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.

Some goals

I haven't set any goals for myself lately and I really like when I have them listed so I have something to work towards. If the goals are in print I tend to try harder to achieve them. We'll see how it works.

Both kids will be home this month for their spring breaks. They will overlap by a few days and so we will all be together!!! YAY!! I'm not sure how much sewing I will get done while they are home so I will make these goals good for March & April. That will work out perfectly for the Charming Girls goals.

*Finish Cotton Blossoms-Daughter Colorway quilt (binding to be made and attached)


*Finish Cotton Blossoms-Mother Colorway quilt (sandwich,quilt,make and apply binding)
*Pillows for Blogger's Pillow Party one for each month.
*Authentic Table runner
*A Ritzy Cracker Quilt
*Fandango quilt for Aimee
*Bliss camera strap cover

That is quite the list! What's crazy is I just got two GREAT books from the library that I want to read too. I don't need more hours in the day, I just need to really limit my computer time. THAT should be the real goal here.

I am a little excited because I am going to NEED to order some fabric for the Ritzy Cracker quilt. I have the charm squares already, but I will need the background, binding and backing. There is a chance I will delay this project and replace it with something else just so that I can avoid making a purchase right now. I'll make that decision in the next day or two.

Praise - Grant is being moved from the hospital to another facility. He is still in a coma but he is now breathing on his own.

Prayers - for continued improvement in Grant's condition, for his family as they prepare the house for his return and learn how to take care of him. Praying for healing for him.

Thank you Benjamin Franklin

Most of all for standing out in a thunderstorm and flying a kite. I love me some electricity. Blow dryers, curling irons, heaters, air-conditioners, sewing machines - all of my essentials, powered by electricity.

I don't know how that same guy figured out that a free public library would be a good idea. It doesn't even seem the sort of thing an inventor would come up with. Maybe he wanted to read what others had found out while they were flying kites in thunderstorms. Just look what I got from our little podunk library in the last two weeks;




The Modern Quilt Workshop and Simplify were brought in by my request. I like to help the library stock their shelves. Now I know for sure I am going to get my own copy of Simplify, it is just beautiful and I can see myself making many of the projects. I haven't looked at the other books in depth yet.

These books are just a small sampling of what's available under quilting or sewing. Have you checked your library for these titles? Maybe you could request that they get them. I like to think about all the people who will benefit from just one book. Our podunk library has an online catalog where I can create lists of books I want to read at some point or put books on hold. They just send me an email and let me know when they are ready to be picked up. When I lived in Washington, at one point in time they would even mail the books right to your house!

A book to borrow and the light to read it by brought to you by Benjamin Franklin. What a guy.

Praise - Joanne's progress! Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord!

Prayers - Praying BIG for Joanne's complete healing and restoration!

Friday Night Sew In- results

I do wish I would have gotten the top of this runner completely finished last night so that I would be sandwiching and quilting right now.


As it is, I need to get busy and get this done, get it sandwiched and quilted as well as the Moda Fruitcake runner flimsy that is waiting in the wings.

I do love Friday Night Sew-In! Now back to the sewing machine.

Praise - College Girl made her travels safely, even in the snow that the storm brought.

Prayers - for hubby's safety while he is out hunting.

Yes, I've been busy

In case you thought I wasn't working on anything;

Nicey Jane flimsy

I didn't take any pictures of the sandwiching, basting and quilting but here is the stage I am at now;

This should have gone with College Girl last week but...let's just say, it didn't. Must get back to work.

Praise - Hubby and I signed papers today to close on the property sale (it isn't closed yet though). This whole process started in early March.

Prayers - for a young lady we know who is spending a semester in Israel. She is very sick and has finally gotten some antibiotics. Prayers that she would be on the mend very soon.

I almost forgot!

It's that time again.



It isn't too late to sign up. Go HERE.

I have a few options to choose from. Who am I kidding? I have dozens of options to choose from but what I meant is, I have narrowed down my choices to a few.
Could be piecing the Cotton Blossoms 'A Piece of Cake' quilt.
Could be piecing the Snippets Pinwheel baby quilt.
Could be sandwiching and quilting the All Star baby quilt.

I think I'll sleep on it and decide in the morning.

Birdie Progress

As far as I'm concerned the Friday Night Sew-In hasn't even started yet but I got busy with the quilting of the Birdie 9 Patch Quilt.

Quilt sandwich;(very messy if I do say so myself. No clue why it looks so rumpled).


