Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Project Linus

Man, it feels great to get caught up!





I found a few sites for drop off in my area, so I hope to drop this off by the weekend. 

I used a flannel backing that has selvage reading from year 2000!  wow, time to use that up!  I didn't use any batting, I thought the flannel would be added softness enough, but now that it is done, I'm not so sure I would do that again.   I miss fluffy-ness of batting!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Marie's Caught Up!

Hello Everyone,
Well October was a very busy month with fall harvest and our Church ladies have a craft group that host a bazaar every year. I cheated and purchased a baby quilt for project Linus. The church ladies group is called the "Whatever" Craft Group---- (Phil 4:8) Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things" Trinity Lutheran Church- Colby, KS. Here is a picture of the quilt.
I also finished up my stocking. I love this fabric - it's Charlie Brown's Christmas- which was purchased from Patty's store- Granma's Treasures (one of my favorite places) - during the Wray Quilt Show. I still like to watch Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon when it comes on every year! (Also reminds me of a little girl named Melissa and her snoopy dog)
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Tamera Finished

I finished my stocking today!  WooHoo!


How is everyone doing?  Getting ready for Thanksgiving?

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

It's a Hoot!


Ladies, here's a question - I just finished this quilt with Life's a Hoot from Adornit. I stitched a row of mini pompoms in lime green around the inside of the first border ( fine green line in the pic), using a zipper foot, which was a REAL pain. The foot kept stretching the trim, causing some puckering. I'm wondering, short of hand stitching the whole thing, what's a better way? Is there a foot for pompoms?
Check out the fabric on the bottom left - that's Ellie's Emporium from Fine Lines. We just got it in and I can't wait to work with it!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Stockings!


Here's my stocking! This is so much fun we are 'borrowing' the idea as a project for Giving Hands of Yuma County, a group that every year collects new items to make Christmas happy for needy children. We at Granma's are furnishing the fabrics and asking people to make the stocking (pattern supplied also) and then we will fill them with tops and trinkets, sticker books and treats. We hope to collect 32 this first year.... I'll keep you posted!

Stocking for a good cause

I finished my stocking last night and had a great time doing it!  I just eye-balled my stocking shape and am pretty pleased with it.  I tried printing out templates of a super cute stocking (aha-hem...like Gayly's stocking) but I had some printer issues, so I just forged on.  I backed the stocking in the cute flannel to the left of the stocking.  so soft!!
We stopped at Target and picked up a gift card too...but I wanted to add some other things, so I will also be sending the following:

and last month I was on a bib making kick, so I plan to include one of those too, I think I saw that on the list of things they need! 

Monday, November 15, 2010

Meet Jenny

Meet Jenny

Where do you live?

I live in Fort Wayne, IN.  Have been here my whole life outside of 3 years in college and 6 months in London, England.  My whole family is here and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Do you have any hidden talents?

If I do, they are hidden even from me....

Name two things you consider yourself to be pretty good at.

I am a pretty good volleyball player. 
I am a pretty good pen pal...been writing (snail mail) a friend from college at least once a month since we graduated...

Name two things you consider yourself to be very bad at.

I am bad at filling out questionnaires like this one (hence..I am 2 months late in doing so....)
I am a pretty bad driver.  No accidents or things like that, I just don't enjoy it, and always am the first to volunteer to read the map.
Do you have any siblings? What are they like?

I have three sisters.

Shelly is the oldest and the glue that keeps us together.
Penny is next...she is the mother hen...she has 5 kids and they are her universe.  She gives them 110% everyday.
Brina is the baby of our family.  She is my best friend.

Have you ever won a trophy?

Lots of sports trophies in high school and college....nothing that stands out in my memory now though...
Name one thing that not many people know about you?

I have very large bunions.
What is your earliest memory?

When Brina fell off some steps and cut her eyelid on an exposed nail.  My mom was giving Penny a bath upstairs and Shelly and I were in the basement trying to scream loud enough for mom to hear over the bathtub and also trying to stop all the blood...Brina was less than a year old...I was probably 5.  The next day was Monday and I would not come into the house after school because I was so scared of Brina's huge black eye and stitches...

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Geez, still trying to figure that out...I think I mostly wanted to be a good mother.
What are you passionate about?

My husband, my children, my relationship with my family and friends....
Who is the person you respect the most and why?

I think Kent, my husband is a pretty amazing person.  I respect him so much.
What outdoor activities to you like?

I love taking walks, bike rides, mowing the grass.
If your house was on fire and you could only grab 3 things before leaving, what would they be?

I can't think of anything more important than my husband and 2 kids.
What is your most favorite place on earth?

