I Love December!

Only one post made here in November!
Time spent sewing was in short periods. It is easier for me to work on blocks when my time is limited, and the bonus is that they are pretty gratifying :-)
I finished up Sew Sweet Simplicity Block Two:

Of course, November did have a NewFO. I've been following the Cascadia Quiltalong Mystery over at Humble Quilts. The big reveal was last week and Lori shared a photograph of the little antique doll quilt that she based the QAL on.
Unfortunately, I selected a background fabric with too little contrast for the patchwork.
I thought there would be more background used in the setting, but not knowing is the challenge of a mystery QAL.  
At this point I sure wished I had used a different color!

For the save, I divided the center panel up and added a bit more negative space all around. Then I brought it in the dining room for brighter lighting:

 It looks very Easter-ish, eh? 

 

I used every last bit of that green. The backing will be pieced with some of this lovely rose print that I was gifted with last week. This finish will be my final goal finish for ALYOF, December 2014!

Another fly-by month whizzed by and my projects are uncharacteristically scattered about. I do tend to work on several things at a time, but this is out of hand! Even amidst unfinished projects, I have new piles evolving as I consider new projects I want to make.
Like the placemats for Mom.
Yes, on the floor.

As much as I love to make new blocks and small projects, a strict diet is in store for 2015. My plans are to finish a dozen or so of my projects, simultaneously foregoing all NewFO's (Is it true that Barbara is no longer condoning new projects every month ?).

To help me focus a bit, I'm thinking of participating in the 2015 Finish-Along.

Yes, I need all the help I can get ;-)

Adrianne will be hosting from On the Windy Side!

I have seen some progress lists from participants in the last couple years, and some of them are so long they'll make your head spin! I will need to come up with a simple way to set some goals.

 

For now, I will try to prepare for the holidays, and ENJOY them!

After all, 2014 ain't over yet!

 

Linking up this Wednesday with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday.

 

Thank you for reading today!

Please enjoy a 10% discount at RedLetterFabrics, good thru December with the coupon code: BLOGGERDISCOUNT

Cyber Week, a coupon, and a couple vintage stitchery's to share!

Did anyone see how fast the goodies went at Fat Quarter Shop this morning?
Man, I didn't stand a chance!
I have made a few great fabric scores here recently though!

Twice in November I landed at garage sales at the home of a quilter, and a couple of those are items I still haven't posted from the big parking lot sale at Quiltique a couple months ago...

I've posted a fair bit of new stock at my Etsy shop over the past few weeks, and pictured here are some pretties that will go up in December. Lots of goodies are queued up in the basket; Laurel Burch prints, Mary Engelbreit, Beatrix Potter, all ready for inspection, measurements, and photography.

Did you know you can follow shops on Etsy? Well, not shops exactly but members. If you click on the shop, it is not obvious (how to follow) and you will only see an option to click the heart and 'favorite' the shop. If you click on the shop owner, you can find the option to follow that person. A few times I have scored favorite, out of print fabrics by being the first to see it listed.

If you do check out my shop, I appreciate it! Hang on to this coupon code through the year, good for 10% off your purchase at checkout: BloggerDiscount

These lovely embroideries were at an estate sale recently:

 I bundled them with other purchases and did not unroll them until I got home:

 And these sweet little prayers:

My mother told me that 'should I die' is now a 'less accepted' version of this prayer. hmm.
She had never heard the other prayer, and neither had I. Isn't it sweet?

Regarding online fabric shopping, I don't usually turn to eBay for it, since I have been disappointed in the past, however, last week I won a .99 auction online for a couple yards of older Amy Butler that I thought would coordinate with FQ's in my stash (sometime down the road - ha!). The shipping was $6.00, but what a surprise when I received a heavy flat rate mailer with this inside:

Of course I don't.

MIND?

 

Good fortune ought naught be mine alone.

I am working on a beautiful bundle for the big giveaway week coming up hosted by SewMamaSew

 

I hope to post a few project updates tomorrow, something to wake this blog from it's wee slumber! It has been a bit slow in the studio, which reflects in the blog.

 

BTW, I finished the entire 31 disks of Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth without doing any FMQing. Sooo bad...

Tossed Salad, Cascadia, and Sew Simplicity Blocks

Even though I have too many flimsy's in queue and ought to be quilting, I spent some time over the weekend piecing a few blocks.
First up, I had a lot of fun choosing fabrics for the November Aurifil BOM, Tossed Salad:

Visit Pat Sloan's Blog to read her interview with Scott Hansen, Aurifil's November Designer of the Month, and to download the pattern.

It was through Scott's blog, Blue Nickel Studios , that I first learned of the Aurifil BOM. Scott has an interesting and artsy aesthetic, which first attracted me to follow his blog. He embraces color, and has that genuine, down-to-earth quality I gravitate toward. Even though I follow Blue Nickel, I had not realized Scott & his wife live in the Pacific Northwest, near the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. At this point, it would be easy for me to start drawling out the homesick blues, so I will move on...

Then, last week I happened upon the Cascadia Quiltalong Mystery, led by Lori of Humble Quilts. Impulsively, I dove in and finished two of the four strips needed for this week's assignment and have the others queued up to piece as leaders and enders. Pieced with 1.5" squares, this will be a doll-size quilt. I just happened to have a lot of squares this size, so it is a win-win and I could not resist!

Last up, I finished the first block for the Sew Sweet Simplicity QAL.

I knew right away I wanted to used this hand-dyed blue from my stash. The other fabrics took me awhile to select. I am trying to cut down my decision making time lately, but it is soo hard!

I must begin FMQing again! Such a procrastinator! I rented Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett) Audio book from the library to entertain me when I sit back down with Mr. Juki. At 31 disks, it ought to help me persevere!

Linking up with BOM's Away, Building Blocks Tuesday, and Monday Makers