Design Wall Monday 3/28

Overthinking has never been my strong suit.  That's what I've done with my Pepper Dish recently, and I am so done with that.  Flowers applique?  Stars?  Curliques?  Fireworks quilting, an appliqued inner border, nothing.  Totally boggled.  So Pepper Dish has been unceremoniously stuffed into a basket with all its parts, both useful and maybe, and put away for the nonce.  (Love that word!)

Instead, I'm going to play with all that "Swanky" yumminess here.  These are jelly roll strips paired with white strips, that will become pinwheels.  I'm using the method Eleanor Burns showed in a Simply Quilts show many moons ago.  I actually jotted down the info during the show (no DVR, not even a VCR, back then).   I'm having a blast, playing with this fabric and stitching mindlessly.  Well, except whilst (another favorite word) trying to decipher my notes on how to do this ;-D


Don't know if this literally qualifies for Judy's Design Wall Monday at www.patchworktimes.com -- I hope she doesn't kick me off!

Sort of a Whoop Whoop!

I dunno.  What'cha think?  The pattern calls for the flowers, stems, leaves, stars.  I've tried different fabrics and arrangements.  I'm not loving it.  My hubby and V aren't sure it needs applique.   If I don't add applique, the quilting will have to be great.  And what kind of quilting would I do?  Help meeeeeeeeeeee!

Go over to Sarah's Whoop Whoop! post to see some Friday accomplishments -- here: http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/2011/03/can-i-get-whoop-whoop-when-life-hands.html

Pay It Forward Giveaway!

Wouldn't you love to open your mailbox and find a surprise handmade gift?!  Yup, me too!  So I joined in the "Pay It Forward" and I'm offering to send you a little something, just because.  The first three to comment will receive a handmade little giftie, one day, as a surprise.  There are a couple of things you're asked to do, like join in and Pay It Forward, too!  


I learned about this from http://gapquilter.blogspot.com/2011/02/pay-it-forward.html.   



It is a simple game. Here's how it works (copied from Quilter in the Gap):

1. I will make a little something for the first 3 people who comment on this post. It will be a surprise and it will arrive when you least expect it.
2. I will have 365 days to do it in. What's the catch? To get a handmade present from me, you have to play too! This means YOU pledge to send a little handmade something for 3 readers of your blog. It doesn't have to be quilty - just handmade.
3. You must have a blog.
4. Once you comment here, you must post about your Pay It Forward on your blog to keep the fun going - with the Pay It Forward badge.  Also, feel free to join the Flickr group to see what else is being sent!

Simple huh? That's what I thought, and the best part is that I have 364 days left to think about this and create something lovely for the first three to comment on this blog. 

Glamor Shots!

Hello!  I'm Annabella, and I'm a Ragdoll.  My Mom brushed me this afternoon, so I allowed a photo shoot to share my beautiful self with you.  Wait a minute -- here's a hair out of place, oh dear!!!

Here's my story, I'm not ashamed to share that I had a less-than-glamorous beginning.  Although I'm a purebred Ragdoll, my breeder decided to retire, and sent me, with other family members, to a cat shelter for adoption.  But!  Happy day!  I was discovered!  My new Mom and Dad found me, and picked me out of the hundred or so others miscellaneous kitties in the shelter, and brought me home. A terrible case of ear mites prevented me from being very glamorous at first.  And I was so shy and a genuine scaredy-cat, I just knew I'd be tossed out on my fuzzy butt.

My beautiful, soulful blue eyes had already enchanted my new parents.  And I was so pitiful!  So they were very gentle and quiet around me.  Soon I came out of my shell, a little at a time.  Sigh.  It was a magical time for me.  

I don't even like to think of my past.  But sometimes, I do reflect on how it might have gone.  Wrong.  Terribly wrong.  Today, however, I'm sweet and loving and humble.  But I'm also a diva and run to greet people who come to the door, because they're here to pay tribute to my magnificent beauty.  Of course.  Why else would they show up?


My primary job is to be a companion to my Mom whenever she's in her sewing room, or a lap cat when she's watching TV.  I help Dad make the bed, and do my floppy cat roly-poly routine when it's made so he can rub my tummy.  I love my job!


Come by and see me any time.  I can be persuaded to be petted and admired.  

Happy National Quilting Day!!!

How many quilts have you made?  How many are  you going to make?  And WHY do you do this?  Do the people in your lives ask this?  I found the perfect response!  Bonnie K. Hunter of Quiltville.com talked about this at a dinner/lecture, and I found her blog  here: http://www.quiltville.com/howmanyquilts.shtml   It explains perfectly how most of us feel, I think.  

Don't you agree?!  So celebrate this wonderful passion we share!  Today I'm going with quilty friends to Maryville TN to their quilt show, and shopping at quilt shops.  When we break for lunch, I'm sure we'll be talking quilts.  I'm so thankful for friends who love quilting, for those who work hard to put on quilt shows, for shop owners who keep their doors open (even though I'm sure it's increasingly hard to do these days), for media of all kinds who feed this passion, for family who bear with me when I'm in a quilting frenzy.  Happy quilting today and every day that you possibly can!

Whoop Whoop! 3/18

Yes! Finally coming together, the top is sewn, and the spludges of color are fabrics I'm auditioning for the appliques. Not sure where I'm going with that.  Any ideas?  Leaves, stems, flowers and stars.  Should I continue with the colors I've used in the piecing, or go with other colors?  The ones in the picture are pinks and fuschias with aqua together with the green for leaves and stems.  

And I'm beginning to think about quilting this baby.  I know there are those of you who plan the quilting before they ever start creating the quilt.  Not me.  Since most of my quilts never leave the house, I just make it up as I go along.  But I'd like this one to be special.  How would you quilt it?  

Whoop Whoop!  Something to show on a Friday, yay!!  And Annie's ready to take it on the road:

Design Wall Monday 3/14

Whew, got the center finished!  This is "Pepper Dish" by Judy Niemeyer.  Trying to have it done for our guild's quilt show in June.  Except for trimming the blocks in one section, I've paper pieced all the sections.  So I have to sew the parts together, and then do the applique.   I dunno.......  I bought so many fabrics at the quilt show last week, and I'm chomping at the bit to make some new stuff.  But I've just got to finish this one first.  Remind me if I wander off on another tangent.  I tend to get distracted by new projects while I'm in the midst of one.  Aha! That's why I have a closet full of UFO's.  Ya think??  


This report is for Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday blog.  If you want to see some very cool projects in progress, check the list here: http://www.patchworktimes.com/2011/03/14/design-wall-march-14-2011/

Stash Report 3/13/11

How do you count layer cakes, I wonder?  Hm.  Layer cakes on hips count a LOT more than on the shelf :-D Answers to almost anything are always at one's fingertips, so I looked around on the wonderful world of the Internet, and saw that a jelly roll is about 2.75 yards, and a layer cake is about the same.  Everyone agree with that?


If you saw my report from the Pigeon Forge trip you'll see I got some really gor-ge-uss bits and pieces.  Layer Cake of Buttercup.  Fat Eighths bundle of Sunkissed.  Maybe eight FQs.  Two one-yard pieces.  I didn't take pics of everything.  So - ta da! - my stash has increased by 11.75 yards.  After three days at a quilt show, that's pretty amazing!  

Sunkissed Buttercups and Tulips, Oh My!

SCORE!!!  I fell in love with the Moda Sunkissed line by Sweetwater when I first saw it online several weeks ago.  I found a  fat eighths bundle, and snarfed it up and stuffed it into the bottom of my shopping bag.  

SCORE AGAIN!!  And then I found the Moda Buttercup line by Joanna Figueroa that has had me drooling on my keyboard when I saw it online.  Bought a layer cake, and added another layer in my shopping bag.

SCORE SCORE SCORE SCORE!!!!  (Is this beginning to sound like a video game?)  I've been collecting bits and pieces of fabric for a QIMM (Quilt in My Mind).  I was inspired by the yummy Philip Jacobs Tulip print in the front.  The four that are fanned on the right are the ones I found and piled on top of the others in my bag.  


Not to mention the scrump-o aqua batik I found, the pink-y/peach-y yard and a couple of light greenish/blue prints to go with some "modern" fabrics I've been gathering.  And one or two (ha!) other bits I NEEDED!  My shopping bag was awfully heavy before very long.  Must have been the very heavy Marti Michell Log Cabin ruler, right?!  And that didn't even include the half dozen or so books I bought!


Where did I find this wonderful bonanza?  At the Pigeon Forge (TN) Mountain Quiltfest.  It's really one of my fave quilt shows, small enough to see all the amazing quilts, shop lots and lots of vendors, in a town where there are lots of places to eat, things to see, wonderful views of the Great Smoky Mountains.  And all that topped off by being with six great friends in a really nice condo, where we laughed and yakked and did show and tell. 


Most of them went to the dinner/lecture by Bonnie Hunter, and they just raved about her.  One took a class by Bonnie, the Scrappy Queen!  I hope she'll be back, because I definitely want to take her class.  Some of us went to see Darlene Zimmerman's dinner/lecture, called "From Ho-Hum to Wow!"  Very good lecture, she gave lots of options for dolling up your quilts, including settings and borders.  I highly recommend it.   

Annie liked the Buttercup wrapping the best :-) Gotta run!  Laundry and stash arranging awaits, so I'll see you all later!  

Design Wall Monday 3/7/11

I'd really like to get this done in time for our quilt show in June.  And I do have more pieces done than I have on the design wall right now.  But, boy, there sure are a lot of pieces!  The pattern is Judy Niemeyer's Pepper Dish.  I'm going to keep plugging along on it, focus, focus, focus!  Just wanted to add something this week to the Design Wall Monday over at Judy's Patchwork Times. http://patchworktimes.com


Got my class supplies packed, just need to grab some jeans and toothpaste, and I'll be all set to head out in the morning!  I'll try to have fun :-D

Tipsy With a Twist!

Over at the Moda Bake Shop (http://www.modabakeshop.com/2011/03/pinwheel-twist.html#more) they featured a twist on the pattern I used for Tipsy, by adding sashing and posts.  Very cute!  This was created by Darci Schipnewski of shadesofpast.com.  I like it, and will use it for the "mindless sewing stitch-in" days.  
  

I'm outta here!!!

Tomorrow I'm packing up my suitcase, my sewing machine, and class supplies, and then I'm outta here early Tuesday.  A bunch of us are going to Pigeon Forge, TN, to the Mountain Quiltfest for several days of classes, quilts, vendors, food, laughter, wine, games, food, and all-around girl gang fun!

I'm taking two classes, both with Charlotte Warr Andersen: Whirly Twirly Designs and Fusible Thread Applique, and a lecture/dinner with Darlene Zimmerman, "Ho-Hum to Wow!"  Sooooooo excited!!!  Pigeon Forge puts on a great show, in two locales, and they always have amazing teachers every year.  You should look into it if you're anywhere nearby!!  The Quiltfest is the 9th-13th, with classes all week, beginning on Tuesday.

You won't be hearing from me until the weekend, I hope there will be enough left of me to do a little bloggin.  Let's assume it will be a report of fun, but not necessarily full disclosure :-)  See ya!!!!