Hot off the Presses!

Have you seen the latest issue of Fat Quarterly? I just did and had to run straight to my sewing machine to make one of the projects -- the Spool Block Makeover by John Kubiniec. (hint: it is on page 81).

John's pattern was for a quilt, but my schedule today didn't permit for that big of an impulse-sew (is that a real thing?). I decided to make a placemat instead. My mom, she-who-can-never-have-enough-taberunners, has decided that she can not have enough placemats, either. OK, Mom, I got the hint. I decided to put a section of the border on one side of the block to make the placemat.

Is this not a great block? Will it not be a cute placemat?

Run to your computer and buy the Fat Quarterly, then run to your sewing machine and make this block. It is too cute to resist!

Just in Time

Several years ago at Quilt Festival, the Handi Quilter booth was across from the Cherrywood Fabrics booth. I wanted one of everything that I saw! That was one expensive quilt show for me. If you haven't seen (or touched!) Cherrywood Fabrics, then you haven't lived.

I bought as much fabric as my luggage could hold.

Recently, I was invited to a party and wanted to wear something different than my one black dress. I chose to wear my one black dress with a new colorful wrap made out of Cherrywood fabrics:

I finished this wrap at 6pm and had to leave for the party at 7pm. Why was I worried?

Oh the weather outside was frightful

This morning I was scheduled to teach a home-machine quilting class at the Quilt Basket. It was snowing and my students called to cancel. I found myself awake, showered, dressed and facing an unexpected full day at home.

What's a girl to do?

Wanting to squeeze as much as possible into my first snow day of the season (I was out of town for our big snowstorm last October), I:

• made French toast from my home-made wheat bread (no photos, but yum!)
• cleaned out the refrigerator and freezers
• made five dinners for the freezer for hubby to eat while I'm teaching out of town
• made Pho Bo (a Vietnamese soup) and veggies for lunch

• finished a present (photo will be on the blog after the gift is given)
• finished listening to Crossed by Ally Condie (meh)
• played with my sweet Sweet Sixteen

A simple overall leaf pattern will finish this quilt nicely:

I'm not a huge fan of winter, but I do love a snow day!

Orange You Glad?

Last fall I taught a tablerunner pattern online for Patchwork Posse. I chose bright and fun colors:

It was so much fun teaching for them. They have some other wonderful classes online that you should definitely check out.

As always, I had extra fabric from the tablerunner. I actually had a lot of extra fabric, so I decided to make matching cloth napkins:

After I was done with the cloth napkins, I still had some fabric left, so I decided to make some Potato Chip Bags and Wonder Wallets:

These have been gifted to some lovely young ladies. I hope they love them!

_________________

Weird fact about me: I love dishes. I constantly struggle to not buy dishes. I lost my battle when I saw these:

C'mon. You couldn't have resisted them either.

Design Wall Monday

I love winter! OK, I do hate being cold and I do miss the sun, but in the winter I don't travel much to teach quilting and have time to stay home and sew!

The proof is on my design wall:

The blocks on the left are from a Block-of-the-Month at the Quilt Basket.

The block on the right is a variation of Sugar Pop N Change from Moda Bake Shop. The variation is because I read the directions wrong.

Head on over to Judy's blog to see how everyone else is doing.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving!

Last summer, I made myself a Christmas bedspread and pillowcases and shockingly remembered to put them on my bed in December.

I had some fabric left over. Isn't that always the way?

Moda Bake Shop posted a pattern for a gym bag a while back. I made the bag, but used cotton instead of PUL.

It was a great pattern and I will definitely make another one.

But, I still had fabric left.

I pulled out my Potato Chip Bag pattern that I've been meaning to make for a few years:

While I was at it, I pulled out my Wonder Wallet pattern and made a matching wallet. How cute is that?

I have to put all of my Christmas fabric items away, but I can't wait to get them out to use again next December!

Just wow.

This morning, a friend let me know that I was on Quilt It! on QNNtv.com.

If you are a subscriber, the show can be viewed here. If you are not a subscriber, consider becoming one. There are so many wonderful quilting shows to watch!

Hurry! Hurry!

Make curry!

Curried Tofu with Rice, that is.

I'd invite you for leftovers, but there aren't any.

for Hannah

My blog has been sadly neglected for a while, so I am pleased to post a finished quilt:

And a scrappy back:

I started the quilt sometime last year, quilted it in November/December, and recently finished the binding. The quilt has been shipped off to baby Hannah (born last fall) and I hope she loves it!