Updating a Happy Flower Design!

My gardens are all asleep for the winter and I'm really missing them. A few years back, I put together a wall hanging of flowers, bugs and bright fabrics, kitted it and created the pattern. It was patterned after a hallway decoration of a 2nd grade class at our school. I LOVED the hall decorations - flowers, and more flowers made by the kids and glued to the wall. Anyway, we sold out of many of the fabrics in the original kit 2 years ago. A wild hair attacked by brain on Friday and I pulled out the pattern, bolts and bolts of fabrics and re-did it. It' hanging on our dining room wall until I can figure out how to finish the edges. it needs something on the borders to make the design pop. My daughter suggested a circle (I photo-shopped one on the picture here) but I'm thinking 8 sided star. Or a few beautiful batiks - I don't know.... Suggestions? HELP!!! I'm at a loss. The center of the sun will have an old happy man face or a very decorative peace sign. Haven't decided which... I can see why its so much easier just buying patterns verses making them! LOL!!

Playing with Shopping Bags...

I know, I know, I haven't been quilting much lately. What I have been doing is playing with other forms of, well, I guess I can loosely call this "art".


My buddy Linda showed me a website where they took trash bags, ironed 8 layers of them together and made bags out of the plastic, fused "fabric". Last night I had some time, 5 bags, some fancy yarn, my iron and teflon pressing sheet. The result: this not-so-great-looking-but-it's-the-thought-that-counts clutch I can use to embarrass my kids next time we go shopping. There are all sorts of demo's on how to make these bags - check Etsy.com or google making bags from shopping bags. These bags would make fun gift wrappings for small items. Water-proof as well. Unexpected items as well: no one would expect re-purposed shopping bags under the tree!

At CleverQuilter.com, layer cakes, jelly rolls, charms and other cut goods are on sale and they're movign out! WooHoo!! Some quilter's are getting some wonderful Holiday gifts, no doubt.

A Project with Tea (or was it Wine)?

I fell in love with Lakehouse Drygoods newest Teatime Florals at Quilt Market in May. (I do this every time I see new fabric, it seems....) They had demo packs of 5" squares so I bought 2 (total of about 80 squares). I've fondled them, sorted them, re-sorted them, laid them on the kitchen table, cutting board, living room floor - oh, they've been all over.

Two weekends ago, I used the 3 1/2" Small Paths Template to make 52 of the charms into quarter circles. I now have 13, 7" squares of fabric with circles in the center. Here's the problem: they're wavy. There's *13* of them (who uses 13 of any block: WHAT was I thinking???) and finally, they are so irregular, I'm betting only 3 are actually 7 1/2" square - LOL!! I don't remember any sewing lately involving wine... And I know when I pieced them together last night I was drinking peppermint tea. Ripping out a block is not possible for me: I have No-Rip-Out-Itis. Bad rash whenever the seam ripper warms up from use.

Okay, so I need to make 3 more to get to 16 total.... hummmm....There are many extra charms to use as well... How to use floppy, irregular blocks in a project? I'm thinking of using "Start with a Sweatshirt" (my newest fun book)- cooler weather requires way cool jackets. Maybe the bulk and folds and intense quilting will "correct" these "wine-looking" blocks. I'll keep everyone posted!

Carry Me Bag - I LOVE it!!!!

WooHoo!!! I finished my Carry-Me Bag, by Bunny Hill Designs. I used a Wildflower Serenade honey bun by Kansas Troubles Quilters. Take a look at the bag and the inside - I can fit my purse, phone, eye glasses AND my calendar book!

I have enough left over honey bun strips for a second bag. I'm thinking a knitting bag for one of my buddies who always is there for me when I need an ear. She is working on some socks and this will be perfect!!

This fits nicely under my arm, around my shoulder and MOST importantly, between the seats of my van. I can put it on the floor of my van, right next to me, in easy reaching distance. Grabbing change, my phone, a quick snack - easy because the bag is shallow. I LOVE it!!

Easy? Yes. You will need 1.25 yards Pellon Craftfuse and this will make 2+ bags. You'll also need 1.25 yards TimTex which also will make 2+ bags. Give it a try - these make wonderful, personalized gifts.

Gardening Aprons - Easy and Oh So FUN!

Grab your fabric scraps and an old pairs of jeans!! Make yourself a cute and unique gardening apron! No directions - just start cutting and sewing - add ruffles, fringe, beads, borders, straps - whatever your heart desires. Hint: using jean shorts or skirts really helps the process along but you will need a long pair of jeans for the straps.

This all started on a whim: I needed something to carry my tools, seeds and gloves in while puttering around our property. When I put on my kitchen apron one evening I thought: Hey, Jackie (my daughter) and I both have some old jeans that we can tun into aprons - GARDENING APRONS - COOL! My first four aprons went to my girlfriends who garden: I love making gifts. The fifth I kept and now my daughter and I are on number 16 and counting.Last week we discovered.......Overalls - WOW. Now that really makes a gardening apron! You can put all sorts of stuff in those pockets and keep yourself clean while gardening! Jackie got her Dad to model this one but he wouldn't allow photos: boy did he look cute!

My friend, Linda, owns and operates Take Your Pick, a local you-cut flower farm. She sell the aprons at her local farmers market stand along with her beautiful cut flowers. Proceeds go to fund Jackie's horseback riding habit: if you have a child that rides horse, you *know* how expensive that can be!!

Christmas gifts anyone?? Picture your grandchild in a cute apron, helping you or their parent out in the yard - I can just hear the owww's and ahhh's!

WOW! Book Sale - 25% off

We're having a fabulous sale on the website now through 8/21/09. 25% off books listed - 60 titles - plus a 15% off coupon tucked into each book purchased. Books are wonderful for inspiration, eye candy, how-to's and gifts. Stock up for holiday gift giving or treat yourself to a Back-To-School treat. See our selections here.

If there is a book on Martingdale's website you want, email us and we'll order it in for you and apply the discount. They have a wonderful selection of knitting and other crafts in addition to quilting books.

Books ordered will be delivered the week of Labor Day. I'm adding to my library with a book on earrings, fibre arts and quilting with circles: Can't wait for the book delivery!

See you on the website - go ahead and order up a storm!

Tiger Lily Wall Quilt Completed Image

The finished wall quilt of Tiger Lily, designed by Laundry Basket Quilts. Fabrics are from the CleverQuilter.com kit. My sister has dibs on it, if I ever let it go!! Love the outer border and the vibrant orange of the lilies! We used Island Batiks exclusively for this. They design the best batiks in bold colors as far as I am concerned. Love them! Enjoy the eye candy. :)