Needles and Pens

I finished a project this month that was a long time coming. For my son's 23rd birthday, I gave him what was supposed to be his high school graduation quilt. Better late than never, I guess. I blogged a bit about this quilt last fall, and if you'd like to know at least part of the reason this gift was so late, you can read the backstory in Part One and Part Two . In a nutshell, my round robin flew the coop, and this is round two... I made the new ( Blackford's Beauty ) center block sometime last October: Then, working from photos of the original quilt, I remade the first border, designed by my friend, Maura: I was buying fabric for the next border when I learned that Hancock Fabrics was hiring. I started my new job the following Monday, and from there on, work on the quilt slowed considerably. I finished the appliqued music border sometime in February or March: By April, I was scrambling to put together the 20 blocks that would make up the last border. I decided to repe...

I haven't written a blog post since January? Wow. I can't believe how time flies since I started my new job. There just aren't enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do, not to mention what I have to do. Not that there ever were enough hours, but there are a whole lot less now. Funny how my "part-time" job has become more and more "full-time" as I've gone along. Still, I have squeezed in some sewing time here and there. It's almost a necessity when you're surrounded by fabric all day, talking to people who have fun, creative projects going on at their house. It's more than a little contagious. So this is what I've been working on since... January. (Still can't believe it's been that long.) A Noah's Ark Disappearing Nine-Patch baby quilt for a friend at our church, who recently had a beautiful baby girl... With my first attempt at a pieced quilt back... And another scrappy Fun with Bricks baby quilt for my h...

Just when I've finally seen all of last week's Sew & Tell posts, it's time for another round. I can't get over how fast the weeks fly by, yet I did get in some sewing, somehow... My friend, Connie, recently told our quilting group about a charity I'd never heard of before, and challenged us to support the cause by making a couple of pillowcases. The organization is called ConKerr Cancer . Their mission: "A Case for Smiles - Helping children feel special while battling life changing illnesses." "I could manage a couple of pillowcases," I thought... But I tell ya what, these things are addicting, not to mention a great stash-buster! I had a blast matching up fabrics from my stash, then couldn't resist a little embellishing with all those ribbon trims I mentioned in my last post. I ended up with enough for five pillowcases and had them all sewn together in no time. I'll definitely be watching those remnant bins now for cute kid's ...

One more little bit of Christmas inspiration came over me this week, and I actually finished my last 2009 Seasons of the Heart Block-of-the-Month block, the December Gift: I'm pretty sure this is a first for me, to finish a block-of-the-month program, relatively on time. Many thanks to Sandi, from A Legacy of Stitches , for so generously sharing her designs for 2009. Can't wait to see them in a finished quilt! Sandi has already begun two new Block-of-the-Month programs for 2010, which you can access by becoming a member of her Yahoo group . I doubt I'll keep up as well this year, but I'm definitely saving the patterns, even if just for "someday." Now, to decide on a layout for my "Seasons" quilt... When I wrote this post earlier today, I completely forgot that it's Friday, and I should have linked up to Amylouwho's Sew & Tell Friday . (Where did the week go?) While I'm at it, I might as well share another little project I finished to...

Finally changed my "Fall" blog background today. About time, eh? And considering my inability to keep such things current, I opted this time for a "non-seasonal" look. ;o) Thanks to The Cutest Blog on the Block , for the great background options!

So, once again, life has completely obliterated my attempts to blog. But, I'm back! For today, at least. LoL This is the first time I've even looked at a blog in over a month, and since it is Friday, I decided to go over to Amylouwho's place and see if she was still hosting Sew & Tell Fridays . Come to find that, just today, she posted the post-holiday "secret gift edition" of Sew & Tell. Apparently I'm not as far behind as I thought! Unless, of course, you take notice of my unseasonable Fall blog background... oh, well. I'll be caught up again, all in good time. December was even more hectic than usual this year, what with juggling a new "part-time" job (which became suspiciously "full-time" during the holidays) along with all the normal Christmas to-do's. Ironically, working at a fabric store really makes a person want to sew, while simultaneously sapping all extra time from their day. Still, I did manage to squeeze in a...

Leave it to me. On Thanksgiving Eve, with bread yet to be baked, a turkey yet to be prepped, and a houseful of company expected tomorrow, I've been totally obsessed with finishing this Thanksgiving mini sampler. But hey, it's done! And just in time. LoL Now for the bread and the turkey... Have a Happy Thanksgiving, all! :o)