We're on a break...

...me and embroidery that is... As you may recall I am in a swap called Hoop Up! One of my partners is Deana who made me the map between our houses. Deana has been working on a gnome quilt for awhile now, and so this is my second contribution to it.

I am pretty sure that there are 10, 867 French knots in that beard, give or take a few. I never thought I would have it in me, but I finished! This will be winging it's way to Deana tomorrow.

Another one to knock off the list:

2 lone star blocks (Sarah)
1 embroidery (Deana)
2 and a half herringbone (mine)
1 practice basketweave block (mine)2 sleepmasks (Mom)
4 sleepmasks (store)
My Precious QAL (mine)
My Brrr! quilt (mine)
Snuggs quilt (Kelli)
My Granny Squares quilt (mine)
*new* 2 lone star blocks Lee
*new* 2 lone star blocks Undercover Crafter
*new* 2 basket weave blocks Melanie
*new* 2 basket weave blocks Solidia
*new* cow paper pieced mini quilt (mine)
*new* update to-do list a smart friend recommended this one :)

Off to decide on my Sunday night dinner and then back to sewing... goodbye dear embroidery, goodbye.

We have a winner!

Well I have to say that I am pretty darn happy with my first giveaway. There were 94 comments in all, and 82 counted for the giveway. (The others were no-reply or second/third comments). I got a lot of great advice and everyone was so helpful!

So off to Mr. Random I went (how do I take a screen shot of that for the future?) and he chose number 69! Kimberly, congratulations!! I have emailed you already for your address :)

Thank you everyone for participating... I hope you'll be back, and I have another giveaway planned in the next few weeks!

Herringbones and a coupon

Just a quick post today to show you my scrappy herringbone blocks for my month in our bee. These are the ones I have made for myself to demonstrate my colours. I am asking for whites, blacks, greys and one colour story per block... mostly because I can never commit to one colour, so I didn't LOL.

Five lovely bee members will each make me six blocks... I can hardly wait to see what they come up with!

As well, 10% off in my Etsy store for the next little while with the coupon code GIVEME10.

To-Do List Update!

I know... the most boring title in the world LOL... but it works :)

Here is the to-do list today

2 lone star blocks (Sarah)
1 embroidery (Deana)
2 and a half herringbone (mine)
1 practice basketweave block (mine)
2 sleepmasks (Mom)
4 sleepmasks (store)
My Precious QAL (mine)
My Brrr! quilt (mine)
Snuggs quilt (Kelli)
My Granny Squares quilt (mine)

OK... so not much change, but wait until you see these beauties for Sarah!

We are using this amazing tutorial that Anna wrote... once you have all the pieces cut out and ready they come together quickly. And I absolutely love the end result!

Hoping to get some more done on the list soon!

A first tutorial and giveaway!

So I have decided to write my very first tutorial... I love tutorials on other blogs, and why not let someone else love mine? :)

This is for a baby quilt called The Snuggs. So named because it is the maiden name of my friend I am making it for, and I have always been in love with her name LOL.

Now, if any of you are lucky enough to be members of Pink Chalk Fabrics' Charming Solids Club, then this is tailor made for you as I designed it with that in mind. For anyone who doesn't know about the club, you receive 2 charm packs and 6 fat eighths of co-ordinating solids every month (actually a 10x22 cut). Sadly, I also have to tell you that the club is at full membership at the moment.

List of ingredients for the quilt top:

1 charm pack
6 fat-eighths of co-ordinating solids
1 yard of a neutral
sewing thread
sewing machine (or needles if by hand)

This will result in a quilt 37"x43"

(You will use less than these amounts, but I always appreicate having more)

My ingredients (I only am using the one charm pack)

Choose 15 charms to be the focus and 15 to cut in half to frame the focus ones.

At this point I like to go to my design wall (a yard of flannel) to decide on the arrangement I like best.

Then proceed to sew each half square on its' side of the main one with a 1/4" seam

Iron your seams. I prefer to do open, but I leave you to choose what way works best for you.

Now cut your solids into three (3) strips of 3"x9" per colour. Arrange them as you see best with your charm rectangles.

Take a random, but cute picture of your cat. (Hi Opie!)

Then cut six (6) strips from your neutral fabric 3.5"x37". (You may want to measure your length to make sure it is the same as mine)

Attach four of the neutral strips one at a time to the charm strips.

Attach one neutral strip to the top and one to the bottom. Voila! You are now done your quilt top!

Now in PDF format!

I haven't shown you how to quilt or bind as I am assuming you know how to do that, and if you don't, I am probably not good enough yet to show you :) I am planning to bind mine in white with bits of the leftover solids thrown in.

Now for the giveaway!!!

As I said earlier, my charm club membership includes two charm packs... I am giving away my extra charm pack of Domestic Bliss!

All you have to do is leave a comment telling me how to improve my tutorials. I am writing for you so I need and want all the feedback I can get!

The giveaway is open until April 25th. I will pick a winner and contact them on April 26th. No-reply blogger = no winner, so please leave your e-mail in the comment if you think you are one.

I had an itch...

...so I scratched.

