Isn't spring great!

Here in Arizona we don't really see much change in the seasons.  The weather has seemed more drastic at times the last few years.  I do miss the seasonal changes especially the spring.  I am lucky enough to have several orange and grapefruit trees so we do get great flowers and a wonderful scent.

Surprisingly I do have a lilac-not a plant you generally see in Phoenix.  It took me years of babying it-over 20 years in fact.  This is the result:

I am so happy that a few days a year, I get to enjoy lilacs and their wonderful scent.  I have a lot to be thankful for.

Design Wall Monday March 21, 2011

My design wall is finally back up-at least temporarily.  It is in fact, always temporary.  I have a large laundry room/office/pantry and that is where  my design wall gets put up.  It is over some storage cabinets. It is a really nice location because I can get back quite a way to get a good look at my project.

See the pole attached to the cabinet near the ceiling.  I just take the pole and slip it through a sleeve sewn into a flannel table cloth.  It is slick-great thinking on Hubby's part.

Here is my Ladybug Hugs quilt (again) on the design wall.  I need to embroider the face and antennae so it is ready to be quilted.  Oh, yeah and piece the back.

My MIL gave me this thread chest.  It is old but not REAL old.  Look at all those wooden spools.

Stash REPORT 3/20/2010

I wasn't going to do a report this week as there was nothing in or out this week.  No real sewing, just some mending.  Then I remembered that I made a few star blocks for Just One Star.  Moda is asking for donations of star blocks for Quilts of Valor.  Check out their site and participate.

Here are my stars on my recently rehung design wall.  Each stars takes about one fat eight.

And I made another snap purse from Stitchin' Sister's pattern.  This one is for my MIL.

So:

No fabric in
3/4 yard out
Year to date in 11 yards
Year to date out  6 3/4 yards.

Check out the other stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday March14, 2011

My design wall has not been reinstalled yet so I am using a design key rack and door lever.

Purses are very "in" right now.  I rarely carry one and if I do, it is small.  However, I just love all the new designs and the fabric combinations.   Have you seen SNAP HAPPY! by Stitchin' Sisters.  It is a fun little purse.  It comes in 3 sizes and you will never guess what keeps snaps it closed and keeps it shut.  I made several this past weekend at retreat.

The orange/black combination was made from 2 fat quarters.  The small one was from scraps.

See the secret ingredient?  It is a piece of cheap tape measure.  You can find them for 99 cents at the 99 Cents only store.  Don't use a "good" as they are too stiff.  You just pull on the prairie points to open the bag.

I also finished up 2 grocery sacks which are a gifs for a friend.  I used Oak Street's pattern Fold-N-Go Green Grocery Bag.  The bags are fully lined and the bag is a little complicated to make but the pattern instructions and pictures are very helpful.

They also have a small wine carrier that has 4 compartments.  I made one a while ago for a gift and forgot to take a photo-it was much more complicated to make.

Be sure to check out the other design walls.

STASH REPORT 3/13/2011

It has been a quiet week for sewing.  The Arizona Quilt Guild show was this past weekend and I fondled almost every fabric that was available but I resisted purchasing any. I'm so proud.  The show was awesome, as usual.  Our guild works hard to make this event a success every year.

Nothing in and 6 yards out!!!!!!!!!  Last weekend, our small quilt group attended a retreat at Quilting on the Rim in Linden, AZ.  We had an awesome time.  I managed to get a quilt top done and a few little bags made.  Photos tomorrow.

I have finally got most of the unpacking done in the house so it is time to unpack and organize the sewing room.  Unfortunately, these were the last boxes packed and they were packed in a hurry.  The worst part is they were packed by my husband so I have no clue about what is any box.  It is like Christmas-all surprises but no organization!

It looks like a mess but it is actually coming together.  You can see that my machine is set up already.  I tried to sneak in a little sewing but in my rush, I broke my last available needle.  So far, I have unpacked 5 boxes and no sign of a needle anywhere.  I have tons of needles so I refuse to buy any now.  It surely gives me motivation for unpacking the rest.

Be sure to check out everyone else's stash report.

Now I did it!

When we planned our home re-model, I wanted to upgrade from the old battery operated smoke alarms to ones that were hard wired in series.  Hubby did not want to do that but I insisted.  So, now we have alarms in every bedroom and hall way.  Before we had only 2 alarms.

When the electrician put them in, I noticed that the one in the sewing room was right over the place my iron sits-can you see where this is going?  I pointed it out to Hubby.  He said the iron wouldn't set the alarm off.

HaHa!  This morning, I turned on the iron and went into the bathroom to brush my teeth.  Alarms all over the house started shreeking.  We had no idea how to stop them.  I did put on the ceiling fan and they stopped.

How is this my fault???????

This quilt was made by a Mother and Daughter in my group.  The dark border is much nicer in person.  This was a quilt from one of M'Liss Rae Hawley's books.

Design Wall Monday March 7, 2011

I was lucky enough to attend a retreat from Thursday to Sunday (yesterday) at Quilting on the Rim in Linden AZ.  What a great place and what a great group I belong to.

Here are two photos of the quilt top I worked on.  It is called Ladybug Hugs from Quilt Soup.  I need to embroider the ladybugs faces and antennae and piece the backing and it will be ready to go to the quilter.

This quilt is for my grand niece due in early May-I'm ahead of the curve for a change.

Check out the other design walls.