Happy Spring

I can't believe that it's been a week since my last post. No, I didn't drop off the face of the earth. I've come to the realization that spending so much time on the computer has kept me from working on some of my projects. Once I turn on the computer, I'm like a rabbit hopping here and there.

Last weekend, Kylie came over to spend the night - it was so nice to have Mom Mom time with her and she baked up a batch of brownies for us to have for dessert. I don't know if she enjoys making the brownies or licking the bowl, but they were sure good.

I know the first day of Spring has already passed and everyone is showing the obligatory photos of their daffodils in bloom or garden shots of everything just springing out of the ground, but I'm going to be a little different and show you a photo of the poinsettia that will not die. I picked this poinsettia up before Thanksgiving for $2.49 and it still looks good.

So what have I been working on? I started a new stitchery project since this was a TV-watching week for me - Dancing with the Stars, American Idol and Grey's Anatomy...so, as not to feel guilty while sitting and watching all this TV, I started on this stitchery that will end up as the flap for a quilted case to carry around hand-work projects. Not a very good description, you'll just have to stop back and see it when it's completed. This is one of the patterns that I ordered from Mums Moments called "Simple Gatherings" -- I really love the Australian stitchery projects.

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And, finally, I'm going to make myself a new Wonder Wallet. I'm still carrying the first one I made a few years ago and I think it's time for a new one - or two - or three....These are so easy to make and you can get 2 from a Fat Quarter, if it is a true FQ. These came from Joann Fabric's, so God only knows what size they actually are.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2007

After a few warm spring-like days earlier this week, we got socked with an ice storm yesterday. It started out with 18 hours of rain, followed by sleet and freezing rain. I didn't know there was a difference between sleet and freezing rain and since I didn't go to Meteorology school, I'll take the word of the weatherman that there is a difference. Either way, it had to be shoveled. And, the St. Patrick's Day parade was cancelled.

What a nice little surprise, daffodils peeking out of the muck...

a sure sign that Spring can't be far behind.

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It almost looks like cotton batting in the photo, but trust me - it was ice.

I've been working away on Daisy Vines and I have the borders on (yipee!) This quilt came from the McCall's Quick Quilts magazine and there has been nothing "quick" about it. I really think that I could have done the blanket stitch by hand faster than I did by machine.

The border will get vines and leaves with a light blue daisy in each corner.

It's a little smaller than I thought it would be (and for all of the work that went into it), but it will look nice draped over the back of my sofa. I really like this quilt and I'll like it even better when it's DONE....

Yesterday was Bailey's 6th birthday and he was so happy with his birthday treats. Bailey just loves his toys to death. His favorite is a tennis ball, but a close second is those goofy looking loofa dogs.

May you always have

Walls for the winds,

A roof for the rain,

Tea beside the fire,

Laughter to cheer you,

Those you love near you,

And all your heart might desire

Spring Forth

Yes, it's that time of year - set your clocks up one hour and lose an hour of sleep. This time change does not do well by me - maybe I just don't like to lose anything....especially sleep. Sure, I could go to bed an hour earlier (huh?) and I don't have to go to work on Sunday - so I could sleep an hour later (tell that to Bailey, my creature of habit).


This has been one week that I'm glad it is over. Weather-wise, it was wild. Almost 70-degrees last weekend, then snow on Tuesday, followed by frigid temperatures of 12-20 degrees for the remainder of the week. Yep, I am so ready for Spring.



On WIP Wednesday, I started the applique on Daisy Vines and by Friday I have one panel finished. I was a little too quick to sew together the quilt top and now it's a bear to work on it as a full top rather than just a panel at a time. I'm folding and pinning it so that it's just a panel to try to fit under the machine - I probably should have just did the blanket stitch applique by hand, but I can't switch over now that I started by machine. I think I'll call this quilt "Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda Daisy's". Anyway, here is a photo of the completed panel - it sure looks better with the daisy's and leaves rather than just the stems, don't you think?



Hey, how to you like my "design door"? I don't have enough free wallspace to have a design wall, but I can pin up stuff to the curtain on the door, hence, my Design Door. What's behind that door, you ask? A whole room full of fabric (no pictures of that room - no way - remember, my Mom reads my blog).


