Sale @ Michelle Patterns

             {Photo courtesy of Michelle Patterns}

...I'm kind of excited! Michelle Patterns is 'retiring' several older clutch/purse/bag patterns and today is offering a super sale on them. You get 21 "Patterns from the Past" (all downloadable PDFs in one nice zipped file!) for just $5. A couple of them I already have, but hey, who can resist $0.23 a pattern?

To see the full list, visit here (the only pattern not included from this page is the "Easy Envelope Clutch"). To purchase, go right here!

Happy accessory making!  {grin}

Pondering...

What God Hath Promised

by Annie Johnson Flint

God hath not promised skies always blue,

Flower strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God hath not promised we shall not know

Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,

Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

********

 

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me… 

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 

After a little while the world will no longer see Me, 

but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also…  

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; 

not as the world gives do I give to you. 

Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” 

John 14:1,18-19,27

 

A Quilt called Ugly...

Once upon a time, I began a quilt. Despite starting with fabric I honestly didn't like but felt obligated to use because they kind of sort of went together and had lived in my stash long enough, I truly had the best of intentions. A simple pattern --- framed blocks cut once on the diagonal, a modified bento-box. And all with the magical promise that not one piece of those much {not} loved FQs would go unused! (Or, let's be transparent: end up back in my stash.) Brilliant...

And so I pieced and pieced and pieced. Then I pressed and pressed and pressed. Then I cut and cut and cut. Then I wrinkled my nose. Then I deviated from my plan and cut some more. And then I despaired. Very much.

{sigh} Hello, ugly.

 

I guess I did give you a name--"Bento on the Sly"--and ironically it suits. Sly: crafty, cunning, and shrewd. You definitely got one over on me!

 

My husband was far more accepting of Ugly----his cautiously-voiced comment was along the lines of, "Wow, it's really.............bright." He has a heart of gold, of course....I apparently do not.  {wink}

 

And so Ugly went the way of many UFOs around my house --- out of sight and out of mind. Really, really, really far out of mind. Like 27 months out of mind. Then I began to feel guilty. Ugly at least deserved to be finished. At some point in my past, I felt a strong enough attachment to Ugly's fibers that I purchased multiple FQs of each print.  {grin}  Poor Ugly; he (or she) didn't deserve my rejection. We all go through awkward stages in life, don't we?

 

So, I more or less drafted Ugly in solids and set about to find a happy medium --- sashing, I determined, will be Ugly's saving grace!

 

I'm drawn to the simplicity of A --- except Ugly's true colors aren't showing. B has promise, too, and would break up Ugly's, well, ugliness much better thinks me! C looks like a lot of work.  {wink}

 

Hmm...at the moment I'm sitting on the fence ---- but at least Ugly is seeing the light of day and catching up on her Vitamin D!

Celebrating...

It's no secret that I love my birthday! I guess I just get a big kick out of getting older... (grin) I weaseled my gifts out of the D a bit early. After failing to win support for my "7 Days of V" campaign, he finally broke down and honored the eve of my birth. In addition to seasons 2 and 3 of the TV show, Hazel, he also tracked down a yellow speckleware loaf pan and two muffin tins. Love! I'm told something else is arriving today, but he's been fairly tight-lipped. (grin) My in-laws delivered a rainbow of thread and a couple more books for my collection. Sweet, sweet!

Setting a snail's pace...

...in 2013, it would seem. We've been battling various bugs around here since early December...and hoping we're finally on the mend. Even my beloved D was under the weather for a bit.  :-/

Winter has finally arrived and the winds are howling! I'm hoping for an abundant supply of snow this year --- the snowshoes didn't even come out of storage last winter. For a year-round lover of Michigan's seasons, it was pretty discouraging!

I've got a couple sewing projects on the docket and finished up a sweet little cap for my niece, Evalyn, just in time for Christmas. I love her to pieces! I'm posting from my new iPad (eek!!!) and haven't quite gotten the photo uploading figured out. But believe me, Evy is super cute in her fleecy monster hat. (grin)

I'm hoping to wrap up a baby quilt for Braxden, a runner and retirement quilt for Linda, and a car seat cover for baby Alyvia by the end of next month. I'm thinking that's a pretty tall order, but there's no harm in shooting for the moon, thinks me. (wink)

Ever wonder....

...what the backstory is in a thumbnail?

p.s.

....Pink Castle Fabrics is having a 25% off everything sale --- enter code MOVING at checkout to get your discount! I've ordered several times from PCF and appreciate the careful packaging of my fabric, the good selection, and quick delivery. What I love, too, is that they offer brick 'n mortar service, since SE Michigan is a bit too far of a drive for me. I placed an order earlier this year for a Metro Living Circles fat quarter bundle ---- I was pleased with the colors in the bundle, but not less than an hour later I received an email from PCF letting me know they had just gotten in some in Carrot and could add it to my order, if I wanted. I'm impressed! Love the personal notes on my receipts, too!

Wow....

....October already!  {grin}  I haven't done much sewing to speak of in the last few months ---- a few American Girl outfits for my niece, Ella, and her friend "Celia Cecelia"; a Kindle cover for me; mending for the D (which he thanks me heartily for...); and a failed dress attempt with some Lisette fabric from Joann's (which will become a skirt!). But, I'm gearing up for another commission quilt.....for a little boy named Braxten who's not quite here yet. The special request: match the animals from a certain Fisher Price bouncy seat.  {grin}  Apparently I love a challenge!

