Churn Dash Love

I get carried away with new projects and forget to post 

what I'm currently working on or just finished up. 

Maybe its because it usually takes over an hour to post.

I know, I know if I blogged more often, it would get easier and faster.  

Hopefully I can get to that point this summer when I'm off work. 

 Anyway, I'm starting some new projects so I will stop and bask in my completed projects for a moment.

I showed you the fabulous little doll quilt I received from the Doll Quilt Swap 12, 

but I didn't show you what I made. 

Here are the beginnings

Can you find the word spelled here?

The completed flimsy

Now for a label

I wonder who its for?

Along the way I had some decisions to make. 

I decided what would really be cool, would be to continue the color 

theme and bind each quarter of the quilt in its matching color. 

The red corner in red, the yellow corner in yellow and so on. 

Then I thought, oh no, lots of work with that idea and 

I probably couldn't get it lined up well anyway, 

which would result in failed attempt yuckiness. 

I decided to bind it with the word fabric from the center.

I didn't like it from the start, it was too light and the original idea kept creeping into my mind. 

I took it off and gave idea number one a try. 

To my surprise it worked up perfectly and turned out pretty well.

Ahhh, so much better, don't you think?

Label attached

I have to say I love this little quilt. It was very hard to send it off. 

I don't think I captured my partners tastes, but I hope she loves it anyway.

She still has not received it. I sent it a few days late, 

as it took three trips to the post office to get it sent, long story. 

Let's just say I need to learn more about the options of sending packages, 

and sending outside the U.S.

This is my "side of the barn" photo

The sent and received doll quilts side by side.

Details

Churn Dash Love

18.5 X 18.5

Until next time   : )

Look What I Got!

It's been crazy busy around our home, 

so I haven't posted much, but I want to stop and show you all the

amazing little doll quilt I received from Mona Keegan 

for the Doll Quilt Swap 12 group.

You can find her on flickr as Quilting Cyclist

The Doll Quilt Swap 12 ended today. 

The deadline to mail was today, but I received my quilt a few days ago. 

In fact, it arrived on my porch on Thursday, 

but no one was home and we didn't see the package until Friday.

My husband is home most everyday, but just happened to be gone on the day it arrived. 

We brought it in and hubby cut the box open while it was in my lap, 

I lifted the lid in his direction, 

I was on the backside of the box and couldn't see the quilt, 

as I am in the middle of saying "Am I going to like it" his jaw dropped. 

He says "Yes, you are going to love it. "

And I do, 

I   L O V E  it!

Wouldn't you?  

some close - ups

The idea that someone, a stranger, would create something for me this fabulous, this gorgeous is, well,  overwhelming. I could not take my eyes off of it.  The photos do not capture its beauty.

 Everything about it is beautiful, the color & fabric choices, 

the piecing, the quilting.... 

It truly is a fabulous little quilt.

Thank you mona!   : )

More Mail

 The mailman has been very nice to me lately.

I received another package,

 this time a beautiful zippy pouch from Vicky (patchwork queen) 

for the Mouthy Stitches swap.

front

Look at this, isn't it wonderful? 

I love the wonky star and grey linen.

Wait till you see the back.

back

back close-up

On the backside, Vicky did some beautiful hand stitching on the center flower

(which one of my favorite parts)

and the zipper.

Its 9" X 10", the perfect size for a small project. 

Don't you just love the lining? 

AND, look at all these goodies she included. 

An abundance of beautiful fabrics, 

trims and two adorable little buttons, a little blue bird and a red kitty.

I don't have any of these fabrics and I can say I love every single print.

Thank you Vicky,

I am one happy girl. : )



In case you were wondering

My Mouthy Stitches gnome pouch was sent to Ireland for Eva of Pippablue.
Go check out her blog post about it.

My Sew Modern Swapper owl pincushion was sent to Jodi in Florida.

I've Got Mail

Yes, that's right I came home from work to find a package for me.

Was it my Mouthy Stitches Swap or my Bee a {Modern} Swapper pincushion swap?

I couldn't wait to find out! 

 Receiving a package is exciting enough,
but not as exciting as what I found inside! 

Look at this awesome pincushion made especially for me 

by the lovely Heather from my Bee a {Modern} Swapper group.

This is just the kind of pincushion 

I need, large, beautiful and with it's own thread catcher! 

The fabric choices are wonderful, the workmanship exquisite, 

and its my favorite colors...red and grey!

Yes, that's my inittial on the front.....hehehe.  I love it!

Look at these cute little pins. 

The photo doesn't show it but they are pearly and so pretty.

Heather didn't stop there.

She included everything red,

 a zipper, vintage ribbon, an assortment of 

lovely buttons, fabrics (I especially love the one in the front) 

and a beautiful hand stamp card and envelope. 

She even included red candies, I took a photo, but it didn't turn out.

Oh heather, you out did yourself!

Thank You : )

Mouthy Stitches Finish

The Mouthy Stitches Swap is coming to a close very soon.

I'm done!

I'm ready to send this little large project pouch to my partner. 

I've done a little stalking and 

I'm pretty sure she will really like it.

 front

Although I don't know her favorite colors, 

she does like gnomes and I always think gnomes should have a red hat.

