Random-ness

I am excited that the weekend is upon us! 

I am especially glad that we will be having gorgeous weather here.

Sunny!

(although I know we need the rain... but that can come during the week

when I am working right)?

 I might even wash my car.

More importantly,

I have a some sewing I am planning to do.

But it's a secret project... my lips are sealed and the door to 

my sewing room is closed, drapes are drawn... just in case you are

thinking about coming by to peek! ha

I have been trying to weed out my pattern stash and narrow down

the number from gazillion to a comfortable 100 or so.

The problem with that is... I see old patterns and I still want to make them.

Make them now!

Then there is the stack that are for someday...

when I get more skilled at quilting... 

like a pineapple quilt.

Do you have one of those "ultimate quilts" on your list?

(still working on this same pattern)

As I peruse through my assortment I find myself singing (in my head) 

the song from Frozen...

Let it go... let it go!

I do feel good about releasing and up-cycling the patterns.

I have even been able to let go of  some of my Fig Tree & Co. 

patterns... and I have (had) nearly all of them.

(still top on my keep list, pattern by A Vintage Spool)

Right now... I have

 (using Thelma's binder method of organization)

5 binders of projects. 1 for applique, 1 for embroidery, 1 for purses and

pincushions or other "makery" kind of things...

and 2 for patterns. 

Those are pretty easy to divide into sections since I have probably

about 4 main designers that seem to keep me busy and another couple

that I am quite fond of. 

When I am done with all that 

(something I can do while watching evening TV)

I will move on to sorting and folding fabric.

I discovered that I have a nice collection of vintage suitcases and

train cases... they will be perfect for holding the stash 'o fabrics!

Remember when you would practically sit on a suitcase to get it closed?

In the meantime... I am talking myself into an up-coming quilt along...

and then talking myself out of it.

What are your thoughts?

For the Love of....

Polka Dots!

Hurrah...

It's national Polka Dot Day!

A Flair For Fabric

A little book review for you... with a bonus.

Have you seen this book at your local quilt shop yet?

It's called a Flair for Fabric by Martingale Publishers.

This book is jammed with adorable projects from a 

variety of designers. The talented women from Henry Glass Fabrics

got together and put together a wonderful book filled with 

quilts that you will be drooling over!

(photographs are from Brent Kane)

It was compiled by Linda Lum DeBono and

here is a list of some of the fabric designers that 

have quilt projects in this book:

Leanne Anderson

 Dana Brooks

 Linda Lum DeBono

 Kim Diehl

 Anni Downs

 Jill Finley

 Margot Languedoc

 Janet Nesbitt and Pam Soliday of Buggy Barn

  Heather Mulder Peterson and Jacquelynne Steves

and that's not all!

There are several more I could mention.

On top of all is that the designers are donating all of their 

royalties from the sale of this book to the Red Cross.

How nice is that!

So do you want to see a few more must-do projects from the book?

How about this one?

Or this sweet little pillow?

Or this one?

Hands down... this one! 

(click link for more eye candy at Jill Lily blog)

 What really impressed me with this book is the plethora

 of tips that the designers shared on

how they use fabrics from their stash to create a new look.

The information they provide is very useful and it really 

feels like you get to know them a little bit better also.

It's worth buying the book just for that...

but you will love the 15 quilts and projects that are in it also! Wink!

(as an added bonus...

 I am giving you a link to where I found the Flair for Fabric book on sale)

Some R and R: relaxing and reading

Feeling a little cruddy with a cold I caught over the weekend.

I think I will be curling up tonight in front of the fire...

and catching up on some light reading!

These are a few of my new E-books from Martingale Publishers.

I think I will start with this one first by Amy Ellis!

Looks like fun!

All I need now is a cup of hot tea!

Mid Week Mosaic: Home

Home Sweet Home

In stages...

I love how my home looks after all the holiday festivities are over.

There is a point when it all seems more like clutter than decorations.

Then the house seems to look stark naked!

I am looking forward to the next phase...

Spring will be around the corner and

it's time for a fresh look.

These are sweet photos that are pinned on my Pinterest board from a variety of people

 that you can see here.

Hello Hump Day!

I can't believe it's Wednesday already!

Over the weekend I attended a baby shower 

for my stepson's significant other, Cara. 

The baby is due in just 6 weeks!

It was a fun afternoon. 

The decorations were all so adorable.

The theme was woodland animals.

As you can see.

I also finished my second quilt for the year...

it started out like this.

I used my stash only for this quilt.

The pattern is Vintage by A Quilting Life.

I just loved each of these sweet blocks.

Here is the finished quilt!

Another sample quilt I made for Fat Quarter Shop 

is now up on their site and 

available as a kit.

The fabrics were fun and girlie. 

( I am hoping for Cara to have a little girl...

but we won't find out until she... or he arrives).

If it's a boy... well, this would make a good lap quilt for... me!

Putting My Best Foot Forward in the New Year

I saw a wonderful post yesterday about

new year's resolutions... 

over at Simple Simon and Company...

the ones people don't make but 

probably should.

here is a list...

Mind Your Manners

Obey Traffic Laws

Let the Sun Shine In

Donate

Find Quiet Time

Forgive Someone

Sing

Enjoy More Hello's and Less LOL

Get More Sleep

Serve

Play Well With Others

Drink More Water

(please visit her site to read a full version of the list)

So, simple enough right?

Take care of yourself... be good to others...

