Sew Much Fun!

This will not be an attempt to insert "sew" puns. But I must admit that I had a fabulously good time. It's lovely to spend an evening with women you have something in common with, and then talk and find out that you have more.

Here's my thing. I love Relief Society at church. I love that we have our faith, give or take, in common. But that does not a friendship make. And since we rarely get the opportunity to discover the other things we have in common, we're just a bunch of women who share a common faith.

Which is why I'll be forever grateful that my friend from church discovered the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild, picked me up last night and introduced me around. It was fun. I got some sewing done. I got out of the house for a few hours. I was inspired to work on more projects.

These women weren't just "hobby" quilters. Many were working on quilts as gifts for new babies, cancer patients. Still others were planning on participating in the Little Dresses for Africa project. They do service. They donate quilts to local shelters. It's awesome.

The lesson for me: that goodness, charity, kindness and companionship can be found anywhere.

Can't wait for the next sew-in!

Gearing up!

You know that nervous and excited feeling you get before the first day of school? When you wonder if you'll make any new friends? And you're excited to learn?

Just me? I hope not.

I've got that feeling because this Friday, at 6:30, I'm attending my very first sew-in with the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild. I don't consider my quilts very modern, but I guess they are. I'm just not one to categorize things, I suppose. But I digress.

So I'm sewing together my Oh Cherry Oh honey bun strips so I can have the blocks ready to sew at the party, I mean, sew-in. I'm going with a friend, Rendy, so I'll know at least one person there.
This means I have to be a good girl and get my homework done and have dinner ready for my husband and let him run away on Friday afternoon so he's refreshed and ready to parent through bedtime. He's awesome and it's gonna be so great!

Voters wanted!

Edited post!!

First, I have no idea how to add pictures to my blog in the places I want them.

This is my third option, listed first. String quilt. Half square triangles. With a twist. And I like twists (usually cinnamon twists, but this will work).



I was going to make something using this tutorial on Moda Bake Shop. Bright, fun, cute, easy.

Then, while I should have been studying, I remembered this quilt block from p.s. i quilt, featured in the Quiltmakers 100 blocks. It's completely adorable, and I do like the inclusion of the white - makes it a smidge less busy and definitely allows me to make a bigger quilt with my fabric.



So, voters, which should I make? I won't say which way I'm leaning, since I'm back and forth on it. Although now that I've found the one over at Sew Katie Did, I'm shamelessly favoring that one. But tell me watcha think!

Democracy will prevail! Help me.

I should do a giveaway to encourage feedback, but I honestly can't think of anything to give away. How 'bout the winner gets the scraps when I'm done? For a ticker tape quilt?

Let's Try This Again...

Organization took precedence last weekend, and all I got to do was a little bit of ironing on my jelly roll. So this weekend I'm going to get the cutting done. Well, some of it let's say.

And then, on Saturday night, a double date. I haven't been on a double date in forever. But it should be fun and we're going here:
for fantastic Greek food and then to Seattle Pie Co. for amazing pie! I'm so excited!

Have a great weekend! What do you have planned?

Plans for the Weekend

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray

You'll never know dear how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away!

When the sky looks like that quite a bit, is it any wonder that I'm drawn to fabric lines like Dream On and Sunkissed?

If I'm a very good girl, and get my homework done (read at least one book and start a second), I can play around with these. Just to stay loose, keep my craft bug going.

Oh, who am I kidding. It's like dangling a carrot in front of a horse. It's what keeps me going. My carrots are just in fabric form.

And we're getting a piano! So excited. I've already ordered some self-teaching books and I have a teacher for Laurel sorted out (mostly).

So excuse me while I go read a very interesting book about women in the Klan. Seriously.

Happy New Year!

I figure that since this blog is all about me and my interests (rather than the family blog), I can have separate New Year's Resolutions. And pictures of some of them too!

First. Get my hands on one of these babies.

Then figure out how to machine quilt on them and quilt the dozen quilts that are languishing in my laundry/sewing room.

Second. I MUST have this cake for my birthday this year. This is the third year in a row that I've wanted it and, by darn, I'm getting one.
I have two Oh Cherry Oh (yes, it's an obsession) honey buns that are going to become a quilt using this pattern on Moda Bake Shop. Super fun and bright.
I fell in love with this pattern and fabric and went ahead and ordered the jelly roll and pattern for it. I just need to get the background fabric and backing and binding and get to work. Pattern purchased here. I'll be using the Sunkissed line and it's another super bright and cheery quilt.
I've got another project in the works using the Sunkissed line, but it's going to be someone's Christmas next year, so it has to remain a secret.

I've had this pattern for quite a while. I saw a Dream On jelly roll on sale and decided I would cave and make a quilt out of it. I love the citrus-y colors of that line. I think I'm just responding to the gray skies over Seattle.

Also on my list to finish/work on:

• my orange/yellow string quilt - I hit a snag and decided I wanted bigger blocks. So I've got to figure that out before I move on with it.
• I'm thinking I'm going to use the Sugar Twist pattern to make a "lemon twist" quilt - or citrus twist using my orange/yellow fabrics (I've got quite a bit!).
• Lots and lots of doll dresses!
• Finish my Delft Blue Dutch pinwheel blocks and sew them together.
• Finish my strawberry print double pinwheels quilt.
• Make my Christmas tree quilt.
• Sew together my double hourglass quilt blocks - need lots of floor space for this one!
• Sew together another Christmas quilt - again, need lots of floor space for this one!
• Finish my red/white diagonal stripe HST quilt (just two rows to sew on).
• Sew together my off-center diamond HST orange/yellow quilt.
• Sew together my red/white HST barn raising quilt.
• Sew my Holiday Hostess Christmas quilt.

And those are just the things I can think of right now! Sheesh. I'm crazy, with school and all going on besides. But this is honestly my therapy, the thing that keeps me sane. And during the school quarter, I prep projects, do the busy, boring cutting parts so that when I have a break, I can just sit and sew. It works for me.

I'm also debating taking the summer off so I can play and sew and all that. But we'll see how the year plays out.