Baby Quilt Finish

 I got this baby quilt quilted and bound (for more details about this pattern see this post http://tanyaquiltsinco.blogspot.com/2014/07/work-in-progress.html). I quilted it vertically going through the round centers and down the sides of the rectangular blocks. I used the wavy quilt stitch on my Pfaff.  

Angela and I had selected the backing fabric and it is part of Bonnie and Camille's Marmalade line. The binding is also from that same line and is a pink and white stripe. I love using stripes for binding! I think the backing is pretty and feminine and balances the bright, busy quilt. It is washed and ready to be delivered in plenty of time before the baby shower! 

This is the Woodland ABC quilt I have been working on for my friend who is having a little girl in September. I finished piecing it today. Now I need to add the embroidery details onto the animals and get a backing for it. I am trying to decide if I am going to add another border to the top and bottom. I would just add another row of the brick style border, but it is already nearly 50 inches long. What do you think add another border row to the top and bottom or leave it the way it is?

Work in Progress

Here is the new baby quilt I have been working on! My friend, Angela, commissioned me to make this for one of her friends who is having a girl and the baby shower is on July 27th. I met her at the fabric store on Thursday to select fabrics. The nursery is aqua and coral, so I suggested some Bonnie and Camille fabrics. We picked out several fat quarters in aqua and a couple of quarter yards of fabrics she liked. I also dug into my scrap bins for some more variety. 

Angela had picked the design from this book she had...The block uses up an entire charm square and with no waste!

Here is the quilt shown in the book. The blocks finish 3 x 4 inches, so we thought 100 blocks would make a decent size baby quilt. Before quilting and washing, it is 37.5 x 41.5 inches. 

We liked the buttons shown on the quilt in the book, but with them being a choking hazard I just fused circles of fabric and used a buttonhole stitch on my Pfaff to secure them. I appliquéd the circles prior to putting all the blocks together.  I hope to get this quilt pinned after this afternoon's World Cup semi-final between Brazil and Germany.

We are having leftover stuffed zucchini boats for dinner, so I may even be able to get it machine quilted this evening. We are starting to harvest more than just lettuce from our garden! We have zucchini, carrots, radishes, raspberries, mint (I am going to pick up everything to make some mojitos!),  and sugar snap peas, no tomatoes or peppers yet, but hopefully soon. 

I also finally caved in and bought all the supplies to work on Little Miss Shabby's "Quilty Stitches." I have resisted making this for months, but my will power completely wavered.  You can find all the information and the free patterns here http://www.littlemissshabby.com/quilty-stitches/  I used to cross stitch when I was growing up and until I started quilting after I got married 20 years ago. I dug into my embroidery floss and had some of the colors, but I picked up the rest yesterday along with the Aida cloth. I think this will look adorable framed in my sewing room. This project is relatively compact and will be my new traveling handwork.

I also will be joining Val for her Second Annual Piggy Bank Challenge. You can find out more information about it here http://myplvl.blogspot.com/2014/07/2nd-annual-piggy-back-challenge-money.html We recently cashed in a large jar of coins we kept for our daughter from the time she was born and until she was about 7 years old and it was about $650! Every penny counts and I will be even better about pinching my pennies with the money going to buy me more fabric next summer.   

Well now that Germany is already up by 5 goals within the first 30 minutes of the game, I will get my pinning tables set up and go baste that baby quilt since I don't have to watch this soccer game closely anymore! What are you up to?

Country Living & FNWF July

 We moved to western Colorado from San Diego over 9 years ago now and needless to say it was a big change. We traded a 900 square foot 2 bedroom 1 bathroom 1 car garage 1954 house for a 2200 square foot 4 bedroom 2.5 bathroom 2.5 car garage with a 1200 square foot shop (our California house would fit inside the shop!) on 2.5 acres. We went several years before I even furnished the whole place and we have completely renovated the inside. We do live in a subdivision where you can have livestock and we receive irrigation water, but it feels like suburbia.

Every now and then we get a reminder that we live in the country especially during the summer. Our neighbor's two 4-H pigs got loose the other day and were hanging out in our side yard. My hubby and I were not exactly sure what to do...They were pretty large and hard to herd and pretty much ignored our clapping and calling trying to lead them home. We also were a little leery because we have seen the movies and know that some pigs will eat humans (remember Hannibal?)!

I called my neighbor and they came to retrieve them with a big stick and they swat at their faces to get them to move along. The pigs were overheated and had done serious damage to my neighbor's place as they had been loose for awhile. They can dig 4 inch deep trenches with their snouts and chew on irrigation pipe, but they were a little too tired by the time they reached our place to do much... We learned something about pigs and admired their strength!

