Wendy's Whimsy Corner

There is a light at the end of the tunnel...

2012-01-30T10:10:00.002-05:00

I just hope the tunnel is a short one! I've been way too busy with real life stuff...most of it not much fun. So I'm looking forward to being creative again very soon. The college applications, and related scholarship, honors, and financial aid stuff is almost done. We still have a number of other college/senior year related things on the agenda, but at least it is beginning to look manageable. My sewing room is a bit dusty...guess I better get in there and get it ready for some fun new projects!

Tiny bear paws...almost done

2011-08-11T10:42:00.001-04:00

Tiny bear paws...almost done, a photo by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies on Flickr.

Lots of little stitches! Just about finished with the piecing, then to put the blocks together with the sashing. I'm very pleased with how it is coming together.

Catchin' Up!

2011-07-07T18:47:00.005-04:00

That's the goal of the next week or so...the end of the school year and early summer are always the busiest time of the year at my house. Next year will be even worse with a high school graduation to add into the mix. (Not even thinking about that one yet...) Anyway, I hope to do some catching up on things I enjoy, but have to set aside when family activities call.

So here is a much overdue blog post.

My last post was about DQS10. As usual, I stalked my partner and came up with a multitude of quilt ideas. I only wish I had time to make all of them into real quilts. After much deliberation, here is the quilt I made:

I had been wanting to make a Wedding Ring quilt for a very long time, but wanted to try to make it more modern looking. I decided on this setting which looks like a chain. I was very happy with how it turned out. I think my partner liked it, too. I have some other ideas I'd like to try with variations on the wedding ring pattern. Maybe someday...

And here is the fabulous little quiltlet I received:

I just love the colors and the kaleidoscopes...so much fun to look at. It is currently hanging on the wall in my sewing room where I can see it when I sew. It was made by Tina (aka needles-n-notions). And she kindly sent some very fun little extras, too!

I just love my growing collection of doll quilts! I've had so much fun swapping with other quilters around the world!!

Ten - I'm in!

2011-01-16T17:38:00.002-05:00

So happy and excited to be chosen for DQS10! I got my partner's info and I've been happily lurking about the web, trying to decide on the perfect quilt to make.

Off we go - another adventure in quilting!!

Well, another year over...

2011-01-01T08:20:00.002-05:00

And a new one just begun (love that song!)

Anyway, here I am on the first day of a new year (again). Just looking backing over the past year and my blog posts...I really didn't have the year I had hoped. And I'm an awful blogger.

So, while I don't make resolutions, I am resolved to do better this year! It is always good to be hopeful and optimistic :D

I did not get to quilt as much as I would have liked last year. And that makes me very sad. Sure, life is busy. So many things to do, so many obligations and chores. It is hard to keep up with them all. However, life is short. And spending time doing what you love is sweet. So I am going to make more things because I want to, because they make me happy. I may not take as many commissions for various things - I hope people understand.

I started today by putting my name in for DQS10...hope I get in. I LOVE doing that swap! I haven't posted many quilty photos on my flickr stream, especially at toward end of the year.

Hello 2011! Here's to a year with lots of quilting!

Floating Hexagons

2010-09-03T20:43:00.003-04:00

It's finished!! And I'm so pleased with how it turned out! This is the quilt I made for my partner after a couple of draft attempts. I always have so many ideas, but until I start creating them with actual fabric - it's hard to know just how well they'll turn out. The half hexagons were fun and easy to work with; I've got some ideas for future layouts involving them. It went together very quickly and pressing the seam allowances open avoids all the potential bumpy intersections. (Hate those!)

I will send it off to my partner on Tuesday; I still need to add a label to the back. Somehow, I always forget about making a label...maybe next time I should do it first. ;D

Hopefully, my partner will like it. I think it suits her tastes...it really was fun to make.

And I received my quilt from my partner a few days ago...it is cute and sweet and thoughtful. I can't wait to hang it on the wall of my sewing/doll room - it is so perfect for me! I want to do a blog post about it; maybe next week.

This week has been more than a little crazy; the electricity has gone out in my sewing room. The overhead light and all the outlets are just dead. It is not a problem with the breakers - checked those and the other upstairs room on the circuit is fine. I need to call an electrician, but first I must move an enormous quantity of stashed fabric/books/dolly stuff/yarn/misc. craft stuff out of the room so the poor man can get to the walls. Yes, my sewing room is a perfect candidate for one of those de-junking TV shows. But that's not gonna happen! I really want to keep my fabric and most of my other stuff...I just need a better storage solution. A serious clean-out was in the plans, just not this week! So I've spent hours sorting through mounds of stuff, some of it to be sold or given away, some to keep. The silver lining is that once I get it out of there, I can go to Ikea and get the shelves I've been coveting and get my room in better shape. And I'm not buying even another fat quarter until I've got it cleaned up and organized! Better yet, I need to use up some of my stash; so many projects that I've planned and just not found the time to make... So it's either make the quilts or de-stash the fabric! Can't wait to see how my new sewing room turns out!!

DQS9 - Deadline is just around the corner!!

2010-08-28T16:56:00.005-04:00

Which means I am just getting started on my little quilt! Well, the cutting/sewing part anyway. I've already spent countless hours stalking my partner (in the best way ;D) and sorting through fabric and design ideas.

My partner seems to like modern quilts and retro-mod stuff for her house, too. Favorite colors seem to be blues and greens. She likes hexagons - who doesn't?

So my first idea was to make a little quilt following the instructions from the Old Red Barn Co. Quilt Along on Flickr for a hexagon quilt. I just used 1.5" strips instead of 2.5". I found a fat quarter bunch on Etsy with that kind of meets the color requirements; it has owls which are cute, but I don't want it to be too cutesy. Anyway, here's the first batch of blocks.

That's Essex Linen that I'll probably use for the triangles...I think. Boy, that stuff is hard to find!

I have some other ideas, too, that I'll play around with tonight and tomorrow. I'm thinking maybe something using half hexagons, or maybe a double hourglass quilt using the Essex linen and the other fabrics I've got in my stack. I have to be careful about doing anything too scrappy - my stash doesn't really stretch that far. It always amazes me how someone who has as much fabric as I do never seems to have the fabrics I need...

Happy Quilting!!

Scrappy Spiderweb Pincushion

2010-07-14T16:45:00.002-04:00

I had so much fun making this little pincushion! I think I'll be making more!!

I started it several weeks ago but haven't had the opportunity to really focus on finishing it until last night. My kids' swim season has finally wrapped up and I can sit and sew! I had wanted to try this block for awhile now, and decided to reduce the size to 4 inches which is the perfect size for a little pincushion. The fabrics are mostly Amy Butler from a 5 inch square pack I bought some time ago.

I wanted to used Essex linen for the solid but couldn't find any locally. I'll be on the lookout for some for my stash so I have it on hand. The other thing I wanted to try was crushed walnut shells for the filler. The nearest pet shop doesn't carry it and the shipping for the online stores was as much as the shells. So I'll be looking for some of that to stash away somewhere as well. With the craziness of the last 6 weeks or so, there just wasn't time to go hunting for anything I didn't have on hand.

This was fun and easy to make; and it really didn't take very long. I'm already looking over my scraps for more possibilities!

Jennie is having a giveaway!

2010-04-21T19:27:00.005-04:00

And so I'm making a blog post! Wish I had some quilting to show, but I've been keeping pretty busy with some t-shirt quilt commissions and other sewing for Etsy.

Jennie makes quilts, too. Really cute ones. I met her (well, not in person) on Flickr through the Doll Quilt Swap and I follow her on Twitter. Her blog can be found here: http://sunflowerquilts.blogspot.com/ And she is celebrating 300 (!) blog posts with a terrific giveaway. So she not only makes more quilts than me, she blogs more, too!! Hop on over and check out her blog. Pretty cool!!

And because I'm posting, here are a few pics. I took these last week at Cox Arboretum, near Dayton, OH. Lovely spring we are having this year!!

Hopefully, I'll be back soon with some quilt photos soon!

Happy Quilting!!

DQS8 - Mission Accomplished!

2010-03-10T17:30:00.004-05:00

I received my quilt today. It is a wonderful little quilt made by Brenis, aka Hey Diddle Diddle Woolies on Flickr.

See! Isn't it just perfect?? I love polka dots and the bird in the middle and the circles and the quilting and...well, you get the idea.

I enjoyed this round of the Doll Quilt Swap very much. I am already looking forward to the next round!

And since I've been a very lazy blogger, here is the quilt I made to send to my partner:

It has a lot of black, which is a bit different for me. But really, this quilt just sort of made itself. I started with the little baskets in shades of aqua and green with the white and black spotted background. From there, it just sort of came together on it's own. The only fabric I purchased to make this quilt was the border fabric. Again, kind of bold for me, but it seemed to suit the quilt. Hopefully my partner will like it. I don't think it has arrived yet; it had quite a long journey and I've got my fingers crossed it gets there safely.

Can't wait to see what is next in DQS9!!

Another Swap, Another Post...

2010-01-19T21:57:00.002-05:00

The Plan
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

I really am not a very good blogger. But as DQS8 gets underway, I actually have a little quilt in the works. So I have something to post. The end of the year and holiday season left me with little time to sew for fun so I am really looking forward to making this little quilt.

As usual, after reviewing my partner's favorites, I got into EQ5 and started playing. Now, I'm not sure that this exact style of quilt is really her thing but she does seem to like color so maybe this will do. And I have been wanting to make this quilt forever so this is what I am currently considering.

I've created three different color options in EQ5 and don't know which I will make, if any. I may do something simpler which may be more to my partner's tastes.

Option 2:

Option 3:

Now I don't actually have these exact fabrics but I do have a number of similar ones and may be able to find some of the ones I used in EQ5. But the color scheme/values would be very similar. So, which one do you prefer? I find it hard to choose; I just want to keep making more color combos in EQ5...it's so much fun!! Maybe I'll get around to making one or more of the others for a giveaway...

Leave a comment if you have a preference -- I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Quilting!

100 and 1/1/10

2010-01-01T21:58:00.002-05:00

This is my 100th post! Should probably celebrate somehow; but since I'm such a sporadic blogger, I think I'll just make a resolution to do better in the future. It is a new year and a new decade after all...

Anyway, I was thinking about the quilts I'd like to make this year and thought maybe it would be a good idea to make a list. Maybe if I write it down, somewhere it won't be easily lost, maybe I'll actually make the quilts. I have already purchased the fabric for several and even done some preliminary designing in EQ5. My fabric stash has grown beyond the bounds of what I can manage. So rather than having a stash busting sale, which I could still do, I'd like to see if I can use some of the fabrics as I originally intended.

So here is the list of quilts I've been thinking about today:

Laney's Quilt - Pinks, reds, oranges; made with pre-cut Fassett squares, pattern not determined

DQS8 - I plan to participate in this swap; just love the fun process, due in March

Family Room Throw - Taupes, coral, blue, green, some fabrics in stash, others needed; modern square pattern

T-shirt quilts - Two for my own kids and I have several potential commissions

Amy Butler Quilt - fabrics in stash, pattern not determined

Kaffe Fassett Quilt - fabrics in stash, pattern not determined

Well, that's good for a start. Hopefully committing my ideas to a published list will help me to follow through and get them done. Time just seems to go faster and faster; and my list of things I want to get done just keeps growing.

Happy New Year!

DQS7 - Quilt Mailed!

2009-09-13T15:30:00.006-04:00

At last! My little quilt for DQS7 is finished! I mailed it on Wednesday, bound for its destination which will remain a mystery for now. After all the dithering I did when trying to decide what to make, I am very pleased with the result. I hope my partner is also pleased.

