Where 4 days in a car will take you

This was the grand trip! Lucky for us google over estimated the time and instead of 34 hours it was more like 28 hours. Since it was hubby, me, two pre-teen girls and a small dog.... I am glad we took our time. I think I am in withdraws because all my pictures make me think of quilts... the mountains remind me of a zig zag pattern, the fields with lava flows reminded me of a 4 patch square, and field rows with layers of clouds above made me think of a wonky fence rail.

We arrived safe and sound and now I am ready to spend a wonderful holiday with friends and family and wish the same to you all.

Friday!

Another Friday has arrived and with it the Sew and Tell. This week I have a set of wine bags that I made up this week for hubby's work. I assembled the same of the bags I shared last week, using a 18x16 rectangle and attached ribbon 5 inches down. This made the bag very generous, if done again I will reduce the height by 2 inches and the width by 1 inch.

With these done, I am getting rid of some of the Christmas fabric I have been working with this year so be sure to comment on my 12/16 entry to enter the give away.

We are taking off today on a 35 hour driving trip (yes we are crazy- yes that in one way) including a stop at the Grand Canyon. I may be popping in here and there, but have no plans to post till the end of the year so this is my last chance to wish all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Quilt along progress and a scrap-a-palooza give away

I had some free time today while waiting for an appliance repair man and cut out my quilt along blocks. This is a 3x5 block segment layed out on my cutting table. I found that the wonky angle is not as exaggerated when the blocks are together, so if I do one again I may go for more exaggerations. I don't think I will be able to sew the blocks together till the new years (unless I sneak in tonight) but I already have some accent blocks for the backing planned using some leftover 3 to 6 inch strip segments.




Now that I am done with Christmas sewing I gathered up my scraps and leftovers and came up with the following pile that I am, to tell the truth, sick of! I overworked some of these with the goodie bags, the table runners, and just having them out looking at me every day for the last 2 months.


If you would like an early start on your projects for next year and any of these appeal to you, I'm giving them away. There are a couple 'fat 1/8' (18" x10") but most are more like 5x10.


Leave me a comment and let me know if you like traditional (deep green and burgundy)or bright Christmas fabric and if the pile gets big enough I will divide into two.


Who knows, maybe you are all tired of looking at Christmas fabric to, but I will take the comments I have and send out what I have gathered to an interested party after the first of the year.

(give away completed - Pokey won!)

I am going to try to get a Friday post in, but that will be it till after New Year's so Merry Christmas everyone!

Sew & Tell Friday!

Its Friday! This week for Sew and Tell I have some little gifts that I made for a variety of uses. Hubby is giving wine to some people at work but the couple of people that don't enjoy wine will get one of these with a Starbucks card. The girls may take these for a couple of teachers, the youngest will be taking some of the bags w/o mugs for her lunch buddies. I am thinking these will be nice to just have around the next couple weeks as things come up.


I made 12 of the bags this morning in 3 different colorways. I used this pattern/instruction though I don't plan to fill any with the molten lava cake. They are filled with a variety of holiday candy I picked up at Target. I found these mugs at wal-mart and knew that I had the fabric at home to match. I took inventory of my remaining fabric and and am going to buy some contrast to make the wine bags too!


Be sure to check out the other great projects on Amy's site today! I am excited to get started looking because every week there is such great inspiration!

Progress on not one, but two projects!

I have snuck into my sewing room here and there in between band concerts, Christmas shopping, dentist appointments, ortho (dd1 broke her new retainer after having it THREE days!!)... yes that is why I have been sneaking into the sewing room :)...


My squares for the baby quilt are done and all trimmed. I got a rotating mat and it made the trim job a breeze! I always hated having to reposition the blocks and truth be told, often skimped on the task, but this thing is great because you position the block, cut and rotate to cut another side.



I got the thing because I thought it would be handy on the wonky strip quilt... I finally made fabric decisions, cut and got the strips sewen and pressed... ready to cut. That center strip is the County Fair that had me tied in knots because it is almost a light canvas, but I think it is working great. The seams pressed well and it does not stand out from the other materials.

After the progress on these, I am hating to leave the house for anything. I want to just lock myself in my little room, but.... a visit to the post office and the auto shop are in my future today. We are fortunate that the weather is just cold, no ice or snow. A beautiful crisp winter day!

Everyone stay warm!

Last of them?

Time will only tell if this will be the last of the table runners for the season.


These have been hanging out in the sewing room for awhile waiting to get binding completed, and now they will get mailed off to my MIL and SIL. Hope they are happy in their new homes!

And this little snowman arrived yesterday to a home happy to have him! Carrie at A Passion for Applique sent this wonderful package with the door hanger, a FG and some chocolates! Love the vintage look tag as well! Thanks Carrie!

To Carrie and all who have welcomed me to the blog world.. thanks so much! Little did I know what fun I was missing out on 3 months ago when I started toying with the idea of having a blog to share my pursuits in sewing. It is so encouraging to have the feedback and to gather inspiration from others!

Back in the swing of things

Wow, it seems like forever since I posted! After coming back from vacation I helped with a women's event at church and that was pretty much my whole week.

Since I have not sewn anything in over two weeks (and I just figured out that I left the camera battery charger at the lodging over vacation) I thought I would share a picture from vacation. My husband wanted to visit this town since our last name is Elmendorf!

I did have some time to cruise some blogs and entered Mary's giveaway day at QuiltyGoodnesss and won a bag and fq! Great way to start the week! Thanks Mary!