Finishing up all my July Bee Blocks . . . aka WIP Wednesday 7.27.11

For starting out behind the 8-ball for this month. . I've made it my mission to not fall behind again.  My own projects (which I don't have that much passion for right now) are sitting.  But it doesn't mean that I can't work with other people's fabric to make them some wonderful blocks.

What have I done?  I've made myself (really some other gals) some blocks!

Red and Aqua Bee

This bee is a shortened time-frame (which feels great) but that means we have two lovely gals to sew for each month.

These two beauties are what I made up for toerintx.

One of her inspirations is Fairy Face Design's Dresden quilt

I really enjoyed working on these.  Oh the things I learned along the way.  These are way different than "traditional" Dresden plates with the leaves. I might say harder.
~~~

The second gal for this bee was the lovely tinkingalong had us make anything we wanted with her yummy aqua and red fabrics.   

I did this flying geese block but then had enough left over for another block.  Only after I finished the blocks did I read the instructions asking for no wonky.
Sorry beauty.  I must say that I'm not a wonky lover myself but this blocks has enough for me not to feel dizzy.

Threadheads

This month we got to sew for Fairly Mairly

She chose a block inspired from Block Party.

She even made an awesome tutorial. After reading this a few times, I had to wrap my head around the freezer paper was just a ruler. . nothing to do with paper-piecing.

WOW.  I so want to keep these.  I love the purple, I love the Joel Dewberry fabrics.  And I'm so interested how she'll put these together.  If you go to this group you can only imagine what the possibilities are for these blocks. 

{Sew Bee It}

The wonderful Say Yes Juliet {her blog is here} has started off this bee.

How grand to make cross blocks for her.  These were fun and OH the creations everyone has made!

I have to say that these are my favorite gals to sew for. I'm biased as I know a few of them personally and I twitter with a few of them.  I am in awe of ALL their talent each and every one of them. And this is only the beginning.

  
That's what I've being up to.  Go check out my July Bee Block photo set.  There you can get a re-cap of all my creations that I rocked this month.  

I'm adding this blog post the lovely Lee's WIP Wednesday

Go check out the other amazing things happening
around the craft world.

Feeling the love

Oh it's so grand to get mail.  I'm completely spoiled anymore.  It's not just bills that come in the mail.  It's mainly fabric or bee blocks.

In addition to bee blocks I'm now getting a few other items in the mail. 

Jenna  sent me a mug rug.  Oh gush!  

It's just lovely.  I took this photo and now it lives on my jewelry case in my bedroom.  

The colors are perfect.  It has a little Joel Dewberry in it {swoon}

And the stitching is perfect.

I also got my Sew Mama Sew Giveway winnings.  I won a handmade gift. 

I didn't realize how much more I adore this than supplies.

Look at this LOVELY hand-knitted shawl

made in New Zealand by Amber of What to Make Next?

International mail rocks my world! I heart my virtual friends.

My sister spoiled me this year.  She gave me her cast off i-Phone.  Oh darn!

This arrived this month.  I can only say I love my sister more than pie.

This is will be a a regular thing with me in the sewing room.  I can keep tabs on my twitter feed, listen to Pandora, AND I can have a tute up.  Oh how I love my sister!
{oh and play scrabble, listen to my favorite radio station KEXP oh yeah and rent things from my public library}

Last but not least,  I won a giveaway I entered on Rosey Little Things

I was able to spend a few dollars at Novica?
What's Novica?  My fella knew, I did not.  From their own words . . Novica is a mission-driven website associated with National Geographic working with thousands of talented artisans around the world. Check out their unique gifts, stylish jewelry, exclusive paintings, and one-of-a-kind, handcrafted furniture and home decor: http://www.novica.com/

Not only did I get a rocking ring {YEAH} I got this entire package.  How fun it that!

WIP Wednesday 7.20.11

What Wednesday again. . this comes around a lot faster than I expect.

FINISHED:

Oh this week has been productive.  I would have loved to finish more but I'm super proud of myself.

First I made up an Oliver & S dress right before the recipient arrived.  Here's the post I made up this past Monday.

I've been procrastinating on this .. and tada.  Something off my list.

I was almost tempted to make those PJ pants for my fella but I didn't.




I did finish up some bee blocks and also put a huge dent in a few others.

Here's the two blocks for the Queen Bee in Aqua & Orange

That's right. . another set of garden fences.  These are lovely and I love how quick they come together.

What are the chances that in two bee's the ladies choose the same block.  Oh how fun!