The pattern comes from Barbara Barber's book, "Foolproof Curves: Quilts with Bias Strips and Continuous Paper Piecing." It is a very good book. I originally bought the book after seeing her on TV with Alex Anderson. She was demonstrating her technique for piecing curves, which fascinated me. This design was included in the book and I always thought it would make a nice little quilt someday. It was actually quite easy to foundation piece the blocks; the border took more time!

I was able to fussy cut a few of the pieces to add some interest. I just love these little girls!

I made a second quilt, a zigzag quilt with half square triangles from the same group of fabrics. I'll keep that one for now. It just needs to be quilted and bound and then I'll either hang it in my sewing room or give it as a gift. I love the colors; a good thing since I bought so many fabrics for this quilt. I'll be able to work with this palette for awhile.

Now I can just sit back and watch for my mailman to come everyday. I can't wait to see what quilt was made for me. There are so many wonderful quilts showing up everyday in the Doll Quilt Swap pool on Flickr. I haven't been able to keep up with them.

A giveaway!

2009-08-22T23:39:00.003-04:00

Not mine, I don't have anything terrific to give away. But Heidi is giving away a fabulous quilt! Here's the link.

Pop on by and sign up for a chance to win. I've entered and I've got my fingers crossed!!

Fabric Shopping Trip!

2009-08-07T20:34:00.002-04:00

Well, I went shopping today. I was really trying to make this little quilt from my stash as much as possible. But my stash and my partner's preferences are not meshing very well. So today, when both of my kiddos were at other activities, I hit the road to Waynesville. There is a very nice fabric shop there with lots of friendly people. The shop is packed with bolts and bolts of lovely fabrics and I loaded up. A bit more than I intended, but you can always use it up in something! If you live in Southwestern Ohio and haven't been there already, you should go. And if you don't live here - they have a website, too!

Tonight I plan to decide how to use all my lovely new fabrics and tomorrow get started on the cutting. I should have taken a photo when I brought them home; but I've already popped them in the wash. I still have plenty of time to get this quilt done and in the mail before the deadline, but I really want to have it well underway. These last few days of summer will fly quickly by as I get the kids ready to go back to school.

Happy Quilting!!

Decisions...decisions

2009-08-02T19:45:00.005-04:00

I really need to make up my mind which quilt to make. I've always wanted to make one of these. I made this layout awhile ago; when I made the pink and black Petite Bento Box quilt. But I could easily change the colors around for my current quilt.

So many quilts...so little time...

I like this one!

2009-07-30T23:11:00.005-04:00

I think this one has definite possibilities. I've always wanted to try curved piecing; I'll just have to try it out to see if I can do this. I like the Orange Peel pattern; very simple but visually pleasing. I'll have to see how difficult it is to piece with tiny pieces. That is one drawback of making doll quilts: sometimes the pieces get too tiny to work with and the seam allowances become a nightmare. I'll make some templates and see if this is do-able. The other one I've always wanted to try is a New York Beauty style...maybe I'll try that out, too.

Happy Quilting!!

Aha!

2009-07-30T17:29:00.002-04:00

Had a bit of an epiphany while driving today. Yes...I know, I probably shouldn't daydream about quilts while driving on the highway. But you just have to make use of the time you have, if you know what I mean. Now I think I know what I will make for DQS7...just have to decide on the fabrics. I'll play around with EQ later this evening and see if I can draft something do-able. I think it will be fun!!

Still Debating...

2009-07-29T15:52:00.003-04:00

what to do for the DQS7. My partner was very specific about his/her likes and dislikes. I did break down and buy some "designer" fat quarters today...not sure if I'll use them in this quilt or for some other project. We'll see what I think of them when they arrive. I've never been much of a "trendy" quilter; I tend to be happiest working with colors/fabrics I love - not just because they are by popular designers. In fact, I seem to choose things that are different just because they are different. A bit perverse, I know. But I don't like my quilts to look like I copied someone else. I would like to be original. And there are so many possibilities! Look at all the fabrics and colors and patterns - so many quilts and so little time!

So how about this one? (Playing with EQ5 is so much fun!!)

Getting Started...DQS7

2009-07-27T00:20:00.004-04:00

Hmm...where has all the time gone? My last post was about my last swap quilt, DQS6. I really have to get better about that.

I got my partner today after a bit of a wait, so I'm a couple of days behind the others. I did do my internet snooping and have a pretty good idea what my partner will like. Here are my initial ideas from EQ5:

I think I kind of like it. Not sure which I prefer, the random sizes or the more traditional layout. I guess I think about it for a bit; I still have to decide on the fabrics to use. I wanted to use my stash, but after seeing my partner's preferences, I'm not sure the stash will work.

Happy Quilting!!

A long overdue post...

2009-05-06T10:42:00.013-04:00

Hmm...seems I only post when I finish a quilt. I'll have to try to be better about that.

But guess what! I finished another little quilt. This one was for the 6th Doll Quilt Swap. I chose Amy Butler fabrics and wanted something with a modern feel. And it had to have squares with white sashing. Here are some photos of my progress:

I put these together after this wild idea popped into my head. I really like it, but I'm not sure my partner would have. It is really contemporary looking and like nothing I've ever made before. Not sure where it came from... Anyway, here it is:

So, after much debate, I decided to go with a more traditional setting.

And I like the back, too.

So, for now, the first quilt is awaiting some sort of finish, handquilting maybe, while the second quilt is on it's way west. Hope it gets there safefly!

Doll Quilt Finished!

2009-02-17T16:30:00.007-05:00

Doll Quilt, Complete
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

Here it is mid-February and I haven't done much quilting this year yet. So I was happy to have the opportunity to make this little quilt. I had been wanting to make a "Whirlygiggle" quilt after seeing a number of darling ones on Flickr. Most notably, the one featured on the "Two Dogs and A Quilt" blog. It is really pretty. Now the person I made it for really likes pink and green, but I didn't want to copy the other quilt. And I had just received the green, yellow and aqua paisley fabric from eQuilter.com. I LOVE this fabric. So I wanted to try the whirlygiggle and I wanted to make a quilt in these colors...so this is the result. I used EQ5 to design the blocks and make the template. My finished squares are 2.25". It was really quite easy to do; the hardest part was keeping the pieces in order to sew them together! I mailed it off today and I'm hoping the person I made it for likes it...

Hopefully the sixth installment of the Doll Quilt Swap will be opened soon so I can make another little quilt. I seem to need the pressure of a deadline to actually sit down and make one.

WIP, Today's Progress

2009-02-09T20:30:00.003-05:00

Yay! Some progress on my latest doll quilt. This one is a little gift that I thought I would have finished by now. I started cutting the pieces 2 weeks ago; but with the snow and the kids home 4 days and then a busy week last week, I'm just now putting it together. Tomorrow I hope to add the borders and get it quilted. Hopefully it will be finished by Friday - that's my goal. We'll see what pops up between now and then...

I had been wanting to make a pinwheel quilt for awhile; I've seen some really nice ones over on Flickr. So I pulled some fabrics and sat down with EQ5 and this is what I came up with. I'm liking it so far; it was pretty easy to sew together. The seam allowance are a bit fussy to press, but that is often the case with these little quilts.

Well, It's Almost Christmas...

2008-12-06T21:24:00.003-05:00

And Christmas music is playing on every radio. This causes me to feel a sense of panic. The house is not decorated, shopping lists need to be made, Christmas cards need to be purchased and sent...you get the idea. I am not at all ready for this holiday. There's really no excuse. It comes every year and it is always December 25.

But I have a plan. For the next week, I will do nothing but get ready for Christmas. This means no sewing, or playing with fabric in my sewing room which is a more accurate description of how I've lately spent my time in there. When the trees are up and decorated, some presents purchased and wrapped -- then I will let myself back in the sewing room. The kids only have two - TWO! - more weeks of school then they'll be off for two full weeks. This is lovely, for them, but for me this means that all things Christmas must be finished and ready before they are out for the Christmas break.

So I'd better get busy because the clock is running.

So Merry Christmas to anyone who happens to read my blog. I might not get back again to my blog before the big day.

Doll Quilt, Washed & Ready to Go!

2008-11-29T19:19:00.001-05:00

Doll Quilt, Washed & Ready to Go!
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

Well, it's been awhile since my last post. I've been very busy!! My house has had two birthdays and a big Thanksgiving dinner. I try to fit in a little sewing when I can, but for the rest of the year it will be very little sewing time.

This is my contribution to the Doll Quilt Swap V. I really like how this quilt turned out. The blue and red Kaffe squares work so well together and the black accents really set of the colors. On the work table, the quilt just glowed. I was a little sad to send it off, but I did. I think my partner will like it. I snooped around a bit on Flickr; looking at her favorites and her blog. I think she will like the colors and style. I hope so anyway.

Tomorrow I have to embroider all the logos on the shirts for the Lego League shirts. I want to have them finished by the Monday night meeting so I can cross another job off my list. Somedays, the list just seems to grow faster than I can go to keep up with it.

They gave me a sticker!

2008-11-04T09:41:00.001-05:00

They gave me a sticker!
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

Just back from voting. The line really wasn't bad; just make sure you get in the right one. My polling place has 2 precincts voting there and it would be a bummer to wait a long time in the wrong line...

So, go on, vote!

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

2008-11-04T07:21:00.003-05:00

In case you hadn't heard, today is Election Day! So go vote!! And give yourself plenty of time, 'cause there are lines...long lines.

I was going to vote after taking my kids to school today. Well, my polling place and every other one I passed had cars waiting to get into the parking lot and many, many people waiting patiently in lines. Being unprepared - no coat - I decided to come back home for a bit and go back in an hour or so. And when I go, I'll be ready to stand there as long as it takes. I'll have a coat, my iPod, and maybe a book. And I will vote!

No excuses today! Let's Vote!!!

Banana Boy goes Trick or Treating!

2008-11-01T10:41:00.002-04:00

Banana Boy goes Trick or Treating!
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

Another month over! Time to get into warp speed. Halloween preps consumed most of this week, fortunately the costume was made last year. I just had to re-stuff it (with plastic grocery bags!!) and send him out the door! Now to finish up my DQS5 quilt and start getting ready for all the holidays (and birthdays) between now and the end of the year.

Hope everyone who attended the Houston Quilt Festival had a great time. I didn't get to go this year. Boo hoo! Maybe next year I can get down there again. I just love the show and the classes.

I've got a secret...

2008-10-13T20:45:00.002-04:00

A new swap partner for Round 5 of the Doll Quilt Swap. I almost missed the email with the info, though. It was in my spam folder! Lucky I checked it; I don't always look in there. Mostly it gets honest to goodness spam! So now I have a partner and have to come up with an idea for a little quilt. My problem is that I have too many things I would like to try and can't decide which to do first. I think I'll start with my stash and see if anything jumps up and yells "Make Me!!"

Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were twice as many hours in the day? Just think of all the sewing that could be done...

Happy Quilting!!

A very belated post...

2008-10-09T13:36:00.002-04:00

Doll Quilt Swap 4 Received
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

At long last, I took some photos of the sweet doll quilt made by Colleen of Annieshouse (Flickr) for Doll Quilt Swap 4. Aren't the rainbow kaleidoscopes great? I've been wanting a photo for my blog and today the sunshine was so enticing I grabbed the quilt and went outside for a bit. I just love the colors of the quilt, and it's got polka dots!! On the back, too! Love the dots!! Thanks again for a super little quilt!!

Electricity...It's a Good Thing!

2008-09-27T21:18:00.002-04:00

And so is an internet connection. It is lovely to be plugged in and back on. We're just about back to normal here. Just a bit more cleanup and some small repairs to the roof and fence. We are waiting on the roofers to stop by for a look and an estimate.

