My Favorite Pincushion

While browsing blogs this morning, I found that Patti, Jane, and May Britt had posted photos of their pincushions for the giveaway at Blueberry Lane Designs. I'd like to enter too - but there's a story behind mine...

During the Christmas season back in 2001, my son Logan handed me a notice for the Holiday Boutique fundraiser, in which kids can purchase gifts for their family members for minimal prices. They usually have a variety of small tool kits, personalized pens (saying #1 Mom or Dad), necklaces, keychains, etc. I gave him some money, and off he went to school the next day. When Logan came home, he was SO excited! All he kept repeating was, "You're going to LOVE your gift. It's the perfect gift!" Now, mind you, he went shopping early in December - so I had to listen to him say this every day, several times a day until Christmas morning. That's when I was finally able to see what he was so proud to give me:

Isn't it adorable?! Logan just KNEW I'd love it! It sits by my sewing machine as a constant reminder of my thoughtful son. He's turning 12 tomorrow and is still just as loving and caring as he was when he was 5. Happy Birthday, Logan!!

Progress with my list...

I've been a busy bee, and have not one by TWO tops to show! Whoo hoo! Here is Lakeland Pines, which is the first quarterly project in the Thimbleberries Quilt Club this year. The Lodge colorway really appealed to me, and I plan to do all four small projects through one quilt shop and the big quilt with another shop. I'm trying my best to support my local shops, and to keep them buying Thimbleberries fabrics.

Here is the second top I've been working on. It's from the Thimbleberries pattern called Flower Maze and I used Autumn Traditions fabrics to make it. I saw it at the retreat last year and just HAD to buy the kit. The colors are perfect for fall, or for watching my favorite NFL team, the Washington Redskins, try to make the playoffs again.

And now for my next project. The fabric FINALLY arrived for my outside borders, and I'm ready to continue working on Fat Quarter 5 Stripe. I spent yesterday afternoon arranging the scrappy blocks and labelling them all with masking tape. There are a total of 108 5.5" blocks, so I wouldn't want to get them (or me) confused... LOL! For now, they're in any empty box that I picked up at Pizza Hut last night, but I'm hoping to do a lot of sewing tomorrow. We'll see how that goes...

Welcoming Beth to Blogland!

Please say hello to Beth, who just posted her first entry on her blog yesterday! We actually 'met' online a few months ago when she asked me some questions about my blog and how it was setup, and then we MET (in person) out in Minnesota at the retreat last September! I checked through my photos and found this one with Beth at Mr. Halloween's Party, held in the Thimbleberries studio. She's the one on the left side in the back of the picture wearing the cute black and gold apron. Welcome Beth!

I haven't been able to get much sewing done at all - just some piecing on the TB Club first quarter project Lakeland Pines. I have all of the blocks sewn and just need to assemble them into the finished top. Hopefully I can post that soon. My next club meeting is Tuesday morning, and I may just camp out there all day and sew. Don't worry - I'm allowed ;) It's Sit, Stitch and Grumble day (aka Stitch and *itch) and for $10 I can work on my projects with NO interruptions. The kids have vacation next week (all week long) but I could take them for a visit to my MIL's home on Tuesday, right? Let's see how much I can get done then!

First Top on My To Do List DONE!

It's taken me a little while to get on the computer to post it, but I finished my Twilight Village top on New Year's Day (and it's been crossed out on my sidebar list)! Here's a pic:

Sorry it's a bit fuzzy - I was trying to stand on a dining room chair to take an 'aerial' shot - but I don't seem to be too steady! LOL And yes, I was able to make it with ALL ORIGINAL FABRICS - just as I had hoped. :)

Next on my list is Fat Quarter 5 Stripe. I began this quilt back in 2003 the first retreat I attended out in Minnesota. I love this quilt! Don't ask me why I haven't finished it, because I really can't wait to snuggle under it. All of the strip piecing is done for the 5" blocks, and they still need to be assembled into the (12) 15" ones. I think I need to put up my portable design wall (flannel-backed vinyl tablecloth) and start working on the layout.

To tie you over until I can post my own top, here's a picture of the one on display at the retreat. In front of it (from left to right) are my friend Pam, Lynette Jensen from Thimbleberries, me, and my friend Kairle. We were the first three from our online Thimbleberries group to attend the retreat.

I guess I should actually start working on this now :) Chao for now...

Back again...

Gee, I think I jinxed myself when I mentioned posting 'three days in a row'! LOL Well, I'm back to blogging, prodded by Kim's message this morning about quilting resolutions. But I'll get to that in just a bit...

As I last blogged, I was working on a mini tree skirt for an exchange with my online Thimbleberries group. I FINALLY got it finished and mailed it off to Kairle :) You can see her post about it here. And I received my own wonderful mini wall hanging from my friend Nancy E.! I specifically asked that there NOT be a hole cut into it. The pattern is called Timber Trees and appears in the Thimbleberries Beginner's Luck book. Would you believe that she matched most of the fabrics as they were in the book - and that those she substituted were VINTAGE fabrics :) She even QUILTED it the same way - I couldn't have asked for more! Nancy also sent three snowman ornaments (two of them handmade) and some wonderful smelling teabags. Here's a photo:

Now that Christmas is over and 'life' has calmed down a bit, it's time to quilt again! Kim has asked about New Year's Quilting Resolutions - and I've added my list to my sidebar. I know, I know... more than forty quilts is A LOT to ask for - but I'd be happy to tackle just some of these! I'm hoping to do them in the order listed, and would LOVE to finish one top per week. (Ha!)

I've also started to save my pennies (literally!) for a home machine quilting system - with a Hinterberg frame, Voyager quilting machine and stitch regulator. My friend Patty has this same setup, and has offered to let me go for a test drive. I just need some plane tickets and a long holiday weekend :)

My other New Year's Resolution is to blog AT LEAST once a week, and update my progress on 'the list'. Thanks for visiting - even when there was nothing new to read. :)