We Pause For a Bit of Nepotism...

:)

My cousin Johanna is one talented gal!  She has her own jewelry shop on Etsy entitled Metal, Cloth & Wood.  Feel free to head over there and gaze at her lovely necklaces, earrings, and the like.

One of my FAVORITE styles of hers is the free motion embroidered pendants, and she just posted a tutorial so you can make one for yourself.  Although, if you're like me and have a project list a bajillion miles long...you could really just ask her to make one for you.  ;)

Enjoy the tutorial!




Sew Long For Now!
-Amanda-

Forever Young

I have spent a while perusing Etsy and similar sites for a good wall print of the song "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan.  The lyrics just feel like a warm hug, and I have been wanting to put the first verse in my children's rooms.  But, I can NEVER find one that I like.  :(

So I decided to take matters into my own hands and create a few.  I haven't decided which color I want to hang them in so I played around a bit and this is what I have so far.  Cute right?

Dragging My Feet

Normally when I set my mind to do something I'm right on top of it.  And I started off that way about my quilt-along.  I dove right into creating a pattern, chose my fabrics, created some starter posts...I even began my quilt top.  And that's when it came to a screeching halt.

You see I wanted to create something "new."  Something that you couldn't find on any other quilt-along post on every other quilt blog.  So, I took something simple and put a twist on it.  The only problem is...I find it almost impossible to explain via the internet.  The top is looking fabulous, but it entails sooo many pictures/steps that while it actually is easy to do, explaining it is proving otherwise.

So, in the meantime I have been procrastinating by paper piecing some hexies:

My son has decided that napping is no longer for him.  After all, as he puts it, "No, I'm not tired.  The sun is awake."  So we have some quiet time while his little sister naps instead.  Unfortunately this means no sewing machine for me during naps, so I figured it was about time I got around to learning how to do English Paper Piecing.  It's REALLY fun and addicting.  

Now, back to the quilt-along.  I need to hear from those of you who were interested.  And I want brutal honesty!  I am going to continue with this quilt top, but have decided it is best to not have this be your first quilt.  I would hate to have you do this pattern, and explain it inadequately leaving you frustrated in the end.  I want you to ENJOY quilting!  And while I find this pattern fun, I think you'd just be down right annoyed with my inability to explain it well via the interwebs.

So, I'm leaning toward a Disappearing 9 Patch.  It's easy to explain with pictures, but it is something that you can find on other quilting blogs out there.  So, I am definitely happy to do the newbie quilt-along still...but I need to hear if you mind if it's a pattern you could find on several other blogs out there.  Let me know your thoughts!

Scrappy Swap

I don't know if it's completely fair to call this item scrappy?  As I used a large quantity of the green.  But, here is my finished mini-quilt for the OKC Modern Quilt Guild scrap swap.  I think it turned out cute.

I did some simple, but tight, straight line quilting.  LOVE the look of it.  Especially in person.  And it felt good to use a fat quarter for the binding, that I had yet to find a purpose for elsewhere.

Scrappy Swap

So, I procrastinated on this and I shouldn't have.  But, the OKCMQG had a swap challenge at our last meeting...fill a sandwich bag with large scraps, then you'll choose someone else's bag to create something for them.  Fun right?  Living through other people's fabrics?

I LOVED Elizabeth's fabrics.  Fun, colorful...and at first glance seemingly no commonality amongst them.  I then decided I would make her a cute little sewing machine cozy.  But, as I made it it seemed to be speaking as more of a fun little piece to put on your kitchen table, or on a hutch somewhere maybe.

Anywho...This is the top sitting draped over my ironing board and I just love it when the light filters through and gives a top a stained glass effect.

The Giveaway Winner...

I hope you enjoy your new fabrics!  :)  I'll get them out to you on Friday.

On the Farm

I majored in procrastinating in college.  At least it feels like I did, because I have 2 other projects I'm supposed to be working on and instead I decided to make a couple of Farmer's Wife blocks.

1 - Attic Windows

16 - Calico Puzzle