Well thanks for being so patient!

I really didn't think it was going to take me a week to get back here, but here I am!

I promised a giveaway to thank you all for sticking with me, and for following me - I'm now over a 100 followers.  Hey, let me tell you I am thrilled!

 I'm going to do two giveaways - these are just the beginnings of the packages - I'll be adding extras before they get sent out, maybe patterns, maybe books, notions, thread, who knows???

5 FQs + some Linen

or

 A fun and fresh kit to make a table topper

I'm going to make this really easy.  All you need to do is leave me a comment, telling me what kind of project you like to work on most - it doesn't even have to be quilting related - I've been known to dabble in all kinds of different things, and I'm curious about you.

  One comment per person, please make sure I have a way to contact you if you are a "noreply" blogger.  The giveaway is open to everyone.

The giveaway will be open until next Sunday, October 2, 12 midnight, PST.  Mr Random Number will be helping me with the selection.  Good luck!
Comments are closed, thank you

Happy quilting!

I've hit a milestone!

Just last Thursday, I was taking a look at my blogger stats, and noticed that I had hit 100 followers!  Thank you all so much for hanging around for my random posts and bits of nonsense!  I appreciate each and everyone of you.  I started this blog a few years ago now, when I had taken a "sabbatical" from work. (Okay, I had thought I was finished with working, I was burnt out, ready for a change of pace, maybe even retirement, but in fact I just needed a breather and about a year later I did go back to work.  Same organization, different position.  But I digress.)  The blog was a way for me to document what I was doing and try to get an idea of the types of things I liked doing, and exploring different ideas and techniques.  When I started, I was quite heavily into making Irish Dance costumes.  Those days are over, and now it is quilting that is absorbing my time and interest.  I am so happy that you have followed along with me as I've tried to sort out What Comes Next? It has been incredibly fun and has been so lovely to have met so many of you along the way!   Thank you all!




The thing with milestones is they should be celebrated, so please keep checking in as I do want to celebrate with all of you, and I should have everything all sorted out in a day or two!  You know what that means don't you?  No?  Keep checking in and you'll find out!








Last week at my Little Group get together, a friend of mine, Sandi, who is a hooker (now now, not that kind of hooker, silly!) had made a lovely piece that she decided she didn't want to turn into another mat.  She asked if anyone could turn it into a pillow for her.  I told her I would, so I got to bring this lovely piece home with me - 

Sandi hand dyed the wool she used in this piece - beautiful fall colours, wouldn't you say?

I just love the look and feel of this - it is fabulous! 


Anyway, on Sunday I was looking for something to do, and knowing that Sandi was going off for a Hookers retreat this coming weekend, I turned it into a pillow.  

I think it turned out really well, and Sandi picked it up tonight and loves it!


You gotta love it when everything works out!


Happy quilting!

WIP Wednesday

34 of 88 done!

Making progress, on at least 1 of my WIPS, grabbing 30 minutes here and there!

Happy quilting!

It was another beautiful day today

We went out for lunch and had a great visit with a friend visiting from out of town, and I managed to fit a bit of work in on "The Quilt".  I've decided I do like the interlocking boxes - and I am getting a little neater with them,  but they still have "character"!

and I now have 15 of the 88 blocks done.

; 

Let's see, at 10 minutes a block, that's 730 minutes or about 12 hours of quilting still to go!  Yikes!  Breathe deep, and just think about doing it in little chunks.  Just 10 minutes and another block is done - easy, right?  I'll be done in no time!

Linking up to

 

this week!

(If you're new here, or just want to refresh your memory about "The Quilt", please see this and this and this earlier post about this quilt.  The pattern I used is Color Cues by Amy Walsh of Blue Underground, from the  April 2010, Issue #103, of American Patchwork and Quilting, enlarged to ~95"x97")

Happy quilting!

I shouldn't have

but I did anyway!  Last night at the Blue Mountain Quilters Guild meeting I decided to join in the fun of a Round Robin.  I've done a Row robin before, but not a "Round".  Naturally, I have just tons of time to do this (can't you just hear the sarcasm dripping off my words?), but that's not stopped me before, nor did it stop me this time!

In fact, I got up today and after perusing a few ideas on line and a trip to my LQS, The Needle and I, inspiration! (Yes, yes, I know, I've got a honking big quilt to get finished, but I needed a break, okay?)  Now, I didn't buy any new fabric at the store, as I have lots of that and I'm challenging myself to use what I've got for this one, but I did buy a new book on scrap quilts.  "All-Time Favorite Scrap Quilts from That Patchwork Place". Lots of ideas churning around!

I started pulling fabrics.

I decided to go blues and greens

And, because I had nothing else to do today, I made my block!  Yup, I am officially way ahead for this Round Robin - lets see how long that will last!

hmmm - could have done with more value contrast

Then, just because I still needed something to do today, I decided to try some sun-printing, after being thoroughly impressed and inspired by Gina's blog about it the other day.  Really easy to do, and I'm please with this first attempt - I will be doing this again - I already have a few ideas brewing, maybe tomorrow will see some more fabric printed.  Just have to find more"resist" items.

I used coins and a magnet for my resist items

Oh, and the wedding quilt?  It wasn't completely ignored - I did finish all my straight line  quilting in the sashing and I'm starting to play with some FMQ in the blocks - here's my first thought - haven't decided if this is the way I'll go yet or not - any thoughts?

interlocking boxes.  1 almost done, 87 more to go!

Happy quilting!

I actually did get some things done in August!

Between feeling like I was running all over the place, and not accomplishing a lot, I did manage to work on a few things!

 

The wedding quilt is still a work in progress - will someone remind me why i thought it was a good idea to quilt a 95"sq quilt on my domestic machine?

And why I decided it should be straight lines?

Well I am, and they aren't, and I am getting so tired of pushing it around that it may be a while yet before I have the strength to finish it!

But, on a little bit brighter note, I did get a challenge quilt finished for a local quilt shop, but I don't seem to have taken any pictures of it, so I'll blog about it after I pick it up on Saturday; and I did get my Tangled Textiles Celebration challenge done, so I guess August wasn't a complete write-off!

Linking up to Lily's Quilts - Fresh Sewing Day

Happy quilting!