Little Pea!

This might be the quickest, most satisfying project I have completed.  I used fleece scraps for the ball, and I had a great gift for a friend's daughter.  SO cute!



My sister said that they have board books too!  I will have to get those next time.  I see more peas in my future!

Around the Block.. last two!

Wow, I'm amazed that we are done with Around the Block!  They've continued onto round 2, but I bowed out since I'm getting married!  Here are the last two blocks for MJ.  She asked us to add in one of our own fabrics for one of the points.


I thought the stars were appropriate, since I was the only person in the group from USA.

The blue birds are one of my favorite fabrics.  I used it to make an apron for the In Stitches Sew Along.  I just think it's so cute!

To all the Around the Block gals: You're the best, around!  Thank you for the past year.  It's been so fun!

Here is a collage of all the blocks I've made, plus one shot of the blocks I received!


Wow I forgot about all these blocks!  So fun!  Thanks again ladies!

It's finished!

I finished the Ice Cream Social dress!  It's so cute.  It was nice and easy, spread out over a couple weeks with the sewalong, and now it's done!  Also, I made the smallest size, so it was a nice change from the clothes I've been trying to make for myself.  The pattern was really well written too.  I really might have to buy the pattern in the larger size and try to make one that will fit me!



Photos from the creating process.  Each photo has a few notes in flickr on my troubles.

July is HOT!

I do not do well with hot weather.  Having said that, it seems like in the summer I enjoy such hobbies as knitting and baking.  Oh well.  I have been working on things for my wedding, here is a sneak peek:

And more blocks for a couple of my quilting bees.  Here are some blocks for Jan.  Only one month left for Around the Block!  Jan did a great job with her concept.  She precut the borders, and asked us to fill in the middle squares.  With different sized borders she will get a cohesive but varied set of blocks.  I love the fabrics too.




And here are a the last two blocks for Bee Inspired.

I am ashamed to say that these are 4 months late because I am so petty.  These happen to be the last set of blocks for this particular bee, and I was holding them hostage until I got my blocks.  They never came (I am still waiting for 5 people, isn't that crazy!), but I decided that I should take the higher road and just finish off the bee.  I never got all my blocks back from my first bee either.  I understand that there are life circumstances that causes people to renege on their commitments to the bee, but it does make if difficult when it's the organizer too.  These last couple of blocks to make me happy though.  The fabrics were wonderful to work with and I really like how the blocks turned out.

After next month for Around the Block my commitments to quilting bees are finished.  I had a good time with the first one, a bad experience with the second one, and a WONDERFUL experience with the last.  I got all my blocks (from Oz and NZ) with a month after my month was over.  If you ever get a chance to join a bee hosted by Sheridan, make sure you can make the commitments, then sign up fast!  She really takes care of you and makes sure everyone gets their blocks. 

More Blocks

Ok ok fine, my blog's been neglected.  But I have been making some blocks!  Here are updates for my quilting bee blocks:



They were fun!  But mostly I've been concentrating on my Green Tea and Sweet Beans quilt...


Sorry for the poor formatting, I figured it'd be better to put something up than delay it another 3 months!

Around the Block blocks for April

And hurray I'm caught up with Around the Block again!  I had a lot of trouble with this months blocks, but mostly because of my own deficiencies.  The first blocks were for Susie.  She is making a space quilt for her little boy.


This robot gave me so much trouble!  I was hoping for something like this, but my proportions are all wrong, AND I ran out of fabric so the block is a little bit small.  Whoops!


Next up we have this wonky star.  Unfortunately, not the best pattern for these fabrics.  They're too wild and crazy, and you can barely see the star. It is a very dynamic block though, so hopefully it will be used!

Then we have blocks for Rachel.  She sent us some blue red and brown fabrics to make blocks to split between her two boys.


This block was fun, and I love how the red dots are skewed so it makes the block crazy.  HOWEVER, I was having trouble with my sewing machine, so the edges are a tiny bit ruffly.  Not sure why.  It's not too bad though, and it should go away once its sewn together with other blocks.


I had so much trouble with this one!  I cut the fabric too short, machine ate up some parts, who knows what was going on. Ah shoot.  I just remembered that I might have forgotten to sew a seam shut too.  I'll have to make sure Rachel knows, sorry!  I think it turned out ok though.  I hope her boys like it!

Now I'm just waiting for my last pack of fabric from Bee Inspired.  I can't believe that quilting bee is almost over!

Bees for March!

Wow, what happened to March?  I got behind on my bees, but I'm caught up again!  Here are the blocks for this month:

Blocks for Bee Inspired:



Blocks for Around the block:




Close up of my favorite... a star within a star!  Can you see it?



Also, I got all my blocks from my Around the Block gals!  Here are all the blocks together.  Trying to decide if I want sashing or not!  What do you think?

Boston Park Quilt

Alright, here we go.  I've been super super busy, but I was able to finish up one quilt!

This quilt was made for my friend to thank her for letting us stay at her house when we visited Boston.  She's roommates with our other friend who we already bought something for, so I'm pretty sure she thought we forgot about her.  But she likes the quilt and it's all fun and exciting.  It's made out of two packs of charm squares of Valorie Wells' Olive Rose line, and essex linen cotton in white.  I think I like the linen-cotton.  I definitely liked the crinkly texture when it came out of the dryer!  The main part of the back is some marimekko fabric from Crate and Barrel outlet.  I wish I didn't have to add the blues to the side to make it bigger, but my friend wanted a big quilt!

I put a label on this quilt, and called it Boston Park Quilt, so she wouldn't feel bad about using it at the park!  I need to do better about labeling my quilts.  Also, why is it whenever I make "random" quilts, two of the same blocks always end up next to each other?

Village Blocks for Amy

Amy had such a cute idea for her turn on the quilting bee.  Who wouldn't want such a cute village?

Here are some blocks that I made.  I am especially happy with the house.  You can check out the rest of the group's blocks here!

I am still around, just super busy.  Any spare moment is spent sleeping!

Hello 2010!

Oh my poor neglected blog!  I hope you forgive me... I'll give you lots of photos!  I have been really busy, but I have been sewing!  I knitted a  blanket for Chris' parents, and my sister and I sewed placemats and napkins for my mom.  Both were very well received. 

Lucy made it through Christmas with minimal torture from her human parents and received lots of toys and kisses.  Lets just say she was pooped.

      

I've also been sewing all the quilting bee blocks:



But perhaps most exciting of all, Chris' mom's friend's friend had an unfinished cathedral window quilt that needed a home, and I am the lucky one who received the box!  Look at all these goodies:



Recently I have been trying to catch up on my Green Tea and Sweet Beans block of the month.  I will update with photos of those blocks soon!