And there is no exercise or diet on the list!

What a wonderful idea!

Just be good and do good.

Of course, all of us bloggers already play well with others!!!

I wish you all good things this year!

The Contenders List

Not counting the project I started already, 

here are a few quilts that have made it onto the

contenders list for 2015. 

I have Edyta on my mind!

I love my Laundry Basket Quilts books and this year I plan to use scraps and put them

to good use making some beautiful LB quilts! Or at least one!

This is so cute... and it seems do-able for a mediocre embroidery

want-to-be like me.

This year there were a few Alphabet quilts being made, thanks to Moda

and Temecula Quilt Co. 

I would like to make one... but I'm not sure which style.

I found this on Pinterest... I would love to make a scrappy Trip Around the World

out of sherbert fabrics.

I love love love Dresden blocks...

and you can bet that I will be making this Halloween theme

version along with a few others. To me, it's like instant gratification.

I love how each and every block comes together.

I have this applique project waiting in the wings for me.

I am in love with it... and have been since I bought all the 

fabric for it... about 3 years ago.

This year... it's a-go!

I know knowing, or at least next to nothing about sewing clothes...

buy this year... especially with more grand babies on the way...

I intend to sew some little girl clothes!

Right now this sounds stressful, but I am sure once I get the hang of it 

I will enjoy the process.

I love these orange slice style quilts... and especially the

modern look from Zen Chic. Definitely on my list!

Yeah, well, I like the whole booth here... even the polka dots on the floor!

I might just move in.

I started a Gypsy Kisses quilt... and must get back to it. This one

pictured is from Hyacinth's blog. 

Of course... everything is in pencil and will move around on the list...

but it's a start!

A Good Start Begins... With A Finish!

I have been busy this afternoon 

taking down the Christmas tree and decorations. 

I hated it to go... I had such a nice holiday.

I do love it when I finish and

 the house gets back in order though!

This morning I finished up a quilt along project...

Lori aka Bee In My Bonnet hosted a pre-holiday

on Instagram called Have Yourself A Quilty Little Christmas.

I didn't get started until after Christmas though... but I am 

so glad that I dove in and worked on it last weekend and

now... here it is:

I would love to make another one... it was so much fun!

I wanted to thank everyone who played along with Sherri and me

and made the Shine mini over the holiday's! 

I know it wasn't easy to squeeze it in and 

get it finished in time for the parade...

but I have to say they all turned out so darn cute!

Sherri will be sending a special little something to two people

randomly drawn from each of our parades.

First, from my parade is Mary...

and the winner from Sherri's parade is Jodi!

Congratulations to you guys!

Make sure I get your addresses so your prize can be mailed out to you!

Time to Shine! AYOS Parade... today

I almost gave up completely! 

I had mouse issues

and didn't thing that this parade was ever going to come together for me!

But I have it under control now!
So, Happy New Year!

And let's have a Parade of Shine... mini!

I loved seeing the ones sent to me from those of you  who were able to 

tackle a little project during the holidays. 

You guys are great!

I will show you the pattern for this month at the end of the parade since I want to get 

our parade under way! We have waited long enough!
I think everyone agreed that they had a great time making the pattern and
digging into the fabric stash made it easy!

Mary is our first mini Shine!

I love how calm it looks in this colorway. 

And gotta love the stripe binding too!

Michele made a fun mini Shine that seems to sparkle!

I have a special fondness for this group of fabrics...

they were designed by Carrie!

Here is a beautiful red version of Shine! 

This one was made by Michelle.

The red stripe binding makes me think of candy canes for 

some reason!! 

The photo is great with the bench and a dusting of snow all around!

Next we have a beautiful version of  a Shine mini...

This one was created by Nancy!

She used a variety of Kansas Troubles fabrics in it.

Patty at A Stitch in Time blog made a mini Shine mini!

How cute is that?!? I think it was a perfect idea for a little 

holiday.

You will want to look at her collage of our past AYOS quilts...

they are a beautiful collection when you see them all together!

Peggy at

Stitchin With Peg blog made a gorgeous mini 

Shine and even got it quilted and bound! 

It is just so sweet!

Not one but two!

This is a beauty!

I loved this line of Sweetwater fabric... and

it looks great in this mini Shine quilt! I really

like how Pam made each block in a tone on tone.

Pam

 at Stitching Between the Lines made a second mini 

Shine since she loved the pattern so much! 

This one has a Valentine vibe to it!

Sa-weet!

Susan has a very sweet mini Shine here! I love the touch of grey in each of

the blocks as her second background color.

Polly at Aunt Polly's Porch made an especially beautiful 

version of her mini Shine! The 

stars seem to twinkle! Love the lime!

I love my large version of Shine.. and I love my little mini too.

I hope that if you haven't made either one of these quilts, you will

be inspired to try out Sherri's pattern.

Here is my version of our next Another Year of Schnibbles and a bit more.

I changed it up a little bit... ruffly the same blocks but less rows...

and more background so I can make it into a baby quilt.

But this one is the Kaleidoscope quilt pattern that we have picked for you!

It's a free pattern with a tutorial at My Rainboots Are Red.

I thought it was very fun to make and I happen to have a

leftover 1/2 of a layer cake in the same fabric line as the

sample... so I just went with that. However, I do like the scrappy

low volume backgrounds that she used in the quilt above.

I think you will have fun with this and there is also a paper pieced option

available and the link to the download for that is on the same tutorial.