Blubbering - Yahoo - Cute Little Kitty

What's with the wind? I really dislike wind with a capital D! Yesterday and last night we had a bunch of it...blew a patio chair off our deck and must've blown some mood swings in with it! When Papa Toad (DH) got the mail he called me down from The Ark (sew room, so named because I'm sure I have 2 of everything!) to open a package I got from my Aunt Shirl.
Opening it, I found things from Aunt Jean's stash and there I stood in my kitchen, blubbering as I opened each bag and had a flood of memories. You see, Aunt Jean died November 2003 from Multiple Myeloma and she was my true Soul Mate. She was only 10-12 years older than me and we'd always had a connection...beliefs, dreams, humor, gardening, cooking and Quilting! Although were were always separated by many miles, we kept tabs on our families, what we were working on and what we just "had" to have! And now 6 years later I could feel her spirit stronger than ever in each little piece of fabric she'd cut and stitched...and yes, even in the "First Saturday Club" packets that were UFOs. Yes, we were true Soul Mates...and I still miss her.

After all that blubbering I knew I had to re-focus so I dove into the "Let-Us-Tote" pattern instructions I'd been writing. Could this pile of notes turn into something I could finally send to the printer?

The magic wind did blow all my handwritten, computer and sticky pad notes together and I think they're finally ready to send off. Yahoo! Then I finished the little kitty purse to match the bonnet. The pattern is "#45 Cat Purrses" from "The City Stitcher Design Collection" by Janet Miller. Isn't it a cutie? Kind of little but so is my grandaughter!

Happy Stitchin' for the Soul....enjoy making all those memories,

Nadine

Bonnet to Go!

The "Little House on the Prairie" DVD series is a huge favorite of my 7 1/2 yr. old grandaughter (& of course her mother!) So when a bonnet was requested I knew exactly what she wanted. It was easy and came out pretty cute, don't you think? My only concern is that although it's a Girl's size Small, she's such a tiny munchkin that I might have to add some tucks here and there so that it fits her....we'll see.

I decided I also needed to share some other things I've designed and made other than Totes! This is "Aunt Elsie"s Apron", a true repro design from the 40's & 50's that has complete coverage for those times when the sauces are flying and the mixer becomes overactive.

These are my "Summer Pillow Trio" pillows that were shown in "Quilt Sampler" magazine Spring 2008 in their review of "Sew Many Quilts", a Top 10 Shop in Bend, OR.

"All Squared Out" was designed for a monthly sewing group I taught to them teach machine applique one month. Those are pointsettias in the corners but it would look good with Sunflowers in the corners and all yellows/oranges/browns.

Last picture of the day...."County Fair Picnic Plates", another Willow Creek Quilts design that shows my love of 30's repro fabrics. Good thing I have a good stash of those to "use up" so I don't have to "make do or do without!"

And guess what: I have the "Let-Us-Tote" instructions 99.9% done! Now to proof and hand them over to friends to see if the directions make sense. Yahoo! And let's see if I can't get the matching Kitty Purse done today...and oh yes, get that baby quilt machine quilted, or at least get it started. Saturday didn't have 33 hours in it afterall :( .......

Have a great week Stitchin' for the Soul,

Nadine

Learning! and not getting Cocky!

Quilting is easier than this Blog Stuff! Here I was, starting to get a little cocky thinking "Wow, here I am blogging 2 days in a row!" That feeling left very quickly. I think it just took me 45 min. (or longer!) just to get the baby ticker thingy added! And Anne even told me how to do it! Whew! A huge congratulations to all of you who have become such masters in this area.

Our 4th grandchild will be arriving in California to join her sister (who will be 21 mo. then) in July. That will be a busy household, eh? I haven't begun to design that baby quilt yet. Sister's was pink and brown. This little munchkin's will be lime green and deep purple. Hmmm, better get thinking on this one. Any thoughts out there in Blog Land? Any fabric lines coming to mind?

Today I have to finish the "Let-Us-Tote" instructions, make a Prairie Bonnet for the 7 1/2 yr. old Canadian grandaughter (found a McCalls pattern #9424 that should do it), a matching purse, and start quilting my nephew's baby quilt.....did I tell you that this Saturday has 33 hours in it? Did I make my To Do list too long????? Talk with y'all soon and maybe I'll have some bonnet pictures to show you!

Happy Stitchin' for the Soul,

Nadine

Use It Up...Make Do...Do Without...

