Home Sweet Home and a Giveaway

Hey there! I'm so happy to show you this pillow! Why? Because ever since my friend Ingrid showed me a little bit about paper piecing at one of our retreats, I've wanted to give paper piecing a try. I've also been wanting to use my Basic Grey Blush fabric on something special for a while now. AND after seeing all of those Pillow Talk Swap photos on Flickr I've wanted to try making a pillow. To top it off, this project includes adding a flange to the binding for an extra special finish. So many items to check off my wish list in one easy little project!!! I tested this pattern for Shea at Empty Bobbin Sewing Studio and was so happy she let me dig into my stash for this one. If you are eager to try paper piecing, this is the perfect project. Shea's pattern gives clear, easy to follow instructions on how to create those wonky letters.

I used lots of Basic Grey Grunge for the background, flange, back and binding. I can't get enough of that Grunge fabric! When it came time to quilt the front and back, I knew I wanted to reflect some of the curvy lines in the Blush prints. I had seen Jacquie use this same curvy line on one of her quilts and instantly fell in love with the quilting and I finally got to try it myself. You'll have to take a look at the other color combos Shea and Jaime used in their pillows. Such a great way to showcase favorite fabrics or scraps!

Aren't the patterns so colorful and pretty? Sarah Sorell took all of these amazing photos and does the photography for Shea's patterns. I've seen these popping up at several stores already. Shea has generously donated a copy of this pattern for one of you to win! Let me know what new thing you've been wanting to try lately and I'll pick a winner around midnight on Sunday, May 13. (You still have time to enter the Bleachers quilt pattern giveaway here.)

****Giveaway Closed*******

Have a great day! I'll be back soon to show you some other "firsts" I've been working on.

Bleachers

Remember when I wrote that I really had been sewing, even though it was quiet here? Well, I really was. And here's the biggie I was working on! I got to test another Empty Bobbin Sewing Studio pattern! These lovely quilt photos were taken by Sarah Sorrell.

Bleachers is a quilt pattern designed by Angela Walters and written by Shea Henderson. When I first saw this design I knew this would be the perfect quilt to make for my husband. This pattern is just perfect for guys and isn't that elegant and masculine Parson Gray fabric used in the cover quilt amazing? Love it!

The pattern comes in the three sizes you see here. Mary Anne made the baby quilt on top, Carla made the lap size in the middle and I got to test the full/queen size on the bottom. I love seeing the different color combinations they chose. All of the quilts in this photo were made with Kona solids but if you take a look at Shea's post introducing the pattern, you can see how versatile it is. It even looks great with girly, pink prints!

{If you love the pretty pink and orange baby quilt colors, my friend Tammy at Marmalade Fabrics has put together a kit in two sizes.}

I suggested blues and grays to my husband and handed him my Kona color card to let him pick some of the shades he liked. Would you believe he completely picked out the blues based on their names! He chose Royal and Blue Jay (Royal was a nick name in grade school...there were two Roys and he was Roy L...and our high school mascot was a blue jay). How could I argue with that?

Even though it's a huge quilt, it was pretty easy to put together. Shea is a terrific pattern writer and she works very hard to make sure all of her pattern directions are clear and easy to understand. 

When I finished piecing the top, I sent it off to Angela to quilt (It's so great to see the different ways she chooses to quilt the same pattern). I had to snap a quick photo of this LONG binding before I mailed it with the top. I love hand stitching binding, but I have to admit that I was okay with Shea finishing that part for me on this huge quilt. I can't imagine how long it took her to bind all these quilts!

So now that you've read all about it, are you enticed to try one yourself? Shea was so generous and gave me a pattern to pass on to one of you lucky readers! No hoops, just leave a comment. I'd love to know what colors/fabrics you'd try with this pattern, though. I have plans for at least one more Bleachers quilt!

****Giveaway Closed******

Want another chance to win? Mary Anne is also giving away a pattern. Both giveaways are open until around midnight on Sunday, May 13. Good luck!

Back From Camping...

 Hi Everyone! I left Thursday night for a camping trip and just returned. Laundry's started and camping supplies are tucked back in the garage waiting for the next go around. We went back to our old stomping grounds from our high school and college days, Milford Lake. That was our home base for several little day trips in the surrounding area this weekend.

We took Jenna to the Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure just outside of Salina, KS. Lots of unusual animals and such a great setting. For dinner, we stopped at Salina's famous Cozy Inn to sit at the six stool counter and enjoy a few tiny Cozy Burgers. Yum!

