quilt one...

before I felt right shoving aside all my working projects to make a new quilt, I at least wanted to clear off my design wall. I doubt you kept up with the scintillating conversation I was having here in "dullsville" for awhile there...but I was doing a lot of embroidery blocks. So I needed to get them finished and ready to assemble with all their pieced parts complete. Now I am almost up to date with this bom. Two tiny baskets left and I will be up to date. Here are the latest finishes...Month 3
and Month 5 A & B...small ones, but cute...
Now onto the quilt plans. I looked in my fabric cupboard and found a FQ bundle from Christmas that would work perfectly for the first quilt!

I found a Dear Jane fabric bundle and added a few more fabrics to make up the 16 FQ's required. It will be CW related but bright! Just the thing for summer.

market bags

Thanks for all the colander love...isn't it fun to figure out your camera a take some cool shots? I had fun doing it. I've already used it for a big ole pot of yummy squash!

I spent my weekend cutting and then sewing some more Jane Market Bags from the cool pattern I got from Alicia at Posie Gets Cozy. I'll say it again...Great pattern!! So I cut out another 5 bags, I think.... and I sewed up three more of them so far.

I still have 2 more to sew, but I wanted to get some loose ends sewn up and finished before I start on a new sewing project. These are easy to stop and sew up in a jiffy.

Pink and brown...
Orange dots from Amy Butler, and the first one I made with the pocket...

And a lovely brown bag....

So, the new project. First I'm loading up on fabrics for a bed sized quilt for my bed...KING sized and measured at 95" x 105". But that will take a while. Meanwhile I realized that I didn't really have but a few bed type quilts...you know "block quilts". Not wall hangings, or applique, or stitchery. Just plain old "pick one or two blocks" and make a whole quilt. Snuggle quilts. You know the type.

SO I grabbed a few older books and a few new books and set out with a plan to make some quilts! I've drafted some blocks, pulled a few patterns... I'm picking fabric, and making piles! Hopefully I'll have some quilts to show later on this summer!

LOVE is....

a new yummy lime green colander....

And taking really cool shots of it while playing with all the settings on your digital camera!!....


and the sunlight.....

might I ask....

Where are all the pretty sheets?? I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond to get a new set of sheets Sunday and I can't find any pretty sheets. Nothing! Where are the roses, polka dots, flowers, pretty designs, even hip modern designs?, Heck I'll even take pretty stripes, but nope. Also while I'm asking what happened to 50% cotton and 50% poly pillow cases? Nobody makes them anymore? I hate all cotton sheets. I know it's popular and everyone loves them...but once you wash them they turn to cardboard if they aren't a very high thread count. I love nothing more than a smooth, cool, crisp...and I mean CRISP set of sheets and pillowcases that stay cool all night. You can feel them when you come across them. Luckily some are still around from years past and I found them on ebay. Beautiful vintage 60's and 70's pillowcases!

I won a few lovely auctions of mis-matched cases in beautiful light colors with such a nice feel to them. A nice dip in the wash and they are good as new. Actually better since you can't find them anymore! Don't mind my bare mattress..*s*!

Aren't those polka dots sweet? I've got 5 fabulous pink ones I won last night that I can't wait to put on the bed! BTW, if you know of any sources for new pretty sheets that don't cost a small fortune, please pass along the info!

Next up..planning a quilt for my bed! I've never made a king size quilt before so this should be interesting. Summer time is hard for us to use the duvet since it feels like it weighs 20 pounds. I use just a sheet but poor hubby needs more, so nice quilt will be perfect for him! So what pattern to use. I've got a few choices narrowed down and I think I've almost made up my mind...more on that later!

cooking....and fabric

Doesn't this make your heart sing? Well only if you like squash. It does wonders for me! Hubby hit the farmer's market at 8am to see the trucks unloading their goods into the back gates. He said all the bins were over flowing with fresh new produce. Among them these lovelies that came home to be our dinner last night!SO tender and soft, I meant to take a good shot of the pan cooking but wow was my mind somewhere else! it got to 95 in the shade yesterday and after boiling, then pan cooking the mashed goodness it was hot in the kitchen!

SO Kathie asked to see what I was buying in the fabric department lately. NOT my normal stuff I will say. I've gotten the Jane Market bag bug for the time being, so I did a little shopping for some new bag supplies. The front pile is destined to be about 6 new market bags in coordinating colors...with a few polka dots from theother pile. The back pile is new fabric for a few ideas I have rolling around in my head and a new KING size quilt for our bed. I think I know the idea I want to use, but I'm not sure if I want certain colors or lots and lots of new modern fabrics. Indecision.

Isn't this one of the coolest fabrics? Birdcages from Laura Gunn called Lantern Bloom! I just checked and it's all gone where I bought mine. See how fabulous others think it is!! SO neat and almost too neat to cut up, it will have to go in a very special quilt...maybe in the bed quilt? Who knows.

I did actually sew something yesterday. I gathered up all my scrap bag pieces I've collected and made a small...18" x 40" runner for the top of my bedroom dresser. Now to pin baste it and get it quilted and on the dresser.

stuff...

