Quilt Retreating

I just spent a few days with some very good friends, sewing up a storm on a Quilt Retreat!  It was a great couple of days playing with fabric.

I sewed the whole time on my new little toy ~ my first Featherweight.  I bought this from Starlyn to add to my little sewing machine collection that I have going, and it sews beautifully :)

And I finished my Buffalo Ridge quilt!  The blocks and flying geese were swapped with Mary and Starlyn a while back, and at the retreat I put it all together for a completed top.   (The pattern can be found in the book called Nickel Quilts).

Cappy, the hostess of our reterat (she offered up her little beach house in Edgewater MD for us), had the first finish with this beauty. 

Made with bandanas!  This is a UFO from I think she said the 1980's made from a collection of bandanas that she had amassed back when they were popular to wear.  The colors were amazing.

And since I like to use retreats to pull out UFOs, I also "finished" my Snowbound quilt.  It's from Bunny Hill Designs BOM last year.  I kept up with the BOM pretty well at the beginning of the year, but after finishing five of the snowmen applique blocks, I decided that five was enough, so this is how I set mine. 

For the Jo fans, here is Starlyn's first finish of the weekend ~ a little Courthouse Steps mini quilt from the Jo Morton Club at the shop.  There were many more finishes by others, some I snapped pictures of but they were blurry, and some I missed altogether.  And I had to leave the retreat early for some weekend fun with my little grand daughters, so I'm sure I missed seeing even more of the finishes. 

 But even when we weren't sewing, the views were wonderful.  

These sights were literally steps away from the house that we stayed in.  It was a lovely way to spend a few days ~ Thanks again Cappy!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Celebrate America

In preparation for this weekend’s Happy Birthday America celebration, I finished my A Tisket A Tasket Block designed by Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs from July of last year.

And just a little hint: Be sure to stop in tomorrow for a little Birthday Celebration Giveaway ;)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Snowbound on the Hottest Day of the Year

I finally got around to finishing my Block #5 of the Snowbound Block of the Month from Bunny Hill Designs. I had started it in early May, and set it aside for other projects. I was finding that I needed a little break from my evening handwork. I didn't really know why, but it wasn't thrilling me.

Then I quit putting off my trip to the eye doctor, and got a new prescription for eyeglasses ~ like magic, hand applique is fun again! Why do I put these things off so much? ...I know, that was a rhetorical question. Anyway, ironically I finished this snowman block on one of the hottest days of the year so far. Now to start block #6 ~ maybe I can get it started before the July block comes out :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Friday Night Sew-In Results

These are my finishes from last night's Friday Night Sew-In. I will qualify this post by mentioning that all of them were almost done, they were in my file folder in various stages of completion.

Blocks 5 & 6 from last year's A Tisket A Tasket BOM from Bunny Hill Designs.

And the Snowbound block for April...you know what that means ~ I'm all caught up so far with this one for this year! This is huge because with most Block of the Months that I start, I fall behind in March.

Run on over to Heidi's blog and take a look at everyone's Friday Night Sew-In Show and Tell.

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Twinkle Twinkle

I finished my Snowbound Snowman block for March last night ~ and we're only one week into April! When Elsie was visiting a few weeks ago and saw it in progress, she started singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star ~ a cute little memory I have to go along with this block :)

I've even started the April block ~ how's that for progress? You can download the free pattens for Anne Sutton's Snowbound blocks 1-4 here.

This is the other thing I did yesterday, while Bobby is on Spring Break and willing to help me. First I emptied out all of the things that I had moved into Heather's old bedroom after she moved out (it's becoming my satellite sewing room...kind of a designing, cutting, storage room). I'm slowing turning that end of the house into what I lovingly refer to as the "sewing wing". Then we spackled...

...and spackled

...and spackled. Can you believe the amount of nail and pin holes that a teenage girl can put into walls? We were kind of impressed.

Then after that drying, and a coat of primer, this lovely green went up (my colors on the computer are not nearly as nice and happy as it is in person).

I love a freshly painted room! Today I plan on touching up the woodwork trim, and then I can start to put all my stuff back in. So I guess I'd better get off this computer and get going to it :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

How Time Flies

Wow, I just realized that this Sunday is Palm Sunday. Easter is almost here ~ time is flying again this year (what's up with that?). So anyway, in honor of the Easter season, here are a couple of blocks that I've recently done to get you in the Easter spirit. The first one is part of Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs' "A Tisket A Tasket" block of the month quilt from last year. You'll see these blocks here throughout the year as I didn't finish them last year, so I'm working on them bit by bit. They are still on my design wall.

And this block is part of the "Be Attitudes" quilt by Nancy Halorsen of Art to Heart. This poor bunny looks like how I feel getting ready for the Easter festivities :)

This is what I've been sewing on this week at the shop ~ kind of Springy. With everything that has been keeping me busy lately, I'm a little behind, these are blocks 1 - 7 of the Thimbleberries Club for this year ~ we are doing the "Midnight" colorway. (For those of you who are participating in our club, the Thimbleberries Club fabrics that were backordered finally came in this week and we now have the kits cut for blocks 1 - 4. So Thimbleberries Club will happen for April!)

