sew worth it!

A wonderful thing happened on Saturday.  Here's how it all began.
I stopped by my local quilt shop to pick up a couple of things for a current project (photos later).  My dear husband was waiting patiently for me as I scurried about trying not to become too distracted by all of the delicious fabric.  As we were leaving, a couple of people that I know from the shop arrived with armfuls of lovelies.  It was Sit 'n Sew night, held once a month, and it started in fifteen minutes!  I'd never been before and wouldn't you know, they'd had a cancellation.

"Honey, what do you think? It's $25."
"Do it!"

Done.

We zipped back home so that I could get my sewing machine and a project to work on, and off I went. I arrived back at the shop about 45 minutes after the class had started, but that still left plenty of time for the ensuing fun.

We started off (yes, this is just the beginning) with cheeses and grapes to nibble, set out on plates at each sewing table.  Next to the plate was a bottle of sparking apple cider.
Dinner was divine: chicken piccata, citrus salad, homemade biscuits, and leek soup.
Then we sewed a while.
Next a store sale was announced (it was the first of three such announcements).  I jumped up and dashed off to snag a darling little bundle of fabric I'd seen earlier.
Then it was door prize time.  There were actually so many door prizes that most of the people there won something.  I won this...

Then we sewed again.
Next it was time for dessert.  The hosts (a mother and daughter duo) had made TWO cakes: one was macadamia nut and banana and the other was coconut cream, each in layered rounds.

Adjacent to the cakes was the hot chocolate bar with darling mason jars to drink from.  The toppings included marshmallows, whipped cream, coconut, and chocolate chips (AND we got to take home the jars!).

At about 8:00pm, a surprise guest arrived.  A masseuse.
There were about 20 people in attendance, and she gave each person (minus one) a back and neck massage.
The one who declined was me.  Fact: I do not like massages (I don't even let my hairdresser give me a scalp massage me during my shampoo!).

At 10:00 there was a drawing for a decorative wire dress form (about 3 feet tall).  I didn't win it, but told the gal who did that if she found it was a bit too bulky for her home, I'd take it off her hands!

At 10:30, five hours from when the class began, we all packed up our goodies and faced reality -
it was time to go home.
Oh, but I did do one last thing before I left.
I signed up for next month's class.

"p" is for potholder

I have a very cute friend named Leigh whom I've mentioned before. She does a beautiful job of quilting ... and does it quickly to boot!  Maybe she's a little OCD like me? But that's not why we're friends.  She's positive, giving, spiritual, and fun.  You couldn't want for more in a person!

We're having lunch next week with with a few other friends to celebrate something wonderful ... the fact that she is now cancer free!  We really should all take a cruise together.  That would be more appropriate for the magnitude of our happiness!  But who wants the stress of trying to fit in last summer's bathing suit after all the recent holiday indulgences?  Or really maybe it's just too expensive.  It's certainly not because we wouldn't want to spend a week together on the ocean!

As for lunch, I wanted to bring a little gift.

So I decided to make Leigh something that I've now made 26 times.
Something square, small, and useful in the kitchen.
Something I could quilt myself.

Did you guess potholder?
(You saw the picture, didn't you!)

But practice didn't make perfect.  There were three tries with this set.
Attempt one:  TWO mistakes!
Attempt two:  Fabrics didn't work well together.
Attempt three: Stars aligned.

I'll add this wonderful magazine with the gift.  I bought one for myself and want to make more than half of the projects in it. (More time and lots more money needed!)  Because Leigh and I have similar tastes in quilting, I think she'll love it, too.  Happy coincidence.... see how well the binding matches the magazine?

NOTE:  The pattern I used for the potholder was from "The Best of Judy Hopkins 365 quilt-Block Patterns Perpetual Calendar".  I think if I show only a smidge of the page, I won't be sued for copyright infringement (finger's crossed!).
Also, I've discovered that an eight inch block is the best size for a potholder.

I've got one more set of potholders I want to make and then I'll stop for a while.
Oh, dear.  I just remembered that there is someone else I wanted to make a set for.
Best not make any promises about stopping just yet.

"k" is for kelli

I'm thinking the reason why I forgot to post a picture of the fabulous mug I was given for Christmas (another gift from my girls) is because I've already used it so much that it doesn't seem like something new!  But it deserves recognition, don't you think?
An Anthropologie find, yet again.

 

I love blue and white dishes.

My girls know that.

Aren't they sweet?

It's only fitting that I snapped a photo while the mug was sitting on a Mrs. Prindable's catalog.  Have you ever had one of their caramel, chocolate, nut, sent-from-heaven apples? If not, I recommend that you start saving your $$ (not cheap) immediately and treat yourself or a loved one this Valentine's Day.  My mother and her husband sent our family a HUGE one for Christmas and I still break-out into song whenever I think of how delicious it was!

cookie crush

I auditioned a cookie recipe at quilting class last night and everyone raved.
I discovered the recipe in a cookbook I own titled "Simple 1-2-3 Cookies & Treats", published by Publications International.

Had to share.

Next time I'm going to strategize my chocolate chip placement
 like the ones in the cookbook photo!

Orange-Walnut Chippers

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 T grated orange peel
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups uncooked oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
         (I used Nestle's dark chocolate chips and added a little more than a cup)
1/2 cup coarsley chopped walnuts
         (I only used 1/3 cup)

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Lightly grease cookie sheets (I didn't do this and regretted it)

Beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and orange peel.
Add flour, baking soda and salt to butter mixture.  Beat until well blended.
Stir in oats, chocolate chips and walnuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls (I used a soup spoon) 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake 10- 12 minutes (mine took about 14 min) or until golden brown.
Let cookies stand on cookie sheets 2 min. (don't skip this step!)
Remove to wire rack to cool.

