Redwork Progress

It doesn't look quite as bad now that it's pieced in a block. Hmmm.....

Moving on to the piecing on Block 2 now.

I have learned one thing from this. I have enough embroidery patterns and floss and gizmos and gadgets to embroider 24/7 for the rest of my life!



UPDATE: Block 2 is pieced and connected to Block 1. First row almost finished! :)

Stash Report 2010 - Week 17

Jane and I took off yesterday to see if we could get into any trouble ... an adventure! We had a lot of fun despite the fact that we didn't get lost even once! (Boy, have we got stories about getting lost!)

Three quilt shops in six hours. I think we both touched everything in those stores at least once. Some things we touched twice. But applying the three-touch rule, we ended up with a few things and walked away from others. I could have gone absolutely nuts, though, because one store had Prairie Paisley by Minick & Simpson in the 40% off area. Wanted it all, but then cooler heads prevailed. I have oodles of it already. And there was the most gorgeous broken dishes quilt kit, but passed on that, too. It was so hard not to pick it up the third time! Sigh.

So this is what followed me home:



Whimsey by Fig Tree, 12 yards. I'm all inspired by the Schnibbles Times Two book, and I have enough, with the charm packs and layer cakes I already have, to make a couple of those quilts. Check! Okay, no more Fig Tree. I have enough to cover the world in quilts, but it's irresistible when I touch it. I didn't put my hands in my pocket after the second touch!! I never learn!

I've been looking at toweling online, but I wanted to see it in person before committing. Well, one store had some and some cute towels on display with needleturn applique. I was a goner. I picked up three yards, enough to make four towels. Have I ever mentioned I love kitchen towels? I do. I inherited that gene from my mom. I can't wait to do something with these. Now I know what to get while browsing online. There was also this neat flag fabric, 20" wide and hemmed on both sides. I just picked up a tiny piece of that which I'm not even going to count. Just wanted to see if I could figure out something to do with it.



It's a good thing we're not stash-counting books and patterns, though. I picked up two books, "Layer Cake, Jelly Roll and Charm Quilts" by Pam and Nicky Lintott, and "A Bird in Hand" by Renee Plains. An absolutely wonderful pattern called "Gathering Baskets," Primitive Pieces by Linda; two patterns by Clothesline Quilts called "Gettysburg" and "Fredericksburg"; and two small quilt patterns, "Tumbleweed" by Renee Plains and "Grandma's Attic" by Heartspun Charms. My camera batteries just died, so I'll have to post a picture later of those.

The day was wonderful, and we capped it off by snagging Jane's sweet DH to take us to dinner. I don't think I've been anywhere since the quilt show in January. It felt good to get out and enjoy myself without worrying about financial statements and taxes!

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 104.125 yards
Purchased: 150.625 yards
Net YTD: (46.50) yards busted :(

Pennsylvania Dutch Drawing -- WINNERS!

It's raining and I LOVE the rain!!

The winner of the $25 gift certificate from the Fat Quarter Shop is .....

SANDY at Loves to Quilt

Congratulations, Sandy! I'll get your gift certificate out to you in just a few minutes.

THANK YOU to Kimberly, Kevin, Emma, Will and Peyton at the Fat Quarter Shop for being so wonderful and donating the monthly gift certificate for the Pennsylvania Dutch BOM participants! Please shop 'til you drop at the Fat Quarter Shop. It's important to support them because they support us - all year long - in so many ways!

Now for Penny's weiners -- er, winners:

A $25 gift certificate each to Simone, Carol, Suzanne, and Erika! Penny says, "Bow wow, arf arf, slurp, etc." I think that roughly translates into "Congratulations, ladies, and have fun shopping!" You'll be receiving those in the next day or two!

Well, I've already messed it up. I sent the Fat Quarter Shop's gift cert to Carol instead of Sandy. So, Sandy, yours is coming from me. I mess this up every single time!!! LOL. Doesn't matter. All five of you will get a $25 gift cert!


