Latest Projects

This is a sneak peek at the latest quilt I am working on. For those of you who are family members, no fair telling, as this is a surprise anniversary present for grandma and grandpa Packard next July. Two of my sisters have taken different blocks to work on also. The pattern is Lori Holt's Reunion quilt. We have personalized it to fit our family with a four wheeler, projects, and our own deck of Make-A-Million cards! It will be so fun to see the finished product. The center block of the quilt is this family tree, complete with names on the leaves. They will be more noticable after I stitch the names on...

These may be hard to see, but these are the fabrics I am contibuting for the "I Spy" quilt swap that my daughter is heading up. She made one of these quilts herself a while back, and I loved the idea so much that I wanted to be in on her swap. The finished product will look like this.

It was so fun finding these fabrics. I usually don't look for these kind of prints for my sewing, unless I am making a quilt for my grandkids - which is exactly what this quilt will be for. (Although adults would probably love playing "I SPY" with it too!)

I'll be back when I get the rest of the squares for the entire quilt. Yay!

My New Project

Lately I've been working...AND working on these aprons. I am involved in a "swap" with 14 other ladies to get this quilt done. I am making 14 of these apron blocks by September 1st, when we will all get together and swap blocks, each coming away with 14 different aprons. This pattern calls for turn-under applique, which I love, and has been so fun. It will be REAL fun to get 13 other aprons at the end of the month! Here's a block in progress...
My stack of finished blocks. I have 4 more to go then my 14 will be done. At the end of the cherry stems on the pockets go "cherry" buttons. I have decided to leave them off and let the ladies choose their own buttons. We were also advised to use "vintage" fabrics on these. I am happy to say that I only had to get 2 pieces of fabric that I didn't already have. Yay for me!

Sorry this picture didn't turn out. I tried to get a clear one about 5 times. To no avail...

We used one of Lori Holt's cute patterns. I love her stuff. You can check out her site here. My next project will be her "Reunion" pattern for a fun family surprise! Got to finish this one in time though first...

Christmas in Ju...June!

I'm getting the itch to get working on something again, and this time the season has come calling. Not the season we're in...it's too hot to even want to do anything. So I had to put on my winter thoughts and think "cold" (or even "cool") to start this lovely project. It's a wallhanging from the creative mind of Nancy Halvorsen of Art to Heart fame called "Joy To The World." I love this pattern and have wanted to make it for quite a while. This is the sneak preview of it, as I still have to do the blanket stitching and detail work on it. Hope to get it done after this weekend. Actually, before Christmas. Too much going on...

Another One of These...

Got another table topper "top" done yesterday. The kids were gone, the husband was gone, and I was looking around the house for things to do, which is pretty sad. I figured I'd better get started on another project. This one is for my daughter and will end up on a black kitchen table. Should look pretty cool on black, I think. I used a tradition line of "Collections for a Cause" and just need to back and bind. The sashing and border is actually done in a tan color, but it didn't show up very good in the photo. Off to the next thing...

Lost Pictures...

Sorry I've been gone for so long. Between having grandkids all month of June and a quick trip to the beaches of Carlsbad, California where I grew up, it's been pretty crazy, with no time to blog. At least it wasn't my top priority. I looked through my camera disk and found these pictures. I must have forgotten about taking them, because this project has been done for quite a while. I still have to have it quilted, but it's pinned and ready to go. Just a fun tabletopper that was fast and easy... I love those kind.

I love the cream in it. This was done with a "Tranquility" charm pack.
And of course, I am incorporating the scraps into the back. I'll post the finished product when I get it back from the quilter. She's been out of the hot Nevada heat and up to her cabin in the Utah mountains for the last 3 weeks. I have a pile stacking up just waiting for her...

Super Saturday!!

Today I finished my "Be Attitudes" quilt top. I took the advice of my good friend, Sherri, and made the border a scappy one, using all of the border prints that came with the kit. I only want to put one border on the quilt, but they give you four different fabrics to put four borders on. I didn't want it to be too big to put on the wall, so I went with one border in all colors. I am in the process of putting together my quilt back, using a lot of different fabrics again. You know me and not being able to throw away scraps...

I also had the chance to head into Vegas to pick up my youngest daughter and had some free time to check out the sewing machine store that Sherri sent me to. I ended up putting $200 down on this lovely machine, a Janome DC3050, which I will make payments on until the end of August...then it is mine, all mine! Just in time for all of my Christmas projects to get done. Yay me again!!

Block 5

It seems that I get later and later in the month before I finish each new block that comes. Not that I am getting tired of doing them...I just get busy with all of the other projects I am working on, or even just trying to keep up with the family's busy schedule of concerts, field trips, and baseball games - not to mention my piano lessons, church assignments, and household chores. My poor little blocks have been getting sent to the back seat before I remember that they have feelings too and want to be complete. A completed block makes ME feel better too, I guess.

