ocd: obsessive crafting disorder

Wanna win fabric?

2012-02-14T18:40:00.001-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Thought I would do a little giveaway for some fun.

I have a layer cake of Oliver & S Cape Ann. Super cute, but, in reality, I have no time to put it to good use, with so many other projects patiently waiting in line! Would you like it?

Okay people, I'm going to make you work for this one ;) Here's how to enter. And yes, it is a Disney-themed question :)

In Epcot, the world Pavilions include the following countries (in order of appearance):

Canada

United Kingdom

France

Morocco

Japan

USA

Italy

Germany

China

Norway

Mexico

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment correctly naming a country I have visited. Canada and USA are kind of OBVIOUS so they don't count ;)

HINT: there is more than one correct answer. If you were a follower about a year back (or want to do some snooping in my archives), one answer is there ;)

BONUS ENTRY: As it is the Day of Love...leave a second comment correctly guessing in which of these countries the hubs and I spent our honeymoon (again, not the US or Canada).

I may even reveal some embarrassing photos from my past....

Winner to be drawn on Saturday, February 18! Entries from the above countries or all over the globe are welcome :)

Disney Lowdown and Advice

2012-02-13T13:01:00.000-06:00

As promised, here is my long, drawn out post on our Disney World vacation ;) If you are planning a trip yourself, I have added tips and advice based on things that worked for us!

It was our first time to Disney World. I had been once, as a kid, waaaay back in the '80s, but it was generally all new terrain. I was a bit overwhelmed by it all before we left...what to see, what to do, how to not spend all day standing in lineups. In the end we bought a book, Fodor's Disney World with Kids, and it was well worth the money just to get a quick overview of the parks, and to give you a bit of a "plan" as to what to hit first to avoid lines. Between that and Fast Passes, we didn't ever wait more than 15 minutes in line for a ride. The longest we waited in line for anything was to meet a couple characters for autographs! Being from Canada and "international", our internet didn't work there (well, it did for a large roaming fee...it cost us $27 to send my mother-in-law a happy birthday e-mail!!) and surprisingly, Disney does not have free WiFi in the park or in our hotel, so using apps was not possible for us, so I can't comment on how well those work.

(now, are those true princesses or what?!?!)

We stayed on site and allowed 2 days for each of the 4 Disney parks, which was perfect for a thorough tour! Each day ended something like this......

...fun to the max! :) You know you had a good day when your kids are ASKING to go to bed!

When we booked, since we were visiting in off season, we also qualified for a free Disney Dining Plan, which gives you a certain amount of meals and snacks in any of the parks, hotels, etc....the amount varies with the level of plan. We upgraded (for a small fee) to the one with one "table service" (sit down and order restaurant style), one "quick service" (cafeteria/fast food style) and one "snack." This was HEAPS of food, and the table service meals could be used towards character dining...dinner with the princesses, Mickey, etc, which were a huge hit with our kids.

I would totally recommend this arrangement. I think it saved us a ton of money. Staying onsite saved all the hassles and costs of parking, the shuttle buses were frequent and convenient, our hotel was just a value resort (All-Star Music) but our room was a huge 1 bedroom suite with 2 full bathrooms and kitchenette. The resort had 2 pools and a big screen poolside that showed Disney movies nightly at 8 pm. It was perfectly comfortable for our family.

One more thing about dining- the sit down restaurants require reservations. These can be booked starting 180 days before your holiday, but being a procrastinator, I left it to 3 weeks before we left. While I was able to book all the places we wanted (except the Cinderella castle dinner, but we went to the princess one in Epcot and it was AMAZING!), but most of our bookings were at "off" times. In the end, this was the HUGEST blessing in disguise! We had most of our dinners booked around 4:00, which, if you have kids, you know is the "witching hour" so it was actually the perfect time to get out of the sun and take a break. Also, when we were finished, most others were on their way to dinner...which meant zero lineups for rides! Since we were having an early dinner we planned an early lunch around 10:30-11:00 which had the same benefit, and in the morning we would just leave the hotel room with a cereal bar in hand, so we were able to get to the parks right as they opened instead of wasting time taking 3 kids out to breakfast. In the evenings, we would grab an ice cream and find a good seat for the fireworks, etc, using our snack allotment. Score all around! I completely recommend booking your meals this way, it really worked well for us.

Which park did we like best? All of them had their highlights, I probably couldn't choose! Here are some photos with some of our favorite memories :)

Big G and his "Goofy" hat! He wore this thing everywhere, and it was even autographed by Goofy himself! Then, on our second last day, he lost it during dinner. He was devastated! We checked in with lost and found a couple times during the evening, but no luck. One of the amazing staff in guest services saw Big G deflate at the news...and then proceeded to get him a new replacement hat, and even had it signed by Goofy again! It was an amazing gesture of kindness and customer service, and really reflects our experience with staff ("Cast") there...they were beyond eager to help, and the answer was always "yes." The had a great can-do attitude and really took care of us!

Last But Not Least and the Expedition Everest ride in Animal Kingdom. This is a crazy roller coaster ride that goes up, down, backwards, forwards, through dark tunnels, etc. It had a 44" minimum height requirement, and my 43.5" daughter was determined to ride it. The first day in the park: denied. The second visit, we had a plan. We packed an extra pair of socks and rolled them up, placing one under each heal in her shoe, essentially allowing her to be on tip-toe undetected! It was just enough for her to scrape by! She was the happiest kid you ever did see, and went on to ride it EIGHT times.....no fear, I tell you!

The girls (and boy) at the Princess Dinner in Epcot. It featured 5 princesses: Belle, Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora and Snow White, who each came to the table for a personal visit, autographs and photos. Also included was two 8 by 10 professional photos with Belle, and eight 4 by 6 copies. These were all covered under one ticket per person from our dining plan. Sweet deal! It was a really great dinner to boot, excellent food! The girls were all decked out in their princess buds and just shone from the moment we arrived until, well...still shining!
In Epcot for the World Pavilions, grab a "Duffy Bear" from one of the Kidcot centers. As you go to each country, the kids can color the bear and have it stamped with a "passport" stamp. They will also write the kids' names in Arabic, Japanese, etc. We thought this section of the park would be dull for them, but between the Duffy Bears and the great shows, our day spent in the World Pavilions was one of our favorites.

In Hollywood Studios, if you go early enough, you can sign up your kids (aged 4-12) for "Jedi training" in one of the daily shows on a stage near the Star Tours ride. Our older 2 kids participated. They loved fighting the Dark Side...there was a surprise visit by Darth Vader during the training, of course, and it was a riot with them decked out in robes and wielding light sabers!

Roller coasters!!!

Meeting characters, especially those in matching outfits ;)

Fashion!! Hats are back in, people!

Some of our kids favorite things? Swimming in the hotel pools, riding the escalators before and after rides, the staff blowing bubbles. Yup, could have saved a heap of money staying in a local hotel!

In short, I would recommend Disney World to anyone. The parks are a blast but the main reason? The excellent customer service. That said, you could not pay me enough to go during prime season...this was busy/claustrophobic enough for me!! We made so many wonderful family memories, but of course there were "real life" moments....tantrums, tiredness, sibling rivalry and so on. There was more than one occasion where I thought to leave the little ungrateful whiny buggers on a corner somewhere! Sigh. But I think to expect these "parenting moments" to disappear, even in "the happiest place on earth," is unrealistic. So go with that in mind, and you will have a Magical trip :)

(LBNL always manages to "strike a pose")

A few traveling tips in review:

1. We loved staying onsite, it was affordable and convenient. The All Star hotels were a great value. You also get to participate in "Magic Hours," when the parks are only open for those staying at Disney Resorts, so very few lineups!
2. If staying on-site, opt for the dining plan. And remember to book your sit down dinners early. We really benefited from booking ours at off times to avoid lineups! Email me if you want specific restaurant recommendations!
3. Use your Fast Passes. A great tip I got (thanks, Adam!) was that, although the passes have a return time range of an hour, they will never expire and they will let you on the ride any time! We would collect a bunch in the morning as we made our rounds, then came back to the rides to use the fast passes in the busier afternoon times and they always accepted them. Once I even used one from two days prior and they took it!! This flexibility will really free up your day and help you to keep movin' along!
4. Don't bother hauling heavy water bottles, there are about a million water fountains in the parks!
5. In Hollywood Studios, if you want your kids in the Jedi Show, go sign them up in the ABC building (near Star Tours) early...it was all booked up for the day within a couple hours of park opening. Also in this park- go DIRECTLY to the Toy Story ride, get some Fast Passes, then get on it (save the passes for later). This ride had mental lines, and all of the Fast Passes were given away well before noon daily.

(Shooting 'em up on the Toy Story ride in Hollywood Studios)

6. I loved the live shows, and 2 of my favorites were in Animal Kingdom: Finding Nemo and the Circle of Life. Broadway quality! Favorite 4D shows? It's Tough to Be a Bug (Animal Kingdom) and Mickey's PhilharMagic (Magic Kingdom). Skip the Muppets 3D in Hollywood Studios, it stunk.

7. There are "professional" Disney photographers all over the park who will take your photo then give you a card, your PhotoPass, that you then have scanned each time they take your photo. When you get home you can enter the code on the back and see all the pictures they took of you during your visit (ours also had a bunch of a lovely Asian family, but anyways.....). These photos are about $15 each to purchase, OR you can PRE-BUY all your photos for $100 BEFORE you start your holiday. We ended up with 500 photos on our card. You can edit in characters and borders, etc. That said...were all the photos super? No. And, if you ask the photographers they will use your own camera to take a photo for you. But it was nice to get some photos with all 5 of us in them.

Okay, that is LONG ENOUGH! If you are still reading this, you deserve a medal :) And if you are, then you will be the first to know....I have a wee giveaway planned for you! Come back tomorrow!

Hope you have a Zip-a-dee-do-dah day!

Homecoming mail!

2012-02-10T06:53:00.001-06:00

We are home from Disney World! We had a fantastic trip!! I promise to subject you all to a long drawn out post once I get my thoughts and photos together. In the meantime, I had some other goodies to show off. I was excited to come home to a lovely pile of crafty mail! Zip-a-dee-do-dah! ;)

When Krista asked me if I would be willing to do a swap for one of my cable knitted hats, I jumped at the chance. I prefer impromptu private swaps among blogging friends far more than the organized group variety, and I love Krista's work, so I knew I was in for a treat. I requested an armrest pincushion made from Amy's tutorial. One of those things on my bucket list for ME, so of course I never get around to making it.

She did an awesome job! I love, love, love it. I adore the Enchino fabrics, and the thick quilting thread really makes it pop. She even included a box of pins, in case I ever get over my aversion to, well, pinning stuff ;)

This will be the perfect partner as I do some hand stitching while catching up on some t.v. by the fire during the winter months. My husband will be pleased that he no longer needs to pluck stray pins and needles out of his arse. Lots of little pockets for scissors and measuring tape and such. The only thing it is missing is a place for my beer, but fear not! That is why God invented the beer helmet. Hands free beer-slugging awesomeness. I sent the cabled hat (which, sorry Krista, does not hold beer) on its way along with a package of those goofy "This took forever" tags and a little sewing magnet. I think it looks so cute on her! Thanks for a wonderful swap, Krista!

(pssst- I stole this picture from Krista's post)

I also got a big box-o-fabric from one of my favorite fabric mules, Kaelin. You know, that really loud chick in the neck brace? She is such a Temptress, with her destashing sales! I couldn't say no to this bundle of Denyse Schmidt Country Fair home dec fabric. Really- how could I be expected to resist? I also bought some Heather Ross Princess and the Pea...will incorporate it into my daughter's bed quilt that I will (eventually) get around to sewing up! You guys are going to demand some substance to this blog eventually, I'm sure ;) Also in the box....a beyond adorable but top secret handmade gift from one of Kaelin's upcoming patterns......filled with chocolate, no less. Thanks, Kaelin!!

And finally, Little Island Alison spoiled me with yet another set of those highly addictive Mollie Makes magazines! Am looking forward to a quiet moment to peruse. Do those moments exist???

Have a good day, friends :) It's good to be home again!

Disney bound with Minnie and Princess dresses :)

2012-01-29T11:46:00.002-06:00

We are on our way! I am not sure who is more excited- me and the hubs or the kids. It is going to be great. And so nice to escape the frigid weather here in favor of some Florida sunshine!

I was at my local Fabricland last week and saw some pre-shirred Disney themed fabric, so I decided to pick some up to make some quick and cute Disney wear for my girls. It was on clearance...and even so was (IMO) a huge rip off and cost me about $20 a dress (I made 3). Regular price would have been about $70/dress- seriously? What is it, spun gold? Anyways, what can I say, I am a bit swept up by the Magic of Disney at the moment, so I sucked it up and bought it. And it may have had something to do with those adorable big green 4 year old eyes looking up at me..."Mommy, please?"

In the end, I am really pleased with how they turned out. For The Middle Child, it fits like a sleeveless tunic and looks sweet with leggings. For LBNL, I added straps for an adorable sundress. I am sure they will get lots of mileage while away, I had to peel them off the girls to get them into the suitcase!

Will see you all in a couple weeks when we get home! While on the plane, I hope to do something with my pile of this:

(photo and wool from Tanis Fiber Arts, colorway is lemongrass. Dreamy :)

happy? birthday

2012-01-26T08:12:00.002-06:00

I am another day older today, the ripe age of 38! I am not one to lament my age, don't worry ;) But it has been an interesting morning so far.

