Just in time

I am such a procrastinator. I work well under the pressure of a deadline but I really don't know why I do it! I have the time. I know about things in plenty of time. Yet I wait.

I just finished this apron for a bridal shower being held tomorrow afternoon.


The bride-to-be likes green. I hope she likes this combination of Sandi Henderson's Meadowsweet. I also made a simple potholder to go with it. Maybe she'll try it on at the shower and I can get a better picture because I know this one is pretty bad. Taken at night with flash.

I would have waited until the morning to finish the apron but I really need to start on a cake that I am making for a different shower being held on Sunday.

Just realized that I didn't do my stash report for the week ending 3/27. I'll just add that week and this week together and report on Sunday.

I think I'll go make some quilt binding for that Aviary baby quilt. I might be able to get that finished tomorrow so that I can give that at the shower on Sunday. No worries if it doesn't happen though since I've chipped in on a big group gift.

Praise - for the safe travels of a young family in our church returning from Peru.

Prayers - For College Girl's final quarter of her junior year.

Bridal Shower Gift

We have a wedding to attend in July. We've known the groom and his family for quite a few years. We met the bride very briefly at a wedding two summers ago. College girl and I could not attend the shower unfortunately. I made this on Thursday, got it in the mail the same day and hopefully it arrived in time for the Sunday afternoon shower.



Fabric is Ava Rose by Tanya Whelan. Pattern is from Retro Aprons by Cindy Taylor Oates. It goes together so nicely. It is my 'go to' quick gift apron of choice.

Rainy day here. I need to go to town but I was hoping to avoid the rain. I've already done my work for the day. Could press seams on the blocks I made on Friday. Could bake cookies. Could work on VBS stuff. I love rainy days (but not when I need to go to town).

Praise - for RAIN! I love when God waters our part of the earth for us. Everything looks so fresh and green.

Prayers - for my part in VBS. That my attitude would be glorifying to God and that I would think of each child there as His child.

Pictures - you asked for 'em

Okay, buckle your seat belts and settle in for the ride. All the pictures that I haven't been able to post are here now, in one place.
Lakeside Charm is home from the quilters. The stitch pattern is called popcorn. I just LOVE IT! Oh yeah...see that flappy stuff there along the edges...binding. Uh yeah. I am supposed to hand sew that around the back, right?? They got the quilt done early for me so I would have plenty of time to hand sew that. Uhhhhh, have I started? No. Hanging my head in shame. It is on my to do list to start it tomorrow. I WILL start on it tomorrow. I have NO IDEA how far I will get and how long the entire thing will take. I can't put it off any longer though. So when it is time to wash and dry this should I take it to a laundromat? I am not sure it will fit too well in my washing machine.

The next is the first checkbook cover that I made using some scraps of Marcus Metro Blue. You can find the directions here. Amandajean is posting quite a few tutorials for Christmas gift inspiration. You'll wanna check them out.

Then look at this lovely fabric. Mmmmmmmmm Moda Cotton Blossoms. It just hit me the other day, although I have drooled over this fabric since first eyeing it in a Quilt Market photo that it is a combination of the two companies! DUH! So I'm slow. Camille's company is Thimble BLOSSOMS and her mother Bonnie's company is COTTON Way. Put those two creative minds together and we get Cotton Blossoms. Below is a mix of the 'daughter' layer cake and yardage for the border and binding of the A PIECE OF CAKE quilt. It is even prettier in real life. This is not normally a color combination that I would be drawn to but this time I was.

I couldn't wait to get those blocks sewn together! Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, I have so many other things I SHOULD be doing (like that binding???). They went together so easily though I could not resist. So now they will wait, in a stack until some other things are done. I have to trim all the blocks to a uniform size but here is a rough layout of how my quilt top will look (without the binding).

When I was in the LQS recently I noticed about 4 or 5 little tote bags all around the store, all the same design. I commented on them to the sales clerk and she said that she had made them using the pattern from the latest issue of Quilts and More. I liked being able to see the tote in person and decided that I could make a few of these. I found this fabric at WM. A nice line of about 6 coordinating prints and inexpensive enough to not feel too guilty about getting a bit to make the tote. ;) Especially for a first run through. I got it all cut out and the straps ironed but then realized that I had NO dark brown thread. The new machine is a little pickier about thread types than my old machine was so....this was put on hold.

October 4th is a popular wedding date this year. We know of 4 weddings on that day and we were invited to two of them. In two different states. It breaks my heart to not go to the one in Washington. We have known the young man since he was maybe 9 or 10. We need to be here in Idaho though as we were asked to take the photos at that wedding. So for the fiance' of our longtime friend I made this apron. Her bridal shower was today. My daughter and I attended the bridal shower of the gal being married here in Idaho and I did make an apron for her as well (made it yesterday in fact) but I don't have the picture of that one yet.

Last but certainly NOT least - a layer cake of Cotton Blossoms in the 'mother' colorway. I love the other quilt top so much that I was sure I would love it even better in this colorway. It is more to my tastes with the reds and chocolates. I can't wait to get this one made up too (yeah, yeah, AFTER the binding). I am thinking now of gifting the one I have started already and then keeping this one for myself. :D


So there you have it. An update on my projects WITH photos. Sorry but I can't show you a picture of my sewing room. My mess is not anywhere near as neat as Nanette's mess. ;)

Prayers being said for all those affected by Hurricane Ike and the lingering effects that seem to be up into the mid west now.