Love those girlies!

This is just so cute, and it is still in the planning stages from what I can tell. Go see Chez Beeper Bebe to see what I mean. I think I may have to dig up some wool sweaters - thrift store, here we come!

The Fun Theory

I know I am a little behind, and you may have all seen this. But it just makes me smile. I love this use of our brainpower.

http://www.thefuntheory.com/

Yummy Yummy - Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have to try this recipe from Amy at Diary of a Quilter who was blog sitting for Aunt Spicy..

A friend turned me onto a more traditional recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies that I fell in love with. I have to admit I really was not too excited to try them, I'm not sure why. Maybe because pumpkin pie is not my favorite. But I LOVE THOSE COOKIES! So now I want to do a taste test to see if these are in the same league. I sure hope so because this one looks a lot easier. And I am lazy ;-)

I love new tricks

Went to my glorious night of Valet Sewing on Friday. I just love it. We had such a good time creating, although this pattern was slightly more challenging. Not hard necessarily, but you really had to pay attention. Which is kind of hard when you are eating, blabbing, giggling, etc. I'll post it when it is done.

But I learned a great new trick from Marion. It seems so simple now. So, "well, duh." But it was new to me. Are you ready for it.....iron your binding. Obviously as you are making the binding you iron it. But this is after it is machine sewn on, iron it up and over the edge of the quilt to make it easier to hand sew down the edge. Again, so simple. And yet so genious. And yes, obvious. Just not to me. Until now.

I love new tricks!

Denim Rag Quilt

Love this! I have to say I think this is one of my favorite all time quilts/blankets. And I am a blanket girl!


I saw an episode of Simply Quilts about 5 or 6 years ago and the guest was explaining how she does rag quilts with denim. And I was hooked. I had done one or two baby quilts with flannel and they were okay. I mean the experience. For some reason it felt more like, okay, check, made one of those. No driving desire to make any more.

But this denim variation really got my creative juices flowing. So I decided to make it almost king size. And nothing like needing a deadline to get it done. We were going to the annual family Thanksgiving picnic and the morning of I was sewing frantically to get the final rows together and begging my husbad to help clip, which he did. (This was before I got the springloaded scissors.) So that we could get it washed and dried in time to take with us. I love deadlines. It really is the only way I can get some things done.

Best hint EVER: when you move or decide to take on a new project. Throw a party. Nothing like having a party for a deadline to get things done. Ask me how I know...(That is a great story for another post. Remind me.)


Well, we got it done and this is now a great picnic, beach, cozy up on the hammock blanket. And I have made quite a few more as well.

Is that a napkin or a pillow?

I know pillows are probably one of the easiest things to make. But I still avoid making them from 'scratch'. I try to find as many quick and easy ways as possible. And I love to use items in ways other than what they were intended. I think the buzz word there is REPURPOSE! Love it. So these -

Became this. Oh so easy. And cute!

Pumpkin love

This was a wallhanging I did last year. One of my first 'offical' quilty type things - with layers, batting, quilting, binding, etc. And since my birthday is on the 31st, I love all things Halloween.

My first quilt

This is my first quilt. Although I don't know if you can really call it a quilt.


This was made maybe 18 years ago. I washed the bandanas many, many times before putting it together. To make sure they wouldn't bleed and also to soften them up. It is definitely soft now! The back is a twin sheet and I put buttons in the corners where they come together. This has been our picnic blanket for years. It sits in a basket by the back door to be used on the grass or to cozy up with on the hammock when it cools down.

That is just one of my favorite things. I think the hammock gets used more in the cool weather, at night all wrapped up, than in the summer.


The pillow was pretty easy. I did the zipper first and then the other sides. Still not a fan of putting in zippers, but this one went pretty fast.


I need to make more of these bandana quilts. I really love them. Anyone have any bandanas they want to part with? (Only those not used as hankies, please.)

Is that a table runner or a valance?

I love curtains, or a valance, or some kind of softening on windows. But I really don't like to make them. So I tend to get creative when I want some kind of window covering. Like when I wanted something simple for the kitchen windows. The accents in that room are blue but it is mostly a white kitchen. So I was at Ikea, saw some table runners I really liked, and voila - matching valances. All of the edges are already finished so no worries there. Just eyeball how long you want it, sew a pocket for the rod and there you go. Instant valance.