We've heard it before..."I'm using up my Stash." What a concept! When my mom grew up, that was just the norm and the "Use it up, make do, do without" mantra was standard. Earlier this year I decided to give it a try and use up some leftover stuff I had hanging around. It wasn't a struggle since I usually buy more fabric than I know I'll need. I grew up in rural Upstate New York and we always had a pantry that would last us through several snow storms in case we couldn't get to town. I've always had a pantry/freezer like that...even when I lived in California, Ohio, Florida and now Oregon! I guess my Stash is just an extention of that same thought process. What if I get snowed in and don't have any fabric?
Anyway, back to using it up...My nephew and wife are having their first baby next month and I decided to use up the little extra blocks that came on a Michael Miller transportation panel. I'd used the larger blocks for a twin size quilt and pillow for my grandson. These smaller versions of the blocks were just too cute to pitch so I designed a crib quilt around them. Now to get it quilted.
Are these wild and crazy or what? I knit 6 pairs of these Felt Clogs (by Fiber Trends) a year ago as Christmas gifts. They were pretty in 2 colors but I had leftover yarns from each pair. Last week I came across my knitting basket with all the leftover colors and thought, "What the heck. I'll make up a crazy pair for myself." Here they are waiting for the 2nd felting and then they'll be ready for my tootsies...ever so comfy and wacky!
I promised to show you another colorway for my tote pattern. Here it is. Pretty in Pink and Green don't you think? Now to finish the instructions! (Not my favorite part of this designing business....anyone know if there's a way to put a USB stick in my ear and just suck out the info?)
This one was made from a Moda's Woodland Bloom fat pack I bought at Quilt Market last Spring. The darker version (previous post) was from a Moda's Wildflower Seranade II fat pack I purchased the same time. "Using it up!"
Today I need to make a little kitty bag (out of scraps of course!) for my grandaughter in Canada...I'll get to see her soon. Yahoo!
Have a great time playing with your Stash!

Nadine

Hit by a case of Tote-itis!

Another tote? Yes, I decided that I just had to have a few more...and I also decided my family and friends did too!

The one below began with a cute embroidery pattern I'd found in Branson, MO a few years ago. Actually my "Toby" (my name for my wonderful DH) pointed out the pattern (by Jette's Hanging By A Thread) to me when I was looking for something I could make for 3 buddies that Christmas. I did 4 of the stitcheries right away but it wasn't until this February that I decided to design a bag around them and made 4 of these. Then I was on a bit of a roll and made the 3 bags above for my daughter and daughter-in-law's birthday and my daughter's mother-in-law where we stay when we visit them in Canada.

And the roll continues! This one I made for Anne's birthday last week. This one I'm publishing and it should be ready soon.

I'll show you another color version of this last one in a bit. Meanwhile MSG (My Sew Group, so named because it helps "preserve" us!) meets today so I need to go and find some clear flat surfaces that I've lost! Talk with y'all later.............Nadine

Wednesday What's Happenin' Now...

Anyone remember Flip Wilson's "The Church of What's Happenin' Now"? It was one of his comedy routines on his show in the 1970's or 80's and whenever I hear "what's happenin' " my brain does an instant flashback with a smile. Wednesdays are usually fun-filled happy days at Willow Creek. Being "sort of" retired means that Wednesdays are no longer the "hump" day of the work week since M-F really aren't that different than Saturday and Sunday...other than church on Sunday. But Wednesdays are special. MSG is on Wednesday. My Sew Group meets. So far it's only Anne and Brenda and myself but what a trio we are! From 10-3 that day we handstitch away all our world's problems. Today I'm working on Bunny Hill's "Rabbits Prefer Chocolate" ... 'tis the season you know.

What' happenin' the rest of the week? Well, it's BASEBALL SEASON at last! Steve and I love baseball so in the evening when we're watching a game I'm finishing up "Folk Art Album" ... a glorious wool project designed by Lisa Bongean from Primitive Gatherings. I'm doing "Big Stitch" hand quilting so it's happening quickly. Yesterday I was machine quilting a set of "Slice 'em & Dice 'em Placemats" (Willow Creek Quilts)from Moda's Sanctuary line and a set with some batiks. The pattern has been a great seller for me using 8 fat quarters for a set of 8 placemats. (I don't quite have this "blog add image" stuff down yet so in the photo in between the next 3 is the finished mat from Moda's Hemming House line...and I still can't figure out why it's sideways!)



Wow! I'm feeling a little cocky now because I blogged again before a month went by! Soon I'll tell you about my case of "Tote-itis" I've been dealing with.....Can we ever have too many totes??? Have a wondrous Wednesday!
Nadine

My Mind Will Surely Leave

My mind will surely leave me if I don't try doing this again! Plus I really hate being at the bottom of Anne's blog list...she might de-blog me or the Blog Police might come and rip my page away! So I'm going to attempt this in earnest and do pictures and stuff...just as soon as I learn. But first it's off for a haircut and color. What is it about a haircut that can make us feel like new women? It's so empowering. You know the saying: "When mama's happy, everybody's happy." Well, my version of that is "When my hair's happy, I'm happy and y'all will be happier!"
Talk with you later...but it will be much sooner, I promise.