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.

I love me some weekend sewing

I actually made this late yesterday afternoon for College Girl's camera.
I used this tutorial found at Moda Bake Shop. Moda's Bliss charms leftover from the baby quilt that I made recently.

Then I started cutting up some soft pink Kona solid and part of the charms from an Aviary charm pack that I won.
Today I'm doing the sewing. I'm working towards something like this. I don't have enough for a border but that's just fine as it is for the newest little girl born into our church family.

I have no idea why I love weekend sewing when all of my days are pretty much the same, but I do. I did run to town this morning (which is such a time waster in my opinion)to get some Kona solid for a binding and some off white flannel for the backing. I guess my stash report is not going to be very impressive this week.

Break is over, back to the machine.

Praise - Joanne's surgery was a success! She is recovering in ICU now.

Prayers - that Joanne would avoid infection and that her pain would subside. Also for hubby and College Girl, that they would be safe while playing in a volleyball tournament today.

March Pillow Party - in pictures. Lots of them.

Nothing like waiting until the last minute to get my entry posted for the

Well seriously I DO have a few more hours, so in my procrastinating mind I am way ahead!

The story of this pillow begins back in October 2009 when I saw THIS tutorial by Alison at Cluck Cluck Sew. I loved the pillow and the tutorial and made one for College Girl to match her sophomore year quilt. But I knew I wanted to do more with that same method. The mug rugs that I made recently were branching out from that pillow, using the free motion quilting to applique the shapes on to the background fabric. I liked giving the pieces some texture with the quilting stitches.

My idea for this month's pillow starting brewing back in January. I knew that I wanted a cherry blossom tree for March. My first rough sketch.

Yeah I sketch in a graph paper spiral notebook. I also draw out quilt blocks, quilt layouts, figure measurements for yardage and even cookie designs.

My refined sketch;

Notice how I can't even commit to an entire page? When I sketch the graph paper means nothing as far as size of the finished project, it is just paper.

I was determined to use what I had on hand for this pillow since I AM trying not to purchase fabric unless absolutely necessary. These are the Kona solids that I had in my stash that would work;

Although in my head a lighter, shimmery, sheer pink would have been lovely.

I didn't trust myself to draw the tree and sloping grass covered ground backwards onto the WonderUnder so I drew it out the way I wanted the end product, made notes on it and then flipped it over and traced around it on the WonderUnder.



I decided to use a pale pale pink Kona solid 'cloud' under all of the petals so that most of the area seen between petals would appear to be pink petals and not sky.


College Girl wanted to help so I set her to work with my Sizzix die cut press to cut out all of the petals. Neither one of us counted how many she made but I used them all. In fact she made one petal backed with WonderUnder and then I decided that was not going to work but late last night I ended up pulling the backing paper off and using that petal as well. I arranged them and rearranged them. I too pictures to see the placement from a different viewpoint. I used a Elmer's Washable School Glue Stick (in Disappearing Purple)to glue each petal down. I pulled up a few of the glued down petals and relocated them. Then I let it all sit overnight. I wanted to see if I would like what I saw in the morning.


I did! So I got to work with the free motion quilting. What I had envisioned for the grass didn't work out so I just started moving the fabric and this is what I came up with.

The tree bark was easy. I had done the trees on my mug rugs and really liked how they turned out so I just went with that same style. I used black thread to make the bark appear darker than just the brown Kona.

Free motion quilting of the flower centers;

I just went from blossom to blossom and cut all the threads when I was finished. MUCH quicker that way.

The finished pillow - Cherry Blossoms.


I left it on the couch after College Girl and I both took pictures of it and when hubby came in from work he said "CUTE PILLOW!".

I'm going to link up with amylouwho's Sew & Tell too.

Praise - for the new baby girl born into our church family!

Prayers - continued prayers for Joanne. She was to have surgery yesterday and her husband has not posted an update yet.

Late Stash Report - Week ending 3/20

I've been enjoying time with my two college kiddos home and not spending much time on the computer. I did get a little bit of sewing done which finally got me to the point that I can say the Cotton Blossoms quilt #2 is finished! Well I almost have the binding sewn on the back.
I was just about to wash and dry Cotton Blossoms quilt #1 a week or so ago when I realized that I had not made a label for it. So both of this will be set aside for a couple of weeks while other projects take priority and then I will get the labels made, sewn on and then the washing and drying can take place so that FINALLY I will be able to take pictures.

here is my report;

0 yards in week ending 3/20
9.875 yards out week ending 3/20
16.625 yards YTD IN
38.375 yards YTD OUT

21.75 yards TOTAL BUSTED 2011


I'm reporting in here.

