Time for Another Holiday Cyber Retreat!

You are invited to join me for the 2011 New Year's Eve Cyber Sewing Retreat! Just go to: http://www.susanround.com and click on the number to the top right of the post (number of posts). It's going to be great to hear from old friends and new ones after taking a couple of months away from cyberspace! Hope to hear from you, Susan

Crazy Happy, or Happy being Crazy?

I might call this "End of the Donation Scraps!"

It's definitely a crazy quilt, and I just smiled the entire time I put the pieces together. These are all the pieces of string blocks that have either been sent to me or from my projects last year.

Do you recognize any of your block cutoffs?

No Halloween Retreat This Year

It just didn't work out this holiday. Thanks for checking in!

Halloween Mini Totes

These are made from the mini tote pattern available for free at allpeoplequilt.com. Only instead of making each individually, I mass produced them making 3 at a time! Very fast and fun!

To get the pattern for these, go to www.allpeoplequilt.com and in the search box type, "Small Treat Totes." If you are going to make many, instead of cutting each one out individually, I stitched the 3 strips of fabric the width of the fabric then sliced them apart. I even inserted the handles on the one long seam, so all that was left was to stitch down the side and turn it! So fast and fun.

Almost NaNoWriMo!

It's almost National Novel Writing Month! Starting November 1st the goal is to write 50,000 words before November 30th.

Downy's Quilts for Kids Program

I've ordered another quilt kit from Downy for the Quilts for Kids program. This was the first one I made, and posted it again here because it's so bright and colorful (more so than the busty cups, below).

Busty Cups in progress

This is a fuzzy photo of the Busty Cups I'm making for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. With the guidance and inispiration of Marguerita in Alaska, I'm having the most fun putting these together. I bought thrift store bras and cut them apart. Once they are finished, I'll post another (more clear) photo.

Is this the ugliest block ever?

THIS is without a doubt THE ugliest string block ever! Good luck, Sue in MN in blending this one in and make it blend!

Ugliest Block?

This HeartString block I purposely tried to make as ugly as possible:

It's Cyber Retreat Time Again!

Can you believe it's Labor Day Weekend again? As always, I will be hosting another holiday cyber retreat and I sure hope you can join me this year. I have LOTS of goals to accomplish before and during this holiday, and I welcome your support! Anyone else want to clean up and organize before continuing with charity work for hibernation this winter?? (Just click on the title of this post to go to the cyber retreat gathering.)

Crumby Color Storage Bags

I made lined crumb blocks and glued them to the front of some "commercial" canvas totes. Without gluing the top, I can use that pocket to quickly stuff in crumbs as I use them--in the appropriate color bag! The purple bag is done, the green crumb pocket is ready to be glued down on the right side. I've tested the glue--it holds beautifully. With small spaces vertical storage is idea. I hang these bags on a coat rack and sometimes just stack them in a corner on top of each other. Larger pieces and scraps go inside the bag. I may dump out all the pieces sometime and use the tote to carry--then replace it as the crumb/scrap bag!

Making Cookies From Crumbs

When I want some mindless and fun creating, I start piecing crumbs together by color. From a lack of what else to call these pieces, I use "cookies." I make 4 or 5 at a time then put them away. When I'm ready to make crumb blocks or bags, I've already got a fun start!

Too much pink area on this block I'm going to fix with a green applique. (See photo below, bottom center block)

Floating Green Crumb

This is how I fixed the too-pink space. I made a green applique the same shape as the space in the original crumb block. I'm going to stitch it down so it looks like either the last piece going into the pink space, or it's falling out!!

Old Goals Reached--New Goals Starting Up

I use this blogsite for sharing photos of sewing and some crafts. I have another site (www.susanround.com) that is more personalized with thoughts, goals, and reflections (rants). I'm thrilled to acknowledge that two major goals of mine have been reached and new avenues await me. If you want to share that with me, just click on the link above!

Successful Retreat!

We had a very productive holiday weekend this retreat. There were about 60 messages sent in of around 50 guests. The next holiday retreat will be in September for Labor Day Weekend. I'm thinking of taking that time to clean up, organize more, and do some stashbusting. Please put that on the back burner and I'll remind you when time is closer. THANKS to all who joined me!

Painting a Toy Box at 2:00am

Don't I look like I've been freehanding stripes for a few hours? lol

Maggie's Bedding

This nursery bedding was inspired by a pattern named "Delilah" from the Cocola Designers. The dust ruffle, bumper pad and quilt cost $275. I made everything here plus a cushion for the red rocker all for $80. The yellow is polka dot. Don't have a photo of the quilt with it yet. I already gave it to the Momma for her shower without getting a picture of it--but I will!

UPDATE: I just found out that Momma bought a dark wood crib to replace this one. I knew there was a reason why I didn't take a picture of the quilt before I gave it to her during her shower!

Painted Toy Chest for Carson

I painted this toy chest from the photo that was on the packaging of the bedding. I didn't see the quilt until after the chest was painted--so relieved it matched! This pattern is from a company called Cocola that makes designer baby bedding. Ironically, at the same time I made bedding for another expectant mom using that same company's version of "Delilah." (above)

2010 Memorial Weekend Cyber Retreat

If you would like to join in my cyber sewing retreat/slumber party, please go to: http://www.susanround.com and sign in under the first post. You can click on the number at the top right (that looks like it's pinned up), leave me a message and get your chocolate and jammies ready!

It's Been a While--Retreating This Weekend!

I've finally made the time to catch up on emails, blogs, and other written matters. I am a member in several online quilting groups and this weekend two of them are having cyber sewing retreats: StashBuster and StashBuilder. Now you understand the condition of my stash. I have 2 days to spend in the sewing world, and I need all the member support I can grab right now. Where to start? I'll check in later...and fill you in on my progress. I'm even too embarrased to take a "Before" photo!

Unmatched Square in a Square

This block was shown on one of the quilt groups (can't remember which one!)

Unmatched Squares

This is my fun way of piecing: not really concerned if the points match up within the block, or if I'm sewing next to the true edge.

Fireworks-Borrowed Free Pattern

This was a free pattern that a cyber friend shared with me. I just love this design, and hope to make another larger one for a Quilt of Valor this year. Another Susan sent the pattern to Ellen P., and Ellen sent it to me! (The original top is in the StashBuster Photo Album dated Feb 11-20 2009 and was made by Susan-msbooties!)

My Version of Inspiration Fabric

I tried cutting strips of black stripe fabric and stitching bright colored squares and rectangles from bright fabric on them. The resulting blocks are shown on the botton. I'll let you know how it turns out!!

Inspiration Fabric

This is a fat quarter and the squares are teeny tiny. I thought it would make a fun "coloring book" type kid's quilt.

Ready for Stitch Olympics!

I'm saving handwork to participate in the Stitch Olympics! These potholders are like the 2 I made for my brother-in-law out of scraps of his Christmas MU quilt. He opened the potholders first. When he opened the extra large quilt, I told him I made it from leftovers of the potholders!! The one on the left has a "M" stitched in the lower left corner.

Bags of All Sizes

These are a few of the bags I'm making in different sizes. The gray one is the size of the original pattern from AllPeopleQuilt called "Grab Bag." The smallest golfer one is for my sister-in-law who never carries a purse, but I'm hoping she will use this while out on the course!

My Unmatched Version

This design was recently asked about in one of my online quilting groups. This is my version--nothing within the block necessarily lines up, but the pieced blocks and tan squares DO match!! My version of quick sewing. The overall look without the precise workmanship. Fast and fun!

Sunny Lanes Baby Quilt

Patricia Miller so graciously shared some of her quilting books with me and among them was Pat Smeth's Nickel Quilts. This is just a part of the Sunny Lanes quilt in the book and I will be turning it into a baby quilt.

Pink Lipped Frogs

The green fabric is frogs that appear to be wearing pink lipstick! This is a baby quilt flimsy.

Red Centered HeartStrings Blocks

These are the few red-centered strings I started with.

Blue String Blocks Untrimmed

These are the latest string blocks I'm making for the HeartStrings Quilt Project. My goal was to make as many as possible with red centers and mail by Valentine's Day. I ran out of red strings, so decided blue centers would have to do!

Fall Smash (Spring Splash Pattern)

This pattern is the Spring Splash pattern, although made with browns. Fall Smash seemed more appropriate!

Haiti Sewing Ministry

I've just started an online group for those who would like to sew/quilt items for the children and women of Haiti. This is NOT for monetary donations. It's a place to communicate, share, and gain more knowledge toward a common goal. Please check out more information at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HaitiSewingMinistry