...And on a side note, I heard one of my favorite songs first thing this morning. I'll be singing it all day long now, but it's making me smile ~ thank you John Lennon.
And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be

I wake up to the sound of music
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

There, now it's stuck in your heads too :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

A Quick Snowy Hello

Stopping in to say a quick hello between working on deadline projects and meetings with my Dad's social workers and doctors. We're trying to catch up on all of the canceled appointments and tasks that were postponed due our week of snow.

Here is my finished block number two of Bunny Hill Designs Snowbound. It was an appropriate block to work on this week while we were actually snowbound :)

While housebound, I also spent time cutting out some quilt projects ~ sometimes I get in a cutting mood, and now I have four quilts completely cut out and ready to sew, sew, sew! I even cut out some Jo Morton charm packs with my left overs.

So for the Jo Morton fans out there, I have made available a couple of charm packs of 25 assorted 5 inch squares of Jo Morton fabrics here in my Etsy store. Let me know what you make with yours!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

A Little Joy in January

Well I went ahead and did it ~ for no good reason...it doesn't meet any of my deadlines, it's not for the shop, a customer, or for a gift...I just did it for me, It was just too cute! I went ahead and made the first block from Anne Sutton's Snowbound Block of the Month. I don't know if I'll keep up and do all of them, but this one just kept calling me to make it, so I stayed up way too late last night and finished it.

In keeping with my theme of Simplicity, I thought I'd feature my little Clover blue line pen for my Friday Find. It's not a recent find (you all probably already know about it), but I use it almost daily. There are several brands on the market, but this one is my personal favorite, it makes a nice fine, crisp line that works great for marking stitchery or applique, and I've never had a problem with it coming out with water. Small details, but big things.

So Here's to a little Joy in January to go along with the Simplicity. I think this block touched me because it reminds me of one of my all time favorite quotes...

"Joy is Peace dancing." ~ Ruth Graham

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Snowbound in 2010

Some of you took part in the Tisket a Tasket Free Block of the Month from Bunny Hill Designs in 2009 and may already know about this, but I wanted to share that Anne Sutton is offering another Free Block of the Month for 2010! It's called Snowbound, and features cute little snowmen. I've pasted the link on my sidebar for easy finding through the year. I did finish some of the basket blocks from last year, and have several more prepped and ready to stitch. Unfortunately work projects sidetrack me from these fun things, but I'll get back to them at some point, they are just too cute not to finish!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Spring Reprieve

I've been making steady progress on projects, but no finished product to show this morning (say that three times fast), so I thought I'd show you some pictures of Spring here in my little piece of the world.
These were taken last week, and since then it has rained just about all week so those trees you see in the background are really green now. I've managed to plant some sunflower seeds, but hopefully I'll get some good gardening weather for this weekend as I'm off work :)

Don't forget to head over to the Bunny Hill Designs Blog for Block 5 of A Tisket A Tasket. I've downloaded it, but that's it. With my magazine deadline in April, the Auction quilt to finish, and my Baltimore Album block for my class (coming up on Monday and still not finished), I didn't get my April Block done ~ and I'm behind on my calendar quilt too. I think May will have to be a catch up/Finish It Up month!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Next Bunny Basket Block

Yesterday we had some beautiful weather and I got all sparked and did some work out in the garden, washed windows and put the screens back in for the warm weather (hoping this nice weather will become a little more consistant). It was so nice to get out in the sun, and to get alot of work done around the house for a change. I'm having all the family for Easter next Sunday, so some housekeeping was in order!

After collapsing in the evening I got to do some stitching and finished my little A Tisket A Tasket block for March. The bunny is a soft pink color with white polka dots, but does show up a little better than this picture represents. I'll probably add a little bow to the bunny's neck, but I've decided to leave off the buttons on this block I think. And my timing was great, because Anne released the April block yesterday too. If you haven't downloaded it yet, hop on over to her blog to get this cute pattern! She even has the yardage requirements for her sashing and borders listed.

Today, I'm off to my Baltimore Applique Class. I think I'll stop at Barnes & Noble on the way home and see if Quilt Magazine is on the newsstand yet ~ I just can't wait to get my copy :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Last night I finished the February "A Tisket, A Tasket" block...and it's only the second week in March! Today I'll pick out the fabrics for the March block and prepare it. That way it will be in the wings for when this month's Baltimore Album block is done.

I'm hitting the sewing room early this morning ~ lots to do today to get ready for work tonight and Thimbleberries Club. I plan on quilting up the extra project for tonight's Club meeting. And I'm looking forward to lunch with a good friend today!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Progress on my Baltimore Applique

Last night I finished my next Baltimore Applique block. Well, I think I'm calling it finished ~ there is supposed to be a ring of smaller heart shapes around the center, but I kind of like the way it looks right now, so I may leave them out. This way I might get to a second block this month, who knows I can dream right? Mimi Dietrich taught us the "Back Basting" method at last month's class and I used it for the whole block. I do like it the more I get used to doing it.

