020.Sarah Kenton Loves Jim - aka J-2, Picture Perfect

This one was surprisingly quick, even with some fussy cutting... Watching good ole' Remains of the Day... I'm not sure why I ever doubted their feelings. It's obvious Miss Kenton loved Mr. Stephens with all her heart.

Judie Rothermel on the background and the inside of the squares. Not sure about the fabric framing the squares - maybe Jo Morton.

This block is partially reversed value-wise. Debated but went with this breakdown in the end. The fussy cutting was a challenge but it turned out pretty well.




  

019.Mary Maceachran Solves It - aka E-13, Moth in a Web

Started this one at the Dear Jane Bee yesterday and finished it up tonight watching Gosford Park for the 987th time. Another blue diamond.

Prep-a-Rama

Dear Jane Bee today... tried to get some prep work done ahead of time so I can just crank while I'm there... It was more of a challenge than I anticipated. I am not just in a muddle, I am a muddle. Ringing affirmative: I am Muddle. Hear me roar.




Also worked on prep for Edyta Sitar's "Sweet Sixteen." I had traced the appliqué patterns onto freezer paper a week or two ago and cut them all out yesterday. Between the tracing (with some duplicates) and the cutting out, it was a 3-4 hour project. Still need to enlarge the layout grid to 150% before I can do anything else. I must say that's a little annoying. I think a pattern should come with what you need - ready to go. But I'm new to appliqué so maybe this is standard. Anyway, felt good to get this done...  I don't really mind cutting small pieces out of things. Especially while watching EAT PRAY LOVE. <3 Smile also with your liver. <3 This photo doesn't do anything for this gorgeous stack of Edyta Sitar's gorgeous fabric. Did I mention it was gorgeous. The kit I bought, oddly, comes with different colors that what is listed on the back of the pattern (e.g., calls for 7 reds, but there are only 4, etc.) - so I'm not sure how you're supposed to interpret that. But I am just going to follow the colors as closely to the pattern example as possible since that looks so beautiful, and if that means I am F O R C E D to find some additional fabric well then, that's a sacrifice I'm prepared to make. I am trying in vain to find the blue border used here. I figured out it's from Edyta Sitar's Bon Voyage line but haven't gotten any closer than that. I decided it's the punch of that dark teal against the beige, punctuated with those deep pinks that really sings to me so I gotta find that somewhere.

Over and out til next time...

T07.Megan in Merrimack - aka LS-6, Susie Q.

A completion! And with appliqué no less. Yay for me. Love this Merrimack line from Judie Rothermel.

Little Pink Stars II by Margo Krager for Newcastle

T06.Christmas in June - aka TR-5, Michigan Dunes

Christmas in Juuu-uuune... doodoo do dooo dooooo. Here's what you get for making Christmas ornaments in June. You get bitten by the Christmas bug. what?! Well, one block and it's out of my system 'til October. Probably be useful to keep it around through the summer and get all the Christmas gifts made now instead of sweating it out late and not making it like usual. Now that's a chilling thought.

I indulged myself with this - with a fun block and two of my all-time favorite fabrics... and for this fabric junkie, that's saying something. Flash robs her of her beauty, but this is really a beautiful print - both of them really. And together, they're very happily matched.

The irony of it all is after making ma-aaaany of these, assembly-line style, and perfecting the method, I screwed up the big one and had a hell of a time getting the points to match. But I beat it into submission eventually. Only issue is it's a little shy on the Dear Jane ruler and a bit wonky to boot. Sometimes I think when the time comes to assemble these triangle rows, by the time I get to the end they will be laying on their side. Talk about cold sweats... But moving on... Onward and upward!

One of my favorite fabrics of all time. L o v e it.

This guy too.

Miscellaneous Happiness...

What a performance. One of the highlights of my LIFE! : )

From last week: (technical difficulties)
So after a series of unfortunate events, I mark today as the first really happy 24-hour period in quite awhile... My son had an absolutely amazing night last night performing with his dance class... Then I had my quilt club this am, where i tried not to get into any fights (you think I'm kidding!), did some gardening, took my son to the carnival, had a nice fire, solved a very exciting technical problem which will save me many moons of tedious labou... ah, this is livin.

enjoying some nice es'cream.

Another section weeded & amended...
Now planted with eggplant and golden beets...

Freshly picked Heirloom Peas from India

A couple new tools. haven't tried the frixion pen yet - this is the one that comes back with cold.

And I needed a new seam ripper. This one is from Fons & Porter. It's supposed to be easy on the hands, but i have to say it's hard to store cause it's so bulky - and the dumb cap doesn't stay on. I'm done messing around - recommendations, anyone?

and a stack of new shirtings... LOVE!

Christmas in June

Vintage rick-rack hanger... quilted body...
and vintage buttons on the bottom...

It's Christmas in June! Here we are again... the final days of the school year and nothing in hand ready to go for end-of-the-year teacher gifts. With a son with special needs, teacher gifts doesn't mean one or two gifts - it means 13. A thank you note or a $10 gift card just doesn't seem to cut it - I always INTEND to do better next time - something hand-made... something quilty maybe? Which brings me to Christmas... These were actually Christmas gifts (in my imagination) that I never got around to making...

Anyone recognize this block? I took the Christmassy "Michigan Dunes" block, lopped off the top, scaled it down, and started piecing... Turned out cute I think - a lot of work though... Only 2.5 down, many more to go. Will she get it done? Or will she pull something else out of her ass? Will she be able to part with a good stash of vintage buttons to people who may not even appreciate them (?) Well, at the very least, I ended up with a couple cute new ornies.

trying to remind myself to "go this way!" amazing how messy
it all looks before it gets trimmed up.