I love England...I love Italy...I love to travel, but home is where my heart is.
***********************************************************************************
OK, see, I told you I was no good at these things...
I finished my stocking tonight will post picture tomorrow...
I got my flannel washed and ready for a scrappy blanket for Project Linus...tomorrow nights project!!
 
Again...sorry it has taken me so long to crawl out from under my rock! 

Christy's Stocking

The stocking is done, but most likely I won't have time to mail it until next week.  I am headed out of town tomorrow and won't be back until Sunday.  I am going to Philadelphia to see my brother.  Yeah!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Meet Natalie

Where do you live?
I currently live in Centreville, VA which is pretty close to Washington DC. I've lived in this area since 2008 but I am originally from Roanoke, VA which is in the south western part of the state in a valley surrounded on all sides by mountains.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I am REALLY good at whistling which always surprises people because apparently girls aren't supposed to be good at it. I can pick up objects with my toes and pinch people with them too. I can cross 1 eye and leave the other one straight.

Name two things you consider yourself to be pretty good at.
I'm pretty good at stippling. I probably don't do it the way I am 'supposed' to but my way works for me. I'm still working on learning other free motion quilting techniques. I'm pretty good at solving problems like helping someone pick out a fabric to go with what they are working on or fixing a block that isn't working. If you have a problem, ask me because I can usually come up with a solution.

Name two things you consider yourself to be very bad at.
I am bad at following pattern directions. I am therefore pretty good at using my seam ripper. I am bad at cutting/saving/using coupons. I am therefore pretty good at finding things already on sale or finding discount codes online.

Do you have any siblings? What are they like?
I have several!

Christopher - step brother - He is always cold so we are always giving him warm socks and sweaters for Christmas and birthdays. He works for a construction equipment rental company and has a very large mustache.

Matthew - step brother - He is very loud and obnoxious but also very thoughtful and funny. He is the president of a paper manufacturing company in Maryland. He and his wife Jodi have my first niece Gracyn and are expecting another girl on November 19th.

Alissa - sister - She is so sweet and funny and generous. She always gives the best gifts for any occasion and I love her fashion sense. She works in customer relations for a very small web design company called Abeedle. She and her husband Keith have my two nephews: Coleman who is 5 and Ben who is 1.

Scott - step brother - He is such a sweet and caring guy but not many people know that because he's very careful about who he lets into his heart. We don't get to see him very often because he lives in Pittsburgh and works as a DJ/club manager.


Leslie - step sister - She is incredibly outgoing and has a wonderful singing voice. Her favorite color is pink (she is pretty obsessed really). She works at Best Buy and goes to school full time.


Michael - brother - He is also a sweetie pie and also pretty outgoing. He loves to fish and will get up at any hour or stay up until all hours of the night to do so. He is an excellent beer pong player and can grow a beard within a couple of days. He has some elusive contracting job with the Navy and we never really know what he's doing.

Have you ever won a trophy?
I have won several trophies in swimming, gymnastics, Odyssey of the Mind, Reflections, dancing, and 2 for a business plan competition in college.


Name one thing that not many people know about you?
I have grown my hair out to donate to Locks of Love 3 times. I took 3 years off between my second and third year of college.

What is your earliest memory?
I remember climbing into my little brother's crib to play with him in the wee hours of the morning. I must have only been a couple of years old but I was very skilled at getting to places I wasn't supposed to be.

What was your favorite musical group when you were in Junior High? Hmm...let's see...Ace of Base, Hootie and the Blowfish, Blues Traveler, Tracey Chapman, Aqua (specifically the Barbie girl song), Everclear, and a bunch of other bands I never listen to anymore. Somehow I still know most of the words to their songs.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
For a long time I wanted to be a fashion designer and then I decided to be a doctor. I stuck with doctor until my second year in college when I decided I would rather have time to spend with a family than a fancy title and a hefty school loan to pay off. I changed to a business major in Marketing after my three year break from college.

What are you passionate about? I love the quote by Mahatma Gandhi 'You must be the change you wish to see in the world'. I try to do little things every day to make the world a better place for everyone else because I want other people to pay it forward.

Who is the person you respect the most and why? I won't trouble anyone with the history but suffice to say that my mom is the person I respect the most because she has stood by me through everything and always made me feel like I am loved and welcomed.

What outdoor activities to you like? I like swimming, laying out in the sun, and playing with my dog.

If your house was on fire and you could only grab 3 things before leaving, what would they be?
My husband and dog of course but then I would save the quilts my mother in law made us and the ones I have made for us unless they were already on fire of course. Everything else is just stuff or in our fire safe box.

What is your most favorite place on earth?
Some beaches come to mind but to be honest, having my husband there with me is what made them so perfect. He brings so much joy and happiness to my life! 

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Almost caught up... Finally!

