before and after

remember the applique hearts and the stark white background print?

well, it's been tea-dyed and basted and the quilting has begun....no fancy designs, just outline etc.  and in case you don't notice the difference, here's a shot of the before and after...

so it did tone it down quite a bit.  this is my first tea-dye effort and not entirely sure i did it right, although did take a glimpse of the directions on a you-tube video.  now to find something for a binding.  not in love with it but perhaps with time it'll become more endearing.  a good idea gone wrong maybe?  we'll see.....can always remove the hearts and start over.  in the meantime, FWS continues and some holiday sewing as well.  december marches on and snow is getting closer but none yet.  keeping fingers crossed....

S-M-L and scrappy

first up, want to thank all who take time to peruse and comment on my blog.  although i don't reply to every comment, please do know i am thankful and appreciative of your comments and kind words. 

wednesday was serendipity sewing day, just sewed up a bunch of things.  right now my quilty/sewing space is minuscule and the stash is stored in bags, so it is a chore to sit down and sew or even find works in progress but where there's a will.....big is "ava" for the FWS, medium is a little churn dash block i wanted to try and little is another "12 days" block

and here are more scrappy 9-patch blocks from fabrics gifted to me this year....i need 70 of these in all, not sure exactly how many are done, but have the fabric for alternating squares and border.  once more horizontal room is available, should have it to the flimsy stage...this is a donation quilt to honor all of those who so kindly shared their stash with me....

that's all folks!

on the first day....

of Christmas....temecula quilts started a new sew-along for only 12 days of course...and where summer sampler blocks were 4" finished, these are going to be (i think) 2.5" finished....pretty small for these chunky, short fingers but planning to persevere anyway....

the first one is really cute....nice to have these festive activities where i get to use some new christmasy fabrics!  these will be all scrappy...how fun is that?   and--dare i say--no sign of "you know what" yet (s-n-o-w), a 4-letter word if i ever saw one...

going twice and gone....

it's the end of the "stars in a time warp" sew along with these blocks....2 cracked ice and 1 shawl print...this has been really interesting to do and have finished up with a stack of really pretty blocks, now to find the right settings...

and got up to date with the FWS....left is my resewn "patricia" block (always helps to follow the photo) and on the right is a great "grandma" block....had planned to do some more of the tiny virginia reel blocks but the day evaporated too quickly......

friday AND saturday

yesterday combined black friday shopping and small business saturday with a quick trip to busy thimble, my favorite reproduction quilt shop.  picked up latest issue of "quiltmania" plus a gorgeous print suitable for some broderie perse a la di ford perhaps? 

the black is a margo krager "polychrome" and the blue/white print is a cracked ice for the last week of stars...a brief respite until the 365 challenge starts with farmer's wife sewing along continuing.  other than some christmas prints at joann's, that was the total shopping haul.  spent plenty of time online drooling at terrific sales on moda FQ bundles though, but passed them by. 

today just relaxing hoping to ward off a cold, hoping to sew on sunday with bonnie and quilt-cam and enjoy thanksgiving dinner part 2....

it's turkey time!

counting my many blessings this year as always and i'm....

(even though we *might* be eating chicken!)

sale!

sauder's recent sale offered some pretty kim diehl fabrics....love 'em but way too many from which to choose at regular retail prices, but a sale?  a few 1/4 yards added to my stash....

and 2 more FWS blocks done...patricia and patience....pinned down as papers not yet removed

and turkey day -2....small but delish dinner planned with most of usual items...our norman rockwell, big family dinner is of bygone days, but enjoyed nonetheless....

swappin' stars....

first, thanks to those of you who told me about your 11/22 experiences...enjoyed reading them! 

over at randy's blog, she is having a stars swap, yes 6.5" stars, same size as barbara brackman's sew-along.  just happened to have fabrics on hand and rustled up 15 to swap.  will definitely have enough star blocks to make a couple of flimsies at this rate.

all set to meet mr. postman today...and yesterday made my "sara" block for the FWS...

also been doing a bit of secret sewing for christmas, so photos on hold until later....

where were you?

for those of a "certain" age, today's date will forever be defined as an american tragedy.  i was in 9th grade; we lived in norwich, connecticut; nothing on television for 4 days except dirge music, haunting black and white news reports and still photos.  the day it happened, my friend linda and i were walking home from school thru downtown, looking at store windows and thinking of christmas. a TV was on in an appliance store, and we just stood outside watching, transfixed, realizing the unbelievable, an ordinary day forever changed, much like 9/11, wondering how such a thing could happen.  how innocent we were in light of daily events now.  life has changed in so many ways, and in so many not for the better.  or was it just the naivete of youth?   some of both no doubt.....where were YOU that day?

going once....

delighted to find 2 definite and 1 sorta coral prints in my temporary stash, and one was even CORAL colored.  two more weeks after this one and "stars" will be history. did find one provincial type in the stash as well...

so blessed to have a "shop" of fabric and ideas--not to mention the internet--for inspiration and sewing pleasure!