The other morning the crop duster began to fly overhead at 7am buzzing a nearby field. I was glad he was not here at 5:30 like sometimes.  Country living!

 Last night was Friday Night With Friends (FNWF) for July because it was the first Friday of the month. Even though it was the 4th of July, I stayed in and sewed the night away because I had a deadline. I needed to finish this sewing bag for my friend, Lindsey.

Her birthday is tomorrow and we sewed today, so I had to have it ready to bring with me. I got it done and she loved it. I used all brushed cottons from my scrap bins. I embroidered it in black perle cotton and hand quilted it with a cream perle cotton. To see what others worked on for Friday Night With Friends, go to http://stitchingcubbyhole.blogspot.com

 Since I was heading over to Lindsey's for a sewing day, I got to try out my new Stanley 3-in-1 Rolling Workshop also known as a mobile sewing center. I had seen this over at http://fabrictherapy.blogspot.com/2014/06/home-depot-to-rescue.html and she had borrowed the idea from.http://thehappyzombie.com/blog/?p=635 My celery/mint 1961 Singer Featherweight's carrying case has a cracked handle that I am afraid to use. This wheeled tool chest is available at Home Depot for $36.97. 

I bungee corded my cutting board onto the back, but it kept slipping to the ground. I think if I add a bungee cord to the top through the cutting board's handle it will stay in place.

  A few weeks ago, I saw that Pug Mom had some good ideas here http://pugmomquilts.blogspot.com/2014/06/quilting-tools-and-tip.html about what to bring with you for sewing get togethers. I am trying to have a complete set of all my tools, so all I need to do is grab and go. I am still on the lookout for a power cord plug like Pug Mom showed.

My machine fits perfectly in this bottom portion and I put a small table topper quilt around the machine for padding and then I will use it to place my machine on top of for sewing.

This is the middle container and I have loaded it with my sewing machine supplies like thread, sewing machine needles, pins, bobbins, snips, etc.

The top portion has a removable tray that I loaded with scissors, a rotary cutter, and a measuring tape.

Below the tray was a perfect place for my sewing project and my rulers. 

This worked great today and I could locate everything easily. I want to make a coordinating thread catcher, iron bag, and table topper for my mobile sewing center. I also think I need to girl up the rolling tool box with some stickers, so I will be on the lookout for some...

I am working on a couple of baby quilts and will embroider tomorrow for Slow Sunday Stitching be sure to stop over there to see what everyone is up to http://kathysquilts.blogspot.com 

Winners!

 Ok so I am not giving away this beautiful Mustang convertible because it is my daughter's! We bought it yesterday even though she does not turn 16 until mid-August. I spent all of yesterday afternoon being chauffeured around in it. It was 95 degrees out and I wore a hat and sunscreen, talk about motherly duties.

Heather really wanted a VW Beetle convertible, but we live nearly 3 hours away from a dealer and we were worried about maintenance issues. This car even her dad was willing to drive! Mustangs have a special place in my heart because I spent lots of time learning to drive in my Grandpa's 1967 Mustang...I loved that car and my daughter is in love with this car!

Although Team USA were not winners today, I have a winner for my 1 Year Blog Anniversary. It is lucky number 36 (picked by my lucky daughter), 

LynCCJune 24, 2014 at 9:04 AM

I've been following you through BOMs Away link-ups (and having fun scrolling through in-between posts), but I popped in to follow you at Bloglovin', too. Thanks for the chance!!

Congratulations! I sent Lyn an email requesting her address and I will get the needle book/sewing kit, pin cushion, and chocolate in the mail ASAP. 

Well now that a car has been purchased, I can get back to quilting and enjoying summer...

End of June

When I started out the month of June, I was doing some secret sewing. It included this wall hanging quilt that I named "Yarn Basket." I made this for my sister, Tiffany's 40th birthday. Her birthday is today and it arrived via mail to her yesterday. This project was based on Lori Holt's Great Granny Squares  book and a quilt along she had. I missed the quilt along, but thought this would be a good one for my sister because she is an amazing knitter.

I quilted it on my Pfaff with a wavy stitch.

I am participating in Slow Sunday Stitching with some primitive embroidery as we watch World Cup soccer. If you want to be inspired with some gorgeous handwork check out this link http://kathysquilts.blogspot.com

My package arrived from the Need A Little Needle Book Swap over on Flickr.  Whitney, my awesome partner, sent this sweet little needle book that looks like an envelope. She addressed it to me.

