CDTC Link Up For May

I managed to do my blocks for May (and got caught up on the April ones too). 

 I made 3 of the blocks. 

This is block 11.  

I did it a bit differently and just used the striped fabric to make the package.

This block, 12, was a bit tricky for me to make.  I had to wrap my head around how to do it.  I like how it turned out though.

This block, 13, was my least favorite to make. 

 I, of course, charged ahead, thinking well I know how to make a log cabin block. 

 WRONG!  

You need to READ the directions.  

She tells you when to trim the block and to what size before you go on adding logs.  

Me?  

I made it and trimmed at the end.  Leaving me with a gigantic block.

 *Face Palm*.  

So what did I do? 

 I ripped it all apart and started over, trimming as was suggested as I went along.  

Additionally, if I had to do it again, I would use aquas with the same value. 

 Then I could have turned them like how the white is in the photo below. 

All in all though, it is finished and I can move on to the next ones.

I will likely procrastinate the June blocks until after the wedding shower in NC mid month.

Now it's your turn. 

Have you finished your May (or any previous month's ) blocks?

Please link up!

~XOP~

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Weekend Shenanigans

It was a very slow sewing weekend.

I did finish binding a baby quilt but I can't share it just yet.

I started on this circle of geese and I have to say I forgot how fun this pattern is.

I have half finished.

I did this in a swap a LONG time ago and it took me so much longer to make then.

I guess my paper piecing is improving!

Since there is not much sewing, I will just share cats.  

Cole was hanging out next to me last night and I snapped this pic of him.  

Hallie sits on her "tuffet" on our deck quite a lot.  I'm not sure what the attraction of this is for her.

She has also claimed the dog house I put out for the stray cats.

Oh Hallie!

So my daughter gave us this plastic ball on a string on a stick for the cats.  

Cole has embraced this as his personal toy. 

 He cries and cries until I play with him. 

 He is quite the acrobat, actually. 

We play and play until he finally catches it. 

 I have to drop the stick and then he trots off with the entire thing and drops it. 

 Then he cries again until I go get it and we start all over again.  

You can watch him here.

I hope you all had a good weekend. 

 We were out at the farm with hubby getting the camper ready to go out, hopefully soon!  

My daughter had Stan and Artemis out of the barn. 

 I got to play "Chase" with Stan. 

You run and he chases you.  It is so cute! 

 If you stamp your foot like you do sometimes when you play with a dog, he leaps into the air. 

So funny! 

 I think my daughter might have gotten video of us playing and if so 

I will see if I can upload it here later.  

(If anyone wants to see this game!)

Hoping to get some sewing done this week, but since I am "helping" hubby get ready to go away to Canada for the week, this is doubtful. 

 I have SO much to do but I also have so much outside work to do! 

 Decisions, decisions.  

Which would you choose?

~XOP~

Finished a 2010 BOM!

BAM!  Another WIP can be crossed off the list. 

 Not that any of you even remember this quilt, LOL. 

I participated in the Christmas BOM at the Fat Quarter Shop in 2010.  

They were VERY generous with their fabric and I was able to eek out 2 blocks for each kit they sent!  I made one for me and one for my friend, Liz that does a lot of my quilting for me.

 She got hers quilted right up and has probably been using it for the last 9 years!  

Me?  Not so much.  

Liz quilted it and it sat in my closet waiting for be to *finally* put some binding on it.  

Anyone else do this?  No?  Sheesh. 

 I figured in my glorious binding extravaganza I have been having this month I would cycle it in. 

 I thought I had made the binding but alas that was not true.  

Then came the hunt for the fabric that matched this to make binding. 

 I was able to find it and make binding and now will have this glorious quilt to snuggle under!

The custom quilting is so fabulous!

Ho ho ho across the top of the stocking

Love the roof on this house

Love the quilting on the cap and the pom pom

I love this wreath too.

 Notice the cat in the center of the wreath?

I am so happy to be able to share this quilt!

I am even happier that it is now finished!

~XOP~

Twin Fun

My daughter's best friend had twin baby girls this past April. 

 I knew when she told us that I would make quilts for the girls.  

Mama is very particular about things so I got the OK on colors from her before I started. 

I found the beautiful line by Riley Blake, Neverland, really fit the bill.

Since the girls are not identical I didn't want the quilts to be identical either.  

I would use the same fabrics but different quilt patterns.  

They received the quilts yesterday so I can now post about them.

This Meadowland quilt was made for sweet Audrey.

 I had my friend, Liz, quilt fairies into both quilts.

This Starburst quilt was made for sweet baby Brooke.

I just love this fabric so much!

Of course I had to center Peter, Hook and Wendy in some of the stars.

I found a coloring page that had these awesome ships on them. 

 I decided they needed to become the labels for these quilts. 

 As you can see I used Tinkerbell fabric for the back of both quilts.

Mama was gracious enough to send me photos right away with both babies enjoying their quilts.

I just love when the mamas do this!

You can't get much sweeter than these two little cuties now can you? 

 I hope to be able to meet them in real life very soon.  

They live many states away so it might take some time. 

For Audrey and Brooke, made with love and little pieces of my heart!

~XOP~

Dressmaker SWA2000

How was everyone's weekend?  Mother's Day always brings mixed emotions for me. 

 My own mother has been gone for over 18 years now and we were not particularly close.  

None of my own children were around this weekend for various reasons, but everyone checked in.  The weather was less than optimal so I decided I needed to do some things around the house. 

 I chose to work on my vintage Dressmaker sewing machine on Saturday. 

 I bought her at the SA and she needed some help. 

 I got a new shuttle for the bobbin area and cleaned and oiled that and installed it.

Only to realize that she also needs a new belt.

I cleaned it all up inside and oiled everything I could figure out to oil.

I am still trying to figure out how to grease the motor.  I spent a few hours working on her.

It is very promising.  The cabinet is not in very good shape.  

In addition, unless you have a short chair, 

I am not sure how you would use the knee pedal to make it run.  

The front of the cabinet is very long.  

I am thinking to see if I can figure out how to convert into a foot pedal.  

I think it will be as easy as un-mounting it from the cabinet and removing the knee lever.

Once I get a belt and can make sure that she will actually run, 

then I will purchase some feet and start looking for the cams for the decorative stitches. 

 It is a really nice little machine and would be a great machine for someone 

once I get it all figured out.

I don't plan on keeping her so if you know anyone that might be interested please send them my way.  I just want out of her what I have put into her.

~XOP~

Pea Fowl

We went over to visit our daughter last night and to play with the pea babies. 

First we had to visit with the adult pea fowl in the pens.  

This video shows her hand feeding her blue male, Gadget, and one of her females, Sola.  

Jocelyn the turkey got into the feeding too.  

She is one of my favorite birds.  

She always comes up to me, especially if I have dandelion heads, her favorite!

You can see Gadget here and her rooster, Tanner.

We saw Stan and Artemis too but I forgot to get photos of them in the barn.

Gadget is not old enough to have a train yet, but her other male, Orion has his.

Isn't he gorgeous?

He is a purple peacock.

Just look at those gorgeous colors!

His eye feathers are so amazing.  I see a quilt in this.  Purple, teal and gray.

Watch Orion shake his tail feathers!

Lastly we played with babies!

Photos are orange due to the heat lamps in the room.  

They are seriously the cutest things in the world!

Maybe I need to plan a purple quilt?

Maybe I already am...

~XOP~