Snowman Finished

I finally finished my snowman!  I need to come up with a better name, but my brain is so overloaded with work and getting ready to leave for Australia that I am unable to think of anything the least bit creative.  This rug was made to satisfy two different efforts.  It was originally designed for a Wool Club project.  We all hooked holiday-themed projects that will be photographed to create a set of Christmas cards.  We will each receive a complete set (one of each project).  I then plan to donate my rug to my quilt guild's auction in November.  It's almost ready to go - I just need to come up with a name and create a label.

My next post will probably be from Australia - I head out on Friday.  I've prepped plenty of applique for the long flight!

Shop Hop

The 2010 Country Shop Hop was lots of fun!  There were a few duds, and I wasn't all that impressed with the "special" fabric, but overall I had a great time.  I started out Thursday at Warrensburg.  I opted not to head up to Higginsville, a decision I regret since I ran short of time anyway.  The shop in Warrensburg, Primitive Stiches, is very cute and had lots of fantastic fall and Christmas wool applique projects.  From there I headed to shops in LaMonte and Sedalia.  The LaMonte shop had an excellend version of one of the x-block patterns on display.  I have the pattern and the ruler, and her sample made me want to get started on making my own.

After work on Friday I headed over to Warsaw to visit Saltbox Primitives Woolens.  I absolutely loved the shop!  I have purchased from them at shows, but had never been out to their shop.  It was really cute outside and in:

I found the perfect fabrics for the leaves in The Blessings quilt there. They had a couple of really cute rug patterns, too, but I resisted temptation.  I have way too many rugs in the works already and lots of patterns waiting in the wings.  They also had a couple of antique quilts on display that dated back to the late 1800s.  The quilts were recently given one of the ladies in the shop by someone who was clearing out a relative's house for an estate sale.  They were in incredibly good shape!

After Saltbox, I visited the shop in Lincoln and all three participants in Stover.  I ended the day with a wonderful look at fall colors along Hwy W and dinner at Panera.

I wrapped up the hop with the last three shops on Saturday.  The shop in Camdenton is a lot of fun!  I ended up signing up for another BOM there - Buggy Barn's Folk Art Blooms - beginning in Jan 2011.

I visited Ha Ha Tonka to take a few more pictures of the castle before hitting the road.  I plan to do the castle as my landscape project with Ann Marie Littenburg in November. 

I had hoped to get a picture of the castle with fall fall foliage, but found that all the trees surrounding it are junipers, so no such luck. Perhaps I will have to make a few adjustments...

Shop Hop Time!

I am soooo excited - I am going on a shop hop tomorrow!  I actually have to work first, but I am leaving early in the afternoon and heading out across Missouri to begin hopping.  I haven't been on a hop in a long time, and the last few times I participated I only visited a couple of the shops.  My intent is to visit all of them this time, but I'll have to see how it goes tomorrow and Friday.

I love the hops in central Missouri.  The shops typically have creative patterns - not just a standard block - and they usually give a 20% discount on most of the things in the store.  I'm particularly excited that they have a special batik that was made just for this hop - and it's a dogwood blossom!  I can't wait to see the fabric and the patterns.

More to come on the hop, including a picture of the fabric as soon as I get my hands on some!

New Projects

Perhaps it's time to take a break from making lists and recording less-than-stellar performance... I definitely didn't stick to my plans for September!  I did make a lot of progress on the Runaway Mystery and my snowman rug, though, so I don't feel too bad about the others.  I hope to finish hooking my snowman in the next couple of days.  I have almost everything except the details on the snowman finished.

I mnaged to get the first three rows of the Runaway Mystery sewn together over the weekend.  There are tons of seams and of course since there were no pressing instructions they are all going the wrong way.  It's very frustrating!  My answer to the frustration, of course, was to start something new.  And not just one project - I started two! I finally started The Blessings quilt.  It's a little different that the usual applique - some of the applique pieces are pieced.  Here's my start on the first block (it's still missing a bunch of leaves and dots):

I love the shadow of my hands and the camera - I have to stop trying to take pictures on the floor!  I've only appliqued about 6" of the inner ring so far.

