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Yesterday I finished up another little project I was behind on....Blocks for Jessica for the Two's Company Quilting Bee.
Jessica didn't want a red and white quilt. But she needed to finish a project for her son. So, we helped her with these blue and brown blocks. She sent me the brown fabric and some of the blue fabrics. I was to supply the remaining blue fabrics (four to six of them). Well, I had forgotten to bring those to Florida with me, so....DANG....I had to find a local quilt shop and go shopping! LOL! My favorite find was the big blue polka dots. I really liked that fabric. I hope Jessica likes this.
By the way, the quilt shop I found here is called Quilt Lover's Hangout. After I went in there, I discovered they had been one of the 10 shops featured in the most recent Quilt Sampler's Ultimate Shop Hop magazine. I have that magazine and should have known, but I've been too busy to pay attention. Anyway, it's a great shop. I'm going to go back and take photos to blog about it later. :-)
I brought the little Featherweight on this trip. Here it is set up in my hotel room on the little desk. (My parents don't have room for all of us in their condo, so my family is at a nearby hotel.) It is working out perfectly. I told Jessica I got to christen the Featherweight with her block. Had to get a photo for posterity.
All in all, life is good. I got a pedicure AND a manicure yesterday morning. I took my niece, who is also my goddaughter, for a pedicure for her Christmas present. She decided she wanted a manicure instead. I got my pedicure, but she talked me into a manicure, too. Afterward, the kids wanted to go swimming. I thought it was too chilly, so I sat by the pool and did some cutting on my BOM that I'm three months behind on. LOL. I was in jeans and a jacket, but the kids were having fun in the pool. (The pool was like bath water, it was so warm.)
We might hit Sanibel Island today. Looking forward to that.
Until next time,
Mama Pea
Holiday greetings to you all! I hope you are enjoying the season. I am finally enjoying a "break." I'm visiting some family right now. Boy did I need this! I will blog some of my Christmas gifts shortly, as I can share them now....they've been opened by the recipients. :-)
First, however, I'd like to share a block I finished. You might remember I'm in a "bee." It's called the "Two's Company Quilt Bee." If you want to learn more about it, click here.
Essentially, each person in the bee is assigned a month. That person decides what block she'd like each of us to create. She gives us instructions and a bit of fabric. We contribute some fabric, make the block, and return the block to the hostess for the month.
October was Shelly's month. She gave us an applique block to do. You can see her instructions to us here. She sent us the white background fabric and the red fabric for the stems, along with the pattern and a template for the leaves. She asked us to contribute our scraps for the leaves.
I think this might be called Laurel Leaves. I used scraps from the cowboy quilt I made a few years ago. I blogged photos of that quilt here, if you are interested. Since Shelly loves ranching and cowboys, I thought it was fitting to use these scraps for her. I hope she likes it.
I used the "starch method" for preparing the pieces for applique. I really love that method. It makes the hand sewing part a real joy for me. (I STINK at needle turn applique!)
I enjoyed the hand work on this block so much. I did it in the car on the way to Florida. It was a really nice project to help me pass some time in the car. I used my red Aurifil thread. I love it. It just blends into the fabric so nicely you can barely see my stitches. I love that about Aurifil thread.
I am just sorry I am so late with this block. It should have been done by October 31. But my life has just been too crazy to keep up. Shelly has been so patient, kind, and understanding about it. I am grateful for that.
By the way, I found a really nice box for putting hand work in for the car. This worked really well for me. The box is about 8.5" by 11" and clips shut.
I put the fabric, pattern, thread, my scissors, basting glue, and my little needle case that my friend, Michelle, gave me a lont time ago in the box, along with the block I was working on. I liked this, because I could have it open on my lap in the car while I worked. It was really slick. I've tried using little zipper bags and other such bags in the car, but having this box on my lap was the best. It corraled all my stuff while in the car. My fetish for plastic storage containers really paid off this time! LOL.
Head on over to the Two's Company Quilting Bee blog if you want to see some of the other blocks people have made. It is a fun project we're working on.
Until next time,
Mama Pea
Good Morning, Friends!
I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas eve! Just wanted to drop a note to let you know how I'm coming with my Christmas countdown. It's not pretty. I am so behind this year! As of yesterday (and all week, frankly), I had 7 gifts to finish sewing. Here's how I'm coming.
#1 got crossed off the list....that one will be a birthday present instead. It's okay.
#2 I can't show you, but it's about complete. Here's a little sneak peek:
I'll share more photos later!
#3 is complete! I made another "box" from the Pockets to Go pattern from Atkinson Designs that I blogged about/reviewed here. I think it turned out even cuter than the other one!
I actually cut it out for the cube size this time. LOL. I love this Kate Spain fabric (Terrain). This is for my 15-year-old niece. My sister said she loves "70's-style fabrics." I hope this will fit the bill.
I also used Terrain for the pockets and binding.
I used more zipper pulls on this. Sweet Pea picked out which ones will go inside. I have to tell you, I love this pattern even more now. It's really fun.
I am putting a few beauty supplies in here, and a gift card to Ulta, a beauty supply store. I'm thinking my niece can use this to corral her make up and such. Hope she likes it!
(By the photos, can you tell how unseasonable the weather is here in Michigan right now?)
#4-5 I can't say what those are. But I'm heading down to the sewing room to make those as soon as I finish typing this. I'll show them to you after Christmas.
#6-7 are those doll blankets I started way back at my retreat. I'm going to try to quilt and bind those today. If I only get one done, that's okay. It's for my other little niece. The last one is for Sweet Pea, and she can wait for hers, if need be. After all, I just made her a doll sleeping bag, right?
So, what do you think? Will I make it? Hope so! I'll let you know!
I hope you are all enjoying the season! For those of you who celebrate it, have a very Merry Christmas!
Until next time,
Mama Pea
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