Thimbleberries

look what i won just for showing up for our January meeting. the pretty print on top is going in my see-below-scrap-version.these are the 2009 first quarter club fabrics with my January instruction booklet. i chose the light version.with so many leftovers from the 2008 club fabrics. i decided to pick out the ones i liked. & use to make a second version with the 2009 pattern.the focus from the Lakeside group with boats is being used in my in-progress 3rd quarter project. & the focus from the Lodge group with pinecones was used for The Great Holiday Mystery Quilt. these are the ones not picked but could use if needed.& would you believe that the newsletter called for a scrap fabric challenge. i know. this year is going to be fun. the challenge is to make the club pattern using fabrics from your stash. so here's what i picked out. i started with that red print on the left. & then found pieces i loved that went with it.all my pieces for all three quilts are cut out and need to be ready to take to my next meeting. i'll share the results when i get them done.

Ay It Orward

what's missing.
of course it's the letter P and the letter F.
i'm looking for two more bloggers to sign up.
if you're interested go here and leave a comment.

how about a guessing game.
any ideas what this is?i'll give you two hints:
it was handmade by me as a gift!!!
it was made early 1970's!!!
if you think you know.
leave me a comment.
don't hurt my feelings.
i was really young.

guesses so far include:

NO to pillow, pajama bag, not a doll although meant to look like R-Ann, not a halloween costume although i did make one for a party once, one of many scary dolls, a scarecrow who said that, and not a diaper stacker although i made so many of those in the early 1980's.

YES to out of clothing, for a relative.

One Step At A Time

i found time last night to sew my pinned pieces for part 5. & been sticking close to my computer watching for more instructions. & this morning came part 6.look how amazing those sashing pieces came together to make a star. of course i could have guessed we would be sewing up those strips. but i've been busy. so i waited. one step at a time.want to see more. not yet. next time we're making a border.

Be Smart

this is my Be Smart block before the "be smart" lettering is added. teeny tiny black buttons will be added for eyes. three small buttons will be added near branch.

One Two Three Four

in no particular order.

quilt top for sampler class.
bottom pieced border needs to be attached.birthday 2009 shorts for nephews.
2 down 2 to go.
three each were started for birthday 2008 and one each was made and given in 2008.knitted sweater started for niece for 2007 xmas.
clearly it's almost done. what's my problem. i hope it still fits.remainder of 2008 xmas quilts.
can't say how many are left to finish.
they've all been tied. just need bindings.
clearly it's more than five.i tend to juggle about four projects at the same time. hoping that one of them will get done. before the magnet pulls me in another direction. it's pretty simple what they would be. presents. deadlines. a really old project that just must get done. or an almost finished random project that i can finish quickly because i am about to replace it with a new project.

none of these will be on my 1234 next month. i promise.

Ninety Nine One Hundred

tomorrow i will tell you about my One Two Three Four list. but today. honest and upfront. is what is on the bottom of my list. & will more than likely hang there for some time.isn't it pretty. like a rainbow. yes. but everything about it is overwhelming. very focused quilters are still working on one. my focus is like a rabbit. jumping from one carrot to another. i'm already having UFO nightmares. but i really really want one in progress. so when i happened upon this one. where the colors & fabrics will be picked by someone else. i said that's the one. i signed up and month 1 is here. but i can't start until i get the book or cd. & month 2 will be here before i get those. i can't even imagine finishing. but you can't finish what you don't start. wish me luck. here's my progress so far.buying a green bucket to hold my first 10 fabrics. pretty good so far. stop laughing.

Twiddletails blog also has a Twiddletails store & is taking Rainbow Jane sign-ups for April & started a Rainbow Jane blog & started a Rainbow Jane Flickr group.

Scrappy Sunday

Block #26i've added my scrappy blocks to Flickr so you can easily view them together.

No Time

being busy will prevent me from figuring this one out today.but i managed to pin my pieces into final strips for part 5:i'll get them sewn as soon as i have time to change the thread.

No Sewing

just a few cuts for part 4:

Sew Sweet

don't you just love anything Valentine. well Jessica couldn't wait any longer. a strip quilt was what she wanted.she picked out some great new prints. then mixed with a few of my oldies. wow. she's happy now. i'd like to make one too. but my must-get-done list needs some attention.i love it.

i was going to wait a little longer. but it's time to announce that i signed up for PIF on Shari's blog, Mumsyblossom's World.i'm quite excited about this. i luv to make things. & it's so much fun to make things for other people. so i invite you to participate in this with me. i need 3 people. so if you would like to join me in this. please leave a comment on this post saying you want to be one of the three. other comments are welcome.

the rules for Pay it Forward are like this:

*three people will be chosen to participate with me when they leave a comment on this post asking to join.

*because i have signed up on Shari's blog. Shari will send a handmade item made by her to me-me-me. & also to the other two people who have signed up with her. that's three.

*then i will send a handmade item made by me to the three people who sign up with me.

*i will have a time frame of 12 months to do this.

*if you sign up then you agree to post a similar announcement on your blog inviting three more people to join you.

*& you will send a handmade item made by you to each of the three people who sign up with you. and so on.

*once you have three people. you will have a time frame of 12 months to send those three people a handmade item made by you.

*international o.k. with me.

