life, quilts and a cat too: Stitch Me Up Blog Hop

Showing posts with label Stitch Me Up Blog Hop. Show all posts

Mar 29, 2013

Last Day "Stitch Me Up" Blog Hop/ GIVEAWAY signup

First of all let me thank all of you who left such sweet comments about my contribution to the hop yesterday! You warm my heart and I had lots of positive reinforcement. Who doesn't need that??

There is still time to comment on that post and be eligible for the drawing. Drop back to THIS POST to be entered!! I have decided that I will pull the name on Monday if you promise NOT to think that I am pulling an April Fool's joke on you if you won. However, several folks were "no-reply blogger". If you do not know how to possibly change those settings, then please leave me your email so I can contact you! I have tried to respond to each of your notes---if you didn't hear something back in response to your lovely note, that is why. THX again and good luck!

Oh you might try either of these links to straighten things out on your end---that danged google plus is responsible I think!

http://www.pleasant-home.com/2010/12/so-exciting-less-no-reply-bloggers.html

http://jenniffier.blogspot.com/2012/08/google-profile.html

Here are today's featured blog hop participants----then I have something to show you after that, a "check-in".

FRIDAY MARCH 29th

Patricia @That Other Blog no show?

Blessings From Our Nest

Caribou Crossing Chronicles of Quilts, the Weather and other Fun Stuff

Creatin' in the Sticks

Melinda Quilts Etc

Dachsies with Moxie no show? no badge?

Hill Valley Quilter

Quilt n Queen

Madame Samm

2 more no shows??
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Wednesday's project completed. The blocks will finish at 2.5 inches but currently measure 3.5 only because the organizer did not want us to trim down to the seam allowance edge so I have an extra inch all around. BUT I am done! These will go in a guild mini log cabin quilt for the quilt show auction next spring.

Yesterday's piddling---I stitched 4 more circles of this ancient project that was stashed in the sewing room closet, like that attic window I finished on Tuesday. Quilt as go sew and fold circled patchwork from Quilter's Rule International. Some birthday swap fabric from way back when----early 2001 or 2 ish I'm guessing? Well I messed up the very first block I had just sewn and tried to turn last night----you got it, I slit the fabric on the white side that will show not the colored part! My goal today is to at least get this pile of approximately 40 circles pinked and turned. I'll sew at the next Bama Belles meeting. I had this out earlier in the week trying to figure out where I was headed and it looked like I needed to sew 4 more blocks for 64 and an 8 x 8 setting as that is all the white I had cut. Or better yet 7 x 9 would work. The pattern said 7 x 12 was a lap sized but no way am I making 84 of these when I can't match the fabric for just one block!

Okay goal set and I can get cracking between blog visits, comments, household tasks, etc---ah, who I am kidding, any other day, LOL.

THX for stopping by!

Mar 27, 2013

Day 7 "Stitch Me Up" Blog Hop---MY day!----GIVEAWAY

It is finally here!! It is my day to share what I have made up for the blog hop. Thanks to Mdm Samm, our fearless leader at Sew We Quilt and our cheerleader Jane of Jane's Fabrics and Quilts for putting this together for the hop participants. Thanks also to our sponsor Colonial Needle!

Way back in January when we signed up we were sent a sheaf of patterns to select from designs by Cyndi of Bee Tree Designs, Mdm Samm's adorable wee tots and sophisticated ladies designs as well as two pattern from Debbie of Busy As Can Be.

I have worked with Cyndi's designs before---her basket blocks that I am doing in 30's green---and began fooling with the elements block files she had sent. In the end, however, the design that spoke to me most was the Victorian cottage---in red, classic embroidery. It reminded me of a home my grandparents had lived in for a time in Missouri and a house I go by frequently on the way into town. You know, one of those that you wonder what it looks like on the INSIDE?

I was recuperating from bilateral cataract surgeries and had also participated in the "It's All About Me" hop so did not get started on my piece till a month had already passed. I had asked Jane if I had to actually make something with the finished stitchery, thinking I would add it to a mix of another designers blocks, some that I had downloaded in my files several years ago would have worked well. I ordered the gorgeous Presencia Finca perle cotton #12 thread selection that was offered at a great price. I had hoped to use it on my piece but was afraid that I would not have enough to complete the entire proposed quilt. I dropped back to my standby two strands of DMC floss. 321 this time instead of 498, the more scarlet (Roll Tide!) color.

Shown below marked for quilting but I am glad that I had tested that Frixion pen on something else recently or I would have freaked getting the black marks out after all that stitchery!