You know -- it really is true. When it rains, it pours. During the power outage, my son was playing outside and had a fall. He broke his arm and will be wearing a cast for the next six weeks.

So, at the risk of jinxing myself, I'm looking forward to a normal week. Maybe with some actual sewing time...

Yikes...Ike!!

2008-09-22T13:13:00.003-04:00

Who knew? Hurricanes in Ohio! Well, it wasn’t technically a hurricane went it passed through, but did it leave a big mess! We had hurricane force gusts of wind for about 6 hours last Sunday. When it was over, we had no power, no cable TV or internet and no phone. Almost everyone in Southwest Ohio lost their power. Some still don’t have electricity. Fortunately, our cell phones worked throughout. Our water service was not interrupted. We lost a couple of trees, which fell over our fence and broke it and had some minimal roof damage. We were very lucky. The trees could have landed on our house, but didn’t. We got phone service on Wednesday and power on Thursday. The cable for TV and internet is still out and no idea when we’ll have that back. Our food in the freezer was a total loss, as were the contents of the refrigerator. The kids missed three days of school. The gas stations that had power ran out of ice and gasoline. Stores couldn’t open because they had no power. Finding food and gas and other necessities became a daily challenge. With no TV and no internet, we lost track of news outside the local area. I have always had empathy for those who experience hurricanes and the extended period of interrupted life which often follows. I had never personally experienced anything like it until now. I am very grateful that my family is safe, my house is more or less whole and soon we can expect a return to our normal lives. The inconveniences of last week will soon be a memory. I cannot imagine experiencing the loss of a home, or in some cases, a whole community. The changes can be substantial and everlasting. I pray that those in Texas and other states affected by Ike find the strength to rebuild and go on with the help of neighbors and friends.

DQS4 Quilt Done & Gone!

2008-08-29T18:47:00.004-04:00

My little quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap 4 is in the mail! I really enjoyed making this one. It was fun and fast! The little Bento Box went together perfectly. I used 1-1/2" strips to make the squares - 36 of them in all. I love pink, and am very happy with how the fabrics came together. The quilting was simple, too. Long wavy diagonal lines across the quilt. Now I hope my partner likes it, too.

The swaps have been lots of fun; I've done 3 rounds of the Doll Quilt Swap and all four of the Four Seasons Quilt Swap. I've tried to make all my quilts different from the last. I'm trying to improve my piecing and quilting skills and look around for a new challenge with each new little quilt. I'll be looking for more swaps to do. I just have to be careful not to sign up for too many; I have other projects I need to be working on, too. (The swaps are just too much fun!)

Well, the first week of school is over. I'm adjusting to the new schedule. Our school district is not providing busing to the high school due to a failed school levy and my daughter started there this year. So I now have to drive the kids down to school in the morning and go back in the afternoon to pick-up, twice. Once after school (DD) and again after cross country practice (DS). Three trips a day, every weekday. Man is that gonna get old! And the traffic is awful. We live in a small town that has overgrown itself and there is only one road to both the Junior High and High School buildings. One lane in each direction, thru a quaint little downtown with cross walks at every corner. Bumper to bumper with school buses and 16 year olds on cell phones. Talk about stress! I'm going about 1/2 hour early and 1/2 hour late to try to miss the worst of the traffic, but it is still unpleasant. We just have to hope the levy passes in November so the community can have its streets back, and I'll get my time back. (Not holding my breath...)

So that's enough whining from me. I did spend my time at home today cleaning up my sewing room and getting organized for all the projects I'd like to accomplish. Boy is that list long! I really have to stop buying fabric. At least until after Christmas!

Happy quilting!

It's Here!!!

2008-08-28T12:18:00.003-04:00

Look at what the mailman left in my mailbox! A lovely, lovely quilt from Luisa of Portugal! I'm so happy I am the lucky recipient of the fabulous fishy quilt that I fell in love with when I saw the pictures over at Flickr. The colors and quilting are just perfect. I will treasure this little quilt and find a special place to hang it. Thank you Luisa!!

I've finished my quilt for the DQS4. I'll post about that one tomorrow.

Go Michael! Go!!

2008-08-13T21:11:00.003-04:00

Don't you just love the Olympics? My family is enjoying lots of coverage, both live and TIVO. And of course, Michael Phelps is such a pleasure to watch. Such amazing accomplishments so far. My kids (both swimmers) are getting such a thrill watching him go for 8 gold medals. And of course, we're loving all the other sports, too. I love seeing all the athletes perform their best. I feel bad for the ones who have a bad day on their big day.

We're slowly getting back to normal here. The vacation stuff is all tucked away until next time. We've done a little back-to-school shopping. I've been sorting out my sewing room; I really need to get more organized in there. I always have to clean up before I can start something new. Doll Quilt Swap 4 is on the cutting table; I want to make some good progress on that one by the end of the week. I'd love to have it done before the kids go back to school, but I'm not sure that will be possible. But it never hurts to try!

Sadly, my Four Seasons quilt hasn't arrived yet, so I'll have to be patient awhile longer. The pile of mail held during our trip arrived without any quilty packages. It was quite large and most of it was sorted directly into the recycling or the shredder. The rest was bills and a few magazines. Two new quilting mags for me. Yippee!!

Here's another vacation picture, just because I miss the beach:

That's Sanibel Lighthouse, just a short walk from where we stayed. Pretty, isn't it?

Happy Quilting!

Home Again!

2008-08-11T10:14:00.004-04:00

Back to the real world. We traveled home over the weekend. Two whole days of driving! That is probably the worst part of living in Ohio; we are such a long way from the ocean. And I love the ocean. I'm always happiest by the sea. Our vacation was lovely. Sanibel Island was a very nice place to spend a week. The beach was beautiful with many, many shells. The water was very warm and very calm. It was very peaceful and restful. But now we're back and need to get back up to our normal pace of living. School starts on August 26, and we have a lot to do before then.

While in Sanibel, I visited a quilt shop called Three Crafty Ladies. It was a quaint little shop. I picked up a little kit and a pattern which I will have to add to my list of projects to do. Somehow it never gets any shorter... At the top of the list is my Doll Quilt Swap 4 quilt. The fabric is all there, I just need to decide on the design and get it made. I want to do something a bit different this time.

I've been checking out Flickr to see all the quilts in both the Four Seasons Quilt Swap and Doll Quilt Swap groups. I've seen many I would love to own. I don't know if the one I am to recieve is one of the ones posted or not. Our mail was held last week while we were away and it is due to be delivered today. Hopefully there will be a package containing a quilt in with the mess of magazines, junk mail and bills.

I also need to get busy and make some things for Etsy. I've got some ideas but they seem to take some time to develop into actual finished items. Realistically, I'm not going to have much productive sewing time until after school begins. My kids are growing up so fast; I'm going to just enjoy the rest of the summer with them and worry about my shops when they're at school.

Summer Doll Quilt

2008-07-29T20:59:00.006-04:00

Summer Doll Quilt
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

Well, the quilt is in the mail. I had a heart stopping moment when I went to my saved email to get my partner's mailing address and the email WASN'T THERE!!! Somehow a file of saved emails has disappeared. My partner info for the Doll Quilt Swap 4 was also missing. But both swap mamas were kind enough to forward it again and all is right with my world. At least as far as quilt swaps go... I hope my partner likes her new quilt; it will take awhile to arrive as it does have to cross an ocean. I'm not saying which one.

It was a fun quilt to make. It is really bright, I was tempted to send my partner some new sunglasses along with the quilt. I've always liked blue and yellow together. And of course, daisies are my favorite summertime flower. I had been wanting to make a quilt with this block pattern. It was fun to make the 54-40 or Fight blocks. I got to buy a new tool! I love new toys, er tools. I got the Tri-Recs rulers and the block went together like a dream. Yay for new tools!!

My next sewing endeavor is to put together the supplies I need for a hand applique project that I started about a year ago. I had everything together at one point but over time, I've pulled out this and that for other projects. We'll have about 20 hours in the car, each way, plus some quiet time in the condo in the evenings. I should be able to make some progress.

Busy, Busy, Busy!!

2008-07-28T22:24:00.005-04:00

That's what happens when you try to pack a whole summer's worth of activities into two weeks! We've been to the zoo, the aquarium and the fair. We've shopped a bit and cleaned house a bit. Tomorrow we have haircuts, a doctor's appointment, a trip to the library and other assorted errands. One of which is to run by the post office to send my Four Seasons Swap Quilt off to its new home. I'll get a picture up tomorrow after it's all done; just a few finishing touches left! We still have a number of things to do before the end of the week when we leave for our much-anticipated trip to Florida: laundry, packing, cleaning, etc. And we have a birthday to celebrate on Thursday -- my son will be 13(!!!!!)

Here are a couple of cute photos I managed to capture on our recent adventures.

Taken at the Cincinnati Zoo last week; wouldn't you love to know what the big gorilla is trying to tell the little one? Love the head scratching!

Taken today at the Newport Aquarium Frog Bog Exhibit. This little froggie is trying hard to win at hide and seek.

Quilt pictures tomorrow!!

First Day of Summer?

2008-07-22T15:52:00.005-04:00

Well, not really but it felt like it. Swim season has finally ended and it feels like summer has just begun. We had no swim practice and nowhere else we had to be which was a very strange feeling. I've been shuttling kids between pools and waiting endlessly for them so we can run off to the next swim-related activity. But now it has ended.

This weekend was the Ohio Junior Olympics which my son qualified to compete in. It was an enormous accomplishment to make it. He was a bit overwhelmed by the event and did not swim his best. But his goal was to qualify, which he did and he got a very cool shirt that he will be quite proud to wear. And so, swimming is over and we go on vacation the end of next week and shortly afterwards, it is back to school. How time flies.

I have managed to squeeze in a bit of sewing time. I'm on schedule to have my Four Seasons Summer quilt in the mail before July 30. My DQS4 is in the planning stages but will probably not get made until after we return from vacation. Here's a quick peek at one of the blocks for the summer quilt.

Blue and yellow are very summer-y, aren't they? It makes me think of summer skies...

Happy quilting!!

Another busy weekend!

2008-06-29T21:57:00.006-04:00

And not a bit of sewing got done! I do have a picture of my accomplishments today.

See! I baked a pie and made jam. My husband and children went up to Grandma and Grandpa's house and picked black raspberries yesterday. A lot of black raspberries!! About 5 quarts, I think. And so I had to use them up before they spoiled. So, I baked a pie and froze 2 quarts for future pies and made jam with all that was left. The pie crust looks a little funny, but it actually tastes quite good. Especially considering it is made with no wheat flour and no dairy products. My son has allergies and he loves pie. This crust works very well; it is just the tiniest bit grainy from the rice flour. The jam was an experiment. I've never made it before. It tastes very good but is very seed-y. I doubt I'll repeat the recipe. It was a lot of work for 5 half-pints of jam (plus one half jar). So the berries are gone from the fridge, the dishes are washed and my feet are a bit sore. But the pie was a hit and we've got jam for breakfast. And I did all that in about six hours in the kitchen! It will be awhile before I do it again...

Yesterday was my wedding anniversary. Twenty-two years! Oh my!! That is half my life. DH brought me some lovely roses:

Pretty, aren't they? I love roses and I haven't spent as much time as I should on the ones in my garden so I haven't had many to cut and bring inside. So I will enjoy these very much.

My summer swim team commitment is just about over and not a moment too soon! I cannot believe how much time I have spent working on swim team activities both at the pool and at home. Many, many more hours than a full-time job. But the season has gone well and the kids have had fun. I'll just be glad when it's over and my schedule gets back to some sort of normal. My house and garden need some serious tending and I would love to spend some time sewing. I've got ideas for my swap quilts and need to get started on the Four Seasons summer quilt soon. I should have some time later this week and next weekend.

