Winner

Cheryll. You won the class.

Congratulations!

;)

Please email me...and I'll send you the details!

I'm finishing off my summer with a few more FLOATs in the pool!

Th---en....

I'll get sewing!!!

birds and spiders

I'm a finisher.

(Don't misunderstand...

I DO have UFO's at my house....It's just that...

they PREY on my mind...

and I TRY hard to get them done!)

 

Sometimes....

 I finish quilts that I didn't even BEGIN!

;)

This is a scrappy quilt that I've been working on

bit by bit when camping in my trailer.

 

I FINISHED getting the blocks together last week!

All it needed was a border...

and I DIDN'T have border fabric WITH me!

This is how it all began.

With this BOX sent to me early in the year.

The box was EASY to pack and carry when camping.

;)

 

I'd love to give credit to the quilter who STARTED this quilt.

I'm pretty SURE who sent it...

but don't want to be WRONG!

Are you like that too??

My brain does NOT cooperate sometimes.

My poor memory is faulty.

:/

She sent scraps and papers.

Half finished blocks....

Lots of PURPLE.

I'm not a purple fan...

but I used the purple.

;)

And...

HAPPY that I did!

I've always wanted to make a spiderweb quilt

and THIS was my CHANCE!

 

I'm SOooo happy with the border fabric I had!

I LOVE it!

In my humble opinion...

It ties the WHOLE quilt together!

You can see I didn't have quite enough....

so I added some polka dots.

Polka dots make EVERYTHING better!

 

Does it matter that ALL the spider web edges don't match?

NO.

I figure that's just part of the process

when you're finishing someone else's quilt!

 

This is a finish.

It won't get to go on ANY more trips with me.

 

Technically it's NOT a finish...

because it's not quilted.

BUT....

I always call a quilt top a finish!

The quilt top can be folded up

and saved for a rainy day!

It'll be almost READY to GIVE away!

and...

SO much easier to STORE!

Class giveaway

It's almost September......

and all of my kiddos

are heading back to class this week.

I took a class too!!!

;)

How to make a SEVEN blade fan block.

Also known as...

an Amish Buggy Wheel.

 

The class is Online.

No tests!

Even better...

NO grades!!!

 

 

There are many classes available online these days.

This was a first for me.

 

I was offered a class

at daily craft TV

so that I could give a quick review

AND also

 to give a class AWAY!

 

I was reminded in the class

to SLOW down!

Concentrate on 1/4" seams...

and PIN. PIN. PIN!!!

 

I need ALL the reminding I can GET!

 

Since there were two people

sewing/teaching together in the video class...

It never got boring.

There was a nice give and take

as they gave instruction.

 

I chose this class because it is based on

a BEAUTIFUL antique quilt.

 

Here's a little video advertisement

about this "SCHOOL" for crafters.

;)

 

 

There's also a GREAT review of the video classes here.

Alyce did an excellent job giving LOTS of details

about the craft videos!

 

Let me know if YOU'D like to win a class of your OWN!

 

Leave a comment.

I'll let Mr. Random Generator help me

choose a winner THIS Saturday.

;)

 

 

Scrappy baskets

I'm always drawn to basket quilts.

Aren't you?

This is my very first block of a new quilt!

It all began while I was away.

 

I took TWO important things on my camping trip.

A BIG bag of scraps...

and a phone book.

;)

First...

I pulled out some colors I liked.

Then I began sewing them onto paper triangles.

Now that I'm home...

I can make some small half square triangles

with my small scrappy squares.........

and Make a WHOLE BUNCH of baskets!!!

 

I love beginnings!

Gone camping

Be back in a few days.

;)

String love

This scrappy quilt has been unfinished for a while now.

It has been sitting in a little basket on my sewing table...

Calling my name!

I love the soft colors in this one.

I love the greens, pinks.....

the little bit of orange.

 

I love the white strips as well.

White provides such a nice contrast...

don't you think?

I make lots of baby quilts.

This one is NOT a baby quilt.

It's actually a generous 60"x80"!

Just the RIGHT size for the bed

in my sewing room!!!

 

I'm going to LOVE looking at this one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Handwoven

I admired my friend's recent purchase.

A handwoven baby blanket.

Could I WEAVE a baby blanket???

I had to try.

I have a small table loom and thought

I needed a WIDER loom

to make blankets.

Then...

I saw this.

I HAD to to try it!

I was able to weave some color in.

Love that!

And then....

I TRIED to JOIN

two pieces of woven cloth together.

It's not GREAT.

A bit wobbly in the middle.

:/

For a FIRST project using this technique..

I'm not going to be too hard on myself!

I'm going to try it AGAIN!

 

"Practice makes PERFECT".

 

Perfect???

No.

Not in MY world.

and.....you know what?

That's O.K.!!!!

 

Looms and dogs

Another project on my Rigid Heddle loom!

:)

I began with a variegated yarn. It took 2 skeins

because I'm making this EXTRA long.

It wasn't quite wide enough for me...

so I also added a pale blue to the left side there.

Hoping to cut this project in half and join the sides

to make a baby blanket.

Here's a link to my inspiration!

I'm skipping the crotchet part.

 

This is a FIRST...

so I'm not sure how it's going to work.

That's how you learn.....right????

I had the white yarn

and LOTS of old leftover balls of yarn to use.

 

I'm trying to sneak the colors in between the white

 to give this blanket some color.

:)

Having fun

and LEARNing as I go!

Tried to get my OLD dog Pretzel on a quilt

for the annual Pets on Quilt show.

Didn't quite work.

He's old

and

stubborn.

Wasn't IN THE MOOD to sit OR lay on a quilt

today..

Thank you very much!!!!

 

That's o.k.

I can lay the quilt ON TOP of him!

 

He doesn't seem to mind THAT!

The next size up

I was Wondering....

 

What if I began with 6" squares

instead of 5" charm squares like my last quilt??

 

Found out....

It's Fiddly.

I ended up trimming my scrappy 2 1/2" squares to 2 3/8".

Not sure I want to do that for a whole quilt.

????

 

I've never been of FAN of any 1/8th inches!!!

 

I have a hard enough time with 1/4 inches!!!

 

We'll see.

I DO want to use some 6" scrappy squares.

And...

I DO have a FEW.....(cough, cough..sputter, sputter...)

 

Here's a little more info on the above block.

Mostly 2 3/8" squares

plus 2 3/8"x4 1/4" creams

 

Make TWO of these.

Trim to 6".

 

Find two 6" scrappy squares.

 

Then...

Add 2 3/8"x 6" sashing

with a small 2 3/8" square right in the middle!!!

 

***Emily over at Em's Scrapbag interviewing me today

about SCRAPS!!!

My favorite kind of FABRIC!!!!

She's got a great lineup of guests.

ALL of them talking about SCRAPS!

 

Hop on over to Em's blog

and say HI!

 

 

 

 

 

Stepping stones

Haven't shared about a finished quilt recently

on this QUILTING blog!

This little number is now complete....

Ready for the next BABY!!!

 

It started with a small charm pack.

There were only 23 charms

so I needed to add a few 5" squares of my own.

Not. a. problem.

I also added LOTS of 2" squares.

Again...

NOT a problem.

;)

I am now OFFICIALLY OUT

of white fabric.

I think I'll BUY a BOLT!!

 

 

 

Clean

After hosting a party recently,

I was given a LOVELY bar of soap.

I haven't wanted to SHARE my special soap.

;)

 

There's only ONE soap dish in the shower

and more than ONE person that uses the shower.

 

So...

I made a bag.

Cut off the label.

Added a seam at the bottom.

Scrunched it together a bit.

This plastic mesh is VERY forgiving!!!

Rescued a small 2 1/2' strip

from the scrap drawer.

Folded it over and added it to the top of my bag.

 

See?

I almost added a SPECIAL label:

"MOM'S"

 

But didn't.

I think they'll get the HINT!

;)

Bright little bag

My daughter asked me to make her a little bag.

A BRIGHT little bag.

"NO batting please".

Just a little zipper bag.

 

She has a plan for this little bag.

It's NOT makeup.

It's NOT jewelry.

NOT sewing!!!! 

???????

 

WHAT could she NEED this little bag for???

'

Aaah!!!

COUPONS!!!

 

A girl after my OWN HEART!

;)