So much for my downsizing! I sent out a large package to one quilter who needed batiks for her ministry; I have three other piles ready to ship out. And while driving I found a new local quilt store that just opened that I'd been trying to find.
Adorable! All bright and modern things, totally different than what I'm used to buying.
So, of course, I had to stop in and spend a little money. What fun! Kind of inconsistent with my downsizing but I'm trying! Someone bought my Tutto trolley and I sold a jelly roll I never opened.
Anyway, I did get a little sewing done this week. All caught up on the triangle gatherings! The contrast on the first one didn't come out as I'd hope but the fabric is adorable. It's got little skunks. And it's not Tula Pink. Not sure you can make them out but I'm keeping it the way it is. I don't think it'll matter in the large quilt this is going to be.
I think this house fabric is adorable!
And I laid out the Temecula Quilt Marvelous Mini... found the perfect sashing for the large strips and a diagonal stripe for the sashings between the little blocks. Now to sew it together and get it quilted. I will actually finish something. What a concept! VBG
I also decided that I was completely tired of the ratty, run down cutting mat I had next to my sewing machine so I got myself another Martelli cutting mat. If you have never used one, you are missing out. It's hands down the best mat available. It's pricey but you never have to replace it. It is "self-healing". When I was in Maine at the quilt show with Wendy Reed, I did talk her into buying one and she's delighted with it. You can use it either on the yellow side or the purple side. I have one at our cabin in Oregon as well. I found mine on Amazon and got it at a discount, with free shipping. WELL worth the investment!
I am still going to sell my Singer 301 black long-bed, even though it's a real beauty. It sews great but I just don't use it and I'm over collecting machines. So if you are interested or know anyone looking for one, let me know. It even has the original case (which looks like a suitcase!) as well as a buttonhole attachment (contraption, in my opinion) and other accessories. I even bought a special foot so you don't need to use a toe to operate the button. If you've sewn on a featherweight or a 301, you'll know what I mean. I like the 301 much better than the featherweight but that's just my $.02
The winners of my batik giveaway are:
Shirl S.
Elle
Quilting Babcia
Please email me your mailing address and I'll send them off to you.
randyiris@gmail.com
I am serious about trying to downsize all my sewing things. I've sold two machines (and only bought ONE... that's one less, right??); I've sold my Tutto rolling tote that I never used. I'm going to sell another 1130 that I've never used (it's a great machine!! I'm keeping the other one, which I use daily!) I may also sell another Singer 301 long bed (BLACK, even) that I'm not using. Let me know if you're interested in either of them.
Now I am going to give away some BATIK fabrics. I used to love them; they are taking up precious space in my cabinets and I'm not using them so I'd love to send them your way.
I'll fill a small package (prefer just to the US, please) and send it to you this week.
Please send me a comment by Wednesday and I'll mail it out Thursday.
Let me know what you think you'd do with a gift of batik fabrics, excellent quality!!
I sewed on Tuesday when my friend Claire came over and I caught up (at least until today when they posted two new ones!) on my Triangle Gatherings. I had fun with the fabrics! This one has ducks and hens! and chicks!
This one has dancing girls!
Cherries, pears and hens!
Birdies
Travel-related items!!
Just flowers... nothing special
Mice, going every which way!
I also made this week's Marvelous Mini Monday:
I want to show you what my friend Claire was working on. She knitted together strings of all widths and lengths and then sewed them together into blocks. She sewed the blocks together to make a little throw-rug. On Tuesday she was sewing a "backing" of an old towel to give it some stability. Very cute. I think it's extremely clever, too! That's Claire! I think she's going to put it in front of her kitchen sink in her cabin in Washington.
!
Last, but not least, I have to share a picture of Emma, who just turned 5, visiting with her cousin Eli, who is 9 months old. She just loves him. He's not so sure about her, though.
As my husband says, the chaos returns tomorrow, for the weekend! We will have my daughter's 3 kids (little Eli is in Germany for a couple of weeks).
I'm still a bit behind in my Triangle Gatherings (they just keep coming!) but not terribly. I had help from my grandson up at the cabin last week -- we put the foot pedal on a stool (if you have grandkids, buying these stools from Target is a MUST have. Our kids use them all the time, for everything!). Even little Emma got in on the fun after her family left and she stayed behind for a WEEK with Nana and Papa! Not sure who loved it the most. Note my wine was readily available! Emma just turned 5 last week, by the way!
