Got my Sewing Mojo back with a Charity Quilt.......BINGO!

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”  ― Dalai Lama

I have been wanting to make some charity baby quilts for quite some time now..............my first thought was to donate some quilts to the Children's Hospital next to where I work and I also thought about donating to Project Linus.......and although both ideas are worthwhile I seemed to be dragging my feet when it came to actually doing it.................

Well yesterday I saw a post on my friend Melody's Blog (click on the link to read about it)  and my heart was so moved that I knew I had to do something.  The quilt drive is for babies in Papua, New Guinea, whose families have been displaced and moved to the high mountains where it is so cold that many babies are dying from the cold.

I not only wanted to do something but do it FAST.......I looked through my stash trying to find something bright and "baby-like" and browsed the internet for a quick pattern.......What I found in my stash was a BINGO card that I had made for a "May for Me" celebration a couple of years ago.......I had stashed it away thinking there must be something I could do with it.........I still had many of the same fabrics I had used to make it......and in one afternoon the bingo card went from this................................

To This!

 

I used matching fabric I still had in my stash for the back and then just quilted in the ditch on all the borders.....and made a "cheater binding" with the backing....

By the time I had added the five borders to the BINGO card it grew to be about 36" x 36"...........perfect for a newborn and still big enough to keep the baby warm for a year!  

Can we hear a big "B-I-N-G-O!"???

I am going to look some more.....I found some flannel which I think will also make a warm quilt and hopefully I can send them off next week................here is the link again in case any of you are interested in sending charity quilts to the babies in PNG......

Click HERE

Oh......and I did manage to make one more little project this week when I wasn't busy watching the squirrels and the birds and the flowers and the turtle.................

This little mug rug is a belated birthday gift.....since I missed the birthday I thought it might be appropriate.....(still loving my embroidery machine.....this one used an applique pattern...)

Tonight I go back to work for two graveyard shifts then off work on Monday because I have Jury Duty..............so I'm off to the shower and will talk to you all next time............Ta-Ta for now...................

 

The reason I can't get any sewing done......

Magic exists. Who can doubt it, when there are rainbows and wildflowers, the music of the wind and the silence of the stars? Anyone who has loved has been touched by magic. It is such a simple and such an extraordinary part of the lives we live.-----Nora Roberts

 I can't seem to get myself upstairs to my sewing room when I have all this beautiful scenery out my back door!

 

This little visitor was at my back door this morning...He stayed in this position long enough to let me get a photo......

....

then went scurrying up the Mulberry Tree and then over the wall.......

.................

so then I came to the computer and looked out the window and should be outside but our turtle, Donny.......

 

I did take a nap earlier so maybe after the sun goes down and it gets dark and I have no more beautiful outdoor distractions I can go upstairs and sew???

 

 

A Swap Block Done.....

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.       -----Judy Garland


I decided it was better to keep on blogging even if I only had one thing to show you today..............here is the block I am sending to Sandi, my BSA partner for June.............

 Sandi said she had no block preference but she loved oranges and harvest colors because she likes Halloween and Autumn so I found some pumpkin fabric and also some pieces from a Sweetgrass Prairie Line layer cake in my stash then added Mr. Scarecrow from my ME pattern library and....Voila!
I hope she will like it and I also hope she doesn't see my blog post before she gets it! LOL.................

Did anyone notice the author of the quote above.....Judy Garland???  I think she is reminding me that I am way behind on the Oz Hanging.......

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week............Ta-Ta for now.......

 

I'm back!

“when things break, it's not the actual breaking that prevents them from getting back together again. it's because a little piece gets lost -- the two remaining ends couldn't fit together even if they wanted to. the whole shape has changed   ― David Levithan

Well ok......as my Sister noticed....it has been over a month since I posted to my blog.......and I do, actually,  have a couple of things to show you....

First I want you to see the gorgeous block I received from my BSA swap partner, Marina, from the Netherlands.....

 
Marina handstitched the paper piecing on this "Wild Zinnia" block!  You can't see it as well in the photo but the print fabric is a beautiful dark navy blue with gold accents......I know I will find something fantastic to make with it......Thank you, Marina, I love it!

Marina had asked for a block in batik fabric and this is what I sent her.........
 

.......I have been trying to get the feeling of darks and lights (or at least trying to use two colors)  when I do the log cabin block and......as you can see, I am still madly in love with my embroidery machine......lol.............

I also worked on the mug rug for my swap partner, Kat, which isn't even due to be mailed until next month but what the heck.....I got an idea in my head and then couldn't stop...........unfortunately, because Kat has been one of my followers who has been checking to see if I have posted I can't post more than a sneak peek.....so here you go, Kat............you will see the rest of this next month.....lol....

