A Trio of Finishes

Well things are finally starting to slow down for me after the rush, rush, rush of the holidays.  Doesn't it seem like yesterday was Thanksgiving?  How does time go by so fast?

I was talking to my dear friend Karin on the phone about getting back into sewing when I realized that I have finished a few projects that I haven't blogged about.

First up, this month's Another Year of Schnibbles project.  I love making these pincushion and plan on making some of the other ones in the pattern during a less busy time.

I made these scraps of Vintage Modern and the irresistible Moda twill tape that holds bundles together. 

After making my sister-in-law a charm square scarf, I made one for myself out of a Morris Apprentice charm pack and a striped flannel on the reverse (I used a gray stripe from the Marmalade line by Bonnie & Camille).  I love William Morris fabric and I am looking forward to wearing this with the new black wool coat that S. bought for me for this winter. 

 I also quilted September's Schibbles project. This is Speck with some simple straight-line quilting and a thin dark chocolate brown polka dot binding.

I made a scrappy back from leftover pieces.

Time to get busy catching up on BOMs, BOWs and planning for next year.

Summer Stitch In 2012

As Pat said on her blog, Summer Stitch In is the funnest fun that ever was fun.  About 35 quilters from our Silver Thimble Quilt club come for 6 days from 9AM to 9PM for non-stop sewing and laughing and sharing (and a bit of eating) and more sewing.  Check out her blog for lots more photos and a funny story (or 20).  It's like a retreat except you can go home and sleep in your own bed.

Because of my jobs, I don't get to go for the full week but this year I went for Friday and Saturday.  Let me tell you, I needed some fun time.  And after 72 hours of quilting, caffeine, chocolate, snacks, more caffeine, and more chocolate, my friends get really loopy fun.

I just realized that I didn't take many photos.  Must have been sewing too much.

First up. I FINALLY finished the borders on my Civil War Block of the Week.

 I love this quilt.  I love this quilt, not only because it has some of my most favorite fabrics and I thoroughly enjoyed Barbara's wonderful stories every week, but because 2011 was a rough year for me and this quilt represents my perseverance through all that craziness and sadness of last year.

Pat showed me how to miter the borders since I chose not only a stripe but a stripe with a complicated pattern. Yea me.  She has a great, easy method though and if you have her book Spotlight on Neutrals, it's in there.  Love this fabric though; it's Barbara Brackman's Civil War Reunion line.

Here's another view.

  

I also started and finished this quick jelly roll quilt from the wonderful Jelly Roll Quilts book.  It's called Spiral Strips and the fabric line is an older Holly Taylor for Moda called "Natural Garden."

And here is Karin's mostest fabulous Eventide quilt out of French General fabrics.  She made this quilt just for me. 

Karin and Becky with Karin's Eventide quilt

 I wish. 

I love it!!!  

I also got everyone completely hooked on Starbucks new Refreshers energy drinks.  Have you tried them?  They are completely and utterly THE BEST THING ON THE PLANET and you need to buy lots and lots and lots.  And I can say this because I work there and I am hooked to :)  Oh yeah and we get stock options.  Hee hee!

Weekend Report: Sewing, Cats, Oscars

I did manage to squeeze in some sewing time on Saturday to work on a project from retreat earlier in the month.  I had finished all the blocks for the quilt I am calling "Chocolate Raspberry Truffle" (after my favorite ice cream at the local Bruster's ice cream chain).

I started sewing the rows together with help from Stella.  I think she is making sure the colors are all distributed evenly.

The fabric is French General's Maison de Garance.  Yummy yummy yummy.

I got about half of the top together so maybe I'll get the other half sewn this upcoming weekend.

My Battle Hymn fabric project is calling me and I sewed one of the star blocks together to see what it looked like.

Hmmm need to think on this.












On Sunday, I worked at Starbucks all morning. On my way home, my truck (Xena) drove itself to Intown Quilters to rest in the parking lot while I browsed inside.

Really it was Xena's fault, she wanted to rest in the beautiful spring-like sun for awhile.

Really.  That's the story and we are sticking to it.

I hadn't been in the shop in a long time, even though it is on the way home from Starbucks and my day job, I try to be good and only stop every once and awhile. The shop is filled to the brim with Modern Quilt fabrics, Kaffe Fassett, brights, and batiks.

I had a "filled" shopper card so snagged some goodies with a discount.  A couple of yards of Robert Kaufman organic cotton solid in gray.  I'm looking forward to sewing with this.  A cool laptop bag pattern by Fig Tree Quilts. Some Valdani thread for wool appliqué in pretty purples.  And a patterns to make owl potholders.  Owls as potholders. Oh owly love!  These would be great in my kitchen.  Now I just need some time to make all this LOL!

Did you stay up late watching the Oscars?  S. and I said we were not going to this year because we only saw a couple of the movies that were nominated for several of the main awards (Moneyball, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Bridesmaids).  We stayed up until the end anyway.  I was sorry that Brad Pitt didn't win for Moneyball because I thought he was really good in the movie.  I was so happy that Meryl Streep won though. She is class and graciousness personified as well as being an unparalleled actor extraordinaire.