A Fun Weekend Trip

This weekend my son had a pinewood derby race (you know, the little cars they spend hours making and race down a track?)  The wonderful thing about my husband and son is that if I have a quilt shop that I would like to visit during our travels, they are always happy to stop.  As a matter of fact this time they told me to go back in after I had shopped for 45 minutes because they were not ready to leave.  They had some game going between their Ipod and phone and they wanted to finish it.

I was hoping that the shop (Olive Juice in Onalaska, Wisconsin) would have some brightly colored wool and they did not disappoint.  The only problem I had was knowing when to stop.  I can now start my Summertime quilt.

I then found some 1/2" inch paper hexagons and a wonderful 2-1/2" pack of Kaffe Fasset fabric squares.  Since I tend to get really nervous during my son's events I decided I should baste a few.  And I obviously got quite a few finished.

They were actually very easy to baste, even with their small size and the glue pen...

I had to laugh a little as my husband never noticed the size until we were on our way home and I was still working on them.  He thinks I'm nuts (but what is new there).  He then told me he sure hoped this wasn't going to be bed sized.  HA!  You never know what can happen once I get started! :)  Happy Stitching!!

 --Kristen

Stitch Me Up Blog Hop

Today is the day.  I love embroidery and I have been so excited for this project.  Thanks once again to Madame Samm and Jane for cheering us on to finishing this project.

There were so many reasons I was excited about this project.  First of all, I loved the pattern.  I have always dreamed of having a cottage with a picket fence.  It would not have to be large by any means, just cozy.  I also got to try using the Presencia threads and they were amazing to work with.  They were the perfect thickness, they laid so nicely on the fabric, and they had such a nice sheen to them.  I also decided to try using the Transfer Eze paper so I didn't have to trace my pattern.  That worked nicely too while I was stitching...it did make the fabric a bit more stiff than I liked, but it seemed to work well...that is until I tried to wash it out.

The sheen of the threads was gone once I washed out the Transfer Eze, my project seemed to wrinkle to the point of no return, and the tension on my threads was not the same.  I should also mention the fabric is now stiff.  I guess I'm going to pretend that it is an "old" piece and just enjoy my little cottage as a sofa pillow.  I was thinking of making this twice, but it was very time consuming, so maybe in another ten years I will think about doing it again. :)  I can't wait to see what everyone else has done with the pattern.  My fellow blog hoppers are listed here...

WEDNESDAY March 20th

Karen@That Other Blog

Susan @That Other Blog

Sowing Stitches    

Life in the Scrapatch

Pig Tales and Quilts

Meadowbrook           

Marla's Crafts 

Gracie Oliver Arts

Humble Quilter

Cherry Blossom Quilting Studio

New Girl News  

Sunshine Quilting

Patchouli Moon Studio

Lovin' Life at the End of the Dirt Road

Selina Quilts    

Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

We Have A Winner

Life has been a bit busy, and I've been blog hopping like crazy and reading comments all week.  I think there were a few more comments stating that staying inside would be for them than people skiing.  I ended up being outside most of the day just helping, but I did get a few hexagons embroidered.

The winner chosen by the random number generator is comment number 16 which was Beaquilter who said "I am a follower."  It does help to leave that extra comment letting me know you follow. :)  I will be sending you an email immediately Beaquilter to get your address. :)

I did knit this cowl and wear it on our ski trip.  It was wonderfully warm, and if you can believe it, those are cables knit into it...they look kind of funny, but they make it lay just right when worn.   Thank you for following and for commenting.  I hope you had as much fun on the blog hop as I did.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Beat The Winter Blues Blog Hop And A Giveaway!!!

 

 You know, I can't say I really have the winter blues because we haven't seen much winter here this year...that is until this past week.  We received 11 inches of snow between Monday and Tuesday and it is so pretty and white everywhere it kind of makes it hard to have the winter "blues."  To top it all off my son has his annual school ski day today so we will be spending the entire day out in all that winter whiteness.  It is supposed to be warm, although some of you may not think that 30 degrees F is very toasty.  I'm packing a bag today with some of my favorite things to do when I'm not helping the kids find the right ski boots, skis, get everything on correctly, or helping them stay standing during ski school.

