Christmas Crafting on Hold….

On my way into work on Monday morning I slipped in the parking lot and my left elbow broke my fall.  As the day progressed it was hurting more and more so I headed to the emergency room.  After waiting for 7 hours in the ER and being tortured by Xray technicians, I left with a plaster splint on my arm as well as a sling and prescriptions for pain killers.  I’m supposed to see the orthopedic doctor this week so he can determine if the arm is in fact broken and to what extent.  I’ll be calling the doc first thing tomorrow morning to try for a same day appointment and will hopefully have more news after seeing the doctor.

This means that my Mother in Law’s quilt will not be finished nor will a few other projects I was hoping to make as gifts.  I haven’t wrapped any gifts yet nor has the grocery shopping been done for the family meal we are hosting on Friday.

But then again, what are the holidays without a little stress?

On the bright side, while sitting in the ER I got an email from the Fat Quarter Shop letting me know I was one of the Dear Santa Contest winners :)

Dear Santa……

The “Jolly” elves at The Fat Quarter Shop have encouraged us in Blogland to post our letter to you on our blogs.

As you know (since you see everything) I have been a very good quilter this year and I would love to find this Wicasset by Minnick & Simpson Fat Quarter bundle under my tree this year.  Please hurry down my chimney and leave a little fabric for me :)

There will be cookies & egg nog waiting for you and some treats for the reindeer as well when you stop by.

Hugs to you, Mrs. Claus & the elves!

Beth

Progress & a fun project!

I have made more progress on the Trip Around the World Quilt top.  I’m now 1/4 done.  This is the bottom left quarter of the top.

I also made the cutest tumbler cup insert.  I love fabric selvedges and decided to use them in a cup.  This cup will likely find a new home this weekend unless I decide to keep it for myself hehehe.

I still have a few more of these cups, so i guess I could make another for myself :)

Tis the Season!!!

For mystery quilts that is….

In the midst of all the Christmas crafting, I needed a little distraction.  So I decided to participate in a mystery quilt that will be done over the Christmas weekend.  I’ve done the Christmas Mystery on this particular list for several years and am never disappointed!  It’s a 4 fabric mystery (3 for the center and another for the borders).  Here’s the fabrics that I was able to pull from my stash…

I’m looking forward to starting yet another UFO LOL!

December Project…

My Mother in Law and I have taken a few quilting classes over the years.  She is a garment sewer, but decided to give quilting a shot.  The projects get started, but she never seems to finish them (sound familiar?).  So she’s started giving me her UFOs one at a time and I finish them for her for Christmas.  This year is her Trip Around the World.  I’m in the process right now of remaking the section that she was working on because our seam allowances are not matching up and there was a 2” differences in our lengths.  I’ll use the section she made on the backing though, so it will still be a part of the quilt.

Here’s what it looks like so far.  I have alot more to do in the next couple weeks though.  I’ll be working on it on all of my days off between now and Christmas.

Lunch Totes Finished and Bags in Progress…

I have finished the 6 lunch totes I was working on and have moved onto the other style bags.  Here’s a picture of the last 3 totes.  The 2 in the front include leftover strips from a jelly roll from the “Bistro” fabric line.  I really like the scrappyish look :)

The other style bag I’m making resembles a traditional brown bag.  I decided to also add a handle across the top to make them easy to carry.  Here’s one finished and the fabrics cut for the other 9 I hope to finish by Thursday night.  Wooohooo!

Lunch Bags Under Construction….

I’ve spent the holiday weekend in the sewing room as well as shopping with friends.  On Tuesday I started cutting out lunch bags, I’m trying to make 6 of them and I have 3 done and the 4th is almost finished.  Here’s a picture of the first 3, they are so fun and easy to make!

