Finish Number One and Giveaway

I set a goal for myself this year to try and finish some of my many quilt tops overtaking my "studio" closet.  Notice I didn't say all!  Even I am not that foolish.  I resolved to join just one sew along and I did that just so I could do some piecing in addition to machine quilting and sewing on binding.  Here's my first finish that occurred in mid-February.  Oh my, what a time I had with this top!

Before I go into that ordeal, here's the back.  My clothesline is too short to allow for it to hang right without dragging on the ground.

I hope you don't mind all the pictures but I am most proud I finished this top and now it's a quilt.  What's ironic is that I started with this top thinking it would be easy.  It's from a few years ago and made from all leftovers from other projects.  I first tried to machine quilt a zig-zag with my walking foot.  Ended up ripping out about five rows after not liking it.

Then I figured I'd use my Bernina Artista 180 which I hardly ever use.  I used stitch number 4 to make serpentines every half inch or so across the top.  I had such problems with just the top shifting.  I had pin-basted every 3-4 inches, and tried decreasing the presser foot pressure to no avail.  I'd quilt about 6 inches or so and run into such shifting I had to stop and unpin the basting, then re-pin the part I was sewing into.  I had to do this SEVEN times. The only thing I can think of is that I was sewing across the bias of the blocks.

I'm proud of my seam on the back and how well I matched the pattern! The backing is from Joann's from several years ago.  It's a really nice quality.
Here's another look at that seam  

The texture is great with the quilting. I could pet it all day.  

ETA:  It took a whole spool of Aurifil thread to quilt it, 1422 yards of color 2021.  That's amazing!

Now about that giveaway.  I was asked to try out a new product that's really neat called StoryPatches.  It came out a few years ago but I'd never heard about them.  I think the idea is rather clever.  It's a small patch that you sew onto the back of your quilt.  It looks like this, 

and is about two inches square.  The package has directions on how to attach audio, photos, or videos to the label via the stkr.it.com website.  The account at the website is free.  To hear the message or see associated video that the person who used the label left, you scan in the QR code.  Pretty neat!  There are also iron-on versions of the label but the one I am giving away is sew-on.  

To sweeten the deal, I've got a book to giveaway along with 3 fat quarters,  

So leave a comment about whatever you'd like and I'll choose a winner for one StoryPatch sew-on label, A Single Thread book, and three fat quarters of Alex Anderson fabric. Be sure to leave an email where I can contact you if you're a no-reply blogger.  I'll choose a winner on Tuesday.

