This is what is on the table today :) Ohhhh, so yummy!! The postman brought me a package from the Fat Quarter Shop yesterday afternoon...and this beauty of a layer cake was inside. This little parcel is courtesy of my friend Colette who had a giveaway for a gift certificate to FQS I managed to win back in April.
Thank you so much Colette, it took me months to decide (so many choices!!) what to get but this is perfect!
In celebration, I will pay it forward and have a giveaway soon...might want to be watching for it my friends :)
Now...just pretend you didn't see the yellow and pink fabric pieces to the left, that is a puppy in the making...shhhhh! secret stuff!!
So I like to have a project going that scares me silly...no really...a girl has to be challenged, right? (most recent example finished here)
This is the other "thing" I got while at the Grand Rapids show...not the Kim McLean pattern, I've had that...but all the Apliquick goodies I hope will make that pattern possible for me.
Then, my head was turned this morning when I saw Doreen's blogpost here...oooooooo, I really like this pattern!!
Hmmmmm...
Anyone else try the Apliquick method yet? It sure looked good in the demo :)
Bloc Loc DIT Stars for today
Blocks 10, 11, and 12
Starting to get somewhere :)
Blocks 13 and 14
All 14 so far, getting difficult to get them all in the shot - especially with the wind blowing them about!
edited to add: Enough of you have asked that I thought I'd include the specific link on the instruction sheet for putting these together. The Bloc Loc site is a bit difficult to navigate, use this link and scroll to the bottom purple link for the instructions.
I think all the corn surrounding us is influencing my color choices...
My friend Marie is going to come make stars with me tomorrow, I am bribing her with cookies :)
Bloc Loc DIT Stars for today
This post could be called yes, I am cutting into the good stuff...I have really been cutting the precious Chicopee for this one my friends, this IS getting really serious...
Ok, back to stars...
Here is star number 6
The lineup so far minus the newest one.
And, really...who didn't see this coming?? If I was a quilt block, this would be ME. Two of my most favorite fabrics EVER...and this block totally does not conform to the rules...ummm...the rules I set, btw...
This is possibly my favorite thing I have ever made, just sayin'
Still loving my DIT Bloc Loc Tool...
Have a great day!
So my friend Cheryl said I have to post something not a Bloc Loc star...
So how about a visitor to the yard, first monarch I've seen this year.
One of our Golden Delicious apples...not quite ripe...
Some of our grapes, also not ripe...
Roaring fire in the backyard from a couple nights ago. the nights are already chilly enough for this and we are not out of August???!!
Red pie apples, not ready yet...
Sunflower late in the day...
One of my very few pears...
A lineup in front of our shorty corn...
Welcome to our place :)
Ok, I see a new addiction forming...
I am using the Bloc loc DIT tool and my Denyse Schmidt fabrics...yum,yum!!
Good thing too, email issues are plaguing my day and I need a sewing break.
I am going to have to stop showing my progress because, well...I'll have nothing to show later on :)
But I couldn't resist showing you my second pup...
This is ummm..."Jack" ...for obvious reasons, hehehehehe
They are particularly cute when you stack them together...this is Blue and Jack.
Must make more...You could join us if you like, the pattern and info on the QAL can be found at Lorna's blog Sew Fresh Quilts
Linking up to Let's Bee Social #86
This is something I picked up at the AQS show in Grand Rapids and I LOVE it :)
It is made by Bloc Loc and is called Diamond in a Triangle...I first saw it back in April on Norma Whaley's blog Timeless Traditions and have been looking for it since then. Found it...Yay!
I just cannot tell you how much I prefer this to traditional EPP, this tool is just what I was looking for!!
Now to try some fussy cutting...
Or is sewing more fun than cleaning up? My excuse is that my nerve pain is better and it's been so long since I was able to sit at the sewing machine for very long...I MUST SEW :)
I just cleared enough space on my cutting surface for the start to my block and a snack...at least it's a healthy snack...
Gaaaahhh....he is so cute :) Must make more...You could join us if you like, the pattern and info on the QAL can be found at Lorna's blog Sew Fresh Quilts
I am also planning to play with my friend Patty over at A Stitch in Time and Elm Street Quilts for her Fall QAL starting soon hehehehe...she had me at churn dash :)
I could not do it...I could not make 12 blocks of this soft pretty feminine design...I stopped at 4. This will be a newborn quilt at 30 x 30 inches. It is a pretty quilt but I was not happy with the lack of contrast and the matchy blendy look it was making. Hopefully the baby will snuggle up in it cozy just the same!
But I am getting better at the spiral quilting, still need more practice, hehehehe.
I went to the AQS show in Grand Rapids on Friday and had a meetup with a fun bloggy friend on Saturday...and I have no pictures to show for it...bad blogger!! Livin' in the moment...not to mention my friends and I watched a woman almost get tackled at the Grand Rapids show for taking a picture of a quilt that was copyrighted in one of their books. Oh my, it was quite the drama...kept my camera put away, my friends!!
This is the riot of color in my flower beds now that summer has finally arrived! I love black eyed susans...
Maybe I should finish this quilt top this week...I am still stumped by what to use as backing.
And I need to start my puppies...
I have had these packets of fabric for a couple years and thought now that I am back at the sewing machine, they would make a good project to finish and clear out of my closet and into a finish.
They were part of a block of the month at a local quilt shop. Somehow, the shop ended up with 12 of this particular block "kit" leftover. I bought them thinking it would make a good start to a baby quilt especially with the soft colors. The block is called Card Trick but I always see twirling hearts.
I was able to buy some yardage of the flower print to use as backing and probably binding as well so this project just needs cut and sewn. The colors in this photo aren't as true as I'd like, the background is actually a very pale green. One block down, 11 to go...
So, I am no stranger to Japanese craft books...patchwork, hand embroidery, felt critters and food...Yes, I have quite a few. The ones pictured above are two of my favorites.
This is the one I picked up today. I hope it can help me to make sense of my clutter. Because, well...the piles are threatening to take over my sewing space again!
Anyone try this book/method?
Here is my next basket showing one of my favorite things is patchwork...I just pulled two pieces off my scrap pile and joined to make 3/4 inch squares.
I tried to make it look like a quilt draped over the basket and to my eye anyway, it does :) I used a modern and a traditional print as a nod to my favorite types of quilts being a blending of modern and traditional styles.
I guess I should decide how large this project should be....hmmmm???
Again, I am using a free basket pattern from Sentimental Stitches to make wool baskets and just inserting motifs by embroidery and/or applique that mean something to me...Favorite Things.