The stitchery was finished earlier in March, pressed and pinned to the design wall. Finally last week it hit me what I wanted to do with the piece! I have 3 other redwork/embroidery quilts waiting to be hand quilted and only have the first one started---- HERE for the Santas in 2011, HERE for Alex Anderson's 12 Days of Christmas in 2010 and HERE, Pieces of My Heart calendar cats circa 2006 maybe? The thing is, I don't need another quilt just yet unless it is going to be my goal to have one for each of my 7 nieces, some day!! You get the picture----I love to embroider!

BUT you came to see what I did with the stitchery piece THIS time. I made an embroidery roll/tote out of it finally using up some redwork fabric that has been, er, antiquing for some time! It IS rectangular---bad camera angle in spite of my standing on a stool atop it.

Quilted up, top side

Folded up

Opened up

The ziploc idea is from Fons and Porters book Quick Quilts From the Heart. I had made one of their chatelaine and sewing kits for a secret pal years ago but never one for me! The shape of the case with the needle case and zip pocket was modeled after something that was made for me by a quilting friend. I just modified its components to make my own desired version! Recently a dear friend had given me a red work panel piece that I had considered using on the inside pocket but instead I appliqued the adage on the pocket to dress it up. (THX Maggie.) It reads "I count the stitches line by line and watch the threads record the time". One of Cyndi's baskets is at the ready on the left.

Showing more detail

The scissors holder strap idea is straight off my old bandage scissors/pen holder from back in the nursing days. It was blue velcro---this is color coordinated fabric with snaps. Must be quilt-y! Actually I had planned to use more of the strap/tab material for a covered button closure but duh! That would have landed right in the middle of the stitchery. Scratch that idea!! The elastic spool holder idea is from my cosmetic case I use for hand applique and quilting. Thread Heaven fits in it well.

And then last Thursday, as I was putting the fabrics away, I decided that I needed to include a thread catcher similar to one I had made the preceding week for a guild challenge project. This thing twists to close up and I used the other half of the 4 inch embroidery hoop minus the hardware, taping the edge closed. I showed the first one so you can see it open and the new one, closed up and ready to slip into the zippered pocket. Pattern can be found HERE in pdf format. The fabrics coordinate with the needle case thing above.

I do have a little giveaway and am willing to ship wherever----the embroidery hoop is a 7.5 inch and the clover threader, well let's just say my missing one mine showed up a couple days after this one was ordered. My temporary loss is your gain, should you win. I may toss something else in for padding too. Please comment should you want to be entered in the drawing and make sure you are NOT a no-reply blogger. You don't have to be a follower but should you feel inclined to do so, add a 2nd note telling me that for a 2nd chance. I'll have DJ and Skyler help me with the drawing on Easter Sunday. Good luck!

So there you have it! Thanks for stopping by to see how my project turned out. Here are the participants that share the day with me----hop on over to see what they stitched up as well

THURSDAY MARCH 28th

Kristin @That Other Blog

Robin @That Other Blog

Jane's Fabric and Quilts sorry I messed up the link but corrected now!

Dexterdays The World Through Our Window

Sew Nicely

thistle creek cottage

My Art, My So Called Life

Just Sew Sue

Co mne bavi...

TeaTimeCreations

Read, quit, cook, pray

Cate's Linens

Shade Tree Quilting

Ladybug Dreams

Day 6 "Stitch Me Up" Blogspot

I may be off foundation piecing itty bitty log cabin blocks for guild today OR thinking about rabbits for the row quilt BUT will make time to pop in and see what these stitchers have been doing. My item is featured tomorrow---so excited to join the others in sharing that with you!

WEDNESDAY MARCH 27TH

Judy @That Other Blog no show

lauraluvsloons and Quilting too

Sew Sharyn

Sewingly Along

Anita's quilts en handwerken

Quilt Doodle Doodles

Val's Simple Passions

Luv2sew

Busy As Can Be

Paws for Stitching

Quilting & Other Craft Therapy

pieceful life

Live Love Labs

Felt pa Asly

Scrapbook-ChickADoodle

Mar 26, 2013

Day 5 "Stitch Me Up" Blog Hop

It's Bama Belles Quilting day and we plan to do some block sewing for a mission field project. I'll be checking in to the hop when I get home, if I haven't already taken a peek....or two!

