Block Party

I worked on bee blocks this past weekend. 

I was in the 3x6 Bee as caretaker of the Pinwheels hive, so of course I chose a pinwheel block.  For once I chose an easy block that was quick to make, which was good because I spent most of the weekend with my foot elevated.  Hard to do that and sew!

This was a block that I found on last year's calendar.  I really like it.

One of the fun things about the 3x6 Bee is that you make the same block in different colorways.  It lets you see how the colors play together.  My friend and I have been talking about making a quilt like this - the same block in different colorways.  I think it would be gorgeous.

Apparently the only picture I took of this block was with my phone.  The blue is the same as in the blue/green block above, but it doesn't look the same here, does it?  Anyway, you get the idea.

Two of the members of this hive wanted rainbow blocks.  I was trying to figure out how I was going to do that with this block when I noticed this crayon fabric sitting right beside the sewing machine.  I had been auditioning it for something else, but it was perfect for these rainbow blocks.

I also made a few blocks for my friend Marian in the Bee Awesome bee.  The tutorial for the Bee Simple block is here.  She asked for three blocks, and I told her I would make a few more.  At first I made 7.

But they were so easy and so fun, I ended up making a round dozen.  I usually don't like blocks with gray in them, but I have to say, this color combination is so soothing, I may have to make myself a quilt using these colors.  Every time I looked at the blocks I just felt good.  Maybe gray does have its place in the world after all.

Finally, I got out my GMFG blocks and started putting those together.

Progress is pretty slow, but it's coming.  It's a great project for sitting in the recliner with your foot up.

Sorry for the distracting background in this photo, but I am making progress.  I'm out of yellow hexies again, so it's time to make some more.  I think this is going to be an ongoing project, and although it's on my 13 in 2013 list, I will be very surprised if this one is done by the end of the year.  It will be enough just to have made some progress, since it's all sewn by hand.  I am really loving the way this is coming together.  I think this may be a favorite quilt, if it ever gets done!

So that's what's been going on in the prsd4tim2 studio this week.  What have you been up to?

Fun Mail!

This has been another great week for fun mail here at the M household.  WH is in awe that there have been fun packages in the mail nearly every day.  If you read this post, you will remember that for once I had very specific ideas about what kind of journal cover would make my heart sing.  My partner for this round was ValeryAnne, and she really hit the nail on the head!  We've been partners before, so she knows my style...

And she met all the criteria:

It is pretty enough to take to work.

It is bright and cheery.

It has embroidery and embellishment.

It has this nifty snap latch so that I can tuck papers in and they won't escape.

And it even has an adorable pen holder on the inside.

She really pegged it, didn't she?

And I hadn't gotten around to taking pictures of the cool name tag that Wendy (lovethesky40) sent me in the RATZ swap.  This is one swap where I thought I had signed up and something went wrong.  Wendy came to my rescue and we swapped with each other.  We have also swapped before, so it was great fun.

And I just have to show you the back of my new name tag.  Love it!

I got a whole bunch more GMFG blocks in...

And some more basket blocks...

And even some blocks for a special project I'm working on...

So all in all, it was a great week for mail around here.

Wish I could say I had made this much progress on the outgoing mail this weekend.  Oh well....  Maybe next weekend.

Fun Mail!

Isn't it fun to walk out to the mail box and find wonderful little surprises waiting for you?  Yesterday and today have been that way for me.  Lots of fun mail finding its way to my house.

Isn't this little fabric basket adorable?  This little gem is from Rachel of Stitched in Color.  I love the colors and the prints she chose.  And who can go wrong with linen?

And check out the fun fabric card!  Whoooooooooo's it from, anyway???  haha

Here is the wonderful selection of scraps she sent.  She pegged me, didn't she?  All those lovely bright colors?  Perfect!

 And the basket coordinates so well with the fabric basket I received from Whitney in the Modernista swap.  Is that perfect, or what?

Whoa!  I didn't show you my Modernista loot?  Well, I'll have to fix that.  What was I thinking???  I received this back in July and I took pictures and everything!  Here's the serger cover Whitney (sew.whitney) made for me.  Isn't it cute?  And it fits the serger perfectly.  Love the applique dress.  And the orange/aqua combination is my new fave.

Whitney had my name for the needlebook swap in RATZ (Rapid and Tiny Zakka Swap) too, so she made a coordinating needle book.  Love it!

So here's the whole package.  It was such a fun swap!

Also in today's mail was this adorable summer mug rug from Jeanette (scrapnchick) in the Scrappy Mug Rug Swap.  I'm a little tardy with my offering this time.  I lost a whole weekend due to Hurricane Issac (which didn't come here, thankfully!) and I honestly thought I had more time.  I'm spending this weekend trying to get a bit caught up.  I am making progress, just not as much as I would like.

