Stitched!

AGF Stitched with Kimberly!

Today is going to be a fun day...

This is the special anniversary of Art Gallery Fabrics!

Fat Quarter Shop and a group of bloggers are

joining in the celebration and showing you

a project made with their fabrics.

We all used the Birchen quilt pattern but had the freedom to change it up!

So, this is my version of the pattern.

I used all the blocks... I just put them together 

differently.

I chose the fabric line called Indelible.

It has a nature feel to it but has a soft romantic side.

It seemed a perfect fit for me and the area where I live.

Indelible: impossible to remove or forget. Enduring, unfading, unforgettable, haunting.

I wish I could have gotten a photo fast enough... I actually startled a small group of

deers when I came out to take these pictures.

Then I came inside to show where this 

wall hanging and pillows were really going to reside.

There is a You Tube video on how to make this pattern

 that Kimberly is showing today.

You can find it here at this link.

Here is the link for the free Birchen Quilt pattern.

Kimberly also has a quilt kit available for this pattern at Fat Quarter Shop.

Seriously... you really can feel the difference!

Another Lovely Day

This year is just too busy!

It has been non-stop for one thing or another and

no rest on the weekend either. 

I wonder if that is because winter just hasn't hit us yet...

on a normal year, it would be cold and there could be snow 

so staying home, keeping warm, and making soup

 would be about the only thing on the agenda.

Other than being in short sleeved shirts...

(I know you're jealous)

the real news of the week is

the arrival of this cute baby!

This sweet little one is Noah. 

He arrived on Wednesday! He is grand child #3 for us!

My stepson Matt and Cara are his happy overjoyed parents!

Underneath that cap... he has a full head of black hair!

I still can't get over how much hair he has!

I am  happy to get this quilt home from the LAQ.

 It hung at my LQS for a year or more...

and now it's finally quilted!

The binding will begin this weekend.

I love this fabric, Going Coastal, so much... and I am happy to say I 

still have a small stash of it.

The bottle cap fabric was fussy cut for the star centers. 

I wanted the quilting to resemble fancy kelp... kind of like those seahorses.

Round and Round by Thimble Blossoms is such a versatile pattern. Fun to make

and it looks great in any theme of fabric.

 I think 4 blocks made up in 

boy fabric would be a great baby quilt too.

Just saying.

Not that I need to make one more...

 wait... I always need to make ONE more, don't I?

oh... there is one more thing to share.

I was asked to be a guest speaker and to do

 a trunk show at a quilters retreat... 2 of them, 

that is hosted by Quilter's Paradise Quilt Shop.

How exciting is that???

I need to wrap my head around it and start pulling quilts out in preparation.

The first engagement will be next Thursday!

I guess I will get it all figured out while I am binding quilts this weekend.

Honestly, I might not get a whole lot done.

I am picking Evie up for a sleepover at Grammy's house tonight..

after a quick trip to the market.

Oops, gotta go!

What I Heard and What They Say...

I guess that I will continue to

 be busier than a one armed paper hanger.

(an old saying)

In my post last week I had mentioned that I was excited 

for the release of Lori Holt's new book... it will be coming out in 

April.  I wanted to make sure that you knew that it was available for pre-order 

at the Fat Quarter Shop. And if you do pre-order it you get an sweet little extra 

pattern to go along with it! 

Here is the link if you are like me and don't want to miss out.

I had missed out on Lori's 1st birthday/anniversary of Quilt Fun...

so I had decided to get that free pattern

 (see last week's post)

started while I wait for Farm Girl Vintage

to be released. 

I heard that Lori will be doing another special quilt along with FGV...

and I plan to be ready for that sew along when it happens.

Lori is always up to something fun and 

 is a master of all things cute and vintage!

A combination I like a lot!

Another special book that is available for pre-order at Fat Quarter Shop is

Winter Wonderland by Sherri Falls!