In closing, since St. Patrick's Day is only a week away, here is what all of the fashion-conscious dogs are wearing. I would say that he is posing to show off his Irish scarf, but I'm holding his favorite toy to get a better shot. Boy, does he look intense? And, no he really doesn't have those yellow devil eyes -- his version of "red eye" shows up as either bright green or satanic yellow - go figure....

Who's Reading Your Blog?

I was talking to my Mom on the phone tonight and she remarked that it's no wonder I'm never bored with all that I've been working on. Hmmm....I hadn't told her about all of the projects that I was working on. So when I asked her was she was talking about, she told me she has been reading my blog! I feel like a celebrity.

Hi, Mom.

How about leaving me a comment?

March 4th and Get Something Done

Aaah, sweet sunny Sunday and life is good. I love that I have a sewing room after all those years of sewing at the dining room table, and the fact that it's messy is a sure sign that I have been creative. However, today will be a day that I need to march forth and straighten it up a little or at least clean off a surface. Either the mess or the creativity is getting to me.

Yesterday I had a learning experience of trying to create continuous bias from a square of fabric. I read the instructions carefully, followed the diagrams, marked the seams as instructed and still ended up tossing the "said" piece of fabric in the trash can three time. Fortunately, I kept salvaging the piece from the trash heap (why start with a new piece of fabric?), marked the cutting lines wrong three times (are you noticing a pattern with the Number 3?) and I finally have a mile of continuous bias for the stems of "Daisy Vines". Has anyone else thought about a parallelogram since grade school? Now, where are those presser bars?

I also attended a Sulky of America "Sew Exciting Seminar" yesterday and ended up winning the door prize-- A whole bag of sulky goodies, thread, plus a book. Now I have some new toys to play with.

Since I couldn't find the presser bars, I decided to take a ride down to Hancock's and purchase a new set. Here is a photo of my progress on Daisy Vines with the bias stems sewn on -- no it's not worms in the garden..... Dark Blue Daisy's with yellow centers and leaves still need to be applique on.

I tried so hard to resist buying any fabric, but I saw a piece of a teacup print that will go perfectly with the teapot that I stitched, that I couldn't resist. And, then there were those FQ packs tied up with pretty coordinating ribbons sitting right next to the cutting counter - talk about marketing strategy.

Bailey must feel that I'm neglecting him...he brought me his toy that needs a few stitches to keep the stuffing in check. This toy was a Valentine's Day gift and he has loved it to death.

Hello March - Good-bye February

I'm so glad to see the month of March arrive. Today's weather was pleasant with a promise of many more nice days to come. I actually went out at lunchtime with just a wool blazer and carried my coat. Unfortunately, with nice weather is the downfall of rain and thunderstorms, which is making it's way up the east coast tonight. Is just a few days of warm sunshine too much to ask after making footprints in the snow? I'm glad that February is now a cold, frigid memory.



I've been kind of a TV junkie these past few weeks. I'm addicted to American Idol - which has been on three times a week - maybe because I can't sing. Nope, singing just is not one of my talents. I don't even attempt to participate in singing Happy Birthday - I usually just mouth the words and I don't sing in church even though I do enjoy listening to other people sing. Maybe I'm living vicariously through the TV. I like the TV show Survivor, however, I would never participate in anything so vile. I love Grey's Anatomy, but I hate to enter a hospital, even if it's just to visit. And, now there is this new show on "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader", which is really cute, but where did they find these people that participate? This tickles me because my DGD is a 5th grader and she is as smart as a whip.

I finally got the borders on the cookie cutter quilt - woo-hoo. I don't remember who suggested that I should put stars in the corner blocks, but I just love the way it looks, so if you're reading this, Thank You! However, this did not put a dent in the many, many bins of homespun. I guess I'm also a homespun junkie.




I also read that coloring on quilts is becoming very popular. I have tried it and I think the results are spectacular, even for a beginner. I found that using the cheap dollar-store crayons work better than Crayola's (sorry crayola). Once the cheapos are heat set, they almost bleed right into the fabric and look and feel more like dye rather than just coloring sitting on top of the fabric. The fabric is also nice and soft whereas, I thought the Crayola's left the fabric stiff. I found this pattern in a Fons and Porter's magazine had and the pattern combined coloring and embroidery, so I thought it would look so cute with some of my 30's repros. Here's a close up of one of the blocks.


I've also been busy cutting down scraps into assorted size squares and strips and that job seems endless. The scrap bin seem like a bottomless pit.