FLANNEL - (just in time for a hot, Nevada summer!)

We've started our women's sewing group project this month and one of the quilt patterns that some of us are using is the "Fields of Flowers" pattern by Pieces From My Heart. I bought a flannel jelly roll of "Timber Creek Flannel" a few weeks ago with the intention of making some kind of quilt with it. I thought that this would be the perfect easy pattern for this cute, cabin-y line of fabric. I love the colors. I told my husband that I was going to make it and take to use at the family cabin. He said "Forget it! It's staying home with us!" What d'you know? He's converting!

New Fabric, a Sneak Peek, and a Project

The post office has been good to me this week. I received my "Hello Betty" layer cake (to match my charm pack) and the "Timber Creek Flannel" yardage to go with my Fields of Flowers quilt that I will be starting next week with the church ladies. The other yardage is from the "Portugal" line, which I LOVE! The first charm packs I ever bought are "Portugal" packs, 3 of them...so this should make a lovely quilt when I figure out which pattern I want to use.

When my daughter saw all of the fabric coming in the mailbox for 3 days in a row, she told me that I couldn't buy any more fabric till I did all of the projects that I had started...I swear I heard her say "You can't use the car until you have cleaned up your room!" Since when does a 21 year old tell her 50 year old mother what to do?! (The worse part of it is that I know she's right!) So, here is a sneak peek, and the only peek at one project I need to finish. I can't show the end result because this is ending up a gift for Christmas. Too bad!

I decided I'd better get a move on with an already purchased fabric and mind my daughter. So, here is a tablerunner that I have planned on making for a while, made out of a lovely "Louise" charm pack. The pattern came off the Moda Bake Shop. I love the way it is turning out. I used my extra fabric strips for the back again. It is pinned and ready to stipple...the only problem is that my sewing machine is 25 years old and doesn't stipple. So I am hoping that my good friend Sherri, will do it for me. Then on to the binding, and a project is done! One down, and about (?) to go!!

Sneak Peak

Here's the startings of another project. I am borrowing the idea from a tutorial of my good friend. I am excited to get these to come to life, and I am also able to use my "Butterfly Fling" jelly roll that I have had since I began purchasing them months ago. Come back, and watch as it develops. My "Butterfly" quilt is at the quilter's getting an edge-to-edge done on it. Thank you Quilt Hollow, for the suggestion on that one. I am always open to "professionals" helping me out whenever I need a suggestion. I can't wait to get it back and see how it has transformed into a work of art! Life is good...

My newest project

I used one of my charm packs and the pattern that I got in the mail to make this cute little tabletopper. It's only 17" by 17", but perfect for my family room table that we use for games, puzzles, or just snacking in the afternoon. I only have to put the binding on it and then it is finished and adopted into the family for good.

I used every little scrap I could. I'm not very good at throwing them away. They are too beautiful, and I always think that I could use them for something. So for the back of this tabletopper, I just sewed every little strip together to make a few long strips and incorporated them into the back, just for a little pizzazz. Cute, huh?

Block 3

These little blocks have been so fun to do. They work up so fast and I can get them done in an afternoon if I don't have any other obligations. Doing these blocks have especially made me realize how fast each month comes and goes. Before I know it, I will have 12 done and the year will have snuck up on me and left me in the dust. If time is going to go by that fast, I might as well have something beautiful to show for it, right?!

Better late than never...

Wow - I was really slow getting this next block onto the blog. I've had it done for about 2 1/2 weeks now, I just got lazy about posting about it. I'd better hurry, because next months pattern comes out today! So here it is, the block for February. I love how the white stitching "pops" out on the ecru background. I wasn't sure how that was going to look. I've decided I really like it. Check back later...

A New Project

It's a real bummer when you finish what you're working on and you think you have nothing else to do. Actually, I have PLENTY to do - like vacuuming, cleaning, walking, etc., but who wants to do THAT when you can sew?! Soooo, I found some more fabric, actually Michaela found it, and started asking questions about what could be made with it. I told her the cut strips were perfect for making a "stripes quilt" that I have been wanting to work on. I had a little free time, so thought I would start it for her, as she was nervous that she would mess it up. Whatever. So here is the startings of it, I still have more strips to add to it. The colors in the photo don't do it justice. They are brilliant and rich. I'm thinking I might just make this for my bed. It would look great with the right border and some yummy pillows to match. Be back soon...

Next Phase...

I have finally gotten back to my "butterfly" quilt. I have been busy with Landon's games and Pre-Ward Conference visits. This is one of the squares all cut, rotated, and sewn to make a block. I took all of the blocks, each one a different color scheme, and this is what it will look like. I wish that you could see the colors "Live" because they are all so much brighter than what you see. Off to the next phase...sewing the blocks together to form the quilt top.

