A day with Molly

I have the week off (I know I told some of you I have two weeks off, but last week was one of those two weeks, which I ended up working), and what better way to start my time off than unexpectedly getting to spend the day with my beautiful daughter, Molly.  

After working out together in the morning we ran errands and I mailed a bunch of packages -- including lots of June charm packs!  Forgive me for being so slow, KT, Jennifer, and Carla, but your charms are in the mail.  I get to deliver Terri's in person later this week.

And we have now have a week four winner --

Joanna (Creative Adventures)
Joanna, please contact me to claim your prizes from me and Kate Conklin Designs :)

After going out for lunch together and running a few more errands, Molly and I returned home to find a mailbox full of packages.  I received fabric to make a bee block and the last package from Material Obsession with fabrics and instructions for putting together the Sue Ross BOM.  

I'm too ashamed to mention how far behind I am on this....
Let's move on.


Another package contained my first Scrapbuster block for June (tutorial by Little Miss Shabby here -- I really love her blog!).
 

Mine is on the left, and the one on the right was made for me by Claudia (Armchair Quilter).  I'm having one bee make them for me this month and another bee make the same blocks for me in August.  
Two blocks down, and I'm already in love!


And then there was this package:

VERY exciting!

How much do you love my beautiful new pillow?  
The pillow was made by Jennie of Sunflower Quilts, and it makes me smile!
Hop over to her blog and see her sewing room.  It's amazing! 

After briefly kicking back to enjoy the pillow, 
Molly was filled with sewing inspiration and decided we needed to sew a gathered clutch.  Right now.

I love seeing her at my sewing machine 
(which used to be my mother's sewing machine)!

This is as far as we (well, mostly Molly -- I was just there for moral support) got before Molly left to have dinner with her wonderful boyfriend.  
Didn't she do a great job with her gathers?  
And guess what, Penny (Sew Take a Hike)?
I am no longer afraid of zippers!  I shortened it myself!
Now I just need to make a gathered clutch myself for Penny's 
gathered clutch swap (free tutorial here).


Thanks for the great day, Molly!  Run with me in the morning?


With wishes, true and kind -- Joan

Three WIPs

I have been sick since Sunday (sniffle, cough), and tomorrow I’m supposed to leave for a conference in Bend (in Central Oregon) till Saturday night. Bend is near the quaint little town of Sisters, home to Jean Wells and The Stitchin' Post.  I have decided that if I survive the drive (about 3-1/2 hours) and a board meeting Thursday night, I will live. And maybe, just maybe, I'll have time to run over to Sisters.  In the meantime, here are three WIPs in various stages:

Block 1 of the Sue Ross BOM

So far, so good.  Feeling pretty clever.

Feeling like a genius!  Super quilter!  

Now, to combine the inner ring with the outer ring.  Pin, pin, pin.....

  Sew, sew, sew....

Feeling in awe of my own brilliance, and the fact that it actually works!

Inner and outer rings together at last!

Yes, the light colored triangles are a little puckery, but the block lies flat and I think it will "quilt out."  It's not perfect, but I'm glowing with happiness over it.

And there's nothing like a little self-congratulatory margarita on the rocks with salt to help you live with the imperfections.  I still need to appliqué a circle into the center and then appliqué the whole block onto the background.  It's really an incredible looking block!

So, while I was still basking in the glow of my success, I decided to start block 2, and immediately got into GREAT difficulty!  From the thrill of victory to the agony of defeat (anyone remember that phrase -- it dates me).  

I have set block 2 aside for now.  I can whine about that later.

The next WIP is this Kaffe Fassett Red Columns Quilt from Westminster Patchwork and Quilting Book Number 2 (Westminster, 2000).  I really wish that I was a better photographer, because the stunning thing about this quilt is the rich, vibrant colors that I just couldn't seem to capture.  The quilt top is completed, I just have to decide on a back and a binding.

The wonky long cabin top is ALMOST finished.  I want to add about two more inches of white all the way around (I ran out of Moda Bella), perhaps a back pieced with large pieces of some of the Amy Butler fabrics, and then a pieced binding.

I made two other blocks with the strings from this quilt, just to play around a bit.  I think I will incorporate them into the backing.  Although, they would also make nice pillows...

Wonky quarter log cabin block.

.

String block.  Sometime soon I am going to make a string quilt.

Oh, and Tobey (of recent improvisational block fame) admits that she is getting a big head from all the nice comments.  I, too, appreciate the lovely comments, both on the blog and those emailed to me.  I so enjoy hearing from everyone and love responding when I know your email address.  It’s so much more fun to have a conversation than write a monologue.

With wishes, true and kind -- Joan