Hi {{wavin'!!}}

Okay, so I couldn't think what else to title this post, so ... this is what you get ...

Just wanted to share a bit of fun I've had recently ...

13 Little Knome Hats????

One Little Monster in the Kitchen?????


Nah ...

13 Little Treat Bags for Pre-School Valentine's Party 

 Aren't these fun? Had to bring treats for AbsterGail's party today ... knowing me, I couldn't just put snacks in a sack, now could I?  Well, I quilted some fabric:

Cut said quilted fabric out with rotary cutter and pinking shears (pinked top edge)

Before I turned this piece into a cone, I added a quick decorative stitch along the top, under the pinked edges, in essence to stop the quilting from unraveling after the cutting and then I shaped into cones.  I used my machine's hem stitch to sew the edges together:

I added a 14"  ribbon handle with a decorative button to hide the stitching of the ribbon:

 And, wah-lah ... Valentine Treat Bag:

And oh my goodness, did I ever fill them with goodies ... went over to Bakerellas' website and found this most .... holy cow, oh my goodness, gotta be a kid to eat more than one ... recipe for Cake Balls (recipe here).  Ingredients ... yes, this simple ... Devils Food cake mix (baked, cooled and crumbled), cream cheese frosting (straight outta the can), chocolate chips (melted for dipping).  If you feel the earth quake tonight, it has to be because my chair broke after I ate another ... (no, really, I made the mistake of eating one and wow! can you say "Glass of Milk???")  Yes, that good.  Just Sayin. ;-)

Now, just to let you know I'm staying up to speed with some things, here's my Block 5 for the Block-a-Palooza quilt along: 

Lovin' it!!!  The next block was posted today by the most Awesome Happy Zombie.  I've got the pattern printed and hope to get it sewn tomorrow.

And ....  

please parden the picture, I laid it out on my bedspread, so no, that's not the border!!

This is a quilt I started this past week for a friend of my daughter Emily, who is in kindergarten, actually her friend is the "other" Emily in her class.  Well the "other" Emily is moving away at the end of the month.  I thought it would be fun for her to have a little memory quilt with all of her classmates' signatures.  The pattern is called "A Ritzy Cracker Quilt" by  Mary Lane Brown which I picked up over at ModaBakeShop.  I'm using Sandy Gervais' Giddy line for Moda.  The pattern calls for the quilt to be 44 x 52  inches, if I use all 42 blocks.  However, I'm thinking of using just the 30 blocks you see here.  It is for a very small 6 yr old.  Cop out? ... lol ... nah :-)

Well, thank you for letting me share the cumulation of my week.  Now, get on with you to the really cool blogs out there and I'll catch you again real soon!  Thanks for hangin' with me!!

Love, hugs and Quiltastic day to ya!

P.S.  Lookie, lookie!!  I finally figured out how to get my siggy block to work ... isn't it the most awesomest?!!!?!!  Thank you M.Samm!!!



Surprise Finish ...

Okay ... for some time I've been pondering a project I wanted to make as a surprise for a lady friend ... bouncing from one idea to another.  Then when the March/April 2011 McCall's Quilting issue came out and while cruising it's pages, I found this pattern:

A Gift for Mom is what this is called, designed by Kari Carr.  I immediately knew it was what I wanted to make.   Isn't it funny when an idea hits you like that?  However, as you will note from my finished product: 

 I took a few liberties from the pattern ... big liberties ... guess I just can't help myself.   

The pattern calls this a "cozy quilted shawl" design. I used a soft minky swirl inside. The front of both sides are pockets ... see here: 

I got the "coffee break" and the "coffee cup" from the Whimsical's Companions book ...again, borrowing and taking liberties with patterns, it's what I do, but its what I had in my mind for this particular lady friend so when it spoke to me, I listened. 

Tell me what you think .... hit or miss?  Could you see yourself wrapped in this, drinking your morning mo-jo cruising the blogs or newspaper?

Well, either way, its off to the mailbox tomorrow and fingers crossed hoping the surprise hits a happy mark!

Meandering Stroll

I've been taking a little stroll around our bloggihood and spending a wee-bit of time (okay several hours ... shhhh!! ) reading blogs tonight.  Wow!  The things happening in the 'hood!  A few things I felt the need to share, so please bear with me and I thank you for your indulgence....


First of all ... please add to your prayers Jenny of ELEFANTZ and her fellow Austrailians.  Oh my goodness, puts life in perspective.  She and her family are just opening the battened down hatches after the cyclone Yasi has passed over which, of course, were only just being aired out after the recent floods.  And still, while she and her family clean up from this disaster, she's thinking of others around her and even many of us in the U.S. going through the ice storms and snowy blizzards. .... Might be worth a stop over to give her your best wishes?   Thanks!


