A Grand Day at Our Monthly Sew-in

This month I was able to go to our monthly sew-in at Anacortes. I missed last month because of the monster cold I had, so this month was more fun. And my friend Linda, from Fiber Fabrications came to the sew-in with me and that made it even more special. You should stop over and visit Linda at Fiber Fabrications - she makes the greatest crafts and spins her own yarns - and she raises Alpacas (that's where she gets the fiber to spin her yarn). Her other blog is Lost River Alpacas - and an amazing blog all about her alpacas.

And since she has so much spare time, she is doing a third blog about the upcoming local event - Lynden Craft and Antique Show. She showcases the local artists that will be at the show - you get to see samples of what the show will be featuring. The ride down to Anacortes and back home was delightful with Linda - great company!!

And now to our sew-in - one of the best we've ever had. The theme for our potluck was a tea party and so there were fancy little sandwiches, tiny cookies, cupcakes, cheesecakes and all manner of delicious food. Many of the ladies wore hats, gloves and pearls and some wore silly hats - it was great fun.

We have show and tell during the sew-in, and this time there were so many projects finished or nearly finished during the day that the cameras were busy all day.

Linda in her clever shirt that she made - it is made of shop hop fabric and we spent the day reading the cute sayings on it - like "When I learned to sew I forgot how to cook" - it is a darling shirt.

Linda made this entire quilt top during the sew-in. It is a kit from the Downy Quilt for Kids project. Downy Fabric softener is joining with volunteers all over the country to make quilts for kids who have life threatening illnesses or children of abuse. You receive a free kit of precut fabrics, instructions and backing. All you have to supply is batting. Once the quilt is finished you sign your first name and the name you have given the quilt and send it back to be distributed to a deserving child. What a grand project.

Linda's kit had darling fairy fabrics . . . some little girl is going to be thrilled and comforted with this quilt . . .

Now for some quilts from Susannah. Double Wedding Ring in striking colors. . .

Close up of the wonderful fabrics . . .

Lone Star - hand quilted - and done . . .

Susannah does wonderful hand quilting. . .

Another close up of the hand quilting . . .

Susannah started this Broken Star only a few months ago . . . we helped her choose the fabrics at a sew-in. We did good, don't you think? And Susannah did a marvelous job on this quilt.


Close up of the center of the Broken Star - this is machine quilted. . . and wonderful . . .

And another Lone Star that Susannah is working on . . . She calls this her Elly May Lone Star. Don't you just love that blueberry fabric?

Tomie dePaola (da POW la) is a children's author of fabulous books. This is the block that Susannah made is from Stroga Nona - the books are wonderful and you should read them to your kids or grandkids if at possible.

Sue Bee's colorful star quilt . . .That blue really makes the quilt glow . . .

Close up of those wonderful stars . . .

Mary is making a wall hanging of these striking paper pieced stars. . . with sunflowers in the middle . . .

This is Fergie's Bargello quilt that she was working on at the sew-in . . .

Bargello with leaf borders . . .

Daisy made this darling cat quilt - even though she has three dogs - I guess they gave their approval . . .

Close up of some of the kitties - that night sky fabric is just purrfect. . .


Susannah was in a group challenge that ended this month. This is her entry. A wonderful Farmer quilt - with scenes from the farm. The scenes are done in needle-turn applique.



Next post I will show you the photos of our christmas carol challenge quilts - they are coming along nicely - we are on step four now.

Thanks for coming to the sew-in with us - we are happy to have visitors any time. . .

Tea Wallet tutorial

I had so many great comments about the tea wallets in the last post - and the ladies at the tea party loved them. I see that I forgot to show the tutorial (I really thought I had done it) for making them.

If you visit Is It Naptime Yet you will find the best, and easiest to follow tutorial. It was fun to make the tea wallets because the instructions were so clear and easily followed. Thanks for the great tutorial.

Tea Wallets - for my friends

I wrote this post earlier this week and got it ready to go for Saturday morning (today) - after we have all gathered at the sew-in, at Anacortes, WA. The reason - because these little tea wallets are for all the ladies who will be at the sew-in today. For our potluck we are having a tea party - tiny open faced sandwiches, little sweet desserts, and of course tea.

Often at tea in England there would be gifts or crafts for those in attendance, and I thought these tea wallets would be perfect - just the thing to carry your tea bags with you so you always have your favorite tea, any place you go.

They are made like little books - with pockets inside for your teabags. I had so much fun picking out the fabrics - I got to pick two fabrics for each tea wallet.

This is the inside - cute fabric but you can't really see the pockets very well . . . I like this fabric because the bears are having tea . . .

So here is one with contrasting pockets . . . and a pretty ribbon to button it closed with


Buddy E. decided he liked the looks of one of the pockets with pretty flowers on it . . .