Hopefully I'll have some quilt progress pictures next time I post. Until then...Happy quilting!

I'm Still Here...

2008-06-14T18:03:00.002-04:00

Oh my, that was an unexpected break. Funny how time can get away from you. With the end of school, beginning of summer and all the summer activities, I have really neglected my blog. I can't believe it's been a whole month since my last post. Hopefully things will slow down a bit so I can get back to normal.

I haven't had any quilting or sewing time lately, so nothing new to post there. I did make my daughter a dress to wear to a wedding because we couldn't find anything suitable. The dresses in the stores were just a bit too revealing for my 14 year old. Just not ready for that yet... A quick stop at Joanns for a pattern and I actually had a piece of fabric in my stash that was perfect so that worked out very well.

I'm eager to get started on my swap quilt projects; I'm in two swaps at the moment. Maybe tomorrow I'll find myself in the sewing room. I'm sure it will be dusty and I may even find a cobweb or two.

Spring Quilt from Alice

2008-05-13T21:21:00.006-04:00

Spring Quilt from Alice
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

The mail lady was kind enough to deliver this lovely quilt in my mailbox. I was so excited to see what someone made for me. Pink and green is one of my very favorite color combo and what a fun little quilt this is! See the pink flowers embroidered in the corner? Very pretty!! It came all the way from Alice in Texas and I like it very much. Thanks Alice!

Here's a close up of the flowers:

I found some more pink flowers blooming in my garden to go with my new quilt.

We are having a lovely spring in Ohio. Quite different from the last few years when we had a late freeze to nip all the flowers. This year the flowers have been able to bloom their little heads off and it has been lovely to see. I haven't been able to spend much time outside and am very behind in my gardening chores, but it looks pretty through the windows. My azalea in particular is covered in beautiful blossoms. I have to remember to stop and enjoy the flowers before they're gone. Summer heat will be here soon!

And a belated Happy Mother's Day wish to all moms everywhere, especially to my mom who is no longer here but who is with me everyday in many small ways. Miss you Mom...

And it's off!

2008-04-28T10:57:00.002-04:00

Doll Quilt Swap III by Wendy
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

Well, I did it. I finished my second little swap quilt in a month and just in time for the deadline! I'm off to mail it, far, far away. I hope it flies quickly so my partner doesn't have to wait too long. And I hope she likes it. It is very pastel-ish. It was fun to make. I bought a stack of Kaffe Fassett squares from Ebay awhile ago and have been afraid to use them. The large patterns and strong colors scare me a bit. Anyway, I thought they would work well in the Disappearing Nine Patch pattern, with a couple solids and a stripe. It went together very quickly. Quilting by hand took a little longer, but I'm pleased with the result. And I still have an enormous stack of those charms left, so I think I'll be experimenting some more to see how I can use them up!

Now I have to get busy sewing for Etsy. And I've been commissioned to make a T-shirt quilt. School will be over in no time and I'm beginning to panic (like I always do) that I will never get all my projects finished before school's out for the summer. So I'm off to sort out my sewing space right after I get back from the post office.

Bye Bye little quilt! Have a safe and speedy journey!

Spring Four Seasons Swap Quilt hangin' out in the magnolia tree

2008-04-21T13:18:00.001-04:00

Spring Four Seasons Swap Quilt hangin' out in the magnolia tree
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

Well, it's finally finished! It's been almost done for more than a week, just waiting for me to sit down and put the final stitches in. I always forget how busy this time of year is! I'll be mailing this one off on it's long journey tomorrow. I hate to see this one go, but it was lots of fun to make. I've got the Doll Quilt Swap III quilt all pieced; it needs a border. Then quilting, binding, etc. I'll get a photo of that one up as soon as the border is on.

I haven't posted since the quilt show in Chicago. I enjoyed the day there very much. So many lovely quilts... lots of inspiration there. How I wish my machine quilting skills were better! I did buy some fabric, not too much though and only a couple of patterns. I find I like to design my own quilts these days.

Happy quilting!

A Week Later...

2008-04-08T22:06:00.002-04:00

And I've decided to finish my spring swap quilt as is. Thanks to everyone who left comments here and over on Flickr. I tried everything. I cut swatches of the various fabrics I was considering to cover the darker yellow and left it out on my sewing table. Every time I went by the door, I looked in to see if I liked the "current" combo any better than the yellow. Well, none of them grabbed me. I think I like the yellow; it's just different from what I usually do and it has taken some time to grow on me. So, after finishing my taxes (UGH!) I went back and started quilting and very quickly ran out of the green thread I was using. So, I'm off to JoAnn's in the morning to re-stock and then I will get this one done. I want to get the binding on by Friday; we have a car trip this weekend and I'll be able to finish the binding in the car. Still on schedule to mail by the 15th! Yay!!

And I'm so excited about the trip this weekend. I've convinced my husband that a trip to Chicago is a really great idea. Well, it is...especially when there is a quilt show in town! Never mind that it is supposed to snow(!!??) It has been so long since I've been to a good show. I've been to Houston a couple of times -- a real treat. I know this is a bit smaller, but the quilts will be there and the shopping! I'll have to be good and not spend too much, but I get such a thrill out of being in the midst of quilters and quilt stuff--I know it will be wonderful.

I've got another little quilt in the works. I've joined Round 3 of the Doll Quilt Swap. I'm going for something simpler this time, that maybe will be suited to handquilting. I've got a bunch of 4" Kaffe Fassett squares that I'm playing with. The color and patterns are very bold and a bit out of my comfort zone, but very pretty. I need a couple of solids and maybe a stripe to calm it down a little. Maybe I'll get it together and take it along to quilt in the car. I've got 5 hours up and 5 hours back and I really dislike sitting and not doing something while I sit. I've got some other things I have to do before the weekend, but I'll try to get this one done as well.

Can't wait to see more quilts up on Flickr! Happy Quilting Everyone!

Spring Quilt Needs Help!!

2008-04-01T19:10:00.003-04:00

Spring Quilt Needs Help!!
Originally uploaded by On a Whim | LittleWhimsies

My almost completed doll quilt for the Spring Four Season Quilt Swap. I ran into a bit of trouble with the borders and need a little help. I want the quilt to be a rectangle, with asymmetrical borders. The HSTs were supposed to continue across the top and bottom outer borders, but when I put the 1/2 inch dark purple border in (it wasn't originally supposed to be there but I didn't like the pieced border against the pieced center) the math got messed up. So I think it can still work, but the yellow might be too soft.

These fabrics can be used for the darker yellow pieces in the outer border. I'm thinking one of the purples, or darker greens. I'm thinking I'll use the striped fabric to make the bias binding. I was just zipping right along until I realized the measurements weren't coming out. DH just doesn't have an opinion...

Any advice??

It's Almost a Quilt!

2008-03-28T15:38:00.004-04:00

I'm still playing with the final arrangement of these little blocks for my spring swap quilt. But I did make some progress this week when I wasn't sure I would have time. These little blocks went together fairly quickly and soon they will be sewn together. I'm still on track to finish by April 15! Yay!

The closet cleaning is about completed. Now I have a mess on the first floor of the house until I can sort and remove all the unwanted things. A neighborhood garage sale is planned for May, so I might see if I can turn some of the toys into a little cash but I think the clothes will all be donated next week. Except for the dresses I made my daughter -- I just can't part with those.

Thanks to everyone who has left a comment on one of my posts lately. I was trying today to respond to people, but there seems to be something wrong with my ability to send email. So, I will try again another day!

Have a great weekend! Happy sewing!!

Time Flies!!!

2008-03-25T08:46:00.004-04:00

Oh my goodness! Ten days since my last post and not much to show for it! I have been busy, with Easter and some house cleaning and cooking that needed to be done. A belated Happy Easter and First Day of Spring to everyone!

My kiddos are off school this week, so we are having the Great Closet Purge of 2008. I cannot believe the quantity of outgrown clothes, toys and other things in the closets and drawers. I knew it was getting bad when I couldn't find room to put things away, but the piles in my living and dining rooms are growing at an alarming rate! We have a small pile to pack up and store and a much bigger one for garage sale/donate. There's a new IKEA store just down the highway a bit, can't wait to run down there to get some new organizing stuff!

Anyway, I have been working on my little spring Four Seasons Swap Quilt. I finally decided on a design and I have been making lots of little QSTs and HSTs.

I've got some paper piecing to do, then I can get the center part together. I think I'm going to have to use some partial seams to get it together, never done that before! And I just signed up for another swap. The first Doll Quilt Swap that I participated in is having Round 3, so I'm in for that one, too. That one is due 4 weeks after I get my partner's name. Better get busy!!

National Quilting Day

2008-03-15T13:12:00.003-04:00

Today is National Quilting Day. In observance, I'm going to make a decision on the design of my spring Four Seasons Swap quilt. It's been giving me fits. There are just too many possibilities. And I want to make them all.

What are you working on today?

A Beautiful Day

2008-03-13T21:48:00.005-04:00

It's amazing really. Just a few days ago, it snowed. A lot! We had a good 14-15" of soft white snow and windy conditions that may have qualified as a blizzard.

Today, the snow is nearly gone, just a few small piles where it was heaped during the removal process. It was a beautiful 64 degrees, with sunshine and blue skies. I left my coat in the car and felt the sun on my face.

Lovely

Gives one hope that spring is actually near!

On the swap quilt front, I've played with EQ5 this week. For hours. I've got some basic ideas that I really like, but I'm having a huge problem making them work with my stash. I've decided that my stash isn't a very good one. Most of the fabrics are in the muted, mid-tone range. I want to make a quilt with happy, bright pastels, not muddy roses and muted blues and greens. So, I'm tossing my "rule" to use my stash out the window. I'm going shopping early next week for something fun. Bring on the sunglasses! My stash can sit and wait for another project. I've certainly designed enough doll quilts to keep me busy for awhile!

A Blizzard?

2008-03-08T11:06:00.007-05:00

I was so ready for Spring and today we are having a blizzard!! Yes, a real blizzard, which really doesn't happen often in Ohio. Look at what I found outside my front door! We've had 12 inches of snow and it is still snowing. The winds are blowing, the snow is drifting and we are housebound. The roads are treacherous. I was supposed to attend a bridal shower today about 1 hour away in Kentucky. But, I'll be staying home instead. Thank goodness I have lots to do! I think I'm going to sew.

The arrival of the blizzard also marked the arrival of my Winter Swap Quilt from Abby. The package contained a sweet little blue and white quilt and lots of extra goodies. Very sweet! Thanks Abby!

So I'm off to the sewing room to play. I'd like to decide what I am making for the Spring Four Seasons Quilt Swap. I've got a couple of good ideas, but I need to sort through my stash to see what will work. I've made a goal to make it completely from my stash, if possible. I should be able to do so; I've got lots of fabric piled up but sometimes the right colors/values just aren't there. So I'm going to start with the stash and design around that for a change. I usually do it the other way, which almost always means a trip to the fabric store! Have I mentioned that I LOVE to buy fabric??

Have a happy Saturday!

Yay! It's March!!!!

2008-03-01T16:51:00.002-05:00

Everything looks so much better when the calendar says "March"! I struggle with the winter months, February especially. I feel a sense of relief when the month is finally over. Thank goodness it's the shortest one!

Anyway -- bring on Spring! I'm ready for flowers and warm weather. And longer days and sunshine. I've got my fingers crossed that we won't have much more snow.