On a happier note, one of my all time favorite bloggihood neighbors, Ms. Vanessa from V and Co.  was spotlighted on her local news program, Channel 4's Good Things Utah.  Yes, I am taking the liberty of sharing the broadcast link here.  Her spot was that good!  I've admired her fabulous crafts and projects but avoided this particular beauty as it uses ruffles and I have had ruffle phobia until I watched her.  Way cool technique and I may even be sharing a Valentine's Day pillow or two for my daughters very soon here at Why Knot ... just sayin.  Check Ms. V out, you'll enjoy it.  Trust me. :-)


Oh yeah, next on my bloggiland stroll I wandered through this site .... The Sewing Summit.  I've been mentally doing a search of a "mom" retreat I could convince my husband I really wanted to attend this year.  I think this may be it.  Last year, as many of you  may recall, I attended the Sisters 35th Annual Outdoor Quilt Show (blogged about here).  I went with a fun group of ladies and thoroughly enjoyed myself.  I was toying with the idea of attempting to make a trip down to quilt market this year, but knew that was probably  out of the question and really, in all honesty, not the place for me ... yet ... as much as I drool over the idea.  Then I heard rumors of The Sewing Summit here and there in the bloggihood.  From their website, I share these words:

We are a sewing and blogging conference for the modern sewist who wants to connect with others in a fun and inspiring setting. We are planning classes, panels, speakers, vendor demonstrations, networking events and more.

This summit will be held October 7, 8, and 9 in Salt Lake City.  I'm thinking I could convince my husband to be primary care giver for a few days ... any advice on plausible, convincing arguments would be greatly appreciated :).  Anyway, any thoughts on this summit? Anyone else thinking of attending?  How fun to meet bloggihood neighbors and while absorbing all the creative mojo surely to be located in one location!  Just thinkin. Hopefully soon to be plannin.

Oh ... and I have sewn a bit ... check this out:


Block-a-Palooza Block #4


I've also been working on another quilt for one of my daughter's best kindergarten classmates as she is leaving in a couple of weeks and my daughter will sorely miss her.  I should be able to share pictures after the weekend.

Okay, the hour is again late. I should probably connect my my head with a pillow.  I thank you for stopping by and visiting ... it means the world to me! 

Excused Absence ... (lots of phots)

I claim excused absence .... really, I had a note!

Oh wait ... that's not it ...  the dog must've eaten it ...

No? You don't buy that either?  Oh man ... how about this?

I'z been bizzy bizzy ... truly!

Here's proof:

My first three blocks for the Block-a-palooza Waiting for Spring quilt along.
I'm using Sweetwater's Sunkissed line by Moda.

Postage Stamp Quilt Along with Rachel at P.S. I Quilt
using Moda's Kansas Troubles line of fabric.

Close-up view of postage stamp quilt.

Kindle Book cover outside

Kindle Book cover inside

Second Kindle Book cover

Second Kindle Book cover (inside)

I made these two Kindle book covers for a couple of school friends of my daughter's.  Her mom is a quilter but doesn't do small projects and since I do, I thought they'd enjoy having covers for their Kindle Christmas presents.

I made two of these potholders but only photo'd one.

Snap bag .. Tweet Tweet fabric ... Moda, of course!

I made the potholders and the snap bag as donations for an auction at our church to help offset costs of the pastor's daughter two eye surgeries.  They were making baskets of kitchen items and spa/bath items.  Figured the snapbag could be used as a cosmetic bag and who couldn't use more hot pads? :)  This way we didn't have to run to town either to purchase items ... just sorted through the trusty ol' stash pile!  Yay stash pile!!

Oh, yeah, I also travelled this past weekend to see my SIL get married.  Fun was had by all but I'm sure you'll agree, my daughters seemed to have some of the most fun:

Abbie dancing with one of her uncles.

Emily dancing with her daddy.

The happy couple.  Congratulations!

And, I'm so proud of myself, I'll share, though there's not much to share yet.  I'm learning to embroider!  Yay me!!  This is on my list of things to try this year and since we had an eight-nine hour drive to the wedding, here is what I started:

Okay, so not very good yet ... but I am just starting! 
Pattern is from Jenny over at Elefantz...she's doing a free BOM.
Beautiful pattern, I hope to do it justice!