Giveaway Closed

~~~ Thank you for your comments!  The giveaway is closed and the lucky winner is Betsy.  I've already notified her by email.  A reminder, if you are a no-reply blogger you need to leave your email in your comment so I can contact you! ~~~

SMS Giveaway Day

Welcome to the Sew Mama Sew giveaway! If this is your first visit I hope you'll come back, and if you're a regular reader, thank you!

I have four new fat quarters of Laurel Burch fabric by Clothworks and a large spool of cotton thread to giveaway.  I will ship international.  Please, please, please,  make sure I have some way of contacting you ~ no-reply bloggers do not work!

Just leave a comment on this post about a book you'd like to read, or last read, or have heard about that's supposed to be good.  Giveaway with be open until December 12 at 8:00 p.m.  

Be sure to check out the other giveaways at SMS.  Thanks for stopping by!

Comments closed, winner will be notified 12-13-14.  Thanks for participating!

Book Review and Giveaway

UPDATE:  Sorry for the delay, I was feeling a bit under the weather for the past few days,
I put all the eligible names in a hat and the first name drawn was Lisa Lisa, second name was Sandie, and the third name Crafter1953.  Thank you to all who commented!
 

 I received two paperback copies from the publisher last month of Jennifer Chiaverini's newest Elm Creek Quilts book, The Giving Quilt in exchange for a review. [The paperback version goes on sale April 2.]  I also have three sets of pins to give away, one with each book and a set by themselves and as this is a quilting blog and the book is about quilting,  I think a fat quarter might find its way into each winner's package! So let's get started.

This is the first Elm Creeks Quilts novel I have read so I can't compare it to Ms. Chiaverini's other books.  I don't really read this genre (historical women's fiction) that often. Briefly, Elm Creek Manor is hosting a free "Quiltsgiving" retreat for a group of volunteer quilters where quilts will be made to be given to Project Linus.  The novel delves into the lives of five of the participants:  Pauline (my favorite character), Linnea (a librarian), Michaela (a college student), Jocelyn (a teacher), and Karen (a quilt shop clerk).  The reader learns of the adversities each character has had to overcome.  The staff of Elm Creek Manor is not addressed much but I get the idea the reader already knows them from prior books.  I enjoyed reading about the quilting retreat whether it be about the participants getting to know each other, the extensive sewing time, and my favorite, being served three meals a day of delicious food without having to cook a thing!  I must say all the characters sounded like nice people, a few I'd like to spend some time with as long as we don't discuss politics.  An off-putting fact for me was that all the characters were left-leaning and a few promoted their views rather heavyhandedly.  For example, talk radio gets bashed while left-leaning NPR is promoted.  Another character instructs her budding journalist students "...to shine the light of truth upon injustice and inequity, and to never ignore an opportunity to make their community and the world a better place."  Somewhere along the way the purpose of the media has been lost or I should say taken over by people who want to further their agenda and not simply report the news.

I think the theme of the book is how we all encounter difficulties in life or as Jocelyn says, "Life wasn't fair, and sometimes goodness wasn't rewarded, and sometimes the wrong people won."  But no matter how bad your situation is, there is always someone having a worse time than you.  Helping other people ends up helping ourselves through the positive feelings generated by our actions.  We all have different motivations for charity, as different as we are as people, it seems. I think the book does a fine job of exploring this idea.

More info about the quilt pattern made in the book and Ms. Chiaverini's other books can be found here.  

If you're interested in winning a book,  just leave a comment and answer the following questions:  what quilting fiction (if any) do you read? What are your favorite books?  How you ever made a quilt to donate to Project Linus?

Sorry, I can't send international on this giveaway.  I'll pick 3 winners on Wednesday, April 3.  Please make sure I have a way of getting in touch with you.
 Almost forgot, here are the pins,

Thanks for visiting.

Beat the Winter Blues Giveaway

I have closed comments and will pick a winner soon! Thank you to all who commented.

 Welcome to the blog party hosted by the Quilting Gallery! I am participating in the fun to beat back those Winter Blues by offering a giveaway of the Fast-Forward book by Pat Sloan (yay, Pat!),

and along with the book the lucky winner will also get these 9 fat quarters...

I will ship internationally so the giveaway is open to all. Just leave a comment about some fabric you have your eye on, your favorite season, what project you are working on, whatever.  I'll pick a winner sometime on March 15.  Be sure I can contact you, if I cannot, I will choose another.
And be sure to check out all the other bloggers listed at the Quilter's Blog Hop Party over here.
Thanks for stopping by!

Getting My Mojo Back

I'm still tryin' to get back into the groove of sewing and what with a shelf chock full of quilt kits,

I thought I'd give this one a try.

Isn't this Laurel Burch theme fabric great?

So some serious cutting has been going on along with taking care of the ailing Queen, who my daughter gave SQ fluids to on Monday I might add!!!  She seems to think that sticking a needle into a cat feels like sticking a needle into a pile of fabric. Haha, I like how a quilter's daughter immediately thought in sewing concepts.

Now I just need to sit down and start sewing!  And just because it's so darn cute...

I think the photo is from The Cottage House, Minnesota.  It almost looks like the same kitty in the first picture.
Don't forget a giveaway starts here on Friday.
Thanks for stopping by~

Giveaway Day

Hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving spent with Family and Friends. I am feeling withdrawal pains as my daughter left this morning for her flight back to St. Louis and college life. Just a quick post to let you know about Giveaway Day sponsored at Sew Mama, Sew. I had a lot of fun blog hopping during last year's event even though I didn't win a darn thing.


I thought I'd participate in the Giveaway this year so be sure to visit here beginning December 2.

Winners

Sorry this is a day late, spent yesterday unpacking and running errands I should have done before leaving for the weekend. Simply wrote the commenters' names on pieces of paper and drew:
Mel
Andee
Kim

If all three would email me your addresses I'll send your gifts today! Mel you need to tell me what you'd like, and Andee you need to give me your first and second choices. And Kim gets what's left. I'm also adding a little extra surprise to each gift. Thank you all for entering. I love reading your comments!

It Was Love At First Sight

Went to my LQS and they had a quilt hanging up using red and blue reproduction fabrics with vintage looking shirtings made up using this pattern from the Jelly Roll Quilts book. Oh it was just so wonderful! I love the Jelly Roll book but I have to tell you, I had no interest in making the 9-patch wonder quilt from the picture they have in the book.

Here's the jelly roll and ack! my picture does not show how wonderful the Jelly Roll is! You'll have to trust me on this one.

And then I was one of the lucky winners on October first's Year of Schnibbles Parade! Yay, I won a Santorini charm pack and a Schnibbles pattern, I chose Picnic,from Quilt Taffy.

I just realized my 100th posting came and went with no recognition from me so I thought I'd have some giveaways.

First up is a little kit to make a fabric pumpkin. It looks better than the picture shows. The kit only makes one but if you can use your own fabric to make more.

Next up, 8 fat quarters by Free Spirit from a line called Celebrate, have no idea when it was out.


And last up, a doll sized quilt of leftover Japanese fabrics from a prior project. Sorry the picture is so bad. Anyway, leave a comment on this post by midnight Monday (October 19), make sure I have a way of getting in contact with you, and I'll chose 3 winners on Tuesday.



Meanwhile I am off to Washington University in St. Louis tomorrow for a long weekend.
Talk to you later.

New Project

Well I've put my prior debacle behind me and started a new project. While I was reading another blog, can't remember whose, I saw a project out of this book. In fact, the cover quilt started. It looked so cute and simple. I need an opportunity for success!

It seemed the perfect project for another Jelly Roll. It's not an "official" Jelly Roll per se but rather a compendium of mainly Dandelion fabrics with some Allspice Tapestry fabrics and others thrown in.




I so love 9 patches. They are so classic and timeless. I had to make a quick run to my LQS to get some fabric for the borders before it was gone. As is, I ended up settling for another color than what I was hoping for. Don't you just love that new ironing board cover? I am so hoping I can keep it nice for a while. It really perks up my sewing room.

Now, on to the scrap giveaway. I'd like to thank everyone for all your nice comments! I wrote everyone's name who commented prior to noon today on a piece of paper and put them into my favorite Pottery Barn cherry bowl and

picked "free indeed". So if you could email me your mailing address I'll get your package off to you! Thanks for stopping by.