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I got home late and totally forgot about the drawing last night. I will do it as soon as I get home tonight. The hat with the names on it are sitting on my sewing table!

And because I forgot for a day, I'm going to add three more gift certificates from Penny! So each person will have five chances to win - one $25 gift certificate from the Fat Quarter Shop, and four from Penny!

I'm such a dutz. Sorry!!!!

Stash Report 2010 - Week 16

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM participants, please post your comments about finished blocks HERE.

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This is all I managed to accomplish this week. I am thinking about starting over on this embroidery. After worrying about whether I'd have enough embroidery background fabric in the kit to do that, I discovered I have a whole bolt of this exact Moda Bella Solids 9900-60 in the stash room! ROFLOL. See? It pays to stash! I'll finish up this one and maybe do one more before I decide on the start-over. It's the Rabbits Prefer Embroidery pattern from Bunny Hill in case anyone needs to see what it's supposed to look like! I have a feeling when this quilt is done, Bunny Hill will refuse to sell me any more of their patterns for fear of my ruining their reputation! ;)

I did get the rest of the kit cut out, though, so that's 4.5 yards busted. I thought I'd piece along with the embroidery. Hopefully this won't turn into a UFO buried in the bowels of the stash room.

Incoming was 3.25 yards of Petite Maison by Bunny Hill. My backgrounds/neutrals runneth over, but, again, I grab them when I find them. Of course, it was from the sale section at the Fat Quarter Shop so that was good! I need to spend more time over in that section. Some really cute things lurking there.

Battling stomachache and stress and a tiredness that no amount of sleep seems to cure. Hopefully I will get back to normal soon. I'm already behind on my goals for this year and surely don't wish to fall further behind.

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 104.125 yards
Purchased: 138.625 yards
Net YTD: (34.50) yards busted :(

Time to get more backings done to eat up some of those numbers in parentheses!

First Redwork Attempt

I can't believe I'm showing this because it's awful.



I was sitting here about to do it over, but I think not now. This will be my learning quilt for embroidery, like Botanika was for applique. I'm sure there will be better stitches as I go along. I just need to learn how to start that first stitch and how to turn corners. Two stinking hours. ROFLOL

Ewww.......

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM Block 6

Finished up the Pennsylvania Dutch BOM Block #6. It would have only taken me 20 minutes to make it, but I managed to sew it together all backwards. And I thought I didn't need to look at the picture! Sheesh.....

The drawing for the $25 gift certificate from the Fat Quarter Shop will be held on Monday 4-19-10 at approximately 7:00 p.m. California time. Even though everyone knows the rules by now, here they are again:

Post a picture of your finished block on your blog, and leave a comment here with a link to your blog. If you don't have a blog, just email me a picture of it. Either way, you'll be entered in the drawing for the gift certificate so generously donated by the Fat Quarter Shop each month!

And here's the kicker. There's going to be a second drawing from those participants who finish their blocks for another $25 gift certificate from Penny and me. So you could possibly win both gift certificates, or two people could win one! The first name pulled will go back into the hat for the second drawing! This is a good month to get those blocks made!

Thank you thank you thank you to Kimberly and Kevin at the Fat Quarter Shop for hosting the Pennsylvania Dutch BOM monthly drawings! What fun we've had so far, and we're only half done!

Stash Report 2010 - Week 15

I got in 15 yards of Rural Jardin and 3 yards of Martinque - 18 yards total. Fabric that came in was exactly what I was expecting. No surprise packages this week.

No busts. I knew that would happen, but all my financials and taxes are done at work. I have breathing room until it's time to do second quarter financials.

