mr. monkeysuit

Spidey

At the beginning of the month I received my next installment in the Block Party quilting bee. A beautiful selection of fabrics all neatly cut up into strips and a little note on how to make spiderweb quilts.

(photo by Ashley at dogged )

Spiderwebs. I have loved these quilts from afar ever since Amandajean mentioned them but to actually make one...well, I had gotten that far in my thinking. Nothing like a push out of your comfort zone and into the lap of paper piecing.

BFF Claire came to spend a whole lovely week with me and together we busted them out. Do you know how much quicker it is when two of you work on a project? Not to mention so much more gossipy and fun. It took Claire and I two hours to make these two blocks and I just love them. Claire loved them too and now we are both contemplating the commitment to a whole quilt of them.

So, just in time the quilting bee is done and now I can look forward the next challenge.

Claire and I had a super crafty week, and I've got lots of fun stuff to post about soon. But first, we are heading back to London for a week on Monday...so very excited...to see friends and family, go shopping, show the kids some sights. Hopefully I'll have lots to share when I get back.

Keep well.

numbers of things

3 - necklaces made this weekend

5 - months I have been meaning to post about this sweet pattern sent to me by the lovely Dawn. (See also: this amazing tutorial by her. I can't wait to try it.)

40 - age Andy will be on Monday

7 - loads of laundry waiting for me in the basement.

2 - dancing pirate fairies in my dining room on Sunday

 

160 - dollars I made at the craft fair on Saturday

76 - cookies I made for Floyd's class for Valentine's Day

8 - cookies left

54 - degrees today. So, so great even if it is pouring with rain

3 - random things about me

- I hate wearing a watch to the point of obsession, but am rarely late. I can't stand hearing clocks ticking either.

- I just moved my sewing room around again so both of us can sew at the same time. 

- When eating boiled eggs and soldiers, I love the egg yolks but not the egg whites, they creep me out. 

7 - days I'm taking off from blogging to spend with special wonderful friends from far afield coming to celebrate my lovely husband's birthday.

almost there

Almost done. Lucky I have that extra pair of hands coming soon. If you didn't click that link you should...that is, if you have any interest in seeing some of the most rocking Liberty fabrics EVER.

I am thanking my lucky stars that we are going back to the UK in March. I wonder where I'll go first...hmmm can't think of anything I particularly want to do there. Can you?

I don't want to tempt the weather gods but we have just had the warmest weather in months. It has been about 40 degrees for three days now and it looks like the rest of this week is going to be pretty warm too. I know that it won't last, that this isn't really spring, but it sure feels good.

blue

This weekend I'll be.....

finding beauty in the land of ice and snow

binding some quilts


thinking about this project

organizing my embroidery thread....and wishing I had an extra pair of hands.

making necklaces

playing pirates

Reading Peter Pan in a tepee and cuddling with the dog who is anxiously awaiting spring too.

I hope this weekend you'll be as warm and cozy as a beagle in a quilt.
 

so, let me tell you about this estate sale

I'm on the mailing list for a local estate sale company and an email came through about an upcoming sale.
A home owned by two ladies....that were dressmakers....in the 50's! Come on. Seriously, does it get any better?
Of course I went and of course it was a madhouse. I have never been at such a busy estate sale. People in every room jostling and pushing, trying to spy their own personal treasure.  But the stuff, man...the stuff. It was a perfect time capsule, as though nothing had been thrown away for 50 years. Dresses, hundreds of beautiful 50's dresses, a whole table full of vintage buttons, knick-knacks, furniture, all kinds of stuff.
But why bore you with mere words, here's what I got.

This cute dress for Cissie. It probably won't fit her this year but seeing as it has been sitting in a cupboard for 50 years another 1 probably won't hurt. I LOVE the apron and want to try it out on my next handmade dress for Cissie.

An oversize velvet hair bow. Essential for every little girl.

These shelves...desperately in need of a new coat of paint but seeing as how I've already put the kids art supplies on them (see below) it is unlikely to happen any time soon.

And you knew there had to be some of the aforementioned vintage buttons. A whole bag full in fact.

To see more of this legendary estate sale goodness check out Vicki's and Susan's posts. Those gals made out like bandits.

in my sewing room

Lots of random musings today but first thanks for all your nice comments on my last post. February....blergh...glad I'm not the only one.

So.....I bought a new sewing machine. Yes I did. It's mine. I love it and I can't believe I haven't always owned a Bernina.
Bernina owners you will know instantly what I mean and the rest of you go ahead, ditch those old machines and do yourself the biggest favor ever and get a Bernina.
I used to own a Singer that I bought way back when we first moved to America. Back in the days when I didn't quilt or sew clothes, back when I had an idea that I wanted to sew but really didn't know anything about it.
I never loved that machine. Never. I couldn't get a decent straight stitch out of it and the applique/satin stitch would almost make me cry. Now the Bernina...well that just makes me smile. So smooth, so even, so easy to use, I have to wonder why there is even any other kind of sewing machine made. (Except my Pfaff...love my Pfaff Gand Quilter....for quilting that things rocks.)
I justified the mammoth expense by reminding myself that :
a. I will own this machine for the rest of my life.
b. I make money out of my sewing.
c. It might just keep me sane through this winter. (Can it snow any more? Apparantly, yes)

So apart from not looking forward to my credit card bill I am feeling good.

Here's my first project with my new machine...

The other thing I wanted share with you today is this video. A friend emailed me about this blog (utterly brilliant) and on it I found the following video. I nearly cried I laughed so hard.
Happy Monday!