Out With It, at last!

 Remember this sneaky peek, back in March? 

Well to say I am super excited would be an understatement, 

because Issue 17 of The Fat Quarterly is OUT!!!! 

And I am IN it!!!!

Color Me Happy Candy Sampler

Twice!!!

Chain Pieced Melody

This issue is filled to the brim with some really fun projects!

I just feel so honored to be included in such creative company!

  

I took a byzillion pictures!

No pressure, right?  It's just for a magazine!!!!

I hope you will check it out!

More Tuesday Tidbits

A summery gingham table topper for a school fundraiser.  And a chicken too, just for fun!

Was feeling a bit of an empty nest, so I made 2 more chickens! 

 (these haven't been "fed" yet, so they are a little slack)

                            

This is a work-in-progress!  I am thinking something orange-ish for the new cover?!

A parting shot of this wonderful bundle before it is sent on it's way!

Last but not least, these trimmings have been saved since January.  

The hubs thought the birds might like them for nest lining...we will see!

May your week be filled with grace, and abound in things that bring you joy and peace!

Long Distance Hug

Does anything wrap you in love more than a hug?  And if you can't give one in person, isn't a quilt the next best thing? 

 I am sharing a hug for my sister today.  

She has had her share of lemons lately, and so I thought a little "Lemonade" was in order.

She loves purples and pinks...very different from my own preferences of oranges and blues and greens.

So I came up with this simple quilt, (inspiration here), with color and fabric choices that fit the bill, and didn't break the bank, Thank you Hawthorne Threads  :)

Although I had my eye on a perfect tone on tone purple polka dot flannel for the back, it was really not in my fabric budget.  So I had some fun figuring out a backing from what I had on hand. 

The two solids I have had for a couple years, having won them in a giveaway back in 2011!  Why not use 'em?!  The pink vine is a vintage attic find of my mother's, perfect!  It is a coarser fabric, maybe like a flour sack material?

The binding is a solid from the same Kona bundle as the two on the back! I love the icy contrast, and how it matches the blue in the flowers perfectly, too :) 

This has proven to be one of those projects which has been such a labor of love, peaceful in it's simplicity of design and construction, the joyful beauty of the fabrics, knowing how that beauty will minister to my sister.  

I just can't wait to give this one away :)

xoxo, Weezie!

my sister, Louise, and Geoff, my hubs :)
2011

Finished size: 50" x 61"

Linking up with CrazyMomQuilts Finish It Up Friday!

This is also my first Q2 finish :)

  

  

Tuesday Tidbits

 Back in January I made a little "taggy comforter" for my niece's new baby, who is old enough now to enjoy it!  I'm told she will often just pull it over her head and "hang out" under it!  My niece has several friends expecting and since her baby loves the taggy so much, she asked if I would make a few more for her to give her friends.  It was so fun thinking of the wee ones that would be playing with them!

Wee M with her taggy :)

I used Sarah's Taggy Tutorial @ SewMe, except I used batting and backing for mine, instead of fleece.

At only 9" square, they are a good way to use scrap batting. 

We received this sweet parcel from Indiana, "soap savers", one for each of us...aren't they fun?!

Thank you so much, Miss Hannah! Can you guess which is mine?

                                              

And I finally made my very first lined drawstring bag, pattern by Jeni Baker :)

This will be included in the same Tennesee-bound package as the lil cowboy vest, for his sister :)

I used mini charms of "Color Me Happy" and "Marbles" from "PaintBox" by Cynthia Rowley 

I am sooo close to finishing the quilting on this lovely :) Can't wait to show off the back and binding too :)

and...another Chicken :)

see? any block is cute for these gals:)
 I <3 her!

See more chickens, and find out about The (Global!) Chicken Run giveaways with Avis @ OhSewTempting.  The next chicken is flying the coop from Virginia, soon! 

Hoosier Hannah bound :)

I hope you are enjoying a grace-full week!

linking up with BlossomHeartQuilts Sew Cute Tuesday :)

Li'l Cowboy Vest Tutorial

No little feller or gal wants to be caught out riding the range without a proper vest!

Here is what you need for a quick and easy wild west accessory:

1. 1/2 yd or less appropriate western fabric

2. 1 child's tank or sleeveless tee from Wal-Mart or wherever. 

Choose a color you like, it will be the lining.

(sleeveless is actually a better look, wider at the shoulder, but either works fine!  This  one is kind of a cross between the two...just whatever they have the day you shop is fine!)

