Needles and Pens

This past week, my great-niece, Sophia, turned one year old. I'd like to know, where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday I was making her baby quilt . We went to her birthday party over the weekend, and at the very last minute, I decided to make a grab ball to go along with the clothes I had picked out for her. (Just when I thought it was going to be a sew-free week! LoL) The free pattern can be found at About.com . Here are a few pictures from the party. The birthday girl... such a little cutie! Aaron getting reacquainted with his cousin... he's already her size! Sophia, enjoying her cake! LoL They have a nice playground at my nephew's apartment complex, so Aaron also got to have his first playground outing. (My sister, Jan, knitted him this sweater -- so cute!) He wasn't quite sure what to think, but it was nice being able to go out in the sunshine and fresh air... We all had a great day, visiting with family and friends and seeing how these little ones h...

Taking place each year on the third Saturday of March, National Quilting Day was created in 1991 by a resolution of the National Quilting Association , as a day set aside to celebrate quilts and those who make them. Therefore, I thought it was only fitting that I spend a little time in my sewing room today. To be honest, I wasn't really in the mood. The weather here was gloomy and gray, the kind of day that makes me want to just curl up and take a nap. I suppose I could have just as well "celebrated quilts" by wrapping up in one and crawling into bed! Nevertheless, I decided instead to make a few blocks for CQUSA 's quilt block lottery: The block is called Buckeye Beauty , courtesy of The Quilter's Cache . It's a super-easy-to-make, 12" scrappy block -- my favorite -- so I'm entering the maximum of five blocks. Wish me luck! ;o)

I've been feeling so overwhelmed lately with too many projects up in the air, but today I actually finished something -- another quilt top from some of my gazillion squares cut from fabric samples. Nothing fancy, but it does look nice, and was made entirely from hand-me-down fabrics. And all ready to mail off to Quilts with Love !

My daughter, Emily, has had an on-again/off-again interest in quilting for the past few years, and when Country Quilters USA announced a block-of-the-month project back in 2007, Emily (then 12-years-old), decided she wanted to play along. She completed these four blocks fairly quickly, then seemed to lose interest: But this past weekend, something inspired her to sew -- and what a difference two years can make. I had only to help her with the cutting and she was off and running! "Is this going to be on your blog?" Seven blocks down, five more to go. Here are the three she finished this week. She has a goal in mind now -- to use these in a quilt for a friend -- so I think she may just get it done. I know a goal always helps me! To be continued.... (I hope!)

Sandi, from A Legacy of Stitches , is working on a very special project called, Emma's Hope . Emma is a little girl who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, and Sandi has offered to make a quilt, with the help of her quilting/blogging friends, which will be auctioned off to raise funds for Emma's medical bills. If you haven't yet met Sandi, I urge you to stop by her blog for a visit. This lady has a heart of gold and loves to do nice things for people, so I'm not at all surprised that she has undertaken this project, and I'm happy to join in the effort. Here are the blocks I made yesterday, for Emma's Hope. The picture came out sort of dark, but the darker blocks are actually navy blue: The pattern is Cathy's Campfire , courtesy of The Quilter's Cache , and they are 6-1/2" blocks. I really look forward to seeing the finished quilt, and I hope my blocks will fit right in. If you're interested in helping out by making a block or two, just click ...

With the help of my very enthusiastic (and bouncy!) cheerleader in his "Johnny Jump-Up," today I tackled the layering and pinning of my Easter quilt: "Go, Gramma... go, Gramma..." Success! Ready for quilting... "See you next time!" (I just had to add that last one, cause... it's TOO cute! LoL)

Just finished my March shamrock block from Sandi's "Seasons of the Heart" block-of-the-month over at A Legacy of Stitches : My Irish great-grandma would be pleased. ;o) I've been feeling pretty uninspired lately, but when the March BOM pattern arrived in my inbox, it lit a much-needed spark in me, and I had to get started on it right away. Thanks, Sandi, for these fun patterns! This may be one BOM I'll actually finish!