Dreaming of Summer

We (finally!) got a little snow here last night. Just a dusting really. But it looks pretty.

So, did you buy some of Tula Pink's line Salt Water? Really fun fabric! What are you doing with it?

Elizabeth and I got a little stack and we are making some new banners using our pattern, Summertime Blues.

We only recently realized that our pattern, Summertime Blues,  never made it onto our website!

Yikes! How did that happen?

So before it goes on our new site- OH! Did we tell you were are getting a new website??? Soon! So exciting! And we will have a great giveaway to celebrate.... but I digress!

Back to Summertime Blues. So we thinking about updating our cover photo and are trying out Salt Water. We were supposed to do some embellishment on the original banner, ran out of time and never updated it!

I love the little quilt and the runner on the pattern front- that fabric with the seahorse is adorable!

I'll keep you posted on how it turns out with the Salt Water... looking good so far!







happy quilting,
Kate

Happy Valentines Day!

 Happy Valentines Day!

happy quilting,
Kate

Project Wednesday

happy quilting,
kate

Project Quilting

Good Monday!

Yesterday was the day to submit your latest creation for Project Quilting, Week 3. The theme for challenge #3 was Annie's Vision. Your project was to be inspired by the art of Annie Young.

I thought it was a great challenge and I was really excited to create something. But for some reason, I struggled with it.

Right away, I knew I wanted to create something with bold color and lots of texture, I wanted it to have flowers and there was a quote on her blog that I loved. So I had my inspiration.

And that was all I had. I pulled some fabric from my stash, pulled some more and just couldn't seem to get out of my own way. Does that ever happen to you?

Sat morning arrived and I had yet to start the quilt. And the picture of the finished product had to be posted by 12noon on Sunday. And, since I was not sure which time zone that meant, I thought I better post by 10am my time, just in case!

The only fabrics I had out at that point were two potential pieces for the background. I wasn't sure I liked them, but I decided that they were it and I just had to push forward. So I pulled some colors for flowers and decided on a general plan and then left.

Left? Yes, hubby and I had planned to go to the Denver Art Museum to the members only preview of the Georgia O'Keeffe exhibit. A great exhibit on her called Georgia O'Keeffe in new Mexico: Architecture, Katsinam and the Land.
Great show. Go if you can.

I came home and made this.

It has floppy grass, a heart yo-yo flower with buttons, a dimensional star flower and woven stems.


And yes, I used some of the flowers from my pattern, Stars in my Garden. Hey, I was in a time crunch!

But it has the texture and vivid colors I wanted. And I was able to post it well before my time limit on Sunday am! Done.






There are some amazing quilts that people created from this challenge. And I learned that sometimes you just have to go with what you have and where you are. And to push ahead and see what happens.

happy quilting,
kate

I made the stems using the Diva Cord Maker from Fibergoddess. I had to do something on the car ride to the museum!

What's New?

So, what's new with you?

What have you created/played with/ enjoyed this week?

Are you in the Northeast watching the snow, all hunkered down for a long weekend of sewing/quilting/crafting?

Would I sound weird if I said I miss that?








As much as I love being outside, there is something so comforting about being inside on a snowy day, watching the snow fall, sitting by a fire, bundling up kids in snowsuits and hats and boots and mittens and watching them sled down the hill, shrieking with laughter.

Or going outside yourself, all bundled up, playing in the snow until your cheeks are red and stinging with the cold and then coming inside to heat up hot chocolate and make popcorn, snuggle up by the fire with a good book. Yumm. 
I think it just may be that my 8 year old self has never completely left the building and just wants to be able to say "Snow Day!"

What to do today? I have piles of unfinished projects- some involve sewing and some involve typing. Which shall I do????

Sewing? Sounds way more fun to me! 












I still have to figure out my Project Quilting quilt for this week. The inspiration for this week's challenge is the art of Annie Young, a blind artist who creates amazing pieces. You can go check out her blog here.

