Joining In

I know I already have plenty to do, but when I saw Victoria of Bumble Beans request for a new block gather... how could I resist? I mean, she's gathering quilt blocks for a cause AND it's a chance to improve my applique skills with some gorgeous Jennifer Paganelli fabrics. Nope, couldn't pass it up! Which means I need to get off the computer right now and clean my house so I have more sewing time tonight and can finish up some projects before V's package arrives!

New Additions

I said I was excited to finally start working on some new projects... this one is a new housing development! It's a bit of a grab bag/ mash up: Black and white! Wonky houses! I Spy! California themed fabrics! Should be really fun... or really crazy!

I've been collecting fabric for this for a while, and many of the novelty prints are scraps sent by a gang of Flickr quilters, so this neighborhood already has a strong community spirit! Here's the first 3 the houses:


The Stash Busting Bee International is what got me on the roll of building my I Spy houses. Here's the haunted Halloween houses I made for Terrie (Chocolate_is_the_best_medicine) this month!

The Warm Quilt

I finally, finally finished my Kaffe-inspired Tile Quilt this weekend! It was cool and rainy, and sewing the binding while snuggled under a flannel-backed quilt was the perfect excuse for watching "Trials of Life" with my family. There is nothing quite like learning about the breeding habits of parasites, how cliff dwelling birds build their homes, and which skunks do handstands as a warning that they are about to spray while finishing a quilt!


It is perfect on the couch, but it's proving to be very popular and I've found it had migrated to my daughters' room several times already! They call it the "Warm Quilt" as opposed to the Strip Twist quilt that has a summer weight batting and cotton back. I did manage to snag it back for a nap, though, and I know why it is so popular! I got the flannel on sale at JoAnn's ages ago, and my friend thinks it looks straight out of Anthropologie. I just adore the way the little gold star flowers on the binding look with that black and white floral!


And now that my stack of WIP's has been whittled down a bit, I am starting some new projects- finally, whew!

DQS7 is here!

Look what arrived today!


I've been watching my mailbox for my DQS7 quilt to arrive, and today it paid off! Whoohoo! I got a fantastic package from Kelli, who made a mini version of a quilt we both have in our Flickr favorites. Check out what a great job she did!

The back is just as cute- and a great riff on all the polka dots!


The extras she added are awesome, too. She made a super cute card from the quilt's scraps, included a great Heather Ross fat quarter, and somehow read my mind about needing a tissue holder! I only realized that I needed one yesterday when I cleaned out my purse. Hers is way nicer than what I would have made, completed interfaced and with a red set-in snap. Nice! The cherry on top is the honey lip balm- I'm really particular about lip balm, and this is by far one of the nicest I have ever used! Plus, my lips smell like heaven. Kelli, if you ever go into business making lip balm, I will buy a lifetime supply!


I feel so lucky- BIG thanks to Kelli, you made DQS7 another fantastic round for me!

Notes from the Post Office

I was back at the post office today, mailing the little mini star quilt, a pinwheel block for the Quilt Blocks for Show and Tell... and a wallet I found in the driveway of a shopping center, belonging to a girl with an unlisted phone number. I'm hoping it gets back to her fast in the mail, but I do need to check MY wallet and make sure there's a way to contact me in there if found!

Here's the block I sent- it's the polka dot one and it's for Hanies. The snowflake one is going to Chocolate_is_the_best_medicine once I get some wonky haunted houses made for her, for the Stash Busting Bee International!

Sent!

I completed my quilt for DQS7 and sent it last week. It was hard to see it go off on it's (long) journey... I'm looking forwards to hearing of it's safe arrival!

Here's a close up of the star...


And the embroidery and beading on it...


My daughters really wanted to keep this one!

I also finished up this little mini quilt at 10" x 10" for a Facebook craft swap. I need to get a mailing address for it and it will soon be flying too!

A Little More

I am loving how my DQS7 project is coming along. I think I'll add a little more embroidery to the star, then echo quilt it with invisible thread...