giveaway winner

Hello folks, sorry to keep you all waiting. 

Ok, I asked my son to pick a number from 1 - 15, and he chose 13.

(well actually, first he asked why he had to, and I gave him the ever dependable 'because I'm your mother and I said to'  why is nothing ever simple with kids?)

and #13 is {insert drum roll} Kristy QP! 

Thanks everyone for entering, and thanks for your patience waiting for the winner to be announced.  {and if you are wondering, my son is doing ok.  he probably experienced a migrane this week, but we are having his regular eye exam moved up just to check on that.  As a migrane sufferer myself, I'm really bummed that he could be starting to get them also.}

the quilt I didn't make

I've been planning on arranging my DP blocks checkerboard style since the beginning of this project.  Then yesterday I put the rows together, and set them on my kitchen table.  Suddenly I saw a layout I hadn't considered:

I love this striped layout. 

Lunch was moved to the livingroom, indoor picnic style, while I contemplated the rows on my kitchen table.  Then I resumed sewing, and now I have this:

Which I also love.  

But there is definately a striped DP in my future. 

WIP Wednesday

My DP blocks are in half-rows.  I'm determined to finish the top today, and hopefully the quilt will be done by the end of the week.  Well, except for the handstitching.  That will take a few days, I'm sure.  But it will be worth it :)

look what I picked up for the backing:

it is a flannel shirting from Joann's.  I wasn't planning on using flannel, but once I picked up this bolt I couldn't stop stroking it :) 

I think I've become a bit obsessed with the feel of fabrics.  Even when I'm clothes shopping, I walk arround stroking the fabrics and commenting on the feel of them.  I'm sure the salespeople think I'm nuts :)

Have a happy Wednesday! And stop by Freshly Pieced to see everyone else's WIPs!

fabric for me, fabric for you...



*Edited to say:  This giveaway is now closed.  Hopefully I'll post a winner later today.*

Please bear with me if I don't get back here right away, my son has an unexpected appointment this morning with the doctor.  Fingers crossed nothing serious is turned up.

Oh look, a blogiversary gift turned up in my mailbox recently!

I love the entire Going Coastal fabric line, but especially 'Patchwork Plaid' 
{according to my son's grammer book, you use italics for book titles and quotes for short stories, but it neglected to give the rule for the names of fabric lines vs. print names.  tut, tut. I think his text is woefully lacking, don't you?}

I don't usually like to post about my fabric purchases, but I was sooo happy to put my patchwork plaid with the rest of these lovelies, I hope you don't mind indulging me  :)

I think I might make a zig-zag quilt similar to this one by Amanda Jean.

don't you just love this guy?
hmmm, every time I get out my Going Coastal I get a craving for a good chowder :)

Ok, tha'ts my fabric, but what about fabric for you lovely peeps, right? 

Well, I was at my LQS the other day, wondering what I would offer up for a celebratory giveaway, and look what I found:

Is anyone interested in some OOP Henna Garden? 
I can't remember the official name for this colorway, but it is the bright pink/light pink version.  {somebody is going to comment and let me know this is known as the 'pink' colorway, and then I'll just feel silly.  I know it.}

Anyway, I have one yard of this lovely, lovely henna garden waiting for a new home!
{want to see it again?}

Want to make it yours?
1. leave a comment on this post
2. if you are a follower, leave another comment saying so

I don't think there is any need to bother Mr. Random.org, my kids are rather random.  I'll let one of them pick a number  :)   {they did so well picking a winner last time, after all}

I'll keep this giveaway open until I've had my coffee Friday morning, and a winner will be anounced that day.  Please make sure you leave an e-mail address in your comment if you are a no-reply blogger.  Entries without an e-mail address will be invalid. 

In the meantime, I'll be celebrating with lots of sewing - This is February vacation week for us! :)  {we aren't going anywhere fun or anything.  we just aren't schooling.  and I'll be sewing.  that's my kind of vacation.}

Have a happy week, everyone!  :)

a little finish

I have lots of WIPs stacked all over the place demanding my attention.  And I truly want to work on them. 

So naturally I started something new.

something that could be finished in an afternoon

and made entirely from scraps

from this tutorial

similar to, yet different from, the one I made here {I love how the same pattern can be changed so much by fabric selection}

I'm linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts, Sew & Tell Friday &
Haveagreatweekend everyone!
PS - my spacebarisstill driving me nuts!
PPS - did you notice my blogiversary slipping by last month? yeah, I didn't either. I don't think it's too late to celebrate, doyou? {maybe by fixing my spacebar. haha}  Hmmm, I'llget back to you on this one, ok?  :)

Fugly Fabric & Happy Valentines Day

First things first, head over here for some hillarious Downton Abby Valentines cards {the last one is my favorite}

ok, now that you're back, it is time to announce the winner of the Fugly Fabric! 