Stippling away;


I was pretty happy how the process was going today;


All done with the quilting!


THEN I realized I forgot all about putting the cute flower appliques on it. Oh well, not happening now. I'll get the edges trimmed and set this aside for tonight.

Choices for tonight - quilt the Modern Irish Chain or piece another baby quilt. I think I will do the baby quilt. I need a break after the stippling else I get sore shoulders. I'll take a picture of my fabric and post in a bit.

Sweet news!!! Hubby just called and said he isn't hungry for dinner as they had a big lunch at work during their moving process!! Happy dancing here, oh yeah. Let the Friday Night Sew-In begin! I'm going to tell my son he can fend for himself in the kitchen.

Praise - my morning and early afternoon of continuous interruptions for whatever reason ended and my quilting session went smoothly. I was getting pretty frustrated at all the delays in my day (in His time, I've got to remember that!)

Prayers - That College Girl would have a great time at the concert tonight and for safety there and back.

Friday Night Sew-In is over for me

Technically it is now Saturday but I have just finished quilting the Verna quilt (even the stippling!) and I am calling it quits. I will take pictures later on - when there is daylight - and post them

I'm so happy with what I accomplished tonight!

**yawn** zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Praise - a successful night of sewing!

Prayers - that my son would get home safely this morning.

4/16 I'm ready!

For the


I have my Blush table runner back pieced together and have spray basted the quilt sandwich for that. I also have the Verna quilt sandwiched and ready to go. My plan is to quilt both of those and we shall see what else beyond that. If I have more time I will probably get the binding strips cut and sewn.

I'll take some pictures along the way. First I need to fix and eat dinner with my hubby and son.

Then let's SEW!

Praise - for the absolutely beautiful day we've had here. Almost summer like weather!

Prayers - for hubby and all he needs to get done this weekend on the 'sold' property.

Ahead of schedule

Well at least on the Glace quilt, that is. My goal for November was to have this to the quilt sandwich staqe. Here is that step completed;

Then I decided to go ahead and quilt on either side of each seam;

and a close up of the results;

There are a few other projects on my November list and if I set this quilt aside I just may get to work on them.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and hope you are enjoying the leftovers!

Praise - college girl made it home safely!!!

Prayers - for safe travel tomorrow for our friends that will be taking college girl back to school. It will be a long drive for them.

Happiness in the mail

It finally showed up today (I was beginning to think it was lost).I've been admiring quilts using this pattern on other blogs for some time and I decided to get a pattern for myself. Just something else to add to my TO DO list.

I am thinking I want to make it from a Patisserie layer cake. Someday.

I've been sewing today but had some tension problems. NOT the kind of tension I usually feel in my jaw and shoulders when quilting. It was sewing machine tension! I stippled for miles on a sample piece until I finally got everything to look great. Moved to my real piece and sewed for quite a bit and then decided I did NOT like it. Not even a little. Sat and unpicked lots of thread. Tried it again. Unpicked again. Finally I was able to equalize the threads and I was happy with the stitch. Oh what a lot of wasted time that was.
Still plugging away at my projects.

Praise - For a beautiful first day of fall that God graced us with! Crisp, cool morning, blue skies and sunshine all day with temperatures never getting much over 70.

Prayers - For a young wife at our church that just found out she is pregnant. That she would get over the terrible morning sickness she has been experiencing. Prayers for a healthy pregnancy from here on.

Have you heard??

Maybe you've already heard and maybe you've already done something about it, if so - YEAH YOU!!! If not then read on. I came across a blog that talked about Iraqi Bundles of Love in passing. There was just a mention of the name so I did a BING search to see what it was all about. In a nutshell, a Major stationed in Iraq happens to be the husband of a quilter (also son of and brother of one too!) and his time in Iraq is coming to an end. He came up with Iraqi Bundles of Love as a way to leave something behind with the Iraqi people. Something that they can use, something that they might possibly need. Basically what you do - if in the USA you can get a USPS Flat Rate priority box from the post office, fill it with sewing, quilting or knitting supplies, bundle it up (he tells you just how to pack it!) and send it off. Since it is going to an APO address, if you are in the USA you only need to pay $11.95 for shipping no matter how heavy your box is. You can participate if you are not a resident of the USA, just check his site for more information. Here is a link to his intro page. Once there you will find links for a FAQ page, a BUILD A BUNDLE page, what to send and what not to send and other information. There are pictures of the first 6 bundles that they just received too! The boxes MUST be postmarked by Sept 7th to get there in time for distribution. To get the address either post a comment at his site or ask me for it in a comment here and I can pass it along via email (there was some reason that he doesn't just post the address but I don't remember what it was). There are Iraqi Bundles of Love blog buttons as well but I could not get either one of them to work.