And I also finished a block for the Orange you Glad Bee.

This block with some awesome helpful hints went together much better than I previous attempt at this block.  Starch is your friend!

NEW PROJECTS: 

None.  I did clean my sewing space.  My fella wasn't able to see the difference.  Sigh!  But I swear it's better than it was!

Works in Progress:

- Mug Rug for Swap

- Bee Blocks. . this one is so in the bag!

Things I would love to be working on but are on hold:

-Postage Stamp Quilt

- Quilty Gift for GF

- Arcadia quilt

- Sliced Coins Quilt

- Choose and cut fabrics for Dresden quilt

- Finish top for quilt for nephew

- Summer top for me

- PJ pants for fella

- Summer dress for friends little girl

- Pick fabrics and blocks for on-line quilt bee's - the other ones I'm in

- Birdie Sling bag

- "baby" quilt  

-Skill Builder Blocks

-Embrodery 101 blocks (these are on the cutting table. . does that count?)

I'm adding this post to be part of

I'm excited to join Lee at Freshly Pieced this week.  Go check her and many other great folks.

 

Ice Cream anyone?

Aren't weekends grand.  I love when they happen and I not only get to sew but I get a to visit with people who feel like family. 

My Lou came to visit with her family.  Since she was coming I quickly whipped up an Oliver & S - Ice Cream Dress.  And I really did whip it up!  I spent around 3 hours tracing, cutting, and sewing this beauty up.  I was completely shocked how lovely this went together.

I highly recommend this pattern line now that I've made something up from it. I'm still kinda in shock I remember how to sew clothing.

I used some of the precious to me DS Quilts fabric and a button from my Grandmama that passed away almost two years ago. 

I adore being able to use my talents for my loved ones.

I love you my dearest Lou and family.




I'm linking this post up.

Go check out the other amazing things happening
around the craft world.

WIP Wednesday 7.13.11

What a good sewing week.
Twitter, rocking out, and sewing.  Oh the girls life!

Finished:

A few bee blocks

The past June blocks that I blogged about here

I also added this cute Snail Trail block because I was so late in getting my blocks out to my {Modern 12} bee-mate.

Sew Modern Quilt Bee

Monday was a busy day as I also had to finish up a flower for a few bee blocks.  There were some awesome fabric flowers but I decided I wanted to knit something up for Issabella the Cat.

Here's the flower I whipped up {took me much longer than I anticipated}



I even started in on my *July* Bee Blocks for the Sew Modern Bee Queen Bee - mad for dyes

I haven't been able to work on a garden fence before.  These fabrics were cut out so perfectly it was a dream!

Can you see my goof on the block to the right?  I didn't until seeing in the photo.  The small pieces don't match up.  Ugh!  But the queen bee said not to worry about it! So I won't. :) 

I also finished up the sewing of  2 mug rugs I have started {no photos please - they are supposed to be suprise} What to do for the stitching. . ohhh dear!

New Projects:

None. . really!

Works in Progress (WIP):

Because it's offically Stashtacular!


~it's time to get the July bee blocks done but also tackle some that's on my list show here (sigh)

- Knitted sweater for 18 month old

I'm on the arms - finally.
Slowly I'm telling ya! Didn't help that I forgot this at my parents when I went to go visit them a few weekends back.

Things I would love to be working on but are on hold:

-Postage Stamp

-Mug Rug for Swap

- Quilty Gift for GF

- Arcadia quilt
- Sliced Coins Quilt
- Choose and cut fabrics for Dresden quilt
- Finish top for quilt for nephew

- Summer top for me

- PJ pants for fella

- Summer dress for friends little girl
- Pick fabrics and blocks for on-line quilt bee's - the other ones I'm in
- Birdie Sling bag
- "baby" quilt  
-Skill Builder Blocks
-Embrodery 101 blocks (these are on the cutting table. . does that count?)

I'm adding this post to be part of

I'm excited to join Lee at Freshly Pieced this week.  Go check her and many other great folks.

No really it's June

Last month was full of traveling and I got behind in a few of my bee blocks.

Some of these were giving me a hard time.

I did prevail! And finished all my June lingering blocks up today!  

Whoop!

{Modern 12} 

Our lovely LemondropDezign wanted a traditional block

a snails trail 

Easy. . right.   WRONG!  I was getting myself in a tizzy over the different sized squares you cut.

I first came up with this block. 

It's around 12" unfinished 

Yet the instructions are for a 12.5" block.  Sigh!





My second attempt was much better.  This one is 12.5" square but just barely.  If I have time tomorrow I'll whip out another one and see how that goes.

This makes me wonder how faithful of a Farmers Wife I would be.

I need to think about this more - although I did buy the book the other week.





Aqua and Red Bee