And then he decided he needed to help stitch the pocket - he loves the sewing machine . . . fortunately none of his arms or legs - or is it just legs on a frog - got sewn into the little tea wallets.

It was also fun picking the buttons to close the tea wallets . ..

More cute fabrics - I like the sewing machine sewing the curtains for the window . . .

And here is one filled with tea bags. As you can see, I'm a fan of decaf tea, and some would not consider that "real" tea, but I love it. What is your favorite tea? Maybe next I'll show you all my teapots - or soon anyway.

Help - I need some fabric

I know - we all "need" fabric - but this time I have a specific request.


I started a project, not knowing just how much of this holly fabric I would need - and I now find that I need 2 or 3 more yards. I have spent a day and a half searching the internet - and found it only one place - and that was a listing from 2009 on ebay - so needless to say - it was gone.

If anyone out there has a yard, or 2 or 3, that they would be willing to sell - I sure would appreciate it - and I promise not to start any more projects without knowing just how much of a certain fabric I'm going to need (yeah, like that is going to work)

I do indeed know that the ruler is upside down - but you can still see the scale of the little holly bunches. And the background must be white - as that is the fabric I started with and anything else would look muddy next to it.

Thanks for looking.

Sushine in my mailbox

The wonderful Lili - at Fearless Nesting - had a give-away about a week ago or so - and I was one of the lucky winners. She gave something to each person that left a comment -what a sweet thing to do. If you have not been to Fearless Nesting - your really are missing some of the fun in life. The blog is upbeat, clever and always entertaining. Do stop over - and let her know I sent you.

And here is what came in my mailbox - some sunshine from Maine.

A pretty little box - painted and decorated by Lili . . .

You can see the colors better in this photo - the design better in the other one . . .

Pretty pieces of seaglass that Lili finds on the beach - oh the colors look like pieces of the sea . . .

Here they are - on our dining room table - Ben (4 year old grandson) says they look like candy

And here is where they will live - in a crystal butter pat - just the place for a bit of sunshine from Maine. Thank you Lili.

Sunday Favorites

Be sure to visit Chari to find more Sunday Favorites - re-runs of our favorite posts.

Some of you have been asking for more adventures of Buddy E. (frog) and Grampa Bear (bear, of course) - so to start off those who haven't met them - I thought I'd rerun this post on Sunday Favorites.

These two characters go most places with us. Most times we can keep them out of mischief -but you just never know what they are going to do, at any moment.

Buddy E is the frog - he has really long dancing legs, like Buddy Ebsen (remember Beverly Hillbillies?). Buddy E. loves to get into just about anything and always wants to join in, no matter what I'm doing. He cooks, cleans (well messes up while I clean), reads, sews, writes (on things he shouldn't write on) and eats.

He likes a drink of Pepsi now and then . . .

Loves the swings in the park and . . .

Gets into things in my studio. . .

He is sometimes joined by a friend or two - and then we are really in trouble. Grampa is our travelling bear. He has gone to Wisconsin on the train, shopping at Oshkosh B'Gosh in Wisconsin, on boat rides, on picnics, to Canada and often stows away and I don't notice him until we are on our way, and it is too late to turn around and leave him at home. His favorite place to ride now is in Ben's carseat in the back of our car - he can see things better from that spot.

His favorite thing is picnics - any time - any place!!! And like all good bears - Grampa likes to rummage around in the food and see what's happenin'.

And of course, like all bears - he eats too much - but is happy as can be. . .

When we went to a cabin at Silver Lake, Grampa made friends with the Blue Jays by having his friend Murray give them some peanuts. Sometimes he is nice about sharing.

At the lake Buddy E likes to have a snack of Mexican food -
and a good dose of hot sauce.

He climbed up on top of the birdhouses at my cousin's house in Oregon . . .

And sat by her flowers - he was pretty good this time - didn't pick any flowers - that I saw

And took a long ride, dangerous on her wooden whale . . .

Got dizzy on her whirling flower - urrrp . . .

And swung n the aliums in the wind!

Come back again for the the later adventures of Buddy E and Grampa!!!

Tulips in the spring

The tulips are not quite blooming here yet - but they are blooming in my dreams. These tulips are all from California - in gardens I had when we lived there. I adore tulips and can't have them here because the deer eat them like candy. There is hardly anything sadder than coming out the door on a lovely spring day to look at the flowers and finding all the heads bitten off the tulips - sad indeed. So no tulips here - but we can enjoy that California tulips. Come along - they are waiting for you.

I love red and white tulips together . . .

These red tulips were in a window box - they really perked up the house - and we could see them from the dining room table.

Tulips in a raised bed, with borage growing outside the bed . . .

And who can resist yellow tulips along a picket fence?