TO ME!
I can hardly believe that I've been blogging for TWO YEARS!
Today is my anniversary, though, and I have the presents (to myself) to prove it!
In yesterday's mail came the fabric for La Balancoire by Nimue (the baby arrived a few days ago. I ordered the fabric from some folks - Picture This, Plus! in Kansas - that I had met at the last CATS Stitching Festival held in California. I wasn't sure what color to order. I didn't want linen or Aida, and I wanted something close to the color on the chart picture. But, sometimes colors, especially of hand-dyed, just don't show true on the computer, do they? So, I emailed the shop and included a picture of the pattern. I asked them to recommend something, and they recommended their Lugana color "Woodland." I don't think I could get any closer!
I'm still resting my sore wrist, then will finish the other fairy, THEN start this one. There are some specialty threads that I need to find first, so there's no rush.
As if that wasn't enough, TODAY my mailbox had my set of Butterfly Garden patterns from Treasured Threads in Iowa. Talk about fast service! And check out this pattern:
I fell in love with this quilt by Leanne Beasley the first time I saw its picture, and as I've waited for my order to arrive I've been trying to figure out how the ten blocks were used. That is, I knew the BOM set included ten patterns, so I've been studying the quilt top to figure out how they were used, but I could never make sense out of it. Today I learned why. This has to be one of the biggest bargains in quiltdom. Each of the first NINE patterns is for one block (the quilt is made of nine blocks). Each BLOCK is made up of NINE mini-blocks! Some of the mini-blocks are repeated (the little four patch, the heart, the daisy) but a whole bunch of them are unique to just one block. And even the ones that are repeated are "tweaked" a bit so that they don't look like repeats. I need to choose a couple of fabrics to use throughout the quilt (for a consistent look) but otherwise can be scrappy about it. Can't wait to get started!
Unfortunately, I have a LOT of neglected housework to do this week. Still have to take down the Christmas decorations, then have to get into the two spare rooms and "organize" the stuff that's in there. One we are using as a storage room. DS2's drums are in there, some of our boxes ready to move (whenever that happens) and a whole bunch of empty packing boxes. All of it has to be pulled away from the walls. In the other room, I have to sort through the stuff I brought down from the attic, decide what to keep and what to "bless" onto someone else, then move everything in there away from the walls. I'm not sure, but I think a defective electrical outlet may have been smouldering over the holiday. When I unplugged the lamps that were plugged into it the weird smell went away. Understandably DH wants to bring in an electrician to inspect and repair all the outlets that need to be fixed (before we burn to the ground?) but first I have to create a space for an electrician to work in. That's this week's job.
DH has an incredibly busy month ahead of him. He's been hired by his union to coordinate the campaign for one of the ballot initiatives so will be out several evenings a week managing phone banks. In addition to his responsibilities as president of the county's community college district's board of trustees. In addition to taking a group of emancipated foster youth up to Sacramento for training as lobbyists. He'll be gone quite a bit, so I'm going to try to make good use of my alone time. I'll spend the weekend he's away at my Mom's. I'm going to take her to a couple of quilt shops, then the next day she, my SIL and I will sew all day. (SIL wants to learn to hand applique so I think I'll try to start on the butterflies that weekend.)
2008 has gotten off to a good start for my family. My kids don't like me sharing all the details of their lives here but I don't think they'd mind if I say that some good things are coming together for them. Here's hoping the good karma holds!
As if that wasn't enough, TODAY my mailbox had my set of Butterfly Garden patterns from Treasured Threads in Iowa. Talk about fast service! And check out this pattern:
I fell in love with this quilt by Leanne Beasley the first time I saw its picture, and as I've waited for my order to arrive I've been trying to figure out how the ten blocks were used. That is, I knew the BOM set included ten patterns, so I've been studying the quilt top to figure out how they were used, but I could never make sense out of it. Today I learned why. This has to be one of the biggest bargains in quiltdom. Each of the first NINE patterns is for one block (the quilt is made of nine blocks). Each BLOCK is made up of NINE mini-blocks! Some of the mini-blocks are repeated (the little four patch, the heart, the daisy) but a whole bunch of them are unique to just one block. And even the ones that are repeated are "tweaked" a bit so that they don't look like repeats. I need to choose a couple of fabrics to use throughout the quilt (for a consistent look) but otherwise can be scrappy about it. Can't wait to get started!
Unfortunately, I have a LOT of neglected housework to do this week. Still have to take down the Christmas decorations, then have to get into the two spare rooms and "organize" the stuff that's in there. One we are using as a storage room. DS2's drums are in there, some of our boxes ready to move (whenever that happens) and a whole bunch of empty packing boxes. All of it has to be pulled away from the walls. In the other room, I have to sort through the stuff I brought down from the attic, decide what to keep and what to "bless" onto someone else, then move everything in there away from the walls. I'm not sure, but I think a defective electrical outlet may have been smouldering over the holiday. When I unplugged the lamps that were plugged into it the weird smell went away. Understandably DH wants to bring in an electrician to inspect and repair all the outlets that need to be fixed (before we burn to the ground?) but first I have to create a space for an electrician to work in. That's this week's job.
DH has an incredibly busy month ahead of him. He's been hired by his union to coordinate the campaign for one of the ballot initiatives so will be out several evenings a week managing phone banks. In addition to his responsibilities as president of the county's community college district's board of trustees. In addition to taking a group of emancipated foster youth up to Sacramento for training as lobbyists. He'll be gone quite a bit, so I'm going to try to make good use of my alone time. I'll spend the weekend he's away at my Mom's. I'm going to take her to a couple of quilt shops, then the next day she, my SIL and I will sew all day. (SIL wants to learn to hand applique so I think I'll try to start on the butterflies that weekend.)
2008 has gotten off to a good start for my family. My kids don't like me sharing all the details of their lives here but I don't think they'd mind if I say that some good things are coming together for them. Here's hoping the good karma holds!
4 comments:
Hope your wrist feels better soon. Wow, I'd have thought it's the same fabric used in the picture. It looks identical. Great choice by PTP.
That fabric looks really great to work the fairy on. And your quilt pattern, this one block looks great. Can't wait to see you starting this project.
Happy Blog Birthday!
Awesome, i had just finished my The Swing last night. I had fun. frustrations & fun. LOL. I came across your blog when i was surfing google for pictures for the swing. I had fallen inlove with this design the first time I saw it. It's just so cute!! I hope you'll have fun as well. Can't wait to see your progress.
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