I've got the name of my Spring Four Seasons Swap Quilt partner. Now I can get down to the business of designing a cute little spring-y quilt. My partner hasn't made too many specific requests as to the type of quilt, so almost anything goes!! I'm setting some rules for myself: 1) Try a new technique, maybe curved piecing, 2) Most of the fabric must come from my stash, 3) Maybe add some embellishment, 4) Get done early! I'd like to mail it 2 weeks before the deadline, so I need to get busy.

And I have a question for any EQ quilters out there. I have EQ5 and think I'd like to upgrade to EQ6. But I have limited funds.... Are the differences worth the cost of the upgrade? I haven't had a chance to demo it; just looked at it online a bit. I know I want it, because I'm kind of techy geek - I always want the latest gadget. But I'm not sure I actually need it, know what I mean?? Anyway, please leave me your opinions. I rarely get comments, so I'm hoping someone will respond.

Thanks a bunch!! And keep looking for signs of spring!

Wendy

Happy Leap Day!!

2008-02-29T07:09:00.002-05:00

The novelty and whimsy of Leap Day has always intrigued me. After all, it only happens once every four years. I don't actually know any "Leap Babies," but if you happen to be one-- a very Happy Birthday to you! Today is an extra day, so I'm going to enjoy it.

Etsy.com will be featured on Martha Stewart's TV show today. I'm not one of the featured sellers, but I can't wait to see what they do feature. Hopefully, all of Martha's fans will swarm over Etsy and discover all the little sellers, like me!

Enjoy your extra day!

Finally Made a New Bag!

2008-02-25T16:03:00.004-05:00

At long last, I've completed a new bag for my Etsy shop. ~~Camera battery is charging, so I'll have to add a picture later.~~ I used my sling style purse pattern and used a Kaffe Fassett print from my stash of fabrics. I hope to list it tonight after the camera is up and running and I also want to make a matching coin purse and key fob to list as well. I hadn't sat down to make a bag for a quite awhile and was very happy that I remembered how to do it! I need to make better notes, but hopefully I'll be making another one soon.

I spent some time thinking about what sort of spring quilt I'd like to make for the Four Seasons Swap. I've got a couple of ideas that I think will be nice; I'll have to see if my partner has any specific requirements. My mailbox was empty again today. My winter quilt hasn't arrived. I'm starting to think my special package from somewhere may not come. I do hope it is not lost... That would be a very sad end to someone's hard work. But it isn't a whole month past the deadline yet, so I'll try to be patient which I'm finding very hard to do!

Well, it's off to run the kids to all the afterschool activities. At least it isn't snowing today, so we won't be slip-sliding all the way!

Winter's Last Hurrah!?!?

2008-02-24T07:59:00.007-05:00

Maybe.

I took this photo yesterday when I went out to check for mail. Still no quilt. Maybe Monday. Anyway, we've had too much wintery weather lately. Last week was a very strange week. Holiday on Monday, snow day on Wednesday and another one on Friday. Thank goodness for snowblowers. Of course they don't do much good when you get ice!

All of the trees were covered with a glistening layer of ice. How pretty when the sun came out and made everything sparkle. I'd like to make a quilt like that. My picture didn't quite capture the sparkliness.

More icy pictures:

Enough of the cold stuff! Bring on the Spring flowers!!

And I almost forgot! Sign-ups are going on now over at the Four Seasons Swap Blog for the Spring installment. I sent my information along to the marvelous Margaret who arranges all the madness. I find the swaps a great opportunity to try new techniques and complete a fun, small project at the same time. Go visit the blog if you'd like to give it a try!

Another Snow Day!!

2008-02-12T20:01:00.000-05:00

We had a winter storm last night and today, got some snow, got some ice. Kids got a snow day. I guess I did, too. My productivity suffers when I have people home. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a regular school day for them, work day for me. The roads aren't bad now, but they'll probably freeze up over night.

I keep checking the mailbox for my Swap Quilt. So far, it hasn't come. I'm so eager to see it. I hope it comes soon. Margaret is organizing another swap, a round robin this time. I think I'll have to pass on that one. I really want to do the Spring installment of the Four Seasons Swap and I need to focus on some projects I've got to finish and my Etsy store. So I'd better not put anything else on my list just now. But it does look like fun...maybe next time.

And I found out yesterday that I'm needed back on the bowling league to finish out the year. One of the ladies hurt her shoulder so I'm taking her place. It is fun; I can't say I ever thought I'd join a bowling league, but it's nice to get out and be with the other ladies. I thought I'd like to find a quilting group but I haven't had much luck there.

Bye for now!!

Another week...

2008-02-08T07:13:00.000-05:00

Another week done and not much to show for it. I've been working on a couple of new handbags for my Etsy store. I don't use commercial patterns for them, and it sometimes takes a couple of tries before I'm satisfied with my design. But I've got one that's getting close, so hopefully I'll have pictures next week and a finished product to list.

Later today, I'll be looking through my pile of handwork awaiting attention. We are going on a car trip tomorrow and I need to decide which project to take along. I really need to finish some of them up but I seem to only add to the pile. Most likely, I'll take my hexagons. I really want to finish that one.

I've made tentative plans to attend the Chicago quilt show in April. I've promised myself that I'll finish a few of my WIPs before I go so I can shop with a clear conscience. I don't enjoy shopping much when I feel guilty about it.

Back to the sewing room! Have a great weekend!

I fixed it!

2008-02-03T19:49:00.000-05:00

I finally did it! I spent some time this weekend on the internet figuring out how to fix my blog header which had mysteriously gone wonky. I also discovered how to put a slideshow on here. I chose last summer's vacation in Maine. Looking through those photos again reminded me that I would like to use a few for quilt inspiration. The landscapes up there were breathtaking.

I've also been catching up on some magazine reading as my sore arm is not letting me do much sewing. I just received the current issue of American Patchwork & Quilting, their 15th Anniversary issue. I had no idea it had been so long! Time really does fly!! I've been a subscriber since the beginning. I've got every issue, in a box in my sewing room. Most of them have several sticky notes on projects I'd like to do someday. I'd better get busy!

Groundhog Day

2008-02-02T19:05:00.000-05:00

I hear the groundhog saw his shadow today. This falls under the category of "Bad News" for me. I've had enough of winter already and now if the groundhog is correct, we're in for another six weeks of it. Let's hope he really has no prediction ability where spring is concerned.

Speaking of "falls", I had a nasty one on an icy spot yesterday. I landed hard on my left side and today my right side is hurting in sympathy. I feel rather out of whack and I've got the beginnings of a colorful bruise. Motrin helps a little. I'm just happy I didn't hit my head, or cut a gash somewhere. Time will heal all, I'm sure.

I noticed when I logged on that my last post was my 50th. I should do something to commemorate it, I suppose. But I have no brilliant ideas at the moment. Maybe by the time I have my 100th post, I'll have something in mind. Maybe I'll make a little quilt or something to give away to a lucky reader.

I'm hoping that tomorrow I feel more productive. I really need to get busy on some new things for Etsy. I posted a few new items last week. I really like the heart fabric; I thought someone might like it for Valentine's Day.

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Wild and Windy Wednesday

2008-01-30T23:12:00.000-05:00

Wow! Have we had some weird weather here in Ohio! Yesterday, it was in the 50's - not normal for January. Then we got thunderstorms, with lightning. Also not normal! The temperature fell to 10 degrees by this morning. And windy!! I thought the roof was coming off for sure. I was quite nervous that one of our big trees would soon be crashing into the house. But the trees are all still standing, minus a few branches and all the shingles are still on the roof. We lost power for a short time, the cable (and internet) went out several times. But all seems back to normal, or it will be after I've finished re-setting all the clocks.

I tried to sew today and was not very productive. A lot of "un-sewing" going on... Anyway, my sewing machine was acting up. It was unplugged for the storm; I value it too highly to risk a shock. I think it's time for a visit to the repair shop. I'm lucky to live near a good dealership that has a very good repair department; it's a bit pricey though. At least I kept my old one so I won't be without a machine. I'm so glad I finished my swap quilt before the problems started; and a custom order for my Etsy shop. I'll give it another run tomorrow to see if it continues to act up. Its due for a servicing anyway...

I just visited Flickr to have a look at all the swap quilts that have been posted. There are some really lovely ones; some are so creative and different. I enjoy looking at them. I can't wait to see what the mailman brings me!

Done!

2008-01-28T12:56:00.001-05:00

Scrappy Snowflakes - Front
Originally uploaded by On a Whim Creations

The last stitch is taken, the quilt has been washed and dried and photographed. Now to pack it up safely and send it off to a land far away. I hope ??? likes her new quilt!

Here are a couple more photos:

This was a fun little quilt to make. I enjoyed working with these colors and the new quilting tool I bought. To cut the triangles from pieced strips, I used the smaller Kaleido-Ruler by Marti Michell. I'd like to try another quilt using the same technique. I had a few blocks come out a little wonky...I cut the corner triangles oversized and trimmed the blocks down to size. A few of the snowflakes' corners didn't meet up exactly with its neighbors' corners. I'd like to figure out where my squares went wrong. To make the binding, I used up all the odd width strips leftover from the triangle sets. I thought it might be too bulky, but it really wasn't that bad to work with.

I can't wait to see the rest of the quilts up on Flickr!!! I'm off the to the post office!

Nearing the Finish!

2008-01-24T15:51:00.001-05:00

I'm almost done with the Four Seasons Swap quilt! The top is finished, including borders. Now I've got to sandwich, baste and quilt it, and then get the binding on. And it needs a label. The quilt hasn't named itself yet, that usually happens when I sewing the binding on. The nicest thing about these little quilts is that it doesn't take much time to do these often time-consuming tasks. I should be able to finish tomorrow. I thought I'd be done today, but I bought "Warm and White" batting and forgot I need to pre-shrink it. So that added a step and slowed the finishing down a bit. It's in the dryer now. But soon, I'll be heading off to the post office to send it on its journey.

I've had some busy days lately, that haven't involved much sewing. But next week is looking like a good sewing week. I can't believe it's almost February...

Random Ramblings....

2008-01-13T21:51:00.000-05:00

Not to much to blog today, just a bit of this and that. I have finished all of my little snowflake blocks for the 4 Seasons Swap Quilt and must make a decision about the fabric to use for the little triangles that go on the corners and the border. I have never used white fabric to finish a quilt, but this one seems to be asking for it: maybe a white on white print to represent the snow on the ground that my little flakes will soon join. I don't know, but I'm planning on finishing it this week so the decision must be made soon.

My sewing plans for the week were relying on the fact the the Australian Open is on TV, or so I thought. I very much enjoy a good tennis match and they're not often televised. So I plan to be home as much as possible during the weeks of the Grand Slams so I can sit at my machine and listen/watch tennis on the little TV above my head. Kind of sad, but there you go. Anyway, I checked my local listings today to plan out my week and was quite dismayed. ESPN has elected to broadcast daytime coverage on ESPN Classic, which my local cable company dropped earlier in the year. ESPN 360.com is not available from my internet provider (same company as the cable company). So I called them a couple of bad names and tried to come up with another plan. I can TIVO the nightly coverage to watch during the day, but I can't watch the TIVO in my sewing room. It seems I can get a "tournament pass" to watch via the internet for $25. This irritates me, but I'm not sure I am willing to forgo my tennis -- I was SO looking forward to it. I'll stew on it and decide tomorrow.

And I really need to fix my blog. I've been visiting blogs around the internet and I see so many with nice backgrounds and headers. My header has a photo from one of my quilts that used to be centered, but now it's all wonky and I don't know why. I don't have the skills to do anything really tricky, but I'd like a nice header and background. I need some sort of Blogger for Dummies...Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

So busy week ahead. Hopefully some tennis on TV, a finished swap quilt, and a better blog. I've also promised to help a friend with some window treatments and the kiddies get the day off on Friday. And my Etsy shops really need some new stuff. I can't believe January is half over already. So, I'm off to get some rest so I can hopefully get started bright and early tomorrow.

