Tickled by my Elmo Purse!

Two year olds are tickled by Elmo, and my Grand Niece is no exception!
I was excited to learn I would be able to attend Madeleine's 2nd Birthday party while in Seattle. Without much time to get ready, I purchased an Elmo purse pattern for $3.50, found as a download at HeartFeltPatterns on Etsy. Very cute, and the purse was a hit!

I used fleece for the body and cotton for the lining.
Followed the pattern pretty closely, but couldn't resist quilting his nose:)

Rather than purchasing a magnetic closure, I used magnets from an old shower curtain and sewed them in.

Just a quick Friday Finish share, I am looking forward to a productive weekend!

BTW, the gray cutting mat is a new purchase - 50% off at JoAnn's. My last Olfa mat only lasted two years before tiny green flecks began showing up, on fabric, on my hands, even on my face. Granted, I do a lot of cutting for my Etsy shop, and quilting of course, but I was fairly disgusted with the price of the Olfa nowadays. They have more than double in price in what seems like a short period of time. My new mat is awesome - the markings are easier to line up with since they are outside the perimeter, it is a full 36" (some are only 35), and best of all, it is printed on both sides and should therefore last twice as long! I will have to get back with y'all to verify that though, a couple years from now ;-)

You Say Selvage, I say Selvedge

At least they sound about the same! Both are correct, but I have always used the spelling 'selvedge'. I guess the edge part just makes sense to me..

Well, you guessed it, I am distracted today by my selvedges and decided to jump on the Selvage Along bandwagon!

I found the button at Quilts of a Feather. This week we are linking up our selvedge storage systems - there is one more day to link if you are feeling impulsive!

My storage system was not very photogenic - hidden in a large drawer buried in a walk-in. I pulled them all out and did a rough sort yesterday. Now they are lookin pretty in a basket near the sofa.

This is a pretty big basket with several pounds collected over the last few years. I have a couple projects in mind and plan to pull some favorites during TV time this weekend. They are grouped by length, the shorter ones will make nice summertime slippers. (Mine are looking rough, so hopefully I can get to them before they no longer stay on my feet!) The longer ones are sorted by color - I figure they are best used in some kind of strip pattern for a piano bench I would like to recover.

If you are looking for ideas to use your edges, follow the Selvage Along! Jess, from Quilty Habit posted a great selvage pillow tutorial this week!

Travelling to The Pacific Northwest with my EPP

My quick trip home was loaded with hugs, many of those from family I had not seen in a decade! Holidays were often spent with cousins growing up, but as adults we have spread out & lead busy lives in different states and countries. Visiting Seattle was in honor of my Uncle Tom's passing, but it was every bit the reunion I had anticipated. Tom was a family man and this is what he'd want as a celebration of his life.

I did not take pictures as I should have along the way (I really need to work on that(!).

I used to be such a photography geek, forever carrying my 135mm with all it's lenses, film and such. Now that my camera can fit in a pocket, taking photos seems a chore. hmph, go figure..

I managed a cell-shot of the huge Clematis in my sister's yard.

Flowers, berries, and green trees make me homesick. When I stepped off the plane in Bellingham, I held back tears as the smell of cedar immediately came to me. BTW, Bellingham is such an awesome little airport!

While travelling, I worked on Flower Block #24 for my oldest WIP, Grandmother's Flower Garden. I think this will be my last one - time to decide between appliqueing these all on whole cloth, or making hexies to connect them all. These have been a wonderful travel project, many have notes on the back with the date and place/event I was attending recorded. Somehow I would like to record the notes on the finished quilt, probably a big label on the back..  Previous posts are HERE if you would like to see some of the other blocks!

Congratulations to KathleenD, who participated in Cozy Afternoon Blog Hop for Block #3, Kathleen won the drawing last week for the pattern bundle by Jacquelynne Steve's!

And now I am back in the saddle with my foot on the pedal!

*Home Sweet Home*

Directionally Challenged, haha!

Le Challenge charged us this month with the theme "Direction".

I thought immediately of my lack of.

Sooo, rather than starting a whole new project, I chose a fairly old UFO to conquer...

Red & White Hourglass Blocks

To play fairly, I designed a border with great, big, directional, arrows!

Here, the arrow is presenting itself to you!

 

Elephant March, 40" Square

Each month, I try to further challenge myself by trying out a new technique. The idea is to steer me toward some art quilting, but this month I chose to tie the quilt as my new technique. I wanted a fluffy finish yet I am unsure how dense the quilting should be with the alternative down batting I used. This is an ingeo-fiber, made with plants and vegetation. It is a very lightweight batting and lifts nicely in the wind...

I used size 5 Perle Cotton, tied with a square knot, with a little extra strand tucked in each knot so it looks like four strands.

The backing is a very pale gray with subtle little safari animals.

Have I mentioned how much I love Le Challenge? Of course, it helps that I won the $25 gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop last month! I have not used it yet, been watching their daily deals in hopes of finding something fun I can share with followers for a wee giveaway!

Thank you, Le Challenge, for helping me "Take Direction" this month! This quilt also fulfills my July goal with A Lovely Year of Finishes, and my first Q3 Finish Along goal as well - both buttons found on my sidebar!

Block #3 - Cozy Afternoon Bloghop & Giveaway!

Woo-Hoo!

It's Bloghop Time!

