion, 5 feed sacks and two aprons.

While we were away, I traced and stamped ten embroidery designs from Penguin & Fish for a travel project. They are so much fun to stitch, I have been working on them since we got home, as well.

The good news-they stitch up pretty quickly. The downside- I have another WIP...

'J' is for Jellyfish!