Tea Pics

three little teapots i don't use for tea.the sewing machine teapot is just decorative. made by Cardew Design in England. bought years ago on QVC. i keep this on my mantle.

the striped teapot is one of those make-tea-for-one-combos. Jessica bought this for me xmas a few years ago. i used it then. but now i keep the jug part to add water to my iron. i love pretty things around me. plastic not so pretty.

the floral teapot is a baby shower favor that my sister Linda and i found at Christmas Tree Shoppe. they cost only $2.99. we bought about 16. the shower was at Anna's house. oh yeah. the shower was for Jessica. we set up little tables with tablecloths and centerpieces to resemble a tea shop. there were many designs for which we let everyone pick the one they wanted to take home. i liked this one. i use it sometimes. but mostly keep in cabinet next to my favorite cups and mugs.

Scrappy Sunday

yeah. i know it's Monday. but i picked 8 new fabrics last night & then fell asleep on the couch. so this morning i captured 4 more to bring you Block #25:can't skip too many times. don't want you to think i have abandoned it. 10 more blocks would bring me out to 3/29. but i really would like to have it all sewn together by then.

I Wonder...

how long a Summer Holiday lasts in Australia.we could be half way finished. here's part 3.since these pieces are big. i decided to obey and not trim out the entire corners. that would be 64. plus save the trimmed-out-pieces for another project.

I Think I Need A Bigger Design Wall

o.k. so it only took me 2 minutes to do this. but now that i did it. it has moved to the top of my to-do list.there's a quilt i want to make that will require the use of a design wall. i don't have book which contains pattern. i am working off of a picture. but as soon as i saw it. i knew it was the one. but i have to get hit in the head at least 3 times. hopefully in the same week. before i take action. (1.) find pattern for fabric collecting for long time. (2.) find accent fabric that ties it all together. (3.) tape scrap of batting to small open space above couch. so i went to my neatly organized stash pile. you don't believe that do you. i looked every where for those fabrics. making a mess of course. swearing the whole time that i had more than i found. and where could they possibly be. but the rotary cutter was happy. i have started another quilt.

I Haven't Peeked Yet

have you?here's my stack for part 2:

Tea Pics

these are a few of my tea tools.my collection of Emma Bridgewater polka dot pieces. a sample baby mug. a dolly tea plate. a wall tile. a medium bowl. all from ebay. my mixture of teaspoons. an old teatowel. an amazing sweetener in agave nectar. my friend January the goldfish who is now one year old. i must remember to buy fish food today. he's been on a once a day feeding schedule for the past week and today we're out. almost everyone i know is getting sick. so i must recommend the tea i drink every winter. Gypsy Cold Care from Traditional Medicinals.

why the all-of-a-sudden interest in tea. well i'm in the Time For Tea Swap hosted by Stephanie of Loft Creations. this is my first swap. & Stephanie has gathered some tea related sewing links here. so even if you're not part of the swap. you can still sew some fun.

yesterday i recommended to a friend that if she wanted to make a valentine quilt. to pick valentine fabrics and participate in The Great Summer Holiday Mystery. today i'm going to recommend to make a tea quilt you just pick tea fabrics. i've already picked my fabrics. but i (of course) am tempted to start another one. it promises to be simple and for beginners. so it's not too late to start.

did anyone notice the coffee filters in the teabag bowl?

Summer In New England, Not Really

don't look if you're playing.

you have been warned.

Helen from Hugs from Helen is sponsoring a mystery quilt.these are my fabrics.
courtesy of unusual stash.
i had joined the Thimbleberries 2008 Club.
but did not make the featured quilt.these are my gigantic blocks from part 1:i told you not to look.

Go Green

Marit of Quilt It posted this challenge. and here is her tutorial. it's a gift to us for her first blogversary.here's the back of my first practice pieces.here's the front of my first practice pieces.i love it. top left is the scrappy one. i tried to follow Marit's example but still find picking which scraps to use and contrasting a bit exhausting. bottom right is the greens only one. i've always wanted to make a green only quilt with just squares. hmmm.to be honest. after rummaging through my stash which is all over the place. i quickly emptied 6 laundry baskets and did a quick sort of my lying-around-stash by color. but even after doing this i was still making such a mess. so guess who's going to make a green only spiderweb.

It's Not That Easy Being A Star

enjoying my hibernation a bit too much. & a touch of blogger's block. so here's a video of my niece Nora with her friend Olivia. i made them do about six takes. my direction may have interfered with their improvisation. this gift is from my Mom's sister, Aunt Karlene, who makes these yummy bags for every one every year.


in the middle of MY shoot. there came a call for sledding. priorities were tested. i don't like being outside when it is cold. & i haven't gone down myself in a long time. (my sister is standing behing Gabbi & Nora on round sled being pushed by Giovanni. Olivia standing. Jessica is pushing Giulia on small sled.)


but call me on a sunny day. it sure looks like fun. if i don't pass out from fright on the way down. i just might not be able to climb back up. even a 9 year old has to stop and rest between runs.Pamela Joy eventually had to leave and go back home. so i scrambled to document.she brought me one of my vintage sewing surprises in her luggage. Pam and my sister and i had fun on Xmas Eve looking at it. it was a shock seeing it in person after all these years. i will share pics with you later. Pam brought Miss Roxy with her. Miss Roxy had her own luggage with enough outfits for each day. and brought Princess a new sweater. Champ would like me to stop talking about such things.this was the best i could do to get all three together.