WIP Wednesday The not so Patriotic Version

I've actually been working on a quilt that I am truly going to finish. In fact, it is almost complete, I just have to finish the vertical quilting and then go around the edges twice and it will be done!

Unfortunately, it isn't red, white and blue, hence my not being in tune with the holiday!

I purchased a slew of children's type fabrics a few months ago with the intent of making many quilty blankies for kiddos. This is me getting started on that.

This first one is Kathy Miller Color Stories prints in grey and citron.

Simple patchwork blocks finishing at 6in. and voila, one quilt done.

The back is one of my thrifted sheets in a coordinating color, with a vertical line of scraps to break up the monotony of solid color.

I'm toying with the idea of doing the next one in appliqued circle pebble things, which I saw recently on one of the blogs I follow, but can't locate right now...

Happy Independence Day!

UFO Challenge Winners!

Thanks so much to everyone that joined the challenge. I'm so happy that you all were able to finish up some of your projects.
My intent in having this challenge was to motivate myself to finish up some of my own UFOs, unfortunately, this did not seem to be the right time for me. The only thing I did finish was the car themed quilt I had started for my husband several months ago. This is the one item that I actually forgot to include in my whole list of UFOs! Oh well, c'est la vie.

Instead of using a random number picker, I wrote all the names down on pieces of paper and put them in a bag to pick randomly.

I did exclude 2 entries, one for being finished in May (sorry, I had to stick to my rules!) and one that no picture appeared with the link. That being said, 18 entries went into the bag, and here are the winners, the order drawn matches with the prizes 1-9.

Just to be clear, I'll also list the winners/prizes below. Prize #1 June Tailor Twist and Stitch Pinwheel Block Ruler. Goes to Krista

Prize #2 Fat Quarter Bundle of the Denyse Schmidt Hope Valley Prints goes to Ella

Prize #3 10 Vintage Sheet fat quarters of your choice from my Etsy Shop. goes to Sue

Prize #4 Half Yard stack of 5 Anna Marie Horner's Little Folks Voile prints goes to Laura

Prize #5 3 Fat Quarters of Denyse Schmidt Flea Market Fancy Legacy Orange/Pink goes to Suz

Prize #6 3 Fat Quarters of Denyse Schmidt Flea Market Fancy Legacy Teal goes to Ella

Prize #7 3 Fat Quarters of Denyse Schmidt Flea Market Fancy Legacy Grey goes to Kaitlyn

Prize # 8 Stack of Happy Mochi Yum Yum fat quarters and smaller pieces goes to Vicki

Prize #9 Random stack of 10 Denyse Schmidt Fat Quarters to be picked by me. goes to Sheila

Congratulations to all of the winners. You will have 2 weeks (July 15) to claim your prizes. Any prizes that are unclaimed after that time will be re-drawn and a new winner selected.

Please email me at longvacation@optonline.net with your mailing information so that I can get your prizes to you ASAP.

Happy Sewing!

Thrift Store Finds Saturday and Last Day to Enter Giveaway!

Just a short mention, today is the last day to enter my UFO challenge giveaway. All that is required is that you started a sewing project before June 1, 2012 and finished sometime during the month of June. You can enter as many projects that meet the requirements. See tab at the top to take you to the details.


I did some thrifting on Monday this week, which is not the norm for me, but Savers has started having random 50% off sales during the week instead of on the weekends.
Being Monday, I had to wait until after work, and of course I had the feeling that all of the good stuff was gone.


My biggest find was 3 pieces of Pyrex in the Woodland brown print. They weren't included in the half off sale, but less than $10 for the whole set isn't bad. I dithered about getting these, thinking why get them just to have them sit and look pretty, but then I thought, why shouldn't I use them! Yes, they may get stained or scratched, but so what?. Life is short and stuff is meant to be used. So, they came home with me.

Another find that I will be keeping and hopefully using are these 4 balls of DMC Perle floss. All four for only $1. There were other packages that I left behind because the colors didn't suit, but I'm pretty sure I'll get some use out of these.

Now some finds that will end up in my shop.
I wish I had a round table to use this lovely poppies table cloth on, but I don't. I thought about cutting it up for the fabric, but prefer to give it a chance in my shop before it comes to that. Poppies are a favorite of mine, so I could definitely make use of it if it doesn't find a home.

It looks like the trim may have been added on after the previous owner purchased the tablecloth.

Another Star Wars Sheet. I've seen dresses and things made out of sheets like these. It's pretty nifty and bold of the designers. Perhaps someone will do the same for this one. Tote bags would be good, too.

Roses on black and roses on peach plaid.

And that is all I have to share for this week's thrifting finds.

New Cover for my New Kindle Fail!

This past Friday was the 12yr anniversary for the husband and myself. We don't typically give gifts for our anniversary, usually just a nice dinner out someplace.

Well this year he surprised me with a Kindle Fire! I already had a Kindle basic that he got me for my last birthday and wasn't really expecting a new one so soon.

The Kindle basic does not come with any kind of internal light, and I like to read at night before bed, so he had been a bit disappointed that I had to still use my Mighty Brite lamp to read at night, hence the upgrade to the Fire, which has light and so much more!

When I got my basic, I made a cover for it out of home dec. fabric and some really stiff craft interfacing. It came together ok, but the Singer really had trouble sewing through some of that thickness, so there were a few skipped stitches here and there.


So, having learned from the first time around what did and didn't work for me, I thought I was all set to make a cover for my new Kindle. I decided to use regular quilt fabric, thinner craft fuse and a snap instead of the velcro closure (velcro can be quite noisy at night!).

Everything was moving along wonderfully, despite the fact that the pattern I was using failed to mention a few steps. No problem, I knew what to do from wallet making.
So, here's my cover.
Notice anything? How about another picture.

Pretty, yes? Notice anything now? No? Okay, one more picture.

Do you see it? Somehow, I measured the pattern incorrectly and did not notice until I was about the put the last snap piece on. The whole time sewing this up I did not notice that it was going to be way too big for the Kindle.

I'm not despairing too much. It is fixable. I just have to take it apart and lose a couple of inches off the width. I've thought about just doing the whole thing over, but this would just go to waste and I don't want that.

Maybe this is punishment for not working on my UFOs or the many projects I'm behind on for handstitching class!

Sunday Stash Odds and Ends

Linking up with Sunday Stash at Finding Fifth.


I haven't added any new collections to my stash recently, but I have picked up a few pieces from Joann's. Most of these were from the clearance fabric section, and the rest were already on sale, then further reduced with my 30% off of everything coupon.
This first one is something I found at Joann's online and thought it would make a great tote someday. It's home dec fabric and it arrived on one of those huge rolls that are about 4ft long. All that for what is only 1yd of fabric! It's called Tres Chic.

This next little bundle was all on clearance and sold for 1/2 the clearance price.

I particularly want to point out this one, because for me, it's a step outside my comfort zone. I don't usually pick prints like these, but I felt I should try to expand my likings a bit.

A few remnants that all total were less than $2. Those birds will be good for something!


And some more random, unrelated to each other prints. I particularly am liking the grey with flowers.

Thrift Store Finds Saturday: Picasso Edition

I'm always hopeful that I will find something really rare or terribly valuable at the thrift store and this past week I did. I found not 1, but 2 Picassos!


Of course, these Picasso items aren't paintings worth beaucoup bucks, but bed sheets! I didn't even know such a thing existed, but sometime in the olden days, someone had the nifty idea to feature Picasso's artwork on linens. I don't know how many different prints exist. The two I have are Dove with Olive Branch and Hands with Flowers.



Another find was this tin of paper Christmas coasters from 1985. I wasn't sure what they were until I brought them home, but they seem like a fun novelty item. What I don't really get is how helpful a thin paper coaster would be if you have a drink that sweats...


There were several other sheets and pillowcases that I will be listing in the shop over the next few days. Here's a little preview.

BOM Progress

I didn't do much sewing this weekend. I did promise myself that I had to at least make the 2 blocks for the Block of the Month programs I am in.


First up is the June block for the half square triangle BOM at In Color Order. Now that June's block is done, we are officially half way through this quilt. In keeping with my Denyse Schmidt fabric theme, I chose prints from Picnics and Fairgrounds, Sugar Creek and Aunt Edna.

And here's a picture of all of my blocks together. I had to use the couch as I don't have a section of wall that has sufficient light this time of evening.


My next block is for the Fat Quarter Shop 2012 Designer Mystery BOM. This BOM uses Vintage Modern by Bonnie and Camille for Moda. The first block is called Laundry Days and was designed by Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs.


As you can see from the picture, I used the leftover triangle scraps to sew up some little squares. I may try to incorporate these into the finished quilt when I'm done. I expect there will be more scraps like these as we progress.