Sherri always has the sweetest holiday projects!

(and other patterns too)

It's coming out in May 

 and it's 

available now for pre-order. 

If you do pre-order Winter Wonderland

you will get a 20% discount and an extra little sampler pattern for free.

Here is the link for Winter Wonderland!

She has a fun Mystery sew along going on right now at her blog.

Go take a peek! 

Here is some of the projects in Sherri's Holly Jolly book

from last year. 

I am sure the projects in her new book will be just as cute!

Take A Breather!

 I'm asking myself...

how is it that I did not see this "Quilter's Calendar"?

Then I wonder... is it too late to get a copy???

Isn't that the cutest quilt and dog?

ha ha ha!

I have been busy with special projects... and I can now say that I have

those all finished! 

Yeah!

I was challenging myself to get 4 quilts done 

in a month... but 

I did it. 

However, I can't show you any of them yet! 

I think that one or two

of the quilts got done and packaged 

and then mailed before I even took a photo

of them. 

The one thing I still need to get working on though is

my AYOS project for this month!

It's the Fig Tree Jumping Jacks mini.. have you started yours yet?

I have plans for the weekend... so I think I will be turning out

the light in my sewing room for a few days and

giving it a rest... by that I mean me. 

I did do a tiny bit of playing on the Cake pattern this week

I think it will be fun... with a little Valentine's flavor to it.

Here is a little snapshot of some of my mother's recipes.

(sorry, can't seem to rotate it)

Little by little I have been going through her things and

I thought it was a good time to 

 go through her recipes and divide them up 

for my sister's and myself. 

Well, most will go to my younger sister and

I mailed some to my older sister

 as a  little Valentine's gift from "mom".

But these few were just so funny to me that 

I had to take a picture of them.

Beet Jello? Grasshopper Pie? Brier Patch Molasses Cookies?

Eew!

The names make them sound like hillbilly cuisine.

They must all be 50's - 60"s specialty dishes!

Wishing  you all a  great holiday weekend and a

happy Valentine's with all the special "some one's" in your lives!

Where Did the Week Go?

Last week ended with a bang for me.

Make that a bang and a crash.

Unbelievably, I was involved in (another) accident!

This time I was stopped at a signal... the driver of the other car evidently

had passed out and hit my SUV from behind. 

Everyone seemingly was fine.

Car damage... yes, but I could still drive.

Unfortunately, after taking it in for repairs... 

the damage was deemed extensive 

and my car pronounced D.O.A. (dead on arrival).

That makes two cars totaled in 7 months. 

Darn!

So lucky to have not been hurt... but

my guardian angels are working overtime! 

Remind me to tell you about a little sequel to the first car's story.

Anyway,

that was the crash part...

the bang was...

going away to the beach for the weekend!

This was a photo of the view from my room!

We stayed near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Do you see all the people on the beach?

That was February 1st and it's "no-sleeves" weather!

My favorite thing is listening to the sea lions while they are

sun bathing under the peer on the pilings.

But the thrill was being right next to a pelican!

He kept nearby me... 

maybe because I kept talking to him and

saying "hello there handsome'!

Another favorite is clam chowder!!!

 I nearly ordered a second bowl "to-go"!

Fast forward to today:

I was overjoyed to see that my LQS got a shipment of 

Pam Kitty Garden fabrics.

They are so SO CuTe! 

I have just a little sampling here... and I know I will be going back for more.

I need to start working on my Jumping Jack mini...

have you started yours yet?

I think I will be making two of them. 

My oldest son wants one but made into a pillow for his sofa.

(photo from Fig Tree & Co via Pinterest)

I just need one... period.

But I also wanted to do a little catching up...

(FQS photo)

back in October Lori Holt had a birthday bash and

had an adorable pattern available in 

honor of the 1 year birthday of her Quilty Fun book.

October was not a good time for me. 

(photos from the fabulous Fat Quarter Shop)

But I thought NOW might be a great time

to catch up on that project.

