Sunday Stash

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. Football, Sunday and the couch - is there any better way to spend the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend?

Here is my Sunday Stash photo of the week. This flannel will become pajama pants for DH for Christmas. I was able to resist the Black Friday sales, especially since I worked 6 am - 2 pm. But yesterday I went to work with my list ready. I bought sewing machine needles, ribbons and rick rack and this fabric.
I did get a little sewing done on Thanksgiving morning. On Wednesday I bought green, yellow and red linen from the clearance rack and made these napkins using Helen's tutorial. You can see them on top of the laundry pile.

It took me about an hour to make them. I still have enough fabric to make six more. The fabric cost me $13.50 for 4 1/2 yards of fabric. That's a little more than $1 a napkin. Not bad. I can envision making these fancier with embroidery on them.
Yesterday DH's electrician friend came over and installed the track lighting in my studio. I wanted the track installed in a straight line. Since I didn't express my wishes to DH, his friend installed it in a curve. I have one light focused on the closet, one on the cutting table, one on the sewing table, one on the ironing board and one on the TV wall. I can't wait to get in there to see how well it works.
We had a great Thanksgiving weekend with the boys and girls. We ate and ate and ate some more. Here's is DS #3 and his GF. We were playing Scrabble and they were kicking everyone's butt. I don't remember the score, but I know DH and I came in dead last.
Last night was dinner and movie night. DS #2 and DIL thought they could sit in my spot on the couch, under two quilts to watch the movie. Wrong answer! They got to use the quilts, but had to sit on the love seat.
I hope you had a great holiday weekend! I'm off to write a review of my Thanksgiving menu on my Home blog. Hope to see you there!
Sweet P

Secret Santa On It's Way

Mmmmmm . . . I wonder what this could be?
Well, you can't find out until my SSCS partner opens her gift on Christmas.

Here's another part of her Christmas gift.
Oooooo . . . I am so excited for her to open her gifts.

There are other items in the box, but you'll have to wait to see them.
How many more days until Christmas?

Thanks, Chookyblue, for hosting this swap. It's one of my favorite swaps.
Sweet P

Sunday Stash and Black and White Challenge

A few weeks ago I followed a link to Tamara's Quarter of an Inch blog. I was intrigued because she shows a part of her stash every Sunday and there is a list of other quilters who show off their stash too. Hooray! A group of quilters who love sharing their stash! How cool.

This week I decided to start showing parts of my stash. Below is my meager black and white fat quarter stash - all three of them. Why I am showing my black and white fabrics? Because this past week Jackie at Canton Village Quilt Works announced a year long Black and White Quilt Challenge. The rules are simple: sometime during the year create something with black and white fabric and add only ONE color.
I spent the last few days trying to decide what type of project I want to work on and what color do I want to add to the black and white. As I walked into the kitchen tonight the perfect idea came to mind. Do you see the blank space above the kitchen cabinets? DH does not want to use the space for storage. I think the room looks unfinished. What did I decide to do? I'm going to make a series of coffee cup blocks to hang across the wall. I'm thinking of using cranberry as the third color.
Why coffee cups, you ask? Well, five years ago I made this Coffee Time mosaic for the back splash in our previous home. The mosaic now sits behind our kitchen sink. It was the source for the name of both my blogs and over time I've some to think of myself as Coffee Time. Therefore, I think coffee cup blocks are the perfect choice. Don't you agree? DH thinks it's a great idea.
So now I have a little over one month to start planning my first block. I'm excited to begin working on this project, but I must wait to finish my Christmas gifts first. Then it will be time to play with coffee cups.

Would you like to join me in either the Sunday Stash or the Black and White Challenge?
Sweet P

Serious Studio Time

Today I devoted myself to working in my studio. I have several swap projects with deadlines looming and I needed to get moving on them. This morning I wrapped 44 fat quarters for a birthday swap with one of my on-line groups. Then I was off to my studio for the afternoon.

First up is Project A for my Secret Santa Christmas Swap partner. Aren't the colors wonderful? I've had these charms in my stash for a couple of years. I'm so glad the right project finally came along for them.
Project B was a truly impulsive project. I was digging through my cupboard trying to find my muslin when I pulled this pile of four inch squares from a Challenge I gave myself earlier this summer. They spoke so strongly to me I had to work on them. This is where I am at on the project. Five long strips of the blocks have been sewn. Now I need to finish the project.
Projects C, D and E are all made for a friend. Not all of the projects are done, but soon they will be done and out the door.
I still have three more swap projects to work on and get out on the mail before December 6. Then I can concentrate on DIL's new clothes.

I have been keeping up on the reading of blogs, but not keeping up on commenting. Everyone is working on such wonderful projects. I have more than 100 blog posts marked on my Bloglines to leave comments. Someday soon I'll get a chance to get caught up on the comments. So, if I usually comment on your blog and haven't for some time, don't worry. I'm still reading and I'm still inspired by all the wonderful projects out there in Blogland.

Sweet P

Now I've Done It . . .

DIL and I did our shopping excursion at Jo-Ann's tonight. It was a lot of fun. We started out in the pattern area. Simplicity patterns are on sale this week 5 for $5. The top row of patterns are baby items. The first one is for a diaper bag, bib and boppy pillow. The middle one is for nursery items. I'll be using it mainly for the rocking chair cushion covers. The last one is for carriage covers. The first two patterns in the second row are maternity clothes. The last one is for pajamas. The bottom pattern is car organizers. The pattern caught our eye because of the Patriots fabric. It is more of a fun pattern for us. I can't believe the patterns were only $1 each! What a great deal!
I told DIL I would make her a dress for Christmas. The pattern is a jumper with a dress underneath it. She chose the green fabric as the jumper and the purple fabric as the underneath dress. The black dots on the fabric are actually dark green sequins.

I also told her I would make two tops for her. I'll be making the two long sleeved tops in the pattern for her. The purple and black fabrics are knits and will become a slightly stretchy top. The pink and green are cottons. The pink is the main fabric of the blouse and the green is a contrast and tie color.
So what have I really done? I've moved beyond quilting into sewing clothes. It's been years since I've sewed clothes. Wish me luck! I'm excited to get started!
Sweet P

Do You Have Room For More Christmas Goodies?

Janet at Wildcraft Farm was moaning because she had missed out on Christmas swaps and was looking for Christmas spirit somewhere out there. She asked if anyone wanted to swap a Christmas package with her.

Of course I replied I would love to swap with her! Janet was my swap partner in Chookyblue's SSCS last year and we've been friends ever since.

She has received several responses to her swap so she decided to host a Christmas Swap. If you have room for one more swap package, hop on over to her blog and sign up.

See you there!
Sweet P

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas . . .

I finished my mini Christmas quilt tonight. I pieced the quilt last year. I did the big stitch quilting on it last month. Today I added snowflake buttons in the border and added the binding. The finished quilt is a little smaller than a fat quarter. The pattern is from Lori Smith's Fat Quarter Quilting: Four Fabric Quilts.

Here is a close-up photo of the white snowflake buttons I sewed in the border.

There are 12 of them around the quilt.

I'm happy I've finished this little quilt as my Christmas Cactus is about to bloom.
Won't this be a gorgeous photo in a day or two?

While I'm on the topic of Christmas, please visit Hanne's blog. She is having a giveaway for a Christmas tote bag she designed. Wouldn't it be fun to go Christmas shopping with this bag on your shoulder?

DIL and I are going to branch out from making quilts into making other items for the baby (and maybe for us, too). On Tuesday we are going to hang out in Jo-Ann's after I get off work to get some ideas. I can't wait!
Sweet P

Sewing on Thursday

I had fun sewing with D yesterday. We spent about 8 hours playing with fabric and eating Chinese food. Her cat was fascinated with my sewing machine traveling case. She kept hopping in and out of it a few times.

This is what happens when you've been sewing too long. You grow fabric ears!

My first project of the day was storage cubes from Crazy Mom Quilts. Instead of using the vinyl as a place to put a label I added one of my stitcheries and sewed it in. I started a second basket, but had problems with the vinyl and need to do some unsewing on it.
Project #2 was grocery totes. The pattern came from Valori Wells. I had three of them ready to sew, but only made one. I added a pocket to the front of it for keys and a phone.
This last tote was a pattern I purchased from Jo-Ann Fabrics. The pattern was easy to follow. I'm not quite done with it yet. I'm going to add some applique to it. I quilted it instead of using interfacing. I thought the bag would be stiffer. It isn't. It is roomy though and will make a great shopping bag.
Sunday I have the day off and will spend it playing in my studio. Yippee!
Sweet P

Election Challenge

I didn't get started on my Election Challenge last night. I was experiencing vertigo from changing some meds and didn't think a rotary cutter and a sewing machine would be good tools to be using.

I was up bright and early this morning and started cutting my patches for the Election Challenge. I have the blues cut. Tonight I'll work on the reds. Those are tumbler blocks. I'm still working through the options in my head before I start piecing.
Click here for the results of the states. So far there are 27 states that are blue and 21 that are red with three still processing results.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Maine for a sewing day with a friend. I'll be bringing my Election Challenge with me but I have a list of other projects to work on first.

Have a great day!
Sweet P

First Photo, Sewing and Election Night Challenge

It's the 2nd of the month and I have to post my first of the month photos. Here's the view from the right side of my deck. The parking lot at the bottom of the hill is starting to show through the empty branches.
The mill building is very visible now. The leaves are falling fast around us. By next month I bet the trees will be bare.
DIL and I spent time sewing today. DH came into the studio and took this photo of DIL sewing away. We tag teamed on a baby quilt. I cut the pieces. She sewed. I ironed and pinned.
Here is the completed baby quilt. We used one of the baby fabrics I bought while in MN.
A quilter on one of my Yahoo groups asked if anyone is doing an Election Night Challenge. My brain immediately clicked into high gear and thought what a great idea! So I'm issuing an Election Night Challenge. I don’t want to get bogged down with lots of rules about the challenge so I’ll keep it simple.

The completed project should have at least 51 blocks. The blocks can be as simple or as complicated as you like. Each one needs to “read” red or blue. There should be one block for every state that votes red (Republican) and one block for every state that votes blue (Democrat).

The project should be done by November 30, 2008. If you'd like to join in the fun, let me know and blog about it. The more, the merrier. On December 1 I'll post photos of all the completed projects and host a poll to pick the favorite. I'll award a prize for the project with the most votes and pick a winner from those who vote as well.

I've already chosen my fabrics and here they are. I wonder what I'll make . . .
Don't forget to vote on Tuesday!
Sweet P