A Blanket of Love...

I'm going to take a chance that a certain bride is waayyy too busy to visit my blog today...on her wedding day...so that I can share the finished Wedding Peacocks quilt with you. By the time you read this, it will already be safely packaged and wrapped in pretty wedding wrapping paper.

Today is the big day...a celebration of a grand, new chapter in the lives of our friends, Bara and Iman. Our gift is this blanket of love, infused with prayers and fond wishes for a long and happy marriage for them. We're so honored that we'll be there to witness their wedding and be a part of their special day.

I'll tell you all about it on Monday. Happy Saturday, my friends.

Such A Great Idea...

If you're anything at all like me, you have a stack of fabric scraps from projects past. Beautiful, wonderful, colorful fabrics that make you feel happy and full just looking at them. Come on, now. I know you do!

Remember when I tried my hand at applique' the very first time? I was so bummed that the teacher told me it "wasn't good enough" and that I should "do it over"? I know I complained to all of you when it happened, and I said that I'd never make another applique' project, so I took that one appliqued block (reworked it) and made it the centerpiece of a quilt that got an honorable mention at our guild quilt show.

Well, that nasty, demanding, unreasonable teacher and I have been friends now for about over a year. She's one of the women I share coffee with most Saturday mornings at Sandy's Quilt Shop. Her name is Flo. Did I tell you I now love this woman? Yup. I know. I could knock you over with a feather, right?

Not only did I rework that original block, but I have since done more applique' work (that Scrappy Dresden Plate quilt I'm working on requires applique', as do the monthly minis for Sandy's monthly QAL) and now in charge of the design for our next guild Opportunity (raffle) Quilt for 2014. Do you know what I've chosen for us to do? You guessed it if you said, "an applique' quilt"! I'll save that whole story for another day, but for now, I want to tell you about an idea that our friend, Flo shared during our coffee group.

When she has leftover scraps from a project, she spends a little time at the end of her day, takes some of the fabrics, and cuts them into 2 1/2" (or 1 1/2") strips. Then she chooses three different fabric strips, joins them into two different arrangements (light, dark, light and dark, light, dark) strips and cuts them into 2 1/2" (or 1 1/2") strips so that she can make nine-patch blocks. After she makes the blocks, she places them into a basket until she has enough to make a scrappy quilt from those blocks.

She uses a neutral cotton for the sashing and the borders. They're colorful and beautiful, and she usually adds applique' to the borders for an extra special touch. She shared one of her quilts with us last weekend and is was gorgeous. When all her assembly is finished, she usually hand quilts the finished top, making it even more special.

I've decided I want to be like Flo when I grow up. She's a seasoned soul who has seen and done a lot in her life (80+ years) and when she finally goes out (years from now), she'll leave behind people who love her and a pile of quilts that will stagger any imagination.

I can tell you one thing for sure. She's made me a better quilter, and with every project I complete, I strive to meet her high standards. (She's says I've really improved!)

So, I'm going to tackle those scraps (in between my projects), just to catch up on making nine-patch blocks...and when I have a sizeable pile, I'll make my first nine-patch quilt from all my leftover fabric pieces. Thank you, Flo.

You gals are the best! Smooches.

Thank you to everyone who left me a comment about my outfit for the wedding. You're all so considerate and complimentary. I read all of your comments and just want to tell you that I promise to share what I learn at the wedding. I'll tell you what I can about their customs, how the other women dress for the celebration...and all about the food, which I expect to be absolutely fabulous!

Because of your kind remarks, I'm much more comfortable in my clothing choice for the big day. Heck, you'd think I'm the bride with as much thought and preparation I've put into this! At any rate, I promise to tell you all about it next week. Thanks again!

Ahead Of Schedule...

Photo courtesy of Peacockpictures.net

My deadline to get the Wedding Peacocks quilt top to Kathy was April 13th. She's going on vacation on the 17th and needed to have my project to her ahead of that so she can quilt it for me before she leaves. I finished it last night - ahead of schedule!

Photo courtesy of Peacockpictures.net

I'm taking the quilt top to her first thing today, and then I'll catch up on a few other projects that have been patiently waiting for me.

I'm really happy with the way it turned out and I'll share pictures of it with you in a month or so (closer to the wedding date). We don't want certain brides-to-be seeing it before she and her new husband open the gift package, do we?