Before 8 a.m. this morning:

-my dog got into my bathroom garbage. Girly products shredded and strewn all over the place. THEN...he threw up 2 full tampons. I cannot even begin to describe how gross that is.
-we heard something in the wall: looks like we have a mouse (or something) in there! Right by a light switch, so I have to get the exterminator in here before it chews through a wire and burns down our house. Since we have had FIVE YEARS of renovations (and not the fun kind, the my-roof-is-leaking kind) that just finally ended in December, I am less then thrilled at the idea of someone coming over and cutting a new hole in my wall
- my one treat to myself in my busy day today- a massage- was cancelled due to illness. Sigh.
- long discussion with Big G regarding his use of the F* bomb yesterday......seriously. Already?

On the plus side:

-I enjoyed a nice workout with a friend, who sent me home with homemade soup and goodies for lunch
-I received some adorable homemade cards and lots of hugs and kisses from my children. The Middle Child even drew a "Disney Quilt" in hers to combine my quilting love with the excitement of our upcoming holiday :)
-lots of lovely messages from good friends and family

All in all, pretty eventful for this early in the morning! And I think, weighing it out, things will balance on the positive side, despite the early morning glitches! It is going to be a great day :)

Tutorial: iPad 2 sleeve

2012-01-23T06:54:00.000-06:00

I am loving my new iPad, and it needed a home. So I made it this cozy quilted cover! It features a padded main compartment with a loop strap closure to securely hold your iPad inside. On the back I have added a convenient pocket, just the right size to stash some cash, your charger or some earbuds.Do you want a new sleeve, too?

You will need:

A fat quarter of home decor weight fabric for the exterior
A fat quarter of quilting cotton or other fabric for lining
A fat quarter of fusible fleece interfacing OR you can use scraps of quilt batting like I did :)
Scraps of coordinating fabric for pocket
Long piece of coordinating fabric for strap (15" by 4")
2 coordinating buttons
Thread

Cutting your pieces:

This pattern can be easily adapted for the original iPad, laptops or Kindles, etc. For thin devices, add 1.5 inches to the length and width of your device. If your device is thicker than 0.5 inches, then increase proportionately. Email me if you need any help with the calculations!

Here are the instructions for an iPad 2:

Exterior fabric, interior fabric and batting:
Cut two pieces from each measuring 11" wide by 9" tall. If you like, you can piece the exterior front panel like I did to a final size of 11" by 9" and use that!

Cut one piece from each for the exterior of the flap measuring 11" by 4". Fold in half width wise and trim at an angle (see photos and instructions below for back pocket flap).
Loop: cut piece measuring 2" by 3.5 " from exterior fabric, or coordinating scrap if you wish

Strap: cut piece measuring 15" by 3" from each both the strap fabric and batting.

Pocket:
For pocket body, cut one piece measuring 5" by 5" from each of the exterior and lining pocket scraps/fabrics and batting. Then cut exterior fabric, lining fabric and batting measuring 5" by 3" for pocket flap.

To make angles for pocket flap and sleeve flap:
Fold exterior fabric in half width wise (i.e. for pocket flap, fold the 5" end and for sleeve flap, fold the 11" end). This is done to ensure that the angles will be symmetrical.

Cut off fabric from one corner at an angle as shown. I started a small amount away from the folded corner so that the flaps would be flat at the bottom and not pointed, then angled to the flap outer edge. In the photo below (showing the pocket flap), I started 0.5 inches from the folded corner and angled back to about 1 inch from the corner of the outer edge. For the sleeve flap, I started 0.75 inches from the folded corner and again angled it to 1 inch from the outer corner. This is NOT precise, only a guide, so don't panic, you can make this angle whatever you would like! It will look great!

Once you have made the angle on the outer fabric, you want the other 2 layers to match. To do so, use the cut layer as a template, placing it on top of the other 2 layers to cut as shown:

Unfold, and you will have 3 identical flap pieces like these:

Assembly:

* All seams are 1/4 inch unless otherwise noted*

Make pocket:
Make fabric sandwich starting with batting, then exterior right side up, followed by lining right side down. Sew on 3 sides leaving the top open.

Use opening to turn right side out. Tuck in raw edges.

Press and top stitch.
Do the same for top flap of pocket. Add button hole of appropriate size to flap centered near bottom of flap using button hole function on sewing machine (refer to your machine manual, or visit the Sew Mama Sew tutorial here).

Pin pocket to back exterior panel. I layered it with the batting so that attaching the pocket would sew through all layers for added security. Insert a label if you would like!

Sew on along two sides and bottom, leaving top opening of pocket unsewn. Pin flap to exterior, sew on along top edge. I did this twice- once with the flap in the "up" position as pinned in the above photo, then I flipped it into the "down" position and top stitched it in place as shown below:

Make loop:
Take loop fabric and fold in raw edges along length to center. Press. Then fold in half along center line as shown:
Stitch along both sides:

Fold raw ends under and attach to bottom center or front exterior flap. Do some quilting of the exterior front flap by hand or machine with the batting layer, if desired.

Sewing sleeve exterior:
Make sandwich as follows: exterior back (facing UP), exterior front (facing DOWN), batting.

Sew along two sides and bottom, leaving top open. Turn right side out.
Sewing lining:
Arrange lining pieces, right sides facing. Sew along two sides and bottom as for exterior, but leaving 3 inch opening in bottom center.

Make strap:
Align strap batting on wrong side of strap fabric. Fold in half lengthwise with batting facing outward. Sew along raw edge.

Turn right side out (I do this using a safety pin, as seen in this tutorial) and press with seam along one side. Tuck raw edges in at one end- I did mine so that it came to a point, but it could be square or any shape you wish. Top stitch close to edge around all sides. Add a button hole of appropriate size approximately 2 inches from the end.

*Note: It is a good idea to refrain from adding the button hole to the strap until the final step, to verify its position once the sleeve is completed. Run the strap through the loop and back up, with your iPad in place, to accurately measure where to place the button hole. Otherwise, you could end up with a strap that is too long or short!

Note: the other end of the strap can remain raw as it will be sewn inside the flap.

Sewing the sleeve flap:
Make flap by assembling fabric sandwich as shown below: batting, exterior right side up, strap with raw end aligned in center of the flap bottom edge and button hole end pointing to top edge of flap, lining right side down. Sew along sides and bottom edge, leaving top edge open. Turn right side out.
Press, and top stitch by hand or machine along 2 sides and bottom edge.

Attaching flap and finishing sleeve:
Align flap with exterior fabric facing exterior of back of body. Sew with quarter inch seam to attach (Note- be sure to sew to back layer fabric only!).

Insert exterior bag, which is facing right side out, into lining, which is inside out. Tuck in flap and strap.

Sew with half inch seam all around the top edges.

Turn right side out via the hole you left in the lining.

Tuck raw edges of lining opening in and press. Sew closed along edge as shown.

Hand stitch buttons in place in proper relation to button holes. Measure and prepare strap button hole as discussed above.

You're done!

I hope you have enjoyed my iPad sleeve tutorial. Any questions? Email me at obsessivecraftingdisorder@yahoo.ca and I will be happy to help.

As always, my tutorials are copyrighted for personal use only. I donate many hours of my time to prepare this pattern for your use, so please be courteous and give credit where credit is due- link back to me if you blog about your newly made sleeve. I'd love to see your creations! Be sure to hook 'em up to my Flickr group! :)

The start of something new.

2012-01-20T18:30:00.004-06:00

It has been a long time since I have had a chance to sit down and quilt! In the little snippets of time I have had over the past months, it felt too overwhelming to use them to start a bigger project. But this past weekend, I took a little time, let the dishes and laundry wait, got the kids out of my hair with some video games...and I started to splice up some fabric.

(I admit the time was at the expense of my iPad tutorial....promise to have it tweaked and up for next week!)

This one will be for The Middle Child. May take awhile to get this to the finish line, but I am excited to embark on the journey. Feels so good to be back at it!

(And finally! My Heather Ross is out of its box!)

I have so many quilts in my head, and I wish so badly that I could just sit home and hammer them out! Do you ever just get so frustrated that you want to do something, but can't find/make the time to do so? I feel like I am spinning my wheels all the time, torn in so many directions. Each day is just a race to bedtime, and it seems all I have time to do is to put out fires, repeat the day to day necessities, and then the day is done and it is time to go to bed. Sometimes I wonder...what is the point?? Not that each day doesn't offer its laughs or joys, but so much of it is spent with the drudgery. And so many of the tasks that take up much of my time just have to be done again tomorrow.

I read a great article today about the ups and downs of motherhood, here. If you are a mom who sometimes feels the same, give it a look. Seems we are in good company- about 100, 000 and counting have apparently shared this one on Facebook this week!

I wish there was more chances to just bask in the little things that we love, be it fulfilling hobbies, cuddling our children (who grow far too fast), going for long walks, or spending time connecting (and I mean talking, not texting) with family and friends. I guess I should be doing that instead of typing right now..... ;) Off to spend a couple hours with girlfriends, then snuggle on the couch (under a quilt) with my hubs!

How to warm a naked Mountie

2012-01-18T06:35:00.003-06:00

My friend Alison of Little Island Quilting has been kind enough to send me a couple stacks of British craft magazines, called Molly Makes. It is fun to check out some crafting inspiration from across the sea! Lots of good projects in there.

They even had a review of The State of Craft, the craft book I contributed to!

Anyways, I was immediately taken by the mug cozies on the cover of one of the mags. A cute and quick project! I made a few for Christmas gifts for friends. Of course I had fun embroidering on cute quirky sayings...mostly plays on the word "hot," since all my girlfriends are so darn sexy ;) "I'm hot," "Hot stuff," "Too hot to handle"....stuff like that! Here is an example of one of them:

And this one I modified for take out coffee:

So I thought I would send a little something back over the ocean to Alison in thanks. Since she claims to be knitting-impaired, and she has this terrible cough every time I post about a hat I have knit, I thought I would make one for the poor dear to keep her warm. And I didn't even make one mistake on this one! Well, not after the third time I unraveled it and started again, anyhow. A bloody miracle. I am sure it will be revered ;) Check it, Peeps!

Alison had also requested that I send a "naked Canadian Mountie" her way. Unfortunately, I couldn't cooerse one into the envelope. If I come across one, though, I will be sure to knit him up one of these:

Or this?

Or, since you live on a little island, perhaps something nautical? That's a love anchor, right?
(Disclaimer: I did not make these wonders of nature. I have no idea who did, the photos were passed on via an email and I could not trace/credit the source. Nor am I acquainted with the gentleman model. View at own risk. I can not be held responsible for any swooning or horniness that may result from viewing these photos. Please do not view while simultaneously ingesting food or water as the combination may result in a choking hazard. Namaste.)

Miscellaneous yarn talk

2012-01-16T06:50:00.003-06:00

Here's some odds and ends of "catch up" to share with you!

During December, some of my fantastic mom friends from the kids' school asked if I could teach them how to knit. Nothing makes me happier than recruiting new crafters into the obsession, so I was more than happy to oblige. We all gathered for a spirited stitch-n-bitch...we may have had more wine and treats that knitting, but it was awesome. We hope to make it a regular gig!

My one holiday-themed craft this year: another yarn wreath, as a gift. Click here to see last year's set.

Also knit up this simple ribbed neck warmer for Big G:

And a few more finished knit projects to show you soon, just waiting to be received!

In progress? A sweater for ME! The yarn I am using is Madelinetosh in Candlewick, and I love the golden tones. Hope to finish this before summer, but it may take me awhile!

This yarn bowl was a gift from my BFF Samantha for Christmas...how gorgeous is that? Prevents your yarn ball from rolling all over. You can get one here.

While I'm talking Christmas gifts, Sam also knit a set of rainbow legwarmers for each of my daughters for dance class...how cute are these?? They are well loved :)

And for Big G.... she ordered custom vinyls for a white magnet board to make it look like a hockey rink! With matching Winnipeg Jets magnets!! How cool is that?!? His head pretty much spun off its axis when he saw it. It is now home to all his prized Jets ticket stubs.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Disney advice?

2012-01-14T08:19:00.003-06:00

We are heading to Disney World in Florida in February! Our first time, and we are so excited.

Have you been? Any tips?? We have no idea what we are in for...... :)

eight.

2012-01-13T13:12:00.001-06:00

Eight years ago today I became a mother for the first time, to the most wonderful little boy. That time seems to have taken forever and passed in a flash simultaneously. I can still remember this guy as a newborn...now he is getting so tall and lean and gorgeous and smart and cheeky and talented and sentimental and so many things wrapped in one complex, wonderful package. Happy birthday, Big G! I love you with all my heart and wish you the best of everything.

Some things to remember about your 8th birthday:

-Sunny and cold, woke up to -30 C temperatures with the wind chill!
-House decorated with birthday signs and balloons for you to wake up to (our family tradition).
-Breakfast request: mom's homemade banana chocolate chip muffins and blackberries
-Lunch request: rice crackers and hockey cheese!
-Dinner request: Kraft mac and cheese with chicken noodle soup
-Mom volunteered in your classroom this morning and got to hear your class sing to you and your teacher gave you a "happy birthday" sticker to wear. We also brought along your favorite M&M cookies to enjoy with your classmates.
-You were so excited about your gifts- you loved your iTunes gift cards, your camera (which was immediately used to make fart-style videos), and you HUGGED the dodge balls we gave you. You were in the basement in a flash hurling them at your sisters :) And patiently teaching LBNL to catch and throw. You even awarded her the ultimate compliment: "She's good! She may even be able to GET someone, Mom!"
-Time tonight planned with your aunt and uncle, then a friend party next weekend.

Eight is great!

It's Humpday. Need a laugh?

