Here goes...

I have decided to try another quilt-along!




Even though this is actually my second quilt along (read about my first one HERE), it FEELS like my first, because the last one mostly just focused on different quilting styles.
Usually I just follow the quilt-alongs and then bookmark them for later use once they are finished.  But this time, I think I am actually going to make each block as we go!  This is a pretty big leap for me...
The reason I finally chose a quilt-along is because this one focuses on EMBROIDERY!  The timing is perfect.  I have been a crosstitcher my whole life (mostly sticking to counted crosstitch kits), but never ventured into the world of embroidery.  Now, I think I am ready to try!
This quilt-along will have 9 blocks.  That sounds pretty doable, right?  I am thinking that instead of making mine into a quilt, I will make three separate wall hangings.  Perhaps one for my mom, one for my MIL, and one for me?  Maybe...
Hubby said I could only do this quilt-along if I shopped my stash.  So I did!  Jennie says we will need 9 fat quarters all together (3 for every 3 blocks).  Since some of my fat quarters aren't exactly full fat quarters any more, I decided to go with 4 for each mini-quilt.  After MUCH deliberation and switching around, this is what I ended up with:

Bundle #1

 Bundle #2

 Bundle #3

Can you tell which one is intended for me?  Yep.  #3.  Bright and cheery!  And there are TWO pink prints. :)

Now I have to pick up some thread for them! (I don't have a lot of that on hand... don't tell Hubby!) I think it is going to be hard to choose with this much variety to match.  Wish me luck!

And for fun, I thought I would throw in a sneak peak of the crosstitch pattern I am working on right now.  Hopefully I can finish this one before Christmas! ;)

Blogger's Quilt Festival

I've been following Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival for awhile now (I LOVE IT!) and I finally got up the nerve to enter a quilt of my own...

This is the first bed sized quilt I have ever made.  I'm still pretty new to quilting (and will probably never stop), so this quilt was a major learning experience for me!  I learned a lot about color, precise piecing, arranging, straight line quilting (and the importance of REALLY good basting), and even cutting - I cut this quilt out entirely with SCISSORS!  I know, I must have been crazy.  I was hoping/expecting to get a rotary cutter/mat/ruler set for my birthday and just couldn't wait, so I cut all the pieces by hand.  Don't worry - I have the proper tools now and have been using them for the past year or so (I started this quilt in July and finished it in April).

I originally intended to give this quilt to one of my sisters when they got married - but none of them is married yet!  I was going to put it in the closet for storage, but then I accidentally put it on my bed... and never took it off!  I actually love it on my bed.  Besides, there are SO many flaws in this quilt - my sisters will be grateful to get something a little more professionally done.

And here it is!  Enjoy!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!
Hopefully there will be a lot more stuff here in the next few months.  Thursday is the last day of school and I am BURSTING at the seams with anticipation!!!

Mother's Day

Things have been quiet around here.  We are on the home stretch at school and I just come home wiped every day.  Plus, I think I am coming down with something.  I feel really bad that I haven't really made anything for almost a month!
I did, however, whip these little babies up on Mother's Day.  Yep.  I made them ON Mother's day - before we went to church.  We kind of procrastinated this year and couldn't decide what to give our moms.  I have been seeing lots of little make-up pouches in blogland lately.  Then I found THIS tutorial at kellyrachel.com and decided I might as well give it a try.  I made two of these in a couple of hours.  Unfortunately, it was overcast the whole day and I didn't have a ton of time to take pictures before we drove out to our moms' houses, so the pictures are not that great.  Oh well.  At least I made something!  I am SO looking forward to school letting out so I can spend some good quality time in my sewing room!!!

Makeup roll for my mom:

Makeup roll for my mother-in-law: