Anndd On the Frame This Week...

As I begin this quilting project I'm so very grateful for extra-wide backing!!!

This morning I've been busy getting this queen size pretty on the frame and am anticipating it will take me a good chunk of my last three weeks of summer break to quilt it. I plan to crosshatch the nine-patches and stipple the background of each flower, along with outlining each flower. The song "99 beers " I mean, blocks, is chiming in my head as I prepare for this daunting quilting adventure. 

I'm a little worried as I  haven't even started and I'm already looking forward to having it done. (Hmmmm that might not be a good sign???) But, seriously, after seven years of quilting, I've finally made a quilt for OUR master bed!  I refuse to let this pretty sit and gather dust as a UFO.

 So here we go as I tip-toe through the flowers quilting to the tune of ninty-nine blocks to complete.

Wish me patience and successful ruler skill.

 Click HERE to post and join/rejoin us for this year's 

the Piggy Bank Challenge!

Note: This Linky is open until  August 1st. 
Please feel welcome to grab the code on my sidebar and and help spread the work to all your readers.

Happy Summer Stitching...

The dog days of Summer have arrived for me and I always have to remind myself to enjoy them! Especially since next month at this time, I'll be back in the classroom busy prepping for a new school year. Admittedly, sometimes I just enjoy having nothing to do and  the relaxation is rejuvenating!

 I feel like I've watched a few too many movies as I have found myself binge watching old movies from the 80's. But hey, atleast I've had my Anni Downs BOM stitching to keep me busy as I do:

I especially like that wool stitching is quick to prepare for as much as I like applique, sometimes the prep work takes a while. Our afternoons have been hot as temperatures hit 100 degrees. (Ugh! And to think just five months ago we were buried in snow.)  Anyhoo...my summer mornings have been spent reading, tackling various summer yard projects and my afternoons usually find me, taking life slow as  I enjoy those movies and sew or stitch to escape the heat! I'll finish quilting my Bloom quilt today and am looking forward to binding it as I enjoy some  Slow Sunday Stitching and yes, probably another movie this afternoon. Curious what your favorite "go to" is when life slows down a bit?

 Click HERE to post and join/rejoin us for this year's 

the Piggy Bank Challenge!

Note: This Linky is open until  August 1st. 
Please feel welcome to grab the code on my sidebar and and help spread the work to all your readers.

On the Frame This Week...

Oh Happy Day everyone!

I finally finished my Bloom SAL project and I couldn't be more pleased with the results.

Don't ya just love that feeling when ya finish something made entirely from your stash. 

When I very first starting quilting, I collected fat quarters of 30's repro's everywhere I went...so you can imagine how good it felt to dig into that stash for this adorable Lori Holt SAL. 

I'm on my way to put this one on the quilting frame and am looking forward to another Friday Finish this month...that will be TWO "old" WIP completed this month! Gotta' love that!

Stay tuned...

 Click HERE to post and join/rejoin us for this year's 

the Piggy Bank Challenge!

Note: This Linky is open until  August 1st. 
Please feel welcome to grab the code on my sidebar and and help spread the work to all your readers.

5th Annual Piggy Bank Challenge Begins!

Many of you are familiar with the water jug vs the pig competition that goes on in our household.

It started our innocent enough when four years ago I bought this little silver piggy bank to collect laundry change. Well, a year later, he was full and I cashed in at $102.45! I, of course, put my new found "savings" to good use and stocked up on fabric! So fun!!


Well, once my husband found out how much I saved, he started his own "bank of change". But also read somewhere that if you throw in a dollar or even a five dollar bill once in awhile, you can literally double your savings.

So here we are five years later sharing our challenge with you.

 Create a post and join/rejoin us for this year's 

the Piggy Bank Challenge!

Note: This Linky is open until  August 1st. 
Please feel welcome to grab the code on my sidebar and and help spread the work to all your readers.

You know what they say:  a penny saved is a penny earned.
It's been fun to extend the challenge to all of you  and am looking forward to seeing who links up.

1. All's you have to do is create a post this week sharing your "piggy bank".
2. Include your goal of what you'd like to purchase with your savings come this time next year.
3. Include the linky button above to help spread the word to all your followers. 
4. Return and link your post here anytime this week until August 1st.
5. Start "penny pinching". (Coins and bills are allowed)
6. Next year we'll  all empty our piggy banks on July 6th and create a post exclaiming our totals, share what quilty purchase we're going to make and link up here once again to celebrate! (Don't worry, I'll send emails to all who link up this week with reminders.)

Tuesday Archives #167: Tea Cups

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

Happy Fourth of July to all my blogging friends in America.

