Merry Christmas

A little video greeting that my College Boy just made for Timbersled Products, featuring their Mountain Horse Snowbike. You'll see my College Girl and her boyfriend at the beginning. :)



I don't know why I can't get the full video there. Here is the link to watch it on YouTube.

Share the link for the video with your friends and family (my son would love to see the views count go UP!). I'm sure all the guys would love to find that snowbike kit under their Christmas tree.

Hubby, myself, College Girl and her boyfriend, and College Boy will be celebrating Christmas on Saturday. Adding in the serious boyfriend, travel for him and College Girl to celebrate Christmas with his parents and brother (who has to head back to his job early Monday morning) made for some interesting logistics that we think we have finally figured out. The time and date does not matter. What does matter is that we stay focused on THE reason for the season - the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior and that we spend the day with loved ones.

I hope to be back sometime the week between Christmas and New Year.

Merry Christmas to all!


Praise - for the incredible news we just received from my sister in law. The cancerous tumor on her lung has shrunk by 50%!

Prayers - for continued healing in my sister in law's lungs.

Decadence Apron

I've been sewing a LOT lately. I've just not taken the time to post pictures. I'm trying to remember now if I even took pictures of everything. I've made a tree skirt and a table runner using Moda's Jovial and another table runner from Moda's Grace. I also made a 241 Tote for College Girl's birthday using a patchwork of precious scraps from Moda's Arcadia. I need to shorten the strap on that.

Today I have an entry for the November installment of;

Just in time for Thanksgiving, a cute apron from Riley Blake's Decadence line.




By the time I finished sewing this afternoon there was no more daylight to take a decent picture by. Overhead lighting and flash was the best I could do.

I would love to start another project but it is just about impossible to do so. I have a clear space on my cutting table about a foot square. Ugh. Shoving the scraps from previous projects off to the side has finally caught up with me and I must take care of it before I proceed. There are scraps and pattern pieces and directions and tools. Actually, who knows what might be buried under the mess. I know it is going to look so good when it is cleared off and I will be inspired to create something new.

I'm happy to report that we are beginning to get snow. :)

Praise - for all the safe travels and great time with friends and family this past weekend (celebrating College Girl's 22nd birthday).

Prayers - for one of my nephews and a man from our church that are both in the hospital being treated for infections in their backs.

Quilt Market Envy

Don't you wish you were at Quilt Market this weekend? I sure would like to go. Just once. It has got to be a wonderful experience and a total sensory overload. I scour blogs looking for updates, news, photos. I LOVE to see the fabrics 'in action'. When I do 98% of my fabric shopping online sometimes it is just difficult to know the scale of a print. Yes, even if there is a ruler in the image. I like to see fabrics used in bags and aprons and quilts and skirts and dresses.

This morning Moda has 23. Wait a minute. That should read TWENTY THREE!!!! new collections listed on their site.

I already have some favorites.There are a lot of great prints from the other collections and I could pick and choose from them but for entire collections these are my choices. Of the collections debuting today from Moda, in no particular order;


Basic Grey's 'hello luscious'

Aneela Hoey's 'a walk in the woods'

Lucie Summers' 'SUMMERSVILLE'

Fig Tree Quilts' "California Girl'

3 Sisters' 'Papillon'

Lily Ashbury's 'Trade Winds'

I have to be honest and tell you that at first glance 'California Girl' did not make the cut. I wasn't won over by the blues. Then I went blog hopping and came across the beautiful quilt that Sherri made using this line and a new Fig Tree Quilts pattern (to be released in November). Take a look at the quilt here. Sherri always does a spectacular job. Now I am in love with that collection. Some of the prints remind me of 'Ruby', oddly enough - different designer altogether.

I am in FABRIC LOVE with the reds in 'Papillon'. This collection looks like it would coordinate so well with 'Etchings'. The reds make me think of the reds in Fig Tree Quilts' 'Butterscotch & Roses'. Mmmmmmmmm.

Okay, if I had to choose. You know, like someone was holding a gun to my head to choose my absolute favorite from the TWENTY THREE collections debuting today - hands down, no contest - Basic Grey's 'Hello Luscious'. It is like Chez Moi's 'Sophie' but with an 'edge', because you've gotta love those Grunge solids. It is scheduled for a February '12 release. What could brighten up those mid winter days any better?

