Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for summertime - the long days, warm nights, colorfest of flowers, vegetable gardens, shorts and sandals, beachtime, barbecue, ice cream stand butterscotch dipped cone, vacation of it all.

 What are you thankful for today?

52 Week Challenge - Week 26

Week 26 - do you know what this means?

It means that we are halfway through the year!

Congratulations to all who have participated in this challenge. Only twenty-six weeks to go!
If you haven't joined in yet, or have gotten behind in your projects, this might be a good time to get going.

This week has been a busy crafting one for me.

I made another reversible apron:

A bunch of  fancy gift card envelopes:

And two Quilted Microwave Tater Bags:

In case you haven't heard of Tater Bags, they are handy for steaming potatoes, corn, and rolls in the microwave.  One of these is for my daughter (shhh, she doesn't know it yet), and the other is for me.  I will be sharing tutorials on the microwave bag and the envelopes here on my blog over the next couple of weeks.  Both are easy projects. 

What have you been up to this week?  I would love to see.  Just click on the Linky Tool below to add a picture of a project you've finished.

Let's get busy,

Treasured Tuesdays

Check out any item in these lovely treasuries by clicking on the picture.

Craft Dabbler

I'm a dabbler. I like to dabble in many crafts. This week I tried a no-sew scrunchie kit.  The kit has enough materials to make three scrunchies, and it is available in my shop in two ways - with or without fabric included.

Here are the instructions to make your own version.

You will need a 5" x 20" piece of fabric, fusible web, thin elastic, an iron

Cut the fabric (5" x 20")

Cut the fusible web 1/2" x 20" (it comes in a 1/2 width in the kit)

Sandwich fusible between long edges of right side of fabric 

Fuse, use a damp pressing cloth, and your iron set on dry/wool setting

Turn right side out.  You can use a safety pin or other turning tool for this.  I like to use my crile.

 Turn short ends of tube inside and press to hem

.

Insert 10" elastic piece through tube.  You can use a safety pin for this.  Again, I use my crile.

This tool can be inserted in one end and clamped on the elastic

which can then be pulled through all at once.   

Tie ends of elastic twice nice and tight.

Now, insert one end of the tube into the other end about 1/2 inch, keeping the seams lined up.  Cut a 4" piece of the fusible web and insert between the two halves along the edge but not showing on the outside.

Press.  Voila!  You're done.  If you prefer, you can sew instead wherever the fusible is used.

Scrunchie Set - offered with your choice of fabrics

Are you a dabbler? What have you tried lately (or are planning to try) outside of your normal crafting arena?

Happy Sewing ♥

Customer Appreciation

Take a look at the gorgeous quilt Chillipeppa made using batiks from the Anthology Story Strip collection she purchased in my shop.

I love to see the creations my customers come up with.  What a treat!

Thankful Thursday

At the Sea - Side

    by Robert Louis Stevenson

When I was down beside the sea
A wooden spade they gave to me
To dig the sandy shore.
My holes were empty like a cup.
In every hole the sea came up,
Till it could come no more.

Today I am thankful for water - drinking water, swimming water, cooling off wading pool water, bathtime water, sprinkler water, rainwater, and ocean water.

What are you thankful for today?

52 Week Challenge - Week 25

This week has been all about aprons - reversible aprons.

I made some to sell in my kimbuktu shop, one to give to my daughter, and even a pre-cut apron kit to sell in my fabric shop.

So, what have you been up to this week? Please link a finished project below. I would love to see it. You can track the progress of the 52 week challenge here.

Let's get busy,

Treasury Tuesday

Thank you to the marvelous curators who featured my shop recently. You can click on any of the pictures in the treasuries below to get more information.

May Round Up

Here are the projects that participants in the 52 Week challenge finished during the Month of May.  (Sorry that the Round Up is so late)  You can check out more of their shops and blogs by clicking on the links above the pictures.

Life Lessons

Fabric Fascination

Quilting Diva

This Creative Journey

Playing with Fiber, CedarPoint Designs, Pamela Quilts

All Sewn Up, The World of Wezz

Thank you to all who participated this month.

If you are interested in posting a project you've finished this week, check back each Wednesday to add your link.  I would love to see what you have been up to.

You can follow the progress of the 52 Week Challenge here.

Let's Get Busy,

Customer Appreciation

Isn't this little dress just adorable!

Crystal from sweetthoughtshoppe made it using some fabric she purchased from my shop recently.  You can buy the dress here.  She is willing to make this pattern in any size from 6 months to girls 8.

Happy Shopping ♥

P.S. - I am having a "Something 4 Me" SALE on Batiks this weekend.  Check it out here.

Thankful Thursday

Thou hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days,
But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.
~George Herbert

Here's one of the things I am thankful for today, my family.

I am also thankful to live in a free country, to have good health, 
our home, our jobs, and our church family.


What are you thankful for today?

52 Week Challenge - Week 24

Another busy week here. Summer is hectic isn't it? We got our pool open, attended a dance recital, had company for the weekend, started a new quilt for my littlest granddaughter, and sewed a quick cover for my computer wrist rest at work.