This week's theme is: Tea Cups

Who would have ever thought a cute tea cup, an 8" square piece of fabric, a glue gun, and some Polyester Fiberfill would turn into such cute little pincushion!

We made those at the June retreat I attended and I also treated myself to a copy of Sue Spargo's latest book: Cuppa and find myself looking at it everyday as it's full of so much inspiration

It's that time of year when we finally empty our piggy banks and splurge on something quilty! Click HERE to link your post.

Please feel welcome to join us here next Thursday, July 13th, as sign-ups for the  5th Annual Challenge will begin.

14/15 Saturday Sampler Finished!

Don't' ask me why it took  so long to quilt my 2014/15 Saturday Sampler but today I got it done.

With it's 10" blocks it measures 43"x 56"and would be a nice lap quilt or perfect for a little girl.

I used this Lisa's Lace Pantograph in white thread to accent the whimsical flowers in Deb Strain's  Bloomin' Fresh fabric line and with it's bright colors it's sure to make someone happy!

The back is just as fun....like a garden of flowers trimmed with it's binding of turquoise polka dots.

Though I'm sure Jackson would gladly keep this one for himself, I'll hold on to this bright and happy quilt awhile longer in hopes to find a special recipient to pass it onto...hopefully sooner than later. 

Wishing you a great weekend,

It's that time of year when we finally empty our piggy banks and splurge on something quilty! Click HERE to link your post.

Please feel welcome to join us here next Thursday, July 13th, as sign-ups for the  5th Annual Challenge will begin.

LINKY: Time to Share! 4th Annual Piggy Bank Savings = Money for Quilting Challenge

It's that time of year when we finally empty our piggy banks and splurge on something quilty!

This year in our household: I'm the WINNER!

Barely!!  He saved $116.77 and I saved $118.41. And truth be told...he had most of his in change. But I was good at tucking dollar bills this year, so he gets to buy me, the winner, the ice-cream!

So what did we splurge on?

He found himself a great deal on golf clubs and got himself a never used set off Craigslist for $120.

They are just what he needed to enjoy golfing with his Father and Son-in-Laws.

Me? I couldn't resist joining Lori Holt's Bee Happy Sew Along coming up in August.

I'm soooo excited as I can't remember the last time I bought a yummy pack of fabric like this.

The quilt will measure 72"x80" when finished and I got a good discount by pre-ordering through a nearby Quilt Store. Which meant I only had to add a little bit more money "to the pot" to get things purchased. YEAH!! (Click right HERE  to read more about this Fall Sew Along.) 

 

NOW it's your turn to share!

Last July 15 of you signed up for this year's challenge and even more joined through email after the linky closed. Well, this week is the time to empty those that piggy banks my friends and create a post to link here with us exclaiming your total amount saved and share what quilty purchase you're going to make! (FYI: The linky will be open for a week)

Also, the code to our challenge button is on my sidebar. 

Please feel welcome to share it in your post or on your blog to invite your followers to join us here next Thursday, July 13th, as sign-ups for the  5th Annual Challenge will begin.

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.

Tuesday Archives #166: Americana

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

Happy Fourth of July to all my blogging friends in America.

This week's theme is: AMERICANA

That means anything Red, White and Blue. Whether it's a favorite quilt like Barb who blogs at Fun With Barb  highlighted this week or ...

.... a fun pedicure like Nancy at PugMom Quilts.

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.

An Adorable Moment

Indulge me for a moment as I just had to share this sweet moment my husband captured between Jackson and our grandson. Nothing better that a push-up shared between friends. 

Atleast now we know why he wants to name his new brother: Jackson!
These two play so well together and our grand always wants to "see" Jackson when we facetime.
It's just tooooo cute!

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.

Happy Mail=Happy Stitching

I really wanted to find a new stitching project and well, truth be told, 

I also wanted some happy mail to look forward to each month..

I found this Dancing Chickens & Flying Pigs wool applique BOM created by Anne Downs while cruising the internet and knew immediately this was exactly what I was looking for.

I like how quick and easy wool applique is and well, I think the blocks are just adorable.

Annnnddd....we are using a linen background, thus this is going to make the perfect wall hanging in one of our guest bedrooms once it's done.

Once I get all the pieces stitched down I'm looking forward to...

...adding some creative stitching to many of the pieces. Don't ya just love that piggy tail!

 I do have a question for you fellow stitches though: Do I need to use an embroidery hoop when I stitch the lettering? I'm going to use a black perle cotton for the lettering. Thanks ahead of time.

Happy Slow Sunday Stitching everyone.

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.