purple pouches

My daughter needs a pencil case for school and we decided that I should sew one up for her. I should probably mention that she LOVES purple. As if it weren't obvious. (Lucky me.)

This was my first attempt. I finished it late last night and was a little disappointed. It's a make up bag, not a pencil pouch, for crying out loud. She insisted that it was great, but I just couldn't stop there. I'm a bit of a perfectionist.

I attempted another one this afternoon. And, hey! It actually looks like a pencil pouch! Now she has two purple pouches to fill with who knows what. She's pleased as punch! I love that she appreciates hand made things so much. It's wonderful.

These are made from scraps, so I'm counting them as #8 and #9 for my 101 scrap project challenge. Woo-hoo! I'm hopeful that I'll be able to whip up a few more projects before the weekend is through.

Are you sewing this Labor Day weekend, too? If you are, I'd love to hear what you are making!

the 'A squared' quilt

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

It's the last week of summer vacation here. Lots going on, and I still managed to finish quilting and binding this quilt. (Just barely, though!) I'm calling this one 'A squared'. Several of the scraps came from Anna and several of the blocks came from my scrap baskets. I love this color scheme so very much. It screams summer, doesn't it?

The squares are 4" finished. I just love plain patchwork. It's a classic and it's such a fun way to play with color and print.

I used this fun piece of Lucy's crab shack fabric surrounded by a large lime green border (to make it large enough) for the back. It turned out to be a great compliment to the front. I love fitting pieces and parts from my stash together like a puzzle. It's so satisfying to make it work.

I did lots of loopy quilting on this one. Two lines of quilting per row of patchwork. Again, no marking, I just eyeballed it. I had lots of practice from this quilt, so it went pretty smoothly.
I used Hobbs 80/20 batting inside. Lightweight and a little lofty, but it washes up so nicely. (I haven't had a chance to wash this one yet, though.)

I used a Kaffe polka dot fabric for binding. I'm loving that cerise color these days.

The quilt is my favorite lap size...60" x 72".

 

This is scrap project #7 out of 101.
Hold on to your hats, folks. I am cruising.

Now it's your turn. Please link up your finishes! Thank you for joining me for finish it up Friday!

finish it up Friday, 8/30/13

1.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	67.	The Inside Stori - Mary Stori
2.	Joan@Quilting times	68.	syglad
3.	Jo's Country Junction	69.	Mary @ SeeMaryQuilt
4.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	70.	Nicole @ Mama Love Quilts
5.	Happy Cottage Quilter	71.	Geta
6.	Deborah @ squaregrannie	72.	Vera @ Negligent style
7.	Alycia in CO	73.	2ne
8.	Carin @ Margarets Hope Chest	74.	Barbara Galloway
9.	Kymberly@Peas in a Pod Creations	75.	Mary
10.	Melissa @ my fabric relish	76.	Laurie @ Dresden Lane
11.	Beth	77.	Inès @ Thready Bear
12.	Simply Pieced: Sewing Machine Cover	78.	36" cow print infant quilt
13.	Heidi @ Buttons and Butterflies	79.	Halloween Table Runner
14.	Simply Pieced: Aviary Triangles	80.	Simple Squares Quilt
15.	Simply Pieced: Sew Room Reveal	81.	Hot Pads
16.	Scrappy Improv Finished!	82.	Gunilla
17.	Fabric baskets / Paula @ Sewy Stuff	83.	Jan O @ the Colorful Fabriholic
18.	Darcy @ Modern Cozy	84.	hexagons
19.	Rachel @ Snippets of Sweetness	85.	Kelli@Small Town Stitcher
20.	Cyndy @ Cynthia Brunz Designs	86.	Modern Table Runner
21.	Celtic Thistle Stitches	87.	Michelle @ Squeek Crafts
22.	Hexipop Swirl @ Creatin' in the Sticks	88.	Valerie @ re•engineered
23.	melzie	89.	Dee
24.	Julie @ Julie's Quilts	90.	Karen: Americana Exchange
25.	Mihaela@ abeeautifulday.blogspot.com	91.	refashion -boys merino jersey - Karen NZ
26.	Jen @ A Quilting Jewel	92.	Esther @ ipatchandquilt
27.	Nat@craftinmechanic	93.	Molli Sparkles
28.	Brenda@scrapsandstrings	94.	Julia in Mississippi
29.	Sarah @ FairyFace Designs	95.	Zakka Style - Patchwork Dumplings
30.	Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage	96.	ChristaQuilts String of Pearls Finished!
31.	Candace @ Saltwater Quilts	97.	hydeeann @ splish splash stash
32.	Veronica Norris	98.	Angela A @ betterndogbiscuits
33.	Abby @ Mitten to Apple (Hexie pillow)	99.	Tessa @ The Sewing Chick
34.	Heidi @ Fabric Mutt	100.	karenbbsnow
35.	Sarah C.	101.	Sally at Sally's Angelworks
36.	Melissa @ Happy Quilting	102.	two.hippos
37.	Kat and cat quilts	103.	selina's Hexies
38.	Quilts of a Feather	104.	Ripple Afghan finish @ LoGoQuilts
39.	Maja "The Scrap Happy"	105.	Vikki @ Miss Muffet Quilts
40.	Kelsey @ Everyday Fray	106.	Quilts with Personality
41.	karen@CapitolaQuilter JumboXPlus	107.	Stephanie @ Quarter Incher
42.	Megan @ Tales of Ineptitude	108.	Erica @ kitchen table quilting
43.	Lucy @ Charm About You	109.	Pamela @ Mama Spark's World
44.	Applique Pet Portrait And Giveaway	110.	Tanya Quilts in CO
45.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	111.	Jackie @ nwpatchwork
46.	Jen @ QBeeStitchified	112.	Yvonne @ That's Sew Creative
47.	Steffi @ just Quilts	113.	Kathy @ CarpeLanam
48.	tubakk, Norway	114.	Sew & Sews Scrappy Lanyards
49.	Eliza	115.	Debbie @ A Quilter's Table
50.	Coaster Swap	116.	Duck Dynasty
51.	Kim@MegSueDesigns	117.	beth@lovelaughquilt
52.	Konda's Round Robin Medallion Border	118.	scrappy runner and placemats
53.	Ella's Applique Monogram	119.	Megan @ Crooked Tail Crafts
54.	Needle Turn Applique Monnogram	120.	Caroline @ Too Cute, Sew Clever
55.	Over the Rainbow Quilt Tutorial	121.	Rugrat Rodeos renovation addiction
56.	Matroyschka Doll Needle Turn Applique	122.	Sherry @Blessings From Our Nest
57.	Matroyshka Doll	123.	Kathie @ dipity-do-dah
58.	Green@sosewgreen	124.	Adrianne @ On the Windy Side
59.	cathy@blueberrypatch	125.	Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room
60.	Liz @ Shush I'm Quilting	126.	Rachel@liketosew.blogspot.com
61.	Jules @ Juna	127.	Anne's quilt
62.	a maiden hair fern	128.	Diana @ Red Delicious Life
63.	Alissa	129.	Twist and Shout @ Global Nomad Quilts
64.	Cassie @ Sew Simply	130.	Angie in SoCal
65.	Kathy S.	131.	Pam @ Quilting Fun
66.	Jess @ Quilty Habit