Let me know if you are taking part in this. I have been going through my things tonight and have quite the collection so far - fabrics,trims,threads,scissors. I might have to get two boxes from the post office!

EDITED to ADD - I am going to challenge all the CHARMING GIRLS QUILT CLUB members to build a bundle and ship it off! I know you gals have some fabric lying around. ;)

Praise - That U.S. military personnel would take the time and make the effort to go above & beyond their required duties to help the people of Iraq.

Prayers - that the quilting/crafting online community will rally together to share their bounty with the people of Iraq and that these bundles would be sent & received with love.

Tagged Again

As part of our participation in the Charming Girls Quilt Club, Kelly tags us each month and if we want an extra entry for her drawing then we answer the questions. Easy enough right? Bonus - it got me back to my blog!!!

1. Share your favorite quilting or sewing tip - if you didn't use the fabric and pattern for that cute outfit you planned for your own toddlers, save it - someday you might have grandchildren and more time to sew.

2. Share your best tip for managing time more effectively (what works best for you)! Ohhhhh, if I only had a good answer for this - my quilts would be sewn, my college girl's dresses and skirts would be finished, all purses and totes would be sewn and I wouldn't have much fabric left in my stash. Best tip - limit time on the computer. If need be, make your computer time a reward after you have done the things you want or need to do.

3. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Newfoundland. I have been to all the other provinces (well I think they added one somewhere along the line but I am not counting that) and have ALMOST been to Newfoundland twice.

Praise - the weather has cooled off the last couple of days. There seems to be more hot temperatures for us this August but this little cool down is much appreciated.

Prayers - a couple girls from our church will be returning to college this week. Prayers for their safe travels and for the school year ahead of them.

6 months behind us

Happy July! Hard to believe that 6 months of 2009 are already behind us. I have fallen behind on so many goals. Remember my pattern challenge? I think about it often and wonder if I could ever catch up at this point. Remember my reading challenge? HAH! Not even started! I have just not been in a reading mood. I haven't sewn everyday so far this year but I am pretty happy with how productive I have been in that department. How are you doing with your goals for 2009?

Do you realize there are 177 days until Christmas? Are you already working on gifts that you want to make? Have you already started your shopping? As a family we usually decide what we are going to do for Christmas somewhere between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Yeah, I know. Even if I start talking about it in September we just keep pushing back the decision.

It is almost 2 a.m. so no pictures to post tonight. I just wanted to give an update on my quilt along quilt and my BSR stippling problem. I tried to find solutions online, I put in a new needle, I rethreaded the machine, I changed bobbins, I threaded the bobbins differently, I changed the speed and stitch length and I UNPICKED 4 more times!!!! :( I used a sample piece and finally got the stitch to look great, no skipping, no LONG stitches so I would move to the quilt and it would skip. Do you know how frustrated I was?? I usually give up but I kept at it, sample great, quilt terrible, unpick, start over. I just do NOT understand what the problem is. Finally I took the BSR off of the machine, tucked it back into the foam in the little tin box and put it on the shelf and then attached the darning foot again. I tried a little sample piece and it was great, moved to the quilt and it worked perfectly. I stippled for about 3 hours and now I can call it DONE! Well at least the quilting is done, next step binding.

Praise - I didn't lose my temper when being frustrated over and over again with the BSR. This is a huge improvement for me!

Prayers - for three of my young friends that are in foreign countries on mission trips, two in Mexico and one in Chile (and feeling a twinge of homesickness). I pray for their health and safety but mostly for their witness to those they come in contact with and that all they do would glorify God.

On the level now

With all my blocks sewed into rows and my rows sewed into the quilt top I told hubby that he could have at the sewing table and he got right to work! Measuring and masking off the area;

Hole cut and building the shelf to support the machine;

Looks like he's might be doing an oil change here or some fine tuning of the machine shelf.

All ready to go!


I'm so excited that it is done! Hubby actually wants to build up the machine shelf area so that I can use the plastic 'table' that came with the machine. It would then sit right on top of the table and I wouldn't have the small space in front of and behind the arm. The cut out area has a base built to it so that when I want the machine up on top of the table I just plop it back into the hole and I have a smooth table surface once again. SWEET! It is so nice having a handy hubby, he has built quite a few things for me over the years (including the 8' long sewing table that he is modifying).

