Rainy Thursday

How cute is this little bag? It's called the Pamela Pouch by Pretty By Hand and it is a perfect size for keeping small sewing things at hand. I may use it to store my sewing machine feet when I go to retreats.

I was thinking it might be a little hard to make but if you take it slow it goes together in no time!

I liked using different fabrics for all the parts.

I did not finish the insides according to the directions. You were to encase the raw edges with binding. I gave it a shot but mine did not looks so good so I zig zagged the edges instead.

I was very skeptical that the zipper would work out but it is, dare I say, PERFECT! Very easy to do.
Her directions are very good with lots of pictures.

I loved the bee ribbon used on each end, it's just the right touch.

If you are looking for a wonderful small print I got this at my local quilt shop, The Quilt Block yesterday. It has the feel of stars and dots all at the same time.

I got these cards the other day and love the vintage vibe.

I told my husband, Bob I would make him this groovy outfit for the fall. Doesn't it remind you of the Brady Bunch? Mr Brady in particular.....check out the white fuzzy vest on the guy in the back!

I cut these out for a block that I am sewing together today. Don't these colors just brighten up a gloomy, rainy day?

Kelly

Tuesday Summer Fun Project

Do you want to do something fun this summer? I found this Art Abandonment Project on the blog,  Quiltswissy the other day. Anyone can participate and it just may add some excitement to the hot days of August that are on their way.
The idea is that you make some piece of art and leave it (with or without the tag) in a public place for someone to find and to enjoy. I left this fabric pouch in the library yesterday (in the section near the Stephen King books). If you go to the website you will see there are all sorts of things people make and leave, sewing fits right in there! They are not limited to small pieces, some are full size paintings.
I am thinking of doing some fabric postcards or even some pincushions.
Has anyone ever found something like this? Inquiring minds needs to know!

I thought you might get a chuckle out of this. My grandson Griffin, tried to make his brother, Elliot a pair of shorts. He even got one side seam sewn before we found them in the sewing room. Pretty good for a 10 year old. They even had a button set aside........we better pay better attention to where they are at family dinners!

Kelly

Friday's Winner

I am amazed how many of my friends could not figure out which picture was mine! You all crack me up and I enjoyed playing this game for a giveaway. Thank you for all the fun comments, I really enjoyed reading them.

So this was the 1965-66 school year. My hair was in a flip, remember that do? I am pretty sure it was achieved with those pink foam rollers that snapped shut and gave you a rotten night's sleep!
I was wearing a sweater my mom made me and I hated the barrette on the side of my head, but you didn't argue with mom on picture day.
One of our favorite things to do was to quiz the babysitter Rosemary, about the Beatles. She being a teenager knew all about them and was happy to share her knowledge. I remember my mom's favorite record was Downtown by Petula Clark? She would let us play it over and over.

The girls in my class had very classic 1950-60's names.......Carol, Joan, Leslie, Beth, Nancy, Susie, Kathy, Donna, Marlene, Ruth, Theresa, Celeste and Sandra. Many of you thought I was Sandra, bottom row, first girl!

So the winners are......

Diane of Butterfly Threads -----she will get the 60* diamonds

Annemieke of  Colors and Fabrics ------she will get the 2" HST

Holly R ------she will get the Quarter Square Triangles

Congratulations ladies, I will be sending you an email for your addresses.
Thanks you everyone for playing along!

Kelly

HOT HOT!

I just could not deal with the potholders from the last post.....when you don't feel it you know it just isn't right. So as I was cleaning up my messy table in my sewing room yesterday, I happened to find this pattern and decided to make them. I don't know who designed the pattern or even what magazine it was in. I ripped it out and put it on the "pile to make someday". I think they are pretty fun!

A couple of years ago my SIL gave me these very pretty sunflowers. The birds have helped me with all these volunteers! One of the things I like is that I can see them from my kitchen window, Right now the birds are landing on them and pecking out the seeds. It is delightful to watch and they are ensuring a new crop for next year......

Isn't it an amazing color? I love how they are eye level on the deck too.

Not only do the birds like them but so do the bees and the butterflies! A win-win.

Kelly

Tuesday Doodle

I was going to wait to post until Friday but I just had to show you this!
I came across a blog called Minki Kim's Work Table. Every single thing she made was adorable and so simple yet lovely.

I actually made this pretty quickly. I have always liked thread sketching and will be making some more. I need some practice.

This is a mini quilt for a Kaffe swap I am in that is due in early fall. All the fabric has to be Kaffe Fasset. I used the 60* Triangles on a Roll paper and it worked really well. When it was time to sew those rows together they matched up like a dream.

So far the papers are coming off pretty easily too. Don't forget to enter  THE GIVEAWAY to win some Triangle on a Roll for yourself.  I also want to clear something up.......I am using the 60* triangles. Some people wanted to win that one. I don't have a new roll, but would be happy to give out the rest of what I have left (quite a lot). The two rolls that I do have are half square triangles and quarter square triangle. Please go back and under your comment hit reply and put in your email if it isn't there. I need to be able to contact you.