Can I just say, Wow!  I had a mental image of myself as the 'wallflower' at the party when I was linking up, because I thought my post would be a lonely one.  I honestly didn't think anyone would want the fabric I was offering up. 

So when I checked the final count this morning and realized I had to get my sons to listen to 53 jokes and agree on a winner, I was a bit worried  :)

But they settled rather quilckly on CarrieM's seagull joke!  Congrats CarrieM!

Thank-you so much everyone who entered!  We had a lot of fun learning new jokes.  If you haven't read through them, you really should  :)

The long-time favorite joke in our home was this one:

knock-knock
who's there?
interupting cow
interupting co-
        Moo!

also fun is the interupting pig, the interupting frog, the interupting car, the interupting thunderstorm, & my favorite, interupting silence.   :)    {the possibilities here are endless}

This was my first giveaway, and it was a blast, thanks to all of you!  And a big thank-you to Lucy for hosting the Fugly Fabric party!

Fugly Fabric Party!



***Edited to say this giveaway is now CLOSED***

***A winner will be posted later today***

Thank-you to everyone who entered!



Hello everyone! If you are visiting for the fugly fabric party, welcome!  If you are one of my regular followers, I hope you find ugly fabric as much fun as I do! :)

This is going to be brief, because I'm having trouble with my spacebar.  {If all my words start running together, you'll know I've lost the battle}

Ok, this group of fabrics has made an appearance on my blog already here.
{although, I do want to say that my biggest problem with these fabrics is that they don't play nice with each other.  While I adore the idea of a fugly fabric party, I don't want to offend anyone.  All in fun, right everyone?}

The fabrics are, from bottom left to top right, :
Sherbert by The Buggy Barn for Henry Glass & Co, 1 yard
Flirtatious by Sandy Gervais for Moda, 1/2 yard
All you Need is Love by DebStrain forModa, 1yard
more of the first, 11inches orso
All you need is love by Deb Strain for Moda,2/3 yard
Big Dot by Sandy Gervais forModa, 1 yard
{Something} by Deb Strain for Moda, 17inches

So,ifyou'd like these fabrics leave a comment saying so. I'll be happy tomailthem to you. Justin case there is actually more than one person who wants the fabric, I need a way to choose.  So, leave a good {G rated} joke in your comment, and I'll let my boys pick the funniest one. (they really need to learn a new joke. I'd count it a personal favor)  please make sure you leave your e-mail in your comment if you are a no reply blogger.  I'll close this giveaway after my morning coffee on february 14th.  :)

And do check out the rest of the party :)

get out your Fugly Fabric!

I'm bringing my Fugly Fabric over to Lucy's blog on Tuesday, are you?

a finish & some progress

I made this tote bag for my Mom.  I didn't measure it, but it finishes somewhere around 16" H x 22" W x 4" D. 

Almost all of this fabric has been in my stash for years now, and it feels great to put it to use, especially since I think my Mom is going to love that cat print.

Ages ago, I saw a beautiful blue & white quilt and decided I just had to make one, too.  I bought 7 FQs and a yard of the cat print, and they have been sitting in my stash ever since.  Mostly because I wanted to make a large quilt, and needed more blue & white fabric.

I didn't have a large enough piece of fabric to make the lining, so I cut pieces of four FQs for the lining - I really love how it came out :)  The pocket is 12" square.

{I'm feeling so clever, turning the bag inside out to get pics of the lining :) }

here is the other inside pocket:

The only fabric I bought is the print for the handles and the bag bottom.
I'd really like to use up as much of my stash as possible, it doesn't make any sense to let fabric sit unused in my closet, and this bag moved 1 yard & 7 FQs out.  I think that is a good start :)

{I love how this print is supposed to imitate old china}
Even though I'm showing up to the party late, I'm going to link up at Lily's Quilts Small Blog meet-up.  Have a great Thursday!

*edited to add:  the pattern I used is called Quilt Camp Tote by Penny Sturges.  I did make a couple changes.  If you want to make this bag and want to know about my changes, e-mail me and we can chat.  I've made other versions of this bag - you can see them here, here, and here.

i'm going to do a little more linking, too. { because linking is fun :)}  check these out:

Crazy Mom Quilts    Amylouwho Sew & Tell    TGIFF