Maniac Monday #3

1. Make the next three blocks for Celebrate Christmas Quilt Along

I did not get them done. I did finish #4 and that took up a lot of my time. I did a lot of hand stitching on it. If it was not for the Christmas cookies on the plate I would not think that it was a block for Christmas, LOL!!

2. Birdie Stitches~August

I did finish this. Worked on it Saturday and finished it on Sunday. I even started on September's block.

3. Do the first block for Canton Village Blogger's BOM

Did not even think about it, LOL! That is ok. I still have a few weeks.

4. Get my gifts for Santa Sack Swap2 wrapped and in the mail.

And again did not even think about it. Sorry Andee but I will get it done soon.

My new list...

1. Finish my December Le Petite pattern Prairie Point Christmas from Moda Bake Shop.

I am almost done with it. Sinta and Sherri have decided to wait until January to start up the next round. We are all getting a good few months break. I am glad for the break but also can't wait to start. Next month we are having a parade of all of our projects. I have 4 in various states of completion that I want to finish. We will see if I can do that.

2. Cut out January's Le Petite-Mon Ami.

3. Make blocks 5,6,and 7 for Celebrate Christmas Quilt Along.

4. Make my Block Swap Adventure for October.

TTFN

Maniac Monday #2 and Fun Blocks

I know that I am a little late with Maniac Monday but that is ok. It is for me, LOL! Well lets see how I did.

1. Make September's Designer Mystery BOM

Completed! Hey me. I love this fabric. It is so soft in color. It reminds me of my Grandmother's kitchen.

2. Cut out September's Le Petite

Completed! With a bonus. I even finished it. I made a table runner out of it.

I had one extra block so I will be adding it to the back.

3. Make first three block for Celebrate Christmas Quilt Along.

Completed! Even if I only finished #3 today, LOL! I try to keep close to the designers idea but with my own little changes that makes me happy. Do you do that? With this first one I messed up with the corners. The red it supposed to be pointing into the middle. But I like it so I will leave it.

With this one in the pattern the bottom set of QST were set so the red was pointing up and down not side to side. I turned them. I like them better this way.

On this one I decided that I did not want to do the stitchery in the middle. Plus I added white in other spots.

4. Make at least one Mug Rug for Mug Rug Madness Holiday Edition.

I did not get to this. I was to busy sewing my Le Petite. Thant is ok.

Now for my next list:
1. Make the next three blocks for Celebrate Christmas Quilt Along

2. Birdie Stitches~August 

3. Do the first block for Canton Village Blogger's BOM

4. Get my gifts for Santa Sack Swap2 wrapped and in the mail

I will be back with more later. I have more to show. I hope your evening goes well.

TTFN

Traveling Stash Again!

I don't know how many of you have kept track of the Traveling Stash? Well one of the boxes is on the move again. Over at stitchxstitch, a new to me blog, She has started the drawing to find a new home for the box she has. You have until the 24th to sign up. Go over and check her blog out and maybe even follower her, but you don't have to. Just a thought.

TTFN

Quilt Along, Mug Rugs, and Maniac Monday

What is Happening...

I have been thinking, scary I know. Over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict Sarah does a fun thing every Monday. She has, Make-A-List Monday. She lists off 4 to 6 things every Monday and then the next Monday she comes back with an update on how she did on her list. She will explain if she did a good job or if she failed. I love that, simple honesty for herself. Then she will add a new list. I have asked her if I can borrow her idea and she said yes. I need to try a few different things out to help me find my groove. LOL! So starting today I will have MANIAC MONDAY! Catchy right? I will make my list at the bottom today but starting next Monday it will be at the top.

There are a few more things I am going to try and follow along with. Over at Quilting Gallery they are doing Celebrate Christmas Quilt Along and Super Deals for Quilters. 12 Weeks, 36 designers, 3 blocks a week. I figure this will help out greatly with my Christmas list this year.

