My Finish For Today

Yeah! A finish!

pattern based on: Bonnie's ISPY A 4-Patch

panto: Flirtatious by Willow Leaf Studio

What is Your Favorite Block?

Mine is the 4 Patch! I love to make these rascals!

My next three or four projects will have 4 patches in them! :)

How I Make Labels...

Karen asked me about *How I Make My Labels*. I usually make what I call an envelope style and thought I would share my process here.

First: I decide on the front of the label. In this example~I fused a muslin heart onto a background.

Second: I pin the label front to the label back...right sides together.

Third: I stitch 1/4 inch from the edge of the label front.

Fourth: I trim.

Fifth: I carefully cut an *X* in the back of the label. Making sure that I don't also cut the label front!

Sixth: Turn right side out, poking the corner out as much as possible.

Seventh: I press the label flat.

Eight: Since I fused the heart on, I stitch around the heart~securing it.

Nine: The label is ready to write on with a Micron Pigma pen. I like the broader tip~o8. After writing my message, I heat set the writing with a pressing cloth and dry iron.

Ten: Your label is ready to be sewn onto your quilt!

Some other *labels* I have made.

Printed on the ink jet printer then framed with fabric from the front of the wall hanging.

Another framed label but with a handwritten message.

A Square in a Square label with handwritten message.

For awhile, I would fold a 6 inch square of muslin on the diagonal then sew the two unfinished edges into the binding. That leaves

just the finished bias edge to sew down.

A new twist~have label sewn to quilt but never wrote the info on it. :)

Lately, if the quilt is for me or *someone* I think might remove the label~I just go ahead and *ink* the back of the quilt with information.

That's it! How I label my quilts, when I *do* label them, that is! :)

Happy Birthday *Frank*

Today is *Frank's* 9th birthday. Along with a cash gift, I made him a pillowcase to match his Christmas quilt.

Here is the best picture of *Frank's* Christmas quilt that I could find. Funny, I neglected to take a photo before gifting it.

pattern source: Ursula Reike's More Quilts for Baby

Another Addition to the Stash

+10 yards. yikes.

it adds up faster than I can use it!

:)

Look!

I'm quilting! and the colors are really off in the second picture~the patches are tan/brown and the thread is tan, also!

pattern: based on Bonnie's ISPY a 4 Patch

panto source: flirtatious by Willow Leaf Studio

Stash Report Week #30

I'm back from vacation...but there is a whole lot of things to do...other than sewing! I had a fun time away but it is always good to be home! :)

Fabric added this week: +1 yard
Fabric added this week: +169.5 yards

Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used this year: -239 yards

Net fabric for the year: -69.5 yards (used!)

Goals for this week:

• work on something!

No goals last week so no accomplishments this week!

One picture from the vacation...my yard of fabric I purchased!

A Michigan State print that I don't own and it was the end of the bolt. :)

WIP Wednesday

Bell Creek Quilts is closed.

Baby Brother is in for her *well Baby* check up and oiling.

Valerie is resting.

We have gone to the lake in Michigan to visit family (and other parts of Michigan.)

I may be *sighted* by other bloggers. :)

Design Wall Monday

I finished sewing the animal four-patch top, which I cut into the fish stash to fill out the bottom two rows.

pattern source: Bonnie's I Spy A 4-patch (except my square are 6.5 inches unfinished)

Stash Report Week #29

A good week for me! No shopping, no button pushing and I had one finish!

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added this year: +168.5 yards

Fabric used this week: -7.5 yards
Fabric used this year: - 239 yards

Net fabric for the year: - 70.5 yards (used!)

What I accomplished this week:

• bound motorcycle strippie

No goals this week as DH, DD, DD's BFF and I are heading to Michigan for our annual summer trip.

Catcha on the flip side! :)

Friday's Finish

I finished sewing back the binding on this motorcycle quilt.

pattern source: Mary's Quick Strippie (with added borders)











panto source: Popcorn by Willow Leaf Studio

WIP Wednesday

Ever have fabric you were *saving* for a particular quilt? but you never made the quilt?