With the Back Basting method, you mark the reverse side of your background fabric, then with your applique fabric and background fabric layered together, you run a basting stitch right on the lines. By using a thick handquilting thread and a thick needle, your basting stitches leave holes that become like a perferated line where the applique fabric seam gets turned under. Aside from no marks on the front of the block, the main advantage of this method, is that pieces are very accurately placed. A nice tutorial on Back Basting can be found at All About Applique.

Before doing another Baltimore Applique block this month I want to finish my Bunny Hill Tisket a Tasket block for February. The March block is available for download today (So cute ~ there is a bunny this month!), so I need to work on February this morning. I guess that makes me officially behind!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Calendar Quilt Finished through Orange Weekend

Another advantage of taking part in a sewing weekend virtual retreat is that you can get caught up on some other little projects. Here is my calendar quilt section for February caught up through the 22nd. Since the strip for Valentine's day I have added a strip for my dad's birthday, strips for the Wizard of Oz quilts I was working on last week, and of course three days of Orange :)

I still need to get working on my Bunny Hill Basket block for this month though. I have the fabrics all picked out and sitting here, I just need to get to appliqueing on it. I think I'll prepare that one for Friday morning when I'll be taking my son to get his wisdom teeth pulled. I'll need something to keep my hands busy while in the waiting room.

By the way, if you need a refresher on embroidery for the stitchery part of these blocks Anne Sutton has added a great tutorial to her Bunny Tales Blog that walks you through. Very well done.

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

New and Improved Sewing Room

Well, here it is, what I've been doing all week...Drum Roll Please...Here is my sewing room mostly put back together! I love this new floor with my yellow color! (For those of you that have seen my sewing room before ~ yes, it is still yellow, I didn't change the color because I still love it!).
This is my window seat. I love to read and doodle here, and this window looks out the front of our house, so I can see all of the "comings and goings" :)

And this is my "new" closet ~ totally worth the cost of admission right here! I'm still loading fabric, but am getting there. I like that I can keep a cubby for ongoing projects, and there is room on either side of the shelf unit where I can stand up the ironing board and store other items. The shelf unit consists of two Closetmaid Cubicals stacked up. I bought one more that is going in our spare bedroom's walk in closet to hold "future projects" and quilt tops to be quilted (I'm working on that closet next).
This is my little antique ribbon bin that I got at a yard sale. I just love it and I store batting in it. I upolstered a board for the top with fabric that matches the window seat cushion, but I'm going to make a nicer stained wood top for it eventually.

And this is the view from the other window (this is what I see from my chair when I'm sewing). We put the gazebo in last summer in place where the children's play set used to be and it is now my favorite doodle and punchneedle spot ~ at least when it was warmer. We're going to be putting electric out to it, so I think it might become a great sewing spot next spring!

Wow, that was a long tour for such a tiny room! Next I'm going to work on the hallway/sitting area outside of this room. That is where I have my cutting table and other what nots. I have one more child to move out before I get a "sewing wing" instead of a sewing room! :)

And for a little blog hopping: Check out the Tisket a Tasket link on my sidebar for the February block from Bunny Hill Designs, she put it up this morning, and it's cute, cute! And if you like freebies Brenda is holding a free drawing over on her Quilting Cowgirl blog in celebration of her birthday (see the Feb. 2nd post, all you have to do is leave a comment).

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

My Little Snowman Block

I'm not getting any sewing done on my machine since my sewing room is still kind of disassembled for the flooring and painting process, but still able to do some evening handwork. Here is my little January block done from "A Tisket A Tasket" BOM (link is on my sidebar for this free Block of the Month from Bunny Hill Designs). I'm doing mine completely from stash scraps. The little snowman is wool, I'll probably add a little wool and buttons each month (I used Hillcreek buttons and you can contact our quilt shop if you can't find them). I did my first block in pretty much the same colors as Anne Sutton, the designer as I really liked her soft colors for this one. But if you want to see this block in many different fabrics and styles you can join the group that Anne started on Flickr where many people are posting their blocks. It's fun to see other interpretations of the same pattern!

Also, wanted to let everyone know we have a lot of new items in the ebay store if you haven't visited recently. We've posted new Quilt books, new fabric and more primitive items going on soon ~ It changes all the time!

Well, I'm off to more painting and shelf building. I should get the closet done today and then can start putting it all back together! Pictures to come!

Enjoy the Day!
~ Dawn

Another Great Free Block of the Month!

This is from Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs (I love all her stuff!). I think I'll definately try to keep up with this one! Starlyn has shared with me that the group at the And Sew It Goes that meets twice a month to work on the Baltimore Bunnies blocks are also going to do this one! So join in on your own, or stop by the shop for some stitching support and show-n-tell ~ it's free!

Here are the particulars ~ Anne has designed a mystery quilt with a new block being released around the 5th of each month on her Bunny Tales blog. At the end of 12 months you can put these little blocks together for a surprise quilt! Block One is cute and uses some wool ~ which I love to add to applique. The little buttons she used are from Hillcreek Designs and we carry them in our shop.

I'll keep the link on my sidebar so you can always get there from here! I'm almost finished with my Baltimore Album block for this month, so I think I can just squeeze in some stitching on this one! I'll show you my block when I get it done. Email me with pictures of your blocks and I'll post a show and tell here!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn