what a win-dfall . . .

Winner, winner! 

I know a lot of folks like to say, "winner, winner, chicken dinner!"  I just cannot bring myself to do that.  I served as a legalman in the USNavy.  Big Chicken Dinner was our euphemism for a BCD or Bad Conduct Discharge.  There's *nothing* winning about that in my book!  But I digress.

I won a lovely package from The Teacher's Pet!  This is the same shop from which I got the free patterns to make "Ewenice" (which I blogged about here)!  Anyway, let's check out this loot, because you know it's going to be good, when the sender labels the outside packaging this way . . .

Right away, I saw that beautiful bundle of wool—especially that multi-colored herringbone—and thought it was delicious!  And then I thought PUMPKINS!  

But there was so much more!  A sweet bundle of flannels, a cute bag, other fabrics, tea . . .

And a panel. This panel is SO cute!!  Check this out . . .

Right??  I see a quilted baby alphabet book for Ezra!!!  It was a fun win—the box really was stuffed—and opening it made my day!

Sometimes, when I can't (or don't want to) get into the Nook or into handwork, I like to pull up EQ and be fanciful.  Last October, Moda a block a day quilt for breast cancer awareness.  It was in their pink grunge line, and I downloaded the blocks.  But October is also down syndrome awareness month, and since I have a darling niece, Liesl, who rocks that 23rd chromosome, I wanted to do something using those blocks, but supporting her. I quickly decided that I did not want to make thirty blocks.  

I wanted something a little simpler.  So I picked two blocks that looked fun, found a way to put them together, and here we go . . . 

I do love getting lost in EQ! I could play with colorways forever. Probably won't have this together for this year, but looking ahead to October, 2022!!

:)

dreaming quilts . . .

I've been having very vivid dreams over the last several weeks. I think partly because finally, after four or five years of shoulder pain and then surgery recovery, I'm finally able to sleep through the night, pain free!

Whatever the reason, these dreams are ones that I remember when I wake up in the morning ... even days later. Which is unusual for me!  I've dreamed up a lot of stitchery/quilty projects, too.  One of which I felt compelled to act upon!

Last Thursday, I dreamed I created a quilt designed to hold an applique center or panel.  It was red, green and gold, and the center was a huge 'snow buddies' kind of scene.  Like applique or embroidery, maybe.  So when I got up Friday morning, I hopped over to the laptop, pulled up my EQ, and got busy . . .

With the exception of the (blank) center, that's pretty much exactly what I dreamed.

So it's pretty simple and basic and I recognized that it was definitely a piece designed to showcase the center.  So I got online to find something to either recreate with applique, or a panel.

I found this, which was really cute, and so I changed the outside colors to kind of match it. 

But when I tried to search for the panel to purchase, it wasn't to be found.  Bummer.

So then I decided to google search for an appropriate blue panel.  And found this Hoffman digital panel:

And it was perfect.

And it should arrive any day now.  I paired it with batiks from the Icicle collection by Kathy Engle for Island Batiks. 

It pays to follow your dreams! 

:)

getting stitchy . . .

Last week was a lovely, stitchy week!  On Sunday I remembered the sets of embroidery stencils I got while my shoulder was out of service for National Quilting Day (see that post here).  I pulled them all out and picked one that looked like fun to stitch . . .

I worked on it Sunday and finished it up on Tuesday. Todd and I drove six hours, round trip, for a work conference.  Well, he drove and I stitched!

I adore how this turned out!  I will finish it up this week and gift it later.  :)

I didn't skip Monday ... I road-tripped!  With a couple of my quilty friends up to Chattanooga for a tea and quilt shop hop.

We visited Polly Claire's (a first for all of us) and had a lovely time!

I spent more than I should have, probably, but the fabric ... it calls to me!  What I'm really glad of is that I'm not keeping up with my stash this year.  I'm considering it all slush fund for retirement. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!

Wednesday evening I worked in EQ, laying out the design for our mystery quilt, with my chosen fabrics plugged in.  This is what I settled on for the final design for my prints:

Thursday evening I prepped and ironed a roll of binding to get ready to stitch it on Friday morning.

This is a "keep it secret, keep it safe" project.  So this is the only picture I can share . . .

My fabulous clover clips on where I've already hand-stitched the binding down on the boat on Friday!

Saturday I spent some time restoring order (again) to my work space in the Nook, and also started working the components for the blocks that will make up the mystery quilt (which, by the way, is no longer a mystery).  

And Sunday afternoon I continued to work on that and get bits and pieces plotted out to construct the blocks.  I put the two together . . . 

It's due August 15, so I should have no problem getting it together!

Last night I also finished up a Holly Jolly Topper (it was my Friday/boat project a week ago) by stitching the elements together . . .

If that's not the image of Christmas in July, I don't know what is! I love this topper....it's the favorite of my own designs.  But stitching for Christmas now has me itching to stitch up a pumpkin or two (or twenty-three)!!!

I worked really hard to make sure I spent at *least* fifteen minutes each day working on something quilting related. Mission accomplished!  I wonder what this week will hold?!  

:)