I digress . . .

OK - I know this has nothing to do with quilting. However I just had to share this photo.

Isn't this a charming face? Meet Clyde. He belongs to my younger daughter and her husband. Clyde is an Old English Bulldog and weighs in at a dainty 100 pounds. He snores very loud, thinks he's a lap dog most days, and he's working really hard on his "big boy" manners.

Some weekend fun

I didn't do much sewing this weekend, but did manage to have some fun. This afternoon I made a bag for my new iPad - and used 4 of the fat quarters I bought on Friday to make it. Otherwise my weekend was spent on other activities.

On Saturday I had lunch with Daughter #2 and spent some time planning the baby shower she is hosting for her sister at the end of April. We bought an assortment of flavors of mini cupcakes at a fun shop called Oh My Cupcakes (downtown Sioux Falls) and took it over to the Daughter #1 to taste. We all loved the lemon and the root beer float flavors. We'll probably order about 4 or 5 flavors for the guests to sample at the baby shower. YUMMY!!!

Easter mug rug swap

I love getting mail and this week brought a fun little bit of spring - all the way from Judy in Texas.

Judy and I were partners in a mug rug swap for Easter hosted by Aunt Pitty Pat's blog.

Here is what I received: mug and mug rug that look like they were designed together, a CD of recipes, hot chocolate mix, and jelly beans. Yum!

The mug rug is so cute! Thanks Judy!

Spring is visiting South Dakota

I know it's much too early in the year to expect this lovely weather to stay, but it's sure nice to enjoy it for a few days in March. It was a lovely day to play hooky for most of the work day. Actually I had already planned to take the day off! YIPPEEEEE!

I met some girlfriends for coffee and then we walked over to the Pin Cushion to check out their annual Fat Quarter Frenzy. Fat quarters on sale - what more could a quilter ask for, right? I bought a few, but tried really hard to be practical. And I dropped off the baby quilt to be quilted.

Later I went home and spent a little time playing with my scrap basket pictured here. I am working on some string blocks that may make a dent in my scrap basket if I make enough of them. And those blocks would make a good donation quilt. This is what the basket looked like AFTER making 4 blocks and digging all the way to the bottom. It's still overflowing. My stash is out of control.

Saturday Sampler block #2

Another small project from Sunday afternoon was to make the second block in the Saturday Sampler. The block on the left was last month's and the block on the right is the new one.

This year's sampler series is much easier than last year. I chose the traditional colorway rather than the batik or the bright - which is more my comfort zone. I decided I needed to step away from my comfort zone and so far I'm pleased with the soft spa colors being used. The tans, browns, and aqua are very soothing.

I also am doing a second set in black and white with 1 bright accent color. These are turning out very fun so far. My plan is to have a different bright color used in each block.

Count On It

I had a long quiet weekend to quilt since my husband was gone to golf school. Unfortunately I have a nasty cold that kind of laid me low. So I didn't get any big projects finished like I had originally planned. But I worked on a couple of little things.

But I did make the April mini-quilt from the Count On It book (Art to Heart). There is one for each month and they are so cute. The Pin Cushion had these all "kitted up" and ready to make. They are about 12" square and hang in the little metal standing frames.

Another binding done

I think I need a new camera, because every picture I take lately is dull colored and slightly out of focus. Or maybe it's my eyes. . .

Anyway - here is the Hearts & Stars quilt that I was binding last week. It is a Buggy Barn pattern and one of my favorites. I think I've made at least 4 of them now.

Another top is completed

My day off yesterday was productive. I got the top finished for the baby quilt for my grandbaby due in June. I bought a cream colored fuzzy backing for it so it will be very cuddly.

The pattern is called New Wave and the fabric is from a line called Pound Hounds (Sue Marsh for RJR Fabrics). There were 2 colorways - this "rusty" one in browns, white, and black and a primary colorway.

I also have the matching panel print. I originally was going to use the panel on the back of this quilt, but my daughter asked for the fuzzy back, so that may become another quilt someday.

More pound hound fabrics

Here are the rest of the fabrics I'm using for the New Wave baby quilt. 4 colors of little dots. The dark brown one will be the sashing between the rows. I really like the plaid and the paw prints.

Maybe I'll have this top done over the weekend.

Just a little progress

Not a lot of progress on the baby quilt, but I have 1/3 of the pieces cut. The fabric line is Rusty Pound Hounds, which also comes in a bright primary colorway.

I had to get creative when cutting these blocks out of that very directional border stripe fabric. I didn't want any of the fire hydrants upside down!

There are 3 of each block and they will create a "wave" when put together. Thus the name - New Wave. This is a fun pattern but it takes a little concentration when laying it out.

More pinwheels

I had so much fun making the 10 batik pinwheels for our latest charity project, that I just had to make some more. When I was cleaning out one of the bins in my sewing room a couple of weeks ago I found a bag with 7 strips of fabric 6" by WOF. I believe they were part of a "grab bag" purchase made a couple of years ago.

Anyway - long story short - I used 6 of the strips to make pinwheels. Here are 5 of the 6 sets on my design wall. The final set is a red tone-on-tone. Not sure if I'll use the 7th strip for pinwheels as the print is very large.

Easter Mug Rug

Not the best photo - but this little mug rug is on its way to Texas along with some Easter surprises. Machine appliqued and hand quilted. And the fabrics all came from my stash.

Just One Star

I came across another opportunity to help with quilts for good causes. Yesterday on A Quilting Life blog I read about 1800 star blocks needed for making 100 quilts from the Minick and Simpson "Flag of Valor" pattern. Moda is coordinating the effort to quilt, bind, and donate these 100 quilts in 100 days to American servicemen and Veterans through the Semper Fi Fund. You can read all about this project at Moda's blog here.

I made my block this morning and also plan to share this idea with some quilting friends this afternoon when we get together.

Download the tutorial and instructions here, then send your finished block (untrimmed, the folks at Moda will take care of the trimming) to Moda at:

United Notions/Moda Fabrics
Attn: Just One Star Project
13800 Hutton
Dallas, TX 75234

Pink flamingos in sunglasses

An "old" quilt is getting a new home. I fell in love with the pink flamingos in sunglasses on the focus fabric. So I bought the fabric with no plan.

Then I saw a cute square in a square pattern in a magazine and a plan came together. I made this quilt a couple of years ago and it is finally getting a home.

On Monday morning it will be in the mail to baby Eliza, a new baby who just came into our extended family. Here is the whole quilt with its pink, purple, yellow, and aqua blocks.

February accomplishments & March goals

Here are the items I had listed as goals for the month of February:

• French Braid quilt - finished the top
• binding our new friendship block exchange donation quilt - DONE
• binding my Frolic quilt with the fuzzy backing (possible wedding gift for a niece) - moved to March goals
• binding my pink/black Hearts & Stars crib quilt - 2 sides left to hand stitch
• start a baby quilt for my grandson - cut out 1/4 of the blocks
• machine quilt the round spring table topper - DONE
• finish handquilting the wedding signature quilt (a slow process) - to be continued

I also did a few things NOT on my list:

• Saturday Sampler block #1 and 2 bonus blocks (1 for me to keep)
• 10 pinwheel blocks for a new donation quilt project with friends
• Easter mug rug for Aunt Pitty Pat's swap

March goals - I'm not going to be very optimistic for my sewing based on my work schedule for the month of March. But here goes:

• bind my Frolic quilt
• finish binding Hearts & Stars quilt
• finish hand quilting on wedding quilt
• finish the top of the baby quilt
• find backing fabric for pink/brown sampler & French braid