Don't Let The Door Stop You

For a long time now I have wanted to make the little gingerbread cottage from Betz White's Craftsy class, Fab Felt.  I enrolled I think last year, but never got the cottage made.  I always kind of thought that making it for Valentine's Day would be more my speed and this worked out perfectly for the Don't Let The Door Stop You Hop.  I live in a tiny house so it would not make sense to make a large door stop.  I do, however, have a door that is constantly slamming shut...so here was my chance to make my little cottage.

I used a combination of wool and wool felt for my door stop.

I decided it needed a little more on the back rather than just another window.

The shingles were a lot of fun to make, and the way they are cut actually make lining them up to look like shingles easy.  I'm thinking this project would be fun for a number of holidays...St. Patricks Day, Easter, Fourth of July...neverending possibilities.  To make this more of a door stop I added a 3/4" piece of wood to the bottom before stuffing...thanks to my husband for cutting it perfectly!

Thank you Mdm Samm and Carla for all the encouragement and ideas.  Here are today's participants...Happy Stitching and Hopping!!  --Kristen
January 30th

Just Let Me Quilt
 
Quilted Delights
 
Meadowbrook (You are here)
 
Hill Valley Quilter
 
Pampered Pettit
 
Life in the Scrapatch
 
Seams To Be Sew

Friday Night Sewing, Grow Your Blog, And A Giveaway!

I love sewing on Friday nights.  It is the end of the week, sometimes there are great classic movies on TV, and it makes Saturday morning feel promising when I actually finish something or get a good start on a project the evening before.

I made this 20 inch block a year ago and could never really decide what to do with it.  Then suddenly I knew...a large pillow.  This project worked out perfectly (although photographing pillows is always difficult) as the pillow forms were 1/2 price this week!

I made an envelope back with minky, which was interesting to sew, and it is just wonderful.  This way I can switch out the pillow form if I ever get it back again from my son (he informed me it is the perfect size to use when gaming).

I had a little more time this evening to work on a Valentine embroidery piece...looks like I have a great start on tomorrow's projects.

Welcome if you are participating in the Grow Your Blog hop.  You can find a list of the over 500 participants here.  To make a cold and snowy weekend (actually we are expecting blizzard conditions) a little more exciting for me, I am giving away a $25 gift certificate to Stitchin' It Up Quilt Shop.  Just leave me a comment of when your favorite time of the week is to work on your hobby.  If you are a follower, leave me another comment letting me know that for a second chance to win.  The giveaway will close on February 15.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Cleaning Up

This weekend I decided before I could start anything new I had to work on something that was started and all over the place.  After all, it is easier to move stacks of blocks than it is to move stacks of triangles, squares, and other small oddities right?

The bright colors looked so nice in the snow...

but it was so cold outside I almost froze my fingers picking them up again. ;)  I will learn someday.

I have 41 of the 48 blocks finished and I am just not sure about that one (rather ugly) fabric, so I may just cut the new seven star blocks and get them together.  Afterall, this quilt does not need to sit for another year waiting for me to decide if I can use that fabric or not.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

KONA Blog Hop

The other night I showed you my half square triangles that I was working on and was bound and determined they would be finished today...well, here they are.

It was a no brainer for me to do this blog hop.  I love Kona fabrics, I love their colors, and I love how I can use them.  I bought 9 fat quarters for this quilt trying to see if on my own I could come up with a gradiation in the color that would make these blocks pop...and in my own mind I think I may have.  I am so excited about this quilt.  My husband was a little upset when I started this and said he would NOT like it...well tonight I loved his reaction to it.  He said this just may be one of his favorite quilts of mine (he would rather I use bright fabrics, and this one fits the bill).  I cannot wait to get it quilted.

Thanks to Madame Samm and Carol for leading us on this hop, and Kona and Auriful for sponsoring it.  Here are the rest of the participants for today.

January 13

Creatin’ In The Sticks

Meadowbrook

Cathy’s Chatter

Selina Quilts

Sew Fresh Quilts

The Sassy Quilter

Happy Hopping and Happy Stitching!!  

My Half Square Triangles....

Two years ago I realized just how much I loved making half square triangles.  There are many ways to make them, and when I started this project making eight at a time didn't really seem like much, that is until I cut them apart...

All 144 need to be trimmed and then they will be ready to be pieced into something fun.  I love that the colors are bright.  We have been freezing lately (the worst was -26F with a windchill of -58F) so I cannot wait to see these all put together, which needs to happen soon.  My plan is to be back by the end of the weekend with one large piece rather than all these little bits.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

I'm back...and Happy New Year!

After doing a guest post at Jane's Fabric and Quilts on this...

I hit a brick wall.  I had so many deadlines and new projects this past year that with no new deadlines I decided it was time for a break.  What I had planned to be a week ended up being a month.  It seems with with all the projects, deadlines, my husband starting his own business, and my son being on three basketball teams everything needed to come to a screeching halt for a bit.  I'm rested, I started running again which I had been doing only sporadically, and I'm feeling ready for a new year and a new start.

I came across this mystery quilt that I had completely cut out a LONG time ago.  I finally realized why I was passing over it all the time, because I hated the orange/yellow checked fabric.  When I started sewing I remembered why I had started this in the first place...

I love the other fabrics and I love stars.  You might notice these stars actually have a triangle in one corner which makes for an interesting design for the quilt.  I am going to be spending today working on this.  There are only 48 stars to go, and I just basically need to match up the points with the middles and they will be done.  Here's wishing you a Happy New Year, Happy You, and Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen