New FO Challenge

I finally can come back and play with the FO challenge over at Cat Patches, Barbara is the the Grand Enabler and it's always fun to see what everyone is up to. 
I wanted to make a couple of quick and easy quilts just to get back in the swing and I had already planned this one.

Those dinos just had to put in a quilt walking over hills, they were left over from a backing. 
Then I saw a fall colored framed block, so easy and colors I don't usually use but, somehow it turned into this

I had that pony fabric forever and decided to do some fussy cutting, it's wasteful but better than holding on to the fabric for another 10 years. 
This is how far I've come with the pillow sham

It's been through lots of changes, I found out it's a little difficult to make something in a specific size. :).   I'm going to finish the blue border, add a white, then more of the blue for a flange (that's a new word for me). Thanks so much to Debbie for pointing me in the right direction and teaching me my new word. 


Did you start something in January, of course you did, why not join in? Everyone's always welcome over at Cat Patches. 

Pillow Sham?

I'm finally out of the holiday whirlwind and sewing every chance I get. Over the weekend the woman who I made this quilt for

asked me if I could make a matching pillow sham, uh maybe, I've never made one before, but how hard can it be? famous last words right? I'm thinking of a large star in the middle with smaller stars in the corners and a border of the blue that I used for the border. Ideas?

I'm running north today and plan on googling shams when I get back, but any hints or tips would be appreciated. Like do I need to add something to close it, or is an overlapping back enough? Thanks you guys always have great idea, have I told you lately how much I appreciate you?

Later Gators,

Dana

Peeking Out and Catching Up

If you read my post "A Christmas Tale" you know where I've been and what I've been up to. Normally I don't see the world again until Feb, so I'm ahead of the game. I should be working out, but my ipod is dead (thank you ipod) so here I am. I've had a few emails with questions, so here goes.

The animal shelter fundraiser was a bit of a disaster. Here's my table when I was just starting to set up.

Highlights: The 60" tables were really 48", a lot of the vendors were pretty upset with this since it cost more for the larger table, lots of grumpy people. I bought the cutest little chair for the display, it wouldn't fit, but I'm keeping it, Bonus!

That nice corner they gave me so I could display the quilts, they forgot to mention that one side was the opening to the pizza kitchen which needed to be left open so the servers could pick up pizzas, yep, I had pizzas coming out from behind my table all day. LOL

I sold two wall hangings and two candles. 

Not many people showed up, I think they only advertised on FaceBook, the bright side of that is there really wasn't room for many people, you needed to walk through in single file to see anything. 

Never again, next time I'll just donate to my favorite animal shelter.

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I read about a call for quilts for Newtown Conn. and donated this

For a "natural" disaster I usually donate money, but this was an "unnatural" disaster and I felt the need to send a little comfort. 

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Christmas was wonderful and peaceful, David gave me an iPad which I love, I've said I love books too much to ever read one that way, but I've finished three.

Now I'm looking for an app that will help design quilts. Anyone have any ideas? Basic drawing with the ability to turn the blocks. The quilt apps I've seen are fun, but already pre-loaded with blocks. 

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Big news, the hockey lock out is over so my future SIL is back to work and David and I can stop sneaking them money so they don't starve to death. Since we didn't tell each other we were doing that there's a good chance they were making more off of us. :)

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We went to our annual zoo visit, beautiful weather and a great time. This really caught my eye

I'll let you make your own captions.

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The little sewing I was able to do was making a string block whenever I had a chance, nice mindless sewing, but I ended up with this.

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Last but not least I read this morning that the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) will reach 1 Million dollars this year and it's ending at the end of the year. I've had this on my to-do list so now's the time. Just before the New Year David and I received news that one of our college roommates has a devastating brain disease, no cure, no treatment. We're both trying to wrap our minds around mourning a friend who is still alive. It's not Alzheimer's but I'll be making something in memory of Steven.

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Oh yeah, really last but certainly not least, my dad came through his surgery just fine, that's the good news we needed.

Later Gators,

Dana