Friday, September 28, 2018

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? Some Fun Things, and A PSA!

Hi, all!

Can you believe it's Friday already??? Time sure does fly when you're having fun - and we've been having lots of fun around here!  Friday means it's time for us to get our whoop whoop on, so let's get started! (Stay tuned at the end for a PSA...)

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As I said, there's been lots and lots going on around here!  First off, I finished the last of the six memory quilts that I was commissioned to make....


Here you can see five of them - the last bunch to be delivered.  Sadly, I couldn't get a good photo of the finished t-shirt quilt - it has been raining here for the last four days, and when it isn't raining, it's way too wet outside to hang the quilt on the clothesline (it's pretty long) to get a good pic!  So it went to its new home without a good finished picture...

And then I did some not-quilting...


...and spent one day re-organizing closets, then the next one putting together the bunk bed and the platform bed that now reside in my guest room. (And the third day limping around with a sore back!)  With this addition, we have more than enough room for all three grandkids to have a sleepover!  My daughter has a twin mattress that will go on the top bunk, and of course I'll need to make a twin size quilt for it too!  The grands are excited...

Then we went back to our regular scheduled programming...


...and I made a mess of cute little pincushions for a special event!  These are so much fun to make, and I'll be sharing a tutorial for them on Wednesday.  Be sure to stop by if you want to make some of your own!

And then today I started on a new "memory" project...


...this will become a memory table runner, made from men's ties.  The colors are so much prettier than show up here - I'm hoping I can get a daylight shot once it's finished.  The quilting will add lots of texture, too - but that's a job for tomorrow!

So - - - can I get a whoop whoop??

*&*&*&*&*&*&*

And now it's your turn! 

What's got you whooping it up this week?

A little singing in the rain, in honor of TN fall weather!

What's making you do a little happy dance?

Share!  We want to dance right along with you,

And it's always more fun to dance with friends!

The party will stay open until Sunday midnight.

Hope to see you there!

Hugs!

Sarah

Public Service Announcement:  Bloggers, have you noticed your inbox being a little empty lately?  I actually thought my post on Wednesday hadn't posted on time when I realized I hadn't received any comments in my inbox. When I went to check, I found six comments sitting right there at the bottom of the post - but none in my inbox!  When I checked my settings, my authorization to notify me of comments had mysteriously disappeared.  So you might need to reset yours also if you have comments on your posts that you didn't hear about...  Just sayin'...


Wednesday, September 26, 2018

I May Have A Scrap Problem... What I've Been Working On!

Hi, all!

It is Wednesday again, and I haven't touched my sewing machine in days!  I feel like something is missing, and yet, I've been getting some fun things done!  



Today I took these boxes full of parts and turned them into something wonderful - a new sleeping space for my grands!


With this set-up, the girls can sleep in the lower bed and Nathanael can have the upper bunk.  Just gotta get a twin mattress - my daughter has one that she said we could have.  Oh, and make a twin size quilt for the upper bunk!

And I did take a few minutes out to browse through Instagram for some inspiration...


Check out this wonderful fall-flavored quilt from Emily over at Em's Scrap Bag.  If you haven't checked out her scrappy quilts, you are really missing a treat!  She has the BEST ideas!


A snap trail block is a great scrap buster, and it's so cute!  This block is definitely on my bucket list...


This quilt is just a treat for the eyes, isn't it?  So much to look at, and all of it scrappy!


And last, but definitely not least, take a look at this beauty!  It just seems to glow.  I really want to figure out what makes this one "click" in hopes of recreating that feeling.

And finally, in celebration of the finally-dropping temperatures...


Hugs!

Sarah

Monday, September 24, 2018

Make-A-List Monday - Like A Chicken....


Hi, all!

I kind of feel like I'm running around like a chicken with my head chopped off this week, hence the title of this week's Make-a-List Monday post!  So many things I want to do, so many more I need to do, and a bunch I have to do - and not enough hours in the week!  Anyone else out there feel like this?

Well, enough of that.  Let's look at what happened with last week's list...