I've been working on my Marvelous Mini Mondays from Temecula Quilts and I'm up to date thus far, until the reveal comes out tomorrow. I have to say that making blocks so friggin' tiny is a challenge for me! Especially with my inability to sew very accurately!! ;-) Here is the whole lot of them, along with some of my favorites. Mind you they are 4" unf! I had a very hard time with the 49 patches, which I was able to do thanks to the Mini Maven Janet O, who advised me to cut them 1" and make it 7x7. Really?? Don't look too closely at mine... they frequently don't line up... oops. I may not be the most accurate piecer, but I do enjoy fussy cutting!!
And on the drive home Friday, I was able to get some stitching done on my Summer Blocks of the Week from Primitive Gatherings. My grandson helped me do the piecing before he left and I was able to prepare about 3 blocks for the car ride. FUN. All these blocks still need the tiny half square triangles that go around each one. Later...
I do enjoy doing the wool appliqué (=don't have to be perfect) and now that I'm home for a while, I'm hoping to tackle some of the projects I have left hanging--maybe even play around with some of the things I bought in Maine (although to be honest, I think I had to leave most of what I bought in Maine at the cabin -- no room in the car!! vbg)
More triangles!
This is a lot of little sewing but nothing to put together into a quilt thus far so I am not feeling very accomplished.
On another note, I am feeling accomplished for two non-quilt related reasons:
1-- my wedding anniversary is tomorrow (Eclipse Day, which we were going to spend up in Oregon, along the path of totality, but since we chose to have Emma for the week, we had to bring her back home this weekend... opted for a week with Emma vs watching the eclipse. No brainer for us!)... We got married in 1977-- FORTY years ago!! Amazing that it's been that long. Has gone by so fast. It's a lifetime! Still feel very lucky!
2--I got on the scale in mid-June and just about died. Decided on the spot that I had to lose weight so started following Weight Watchers online that very day and am proud to say that I've shed nearly 15 pounds in about 11 weeks. Have to remind myself that it's a lifestyle choice and not a diet. In other words, this is a problem that will plague me all my life (and has)... On a conservative approach, I'm half way to my goal. it's not where I want to be, but I'll take it. Actually, I'll take 15 pounds too! That's a lot of potatoes!! vbg
So that's two pats on the back for me!! WOOHOO!!
Last weekend I was in Maine attending their annual quilt show. It was really impressive!
On entering the front door, we were greeted by a most fabulous quilt.
Harriet Hargrave was teaching there and she had this quilt hanging in the entry. I just loved her use of reproduction fabrics; we also thought that she must have dyed the muslin to get the antique look. This quilt was called "Softly Spoken", which seems appropriate.
What a great use of hexagons!!
Here's another one, totally different!
This quilter made a full size Storm at Sea and then made a smaller version!
I love this little appliqué quilt. Pattern is called "Heart Strings and Hope Chests" by Anne Morrell Robinson.
For all you mini-lovers (Janet O... this one's for you!). See the little glove on the right? Great idea they have: they put a glove on any quilt that has been hand-quilted! They also put a green dot on the quilt's name card, indicating that the back is worth looking at! Very clever!
I thought this was a great way to use selvages (for those of us collecting them!)
Great simple quilt!
Another great little appliqué quilt. This one is "Gypsy Jazz" by Robyn Falloon.
Did I mention that Wendy and I did a little quilt shopping? Our first stop was at On-Board Fabrics, which is housed in a former cow barn. Great little building but the best thing about this store was their collection of sewing machines!! I'm only showing you one wall... there were machines everywhere!
We also went to Attic Heirlooms, which I had heard was not to be missed. It did not disappoint. I think I bought a couple of patterns, a small kit and maybe some more wool!! ;-)
Of course we had to visit Cyndi Black's shop called Busy Thimble. Many of you know this shop but I can't get over how much fabric she has hidden away. Last time I was there, I was too overwhelmed to get any pictures but this time I was determined to share the inside with you.
Think you might find some fabric to buy there??
Wendy and I spotted this "tiny house" while driving and I really wanted to send you a picture. I've never seen one up close. I was so focused on the house that I neglected to include their extensive garden next to the house. To be honest, I don't think my fabric and machines would fit inside this, forget about a bed! Cute, hunh??
One other not-to-be-missed in Maine was a lobster dinner! We bought the lobsters in a very small local shop and Wendy's husband cooked them in sea water he got for our dinner. OMG. IT was so good. I had to show you.
That's about it from Maine. I'm up at the cabin and actually did get a little sewing done this week. I'll show you that progress later this weekend. My daughter and her family arrive this afternoon for a week, so I probably won't get much done during that time but very excited to the family being here!