On Saturday we visited Old Abilene Town. It was a bit of a let down with so many buildings in disrepair. We rode a stagecoach, watched a staged gunfight and saw a steam engine roll into town. It was a good time but we felt like the town could have presented a lot more information about the history of the area and buildings. Jenna was entertained so it was a success.

I took this photo out of a window in one of the old log cabin churches in town and discovered when I went outside that the fence contained a small cemetery. 

This headstone was a reminder of how wild Kansas was at one time.

I tried to get a little hexagon sewing accomplished by the fire last night but the smoke kept blowing my way. So my little helper and I moved to the table, but the wind picked up. I settled for working on them on the drive home today. I'm so excited about the project I'm planning with them! 

But first I need to finish hand stitching the binding on these two quilts. Hopefully, I'll have a little time tomorrow to work on them as we wrap up the holiday weekend. 


I've REALLY enjoyed reading all of your comments from the Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway post about how you all planned on spending this or the past weekend whether it was Memorial Day weekend, Victoria Day weekend or even a regular weekend where ever you are! I had originally planned on responding to all of your lovely comments but at 275 comments, I was a bit overwhelmed and then I was out in the sticks with no cell phone coverage! I've read every single comment though. Now I'm enjoying peeking at your blogs. So much fun!


Stacy from Paint.Sew.Create was the pattern winner and I was able to drop it in the mail Thursday on my way out of town. Thank you all for playing along!

A Winner!

Thanks everyone for your comments! It was fun to check out the fabrics you love. Katrina's our winner! Be looking for an email and we'll make arrangements to get the pattern to you.

I had my helper do a random selection from a little leaf bowl she insisted we buy at the grocery store yesterday. I'm ready to do a little fall decorating so I'm going to fill it with pine cones and light some candles while I clean tonight. I've been on the run for about a week with a quilt retreat this weekend, preparing for meetings and taking family members to appointments. My house was neglected but feeling ready to get things back in order.

My plan is to make some progress on my to-do list while I listen to an audio book (The Middle Place). Then I can breathe and enjoy some sewing. I had fun sewing wonky house blocks and cutting out fabric for a couple of quilts at the retreat. I'm hoping to share some photos tomorrow.

I just glanced at the photo above. How cute is that dress fabric?! I'm thinking I need to recycle it when the time comes in a sewing project. I keep saying I don't really love orange, and there it is again. Perfect paired with the right colors!

The 7 Minute Shopping Trip & a Giveaway

 

Last summer I was exploring Estes Park, CO with my family and we needed to stop for gas before he headed up into the park. As my husband pulled into the gas station, I noticed a little quilt shop in the strip mall next door. I told him I'd be back in a minute and sprinted across the parking lot to take a peek. 

I calculated how much gas was already in the car and how long it would take to fill it. I knew I had to move fast. I have a very patient husband but waiting at a quilt shop when mountains are within sight would be just to much to ask!

 

 

I opened the door to the little shop and was immediately blown away. Wonderland by Momo is like nothing I'd ever seen before and I was so excited. I did a quick scan of the all the fabric in the store and kept coming back to Wonderland. I knew i didn't have time to pick out the prints I loved the most (I take a looonnnng time choosing fabric). I did notice they had a quilt made up and you could get a kit. I swooped it up, hustled to the counter and was out the door in 7 minutes.

Well, that pattern and kit have been sitting in my closet for over a year now. I'm evaluating my stash and projects to see what's holding me up and I think I finally figured this one out. 

I love quilts with lots of different fabrics. This one has charm size options to cut out. I love the whimsical red fabric with the little animal silhouettes. Red is one of my favorite colors. I love the polka dots.The pattern is darling. Can't wait to use rickrack on a project. 

 

But when it comes down to it, I've made a little quilt with a similar pattern (big middle square of fabric with little squares surrounding it - still unfinished by the way).  And while i love that red woodland fabric with the animals, I can't picture using it in the middle for the flowers. I like the fabric and the pattern but not the choices someone else made for me on how to put it all together.

So here's what I'm going to do. I'm taking the kit apart, cutting apart the little charms and mixing it into my stash. I think I'll have a much better chance of using it that way. I already have an idea of where to use a few of the pieces. 

And since I've made a quilt top similar to this pattern, I'm going to pass this one along to one of you! Leave a comment telling me about a fabric you love but haven't cut into yet and why. What's holding you up? I'll choose a comment at random on Tuesday afternoon, Sept 21 to receive the pattern.