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 98.625 yards
Purchased: 135.375 yards
Net YTD: (35.75) yards busted :(

This coming week I'm going to cut out two kits and hopefully get a couple of backings done. I also made an executive decision last night that I'm going to spend the rest of the month prepping applique and embroidery projects. As tired as I was each night this week, it was nice to sit down with a binding. I made myself stitch one length of thread each night. I finished #7, am working on #8, and #9 is waiting in the wings. My goal is to finish 30 quilts this year. That sounds like a lot but I already have seven more ready to be quilted. Thirty is a doable number.

To catch-up here, Easter Sunday was wonderful. Jane and her sweet DH and Skippy came over for the day. We had a really great time. The pups played so much that they both slept well that night. The food was simple but good. We sat around talking about books for the longest time. Jane's DH and I both read a lot of history books. Interesting discussions. The picture of Penny and Skippy is a little grainy. He's so white and she's so black. I have to really lighten them up or you can't see her at all!



Jane picks out the most interesting wine. We're both real wine connoisseurs - we choose wines with the most interesting labels! She brought this bottle over on Easter. Too funny!



That's it for now. Hopefully I'll get my Pennsylvania Dutch block made today and posted. Other than that, I think another day of napping is in order.

Easter Sunday Stash Report - Week 14

Happy Easter to all! Penny and I are wishing you a glorious Sunday! We're, yikes, cooking today! Jane and her sweet DH will be coming over a little later.

Stash report .... there was incoming and no sewing. Well, I'm working on stitching the binding on #6 quilt and there are two more to go. So some forward progress is being made, even though there's no stash busting involved.

This week's box included 10 yards for the Port-de-France kit and the backing, and 9 yards of backing for the Hearth & Home BOM. You've got to hand it to me - I sure have my backings lined up for when the quilts are done, don't I? :)

I wanted to cut out a kit this week but was too stressed each night to trust myself cutting. I'm going to be making the Rabbits Prefer Embroidery quilt by Bunny Hill Designs. I picked up the kit last year from the Fat Quarter Shop. I "audited" an embroidery class at Ginger's a couple of weeks ago and was inspired enough to pull this out. Although I won't get to touch it for a couple of more weeks, I'm looking foward to working on this project. Something to keep my mind and hands busy over the next few months when I'm too worried about my person at work to sit at the sewing machine. It was Anne's suggestion, so this will be my reflection project.

Next week will see another 18 or 19 yards landing of, I think, backing to go with a Martinque bundle, and borders and backing for a Rural Jardin bundle. See how I get in so much trouble? Bought those bundles and then had to get the go-withs!

Year-to-Date Totals:

Busted: 98.625 yards
Purchased: 117.375 yards
Net YTD: (18.75) yards busted :(

Greatstrides - for Katy

Please check out Perry's blog about Greatstrides and the 2010 quilt raffle to raise funds for cystic fibrosis research.

Perry's beautiful granddaughter, Katy, has cystic fibrosis. Through Perry, I have become more aware of CF and all that is being done to find a cure for this devastating illness.

Two wonderfully generous and talented quilt designers have stepped forward to donate original quilts for the raffle. Judy Laquidara of Patchwork Times and Vicki Bellino of Bloom Creek.

Please click on the link on Perry's blog to make a donation to be entered in the drawing to win one of these two gorgeous quilts. Or both of them! You will be instructed on how to designate which quilt you'd like, or you can split your donation for chances to win both of them. That's what I did!

During this Easter season, please dig deep into your hearts and pocketbooks. Your donation, no matter how big or small, will mean so much to these children and their families.

Thank you.

Mocha Java Give-Away Winner

I hate just picking one slip of paper from the bowl. I really do. But since there's only one kit here, alas, I had to draw a name.

The winner of the Mocha Java kit is ...

Kathie L in Allentown PA who said, "I've never made a quilt for my husband, so winning would at least give me the inspiration to do one."

Congratulations, Kathie! I couldn't find a blog link for you, so I need you to email me at krz4kwlts@yahoo.com so we can arrange shipment of your package.

Let's do another give-away next month, okay? That is, if you all want to.

Thanks for helping me bust some stash. I need to get busy sewing now!