Another New Project…..

……to help find my Mojo.  I think I’ve found it.  Last week I decided to cut out a new project to get myself sewing again.  I think it’s working.  I have about half of the blocks done now and I’m really enjoying this one.  The pattern is called “Hip to be Square” and it’s a small log cabin block set on point with setting squares and triangles.  I’m doing controlled scrappy using a bunch of FQs from Benartex Cider Mill Road collection supplemented by some blues, reds & tans from my stash.  Here’s some of the blocks completed.  I can’t wait to finish the blocks and get the top finished :)

The pattern uses 22 FQs so I’m busting stash while getting back the ole Mojo!

Happy Halloween with Handmade Ears….

I must admit, I’m not a big fan of Halloween…never have been.  But my daughter is pretty creative and was going to a costume party at a friend’s house last night.  On Friday, after finishing her mid-term test in Genetics, she was doodling on the back of the paper and created a new character, Mr. Halloween Pumpkin Fox, Jr.  She then decided to be this new character’s father for Halloween.  So I present……

Mr. Halloween Pumpkin Fox, Sr.

Gotta love a teenager’s imagination.  Since we couldn’t find orange hairspray or fox ears at KMart, we bought a red & black wig and I made the ears from felt and then sewed them to the wig.  Not too shabby for a last minute job….

A Baby Quilt!

Today I went to a baby shower for my friend Renee who worked in our office last summer.  She and her hubby are expecting their first baby in les than a month and they do not know if the baby will be a boy or a girl.  Since all of my baby quilt UFOs are gender specific I had to start from scratch.  I had been wanting to use Mary’s Happy Blocks pattern for awhile so this was a perfect opportunity.  What a fast & fun pattern!  I made this quilt start to finish in less than a week!  The finished quilt measures 40” x 48”.  I like to give larger baby quilts so they grow with the child. 

Do you think perhaps my mojo is returning?  I sure hope so!

I’m Sewing Again!!!!

YAY!!  It’s been a busy summer for me with very little time in the sewing room.  However yesterday I decided to spend the day in the studio reacquainting myself with my sewing machine :)

Back in July I saw this pattern and printed it right off.  These little bags are just the cutest!!  I’m so glad to be back to sewing and I have plans to keep the momentum going.

I was able to make 3 bags from 4 1/2 FQs.  I see more of these bags in my future :)

Cutest Dog Competition

A Very Special Quilt Received….

Tonight I got a phone call from my friend Cathy thanking me for the love quilt I organized, assembled & quilted for her after the passing of her mother earlier this year.  The blocks were made by the ladies of the #Quiltchat chat room.  I collected the blocks, assembled the top and then quilted and bound it.  This week I sent the quilt to our friend Jennifer who lives near Cathy and she delivered the quilt in person today.

Cathy loves bright colors and kitty cats and this quilt combines both.  It was great to catch up with Cathy again over the phone tonight and I’m so glad that she loves her quilt.

Here’s pictures of the quilt.

A Musical Evening….

Last night my daughter and I went to a quaint venue in Easton, MD called the Nightcat and enjoyed some fantastic music!!  Here’s a video from last night that we found earlier today.  I’d sent Keaton (the singer) a Twitter message and asked him to play this song since it is my favorite (as well as the ringtone on my phone) :)

I hope you enjoy as much as we did :) 

Charming Girls Quilt Club!

Well here I go jumping on the proverbial bandwagon LOL.  Over at Charming Chatter a challenge has been issued to finish a project a month.  So I’m gonna go for it!

My daughter is going to a conference this month and needs an overnight bag.  A couple months ago I spent the weekend with my BFF and we made matching overnight bags (you can get the pattern here).  So I’m going to make one for my daughter using some leftover fabrics from the quilt I made her for Christmas.  Here’s a picture of the pattern and some of the fabrics I’m using. 

I’m looking forward to finishing this for her and I think she’ll be surprised :)

For the last couple of months my quilt mojo has been MIA.  But thanks to the Wabbit Daze Gang it’s starting to come back.  I keep telling the “Gang” they need to come east and help me find my mojo, but they seem to be doing a good job from afar :)

Wish me luck!

Weekend Retreat by the Bay!

This past weekend I went on retreat with some new friends. I’ve known Toni for a couple years via blogland as well as a 15 month long round robin, but we’d only met in person once. She put together a retreat about 2 hours southeast of my house and I wanted to go, so I did – hehehe

From Friday-Monday morning we spent our time enjoying the views, the sunsets, yummy food and a few adult beverages at the Pieceful Cottage. Oh and we did a little bit of quilting LOL.

I managed to finish up some UFO blocks. Then decided to start a new project. My BFF had shared some coffee fabrics with me a few years ago and I decided to finally put them to use. I used the “Birthday Presents” pattern from Terry Atkinson’s “Take Two & Add a Few” book. I cut & assembled the whole top in a day!

I also took my “Bears in the Candy Store” blocks and sashing along and managed to get the center of the top assembled. Now it just needs the borders before it can be quilted.

The only other thing I managed to do was start cutting out the mystery quilt I’m testing for Ann Smith.

All in all it was a wonderful, relaxing weekend! Thank you ladies for letting me join the “Sisterhood of the Travelling Quilters”! I hope to be able to join you again in the fall!

Stash Report: Week 20-22

Sorry I’ve missed the last couple stash reports, I’ve been a bit sidetracked by work and family.  I’ve done pretty well on the stashbusting front, I used 1.75 yards of fabric for borders on a quilt as well as 20 FQs (5 yards) for another top.  So here’s the combined report for the last few weeks:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added year to date: 32 yards
Fabric used this week: 6.75 yards
Fabric used year to date: 62.25 yards

YTD Net fabric busted: 30.25  yards

At least I’m still on the plus side :)

Stormy night

Sailing on the Bay!