October Already!

We are having a lovely, but dry, fall in Weston, Idaho. I have been working hard to get some things finished. Here is my Stash Bee Quilt from June. Its fun to see what everyone sends, but these quilts are always a little difficult to sew together because not everyone sews the same.

This is the doll quilt I am starting for October. My partner and I decided not to do Halloween, but instead go with a fall theme. I hope to get this one done long before the end of the month.

I'm so close to having my postage stamp quilt top done. I hope to show it to you soon. I also am almost finished with the Graphic Mixx Sampler. Then I will have to get busy quilting.

Here is the Quilt Label CD that has 13 of my designs. Also these are my original sketches. I was so excited to get it. You can order it from C&T Publishing or ask Suppose to get it in for you.

Guilding has started for another year. It is so good to meet with quilting friends again. I must go sew, sew, sew.

Stay Happy and keep Quilting.

A Finished Project

I finished a project today! It feels so good. This is a round robin a group or us did at Sit-n-Stitch night at Embroidery Central.

Each person did the first line, the last line and the background design on their own. They were passed around every week and a different person did each of the other lines. I did not specify colors I wanted on my piece. I also did not say there was any color I did not want. I think it turned out gorgeous. Now I get to work on some other projects that have been waiting in line.

Keep quilting and stay happy.

Winner!

The winner is Margaret Rosenbrook. How fun. I know Margaret through Doll Quilters Monthly. We have already sent each other little quilts. You should check out this swap by clicking on the button on the right. It is a fun group to belong to and new members are always welcome. One tiny quilt a month is a fun project because it gives me a chance to practice skills or try new things, send and receive gifts in the mail and make a lot of new quilting friends. What more could a quilter want?

Coming soon-- a look at cross stitching projects and a quilt or two in progress.

Thanks to all entrants for visiting mamabill and come back soon.

Keep quilting and stay happy.

Give Away

OK. I shopped. I am so excited about this prize. Are you ready? Ta-Da. . .

The book will give you a laugh when you see how your grandma did her sewing. I am sending a kit and pattern so you can make your own Little Wallet and I'm sure you can come up with a fun project for the charm pack.

All you have to do is leave me a comment and tell me one fun thing you will remember about this summer. Tell your friends about this give away because "the more, the merrier". I will pick a winner on August 30. Good luck to all my sweet followers. Quilters are the nicest people.

One more fun thing. If you click on the postage stamp quilt button on the right and decide you would like to start one of your own, let me know and I will send you some 2" charms to help you get started.

Stay happy and keep quilting.

Let's Celebrate

This is it--my 50th blog post. I feel like celebrating by having a giveaway. I think I know just what I want to send to a lucky winner. Check back tomorrow for the rules and a peek at the prize. I need to go to the store today and get it.

Yesterday I had such a good sewing day. I made a Little Wallet because I have been putting it off for so long. I put velcro on the flap and two of the pockets so my wallet can hold "valuables". Now I want to make many more.

I got my July doll quilt in the mail. Isn't it perfect for July? It is hand quilted and I just love it.

I am getting 2" charms in the mail every day. It makes me want to sew faster.

Be sure and check back tomorrow. Stay happy and keep sewing.

Remember Me?

I used to blog here, but I have not been very good at it lately. I promised a friend I would post something today. Here goes. . .

1,250 two-inch charms ready to swap (plus I cut 100 for me). My postage stamp quilt is coming along too. This is about half of what I have done:

I love how the dark squares are showing up.

In July I did a 4-H quilt camp. Only three girls came, but they did such a good job.

I got the pics backwards, but aren't they cute.

Stay tuned for more. I promise to do better. Since I have been blogging for a year, I am trying to think up a way to celebrate. Any ideas? A give-away maybe?

Keep quilting and stay happy.

Postage Stamp Charm Swap

Yesterday through July 22 you can sign up to swap postage stamp charms. What are postage stamp charms, you ask? They are tiny squares of quilting fabric that can be 1 1/2" to 2 1/2". A postage stamp quilt is made using these charms. Ideally, no two fabrics are repeated in the whole quilt. So a charm swap is great because there are so many fabrics in the world that I don't have. In this swap, we trade 100-charm packs. This will be my second swap. I did one in April and so far I have sewn six 13" blocks.