I will be scouring the blogs and websites looking for upcoming releases from other companies. Let me know if you find anything!

I was going to post pictures but when I saved them and tried to resize them they were all too blurry to appreciate their loveliness. Just go to the site and check them out for yourself. I wonder what you favorite will be.

Praise - another beautiful fall day!

Prayers - a dear friend from church learned yesterday that her father passed away. She and her husband on driving to Denver. Safe travels for them and for comfort for the entire family at this very sad time.

Celebrate Color - October Part 2

I wanted to enter two items for:

and the linky on the contest site would not let me use the same URL for both entries so here ya go, a tote that I made using THIS tutorial;





It reminds me of fall with the pumpkin,gold and brown among the colors with a shot of blue for the sky.

Celebrate Color - October

I almost forgot that entries need to be in by the 26th of the month for:

First off is this apron, made in Sandi Henderson's Meadowsweet and a coordinating Kona Cotton.





I am getting lots of sewing done lately and have more projects to show, I just haven't taken the time to take the pictures yet! I've made a TO DO list where I break each project down into steps. It is so rewarding to mark something off the list even if the entire project isn't done. I like to see all that I have accomplished in the last month or so.

Praise - another baby to join our church family in June!

Prayers - for College Girl. She is half way through fall quarter and has so much to do! Prayers for her challenges with one particular professor.

4th times a charm??

Computer issues here today and finally I am able to post the pictures.



I just returned home from the baby shower where the quilt was the only handmade gift and the mother-to-be LOVED it! I know she will cherish it.

FNSI was successful for me this month!

Praise - Thank you God for AUTUMN! It is just GLORIOUS outside today and I love to see and enjoy God's handiwork especially this time of year.

Prayers - For this mother-to-be and all she has ahead of her. Praying for a safe delivery in December, first of all.

FNSI update

I finished the quilt just moments before hubby arrived home! I will wash & dry it in the morning and take pictures then to post.

Praise - College Girl's boy arrived safely and Hubby's travels were safe!

Prayers - For a good nights sleep!

FNSI progress

I was able to get the top pieced and a picture taken before it got too dark and the rain started.



Now to make the quilt sandwich and get it quilted. I was going to do straight lines like in the inspiration quilt but have decided that is going to take too long so stippling it will be.

Praise - College Girl has another week of her senior year behind her.

Prayers - for College Girl's guy, who is on the road (in traffic) on his way to visit with her for the weekend.

FNSI again??

How time flies! Rene just asked me if tonight was the FNSI and I had to go check. Yes indeed it is. PERFECT timing!! Hubby is going to play volleyball until late and I have a project that needs to get done. Get done? Correction - I am JUST starting the project but it needs to be done by the time I go to a baby shower tomorrow!!!!

I am using this quilt as inspiration and using Riley Blake's All Star scraps that I have.



Praise - College Boy came home last weekend but was sick the entire time. He is back at school and feeling much better. I was so thankful to have him home so that I could attend to him.

Prayers - for safe travels for hubby tonight.

Finished and gone

I finished the quilt just in the nick of time, Thursday afternoon. I was sweating it there for awhile because I figured I was going to have to get to town, wash and dry the quilt at the laundromat and get back home in time to fix dinner for everyone. Fortunately the quilt fit in my washing machine (kicking myself for NOT getting a front loader)and then I put it in the dryer with a pillowcase with tennis balls tied inside.


Pictures didn't turn out great, funky lighting choices and all.

Colleg Girl drove off at nine a.m. on Friday for a six hour drive.She wasn't able to move in until today but I'll bet that the quilt is probably on her bed by now.

This is my entry for;

I think this fall has all the colors of fall - golds, oranges, browns, rusts and turquoise for the sky.

Praise - College Girl made it safely to school after a lonesome, long drive.

Prayers - For College Girl's senior year, she'll hit the ground running Monday with reading and an essay due before classes even start. For College Boy's busy week and making time for all he needs to do.

Progress report

Well I can call my FNSI a success! This is what I accomplished;


Yes, I know it is a bad picture. The lighting is pretty low in this room, the lights and flash made it look worse. Soon I can be finished, take it outside and have someone tall hold it up for me. Stay tuned.

