Building Houses

I have been stitching the cute little cottage blocks designed by Nanette for the Christmas Cottage Exchange. I have to make 12 but I honestly don't know if I will be able to stop there. They are just too fun.

First try at Dresden Blocks

I didn't need a new project. I did need a cover for a small table. It was either paint the table or cover it and I decided this was more fun. I also need to clean out my overflowing scrap bins. This project helped a lot with that. I used 330 different fabrics in this little quilt top. It all started out as just an idea one evening. Then I started fussing with my scraps to see if it would work and by the next evening it was all pieced together. Pretty quick.

My new book tote

This little bag designed by Natalie at Cinderberry Stitches is just the ideal size for toting along a paperback to read. I am a reader so this will get a lot of use. I loved the pattern and it will be a keeper for my favorite pattern file. Thanks so much for sharing it Natalie.

Who could ask for more?

I have to be the luckiest mom ever. Two wonderful daughters to make me feel special on my birthday.

It started off with the doorbell ringing yesterday morning and finding no one there but a pretty package on the doorstep. Inside the package I found sweet treats and some fabric. Half an hour later the doorbell rang again and there was another package, again filled with treats and fabric and even music. This went on most of the day until I had gathered eleven packages from my doorstep. Never did catch the delivery person (who had to be a mighty fast runner because I hurried to the door). I finally figured out that the gifts were from my youngest daughter, Kari. I posted pictures of the packages and fabrics (41 different fabrics in all - a stitcher's dream gift).

Then this morning I checked in on my oldest daughter, Sara's, blog ,which is always so fun to read, and was surprised to discover that she had wished me a happy birthday there. She let me and all the world know that she loves me. Wow! I was very very touched. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful good daughters. This is truly a special birthday for me and it's just the beginning of a good day. Thank you girls so very much! I love you too.

Super Sized Pincushion

Today another one of my Stitcher's Angel projects is completed. This pincushion was designed by Karen of Cotton Spice. Thanks Karen for the pattern. Its such a fun size (LARGE) and will hold tons of pins and needles. It is already at work by the side of my sewing machine.

It has been fun seeing everyone's finished projects. So many great ideas and lots of inspiration.

Thanks so much Lynette

Putting together Lynette Anderson's scissor holder made for a nice evening at my sewing table. She designed this as the Stitcher's Angel project for this week Those of us working on Lynette's Noah's Ark stitcheries know all about Hugo's new little friend, Felix. Now whenever I reach for my scissors and see this little kitten, I will wonder how Felix is getting along.

Over half way and still stitching.

I won’t have this quilt finished before my birthday, which was my original challenge to myself, but that’s okay. If I had, the fun would be over too soon anyway, I figure. This way I still get to keep on sewing. I have enjoyed every stitch I’ve put into this quilt and am over half way done. So I am moving along. Life’s adventures and some other tempting projects slowed me down some but I will have it finished soon…at least by Thanksgiving…do you think I can reach this new challenge?

Block number five completed this afternoon. Four more to go.

A big "thank you" to May Britt.

This is my first day home from our wonderful weeklong vacation in the mountains. Now I am all relaxed and ready to get back into life's daily routines. Right away, I just had to start working on May Britt's bag that she designed for the Stitcher's Angel project. The pattern was perfect and easy to follow. I enjoyed every minute I spent on it. She designed an adorable stitchery for the front. My favorite part of that is the little angel's hairdo. It made me smile while I stitched it.

Cute little caddy pattern

Thanks to Helen and the delightful pattern she created for her Stitchers Angel project, I now have a new armchair caddy. It fits perfectly on the right side of the couch where I spend most of my stitching hours. Things just got a lot nicer and cozier for my favorite spot. This caddy was just so fun to put together. It's been a good sewing day!

Trying out Crazy Quilting

I am doing a Crazy Quilt Round Robin with four other ladies. I've never done crazy quilting before so this is something new for me. I am enjoying it so far. Here is the block I sent out. It is somewhere around the U. S. right now...between Georgia and Washington. I'll have it back in October after its been to Denmark. It will be exciting to see what everyone came up with for it.
A few of these talented ladies are doing beautiful ribbon embroideries on the blocks. I love looking at what they've done and I admire their work so much. Someday I will learn to do that but for now my additions to the blocks are simple stitcheries. This is my stitchery on Janet's block.

Noah

This evening I finished stitching Noah and the giraffes for Lynette's BOM. I just love working on them, they are so sweet. Even though it seems like such a long wait for the next month's block, I can see how this year has been zooming by pretty fast. How did it get to be August already? I have had so much fun with this project. Thank you Lynette.

Sewing essentials

I enjoyed Nanette's post about the special sewing caddies and tools she uses at her machine and when hand stitching. My sewing "caddy" is a nifty little drawer that sits right in front of my machine. I can reach inside for whatever I want, almost without looking and would be lost without it. I've even learned how to sew with it opened sometimes. It is just so important.

Did you notice there are 3 tools for unpicking mistakes? They come in handy....all 3. And really get a workout!

For take-along projects I found these terrific little totes and now I can't do without them. They are small yet hold quite a bit, keeping things sorted for me. They snap apart and I can add or subtract sections, taking along only those I need at the time.

They aren't very quaint or charming on their own but when filled with beautiful threads, fabrics and project pieces the charm is there for sure.

Daisies are my favorite flower and so, of course, I couldn't resist these little buttons. Threaded together as a fob for my scissors they also add a little whimsy to my simple plastic stitching caddy.

And speaking of scissors, here is my favorite well worn pair, kept in my nifty little drawer along with a stern warning for the scissor poachers around my house!