UFO's for Saturday Night

I always thought I had it down. Finish one project before starting another one...isn't that what my mother taught me to do?

This UFO keeps staring me in the face. It's my "Happy Quilt". I found the birdcage fabric and HAD TO HAVE IT! I was originally going to make a skirt for Ab but she didn't like the fabric at all - and if she doesn't like it - there's no way it will go on her body in any shape or form (hmmm....though now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder if she would wear a headband if I made one for her - nevermind). So, I just bought some of the fabric anyway and decided that it made me happy just looking at it so I made a "Happy Quilt". I've finished the top and have meandered all over the bird cage fabric in the center. Still deciding what to do with the borders and I need to get some thread - I'm thinking of getting something varigated for the rest of the quilting.

Then, I have this little project going.....

I'm doing Sew Momma, Sew's Sampler Blocks and making the 4 of them into wall decor for my sewing room/study/dad's vacation room. I've got two of the tops done but that's it. I'm semi-happy with them. I found the fabric "Tweet Tweet" by Keiki for Moda and liked the blue hues so I focused on them. What I've realized is that I need to do the "squint" test to get a better selection of contrasts. When I "squint" at my blocks, they all look the same. Oh well, live and learn.

I need new scrub tops so badly and decided today to pull out a pattern and see if I can throw a few together. I have one store brand top that fits perfectly so I tried to pull it apart at the seams to use as pattern pieces but I can't get the collar undone well so I gave up. I was able to take the pattern I have and place the front and back of the top that fits me well to determine which size to make (I never have luck making clothes for myself but come on...it's a scrub top. They are loose and straight and I figure the worst thing I could do is put the pockets on crooked or make the V-neck so low cut that......well.....you know.

The only fabric I have right now to make scrub tops is Christmas fabric which I bought last year (to make scrub tops incidentally). BUT....I think the fabrics are so cute, maybe I'd rather use them to make a Christmas quilt of some sort. Naaaahhhhh....I'll just stick with plan A. Here's the fabric...

This is where the collective "awwwwww" takes place. Don't those little penguins make you want to build an igloo and invite them over to play?

Another Giveaway!!

Ok, Works in Progress is having a terrific quilt giveaway! She has done a beautiful quilt from vintage sheets. As much as I want to win this quilt, I'm giving you the link so you can try for it as well. See how giving I am? You're welcome!

Vintage Sheet FQ Giveaway!

Ok, so I've started collecting vintage sheets to quilt with and I was finishing cutting up FQ's for a vintage swap I'm doing when I took a break and stumbled upon this great giveaway from one of the blogs I follow. All Things Vintage Sheets is sponsoring a great FQ giveaway. Go check it out!!

I've finished measuring, tearing, straightening, ironing and folding 80 FQ for the vintage sheet swap I joined. They are all ready to be shipped. In return, I will get 80 different FQ's back and I plan on making a quilt from them. I have an idea of what I'm going to do but it's not set in stone.

Brightly colored fabric makes me so happy!!

In the blink of an eye

Tonight was Abby's 4th dance recital. I always gripe and groan after sitting at dress rehearsals - this one lasted 3 1/2 hours! I had a splitting headache, they were 30 min late to get started and it just dragged on for what seemed like f o r e v e r. Fine tuning entrances, making sure the right music was with the right dancers, the grand finale. Not to mention, the air conditioner was running so high, icicles were forming on the end of my nose. But when it's all said and done, and the curtain goes up, I forget all about the inconveniences of the morning. There she stands, tapping her little heart out, swaying her arms ever so gracefully to her ballet routine. I can't help but get a little teary and nostalgic seeing my beautiful daughter on stage and remembering how she looked just a few years ago as a toddler at her first dance recital. In the blink of an eye it happens.

In the blink of an eye...

We don't get a choice on whether or not our kids grow up do we? We can't stop time, keep them from growing, keep them from slowly moving away from their need for us to their own independence. And time just seems to move so seamlessly from one phase to the next that it's hard to notice until you take a step back and look and what has been woven over a few short years.

In the blink of an eye...

Blog giveaway

Cluck Cluck Sew, one of my favorite blogs, is having a giveaway! Click on the link and check out the HUGE fat quarter bundle that is being given away! Wowzers!!

Weekend in Review

My butt was pretty much plastered to the chair in front of the sewing machine all weekend. By the time Sunday evening rolled around, Louis had to scrape me off with a spatula! Here's what I accomplished:

Saturday: Beverly Belle twirl top for Abby - This is the second top I've done using this GREAT pattern from Izzy & Ivy Designs. I had the black and white fabric in my stash but this top really needed a splash of color.

Magenta - PERFECT!!

Sunday: Another pattern from Izzy & Ivy called "Macy Giggles". Oh, I am in LOVE with this pattern! It was super easy to put together with everything matching up perfectly the first time (when does that ever happen for me?).

I thought I had died and gone to heaven!

Check out the back - can it get any cuter than this? Covered buttons with loops?

Be still my heart!

I followed this tutorial and made a little fabric box...

Big deal, right? A little fabric box...whatever. Well, I've named this box my "Foot Locker". Wait for it.......wait for it......

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Get it???