Pretty Playtime Quilt Along

I want to share with you an upcoming quilt along that starts today!  It's the Pretty Playtime Quilt Along using Elea Lutz's adorable new book, "Pretty Playtime Quilts".







For the next sixteen weeks, I along with 15 other bloggers will be showcasing one block per week to make this beautiful quilt named, the "Garden Fairy Sampler Quilt".  The fabric is the new line by Elea Lutz called "Strawberry Biscuit".  The quilt along is hosted by the Fatquarter Shop and a kit can be purchased here and the book purchased here. 

The Fatquarter Shop has a wonderful video showing the projects in Elea's book:

Following is the list of bloggers that are participating:

Week 1 - Fatquarter Shop
Week 2 - Erin from Why Not Sew?
Week 3 - Wynn from Zakka Art
Week 4 - Anorian from Samelia's Mum
Week 5 - Amy from Diary of a Quilter
Week 6 - Renee from Sewn with Grace
Week 7 - Jemima from Tied with a Ribbon
Week 8 - Amanda from Jedi Craft Girl
Week 9 - Debbie from Happy Little Cottage
Week 10 - Tina from Emily Ann's Kloset
Week 11 - Erica from Kitchen Table Quilting
Week 12 - Kristyne from Pretty by Hand
Week 13 - Heidi from Fabric Mutt
Week 14 - Brigitte from The Family Hearth
Week 15 - Lorrie from Sew Mod Designs
Week 16 - Kristin from They Grow Up Too Fast

We would love it if you'd join us to stitch up this fun quilt!  Grab your book and fabrics and get ready to have some fun! It would be pretty in scrappy fabrics from your stash as well as Elea's beautiful line.  See you next week!

Birthday Pretties

Yesterday was my birthday.  Another year older and hopefully wiser!  I treated myself to some Maileg toys and books from a new favorite children's author.  My husband is traveling and sent the most beautiful flowers.  I can dream of spring when I look at them, though with snow gently falling outside spring is not in the foreseeable future.  I finished up the most adorable doll for a sweet little girl who loves Pinnochio.  The pattern is from the book, "Tilda's Fairytale Wonderland" by Tone Finnanger.  I love making her toys, they each have so much personality.  From the looks of Pinnochio, I think he may have something to get off his chest! I hope you are having a creative and fun day!

The Farmer's Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt Sew Along

The Fatquarter Shop and Gnome Angel have teamed with Marti Michell to kick off this year long sew along.  They have asked a group of bloggers to join in on the fun and I am happy to be included in this group of talented quilter/bloggers.  Over the course of a year, each blogger will be making blocks and showing a tutorial on their blog.

We are using the book "The Farmer's Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt" by Laurie Aaron Hird.  The back of the book reads:  " In the 1930s, The Farmer's Wife offered inspiration and positivity in the "Letters from Our Farm Women" column.  Each month, the magazine published letters from readers that offered support and encouragement to each other in an economically challenging time for our country. The Farmer's Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt shares ninety-nine of these letters from The Farmer's Wife magazine published during the 1930's, and a traditional quilt block inspired by each one."

The blocks can be made in a variety of ways.  The book includes a CD with templates, paper-piecing patterns and rotary cutting instructions.  In addition, Marti Michell has developed a set of templates that can be used to create the blocks as well.  She has a list of the templates you need on her blog.

I am using my Singer Feather Weight Sewing Machine from that era to complete the quilt because I feel that much closer to the women who originally wrote the letters and stitched quilts of their own.

It was fun deciding what fabric to use.  My choice is "Line Dried" by Mama's Cottons for Connecting Threads.  I love the vintage feel to this collection and it's just so pretty!