A Flurry of Flakes

2008-01-10T16:58:00.000-05:00

I'm sewing snowflakes! And they're going together quite nicely. My Winter Swap Quilt is turning out to be a fun project so far. Just a few more little flakes and I'll be ready to put them all together. Less than 24 hours between the 2 photos, which is really fast for me.

Today marked a very sad anniversary for me. My mom died seven years ago today, quite suddenly. It seems like yesterday. She would have liked these little quilt blocks very much. She loved to sew and she loved blue. She left a few WIPs behind that I intend to finish someday, just not yet. It was good to keep busy with such a pleasant project. And if you are lucky enough to still have your mom, give her a call and tell her you love her.

Winter Blues

2008-01-09T10:43:00.000-05:00

Does it look like winter to you? I'm pre-washing and pressing all the fabrics I've collected for my Winter Swap Quilt. I love all the purply-blues. Can't wait to start piecing the blocks. I'm trying something new this time.

...And a Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T19:29:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. I've been a very bad blogger, not keeping up at all with my blog posting or reading. I find the holidays so very busy, probably because I think I can do more than I should and I'll admit to being a bit disorganized. (Does that sound like something to address in a resolution?) I spent the last days before Christmas feverishly finishing gifts, cleaning, wrapping, cooking, decorating, shopping, etc. So much so that I found it hard to relax and enjoy. Well, it's over. A few more days of the Christmas holiday with my husband and children home and then things can get back to normal, or so I hope.

I have a long list of things to do in the new year. At the top of the list is my Winter Doll Quilt for the Four Seasons Swap. I have an idea and have actually looked through my stash for fabrics. I hoped to make it entirely from my stash, but don't have everything I need. After that, I have to spend some serious sewing time making some new things to stock my Etsy shops. I would love to be successful on Etsy, but know that I need to become much more dedicated to do so.

May your New Year bring you joy and happiness!

Snow Day!

2007-12-05T16:22:00.001-05:00

Pretty, isn't it? As long as I don't have to drive in it, I can look out and say, "Oooh! How pretty!" Unfortunately, a lot of people did have to drive today and the roads were a mess. I think the first snowfall every year catches people off-guard. They have to remember they need to slow down a bit, this stuff is slippery! I think we had about 5-6 inches. So we had a snow day today, no school, no errands. I worked in my sewing room and the kids played video games. I did manage to wrestle the snowblower out of the corner of the garage and get it started. What a back saver that thing is!

Today I worked on a t-shirt quilt, a special order. I've got the front all together with the borders. I'd show a picture but it's meant to be a gift so even though it's highly unlikely the person receiving it would see, I'd better not. It's turning out quite nicely. Tomorrow after bowling, I'll get it sandwiched and quilted. I stitch in the ditch along the sashing and border and tie inside the squares. I'll be happy to finish this and move on to the next thing on the list.

I got my Hinterberg frame down to the basement. Poor thing is leaning up against the wall in all the mess down there. I've kept it up all year in the living room, but haven't used it as much as I'd like. I needed to take it down for the Christmas tree. My plan is clean out part of the basement and get a few area rugs and set it up permanently down there. I'll need the help of an electrician, as there are only 4 little light bulbs and one outlet in the whole basement. That can wait until January...

Well, back to the sewing room!

Shop Update

2007-11-18T17:16:00.000-05:00

I finally made a couple of these little patchwork zipper pouches to put in my Etsy shop. I've been thinking about them for awhile and finally sat down today to make them. I'm planning more, as I have more fabric squares that I think will make cute little pouches. I'd like to make some bigger ones, too. They'll be great gift ideas, especially for those last minute ones that just seem to pop up. Even better if you put a gift card inside.... My shop is here.

Last week was a busy week. I can finally cross my SIL's kitchen window treatments off the to do list. They turned out quite nice; she was very happy with them.

This coming week will be absolutely crazy. My son has a food allergy challenge tomorrow am. My daughter has an appointment for braces removal on Tuesday am. And Wednesday am, they have to go the the eye doctor for a check-up. In the future, I really need to plan these appointments out more. Then Thursday is Thanksgiving, of course. And Friday, we head out of town for a few days. I don't think my sewing machine will be running much this week.

I doubt I'll have the opportunity to post again before Thursday, so have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

It's November!

2007-11-09T20:24:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness! Another month is over. I've been so busy, I've neglected to post to my blog. Not that I've accomplished much sewing lately. My list of things that must be finished before Christmas is growing and growing! And once November arrives, there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day with all the seasonal things that need to be done.

Back to October and Halloween, I did finish the costumes in time and the banana actually looked like a banana. Not quite perfect, but good enough and my son was delighted with it. And that was the most important thing anyway. The pictures were all a bit blurry; I guess my hands were shaky after the marathon sewing session!

I've been working on a custom order for Etsy. It's about finished. And then I want to make a few more Blythe dresses. They're just so much fun to make! I have a pile of fabric waiting to become tote bags and purses. My idea of getting these in the shop in time for Christmas shopping is looking harder to achieve. I have to finish a custom window treatment and a t-shirt quilt and then I can get back to working on things for my shop.

Today, I signed up for the Winter Four Seasons Quilt Swap. The Autumn Swap was lots of fun and I already have a pretty good idea of what I'd like to do for the winter one, provided it meets my partner's requirements. The quilts aren't due until the end of January, so I won't have to start until after Christmas. There seems to be alot of interest, so the sign-ups may close quickly. Click on the Four Seasons Quilt Swap button for a link to the site and more info. It's a great chance to try something new and fun to swap little quilts.

Busy Weekend!

2007-10-28T20:39:00.000-04:00

Wow! What a busy weekend! I've been working on my children's Halloween costumes -- a Renaissance princess and a banana. The Renaissance princess is from a published pattern, so other than requiring major alterations for fit, that was pretty easy. Still needs hems and trim attached. The banana is another story. I'm using yellow felt and of course, there is no pattern. It's testing my creativity a bit. I'm hoping it will be wearable by Tuesday night...

My daughter came home from DC in one piece, and all of her things seem to have survived the trip as well. It rained alot, but they seem to have had a good trip.

I finally managed to list some Blythe dresses in my Etsy shop. I made and listed six, four have sold already! I'm delighted by this. They were very fun to make so I will be making more this week (after the costumes). I also have plans for some new handbags and tote bags, and other assorted items. I've got a couple of custom orders in the works, one through Etsy and the others are local. So it looks like I'm going to be a busy girl! I can't believe how close Christmas is! I really need to improve my time management skills. The days just fly by!

Back to the big yellow thing that will be a banana...(the power of positive thinking)

She's Off!

2007-10-23T21:05:00.000-04:00

My daughter is on a bus headed for Washington, DC. She'll return late Friday. Hopefully it will be an incident-free trip that will be a memorable 8th grade experience for her. I'll just be glad when it is over.

I heard from Anne B., my swap partner in the Four Seasons Quilt Swap. My little quilt finally arrived at her home in England. Yay! It was in the postal system so long I feared it might never find its way out. But it arrived safely and she likes it! So, that's a happy ending for that project!

Now, which projects to work on to keep me busy and not thinking about Washington, DC for the rest of the week...

No Houston For Me--This Year...

2007-10-21T20:05:00.000-04:00

I am very sad not to be going, because I have enjoyed my little quilting vacation for the last 2 years. I will miss Houston this year. It is such a unique experience. So many quilters gathered together from all over the world! The wonderful classes and fabulous quilts, not to mention more shopping than you can manage in a day, all under one very large roof. I've been to the International Quilt Festival three times in total, and every time I've gone alone and met such nice quilters to share a meal or chat with about projects. I've had fun and learned so much in the classes. I will miss my very special "me" time, when I got to indulge in my love for quilting away from my ordinary life. I'll need to build something into my schedule, because I don't think I can go a whole year without a good quilt show fix. So if anyone knows of any good shows coming up, let me know. And if you're lucky enough to be going to Houston this year--ENJOY!

Busy days

2007-10-16T23:04:00.000-04:00

Well, I've not posted lately. I've not completed anything photo- or blog-worthy. I've been working on prototypes for things I hope to have in my Etsy shop soon. I've got a custom order I'm still awaiting all the fabrics to get started. I've been trying to catch up on some housework and yardwork, too. The weather has moderated a bit, but it is still warmer and drier than it ought to be. It rained today, so maybe the weeds will come out of the ground a little easier tomorrow. So much to do, so little time.

My oldest heads off to Washington, DC for the 8th grade trip next week. That is a source of anxiety for me. Such a large group of kids, such a busy city. We've taken the children to DC a couple of times and visited many of the monuments and museums, so at least there will be a little familiarity with the environment. The school tells me they've never lost anyone, yet. I guess this is supposed to make me feel better.

My little quilt has apparently not reached its destination yet. I do hope it eventually gets there. I would be very sad if it went to some package limbo, never to be seen again.

Look what I found on the front porch!

2007-10-07T21:31:00.001-04:00

2007_1007fuji0010
Originally uploaded by On a Whim Creations

We arrived home from a long, hot day on the soccer field yesterday to find a small box on the front porch. I couldn't wait to get it opened because I knew something special was inside. I was right! It was my darling doll quilt made by Jane C. And I love it! The colors are perfect and the hand quilting is lovely. I can't wait to find the perfect spot for it in my home. Now I have to pull out the rest of my fall decorations and get ready for the season!
Here are a couple of pics of some of the detail. Isn't it just perfect?

It was a busy weekend, with two soccer games in the heat and some furniture shopping thrown in. The weatherman predicts a change in the weather coming Tuesday and I can't wait! It is not supposed to be 90 degrees in October and it just doesn't feel like fall. So maybe autumn will arrive to stay in a couple of days. The furniture shopping was not much of a success; I find committing to a couch for our family room beyond difficult! I'm starting to feel like Goldilocks (too big, too soft...)nothing just right, at least not yet!

Hopefully this week will bring some cooler weather and some good sewing progress. I'll be back with updates!

What Happened to Autumn?

2007-10-04T21:39:00.000-04:00

Well, it's October 4 and 85 degrees in Ohio. It really isn't supposed to be this warm. This is supposed to be sweater weather. But no, we're still in shorts and flip-flops. I'm really not complaining because I don't like the cold and today was an absolutely lovely day. I'm just afraid we won't get fall this year. We'll wake up one day and it will be snowing and time to bundle up. And cuddle up with a nice quilt and a good book! Now there's a way to spend a Saturday.

This weekend will bring another soccer game. The game is at a field near a lake, which is known for fall color. It's still a little early for much color, but I might get a few pictures to share. It has been so dry that most of the leaves will probably just go brown. There is also an Oktoberfest this weekend that always attracts some good artists/craftsmen with their wares. It's good for early Holiday shopping.

I didn't accomplish any sewing today and won't tomorrow, either. Yesterday, I did work a little on a couple of prototypes for my Etsy shop. I find that very time-consuming. I have to work out all the little bugs and quirks so I can be happy with the finished product. Tomorrow I get to have a day out with friends which will be quite fun! We've got a little shopping trip planned.

That's all for now!

Focus!

2007-10-01T13:22:00.000-04:00

I've realized that I've been neglecting my little Etsy shop. This isn't a new realization. Rather, it's been there; I've just been ignoring it. So, I am going to try to focus on Etsy this week and make a few new items for my shop. Heaven knows, I've plenty of ideas, fabric and supplies to get started. Some of the fabric needs prewashing, so I've sorted and trimmed some to get ready for a trip through the washing machine. I use my pinking blade rotary cutter to minimize fraying; it really helps. It is not fun to pull a tangled mass of fabric from the dryer. Now if the fabric stores would start cutting with a pinking blade...
So for the rest of today, I'll be spending some quality time at the cutting mat and ironing board (Oh Joy!) so I can get an early start on a couple of projects tomorrow.

