I'll be darned if it didnt work!

Have you noticed on my side bar? The listing of my fabric purchases? Half way though the year and the total is $245. That my dears is TRULY AMAZING! When I decided way back when in this post Looking Forward to start listing my fabric purchases to keep me in check I would have never thought I could have been anywhere near as frugal as I have been the first part of the year. I have to say, I think I am going to continue. I have barely made a dent in my stash, so why buy more? Its time to clear out the old.

However, I will be going north to retreat in September, with our regular shopping trip to Shipshewana, I know I will have to buy! buy! buy! at Yoder's and Lolly's. Plus, there's a Pennsylvania Dutch BOM at the Fat Quarter Shop using the Wisscasset Collection by Minick and Simpson that I'm afraid has my name written all over it. But I think if I am very careful, I still just might be able to stay under $500 this year....can I do it?

Wishin' and wool

This is my wool. This is the disorganized state it lives in. I suppose I could buy another tote for all that's overflowing, but it will still live in the corner of my bedroom. In the future, when the boys move out and I can claim more than just a corner as my sewing space, I want shelves so that I can look and see and be inspired rather than dump everything out on the coffee table in the living room to remind myself of what I already have. I'm searching for some sort of...what's that word?...oh yeah ORGANIZATION!

None the less, I did manage to make this.


A flattened view.

AC and pennies

Hot and humid days makes weeds grow tall enough to stick their tongues out at you. As you stand staring from inside your AC cooled window they taunt you, challenging you to summon the energy to face the heat and come after them.

Boo-ya weeds, I'll just make a penny rug and watch movies.

Baglady swaps

For those of you who have never participated in a Baglady type of swap, here's what happens. You take a gallon Ziploc bag and stuff it full of fabric. Then you send it off to another brave soul and received a Ziploc bag of your own to work on from someone else. You are allowed to a certain amount of your own fabric and its up to you to create a top for the original owner and then send it back. I love the challenge of these types of swaps, and you know what else I love? Getting back a beautiful top of my own! This top was made for me by Ellen see her blog here.
Now isn't that just gorgeous? I used fleece from my stash for backing and I'm super psyched about finally getting it quilted and the binding on it!

Couple of quilts for a couple of sweet twins

Our friends Matt and Janelle had a sweet little girl and boy about a month and a half ago and I finally finsihed a quilt for each.

A bandana pocket quilt for Collin.

This was taken before washing, the pocket is now all frayed looking now. Deatail of the star and loop quilting

A sweet little heart quilt, pattern from Jofigure.com, for pretty little Kahlen.


Close up of heart quilting on Kahlen's quilt.

Some things I have managed to accomplish recently

Scrappy Heart swap (LOVE THIS PATTERN!) blocks from Quilt Patterns from Seattle

A Dandy swap blocks from Quilterscache


Potholder for Mailblocks swap pattern is from Judy Hopkins Around the Block



Canada Day Tablerunner Mystery from JoFigure.com



Lotto Blocks Attic Window from Delewarequilts.com

I can't talk right now, I'm battling crabgrass

I think that's what I should put on my voicemail, away message for email, Blogger and Facebook.

Like many other people, we decided this year we needed to focus on us, family, home, house and friends. To begin with we completed our renovation of the living room that was years in the making. Last year we did nothing to the yard, no pool, no weeding, no planting, other than an obligatory mowing, that's all that happened. So now this year we're starting all over again and now all the weeds have 2 years of roots to battle, and have previously dropped their seeds, so when you think you have an area clear you come back a week later to baby weeds starting to grow again. Grrrrr!

I did have a chance to do some sewing. A few finishes here and there, but mostly I focused on swap blocks. May retreat in North Webster was a blast as usual. New faces and new friends and many of my buddies from previous retreats. I had a really nice relaxing time. I didn't get a whole lot done, but that was fine with me, I really needed to recuperate more than anything else.

So this post is a bit of everything, consider it a catch up with a little of this and a little of that.

Our new window seat, the cushion is in the process of being made. I'm still looking for the perfect fabric. Gene says make it in muslin for the time being since the dogs like to sleep there, so that's what I'm doing, a denim covering for now. I think he did an awesome job on this seat and it has tons of storage underneath and little side tables for drinks.

This was the challenge for May retreat. An Undercover Crate using the free pattern from Laura Gunn http://lauragunn.typepad.com/paintinmyhair/ She shows hers with just two fabrics, but I pieced the sides of mine to stay within the challenge rules. We were each given an old pattern book and we needed to use an idea from that book to make anything excepts a quilt, wall hanging, table topper, etc. So the spools pattern was from the book and Laura's excellent and easy to follow pattern made the rest.

Crazy cool bag that Susan showed me how/made for me. Its hard to tell the dimensions from the pic, but its 24"x9"x18" with wood dowel handles. Its awesome! I think I might make a couple more, why not have one for fabrics and supplies?



Jamie finally quilted the top she started in December. Even her daughters Jessie and Julie got into the action. We still need to bind it, but I am very proud of her. She managed to zigzag around the edges and her family is using it until then :-)

Now I promise to be a good girl and try to keep up with my blog a little better. I have managed to finish a few things, I'll need to get some pics and get them posted. Its nice to be back! :-)