Attention Deficit?

Back when I started school (Alaska and Hawaii were brand new states!), no one had heard of attention deficit.  I wonder if I have it, because I can't seem to stay with one project for very long!

I added the binding to the little twister sample that I showed the other day. It should look pretty on a fall table.

I found these three little kitties, all finished except for stuffing, so I finished them this morning.  Thanks, Katie, for sharing your pattern. 

The kitties are sitting on top of a little centerpiece that the label says I finished in 2001!  I am in the process of writing up the pattern for a beginners quilt class  project.

Cats

My quilt top for the "Favorite Things" challenge is finished.  Now for quilting and embellishment.

The due date is September 14, so I just might make it.

What I Should Be Doing

What I should be doing vs. what I am doing.  Hmmm....  Well, today I made a list of a lot of different sewing and shop-related things that I want/need to accomplish in the near future.  I made some batik fat quarter bundles for the store.  THAT was on the list.  Then the plan fell apart.

Last Saturday, I taught a class on the Twisted Wreath Wall hanging.  I had already made two of them, so I put together a very simple sample to demonstrate the method.  The borders went on on Tuesday evening.  Today I quilted it.

I had thought about a variety of ways to quilt this, but in the end, I used the sewing machine.  I was quite pleased with the way I decided to quilt the pinwheels.  Maybe I'll put a tiny bead in the center of each.

I've promised a binding demonstration in my beginners class Tuesday, so will finish this then.

This evening, I finally had a chance to make a Zipper Critter (Indigo Junction). 

Mine is on the left.  My friend Carolyn made and loaned me the other one earlier so I would have a sample in the shop.  So homely they are cute!

Raindrops on Roses .....

It's time for another challenge!  This time I was in charge - the participants are members of the Tar River Piecemakers Quilters Guild in Rocky Mount.  I chose the fabric, a red paisley Kay England print from Wilmington Prints and I chose the theme, "My Favorite Things".  I even furnished everyone a copy of the lyrics of the song.

Until this week, this quilt was in my head only.  I had lots of thoughts floating around, but I hadn't started sewing yet.  My friend Sally has had hers DONE for a month.  Yikes!!

I already have one Rolling Stones (one of my favorite things) quilt, so I decided to make this quilt about CATS.  I know how to make free-form pieced letters, courtesy of Tonya Riccuci:

Next, I decided to surround the word with the kind of easily pieced blocks that I used in my pattern "Crooked on Purpose".

I chose coordinating fabrics, cut and sewed this morning, then pressed and trimmed the blocks this afternoon.  Here they are, arranged around the word on the table.  

I'll add some cat cut-outs to the final version.

It needs some fine-tuning, but I'm happy with the direction this is going.  Now I think that I need to go and quilt some more STRAIGHT LINES on that log cabin quilt.  (I optimistically prepared the binding today, too!)

Straight Lines

I'm quilting my IMPROV LOG CABIN quilt with straight lines.  It is taking FOREVER.  Need I say more?

Maybe just a couple more words.  I am quilting wide-narrow-wide-narrow because I think it would be too stiff with too much quilting and also, it would take even longer.  For the narrow spaces, I just sew with the side of the walking foot along the previous line.  The painters tape is for the wider spaces.  You can see just a little bit of the back which is fun flowers all over, a Michael Miller print.  The binding will be a narrow aqua stripe .... hope it won't be too long before I can show the finished product.

Basket of Flowers

The same little quilt group who gave me the special blocks is losing a member.  Marion is moving back to Australia!  We have made 6" blocks to give to her today.  My block is a simple basket pattern that I paper pieced, then added my own special touch, by adding a few flowers.

Here it is in progress.

And here it is, finished - trimmed to size and stitching added.

This and That

In the aftermath of my big anniversary sale last weekend, I had a lot of reordering and rearranging to do this week.  I DID manage to fit in a little sewing and crafting time, though.

I finished quilting and binding the little quilt that I made with the blocks given by a special group of friends.  It measures approx. 23" x 29".  I quilted it very simply with blue pearl cotton.  Here's a close-up.

I have a new pattern in the store, "Who Knew!", by Susie C. Shore Designs. These miniature owls can be used as pincushions or, with an added loop, as ornaments.  They are tiny cuties.

When I visited my parents recently, my mom brought out some OLD bridge tallies that had belonged to her aunt.  She asked if I could make her a new set.  JUST FINISHED THIS MORNING:

I have TWO challenges to get to work on next.  One is due mid-September, so I'd better get busy!!

While I was Sleeping

It's always interesting to think about who might t be looking in on my blog.  I can see total numbers and also what countries have been looking in.  Last night, while I was sleeping, I went over 20,000 views! Isn't that cool?

New pictures are coming very soon ... today I'll be adding the binding to a small project and have another little thing or two in the works.

"And the Winner is ..."

Cotton Fields Quilt Shop had a very busy three days, during the store's 9th anniversary sale.  The challenge quilts were hung in the classroom area and all shoppers had the opportunity to vote for their favorite.  The winner is:

"Fish on a String"

Approx. 29" x 29", made by Carolyn Bangley of Greenville, NC.

Second Place

"Not Tom's Mayfly"

Approx. 25" x 19", made by Ruth Larson of Washington, NC.