The other project I started (or re-started, I suppose) is a Baltimore Album.  I decided to go with the traditional size this time instead of reducing to 12". I chose a pattern from the Lovely Lane collection and am making it actual size - about 18".  I started with the vase yesterday, using a piece of Japanese fabric I picked up in Colorado this summer.  I'm excited about this block - I think all these big pieces will be a fun break from all the tiny blocks I have been working on lately.

I'm getting excited about a shop hop I am planning to do next weekend.  More on that later in the week.

Feels like fall!

The hot weather seems to be gone for good - finally!  I am a fall fanatic!  I haven't had much of a chance to enjoy the beautifully cool, sunny days we've been having.  Work seems to be getting in the way.  I do have a wonderful view from my window, however, and can see the leaves starting to change:

There's not a lot of color yet.  We won't see peak colors for another couple of weeks.  I'm looking forward to seeing what this tree line looks like then!

I received my confirmation paperwork from the Applique Academy yesterday.  I am so excited!  I was able to get all of the classes I requested.  I also receied an e-mail indicating that I got my first choice for Baltimore on the Prairie.  If only I could get into the class that I want at Houston!  I'm still not sure what I am going to do with myself on Wednesday before the show opens.
Work has been consuming so much of my time lately that I haven't had much time for sewing or hooking.  I did spend a little time putting together my first ring for The Blessings pattern.  I am using Jo Morton fabrics for the applique but can't decide if I want to use shirtings for the background as I originally planned or go with something a little brighter.  I placed the ring on a plain background - a Moda Bella solid - and didn't like it at all.  I should pin together a mock-up and take a picture.  Sometimes that helps with decision-making.

I am still anxiously awaiting the release of the "Stars & Sprigs" pattern.  I plan on getting my bright fix with that project.  Glorious Applique should have the pattern in the next couple of weeks.  It feels like I have been waiting forever!

Runaway Mystery Quilt Update

Time has flown by this month!  I had a wonderful time at Kinderhook last weekend.  I really need to do that more often - go on trips to work on projects rather than to shop for more, that is!  I spent many, many hours working on the Runaway Mystery quilt.  I had high hopes of getting it completely finished, and put in at least 16 hours of sewing each day, but alas came up short...  I did make considerable progress, and even started fantasizing that I might get it done in time for my friends to take to Runaway with them this year, but I think I am going to run out of time.  I have a few more blocks to finish but started laying it out on the floor to see what it will look like:

I wasn't sure that I liked it at first, but looking at the picture, I really think I do!  It is the first scrappy project I have ever done, and it's really been difficult for me!  It's going to be a big one...I think maybe a king or at least close to it. 

I've also been making some progress on my Lisa's Garden blocks.  I've had week six done for a while but hadn't gotten around to taking a picture:

I haven't made much progress on my snowman rug.  It has to be finished by October in order to be part of our Christmas card project, so I suppose I had better put away the stitching and get to hooking!

September Projects

It's always amazing to look back at the previous month's "to do" list and see how far I have strayed... What is most amazing is that I even work on anything I list!  I'm really challenged when it comes to staying focused on a project - there are just so many out there that I can't wait to start!  Here's the status report for August:

1. Applique Affair block 17 - didn't touch
2. My Garden Album block 12 - Finished!  Happy dance time!!!!
3. Hook Aug flowers - didn't touch
4. Runaway Mystery (finish Mar clue) - half way through this one
5. Primitive Gatherings BOW (pieced blocks for weeks 1-6, applique 5-8) - ouch!  Not quite...
6. Falling Leaves (three blocks) - one block finished
7. Sew Ewe-nique Baltimore block 1 - didn't touch
8. Begin snowman rug - about 25% finished

Wow - I thought I did more than that!!!  Looks like there will be a lot of repeats for September - here we go:

1.  Applique Affair block 15
2.  My Garden Album (begin piecing borders)
3.  Hook Aug & Sep flowers
4.  Runaway Mystery (finish Mar & Apr clues)
5.  Lisa's Flower Garden (pieced blocks weeks 1-6, applique 7-9)
6.  Finish snowman rug
7.  Garden baskets (two blocks)
8.  Falling Leaves (two blocks)

I'm really counting on making a lot of progress on projects at the retreat - we'll see how it goes!