I have the first borders cut out. I need to sew them together and then sew them to the quilt and then get my outer border strips cut. I would say that I usually cut everything before I get started but this time I just wanted to SEW, so I cut the bare essentials and got to work. I actually like doing it this way as it breaks it all up a bit so nothing gets monotonous.

I know that I said I liked ALL the fabrics in this line but if I HAD to choose one favorite this would be it;


College Girl is still six hours away (spending some time with College Boy this morning) so I can get quite a bit done if I just get to work. Off I go.

Praise - for cooler temperatures for the house building work party that hubby is taking part in today. I hope they are all safe and make a lot of progress.

Prayers - for College Girl and her boyfriend's (hmmmm, I need a 'name' for him)safe travel back home today.

This is what I'm working on

Tutorial found here at the Moda Bake Shop.

I'm using the same Fandango fabric. There is not one print in this line that I dislike. Nope, I love 'em all! I have doing one extra row so that the quilt will be longer. My borders are a different fabric than the one pictured and I think I will cut them an inch wider than suggested in the tutorial.

Okay, back to work!

Praise - College Girl and her boyfriend had safe travels today.

Prayers - for the time College Girl spends with family friends and College Boy.

I'll be there!

I'm working on College Girl's Senior (SENIOR!!!) year quilt. I started cutting pieces out on Monday. I started sewing on Wednesday. She leaves for school next Friday.

Praise - triplets born early but healthy to son and daughter-in-law of couple in our church. The new grandparents made a safe trip to CA and arrived just a couple of hours before the delivery. Welcome to the world, Patrick,Braiden and Sofia!

Prayers - for a Godly upbringing for the triplets, that they would continue to be healthy (each born at approx 3 pounds) and that they would grow up to walk with God.

September already!

I have been offline for AGES! Not that I have really accomplished much but I was just tired of blogging and when I had nothing to show I figured why bother. Maybe I should have used the time wisely and come up with projects to share. I did buy fabric. I lost count of my WEEK IN and WEEK OUT totals for the fabric. Let's just say the number of yards IN far, far exceeds the yards OUT.

What has prompted me to return? Stitched in Color's Celebrate Color!

Fall is my all time favorite season. The problem is fall is not here yet. Not by the date on the calendar OR the temperatures we'll be having this week.

Here are some images (mostly from Pinterest)that give you an idea of what I LOVE about fall.

scrapbook page done by me ages ago

I like cooler days,much cooler nights, clear blue skies, leaves changing colors, a fresh box of crayons, soup for dinner, sweaters, jeans, boots, crisp apples right from the orchard, and mums.

College Girl and College Boy spent the ENTIRE summer working on the Oregon coast. Hubby and I were able to go visit a couple of times. College Boy returned home on a Friday at the very end of August and left for school on Sunday. He started his sophomore year on Monday the 29th. He was able to come home for part of the Labor Day weekend but he is now gone again, back to school. The visits were so short but sweet. College Girl will return home tomorrow and will have about three weeks before returning to college for her senior year (she only has to put in two quarters!). We can hardly wait to have her home with us!

Praise - that both of the kids had such a wonderful summer, teaching kids about the love of God, enjoying the beautiful Oregon coast and getting to spend some time together.

Prayers - for College Boy's drive back to campus tonight and for College Girl's drive home tomorrow.

Stash Report - week ending 4/17

Its hard to stop once I get going again on the fabric buying. Really, this was all part of the same fabric buying spree it just didn't get here as quickly as what was on the report last week.
Amy Butler Cherry Blossom - I've liked this print for a long time and finally gave in.

Some Meadowsweet prints that I thought would look cute in a purse.

Moda Basics by Basic Grey. I really like this entire line but didn't commit to that big of a purchase.

Anna Maria Horner Little Folks voile


Not pictured some lining fabric and a yard of linen for some napkins. I bought those both at JoAnn's on Saturday where I DID see the new Denise Schmidt line. I fondled it, I played with the bolts, I put it back on the shelf and walked away. JoAnn's is just over an hour away from me so no changing my mind this week and returning for some. IF I decide that I NEED some of the new prints it will just have to wait until sometime in May when I might be near another JoAnn's.

Yardage out this week was the Jamie Dress and lining.

9.5 yards in week ending 4/17
3.25 yards out week ending 4/17
53.375 yards YTD IN
47.125 yards YTD OUT

-6.25 yards TOTAL BUSTED 2011

I'm reporting in HERE.

I have now officially added more to my stash than I have busted. phooey. Must work on a remedy for that situation.

Praise - for dear friends. The daughter in a family of dear friends turned 14 this weekend. I remember going to the hospital when she was born.

Prayers - for dear friends. I pray that God would keep them safe and healthy and walking with Him and that our reunion in May would be sweet.

Jamie Dress Sew Along Complete

I just wanted to share a couple of pictures from our trip to Big Sky country last week.
College Boy taking some pictures;

Hubby and I walked up this road so that College Boy could take some pictures of us for a photography assignment. It was such a gorgeous day.

I really did not even think of flowers when I asked hubby to go to the grocery store for me before coming home from work the other day. He will only buy flowers at this one particular grocery store (and never at WM). A warm room and some sunshine and they were all opening up.


So here is what I'm all excited about;

I finished the dress!!! Now remember this is for College Girl to HOPEfully wear on Easter Sunday. I asked her numerous times for various measurements, I read and read and Reread the comments by others in the sew along and then finally I just bit the bullet and prayed a LOT while I sewed. I packaged it up and sent it off via Priority Mail this afternoon. College Girl might get it tomorrow but surely by Monday and then we will know if it fits.

I would do a few things differently sewing with this pattern again but overall the instructions were good and there are lots of great pictures. Putting in the zipper with a glue stick was a great idea. A side zipper at that. I had never done one of those before. I wasn't thrilled with how wide the stitching was on the zipper opening or how it is done around the bottom of the zipper. I would do that differently next time. For the hem the instructions just say to stitch around the bottom of the skirt. Well I think it is such a nice dress and deserved a nicer job on the hem. I just hate that hand stitching and knew it would never look as good as something my mother or mother-in-law would have done. Hmmmmm, I KNEW there was this technique for doing a blind hem stitch on the machine but I could NEVER figure out the whole fabric folding thing. Well I got out my Bernina manual that has failed me miserably in any other situation and tried it on some scrap fabric. It was easy and I LOVED the results! On to the real hem!
On some sections you can't even see the stitches because the thread is such a great match. I was soooo happy with that! Looks nice and it was quick. I will definitely use that technique again and again.

Here is the finished dress, in what sunlight I could get from our front window.
The dark fabric you see at the neckline is the lining of the back as that rides higher than the front neckline.
Fabric is Poppy in Aqua by Laura Gunn for Michael Miller.

Won't you pray along with me that it will fit College Girl? I'd really appreciate that.

Praise - College Boy earned a super grade on a recent test and has handed in his application to go on in the film program.

Prayers - for College Girl and some decisions/situations that she has before her. For wisdom and knowledge and discretion.

Stash Report - week ending 4/10

This isn't going to be good for the ol' stash. All of this arrived in the mail on Monday;


I was going to call this The Ugly Truth but seriously there is NOTHING ugly about this haul!
Fandango charms and yardage for College Girl's senior year quilt.


Pure charm packs for College Boy's sophmore or junior year quilt/duvet. Simple Abundance yardage to back a quilt made with a jelly roll from the same line.


Moda Bella Solids that were on sale at the Fat Quarter Shop, the off white for College Girl's quilt and the Simple Abundance quilt. The grey is for my 1974 quilt.


Simple Abundance print for the borders of quilt, Patisserie print for borders of a quilt made with that line (remember I got those pre-cuts not too long ago?) and the Dandelion Girl seersucker plaid for a sundress for College Girl.


All fabric was on sale. All fabric has an intended purpose. All fabric by Moda (totally unplanned).

I also received one very overpriced FQ of Sandi Henderson's Henna Garden in Pumpkin and now my collection is complete and I can start on that project someday.


25.25 yards in week ending 4/10
0 yards out week ending 4/10
43.875 yards YTD IN
43.875 yards YTD OUT

0 yards TOTAL BUSTED 2011

I'm reporting stash results HERE.

Who knew this would bring me to exactly even for the year? I'd best get busy on the yardage OUT before the 'other' package arrives. Maybe later today!