My husband did the pool work, and the quilt is not finished, so I guess the wrist rest cover will be my finished project for week 24.

Sorry for the blurry photo, I took it on my Ipod

Here's my granddaughter looking over some of the novelty fabrics for her I Spy Quilt.  My daughter and I got about 1/4 of the squares pieced.  We're using kona solids I had in my scrap bin, and a bundle of novelty fabric charms.

Our eldest granddaughter at her dance recital.  There was a full house for this event, lots of excitement and wonderful dancing.

What have you been working on?

Leave a link below of a project you have finished this week. I would love to see it.

Let's Get Busy,

Treasury Tuesday

To get more information on any item in these treasuries, just click on a picture.

55 Quilt Blogs

In case you haven't seen the latest issue of Quilter's Home magazine, it has a round-up of 55 quilt blogs. I plan on checking out every one. And you can too by clicking on the links below.

1. quiltville.blogspot.com
2. myquiltskickass.blogspot.com
3. alamodfabric.blogspot.com
4. twinfibers.blogspot.com
5. poppyprintcreates.blogspot.com
6. artfabrik.blogspot.com
7. www.gingerhendrix.com
8. ryanwalshquilts.com
9. miss-print.blogspot.com
10. psiquilt.com
11. blog.lukehaynes.com
12. moderndayquilts.tumblr.com
13. pieceandpress.blogspot.com
14. textileevolution.com
15. ayumills.blogspot.com
16. lavieenrosie.typepad.com
17. tallgrassprairiestudio.blogspot.com
18. duringquiettime.blogspot.com
19. filminthefridge.com
20. vintagesheets.blogspot.com
21. angrychicken.typepad.com
22. thehappyzombie.com
23. cicadadaydream.blogspot.com
24. tessellationnation.com
25. stitchindye.blogspot.com
26. virginiagreaves.com/blog
27. barbarabrackman.blogspot.com
28. trueup.net
29. stitchedincolor.com
30. quiltstory.blogspot.com
31. syko.typepad.com
32. westcoastcrafty.wordpress.com
33. wendiaarons.com
34. feeddog.blogspot.com
35. thequiltengineer.com
36. handmadebyalissa.com
37. ohfransson.com
38. quiltish.blogspot.com
39. redpepperquilts.com
40. sewmamasew.com/blog2
41. stitchinpostinsisters.typepad.com
42. ivoryspring.wordpress.com
43. threadgatherer.blogspot.com
44. stashmanicure.blogspot.com
45. sammisofties.blogspot.com
46. www.celebrate-creativity.com
47. blog.craftzine.com
48. freemotionquilting.blogspot.com
49. iheartlinen.typepad.com
50. craftfail.com
51. erinrussek.typepad.com
52. color-collective.blogspot.com
53. exitthroughthethriftshop.com
54. whileshenaps.typepad.com
55. quiltersclubofamerica.com/blogs/quiltershome

QUILTS in my Daughter's House

Recently, we spent 5 days visiting with my daughter and her family.  Standing in her kitchen and sipping my first cup of green tea one morning, I noticed how nice the pineapple foundation pieced wall hanging looked next to a real pineapple she had on her counter.  That got me to thinking about how I taught her, and one of her friends, how to quilt that pineapple piece some years ago.

Well, one quilty thought led to another, and before long, I was photographing a number of the many quilts she has in her home, made by either herself, me, or another family member.

Following is a brief tour of some of them.  Starting in the downstairs bedroom, which is where we sleep when we visit, are these two wall hangings.  The butterfly one I made many years ago, and the colorful diamond one was made by my daughter for one of her twin step-daughters.

Heather's Quilt - a purple lover

The downstairs 1/2 bath

Monkeys and palm trees decorate the jungle themed downstairs bath.  This pattern was made up by my daughter using many yellow fabrics for the background, and a 3-D leaved palm tree complete with button coconuts.

My daughter's sewing corner

A beach scene quilt designed and sewn by my daughter-in-law hangs in my daughter's sewing area.

Here is the pineapple foundation quilt that started it all.

I designed and made this batik storm at sea variation that hangs in her kitchen.

My middle granddaughter looking through a family scrapbook

The tied puffy quilt on the back of one couch was made by me for one of my daughter's first apartments.

I made this colorful batik quilt using 5" squares obtained in a monthly fabric club.  This one hangs in her living room.

My youngest granddaughter's room has a number of quilts I've made.  This one on the back of the reading chair has photos of various family members.

I made this scrappy one with leftovers from other quilts.

This one, which usually hangs over her headboard (as pictured below) was made using charm squares and a coordinating border fabric with a cute baby print.

The upstairs bath

I love Hawaiian quilts and made this wall hanging years ago.  It is appliqued and quilted entirely by hand.

Amanda's Quilt

These two quilts were made by my daughter for her other teen step-daughter.  The room is also used as a guest room at times.

Amanda's Quilt

It is amazing how quilts add up over the years.  Each has a story of when and why it was made.

I've added a linky tool below in case you would like to share a quilt that you've made.

Happy Quilting ♥