SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!

As usual, I am doing what I am not suppose to be doing and not doing what I should be doing!

A few weeks ago when I was visiting my mother I saw this wall hanging made of wood on one of the doors.

I thought, hummm....that would make a cute wall hanging in fabric.

So this morning instead of doing what I should be doing I made this instead.  Theirs said Welcome.

I used my awesome Island Batik scraps, three different kinds of Aurifil Threads (orange, black, and pink), and then I had just the right size scrap of hobbs batting.

Do I love scraps or what?

I take my grandson to preschool in the morning and pick him up at 11:30 but today was pizza day so I pick him up at 12:00.

So....last night I cleaned so I could have time to sew this morning but as usual, I got side tracked.

Our grandson takes a nap after he has his lunch so I was laying down with him.  The next thing I know these two eyes are staring at me.

He says, Ya Ya....I can't sleep, you are snoring.  So I got kicked out of the bed.

What was a gal to do?  I made headway to my sewing room and finished up my wall hanging.

I was rushing to get the binding on before he woke up and well...someone was not paying attention.

I put the binding on with the raw edge out...OH my stinking gosh.

So I spent my few remaining minutes ripping, ripping, ripping.

He was sweet enough to let me finish up before going outside.

CHECKING THINGS OFF MY LIST!!

You will just have to forgive my pictures today, it has been raining like cats and dogs and now it is stinking cold outside.  I have been freezing for two days, under the covers reading books...yes, that is a whine and I would like some cheese with it.

This first quilt I have showed you before, it was waiting to be quilted.  I quilted it on my Pfaff since I can not get to my longarm, that is not a whine. 

The fabrics are Paisely Dots by Island Batik.  The cancer ribbon design is by craftistitch.  I used my white aurifil thread to sew everything together with.  I have a huge cone that I am trying desperately to use up....I say desperately because that is all I have been using lately.

This next one is just the top, needs to be quilted.  If you saw the previous post, you will know that this is scraps from a project I am doing with my sister.  Love the oriental fabrics which you can get at Inchworm Fabrics.

I used the Accuquilt Go Orange Slice die and pink Aurifil thread.

Here is just a sneak peak of my April Quilt for the April Island Batik Challenge.  Don't you just love the turquoise aurifil thread?  Ummmm Ummmmm good.

So, I have two of my eight projects done.  I feel good about that but I added one more to the list...ha ha!!

SAVED FROM THE TRASH BIN

Today I am happy to report that I have the quilt top finished.  If you saw the post before this, you would know that my sister and I are making the same quilt from the same wonderful fabrics from Inchworm Fabrics.

We are using the Quick Curved ruler, here are the scraps from the project.

I asked my sister what she did with her scraps.  She said she threw her away.  For some reason I just could not do it.  So....I thought...

and thought....

and thought.

This is what I came up with.

              I sewed two half moons together.  Then got out my Orange Peel Accuquilt Go die.

Before and after the cut.  Looks so nice and neat.

Even less scraps.

I decided to blanket stitch them with Pink Aurifil Thread, umm ummm good.

Ok, I know what you are thinking, one minute I am overwhelmed and the next I am starting another project.

Let the record show that I just needed focus and writing it down helped me do that.  When I have things I need to do if I can get a direction I do nothing.

Then...I just couldn't let these scraps go to waste and had to do something with them or they would be just that, scraps to be thrown away later.

Are my excuses any good?

I am going to set up my Pafff  so I can quilt the Charity Quilt....and when I get tired of that will work on some Orange peels. 

Sounds like a plan.

YEAH ME!!

WHEN YOU ARE OVERWHELMED

Sometimes in life we tend to take on more than we feel we can handle, or at least sometimes I feel that way.

As I was chatting with a friend, I was saying that I wanted to sew but didn't know what to work on, was too overwhelmed with what all I am doing.  So I listed to him what I had and by the time I was done I was able to see clearly what I needed to work on.

Here is my list.

1.  I am working on the "Fancy Forest" by Elizabeth Hartman, "Flea Market" fabric by Island Batik

He kinda looks like he is going to fall out of his tree or had too much to drink last night.  I need to make his twin.

2.  I need to finish my Cancer Ribbon Quilt that is for Charity, all I need to do is quilt it, due April.

3.  Need to put the binding on my April Challenge for Island Batik.  Simple...just do it!!

4.  Need to finish quilting my May Challenge for Island Batik

5.  My sister and I are working on a project together, when I got back from a little trip the fabric was in my sewing room waiting for me.

6.  I volunteered to join in a blog hop in May

Christmas Rapping Quilt Book by Eye of The Beholder

by Purrfect Spots

I spent Monday getting the pattern enlarged that I needed.

7.  I am doing a block of the month with my sisters, nieces, and daughter in law...etc.  Now mind you this a block a month.  Well....I started the first block and got hooked.  "Winter Wonderland", I purchased what I thought was a book but it came pdf.  Using Island Batik scraps

The first block is due this month....

Last but not least #8 - I have a pattern that will be in the Fall Market Catalog for Island Batik, so the fabric will be coming any day now.

Trying to get as much as I can out of the way so I can devote time to that.

  

My husband and I keep our little grandson after he gets out of daycare in the mornings and sometimes all day if he is sick.  I usually cut patterns out while he is napping.  Then don't get back to sewing until that evening.

So there you have it, if you look and see, some of those items won't take long.  Some of those Items I want to do and forget the rest.  But...if you have a mind set like I do, you think of all of the things you have to do and can't get past that you just need to do one at a time not all at once.

That being said, after I wrote it all down, it came clear as day what I should work on first.  You are probably thinking, get all the small things out of the way....NOPE

This won out.  I purchased this book for myself and sent one to my sister.  We have chosen a pattern out of this book.

Using these beautiful fabrics from Inchworm fabrics.  I started work on it yesterday.

My plan is to get this quilt top done and then work on the small things.  It helps to have a plan.

Now I have just posted a long post....sorry, I try to keep them short.

Vintage Reimagined - Island Batik Ambassador Challenge for March

First of all, can you believe it is March already?

Island Batik Challenge for the month of March is "Vintage Reimagined."

50" square

As you can see, I used a lot of my Island Batik Scraps.  Some of the 5" strip stash builders I just received in my box.  Perfect for the 8" Go! Qube

I used the Drunkard's path Accuquilt Go die

  The #5 Go! Half Square Triangle that is in the 

8" Go! Qube

Making tons of Half square triangles

Some Delightful Hobbs Batting

My favorite color of Aurifil Thread.

Which makes up one vintage reimagined quilt!

When I thought up this design in my head, I just started cutting.  I cut three drunkards path...I showed my husband and one friend that I will not mention HIS name.  Ha Ha!!  Neither one liked this.

I almost threw it in the garbage but then thought, why not continue and just finish it.  When it started coming together I was excited because I really liked what was happening.  I had wanted to make this a two color quilt but when I got this one done I went on to something else.  Sounds about right!

I really enjoyed this challenge, some challenges scare me but when I sit down and think it through, my mind starts churning and then the excitement begins.