Then over at Two More Seconds she is having Mug Rug Madness Holiday Edition. 10 days of Mug Rug tips, tutorials and, prizes. They are about half way through but that is ok. It is never too late to start up.

Oh and for a bit I have been a part of BOMs Away at What a Hoot! It is a cool linky party to show off your BOM work. Go check it out!

What I Accomplished...    I did not work on much of anything all weekend. Just had a nice relaxing few day. I did get my DD#1 dress fixed. Just a few alterations. She had Homecoming dance Saturday night. She had a great time. A group of friends, three couples, went bowling, had a fancy dinner at her dates house, went to the dance, then board games back at his house. I will post pictures as soon as I get them.

Sewing Thought...

This is the last sewing thought. My post are just too long. I like getting ideas from everybody and maybe I will just leave you with a "parting question" from now on at the end of my post, we will see. So my thought is...Do you like quick and easy to read posts or do you mind a long post? For me I spend too much time on the computer reading everybody blog that I feel like I am not sewing enough. That is part of the reason for these changes. What do you think?

Sewing Goals...

No need for a "sewing goals" section anymore if I am doing a Maniac Monday.

What do you think, I like it. I made it in a picture program that I have and love. Well here is my list:

1. Make September's Designer Mystery BOM

2. Cut out September's Le Petite

3. Make first three block for Celebrate Christmas Quilt Along.

4. Make at least one Mug Rug for Mug Rug Madness Holiday Edition. 

 

TTFN

Canton Village Quilt Works Blogger's BOM

Have you heard about this. Over at Canton Village Quilt Works, Jackie has started up Blogger's BOM. It sounds like fun. She has a list of Blogger's that are helping her out designing blocks once a month. I really don't need to add one more thing but I love BOM's. Almost no pressure. Come over and give it a little peak and see if it is something you might like to do. You never know!!

Fun Sewing and Mailed Off Items

What is Happening...

I have been busy doing all kinds of sewing. It has been nice to just sew whatever I want. We finally had rain yesterday for the first time in forever. It was such a downpour. The girls and I went outside and stood in it for a few minutes. Chomper did not like it at all, LOL! Today I needed to go and get a fasting blood work done but I did not get to the doctor's office until 11:00. Oh I was so hungry. I took myself out to lunch after that. LOL!

What I Accomplished...

I used a pattern that I won from Gingercake, Notebook Slipcover 2. It is a good pattern. Mine is a little loose but I will get better at it.

I used a tutorial from Sew We Quilt for Laura's ruffled draw string bags. It was an easy project.

 I was finally able to get a few things finished and mailed off.

I mailed off my sack and first two gifts to my partner Andee for the Santa Sack Swap2. I will not be posting any pictures of her gifts until after Christmas. 



I mailed off my September flowers for The Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap.

I also mailed off my block for Block Swap Adventure. My partner asked for Card Trick block. I have never made one. Other than one of my purples not ironing right it turned out great. I liked making that block.

Sewing Thought...

Do you use starch on your blocks? After making the above block I was wishing I had some. The purple with the little roses on it would not iron flat. I thought that maybe that the starch would help. If you do use starch what kind do you use? I have heard the Best Press is good.

Sewing Goals...

I would like to work more on my July Birdie Stitches. I need to get caught up. I will do a little work my DD#1 Homecoming dress for tomorrow night. I just need to tighten up the straps. Then I really want to get my Designer Mystery BOM block for September done. I love the pattern for this month. Then if I feel like it and have time left I would like to work on the Le Petite for this month.

TTFN

S.H.E., Lunch Boxes, and Hoarders

What is happening...

Things have been nice and quiet around here. With the kids in school or at work and the puppy adjusting well everything has finally settled into a nice quiet rhythm. I like that. I am trying to work on my house cleaning. Since I started quilting last June my house has gone to "you know where". I used to keep the house fairly clean all the time but know I am to busy on the computer or sewing. LOL! My husband understands but wishes for some of his old wife back. Have you every read the Sidetracked Home Executives book? It is so funny and they really have some good ideas. I did this program way back in about 1995. I loved it. Now that I am a SHE again I am giving it another try. Go check it out.