Wow where did the week go...a whole week! I've been merrily sewing things here and there, stitching away at nothing in particular really. Catching up on my embroidery blocks for the "baskets" quilt, appliqueing all the center goodies of a patriotic quilt, and cleaning out closets, and rooms. I really need to be better at making posts about subjects instead of what I finished...but later.

Now since posts need a picture, I'll use the nightly bath session. With all the pricey cat trees we have in this house Pixel still curls up on the carpet beside my quilting hoop every night to sleep. Noodle comes in and washes his face and head all over........then he bites the heck out of his neck! Pure mean-ness and I end up yelling"too rough"! Last night I was snapping pictures and this turned up!
How did we get our head like this? It looks awful!

Before I go, I did want to point out something very cool on Alicia's Posie Gets Cozy blog you simply must go and read...the post COMMENTS. Okay it's a sweet post of her kitty Daisy, but the question she asks in it is.... Do you sew? As of right this minute there are 1204 comments...I was 542. You don't have to read them all but you should scan them. I was surprised at how many people do not sew at all but really want to learn. It's fun to read them. I know I get my fair share of emails from beginners asking detailed questions about sewing and constructing a quilt but these answers are really interesting. If you have 30 minutes go glance through some of the comments.

we are gardeners!

Okay so one pot, but hey it's growing and I'll be proud to eat my little crop on my pizza~! Can you tell what it is?

The pizza clue probably gave it away...BASIL! Lettuce Leaf basil to be exact. I never knew they had so many varieties of basil. I picked out the closest one to what we buy from the selection on sale at Trader Joe's 2 weeks ago and it has tripled in size in that short time.

So today we bought potting soil and pot and replanted it so it has plenty of room to roam and produce yummy pizza topping. It feels really good to have something growing again after all these years. The backyard garden will have to wait for a while yet.

Last week I was skipping around some of my favorite blogs when I came to Alicia's blog. I love most of the things on Posie Gets Cozy, but mention Miss Jane Marple and you instantly have my attention! Alicia had made a new pattern for a Jane inspired Jane Market Bag! I had planned to replace my icky black webby ones from Walmart at some time, but she did all the work for me so I gladly turned over my meager amount and started sewing. About 3 1/2 hours later I had my finished bag!...including cutting time. I've already picked out fabric for several more!

Speaking of Jane and Agatha Christie...if you are a fan of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple you might want to pay attention! 6 NEW episodes start June 21st on Masterpiece Mystery. Here they come on Sunday's at 9:00PM, on PBS. We have a new Miss Marple, which is sad since I love Geraldine McEwan but I happy for new episodes. Look for new episodes of Inspector Lewis to follow after Jane!

And finally...an answer to WHY is everything we own covered with tufts of fur? Exhibit A....

how are we doing?

I'm doing much better. More interested and more focused. Finally a few finishes to report! 4th of July Andy...or are these all called Annie's? Doesn't it look like a HE? I'd love to have a more stylized pictures of completed quilts, but with no backyard fences, or backyard for that matter, you get the beige wall in the living room where it's tacked up. *g* I like JoAnn Mullaly's patterns a lot as evidenced by the fact that I do so many of them! Christmas Annie, Four Seasons, and the Basket of Life quilt. Most all her patterns can be found at The Country Loft and they even have a kit available for this mini quilt.

Also finished is the Santa block for my ABC Sampler. It's coming right along now.

You might notice if you see Cheri's quilt that I have enlarged a few of the beginning letters...like the "S" and a few others. I wanted a more prominent starting letter on as many as I could make it work for and still look nice. Santa was one that worked well. So I changed it. Don't ya love his polka dot suit?

Then the US block all sewn down. Time to start getting some piece joined together again I think. I prepped and started the next Basket block in line and also have some more blocks to prep for applique. Can't wait to have the whole weekend to spend with hubby, sewing away and getting more things finished!

it's coming back...

...that wonderful feeling of liking what I am doing and wanting to do some more! I decided to dive in and do some catch up work. SO I have "stuff" to show that doesn't really match but it's all working toward getting quilts done, so that's a very good thing.

First up are the new earrings I got from sulu. I found her Etsy shop from a link that Amanda Jean had on her blog once and I've loved her stuff ever since. I go over every so often just to see what's there. Last time I couldn't pass up this fabulous color combo! I love earrings like most women like shoes; and they're much cheaper!

Then I got busy and decided to sew the patchwork frame on my basket blocks. So here's block one..... ...and block two. Next basket is up right after I finish my Patriotic Annie! She's almost finished.

Then I got the Santa block and the "U" US block all prepped and turned under for the ABC Sampler Quilt. I was going to show Santa, but he's all sewn down and I figured I'd wait until his embroidery bits were done to show you the finished product. Here's the US block ready to sew and tacked down. I still do love my regular needleturn, but sometimes you can't beat that freezer paper starch pre-turn method for quickness and precision. Click the links for just how others do it too.
Now, I'm hitting the sofa with my needle and stitching on Santa's face and buttons.
Toodles!

moving on to S for Santa...

R is for Rooster...............


now we do Santa.