Supernova Beginnings...

I have been so anxious to start this quilt, but with the others I am working on, I just haven't had enough time. I finally made some time and am so excited with how nicely these huge blocks come together! I love the scale of the blocks and the variety of prints you can use. I have two blocks done- of the nine- and the next one ready to be pieced.
I must admit, I wasn't too crazy about my fabric choices on the first, only for the reason that I am making a "sunset" colors quilt, and the blues came out a little too strong. That's ok, because the second block turned out exactly as I had pictured in my mind for this quilt. I think the blues will just blend in once I get all the blocks made. I can hardly stop making these blocks so I can see how the next one will turn out. You use a wild formula of which piece in your chosen series goes where, and they wind up looking a bit different than you think they will initially, on paper. But that's the fun and surprise of it. I am loving it!!

I am so thrilled that Lee made this quilt along available over at http://freshlypieced.blogspot.com/ so I could have my perfect sunset quilt!! It's my favorite time of day, you see. So have a happy sunset today- I am excited to get my tangible sunset finished soon!

~

PS- been switching around rooms in the house the past 3 days- almost have a little space for me (half of a room, but I am sooooo grateful for that half) and my sewing! Yipee!!

Jack-a-lope yumminess!

Have you ever tried one of these?? Oh. my. yumminess! You must search one out and get it! :) It's a hybrid of a honeydew and cantalope, and talk about perfection. It's smooth like a honeydew, yellow-y orange like a cantalope, and bigger like a honeydew. I now think it's the perfect summer fruit- right behind Georgia peaches! :) Oh and I love me some Georgia peaches, so sad I live so far away now. That's ok, I can still taste them in my brain :) hehe! Anywho- if you can find one of these yummies- you just gotta try it! It's worth every penny :)

Thrifting and more sewing :)

I found these lovelies at the thrift store this past week- I have never found a red or blue, so I was tickled :) The red is a 1 qt. casserole and the blue is a fridgie- neither have lids, but I was still happy about it. It's been a while since I have found any Pyrex, so it made me smile :). I sorted these blue and orange into pairs and have been sewing them together. Then you cut them from corner to corner to make 4 half square triangles :). It's a good activity to take along with me as I run places with the kiddos. This will be my warm cool quilt along quilt.
My other brilliant idea of the weekend was to rearrange rooms in our house and get my hubby's office and my sewing room in the same room- that would give me a "semi-all mine" sewing room :)!!! Yipee Skipee- much better than the part bedroom/part living room as I have it now! Let me tell you how thrilled I am- I am itching to get going! I have to shift 4 rooms of furniture to get it to work- that's what I'll be doing the next few days :) Fun, fun, fun!

The Challenge and Design Boards

I've been following along with Miss Leila over at http://sewnbyleila.blogspot.com for the Sampler quilt along. There was no block this week, just tips and help for designing our own blocks. She challenged us to make a 4x4 block at the end of her post. It's one of those things that I am sure has been created at some point before, since quilting has been around for so long. But since I am new to the art, this is the design I thought of- I am calling it "Intermingling Pinwheels". There are 4 pinwheels, all turing around each other. I love pinwheels, so this just called to me. If anyone knows if this block has an "official" name, I'd love to know it :).

I also saw this darling tute over at http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/ - Miss Lori's blog. She is so fun and I love how she makes EVERYTHING c-u-t-e!! It makes me smile. I have already messed up several blocks between the cutting board and my sewing machine- so these mini design boards have come in very handy indeed! I finished them and began using them yesterday! LOVE them! They are 10" square and I am so excited to make more sizes!
Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine this weekend!

Take Two

You know how things can just eat at ya- well, that's what this butter churn block did all this weekend. It didn't have enough contrast and I just had to make a new one to get it "right". The old one will become a matching pillow, I think :) Much better--- ahhhhhh.

Then, I have all my thread spools in an antique sewing chest. I love it- it was my Grandmother's, but it is overflowing and I can't find colors I need when I need 'em. So I found these at Joann's , with a sale, of course, and also an extra 10% off coupon! Love a good deal! Fabric is about the ONLY thing I buy that's not on sale :). And I go nuts when it is :). hehe. So these are now hung in my bedroom (I would so love a sewing room - someday) and it is so fun to see all the colors smiling back at me. I can find the color I want now too- added bonus!

Working on lots of quilts this week- hoping to also get the binding handsewn on my Bottled Rainbows quilt- almost there. I finally figured out I wanted to use Annie's Farm Stand to make the Farmer's Wife quilt, but all the prints I want are over $300. Yikes- definitely not within the budget. I've called all my lqs, and none carry that line. Shoot! We'll see what I come up with :)

Remember...

Happy Independence Day to all Americans out there :) May we remeber those fighting to keep us free and cherish every moment of that freedom! May it forever be part of us---

from http://bippityboppityboo.tumblr.com/ via Pinterest :)

Happy Mail Day :)

I love it when I have a great reason to do the happy dance at the mailbox!! It was one of those days a couple of days ago---I got my Farmer's Wife Sampler book and my Material Obsessions 2 book! I will be making the Gypsy Kisses out of MO2 and will be working (probably forever) on the FWQAL :) It is way over my head, but I like to push myself, so there you go :) I am just having the darndest time picking out fabrics on the internet- gotta get to a LQS soon!Leila's Sampler quilt we are doing over at http://sewnbyleila.blogspot.com as a quilt along has been teaching me a lot- for instance, when I think a print is not "too busy" , it usually IS!! hehe! So it is good I am doing it before and as I will be going along on the Farmer's wife too- every little bit helps me :) Here's block 3 from this week! Even though it's busy, I still like it tons! I wanted a pink-a-lious quilt for a little girl, and I'll be getting one :) Love it!

Happy a sunny day and a 4th full of sunshine inside!!