On Saturday I decided to drive to western Maryland to meet up with a couple quilting buddies for lunch and a trip to a quilt shop that was having a sale.  Nancy & Judie & I went to Panera for lunch and then to Traditions at the White Swan.  I got a bunch of FQs as well as a couple patterns and bag bottoms.  I also stopped at JoAnn’s and bought fusible fleece and interfacing.  Here’s a picture of the FQs…

What a fun week it has been and I still have another day off….YAY!!

How I Spent Last Week’s “Staycation”…

I spent the week preparing to be a vendor at my first craft show.  I made ornaments and coaster and some bags.  Worked my fingers to the bone and my embroidery machine even revolted one day.  But I persevered and managed to get a nice inventory ready for the show.  The first hour I had a couple of sales but nothing for the rest of the day.  What a disappointing venture.  Everyone that came by told me how nice my workmanship was but they didn’t put their money where their mouth was so to speak.  Judging by the other vendors at the show (mostly jewelry) it wasn’t very profitable for them either….. Oh well, live and learn.

This is what my table looked like.  I was pretty happy with it.

Today is the first day of another “Staycation” (I went into the office for the day yesterday to catch up on some things and am off again until Tuesday of next week).  I’ll be working on some lunch bags this week for another show I’m doing next Thursday night.  This show is at a Middle School and will be benefiting the school’s Relay for Life team.  I think there will be some teachers there who may like the idea of the lunch bags.  I’ll make a few using the Loralie Breast Cancer Ladies panel and hope for a few sales there.

Thanks for stopping by :)

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!

Stash Report: Week 19

I managed to do some sewing this week, but it was just finishing the center of the top I’ve been working on.  I’ll be cutting borders this week so I’ll have some stashbusting to report next week.

Nothing new this week though.

Here's this week's report:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added year to date: 32 yards
Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used year to date: 55.5 yards

YTD Net fabric busted: 23.5  yards

Birthday Gifts!

Tuesday was my 36th birthday…..Cinco de Mayo!!!

It was a very nice birthday and I got some nice surprises…..

Hubby sent me lovely flowers to the office…Pink roses, my favorite…Big surprise!

And Mom ordered my a lovely cake.  It’s in my favorite colors (pink & green) and the top is decorated with quilt blocks.  I almost didn’t cut it since it was so pretty.  But I’m glad I did….yummmy yellow cake with fresh strawberries & cream filling between the layers. 

Stash Report: Week 18

I haven’t even had a chance to step into my studio for a week….sigh

Nothing new to report….Hopefully I will get to sew some soon

Here's this week's report:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added year to date: 32 yards
Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used year to date: 55.5 yards

YTD Net fabric busted: 23.5  yards

Stash Report: Week 17

Nothing to report this week.  I worked on sashing the quilt top this week using the fabrics I cut out last week but didn’t use anymore stash.  Nothing in nothing out….

Here's this week's report:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added year to date: 32 yards
Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used year to date: 55.5 yards

YTD Net fabric busted: 23.5  yards

Finished Table Runner!

Now that the swap package has been received, I can show you all the spring table runner I made for my friend and swap partner Ele!  I used a pattern called Sugar Cookies from the Moda Bake Shop.  It was quite easy and I love how it turned out :)

Racing on the Chesapeake Bay!

Last night was the first night of the Annapolis Yacht Club’s Wednesday Night Race series and this year the Woodwinds are racing on Wednesday nights as well……

So we, the office staff, headed out on one of the boats to experience the racing!

It was quite the exciting night….complete with a pop up squall and the boat I was on, Woodwind II, beating Woodwind!

Here’s some of the pictures I took of the other boat as well as the Annapolis skyline at sunset.

  

 

 

 

 

 

Stash Report: Week 16

Well this was another pretty good week in the world of stashbusting!  I finished a table runner and am able to deduct the backing and binding from the stash as well as the sashing and cornerstone fabric for a quilt top I’m working on.  I do have a bit of an addition to the stash as well, I was gifted some lovely fabrics in a swap package from a friend.  Even with the addition to the stash I’m still ahead in the totals for the week…..YAY me!