2012-01-11T06:35:00.001-06:00

Well, I had to drag my bones to work this week after a couple weeks of staying home with the kids and slacking off. Full steam ahead with the normal crazy routine! So, in addition to my morning caffeine fix, I thought I could use a chuckle. How about you?

Take a minute to read this blog post. If you like my wonky sense of humor you will love this. I made the hubs read it, while I was laughing hysterically and gulping for oxygen, and he said (with the eye roll) that this is just the kind of stunt I would pull. Twisted minds think alike. Now I just need me a 5 foot chicken....

Need one of these for your next boo boo?

(via Pinterest)

Can't get enough of Ryan Gosling lately. He always knows just what to say.

(via Pinterest)

If you live in the Winnipeg area, are a Jets fan, or are just into NHL hockey, this will make you smile. It seems Hitler is a Jets fan, but is unhappy about the shortage of men's washrooms in the MTS Center.....

Have a good Monday!

Not just any old iPad sleeve....

2012-01-08T18:55:00.010-06:00

Sorry guys! Had a blip with this post earlier today, but it is all here now!

Lucky me, my "Santa" got me an iPad for Christmas! I guess that is one way to get me away from reading blogs in the computer room, lol :) Anyways, I love it. So naturally I wanted it to have a nice home to hang out in when not in use. I looked around the internet for some inspiration and then came up with a design all my own. It incorporates so many of my favorite things, it makes me smile.

I started by going to my nicely organized fabric that I have been neglecting for far too long (oh how I have missed you!) and selected a few of my favorites. Some Denyse Schmidt (including some ribbon flowers from Kaelin and seeds from Riel- thanks, ladies!), some Farmdale that will remind me of my shopping (frenzy) at Sewing Summit, some Echo. I made a block....it reminds me of sunbeams, in rainbow colors like after a rain- so cheery! I framed it I denim, which I opted to use as my base to add body to the sleeve. I added a bunch of hand quilted accents for some more fun!

On the back, I included a pocket large enough to put some earbuds or to slip in a credit card or money if I (ever have the life where I can) head to the coffee shop for a little quiet moment. And, yes, the Canadian $5 bill really does has hockey on it :) I used the Farmdale apple fabric there as a nod to Apple!

I added a flap closure, with a long tie that loops across the front and is fastened with a button- nice and secure in there!

The button on the front is from a surprise package I recently received in the mail from the ever so sweet Amy, along with these adorable ribbons and trim!

Can you see a theme here? This sleeve is made up with bits of love from all over blog land! So you see, this is not just any old iPad sleeve.....it is a little bit of sunshine sure to make me smile and think of all my blog family whenever I see it. I love it! And I am going to share the joy by making up a tutorial for it to share with all of you. Coming soon! :)

I'll be linking up to some of my friends I haven't visited in awhile, like Sew Modern Monday and Fabric Tuesday!

mad hatter

2012-01-07T14:24:00.000-06:00

I mostly stuck to my guns about having a relaxing, stress free, store bought Christmas, and my sewing machine had quite honestly not seen the light of day since November. But I did get the itch to stitch a few times, so I made some hand knit hats for some of my friends and family.

Okay- it was kind of like a factory around here... :) I think I made 7 in total, didn't take photos of them all!

I learned to cable! Now I really feel fancy-schmancy. Shhhh...don't spill the beans, but it was really quite simple. Also, Michael's had a sale on my favorite bulky yarn, so I bought a bunch and churned out these puppies. I made this pattern 3 times for friends. How cute is that button detail?

Another one from the same pattern, but modified with no button band. I love the pumpkin orange, yo!

And one more slightly different cable pattern for my wonderful and very crafty MIL:

Here's the pile of them including the purple one which was blogged here.

My favorite part? These awesome labels, bought here (found via Katie on Pinterest). Me loves to be cheeky ;) I think they will go on everything I make from now on!

Yup, I am officially a Mad Hatter!

Should I do a 2011 review thingy?

2012-01-05T06:53:00.000-06:00

What can I say, I have been loving all the mosaics out there, and had to jump in with one of my own.

Quilts of 2011:

1. Hockey quilt 1, 2. me and my designing daughters!, 3. Sherbet Pips quilt 1, 4. Fundraiser tree quilt front, 5. Nicey Jane New Wave 3, 6. Postage stamp quilt front 1, 7. Postage stamp quilt back 1, 8. kids and quilts!, 9. HST quilt 2, 10. Rainy Days front completed!, 11. "Quickie Quilt" full frontal :-), 12. Friendship quilts

Ten full quilts and 2 minis completed in 2011 :) A few yet-unfinished quilt tops too, that I haven't included here. By far I get the most attention and requests about Big G's hockey quilt. It is one of my favorites, too. I have long said I plan to make a pattern, and I hope to actually do that in 2012 (but no promises as to when!).

Sewing of 2011:

1. 276, 2. Grab-n-go wristlet by Kaelin, 3. coin purse for Moda Bakeshop, 4. Framed purse tutorial for Moda Bakeshop, 5. SSSS bee blocks, 6. Roll-up bag tutorial, 7. market bags in their natural habitat, 8. cheater cathedral windows tutorial, 9. pillow tutorial, 10. Union Jack coin purse for Amy, 11. Bloom clutch, 12. linen and lace clutch in hand, 13. ballerina bag, take 2, 14. wallet interior, 15. handbags and coordinating wallets, 16. Japanese handbag, 17. Bobbles!, 18. Japanese coin purses, 19. Denyse Schmidt Clutches , 20. tea cozy, 21. felted wool mittens tutorial, 22. felted wool mittens at work!, 23. cell cover 2, 24. vintage sheet quilt top 1

Definitely been the year of the framed purses! This is a great go-to for a gift. If you want to see how it's done, you can check out my tutorial on Moda Bakeshop.

Knitting of 2011:

1. coordinating baby hats for cousins, 2. hats!, 3. mittens!, 4. another Autumn hat in hummingbird, 5. slouch profile, 6. orange sweater joy 4, 7. slouch hat profile, 8. mittens :), 9. Autumn toque in purple side, 10. Baby cardigan 2, 11. My sweet girl in her cardi, 12. Eddie the Elephant, 13. knit hats for me and my youngest, 14. A stripe-ity knit kitty for my girl, 15. This little pig, 16. me and my girl in our hats

Knitting has become my new obsession. I am pretty pleased with how far I have come in just one year! My favorites? LBNL's sweater and a certain x-rated item I knit for my mother for Mother's Day.....

....if you want to see the "full disclosure," you can click here ;)

On a personal level, 2011 had its ups and downs. I am grateful for another year with my family, all of us healthy and growing (I "grew" a few pounds I could do without!), and enjoyed my kids' constant antics, even though they drive me mental much of the time. Funny how people you love so fiercely can make you so batty, eh? I wouldn't trade them for the world. They are growing into fine young people that I admire and adore, I love how they are so polar opposite and each bring something special to the fabric of our family.

We enjoyed some travel this year- Wisconsin Dells and Minneapolis road trip with the family, and my husband and I got an anniversary weekend away in Toronto. I also was very lucky to get to attend Sewing Summit in Salt Lake City- I can't tell you how wonderful it was to meet some of my blogging friends, and to spend an entire weekend immersed in a hobby we all love! I definitely see some quilting retreats in my future, an hope to return to Sewing Summit one day.

Our day to day life has evolved quite a bit this year- the kids are getting older, so my late night sewing time has been getting less and less. I have loved picking up knitting in its place- I can bring it along with me to dance class or hockey practice, so I can still enjoy some creative time without shooting myself in the foot by giving up all of my sleep. I am hoping to find a way to squeak in a bit more time with my sewing machine, though...will work on strategies in the new year. I also need to get in all the other things that make up life- sleep, exercise, work, cooking, cleaning, kids activities, reading and homework, and just some family time. I am working at adjusting and resetting my balance as my "happy" meter has been a bit low this year and I want to keep that in check. It's no fun feeling overwhelmed and anxious all the time, and I want to be sure my new balance includes some down time.

I am looking forward to seeing what 2012 has in store :) And I want to say thanks to all of you for your continued support and friendship....this blog and my blogging friends has been a real source of joy for me. Hugs to all of you and wishing you all the best of everything in 2012!!

Angry lunch

2012-01-04T10:37:00.000-06:00

No, I am not still sulking over the Crayon fiasco....this angry is the good kind, Angry Birds!

My kids, like many, are hooked on Angry Birds. So when I saw this post, I knew I had the perfect lunch for a lazy day at home. Angry Bird Sandwiches!

Two in PB&J, and one in salami for my anti-PB Middle Child:

Needless to say, they were devoured in seconds :)

Angry Birds = Happy Kids!

How do you like this f$#*ing tutorial?

2012-01-02T10:36:00.001-06:00

Sometimes, only a four letter word will do.

I had planned to come back to blogging with more cheerful sentiments but here is what is on my mind today:

Crayons + snowsuits + drier = no good.

So we rung in new year's day with all the kids snowsuits covered in multicolored Crayon splatters. My hubs said that I should claim this is a new do-it-yourself look and so I thought I would give you all a little "tutorial".

How to make multicolored laundry!

1. Go to Perkins and have kids swipe some crayons and stuff them in coat pockets (tutorial on how to turn your kids into shoplifters at a later date).
2. Go on a gleeful sleigh ride (on a one horse open sleigh) and get your kids thoroughly covered in horse droppings as they run behind said sleigh.

3. Peel snowsuits off children and send through your wash and dry cycle. Go ahead! Put it on high heat for even better results!
4. Experience the multicolored splendor!!! Teach your kids some new profanity!! Amaze your friends with your domestic prowess!!

Here are some photos of one jacket after about 37 rounds of stain remover, WD-40 and washing so this is "clean"....it actually did get out about 80% of it, except that darn blue.....wish I had taken a "before" but I was in a serious rage and cry mode, then hunkered over my drier for about 2 hours scraping out all the melted wax. Grrrrr....

So if you see my kids walking around in dirty jackets looking like they are homeless, think again! It's the latest tutorial on OCD ;)

My new year's gift to you....eye candy!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year! I hope 2012 brings you all you could ever ask for :)

Be back soon. I've missed you all!

a blogging break

2011-12-07T06:35:00.001-06:00

Life has been more than busy lately. It's been a bit of a crazy year at home and work, and I have been feeling increasingly overwhelmed and drained. The stuff I normally turn to for stress relief, like blogging and crafting, haven't seemed as fun, and sometimes have even felt like another chore to deal with.

Signal received- time for a break.

I made the decision a few weeks ago, during a particularly stressful week at home and work, that I was just going to STOP. Could I really do that? Give STORE BOUGHT Christmas gifts?!? BUY a platter of dainties for Christmas? The concept was so liberating. For the last couple weekends I have spent my energy going out and reconnecting with friends, spending quality time with my kids, enjoying an extra glass of wine, making snowmen instead of making supper, watching some t.v. (while not simultaneously stitching). I have enjoyed some good belly laughs, and it made me realize how long it has been since I have felt REALLY GOOD. I miss that Me, and I am hoping to spend more time with Her in the coming weeks. I am on the right track!

I also want to be sure to really soak in the holidays this year with my kids and husband (aren't they cute? These pictures were taken by the talented May Arason-Li ). My kids are at that perfect age, where everything is so magical, and I don't want to miss a second because I was holed away in my craft room sewing.

So, I am shutting things down for a bit! Only craft when the fever strikes, and not because of any feeling of obligation. I plan to limit my computer time as well, but I promise to pop in from time to time to say hello and to check in on all my crafty muses :)

Happy holidays, everyone! Hope you live it up! See you in the New Year!

And if you have a minute, this video by a talented local Winnipeg high school student is sure to get you in the Christmas spirit :) Shot all around my beautiful city!

Drunkard's Path QAL: Winners!

2011-12-05T19:30:00.001-06:00

Thanks again to everyone who braved the curves and participated in our quilt along, and to those of you who couldn't participate but who cheered us on! It was my first time piecing curves as well, usually I have done them with applique in the past, and I have to say that this quilt was certainly the cure for curvitis! Despite the learning "curve" (hahaha!), it was a fun block to do and with its versatility I know I will be back for more. If you haven't done so already, you can go peruse the finished quilt tops here.

Now it is time to announce our prize winners! Thanks to our sponsors for their donations :)

The fat quarter bundle of Tula Pink's Prince Charming fabric donated by The Fabric Shoppe goes to:

B. Yazoo!

The $40 gift certificate courtesy of Fresh Squeezed Fabrics goes to:

Beth at Sewing for Sanity!

Congratulations, Ladies! We will be in touch to get you your prizes :)

Hmmmmm.....

2011-12-01T14:42:00.003-06:00

I am thinking of using this:

for this:

Eventually.

What do you think? Anything I should remove/add?

Drunkard's Path QAL: Link up your quilt tops!

2011-11-28T05:27:00.000-06:00

Whoo hoo! We finished! This block wasn't for sissies :) Good job everyone! It has been so fun for Kate and I watching all the lovely quilt tops take shape over in the Flickr group.

The process had its moments, but once I saw my final quilt top, I was in love. I am pretty sure this will be my favorite quilt ever. And it is mine-all-mine!! I am treating myself to some long arm quilting on this one by Jenny :)

I love the fabrics (Bonnie and Camille's Ruby), and am really happy with the block arrangement that I chose (thanks to everyone for their input!). It was the scrappy diamond shaped option which had the secondary shape of the flower in white once the blocks were joined together. With so many great block options, I am pretty certain that I will be back to do another of these in the future.

Now it is time to link up your finished quilt top (or quilt, for those of you who have finished!) to be eligible for one of our prizes! We have 2 amazing prizes:

- a $40 gift certificate from Randi at Fresh Squeezed Fabrics!
- a fat quarter bundle of Tula Pink's Prince Charming fabric from Fabric Shoppe!