I went with red, aqua, a touch of orange, tiny bit of yellow and black & white

The gnome home is around the corner, on the back side.

back

I topped it off with the linen to tie in with the Gnome and a red zip. 

My aqua zipper didn't quite match, so I went with the red and I'm glad I did.

pouch guts

The pouch is lined with some Echo and has blue dot pockets.

Gnome small project pouch

Finished size  9 X 11

 Granny square quilt blocks are very popular right now. 

I got to work on a couple this week.

 I was sent red and aqua fabric from one of my bees. 

Don't these look great side by side?

I love them!

I left them untrimmed so they can be squared up 

with the other February bee blocks. 

These were fun, great for scraps, adorable and addictive. 

This block looks great with any fabric.

I might have to start a quilt with my scraps.

Check out the Old Red Barn Co. Quilt Along flickr group 

for some beautiful granny squares. 

It's not to late to join in.

My pincushion swap is also coming to a close soon. 

I knew right away what I wanted for my partners pincushion, 

but I didn't have a pattern. 

This past weekend I finally had time to work something 

up and made a practice pincushion for me.

Ms. Hootie stands six inches tall, is stuffed with rice and made from scraps.

I went with rice because I had a bunch, but my partner's will be filled with little plastic pellets.

She turned out exactly like I had hoped she would. 

As soon as she was done, my granddaughter ran off with her 

and said it was her owlie. 

She has a soft spot for creatures and talks 

with them as if they are real. 

I think Ms Hootie is kinda cute and I hate to stick her with pins. : )

The Year Of The Swap

Last year I was in two flickr quilt bees. 

One has ended and the other will end within a month. 

Two of the bee members from this last group, 

Katherine & Manda started a new bee/swap group called Bee a {modern} Swapper. 

A bee/swap combo. I really like that idea, so I joined.  

This month we are swapping pincushions.

I love my pincushion. I only have one.

Not long ago my little 2.5 year old granddaughter was playing with the pins. 

She grabbed a handful of pins at once and now my chicken is shredded.

She popped a seam, shredded next to the seam and is losing her beaded stuffing.

This is sad, as she has been with me a very long time, 

but I am looking forward to a new pincushion 

at the end of the month, made especially for me.  Yay!

I don't have any photos of the pincushion 

for my partner because.......I do not have mine done yet. 

Yikes! I know the deadline is coming up soon.  

The idea is in my head, but thats as far as I've gotten.

I joined two other swaps. 

Mouthy Stitches is swapping zipper pouches this month. 

Who couldn't use a zip pouch? I could use several and don't have any. 

I have a button in my side bar and there are some fantastic pouches being made. 

Take a peek.

I've been working on this one for my partner.

I'm not a gnome person, but my partner is and 

I really like how this is turning out. 

Hopefully she will love it. 

I also joined Doll Quilt Swap 12

I already have several ideas floating around in my head, 

but must finish the pouch and pincushion first. 

I've also been working in my Orca Bay Quilt. 

It's a Bonnie Hunter QAL that was started in November. 

I haven't said much about it because the last Bonnie Hunter QAL 

I did looks like this

Just blocks. 

Actually, these are only half the blocks. 

I didn't even make the string blocks.

Now that I look at these again, maybe I'll just put these together 

without the string blocks. I am liking these together. 

I've gotten a little further on the Orca Bay Quilt. 

The blocks are all made, put together and it just needs the border. 

I've renamed it "My Man Quilt", because its for my man. 

He really likes it and I've been wanting to make him a quilt.

up close and personal

I really like it too. I wonder if he'll share. : )

2012 is already off to a busy start. 

What Next?

Well, it's about time to move on past those Christmas blog photos, don't you think?

 I was hoping to get to this space sooner, but right after 

Christmas I got a nasty cold, then we had a birthday.  

My Emili's birthday always marks the beginning of a new year.  

I try to get the Christmas decorations and house all cleaned up well before her big day.

 She arrived 27 years ago with a quietness, sweetness and gentleness about her.  

I'm so glad I get to be her mom. 

After her birthday is really when we can settle in, relax and get back to our norm. 

Actually she kicks off our birthday "season". 

We have six birthdays within the next nine weeks in our immediate family. 

Its a wonderful, but busy time.  

Are you swooning? 

Katy over at I'm a Ginger Monkey started a Swoon Quilt Along. 

I am having such a hard time resisting. There are some wonderful blocks popping up. 

I love everything about that pattern, the large block size, the simplicity,

its roundness (I love circle blocks), and
its the close cousin of the Carpenter block, which I also love.
It has vintage roots and is the almost perfect size for a bed. 

So Swoon was on my "wish to do" list for this year, 

but I feel like I should finish up a few things first. 

I don't have a long list of unfinished projects, which is a good thing because 

I am not very fast and quilts always take me a few months to make.  

None of this done in a day or two or even week for me.  

Here are the two most pressing quilts I have to finish up. 

These two quilt are out of Batiks for two

 of my daughters and they have both been very patient. 

I started these a long, long time ago. : }     

One needs to be layered and quilted the other needs borders.  

Do I dare Swoon? 

Great day to you all : )