Long List, Short Month!

19 Finishes for the month of February! Sounds more impressive than it actually is with the 13 bibs at the head of the list! By the way, I did not use a pattern for the bibs, I used a smaller paper plate for the circle template, folded it in half and cut a semi circle for the scoop at the top. I used a die cut from scrapbooking for the snowflake, and hand drew the rest of the designs on the bibs. The star I've used on other projects, once I draw something, I'll usually transfer it to cardboard and reuse it for other projects. Why reinvent the wheel? I did very well with the fabric this month considering all of the potential temptations! During the QOV workshop, held at Nancy's Calico, I only bought 4 yards of fabric (on sale) that I hope to have as finished projects very soon. Of course! Ha! This past Saturday I finished my QOV for February, and although the panels used were donated, the backing and binding was from my stash - so that was 3 5/8 out, then I reviewed my notebook and noticed that I forgot to add the pillowcase for January's QOV (wasn't done until Feb 3rd) so I used 7 1/8 yds for February with a total of 12 1/4 for 2011! YAY! It could have been much, much worse. It SHOULD have been, the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival was on from Thursday to Sunday and I had every intention of going on Friday, but on Thursday night a chest cold I had been fighting for a week won, and I wasn't up to going outside all weekend. I'm feeling better today, and of course the weather is warmer again and the quilt show with all of their lovely vendors are gone : ( I guess at least my pocketbook is happy (as well as my husband!) Happy Quilting !

Purse with tissue holder XMAS Item a Month

Another Christmas present done! This should have been on my WISP list too! I have had this cut out for at least three years and now I'm so glad it is done! My SIL loves all things strawberry so when I found this fabric, oh about 6 years ago, (not to worry - I've made her lots of other things since then!) I thought it would make a cute little purse - and it did! I am also claiming two of the 13 bibs that I made as Christmas presents, one of the snowmen and the snowflake on red & white stripes! Nice to have those done and I think I will try to tackle something bigger next month. One thing about that WISP list . . . I start working on something laying out and I think, oh if I get this done I can highlight that as done on my list - then I look over the list and the project isn't even on it! ARRRGGGH! The list is getting longer as I continue to try to organize my Quilt room. Hmmmmn, Does that mean I should stop cleaning??? We'll see! Happy Quilting

Bountiful Baby Bibs!

Package was received and now I can show what I sent little Gus for Valentine's Day. Two little bibs to catch all that drool as he is teething up a storm! Of course they can be used at feeding time too! As I was sewing I thought of other ideas for bibs, (isn't that always the way it goes?) so once the package was sent I actually kept going! The blue with white snowflakey looking spots was a fat quarter, so I decided to use that all up, and I really liked the red & white stripe and kept going with that! I have long kept the left over inches from various bindings over the years, and all of the bib ties except for the white ones, came from my binding jar! I kept track of the fabric I used and now, for the first time in 2011 the fabric OUT is more than the fabric IN. YAY!! Of course I can't get too excited - I am going to our Quilt of Valor workshop today, 9:30 - 3:00, held at Nancy's Calico Quilt Store ! Yikes, I don't know how good I can be, THAT close to temptation for that LONG of a time. Sigh. Well . . . Happy Quilting! BTW, this was kind of cute - I had initally made three bibs, two of the blue with snowflake and the one heart one, I was just arriving home from Guild on Friday afternoon and my neighbor with her baby boy in his stroller was passing by. I hopped out of my truck and as we were visiting, her sweet little boy started bubbling up - I said oooooh, hold on a moment and dashed off and grabbed the extra snowflake bib and gave it to her! She was simply stunned! She couldn't believe how soft the back was (it's a plushy terri) and she couldn't believe I just "happened" to have one with me! That's kind of neat how that worked out! : D

Couple of Sweet Things!!

Happy Valentines Day! Received a little something sweet from a little sweetie, well actually from his Mom, but they're of him! My great nephew, Gus ! Two bookmarks and the sweetest Valentine's Day card with a picture of him and the outline of his hand. I love baby, child hand things! I have numerous cards and Christmas ornaments made from my children's hands over the years - they are always my favorites! The cupcakes were started at my quilting bee on the 4th, I needed to buy the gosgrain ribbon to finish the one. The are holders, either scissor keepers, cellphone holder . . . my cellphone is just a bit too big and heavy, but my MP3 player fits perfectly! I think I'll make up a bunch of these as party favors for my DD's birthday party this summer. Cute! I have more to show, but can't until I'm sure the package has arrived. I made dear Gus a little treat for Valentine's Day! Hope the rest of your day is Sweet!

Quilt of Valor Finish

I managed to complete this Quilt of Valor in a little over three days, I just finished binding it this morning! I made the resolution this year to make an entire Quilt of Valor (QOV) each month as my charity projects for the year. It would not have been good to miss the first month :0 !! This one turned out pretty neat, someone had turned in "orphan blocks" to the QOV table at guild, and others had donated fabric. I enjoy looking through the stash, especially since I have to lugg it around to each guild meeting and QOV workhop, so while "playing fabric" I put these together & really liked how they went together. I had a blast quilting it, perhaps went a little "overboard", but that too fits in with the nautical theme of this quilt! (Grin) Perhaps a sailor or a marine will receive this quilt ?? Although the top was all donated fabric and cannot count towards using my stash, I did use three yards of my stash for the backing, so while I am not ahead with the stash count - I am getting closer! Here is a close up of the the quilting. Happy Quilting !!

Happy New Year!

Just having a bit of trouble getting back into the swing of things now that we have returned from our visit, returned to school and after school activities. I am not excited about cleaning up & organizing my studio. What a mess. I guess the worst part is that there are numerous projects. unfinished (of course) that are a large part of the clutter and I could just pack them away in order to clean up, or actually finish them which is what I should do. I have finished 3 purses that I did not get gone in time for Christmas, so they qualify for two categories! WISPs and Christmas gifts! I added the 1 XMAS project a month button to my side bar to inspire me to get the projects done (on time) this year! I am toying with the idea of figuring out just how may WIP/WISPs I have and listing them on my sidebar. Might be too overwhelming, but may keep me on task. I have noticed that I started out really well last year, completing WISPs, but then I started a slew of projects, MANY which were completed. Bunch that were not. Sigh. Above are the purses; there are only three - they are reversable, the 1st photo is of the "inside" the 2nd is of the outside. I'm not so wild about the plain inside fabric, I do like the black, pink and green fabric for the inside. I guess since there isn't any quilting a busier fabric might be best. Can't say who they're going to though, the larger purses I mean, Christmas is a long ways away and I couldn't spoil the surprise THIS early! I just made the smaller kitty one so that I could use up the scraps from the larger kitty purse! Happy Quilting!

These are photos of some of the purses I managed to complete and mail. I made a really cute on for my Mom who lives in Arizona, but mailed it off early so it would get there in time! (forgot to take a picture, I'll ask her to send me one.) Don't look at the clutter around the room, that'll be tackled next year! ;D