 I have cut out the blocks from the Grinch panel I bought to make a couple of little Christmas lap quilts for my Grandsons but other than that.....I haven't done as much sewing as I have sitting out in the back yard watering my tomatoes and cucumbers and watching  the birds and my son's turtle...............

Oz keeps calling me so I think I will soon get back to the Oz hexagons...........don't give up on me yet!  I will talk to you next time..........Ta-Ta for now.............

More Tortilla Cozies and some Lovely Packages!

To solve the human equation, we need to add love, subtract hate, multiply good, and divide between truth and error.           -Janet Coleman

I have made a couple more tortilla cozies and decided I would stick to just one size...................Again,I used some machine embroidery patterns.........

Here are the fronts.....

and the backs...............

I also got some wonderful mail this week.............here are two blocks I received from my BSA swap partner, Susan.....The top block is called Scrap Bagger and the bottom one is Goose Creek.  Thank you, Susan!

 I also got a lovely package from my other swap partner, Mary.......in this swap we have a group of wonderful ladies who swap a mug rug every two months.....Mary and I decided we each wanted a patriotic theme this time............here is what I found in Mary's surprise package..............

 In addition to the lovely mug rug I got a koozie, a sewing gauge and this beautiful crocheted pot holder....thank you Mary....I love it all!

Below is the mug rug I sent Mary...............

 That's all for now.......I go back to work tonight so I am going to try to take a short nap so Ta-Ta for now!  See you next time!

How to make a Tortilla Cozy with a Rooster.........

  
Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.             ----Dale E. Turner




Here was the problem:   The Tortilla Cozy tutorial  said to use a 10 inch plate to cut the circles for my pattern and, well...............here are the shapes of the plates in my kitchen:

 .....so on to Plan B:  While searching the kitchen I spied the bowl I keep my fruit in and.......Voila!.....a 10 inch circle!

I had decided that I was going to make several Tortilla Cozies as Christmas gifts this year and I also thought I would make two sizes;  one for regular size tortillas and one for the smaller taco size tortillas.................enter Rooster #2!  

 This plate is the perfect size for the smaller cozy! 

I cut 2 outsides and two insides for each cozy (I used a pre-quilted fabric for the inside).... I had thought the pre-quilted would be enough padding but discovered it wasn't so I added a layer of polyester batting in between. 


And so here you have it----- Tada!  A tortilla cozy made with a rooster!

I used two different methods for putting them together after I had sandwiched the fronts and backs with the batting:
 
 On the smaller one I sewed the front to the back all in one step with the binding and on the bigger one I sewed the binding to the front and the back separately and then sewed them to each other.  I think I like the second method better even though it uses twice as much binding.....

 


The yard continues to compete with my sewing room for my time................Here is what I worked on this morning before I went to the sewing room. 

 This little water feature is in the corner of my little side patio..........St. Francis is made of clay and over the years he had begun to shrink because the water has broken down the clay so I had to stand him up on a pedestal of sorts so he would be taller...........then I decided to add some new river rock and clean it up a bit.............all the little frogs and turtles and squirrels seem to like the new arrangement......and so do I!

Ok...........back to the sewing room......Ta-Ta for now...............
 

Spring Fever.........yawn.........

Make the choice to embrace this day. Do not let your TODAY be stolen by the ghost of yesterday or the "To-Do" list of tomorrow! It’s inspiring to see all the wonderfully amazing things that can happen in a day in which you participate. Steve Maraboli




I still seem to be dealing with a little "Spring Fever".............I keep "talking the talk" about doing a lot of sewing but I don't seem to be "walking the walk"..............anyway.............I did manage to get a cushion done for the top of the Little Apples Quilt..........I used some of the half square triangles that were left after making the quilt blocks and then added an eyelet ruffle to match the dust ruffle...

 In retrospect I think it would have looked better if I had reversed the direction on every other row of the HST but I had already sewed them together while making the Little Apples top in an effort to "save my scraps"......so I decided to just "make do" with what I already had.......and besides, I remembered about the "from a moving train" concept of looking at my work and decided from a moving train it would look fine......lol.....

I really like the way it looks between Mama's embroidered pillow cases...........................

 

 Note the covered panel on my headboard.......underneath is the original wicker panel that came with it that sort of got a big hole in it in one of my moves many many years ago....I have two panels that I made to cover the boo-boo and I switch them out to match the cover on my bed but it kind of looks like maybe I should make one more for Little Apples.......hmmmmmm........or I could go outside like my kitty Miss Tinkerbell,  and watch the birds????

If you look really close in the photo on  the left you can see her "stalking" the birds that come by to eat from my birdfeeders....and on the right I managed to get a close-up of her before she gave up because I was "cramping her style".....haha.....


Usually I have mostly Whitewing dove and house Finch and some beautiful Pyrrhuloxia but this roadrunner came by last week to have a drink........

You see why I'm not getting any sewing done?????? LOL......ok then I will say Ta-Ta for now.....I will talk to you next time......