Be sure to visit these great shops to show your appreciation :)

So go ahead and link up your quilt tops! Links will show up both here and on Kate's blog (how cool is that?). You can link up until December 5, 2011, at which time we will randomly select our 2 winners. Good luck, and congratulations on your finishes!

Happy Snow Day!

2011-11-26T16:59:00.005-06:00

Woke up this morning to some beautiful, fluffy snow. Just gorgeous. The temperature was mild, just around freezing, which made this snow sticky and perfect for snowmen (and snowball fights!).

Chores were abandoned and we got to work. We even had Christmas carols playing on our outdoor speakers! Couldn't have been more serene and perfect.

Over the course of a couple hours, we assembled a little snow family! We set them up facing our house so that we can see them perfectly while at the kitchen table. One snowperson to represent each of us :)

I think this was just about the perfect day. Time with the kids, the spirit of the season in our hearts, a little bit of time sewing this morning (finished off my DP top! Yay!) and some Christmas baking. Plans to snuggle up on the sofa to watch a Christmas movie tonight with a big bowl of popcorn. Life is good!

I hope all of my American friends are enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. In Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving in October, but still a special weekend here as tomorrow is a big day for sports fans...it is Grey Cup Sunday, the Canadian Football League's equivalent to the Superbowl, and our hometown Winnipeg Blue Bombers are in the game. Go Blue Go! And pass the chips and dip ;)

Seed stitch mittens: a pattern

2011-11-24T07:35:00.002-06:00

I wanted to make some mittens in seed stitch to go with my hat made with the Autumn pattern by Jane Richmond. Nothing I could find was catching my eye, so, with necessity as the mother of invention, I decided, what the heck, I would write my own pattern!

This pattern is for one pair of seed stitch mittens. The smaller size is a woman's, the large are made to fit men. To modify size larger or smaller from here, you need to cast on with +/- 6 stitches to maintain both the 2-1 ribbing and to have an odd number of stitches for the seed stitch.

Pattern notes:

Sizes: Woman (Men)

Materials:
Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky, gauge 3-3.5 st/inch
- approximately one skein (104 yards/ 3.5 oz) required (I went slightly over for the men's size)
Needles: 6mm/US 10 dpns or long circular if using the magic loop method
Yarn needle to weave in ends

Abbreviations: K=knit, P=purl, M=make one, dpn= double pointed needles, st=stitch, K2tog= knit 2 together, P2tog= purl 2 together

Seed stitch: this stitch involves alternating knitting and purling stitches, then repeating the same in the opposite order in the proceeding round.
round 1: k1, (p1, k1) to end of round
round 2: p1, (k1, p1) to end of round

Note: Both left and right mittens are knit the same.

Directions:
Cast on 21(27) stitches. Divide stitches in multiples of 3 onto 3 dps or into 2 groups for magic loop method. Join in the round, being careful not to twist.

Ribbing:
Round 1: (K2 P1) to end of round
Repeat for 2.5 inches

Thumb gusset:
Round 1: K1, (P1, K1) repeat to end of round
Round 2: K1, P1, K1, P1 then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 3: K1, P1, K1, M1, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 4: K1, P1, K2, P1 then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 5: K1, P1, K1, M1, K1, P1 then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 6: K1, P1, K3, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 7: K1, P1, K1, M1, K2, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 8: K1, P1, K4, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 9: K1, P1, K1, M1, K3, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 10: K1, P1, K5, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 11: K1, P1, K1, M1, K4, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 12: K1, P1, K6, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 13: K1, P1, K1, M1, K5, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 14: K1, P1, K7, P1,then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 15: K1, P1, K1, M1, K6, P1, then seed stitch to end of round starting with K1
Round 16: K1, P1, K8, P1, then then seed stitch to end of round starting with P1
Round 17: K2, slip 8 onto stitch holder, cast on one stitch using backward loop method, then (P1, K1) to end of round: 21 (27) st on needles

Body of mitten:
Round 1: P1,(K1, P1) repeat to end of round
Round 2: K1, (P1, K1) repeat to end of round
Continue to repeat round 1 and 2 (i.e. seed stitch) until mitten is 7 (8) inches from top of ribbing, ending with round 2

Top shaping:

Men's:
Round 1: P1, (K2tog, P2 tog) to end: 14st on needles
Round 2: (K1, P1) to end
Round 3: (K2tog, P2tog) to end: 7 st on needles

Women's:
Round 1: P1, (K2tog, P2tog) to end: 11 st on needles
Round 2: K1, (P1, K1) to end
Round 3: P1, K2tog, (P2tog, K2tog) to end: 6 st on needles

Both sizes: Cut yarn, leaving a 4 inch tail, thread through remaining stitches and pull tight. Weave in tail on inside of mitten to secure.

Thumb:
Transfer 8 stitches from holder onto needles and knit. Pick up 6 stitches at base of thumb (for a total of 14 st). Divide on 3 needles (4-4-4) and knit in the round until thumb measures 2 inches.
Next round: K2tog to end (7 st on needles).
Next: knit
Next: K1, (K2tog) to end
Cut yarn with a 4 inch tail, thread through remaining 4 stitches and pull tight. Weave in tail on inside of mitten and secure.

Finishing:
Weave in remaining ends and get set to make some snowballs!! Don't forget to make a second one, eh?

stuff I've knit lately

2011-11-23T07:13:00.001-06:00

I am a bit behind lately with blogging stuff that I have made. Keep forgetting to take pictures, which must tell you how very busy I am, I am usually really good about that! Anyways, with snow and cold now finding us in the Great White North, these items have been swallowed up into my everyday wardrobe and are being happily put to use to keep all my bits and pieces warm :)

Another slouch hat (details on Ravelry here):

Another Autumn hat (details on Ravelry here):

And some matching seed stitch mittens, in a pattern by yours truly. Which I plan to post for you in the next day or so :) Again with the Ravelry.

The winter ensemble. Photo courtesy of Big G :)

Mother-daughter quilt collaborations

2011-11-21T06:29:00.003-06:00

I was thinking that I would make Last But Not Least a doll quilt for Christmas, using the design she drew as she was so excited about it. But, seeing as my kids have the attention span of goldfish and in 6 weeks she would likely not even remember, I thought I would instead make this a "together" project that we could work on over the weekend, between ballet, tap, hockey and several hundred loads of laundry. You know, life.

So we started by pulling fabrics to represent her purple, pink and yellow color scheme- I love how well the Anna Maria Horner print goes with the Hope Valley! We chose some Erin McMorris that I have been hoarding for 2 years for the back.

Next, I made a quilt sandwich and bound it up with some of my favorite yellow seed stitch fabric. Then I ironed some Heat and Bond to the back of strips of fabric, and then had the girls cut them up into nice wonky squares, just like in the "design"!

Last But Not Least then used her drawing as a guide and instructed her sister as to where the squares should be placed. I gave them a press and then sewed them onto the sandwich, ticker tape style.

Voila! A completed doll quilt. Smiles are free.

When asked if she was happy with the quilt she designed and help to make, her answer was, "It's nice and all, but I think my picture looks MUCH better." Can't win 'em all. To be fair, she was cranky and suffering from separation anxiety from Kitty, who was in the wash due to an unfortunate swim in the toilet at some point in the midst of all this fun. Life.

Well, for those of you who have more than one child, you know what comes next.

The Middle Child announces, "Don't I get to make a quilt?"

Of course you do. Fair is fair.

She is all about princesses and puppies, and since I have a huge stack of Heather Ross FFA2 that I am still planning to use to make a quilt for her bed (eventually), I suggested we start there. She selected the fabrics she wanted and got to work making a design of her own. But don't forget the pink puppies, Mom! Out comes the Pips.

I made this one wonky long cabin style, kind of like the blocks I had started with the Ghastlies. I must have been in a wordy mood that day as I chose another text print for the binding here, by Sweetwater (though I am too lazy to get up and go look at which one). For quilting, I just did some straight line quilting around the edges, because, let's face it, at this point it was time to make supper already.

The Middle Child was very pleased with the result (no critiques at all this time!).

So, my friends, that is the tale of 2 minis, made with my daughters, on a sunny and crispy cold Saturday afternoon. Probably the most fun I have had quilting in a very long time. And that's what it's all about!

Linking up at Canoe Ridge Creations and Quilt Story.

A+ Art Portfolio by Hopeful Threads

2011-11-19T07:24:00.000-06:00

Have you met the OTHER Kristy, over at Hopeful Threads? The whole philosophy of her blog is about sewing to give back. She is awesome. She recently has become involved in a great organization called Create H.O.P.E. Designs, where a bunch of talented designers have come together and donated their time to make patterns, which are then sold for a mere 5 bucks a piece, with 100% (!!) of the proceeds benefiting orphaned children all over the world.

Kristy's contribution is the A+ Art Portfolio! It is a super cute bag designed with the little artist in mind, with a laminate lining for containing messes. She even details a bunch of modifications and variations to the pattern on her blog, here.

The pattern can be found at Create H.O.P.E. so go check it out, along with the many other great patterns available! I got my copy and hope to whip a couple up in time for the holidays :) Kind of perfect to make a great kid gift, while helping other kids at the same time, wouldn't you say?

like mother, like daughter

2011-11-18T06:42:00.002-06:00

Last But Not Least has been into drawing lately, and does amazingly good work for her age (in my unbiased opinion as her mother). She has an "artist's notebook" in which she makes her most prized creations. One night this week, she decided to make a quilt, like Mom! So, with one of mine spread out on the floor as her "inspiration," she chose her color scheme (pink, purple, yellow) and got to work designing her very own quilt.

She even carefully labelled it as such in her sweet little handwriting at the top of the page.

I am actually really digging her design....maybe I should translate this into fabric?

That's my girl! I guess you could say she is a chip off the old {quilt} block ;)

The Anti-Thrifter

2011-11-17T07:33:00.002-06:00

Seems like lately I have been "helping the economy" like gangbusters. I was showing lots of restraint until Salt Lake City- then it was like a dam broke. I have been buying things here and there and, well, I am just going to brag about it now. Simple as that.

First up, I love me some nice accessories. And I found the perfect pair of ankle boots that tie up with these cute wraps. I admit they cost a pretty penny, but, when I strut myself around town in these puppies, I feel like Hot Mom. Bonus: most comfortable shoes EVER! No regrets. All 3 kids don't have to go to university, really.

This box arrived for me...come to mama. I am going to love you up into a sweater, oh yes I am! How awesome is this color?

I admit I am a Fabric Pig. Pig, I say!! In a moment of weakness, these lovely fabrics found their way into my cart....The Echo line is divine, and who can resist Denyse Schmidt and Joel Dewberry? I had no choice, truth be told.

Jewelry. Pinterest is going to cost me a lot of dough. I see cute stuff, I follow the link, only $15 on etsy? Okay! Invite a few sparkly friends! Yikes! Here are a couple awesome finds I found here and here (in case you want to come and join The Dark Side).

Off to find some new hiding places for all my goodies!

Drunkard's path QAL: blocks!

2011-11-15T06:43:00.001-06:00

Finally came to a decision on my block, but I spent a RIDICULOUS number of hours playing with the pieces on the kitchen floor before finally just starting sewing. I polled my husband and kids for their opinions, and finally chose the one my dog lay to take a nap on. Are you curious what I chose? Well, I'm not telling yet!

If you are still debating which block arrangement to choose, I found this site that showed full quilts in different layouts- much easier to visualize than just looking at blocks!

So now it is time to start assembling those blocks! Next stop: finished quilt top!

Kate and I have decided to extend the deadline a bit- mostly because we are both swamped for time at the moment! We can't be the only ones, right? So we will meet back for a link up on Monday November 28. you can link up all week long, until names are drawn on Monday December 5 for prizes from our awesome sponsors, Fresh-Squeezed Fabrics and The Fabric Shoppe. So there is still time to jump in, if you'd like!

See you on November 28!

baby earflap hats for modern moms

2011-11-13T09:36:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite coworkers is expecting 2 grandbabies this autumn- her daughter just had a boy, and her son (well, his wife, technically) is expecting a girl this month. Her kids are not the typical pastel-pink-and-blue types, so I thought I would "fun it up" a bit for their baby gifts.

So here we have "The Cousin Hats." A boy and girl version, but coordinating. The base is the same, I used the free Scandihoovian Hat pattern on Ravelry. The green yarn is scraps left over from last year's yarn wreaths.

From there, I added my own touches. A big crochet flower for the girl hat (yes, I am now branching out into crochet, Lord help me):

And a fun, bad ass Mohawk for the boy version (insert electric guitar solo here):

Both were finished off with crochet trim- it is on backwards, but when I fixed it I actually preferred this look, so I ripped it out again and redid it like this! Also threw some braids on the sides.

If you want more deets, visit my Ravelry page here.

Word of the Day

2011-11-12T07:04:00.002-06:00

This Word of the Day is brought to you by my 4 year old, Last But Not Least.

DARNER SAUCE

definition (in her words): "When something is so covered in bad, it is like a sauce made of darn!"

Usually said as an exclamation following an Unfortunate Event, and accompanied by a sour looking face like this:

Example: When I dumped my white-and-Ruby drunkard's path blocks out on my kitchen counter to iron, not realizing I had spilled some tea there earlier in my morning rush that had not been wiped up, staining my fabrics. Darner sauce!!

Anyone know how to get tea stains out of white fabric??

Published :)

2011-11-10T06:13:00.001-06:00

Last winter, I was approached by a small publishing company in the UK called Cicada and asked to contribute to a craft book.

It is called State of Craft and contains a variety of projects. I like the vibe of it- not your typical craft book. I have contributed my "classic pillowcase dress" pattern....lucky for you, the tutorial is already on my sidebar on the right...yup, just over there!

I just received my copies and found some great projects like these:

And some that make me giggle, like these:

The book is available here. And it's even on sale :)

Getting the Point (a lesson in Canadian history, eh!)

2011-11-09T09:46:00.002-06:00

Canada, as a relatively new country which is made up of a blend of so many cultures, has very few things to truly call their own. We are known for our Mounties, hockey, maple syrup and poutine, but today I am going to introduce you to a wee bit of Canadian history that may not be so familiar.

Back in the late 1700s, as Europeans were settling what would become Canada and engaging in fur trade with the Natives at trading posts throughout the inland. One of our founding retailers, the Hudson Bay Company (which still exists today!), introduced woolen blankets that made in England as a regular trade item in exchange for beaver pelts. The blankets were traditionally cream in color with multicolored stripes, and had indigo lines, woven into the side of each blanket, called "points" which indicated the size of the blanket and weight of the wool used to make it so it could be quantified for trade. These "Point Blankets" are a symbol of our history, and can still be purchased at HBC. I had one on my bed growing up! As they are made of 100% felted wool, they are very warm AND very expensive- a 4 point/double size retails for $325.

BUT- lucky, lucky me I found one at a garage sale this summer...for just $15 (and I even managed to negotiate a free skirt along with that!).

So, now that the frost and snow is finding us here and we are hunkering down for the winter, I am toasty warm with my point blanket on my bed!

Drunkard's Path QAL: the one where the magic happens

2011-11-08T14:01:00.001-06:00

Phew! Anyone else a bit dizzy? I will never fear sewing curves again! Well prepared for life, I am :)

So now you have this big stack of squares, and an infinite set of possibilities of how to piece them together. I haven't come to a final decision on my block arrangement yet. I love them all! I have eliminated the circle options as I have done a DP-like circle quilt in the past (here). Here are a few options I am exploring:

"Criss cross," by color:

"Criss cross," scrappy:
Mirror image flowers (can you see how what is white on one side is solid on the other side of the block?). I only took a picture of this one scrappy:

The following is 4 blocks, which each have a diamond shape, but I can see a secondary white "floral" look in the center of the 4 when I put it all together. First option is sorted by color:
Second option is scrappy:

Then there is this fun, scallop-y stripe option:
Not sure what to call this...reminds me of tops of pillars?

You see why this is so hard? What do you think? I'd love to get your "vote" on how you think I should go from here! Please leave me a comment with your 2 cents, I am needing a nudge!

So, once you have made the big decision, start assembling those blocks! I like to take photos of my layout as a guide as I make them up. Also, I don't have a design wall where these can sit and wait for me, so a photo helps me remember where things go! My QAL partner, Kate, has some suggestions as to how she gets organized to sew her blocks as well, so go visit her and take a look!

We'll meet back next week to assemble those blocks into the finished quilt top. The following week we will have a link up of the finished tops to be eligible for some awesome prizes from Fresh Squeezed Fabrics and The Fabric Shoppe! We will let you all have a week or so to link up before declaring a winner, so you still have 3 weeks to make it happen, even if you haven't started yet. Come on, jump in! You can get further support and inspiration from our DP Flickr group :)

my little knitters

2011-11-03T06:43:00.000-05:00

(I have had this post written for awhile and had forgotten to post it! As you can see it is from a couple months ago...my kids are still in summer clothes! Anyways......)

My kids have been begging me to teach them how to knit. I thought they might be a bit young, but decided to give it a go. I started with The Middle Child...

Now, she is one smart cookie, but not known for her dexterity or ability to focus on anything resembling work for more than 14 seconds. Not to mention she is only 6 years old! I have been blown away by how hard she worked to get it right and how quickly she has figured it all out! The other night, we were heading out the the playground and she asked if she could bring her knitting along so she could sit on the bench and knit like Mommy. Soon, we had an audience of enthralled kids gathered around while she patiently showed them and described the steps to make a stitch. Adorable!

Well, seeing this attention, the other two were right in there. Can we learn Mommy? I want to knit! I decided to give it a go with Big G, my uber sporty 7 year old son.

Right away, his competitive streak was engaged:

"How many rows does she have? Is mine longer? I can beat her!"

His confidence also never seems to waver:

"I am REALLY good at ALL of the knitting steps. Look how fast I am! Can I do a sweater next? I am terrific at this."

Terrific MAY be a bit subjective...... :) We MIGHT want to work on accuracy over speed!

Currently they are knitting their way through mini scarves to keep their favorite dolls and teddies warm this winter. Pretty darn cute, and I am pretty darn proud :)

ha ha ha!

2011-11-02T06:24:00.002-05:00

Didn't make it; I bought it, here. Toddler/child sizes available :)

UPDATE: Danielle from Poor Girl Couture has graciously offered a coupon to her shop for those who are interested. Use the code "Blogg" to receive 20% off!

Candy!!

2011-11-01T06:24:00.000-05:00

Seriously. This much.

It's gonna be full-on sugar high around here for awhile. And I'm not even talking about the kids!

And some costume and pumpkin photos, just for kicks! We never make a big deal about costumes because the kids change their minds about a hundred times leading up to Halloween. I just have them pick something out of the dress up box as we head out the door! FYI, all Canadian Halloween costumes must be able to accommodate a full snowsuit underneath them ;) Luckily, this year, it was a beautiful, mild night!

Yes, Big G has his shirt on backwards....

Lucky, lucky me :)

2011-10-31T13:22:00.000-05:00

I just found out that LBNL's sweater is the lucky first place winner in the yarn category of Rachel's Celebrate Color contest over at Stitched in Color, with an amazing 245 votes. Can you see me through your computer screens doing the happy dance?? Yes, I know, awkward and dorky, but heartfelt ;) Thanks to all of you for your kind words and votes!

There were some seriously amazing prizes! Here is my loot:

Let me wipe the drool off of my chin as I introduce you to my new uber-cool knitting bag by Jordana Paige. I currently carry my knitting around in ziplocks, so to say this is a step up is an understatement. Made of gorgeous lapis blue vegan croc leather, it has a zillion well thought out compartments and pockets for all of my knitting necessities. Even some super cool loops to prevent your yarn from tangling! If you want to check out a raving review of this bag, look here. I am going to ROCK this purse....I think I need to find me some new matching shoes, eh? And I am pretty sure I will be using this bag to tote around some of Jordana's patterns....I want this and this for starters :)

Another great project for ze bag? What about this adorable hat by Tanis Fiber Arts?
It comes in 4 "seasons"- this is the winter pattern and colorway. This is well beyond my usual knitting skill level, so I am very excited to take on the challenge!

Last but not least....needles from Knit Picks! These were actually on my Christmas list, so I am soooo pumped to be getting these a little early!

A big thank you again to Rachel and to each of these amazing sponsors. I am thrilled!

{continues dorky dancing}

finalist :)

2011-10-29T06:13:00.000-05:00

My little orange sweater knit for my sassy youngest daughter has been selected as a finalist in the yarn category of the Celebrate Color contest at Stitched in Color.

Voting runs through to Sunday night. If you have a minute, do drop by and vote for your faves in yarn, needlepoint, wearable and home decor. And if my little entry gets your vote...thank you :)

Blogger's Quilt Festival: Friendship Quilts

2011-10-28T00:53:00.006-05:00

Welcome, Blogger's Quilt Festival visitors! Have fun perusing all the amazing quilts out there. Today I am going to share a new finish with you that is dear to my heart. If you would like to see more of my past quilts, you can find my 2011 quilts here and my 2010 quilts here. Thanks for popping by!

When you were a kid, did you ever exchange jelly bracelets with your best girlfriends? Or make up matching embroidery thread ones? It was also a fad when I was young to decorate your shoelaces with friendship pins adorned with beads, made by your buddies. How about one of those heart necklaces that broke into two pieces, reading "best friends?"

It was along this line of thought that I decided to make matching "friendship quilts" for my best friend and me. We became BFFs (long before there was ever an abbreviation "BFF") back in elementary school in the early 1980s. We both had a knack for skipping double dutch and played a mean game of hopscotch. Over the years, our friendship has grown and encompassed all the things that make up a life- graduations, boyfriends, breakups, marriages, deaths and births. And all the little things, too- shared recipes and bottles of wine, movie nights, girl gossip.

I had bought this fabric awhile back with the intention of making these quilts to celebrate our 30 year "anniversary" of friendship, which will be in 2012. But last month my best friend had a heart attack, a freaky one-in-a-million crappy lottery she won, though she never bought a ticket for this- it was 100% unrelated to genetics or health or lifestyle. So, I thought if there was ever a time when someone needed a little love and comfort, it was now. And so I got to slicing and dicing, and here is what we have:

One for her, one for me. I used Anna Maria Horner's Innocent Crush line because I loved the vibrant colors and hints of purple, my friend's favorite color. I cut it into charm squares, as she has often commented that this is her favorite kind of quilt: simple patchwork.

I had intended to do some fancy straight line quilting, but wasn't feeling it when I sat down at my machine- it seems that life's paths are anything but straight at the moment, so a meandering pattern it became. I love the way it shows itself on the plush minky backing.

I made a couple hand embroidered labels for the quilts which I hand stitched onto the front.

(my dog always finds the softest places to nap!)

I hope that, while she is recovering from this ordeal, she can feel a hug from me each time that she wraps herself in this quilt....and I will feel the same when I am cuddled up with mine.

Drunkard's Path Quilt Along: Sewing your blocks

2011-10-27T06:43:00.002-05:00

Well, kids- it's finally time to sew!

Take that bucket-o-pieces you cut up last week....

....and start stitching them together! Feel free to review my instructions for sewing curves over here. But I have a confession to make....I modified my method to a way I found easier/faster. And, of course, I did it to get rid of those pins, lol! Here is what I did (much more like Kate's method, really!):

1. Line the pieces up as shown, with top edges aligned- right sides facing.

2. Sew using a 1/4 inch seam, with the edge of the presser foot following the edge of the bottom outer curve piece and using your fingers to pull the upper inner curve piece to the right to line up with the lower piece as you sew.

3. Middle notches should still line up.

4. In the last centimeter/half inch or so, you may need to stop (needle down) and lift your presser foot to help arrange last bit of fabric so the bottom edges are also square as they were at the top.

5. Press towards darker fabric- done!

Repeat 324 times for a lap quilt, or about 168 times for a baby quilt (phew!). Get busy, people! This is the most labour-intensive step of this quilt along, so we are allowing 12 days to complete it. Meet you back here on November 8 to arrange them into patterns and blocks!

Happy sewing!

Ghastly!

2011-10-24T06:13:00.002-05:00

Picked up some of The Ghastlies fabric while in Salt Lake City. Had never seen it before! Had no ideas for it whatsoever, but it was too cute to leave behind. If you saw my haul from SLC, you know I was hardly discriminatory...don't think the word "no" was in my fabric shopping vocabulary that weekend!

The last thing I needed was to start a new project, what with 6 quilts already in progress and a mile long to-do list!

Anyways, not sure where I am going with this.....

....but I sure am having fun getting there!

Giveaway winner :)

2011-10-23T10:35:00.000-05:00

Thanks again to Ginger of Gingersnaps for giving way a set of labels to......

which is....Nanci! Nanci said:

Congratulations, Nanci! I will be sending you an e-mail to claim your prize.

(and a big thanks to Anita for teaching me how to cut and paste crap onto my blog! Yippee!)

Blech.

2011-10-22T07:24:00.000-05:00

Finished up a new quilt top, but it is not my favorite.....

Liked the pattern. LOVED the fabric line (Children at Play) and I even added some more of my favorites. But put it all together, and it didn't do much for me. It seemed kind of drab. So, I bought some more fabric while at Sewing Summit and thought I would add bolder borders and bring it up to double bed size. So now it is just an EXPENSIVE quilt top that I still don't love!

Ah well, it is just destined for the guest bed in my craft room, where I can see it and brood over it every day, lol! I am going to ship this puppy off to Jenny to quilt so hopefully she can turn things around and make me love it (no pressure or anything, Jenny.....). I have never had a quilt long armed before! But a double size (85" x 100") is beyond what my little machine can handle, so I am excited to try farming out the quilting, which is normally my least favorite step anyhow. And it will be good for me to be separated from this one for awhile! I know it is in good hands with Jenny, I have been crushing on her work since I found her via the Blogger's Quilt Festival last spring. Speaking of which- the fall festival starts up on October 28, so get busy, people!

Drunkard's Path QAL: Let's cut some fabric!

2011-10-21T07:15:00.000-05:00

Time to slice up that fabric, folks! If you are cutting it using templates, go visit Kate at Needle and Spatula for the low down. If you are using the Accuquilt Go! baby cutter, read on!

Step 1: cut your fabric into 10 inch squares. If you are using a layer cake like I did, that part is done for you!

Step 2: Take those squares and iron them in half.

EFFICIENCY TIP: The Go! Baby works best cutting up to 6 layers of fabric. That is 3 folded pieced of layer cake. As you are ironing your stack, line them up in sets of 3 like so, so you can just grab and go for cutting!

Step 3: Get yourself comfortable and start cutting. I did this while watching Alice in Wonderland with Last But Not Least :) Take your stack of 3 layer cake slices and line them up to cover the cutting edges on the die. It should just cover it all with a bit to spare on each end (minimal waste!). Place the die on the machine, fabric on top and the cutting mat over the fabric as shown:

Step 4: Crank it out! Or enlist some child slave labour to do it for you ;)

Step 5: Peel the excess away to reveal your cut pieces

Step 6: Repeat until you have a big old container full!