Fall is upon us here in West Michigan and it's been beautiful, but wet! Our apple crop has suffered mightily this last year ---- cider is pretty pricey ($6-7 a gallon!) and local-grown apples are scarce. I hope the trees (and farmers) rebound! The leaves are turning, the weather is 'crisp' to say the least, and football is in full swing. I'm looking forward to the annual Harvest Fest at our local Bible camp around Halloween. Our cabin theme this year is based on the Disney flick, UP! Geeked for sure! I can't decide who I want to come in costume as........ so many choices! A side note....did you know there's a real-life Up house??? It was a 2011 "Parade of Homes" house built in Herriman, UT. Apparently you have to gain Disney's permission if you want to build a similar house --- the "original" was listed for $400,000 and actually sold!  {grin}  Think I'll just be content to visit Paradise Falls via my $14 DVD.  {wink}

I'm kind of sort of mildly geeked!

This is what I'm doing tomorrow:

Yes! Finally.... something of national quilting note coming to West Michigan. We have other quilty goodness around the state (Gwen Marston, anyone????) but it always seems like Grand Rapids gets passed up for the really BIG stuff. Yes, yes, yes.... Art Prize and all ---- but that was a homegrown grass roots effort. Which is unique and really fun. But it's not about quilts! Which I love....  {grin}

When it comes to quilting, everything seems to be on the local level. The West Michigan Quilter's Guild hosts Quilts on the Grand every October, and I do enjoy the show. Coopersville has the "Quilts and Their Stories" series that runs August through September, a great mini display of fabulous art quilts. But lately I've been itching for something on a little bit bigger scale!

Looking forward to trekking to the 'big city' tomorrow....and checking out the show.

p.s. I suppose my brush with discontentment has something to do with all these neat 'meet ups' that have been happening: The Sewing Summit in Salt Lake City and the first-ever QuiltCon this fall in Austin. The internet sure has opened up a whole new world for sewing enthusiasts!

p.p.s. I apparently can't show any pictures that I take at the show though: "Photographs of quilts may be taken for your own personal use. Quilt photographs must not be used for any commercial purpose or displayed on the Internet (websites, blogs, Flickr, MySpace, Facebook, webshots, or other personal or commercial sites) without permission of the quiltmaker and American Quilter’s Society." I am confused though...why does posting pictures I personally took on my personal blog not qualify as "personal use"? I can understand getting the permission of the quiltmaker, but on top of that I have to contact an unindentified source at AQS?

Eek!

....or should I say, "Brrrr!"   {grin}  I've been impatiently waiting for this line to release ---- and finally tracked it down at my LQS. Love the aqua, love the red, and love, love the polar bears! Such a fun little novelty line. Happy, happy day!

p.s. If dates are any indiciation, I believe I may have forgotten I had a blog this summer! I've been drawing patterns and stashing fabric left and right, but alas, the siren of camping called (once or twice....or so).  {grin}  This weekend I'm on my own as the D jets off to Milwaukee for the Irish Music Fest --- here's hoping lots of sewing goes down while he's out and about.

A Wedding Quilt....

...hopefully in time for a first anniversary!  {grin}  My best friend was married to the neatest guy last November and I had originally planned to do a quilt for the newlyweds. Best laid plans aside, the wedding quilt didn't quite materialize. I set aside the fabric and moved on to greener pastures (lots of baby quilts and Christmas gifts to fill my time!) figuring at some point I'd revive the dream.  {wink}

I'm hoping the timing is right now 'cause I've got a plan --- all over the 'net I've seen variations on the "rolling stone" block and it's growing on me! Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts did a traditional block and set it on point; Rita of Red Pepper Quilts fame went and played around with scale, making me really, really want to dive into Labyrinth; and just yesterday I came across a new pattern, Spin Cycle, by Allison of Cluck, Cluck, Sew. {I chuckled at that one...in my quilt doodlings I have a sketch going by the same name but a totally different block!} I'm a sketcher by nature and had already drafted a block based on Rita's modifications. Allison's cross/solid ring really won me over. I have a stack of black/white/gray fabrics to go along with Brooke's bedding --- a coverlet for their bed was my original plan. Now, with the accent of red, I'm really feeling this quilt.

And am quite excited to get started!  {grin}  Hahaha....my original name for this quilt was going to be "Rolling Along," but now that I see the quilt put together, it sure does smack of "Red Cross." Perfect either way. Yes, yes, yes...."inspired" is so loosely used these days ---- I readily admit I adapted the modifications of Rita by enlarging the the corner squares and adopted the shortened rectangles to achieve the cross, like Allison. And hats off to whoever first devised the piecing for the "Rolling Stone." I love the modern interpretations!

p.s. I also love the Robert Kaufman iPhone app, Quilt Calc. Thanks to it, figuring out those pesky square-in-square measures was super simple!

p.p.s. I've also noticed that my most recent posts have featured a lot of digital drawings.... I promise I'm not just a virtual quilter; I do eventually get around to making some of these.  {wink}  I just love so much to draw!

p.p.p.s.  If my dear one is reading, I'm off to eat a grilled cheese sandwich.  {grin}