I also spent a little time on Flickr looking at some of the finished Fall Four Seasons Swap Quilts. There are some amazing ones! Go check them out here. More should be posted every day since the deadline is past. Can't wait to see what the mailman brings me!

And Into the Mail!

2007-09-28T10:38:00.001-04:00

WSFallQuilt-01
Originally uploaded by On a Whim Creations

Well, it's off! I've sent my little quilt out into the world. Hopefully it will get there safely. I hope my partner likes it... I'm a little jealous. My quilt gets to go somewhere I've always wanted to visit. Maybe someday.

Voila!

2007-09-25T13:49:00.000-04:00

Finished! I admit I was a bit panic-y yesterday. But, now it is done. It doesn't have a name yet, or a label. Usually a name comes to me while I work on a project, but so far this one is just "Autumn." I'll give it a quick wash and dry, get it labeled and into the mail. The back isn't as pretty as I'd like, but I'm happy with the result, and even happier I've got it done with some time to spare. (A rarity for me...)

I know I haven't posted much lately. I've been a bit bogged down. It seems I've more projects than time, and with the kids activities and dh's travel schedule, I feel like I've been going backwards. But finishing this little quilt is a step in the right direction. Tomorrow looks like another good sewing day, so I'll start working my way down my project list. I love to cross things off.

The weather here has been a drag, too. It is about 90 degrees again today. It is supposed to be in the low 70's this time of year. It also hasn't rained in weeks. I think tomorrow it may rain. It is likely too late to save some of my landscape plantings. They were well-established, and I've watered some, but in this heat I think it just evaporates. The ground is like concrete so not much soaks in. I have some plants to move when it cools a bit and I'd love to get my borders in order before winter. That hasn't happened the last couple of years and then it is such a mess in the spring. It will be interesting to see which plants come back in the spring.

Until next time!

Wendy

Just Quilting Along

2007-09-24T16:17:00.000-04:00

Well, today was a productive day - sort of. The Four Season Doll Swap Quilt is very nearly finished. I'll get a picture of it up tomorrow. No time to grab the camera and set something up just now. If I was a better machine quilter, I'd be a lot happier with the result. The center portion of the quilt is all quilted and I'm content with it. The border is another story. I appliqued a design of flowers, leaves and acorns. I think I should quilt an outline around these elements. They are on a beige mottled background. The back of the quilt is dark green and brown. I did one part, in a light thread to match the background. I really do not like how it looks from the back. The tension was off some, making the stitches on the front look rather ugly. So I spent a large amount of time picking out small, uneven stitches. Tomorrow I'll re-stitch, but I'm stressed about the color of thread. Light looks bad on the back, but I'm not confident enough to use a darker thread on the front. If I use light on the front, and dark on the back, I may still have problems if the tension is not perfect. So I'm off to run the kids to their after school activities and I'll be thinking how to resolve my dilemma. I had really planned to be sewing the binding on tonight, but tomorrow will have to do.

Time Flies...

2007-09-13T20:11:00.000-04:00

When you have too much to do! I'm slowly adjusting to having the kids back in school. I've been trying to get organized so I can decide what to do first. It's just another form of procrastination. But I have been busy, doing a little of this, a little of that. My swap quilt is coming along nicely--I've been working on the needleturn applique border while sitting in the car at swim or soccer practice. This evening will be an applique-fest for me. I need to get done so I can move on to quilting and binding. The deadline is starting to loom!

I've joined a bowling league, temporarily. A friend broke her foot and needed a long-term sub, so I'm in for at least a month or so. It's fun and it's a regular morning out. I've been trying to do my errands on the same day so I can concentrate on projects at home the other 4 days.

My Blythe dolly arrived! I've been looking at clothes patterns for her - she can wear Skipper-sized clothes, and made a couple of "muslins." They're lots of fun to make and very small so they go together quickly. I'm thinking of adding a section for them in my Etsy shop. I've certainly got lots of fabric bits and pieces. I've always loved making doll clothes. I can remember dressing my Barbies in Kleenex and toilet paper when I was a child.

Well, it's about time to get all my little people upstairs so I can have some applique quiet time.

Until next time -- hopefully some pictures then!

Wendy

Progress!

2007-09-05T16:02:00.000-04:00

Well, after a rather tedious day in the sewing room, I can report some progress on my autumn swap quilt. It's ninety degrees again today and it gets hot up in my little workspace. My little triangles wanted to twist under the feed dogs, which annoys me. But, at the end of the day, I have the center part of my little quilt together! Usually piecing goes a little smoother, but I guess I'm a bit out of practice. I think the result looks pretty good, though. Now I have to figure out the rest; I've changed my idea for the border. Enough triangles already! I've always thought I would applique some leaves and acorns around the border. I've got lots of sit and wait time coming up (swim practice starts soon!) so handwork is good way to pass the time.

I've been watching too much tennis on TV. The US Open is in the second week and some of the matches have been very good. My TIVO has been busy! But soon it will be over and there won't be much to watch until the Australian Open next year.

I've also been distracted by a doll. I saw these on the internet awhile ago and remembered them from my childhood. Well, I've become obsessed and finally decided I would not be content until I had one. It's the eyes I think, kind of like a sad puppy you want to bring home. My Blythe doll is on her way from Hong Kong and I'm already planning her wardrobe. And here I'd thought I'd finally grown up... Maybe if the clothes turn out, I'll add them to my Etsy shop. I really need to rationalize somehow...

Until next time!

Wendy

And They're Off!

2007-08-30T16:35:00.000-04:00

First day of school! I saw my children off to school today and then rattled around the house most of the day. Weird, to be alone all day... I did some organizing/cleaning of my sewing room which always seems to be needed. I thought about what projects I need to get started on; I've a rather long list...

Anyway, I did take the time to clean and oil my precious Featherweight today. It was once my mother's. My father found it at a garage sale and brought it home. Yes, it was one of those once in a lifetime finds. It was a bit neglected and smelly, but my mother loved it. Since you don't get to take your Featherweight to heaven, it lives with me now. All the pieces are there, in the original case. Some of the accessories are pitted and rusty. It runs fine, after a bit of tinkering and oiling and sews a beautiful stitch. The machine smells faintly of mildew even after a couple of cleanings, which puts me off using it much. I'm not sure what to do about that. The case is not usable, the smell of mildew is overpowering. I've not put the machine back in the case for years, but the machine is still a bit stinky...

The fabrics in the photo are the ones I plan to use in my Four Season Swap quilt. I need to get them washed and pressed and ready to go. Tomorrow morning, I suppose. I've got the pieced design ready to go, I just have to decide on the applique part of it. I can get it all pieced first though. I've wandered around the other swappers' blogs a bit. Looks like there will be a lot of great doll quilts flying around the world!

Until next time,

Wendy

Decisions, Decisions...

2007-08-21T23:06:00.001-04:00

I really have to decide on a design for my Four Seasons Doll Quilt Swap quilt. There are just too many choices! I've been playing with EQ5 and can't make up my mind. I've always wanted to try a sunburst block, or something else with curves. But I really like needle turn applique, and could see something featuring that in the center block, maybe with oak leaves and acorns... I have given myself until Friday morning to decide as I'll have a child-free opportunity to pop into the fabric shop to pick up what I need. My last swap quilt was almost entirely made from stash fabrics - actually leftover from another project. This time, I don't think I'll have the right colors to pull it off. Given the size, I won't need much of anything and I'm always looking for a good excuse to add to the stash. As though it's not big enough already...

We finally had a bit of rain last night and this morning. Yippee! Everything green has been suffering through a drought and it is just not possible to water everything enough as the heat just sucks the water up. I guess our rain was the leftovers from Tropical Storm Erin. We could have used a bit more rain, but given the flooding others suffered, I think I'll be content with what we got.

I had the opportunity to see some excellent tennis on Saturday afternoon. Every August, a town about 1/2 hour away hosts a Master's tournament that all the top men come to play. My tickets were for the afternoon semi-final, which happened to be
Roger Federer and Leyton Hewitt. The weather was good, the tennis was excellent and Roger won at the end of a long, close match. What a joy to watch him play!

Til next time,

Wendy

Two Weeks to Go...

2007-08-16T20:22:00.001-04:00

My children return to school 2 weeks from today. The big yellow bus pulls up in front of the house at 6:38 am and takes them away! The only positive aspect of that horribly early start time is that I am up and busy and can have much accomplished by noon! I will be very sad to see them off to school. They are starting 7th and 8th grade this year. Not that many more years before I'll be taking them off to college. So we have a list of things to do in the next 2 weeks that we haven't managed to accomplish yet this summer. It will be a busy time!

I made some cute little zipper pouches for my Etsy store. I will be listing these over the next day or so. My plan is to try to list something every day or two -- and I'm trying to have a wider assortment of items. We'll see how well I stick to it...

I'm also excited to report that I have signed up for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap. I've added the link in the sidebar. I got my partner's name. She lives in a place I've always wanted to visit. So I'll get to send my little quilt along to a wonderful place! I have been thinking about what sort of quilt I'd like to make this time. The theme is Fall; typical fall colors aren't my usual palette. But I've seen some beautiful batiks in rich colors that might be just the ticket. And the greatest thing about these little swap quilts (other than the deadline!) is the opportunity to try a new technique in a small format. Lots of fun!

Until next time!

August Already?

2007-08-08T17:24:00.000-04:00

It can't be. Summer always flies by so quickly. A few more weeks and my kids will be off to school again. I know some districts have already started. Unbelievable! I never like to see them go back to school, but then I can get back on a schedule that allows time to sew.

We have been having a horrible heatwave this week. The forecast calls for one more hideously hot day, then just regular hot days after that. We've either been at the pool (up to our necks in the water), or hiding out somewhere with A/C. The A/C at home can't keep the second floor cool enough and that's where I have my studio. It's been too stuffy to spend much time up there lately. Hopefully it will cool down a bit soon.

I've been thinking alot lately about what items I'd like to make for my Etsy shop in the fall. I've got some ideas, but need some creative time to play with them. I have lots of fabrics to play with, and a few new ones on the way! And I have a few quilt ideas in mind, too. It seems I never lack for things to do, just time to do them....

Until next time,

Wendy

It's Here!

2007-07-30T17:09:00.000-04:00

Oh Happy Day! My doll quilt arrived today from far, far away. Half way around the world it travelled, all the way from Australia! It is lovely--all hand stitched and hand quilted! In yummy colors that will go perfectly in my sewing room. And as if the quilt wasn't special enough, the package was loaded with goodies, too! My thoughtful swap partner, Samantha, included some very cute fabric with a back-to-school theme and the current issue of Australian Patchwork & Quilting magazine. What a treat for me. It's a wonderful magazine that I pick up at the fabric shop sometimes when I'm in the mood for a bit of a splurge! So, here are the photos:

Isn't it great! I had so much fun doing the Doll Quilt Swap II. I hope they do it again, I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Now I have to bake a cake - wheat, milk, and peanut-free, for my son who is having a birthday tomorrow. And wrap presents...

Better get busy!

Wendy

My Doll Quilt!

2007-07-25T19:39:00.000-04:00

The Doll Quilt I made arrived at its destination last week. So, here are a few pictures of it. The colors really didn't photograph very well, but it was raining so going outside was not an option. Here is "Hollyhocks & Honeybees"...

