My interpretation of a 12" log cabin quilt

Janet O has received my package containing my interpretation of our 12" quilt swap.  



Looks legit, right?  Well that's only part of it...

There are at least two other sides;




Voila!!! It's a BAG!!!  I was really worried that Janet would be sorely disappointed in not having received something else to hang on the wall or add to her mini-collection.  Obviously it didn't deter me from making a bag instead!  HEHEHE.

I've made several of these bags.  It's a pattern by Quilts Illustrated.  This one is called "Garden Party" (ps028).  It was designed by Penny Sturges.

Anyway, another swap is wrapped up.  Great fun;  very challenging!  Made with lots of love!!

And the winner is...

The winner of the Cotton Club quilt pattern (in a binder!) is:

GAYLE!!

Please send me your snail mail address and I'll send out the pattern!


Thanks to all who entered!

Tomorrow I'm posting the pictures of the project that I made for Janet O!! (if she doesn't beat me to the punch!!)

AWE-SOME gift

I have been mentioning that Janet O and I undertook a little challenge last year, when I was looking to unload some extra fabric. ;-)
She graciously agreed to accept them, if we each sewed something for each other, maximum of 12" size.  We exchanged great little blocks. (I think it was her idea; but my memory is so pathetic these days, it's entirely possible I forget the details!)

We repeated the exercise this year, although this time Janet chose the fabrics. She reminded me that it was my suggestion that we do a log cabin theme!  I think I have shown you the fabric in earlier posts;  I even posted a teaser picture of a corner.  I'm not going to show you what I sent her yet, at least not until she opens the box (and I'll wait to show you to make sure she LIKES it!! VBG... I didn't exactly follow the rules, which is pretty typical for me!!)..

I can show you what she made for me, which I received on Saturday.  OMG.  I am just so lucky!!


Note that the quilt is all of 12"!!  Can you see how she fussy cut the gold sashing squares??  This is so spectacular that I am going to show you each of the blocks, which deserve a closer look!  Remember they are 3"!! YOWZERS








This one gets the blue ribbon.  Do you see the mini log cabin in the middle?? Seriously??  Those pieces are REALLY small!!









The quilting is of course spectacular!  She wrote a beautiful little label as well!


And as if the quilt itself wasn't enough, she enclosed some amazing goodies.  I am not surprised that she knew I have been coveting the Liberty Gatherings fabric from Primitive Gatherings!  And any Primitive Gatherings pattern is a GREAT gift!





Honestly, I feel so lucky that Janet has chosen ME to swap with!  And to devote so much of her precious time to make ME a quilt.  This demonstrates to me the value of blogging!  I have met a wonderful group of women through my blog who have stood by me, supported me and just loved me when I really needed it.  Thank you to all the women who take the time to post comments on my blog.  I am forever indebted!!  I hope I provide as much return to you!

This n That

Every find yourself multitasking and you goof up?? #@#$
I was working on a little pincushion at the same time that I was cutting strips for something else... OOPS!!



This is something I'm going to have to start over~!~ oh well!  This is a Primitive Gatherings little pin cushion... it has a cute little black wool sewing machine sewn on, and fortunately I hadn't gotten to that point yet!

I did work on a couple of bindings recently and finished the Under The Big Top quilt, which I had made last year as part of a swap.  I think it's such a fun quilt!



Here is a close up of a couple of blocks:

I'm sorry that I didn't take the flamingo right side up but I fussy cut the little pink guy in the left corner.  One of my favorite blocks.

Lori (humblequilts) posted the instructions previously but essentially the half square triangles are all different sizes...  It's a great quilt to do with a group so you don't have to sew ALL those little pieces yourself!

Tomorrow I will post a picture of the absolutely knock-your-socks-off quilt that I received from Janet O as part of our little swap.  I honestly don't know how she does it!  Just amazing!

We had the kids this weekend so I got nothing done;  and then little Emma decided she didn't want to go home today so she's staying with me a couple of extra days!! WOOHOO!!  What's more important, anyway???

Winner of Bunny pincushion and MORE

The winner of the bunny Primitive Gatherings pin cushion pattern is:

SYNTHIA!

Please send me your address so I can pop it in the mail!

I have done a little sewing on the Triangle Gatherings project and got a few more blocks done:




I love these fabrics!

I went yesterday to Filoli Gardens about an hour away for a class on pruning Japanese Maples (I do occasionally garden!) and saw this wisteria blooming and just thought it was fabulous!



I was able to get a picture of the Cotton Club quilt for which I offered to give away the pattern.

I wish I knew what happened to my quilt, seriously.  I can't remember if I sold it or gave it away.  Maybe I should be more religious about keeping track of my quilts... or at least keeping a record!  Do you??

I have been very busy this week, just having returned from being away, but I am committed to finishing my little challenge/swap with Janet O.  Here is a sneak peak at a corner of it:

She sent me a stack of 2-1/2" strips from a jelly roll and we are making each other a 12" little quilt.  All I can say is mine will have the 12" quilt and more!! I hope to have my project done and mailed tomorrow... I'll post the picture next week, after she receives it!

Another GIVEAWAY- block of the month

I am really serious about my stash reduction/cleaning my house program I started a couple of weeks ago.  Okay, it's not house-wide (and very little is being done in my sewing room) but I identified something I would like to give away.

It's a block of the month pattern by Bonnie Blue called Cotton Club.  It has 45 blocks, each 5" in size for 11 months  The only thing I'm missing is the finishing instructions, but I think you could figure it out by looking at the pictures of the finished quilt.  
I was trying to post a picture of the quilt but I don't have mine... no idea where it went or who I gave it to.

But here is the link:
http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/2011/06/bonnie-blue-quilts-cotton-club-block-of.html

It all comes in a large binder so I'd prefer to mail only to the US rather than international.

Anybody interested??  I'll try to take a picture and post it as well.  I'll draw a winner on Monday May 1.

Back from vacation with the kiddies and small GIVEAWAY

We just spent the past week with our daughter's family, including the three darlings who I frequently babysit for on Fridays and a couple of weekends a month.  We had a great time at our cabin in Oregon, although I can't say we had very good weather.

My 7 yr old grandson has always enjoyed sewing with me, but now he's too large to sit in my lap.  So I rigged up a stool for him to be able to reach the pedal and scooted him right next to me!  He was delighted!


We were working on one of the triangle gatherings blocks.  You might notice the crib in the back right--that's for the youngest~  He's not quite ready for a bed yet.


I actually decided it was a great lesson for him to try to replicate the pattern depicted in the diagram.  He did great!

On the drive up, my husband and I listened to a book through Audible.com (if you are not part of that system, I highly recommend it!).  I was busy sewing another pin cushion.  Seriously, how many pin cushions do I need??


This is a Primitive Gatherings pattern and I mostly used Valdani threads, except for the blue stars, which were sewn with that Sue Spargo variegated thread I bought in February, and just LOVE.  Would you like the pattern?? Shoot me a comment and it's yours.  I'll draw a winner on Thursday!

I got no other sewing done, for obvious reasons. And I am not complaining.

I will show you a priceless (to me) photo, though~!  I rarely get into a picture but here I am with my 3 oldest grandkids (3, 4 and 7).



Now it's back to work this week!