First project from Fresh Fabric Treats Book

The first project from our new book (Fresh
Fabric Treats)  Is called "Shirt of my bag"
This has to be hands down the cutest lil
bag that I have ever made!
Not only are they cute they are super easy
to whip up :)

Here are the two that I made this evening!
I didn't get them finished in time to take a
picture outside.
I made two because a friend of mine owns a
ranch,and she loves western style everything :)
Her anniversary is coming up this next month,
so she will get to pick her favorite one as a gift!

Will try to get a picture taken outside tomorrow.

First Stashtactular Project & Sweet Apron

This is my first finished project for Stashtactular
I have been so busy trying to get my Knotted
Squares quilt top finished up so that I would
maybe have time to do some of the tutorials

This bag tutorial is posted over at Blue Bird Sews
fly on over there and check it out!  It was super
easy and quick too.

I made it up this evening after work :)
Here is the bag all folded up into the pocket that you
attach to the outside of the bag!
Its great because you can toss it into your
purse,so you have it whenever you need it.

How about those beautiful sunflowers?!
Mr. P was kind enough to take this picture for me :)
This is the apron that I made Sunday.  It took me most of the
day to finish it.
But I love how it turned out!
I will be making this one again for sure.
However next time I will put the pleats closer together,and
make the ties a little shorter.
So this one is a keeper :)

Finished Abby bag and quilt progress

My Abby bag is finished,which means that my
summer projects list is complete!
I had thought about making an amended
or updated summer project list.  However
since my mom & dad are coming next week
and staying for 2 weeks I decided not to.

Here is a better photo of the main part of the
bag.
I am also going to be making a apron with
the same fabrics,as I had enough to make
both projects :)
Love how this turned out.

This is a much better picture of the top/pincushion part of
the bag.
The pattern calls for a button in the center,which I used.
But I covered it up with a silk flower,my own little touch
to this bag :)

The pattern instructions were great for the first part of the bag.
There were illustrations along with the the written instructions,
but about half way through its like the person writing it just
got in a rush to finish.
No illustrations for the second half of the bag,and the
written instructions were confusing to boot!
Had to look online for a tutorial so that I could finish!

This is the block placement that I decided on for  my Knotted
Squares quilt.
I had to move the kitchen table into the living room so that I
could use my kitchen design floor  :)

The lighting outside was Way to bright and it
was windy too.  So I had to snap a quick pic
while it was calm.

A close up of my blocks.

EEk! I ran out of White Thread!!!

So the plan was to get All of my blocks sewed together
this evening.  That is until I suddenly realized that I am Totally
out of white thread!  Grrr!
This is how far I got this evening,2 blocks finished and one more
half way done.

So I thought about making some of the things from Stashtactular
since I haven't made anything from the tutorials yet!

But......

Decided that first I should finish up my summer projects list,
as this is the last project on it!

This is how far I was able to get this evening.
(sorry about the shadow)
I added my own touch by putting a silk flower in the middle
of the pincushion,on top of the button!

Workin on the Chain Gang

Pressed all the white pieces and sewed on the 1 1/2 x 4 1/2"
pieces.

Here they are all pressed.

Next, sewed on the 1 1/2 x 5 1/2' pieces

And here they are all pressed and ready for the next step.

Decided to change it up a bit and show you a photo of the
pieces all chained together :)  These are the 2 1/2 x 3 1/2"
pieces sewed together. 
The two stacks at the bottom of the picture have already been
cut apart.

Next the 2 1/2 x 8 1/2" pieces all chained together.

Here they all are pressed!
I am quite surprised at how fast it has been coming together.
As I was thinking that it was going to take me forever to
sew all those  pieces together!
Of course the chain piecing really speeded  up the process :)
I am hoping to start making the blocks tomorrow!

Amelia by Me & My Sister for Moda

So are you  in Love yet??
Well I am!
Do you want a chance to win some of this delicious
summery fabric???
I sure do (want to win)
Shawna over at 1 choice 4 quilting
is giving away....

1 Amelia jelly roll...

1 Amelia layer cake...

And last but not least
1 Home town jelly roll!
So fly over there pronto for your chance to
win some!

Knotted Squares progress

Today I had some time to work on the next quilt from the Modern
Ease quilt book.

First set of strips sewn together (25)

Above strips cut into 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch strips (100)

The above strips sewed to another white 4 1/2 " strip (also 100)
The next step will be to press all these strips.
This quilt is a whole lot more involved than the first two we have
made.
Surprisingly I am not nervous about this one (yet)!
The only thing that I am nervous about is when the time
to quilt it arrives.

flying geese

The last couple of days I have been trying to figure out how
to make these little geese.
Sometimes being dyslexic is so frustrating.
This evening after spending some time looking around on the
internet I found instructions for a different method than the one
that I had been using.
On the second try I got it!!!
Yay :)

Sunflower posies

This evening while talking to Jolene she said so mom,you
haven't posted anything lately on your blog.  What is up
with that?
So ensued a conversation about what I had posted lately.
I was sure that I had posted the pictures of my finished
Posie Patch quilt top,only to find (much to my surprise)
that she was right and I was wrong!
So here are the photos in question.

I just love how it the tallest sunflower appears to be looking
down on the two smaller sunflowers :)
So Jolene,I sit corrected! 