I also replaced one jacket zipper, one baby-sleeper outfit zipper, put two zippers in a tent flap, made a canvas seat for a tree stand and put buttons and button holes in my husband's work shirt collar.  Do these count?

LOL

Okay, enough excuses ... I'm off to make more now.  Hopefully this time I'll catch the dog in the act of eating the note!  Hugs to all and thanks for sticking with me!! 

Freckled Whimsy: Happy 1st Birthday!

Freckled Whimsy: Happy 1st Birthday!

Okay, Miss KarrieLyne over at Freckled Whimsy is one of the sweetest bloggers I've met online. She has designed some pretty cool recipes for Moda Bake Shop and her blog is a 'must read' ... If that doesn't encourage you to head over to her site to check her out, this will, she's celebrating her blog's first birthday with a giveaway of some Kate Spain goodies. Trust me, even without the giveaway, Karrie is worth a visit!

Enjoy and hugs to you!

Christmas Wrap Up & Jan/Feb Goals

So ...I figured before I could set goals for January and February I had to first complete the Christmas presents I wanted to make for some dear friends ... therefore here are some shots of those gifts to wrap up my Christmas items:

This & That's Whimsy Wallet pattern

Pink Penguin's Reversible Tissue Box Cover which I found on her wonderful blog here

 

Though these pictures don't do the fabric any justice, I got two mug rugs made with my Sweetwater Label Crew kits ...again, gave them as gifts ... luckily the kit came with enough to make four so there's still a chance I'll make one for me :)  You can find out more info about this kit here.

Oh ... and look what the mail man brought me yesterday ... 

Remember back in November when Quiltmaker's 100 Block Blog Tour was happening? Well, I was so fortunate to have won at The Quilt Nook but Ms. Cara was delayed in getting things mailed out.  Oh darn!  She added in a few things because she was sending this out so late ... big time bonus! 

Thank you Cara!!

And as for this block ... well I had to include it because ...

well, Why Knot? ... lol

I got a telephone call last week from a lady who had joined a quilt sew along of somekind at work ... then she fractured her wrist.  She called a LQS in town who did not return her calls or were too busy to call her back.  Then, she called my favorite LQS who referred her to me.  Of course I'd sew it for her I said!  She was so relieved!  I guess someone in her group had been after her to get it done ... don't know the circumstances, but needless to say ... I learned something new and I got to help a fellow quilter too.  Big time bonus for me!! This was totally out of my realm of patterns, material, what have you ... but by the time I got done, I thought ... huh ... not bad :)  Never know what waits for you around a corner, now do we?

Okay ... on to my quilting goals for January / February:

I'm not one to normally write down goals, but I thought maybe this would help me stay organized and give me some stick-to-it-iveness ...

(Yes I know, that's not a word, so throw the dictionary at me!!)

1.  Construct and quilt client's baby quilt

2.  Construct and quilt client's lone star quilt

3. Construct and quilt client's t-shirt quilt 

4. Construct and quilt Downy's Quilt for Kids quilt

5.  Construct and quilt baby alphabet quilt

6.  Construct and quilt second baby quilt before #5's brother/sister is born.

7. Keep up with postage stamp sew along quilt

8. Start and keep up with Block a Palooza Waiting for Spring quilt

9. Bind my Star BOM quilt

10. Bind my Sunday Squares wallhanging

11. Enjoy doing all of the above

12. Don't feel guilty if I don't complete said goals stated above.

ROFLMAO!!!!

These are obviously dream goals ... maybe that's why I never write them down, I can't keep a straight face when I get down to the end because I know I'll never finish them all ....

Goal for March--leave enough room to carry forward list of uncompleted projects from Jan./Feb.  lol

Thanks for your support friends!  I appreciate all of your wonderful comments and suggestions!!

~hugs~ Wendy

Word Up ...

Okay, Kelly's challenge theme for the Charming Girls Quilt Club this month is to choose a word for the year. We're to choose a word the identifies what we'd like to see more of in our lives in 2011 - what we want to cultivate in our lives!  I'll say this, I've given this a lot of thought and I think I've finally determined my word ...

Persevere

Uplifting? Reflective? Hopeful? I don't know if my word reflects these meanings at first glance, but for me, in my life, I think it's the right word for the coming year...

With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance,

all things are attainable.

~Thomas Foxwell Buxton

When the world says, "Give up," 

Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."

~Author Unknown

Despite who may come or go in your life, what others may or may not say, what obstacles are thrown in or out of your way,  persevere ... have faith in your God and yourself. 

 Tackle that stash, that quilt, that project, that ...

whatever .... just ...