(photo is borrowed from my idol Greg Jones)

You seriously need to go see the whole quilt... it's super cute.

We have 6 birthdays in mid-March 

and a new grand baby coming the end of February...

and another grand baby arriving the first of April!

So... Pam Kitty Garden fabric... birthday cake pattern...

it's the perfect fit! 

But why the timing is even more perfect...

we are just on the heels of Lori's new book being published!

Fortunately for me... Lori has allowed me to purchase her book.

I confess that I "trimmed" the cover of the Quilty Fun book... 

with

 good

intentions

 of making it more

user friendly for me...

unfortunately,

it broke her heart. 

(she said)

Insert picture of a dog slinking away with tail between her legs...

yeah, that's me. 

I pinky swear that I will take good care of the new FGV book!

So,

 I can see that you agree... 

I will have to be going back for more fabric right?

The Super Bowl Half Time Parade of AYOS!

I have to say that I miss Miss Rosie terribly 

and as much as it doesn't seem right not

to have a Schnibbles pattern for our monthly AYOS choice... 

I do really love the way we branched out this month

 and used a tutorial from

Julia at My Rain Boots Are Red blog.

I think you are going to love this parade today too!

In case you are inspired... here is the link to the 

Kaleidoscope tutorial that Julia shared on her blog.

Here is a picture of her original mini quilt.

If you haven't tried making a Kaleidoscope quilt yet... I hope

you will try it. It was a lot of fun to make.

I think that you will also like our pick for next month's challenge!

I know several people have already made the large version of Jumping Jack

by Fig Tree and Company, and you can see one made by

Greg here and information on a whole 

Instagram quilt along for the full sized Jumping Jack quilt here.

So I think the mini version of this one is one you will have a lot of fun with!

I just couldn't resist any longer!

I haven't made mine yet
 so I will be anxious to sew along with you on this one!

I am pretty swayed by Greg's "PKM fabrics" he used but I still have to decide.

Here are the specifics for the pattern... and the link to where you

can purchase the mini Jumping Jacks if you don't already have it.

Are you more than ready to get away from the Super Bowl game and

see the parade of the Mini Kaleidoscope quilts?

Let's start then...

because I am dying to show you!

Mary... Oh my Mary! This is just adorable! 

I love your spin on this 

mini Kaleidoscope... the framing and the binding sets it off perfectly!

Next up is...

Michelle! She made a gorgeous two color version of our mini Kaleidoscope 

pick of the month!

 It is beautiful... I love how my eye is drawn to the center

and then to the 4 blocks surrounding it!

I love this version of the Kaleidoscope quilt ala mini made by 

Patty at A Stitch In Time blog.

 The solids are beautiful and she topped it off 

with the circle quilting... 

for a stunning modern look!!!

Polly at Aunt Polly's Porch whipped this gorgeous

 Kaleidoscope mini quilt up 

super fast... and the colors are brilliant! 

You always amaze me Polly!

This sweet little red and white version of the Kaleidoscope quilt pattern

was made by Peg at Stitchin with Peg blog!

She managed to play along this month even though she has a sweet little baby Olivia that captures most of her attention!

This is going to be perfect for

any holiday that has red and white in it.... hmmm, do we know of any coming up?

Michele at Island Life Quilts blog created an adorable version

of the pattern here... it looks so soft and cuddly doesn't it?

Is it the fabric or the quilting? Or both?

edited: 

Hildy's beautiful little Kaleidoscope got missed!

And it is not one to be missed!!!

You are going to love this one... even if we are showing it a day late!

I love it! So sorry Hildy!

Sherri's parade has more gorgeous versions of the Kaleidoscope mini...

so if you haven't been there already, just hop on over now! Oh, and read the 

 previous post from  Sherri also! 

Spoiler alert:

She has the cutest mini on the cover of 

the new Quilts and More magazine!