I have basically spent the day sewing and trying to get caught up on my commitments to this group. Please forgive me for being so slow this fall. Life has been a bit nutty and I had not unpacked my sewing machine since we moved the end of July (I was going to one weekend in Sept. but it just didn't happen....)


So here it goes....
Here is Patty's block for August! Hope you like the colors, I love this block and added it to my "someday list!"

Then comes September...
Here is Tonya's Bowtie Block, I love this block too. I don't have many 30's reproduction fabrics so I hope these are ok.

On to October....
This is my "almost" finished for Project Linus. The top is completely done, I just need to sandwich it and quilt it. I am going to mail mine to the Lubbock, Texas chapter. Our son was in the NICU there as a newborn in critical condition and I'll never forget the little quilt that covered his bed. I actually have a 2nd one I am working on to send with it.

And November...
I loved making this stocking for the Children's Home. Ministries such as this have a very dear place in my heart as two of my children were once orphans that God brought into our family through the gift of adoption. I will be forever grateful to those who cared for my children before they became my own. 
I wasn't sure what to do for this one so after seeing Jenny's picture, I drew a similar pattern and went to town crazy piecing Christmas fabrics from a cute little charm kit I was given last Christmas. I like how it turned out :)

It felt good to sew again, I have a huge tub of projects, some started, some planned that has sat untouched for months in the craziness... now that I have things organized a bit and unpacked, I can't wait to get a little sewing therapy in again whenever I have a free moment.

Everything goes in the mail on Monday!
Blessings,
Gayly

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

November Linky Party

Hello all of you out there! This is where you can post a picture of your stocking donated to a charitable organization! Please follow along; it will be so fun.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

The Stocking!

Okay I deliberated over the quilt for Project Linus but actually MADE my stocking so you would have inspiration.

Or not! Haha! I am a Christmas needs to happen after Thanksgiving gal but it was fun to work on the stocking regardless. I just did a freehand stocking pattern and winged it on construction. =O I am happy with it. Now I just need to go get a gift card for St. PJ's. I may look at their list again and put a few other things in the stocking that might be useful to sort of fill out the stocking. If anything I imagine some little chocolates might go over well! I know they are inundated with toys so I will steer clear of those kinds of things. Tempting as they may be. I cannot wait to see what you make! I know they will be appreciated. The staff was very excited about this idea. Know that whatever you have to offer will be graciously received.
Jenny Fish

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Better Late Than Never. . .

My Project Linus quilt:

Made with knit fabrics with three rows of ruffles.  A little tricky, but so soft!

XOXO

Leisel

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

November Charitable Project

Hi all! Sorry I am late posting my project idea. October and well September were both nutty! So I am just so happy I am only a day late! Yay!

I have chose St. Pj's Children's Home in San Antonio as the charity to donate to this month. They are an orphanage as well as a community counseling and service center for families in crisis. I am in the Junior League of San Antonio and this is an organization that we have had a long standing relationship partnering with them in a variety of ways to assist them with their needs. I have heard some of the stories of children that have been through there and it is appalling and heartbreaking.You can read more about their organization here.

I thought since our projects are essentially due at the end of the month which is the beginning of the holiday season we could make them stockings and include in the stocking a gift card of any value you choose. St. P. J.'s has a wish list here. Target and Walmart are two locations listed on the wish list which I assume you have one near you or one you frequent. The stocking can either be sent to me or you can send it directly to St. Pj's at

St. Pj's Children's Home
Attn. Jessica Gutierrez
919 Mission Road
San Antonio, Texas 78210

As for a stocking pattern, I plan to freehand mine. There are a lot of free stocking patterns online or you can use one of your stockings at home as a template. Make them as simple or as fancy as you want. Big or little it doesn't matter, the home will really appreciate whatever you send them. If you need a starting point for a stocking here is a tutorial I found online.

Have fun! Shoot me an email if you have any questions. My car is in the shop so I am the chauffeur extraordinaire which means I am even busier than ever. That being said, I will try to post a stocking later this week. Who knows maybe my project Linus quilt will get made too! =O

Jenny Fish

Monday, November 1, 2010

September Month 2010

I hate to go back in time, but I thought I'd put my quilt together and I'm missing 2 blocks.

Unfortunately, I didn't keep up with who sent and who didn't.

However, I'm sure everyone knows if you sent me a block or not.  Will the 2 of you be sending a block?

Hollie's October Quilt Top

Project Linus Quilt Top

I don't know where the month went! It flew by! And I have never been late in a bee before, alas I am late this month and I am so sorry. I spent much of Saturday getting my quilt finished for Project Linus and the binding is about a quarter of the way done. I am hoping to finish binding the quilt tomorrow so I can send it off to my local chapter on Wednesday. Forgive me!