Here is today's featured stitchers

TUESDAY MARCH 26th

Isabel @That Other Blog

Jeanette @That Other Blog not up

Just Let Me Quilt

MacDonald’s Patch

Pots Pans Pins and Prayers

Grand Mama's Stories

Stitch, Stitch, Stitch

Needled d

Tomorrow's Treasures Today not up

Hanging On By A Thread

Fresh Cut Quilts

Mar 25, 2013

Check in/ Day 4 "Stitch Me Up" Blog Hop

Tada! Shamrock row is done, my weekend project as it turned out. I pulled the quilt back to lay the three existing rows on the bed and get an idea of what this is looking like. Naturally Skyler had to hop on over from his perch to give it the kitty roll of approval!

The next row is bunnies (for April) but I am still thinking about doing an applique version---possibly similar to the ones shown HERE but will need to get some measurements first. I may also get started on my entry for the "Shake Your Pom Poms" hop later due in late April.

I'll also be picking out a project to work on at the Belles sewing day tomorrow. I had asked the girls to bring their machines so we could so some string blocks, work with abandoned blocks, whatever trips their trigger for a mission field project. The plan being to crank out some blocks that we can combine and help make up some tops for the other group to finish up.

To that end I am thinking that any of these boxed up quilt kits but the top one (personal project there) would work for this mission And if I don't feel like stitching then up, then I may drag a few with me and offer them to the others. I will probably give myself a concussion dragging some of it out of the closet shelf, LOL, but we'll see! Never a shortage of things to do around here! Seldom bored, that is for sure!

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Ready to start hopping again? Here is the list for today's participants. Such clever works of art have already been featured!

MONDAY MARCH 25th

Beverly @That Other Blog

Betty@That Other Blog

Stitches to Sprinkles

Stitch Duchess' Crazy and Sane Quilting World not up?

Bejeweled Quilts by Barb

Little Pieces of My Life

Creating My Comforts blog not updated since Jan---not up

Mar 22, 2013

Check in----Day 3 "Stitch Me Up" Blog Hop

Here on the home front I should be done with the tweaking I decided to do on my stitchery piece---that idea that flew into my head Tuesday! Oh, I had set backs in making this happen but that is what I get when I am not using a pattern and combining elements from other books and projects. Still, I have concluded that a day spent in sewing, even when things are not going perfectly, is better than cleaning house any day. That is precisely what I was doing for about 3 days LAST week........ so I know!

Isn't this the coolest wreath ever---though I doubt I would want all my spools of embroidery thread and perle cotton tied up like this----found it while surfing yesterday and here is the link http://indulgy.com/post/NhZdPiVH81/thread-spool-wreath#

I hope to be moving on to some itty bitty 2.5 inch finished log cabin blocks that we are doing as a group project for quilt guild today. In the meantime, pop in to see what the other blog hop participants have been "hooping up" from the pattern packets we were sent. We take the weekend off so you can always go back and see what you missed!

FRIDAY March 22nd

Keri@That Other Blog

Heather@That Other Blog
Pigtales and Quilts (moved from Wednesday 3-20)

The Sewing Club not up---blog not updated in a month

grymerspalet no button so dropped out??

Love it Sew it

Mar 21, 2013

Day 2 "Stitch Me Up" Blog Hope

Here are today's featured blog hop participants

THURSDAY March 21st

Janice@ That Other Blog

Angela@ That Other Blog

piece peace

Stitchin’ By The Lake

Kath's Creations not up yet

Get More Done Today

Sew Many Yarns

The Distracted Domestic

Sheila's Quilt World

UK City Crafter

Mar 20, 2013

Day 1 "Stitch Me Up" Blog Hop

While creativity continues around here, today's schedule. I changed my mind about what I want to do with my entry next week so I best get busy and make that happen!

WEDNESDAY March 20th

Karen@That Other Blog
Susan @That Other Blog

Sowing Stitches

Life in the Scrapatch

Pig Tales and Quilts moved to March 22nd

Cherry Blossom Quilting Studio

New Girl News

Sunshine Quilting

Patchouli Moon Studio

Lovin' Life at the End of the Dirt Road

Selina Quilts

Mar 18, 2013

Stitch Me Up Blog Schedule

Just a few days off between blog hops! The "Stitch Me Up" Embroidery blog Hop will begin Wednesday and conclude on Friday March 29th led by Mdm Samm at sewwequilt.com and cheerleading this round provided by Jane of Jane's Fabrics and Quilts

This time I have participated though my day is not till next week, I think on Thursday, but I'll be checking into that a little more closely as the day nears!

Here is the entire schedule but I will update with the daily schedule as well. Things changed each day it seemed, but as far as I know this is the correct schedule and all the links should work. Stay tuned for this and any other little do-dad's I may manage to get done this week. A few things are close, after all.