Weekend Update

I love the holidays, but I have to say I'm glad when they're over. I was really missing a bit of peace and quiet! It has always felt natural for me to go into hibernation mode this time of year, retreating into the introverted part of myself and finding great satifaction in spending lots of time in pajamas. This year it may be even more true with the baby on the way.

So I have been getting some much-needed stitchy time in - some sewing, but mostly lots of knitting! I made these wee sweaters awhile ago, but honestly these poor Blythe girls have been getting zero attention lately. I was super excited to adopt a few of these dollies, but a combination of extreme fatigue, the holiday rush and Mark's horror that his wife is playing with dolls has put sort of a damper on this particular hobby. This last fact may actually be a good thing to keep me from attempting to aquire every Blythe I fall for. Anyways, this was a quick little knit adapted from the pattern by NxtDrGrrl, and I used my favorite sock yarn of the moment, HazelKnits, in Herbtopia and Strawberry Lemonade colorways.

What else is going on around here?

I've finally hopped on Twitter! You can find me here.

A friend got me to join Pininterest! Never heard of it? Neither had I! It is so much fun and a great way to put everything that inspires you creatively in one place.

Right now I've got Pasha by Jane Richmond on the needles. It's coming together quickly. I'm on a real kick to knit up a few more wintery accessories before the weather turns warm. I'm sort of obsessed with cowls right now, and this Burberry-inspired (free pattern!) one and the newest knit from the Purlbee (someone stop me from ordering the five skeins of  Blue Sky worsted I'll need!) are topping my list. I also just got the Fiddlehead Mitten pattern - I'm really aching to try some simple colorwork!

My Sherbet Pips Snowball quilt is all quilted up with only the binding to go! It looks like I'll be able to finish a few quilt tops this month and it feels good to knock some UFOs off the list. The Kerchief Girl quilt is ready to be sashed next.

There is now over 500 of you lovely people bothering to read about my little life! You know what that means - giveaway coming soon!

Hand Stitching Central

That's what my bed has become lately. And I love it! Ever since I can remember, I have been big on hibernating when this time of year rolls around. I love pajamas and tea and coffee in bed, wrapped in a blanket, knitting and stitching merrily away. Of course, that pesky thing called life does get in the way that demands I get up and take care of life's necessities, but then after Lucy is tucked in it's back to my favorite  nook in the universe again.

I just started cross-stitching this cute little Alice in Wonderland pattern by Gera I ordered from Superbuzzy - it's the first time I've cross-stitched anything since I was in junior high! I also just ordered a new PDF pattern designed in part by my super talented blog buddy Amanda. Have you heard of her new venture The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery? These gals have some crazy cute patterns already in stock and I can't wait to see what else they will be coming up with! 

On the needles is the Honey Cowl from Madeline Tosh. I had to jump on that bandwagon after my awesome new LYS started carrying Tosh yarns. This one I'm doing up in the Pashmina in Cerulean Blue. It's a gorgeous yarn and a satisfying simple knit which I'm distracting myself with when my Kererra sweater WIP starts frustrating me.

The hexagons are for Brioni's block in our first month of the Bee-Hexed In Bee. I was so honored to be invited to join this group of gals and the block we're making, based on Tacha's Bee Hexed pillow pattern from Fat Quarterly Issue #1, is labor intensive but well worth the outcome. 

That quilt in my lap is my old Flea Market Fancy, which is enjoying some rigorous ripping out of the quilting right now. It's a fun stress relieving activity! Okay, maybe "fun" is not the right word. But I love the quilt, the quilting not so much. I'll let you know how it goes.

I have gotten up off my duff to do a little time at the sewing machine lately - I finally finished up my blocks for the 3x6 Bee. I'm sorry these are so incredibly late ladies! I love this Circle of Geese block, but I sort of lost my steam on them. Somehow I thought machine paper-piecing would go much more quickly, and boy was I wrong! But I think they turned out pretty well and I hope my fellow Bee-ers like them!

And I know you're all wondering what is going on in Blythe land around here, right?