Another block that I tried too hard at first was this awesome kaleidoscope quilt block.

This was seriously a lot of fun

I had to get over the fact you have to use larger pieces.  I had about 5 pieces in a ROW that I cut too small or almost fit and I had to rip out.  I put this block down many days in a row.  But look at how it came out. . I'm so happy!
I hope FQNB that is too.  Despite my tardiness.



Sew Modern Quilt Bee

Oh yeah and then I finished up some wonky quarter log cabin blocks
These were fun to work on for the wonderful Issabella the Cat
{if you haven't seen her blog yet  . . . go seriously some amazing work!}

So these two blocks finished up to be 15.5" blocks.  Seriously I never knew they would be so larger.

For being a scientist, I just laugh at myself.  Distance, measurements, and conversions are not my strong points.




I particularly like this blue block.  YUM!

I don't have any of these fabric lines.  I've got to play with them twice now.  I'm happy I get to see how they go together.




So now that June is officially over for me, I can get to the piles of July fabrics hanging on my design walls.  No photo of this. . it's embarrassing how many projects for others and myself I got going on.

Stashtacular! starts on  Monday and not a moment too soon.  Go check out the details (lots o' giveaways involved!)

Like mother like daughter

My mother.  She's trying to make me feel bad - I'm sure.  I've visited her over the weekend and she has 3 quilt tops to show and tell.

I can't wait to see these lovely tops done, but she'll quilt them an then I'll put the binding on. 

I always talk about not my mother's fabric.  These aren't my color choices but ohhh these are soooooo lovely!

This one is a wall hanging size. Not only is this adorable made out of a few charm packs, it's also her own pattern. 

I have so much to learn!

This qult is from the book I first stole was gifted from my mother.  It's called Pandora's Box.  I adore this pattern!  I'll be making a few of these up myself.

See the background.  They live on a small farm near a river - such a hard life I'm telling ya! Oh and the garden they have. Sigh!

The third quilt is a lovely one she's calling Rails and Stars.  It's has a rail fence and flying geese.  YUM!
Looks like starts from afar.  That's awesome!  She'll add a purple and gold boarder.  I think it's gonna be perfect!

So not only am I challenged to finish some of my tops but finish them.  I can't let me own MOTHER beat me!  

 Oh and look at this photo. . my wonderful fella always dealing with my whims.  Yep honey hold this. . while it's windy! Oh be careful.. . there are a few pins in there.



Fabric first and then I'm joining Stashtacular

What a lovely way to start the long holiday weekend.  I got my haircut, got to visit with some great friends, get to visit family, and a few fabric store visits to start it all off.  Whoop whoop! 

I love looking at these pieces.

The cute novelty prints are lacking in my stash. These are small cuts . .  I see them being somehow involved a few mug rugs.

I'm not sure if my any Pay It Forward giveaway winner gals are into primary colors - but I sure am.


The Kona grey is new too.  I sent that out in my bee packages to my Twice as Nice bee-mates.

 
 I'm entering into a retro green phase again.  I la-la-love these!

 I got the yummy vintage looking pattern (3rd from the left) for a backing to a lap-quilt maybe even for something larger (insert super sale). I've been second guessing using it for backing since Wonderfully Awkward posted a pillowcase tutorial.  I so want to make this sometime soon!

Oh look, over there, more Urban Chicks. Do I use this as a cheater fabric, cut it up into the squares, or use it in a pattern as is.  Ohhh the options.

I got 90% of these on sales.

I'm starting to dabble in embroidery and hand quilting.  So I got some perle cotton.  To add to my purples from overseas. 

I see these guys all I hear is the Justin Timberlake song. . .

I'm Bringing Sexy Back - yeah!

Oh and I have to say, these match perfectly with the colors I have picked out. I love when a plan comes together!

So I have so much fabric, fabric to sew with, fabric for back quilts, fabric for clothing, fabric for uhh lots of things.  My wonderful fella asked me last night while being subjected to show and tell - 'Why Fabric'?  Oh my precious wonderful man.  

What to do next? 
I do have to finish some bee blocks (ugh I'm behind in June)

But really, I need to sew from this lovely stash. 

What am I gonna do?  I'm needing help.

Jenna from Sew Happy Geek & other's are hosting something I'm desperately in need of.

So I'm in!
After I redeem a Groupon I have with WhipStitch.  I bought that way back - so it doesn't count.  RIGHT! :)

Oh and there are atrociously large giveaway's involved with this fabric diet Stashtacular event. Who can ask for more, you don't buy AND you can win some in the process.  Oh what smart gals there are in the bloggy world.