design in mind . . .

Because that's where most of my designing is taking place this Monday. In my head. First I've been kind of playing around with a design for a pre-printed label to order (or maybe to print on fabric -- I haven't decided yet) and have on hand for a quick and easy way to label any craft project that I do, particularly if I'm giving it away.

I'd only use the copyright/year if I was printing them myself! If there was a way I could incorporate a smiley face in there somewhere -- perhaps in place of the year? -- I sure would. I feel like that's kinda me. :)

Finally, I finished hand-quilting the big holly leaves in the corners (and the grouping in the center) on this Christmas table topper!! Do you know when I started this thing?

It was Monday, August 30, 2010, that I first posted a concept drawing of this bad boy. In fact, it was this design that got me seeing the benefits of quilt designing software, specifically EQ7, and I ended up getting that great software for my birthday, less than two months later! I created the block and got to sewing, and long before Christmas, this was pieced.

Yes. That means it's taken me nearly eleven months now to hand quilt this a little here and a little there. It's still not finished, but all I've got left is to stitch-in-the-ditch around the two borders. I'm going to use Sulky's green holoshimmer. It's what I used to stitch-in-the-ditch around the green blocks in the center. It has a pretty wonderful effect . . . you don't outright see HOLOSHIMMER GREEN shouting at you, but you catch glimpses and whispers of it, and I like that effect. I may will finish this up this week. Then all I've got to do is decide on a binding. Any thoughts? All that's coming to my mind is to use the dark green that I used in the piecing.

The good news? I think I'm starting to like it again. There was a good piece of time I didn't. Phew, glad that's over!

Aaaaand I've got these cute little redwork patterns from Sew Happy Me all printed, ready to trace and stitch. I missed downloading week 2 -- I couldn't figure out how I missed it until I realized it came out the day after my surgery. I'll cut myself a little slack on that one! (I think she'll have them for sale in her shop in November -- I may try and get it then.) Anyway, she's been sharing a new design every Friday. There are two more left and she's shared that she's saved her two favorites for last!

They're so dear -- I thought it might be kind of fun to mix and match these with some of the stars from the Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along (gosh, that's a mouthful, isn't it?) over at Moose on the Porch Quilts. Since there are seven total of the embroidered blocks and I missed one (leaving me with six), and since I'm doing the FQSQA in Christmas fabrics (there's twelve total blocks of that one -- I'd just use six and save the other six for something else), perhaps I can mix and match these two "alongs" and have something pretty and unique. I don't know for sure -- it's just a thought, but I like the idea of it.

So, as I said up front, today it's all in my head. Now if you want to see some pretty fantastic concrete, real-as-it-gets designs wall, head on over to Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times.

Happy, happy Monday!! (And look -- NO PUMPKINS!)

:)

another quilt along . . .

I did it -- I committed. I *need* to be committed for throwing my name in the hat for another project! But I've got fabric and I need to use it for something and this looks like it will be fun . . .

A quilt along, over at Moose on the Porch Quilts! It looks like fun and there's prizes involved and folks are already uploading their fabric selections on the group's Flickr site!

Anyway, it doesn't start until the end of September (you know, right about the time I'm having my foot surgery), so I've got plenty of time to psyche myself up for it to prepare! It takes 16 fat quarters worth of fabric, along with some other fabric requirements.

May I just inject here that "moose" always reminds me of Christmas -- and my son who used to collect them? He had all kinds of ornaments and decorations that were moose. I tend to associate moose with cold and Christmas. Christmas. CHRISTMAS! I have lots and LOTS of Christmas fabric -- but do I have 16 FQ's that will work together in Christmas?!?

Hmmm. It's sort of a hodge-podge mix, but I think I *might* be able to make it work.

Maybe. I may have to pull in some more blues. It's kind of tough when you don't know what you're piecing. There are actually 18 different fabrics pictured, and I've got a few more that aren't, so I think Christmassy is where I'm going with this one. Christmas Stars!

I did go ahead and sew my EQ August Amusement block together.

It got just a tad wonky down there in the bottom left corner, but it'll do. And it won't be an orphan; I figured out the perfect use for it! I'll sash it in that funky purple, and then set in on point in the orange and make it a companion pillow for my orange BOM!

I just love a happy ending!

:)