Autumn Whimsy - Bloggers Quilt Festival

Today I am posting about my entry into the Bloggers Quilt Festival. Are you familiar with this awesome event? It is hosted by Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side and occurs twice a year coinciding with Spring and Fall Quilt Market. Be sure and check out all of the wonderful creations in all different sizes and creations. And be sure and vote for your favorites in each category.

Auld Lang Syne...Should Old acquaintance be forgot ?

Yes it is that time of the year....New Years Eve here in the USA and for many around the world New Years Day 2013!

Traditionally this is a time to look back and reflect upon the year that has passed and I am no different than others in taking a look back over 2012. A look at where I have been and planning where I want to go in 2013! How about you? Did you find you did more? Less? Learned more? Taught more? Time moves on and lives change - maybe you had one of those years....and your journey took you places you could never have imagined!  I applaud all of you, I find you inspiring, funny, so encouraging and helpful! I enjoy reading your comments, reading your blogs, and looking at your lovely projects and pictures on Flickr!  So Thank you! for being such a great community!  I look forward to spending time with you in 2013!

One of the things that helps put it in perspective, at least for me is a mosaic. I love them! I love to look at all the wonderful projects everyone has worked on this year!  These are my projects for 2012.

So what did I do in 2012?  I found Flickr, and swaps! Love them - built my stash up from swaps and met many wonderful sewist's some of  whom are only on Flickr!  Sew many amazing projects!

My Flying Geese wall hanging was for the Modern She Made Swap and I was sooo happy the way it turned out! The colors were dark and bold and out of the box for me. 

I joined a couple of Bee's -- those are my blocks for this quarter-- the Whirlygig block for all those in my hive and the Ribbon Star block in my colors for another hive. Really fun picking out a block to make and all the fabrics and watching it all come together! I reorganized my sewing room - much more efficient and easy to work in - yea! 

I did a couple BOM and must admit I am not finished with them yet!!  I did make blocks (and finish them) for Hurricane Sandy Relief  :)

I am STILL working on perfecting my binding technique  LOL!

I must admit, I love surfing through blogland and seeing what everyone is up to, but it also adds to my inspiration overload. My to do list is long(er) than ever, and I am sure I will have more projects this upcoming year than I can ever finish!

I passed the one year mark of blogging, and met wonderful friends from around the country and the globe. Fabric and pattern is our language! 

Earlier when I was contemplating this end of year post  I was thinking I had not done enough, you know the comparing myself to others bit....do you do that?  Hmmm, not a good thing to do! There will always be someone else that made 37 quilts and was in 20 swaps and ran a fabric shop out of their basement all the while having a wonderful husband and 3.5 kids all under 5 yrs old at home!  Or the busy blogger who works 65 hours a week and finished 22 quilts and posts from her cell phone and does Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,and  Pinterest and always answers a comment immediately!  Please, all is said in the most humorous, sarcastic tone you can imagine-- it is not meant to be snarky towards those hard working women-- I admire them and they inspire me to try new things - the point is, they are not me and do not have my life and responsibilities just as I do not have theirs. So stop the comparing game. For me, this is supposed to be fun, a hobby, a way to share something I love to do, not a second job. I find when I feel I HAVE to do this, and meet everyone else's expectations (I have enough of that in my paid day job ;)  then I shut down and lose my mojo. So join me won't you for that New Year's Resolution? 

This post has been a bit random, alot of high points and some points to ponder and work on-- I guess that all adds up to a review of the old and contemplation of the new--exactly what New Years Eve is all about!  So I leave you with the words to Auld Lang Syne, chorus and 1st stanza. Tomorrow I will be back with my projects and happenings  for 2013 and then a tutorial for the Whirlygig block above in the upper left corner! 

Come on-- sing along with me :)  Happy New Years!  Ginny

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

Measure twice, cut once; sound familiar.... I am sure most of you, ok none of you have been busy cutting away on a beautiful piece of fabric and Bam!
It hits you.....you don't have enough....or you cut it wrong....and you don't have enough.... or the repeat is off....and you don't have enough to finish the fussy cutting....

I hate that feeling!  Don't you? And if you are on a timeline and running behing (Moi?never) That is the worst! I don't know about you but most of my fabric comes from online shops as there are few LQS's here that carry anything but traditional lines. The closest is about an hour away, not like you can just run down to the corner and snatch up a 1/2 yd of that Tula Pink and run home. This is where you just have to deep breathe and put the rotary cutter down.....put it down, do not shred the remaining pieces into fabric confetti like a fabric ninja......remember scraps, we love scraps, not all is wasted.

