Candy bars

CONGRATULATIONS ANGELA!  #26 IS THE LUCKY NUMBER TONIGHT!  PLEASE DROP ME A LINE WITH YOUR MAILING ADDRESS AND I WILL SEND THE CANDY BARS RIGHT OUT!

So it seems bad form to post without a picture...so I will leave you with a few pieces of fabric that have found a home on my cutting table...

I am loving all things Erin McMorris lately...have you seen she has a new line of flannels?

Wondering...

My sister found this shirt at a garage sale and thought of me...Im not sure if it's because she thought it would look good on me, or if she knows I like Lands End...but she bought it, and I'm always grateful for such little treats.

After looking it over and trying to decide what I would wear with it...jeans maybe?  not much else in my wardrobe really...I saw this:

I think it might be better used in my fabric stash vs. hanging in my closet really...

And speaking of my fabric stash...it is really enormous...Im following in the foot steps of other bloggers you might know...Penny and Holly and really going to try and ease up on all the fabric purchases.  Not 100% S T O P but seriously buckle down.

I also have been thinking of making some clothing for myself...do any of you sew for yourself?  I have never sewn clothing, but I have made a few vintage fabric purchases lately, and think some of them would make for nice shirts.  Do you have any recommendations of websites, blogs, or books that can help me sew my own clothes?  I'd love to have a link to your favorite free tutorial or some such nudge in the right direction.

For you...

Here is my latest bee block for Tonya of the A Dozen Quilters.

I love 1930's reproduction fabrics..they are so cheerful.  I think this will make for a really fabulous quilt~

Thanks for the well wishes on the etsy store.

I will be adding a button to my sidebar as soon as I figure that out.  Good thing my husband is so adept on the computer...I am very challenged by the computer.

And...to celebrate the opening of my etsy shop (and my first sale!), I thought I should host a giveaway! 
Leave a comment and I will let random generator pick a winner of these two Moda candy bars this weekend.  I will ship anywhere...

layout

Happy Labor Day to those reading in the US and Canada...I think??  Correct me if I am wrong Robin!

So, Ive been working on the 'quilt as you go' blocks for my 2nd quilt...and wondering if anyone had some feedback for me on different layouts.  Remember this is what version ONE looks like:

and here are the two options I have at present for version TWO:

(IMAGINE THE PIC ON THE LEFT ROTATED 90 DEGREES...MAKING THE STRIPES HORIZONTAL.!!)

OK, I know which one i prefer...just curious to hear what you think...and I am not ruling out using the same layout as version ONE.  so let me hear you!  Whichever I choose, I need 4 more blocks to complete the quilt.  The one on the left needs another row of light outer ring blocks and the one on right needs another row of dark outer ring blocks to complete the box.

Also, wanted to let you all know I opened an Etsy shop.  Thought it might be fun to sell some crafty items and some of the thrifty finds Ive made over the years...obviously my addiction to buying fabric is not dwindling so I am running out of space and my tastes are constatntly changing!  So, it seemed like a good fit for me.  I hope to add more crafted, patchwork, and other handmade things as time goes by.

thimble

Good thing this is a blog about crafty things...because what I know about taking pictures can fit into a thimble!

The sun was shining down HOT today, but i took my Quilt As You Go quilt #1 outside for some pictures..

I found this quilt along on flickr and was loving the progress I saw Penny making, so I thought it would be a good idea for my nephew's birthday quilts.

It is a fun process of quilting the fabric directly on to the batting, like so:

In the first quilt (Eli's quilt)...I tried to keep each block a certain color...but as I'm working on the second quilt (Gabe's quilt), I'm just trying to use up the scraps.  So these quilts will look similar, but not the same...they are to be in the same bedroom, so I thought that would be nice.  Here are a few blocks that I have ready for Gabe's quilt...

and being modeled for you by my daughter:

These will all be squared up at the same time and sewn together...at that point, I will tackle the backing...my plan is to stitch in the ditch and then hand sew around the inner square to lessen the work on the machine...and I have some perle cotton leftover from a past project I can use up...

absence makes the heart grow fonder

Hello all...remember me?

I just had a revelation in the shower...if I am ever going to be good at blogging...I am going to have to actually do some posts!  and if i am every actually going to have a 100 post giveaway, I am going to have to actually do some posts!! 

I have lots to blog about but I will start slow and easy and try not to reveal everything all at once!

I have had a hard time NOT shopping for fabric this summer...does it seem to anyone else that there have been some really fabulous fabric sales??  Here is one of my favorite parcels I received this summer...and best of all...it was part of a gift certificate I had to the shop, so it basically cost me nada!

Now that is one lovely pile of fabric, right?  You can have this same package by stopping by Alewives Fabrics.  Rhea and her mom run the shop and carry only the best of the best!

ok, slow and easy...remember...Ill leave today with a shot of the Quilt As You Go quilt I am working on for my nephew's 7th birthday in November.

Whereas it looks like a finished product all folded up like this...it still needs backing fabric...I used a method of sewing directly onto the batting...but more on that later.  

and hopefully sooner rather than later!

QUESTION

Here is a question...

I am nearly ready to put the backing on a quilt I've made for my nephew's birthday(picture soon!)...I am currently trying to USE the fabric I have instead of BUYing more...even when places like evil fabric.com has a completely unbelievable sale on fabrics I quite like....

SO, do I use a fabric in my stash...say....this fabric

my daughter thinks this is great (me, not so much)...and I have 4+ yards of it (garage sale purchase ... came with a lot of fabrics...I can never pass these lots up...never know what might be in them!)

or do I piece fabrics together for a backing on a quilt I have spent a lot of time making?