I'm going to be making some mug mats and napkins with the leftover fabrics from the quilt. I'll be adding those to my Etsy shop when they're finished. I also have another project that I'm going to add to the shop in the next week that I think the grandmas and moms are going to love!

I also have twenty one blocks to make for April for the Farmer's Wife QAL, and I'm ready to finish my Scrappy Plates quilt, too. I love having lists, but I think this is a little ridiculous. Don't you?


Tag will be writing replies to the friends who commented on his post yesterday. He just had to wait for me to turn on the computer for him first. I promised him I'd help him after the Peacocks were finished, so if you wrote a note to him on Tuesday, he'll be getting back to you soon.

Time to head to Sandy's Quilt Shop. Have a great day!

Against The Wind...

I'm a busy bee these days! If you haven't heard a response to your comments left here lately, please accept my apologies! I read each and every note you leave for me, but I have a few deadlines staring me in the face and they're nearly requiring my undivided attention.

I'm making these...

 and this...

 and a little of this, too.

Orders that need to be finished and shipped.

One quilt that's progressing nicely, and 

the two QALs calling to me at random moments.

Still a few other projects yet to be started and requiring a quick finish.

"...deadlines and commitments.

What to leave in, what to leave out..."

I'll get everything done. I always do. It's almost a game with me.

Make a list. 

Select patterns and fabrics.

Focus.

Check off as I accomplish a project.

Fret the deadlines.

Crow when I'm finished.

Repeat.

Check back for updates, my friends.

(Cheerleaders appreciated!)

I promise I'll keep you posted.

A Little Mystery Is Good...

I haven't been sharing any current wedding quilt updates for a really good reason. Seems a certain bride-to-be (for whose wedding the quilt is being created) took a little stroll around these parts the day I posted the fabric I'll be using! How's that for not-so perfect timing?

Because I never know exactly when that sweet thing might visit again, anything else I share about the project will be obscure until right before, or after the big day.

I do want you to see that I've received the template set and book that I was waiting for from Marti Mitchell's website. Now that these treasures have arrived, I'll begin the cutting and creating. I'm so looking forward to making this one. I have high hopes that it will be gorgeous and that our friends, the groom and his bride, will be happy with the finished quilt.

I'll share more photos next week. Vague and mysterious, of course.

Tonight's the big night. I'll be closing the giveaway at 11 pm ET. I've noticed that we're so close to 700 followers/friends. If we hit 701 by this evening, I'll give away two of the gifts (two winners!).

Good luck to all. Have a great weekend! I'm off for Saturday morning coffee with my girlfriends!

A New Week, A New Quilt...

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you might have noticed that until this year I usually only have one quilt going at a time. (I'm always working on a few things at once, but usually only one quilt at a time.) So far in 2012, I'm working on a Scrappy Plates quilt and our Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt QAL.

I told you recently that we'll be going to Michigan in May to a friend's wedding. That beautiful card with a peacock feather attached is their wedding announcement. When I decided that I wanted to make something special for them, I knew that a quilt would be our gift to them. (I asked each of them their favorite colors when we had dinner with them. Bara said he loved blues and black, and his future wife, Iman said she loved jewel tones and green.) With that knowledge in hand, I went in search of fabric.

A few days after our dinner with the couple, I was sitting with the gals in our Saturday morning coffee group at Sandy's Quilt Shop. We were chatting away when I noticed a piece of fabric hanging on the wall. I was stunned! It was perfect!

Kathy and Nora went and grabbed the newly arrived collection for me to see and after I chose which of the fabrics in the line I wanted to use, they had to unwrap them to cut the yardage!

My appointment date for Kathy to do the long-arm quilting on this piece is April 20th (or thereabouts), so now I have a deadline, too. This week, I'll be laying out the fabrics, deciding on a design and I'll commence to cutting and sewing. I'm so excited to see how this queen size quilt will look. Can you even believe my great good fortune in finding this collection? Kathy and Nora were tickled for me!

So, although I have Farmer's Wife blocks to assemble and Scrappy Plates to finish, the Wedding Peacocks will be at the front of the line this week.

Today, I'll close with a photo of me with my very own little leprechaun, "Taggart O'Corgi". Did you know that he'll be a year old on April 3rd? I can't believe how quickly time flies with a growing puppy!

Tag asked me to remind you about our Third Blog Anniversary giveaway. If you haven't signed up for the drawing yet, here's the link to our giveaway post.

Tag will be back tomorrow with his own post, but today, we both wish you a beautiful and creative week!