Love this Fabric!

Just had to share what I bought this morning! I couldn't resist this fabric by Aneela Hoey: 

I bought 4 yards of it! 

Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but it reminds of the summer vacations we spent at my Granny's ranch. I'd spend entire days outside eating strawberries from her garden, playing fort in the hay barn, looking for kittens, begging my aunt to let me ride a horse and reading books in trees.  

I'm thinking this will make a cute back to a lap quilt?? 

Who knows, all's I do know is it makes me smile! 

Okay...now it's time to get sewing.

Val:)

Summer Project List Update

One Project Linus top done! I used a variegated light blue thread on top and a pantograph pattern called Playful Paisleys. I thought it would be a nice pattern for a teenage girl. I'll get the binding sewn on today so I have something to work on as I relax inside during this hot weather we are experiencing.

I have another Project Linus quilt on the frame. I plan to free motion this one.

And....along with getting the above binding sewn on this weekend, I plan to turn these into 9 square blocks...and then cut them up! I'll show-n-tell the results once I get them going!  

Hope your weekend is filled with fun projects too and that you are keeping cool!

With smiles!

Val:)

My Summer Project List

I realized last night that I have 10 more Hexi's to make for my Hexagon quilt. So on top of making those, this is what my Summer Project List looks like in my sketch book:

 

This is my "Hoochy Heart" quilt. There is no pattern to this, 

just me having fun at the sewing machine.

I plan to finish and quilt it.  I'm thinking of using a flannel backing since we'll be using 

it in the studio when we take a break and watch a movie.

 

I've had this quilt top done for a year and am so excited to be able to quilt it myself. 

 (I picked a black with small white poka-dot fabric for the backing!!)

I want to quilt  these for Project Linus:

 And at the sewing machine, I'm making a scrappy quilt for one of our upstairs bedrooms.

This is my last full week of summer school. Then, because of the Fourth of July holiday, I have two half weeks. I feel myself creeping into summer and starting to prioritize where I'll begin. Knowing me, I'll be working on three projects at once!
Until then, I think I'll get a quilt on the frame
and at least get started with one project on my "To Do" list.

With smiles!

Val:)

70 Hexagons Done!

 They are done!  I LOVE the colors and can't wait to start putting them together. This  quilt  was inspired by a Quilt Along I read about last summer: You'll find the tutorial at:

http://imagingermonkey.blogspot.com/2012_06_01_archive.html

(Scroll down on her blog to June 15th, 2012).

Sometimes when I look at a project like this, I wonder, am I the only one who has five (or more) projects going on at once? Does it take anyone else a year to finish even one??? LOL!!! I KNOW I'm not alone...but feel free to share/comment: How many projects do you have going on right now? And what are they???

Tomorrow I'll share what projects I'm working on this summer. (Only two weeks of summer school left...so I'm starting to make my list!).

With smiles!
Val:)

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Weekend Projects

Along with regular weekend chores of mowing the lawn, laundry, and house cleaning,
I also plan to finish these:

 Just last summer I taught our youngest daughter (who's in college) how to make Hexi's. We choose these    1 1/2" Hexagons. I get my hexagon pre-cut paper shapes from: www.paperpieces.com. They offer a large variety of paper piecing packets and their customer service is awesome!!!! My daughter picked out a very cool, modern fabric line called: Heirloom by Joel Dewberry.  I'm only four hexagons away from being done! (Then on to sewing them together to make the quilt top). I'll post a picture of them on my design wall by end of weekend.

Anddddd.....here's something to keep the little ones busy while you sew. 

My second graders LOVED making popsicle stick boxes.  

                                            We also made "microwave smores" for snack. 

(You only need to cook the smores for about 7-10 seconds...

until the marshmallow starts to "puff up" as the kids say).

Have fun!

Val:)

Remember Perler Beads!?

I'm teaching Second Grade for our Migrant Summer School Program. I make a conscience effort to expose the kids to many old fashion crafts. They LOVE the Perler Beads! Today as I watched them create, I was reminded of the fun and esteem found in being creative. (Part of the reason I love sewing/quilting so much!)

These smiles make my day!

Val:)

My first post!

So...what do I do? Well, I LOVE quilting, applique and am a NEW Long-Arm Quilter! I spend hours reading and following others blogs that I thought it was time I join in!! So here I go:

The following quilts are products of me playing  (practicing) my free motion quilting.  I just dropped these off In Boise for the local Project Linus Chapter there. This one is called: Home is Where the Heart is! (As stitched on the 7th row from the top!)

This one is called:

Play Ball!! Won't some little guy just love receiving this one!

This one is called: Live Laugh Love...as stitched in all the large green rows!

This one is made of Project Linus material and will be hung at an upcoming quilt show to be held in Kuna, Idaho at the Project Linus booth in August! 

Two more fun ones! (Just playing/practicing  as I learn to master my long-arm machine.)

This one was fun and came out so whimsical! One of my favorites!!

I know I have a lot to learn...but each quilt is truly a work of heart. Being part of Project Linus is pretty rewarding. Many hands make for light work and it feels to good to know all the children we will make smile!

Well, I DID it: my first blogging post is done! As the saying goes: our greatest journeys start with one step! I'm about to push that "post" button and it will fun to watch how this journey evolves. I look forward to the friends that await and the destinations that will be achieved! 

Welcome to my Quilting Studio!

With lots of smiles!

Val:)