Sew and Tell Friday

A friend of mine just had a baby...and what better gift is there than a quilt for said sweet baby!

I pulled out some reproduction fabric that i had...it all came in a cute little bundle from Joanns. It took me some time to settle on a layout because i did not have quite enough to make the around the world pattern totally square. So i opted to lengthen it a little and add some aunt grace to the sides to make it a little wider.

It came together quickly, and so far i have been able to keep my new years goal of doing a quilt from start to finish, no more tops lying around in WIP piles. Now of course that does not apply to the ones i have started in the past, just the ones i have started since the new year began.

Simple straight line quilting, slightly random, not really a pattern...just enough to be sure that it is securely quilted. It was such a pain to quilt...more than usual. Why? Because i now officially HATE spray baste. This one was so unusually painful and the spray baste was giving me so many problems....and because it was a small quilt the stiffness of the 505 spray made it so unruly and hard to get through the machine. 505, we are over...officially we are broken up. Pins...it is you and me from now on!!!

this will be over on Amylouwho's...have a look at all the pretty things everyone else has made this week and tell them how much you love them...comments mean a lot!!

Just off the Hook

Have you ever seen the blog craft fail? I was certain that this one was going there. When i finished this hat and looked at it i was not sure what had gone wrong. I followed the directions...i am a pretty consistent stitcher, but this was meant to fit me, and it looked like it would not even fit a very very small child. And if you have met my kids, you know they are not small.

I finished it up anyway, and asked Avery to give it a try. What they #^$%... i had worked on it I did not really want to give up on it. We gave it a little stretch, crossed our fingers and went for it. To my surprise it worked, and she liked it! Not a normal combo. She was happy to be my model for a few minutes. In the end she wore it for most of the afternoon....she came to me and asked me put her hair in a bun and then tuck it up in a hat. She liked it even better that way. No matter, either way was cute!

I found the pattern on Ravelry for free. Maybe i will try it again with double yarn and a bigger hook. think that will help?

I Made a Cake!!

i have not blogged in a while. I seem to be in some kind of a slump. Maybe it is the February Slump! It is not that i am not doing things with the kids or making projects...i am just lacking the motivation to share it. Blah!

But, tonight i made a cake. The parents came over for the afternoon and for dinner, and i thought, "why not make cake?"!I did not think i was longing for spring just yet but maybe i am. This is a awfully spring like cake.

All you do it take a box angel food cake mix, and add one can of crushed pineapple(with the juice)...mix well and then back according to the box directions. I chose to serve it with some whipped cream(ok, i confess it was cool whip... it is not my favorite but i am trying to save myself some fat and calories so i thought it best to forgo the heavy cream whipped cream) and sliced strawberries on top.

It is very yummy....you should give it a try! this cake happens to be the favorite of the husband. Can you tell?

Of Course...

My skiing family members were not the only ones that got to have a little fun on our trip north. I had the chance to look up and visit a few local quilt shops while we were there. I had the pleasure of finding Adirondack Quilts. The shop was beautiful....i knew right away it was going to be good. They had beautiful antique and new quilts hanging all around the shop and a assortment of vintage and antique sewing tools.

I was more than thrilled to find that they had a whole 4 or 5 shelves of Aunt Grace fabrics. These are so hard to find here, and they are my favorites. I have been collecting them in little bits for several years now, waiting until i had a bunch to do a really awesome vinatge inspired quilt. I think i am getting close. Click on to see them better...they are amazing.

I also was able to get several yards of Amy Butler at half off. This was the first time i have bought anything of hers and it is so pretty. What have i been waiting for? I can not wait to try the Thangles....i also got a 6 square ruler...some Katie Jump Rope cloisonne and some Anna Griffin yardage that i had never seen before. All of this was my valentine present...some women get jewels, perfume or chocolate....this woman gets fabric. My husband knows me!!!!

Another shot....just because i love them and i could not resist!!

Winter Vacation

This weekend we went with Chris on a skiing trip to the Adirondack mountains with some of his ski patrolers. It was a really nice getaway for everyone. There was marshmallow roasting over a open fire at the lodge...snow...yummy food...a nice hotel...goofy big kids to hang out with...sledding...skiing...and a lot of lodge momming!

We stayed in Lake George where they were having a winter carnival this weekend. The kids saw this Ice castle and throne and wanted a chance to be the ice king and queen!!!