1.  Quilt the last two memory quilts.
Done!  I am so happy to have these finished - they will be delivered some time this week.  Then it will be on to the next commission job!


2.  Put the last two border strips on Lilli's annual quilt.
Done!  And not only that, but I hit a great fabric sale today and got the backing for this quilt, too!


3.  Order new furniture for the guest room.  Yes, I know it seems funny to get rid of furniture just to order more, but I need to be able to sleep three kids in this room, which means a loft twin bed over a full platform bed.  Amazon is my friend!
Done!  The last of the boxes arrived today (unfortunately too late for me to get them all assembled today!) I can't wait to see the room all assembled, hopefully sometime tomorrow or Wednesday!

4.  Decide whether to paint the guest room or not.
Done!  I did paint it and I LOVE it!  So nice, crisp and clean!


5.  Start cleaning up the studio in preparation for the next round of commission quilts!
In progress - I've made some headway with getting things put away.  Lots more to go, though!

6.  Deconstruct some ties for a table runner.
Done!  The ties are ready for pressing and then I'll come up with a design based on how much fabric I have.

7.  Start deconstructing t-shirts for the next t-shirt quilt.
Not yet, but it's a good thing because I had forgotten that she was going to bring me another shirt!  This one will move to this week...

8.  Meet with a customer about another t-shirt quilt commission.
I'm meeting with her tomorrow afternoon, so that's sort of done, right?

9.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that come up.
Done!  Only one this week, going to a 15-year old girl dealing with a diagnosis of cancer.


So not too bad on last week's list - and it was a doozy!  Let's see what I have on my plate this week...

1.  Assemble the furniture for the guest room and get it all set up.

2.  Meet with a new t-shirt quilt customer.

3.  Create a design and make the tie table runner.

4.  Deconstruct the t-shirts for the next commission quilt.

5.  Make the blocks for that quilt.

6.  Spend some time with the grands before they go to the beach next week (without us!)

7.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that come up.

Definitely enough to keep me busy, although I've got some other things going on that will pull me in opposite directions too.  

And just because I think this post needs one more pic, how about one of Lilli on her way to her first school dance?  Who told that child she was allowed to grow up??


That's enough about me!  Now, the question is - - - what are YOU working on this week?

Hugs!

Sarah

Friday, September 21, 2018

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? Memories.....

Hi, all!

Guess what?  It's Friday again (do they seem to be coming faster, or is it my imagination?) which means it's time for us to get our whoop whoop on!  Are you ready?  Let's get started!

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This week I finished another one of the memory quilts...


This one is made from pieces of dress shirts and silk ties.  Lots of silky, slippery fabrics that required stabilizing before sewing.


I quilted it using Glide thread in Battleship Gray - it has a wonderful shiny luster that shows up nicely against the dressier fabrics.


And even the back looks nice, with that windowpane quilting!

One more memory quilt to go in this job - hopefully you'll see that next week.  Fingers crossed!

So - - - can I get a whoop whoop?

*&*&*&*&*&*&*

And now it's your turn!

What's got you whooping it up this week?


What's making you do a little happy dance?

Share!  We want to dance right along with you,

And it's more fun to dance with friends!

The party will stay open until Sunday midnight.

Hope to see you there!

Hugs!

Sarah


Wednesday, September 19, 2018

I May Have A Scrap Problem... It's HUGE!! (And A Giveaway...)

Hi, all!

I have some seriously excellent news...


This quilt top has gone from one small section (don't you love that little fussy cut flower?)...


...then it grew a little larger, until, like Clifford the Red Dog....


...it got HUGE!!!!  I really really love this quilt top, and I think Lilli will too - it's definitely blue!  I've named it Something Blue, in keeping with the name of the original pattern.  It ate up a lot of scraps, too, which makes it just about the perfect quilt!


Just as a reminder, I made this quilt using the pattern Summer Wedding by my friend Jamie Janow Elfert, and Jamie sent me an extra copy of the pattern to give away so that one of you could make it too!!  Just leave a comment below WITH your email address, and I'll draw a winner and announce it next Wednesday. 