Wayyyyyyyyyyyy Behind on blogging.......

Finding happiness should not be seen as finding a needle in a haystack. Happiness is within. Each day is a blessing that brings an abundance of happiness. Therefore, finding happiness should be like finding a gift in a stack of gifts. -Steve Maraboli


Goodness, it has been two weeks since I posted......I don't think it is "Spring Fever" because I am certainly getting lots of other things done...............I have done a little sewing.....I have done a little gardening and I even got a chance to go home to New Mexico for a visit with Mom and Dad, my brother and sister......

So I also got a couple of small projects done...............I made another mug rug/mouse pad for my son.......(yes he is a Texan...how did you guess???....lol)

I put a label on the Americana Tablecloth so I could give it to my Mom as an early Mother's Day gift.....

 and also made a thread catcher for her.......

I sort of combined a couple of tutorials I found on the internet and I think when I make the next one I will change it up even a bit more......

I used the pin cushion and hanging straps from one tutorial and the basket from another......and, of course, I had to add a little "ME" (machine embroidery) to it too!

 I got some nice mail this week.....my swap partner, Lori, sent this pretty "Scrapbagger" block to me.....

 and she also sent this gorgeous "Broken HourGlass" potholder and her sweet daughter made the precious bunting.....Lori included a lovely handmade card with it......Thank you so much, Lori, I love it all.....

So I guess that is all I have been up to.....tonight I start my work week again.......off to get a couple of winks so I can stay awake til 7:00 in the morning...................Ta-Ta for now.......



 

Happy Easter!

Little Apples is Finished! Tada!!!

You can never do a kindness to soon because you never know how soon it will be too late.      --Ralph Waldo Emerson 





Oh My Goodness!  It is DONE!  I started the Little Apples Quilt last year on April 6th with the layer cake I won from Kelli way back in February of 2012 at her blog  "Seriously I think it needs Stitches"   Thanks, again, Kelli!   And some of you may remember this pattern "Cross Terrain" is from Moda Bake Shop contributor, Lee, of Freshly Pieced----

The quilt became a UFO until last September when I finished the flimsy and then actually even finished the back and sandwiched it together but just couldn't fine the ambition time to get back to it..

LOL...I had forgotten that I didn't center the two strips of charms on the back but I still would have centered the label between the strips anyway.  I notice now that my zig-zags on the borders aren't quite centered to the diamonds in the main quilt top.....ah well....who cares?  Not me!

  
 I am just happy to have it finished and on my bed....and I'm pretty sure I won't ever display it from the back anyway....hahaha



 

.....and you all know I HAD to use some of my machine embroidery on the label...right?

 

I'm linking up to Richard and Tanya Quilts Link a Finish Friday......if you want to come along, just click HERE






Now I'm off to celebrate with lunch and my friend, Ursula.....so Ta-Ta for now!

A Swap Block and Quilting the Little Apples Sandwich

Look around you. Everything changes. Everything on this earth is in a continuous state of evolving, refining, improving, adapting, enhancing and changing. You were not put on this earth to remain stagnant.  ---Steve Maraboli


Well I must say that I had a wonderful week last week! My schedule at my regular job is 4 days/10 hrs.  (I work the graveyard on the weekend and day shift Monday and Tuesday...then off til Friday night again.)  I also work occasionally at a second job.....just for fun money.  But since the first of the year my second job had been calling me to work every week instead of the once a month that I prefer.....well anyway.....I finally decided to just take off a couple of days from my regular job to try to get back to some semblance of "normal"........

So after the weekend I worked Monday and didn't have to go in at my second job so I was off from Tuesday to Friday night!  I wish I could say that I sewed a lot but I didn't.  I worked out in the yard a couple of days, watched some movies, and then on Thursday decided to start quilting the Little Apples UFO.......

I decided since it is such a HUGE quilt that I would not try to do anything too fancy and get discouraged so I quilted some large diamonds in the center and am quilting half diamonds on the borders....still tedious....did I say this is the last HUGE quilt for awhile?  Nothing bigger than lap or throw quilts. I am too tired to fight giants for awhile.....lol...

  I have the center and one side done...and once the other 3 sides and the binding are finished would you believe this one is actually for me???  My very first quilt I own that I made myself!  Crazy, huh?  I have given all the others away as gifts!  LOL.....

I will still have some pillow shams to make but it is going on my bed with or without them.......

I finished and sent my March BSA block and Lori has received it so now I can show you the block.......

 

Lori requested a log cabin block in teal and red......and, of course, I had to add a little embroidery since I am loving my new machine so much.....oh! and I learned a new term......I am now into "ME" (machine embroidery)!

So now back up to the sewing room to see if I can get some more done on the Little Apples and when I get done with it I am going to do some fun SMALLER PROJECTS..................

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Sunday....talk to you next time.....TTFN!