Here are some important links compiled by Sedef of Down Grapevine Lane (no point in reinventing the wheel, thank you Sedef!):

Official Sew-Along Page:  here

Facebook Group:  Search FarmersWife1930sSamplerQuilt

FAQ's:  You can find answers to common questions here

The list of bloggers can be found here

Book:  The Farmer's Wife 1930's Sampler Quilt: Inspiring Letters from Farm Women of the Great Depression and 99 quilt blocks That Honor Them by Laurie Aaron Hird for Fons & Porter/F+W, here

From Marti Michell Perfect Patchwork Templates:  Find information about the templates and a list of templates that you can use to make the blocks here

If you put any of your blocks on Instagram, please use the hashtag #FQS1930FarmersWife so we can see your progress and you can get inspired by other quilters.

I will be back tomorrow to show you my first four blocks.
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Sweet Tweets Blog Hop & Giveaway

My sweet friend, Erin, of Why Not Sew has just published her first book, "Sweet Tweets", through Martingale.  When Erin asked if I'd be part of the blog hop, I was thrilled!  I have loved Erin's quilts and sewing projects for a very long time.  She is an inspiration to me! This book combines my love of quilting with a free motion technique that allows you to "draw" with thread.  I had a great time making the tote bag and the placemat.  Erin has instructions for the crochet trim in the book and it was fun to pick up a hook and learn to make the trim.  The instructions in the book are clear and the pictures are just lovely!

If you would like to follow along on the blog hop, see the schedule below ~

 Sweet Tweets Blog Hop 

Tuesday, Sept.8 - Erin (Intro Post) Why Not Sew?  

Wednesday, Sept.9 - Heidi Fabric Mutt

Thursday, Sept.10 - Debbie A Quilter's Table

Saturday, Sept.12 - Jacque Brown Dog Prims

Monday, Sept.14 - Amy nanaCompany

Tuesday, Sept.15 - Svetlana s.o.t.a.k handmade

Wednesday, Sept.16 - Renee Sewn With Grace

Thursday, Sept.17 - Martingale Stitch This! The Martingale Blog

Friday, Sept.18 - Heather Vintage Grey Handmade

Saturday, Sept.19 - Clara and Jennie Clover & Violet

Monday, Sept.21 - Amanda Jean Crazy Mom Quilts

Tuesday, Sept.22 - Cindy Live a Colorful Life

Wednesday, Sept.23 - Carla Grace and Favour

Thursday, Sept.24 - Mary Molly Flanders

Saturday, Sept.26 - Erin, Big Giveaway Post!!! Why Not Sew?

I have an extra copy of the book to giveaway to one lucky reader.  Please leave your email address in the comment section and I will pick a winner on Friday.   Sweet Tweets!

Farm Girl Friday & Giveaway

Today is my turn on the Farm Girl Vintage Sew Along blog hop hosted by the Fatquarter Shop and Lori Holt, using Lori's book, Farm Girl Vintage.

My block is the Spring Star Block found on page 62 of the Farm Girl Vintage book.  Lori does a great job of explaining each step resulting in a win every time!  The hardest part about this block was picking out the fabrics.

I had a lot of fun making a table runner for my dining room using this Spring Star Block, great fabrics and hand quilting.   Lori has lots of patterns in the book using her gorgeous blocks.

Be sure to check out the other bloggers on the schedule for more inspiration.  It's never too late to join in the fun! To help you get started I am giving away a copy of Lori's book, Farm Girl Vintage!

To enter leave your email address in the comments and a winner will be chosen at midnight on Sunday, September 6.  International friends are welcome to enter!  A big thank you to Lori Holt and the Fatquarter Shop for hosting sun a fun sew along!

The Button Box Quilt

There are so many reasons that I love quilting from the connection to the quilters before me, to the beautiful fabrics and patterns as well as the story that each quilt tells.  Recently I was given a wonderful opportunity to help my friend Janet.  Our boys played high school sports together and I sat on many a bleacher with Janet.  Her son is now married and mine is in grad school.  Janet has moved across the country and I don't get to see her but we connect with each other through blogging and Facebook.  I will always remember the fun we had.   Janet is a writer and recently published her book, "The Button Box".  The book includes a picture of a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt that she and her Mother made together when she was growing up.  Janet had gotten the quilt out to put in her guest room and saw that some of the fabric had rotted in one of the flower blocks.  She wrote and asked if I could fix it for her,  she even had some of the original fabric.   I was thrilled to be able to restore her quilt.  Not only did I replace the flower but I also took care to stitch up any spots that were beginning to fray.  The only payment I would accept was a copy of her wonderful book.  It truly was a gratifying experience to work on the quilt.  It was repaired by hand and I enjoyed every minute of it.  Please visit Janet's blog, "Walk Down the Lane" to read more about the quilt and while you're there purchase a copy of her book, it's wonderful!