After I finished my Le Petite for August on the last day of the month, LOL, I took a break. Thursday was a "computer+movie watching day". Friday was "bill paying+grocery shopping day". Saturday was "yard work day" and Sunday was off limits. My whole family went to the lake and had lunch together. It was a good relaxing day. Monday was Labor Day but hubby had to work, so that meant I got to sew. Then we had a weenie roast at his family's house that night. It was so fun.

What I accomplished... 

I made a small dog bed for Chomper. I thought it was so cute. I just made a square, rounded the corners, stuffed it, and added four knots in the center to pull it down a little.

 As you can see here it is too small for him. Darn!! Oh well it will work for now.

 Even our other dog had to try it out. It is WAY to small for him but he still loved it. LOL!

Then I made a "Doggy Bag" to carry around all of Chompers stuff. Boy I can't wait until I can leave him home in his crate like we do with our other two dogs. You know it is like packing for a baby! Water, food, toys! Holy cow batman! I used Ayumi's tutorial for her lunch box. I love her tutorials. The only thing I did differently was to make the boxed corners smaller so it was narrow at the bottom and not so square. It made it taller that way also.

Top view.

Why make one when you can make two at the same time, LOL! I made a lunch bag for my DD#2. She picked out her colors in April and I am just now getting around to it. LOL! That is ok it is the beginning of a new school year. I did not alter this bag.

Top view.

Sewing thought...

I have been watching Hoarders. Have you seen that show? SO SAD! I got up at one point to go to the bathroom and walked through my bedroom/storage room and nearly fell over. I am not to the point where I can't find my kids but let me tell you there are piles everywhere. Fabric that needs to be given a home. Stuff that I have no idea where to put. Things that have homes that I have not put there yet. Is this how it starts? A little mess, then laziness or confusion take over then add in time passing and guess what you have become a hoarder. NOOO!! Ok so I am going to do something about it. I sat down yesterday and cut up boxes that I have been saving, for this very job, and I have begun to store my yardages of fabric. (I will add pictures of this later) I don't have a lot but when it is piled on your dresser and desk it looks like a lot. I have a drawer or two this fabric can go in so I am doing it! So how about you? When you look around do you see the big garbage trucks parking out front? Do you feel like any minute someone is going to come in and find dead cats under your stuff? (Sorry, one episode they found like 37 dead cats in a ladies garage.) I hope not, but if you feel that way do something about it now. For those people that are hoarders I am so sorry. This show is done, I feel, in a tasteful way. But your lives have been opened to the world and I can not even imagine how that must feel. Hang in there and get some help.

Sewing Goals...

Today I am going to get that bedroom cleaned out. All of my fabric will end up on my sewing table to be folded around boards to be put into drawers. I will not be able to sew until all of it is put away. SO if I want to sew, which I do, then it will have to be finished, LOL!! I am like a little kid, I need an award to finish a job I might even go buy me some chocolate! IF I have anytime left over it will be to get some house work done. I hope to be back in a few days with some good news.

TTFN

Chomper and Le Petite Finish

What is happening...

I had a great day!! I little bit of cleaning, a little bit of blog reading (I am so far behind), and a little bit of sewing. We had a nice cool day and I opened up all the windows and let the house breathe. I love when I can do that. My puppy Chomper is growing so big. He needs to stop, LOL!! He has slowed down on going to the bathroom in the house. I am glad about that, I hate getting on my knees to clean the carpet. He sleeps through the night and wakes me up with great little morning kisses. I LOVE HIM!! 

What I accomplished...
It was a nice quiet sewing day. I worked on my Le Petite all day. I had some fall fabrics buried in a drawer that I thought would make a nice table runner for later in September.

I only did half of the pattern. I love it. I can see doing this pattern for placemats.

Here it is finished. I still need to quilt it. But that will not take long.

Here it is posing like a beautiful lady, LOL!!

I will take pictures outside in the sun tomorrow. It will look so much better with the yellow light and not the flash of my camera.

Sewing thought...

I am going to run out of things to talk about here, LOL! Oh well this is just a short post anyway.

Sewing Goals...

I am not sure if I am going to so at all tomorrow. Payday is coming and I need to pay bills. So I will be doing that tomorrow for most of the day. We will see.

TTFN

Sacks and Blocks!!

What is happening...

I am having a good time not having to be responsible for anybody but me and my pets during the day. Can I say how nice it is to do what I want when I want? I am not bound by anybody else's schedule. I sew when I want, or watch a movie when I want. I can do chores in the morning or afternoon. It is nice. Today I read blogs until about 9:30, then I sewed until lunch time, after I watched Red Riding Hood, then I sewed some more. I love it. Things might change in a while but for now I am in my own little world and loving it!!!

What I accomplished...

I actually got a lot done today!! I finished the bag for Santa Sack Swap2. I used the Reversible Patchwork Bag tutorial from Pink Penguin. I hope my partner Andee likes it. I wanted to do a Christmasy sack. The gifts I make her or buy will not be Christmas themed, I want her to use them all year long. 

I finally have my block made for my turn at Let's Bee Together. I bought 2 fat 1/8th bundles at a LQS a month or so back, it is all Toy Box II by Sara Morgan for Blue Hill Fabric. I love these fabrics. They are all so cute. I just need to print out my instructions and then I will be ready to mail off the packages on Friday.

The block is Antique Tile from Quilters Cache.

I got my Designer Mystery BOM block for August done. I love these fabrics!! They are so soft and pretty. This was a fun block to make. 

 

Sewing thought...

How long has it been since you checked your 1/4 inch? How accurate are you? I was WAY off. By almost 3/8 of an inch. Try this little test to see if you should adjust any. You might be surprised!

Sewing Goals...

My goals for yesterday where finished today. I have the bag made. I have my sample block made and all of the envelopes addressed. I need to get my instruction sheet made and printed. I am thinking about sending out a few extra kits to have a few extra blocks made. I want to use all of the colors from the bundles. We will see. I still have 2 pink and 2 red sets. Tomorrow I am working on my Le Petite. I am going to finish it even if I have to stay up all night. I am not messing up again!! Darn it!! LOL!!

TTFN

Flowers and Little Birds

What is happening...

How was your weekend? Mine was great. I spent all day with my husband at his work on Saturday. He works for a farm as a mechanic and general do-it-all man. We spent most of the afternoon in a Stacker, stacking huge bales of straw. Then we spent most of the evening until 9:30 in a Baler baling hay. It was great. It was a very rough ride but I love spending time with him like that. One on one, with all of his attention. Then Sunday we just relaxed and hung out at home. GREAT!!

What I accomplished...

I got my flowers done for The Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap. These first ones are for my July partner. I love the pattern both sets of petals make.

This second set is for my August partner. I love the colors of the Civil War fabrics. Such muted colors. I hope she likes them and that these are the colors she wanted.

I also finished my Birdie Stitches for June, wow I am so far behind. I love these little stitcheries. They are so cute.

 Sewing thought...

How much thread do you have? Do you only have a few colors or do you have a huge selection of colors. I have a about 15 colors. Mostly I use white and black. I am trying to use more. It is ok for me to use a matching color, LOL!! I am trying! How about you?

 Sewing Goals...

Today I will finish my bag for my partner in Santa Sack Swap2. I have it almost done. Then I would like to get my packages done for my month in Let's Bee Together. I just need to do a few things to get them ready to mail off on Friday. Then we will see what trouble I can get into. LOL!!

TTFN