SWAP reminder

Here's a gentle nudge and reminder to join in on our Mug Rug swap upcoming next month.  It's going to be great. EASY PEASY.

Just send me an email, please, with your email address and mailing address:
randyiris@gmail.com

Also, do you follow my dear friend Wendy Reed (constant quilter blog)?? She recently posted information about donating to a guild in Texas that lost everything.  I packed up  (stuffed, is more like it) one of those flat rate padded envelopes and am sending off lots of fabric and threads (and had a bunch of pre-wound bobbins I hadn't used)... I encourage all of you, if you can, to donate!

I have caught up on my Triangle Gatherings and just need to post you some pictures.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Upcoming SWAP--- DO NOT MISS

So many of you last year participated in my pin cushion swap and I think it was a huge success.

So this year I'm going to host something a little different---

We're going to do a mug rug swap!! 
Don't know what I mean??

It's a little coaster that's quilted, for drinks!  Water; tea; coffee; wine
And you need one by your computer, your bed, your recliner... can never have TOO many!!

They are so EASY.  You need a small block (has to be pieced or appliqued) that's not larger than say 5"... you'll need to use some batting and quilt it and BINGO it's done.

I hope you'll be interesting in joining in!  You can never have too many mug rugs.  And they may take you 10-15 minutes max to whip up...okay, maybe a little longer but NOT too long

Interested?

Please email me by SEPTEMBER 13th (one week away).

We'll have a due date of October 16th... that gives you a month to whip one up.

DON'T DELAY!!

DON'T MISS OUT!!

DON'T BE A BENCH WARMER!!!

;-))

Straight lines are not my strong suit!!

EGAD.
I was looking at the pictures I posted of a few close ups of some blocks and realized you can really see how WONKY my seams are...

Please don't look too closely or judge me for not sewing straight lines!!

Even when I was in 10th grade and took home ec, I remember being berated for not being able to sew straight seams.  Some things never change!!

UGH!!!

;-))

Marvelous Monday Mini DONE

I took some snippets of time this weekend to assemble the Temecula Quilts Marvelous Monday Mini top.  I still need to quilt it, of course.  But I had cut out the sashing strips last week and put it together in between kids' naps.  I also decided I didn't like the few blocks which were basically not pieced so I replaced them with blocks of my own creation!









I think the Triangle Gatherings is back in business this week after a brief reprieve so I'll be working on those this week for sure.  Claire is coming over again on Wednesday so I'll get lots done~

We had the 3 grandkids over this boiling hot weekend, and I  had bought them each brushes to help wash my car.  Here they were in the driveway, hard at work!  They sing while they work.  There's a show on Sprout called Terrific Trucks (which I haven't seen) but apparently there's an appropriate car wash song from the show and they all 3 sing it.  It's hysterical.  A bit like a broken record, since I think they only know one or two lines, but it's good enough for me.

Found a new quilt store... uh oh

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

GIVEAWAY

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!!

Triangle Gatherings progress..up to date until today! UGH

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).