I must get to bed! I need to be at the church for VBS registration by 8:30. I can hardly wait to get home and get my quilt 'sandwiched'.

Praise - that hubby IS handy and capable to make repairs, build things from scratch and maintain items around our place. That he had a great Father's Day just hanging out with the family.

Prayers - again for hubby's job interview Monday morning, for college girl's first day on her new job, for my son to be comfortable playing guitar for the VBS song time and that he would be safe when he goes to cut firewood.

HAPPY JUNE!

Can you believe it is June 1st already??? ALMOST summer! Spring here is so slow to be 'springy' that by the time it really looks like spring it is June 1st and almost summer.

Thought you'd like to see some of the wildlife that I see right out my window. This was actually taken from the car window on the way to Bible study. He was just standing there chewing away on the tender young leaves and I told hubby to stop!! He rolled down his window and I leaned across and took this picture. Moosey didn't like the intrusion so he started moving on. We've had a moose about this size tromping through our property lately, might be the same one since this was just down the road a ways.

This is one of my latest projects in progress. This is the Moda Bakeshop's Pinwheel Baby Quilt done in the blues and greens of Moda's Neptune. I don't think I had ever made these half triangle squares before. I didn't do them the way the instructions said to. I knew I had seen a different explanation that would be much quicker. I went to Quilt Taffy and found some help there. Thanks Des and Corrie!

Here are my 12 blocks all sewn together. I am even further than this now, I sewed the inner border on and made all my prairie points and sewed those on and then I sewed on the outer border. I did take a picture of that but it is horrible.

Now I am procrastinating/stalling. I don't know what to do for the quilting!!!! The other night I decided to attempt free motion quilting. My first attempt was small and tight and close together and not at all pretty. I watched Amandajean's video again as well as emailed her with some questions (that she so kindly answered right away). My son came in to see what I was up to and he watched the video with me while I explained what this was all about. I asked him if he wanted to try it and he did!! He did amazingly well for his first time then he asked can't you slow the machine down?? Well I had read that some people did indeed change the speed of their machine but that wasn't something I had ever done. I checked out the manual and sure enough it was a simple adjustment and then we tried again. The slowest speed was way to slow but right in the middle range was perfect. I took over on the sample where my son left off and just did a small area but what a difference! I just don't know if I could do the entire quilt. I realize I need more practice - LOTS MORE! But I am still doubting whether I am capable of doing the entire quilt. I am toying with the idea of some sort of straight line quilting following the lines of each block and then straight lines all around the inner border. I was then thinking of either stippling the outer border or getting those paper rolls that you sew over the top of. I need to decide. I want to have this done and ready to present to the baby on the 12th!! That means quilted, binding made and applied and sewn down. Yeah, I'd better get busy on that.

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Over on The Fabric Shopper you can enter for a chance (or two or three) to win a stack of 30 fat quarters of Katie Jump Rope fabrics! Wouldn't THAT be a lovely giveaway to win??

At the end of this month I will be celebrating my ONE YEAR Blogiversary and maybe sometime this month will be my 100th post as well. Those could be worth celebrating. Just sayin'

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Praise - we have a wonderful church and pastor and church family! College girl will be finished with school the 11th and we can pick her up on the 12th!!

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Prayers - that college girl would put forth her best effort in her year end studies, final papers and projects and then final exams.

Getting older isn't SO bad

I mean it beats the alternative, right?? Just kidding. I have never had a problem with my birthdays and getting older. We always celebrate our birthdays and it is a great family time.


Today my hubby and kids showered me with presents and attention and food. My son gave me a cute card that he made (with a picture of me on my 3rd birthday) and a frame with the promise to make a collage of pictures of all the things I have made for him, to hang in my sewing room. My daughter gave me a college MOM window decal and a t-shirt along with a multi page card that she made with a list of things she loves about me. My hubby gave me a card - stop the presses right there. I have known this man for 36 years and he has given me maybe 10 cards (includes valentines, birthday and anniversary). It was a hilarious Hoops & YoYo card and in it he wrote that I could have the sewing machine of my choice - price was no object. I KNOW! He said he would have liked to give me a machine but really had NO IDEA what I would like.


He was all ready to head out to look at machines. Ummmm, that requires a one-two hour drive at least. The three of them would be bored to tears. He might renege on the deal when he saw the actual prices. Too risky. Instead we stayed home and did some research online.

