On the Border

Going shopping for border fabric today.  Pretty sure what I'm going to do.  Need to have this one finished by September 11.  Deadlines are a good thing for me :)

Workshop ReCap

Whew.  I am tired.  Two days of a quilting workshop with David Taylor!  (Go look at his quilts!)  He taught us exactly how he makes his quilt tops (along with some discussion of quilting and finishing), and all I can saw is wow.  I really like to make things, but he has an 'artist's eye'.   He showed us how to look at drawing patterns from photos in a whole new way.  Not by color blocks, but by 'structure' and letting the fabric 'do the work'.
We each had to have either an 'approved' photo, or one of his columbine patterns.  I chose this photo:

I know, a little ambitious, right?  But I thought if I was going to invest time and energy into this project, I wanted it to be something that I wanted to do.
We had to come with an enlarged photo of the picture and he taught us how to draw the pattern, make the pieces and start choosing fabrics.  It was suggested that bigger is better, so mine is not small.

 

A couple views of my beginnings.  I didn't get very far.  That's ok. 

 Following are some other class member's work.  Mostly flowers.  I was the deviant :).  Except for the lady next to me.  I wish I had a picture of hers.  She is doing a donkey.  So neat.  She is not from my guild, but from one close.  I hope she finishes it and I get a chance to see it!

 Hibiscus

 Columbine

 Orchid

 Orchid? Lilly?

 Lilly

 Columbine.  I love the autumnal colors!

 This is David Taylor's Lil S'Tinker.  We got to drool all over it.

So I'm pretty excited about this project, unfortunately I have some 'have to dos' before I can get back into full swing with this one.  So into a shoe box it goes......

Featured!

I am totally geeked out really excited to let you all know that my Crayon Challenge Quilt is being featured today on Quilt Story!  Go check it out!

Piddow Hase

Oh, sorry, I mean Pillow Case.  Piddow Hase is how WP says it :)
He has learned where the kid fabrics are at our LQS.  This is a fabric that he picked out the bolt, carried it around and insisted that I get some.

 It has everything that he loves, and the ladies helpfully pointed out that just a half yard makes a great pillow case.

 So a few weeks back we happened upon the fabric in my pile, pulled out a matching batik for the edge, and sewed up a pillowcase.  If you do a fold-over edge, there isn't even any hemming involved.  Fast and Easy!

He's pretty happy about it. 

What do you think?

Decision time for the mermaid.  There are three backgrounds to choose from.  I took each picture with and without a flash.  There are thunderstorms here today, so no natural lighting.

 Blue background with turqoise accents.

 Green batik background.

 And the graduated background that I pieced.

Any opinions and comments would be greatly appreciated!

Finished Quilt Top

Remember this?

Well now it looks like this.

I like it.  A lot.  The problem is I don't Love it.  Not for what I had in mind anyway.  I'll show you what I mean next week.

This week I will be spending my Family Friday with my extended family in Iowa.  I was never a farm girl, but it's sure in my blood!
Have a great weekend everyone!

Jammy Jam

 Made a batch of black berry jam.

And wild blueberry.
Next on the list: Cherry, Strawberry, Raspberry, and maybe Peach?

A Tale of Two Tops

Last spring I did two things;  Ordered a subscription to Ottobre and had my serger tuned up.  This is the very first thing that came off the serger.

I really liked it.  Until I tried it on.  Too small.

The next try was in turquoise.  Bigger seam allowances made for a much better fit.  I went on to hem it all.  The hemming did not go well.  I stuck both shirts in a stack and ignored them for a while.
Then I decided I really wanted to wear the turquoise one.  I sewed some lace along the bottom hem.  Even worse (no pictures).  So I cut off the neck and bottom hems and decided to go with the 'unfinished' look.

Fast forward a couple of moths (and a few less pounds) and what do you know?  This one fits, now.  I haven't bothered to finish the hems.

Interestingly enough, I made a skirt out of the same fabric about a year ago (pre-blog)

Seems like a bit much worn together.  What do you think?

Bubble Cups

Oma gave us a pile of books a while back.  WD was looking through them and found a fun thing to do.  Bubble Cups.
Grab some plastic containers.

Cut a hole in the top for a straw.

Cut a hole in the side

or the top for the bubbles to come out.

Add 1/4 cup water and 1 TBS liquid dishwashing soap to each container.

Add straw and blow bubbles.

Lots of bubbles.

Then take off the tops.

And make even more bubbles!