I definitely meant to get more done on my list, but this morning I suddenly wanted to move in another direction. So, in typical Katy fashion, I went full out, and produced some kitschy 70's family photos.

These aren't my family. But they are members of one of my regular blog reader's family. (I can say I have regulars!)

So, if you are a regular blog reader, your initials can be a swear word, you live above the clouds, and can legitimately say "Goodnight Gracie" then you might want to e-mail me your address. :)

I have been wanting to make something for this person for awhile, but never really knew what exactly, and so I didn't pursue it. But this morning it came to me and that was it! This lady has a fantastic blog herself. She cooks and sews and gardens and photographs and just has so many fun things going on at once. I always enjoy her posts, and she is unfailingly helpful whenever I have questions. And I always have questions. Surprised? I didn't think so :)

I did get some work done on the list. I embroidered some for Deana, did half blocks for Sarah, and did a few more blocks for My Precious QAL. But these guys gave me the most fun :)

This is Gracie. She is actually a calico, but I don't have calico fabric LOL. She is absolutely gorgeous and must have the patience of a saint to live with George.

This is George. He is actually a super-hero and was upset when I wouldn't let him wear his cape for the photo. I won when I pointed out that a well-dressed cat is the best defense!

Anyway, I hope my dear on-line friend that you enjoy these little gifts for many years to come :)

HUGS!

organizing chaos!

I am trying to get myself organized with all my swaps and bees right now. Especially because Melanie and I decided today to start a new paper piecing bee LOL. I know a lot of bloggers keep running lists and so shall I.

As of April 13, 2012 I have the following to do:

2 lone star blocks (Sarah)
1 embroidery (Deana)
2 and a half herringbone (mine)
1 practice basketweave block (mine)
2 sleepmasks (Mom)
4 sleepmasks (store)
My Precious QAL (mine)
My Brrr! quilt (mine)
Snuggs quilt (Kelli)
My Granny Squares quilt (mine)

I have decided that I will break my day into blocks of an hour tomorrow and rotate amongst the listed items. Maybe tomorrow night some will be done!!

And now to leave you with a peek at My Precious quilt start... it may not look like much, but it has me smiling :)

Here a swap, there a swap,everywhere a swap swap!

I love swaps! That is how I got into this whole sewing/quilting thing to start with. I was on Flickr, saw incredible things being made, signed up, and then proceeded to teach myself how to make said item LOL!

Recently I received a swap item from my friend Deana. This is actually our second time partnered in this swap. It is an embroidery swap and I decided that this time I wanted  a maps/plans sort of idea. Here is the beauty she sent me.

There is so much thought behind this piece. The needle starts off in Wi** ND where she lives, the bouquet of flowers is in Sa** ON where our friend Heidi lives, and ends in Ottawa with the scissors where I live. I love how she satin stitched the Great Lakes... way more patience than I have :)

I have also started in some Bees recently. These are where a block style is chosen, and every month you make for the person who's month it is, in the colours of their choice. I was quite honoured to be asked to do the Bee a Lone Star{Burst} as it involves paper-piecing and I am very new to learning it. My first two blocks are for Melanie who asked for greens and blues. After I had finished my first one she asked for at least one of the two to have a white centre strip. I think she was being kind to me by not asking for them all that way after I had done one, so I hope she still ends up with a quilt she loves.

This is the first one I made. I love the little panda face :)

This is the second one with the white strips. It definitely makes the colours pop more!

I am very proud of myself for accomplishing these blocks. There were a lot of seams ripped out, but in the end I made them :)

Weekend travels

My Mom and I decided to go on one of our semi-frequent jaunts to the U.S. to do some shopping. We chose Watertown this time as it was new to us, not too far, and is where our PBS station broadcasts from LOL!

I had planned to take a ton of pictures, but of course forgot my camera every time, so I will have to show you my favourite part of the trip.

No surprise that it is fabric!! To be specific it is DS Quilts which can only be found at Joann's. I was thrilled that the Watertown location had so much of it so I was able to get the pieces I really wanted.

We had a great time and didn't spend too much money. We got a lot of good sales (the fabric above was 25% off) such as two winter/fall dresses for my Mom at FOUR dollars each!! I'm still in shock at that... they were a great find for sure!

I have been sewing all day so I should have things to show you this evening or tomorrow...

Bag lady

I have recently discovered Pinterest and become quite addicted to it. I love browsing and adding ideas to my boards. Earlier today my friend Heidi pinned a tutorial for a purse. Even though I have never made a purse before, I decided this was the one. So 2.5 hours later I am the proud owner of a new purse!

I found the tutorial incredibly easy to follow. My only recommendation is not to use a fusible fleece as it gets really bulky at the seams and gives the bag a "poofiness" I think it can do without. I would definitely use just interfacing next time.

The great fish button comes from my friend Amy who sent it as an extra in a swap. I immediately knew I wanted to use it. She does amazing screenprints, and this is part of one.

My headless giraffes on the pockets make me laugh... I decided they were reaching for leaves on the other side of the pocket! I went with only one side of pockets, and should have done both. After all, you don't have to use them, but it is nice to have them there when you want them.

All in all I am extremely proud of myself and love my new little bag!