Flags on Stick

I love flags, and how exciting to make one of my own.  I have gone back and forth for weeks about what to make, how to make it, and I finally decided that I wanted something cheerful and happy after this long, cold, snowy winter.

The ground is still frozen so I couldn't get my "stick" to stand up, but my flag has the hopes of warm, sunny days ahead filled with sunshine and smiles.  After making the front I thought I should have a playful back side to my flag seeing as that is the side I will see from my office each day.

I decided the back side should be winking...just to remind me of how much we love the warm summer days.  I did blanket stitch around all the pieces of my sun to give it some interest, but honestly, I think to simply see the sun with a smile is just what my garden needs.

Thank you to Madame Samm and Thearica for cheering us on and Flags On A Stick and Flag Outlet for sponsoring our hop.  Here are the rest of today's participants.  Happy Hopping and Stitching!!  --Kristen

April 1st

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Quilt Doodle Designs

Buzzing and Bumbling

Why Knot Kwilt?

Creatin' in the Sticks

Meadowbrook

Spring Has Sprung...I Hope!

Well, our piles of snow are melting and I'm feeling the need to do some spring cleaning.  I'm starting in my sewing room, which always seems to be a never ending project.  My husband has assured me that the new sewing station he is constructing will be entering the sewing room soon (my fingers are crossed and double crossed), so I decided that it would be the perfect time to do some purging...and reorganizing.

I have spent a better part of the day emptying everything out of my fabric closet, refolding everything, and then returning it to its new place or putting it in the "time to leave this house" bag.  I will be sure to share the finished photos with you.  One thing I can tell you, no one can truly warn you enough about how time consuming this folding process is, but I can see already it will definitely be worth it.  Of course then I find things and start thinking about projects to start (like these fabrics)...but I won't be working on anything until this mess is cleaned up. ;)

I'm extremely late in sharing what I worked on for FNSI last week...I was in a crochet mood and decided to try these little hearts and shamrocks I found on Pinterest (you can check out my Pinterest boards here).  I'm hoping to have a little banner made for Valentine's and St. Patrick's Day next year.  I'm never behind, always working ahead...ha!  We are supposed to have a 60 degree day tomorrow which everyone is waiting for with anticipation.  Even if it only hits 50, I'm sure we will all be celebrating!  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Happy Worldwide Quilting Day!!!

Even though today is a "special" day, I think everyday is quilting day, or should be, even if it is for just a short period of time.  I got up early this morning so I could get a few minutes of uninterrupted quilting in before our very busy day starts.

After showing this poor little guy in his horrible state a while back and so many of you encouraging me to finish him, I decided today was the day.  Our snow is melting at a record pace and spring is just around the corner.  I cannot believe what a little embroidery, some scraps of wool and a button can do.  You can still see that he is "wonky" but I love him.  I know I will smile every year when I take him out again to celebrate the snow!  :)

 If you follow Sherri at A Quilting Life you know she has been designing patterns using 2-1/2 inch squares.  This one is called Simply Small Mini Quilt.  I had a few left over charms from a Simply Style charm pack and this was a fun way to use them.  I am still hoping to find a day for some machine quiting, but that hasn't happened yet.  Maybe that day will come soon as my son's basketball season has nearly come to an end, and he will not be playing soccer this spring (at least I don't think he will).  I hope you enjoy your Worldwide Quilting Day and that you find even just a few minutes to make something creative!  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Think Ruffles

I don't know about you, but I rarely think of making ruffles.  I made a bed skirt once with 8 yards of fabric and dental floss...I've made curtains with ruffles, and I've made a few pillows.  Since I have no little girls I finally decided to do what I know...

I just finished this Valentine's embroidery and I did not want it to sit unfinished waiting for Valentine's to roll around again.  I also purchased the ruffler foot for my sewing machine and boy is that sweet.  You change the setting to how many ruffles you want per stitches and it makes it for you.  I think next time I will put a few more ruffles in my ruffle.  ;)  The pattern for the embroidery is from Bare Roots and was a fun one to stitch.  I did change the colors of floss just by picking a color I liked and stitching with it.

Here are the rest of the participants for the Think Ruffles Hop!  Thank you Mdm Samm and Amy for all your encouragement!!

March 7^th

Ridge Top Quilts

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Just Let Me Quilt

MooseStashQuilting

Childlike Fascination

It Seams To Be Sew

Meadowbrook

We Have A Winner...Another Year Older...

The last week has been a weird one.  We had a good old fashioned winter blizzard with freezing temperatures, lots of snow, school and road closures, and we were basically just snowed in.  Shoveling the snow was a ton of work, but honestly it was fun.  It reminded me of being a kid again snowed in on my grandma's farm.

We had to travel on Saturday for my son's basketball tournament.  The roads were less than great, and this is a major interstate.

But the snow was beautiful in places, and the blue sky for a background was amazing!