Introducing Miss Astrid! She arrived very quickly on Saturday (I got her from the U.S.) but I didn't want to show her off until she had some proper attire. And what a better welcome home out fit that a little Liberty of London jumper? I've got a stack more patterns (even some knitting ones!) and fabrics to make some teeny weeny clothes from.

Astrid is an Ice Rune, and while she is quite pretty I do see some customization in her future. Does anyone know a good spa to send her to state-side? I might give it a go myself but it makes me nervous. Any tips would be very appreciated.

Thank all of you so much who participated in my big Stash Sale Blowout! It was a crazy few days and sort of exciting but I'm glad it's over. I couldn't believe how fast everything sold. Every time I went to list the next item, the one I had posted right before it was gone! I do apologize to all of you who sat chained to your computer trying to get what you wanted without even getting up the use the restroom! I know, because I've been there before! It's nice to know my beloved fabrics will be going to some homes where the will be equally loved.

I also wanted to ask you to stop by the Moda Bake Shop this coming Sunday, Halloween! I've been hinting around about this for awhile but I can't wait for you all to see what I've "cooked up"!

Destash Sale Coming!

In order to avoid a visit from the Hoarders television crew, I have decided it is time to part with some of my beloved fabrics. As you can see, my stash might be just a little bit out of control. And this is just a little part of it. There's much, much more. 

Don't get me wrong, seeing all these mountains of fabrics everyday brings me great joy. But I could sew every day until eternity and still not use it all up. Plus, there is always something new to buy!

And then there might be one other little reason I want to unload some of these precious beauties:

Don't laugh at me.... I went and fell in love with Blythe dolls. (If you aren't sure what a Blythe is, just search for them in Flickr and you can see millions of people's prized dollies, all complete with handmade outfits and custom hair-dos). A few of my favorites are here and here and here. (Yes Katy, I have a crush on your girls). I got these two little miniature Blythe dolls at Target to help tide me over until I can get my hands on the real thing - 

They are super cute and Happy Meal sized, and best of all, cheap. But the real deals are 12 inches tall, imported from Asia and expensive. So, I'm cashing in some of my stash to pay for this new frivolous obsession. Plus, Mark is not really on board with the idea of his wife starting a doll collection that Lucy is not allowed to touch, so this is my only way!

Okay, I know you are all saying "who cares about Blythe, Megan, what are you getting rid off???"

I have a fat quarter bundle of 19 different prints from Amy Butler's Lotus collection, my favorite line she ever produced. I'm still in the process of making a king sized Lotus quilt for our bed, and this is some of what I have to spare. Most of these prints have been out of print for awhile now and some are impossible to find.

I also put together a fat quarter bundle from Tula Pink's Flutterby line, which I fell for well after printing and ordered from all over the country. 

Lots of rare japanese fairy tale prints to go through - I'm still not sure what is going or staying. They are hard to let go of but I know they will make someone else very happy!

And I may just be letting go of a Flea Market Fancy layer cake or two! I purchased these from an Australian quilt shop about a year and a half ago and they include lots of desirable prints, even brown posies and grey bouquet. I'm adding a few extra prints from my own stash to sweeten the deal.(****I should also add here that these were made up by a quilt shop and do not include every FMF print, but enough for a good sized quilt!)

I do want to state here that I have never destashed fabric before and it does make me a bit uncomfortable because I do not want to be perceived as a gouger. All of these fabrics are rare and hard to find, and I am not trying to make a large profit from them, just get the value I put into them and buy myself a new Blythe! And hopefully in turn make their new owner happy.

Lucy just went to sleep so I am spending the evening going through everything else. I am thinking of adding some Uptown, Lush, Munki Munki, Heather Ross, Neptune, maybe some more FMF and even a little Anna Maria Bohemian to the list. 

If you are interested in anything here or are looking for something in particular let me know. I just wanted to let you all have a crack at it before I list it on Etsy. Please email me at meggied23 at hotmail (dot) com. if you need more info.

And don't worry, this will still be a quilting blog. But I might have to show you a cute Blythe doll every now and then:)

****Just wanted to let you all know I've already got a lot of inquiries so please don't be upset if I can't answer your email until tomorrow early afternoon:)