Blessings,

My Current Project

Thank you friends for your kind words.  It is a comfort to know that others have traveled this path before me and some of you are traveling it with me and your words of advice are so helpful.  I want to share with you a book that a friend of mine recommended.  It has been very helpful but be careful if you are in a tender place because I couldn't get through the first three pages without tears.  Tears can be helpful too (insert hug).  I am currently working on hand quilting a baby quilt.  I'm using Seaside by October Afternoon and the solid is linen.  A simple churn dash block kept the piecing simple and straight forward, just what I need.  Have a blessed day!

Smiles,

Bluebird Notes

Happy Monday, friends!  The sun is gloriously shining today and if it wasn't cold and snowy I might be sitting in a lawn chair right now.  I have been happily awaiting the arrival of this book, "Everything Goes With Ice cream" by Koralee Teichroeb of Bluebird Notes fame.  Not only is Koralee extremely talented in photography, cooking and crafting but she is truly beautiful inside and out!  We have been blogging friends for a long time.  I love everything she does!  A daily visit to her blog brings such a ray of sunshine into my day.  I was so pleased to know she was writing a book and this one does not disappoint.  The recipes, crafts, photographs, styling…you name it, are amazing!  When I went to take a picture of it I started grabbing things in my studio, the fabric I'm currently working with, the thread and buttons I love, my pincushion and my favorite vintage salt and pepper mice, and it dawned on me that they all have the same color scheme as Koralee's book!  She is a girl after my own heart!

Happy Day,

Book Love

Yesterday's trip to Barnes and Noble didn't leave me empty handed.  I have been looking for the book, "Adornments" because my niece is getting married next month.  The other two books I had read about and are just wonderful!  If you're off to the bookstore, take a look!  Blessings!

Smiles,

A Bit of Shopping

I indulged in a little shopping recently.  I've been very careful since January with any sewing related purchases.  I visited Trish's etsy shop for the "Fly A Kite" charm packs and she so graciously sent me some fabric to go with it.  Is is not the sweetest prints?  I found the cute Japanese fabric with the teacups and mice at Superbuzzy, and wanted to give their perle cotton a try.  I must tell you, these two books are just fabulous.  I highly recommend them.  I believe that "Sunday Morning Quilts" may have altered forever the way I look at scraps and "A Passion for Quilting" is equally as inspiring.  Have you made any fun purchases lately?


Smiles,

Peace Like A River

My daughter came home from school a couple of months ago and handed my husband this book.  Our friend, who teaches English at the high school, told her to give this to her Dad.   I've been feeling a bit out of sorts for the past week or so, trying to knock out quilt orders while dealing with annoying household repairs.  Trying not to fret about my upcoming surgery while still picking shards of glass up in the kitchen from a stack of bowls I dropped the other day.  Trying to shake the overall disjointedness (is that a word?) I feel.  Anyway, I kept walking by this book sitting on the side table.  I picked it up on Saturday thinking to myself that I could use some peace like a river.  Oh my goodness. My last two days have been eat, sleep, read, repeat.  If I had just read the description on the back I probably would never have read it.  I was hooked during the first fifteen pages.  If you need a good summer read, this is it.  You will not be disappointed.


Hugs,

Coming Home

If Renee is asked to make a quilt for 

a silent auction...

she'll have to find a chair and

a book to go with it!

For those of you who know the Mouse Stories book,

you get where I'm going with this.

I used this wonderful book,

and this super easy pattern!

All print fabrics are Denyse Schmidt for JoAnn Fabrics

with the exception of that cute little dog print.

Smiles,