Praise - hubby and I had safe travel to and from visiting College Boy. We had a great time with him and our friends and enjoyed over 5" of fresh falling snow while there.

Prayers - For pain relief for Joanne and for improvement/healing for Grant.

What I'm working on now

I have no idea what one thing led to another and led me to Sara's blog Sew Sweetness and her sew along for this dress;


As it happened College Girl likes the dress and I told her I could try to get it made and shipped off to her so that she could wear it for Easter. She liked that idea and I proceeded to send her some images of fabric. Well I sent an image of the orange poppy by Laura Gunn and told her that it also came in aqua and bright pink. Well she doesn't like orange so much but when I sent her an image of the aqua finally she decided that was IT! Oh bother, because then I couldn't find that fabric anywhere for a decent price. I knew that I had some in my stash but thought it was only enough to make a purse. I went rummaging. I found TWO pieces and together they were exactly enough for the dress!!!



I also had the perfect zipper and thread already. There was not quite enough of the Kona solid that I wanted to use for the lining but I think this darker one will be great. Fabric and zipper have been run through the washer and dryer and ironed and I have it almost all cut out now. Just have the skirt to go as I was waiting to get a measurement from College Girl.

The most difficult part of this is the fact that College Girl can't try it on along the way. I need to get it all sewn together and then sent to her. I truly believe that God orchestrates my days and He has gotten me through this far - getting me to the blog with the sew-along and providing just the right amount of the perfect fabric. I'll be praying while I sew that He will get me through a side zipper application and the perfect fit for College Girl when it arrives on her doorstep.

Praise - that College Girl likes her teaching methods classes for her final quarter of this school year and she now remember why it is she wanted to be a teacher in the first place.

Prayers - for safe travels. Hubby and I are headed east tomorrow to visit College Boy at school and spend some time with some dear friends. We'll be headed back home on Saturday. Snow in the forecast.

Stash Report - week ending 4/3 and something sweet

I was asked to make a cake for a baby shower. The mother likes chocolate and strawberries. I didn't want to make a sheet cake so I looked around online for some ideas and came up with this;


3 layer milk chocolate cake, strawberry jam and sliced strawberries between the layers, chocolate frosting, ganache poured over, chocolate dipped strawberries drizzled with pink candy coating (she had a girl). I didn't even stay for the shower because my back was killing me but the reports back were that the cake was a success.
I instructed a couple of gals on how to cut it so that it served a lot of ladies. Cut a good sized round in the middle of the cake then cut 1" or so slices from the outer ring to serve. When you get to the middle round you can cut that into small wedges. They said the middle was difficult to cut but the outer ring sliced up beautifully.

Here is the quilt I made for the newborn girl using the Aviary charm pack, some pale pink Kona solid and a dusty pink Kona for the binding. The backing is an off white flannel. Yes, the sides look all wonky but it must be because I just pulled it out of the dryer and asked hubby to hold it up for a picture. I didn't take any time to smooth it out and hand press it into shape. It was not like this once I had it on the table and folding it up.

I machine stitched the binding. Time was short and I was tired but I really like it and think I will do that more often, at least on baby quilts.



Stash report is really for two weeks, I never got around to reporting last Sunday.
Fabric out consisted of yardage for the camera strap, my cherry blossoms pillow, the bridal shower apron and this baby quilt. The fabrics that came in consisted of backing and binding for the quilt as well as a FQ of a Sandi Henderson Henna in Springtime. I paid too much for it but it is scarce and I 'needed' it!

2 yards in week ending 4/3
5.5 yards out week ending 4/3
18.625 yards YTD IN
43.875 yards YTD OUT

25.25 yards TOTAL BUSTED 2011

I'm reporting in HERE with my totals.

Next week's report is going to be BAD, verrrry bad. I have fallen off the fabric diet and purchased quite a bit. I think that it is all for projects that I have in mind and want to be working on and everything was on sale! So hard to resist when the conditions are right. I need to get sewing so that I have SOMETHING to show in the OUT column.

Praise - for the sweet baby girl added to our church family - Annalee Rose. Our church has lots of babies right now but most of them are about a year old. Annalee looks soooooo small in comparison.

Prayers - for Annalee's family and her upbringing. That she would come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal saviour.