Sewing Fun

A few weeks ago I came across this tutorial on the Gen X Quilters Blog . I don't like pinning my name tag on my shirt so I thought this was a good solution. This was made for keys but I modified it a bit for my name tag. It is super fast and easy.

I made this one this morning BEFORE Zumba, that's how easy it is. It takes longer to pick out the fabric and iron it than it does to make it. This is going to one of my favorite teachers (daughter in law Mary) for her birthday.

Kelly

Free Day

Today was an unexpected sewing day. I was supposed to watch my 2 grandsons but things changed so I was free for the whole day. I have no right to start anything new but all that hand dyed fabric from the quilt show was sitting on my table, tempting me.

These colors are hard to photograph, the color of my block looks so different in real life. These came with a pattern that I really like but if I make the quilt with these fabrics it will be considered a kit and I won't be able to put it in our quilt show to be judged. So I will make the pattern with different fabrics, maybe my own hand dyes.

The wedding quilt top is almost all together, I worked on that today too. I am thinking of putting borders on the sides and bottom and not the top. Does anyone else ever do this or does it look bad?

For those of you who loved Downton Abbey there is another show that is on PBS and English. It is called "Call The Midwife". Season 2 starts this Sunday. We are about half way through Season 1. My friends Cheryl and Jane and sister Flynn all highly recommended it so of course I watched. Even my husband is watching it so it is not just a chick show. It takes place in the 1950's when we were born, so our interest is keen. Gosh I am glad I had my kids in the 70's and 80's! I will say I love the sweaters and skirts in the show complete with pearls!

Kelly

Going With Bloglovin

Google Reader is supposed to be gone in July. Change takes time so.........The Bloglovin button is on top of my side bar. Click on it to follow if you will miss Google Reader.

Pink and Green

Next month is the Penn Oaks Challenge. The theme is Where You Live and the rule is you must include a Kaffe pink with green polka dot fabric that we provided. It can be anything your little heart desires, where you actually live, where you would like to live (the beach), a fantasy home, I think you get the idea.
My friend Suzanne and I are in charge and one of the things we need to do is come up with some winner ribbons. In the past some of the ribbons have been amazing.

I found a tutorial on Spun Cotton Ornament and made 4, 2 pink and 2 green rosettes. While they are not perfect I think they feel a little like an old fashioned ribbon.

Our categories are--- Best Interpretation, Best Workmanship, Best Use of Challenge Fabric and Viewer's Choice.

They have long flowing tails and a little loop in the back to hang them up after the contest.

All of the blocks of the wedding quilt are complete (48). Now they just need to be put together and have some borders added and off to the quilter. I really am looking forward to checking this off the list! The colors look very wedding like.

It is snowing here today. I did not post a picture because trust me no one wants to see snow right about now, can spring be that far away? It sure feels like it!

Kelly

More Miscellaneous stuff

Yesterday my friend Cheryl and I held a Mystery Quilt Workshop for our Calico Cutter Guild members. We made a table runner that I think was pretty nice. This one was made by Christine.....

She is the energizer bunny and was the first one finished. For once I have a picture that is not blurry, usually she is on the move and it is not possible!

Christine's fabric choices were very inspiring.

Lee also had some nice bright fabrics.

Debbi who is on the left in front made this block...

Feels like spring to me!

As always we could live here for a couple of days with all the food! This was just the dessert table....
Overall I think 80% got to the last step. It was a fun project and we are thinking of doing it again next year.

We had prizes for the ladies, I made some paper clips.

I have been trying to get back to the wedding quilt. I have all the strips cut, now I just need to sew them together.

Sometimes you get side tracked with an unexpected overnight with 2 grandsons, fresh out of the shower in their new haircuts. The sewing will wait, they won't!

Kelly

Did You Know?

THIS IS THE ONLY TIME WE WILL SEE AND LIVE THIS EVENT

 Calendar for March 2013

March

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

This year March has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens once every 823 years.

Kelly

Miscellaneous Saturday

In my last post a comment was left by my good blogging friend Rachael about what happens when pins and needles go astray. We all have heard many stories about pins and needles in feet but how about an arm?
This happened to me about 8 years ago. I would applique in bed with those nice long thin milliner's needles. One morning I woke up and had a giant bruise on the back of my arm. I had no idea how it got there. Everyone told me it was a spider bite. So a week later another bruise shows up on the front of my arm and I am noticing a "stabbing" pain when I make certain movements. I went to the Dr and got an Xray. They pulled me into the room and showed me the Xray and said what do you think this could be? I knew immediately, you could even see the eye......Apparently this is dangerous, it was moving around and there was fear it could go somewhere important where needles shouldn't be. I had to have an operation to have it removed!
How it got in there without me knowing will always be a mystery. I know I have a high threshold for pain but you would think I would have woken up! I am very curious to know if anyone else has had an incredible sewing mishap story.......

Yesterday I went to the Lancaster Quilt Show. I must say it felt a little tired to me. Not that many quilts and the vendors were so so. Sorry I am not allowed to post pictures from the show. There was only one bright spot of color in this booth. Don't you love her hand dyed strips that you could buy? What a great idea. I met up with a fellow guild member, Robin and we loved this booth, we were there for a long time. We both bought something here, sorry there was no picture of the pattern. I only took a picture of the finished quilt and I told her I would not post it.

Another guild member Bob DeCarli had a book signing of his new book which was pretty exciting. I talked to Bob and his wife Kathy too. He is writing another book stay tuned for that quilt!

Alex Andersen was there too. I just snapped a very bad picture but I think she is very nice.

 

There was lots of socializing going on I think I spent most of the time talking to fellow guild members, friends, I haven't seen in a while and even the vendors were very chatty. I missed Barb but truthfully I could not squeeze out one more second, the day went fast. I did get to spend the day with my friend Judie who I don't see often enough and we had lots to catch up on besides looking at all the quilts.
I did not buy much but know there will be some hand dyes in my future!

Kelly

In the evenings I like to sit and applique or sew on a binding. Things are always falling down in between the couch cushions. I had a really cool pink ruler and asked my husband if he could make me a little box to hold all my accouterments. I love it! It is 4 x 7, not too small and not too big.

The ruler was from Morgantown which is nearby so I had him "fussy cut" the name out. It took him about 5 minutes to make it. 

My husband Bob, is a building contractor and has lots of tools. In a way sewing and carpentry are very similar.......This is his workshop.

Lots of scraps......

Lots of hand tools....

Some good storage ideas.......I told him I needed one of these too.

A stash.........

Interesting storage containers.....

Precuts! I could not resist that one....

More hammers than he could use at once.......I am so not judging!

Creative storage......

Maybe that is why he gets my whole quilting thing? The other day he told me the next box he makes he would do a little differently, mitering the corners. Oh and by the way he bought some Omnigrid rulers to use when he is drafting plans. He said the 1/4' is perfect for what he needs. See quilting/carpentry, they are so alike!

Kelly

Wordless Wednesday

Words  AND pictures to follow, maybe tomorrow.

Kelly