3.  pins, scissors, seam ripper and thread in your sewing machine

That's it! Let's get started:  

1.  Disassemble the tank shirt.  Remove any collar or sleeve "banding".  Pick the seams from the shoulders and arm holes.  Measure your young'un from armpit to waist. Measure from arm hole to bottom of shirt, adding an inch or two for seam and growth allowance. Mark. Cut off bottom hem.

Keep in mind this construction process is not an "exact science"...if I can do it, you can too!

2.  Find center of front, along the bottom edge of shirt.  Using a straight edge and pencil, eyeball it best you can and make a mark along center line. Cut the front in half by cutting along line.

3. If there are no side seams, use your straight edge and pencil again to mark lines for the sides. Cut along lines, giving you 3 pieces: 2 front, 1 back. 

4.  Determine a neckline that pleases you.  Mark and cut both front pieces.  I would advise googling vests to see what style suits you.

5.  Next, lay out your 3 pieces on your fabric.  Pin and cut.  Your tee shirt pieces are both your pattern and your lining!

6.  Sew along the neck and arm hole edges and along the bottom and front.  Do not sew the shoulder or side(s). 

7.  Turn pieces right sides out and press.  Top stitch along arm holes, back collar, bottoms, and fronts.

I apologize for not having great pictures for this step, but when turned and top stitched, the pieces will look like this. They will be open, unsewed, at the shoulders and along the sides.

8.  Final step!  Pin the 2 front pieces to the back piece at the shoulders and along the sides.  Sew!

Press seam allowances open and top stitch at shoulders and sides.    

Voila!  Vest complete!

Buckaroo Up, li'l buddies!!!

Need chaps to go with that?

No-Sew Chaps tutorial here!

Love......

that the "dots" are really little "flowers", in the pink fabric, is a plus in my book:)

oh, that my ironing board might look like this always...

Linking up with Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday!

Chicken Run....the next relay

Remember these gals?

They've got a couple new friends!

This new pair will be winging their way back to Indiana, but I am hoping to add a new hen to the flock!

win this chicken here!

The newest "relay" of  Avis', @ OhSewTempting, Chicken Run is taking place right now over on Textile Dreamer!

All you have to do to win this sweet chunky little (German!) chicken, is leave a comment on her post telling her what you would name the hen and where it would be going to roost!

If you win, you get to make a chicken and give it away on your blog, and so on and so on!

Her giveaway is open through April 19th, so there is still time to be "in the Running"!!!

Good Luck!

Q2 Finish Along...I'm Still In!

As Spring arrives I foresee less time to sew, but I do have a few projects lined up for those rainy days sure to come!
 My list for the second quarter of the 2014 Finish-Along with The Littlest Thistle:

1.  I made progress on my Voyageur Quilt last quarter, but wasn't able to get it all together.  I have ALL the materials necessary to finish now, so hopefully this is a "gimme" for this go round. However, I am experiencing some trepidation with the prospect of all the straight quilting on this big quilt...I really hope I don't mess it up...time will tell.  And there is always the seam ripper....

2.  Happy Stack/Fly Home Quilt  I started putting this together last quarter, and I am LOVING it!  I made a slight alteration to the block arrangement to accommodate my complete lack of free motion quilting abilities!  

the original Happy Stack!

Fly Home, free downloadable pattern from Art Gallery, by Jeni Baker

 I may end up calling it "Back and Forth", in honor of our many moves in the last several years....

3.  Much like last quarter, something has come up which requires a special hug, in the form of a quilt.  Last quarter it was the Happy Healing Quilt for my Mother-In-Law, which I was able to finish, yay!
This time, a hug for one of my sisters.  I shall call it "Lemonade", because when life hands you lemons, you may just need a quilt instead!  I will use this "pattern" by Anna aka noodlehead, except mine will be smaller.

 I do not have the fabric in hand yet, but these are en route, from Hawthorne Threads :)

                               

Mmmmmm!  I think it will be absolutely delicious!!!

4. In keeping with the spirit of the Finish Along, I will also include a longer standing WIP this quarter.

I would like to finish at least one of the five Dresden Plate Quilts, begun by my Great Grandmother, Gertrude Artherholt, of Iowa :)

There are 20 original blocks, which I have made into 5 separate tops, one for each of my sisters, and myself.  There is an abundance of other pieces and parts with which I will make something for my Mom as well.

But for now, finishing just one would be awesome! But if I somehow finish more than one, I will count it as a separate finish also, Kay?

Good luck and happy sewing to all!!!