Third time's a charm

I have so far been unimpressed with my attempts to assemble a block for the CQ purple color study. My first block was kinda sloppy, but not too bad for a first try.
The second block didn't have enough room for everyone to work on it.

This block is much better and the one I will be using for the round robin.

All pinned up.


Stitched and the finish size basted in.



This is my first attempt using "fancies" (the velvet and silks) and I am glad I had some
practice with the all cotton blocks, first.

I am excited to see what it will look like when it comes back to me!

This is Ingrid.

I found a kit in the Hearthsong catalog for making bunnies out of hankies. This immediately captured my imagination, because I have a ton of vintage hankies!

The kit came with 4 hankies, which is good becaus the pattern and directions really stink!
I will be fudging around with the pattern with the remaining three hankies before I break out the vintage ones...

She's still cute, though!

Crazy quilt block #2 and towels

Well, I have had the good fortune to get nice weather the last few days, which means that I can bring my stitching outside and work on it while the boys wear themselves out and then I can keep stitching when they nap! Dishes? What dirty dishes...


I finished a second Crazy Quilt square using Japanese style fabrics. This one turned out much better than the first one! I still need to hem the edges and then I can start embellishing!




But first I have to clear out my back log of tea towels I put aside a looooong time ago for myself.

I finally dragged them out and have two almost done. There are nine total and I think if the weather and the boys' good spirits allow I could finish by the end of the week.





I have done this pattern of birdhouses a couple of times before.
Super cute!
I chose a Stellar Jay blue for the birds.

On a side note... I finally found an 8" hoop! I could only ever find 6" or 12" before.

Now I can get the whole pattern inside the hoop and I don't have to move it around while I am working! Imagine that!

I also need to get booking on the backed up projects... I'm itching to get going on my Easter craft!

Maggie's Big Red Barn quilt

Little Maggie was born the other day so I really needed to finish her quilt!
Here are the squares before they were trimmed. I let the raw edges fray for a soft border.
You can't see it in the finished picture, but it's really cute!








Since I just learned how to make yoyos, I thought I would add one to the quilt!


Here is the finished quilt! Ready to be sent to sweet baby Maggie!

My first CQ block - Ever!

O.K.
I have entered the Crazy Quilting world!
I finished my first block today and learned a few things along the way!


I learned a few do's and don't s!
DO - wash and iron your fabric before you start - even though you're itching to get going
DO - overlap your pieces by a bit more until you get better at you appliqué stitch
DO - practice your appliqué stitch
DO - wait until the end to stitch the finished size border
DON'T - trim your fabric right at the finished size -oops
DO - keep your language clean around the children
DO - remember this is a hobby for the pure joy of it
DO - remember there are no rules
DON'T - let the cat or son "help" while you stitch

I think I'll try the flip and stitch method next!

Also here's a sneak peek at the next craft I'm trying my hand at.

Crafty Weekend

Camas was here to pick up Meathead this weekend. We attended a local quilt show, which was fun, but I forgot my camera to take any pictures to share. It turns out that pictures at the show are welcome, but not allowed to be posted online, so oh well.

We also took advantage of our child free state and went to a couple of antique stores. I obtained permission to take and post these pictures of embroidery that caught my eye.

I liked these towels with the lilac? pattern, Camas liked the stag...


This is a pillowcase.


Vintage needlepainting and outline stitch.


This just caught my eye.


So did this little dress.


This little kit presented itself by accident, it was under a blanket.


The cutie was still inside!


Camas and I had great fun. We learned how to make Yo-yo's. So we yo-yo'ed our little hearts out before dinner.

A fun weekend. I am almost done with Magdalena's barn quilt, pictures will be up in a few days, I expect!

Why hello there!

Camas wanted a dino. I made her one, since her birthday is coming up...
This is Meathead. Nothing says "Kiss me Sailor!" like ruby lips!

Ten points to your house if you can guess why she is called that!

She has fancy ric-rack spines along either side of the satiny ones.

I am having great fun making these, but I really need to get back to my embroidery!

Part of the fun of making these is that I don't have a pattern, so they are all different.
Meathead ended up with this weird bump on her head, so I sewed two buttons on it and turned it into a horn.


She has the same heart mouth as Pal and Bud, it looks like she's puckering up for a kiss!


Again they take on a life of their own, I don't know how it works, but she also has her head turned to the side like Pal does.


Another Dino down!
Now it's back to the hoop for me!

Dinosaurs!

Why hello there!
This is Pal the Pal-o-saurus. I made him for the February Take it Further Challenge.
You can read about him here.


One dinosaur and two boys will just not do! Pal needed a brother.


Pal's head was a little unpronounced, and his legs a bit stubby, so I altered my pattern a bit.
Pal's pattern is the white one.


I also tried to experiment with darts on the legs so he could stand up.


Here he is, Buddy, the Bud-o-suarus.


His head is very square and big, so he needed different eyes from Pal, but has the same mouth.


Here they are together.


Jimmy likes them both and has claimed Pal as his own. Joey doesn't much care.


These brothers get along! **SMOOCH!**

Brian and Katharine's wedding gift

I made this piece for my in-laws in Germany!
I hope they like it!

Unfinished- actually this is attempt #1- the lines didn't wash out so I had to re-do it.


Attempt #2 all finished and framed.


I added some fabric to the mat for that little something extra.
Don't mind the reflection...