Be sure to give us a peek at your pieces in our DP QAL Flickr group (er, how did that end up sounding x-rated??). And meet us back here next Thursday to start sewing 'em up!

Are you tired of hearing about block arrangement ideas yet? We got a great tip from "retired to Quilt" (love that name!) about a great site that shows a bunch or arrangements for the blocks. Here are a few images of the blocks found there:

Click on each image to go to the corresponding page- each page shows the blocks assembled together, which gives a whole new perspective compared to looking at each block separately- they take on a whole new life!

"get organized" giveaway

2011-10-19T07:13:00.003-05:00

My craft room has been a disaster for ages, but I never want to waste time I could be sewing on cleaning. But, inspired by Jeni's excellent lecture at Sewing Summit on colour, I decided to take the leap and refold and reorganize my heaps of fabric. So, I took a deep breath and separated all my pretties from their collections, and am having them all intermingle, like a big old party! I also used Jeni's tutorial on fabric folding so they would look all neat and tidy. I admit I a normally a total slob. Really- why hadn't I done this before? It makes me so happy!

So far, I have sorted the quilting cottons, storing the larger yardages, solids, voiles, home dec weight, holiday fabric and Heather Ross items separate. It appears I have a bazillion blues (not surprising- my favorite colour), am a bit short on the purples, and am sadly lacking in greys (which I also love- what gives?!?). But overall, I am certainly not hurting for stash. Wanna peak? Just don't mind my yellow photos, my sewing space is in a very dark room!

My reds, pinks, oranges and yellows:

Blues and greens:

More blues, purples, browns, neutrals and multicolored fabrics:

We had this built in cabinet placed a couple years back, and I love the sliding drawers for visibility of my fabric! Never thought back then that I would be able to FILL it with so many lovelies :)

Also bought some jars from IKEA and organized some of my notions. I got these wonderful vinyl labels by Ginger Snaps on Etsy. Perfect for getting organized! They work on glass, walls, plastic- most surfaces. I know my love affair with these has only just begun....

So what is this about a giveaway? Ginger, the busy mom of 5 behind Ginger Snaps, has offered up a free set of labels of your choice! She has so many great ones to choose from- chalkboard labels, kitchen labels, black and white labels or dishwasher safe cup labels! Mine were the kitchen labels, and I just had Ginger customize them for what I wanted in my sewing room. If you want to see some other cute ideas of how to use these labels, or just great ideas in general, go check out Ginger's blog as well!

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below with your favorite label listed in Ginger's shop. Winner to be announced on Sunday, October 23. Good luck!

As for the rest of my sewing room? It remains a disaster. Ready for a reality photo??

Yikes! Still a work in progress, but at least I am getting started!!

NOTE: This giveaway is now closed!

Perfect fall sweater (for a perfect little girl)

2011-10-15T07:28:00.002-05:00

I think about 2.3 seconds elapsed between when I cast off The Middle Child's sweater and when Last But Not Least started whining, "But where is miiiiiiine???" And as I worked on it over the past couple months, the kid was like a slave driver. "Aren't you done yet, Mommy?" "Knit faster!"

Anyways, I am so happy that I was able to crank it out in time for her to wear this fall....and to capture the gorgeous color of the yarn amongst the gorgeous colors of nature!

Knit it a couple sizes big....you can bet if I am going to knit it, I am going to make it big enough to last awhile!

Tested and approved for running and frolicking purposes.....

Had fun walking through the park and snapping photos. The Middle Child was the "director" of the photo shoot and would swoop in after each shot to rearrange hair and offer suggestions to her sister about hand placement, etc. Suggestions were usually taken graciously. Ah, sisters!

More details on my Ravelry page here, for those who would like to know :)

Linking up at Rachel's Celebrate Color contest :)

Drunkard's Path QAL- block arrangement ideas

2011-10-14T09:36:00.000-05:00

So many possibilities with this block! The combinations are endless. My quilt-along partner, Kate, is talking all about it on her blog today, so go on over and visit her! You can also look at other DP inspirations quilts that I have collected here and here.

See you back next week to start cutting up that fabric!

bi-CRAFT-ual

2011-10-12T06:58:00.001-05:00

I have been having a bit of an online discussion with some concerned blogging friends lately about my craftual orientation. They have noticed me wandering over to "the knitting side" quite often and they were worried about me. Have I forgotten about my first love, Quilting? Is there room in my heart for another love?

Well, I am here to assure you that I am completely at peace with the 3-way going on over here. And if you really care about me, you will accept me for who I am.

I can't deny it any longer.......I am BI-CRAFT-UAL, hear me roar!!

So all you knit-haters, shield your eyes because I am going to show off a new hat, henceforth known as The Bicraftual Hat. Now, if I had anticipated that its "coming out" post would have had this particular slant, I might have knit it in a rainbow yarn, but regardless, I am very happy with the Malabrigo Rasta in leguna negro that was used here.

I used the Chunky Slouch Cap pattern from Ravelry . Made it a bit bigger and longer to allow for more slouch. I had to restart this baby 3 times because I had initially started it too small, then messed up the pattern, etc. Typical of me!

Love the way this hat looks and feels. I see another in my near future.....

Sewing Summit Gossip

2011-10-11T07:36:00.001-05:00

The sign of a good weekend?

My baggage gained 25 lbs! "Only" 42 lbs on the way to Salt Lake City, but 67 lbs (!!) on the way home. Fabric binging, people!!

Looking at this {yummy} stack it is kind of embarrassing, really...I need a 5 year plan!

Good times were had. I really don't know how to begin to make this post even a bit coherent. There is so much to say.

My impressions:

It is the oddest feeling to walk into a room of 100+ people that you "know"....but have never seen. The opening reception was a bit overwhelming for that reason. I walked through the sea of people and then would spot a purse I recognized...."OH! I know that bag! It belongs to so-and-so" and boom, a connection was made!

Out and about with my BF Samantha, who joined me from Toronto to take in Sewing Summit, we were lucky enough to find an awesome art show selling handmade items by local artists. As I was trying on a cool belt I hear a voice behind me say "blahblahblah Joel Dewberry blah...." My head whips around. "You know your fabric. Are you from Sewing Summit?" And sure enough- it was Amy from Amylouwho! Along with Dana from Old Red Barn, and then Diary of a Quilter's Amy and Leigh of Leedle Dee Quilts. All such wonderful, genuine ladies.

Finally met that crazy Kaelin! And that girl spoiled me again with....drum roll....3 fat quarters of KJR ribbon Flowers. Eeep!!! Along with some amazing New Orleans treats! Love them!

I had brought her a little goody bag with some Canadian chocolate bars and an extra large eraser shaped like, what else, a plaid scottie! But me thinks I came out on top with that little exchange...thanks K! Enjoyed dinner with her and some other amazing girls- Angela, Cara, Candice, Cherie, Ali, Michelle. Good laughs!

Also finally got to meet my lovely Drunkard's Path QAL partner, Kate, in person! Had some fun shopping for fabric and hanging out over dinner with her and Natalie (another one of my very favorite blogging people!).

I also had a very intimate, special interlude in the washroom....ran into my new friend Becky who had a "special delivery" for me....a hug from our common Australian buddy, Shay! She decided to deliver it promptly.....

....don't worry, I had already washed my hands!

Also met so many more of my favorite ladies.... so nice to put faces to the names (and quilts!).

Saturday night Sam and I were lucky to take part in a dinner organized by Dana. She even arranged goody bags for the occasion! I gathered together some little fun personalized notepads to add in that I ordered locally (here):

And Dana spoiled us all with handmade pouches containing these adorable sewing machine silver pendant necklaces, made by Cinnamon Sticks! How stinking cute are these??? AND did I mention that she had gotten these for 40 of us???? Worn with pride all weekend long (and beyond). Thanks, Dana!

Speaking of shwag, man did we get awesome freebees! A huge tote, full of goodies, patterns and more upon registration!! And, in Jeni's color class, we got a free Kaufman Kona color chart! Whoo hooo!!! So needed for a Canadian girl who has to order all this stuff online!

I can also now reveal that I was one of 22 ladies involved in the SSSS Bee- "Super Secret Sewing Summit Bee", organized by the ambitious and talented Ali of a2w, where we made blocks to contribute to quilts for Amy and Erin, the organizers extraordinaire of the Sewing Summit. These were presented Sunday morning to two very emotional, proud (and TIRED!) ladies who had worked so hard to bring all of us together. They really are the NICEST ladies, knew us all by name and made us feel like they had invited us all over personally to their house for a party. I was so pleased to be able to give them a little something back :) My block was one of the wonky ones on the quilt backs!

So, what's a Sewing Summit without sewing??? We had open sewing time in the evenings, and Sam and I closed it out at 1 a.m. both nights. Had a blast! Here is what I pulled together using those lovely Baby Lock machines (a definite step up from my clunky cheapo Kenmore!):

(above photo by Natalie or Greenleaf Goods) :)

It was so much fun piecing this together in the sewing room with so many awesome sets of eyes coming over to give advice and support, taking photos for me to look at to analyze until I had the right balance, and cheering me on. Can I take you all home with me, please???

I could go on even more but I will wrap it up to say that it was a lovely weekend of making connections with wonderful people. It was so refreshing to be in a room (or 4) full of people who "get it." I am kind of on my own up here at home, I really don't have any friends I can get together with to share my passion, so all of my interaction is 99% online. Though I may not be able to do this annually, I do hope to make it back to Sewing Summit again someday!

How to spot me at Sewing Summit

2011-10-05T13:50:00.000-05:00

Can't WAIT to get my arse on that plane and join several hundred of my bloggy friends in Utah this weekend! But, however will we recognize each other? I don't exactly look like my cartoon icon. I thought I would post some pictures of myself so that you can recognize me.

Since I rarely take a photo of myself (apparently), all I have that is reasonably recent are these shots by my 4 year old....nasty flash, head cut off, good stuff! And, yes, I am blogging (my kids know where to find me when I go AWOL)!

Yikes! I can only go up from there, people!

Imagine me like this.....big smile on my face as I arrive to register, attend classes and such. Probably wearing some impractical shoes that I adore, a cute clutch in hand or maybe my messenger bag slung over my body. Makeup on, hair presentable, clothes without kid snot on them.

And, at around 9 pm: sweat pants of some variety, pony tail, reclined with knitting in hand, a half-drunk bottle of wine in a brown bag by my side (and probably some chocolate, too). Talking far too much, and laughing way too loud!

So, if you are at Sewing Summit and spot either of the above creatures, be sure to run over and say hi. Better yet, give me a big squishy hug or a sloppy kiss, both of which I will return with enthusiasm- we are already old friends, right?

Drunkard's Path Quilt Along- Fabric requirements

2011-10-04T06:43:00.007-05:00

Let's talk fabric, people! Here is the nitty-gritty about fabric selection for the Accuquilt Go! Baby leg of the quilt along. Once again, if you are using the template method, go hop on over to see Kate for the info there!

The design plays and important part in your fabric selection. Do you want to go all prints like in Megan's Bohemian twins quilt?

Drunkard's Path is striking using 2 alternate solids like in this quilt by Chez B:

Or pair some prints and solids like Kate's?

Also, you can just do some DP blocks amongst other blocks, like in this uber-modern looking quilt top by Dan from Piece and Press:

This is also a great opportunity to use up some scraps like in this gorgeous quilt by Zilla Cook:

So, plenty of possibilities! Feel free to revisit my inspiration mosaic to help stimulate the brain!

Here is some basic math about this block.

Each single block will be 3.5 inches finished in your quilt. So, you can really do any size you want, using that at your starting point. Fabric requirements will of course vary based on size. I am going to make suggestions for a lap quilt and a baby quilt.

The beauty of the Go! Baby? Perfect for use with a layer cake! One layer cake "slice" cranked through your Go! Baby will get you pieces for 4 blocks with minimal waste. I have some handy-dandy tricks on how to do this that I will show you once it is cutting time. Easy as pie...or layer cake, I guess ;) Now, 4 blocks from the one layer cake slice sewn together will give you a 7 inch finished block. So, using simple math, you can multiply the number of blocks to get the quilt size you would like.

One layer cake will yield 42- 7 inch blocks. So, a layer cake will give you a generous baby quilt of 42 inches by 49 inches (6 blocks across by 7 rows) if you use all the slices. A more typical baby size would be 35 inches by 42 inches (5 blocks across by 6 rows), which utilizes 30 of the 42 slices.

Two layer cakes, or a layer cake paired with 42- 10 inch squares of solid, will generate a cozy lap quilt of 63 inches square (9x9 blocks with 3 blocks left over).

While layer cakes add to the simplicity factor by being pre-cut, you certainly can use fabric from your stash as well! This would then just be cut into 10 inch squares prior to cutting. Scraps would also be great! There really is a lot of freedom here.

Fabric requirements for lap quilt (63" by 63"):

Using pre-cuts:
-2 layer cakes (two printed cakes OR one print and one solid cake) OR 1 layer cake and 3.25 yards of solid

For a quilt top using only 2 fabrics you will need:
-3.25 yards of each fabric

For a quilt top using an equal mix of solid and prints:
-3.25 yards of solid fabric
- 11-10 inch cuts by WOF of a variety of prints of your choosing OR scraps to generate 168 "outie" pieces and 168 " innie" pieces

For a quilt top using prints only:
- 22- 10 inch cuts by WOF of a variety of prints of your choosing OR scraps to generate 336 "outie" pieces and 336 " innie" pieces (wowza!)