To keep it real........My neice is getting married this fall. I wanted to add some handmade things to the other shower gifts I got her. Ugh! I really dislike the hexagonal one and am not giving it to her, it's just too plain ugly. The round ones are better but my binding is less that stellar!

I will have the names of the winners posted early on Friday morning good luck! You all have made me laugh at your guesses as to which picture is me....I will give you the answer too.

Kelly

It's Friday Let's Have A Giveaway!

Earlier this summer I was contacted by Triangle On A Roll and asked to try their product and if I wanted, to do a giveaway. They sent me the 60* Triangles on a Roll which is the one I am using in the above picture. It is perfect for a border which is how I thought I would use it. Then this swap came along and I decided I will be designing my quilt using these. It's a Kaffe Fassett swap so stay tuned to see what I am making.

One of the nice things I like is that the directions are printed along the edge of the paper so you can't lose them. I also like that it is one continuous piece so you can cut them as long as you need for your project.

There is even a visual which is good for me! I like pictures.

I also received this ruler to pre-cut your triangles, instead of winging it and having to trim the seam allowances. The roll I chose has 2 sizes to pick, either 3 12/" or 6 1/2".

In no time at all they were cut and I was ready to sew.

So the first giveaway is a roll of 2" finished Triangles on a roll. This roll makes 800!

The second is a roll of Quarter Square Triangles and it makes 300 and they finish at 3 1/2".

Here is my review-----I do like paper piecing as I like somethings to be very exact. The product was easy to use and I like how everything was on the roll, no instructions to lose! I would recommend this product and  can't wait to gt back to my quilt.

In my quest to clean out e.v.e.r.y. single room in my house, I came across a class picture from 3rd grade. That was 50 years ago, I almost choked!
So in order to win, guess which picture is me. I know some of you don't know what I look like but that does not mean you can't win. Just take a wild guess! Be sure to let me know which roll you would like to win.
If I don't have your email I can't contact you if you are a winner. Please be sure to leave it with your comment.
I will pick a winner on July 24th.

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!

Good luck!
Kelly

Yes Another Post!

I finished up my mini Halloween quilt last night. Full disclosure, the binding is glued down and not yet stitched, maybe tonight.

I got some email questions about how the hexies are sewed down. I first glue down the hexies with just a smidge of glue, next I machine quilt them going from top to bottom, rotating each turn from point to point.

I don't always hit each point even though I try.

As you can see in this picture the edges that are not sewn down are open.

I love this fabric on the back and you can see the quilting design which is very cool! Even with all my misses you don't really see them.

I have been in a major clean up and out mode the past week. I came across a few leftover toys from my children. This Raggedy Andy that was my daugher Cait's was made by a family friend, Mrs. Hargraves who is no longer with us. So I gave him a good wash and now need to do some minor repairs. She wants to give him to her new son Finn. It's hard to believe this doll is 33 years old!

Kelly

Mid Summer Catch Up

I don't know about you but it feels like summer is flying by!
I have been super busy and am anxious to get back to "normal" life which includes blogging. Between my family, gardening and cleaning up my home (and computer issues)I have squeezed in some sewing and will show you what I have been up to later this month.
Some bee friends asked me to show them how to make hexagons the other day. After they left I got to thinking how cool one would look with Halloween themed fabrics. Well great minds think alike because one of my friends is making one too. I will get a picture of it and show it to you.

As you can see they are not all quilted down yet.

These are some of my favorites. I realized right away you need some not so crazy ones along with the fussy cut ones or none of them stand out.

My gardens are doing well and my pots are doing great! I love this color combination. I think that is part of the fun doing plants in pots, experimenting with different ideas. Tip.....as I break of my coleus to keep it in check, I stripped the leaves off  4" down from the bottom and just stuck it into a pot. All the coleus you see above came from those cuttings.

I love the purple oxalis, it adds a lot to all the green.

The lime green in the shade is awesome. These all get morning sun and a little late day sun.

I have fallen for geraniums as well, the had fallen off the "I want these for my garden" list for the past few years.

I completely replanted my front garden and put in some interesting shrubs and plants. This hibiscus is huge! The color is a dark purple which looks a little washed out here.

I have been adding more red into the garden and love these coneflowers.

I don't think I ever noticed before that the little buds in the center were a blueish gray. Mother nature gets her combinations just perfect every time.
That concludes our garden tour!

I will be back soon. I was sent some goodies to do a giveaway. Stay tuned.

I have also joined the masses and am on Instagram. It really is easy and way more fun than Facebook. I am under Pinkadotquilts. You have to download the app to your smart phone or you can do it on the computer but the phone is the way to go.
See you soon!
Kelly