 Here is how the needle book looks when it is opened.

I have already put the felt hexi coaster to good use.

My new friend, Lindsey, came over to quilt at my house yesterday and we had such fun. I worked on my Woodland Animal/ABC quilt and she worked on a table topper made out of the Little Black Dress fabric line. Of course, I forgot to take pictures, I am so terrible at that.  We hope to make quilting together a regular part of our schedules.

We are back to square one with car shopping for our daughter after a heartbreak over a VW Convertible Beetle. Her birthday is not until mid-August, but since we live in a rural location there are not a ton of vehicles to choose from. Fingers crossed we will find a good first car eventually.

I will select a winner for my one year blog anniversary giveaway on Tuesday, you still have time to enter here http://tanyaquiltsinco.blogspot.com/2014/06/1-year-blog-anniversary-celebration.html

Pretty Posies Finish

I finished quilting this Pretty Posies quilt yesterday. I used my new favorite wavy quilt stitch on my Pfaff. I started by going down the center of the flowers through their stems and the sashing. Then I eye balled half way between them. The quilting is about 1.5 inches apart going vertically. It crinkled up nicely in the washer and dryer.

I used a green marble for the binding. 

I had made 25 posy blocks, so I used the extra one as part of my label. I really like how that came out!

I also won a fat quarter pack as part of the American Made Brand blog tour. I won through the South Dakota blog stop http://moneik.blogspot.com/2014/06/amb-blog-hop-winner-and-pattern.htmland the bundle arrived in today's mail. I thoroughly enjoyed the road to trip to all 50 states and had fun discovering some new blogs from around our country.

 The mail has been great lately. I won this book as part of the the Hands 2 Help Charity Quilt Along.  Lots of great eye candy and inspiration in there!

I also won this fun summery book through Goodreads.

I am working on a Woodland Animal/Alphabet baby quilt for a friend who is expecting a little girl in September. It is appliquéd, but I will just do that on my machine. I spent time digging through my scraps and cutting out all the pieces yesterday and today, so I am heading into the sewing room to work on that. I also will be using some of our garden's bounty for dinner by making zucchini pie with our first four zucchinis!

 Don't forget I have a giveaway going to celebrate my one year anniversary, you can find the information here http://tanyaquiltsinco.blogspot.com/2014/06/1-year-blog-anniversary-celebration.html The drawing will be held on July 1st.

1 Year Blog Anniversary Celebration & Giveaway

How come even though it is summer and I am binge quilting I still need a deadline to get something done? I have been participating in the Country Homecoming Quilt Along over at http://kimsbigquiltingadventure.blogspot.com/ and our two new house blocks are due tonight, so of course I made them this morning!

Last month, Sheryn made a house with window boxes, so I decided to copy her. I have been trying to make this quilt from scraps and have minimal repeats, but I am really having to dig deep into my brushed cottons stash. We have two more houses to go!

So are you ready for the USA vs. Portugal World Cup Match this afternoon? We are and I will be Slow Sunday Stitching on my Journey of a Quilter BOM as I did not get my Pretty Posies baby quilt ready to bind yet. I am trying to take my time and be more polished with my embroidery stitches. You can see what others are working on for Slow Sunday Stitching at this link http://www.kathysquilts.blogspot.ca/

I finished this zippered pouch this morning and made the small needle book and pin cushion last night. They are for a needle book swap over on Flickr. I really struggled with what to make as my partner does not seem to quilt too much, but she instead focuses on knitting and amazing cooking. She did put down that she likes French General fabric and flowers. I struck out with finding any French General Fabric locally, but I did find some of these pretty French looking fabrics. I will get this package into the mail early this week...

Here is the inside of the needle book and a ball of perle cotton to see just how small it is.

Today is my one year blog anniversary and since I am heading to the post office anyway and I was making embroidered pin cushions and needle books for my swap, I also made a bigger pin cushion and needle book/sewing kit to giveaway to someone out in the blogging world! I have so enjoyed finding inspiration for my quilting in the quilting/crafting blog world. Of course I have included a small box of chocolate too because my town actually has a Russell Stover chocolate factory, no mall, but a chocolate factory!

To enter this giveaway you must be a US resident (sorry, but international shipping is outrageous!), just leave me a comment. For a second entry, follow my blog in some way and leave a second comment telling me how. I will have my family pick a random number on July 1st to select a winner. If you are a no reply commenter, please leave your email address. Good luck!