Busy busy bees....

My poor Janome had its first run in with the sewing machine doctor. She got jammed up and something bent inside and the bobbin was sliding around and needles were snapping left and right. I took her in and had her all fixed up, my trusted 100 pound Bernina picked up the slack while she was away.

Despite some set backs with my machine I was able to finish up these projects and get them sent off for Margaret's Hope Chest. The first is a finished quilt for "A Mother Hope". This is for women who are struggling with postpartum depression. I was able to use all fabrics from my stash with the exception on the backing which is a pretty blue flower print that I didn't get a good picture of. 

The next one is a pixilated heart for "Hearts of Hope". I added extra rows to the top and bottom to increase the size some. I wanted to quilt this as well but was up against a time line with a broken machine. This top went to Margaret's Hope Chest as well.

Finally my last project were these "Be good to your heart" blocks for Margaret's Hope chest.

I already have a bunch more projects in the works. I just joined a circle of do good stitches and am working on a baby blanket for a co-worker as well as 100 projects around the new house. Pictures to follow. Hope your weekend was amazing!

Take another little piece of my heart.....

So much sewing so little time. Here are the works in progress as of this week.

A Mother's Hope for Margaret's Hope chest.

Top finished, back is ready, need to rescue batting from storage. 

Had an accident with one of my quilt hangers during the quilt shoot and was replaced with my trusty husband. See how he wears the other quilt toga style. 

I added a row of pink squares on both ends of the quilt to make it a little larger. In all honesty I didn't add up the squares correctly and ended up cutting way too many!

 My be good to your heart blocks for Margaret's Hope Chest. I sew more when I have a free minute

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Half a Heart!

Are you tired of being cooped up in the house? Have you forgotten what it feels like to have the sun on your face? Do you long to leave the house without having to take 15 minutes to layer up? Well spring is nowhere in site so you are going to have to get some warm fuzzies elsewhere. How you may ask????? 

Do something good!!!!

 It makes you feel good!!!!

Great way to use up some of your stash!

Great reason to buy more for your stash!

Margaret's Hope Chest has two projects in the works until the end of March.

I am working on both of them at the moment....

Project #1: Pixelated heart

This still needs a few rows added. I wish I had used darker pinks for the heart!

Project #2: Be Good To your Heart Block

Great way to use up scraps from your stash. Most of these came in scrap bags and weren't really my thing. 

Project #3: Mother's Hope Quilt

Top is almost together. Need to finish sewing top and border.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Open your heart, it's Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day Week!

Time to open up your heart!

I am still running back and forth from point A to point B during the week and sewing like crazy on the weekends. I am hoping as always to make more progress this upcoming weekend but there are only so many hours in the day. I was able to finish the squares for my "A Mother's Hope" quilt. Back in September when I committed to making this quilt March seemed so far away. But it is breathing down my neck!

Here is where we are on this project. It is a version of a Bento Box quilt, but on point.

Getting the picture was no easy feat. I was standing precariously on a chair to get the shot. I took a lot of pictures and most were blurry disasters. I NEED to get my design wall back up before I break my neck. I noticed after I took this one that the two squares on the bottom right were the same fabric. So i ended up shuffling some squares. I am planning on assembling the quilt this weekend probably after I move the squares around one more time. I am still debating if i should add a very light grey/cream/white border. Since I am in Minnesota this week I am heading to S R Harris Fabric after work to find backing fabric. I have resisted going there all winter and I am giving in now!

Carin over at Margaret's Hope Chest is starting a few new charity projects. Hope over and see what she is cooking up. Two projects one if you want to do a whole top, one if you want to do a few squares. 

Linking it up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Long time gone......

I'm back and I missed you guys!!!!

           In my defense I haven't been slacking and I have good reasons for not posting. At the last time I posted my husband had gotten a new job and we were moving from Wisconsin (cold) to Ohio (also cold). I have been working in Minnesota (so bitterly cold) the last couple months and trying to settle into the new casa. This is our new house. Stop by we can sew something.

         
         All my sewing shwag was loaded up in totes and until recently I haven't been able to get to it. I had stashed my stash pretty well and my husband had no clue how much fabric there was until it all was toted. Needless to say I am not to buy any fabric until my husbands back heals from lugging all the totes to the sewing room. He sweetly painted one of the bedrooms for me and brought up my machine and fabric. This weekend I am off to Ikea to buy some storage units for the room. I have plans to convert old vanities into sewing tables and refinish my current cutting table. Many projects in the works. Pictures to come as the project evolves.
      Since I have been able to sew I started working on a charity quilt that I promised to make for Carin at Margaret's Hope Chest. I'm glad I volunteered to make a quilt for A Mother's Hope or I might have never gotten off my duff and unpacked my sewing stuff.
        Here is the project I started after looking at many many many quilt patterns during my sewing hiatus. It is effectively a large bento box. Here are some of the sites I drew inspiration from. #2 is my absolute favorite and I think mine is going to pay homage to that quilt.

http://filminthefridge.com/2009/06/24/quartered-squares-a-modified-bento-box-block-tutorial/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/julineb/12057740466/in/faves-jenib/

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2012/06/big-big-bento.htm

      And here are my pretties. 

Before Slashing

All chopped up and ready for reassembly

First few blocks coming together

I can't wait to get my sewing room all put together and my design wall back up. I imagine it is going to be many moons until the room is complete. I am linking up to WIP wednesday at Freshly Pieced!

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Scraps so blue

Well it's been quite some time since I sat down and had much of a chance to post, mostly because I haven't had much of a chance to sew. So much has been going on in the last month.
Every year we try to go on a trip with my mother in October. Last year it was the Grand Canyon, this year it was Myrtle Beach. The day before we were leaving to soak up what was left of the sun we found out that my husband was offered a job in Ohio. So vacation turned to a good time to start planning a move. It was good to be able to relax and see family even if it wasn't very warm. I was able to hit up a few quilt shops and learn that my mother is an enabler. She is not going to help me buy less fabric, she is going to be picking bolts and egging me on.

 Relaxing at Huntington Beach State Park

 Enjoying the beach

 Selling my mother into hammock slavery

 Reducing the crab population

Last day before returning to reality

We came back and started house hunting. After seeing many houses we are in the process of buying this one. We both love it. The family that built it has loved in it for the past 45 years. We are excited to do some updating and put our personal touches on it. And Aaron promised to buy me a shiny new crow bar!

So after we put the offer on this house I promptly went into buy nothing spend nothing mode. I don't want to move it and I can't afford it. That lasted a good hour before I bought this quilt. I have got to stop going into antique malls. It was too beautiful to pass up. The stars are amazing and its all hand pieced and quilted. Pretty huge, it easily would cover a queen bed and its a completed antique quilt with minimal damage. Just needs a little soak in linen wash.

Last but not least I finished a couple blocks for Margaret's Hope chest. You can read Carin's post here. I hoped to be able to make many many blocks but I got 4 finished. And that is pretty much all the sewing i've done this month.