Yep~thought so!

I've been *saving* fish fabric for this quilt for about 5 years, maybe longer. I especially liked this arrangement for the fish bowls, found here (Google Image search result).
Amy couldn't believe it! I guess I should have joined in with Lori and Rosewillow's 'Just Can't Cut It' Challenge!

This week, I decided that I *needed* to cut into all of my fishes for another quilt I have started.

Now I have a few more 6.5 inch squares to add to my growing novelty square stash. :)

Sent Gifts Have Arrived!

In April, DD and I went to Dallas/Fort Worth and stayed with our friends Maureen and Alan. We flew home on Monday and the following Thursday, Maureen and Alan started their Beaches and Biltmore trip of 12 weeks. Crafts on Cumberland blog and Airstream Adventures blog.

I followed their travel blog (Airstream Adventures) anxiously awaiting news of when they would return home! I then timed the package so that it would be waiting for them at their local post office~but not too long. :)

Maureen's hobbies include quilting, stamping and traveling in their Airstream trailer. Alan's hobbies include cooking, baking (yes~there is a difference!) and traveling in their Airstream trailer.

Look at what DD and I put together. First for Maureen, a Stampin' Up! stamp scrubber pad~a must have for a serious stamper :) and this wonderful travel trailer fabric that even has Airstream like trailers that I found while trollin' the web (www.fabricshack.com). For Alan, a three pack of Ethnic Milwaukee spices from Penzey's Spices for him to experiment with!

Thanks again guys for letting DD and I spend our Spring Break 2010 with you! :)

Design Wall Monday

More like, *Design Cutting Mat* Monday.

In any event, I've been sewing 4 patches for my next project.

A friend is celebrating his 50th birthday in August so I thought I would make him a quilt. This is not on my *Summer 2010 To Sew List* so technically, I am off on another tangent. :) Some other day I will return to my *list* but right now, I'm sewing for fun! :)

Stash Report Week #28

Well, I went fabric sale shopping this week.

Fabric added this week: +22 yards
Fabric added this year: +168.5 yards

Fabric used this week: -7.5 yards
Fabric used this year: -231.5 yards

Net fabric for the year: -63 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

• Milwaukee Admirals backpacks
• bound Owl Strippie
• pieced and quilted motorcycle strippie

Goals for next week:

• bind motorcycle strippie
• continue piecing current project

That's all for me. We are entering our 6th week of summer vacation~hardly seems possible that summer is half over! Where does the *time* go?!

Another Fleece Headband

Craig, our sub ice skating teacher, wanted to know where HIS headband was last week.

So this week~I made this. The only directions were *no vomit colors*! DD and I had about a 30 minute *discussion* on what exactly ARE vomit colors...exciting, right? well, she's 11 and is interested in those types of discussions. lol



Our concluson?

Depends on what you have JUST EATEN. :(

EDIT: I made the headband about 2 inches too big. Looks like there will be some un-knotting and re-sewing.

For those who are interested: DD and I passed Adult 1 skate. We signed up for Adult 2 skate which should definitely push my comfort zone. Although I passed it was kinda hollow victory as I fell last night landing on my butt and whacking my head. I swear the bump on my head is the size of Texas but DD assures me that it is only pea-sized. :)

Adding to the Stash

A local quilt shop has lost her lease...Marla at Bits N Pieces...and she has her fabric marked down to $4.00/yard. Well, some is $5.00 and $6.00 but I stayed in the $4.00/yard range. :)

How could I resist?! Add another +22 yards for me.

WIP Wednesday

The rains arrived today, fast and furious. So much rain in a short time span that the *river* re-appeared on the way to the retention ponds.

I decided to border the motorcycle strippie pattern to increase the size and to also use more of the motorcycle novelty print. Now it is almost 52 x 68. Good for a slightly older child. :)






pattern source: Mary's Quick Strippie (with added border)

Owl Strippie Done

pattern source: Mary's Quick Strippie

panto source: Popcorn from Willow Leaf Studio