They skiied at three different mountains over the weekend, West...Gore...and Hickory. For the kids i think the very best part was the tubing at West. I on the other hand have never been so cold. Standing in the shade and on the snow for two hours nearly turned me into a icicle. But the kids had a blast. So much fun that we went back on Sunday morning for another go before we headed back south to home. The mosaic was necessary because there were far too many fun pictures to choose just one or two...just click on it to make the pictures bigger.

Chris was getting his snowboard fix where some of "us" were staying at Hickory. My baby looks good!!! He loves the snow...i used to tell him that if i shook his head i could see snow in his eyes...like a snow globe.

Sew and Tell Friday

Here they are....all four living together happily!!! The last two pillows are complete. I think i got a few measurements a little wonky but it did not matter too much because i could still stuff my old pillows in there.

I had just enough of the old curtain to make a envelope back for each one! Hooray!!

This one, above, is much like my improv wall hanging that i made with Wee Play scraps. I just grabbed and sewed and then quilted it in concentric squares with straight lines.

I chose a disappearing nine patch pattern for this pillow and then i just random straight line quilted it. I love that it made a whirlygig in the middle.

Each one is different but all go together. It is Friday so be sure to go and check out all the other finishes at Amylouwho's.

Pins!!!

this is Avery, " Mom was pinning a quilt and i was sitting at the table with her. I did not know what to do so i decided to take her bowl of pins and make a circle of pins around the dish. I had fun!!"

She also was helping me sort out all the naughty straight pins that had snuck into the bowl with my curved quilting pins. So she made a little art while she was helping...and right away asked me to take pictures of it. I see a blog in her future!

Tasting Nostalgia

When i was a little girl there was a market that my parents took us to called Adam's. Whenever we went my Dad, who definitely appreciates things that are not the norm as food goes, would always buy wasa crisp bread and strawberry cream cheese.

Today i was there at Adam's with my Dad and we were casually strolling through all the aisles when i looked over and saw the box of wasa. i mentioned this childhood memory to Dad and promptly placed the wasa in my cart. I now needed that cream cheese to make the memory complete. I was on a mission.

As soon as we got home i told the kids that this was a special moment...they had to be very quiet while i prepared a food memory. I took that first bite with lots of anticipation and it did not let me down. It took me right back in time to when i was little like Avery. I loved it then and i still love it now. And that food love was passed down to my kids today. Their faces look just as mine did when i ate it.

Isn't it interesting how memories and food are intertwined...or smells of foods? It is a single experience, it is only the first time you re-create it that it tastes like a different time. Has anyone else had one of these experiences?

Sew and Tell Friday

Seems like everywhere i turn in blogland lately there are pretty pillows , pretty pillows and more pretty pillows!!!

I had been thinking about making a few of my own for a while now...but seeing all the others out there i got inspired this week to start making and stop reading.

Like all great projects this one took on a life of its own. i started it not really knowing what i wanted to do, but as i went through my stash i found some Recess charm squares left over from a old quilt project, and i got to thinking. Then it struck me...i had a pile of other mixed amounts of American Jane fabrics...why not mix them all together and see what happens.

As it stands the inner blocks of the pillows are sized the same but done each in a different design. The first two of the planned four are just a simple 9 patch...and a wonky star. I used the tutorial at sillboodilly for the star. I have the other two still in the planning phase...i intend for those to be a disappearing 9 patch and some kind of improv block. I am also quilting them all differently.

I was able to speed up the finish by making a envelope back out of an old curtain. It already had finished edges so i saved myself a step. Go on over to Amylouwho's and see all the other amazing finishes from this week.

I Swear it is a Sickness

But I confess it is a sickness i don't mind having. If you have read my blog for any amount of time you already know that i just can not help myself i just get excited about pretty fabric.

I am sure Hobby Lobby is old news for many of you, but this weekend i went for the first time ever. The whole place was big and overwhelming...but the fabric department held a few treasures. I love these little vintage reproduction bundles.

I was beyond excited to find this Ginger Blossom corduroy on the clearance rack for $2 a yard. I did not even know they made this in corduroy. It is so soft and so pretty. I bought all that they had left on the bolt....about 3-4 yards. I have a plan in mind. I have been wanting to make a bag with a friend, same one that i had been making a quilt with, and i think this will be just what i was looking for.

While the girls were looking at fabric, the boys went and found a new toy of their own. I think they said it was a slot car track. As you can see it was a hit...it kept them busy for a large part of our lazy sunday afternoon.

I have a few projects i am trying to work on for the house...curtain, pillow covers a small quilt topper. hopefully i can share later this week.