Now I need to take the plunge and use my new FMQ foot
and quilt it!

~ Pay It Forward ~ & Patterns

A short while ago I joined a Pay It Forward over at spontaneous Threads
Today when sorting through the mail I came across a
package:)
This is what was nestled inside!  A wonderful new zippered
pouch!
Thank you sooo much Stephanie :)
It is way too cute and I love it :0)
Definitely put a smile on my face!

Every month Annie over at Rubby Slipperz  hosts a giveaway
called FYPC (finish your project challenge)
Imagine my surprise when she emailed me to say that I was the
winner for the month of June!
What I won was a $30.00 gift card to Crazyquiltgirl fabric shop :)

The only problem,I took a pledge Not to purchase Any Fabric during
the stashtactular month long event!!!

So instead of waiting to use my gift card I purchased the above patterns
instead.  (so I can use up some of the fabric I already own)

Here is the next quilt my online quilt book club is making.
It is called Knotted Squares.
It is in the same book as the last two quilts we have made I mean
everyone else has made.  I still need to finish the Posie Patch
quilt.  (still waiting for the FMQ foot)

Anyway the fabric in the photo is what I dug out of my stash to
use to make this quilt :)  It is all cut and ready for me to start sewing :)

Hope I finish this one on time,but don't know because I know there
are going to be some really cool a Ton of really cool tutorials
that I am going to have to make during stashtactular!!!

summer projects update

In May I joined up with FairyFace Designs to do a summer
projects list.  Here is my Mid-Summer update.

These are the apple squares that I planned to make coasters
out of,all finished.

Sprocket pillows were another project on my list.
Here they are all finished.  These were very fun to make
and I plan on making more in the future.

Next is my Max & Whiskers quilt.

 I wanted to take a picture of
it outside today,but it was raining.  So here is a close-up of part
of it.

This is the last finished project.
The Zippy Strippy bags/pouches.
These were also fun to make,except for adding the zipper!

I also finished a whole lot more that was not on my list.  If you remember
that I recently had a booth at a craft sale.  Most of the things that I
took to sell I made this last month also!

The only thing that was on my original "List" that I haven't yet
finished is the Abby Bag.  So not to shabby for only being Mid way
though :)
Guess I need to make another List for the remainder of the summer :)
Coming up soon!
Linking up to FairyFace Designs  Mid-Summer check in.

Grilled Salmon & wild Rice Recipe

What you will need to make this meal...
One piece of salmon
Size depends on how many you are feeding, the piece here will feed 4
Soy sauce 1/4 cup
Cilantro fresh or dried 1 tablespoon
lemon juice or juice of 1 medium lemon
Grill
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar (you could probably broil it in the oven too)
Gallon size zip lock bag
Rice
Green veggie

Place your salmon filet in the zip lock bag
Add your cilantro
or whatever herb you like

Next add the brown sugar

Pour in 1/4 cup of whatever kind of Soy sauce you like or
use.
Also add your lemon juice now

Zip up the bag
Now rub all the ingredients around on the salmon filet
making sure to coat both sides,you may need to turn the
filet over to do this.
Now place in the fridge and let marinate
You can marinate it for as little as 30 minutes
or as long as an hour
Place on a hot grill
The amount of time you grill it will depend on how
you like it done

I like mine black around the edges,so Mr. P grills it
for about 1/2 an hour on his Weber charcoal grill
 

Mean while prepare your rice according to the
directions on the package.
This is the first time we tried this particular brand
of rice.
I always make long grain & wild rice with my salmon.
This one we found at Sam's the last time we were there.
It has wild rice,long grain rice & red rice too.
It is good,but you will probably want to add some seasonings.

Here is the finished meal!
I like green beans with this dish,but you can add
whatever green veggie you like :)
Enjoy!

test sunflower & giveaway winner!!

Remember the fabric in my giveaway?
Well today was the day to pick a winner...
And the Winner is...
Kitten With a Whiplash

Thank you to everyone who entered :)

So here is my test sunflower.
Not to bad for a first try,however my steam a seam is 12 inches
wide and my sunflower is 16 inches from tip to tip.  Also the center
is to small.
I am going to have to find a pattern some where I guess.

fresh veggies & more solar lights

So there I was out in the garden pulling weeds today after work.
When I heard something calling to me,it sounded like Pick Me!
So that is just what I did :)
From top left...
Cinnamon Basil
Zucchini
Swiss Chard
Yellow summer Squash
Strawberries
Red Winter Kale
(the strawberries were great)
As will the rest of these goodies be too!

This is the pattern I am working on for my appliqued
flowers on my (very late) Posie Patch quilt.
I am thinking that this might actually be to big of a
sunflower.
since I don't have any extra fabric for making my sunflowers I am
going to sew one using a different fabric first.
In the back ground is a Lucky Bamboo plant that my
neighbor brought over this evening,a gift for looking after
her kitties this past weekend while she and hubby were out
of town!
They are such great neighbors :)

Here is another set of Solar Lights that I made up recently.
This is my Favorite set yet!

The light pattern they cast off is just so Awesome!

If you haven't entered my fabric giveaway yet,there is still a few more hours
for you to do sew!
Check it out here