You can make quilting friends all over the world. Google postage stamp quilts to see more. You can sign up for the current swap at thecuriousquilter.wordpress.com

This is a small sample of what my quilt will look like from the Stash Bee. I was queen bee in June and I think I still need to receive a few blocks before I can get it all put together. Another fun online group to join and all you have to do is make one block a month to send to someone somewhere in the world.

The last online group I participate in is Doll Quilters Monthly. This is the quilt I sent to my June partner in Tennessee. Doll quilts are so fun to make because they are fast. One a month is not too much to keep up with.

What a hot summer we are having. It is going by so fast. Life is so busy, but don't we love it. Keep quilting and stay happy.

I had a great time at Suppose Guild sewing night Thursday. I worked on my postage stamp blocks. I need to use all the charms I have because next month there will be another swap. Anyway, it was fun to visit and sew with friends. I brought home two almost finished blocks.

I'm already getting Stash Bee blocks in the mail. Its like receiving presents. I also got this --



Its my first doll quilt. The fussy cut flowers are so cute. As you can see, quilters are very generous. Besides a handmade card, my partner sent me a zipper pouch that contained a tin of arrow pins, a thimble ring and a quilt block necklace. I was so happy with the quilt and the gifts.

Now for a day of serious quilting. I want to finish something today and then I will let you see.

Keep quilting and stay happy.

Is it Summer?

The weather is finally a little nicer after all the cold and rain. I hope the sunshine will be with us for a while now.

I am Queen Bee for June in Stash Bee. It is a fun group. Each person in the hive makes a block for the Queen Bee every month and the Queen Bee has enough blocks to make a quilt. This will be my fourth month. It will be so fun to have all the blocks come to me and when I get them sewn together, I will have a fun birthday present. That's why I chose the month of June. You should check out all the fun projects at and maybe even join hive #5. This is my block:

I made this table runner. I need to get a back so I can finish it. It is called Spicy Spiral. You can order the tool and see other patterns at phillipsfiberarts.com.

Today I am going to my granddaughter's high school graduation. Guess what I gave her for a present?

Isn't she cute? She had such a hard time choosing from my finished quilts stash. I hope it will be a reminder to Heather of how much Grandma loves her.

Keep quilting and stay happy.

Thanks Suppose

What a great party at Suppose Quilt Boutique last night. Thanks Jo and Kathy for all your hard work. There were games, food, prizes, favors and lots of friends on hand to celebrate the Quilt Sampler magazine article about Suppose. What fun. I feel so lucky to work there!

Suppose guild's closing social was Thursday. We ate tacos, elected new officers, drew for prizes, played quilt bingo and had a great evening. This is the show and tell I should have had finished, but didn't get done until Friday. Its Spaghetti Junction from "Livin' Large 2". I love it.

Here is my May Stash Bee block. Its in the mail to a new home.

I'm the queen bee in June, so I need to make a block and write a tutorial for the group.

I've started a new thing--a postage stamp quilt charm swap. I swapped 2" squares of fabric with 10 people and will be making blocks that look like this:

It was a lot of cutting, but I sent charms to and will be getting some from Sweden, Australia and Wales plus lots of states in the US. I already have some from Pocatello and Illinois. Its so fun to see what people send and to visit with them online.

So much sewing and so little time. Isn't it great? Keep quilting and stay happy.

Some finishes

I have a few things to show. Do you sometimes slow down and lose a little of your enthusiasm? I do, but I have it all back now. First of all let me say that I have seen the new Quilt Sampler Magazine and Suppose, where I work, is the first shop featured. It is a really nice article.

Union Station is finished and will be hanging at Suppose.

Gardener's Angel for spring is finished and just needs a frame.

One more crazy quilt block is finished.

Its good to have some things finished. Now on the other finishes and maybe some brand new projects.

Keep quilting and stay happy.

Still Working

I wanted to show some pics from Monday's guild. We were learning Stack'n Whack. Jennifer and I had already cut our block sets and were ready to sew when we got there. Here are some ladies just learning to match fabric repeats and cut sets:

I can't wait to see how this one turns out.

This is Susan's first fan:

These are some of Jennifer's fans:

Here are some of mine:

I am binding a quilt for the store today. Pictures will come next time. Last night at another guild, I started an English paper piecing project. It is my first. I think I will like this. And I signed up for a charm swap this week for a postage stamp quilt. Thousands of small squares will be a real challenge. This might not be seen for years.

We are busy at Suppose preparing for Shop Hop next week and then for the Quilt Sampler magazine release. So exciting.

Keep quilting and stay happy.

Thursday Fun

I finished the first quilt for Doll Quilters Monthly. I will be sending it to Nancy tomorrow, so I can't show the whole thing. Here is the teaser she can see. . .

I also made the Stashbee blocks for Beth.

She chose a very easy block, so I just got it done. Then I won't have to worry about it at the end of the month. You see, I have a new project I need to spend some time on.

Two members of Suppose Guild are having babies soon and one very special daughter has just announced her big news. She has been making and saving quilts and receiving blankets for years, but she does not know how to knit. The next ones will be red.

I'm excited today because I just got a new book in the mail, "The Magic of Crazy Quilting" by Marsha Michler. She is amazing. I can't wait to settle down and read for an hour or so tonight.

Keep quilting and stay happy.

Blog Hop winner, finishes, wip's etc

St. Patrick's Day Blog Hop was fun. The best part was the comments and new friends on my blog. Quilters are such nice people. The winner is. . . Sandy.
Her prize will be in the mail next week. I'm already thinking what I can give away next time.

I have been working in my sewing room. How cute is this, my first doll quilt.

The candlewicking pillow is done. I love it.

Nine Patch Nirvana quilt that I started in October in Quilters Anonymous Guild. The fabric was from a fat eighth bundle my employers brought me from Quilt Market.

I'm already starting on Christmas gifts because I know I don't get them done if I don't start early. I want to do several of these and they will be just one block somethings.

This is for the PVQG quilt show in May. It will be a 12" block and I can add more fabrics (3) if I want. I will start this next week.

This is a six inch Farmer's Wife quilt block. The HSTs are one inch.

And one last thing--these are the fabrics for my first Doll Quilters Monthly swap. I have been getting to know my partner and she is an awesome lady who collects French dolls.

Now that was a lot for one week, wasn't it? I am having such fun quilting, but I am afraid I will have to spend some time working in my yard soon. Oh well, I do love the fresh vegetables and pretty flowers that come from that work. How could anyone ever get bored with life?

Keep quilting and stay happy.

Blog Hop Party

It's time again for a fun week of blog hopping and give-aways. Quilting Gallery is hosting the party for St. Patrick's Day. It will run from March 17 to March 23. There are tons of prizes to register for and great blogs to visit. You can see a list of all the blogs and start by clicking on the Blob Hop Party button at the right or go to quiltinggallery.com/quilters-fun/quilters-blog-hop-party/. But before you leave, please take a look at what I am giving away.

This handy Sewline pencil box is filled with little goodies any quilter can use--

---a cotton picker to get threads off your sweater, embroidery scissors, sewing machine needles, a Frixion pen and a Lavishea pear lotion bar. I can't wait to see who wins. Just leave a comment telling me how long you have been quilting and what your favorite technique is for a chance to win. I would love to have you as a follower, but don't feel obligated.

Keep quilting and stay happy.

Blog Hop Party

Quilting Gallery is having another Blog Hop Party for St. Patrick's Day. Check back here on the 17th to see what I choose to give away . You can enter from the 17th through the 23rd. It will be tons of fun.

I have been having a great time quilting this week. No pictures today, but soon.

Keep quilting and stay happy.

Stashbee, etc.

This is the first block I have ever made for an online bee(and a signature block). I will be sending it to Deb.

I won these cute fat quarters at Suppose guild last week. Every month we draw a name from those who bring show and tell. I love these colors.

Today I get time at home to work on anything I want after I sew a binding to the Half Moon Modern quilt. Here is a peek at the fabrics I'm going to use:

Now I'm headed for the sewing room. Keep quilting and stay happy.

Leap Day Winner

The blog hop was so fun yesterday. I'm so glad I was able to stay at home and enjoy it all. The winner is . . . Happy Cottage Quilter. I have her package ready to go in the mail. I even included a little something extra.

Now to get back to the things on my sewing and quilting list. But first, I want to show you a little progress on the CQJP 2012 project (the first six blocks are sewn together and now I can add more embellishments) and some goodies I found at the thrift store.

I just love the little lizards and I will use the satin in the pj top as well as the braid trim. The ties are all silk.

Now I need to go finish a quilt I am doing for a store sample. I'll let you see it next time.

Happy quilting and keep smiling.