Makes about 3 doz. (my version made 2 doz)

Worth every calorie!

projects galore

As promised yesterday, I am posting pictures of my current projects.
You'll see that there are five.
And that's my plan.
Because I am so compelled to finish whatever project I start, I become obsessed with it and (poor character trait alert) really ignore what I SHOULD do because of the thing I WANT to do.
So.  Here's my strategy...

Start a bunch of projects!  And really start each one - invest a chunk of time to produce visible results. But don't get into it so much that I feel compelled to finish (tricky part).

My current random magic number of projects are

In addition, I have a table topper (Valentine's Day) at the quilter as well as a baby quilt and toddler quilt.  I want to have some hand sewing projects lined-up now that Downton Abbey Season 3 has begun (But there's a chance I won't be able to tear my eyes away from the screen so said projects might have to be reserved for a different activity, aka road trip!)

So now you know what I've set up for myself to help me achieve moderation with quilting.
A little ironic, if you think about it.

And already I've hit upon a problem.
Quilting class is tonight and I have to decide which project to take to work on.
Numbers in a hat?
Have a child choose?
Toss a die?  (I need 5 choices)
Hmmm....

*hello*

To name the major players this past month which have kept me from you:  shopping, wrapping, decorating, birthdays (two children's), travel (nephew's wedding), stomach flu, returns, and post office visits (why do I buy gifts from Amazon?!).
Of course, there was sewing, as well.  But sadly, I was working at such a break-neck pace that I didn't even snap a photo of what I made.

Here's a Santa style, typed-out rundown:
24 pot holders (friends and family)
2 aprons (to be disclosed)
2 quilts (one for my daughter, one for my nephew and his wife)
1 Christmas table topper (again, for a daughter)

Because I have no project pictures to share, I'll instead reveal some of the gifts that I received for Christmas.  Some people (you know who you are) know me quite well!

The first three treasures are from my two daughters and were purchased at one of my favorite stores, Anthropologie.
I'm a huge Charley Harper fan, and the calendar is one of the gifts from my husband.

Tomorrow I promise to snap some photos of what I've been up to now that the holiday hoopla is over.  And I'll also disclose a new plan designed to keep me from obsessing over my quilting hobby (if that's even possible!).

dilly dally dream

I have been so anxious for this throw to be quilted, bound, washed, and sitting somewhere in my home... and here it is!!

This is a picture of the bed in my newly acquired sewing room which is used not only by my visiting daughter, but also by me (when I get a minute to relax I love to lounge and flip through quilting magazines!).   
The bed and bedding are from Ikea.  There are two large drawers underneath for storage so that when my daughter is home, she doesn't have to live out of her suitcase.  I have made a vow to myself to not fill the drawers with fabric, no matter how tempted I might be!

The pinwheels are mostly form the fabric line Summer House by Moda.  I love it so much that I once I was done piecing the quilt, I bought some fat quarters of my favorites off of ebay just to have on hand. The large houndstooth border fabric is from the Vintage Modern line from Bonnie and Camille.

 The pattern is dilly dally by thimble blossoms (see the cute lack of caps?).

I liked how the designer used a soft fabric for the border such that nothing competed with the pinwheels, so I did the same.  My binding fabric looks quite copy-catty, too; but I do hope the idiom, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, gives me permission to do so!

The backing fabric is by Denyse Schmidt.  Oddly, I like how it almost matches the border fabric.
The tight swirls quilting was done freehand by Leigh B. and is a perfect fit.
So nice when that happens.

I xo Christmas

Feeling Christmas-y right about now.
First I hung the wreath on the front door. Then I decorated my bed (thank you, Target).  I did have to wash the bedding because when it arrived yesterday, it wreaked of diesel.  I called Target, and they gifted me $10 for my inconvenience.  They've always had great customer service and it's one of the reasons I shop there.
(Note:  The room looks much better without all the lighting, but the photo was too grainy without it.)

Did you notice the quilt tossed casually on the corner of the bed?
Did  you wonder if I made it?
Well, yes I did.
The pattern is from "Living Large 2" by Heather Peterson and is called Simple Gifts.

I used most of the fabric line called blitzen by basicgrey (they don't capitalize so I'll respect that!), omitting the snowmen prints to keep a serious feel to the quilt.  The backing fabric I purchased for $10 from JoAnn's during a super sale and using a coupon. That's right.  Four yards for $10!
As for the quilting, I had the quilter use a shiny polyester thread they happened to have on their shelf and had actually never used.  Probably a big no-no, but I do love the way it picks up the light!

I have a red brick corner fireplace in my room that will get a little Christmas cheer as well before the day is through.
Happy Holidays!

Two new acquisitions of mine using JoAnn's half off coupons:

 

and

 

Total eye candy.
No regrets.

little things mean a lot

Now just because I haven't posted anything on this blog of mine for nearly a month does NOT mean I haven't been creating anything......
oh, wait.
Yes, it does.
 
Travel, bedroom rearranging, a holiday, out of town company, cub scout service project, travel again, and LIFE have all conspired against my sewing machine and me.  But today, miraculously, I actually did work on something:  one by hand, two by machine.  My daughter had given me a doll that needed arms repaired (shamefully, more months ago than I can remember), and I had two quilt backs to whip up.  By getting these little projects done, it has freed my mind to focus on the upcoming holiday and all the sewing I hope (now trying to type with crossed fingers) to accomplish before Christmas.  A little expression about biting and chewing is running through my head right about now...

I did want to share a picture of my new pin cushion.  The teacher from my quilting class made each of her students a variation on this theme....each adorable.  I'm probably more inspired to sew by this simple beauty than anything else - even my newly moved into and organized sewing room!