Sunday, August 30, 2015

Stunning Stitchin Sunday

It has been a while since I've done a Stunning Stitchin Sunday post. Just about a month exactly.
Life just has been too hectic and I got way behind in blog reading.
Happily I can report that I'm all caught up and so have some lovely stitching to share you today.  Yes some of the quilters' posts were from a few weeks ago but you may not have seen them and I don't want you to miss being able to enjoy all their pretty work.
Enjoy!

Friday, August 28, 2015

My current wish list

I maintain a Wish List of quilty related items.
Do you?

When I see something online, whether it be a new tool to try out, a template or ruler that looks promising, a quilt pattern I just have to have or a fabric that is destined to join my stash, I save a picture of it in my Wish List folder.
 
A few times a year I peruse those images, namely when it is nearing my birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day or some other occasion when I know that I'll be getting goodies either for myself or from someone else.
 
Believe me when I say that hubby loves it when I'm able to provide him with a list of things that I really want.  It makes his shopping for gifts for me so much easier and he has learned my quilty tastes over the years, so much that now he usually picks out some fun things for me that are not on the list.
 
My birthday is on the horizon, despite what my Facebook page says.  No I was not born in January but I don't like to put that real information out on the web for all to see.
There is way too much hacking and identity stuff going on these days.
Let's just say that my birthday is in the early Fall. Those close to me know the read date.
 
Anywho...this morning I took a look at what pictures I have saved and I decided to share with you what I'm hoping to have soon.
 
Have you heard about the Moda Match maker yet?
 
This is so cool and I really want one.
It has a 2 1/2" x 5' swatch of every single Bella solid which are removable so you can work with them however you want to. In addition they are backed with white card stock with the stock numbers so you can easily keep track of which is which.  I got sticker shock at the price so I'm hoping that some shops will put it on sale at some point once they are available.

I have some new books on my wish list including:
I love Irish Chain quilts and with the peaks Melissa has shared on her blog of the quilts in this, I'm sure that it is a must have for my bookshelf.
 
I just read about this new book yesterday morning and it looks promising.
I have a few FQ bundles that I have yet to figure out what to do with and so I'm very interested in checking this new book out.
 
Last on my current book list is this one from Jessica Schick.
Though my longarm machine doesn't have a computer attached, I could print out the designs on paper at hub's office and use them like pantographs.  I hope to get a peak inside this book soon.
 
So you are probably wondering about the fabric lines on my wish list.
Of course there are a few and I'll be happy to show you what has caught my eye.
 
First up is Spring Bloom by Amanda Caronia for Windham Fabrics.
I love the bright colors of this line (No surprise there, right?) and the prints are pretty.
It came out in April so I can still get my hands on it.  Now to decide how much to buy.
 
Next up is this Grape bundle of Michael Miller's Fiesta.
In looking to find a pretty picture of this to show you, I saw that Southern Fabric has the FQ bundle on sale so it immediately went into my cart and is now on its way.  Happy early Birthday to me!
 
Of course, Kate Spain's newest line Canyon is on my Wish List.
I'm working on a cool pattern for not 1 but 2 quilts made with one jelly roll plus some other fabrics and hope to be able to create them with this fabric line.  I think you are going to love them.
 
And that is it my friends.  Usually when quilt market reports start being posted, I end up with a lot of pictures in my Wish List folder of goodies I want to own but over the past 2 markets, I just haven't seen much that I've been excited about.
 
Now don't get me wrong, there are some lovely fabric lines that have recently come out or are due to come out soon, but since I'm only purchasing fabrics that make me shout "Oh Wow" when I see it, I haven't had that reaction to many new lines over the past year or so. 
 
There are certain designers that many people just love who I will refrain to name (so as to not get blasted by the lovers of those designers)  but other than a few select prints from those designers, they just aren't my cup of tea. And anything with critters on it, being deer, raccoons, foxes, octopus, unicorns, whatever....forget it.  Unless I'm making a gift for someone that has a love of a particular creature, I'm not buying any of it.
 
I've found over the last couple of years, as I've tried to trim down my fabric purchases so that I can concentrate more on using the pretty ones that I already own and keep some money in my wallet at the same time, that my tastes have narrowed and I don't need to own every fabric line out there.  By only focusing on the ones that knock my socks off, I'm much happier when they are finally in my hands and I'm excited to play with them.
 
