I love my Fruits and Veggies...

Some of you may remember that I'm currently in love with RJR's Farmers Market line.  Well, one of The Shmoo's babysitters ( okay, the only one not related to us) just had her first baby last month and so a quilt was in order.  She and her partner are very " back to the earth" kind of folks, so the fruits and veggies felt like the perfect fabric.  I started with pinwheels....

...but the quilt felt too narrow.  It needed a few inches on both sides without adding more pin wheels-- not enough fabric. 

 But, I did have the "scraps" .....

... I made two sets of piano keys, and added them to on.  I love it!  I'm so happy with it, and hope that once it's quilted, washed and dried it will be even better.  This is the first quilt that I have not washed the fabric for before cutting and piecing.  Fingers Crossed!

And, seeing as I had 12 blocks left over I whipped up this little baby---

It's soooo cute!  Would make a cute doll quilt for some little Shmootle out there.  It needs a little boarder or something.  I'll have to see what I can scrounge up in my scrap pile.

It has been a productive weekend, and hopefully I can complete these beauties over the next week.

Peace be with you.

Blogger Quilt Festival

I've never been to an actual quilt show, so when I saw the posting on Park City Girl's site I had to join. It took me awhile to decide which quilt was my favorite, but I had to go with this one of The Shmoo's nap quilt for school. The story goes a little something like this....

When The Shmoo started Nursery School last year he refused to sleep at school...okay, he didn't really sleep at home either. Well, as he got older ( and wiser) he started napping at school EVERY DAY. One day I asked the teacher what he slept with. She pulled out a rag. No, really, it was a rag. I was horrified. How could my Shmoodle sleep under a rag when I have more fabric than a quilt store? So, that weekend I started a " Nap Quilt" for him. I pulled out scraps, and yardage, and began cutting 2X7 rectangles. I wanted it to be scrappy, and happy, and fun. I wanted him to be able to look at all the different pieces while he fell asleep, but more than anything I wanted him to be wrapped in my love while he was away from me. Once it was complete I knew it needed to be professionally quilted to last the weekly washings it was going to have to withstand. I picked red thread to match the red and white polka dot backing fabric and a dragon fly pattern for fun and funk. I love this quilt. The Shmoo loves this quilt. There are fabrics from almost every quilt I have every made. It has pieces from pajama pants I wear all the time, Grants Qwillow, my mom's many quilts, etc. It has history, and when he sleeps under it his is wrapped in all the love that went into it. At some point he will out grow it, but I made it 36X47 so we have a little time before that happens:-)

Hop on over to Amy's blog and check out everyone else involved in the festival. There are so amazing quilts out there in Blog land, and the best part is you can look at them all in your pajamas!

Happy Weekend to you all! Peace be with you.

Scraps to share?

You may have noticed my " To Do" in the right hand margin on my blog....well, if not take a look.  Well, one of the items on my list is a scrappy braid quilt for Grant ( the son of Isaac's God Father and the only real father figure I've ever had). 

 I made Grant a Qwillow when he was about 7 years old.  We went to the fabric store together, and he picked out 3 coordinating fabrics - on his own.  9 years have passed, and this qwillow is still on his bed.  He brings it on all car trips, and allows no one to touch, much less use, it.  When The Shmoo and I visited in March Grant was a bit jealous of The Shmoo's braid quilt.  Realizing that his next birthday is the big 1-6 I thought he might just need a braid quilt of his own.  

SO- that is where you all come in.  Might you have some scraps to spare.  I have  many, but it seems there are more pinks than blues in my pile.  I am in search of fun and funky fabrics roughly 2.5 inches by 7 inches.  Please leave a comment if you are willing to share your scraps with an almost 16 year old who truly appreciates the art of quilting :-)  

Thank you in advance.  Peace be with you.

Hopping Bunnies...

Well, I've felt like a hopping bunny this past week.  My sewing machine has been going non stop I tell you, and it didn't stop until 9am this morning!  I sent a fabric basket filled with chocolate, and other goodies to both my mom and my aunt ( they loved them) . 

 I then made 4 more baskets for my Senior Leaders ( one was still on the sewing machine when I took this picture).  They are made based on the tutorial on Orange Flower.

This will be the last holiday for my Advisees, so they got 

mini duffel bags filled with pencils, note pads ( with their first initial on in), bubble gum tape, jelly beans, and chocolate.  These were made using a pattern from Love the Fabric.  The pattern I used is not actually on her web site, but she has great patterns non the less.  

Now, I am a glutton for punishment, so I also made a little drawstring bag for The Shmoo's favorite student in the dorm.... The embroidery pattern is from Orange Flower, and the bag pattern from Pink Penguin.

Whew....All bags and baskets have been delivered, and appreciated.  Now I have some serious catching up to do on all of my swaps.  Plus, I am determined to make J and I a new quilt for our up coming move.  PS- we have no idea where we are moving, but we're going to have a new quilt on our bed if it kills me!

 Peace be with you.