Today we celebrate the release of block Number Three for the Cozy Afternoon Free BOM!

 

My quilt is a Cozy Christmas version, made with fabric from Jacquelynne Steve's line,

"Joy, Love, Peace, Noel"

The red and green snowball prints are from her line, "Fruitful Hands"

The embroidery is inspired by the characters in the theme fabric. For July, I stitched the sweet raccoon, with a sign waving PEACE.

 

Even though this is the second month in the Quilt Along, this is the third block pattern to be released. The first two blocks were quick and easy, and both were offered last month, but the patterns are still available! Check out my June post to see my Cozy Christmas Blocks One and Two.

 

I hope you will jump on board - there is still time to catch up!

The pattern has five blocks; one more in August and another in September, then we finish up in October. Visit Jacquelynne's blog to sign up!

 

And visit the Pinterest Group Board to see a lot more variations!

 

Jacquelynne has generously offered an electronic 'pattern bundle' giveaway -

This bundle will be awarded to one lucky reader at each stop in the blog hop!

 

 

For inspiration and variations of Cozy Afternoon, (and more chances to win!), there are five more quilter's participating:

 

Teresa @ A Quilt and a Prayer

 

Jacque @ Lily Pad Quilting

 

Julie @ The Crafty Quilter

 

Bev @ 44th Street Fabric

 

Kahryn @ Kathy's Quilts

To enter the giveaway: Please leave a comment on this post prior to Sunday July 19th, at midnight. Followers may leave a second comment for another entry! Winner will be contacted by email on Wednesday, the 22nd! (Please leave your email address if you are a no-reply blogger - I was so surprised at how many there were last time!).

I have a trip planned this week and it is unlikely I will be able to reply to every comment -

Please know how much I appreciate your visit!

I will try and remember to take a few vacation pictures to share this time, haha!



2015 Finish Along - Q3 Goals!

In April I set goals and linked up a list of 11 projects I would love to finish.
Three of my finishes this quarter were from that list, and I was able to link them up with Adrienne for the Q2 Finishes Party!

1. Pattern tested this bit of Red, White & Blue Goodness: 

Happy Independence Day! Sweet Liberty Table Runner



2. Aurifil Mini.

My Twist on Tradition - pattern by Kimberly Jolly, Aurifil Designer of the Month



3. Mother's Day Bookcover for the large-print NY Times Cookbook.

Improvisationally pieced & Sewn in Love

The finishes that qualified as Q2 finishes were all smalls, mainly because I am not real good at predicting my finishes(!)
Try as I may to plan ahead, I like to work on what suits the mood at the time.

Many of my Quarter Three goals remain the same, and I have added a few more as well:

1.  Donna's Stars! Status: In queue. All negative space needs quilting. This is a priority for Q3!
2.  Cozy Afternoon Free Quilt Along, by Jacquelynne Steves
3.  Scrap Dance Mystery Quilt Along by From my Carolina Home
4.  Red & White Hourglass Baby Quilt. Status: Flimsy complete - on hanger.
5.  Sew Sweet Simplicity. Status: Flimsy complete - on hanger, still needs a back pieced.
6. I forgot what I was calling this Christmas Scrappy Geese quilt! It has been on a hanger since I took that photo (after) sunset photo back in December..
7.  Summer Gathering. Status: Flimsy is finished, on a hanger, needs backing!
8.  Leaders and Enders. Status: I may have enough blocks to create a setting. I suppose this and my next project are possible finishes, but really not likely!
9.  Daisy Chain Status: This flimsy has been on my mind lately. It is baby-size, but I have an idea for expansion and you never know, I may just pull it out and go for it!
10. Primary Circles Baby Quilt: I think of this one each month when I need to select one goal. Status: Four blocks!
11. Dr. Suess Improv Baby. Status: One little pile of fabric & this photo. Taken to remind me of whatever it was that was in my mind that day, month's ago, when I thought I ought to 'whip' this cutie up for my Etsy shop. Perhaps next time I pull them out, I will just do it!

Not pictured, but heavy on my mind to finish:

12. Bear Paw Wedding Quilt for Rhonda and Ernie - I have a stack of Hearty Good Wishes just waiting for this project.
13. My selfish-sewing Churn Dash UFO - 12 Blocks complete, need setting blocks and sashing.
14. Jaftex 85th Anniversary Challenge quilt! Currently in design-mode!
15. Aurifil BOM from 2014 - Blocks are various sizes and a setting needs to be designed.

This lengthy list is set to link up with all the cool folks sharing goals for Quarter Three!

 

 Visit Adrianne at On the Windy Side to join in the 2015 Finish Along GOAL Setting Party!

Thank you for inspiring us Adrianne!

July Goal - A Lovely Year of Finishes!

I did not meet my June Goal, Donna's Stars, and although I said it would continue to be my monthly goal until finished, I am really struggling with how I will quilt it. Donna is the only family member who follows my blog, and I feel soo badly putting this off again, however July will be a very busy month. Sorry Donna, your month will be August!

For July I have selected another UFO, a baby quilt that should be a more achievable goal. I have a really busy month ahead, and even this goal will be tough..
I have an idea for a cute border for it.
I may try a new quilting pattern as a tester/potential for Donna's Stars..

Elephant March, My July Goal!

 

Linking up with ALYOF at Sew BitterSweet Designs!