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

twister quilt

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

After all the work I did on various WIPs this week, I still managed to produce a finish!

This quilt is made from 12 different Soho solids from Timeless Treasures. I cut the blocks at my former LQS using the Accuquilt Studio cutter. (Thanks, Ellen!) It made quick work of the cutting, and the best part is that the die cuts off the tails of the triangles. That means no trimming is required after piecing. What a time saver! The triangles finish at 6".

I LOVE these colors together! For the back I pieced leftover strips and added a whole lot of pink Kona cotton. The quilting shows up nicely on the back. It reminds me of an embossed tin ceiling. It's a little risky to piece a backing, then straight line quilt. If things are off kilter from front to back, it's going to show. Thankfully things worked out pretty well. Phew!

I also love how the quilting forms a star around the triangle points on the front. I quilted this on my Janome with my walking foot with straight lines about 1/2" from the seams. It's so nice to use the patchwork as a guide rather than marking lines.

For the binding I branched out from the all solids theme and added a polka dot. I couldn't help it! The color was a perfect match. I thought twice about it, but I'm very happy with the choice in the end.

As for the name, my daughter gets credit. She calls it the twister quilt, because apparently the quilt can double as a twister game board (of sorts) in a pinch. I love that my kids are a little resourceful. :) Turns out the quilt looks pretty dandy on her bed, too! (Not sure that it will end up there, but it works for a pretty photo at least.) The quilt measures 60" x 84".

Another finish to share...

Remember this quilt? It's in the new issue of Modern Quilts Unlimited magazine! The quilt is back home safe and sound and its fun to see the quilt in print.

Alright. Now it's your turn! Please link up your finishes for the week. Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

finish it up Friday, 8/23/13

1.	Heather P	66.	tubakk, Norway
2.	Joan@ quilting times	67.	Twist and Shout @ Global Nomad Quilts
3.	Lucy @ Charm About You	68.	Diane
4.	melissa @ my fabric relish	69.	Jen Crutchfield
5.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	70.	Katherine
6.	Susan (hopscotch play mat)	71.	Liz @ Shush I'm Quilting
7.	Fabadashery	72.	Angie in SoCal
8.	Melissa @ Happy Quilting	73.	Candace @ Saltwater Quilts
9.	Kat and Cat Quilts	74.	Julie @ Julie's Quilts
10.	Heidi @ Fabric Mutt	75.	Laura
11.	Pamela @ Mama Spark's World	76.	Inès @ Thready Bear
12.	a maiden hair fern	77.	Kathy (Quilt Monkey)
13.	Ruth@CBCraftyCorner	78.	Stephanie @ Quarter Incher
14.	Pamela @ Mama Spark's World	79.	Owl Quilt
15.	Amanda @ Material Girl Quilts	80.	Peace Rag Quilt
16.	Molli Sparkles	81.	Holiday Kwilt @ Kwilty Pleasures
17.	Heidi @ Buttons and Butterflies	82.	Flags for Lac-Megantic @ BostonSewer
18.	Celtic Thistle Stitches	83.	Becca @bryanhousequilts
19.	Vikki @ Miss Muffet Quilts	84.	Barbara Galloway
20.	snips	85.	Maja "The Scrap Happy"
21.	Mary @ SeeMaryQuilt	86.	Adrienne @ Chezzetcook Quilts
22.	Carin @ Margarets Hope Chest	87.	Quilt it out
23.	Julie@DistantPickles	88.	Cassie @ Sew Simply
24.	Little Island Quilting	89.	hexagon log cabins finish
25.	Amy @ Sew Incredibly Crazy	90.	Christine @ Beanniequilts
26.	Ashley @ wasntquiltinaday	91.	Travel Sewing Pouch
27.	Jo's Country Junction	92.	Mary
28.	Valerie @ re•engineered	93.	Diana @ Red Delicious Life
29.	Beth	94.	Rugrat Rodeos - miniature couture
30.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	95.	Alia @ card table, inc.
31.	cath@wombatquilts	96.	Quilts with Personality
32.	Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts	97.	Sarah C.
33.	Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation	98.	Amira@littlemushroomcap
34.	Gunilla	99.	Audrey
35.	Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts	100.	Jeni B Quilts
36.	The Little Red Hen	101.	Tamara Hamptton
37.	Megan @ Tales of Ineptitude	102.	Julie @ That's Sew Julie
38.	Janet @ Simply Pieced	103.	Jana Machado
39.	Modern Herringbone	104.	Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room
40.	Patricia @ Quilting Lines	105.	Nancy Drew iPad case@snugharborquilts
41.	Plus One	106.	Crazy Quilt Finish @ LoGoQuilts
42.	Paula@TheSassyQuilter	107.	Adrianne @ On the Windy Side
43.	Allison @ flip flops & quilt blocks	108.	Linh @ Calling All Stitchers
44.	SarahZ	109.	Pokeytown Kim
45.	Ali @ Making Happyness	110.	Amanda @ Everyday Fray
46.	Taryn @ from Pixels to Patchwork	111.	Beth @ Hello Quilty Lady
47.	Belinda aka BGMom1	112.	Amanda
48.	Charlotte's gRACE for a Cure	113.	karen@CapitolaQuilter
49.	Jesica - From Ushuaia, Argentina!	114.	Brenda
50.	Abby - Big Block Baby Quilt	115.	Tanya Quilts in CO
51.	hydeeann @ splish splash stash	116.	Terri @ QuiltNCards
52.	Jan O @ the Colorful Fbriholica	117.	michelle
53.	Play A Card Quilt	118.	Karen: Wedding Quilt
54.	Megan @ Bauer Handcrafted	119.	Jeni B Quilts
55.	Jess @ Quilty Habit	120.	What Comes Next?
56.	Vicki @ A Quilter's MIssion	121.	Caroline @ Too Cute, Sew Clever
57.	svetlana@sotakhandmade	122.	Erica @ kitchen table quilting
58.	Ilse@ kervei	123.	kane's scrappy floor cushion
59.	Esther @ ipatchandquilt	124.	Miss Maya @ four wise monkeys
60.	Alyce @ Wonderland by Alyce	125.	Geta
61.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	126.	Sewfrench
62.	Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts	127.	Bonny Schmid
63.	Mary Stori	128.	Nancy at PugMom Quilts
64.	Alycia in CO	129.	Michelle @ Squeek Crafts
65.	Table Runner	130.	Spring Promise at Busy Hands Quilts

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

drowning in WIPs

So, in the past week I've worked on no less than 7 different quilts.
Madness!!! Wouldn't you say?
Here's a peek....

 (these are blocks for 3 different quilts)

Sometimes I wish I was a one project at a time girl.
But that would probably get boring, right?

sweet and low

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

Last weekend at camp I finished my low volume slab quilt. She's a pretty little thing that I'm calling sweet and low. Many thanks to my friend Brianne for coming up with the clever name! The top is all scraps. My favorite! It took over a week to piece the top, which felt like for-ever! But, there are tons of tiny pieces in it, so I guess that makes sense.

For the backing I used some of my treasured Katie Jump Rope fabric. You know that I must love the quilt top to use some of my out of print (hoarded) fabric. The bottom strip of fabric is a print I picked up at Loom when I was in Pittsburgh in May. I love to shop for fabric when I travel. It is THE perfect souvenir (if you ask me).

I auditioned a ton of different fabrics for the binding and this one was the winner. It came from my sweet friend Katherine years ago. I'm delighted to have found the perfect project to use it in. It's the perfect finishing touch! (Thanks a bunch, Katherine!)

Looking at this photo, it's apparent that I love polka dots. No new news there! :P
For the quilting I just stippled it. If I were to do it again, I would straight line quilt it in a herringbone pattern. Oh, well. Delayed inspiration happens sometimes. Maybe for my next one!

The finished quilt measures 46" x 53". I'm not a fan of having my photo all over my blog, but it was suggested that I need to make an appearance here once in awhile. This one is for you, Melissa! :)

I'm counting this as scrap project #6.

How about you? Do you have a finish to share? If so, please link up! Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

finish it up Friday, 8/16/13

1.	Chevron wentwrong quilt	64.	Quiltin Jenny
2.	Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts	65.	The "X" Quilt
3.	Nancy@PugMomQuilts	66.	Alissa
4.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	67.	Celtic Thistle Stitches
5.	Joan@Quilting times	68.	Tote Bag for PNQ MQG Meet up by Kat P
6.	Jo's Country Junction	69.	Camo D9P w/ pieced back
7.	Melissa @ Happy Quilting	70.	Stephanie @ Quarter Incher
8.	Vikki @ Miss Muffet Quilts	71.	Jessica @ LifeUnderQuilts
9.	Doris @madebyabrunnette	72.	cath@wombat quilts
10.	Amanda @ Material Girl Quilts	73.	Karee
11.	Dee	74.	Liz
12.	Janet @ Simply Pieced	75.	Ali @ Making Happyness
13.	a maiden hair fern	76.	Yvonne @ That's Sew Creative
14.	Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage	77.	Erica @ kitchen table quilting
15.	beth@lovelaughquilt	78.	Sew & Sews Cowboy Maverick Star Quilt
16.	Allison @ flip flops & quilt blocks	79.	Molli Sparkles
17.	Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation	80.	marianne @ sew paint it
18.	Jess @ Quilty Habit	81.	Cassie @ Sew Simply
19.	I QUILT FOR FUN	82.	Kim@Lily Patch Quilts
20.	Jules @ Juna	83.	Suzy @ Suzy's Quilting Room
21.	Mina@Kinda Quilty	84.	Sarah Quilts
22.	Mary @ SeeMaryQuilt	85.	anne @ play crafts
23.	Melissa @ my fabric relish	86.	Alisa @ KnitSpinQuilt
24.	Kira@LaBellaColori	87.	Anya @ RainyDayThreads
25.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	88.	Simple Sewendipity
26.	jessica	89.	Kim@MegSueDesigns
27.	Sewing Lab	90.	Adrianne @ On the Windy Side
28.	cathy@blueberrypatch	91.	Quilts with Personality
29.	Julia in Mississippi	92.	Maja "The Scrap Happy"
30.	knottygnome	93.	Angela A @ betterndogbiscuits
31.	"Sassy" - A quilt for Sadie (Paula @ Sewy Stuff)	94.	Karen: Anniversary Seal Wall Hanging
32.	Freshly Handmade (Pillow & Table Runner)	95.	Sarah C.
33.	sweet 9 patches@snugharborquilts	96.	Carla@Lollyquiltz
34.	Charlotte's gRACE for a Cure	97.	Mary Stori - The Inside Stori
35.	tubakk, Norway	98.	Rugrat Rodeos - noodle tub top hat
36.	Woodland fun @ Kwilty Pleasures	99.	Linh @ Calling All Stitchers
37.	Abby @ MittenToApple	100.	Sally at Sally's Angelworks
38.	Fabadashery	101.	Alia @ card table, inc.
39.	Heidi @ Fabric Mutt	102.	Denise Russell
40.	Kerry @ ModernMaterialGirl	103.	Katherine
41.	Kymberly@Peas in a Pod Creations	104.	Tanya Quilts in CO
42.	Beth	105.	nicky @ Mrs Sew & Sow
43.	Blue Moth: Liberty Hexagon Quilt	106.	Black, Gray, Pink Rag Quilt
44.	Kat and Cat Quilts	107.	Glimma Baby Quilt
45.	Logan @ Chocolate Dipped Quilts	108.	Yellow and Gray rag quilt
46.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	109.	Jan O @ the Colorful Fabriholic
47.	Samantha @ Making Life Prettier	110.	Dona Allen
48.	Candace @ Saltwater Quilts	111.	Little Bear @ LoGo Quilts
49.	Moriaty and the Dark Side	112.	Red, White & Blue by RobinSue
50.	An Amy Butler Doggie Bed	113.	A Quilt Is A Hug
51.	Kat P @ Diary of a Madkapquilter	114.	Inès @ Thready Bear
52.	Cara @ Pink Stitches	115.	Janine @ Rainbow Hare
53.	Kelly @ BlueBirdSews	116.	abby@latimerlane
54.	Jana Machado	117.	Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts
55.	Lucy @ Charm About You	118.	quilting and embroidery - my own design
56.	Quilted Pillows	119.	We Need Your Vote!
57.	Darcy @ Modern Cozy	120.	Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room
58.	Angie in SoCal	121.	amyinuk
59.	Rachel @ Piece At Last	122.	Kathleen@CrabbitQuilter
60.	iPad Mini Sleeve @ BostonSewer	123.	Becky @ it's sew immaterial
61.	AmandaK@whatthebobbin	124.	Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts
62.	Heidi @ Buttons and Butterflies	125.	Cynthia Brunz
63.	Quilt Barn

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

out of my box quilt

Over the weekend I finished the binding on the "out of my box" quilt. I'm learning that having binding (or any type of hand stitching) is a wonderful thing at retreat. It is a nice break from stitching on a machine all day.

This quilt is made from 9 slabs, then it is pieced together in a rather traditional way with sashing and cornerstones. I love the mix of the two. The sashing adds order to the quilt and even though the black and white polka dot is busy, I think it works beautifully!

The orchid colored corner stones are one of my favorite parts of this quilt. They aren't very large, but they still pack a punch. I had enough scraps of fabric to cut 12 squares, but I needed 16 total.

So, I found a print that was similar in color and added 4 blocks in an alternate fabric and placed one in each corner. When you use scraps sometimes you have to get a little creative, but I love how it pushes you to find an alternate solution. The quilt is more interesting because of it.

The spiral quilting makes this quilt, doesn't it? I plan to do much more of it! I've gotten several questions about how it's done and I plan to write up what I've learned from my experience so far. But I'll save that for a separate post.

I am SO glad that I used a solid on the back so the quilting really has a chance to show off. It makes me think that making a 2 sided whole cloth quilt with just the spiral quilting would be a great idea! (Add it to the list, right?) I used a 70 weight aqua thread from Connecting Threads. Ocean mist is the actual name of it, and it's one of my favorites. It comes in a 3300 yard cone, so it lasts a long time! I LOVE that!

The quilt measures 43" square. Small for me, but a nice size to use as a class sample when I travel.  

 

This is scrap project #5. Only 96 more to go!

camp stitch a lot

Camp stitch a lot was a blast! Brenda did a great job at organizing the retreat and I am so happy that I got to be a part of it! I didn't take nearly enough photos, but that was because I was too busy taking it all in. That's a good sign, right?

I taught a slab class at camp. Each and every person did a fantastic job at building their slabs. There was no shortage of scraps to be sewn up, which was awesome! I loved seeing the different color schemes emerge.

Rossie taught a reverse applique method that I absolutely loved. It played well with slabs I had already pieced, so I combined the two. Adding red and white polka dots never hurts.

Jacquie taught a slice and insert class. I loved using 1" strips for piecing. They finish at 1/2", which is such a great size. Of course I had to add a strip of scraps in the piece because I LOVE tiny scraps! Did you know that?

Dan taught a curves class and I struggled with it quite a bit. Not so much with the curves, but because I used colors SO very far from my comfort zone. It took me a long time to get it to this point, where I actually kind of like it. I'm certainly not giving up on this piece. I will continue to persevere! I should have just stayed in my comfort zone and went with some great colors like he did in his class sample. I love that quilt!



It was a treat to see quilts in real life that I had only seen on line. Rossie made this one back in 2009. I remember reading about it on her blog when she made it. Seeing it in real life was fantastic, because photos just don't do a quilt justice. Rossie's outfits matched her quilts all weekend and I may have teased her about it. Just a little bit.

Dan brought his fabulous and famous dinosaur quilt. It is an AMAZING quilt. There are really no words to describe it. I'm pondering how I can use this technique to make a quilt and make it mine. So much potential in a single idea.



Friday afternoon the weather was gorgeous so we took a few of my quilts out on the lawn and worked on our bindings. It was every bit idyllic as it looks. Perfection.



Of course I had to do a little shopping at Pink Castle Fabrics. Don't be fooled, this isn't all of it. :)

Many thanks to Brenda for hosting such a great weekend!

almost finished

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

I've kicked some quilting tail even though I have been traveling a lot this week. I still can't believe that I got these two quilted and the binding attached before I headed to Camp Stitch A Lot. It was just under the wire, of course! It's quite likely that by the time this post publishes that these bindings will be done! I hope to have these complete and ready to share early next week. Sorry for the teaser, but I didn't want to skip finish it up Friday this week! (There are not enough hours in the day!!!)

How about you? Do you have a finish to share? If so, please link up! Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

finish it up Friday, 8/9/13

1.	Becky@measuring spoons and meter sticks	67.	Heather@QuiltsintheQueue
2.	Jana Machado	68.	Fabadashery
3.	Aprons from man's shirts - tutorial	69.	Deb @ asimplelife Quilts
4.	Mochawildchild	70.	Barbara
5.	Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation	71.	Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room
6.	Allison @ flip flops & quilt blocks	72.	Veronica Norris
7.	Mary @ SeeMaryQuilt	73.	Cynthia Brunz Designs
8.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	74.	Sally at Sally's Angelworks
9.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	75.	Alissa
10.	knottygnome	76.	Amanda @ ag. ajj. al
11.	Jo's Country Junction	77.	Maja "The Scrap Happy"
12.	Vera @ Negligent style	78.	Sarah @ FairyFace Designs
13.	Melissa @ my fabric relish	79.	Sylvia
14.	Julia in Mississippi	80.	Jennifer @ Glinda Quilts
15.	Melissa @ Happy Quilting	81.	Julie @ That's Sew Julie
16.	Tricia @ Joy in the Stitches	82.	Rebekah @ Homemade Engineer
17.	CJ	83.	Adrianne @ On the Windy Side
18.	Kelsey @ Everyday Fray	84.	Class Sample Quilts
19.	Laura	85.	Liz @ Shush - finished lattice quilt
20.	Finished	86.	Granny Squares with butterfly back
21.	Celtic Thistle Stitches	87.	Modern Jelly Roll with Spiral Quilting
22.	Inès @ Thready Bear	88.	Purple Butterfly Rag Quilt
23.	a maiden hair fern	89.	cath@wombat quilts
24.	Two tops finished! (Paula @ Sewy Stuff)	90.	Simple Sewendipity
25.	Jan O @ The Colorful Fabriholic	91.	Becca @ bryanhousequilts
26.	Abby @ MittenToApple	92.	Barbara GAlloway
27.	Cathy@Sane,Crazy,Crumby Quilts	93.	Rachel @ The Life of Riley
28.	Beth	94.	Kathie @ dipity-do-dah
29.	Heidi @ Fabric Mutt	95.	Mary
30.	Esther @ipatchandquilt	96.	Karen @ Quilty Creations
31.	patchwork frames quilt @ littleandlots	97.	Kirsty
32.	Sarah Quilts	98.	marianne @ sew paint it
33.	Geta	99.	Nat @ Made in Home
34.	Smelly Guests!	100.	Pearl Bracelets @ BostonSewer
35.	Our Busy Little Bunch	101.	Denise Russell
36.	Chase {1/4" mark}	102.	Nancy Drew Quilts @snugharborquilts
37.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	103.	Quilts with Personality
38.	cathy@blueberrypatch	104.	selina
39.	Mary Stori	105.	Grateful Dona
40.	Jen @ A Quilting Jewel	106.	Pauline @ Quiltnqueen
41.	Janet @ Simply Pieced	107.	Black and white quilt - Karen NZ
42.	Dittany: Typo Bag	108.	Gina
43.	Molli Sparkles	109.	Flannel Blanket Tutorial
44.	Kim @PersimonDreams	110.	jpearl
45.	Michelle B	111.	Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts
46.	Libby @ No Airplane Here	112.	Valerie Reynolds
47.	tubakk, Norway	113.	HST pillow @ Creatin' in the Sticks
48.	QuiltnMama	114.	Anna (The Crooked Banana)
49.	Cathy in Ontario	115.	Olivia@patchheaven
50.	beth@lovelaughquilt	116.	Morgan
51.	Carin @ Shaped by Stitches	117.	Baby Memory Quilt
52.	Angie in SoCal	118.	The Grandpa Project @ LoGoQuilts
53.	Valerie @ re•engineered	119.	Triangle Baby Quilt
54.	Saras Wonky stars	120.	Candace @ SaltwaterQuilts
55.	Cristina @ All The Pretty Things	121.	Vicki @ A Quilter's Mission
56.	Vikki @ Miss Muffet Quilts	122.	Bess@Squeeze Quilts
57.	two.hippos	123.	Stephanie @ Quarter Incher
58.	I QUILT FOR FUN	124.	Hanny Bobbins sweetie quilt
59.	jan	125.	Jeneta@Plum Jam
60.	Sarah @ {no} hats	126.	snips - with a quilt finish!
61.	svetlana@sotakhandmade	127.	Kate
62.	Susan (channel quilting)	128.	Lina@Smultronbopieceful
63.	Joan@Quilting times	129.	Bonny Schmid
64.	Erica @ kitchen table quilting	130.	Michelle @ Squeek Crafts
65.	Kat and Cat Quilts	131.	mini finish
66.	Jade @ Stitch Mischief	132.	Laurie @ Chocolate Dipped Quilts

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

a new dress

My sweet friend Linda (whom I've known for almost 16 years) made this dress for my daughter. She had an idea that she wanted to try and I'm delighted that my daughter was the recipient. It turned out beautifully!

That woman has some seriously amazing sewing skills! The finishes inside and out are spectacular. It fits her perfectly.

We had fun with a little photo shoot. Turns out hydrangeas make a nice back drop and they prove to be a good distraction from the camera, too.

Thanks so much, Linda! We absolutely love it! I'm so glad that my daughter can wear beautifully hand made clothing without having to do all the work. Because we all know that I'd rather sew her a mountain of quilts!

spiral quilting

I did some spiral quilting over the weekend.

I really, really like it!

I used my Janome with a walking foot to make the spiral. It would have been easier to free motion the center and then switch to a walking foot. It took 3 tries to get the center spiral looking good! Oh, well. At least I know what to do next time! :)

 

Happy Monday to you!

a low volume quilt

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

I've been working on this little quilt top all week long. It's got a ton of tiny little pieces in it and it was pieced improvisationally. I usually break up the piecing between several different projects, but this one has a self-imposed deadline, so I had to power though. I was so happy to put the last several seams in it early this morning.

It's not very big...only 46" x 53", but every one of those seams were totally worth it! (I love low volume.) I'm looking forward to quilting it this weekend.

 

How about you? Do you have a finish to share? Please link up your finishes and thanks for joining me! Happy Friday to you!

 

finish it up Friday, 8/2/13

1.	Cari @ There's A Thread	68.	Janet @ Simply Pieced
2.	Kerstin@sunset sewing	69.	What Comes Next?
3.	Liz @ Shush I'm Quilting	70.	Veronica Norris
4.	Charlotte's gRACE for a Cure	71.	Brenna
5.	tubakk, Norway	72.	Green@sosewgreen
6.	Debbie @ A Quilter's Table	73.	Brenda@scrapsandstrings
7.	Pieces of Cotton	74.	Deb @ asimplelife Quilts
8.	Mary @ SeeMaryQuilt	75.	Sarah C.
9.	Melissa @ my fabric relish	76.	Cathy@Sane,Crazy,Crumby Quilts
10.	Inès @ Thready Bear	77.	Stephanie @ Quarter Incher
11.	Dee	78.	Jen @ Iron Violet Designs
12.	Tanya Quilts in CO	79.	Intertwined @ Global Nomad Quilts
13.	Eva-Bambi-Johansson	80.	Mary Stori
14.	Colby - sew.quilt.explore.	81.	cath@wombat quilts
15.	Celtic Thistle Stitches	82.	Becca @ bryanhousequilts
16.	alidiza	83.	Karen @ Quilty Creations
17.	Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts	84.	Beth
18.	Esther @ ipatchandquilt	85.	Deborah @ squaregrannie
19.	Vikki @ Miss Muffet Quilts	86.	Nesta
20.	My First Quilt - Finally Finished!	87.	Maja
21.	Allison @ flip flops & quilt blocks	88.	Let The Bliss Begin
22.	Sarah Schraw @ Sarah Quilts	89.	Geta
23.	Elaine	90.	Swoon!
24.	a maiden hair fern	91.	Barbara GAlloway
25.	Abby @ MittenToApple	92.	JG
26.	FMQ Designs @ BedTime Quilting	93.	Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures
27.	Mary W Quiltz	94.	Jana Machado
28.	Nancy@PugMomQuilts	95.	Gretchen @ Snugharborquilts Baby Quilt
29.	Fabadashery	96.	Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation
30.	Nicole @ Mama Love Quilts	97.	Plus One: A Finished Quilt
31.	Carin @ Shaped by Stitches	98.	two quilts finished, for charity
32.	Diaper Bag - My First Zippered Project	99.	Linh @ Calling All Stitchers
33.	JmzB	100.	Pokeytown Kim
34.	Toye @Quilting Adventures of a Ginger	101.	Laura
35.	snips	102.	A Quilt Is A Hug
36.	Double Wedding Ring FInished!!	103.	Kathy@KayakQuilting
37.	Michelle's Romantic Tangle	104.	Ashley @wasntquiltinaday
38.	Darcy @ Modern Cozy	105.	Rachel @ Snippets of Sweetness
39.	Joan@Quilting times	106.	Megan @ Crooked Tail Crafts
40.	Jess @ Quilty Habit	107.	Duke Says Sew What
41.	Megan @ Tales of Ineptitude	108.	deborah@LittleMsSew-Unsew
42.	Dittany: Krumply Kona	109.	Michelle @ Squeek Crafts
43.	I dew quilting	110.	Ruth@cbcraftycorner
44.	Alycia in CO	111.	Marie Lismore
45.	knottygnome	112.	Grateful Dona
46.	Megan @ Bauer Handcrafted	113.	Karen@CapitolaQuilter
47.	Melissa @ Happy Quilting	114.	Shauna@lovinquiltin
48.	Rachel @ The Life of Riley-Owl Art Quilt	115.	Trish
49.	Erica @ kitchen table quilting	116.	Susie at ProsperityStuff
50.	cathy@blueberrypatch	117.	QuiltnMama
51.	Simple Sewendipity	118.	shop hopping in Atlanta
52.	Jessica @ The Bossy Quilter	119.	GRANNY SQUARE QUILT TUTORIAL
53.	Jessica @ The Bossy Quilter #2 Finish	120.	10 BEST QUILT BLOGS
54.	Nat@Craftinmechanic	121.	SNOWBALL QUILT TUTORIAL
55.	Lucy @ Charm About You	122.	Fabric covered guest book
56.	Gunilla	123.	Rainbow Wave Quilt
57.	Jules	124.	Karen: Scout's baby quilt
58.	Audrey @ Hot Pink Quilts	125.	Donkey-ing Around
59.	Harleigh@CutieandCo. Summer Baby Quilt	126.	JHNickodemus@JustJessica
60.	embroidered.quilt label	127.	Candace @ Saltwater Quilts
61.	marion @ my quilt diet	128.	Mochawildchild
62.	Samantha @ Making Life Prettier	129.	Julie @ Julie's Quilts
63.	Special Memory Quilt	130.	Nana's Quilt
64.	hetty	131.	Sally at Sally's Angelworks
65.	Kira@LaBellColori	132.	Sherry
66.	Cyndy	133.	tamara with patriotic table runner
67.	Angela A @ betterndogbiscuits