She has wonderful color and texture in her work. There is a video of her on CBS Minnesota using her hands to paint with so that she can create the texture. And she has these vibrant backgrounds but still, her images stand out.


She has this quote on her blog: 

if we make our goal to live a life of 

compassion and unconditional love, 

then the world will indeed 
become a garden where 
all kinds of flowers 
can bloom and grow. 
~elisabeth kubler-ross  

Off to create my vision of a garden where all kinds of flowers bloom and grow.
Wish me luck!

Have a great day!

happy quilting,
kate

Yoga Mat

Back in the fall I went to a fair across the street at the park. And I won a yoga mat and 2 weeks free of yoga classes.

Have I gone? Nope.

Lily eyeing the latest quilt!

Actually I have a good excuse. The day after the fair, Jim and I went hiking and I fell. And, to make the long story short, I hurt my knee. The one that has already gone thru a lot including two surgeries. It has taken a long time for it to feel better.


So, the knee is better and I am almost over my respiratory flu so it is time to try out the yoga. I have the free mat; but I need the yoga bag!



I actually bought fabric a few years ago to make a yoga bag and then... nothing. So yesterday was the day. I looked online for patterns and finally decided to come up with my own version.

And ta-da- here it is!

Isn't the fabric pretty? It is a line from Art Gallery called "Revive".

I made a pleated pocket on the outside to hold my water bottle.

And instead of a drawstring top, I added a zipper.




















I made a two color handle- nice and long to throw over my shoulder or across my chest.

There is even an inside pocket.

And it is roomy- so there is space for a towel, and
any extra stuff I want to cart along.









That was a great adventure!

I have some other fabric that would make a great bag- I could make one with a drawstring top.
Maybe do a tutorial.

Hmmm....

happy quilting,
kate

Project Quilting

I have a guest post here from Kim over at Project Quilting:


Hello everyone! This is Kim from Persimon Dreams, www.PersimonDreams.com, and I’m so happy to be here sharing some exciting Project QUILTING news with you. We are currently in the midst of Season 4. The first two challenges inspired over 100 quilts to be created – so amazing! The third challenge went up on Sunday, February 3^rd and I can’t wait to see what comes from it (still time for you to join in!)

I personally love Project QUILTING because it has been extremely inspirational to me in my quilting journey. I know I only have a week for the projects but it’s a great opportunity to give ideas in my mind a try – see what happens, try new techniques. If it works…maybe I’ll do a bigger project that takes more time.


For instance – I tried out free form quilting for the first time in Season 3 of Project QUILTING to create ‘Barn Bones’.  I LOVED it…so later when I undertook a Scrap Challenge I created this…




The Amazing Technicolor Dream Quilt

Project QUILTING has me creating pieces I never imagined before and the Project QUILTING community has been such an inspiration and support.

I have heard from many that they love watching along with Project QUILTING and the projects created from the challenges but they just can’t fit making a quilt in just one week. That’s what my exciting news is all about today – a new *Bonus* Project QUILTING Challenge. I’ve teamed up with a fabulous online fabric store – The Fat Quarter Shop to bring you all the ‘Fat Quarter Shop Bundle Challenge – Tradition Times Three’.

Diane outlines what is required for this particular challenge. You must go to the Fat Quarter Shop to by the fabric bundle in order to participate in the challenge BUT the twist is – you have until May 30^th, 2013 to submit your challenge! At that point, one of my girls will randomly draw a winner of $75 to use at the Fat Quarter Shop.

I also wanted to share with you a few ways you can save on your fabric bundle. First – head over to my blog and enter in the giveaway I posted today: Bundle Giveaway!






OR if you want to save 20$ off your entire purchase of fabric from the Fat Quarter Shop check out this blog post to find the special code – good through February 10^th.

Thanks for having me and I hope to see you all with a quilt in one or more Project QUILTING Challenges. Have a great rest of your week!



~Kim Lapacek



So go ahead, and check this out! Looks like fun to me! And I have been having a great time trying to meet the Project Quilting challenges. Still thinking about this weeks challenge.

happy quilting, 
Kate