Sometimes we are moving so fast that we don't take the time to enjoy the beauty in nature. 

On Monday I celebrated my 45th birthday by sewing some UFO's...This month for the Schibble's Parade it is "your choice."  I thought I'd finish a few I've already started rather than start something new.  This is Bibelot.  When I got it out and started working on it I heard my son tell my husband that I got "that quilt" out again.  The first go around was less then fun, and this one was just about as frustrating as the first time, but I love it and can't wait to get it quilted.

The second one I finished piecing was Summer Day.  Whew...I'm looking forward to some summer days, warm weather and sunshine.  This one was just about complete and then I guess the deadline came and went and I missed it and moved on.  I'm so glad to see this one in one big piece too.

Here is the result of the drawing for the gift certificate to Stitchin' It Up Quilt Shop which just happens to be...

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:40Powered by RANDOM.ORG

mtnquiltr said...

Now I'm retired I can sew when I want to. That is soon to change now I will be caring for a 1 year old part time! I am more productive in the morning .

Congratulations and Happy Stitching!!! --Kristen

Hugs and Kisses Hop...and you can still win!

Some of you may or may not have wondered where I have been for the past couple of weeks.  I actually have been having panic attacks over this Hugs and Kisses Hop.  It is a little known fact that I loathe, dispise, and generally hate paper piecing...or I should say doing paper piecing.  I love looking at finished quilts made with paper piecing.  But paper piecing and I have a long, bad, terrible history together.

You can see by this quilt made circa 1996 that for some reason this lovely snowman quilt is NOT square...it is so crooked that I could not bring myself to finish it.  He would have been cute, and in real life most snowmen don't stand up straight anyway, but it bugged me and remained unfinished.

Now, here is my problem with paper piecing...I hate the fact that I cannot figure out how big to cut the piece of fabric to cover the tiny little piece on the pattern.  It seems that I will cut a huge piece, carefully sew it (ON THE WRONG SIDE), turn it over, iron it, and for some reason although it is massive in size compared to the teeny tiny little piece it is supposed to cover, it misses that line by a half inch or more?!?!  

I decided to look at tutorials, and I took the Carol Doak Craftsy class.  I have watched it so many times in fact I was afraid Craftsy was actually going to call me and tell me that I had used up my time allotted for my class and to stop it! (Did you know they actually have a Craftsy app?)  I'm pretty sure I could turn the sound down on that class and tell you what she is saying word for word for the entire class.  By the way, she also has her own paper and ruler to use for this, which I also purchased because I was sure this time everything would work out.

So, the time has come, I start sewing, carefully cutting my pieces just like Carol tells us to do, measuring exactly like she tells us to...and somehow I end up with this...

I know I folded, flipped, cut, sewed, and pressed just the way she told me to, but alas, it did not turn out the way her perfectly sewn, perfectly square blocks do...and I'm quite certain no one would want a card from me with a paper pieced anything on the front.  I bet you can't wait to see what I actually ended up with...

Is it the four block lap sized quilt I was planning on, no it is not...BUT, it does look like an actual heart and I am pretty impressed with my arrow point (isn't that why most people paper piece, for the points?)  I think it is safe to say that you will not be seeing many more paper pieced projects on my blog...although, does anyone have a cute pattern for a shamrock?  :)

Thanks to Mdm Samm for encouraging me to try it once again.  I've done it and I'm moving on to the ruffles.  Here are the participants for the last day of the Hugs and Kisses Hop. 

Feb 19th

 Lady Bente

iliketoquiltblog.blogspot.com

Lady Kristen

http://meadowbrook-Kristen.blogspot.com/

Lady Linda

catsnqlts2.blogspot.com

Lady Marcy

Madebymeinred.blogspot.com

Lady Susie

www.SusiesSunroom.blogspot.com

Mdm Samm

sewwequilt.com

Oh yes, I haven't drawn the winner for the gift certificate yet, so if you still want to enter you have until tomorrow evening (February 20) at 5 p.m. to do so, you can find the post here.  Happy Hopping and Stitching!!  --Kristen

Sunny Sunday Schnibble Fun

I know I showed this quilt before when I posted it for the Kona hop...but what I didn't share with you is that it was also my Jersey Girl Schnibble by Carrie Nelson for this month.  I still am in love with this quilt, although I haven't started quilting it yet.  I want it to be just right because even though it was bright in my darker photos, it was really bright when I took it outside today.

The Schnibbles parade isn't until tomorrow, but I am so excited to see how everyone interpreted this pattern.  I have a few left over half square triangles and some extra fabric...I'm thinking a table runner would be fun too.

As long as I was outside and the sun and snow were so nice I decided to try again with this...

The wind had done such fun things with the snow, and I couldn't have made the drifts more perfect if I had tried.

All the felt and wool are chosen for the next one, and I think the big game is the perfect time to start it.  I'm linking with Sew Mama Sew Little gifts of love challenge and Sew Many Ways.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen