3 things

these are a few things i would like to start in 2012. Swoon. everyone seems to be making this quilt. and i can see why. i want one. might even have some fabrics. looking for a background. i ordered a pink. but it didn't work. so using it for my Blogger's BOM quilt. i like it there. The Night Garden. i emailed to get templates. and soon will be deciding on fabric. so i will make some practice blocks. and to get me started there is a lovely tutorial. can't ask for more than that. Flock Together. found while flipping thru Sarah's book. possible stash fabrics will be used. but i really-really want to use this b&w for the background. trouble is. only purchased one-eighth-of-a-yard. crazy. now i want yards of it. does anyone know who makes it. have you seen it. anywhere. help.

Underground Railroad Sampler

an update. and i will put you-annoying-blocks away for a few weeks. every night they were taunting me. "aren't you going to finish me tonight". "why are you working on those other things". nag-nag-nag.i was all confused and tried to attend my October class a day late. so Wagon Wheel not finished.and for November there were so many pieces. and the little one. well as you can see. extremely tiny ones. so Carpenter's Wheel not finished. so nothing serious. i feel better. now i can work on som-other-annoying-blocks. and then something easy-pretty-please.

Blogger's BOM Quilt Along

block 1 is designed by Sherri of A Quilting Life blog.

block 2 is designed by Vicki of Field Trips in Fiber blog.

for more info on the Blogger's BOM Quilt Along see Jackie of Canton Village Quilt Works blog.

a really-mini-version of my quilt

i like saying that. really. i love muggie rugs and dollie quilts. but these little lovelies can be used or not used so many different ways. i know that i was going to show you my mini quilt yesterday. but when i got home. well i forgot about you. just sat there flaberghasted by all the bloggie blog hop traffic. and here too. 160+ comments. thank you. overwhelmed by many of you wanting to win. or just plain see. well i put it in the mail yesterday. and i miss it. i made the squares 3 in. only because of few of my scraps were not bigger. looks good. but they can't really handle such long ties. they look much better on the 4-1/2 in. squares. but i left them that way. Jackie can cut them down if she wants to. but the Ghastlies may not approve!! have you all been enjoying the hop. i have. been to every blog. left lots of comments. have been Ghastlie-inspired in directions i never thought of. taking some notes. and there are 5 more days to go.

Miss Karen ♥ The Ghastlies

comments after 10 p.m. EST will not be included.
you are welcome to continue to comment.
congrats to Jackie #122.
you're the winner of a really-mini-version of my quilt.
will post picture tomorrow.
grand prize winner for today has yet to be announced.
there were 2 grand prize winners for Day 3.
Sheri from Ms. Penny. and YES. Jackie from Miss Karen.


today is my day to share a secret project. and it's....
my go-to-patchwork-and-flannel-blanket-with-lots-and-lots-of-ties.4-1/2 in. squares.
in a 12-by-12 design.
12 each of 12 different fabrics.
"a Ghastlie night" on white, and pink.
"trees" on white, grey, and pink.
all six prints from "Shades of Grey" by Daisy Janie.
and a blue from "Lou Lou Thi" by Anna Maria Horner.

you might also want to have a look at.
my Madison bag which i completed a few months ago.

so.
at the end of today one comment will be picked from this post.
that name will win (from me) a really-mini-version of my quilt.
got that. a really-mini-version.
AND that name will be shared with Madam Samm.
for a Ghastlie giveaway on Madam Samm's Sew I Quilt blog.

now i'm off to see what the other Ghastlie girls have been up to.
Mrs. Barb.
Ms. Loralynn.
Ms. Jen.
Ms. Penny.
Mrs. Rhonda.

The Ghastlies Blog Hop

Miss Karen welcomes you.
to the 1st Annual Ghastlies Blog Hop.
it starts Monday, October 24th.
and ends Friday, November 4th.

54 of us.
have secretly been making things
using The Ghastlies fabric.
we knew it would be fun.
and thought you would think so too.

every week day there will be a list of bloggers to visit.
each blogger will show you a trick (aka their secret project).
and some might even have a treat (aka their own giveaway).
at the end of each day one comment will be picked from each blog.
and that name will be shared with Madam Samm.
for a Ghastlie giveaway on Madam Samm's Sew I Quilt blog for that day.
shipping cost will be the responsibility of winners.
however there is one prize which will have free shipping.

stop back on Wednesday, October 26th.
to see my secret project.
but be careful.
you could very well catch The Ghastlies fabric fever.

mystery sew along - day 1.

a quick mystery. here are my fabrics. i cut 2 of each for a total of 18 squares. for details see Trish on her Two Peas In A Pod blog.

sew along : the Madison bag : finished.

another Two Peas in a Pod pattern. made with Ghastlies fabric. for more pics of my bag see my sew along Flickr set. it's hard for me to believe that i did not initially like the Tree fabric. but got a bit of it. so really. how would i have made this bag without it.

next up for the sew along was meant to be the Spice Market Tote bag by Amy Butler (or any AB pattern). but i didn't plan well needed more interfacing and missed the deadline. but there is no reason why you can't go look at what everyone else made. while browsing the TPIAP patterns. which i guess are really called Sprouts. i was liking the St. Mary Backpack. so not part of a sew along i am going to make that. fabric has been picked. so Spice and St. Mary are in the works and need some attention.

while all this was going on a new event has popped up. it's The Ghastlies Blog Hop. if you love this fabric and wondered what to make i am sure the blog hop will give you lots of ideas. so keep an eye out for that next month.