And now for a little new inspiration (because we always need a new scrap project, don't we?) How about this great improv scrap quilt?


And isn't this the cutest little acorn runner?  It would be a great way to use up some small scraps and ends of yardage, and make your house festive for fall!


And last, but definitely not least, how about Emily's gorgeous improv star baby quilt?  Emily always does the coolest things with her scraps - if you want some awesome inspiration be sure to check out her blog!!


So that's all I have for today - one huge quilt, a fun giveaway, and some great inspiration!  Remember to leave a comment below WITH YOUR EMAIL if you would like to win the pattern - I'd love to see your version of this beautiful quilt too!

Take that, you little scrap monster, you!!

Hugs!

Sarah

Monday, September 17, 2018

Make-a-List Monday - Are We Having Fun Yet?

Hi, all!

Are we really more than halfway through September?  How did that happen?  So much to do, and the time goes so fast!  But it's all good, isn't it? I've got lots on my plate, so let's see how last week's list went....

1.  Sandwich the remaining four memory quilt tops.
Done!  Here are the two that still need to be quilted...


2.  Quilt at least two of those tops.
Done!  I quilted these three...


3.  Help with a major clean-up and re-organization in the quilt room at church.
Done!  There's always a ton of organization to do in the quilt room, but this part of it sure looks better!


4.  Eek out a little extra time to work on Lilli's quilt.  The plan is to get up and moving a half hour earlier each morning and dedicate that time to her quilt.
Done!  And in fact, this top is almost done!  I have two more sides of the border to put on, then it's done...


5.  Get the guest room furniture ready for the movers.  (No procrastinating this week!)
Done!  I'm all ready for the movers on Wednesday.  I'm still trying to decide if I want to repaint the room before I move in new furniture...




6.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that come up.
We had a busy week... This quilt went to a young woman who lost her baby...


...and this quilt went to an older woman with double pneumonia.


This quilt went to a young man going through some emotional problems..



This quilt went to a new baby girl!


And this quilt went to a woman with some serious health issues.


Finally, this quilt went to a man with stage three cancer.


So not too bad for last week!  I really wanted to get all those memory quilts finished, but at least I won't be lacking for something to do this week.  Here's what I hope to accomplish this week...

1.  Quilt the last two memory quilts.

2.  Put the last two border strips on Lilli's annual quilt.

3.  Order new furniture for the guest room.  Yes, I know it seems funny to get rid of furniture just to order more, but I need to be able to sleep three kids in this room, which means a loft twin bed over a full platform bed.  Amazon is my friend!

4.  Decide whether to paint the guest room or not.

5.  Start cleaning up the studio in preparation for the next round of commission quilts!

6.  Deconstruct some ties for a table runner.

7.  Start deconstructing t-shirts for the next t-shirt quilt.

8.  Meet with a customer about another t-shirt quilt commission.

9.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that come up.

Well, that list looked skinny until I started looking around and saw the bags of things that need deconstructing... Oh well, at least it keeps me out of trouble!

And now the question is - - - what are YOU working on this week?

Hugs!

Sarah

Friday, September 14, 2018

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? Triplets!

Hi, all!

Friday is finally here, and can you believe that September is almost half over?  Time always flies so fast as fall arrives - but there's always time to get our whoop whoop on, isn't there?  So let's get started!

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Today I have a long-awaited finish...

(And if you follow me on Instagram you'll think you've seen this a lot, but it's really just three of a kind...)

Triplets!!


These three memory quilts were made from patches cut from men's denim shirts, alternated with patches of Kona Snow.


Three different backings, because you have to be able to tell the triplets apart, right?


A couple of them even have monogrammed pockets on them.  Scrappy denim binding finished them off.  

A trio of memory quilts!

So - - - can I get a whoop whoop?

*&*&*&*&*&*

And now it's your turn!

What's got you whooping it up this week?


What's making you do a little happy dance?

Share!  We want to dance right along with you,

And it's always more fun to dance with friends!

The party will stay open until Sunday midnight.

Hope to see you there!

Hugs!

Sarah