Stitching slump is over!

I've been in a stitching slump for months. I've spent plenty of time quilting and even some time crocheting but haven't done any cross stitching.

Then I saw this silly little bunny in the Sanman newsletter.

He made me smile. 

My yellow was a bit bright so he looks a little bit jaundiced but oh well. He served his purpose and got me out of the dreaded slump so that I could start a new project. 

This is the beginnings of From the East by Astor Place. I'm really enjoying working on this one.

July table runner done!

I'm just going to say that I'm four months ahead instead of eight months behind.

It's better for my self-esteem that way.

My original plan was to quilt it myself by stitching in the ditch. After I finished piecing it I decided it needed something more than that. 

I took it to my amazing quilter and told her to use her imagination and make it cute. 

I love the ideas she comes up with.

Craving sunshine

I usually sew in my basement sewing room. A room that has only two small windows on the north side, ugly dark carpeting, and even uglier dark paneled walls.

I'm usually quite content in my she-cave however but today I was craving sunshine and then I had a vision!

We added a sun room to the house last year. It's a great room and basically sits empty for approximately 30 days each month. We added it on so that when we had family come over we would have a place to gather and eat without tripping over each other in our small kitchen eating area.

The sun was shining in without being too hot, the windows were open and a gentle breeze was blowing, and I could hear neighborhood children laughing and playing in their yard. It was the perfect place to sit and cut these little pieces.

Ask me how tempted I am to haul up my sewing machine and iron....

The primroses jumped in my cart at the grocery store today. I figured it was worth the $5 for the smile they brought to my face. I decided they needed to go outside with my others that have started blooming (even in the snowstorm over the weekend). Hopefully my husband will be thrilled to plant them for me tomorrow. 

Partially finished top

This is a block of the month project that I started 7-8 years ago. It was only the second quilt I attempted and I'm surprised that some of the blocks didn't scare me away from quilting forever. The instructions were very poorly written and so much cutting and sewing was done on the bias. Now I know that there are easier ways to make most of the blocks but I didn't know that then. I was going to redo some of the wonkier blocks that I'd already finished but decided to keep them as is; it's good to see the learning curve. 

I didn't buy all the fabrics I needed at the time and now, of course, that fabric line is long gone. 

I bought this piece for the border and backing.  The colors are all there as well as the sunflowers. There are sunflowers in each of the prints from the original line. It's a beautiful piece of fabric but when I got it home and put it next to the blocks it just wasn't right. 

It's way too busy for my tastes. Now I'm on a quest to find something simple for the borders and backing, perhaps just a tone on tone brown or tan. I'd love to find the ones from the line but I don't think that's going to happen. 

I just love the deep brown in this line; Kansas Song by Susan Winget.

Bar Harbor quilt is finally done!

We took a wonderful trip a few years ago where we spent 10 days on the coast of Maine in celebration of our 25th anniversary.  We stayed at several bed and breakfast inns and had a wonderful time. 

Not long after we returned I found a fabric line called Bar Harbor. We had spent some time in Bar Harbor and had loved the area. The fabric line and its nautical theme with anchors, stars and moons and the roses, reminiscent of the roses blooming along the shoreline, really called to me. 

It was too late in the year to see many roses but there were rose hips all along the shoreline.

I ended up piecing the back since I hadn't purchased enough fabric but I really like the look.

We had such a magical time and now the quilt brings back those memories. 

It looks great in my Americana and lighthouse themed family room.

Today's WIP

I decided I wanted to do a quick and easy project between large quilts.

When I opened the pattern and the first step was "cut 40 one-inch blocks" I probably should have backed away slowly then. This was one of those projects where everything went wrong, again and again. 

I don't know how many times I unpicked seams.

It still needs the leaves and stems appliqued on (because naturally my fusible web was too old and had died) and buttons sewn in the flower centers. 

I don't know; it's just not speaking to me though. Maybe it will get finished and maybe it won't. I have never managed anything but "in the ditch" quilting and this needs more than that. It would be nice if every project were a keeper but oh well. 

I think tomorrow I go back to playing in my Civil War fabrics. 

Leap Day stash acquisition

What do you do when you have an extra day in the year? Why, you go shop hopping of course. A friend and I went out and hit seven shops in one day. It was a great day!

I was so good and didn't buy anything in the first five shops but then in store #6 my resolve wavered.  I've been wanting to do something with all the leftover blues from the log cabin quilt. I saw this free pattern online and really liked it. Store #5 had it made up and that clinched it.

Of course, I had to buy some browns for it along with a few more blues. 

The stripe in the background will be the border. 

Then there were some nice pinks to add to the Civil War stash. I've seen a cute little quilt by Jo Morton done in browns and pinks. Now I have to search and find which book it's in.

A few kids prints to add to the I Spy stash.

A great new product by Nancy Zieman.

I want to make a Petunia bag and this will really help with all the gathering.

Yeah, I was bad and I've now grounded myself from quilt shops for a while anyway.

The weather was cold and windy and we crept home on the freeway in a snowstorm 

but it was worth every minute.