Praise - College Boy returned safely to college tonight.

Prayers - For the final 6 weeks of College Boy's freshman year at college.

Quilt Along Fun - I hope

I don't even know how I ended up at Lily's Quilts blog. It was one of those, follow a link to another link to another link and there I was. This is what I found when I got there;

You've got to go take a look. Very intriguing. If you want to do just one block, which is approximately 30 x 30, you can do that. If you want to make the entire quilt, which is 60 x 90, you can do that. This is going to be a 'quilt as you go' quilt. I've never attempted that before.

I'm thinking very seriously about giving it a try. At least the one block. If I like that I will continue on with the other blocks. This is what I'm thinking about using;


Each Dresden circle has 21 'blades' so I thought it would be fun to try using this rainbow of fabric. I've printed off the templates but I've yet to cut into any of the fabric. I'm a rule follower so I will wait until Lynne posts that step. I'm also a procrastinator so the waiting works perfectly for me. Let me know if you're joining in the Quilt Along too!

Praise - our dear friend who is in China and was sick for 5 days is finally feeling better.

Prayers - for our friend, that she would be fully recovered and able to get back to her classes (teaching music and learning Chinese).

Stash Report-week ending 3/13

I was hoping to have this quilt finished and ready to count as an OUT;

But the only thing OUT this past week was my back. I woke up Thursday morning unable to stand up straight. I have no idea what happened as I was completely fine on Wednesday. All that to say, wrestling with a good sized lap quilt while free motion quilting was not in the cards. I did finally do some sewing on Saturday but it completely wore me out. Hopefully the quilt will be on the OUT list for this week.


I did have some fabric come in though. I won this charm pack from Angela at Cut to Pieces.

I'm thinking about using it to make a table topper for a wedding present.

I was feeling about 90% better today and so did a few more things around the house today and now I am feeling it all in my back again. arghhhhhh!

7/8 yards in week ending 3/13
0 yards out week ending 3/13
16.625 yards YTD IN
28.50 yards YTD OUT

11.875 yards TOTAL BUSTED 2011

I'm reporting in HERE with my report.

Praise - College Boy made it home safely (3:30 a.m. on Friday)!

Prayers - for my back to heal. I know that my CORE needs lots of work but right now I can't possibly even work on that.

Stash Report-week ending 3/6/11

I've tried to be strong. I've tried so very hard to stay on this fabric diet. I look at fabric online almost every day. I even fill up carts and make wish lists. I'm weak. There are so many fabrics that I'd love to buy. Some have even been on sale. I've resisted most of them. My all time favorite Fig Tree line since I have gotten back into quilting has been Patisserie. I have a layer cake of it and a teensy bit of yardage that is set aside with a pattern in mind. But I've been looking for another layer cake. I found one, full price and was about to buy it and then I got a sales notice from The Quilt Shoppe. I thought they had already closed their doors but this said that all remaining fabrics were 50% off. So of course, being weak, I went to take a look. There was ONE layer cake and ONE Jelly Roll of Moda's Patisserie! I put them in my cart and thought about them for a bit. Just for a bit, because I knew that at 50% off they wouldn't last long. I bought both of them thinking that surely one or the other or maybe both had really already been purchased by someone ahead of me and they site was not updated yet.

This is what showed up in my mailbox yesterday!!!



I want to use the Jelly Roll to make THIS pattern by Margot. I can hardly wait for that pattern to be released. I'm not sure what I will use as the border at this point. I'll have to start searching for some yardage and hope it will be available in June. I'm still undecided which pattern to use with the layer cake but I have a few ideas. I know that I will keep at least one of these quilts.

So all that to say, here is my stash report for the week.

6 yards in week ending 3/6
9.875 yards out week ending 3/6
15.75 yards YTD IN
28.50 yards YTD OUT

12.75 yards TOTAL BUSTED 2011

I am linking up here with my stash report.


The yardage OUT is what I've used for the Thimble Blossoms 'A Piece of Cake' quilt using Moda's Cotton Blossoms daughter colorway. I am sewing the binding to the back now and should probably finish that up tonight or tomorrow night while hubby and I watch a movie. I should have pictures of the completed, washed & dried quilt later this week.

Praise - Today we had sunshine AND snow. At the same time! God is so amazing.

Prayers - continued prayers for Katy (church friend), Grant and Joanne. For healing for their bodies. For strength and comfort and rest.