In addition, for all lap quilts you will need:
-1/2 yard fabric for binding
- 4 yards fabric for backing

Fabric requirements for baby quilt (35" by 42" OR 42" by 49"):

Using pre-cuts:
-1 layer cake OR 1/2 layer cake and 1.5 yards of solid

For a quilt top using only 2 fabrics you will need:
- 1.5 yards of each fabric for the quilt top

For a quilt top using an equal mix of solid and prints:
-1.5 yards of solid fabric
- 6-10 inch cuts by WOF of a variety of prints of your choosing OR scraps to generate 84 "outie" pieces and 84 " innie" pieces

For a quilt top using prints only:
- 11- 10 inch cuts by WOF of a variety of prints of your choosing OR scraps to generate 168 "outie" pieces and 168 " innie" pieces

In addition, for all baby quilts you will need:
-1/2 yard fabric for binding
- 1.5 yards fabric for backing for 35" x 42" baby quilt, or 3 yards of backing if you are making the larger 42" x 49" baby quilt

What fabrics will I be using? I will be slicing and dicing my Bonnie and Camille Ruby layer cake (minus a few slices used in my Moda Bakeshop framed purse tutorial) and pairing that with equal parts of solid white to make a snugly lap quilt all for ME! I la-la-LOVE this line, and can't wait to dive in! I am also contemplating cutting up some Bliss and making a baby quilt...perhaps as a Christmas donation to the local Children's Hospital :) I have what (I think) will be a funky design idea...stay tuned!

I can't wait to see what fabrics you choose! Be sure to show off your choices in the Drunkard's Path quilt along Flickr group!

Christmas inspiration

2011-10-02T07:08:00.002-05:00

In terms of crafting, Christmas is really just around the corner. Looking for some inspiration for some fun Christmas crafts?

The folks at All Free Christmas Crafts have put together and eBook of some of Holiday crafts. It is a free download and can be found here. They have included my Mini Monet Christmas ornaments :) They also have a slew of other free Christmas crafts to try on their site.

Ho ho ho!

p.s. speaking of inspiration....happy birthday today to the best dad ever! You inspire me every day, Dad!

Drunkard's Path QAL- piecing curves

2011-09-30T05:53:00.002-05:00

Drunkard's Path. So named because those curves may drive you to drink, eh? I get it. You might be scared to jump in to the drunkard's path block- piecing curves is intimidating! I feel the same. So today I am going to give you an introduction to the process to ease your worry :)

As mentioned in the QAL announcement post, Kate and I are both hosting, and while I am using an Accuquilt Go! Baby to cut my fabric, she is using templates. This way anyone can participate! As a result of our two methods, our piecing methods will be a bit different. So, if you are using templates, go hop on over to Kate's blog for her show-and-tell. The rest of youz....stick with me!

So, once you have some fabric cut (more on that next week), you will line up an innie and an outie....just like this:

Now, it's time for that dreaded 4 letter word....PINS. I hate them, I am usually too lazy to use them. I only own about 5. But I resigned myself to use them here. You can pin the crap out of it, but I did it using 3 and it worked just fine.

UPDATE: I have since evicted the pins! While this method is still effective, if you would like to try my new pin-free quick and awesome method (not that I am trying to sell it to you or anything), click here.

First- pin the centers together (right sides facing if using 2 prints) using the handy notch as a guide:

Next, pin the two sides, making the edges square with each other. Yes, it is going to feel awkward! If it does, you are doing it right.

Now, take it to your machine and sew it up with a 1/4 inch seam. Use your fingers as you go to smooth the curve.

Take it to the ironing board and press (I pressed towards the darker fabric, either in or out).
Just FYI, these Go! Baby blocks are 4 inches, so will finish up at 3.5 inches in your quilt.

Ta da!

Now, don't stress if you have some puckers. I know I had some! These will all disappear when you quilt it up in the final stages, and make the crinkling in the wash and dry stage even sweeter!

So, there you have it. Not so scary, was it? Hopefully that eases your fears and you will join us in the fun :)

Go! Baby Winner :)

2011-09-29T11:00:00.001-05:00

So, I hopped over to Random.org and chose a winner....Alison from Little Island Quilting!

Now, those who know me know that Alison is a good blogging friend of mine, and I know what you are thinking....fixed! You would also know that I have issues getting the Random.org thingy to cut and paste onto my blog, so I took a PHOTO to prove it is the truth! See?!?

Spooky thing is, it actually first chose #44, which was Alison....I thought it looked suspicious and so I chose again: #46- ALSO Alison!! I gotta say, that freaked my freak!!! I can't mess with that kind of craziness, obviously this was meant to be and the last thing I need this week is to be struck down by lightning or something for not obeying the Gods, so to Alison it will go. I know she will make lovely things with it. Congratulations!

I also wanted to say a big thank you for all the thoughts, prayers and warm wishes regarding my post about my friend yesterday. It meant so much to me :)

Have a great day, and check back tomorrow for the next installment of the Drunkard's Path Quilt Along saga.....sewing curves!

In a heartbeat

2011-09-28T07:21:00.004-05:00

A whole world can change in a heartbeat.

I found out last week that my best friend had a heart attack. A. Heart. Attack. I am still trying to wrap my brain around this.

She is 37 years old, like me. No risk factors or family history of heart disease. She has 2 daughters, aged 5 and 3. A husband. Parents. A career.

{photo credit}

She is the friend that I met in 3rd grade, played hopscotch with in the school yard, went to my first school dance with, picked up first when I got my driver's license. She is the friend who cooked for me and comforted me when my little brother died in a car accident. Who stood up for me at my wedding, and who I stood up for, in return. We have shared the joy of 5 perfect babies between us, and she honored me with being the Godmother of her firstborn. She is the friend I talk to almost every day about all the little things that make a life, and is who I always expected would be the old lady by my side, making mischief together.

Thankfully, after a week in the hospital, she is now at home again. She is on the road to recovery, but it will be a long road, with many ups and downs. While her heart will heal, the biggest hurdle lies in her mind. How does one get past something like that? Wondering what lies ahead? The fear of leaving your children motherless in the blink of an eye?

I am hoping the answer to that, is love. She has an amazing support system of family and friends. The days have been filled with a rhythm of visits, cooking, scheduling, driving kids, hugs, crying.

So. I am tired. Sad. Scared. Relieved. Thankful. In short: a basket case!

What does one do when life comes apart at the seams? Piece it back together.

So, my crafting time will be limited for the next while. Just making a quilt for my friend. If you don't hear much from me, don't sweat it! I haven't had the time to respond to e-mails and comments like I normally like to do, but have appreciated them all. I am still looking forward to the quilt along, but will generally be spending my time where I am needed, as long as I am needed. Because I know, without a shadow of a doubt, I could count on her to do the same for me and my family if the situation were reversed.

Today on Moda Bakeshop....

2011-09-27T01:00:00.001-05:00

....I am cooking up some sweet framed coin purses and clutches!

So, if you want to learn how to use a couple slices of layer cake to make one of these...

...or some charm squares to make a stack of these....

....then pop on over to Moda Bakeshop and I'll walk you through it. Be sure to say hello!

Quilt along announcement and a Go! Baby giveaway!

2011-09-23T12:00:00.010-05:00

I have hinted in the past that a quilt along was on the horizon, and the time is now, People! I have paired up with Kate from Needle and Spatula to co-host a Drunkard's Path Quilt Along. As soon as I saw Kate's gorgeous quilt top (here!), I knew I wanted to delve deeper into this block and that she was the perfect person to do that with. So, the Drunkard's Path Quilt Along was born! I hope you can join us :)

<a href="http://ocd-obsessivecraftingdisorder.blogspot.com/2011/09/quilt-along-announcement-and-go-baby.html/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/6172798895_2ceae62c14_m.jpg" width="156" height="207" alt="Drunkard's Path Quilt Along with OCD and Needle and Spatula" /></a>

I love the versatility of this block. It is traditional, yet can produce some of the most beautiful and modern patterns. Just check out some of these quilty inspirations in addition to Kate's take on this block!

1. go! baby. mini quilt., 2. Ripple quilt top, 3. Doll Quilt , 4. Bouncing Baby Blanket (Drunkard's Path Variation), 5. DRUNKARD'S PATH VARIATION - Handmade by Zilla Cook - quilted by DLQ, 6. mon sheri waves, 7. Yet another Drunkard's Path Variation, 8. Gobstoppers Quilt, 9. DRUNKARD'S PATH VARIATION - Multi Scrap/Cream - detail 1 - by Zilla Cook - quilted by DLQ - overall meander, 10. Drunkard's Path quilt...coming together nicely so far, 11. Drunkard's Path quilt top, 12. Drunkard's Path

We'll be starting up this project on October 21. We will be posting fabric requirements October 4 so that you can start to stock up. The quilt top will be finished in November, so that you can have it quilted and ready to gift for Christmas! One more thing off the holiday to-do list ;)

Here is the schedule:

September 30: Block construction options/curve-sewing tutorial
October 4: Fabric requirements
October 14: Block arrangement ideas
October 21: Planning blocks and cutting your fabric
October 27: Sewing your blocks
November 8: Assembling your blocks
November 15: Putting it all together to make your quilt top
November 21: Show and tell linky and giveaway!

Of course, there will be some fabric giveaways for those who get their tops done on target. Randi from Fresh Squeezed Fabrics has offered a gift certificate for $40 of fabric of your choosing- that is enough for 5 yards of fabric, basically another entire quilt top!

And Jody from The Fabric Shoppe has also generously offered up a fat quarter pack of Tula Pink's Prince Charming:

The cool thing about this quilt along? Kate and I are each doing it differently. Kate will be providing information and directions using templates, and I will be doing the same using the Accuquilt Go! Baby Drunkard's Path die!

Don't have a Go! Baby yet? Well, that is where the giveaway comes in handy, eh?

The lovely folks at Accuquilt have given me a Go! Baby to share with one of my readers, along with 3 dies of your choice! So go ahead and select the Drunkard's Path die as one of the three, and get right in on the quilt along fun! Want to see what else is available? Click on the link below to check out some free patterns by Accuquilt to get the ideas flowing :)

To enter, leave ONE comment. If you grab our QAL button and put it on your site, come leave a SECOND comment with a link and you get another entry. Winner will be announced on Thursday September 29. Best of luck!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

sewing with kids

2011-09-22T07:39:00.000-05:00

When I visited Toronto in June, "Aunty Sam" sent me home with a suitcase full of birthday and "un-birthday" goodies for the kiddos. When The Middle Child turned 6, we had a kind of Christmas in July gift opening extravaganza!

Among a million great items, one of my favorite things was this "tea for two" set for Last But Not Least, which included 2 wooden tea cups with saucers, spoons, tea bags and lumps of sugar. Aunty Sam added some homemade felt cupcakes and sugar cookies with sprinkles, and some adorable cupcake napkins. Too cute! LBNL insisted this come in the van with us on our road trip, where she would pull it out periodically to have a tea party with her kitties :)

Another fabulous gift was sewing kits for both of my girls. Not that I want to mold my kids into mini-me or anything, but if they learn to love to sew, I would be SO PLEASED.
Aunty Sam even made The Middle Child a tote that read "J-'s Sewing Bag".
Of course these needed to come out of the box right away. The Middle Child, who I love dearly but usually has zero attention span, sat down and did the entire contents of this bag in ONE sitting!

LBNL was in there like a dirty shirt, and did her very first hand sewing {mama glows!}.

Thanks, Aunty Sam, for spoiling the kiddos yet again!

GAME ON!

2011-09-20T08:35:00.000-05:00

Go Jets Go!

Welcome back to the 'Peg, Jets. We sure missed you. First preseason game is tonight. I'll be there to welcome you home!! Your fans are gonna raise the roof tonight (and every night)!!!

Quilting WIPs

2011-09-17T07:22:00.001-05:00

Phew! That was a week I am happy to leave behind. Sometimes life bites you in the arse, eh? Anyways. Enough about that. Let's talk quilting!

Since I gave you a knitting project update the other day, I thought I would also give you a peek at some of my quilting WIPs (happy, Alison?). I appear to be suffering from a bit of quilting attention deficit disorder these days, with several projects on the go and lots of hacking and slashing going on.

First up- I cut up this pile that I had shown you earlier....

And put it back together like this:

I used this pattern from Four Wise Monkeys on Sew Mama Sew, which of course seemed a perfect use for my Children at Play fabric. I've decided not to stop here, though- I plan to do some calculations to add some borders to convert this from a lap quilt to a double bed size. Back to that later!

Also- am feeling a little Christmas-y....

And have also used my Go! Baby to make use of my Bonnie and Camille Ruby layer cake. I may have utilized a bit of slave labour for that one ;)

Off I go to stitch these back together again!

The kind of week I am having.....

2011-09-14T12:55:00.003-05:00

Yup, that about sums it up!

Knitting conquests and WIPs

2011-09-12T06:13:00.001-05:00

This summer, knitting was my craft of choice. We had such a hot, dry summer here that I didn't want to miss a minute inside at the sewing machine, so knitting was the perfect solution to satisfy my crafty urges while keeping me in the great outdoors. I brought it on car rides to the lake, to the playground while my kids played, or for just lounging in the back yard. It may have looked a bit odd, knitting up toques and mittens in the blazing heat, but it was all good to me!

So- here is what I have been weaving together. First up is a pair of mittens!

These little lovelies were made for a friend, to go with the purple hat that I showed you last month:
I looked high and low for a pattern in the same seed stitch as the hat, but nothing came up. So, I decided to make my own pattern! My first knitting pattern, and they turned out really well! I am planning to whip up another pair to double check a few things and then I will make the pattern available here on zee blog!