"Butterfly Fling" Fabric

Yesterday was a great day for sewing...and sewing I did! The kids had no school, it was raining most of the day (love those rainy Mondays) and so I got a jump on the wash to do and got busy on the machine. I have decided to make a quilt with these cute, bright fabric pieces. It will end up a fun patchwork look when it is done. So to begin, I had to sew these 9-patch squares together. Don't you love the colors? You know me...the brighter, the better. This should end up a pretty flashy quilt. Who knows, maybe it'll end up being more of a "grandma's house" quilt. Come back later for the next phase...

Gettin' 'er done...

On Saturday I was able to get a little sewing done after being on the couch most of the day with a fever. I spent my session in the temple on Friday with chills and body aches (after I got to the temple, of course) but was glad that I went. I was planning on getting the top of Connie's table runner put together on Friday, but decided I'd better nurse myself back to health instead. So by Saturday night my fever had broke, and I was good to go. Here is what it will look like...very elementary (it is my first), but will look great in her house. Now just to back and bind it, which I get to do today!! (after I vacuum and dust...)

STILL LEARNING...

Yesterday I started Connie's table runner for her house. It actually didn't take as long as I had thought it would. The cutting out takes the most time, but was fun too. Part of the runner calls for these 4 piece squares. The hardest part about doing these was cutting the scraps off! I am saving the scraps though...I'm sure I can use them for something. I couldn't get any sewing done today as I was feeding firefighters down at our poor church building that burned down today. But after a good night's sleep, I plan on getting the top finished. Then on to backing, quilting, and binding! (Oh man, Landon has a game in Vegas tomorrow too.) I'll have to lickety split it!

Perfect!! (Sorry it's a little blurry)

Not so perfect... (check out the middle seam, aarrgghh!) Tomorrow I have a great recipe to share with you too. Yummy pancakes that are healthy, fast, AND uses food storage ingredients. Come back...

OH MY GOODNESS, OH MY GOODNESS!!

I have started collecting fabric for my projects (on sale, of course) and have enough of a "stash" to get something started. The packages of squares are 5" x 5" pieces of fabric with about 40 in each one. They are called "Charm Packs." They are from one line of fabric, which makes it nice when you are trying to coordinate your colors. I am planning on making a quilt with the three yellow ones. I will have to post about that later, because I have plans for other things first. The cute little rolls of fabric are called "jelly rolls" and contain 2 1/2" strips of all fabrics in a line of fabric. The pre-cut fabric makes it easy to assemble certain projects that might require cutting fabric into strips. The yardage was just a good deal. I'm not sure what will come from that, but SOMETHING for sure!I even bought me some Christmas fabric after the holidays when it was pretty inexpensive. Yay for me!!

But THIS is the first thing on my list of things to start...a table runner I promised Connie. It will be my first table runner that I have made. The colors will match Connie's newly-painted kitchen and are very rich in color. All I need is to find a pattern that will use both squares and strips so that I have little cutting to do.
I have also been stitching this block and got it finished in a couple of days. It is part of a Christmas quilt (I have changed THAT up a bit with pinks and greens instead) that comes a month at a time. Meaning a new block pattern every month to stitch up, which will be nice when I am working on other projects. I will be using the different fabrics for different blocks. This is a free pattern that I got from another blog.
So there you have it...the latest things that keep me busy.

BE ATTITUDES QUILT

I have been working on and off on my "Be Attitudes" quilt since the kids left after Christmas. This is a project that is going to take some time, as I have to do quite a bit of embroidery to each square. I have all of the blocks put together (12 of them) so they are all ready to be stitched. The quilt store, and the instructions in the pattern book call for sewing machine blanket stitch around the appliqued pieces, but I wanted to hand blanket stitch them instead. I find that it is great therapy for me and very relaxing. Hence, they will take longer to do. I am not in any hurry though, so here is a rundown on the finished blocks...


This is the block for January. This is one of my favorite ones. There are stitched snowflakes that go along the top part of this block that I haven't done yet. He also gets a carrot button nose after the quilt is finished and put together.This one is in the February spot. I didn't realize that these blocks go with the month until I really looked at them. Some of them are generic, but the overall look of the finished quilt is seasonal, I think.
This one is kind of funny. Who would have thought that an ant would end up on a quilt, but the little guy is about the best example of someone being positive, don't you think? This one ends up with a big red (cherry) button on top of the cupcake.
This is also one the favorites in the family. The big girls especially like this one. This guy ends up with BIG black button eyes at the end, and "berry" button around the leaves.
This is the one that I just finished today. This block also has quite a few buttons on it when it is finished. On each seed packet goes a flower button, with 3 different flower buttons going down the right side plaid strip.
I will post as I make them, so that you can see each block. I have been working on a "Block of the Month" quilt that I got free from a blog I follow. It includes some stitchery as well. Stay tuned for that...