Dot, Dots, I'm Seeing Dots

Yes, I'm seeing DOTS and I love it!!! Not only are most of the fabrics in my scrap project dots, the 2 projects pictured here are DOTS!!!

I sent both of the following quilts out to my favorite quilter Sandi 2 weeks ago and got them back yesterday all ready for binding. I know I've shown pictures but I'm gonna show more now.....

First is the Mary E top. I used one of the cream/blue dots that's in the body of the quilt for the backing and asked Sandi to do a flower to match the Mary E flowers and do the quilting in a cream. She did an awesome job of getting the flowers almost exact!

Then I sent the Circle Around top which is all raw edge circles and asked Sandi to use the lightest, airiest batting she could and only quilt it lightly with an all over meander. The backing for this is HUGE dots too.... Now all that's left to do is bind them.

Inspiration

About 2 weeks ago I stumbled across a blog that I've grown to enjoy visiting quite a bit. It's called "Red Pepper Quilts" She has a scrap quilt on her August 11, 2010 post called Fair and Square and I have decided that I'm using that quilt as my "inspiration" project for 2010.

I made a promise to myself back in May that I would stop dragging

my scraps from NJ to Indiana to retreat every May and just use them. I decided on a string quilt and also one using 2 inch and 3.5 inch squares since that's what a lot of my scraps were actually cut into.

Here's the 1st block I made using the 2 inch scraps with Kona Snow. There are some more scraps attached over to the side of the block that I plan on working with this weekend.

When I started out making this project I didn't really have anyone in particular in mind but last night I was thinking about this as a finished product with possibly minkee on the back and a black and white or red and white polka dot binding and immediately thought that my youngest daughter would be the perfect person for it!

This next picture is of my first 11 string blocks. I don't have anyone in mind for this one yet either but I'm sure by the time I start assembling it and get it quilted, I'll have someone that could use it.

The Best Sistas

I have the best sistas ever! Not only are they "there" for me when I can't find a file or when I find a quilt that I need drawn out and the supply list compiled or just when I need a kick in the pants to "just finish it up"...they're always there. Well, yesterday was no exception. I came home from work and when my wonderful US Postal Girl came into the neighborhood she came to the door and had a little packie for me.....Yes, Robin's been at it again :) My sister the pattern queen has been shopping again so I now have 5 new patterns for pincushions, mini quilts and runners, 2 new packs of needles, thread heaven, the pattern for Long May She Wave and the fabric to make it and you guessed it...a red and white dotty tea mug! Lemme tell you, this is one huge tea mug!!! I could serve a whole meal in it!!! AND, Robin wrote a nice note too and her card had one of those crockery things that I've been coveting lately. I WANT A CROCK!!!

Anyway....Thank you Robin for all the nice surprises, I love everything!!!

Are You Tired of These Yet?

Are you tired of seeing these Berry Pickin blocks yet? OK, OK, this will be the last one for a while...

This is actually Month 10-Pastries, however, I have 4 blocks to finish off this 12 month project.

I had to re-do one block and have yet to actually "finish" it off, another block I got bored with the doilie, and the last 2 blocks are traced but not embroidered yet. I will be starting back on the unfinished ones this week.....I promise!

The finished quilt finishes up to 64 x 73 which I'm hoping isn't too big to hang in my sewing room when I finish. I don't have a spare room where I can put it on a bed so I'm really hoping it will be nice for that room since it's too darn cute to fold up and put in a pile......

Berry Pickin Update

I have another update for you today. I got the framing on these 2 blocks and then this afternoon I made the basket blocks and sewed the borders on. I am so happy with how these blocks are coming along....I can't wait to finish the last 2-3 embroidery blocks so I can assemble them all together.

I'm Trying to Catch Up

I'm really trying to catch up with my "Berry Pickin" Block of the month...it's not been easy though because I've had way too many distractions (Hocuspocusville, Snow Days etc). But I did decide yesterday that the blocks I already do have finished will be assembled this weekend if it's possible. First step in that is to get the borders on them and to make the pieced blocks.

Here is Block H-Teacups. I finished that today....

The picture is terrible, and I don't know why, but you get the idea.....

If you'd like to see another block that I get to play with next, check out Liz's blog.

Off to get dinner on the table then come back and work on some more blocks.........

Peggy

Quickie Makeup Bag

Going down Baltimore way tomorrow for a visit with my daughter so I thought since I had this cute NYC fabric that I'd make her a zippered top makeup bag for her upcoming trip to Seattle. Isn't it cute? Both girls love visiting New York City and don't get there as often as they'd like so I thought I'd bring a little bit of the city to her.
I couldn't get a good shot of the inside fabric so I took a separate picture of it and it's all NYC cabs.....

Want to win a gift card?

There's a giveaway going on http://www.multimindingmom.com/2010/08/give-a-little-love-in-the-lunchbox-giveaway/comment-page-2/#comment-699
If anyone out there has kids and has fun ideas for lunchtime, you could win a gift card.

Veterans Food Drive

This quilt is almost done...I just need to tack down 1 more side of the binding and it's good to go. I used Pat Sloan's Sweet Liberty fabric for it. I made the top to use for a raffle in school. One of our organizations will sell tickets and I think we'll do the drawing around Veterans Day and donate the money to the Thanksgiving Veterans Food Drive that we do every year. Our school does a lot of charitable drives throughout the year but in the past 2 years I've done the quilt raffle and it benefits both the Veterans and the recipient....

Yankee Stadium

Yes, that's where I spent my Saturday, watching the Yankees beat the Red Sox (sorry all you RS fans) !! I don't go to the stadium often, actually, I only go maybe once a season, my kids on the other hand would go daily if they could. But, I ventured out with hubby and 2 of the 3 kids and really had a nice day. It wasn't oppressively hot and the game was definitely good, especially since they won!!!

Today however I have to make up some lost time in my sewing room and around the house. The usual laundry, sheet changing, etc. must get done today and since it's appears it's gonna be a HOT one, I've already turned the AC back on in anticipation of working up a sweat.

What will you be working on today?