In progress: tiny tea leaves, take 2. An orange version of the blue sweater I had made for The Middle Child. Naturally, Last But Not Least started whining for one the second I cast off her sister's. It is my first time using Madelinetosh vintage hand died yarn, and I am IN LOVE. Cost a bit, but, like the "good" quilting cottons, is so worth it. I have to remind myself that, while I would never spend this much to BUY a sweater for my kid, the cost is really part garment and part entertainment for me ;)

Also making up a really cool new slouchy beret-style hat using some gorgeous Malabrigo Rasta yarn. The color is called laguna negra, and has some really beautiful shades of grey and amber.
I have kind of sworn off buying more fabric for a bit while I catch up on my stash, but yarn? Game on! This shade of Madelinetosh Chunky, called Cove, with its greys, browns and blues, has to be one of my all time favorites....

I also added a couple more skeins of Malabrigo Chunky to my stash, in Hummingbird. Likely for another set of seed stitch hat and mittens!
Soon, soon, soon, I will succumb and knit a sweater for me. Looks like I will be spending a lot of time in hockey arenas this winter again, so I think my needles will come along for the ride!

so this woman has this sheep.....

2011-09-10T10:08:00.001-05:00

I am having fun (read: wasting time) on Pinterest lately...so much eye candy! I promptly pinned a photo of this fantastic sweater:

Followed the links to Ravelry, and saw that the woman who made this sweater MADE IT FROM WOOL FROM HER OWN SHEEP. As in: raises the sheep, sheers it, cleans the wool, spins the yarn, dies it with natural ingredients, and then knits up a sweater (with her own design, no less). Just like that. Like a Mighty Pioneer Woman!!!

Damn (can I say that here?), I was impressed. Stuff like that rocks my socks. Inspires me to do more, push my limits. It got me to thinking....I should try to be more self-sustaining. Maybe plant a garden with vegetables for my family to enjoy?

Maybe raise my own animals to eat...how about a little Schnauzer on the grill?

(Just kidding, Bailey, you are safe with me! xoxo)

What do you think? Could you make it as a pioneer chick? What kind of things are you already doing from scratch for yourself? Tell me all about it.

Pimp my pup!

2011-09-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

So, my sister and her husband were feeling blue after the loss of their dog, Boomer, last spring. We all loved Boom and they were lonely without him. They decided to get a new puppy- enter Jasper! What a cutie:

They were in a baseball tournament a couple weekend ago, and my bro-in-law rang me up to ask if I could make a little something for Jasper to wear so he could be a bit of a mascot for the team. Pimp your pup? Well, sure!

Enter SuperJaz. His orange cape matches the team's uniform color, and a baseball with the team name: the Vlaminators (a play on their last name- don't they sound intimidating?).

My husband did a lot of eye rolling. "You are spending Friday night doing hand stitching for a DOG cape?" Perhaps the eye rolling was warranted....

I added some straps with velcro to go under his belly to help hold it in place....

....and a Super{cute}Puppy is born!!!!

Sweetness

2011-09-08T06:43:00.002-05:00

In the week leading up to back-to-school, my kids set up one last Lemonade stand, in our front yard near the path leading to the park. They sat together intently waiting for a "Stranger Customer" to serve.

It was taking some time, so Big G and The Middle Child wandered off down the path a moment. Seconds later they come strolling back, The Middle Child's arm lucked into Big G's elbow, she with a big leaf ornamenting her hair and he with his top lip scrunched up to support a twig, acting as a mustache. They then adopted accents:

"Would you care for a lemonade, Monsieur?"
"Why, yes, certainly!"
"How refreshing!"

***************************

Last But Not Least was caught red handed trying to take coins from The Middle Child's piggy bank. Naturally, a riot ensued and came to a close with LBNL closing herself in her room, crying from shame and embarrassment.

The big kids started to feel badly for her:
"She only did that because she doesn't have any money of her own!"

They decided to cheer her up and quickly constructed a plan. They each chose a few coins from their own money to share with her, and wrapped it in pretty boxes. They made her cards: Happy Sad Day! They then set about to reconstruct the living room into an amusement park- one couch became a "bouncer," the other a fort with a slide into cushions. They then called her down to her little party.

You have never seen a happier little girl! Or a prouder Mama :)

Back to School!!

2011-09-07T06:00:00.004-05:00

Unlike our neighbors to the south, Canadian students stick it out in class until the bitter end of June, and in turn don't return to class until after the September long weekend (i.e. now). Which meant, being the procrastinator that I tend to be, that last week the kids I are where schlepping around the malls in search of pencils, binders, shoes, backpacks and the likes. All sorts of money spent on new shiny things, and the kids of course were super appreciative:

"This is so SUPER boring!"
"All these backpacks are lame."
etc, etc.

Last But Not Least insisted on some sparkly red shoes for preschool:

And we finally found some "non-lame" backpacks for the kids (halleluiah!). They had a little tag outlining the features of the bag like so:

And what did Big G say when he saw the tag showing the cooler area filled with can drinks?
"Look! This backpack even has a place for me to carry my Bud Lite!"

Oh, the fun continued as we hit the classic back-to-school stomping grounds: Walmart. AND, I sadly crossed the line and became one of Those Parents I swore I would never be- the one dining in Walmart's McDonald's. It's like the combination of 2 of the most mundane places on earth, eh? Well, I did it. Afterwards, we hit the restrooms and my son was waiting for us girls outside the door. When I came out, he was so very excited as he showed me a dime and a penny he had found.

"Where did you get those?"
"Well, I was doing push ups and I saw them under that thing and I couldn't just LEAVE them there!"
"Wait- WHY were you doing pushups on the floor outside of the washroom at Walmart again?
"BECAUSE, Mom (eye roll). Anyways, aren't they bea-U-tiful? I love them to much I want to marry them." To coins: "You're adorable!"

Yes, I have weird kids.

Added a bit of a crafty gift in those backpacks to start off on the right foot with all of the new teachers! All the ideas and printables are from an awesome blog I just discovered called eighteen25 and were found here. First up, some pencils for the teachers at preschool:

For the big kids, I sent these along:

Aren't they cute? I found the owl calculators (don't they look "wise"??) at Staples for only $5 and I even already had orange owl ribbon in the depths of my craft room. See? All this hoarding pays off once and awhile!

Anyways, I love my kids to pieces, but can't say I am too sad about off-loading them to school again. As my son asked, "Are we getting on your nerds?" Umm, yes. Quite often. ;)

Back to school will score me about 2 mornings per week all to myself when not at work...ahhhhh! And I resolve not to use this time for groceries, laundry, etc. Not even for time on the computer. Nope, I am going to use it to craft the crap out of stuff! Whooo hoooo!!

Bag Lady Week Winners!

2011-09-05T12:59:00.004-05:00

Here are the winners of all the yummy prizes from Bag Lady Week, as drawn by Random.org!

Monday: A choice of pattern from Kate at Needle and Spatula:

Winner 1:
#26 Tanya

Winner 2:
#17 krisgray

Tuesday: A choice of pattern from Anna at Noodlehead:

Winner 1:
#35 Jenelle

Winner #2:
#37 Victoria Paige @ Boutique Uniquely

Winner #3:
#60 stitchinpenny

Wednesday: Patterns from Amy of During Quiet Time

Winner of the Ruched Happy Bag Pattern:
#69 Janet

Winner or the Hexiecase Pattern:
#58 Patty C.

Thursday: Grab 'n' Go Pattern from Kaelin of the Plaid Scottie:

Winner:
#12 Jessica

Friday: Handmade tote bag as shown in the tutorial by Felicity of Felicity Quilts:

Winner:
#41 Corina

Winners- you will be contacted to claim your prizes!

Thanks again to all the above lovely ladies who donated their time and talents to Bag Lady Week 2011 for all of us to enjoy! Can't wait to do it again next year!

Bag Lady Week 2011 wrap up

2011-09-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

It has been one heck of a great week! I wanted to take a moment to give a big thanks to my hard-working blog friends who contributed tutorials for all of us to enjoy! These ladies rose above and beyond the call of duty and provided top-notch stuff for you- free tutorials and giveaways to boot! So how about a round of applause for (in order of appearance):

Alison from Little Island Quilting
Amy from During Quiet Time
Kaelin from the Plaid Scottie
Felicity from Felicity Quilts

and, in addition, thanks to Kate from Needle and Spatula and Anna from Noodlehead for contributing giveaway prizes!

Speaking of prizes, all of the daily giveaways from Bag Lady Week will remain open until Monday, September 5, so be sure to get your entries in!

Thanks for joining in on the fun :)

Bag Lady Week: A Simple Tote Tutorial and giveaway by Felicity Quilts

2011-09-02T06:00:00.003-05:00

Well, I can't think of a nicer way to wrap up Bag Lady Week than with my fellow Canuck, Felicity, of Felicity Quilts. Felicity has the best quilty ideas, and has made one of my all-time favorite quilts (you should really check it out- it's right here). When I am not perusing her blog I am stalking her on Pinterest- the girl has got style, and next time I make it to the west coast I am totally raiding her shoe closet!

And what better project to wrap up Bag Lady Week than lined totes- they are perfect for numerous functions, you can never have enough of them. And this one with vintage sheet lining? Divine :) Felicity is even doing a giveaway of the finished tote to one lucky reader, so if you would like it to find its way to you, be sure to leave a comment!
NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Simple Lined Tote by Felicity Quilts

Fabric Requirements:

Tote: 1 yard/metre home decorator-weight fabric (you'll have some left over but I like to err on the side of caution)
Lining: 3/4 yard/metre quilting cotton (I used a vintage sheet)

Directions:

STEP 1 - Cut Fabric

a. Tote:
2 @ 19" x 19" squares for bag body
2 @ 2.75" x 28" strips for handles
2@ 1" x 28" strips for handle lining

b. Lining:
2 @ 19" x 19" squares
1 @ 9" 12" rectangle for inner pocket (optional)

STEP 2 - Assemble Tote

We're going to make the bag first, then the lining. Here we go!

a. Place bag body pieces right sides together. Using a 3/8" seam allowance, stitch around sides and bottom. Finish edges with a zigzag stitch to prevent fraying.

b. To create gusset, fold over each side of the bag about 1½" along the bottom seam.

and stitch down along the existing seam line at the bottom.

c. Turn bag right side out and push out the corners to create the gusset.

d. Fold over top edge of bag ½" and press (wrong sides together).

STEP 3 - Make Handles

a. Take handle strips, fold over ¼" along each long side and press.

b. Fold handle in half and press.

c. Insert a handle lining piece into the folded handle piece, slipping it under the folded edge.

d. Top stitch about 1/8" from the edge along both sides of each handle. Once you've gone down one side, just zip along the end and continue along the other side - the ends will be buried inside the bag.

STEP 4 - Make Pocket (if you don't want an inner pocket, just go ahead and skip to Step 5)

a. If you want to add a label, do so now, and place it offset from the centre. Don't be misled by the photo - you should stitch the label onto the pocket piece before folding the pocket for step b. I placed it about 1½" from top and sides.

b. Fold the pocket piece in half, right sides together, along the 9" edge so that you have a rectangle that is 6" x 9". Use washable fabric marker (or lightly mark with a pencil, no biggie) to make 2 marks along the 9" side (the side that's not the fold) about 4" or 5" apart. Leave this section open as you stitch all the way around the pocket using a ¼" seam.

If you squint, you can see the marks between those two pins in the top.

c. Turn the pocket right side out, poke out the corners (I use a chopstick) and press.

d. Topstitch about 1/8" from the edge across the top of the pocket only.

e. Place the pocket on the right side of a lining piece 4" from the top. Make sure it's centred then pin it in place.

f. Attach the pocket to the lining by stitching around the sides and bottom using a 1/8" topstitch. If you want to divide this pocket into smaller pockets, stitch again down the centre of the pocket.

Click to enlarge

STEP 5 - Make Lining

a. Take the lining piece with the pocket on it and lay it right side up. Take the other lining piece and place it right side down, lining up the edges as well as possible.

b. Stitch around the sides and bottom using a ¼" seam. If you're concerned about fraying, finish the edges with a zigzag seam.

c. Create boxed corners by taking the bottom corner of the bag and pulling apart the layers and squeezing so that the side and bottom seams lie atop one another and the corner becomes a point with seams down the centre of both sides.

d. Making sure that the seams are lined up, measure 1" from the corner and draw a line.

Stitch on the line. Trim seam allowance to ¼". Repeat for the other bottom corner.

e. Fold down raw edge at the top of the lining ¼" (wrong sides together) and press.

f. Set lining aside for now.

STEP 6 - Attach Handles

a. Centre the handles on the wrong side of the tote, with 6" between them. Make sure the bottom of the handle sits about 1¼" from the top of the tote. Pin in place.

b. Draw a line across the handle about 1/8" from the top of the tote, and another one 1" down so that these lines and the topstitching create a square. Draw an X from corner to corner.

c. Stitch the handle to the tote along the X in a square that you just drew, including along the handle's topstitching. I stitched at least twice over every line to secure the handle.

d. Repeat for all 4 ends of the tote's handles.

STEP 7 - Attach Lining to Tote

a. Turn lining RIGHT side out. Turn tote INSIDE out. Insert the tote into the lining so the right side of the lining is on the outside.

b. Line up side seams of tote and lining...

then pin lining in place at or just below the top of the tote. This keeps the lining out of sight when you look at the outside of the tote.

c. Starting at one of the side seams, stitch 1/8" from the top of the lining all the way around the tote.

STEP 8 - ENJOY!!

Thanks so much for the tutorial and the giveaway, Felicity! Remember to leave a comment below for a chance to win this beauty of a bag :)

NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED