Thursday, March 31, 2011

Goodies arrived from Mama Spark!

WOWIE!  Look at what I got!  Mama Spark offered some of her stash for sale and I could NOT resist, as I'm a beginning quilter and hardly have any fabric.  There's enough here to make a whole quilt top!  

THANK YOU, Mama Spark!  

Please check out her blog HERE.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Two fab u lous giveaways - had to share!

Just released!  Diane Kappa's "Sweet Tooth" by Anthology


Receive 14 different fabrics, 1/2 yard EACH


and

Help Japan - Donate to the Red Cross for a chance to WIN this quilt - ends 31 March http://blog.maryquilts.com/2011/03/16/help-japan-win-this-quilt/

Good luck!



American Quilter's Society reaches out to help aid Japanese Tsunami victims - direct address to Japan for your quilts!

E-mail from American Quilter's Society
http://editor.ne16.com/vo/?FileID=12a53dc1-c713-441d-a14e-ec2de2a90c90&m=503716415dc8bd4d9f732c251d0e3213&MailID=16219364

Link with direct address to Japan to aid Tsunami victims by sending quilts through July 2011 to:
http://shienquilt.tongtongquilt.com/?eid=3

Some people have lost everything...a quick tie quilt or pillow case quilt is so easy to make...can you help?




Tuesday, March 29, 2011

I'm in LOVE with this GORGEOUS bag! Had to share!

Isn't this THE most GORGEOUS bag you've EVER seen?!?!?



 OMG - I saw this and ordered the pattern and am on the hunt for the Henry Glass fabric called "Elizabeth's Letters" to make it.  You've really GOT to see this - AMAZING!!!   http://jillilystudio.blogspot.com/

Goodies for Grandson's Birthday


At the February Joan Friedrich Embroidery Retreat, we practiced machine embroidery and one of the projects was a size 4 T-shirt with a monkey - well, that was perfect for my little grandson's 4th birthday, so I ran with the theme and found "Ten Little Monkeys" at www.amazon.com, a little monkey to play with and then tied a fleece quilt for him with monkeys that say "Go Bananas", plus found a card in Hallmark that fit right in! 

 I hope he'll enjoy his birthday presents :-)

What ideas do you have for little gals and guys when it's birthday time?

Thank you for sharing :-)

Monday, March 28, 2011

Look what arrived from Green Fairy Quilts!!

Do you know the husband and wife team and their online fabric store and long-arming service?  If so, fantastic!  If not, please check out their online shop and blog here:
http://greenfairyquilts.com/pages/GreenFairyQuiltsBlog.php
I ordered this on Friday and it arrived on Monday, without any extra shipping charges and it was only $19.95 USD each for Moda jelly rolls of Punctuation "American Jane" and only $39.00 USD for the "American Jane" quilt kit including the little suitcase (SEW adorable!!!)


I'm looking forward to making this quilt!
Thanks, Green Fairy Quilts!
Your prices are fantastic and your service excellent!!


Guest Blogger "Mama Spark" shares her tips about how to make a button for use in blogger!

Thanks, Mama Spark!

Ever Wondered How To Make A Button For Use In Blogger?

Well I wondered just that today.  The very generous Madam Samm has made a couple of buttons for me and another friend had made one for me to use in the past.  I like to know how to do things myself, do I sound like I'm 3?  Maybe, but it's true.  As generous as my friends are that will only get you just so far especially if you need/want one in a hurry, right?  No sense imposing on friends when I have a perfectly good brain (when I am not suffering from "Sometimer's Disease") and can learn.  Didn't some scientists say recently that learning new things keeps our brains healthy?  I think they did.  So what do you do when you want to learn something but don't know where to look for it?  Yes, that's right, I Googled it, but you don't have to.  You can follow this link and read the same article I did and learn how to do it too!!

I was super amazed at how easy it is to do.  You have to have either a photo or the artwork you want to use in a location you can remember on your computer.  Then just follow the steps.  If you are using something other than Blogger to host your blog there is probably one for Wordpress or Typepad or wherever.  In fact I found the one by someone named Amy who hosts her blog on Wordpress and were her directions ever good!  I couldn't figure out how to translate that to Blogger so I just Googled how to do it for Blogger.

You really need to post about this on your blog too so your friends can learn how to do it too!  (or maybe send them my way?)  So cool.  Now I expect you all to go forth and make amazing buttons.

I made 2 blocks yesterday but it was too dark to take pictures so will have to try it when I get home.  I did block 11 in the JRQAL, it is one of my favorites and block 11 in the LCQAL.  I was uninspired by the block they did so I substituted my own!  You will have to come back and see it tomorrow.

Have a wonderful Monday everyone!  Oh, and if you do make your own button(s), come back and tell me what you thought about the process.  ~XOP~
 
http://www.mamaspark.blogspot.com/

Design Wall Monday - Harriet's Triple Rail Fence


Harriet's Triple Rail Fence from
"Quilter's Academy" Vol. 1

Here's the results thus far.

Please check out my newest blog at
including treasured family recipes from
my mother's recipe box
1930's - 1970's

The first recipe posted is Grandma Block's Sour Cream Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting - delicious!
Enjoy!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

We have a WINNER!!!


This week was my first give-away in honor of my 100th quilting blog post.  I have enjoyed quiltblogging so much and now have 50 followers, too!

If you haven't had a give-away, I highly recommend it because you will get to know other bloggers who share the same interests.

And now....

please help me congratulate

Nanbon!

who is the lucky winner

drawn by my official "Random Integer Generator" assistant Rodger



CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

*******************

Will you be the first to follow my newest blog?


This newest blog is dedicated to my mother's recipe box
which includes treasured family recipes from the 1930's - 1970's.

Hope to see you there!



Saturday, March 26, 2011

Tie quilt tutorial - easy peasy!

Two tie quilts were finished today which will be mailed to Quilter's Newsletters in Colorado
and then mailed onto Japan from there.
(address below)

Here is a little tutorial for you
in case you'd like to make some tied fleece 'quick quilts', too...

 
I had two remnants of purple mottled 
and pink fleece in my stash.  
The purple was 1 yard and the pink 1 1/4" yards.
Since the pink was larger than the purple, there was enough
to cut out a heart from the pink.

At this point,
I changed to a zig-zag and loosened the tension on my machine to 2.
I sewed through all three pieces of fabric around the edges of the heart.


Here the two layers of fleece have been appliqued and 
the corners have been cut out, 2x2 approx.:



Now, cut along each side of the quilt approx. 2" deep.


After doing all that, then find a comfortable spot and tie the ends together.


Once tied, the quilt is complete!


Here's a good way to tie so that the color from underneath
shows on the top (right-handed):

1.  Pick up the top layer in your left hand
and the bottom layer in your right hand


2.  Make a knot and then


3.  flip the bottom color through the knot and




4.  pull it towards the top


5.  Repeat so it is double-knotted.

I recommend completing both long sides first, then
finishing with both short sides, which will have the most stretch.  There's usually so much stretch in the short sides, that I tie it more carefully, so as not to change the shape of the overall quilt.


6.  Finally, admire your tie-quilt!


I hope that a girl and a boy will enjoy these!

That address for donations to send quilts to Tsunami victims again follows...

Here is the mailing info as per the Quilters Newsletter




Send quilts of any size from baby to adult to:
Dana Jones
Quilters Newsletter
741 Corporate Circle, Suite A
Golden, CO 80401




• Mark your box: “Quilts for Japan.” (on the inside of the box instead of the outside has been suggested by bloggers)
• Send quilts as soon as possible and no later than April 30, 2011.
• Enclose your name, address, phone number, and email address with the quilts.

Friday, March 25, 2011

UFO's sitting around? Need a reason to complete your project/s?

Here's a fantastic reason to finish something laying around half done already!!  

I knew I'd bought fleece on sale for a reason!  Tie quilts would be nice, quick and warm, too!

April 30th, 2011 is the deadline to send quilts via Quilter's Newsletter to Tsunami victims in Japan...


Here is the mailing info as per the Quilters Newsletter


Send quilts of any size from baby to adult to:
Dana Jones
Quilters Newsletter
741 Corporate Circle, Suite A
Golden, CO 80401

• Mark your box: “Quilts for Japan.” (on the inside of the box instead of the outside has been suggested by bloggers)
• Send quilts as soon as possible and no later than April 30, 2011.
• Enclose your name, address, phone number, and email address with the quilts.

Please leave your comment and let me know if you've got a UFO to finish for Japan.  My DD and I have decided that tomorrow (Saturday, March 26th, 2011) is the day to tie quilts - we have two or three in mind - and send off to Colorado!
Will you join us?

Who cares if your quickly made or finished quilt is a little crooked?
Quilting done quickly
is what's
needed 
here.

Have a blessed Day!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

March goals re-visited

"A goal or objective is a desired result a person or a system envisions, plans and commits to achieve—a personal or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed development. Many people endeavor to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines."


It's nearing the end of March...where am I with my March-y "to do" list?


Let's see...


COMPLETE  1.  I have completed the four March blocks for the Civil War Chronicles quilt and have sewn the first nine blocks in the series together....

The Jan, Feb & March blocks sewn together:

2.  COMPLETE  Finished pillow case for charity
Million Pillow Cases



3.  COMPLETE I created my son a football pillow case:


(which our dog Gunnar loves!)

4.  COMPLETE I also finished a pillow case for my daughter to match her upcoming graduation quilt:





TO DO 5.  I still need to obtain the directions from Joan Friedrich to finish my purse from an embroidery class I took with her the last weekend in Feb, so this one's unfortunately "on hold".



6. COMPLETE I finished the "Quilter's Academy" Vol. 1 Carrie's Cowboy Corral quilt top:



TO DO 7.  Begin the next "Quilter's Academy Vol. 1 Freshman Year" chapter
(I did manage to create a mock up with graph paper and colored pencils.  The yardage has been purchased.  I cut everything into strips and have sewed half the strips together for this quilt top as of 3/30/11.)

Harriet's Triple Rail Fence

with the following holiday fabric (I decided against this cream, though, and added a green instead)

8.  On March 11th, I sent off the Apron Swap package to Donna! 
She sent me a very nice thank you note with the cutest spring-time apron and tuck ins.

COMPLETE  9.  ?? and this may have to wait for April, but since I picked up embroidery machine supplies the Feb. Joan Friedrich's embroidery machine retreat, I'm going to complete a T-shirt for my youngest grandson Aaron using my Babylock Ellageo embroidery machine:


Aaron's name is now on his T-shirt!


Extras (not on my March to-do list) that were started and finished in March:

1.  Three fun events!  Friday Night Sew-in, National Quilting Day spent with Dia
and the Capital Quilter's National Quilting Event (quilt show) with Mom & my DD

2.  Completed "Star Man" for my son (he's a major Mario Bros. fan!)

3.  "Go Bananas" tie quilt with tuck ins for grandson Aaron
4.  chocolate mug rug
5.  began serging class and made a curtain and dresser scarf for my DD



6.  begin quilting class Thursday evenings again for daughter's graduation quilt 
which is about one month from being completed
(I started this last fall, but had to quit about 3/4s of the way through the class due to an 
injury to my right hand - I'm right-handed!)


7.  offered my very first blog give-away in honor of my 100th post
The winner was #32 Nanbon44!  Congratulations!!

The give-away drawing was Sunday, March 27th at 9 pm Central Daylight Time.

8. Completed two child-sized fleece tie quilts for donation to Japan.  They need to be mailed.
Tied quilt for donation to Japan.

Tied quilt #2 for donation to Japan.


Whew!

...and here I was thinking I hadn't gotten much done this month!


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