Sunday, July 24, 2011

Trash to Treasure Pineapple Challenge Quilt

I accepted Gyleen Fitzgerald's challenge to make a small 4-block pineapple quilt based on her method and pineapple ruler.  This is the first challenge that I have participated in as I am not a perfect quilter and prefer not be under the scrutiny of the quilt police.  But I like pineapple quilts and the challenge was to use fabrics from your stash (Trash to Treasure) and to add applique.  The cornucopia is my first attempt at machine applique.   Each participant was challenged to interpret the month of their choice.  I chose November, my birthday month and the month of my favorite holiday - Thanksgiving.  Any way, it was an interesting and fun diversion and I will probably not do another challenge quilt for a long time.  I named my little quilt November Harvest.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

When you have to work on the weekend...

You might as well try to have some fun.  The painters worked this weekend and as the facilities manager, I needed to be there with them until the job was completed  So I expected to be in the office all day on Saturday and hopefully only a half day on Sunday.  I guess I could have found something to keep me occupied through out the office.  But I decided that if I had to babysit the painters that I wanted to do something a little more fun than paperwork.  So I packed up my sewing machine that I travel with to sew-ins and classes and put it by the front door.  A while ago I felt like the quilt that I sleep under  had become much love-worn, so I decided to make another quilt for me!   And it needed to be quick and easy.  What is more quicker than a snowball quilt?  I had a ton of African fabric charms (I buy them every time I go to shows) and some Michael Miller jet-black fabric.  And off I went to spend the day in my office...making snow ball blocks.  It can't get any better than that.  We had warned those staff people who just have to come in on Saturday (I don't get it) to stay away while the painters were here, so I didn't have any interruptions.  And to make the deal even sweeter, Create TV featured quilting, crocheting, knitting, and sewing shows all day.  I should have over 100 snow ball blocks done by the end of the weekend.  And to make it even better, I also made bonus half square triangles based on Bonnie Hunter's system.  So, I will have 400 inch and a quarter HSTs.  This quilt is going to be a stunner!   So, here is a pic to show you that I really was at work...working.


Saturday, July 16, 2011

The Postlady only rang once...

I never win anything.  I leave comments on all of the blog giveaways and for some unlucky reason the random name selector thing just never gets around to my name.  But I keep trying.  Recently I was notified that I had won a prize for playing a game and naming a list of TV moms from their pictures.  It is a sad testament to how much TV I have watched in the past. For some Iof the TV moms I could remember the first and last names, while for others I could only remember the first names, but I was surprised to have won.  So on Saturday morning, the mail lady knocked on my door and left this goody package for me.  Needless to say, I am thrilled. Thanks to Kelli at http://www.hobbywhore.blogspot.com/ for giving me the opportunity to play to win!  It was fun and I absolutely love all things Bali Pops and I will make myself a cup of tea while contemplating my next project with my winnings.