Here's this week's report:

Fabric added this week: 2.5 yards
Fabric added year to date: 32 yards
Fabric used this week: 4 yards
Fabric used year to date: 55.5 yards

YTD Net fabric busted: 23.5  yards

Stash Report: Week 15

This was my first 5 day work week since October and it was very long!  That didn’t leave very much time for quilting, but I did manage to bust a little stash.  I cut out and started sewing a table runner for a swap and all the blocks are done, now I just have to finish assembling the runner, then quilt and bind it.  I’m hoping to have it on the frame tonight.  I do need to get it in the mail ASAP….

So without further ado….

Here's this week's report:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added year to date: 29.5 yards
Fabric used this week: 2.5 yards
Fabric used year to date: 51.5 yards

YTD Net fabric busted: 22 yards

Stash Report: Week 14

Well I told you all that the report this week would be kinda bleak.  My wonderful BFF, Nancy, and I spent the weekend sewing together last weekend and while I was there she gifted some lovely fabrics to me……15 yards worth in total.  I cannot wait to use the fabrics and I’m thrilled to have them in my stash….

Here's this week's report:

Fabric added this week: 15 yards
Fabric added year to date: 29.5 yards
Fabric used this week: 0yards
Fabric used year to date: 49 yards

YTD Net fabric busted: 19.5 yards

I’ll try to do some serious busting this coming week……

Quiltathon-ing!!!

My BFF, Nancy, and I had a wonderful in person Quiltathon weekend!!!  I drove to her house on Friday evening after work and we got started sewing right after dinner.

I pulled out a UFO that had been sitting in a box since right before the New Year and started sewing.  I managed to get over 1/2 the blocks pieced Friday night and Saturday afternoon.  The UFO that I was working on is a pattern called Split Decision and I’m using the Bistro fabric line from Moda along with an off white solid fabric for the “light” side of the block.  I’m really happy with the way this one is turning out :)

While I was working on my UFO, Nancy finished a baby quilt top and quilted it and then she quilted the pieces for both of the bags we decided to make.

So Saturday night and Sunday morning we put together our Paris Traveler’s Bags, the pattern is from Fig Tree Quilts and is a wonderful overnight bag!  We were certainly glad to be working together on our bags as we hit a speed bump or two along the way.  We used fabric from Loralie Ladies and I chose a pink polka dotted gusset, while Nancy opted for a red polka dotted gusset.

What a fantastic weekend!  I wish we lived closer so we could sew together all the time in person, instead of over the phone like we usually do LOL.

I hope everyone had a great Quiltathon, I’m looking forward to the next one :)

Stash Report: Week 13

Well this was a wonderful week for Stashbusting in my studio!!!  I made a bunch of paper pieced blocks for a swap which used alot of fabric and then used quite a bit of muslin on a couple duffel bags which my BFF and I made this weekend.  Next week’s report will be a bit dicey as my BFF gifted me quite a bit of fabric that will go onto week 14’s report.

Here's this week's report:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added year to date: 14.5 yards
Fabric used this week: 12 yards
Fabric used year to date: 49 yards

YTD Net fabric busted: 34.5 yards

Trip Around the Rainbow Finished!

Finally!!! This UFO is done, even has a hanging sleeve so it can hang in my guild show this summer. I used King Tut on the top and a YLI varigated pink in the bobbin. I am so proud of myself that I managed to have no pokies on the top or the bottom of this quilt!! Gotta love the TOWA gauge :)

Here's some pictures of the finished product :)

Stash Report: Week 12

Not such a bad week for stashbusting.....I didn't add anything to the stash and I managed to bust 2 yards for the sashing & 2 inner borders of Bears in the Candy Store. I still need to finish the top by tomorrow, but I'm on my way :)

Here's this week's report:

Fabric added this week: 0 yards

Fabric added year to date: 14.5 yards

Fabric used this week: 2 yards

Fabric used year to date: 37 yards

YTD Net fabric busted: 22.5 yards

Thanks for stopping by!