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

really random Thursday

I received an email the other day from Sally who used the Ben bread recipe (with a few tweaks) to make a prize winning loaf of bread at her Village Show...in England!!! How cool is that?

Speaking of Ben bread....when we moved, I discovered that I didn't bring the recipe along. I had accidentally left it taped inside the cupboard door in our previous house. I was so disappointed until I realized that I had blogged the recipe. (What a relief! Blogging is so handy sometimes!) I've since copied it and taped it inside the cupboard door in our new house. :) It's definitely a keeper!

(By the way, I'm curious. Do you have a favorite recipe taped on the inside of your cupboard door? Our previous house came with the recipe for rice krispie treats taped inside the cupboard. That always made me chuckle.)

This summer is flying by, as it always does, but we are soaking up every minute of it! We've been doing a lot of fishing and we have caught some pretty big fish out of the lake. My older son is HOOKED. (I may be, too! I learned how to fillet fish. On my 38th birthday. Out of necessity. Never thought I would be doing that!)

I LOVE the look on my daughter's face in this photo. We were all a little bit shocked that she caught such a big bass on her little pole. She was ecstatic.

My kids joined in the quilting fun this week. It's just too hard to resist, apparently.

My 10 year old has become quite good at sewing a 1/4" seam. SO much better than last summer. It's not like he was practicing or anything, he's just become much more coordinated and careful in the past year. I may have to put him to work!

Here is the start of his slab quilt. He's planning to make it big enough to use on his bed. I've been helping him cut some pieces and I've been squaring things up, but I'm trying to let him pick most of the fabrics and the arrangement. I do suggest and steer him along a bit (because I just can't help it!). For the most part he's doing the bulk of it and he's doing a great job!

This is my oldest child's quilt. He started last year (or maybe 2 years ago?) with the purple block. He drew up a sketch and came up with a great plan to make it into a larger quilt. It's going to be fabulous! He's using the Go! baby to cut the pieces, which is so much safer than rotary cutting! He's eager to get sewing.

Here's the start of my daughter's quilt. She is designing her second abstract quilt (and already talking about the next few in the series)! You can see her first one here. This should be fun to sew up. (I'm serious!) She's so creative and I love seeing her run with an idea. If she had her way, she'd design all day! I'm totally going to have her iron all these pieces while I sew.

This is the state of my scrap basket these days. Before retreat a few weeks ago I dumped the majority of them in here. It's just a tad full, huh? I've got a lot of sewing to do!

Last but not least, we've been picking our fill of raspberries. We have a large patch in the back yard that have been producing like crazy. What a treat!

I'm linking up with Cindy for really random Thursday.

Happy August to you!