ANY input at all is appreciated. My first inclination is the Bernina. Pros? Cons?




Hubby said he doesn't want me to put it off and end up not getting one. It would be fun to get it sooner rather than later!

My friends showered me with presents today too. I received a new cartridge for my Cricut -FUN! Some cabin-y placemats/napkins and potholders and towels. A reed diffuser - mmmmmm, lovely scent and some Bath & Body Works Lavender/vanilla sleep lotion and bath gel and candle. I received phone calls and emails as well.
This afternoon we went to see Journey to the Center of the Earth, but NOT in 3D (podunk town) and it was pretty good. It is always nice to see a movie that doesn't offend anyone in the family. Then we went to a very nice dinner out, overlooking the lake. The place has the BEST chocolate cake but we were all so full from dinner. Hmmmm, how about cake to go?? That was the ticket. Two pieces. The kids shared one and hubby and I shared the other. OY! I really do have to get back on the diet wagon. Tomorrow. REALLY!

On the sewing front...yesterday I was able to get the Warm & White for the quilt I am working on. I hope to get that to the quilters this week or next. I need to call them about the binding. They told me one width but the instructions on the pattern call for a different width. I am ready to start on a new project (ohhhhhhhhhh, or should I wait for a new machine???), but what it will be, I can't decide.

Praises - I thank God for every day that He has given me, for the family that He has allowed me to be a part of and for His saving grace. I thank Him for my brother's recovery from surgery and the adverse reaction to his meds.

How's a gal supposed to QUILT???

I have had guests since Friday night. Well they left yesterday at 3pm. 4 kids (besides my own 2) and one mom and for one night, one dad. Everyone had a great time. The kids went to the lake, they backpacked, they made a movie. I cooked and baked for the gang. I like to bake when I know things are going to get eaten right up. I made two cherry pies one night from cherries that we picked last summer. This is what was taunting me from the front yard;

Yup, more cherries to pick! The tree is loaded. My friend wanted cherries, but she didn't really want to pick and pit them. So I tried to ignore the tree while everyone was here. Yesterday the lady I buy raspberries from called and said she had a flat and half ready for me. I picked them up last night. Raspberries and cherries and fabric. What to do, what to do. This morning and part of the afternoon (cuz I needed to wait for my son to come home from work and bring me more pectin) was spent making raspberry jam using the fresh raspberries. 10 pints. After dinner my hubby and two kids picked cherries. They didn't even make a dent in what is on that tree. I sat and pitted 2 quarts of them and then put them in freezer bags. My daughter is pitting some more now. Aren't they purdy??

So I guess that tomorrow can be a sewing/quilting kind of day. I can look forward to that. On my to-do list: cut and sew binding strips for the flimsy that I just finished and piece the backing for that flimsy. I need to get some Warm & White and then get this off to the quilters!!


I have been thinking about what I could make for a young couple at our church that will marry this fall. I think that I can get a quilt done. I hope I am not being too ambitious, since I do have a few other projects to do before I can get started on it. I'll let you know what I come up with.

Praise the Lord that all the kids stayed safe while they were here. If you could have seen all the activities they did you would understand what a huge blessing that is!

Houston - we have a Flimsy!

Of course it took me WAYYYYY longer to accomplish this, but what's new. I am excited about it. I don't think the pictures show off how pretty the colors really are. Taking the pictures is not easy either, is it?? My hubby took these, so he got an aerial view. He did need to use flash though since the light in the room was not the greatest.

Now I am wondering. How to go about quilting it. I don't have a fancy quilting machine. I have a sewing machine. I DID just get a darning foot in the mail today and I am thinking about ordering a walking foot. I am NOT going to use the darning foot on this quilt. I would like to practice with that first. A lot. Soooooo, opinions on using a walking foot on this as opposed to just the regular ol' foot on the machine.

What about opinions on how to go about quilting this. Stitch in the ditch? All the ditches? Stitch diagonally across the squares? Something else? Part of me says take it to be quilted (which I have never done) and part of me says I should quilt it myself. I want to send this off to school with my daughter in September so that is a factor.

Tonight's project - cut out fabric squares for a project I want to do with a little friend that will be visiting for a few days. She is 11 and has recently started sewing. I hope it goes well. I also need to get a grocery list made. I will be feeding 6 kids, Friday night to Wednesday morning. :0 (well some of the meals they will prepare themselves, but I need to get food for them!)

Prayers for my friend who will be driving here tomorrow (6 hours if you don't stop) with her kids and my kids.