Anyway, is this camper not the cutest thing you have ever seen?  It is positively adorable.  WH and I have often talked about packing it in, selling it all, and taking off in the camper (that we don't have) to see America!  Now we can - vicariously, of course.  Love the detail in this delightful little mini quilt!  The pennants hanging outside and the curtains in the window!!  Too fun!

I'm also playing along in the Rugs with Friends swap.  This is a very small group swap, so by the time it's over we should have swapped with everyone, I think.  My partner this time was Irene, and of course the theme was autumn/Halloween.  I'm OK with Halloween, but I prefer the autumn theme.  This little mini is just so fun.  Love the cute pumpkin coasters and the "flower" on the left is an adorable drawstring bag.  Too cute.

I received an addition to my GMFG quilt from Becky (miesmama) in the Sew Fun Bee.  Once I receive all the blocks from these ladies I will have enough blocks to make the quilt.  BD#1 has my solid on order that I'm going to use to make the hexies to join the blocks.  Oh, this is going to be a lovely quilt!

And I received my first block in my new color scheme in the 3x6 Bee.  I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I'm in a star hive and a pinwheel hive this quarter.  This pinwheel block is from Suzy (Butternutlake).

I'm sure you'll agree that this has been an exceptionally fun mail weekend!  What a lucky girl I am!

Now, I'm off to make some {hopefully} cute little things to brighten someone else's mailbox next week.

Thanks for stopping by.

Paved With Good Intentions - Starting Over

I had such high hopes for the month of August.  I planned to make myself accountable and work on THE LIST of WIPs sitting in the sewing room to make room for some new projects.  Well, naturally, things did not go according to plan.  As usual.

I was fairly productive.  I participated in the Think Christmas Blog Hop and made a quilt....

I did manage to get two tote bags out of the WIP pile...

I made 4 Swoon blocks....

I played along in the Bowls With Borders blog hop and I made two wall hangings...

I finished my Covered Journal for my partner in Super Swaps...

And a name tag for my partner in the RATZ swap....

I made my swap items for my partner in the Scrappy Bits swap...

And chose the fabric I'm going to send along...

And even made some more hexies for my GMFG quilt.

But I didn't touch THE LIST.

1.  Jelly roll quilt - top is finished; needs to be sandwiched, quilted and bound
2.  Fairy Tale Friends - ditto
3.  3x6 Bee Blocks - I have accumulated enough blocks to make this quilt!
4.  Citrus Quilt - I have 10 of the 12 blocks I need, so the plan is to make 2 more blocks, then sandwich, quilt and bind
5.  Granny Squares Quilt - I have 12 of 18 blocks I need, so I'll make 6 more blocks, then sandwich, quilt and bind (SQB for short!)
6.  String Blocks Quilt -  I have 40 string blocks, so that should be plenty, , so make the top, then SQB
7.  Bow Tie Quilt - I have 80 bow ties, again, plenty, so make the top, then SQB
8.  Bento Block Quilt - I have 40 bento quarters, again plenty, so make the top and SQB
9.  Breath of Avignon Quilt - I'll have to see where I am with this one, but I think I can get it done as well.

Not.  One.  Single.  Finish.

I guess the good thing about lists is that this is MY list, and I can do it or not do it as I choose.  So, all those things will remain on the list.  For now.  Maybe I'll do better in September.

Maybe.

Meanwhile,  I have to go make a dress.

It's not on THE LIST either.

But despite progress on the list, I'm linking up with Lily's Quilts Fresh Sewing Day.  Won't you join me?

Fun Mail!

It has been quite a while since I did a fun mail post, but there has been some fun mail coming all along.  I'm not sure where I left off, but here are some goodies that have come recently.

I'm still working on my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt blocks.  I've tortured the members of several bees to accumulate my GMFG blocks.  I figure I need 80 blocks and these 8 bring me to 64.  I'm getting closer!!!

I finally chose the color for the connecting hexies and ordered a bolt from Westwood Acres.  I'm not going to count how many of those I need - I think I'd be really discouraged.  I'm sure it's in the hundreds.  And all the same =( but I'll get through it.  And my friend has offered to help.  Yay for good friends!

Nope.  Not the one with the pin.  That one is just too bold, I think.  I chose 9900-24.  It's a bright yellow, but I don't think it will take away from the blocks. 

And I've gotten a bunch of the basket blocks for my basket quilt from the ladies in the Bee Awesome Bee. Many, many thanks to them!  These blocks have been sitting in the WIP pile for at least two years, so it's nice to finally see some progress on this one.  This is a finish-it bee, so I should be ready to put this quilt top together when I get the rest of these!!!  Yay!  I'm starting to get really excited about this quilt.

And in other news, I talked to the sewing machine doctor on Monday and Stella is ready to come home.  He even offered to come by my house and put the rest of her together.  He says when you know what you're doing, it doesn't take long.  I'm sure she looks much better now!

Woo-hoo!  I can't wait.