Cream and Sugar Cowl

Cream and Sugar Cowl by Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting blog.
Shalimar Yarns. Breathless. Sprout.
75% merino. 15% cashmere. 10% silk.
#5 circular needles.
other Never Not Knitting patterns.
and Coastal Knits.

Underground Railroad Sampler

the September block is Monkey Wrench.
click here to see all my blocks.
24 pieced cornerstones. 0 since last time. 18 more to go.
and 128 flying geese. 32 since last time. 76 more to go.
HST's finishing the size of a dime. thankfully i only had to make 4.

Jelly Roll Classic Sampler BOM

here's Block 12.this is the Jelly Roll Classic Sampler BOM from The Quilt Room. the pdf files are no longer available from the website. but the pattern has been published in their new book. Jelly Roll Sampler Quilts.

Underground Railroad Sampler

the August block is Underground Railroad.
from a Quilt in a Day book by Eleanor Burns & Sue Bouchard.
the fabrics are Sweet Emilie by Jo Morton by Andover Fabrics.
this will be my 4th sampler class at Quilting By The Yard.
to complete the sashing for 12 in. blocks i will need.
24 pieced cornerstones. 2 down. 22 more to go.
and 128 flying geese. 20 down. 108 more to go.
also making 6 in. blocks. they are so cute. and make me smile.

synchronized squares quilt along : stitching.

here are my 9 fabrics. stitched and then cut up. with the bottom layer trimmed to reduce bulk in the joining.

sew along : the Ava bag : finished.

i dreamed of buying new fabric. but instead used this Momo black oval. and this very old blue print. purchased at a beautiful fabric store called S.P. Dunn & Co. located on LaSalle Road in West Hartford. i was so sad when it closed down. i didn't get much. but it was 54 in. wide. so i might get another project made before it hits the scrap pile. the inside pockets are padded. i like that. and the magnetic snap. much easier to put in than i had imagined. thank you Sara for choosing this pattern. from Two Peas in a Pod. for more info see Sara on her Sew Sweetness blog. and for more pics of my bag see my sew along Flickr set. next up is the Madison bag.

Country Gatherings

The Kids

last Sunday my sister had a party combining the birthday of her 12 year old and the graduation of her 18 year old. and i was happy to finally get my "all the kids" picture. not an easy thing to do in the middle of a party. if you tell one kid to go sit on the couch and they don't see anyone else there. they just walk away. here are the kids. standing: Gabbi holding Frankie. Brianna (bff of Gabbi). sitting: Shannon (bff of Nora). Nora. Giovanni holding Logan. Giancarlo holding Vito. Franco holding Giulia.craft-y-wise i made a birthday present and a graduation decoration.i made the Origami bag from Style Stitches. the XL size. i found this Twizzler print & used a very old strawberry print for the lining. didn't piece the outside. & didn't topstitch near the zipper. i plan to make a few more. i also made Candy Cup Cap decorations found on the Bakerella blog. these took me forever to make since melting chocolate and assembling food is just not my thing. 34 sticks filled 2 glass containers.perhaps this is where i would insert pictures of what my sister made for the party. but it doesn't always work out that way. so that's my job at the next party. she made 7-layer salad. she made oatmeal squares. she made carrot cake. she made a large cupcake cake. oooh. all that & dinner too. she's very crafty in the kitchen.do you have these signs where you live? homemade signs all over the place. thank you Sal's Mom for being crafty. & thank you Sal for sharing your sign with Franco, Josh, & Elvis.

Yo-Yo Along

getting ready for a mostly-hand-sew-project. the painter's tape box bottom is my template for tracing circles. my theme is white backgrounds. and one block or 16 yo-yo's a week. Penny will be making 7.5 per day. that's very funny. she will of course finish before me. for more details visit Penny on Sew Take A Hike blog.

Simple Things Quilt Along

do i feel bad about replacing those four-patches with a one-patch. no no no. i made 68 teenie flying geese. so there. then went ahead and finished all 17 star blocks. for more details visit Kelly on Charming Chatter blog or Carol on Brown Quilts blog.

synchronized squares quilt along : preparing.

all week i was walking around saying "you don't need to do this one". really. but i liked where it was going. easy and scruffy. just one obstacle. could not be new fabric. so i found. in my stash. 9 light-ish florals. picked another for binding. and some background. Southern Belle. a 200 ct. muslin. for more details on this quilt along see Rachel on p.s. i quilt blog.

Simple Things Quilt Along

not my favorite part. but i did it. pre-cutting. done.
must find more colors. Art Gallery fabric called Floral Elements.for more details visit Kelly on Charming Chatter blog or Carol on Brown Quilts blog.