Ok a little humor for your day....did you get the Ninja with a rotary blade cutter visual? LOL

So lately I have been in alot of fabric swaps, 10in and 5in charms, 1 spot or 2 spots, 40 in a group or 32 in a group.....I might have cut a few charms lately... 56 charms, 120 charms, 240 charms, just saying....might have cut one or two wrong... and had to hurry over to the computer and order that extra bit of fabric to correct it...

Like here: I was fussy cutting these pretty little Tula Pink squirrels, even ordered 1/2 yard extra just for that purpose....well for 5 in squares the repeat doesn't allow for keeping the squirrel centered,,,,,,,,,
(squirrel tracks) at least not with my math.

One is skinny, one is fat, and one even lost his head, Oh my!

So an extra yard of Squirrels in the Mist was ordered and the remaining charms were cut and sent off to the Swap Hostess who was very gracious about my mistaken measurements and now I have some squirrels living in my scrap bag -- it could be worse.

Swaps I am currently in:

I Spy Swap hosted by Knotted Thread (closed)

Modern Designer Swap hosted by Snowgoose (closed)

Japanese Fabric Swap hosted by Happy Than A Bird Quilting (closed)

Low Volume Swap hosted by Making Rebecca Lynne  (closed)

What Was I Thinking! Swap hosted by Lilbunnymama-- This is a great way to move some of that stash you are no longer in love with or never were. 120 five inch charms from 5 different fabrics - 24 charms from each or even 120 totally different charms. In need of 1-2 Angels due to members not being able to complete their spot, at least one spot open in each group. Check out this link:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1995059@N22/discuss/72157631552594241/


Send Me A Text Swap hosted by Buttoncounter  ---there is discussion of a 3rd group, check out all the fabulous fabrics on Flicker and this link: http://www.flickr.com/groups/big-ten-inch-swap/discuss/72157631546107473/

Almost Neutrals Swap Hosted by kejreeves. There are still openings, check it out here:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/big-ten-inch-swap/discuss/72157631282573188/


So if you would like to add some great new prints to your stash or latest project, while measuring twice and hopefully cut just cutting once, check out the above links!

Have a great week! See you soon!

Ginny

A whole 'lot of cutting

It is Wednesday already and it seems there has been a whole 'lot of cutting going on.
I am working on my Retro Flowers QAL

and then there is the Craftsy BOM which is 2 English paper piecing with hexagons:

I am always happy to learn a new technique, although I must admit the thought of using fusible web on these for time's sake has crossed my mind.

and

I am in two swap groups: the Red and Aqua swap -- I love these colors but do not have alot of variety so I joined a swap. This swap is hosted by Kelseysews. Here are my two contributions:

Sophie by Moda

Giddy by Sandy Gervais

and the second swap is the Solid and Neutral swap hosted by Annaliese at the Pewter Acorn. Again I thought this would add a little variety to my stash. Do you find you are drawn to the same colors and many times would like just a little piece of a certain color? I find I have alot of texture and prints, and the basics in solids (white, grey, blue, green) but lack in the other colors and neutrals. The group is doing a great job --- many different choices! Can't wait to see all the 5 in blocks!  I know I am supposed to be working from stash, but these are just 5 in blocks and it is a swap not new!!! LOL!  Here are my contributions:

Parson Gray Starcomb in silver

Bella solid in Amelia Blue

finally the only sewing I did get done! I found these blocks which were started 4-5 yrs ago before some really big changes in my life. It is a doggie quilt! So I had a few blocks left to piece and for the fun of it went for it! Now there are still a couple of blocks to finish with a bone, paw print and fire hydrant but it just felt good to sit down and sew and have completed blocks after all the cutting this week!

Sew......how is your week going? Leave me a comment, love to hear from everyone!

Linking up to Lee over at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday

Swap(s) Anyone?

I ran across a couple of swaps while browsing blogland last night from WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Here are two that I found if anyone is interested:

The Pewter Acorn is sponsoring a Neutral and Solids Swap. I signed up on the waiting list hoping it hits 56 and Annaliese wrote back:

"I don't want to jinx it- but we are very close! just need 6 more people :) If you know anyone who you think would enjoy, pass it along." So I am passing it on....anyone interested???

Another one is an Aqua and Red swap over at KelseySews
Drop in and sign up if you are interested.

Happy Thursday!

Ginny