There will always be more new fabric lines coming out and I for one am not going to give into the philosophy that whomever has the biggest stash wins.  I'm not out to win any contest.  I just want to make things that make me happy.
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Bummed!

This is how my Lucy has been for the last month, all covered up and bored to tears.
I have not been able to sew a stitch since this time last month.  After getting back from vacation and our China travel group reunion, I was home a whole of 2 days and that was consumed with unpacking, laundry and repacking.  Then we were off again as Sunshine and I spent 3 days at Girl Scout Cookie Camp which is for girls that sold at least 500 boxes of cookies.  We were in the lodge with all the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade girls. It was a ton of fun but when I got home I was completely exhausted.
 This is the project that I was last working on.  It will be a baby quilt for my newest grand niece.
This bin fill of Halloween goodies is waiting for me to dig into it and start creating my City Sampler blocks.  I'm planning on doing some of that on Friday when I'm off from work.
This quick panel quilt is draped over the frame waiting to be quilted (another quilt is loaded underneath it).  I'm anxious to see the response from the future recipient of this so I wanted get it done and gifted very soon.
This is also waiting to be quilted.  Sorry about the sneak peak but it is for an Instagram swap and I don't want my partner to see the entire thing until it is in her hands.
There have been some bright spots though lately.  I picked up my new wheels 2 days before we left on vacation so now I finally get to drive her a bit more.  I love it. It has been 10 years since I've had a new vehicle.
I'm outfitting her properly including adding these kick mats so the kidlets don't make a mess of the back of the seats (they have a better strap system on the bottom than many others and they are bigger) and seat protectors under their car seats.  I want to keep my new baby as pretty as possible for as long as I can.
I also added a little fun bling to the back window.
I'm still on the hunt for the perfect license plate frame, the Weather Tech liners just arrived at hub's office this morning and a great handmade holder for the tissue box is on its way which I will show you when it arrives.  You'll like it, I promise.
Some fabric goodness has passed through the front door recently too. A lot of parcels have been showing up at my house for the Kate Spain Christmas Charm Swap but I never expected this surprise package that came last week.  My good friend Katie of Karma Willow Designs sent them to me just because.  I feel very spoiled and thanks so much Katie.
The big pile of green felt is for a Girl Scout-y project for my troop members and while I was at that store, I spotted a few more interesting Halloween prints to add to my City Sampler bin plus I grabbed another spool of clear thread because I know that a lot more Girl Scout patch sewing is in my future.
This big bin is stocked full of packages containing the Kate Spain Christmas charms and the sorting will be starting tomorrow afternoon.  I'm still waiting on a few stragglers to arrive and then they all will be on their way to their new homes.
 So hopefully life will get back to normal and I'll be able to make some progress on my projects.  My work schedule is changing when the new school year starts so I'll be home earlier every day and I should be able to get more things done.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

City Sampler At Your Own Pace Quilt Along Linky Party



I had good intentions of getting this linky party started yesterday but I honestly just didn't have the energy.
Truth be told...I've barely been home the past few weeks. First we went on vacation and then finished up that trip with our China travel group reunion.  We were home 2 days and then Sunshine and I were off for 3 days of Girl Scout Cookie Camp that she earned.  I got home late Friday and let me tell you, I was beyond exhausted.  Being one of the counselors for 14 girl in grades 1-3 is hard work!

So what have I accomplished for my City Sampler?  Pitifully not much, because I haven't been home to sew. But I did make a teeny amount of progress, sort of.  While on vacation I visited 2 local quilt shops and although I didn't find much of interest at either one, I did pick up a few bits. I was on the hunt for some additions to my quilt along pile, namely those Halloween prints with White, Yellow or Green backgrounds.  Unfortunately the 2 shops had very little Halloween fabrics but I did find these few.
 Although these 2 pieces aren't for the quilt along, I did need to have them.  I have a train panel for hubby's train room that I need to do something with so the sign print will go for that and the Red with Gold Asian print is one that I don't already have in my largish Asian stash for the kids' eventual Asian quilts.

So now it is time for you to link up any City Sampler At Your Own Pace Quilt Along progress you have made, whether it just be a fabric pull or some blocks in progress or even some completed ones.  I can't wait to see what everyone has done so far.
I hope to get some sewing time in later today, after the laundry gets finished and put away so hopefully I'll get a block or two made.