I wanted to try something different with this quilt, so I machine appliqued the leaves and stems and used yo-yos for the hollyhocks. I wanted them to have fuzzy centers, so I used my pinking shears to cut small circles and attached them with embroidery floss tied in a knot with long tails. All in all, I am very pleased with the result. I learned some new things in the process and realized I need to spend more time machine quilting on pieced quilts to develop my machine quilting skills. Practicing on plain fabric just doesn't give me the same result. Maybe I get nervous or something, but I don't seem to be able to control the pieced quilt as well as plain fabric. I've got lots and lots of fabric in my stash, so I see a number of small quilts in my future. Practice makes perfect....I enjoyed the Doll Quilt Swap experience; it was lots of fun to design a quilt for the first time. I am still waiting, more or less patiently, for my quilt to arrive in the mail.

Until next time!

Wendy

Busy Days...

2007-07-23T17:33:00.000-04:00

Well, it's Monday and today was the first weekday this summer that my kids didn't have to be at swim practice! So we slept in a bit, then got up and got to work. I did a little cleaning, a little laundry and thought alot about what I'll be making to put in my Etsy shop next. Before I can do that though, I have some window treatments to make for my sister-in-law, and my sister. But then my little shop needs some serious creative effort. I understand things can be slow in the summer, and I haven't put any effort there for awhile, so my lack of sales is not a surprise. But, I really want to turn things around in the fall so time to plan!!

I'm still anxiously awaiting the arrival of my swap quilt. I mailed mine off to Florida last Wednesday, so it should arrive there soon - if not already. But the mail lady came today with no packages, so I'll keep my fingers crossed for tomorrow. I can't wait to see it. The anticipation is killing me!!!!

So tomorrow morning, its back to swim practice then home to sew!

Bye for now!

Wendy

Finish Line!

2007-07-17T21:54:00.000-04:00

We've reached the midpoint of the summer and my early summer activities are wrapping up. My children's summer swim team had its championship meet last night; our team won! I completed half a dozen totebags over the weekend to be given as gifts to swim team helpers. They are very cute, but I forgot to take pictures before I delivered them. And, most importantly, I've finished my swap quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap. I'll be mailing it tomorrow after I try to get some better pictures of it. I think it turned out well; it's my very own design -- no patterns here! I call it "Hollyhocks & Honeybees." Here's a sneak peak...more pictures after it arrives at its new home.

Now to decide which project is next....

That's all for tonight!

Wendy

Summertime!

2007-06-24T21:27:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm back from vacation. We went to Acadia National Park in Maine. I have never been to a more beautiful place. Absolutely breath-taking! We hiked and drove around the park, and wandered through all the little towns and harbors. We were there just before peak season, so the crowds weren't there yet. We went whale watching and saw 2 whales. That was amazing! Such enormous creatures! And best of all, it was still spring there! So I got to enjoy wildflowers, rhododendrons, azaleas, lupines and other spring flowers all blooming abundantly. That was an unexpected and lovely surprise. I took many, many photos. Here are a few.

Well, now that vacation is over, it is time for me to get busy and get some new things in my Etsy shop. I haven't listed anything new for awhile, but I have some ideas for some new things. I just have to figure out when I'm going to sew. My kids are keeping me very busy running them to swim practices.

I also got my partner's name for the Doll Quilt Swap. I designed a little quilt today, so now I can get busy and put it together. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

That's all for now!

Wendy

One more day...

2007-06-05T22:13:00.000-04:00

Then school is out for the summer! The year has been long and I'm glad it is over. I still have to figure out when I'm going to get my sewing time in...we rarely seem to be at home in the summer. But, since we leave for vacation on Saturday, I'll have lots of time to think about it.

I always try to take a sewing project - or two, along when we travel. I can work in the car and in the evenings after the kids are in bed. I'm planning a hand applique project, but I still have to gather up my fabrics. I wanted to use only my stash, but I'm a little short of greens and yellows. I'll just have to stop by the fabric store for a last minute fix before we load up the car.

I was wandering around the internet as I often do in the evening and I found a wonderful doll quilt swap that I've signed up for. I'm really excited to participate. What fun to make a sweet little quilt to send to a new friend and get one in return. Here's the link: http://dollquiltswap.wordpress.com/

Well, that's enough for today's post. I don't know when I'll have internet access while we're travelling so that might be it until I get home. I'm going to be very busy the next few days. But I should have lots of pictures!

Until then!

Wendy

Blue Moon

2007-05-30T21:18:00.000-04:00

I heard we're having a blue moon tonight. Seems like that should mean something really special or unusual should happen, but it is a very ordinary sort of day; and week for that matter. Of course, having a holiday on Monday always makes the week seem a little strange, I keep forgetting what day it is. But the kids still have school and tonight they had swim practice in the outdoor pool. So summer is almost here. And yes, my son did need a cast for his broken wrist, but that waterproof stuff is great!

My dog, Callie, had a haircut today! She doesn't care much for the process and turns her head at inopportune moments but she was very good today and her haircut looks pretty good. The eyebrows look a little off...but otherwise pretty good.

I also have a picture of my baby robins. Two of the three eggs hatched. They have disappeared from the nest since I took the photo and I haven't seen them around the yard. I have seen a couple of cats prowling around...I really hope the babies are safe somewhere.

I really need to sew. I've been working on some clothing for my daughter and me for our upcoming vacation. But, poor Etsy has been a bit neglected by me. My store really needs some new stuff. Maybe tomorrow; it looks like it will be too hot to work in the yard.

Wendy

Bad Day

2007-05-24T20:25:00.000-04:00

Bad 2 days, actually. Yesterday, my son hurt his arm at school - in gym class. I took him to the doctor and had an x-ray. The verdict: not broken. So off he goes to school today and I went off to do the things I had planned. The doctor called 10 minutes after I left home, on my home phone, and left a message that I would have to bring him in for a splint and take him to see the orthopedist because the radiologist sees a possible fracture. Ugh! I didn't get the message until 2:30, after which the plans for the rest of my day went haywire as we had to go all the way back to the doctor for the splint. The orthoped appointment is Saturday am, which should determine whether it is truly broken and what treatment is necessary.

I did accomplish the main thing I intended to do today; make my Memorial Day visit to my parents' gravesite to tidy up a bit and place flowers. My hometown is about an hour away, so while it is not too far to make the trip impossible - it's just far enough to make it more that a quick stop by the cemetery. I combined the trip with stops at every fabric store between here and there in search of a fabric for a potential customer. Didn't find what I was looking for, but I did find some other fabrics that I just had to have. So now I've added to my stash, again. I really need some quality time in the sewing room to turn some of these treasures into irresistable Etsy merchandise!

So tomorrow, I intend to stay home and sort through my piles of fabric. I have many ideas, too many maybe. They are all racing around in my head and I really need to focus on one at a time. I'd like to try to get some prototypes together so I can test out some of my designs. I think I'll try to pick one idea to get on paper and transformed by fabric and thread. Gotta start somewhere...

That's all for now,

Wendy

Monday, Monday

2007-05-21T23:35:00.000-04:00

I know my titles aren't very original. I'll try to work on that. I'm up late; just got a Treasury on Etsy and I think I've finally figured out how to put an image of the whole thing in my blog. Let's see if it works...

Yay! I love figuring things out! I also made it a link to Etsy; click on it and you'll go to the Treasury at Etsy! I'm very happy with how this Treasury list turned out. Sometimes the items just come together and look really good.

More tomorrow, I hope...

Wendy

It's Sunday and...

2007-05-20T14:07:00.000-04:00

I'm reading forums and reading blogs when I really should be out in the yard, digging up weeds in the garden. I'm doing this post to claim my blog with Technorati. Hope it works!

Wendy

Technorati Profile

I really meant to...

2007-05-17T23:15:00.000-04:00

Post something new today. But I keep getting sidetracked. And this whole end-of-the-school year thing is wearing me out. I think the evening activities are just about over. Maybe just a couple left and then school's out! I haven't yet thought about how I'm going to work crafting/sewing time into my summer schedule. Hmm...I'll leave that for later.

I did some sewing this week. A dress for my daughter. But the style was less than flattering, so we went with store bought this time. I used a darling fabric, so I'll invest some time trying to redeem the dress. I think some shaping will save it, it sort of just hangs from her shoulders. It was meant to be a simple shift style, but it just isn't a good look. Probably needs a zipper, too...UGH!

I completed my first custom order for Etsy. It was lots of fun; hopefully more orders will come eventually. It was nice to make something that I knew had a home already. Thanks to Kim!

Well it is rather late and tomorrow looks like a busy day, so I'll sign off.

Wendy

Mother's Day

2007-05-13T10:19:00.000-04:00

Mom & Me

Happy Mother's Day to all moms everywhere!

Unfaithful Blogger

2007-05-08T23:23:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been awhile since I've added any updates to my blog. May is an incredibly busy month! I somehow always forget that. The last month of the school year and every activity in which my children have participated is having some sort of awards thing, concert, party or somesuch. So, my sewing time has been limited and I have not blogged.

I have been trying to keep up with Etsy; following my store and the forums. I did have a Treasury over the weekend, which is always fun to do. I am worrying a bit over the new postal rates due to take effect next week. I've been reading the USPS website and it's very confusing...

I did do some sewing late last week and over the weekend. I made a couple of tote style bags that I'm testing out. They're pretty cute, but more on those later. I think I have to figure out the shipping stuff first. I'll try to update Etsy later this week.

It's late and my little dog is sleepy,

Wendy

Rainy Day

2007-05-02T15:23:00.000-04:00

Well, the weather guys were a little off today. I was expecting sun again, but it's been gray and rainy all day. Which is really OK, because I overdid it in the yard yesterday and have numerous small aches and pains today.

So today I sorted through some fabrics and magazines in my sewing room. I am trying to decide what to introduce next to my Etsy shop. I'd like to list a new item or two tomorrow if possible. I got zippers in the mail today from www.zipperstop.com, so I can complete a couple of small zipper pouches that were waiting for the right color zipper. I'm also waiting for a couple of items I purchased last weekend on Etsy. I love Etsy! But I think I'm spending too much time browsing--I just love looking at all the great stuff. It's like having a really great arts and crafts show that is open 24/7. I love going to shows, but they are mostly in the summer.

Anyway, I didn't take any new photos today. But here is one of an item in my Etsy shop. I really like this cherry fabric. The lining is a bright lime green with tone on tone stripes and little black circles. It really stands out against the black. I've been carrying a purse like this one (in different fabric) since February and I really like this style. The strap is long enough to wear across the body which I like because I always find my bag sliding down my arm which is awkward when shopping... I like both hands free.

Well, enough for today. I'll put new photos up when I have something new to photograph. Hopefully tomorrow...

Wendy

May Day

2007-05-01T12:55:00.000-04:00

Today is an absolutely beautiful day. The sky is a lovely blue and it is very warm. Yesterday, I worked in the garden and made a small dent in my very long list of things to do. I need to go back out there today, but first I thought I'd update my blog.

I grabbed a new treasury list on Etsy today. This one is all about robins, a tribute to my little nest in the front yard. I check on it daily. Everything seems OK. I just hope the neighborhood cats don't find it. Anyway, the link to the treasury is here: http://www.etsy.com/treasury.php?id=1178046934467U101298 It's only there until Thursday morning.

I tried to walk my little schnauzer today. She had other ideas. It is a little hot and she decided she would rather sit in the shade. So after stopping at every shady spot on the street, I abandoned the walk idea. I guess maybe we'll have to work up to a nice long walk.

I need to come up with some new Etsy ideas. My little store is getting a little attention, but sales are very slow. So, I think I need to introduce a little variety. I've got a couple of ideas, but I need to spend a little more time thinking about them. Maybe tomorrow I'll play with some fabric. But today, I'm going to garden. It seems like a perfect way to spend May Day.

Off to find a sun hat!

Wendy