New Year, New Projects

I've agreed to join an online free-piecing tutorial groups sponsored in part by my friend, krommama (Sarah). She and her friend Molly will be posting a tutorial once a month for a different free pieced block for us to make (bird, girl, gnome, house, star, etc...).
I've partnered with a gal in Australia and we will be swapping every few months or so, so keep your eyes peeled for some wonky sewing! Here's some examples of previous free-piecing I have done...

DQS8

Wow! It's been way longer than I thought since I last blogged! Lots has happened, but I mostly wanted to show pictures of my amazing new quilt from Mama Urchin. She had me as her swapee during our latest round of the doll quilt swap - DQS8.She made an amazing scrappy log cabin with some beautiful fabrics.

She also sent me a fabulous stack of charm squares with some really great fabrics in there!

Here is another close up. I am in love with this doll quilt! She did such an amazing job!

Fine Art of Fiber Show at the Chicago Botanic Gardens

Got to see some amazing fabric work this weekend at the Chicago Botanic Gardens Fine Art of Fiber show. It didn't hurt that it was a gorgeous weekend here, so hanging out at the gardens was nice. So nice in fact, that we went Saturday for the show and then went back again on Sunday just to enjoy the weather! Here's some pictures...

A Cool Fabric Giveaway! Yippee!

Katie, from See Katie Sew, is celebrating her two year blogoversary with a fabric giveaway! And not just any fabric, but some of her favorite prints from people like Amy Butler, Sandi Henderson, and Erin McMorris. She's filling a flat rate box with as much fabric will fit! Wohoo!

There might even be some vintage fabric in there too. - Gasp!



These are just a few samplings of what is already making it into the box.

So how do you win? Well first by leaving a comment mentioning a new blog that you think she might like. If you'd like to "earn" more entries into the contest, post about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to it in your comment, and you'll receive 5 extra entries. Plus, you'll receive an extra entry for every person that you refer that mentions that they came here through your blog.

She'll pick a winner on Wed Nov 5.

Good luck and be sure to mention that you heard about this giveaway from Shannon at Crafty Turtle!

Gettin' back into the swing of things...

I've been away!

And now I'm back. So I can get back to all those projects I left unfinished. Hooray!

I was in N. Georgia visiting with my folks and also got to spend some time with my college roomie and her family, too. I dragged my mom to lots of quilt/fabric shops down there. I found lots of good stuff, too! I'll be downloading pics and posting stuff all this week, so come back by! I have so much to share!

I've been exploring lots of fun crafting blogs out there and have come across some really great ones. I recently found a cool giveaway ('cause the coolest blogs have great giveaways!) that you can sign up for - here it is:

http://lilatuellerdesigns.blogspot.com/2008/07/woodland-bloom-giveaway-contest.html

She's giving away a fabulous purse and some fabric as well, so go check it out!

I Love the Quilt Cottage!

While up north last week, I found a great little quilt shop called the Quilt Cottage. We were driving up Rt 51 towards Sayner, WI and we passed this shop. As we drove by with my face pressed to the glass of the window, my hubby actually suggested we go back the next day to visit. YAY, hubby!

The building itself is charming - a real log cabin-style. The first floor is crammed with fabrics and they had an extensive "civil war" area with repro vintage fabrics of all colors and patterns. I stayed in that area for a while! There was also a large wool section, a batik section, and a quilting cotton section.

Downstairs is the "bargain basement" with all the sale fabrics plus some cool antique furniture and quilts for sale.

The best part was the upstairs, though. There were three bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, and large work space with irons and tables. They have classes in the workspace, but the store also rents out the space for quilting retreats. It was so nice! I could imagine myself there with other quilty ladies working on some fun projects and having a great "girls weekend". Anyone wanna go? :)

Of course I bought some great fabrics. I also got a few quilt project patterns on sale and they even gave me a cool reusable canvas tote bag to carry it all. So next time you're in Hazelhurst, Wisconsin....

Messy Me...

I've been busy attempting to clean up our guest bedroom (aka my sewing room) in anticipation of a few guests that will be staying here over the course of the summer. This room is so embarrassingly messy and piled high with washed, but not ironed, folded or put away fabric that I can't even bear to show you a picture. I'll just wait until it's all neat and tidy to show you what it looks like. Hopefully that will be soon! .... In the meantime, here's some lovely pictures of flowers in our garden that are bloomin' right now. Enjoy!