I usually pack my "to go" bag with a few too many projects.  Today I am going to try and finish these embroidered hexagons so I can get this quilt finished.  The blocks are all put together and just waiting for these embroidered middles.  I'm even making sure I have enough extra floss to complete them, and there will be some paper hexagons and my glue pen in my bag just in case they are needed.

I've got 15 fat quarters of Lynette Anderson's Hollyhock Cottage to help you beat those winter blues and start thinking about a visit to a spring/summer cottage.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment telling me if you would ski today with the kids or if you would pack a "to go bag" to sit inside and stitch while you waited (it's warm in there).  You can have a second chance to win by leaving another comment letting me know you are a follower.  This drawing will take place on Thursday, March 14 at 5 p.m. CST so you have plenty of time to enter and I will ship anywhere.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Nancy Drew Blog Hop

I've waited for a long time for this blog hop.  The dates were changed, but it was worth the wait.  As a young girl I read many of the Nancy Drew books.  I would take the limit home of three books from the library and read them as fast as I could cover to cover.  I still love a good mystery which led me to the quilt pattern I used.

When I saw this pattern I could not figure out how it was pieced, but I loved it.  After purchasing it I realized that it was much easier than what I thought.  Isn't that is the way a mystery always is, who did it is always right before your eyes, it just takes some clues to figure it out.

I made sure I had all the book fabrics so that the titles can be read.  What fun it was to use this fabric and the pattern together.

I want to thank Madame Samm and Carol for leading us on this blog hop.  Take a few minutes and check out what everyone else has done today with their fabric.  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Wednesday, March 6, 2013 

Michelle’s Romantic Tangle

Life in the Scrapatch

Debby Kratovil Quilts

Selina Quilts

Meadowbrook

Hilltop House Creative Works

My Sister Made Me Do It

Whims and Fancies

Pieced Brain

Just Let Me Quilt

What Have I Been Doing?

This has been one of those weeks where the days come and go so quickly that I have a hard time remembering what I've done all day.  I've been running 2 miles everyday getting ready for the "Stay Out of the Sun Run" for melanoma in May.  My family (me, my husband, and our son) and my brother and sister-in-law will all be running, and although I know I will come in last of the five of us, I still want to be able to finish.  So I've started now.  There have also been basketball practices and end of the year parties and tournaments this week.  That all ends tomorrow and I will enjoy our two weeks off before the next sports season starts. :)

I've still been dragging my embroidery hexagons with me to work on while I wait.  I'm seeing more and more flowers and leaves and it is SO hard to not start cutting them out and sewing them into the blocks.

That is why I left all the flower centers unfinished.  I will go back at the end and satin stitch them all.

I have also been cutting and sorting these Nancy Drew fabrics.  My quilt will be posted on Tuesday night and I can't wait.  I'm pretty excited about the project I have chosen for these fabrics.  Now to get back to my sewing room to see some progress.  The sun is finally shining today and it is warm out so I may have to do my running outside, that is if the ice is all gone! :)  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

I'm A Little Biased

It is time for another Madame Samm blog hop with Marlene as our cheerleader, and this time I had a little harder time deciding just how I was going to do this one.  It was a real challenge for me because I have never done anything like this before, but I'm so glad I did.

I have giggled over so many of the quilts in this blog hop as people have been so creative with fabric choices and embellishments.  For some reason I have a feeling there will be a day when I have a shirt just like this and bright pink sunglasses.  :)  Please take some time to visit the other sites that are participating today and a huge thank you to Madame Samm and Marlene for this chance to really expand my horizons and to Amy Bradley who designed this great pattern!!  Happy Stitching!!  --Kristen

Tuesday, February 26

Pat Sloan's Blog

To Love Handmade

Feathered Nest Studio

Selina Quilts

Gypsy Dreamer Quilts

Sheila's Quilt World

Meadowbrook

13 Woodhouse Road

Zellerwear

Stitches of Love

Janice at That Other Blog

In The Sewing Basket