The Anti-Thrifter

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!

"get organized" giveaway

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!

Drunkard's Path Quilt Along- Fabric requirements

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!

Sewing goodies

Back in February, I was lucky enough to win a fabric giveaway from Megan at Canoe Ridge Creations. I scored me 5 half yards of the Grand Tour from Victoria and Albert Collection, generously sponsored by Sew Fresh Fabrics. My bundle of fun just arrived in the mail! I am especially crushing on the book fabric. Thanks so much to Megan, Becca and Peg!

Also got myself a little something fun on Etsy...check out these cute sewing magnets from The Green Daisy:

You can find more here in a lovely grey/yellow colorway. Thanks, May, for tipping me off on these!

Have a lovely weekend! Mine will be spent, in part, stitching on some binding :-)

Lucky me = lucky you (a giveaway with Sew Mama Sew)

I think I need to buy a ticket to Vegas. My luck has been fantastic lately! I often enter giveaways and had never won anything. Then, these past few weeks...I have won FOUR (4!!!!) times! I am going to take a minute here to brag a bit......envy alert! (edit- just found out today I won AGAIN! Whoo hooo! Number 5! I need to get a lotto ticket!)

Prize #1- this gorgeous vintage fabric rainbow dress that made The Middle Child squeal with delight, from The Modern Marigold on Etsy, which was a giveaway from Jess at Craftiness is Not Optional:

Prize #2- the fun and festive Oh Christmas Tree pattern by Fresh Poppy Design, which I won when I linked up at Amylouwho for the 100 Quilts for Christmas charity drive.
Prize #3- this may come in handy for the above quilt...a charm pack of Figgy Pudding from Kelli at Kelli's Pieces in celebration of her big wedding day!

Prize #4- some beautiful brown and pink ribbon from Amy at Diary of a Quilter! And today I just found out I won some gorgeous scraps from Elizabeth at Giddy For Paisley. How fun are these little birdies? You can check out the cool bag she made with them here.

So, when I heard that Sew Mama Sew was hosting a Giveaway Day, I thought that would be the perfect way to give back to the Giveaway Karma Gods!!

Here is the giveaway:

1. I have a stack of soft, fuzzy, gorgeous Anna Maria Horner Folksy flannels for ya. Includes 1/3 yard cuts of the 8 prints shown, for a total of almost 3 yards of fabric. Perfect for cuddling over the cold winter! 2. The second part of this giveaway is a charitable donation. I think during this holiday season we all are feeling pretty fortunate about how we live, and all that we have. So, for the winner, I will make a $50(CAN) donation to the charity of your choice. Must be a charity where I am able to donate online, please, to avoid the potential hassle of international cheques.

To enter:

Leave a comment saying what charity you would choose if you won and why- I would love to learn more about the causes that are meaningful to you! Or, tell me something that you are thankful for this holiday season. No need to be a follower, but since I am thankful for my faithful friends, if you are a follower, leave a second comment saying so and you get a second entry.

Giveaway closes at 9 p.m. central standard time on Friday, December 17 and is open to local and international friends. Good luck everyone!

Winners!

Thanks so much for all who participated in the It's A Small World giveaway! I had so much fun learning about the places you live, and enjoyed chatting with you!

Unfortunately, I could only pick 2 winners, but here is who Random.org came up with:

Winner of the Pink Panda Fabrics $30 gift certificate is....

.....my fellow Manitoban, Steph! She said:
I have lived in Manitoba all my life. Although I sometimes dream of living somewhere where there is slightly (please insert sarcastic tone) less snow in the winter I do love the summers and the great fall time we can sometimes have, such as this year. We also have some great festivals that we can enjoy as a family. I have also travelled to so many great places within Canada and look forward to seeing so many more!

I couldn't agree more! And thanks so much to Cheryl at Pink Panda for the awesome gift certificate! She also has a great blog, and just happens to be featuring my fabric necklace tutorial at the moment :-)

Our second winner, of the linen pouch filled with an assortment of Canadian goodies, is......
......Megan, from one of my favorite blogs, Lucy and Norman!

Megan said:
Thanks so much for sending me over here! I'm following you now! As for me, I'm from Seattle and a PNW girl through and through. I love our cloudy days! I am absolutely loving your little pouches and I love tea too so count me in for you sweet giveaway!

Thanks, Megan! Hope this brightens your day.

"It's a small world" giveaway

Sorry, friends, this giveaway is now closed!

Do you know I am Canadian? Proudly so :-) There are probably lots of things you know about Canada. We boast some beautiful mountains, lakes, wilderness and wildlife such as beavers, moose, loons and polar bears. Our national police are called Mounties, though they only wear the red uniforms and ride horses for ceremonies! We say "eh" and are super polite. We are friendly, if a bit reserved. We apologize all the time. Oh, and hockey. We are pretty passionate about that. Good thing we are so awesome at it (Olympic double gold, Baby!! Sorry, U.S.A.).

Some other things you may not know. We are pretty smart, I think (sorry if that sounds like bragging). Did you know it was a Canadian who discovered that diabetes could be treated with insulin? Canadians can also be credited with the invention of the light bulb, the telephone, pacemakers, zippers, the sport of basketball, and the Blackberry. Not bad, eh?

What I love about the blogosphere is that it makes this great world of ours so much more smaller and accessible. I have a live traffic feed on my sidebar, and I love to see the visitors from all over! I have made some awesome new international blogging buddies!

I have been lucky enough to have done a good deal of travelling, and as you may recall, my hubby and I are headed to Italy (!!!) this fall for a short trip to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. One Italian lady, a massage therapist we booked with, went above the call of duty recommending hotels, restaurants, sending me train schedules and the like. I was moved by her kindness, and thought I would make her a little present in thanks.
I made these pouches as a nod to Canadiana, using our national colors of red and white on a chocolate brown linen. One style is the gathered clutch, with a couple vintage wooden buttons that I found thrifting, and for the other I modified the gathering design, and embellished it with a few yo-yo flowers. Inside, I have stashed a variety of Canadian goodies :-) Some organic tea made from local herbs, some maple sugar fudge and more.
So, I thought I would do a giveaway, where everyone would get a chance to do a shout-out for the places they call home.

Here is how you enter:
Leave a comment, in which you say where you live, and something you love about your country, city or town. Or, tell me an interesting fact about where you are from. Be proud! Brag a bit!

The prizes! TWO winners!
Pink Panda Fabrics, which I have often mentioned as my FAVORITE online Canadian designer fabric store (plus free and FAST shipping in Canada, whoo hooo!), has offered a $30 gift certificate to her shop, for one of my Canadian resident readers. Awesome! Thanks, Cheryl!

Not to leave anyone out, I will send one of the above pouches (winner's choice), filled with Canadian goodies, to one of my "non-Canuck" readers!

AND... Pink Panda is also offering a 3 % discount on purchased fabric to my readers until October 31, 2010. Just enter the coupon code "CRAFTER."

So go ahead, leave me a comment and tell me something special about your little corner of the world! Giveaway closes on Tuesday, October 5 at noon Central Standard Time.


(Note- In order for me to contact you, please make sure your Blogger account is set to accept emails. If it says "no-reply", I am sorry but I will choose again. Click here for easy instructions on how to change from no-reply).

Stash additions and ramblings of a fabric addict

I have been a bit of an online fabric shopaholic lately. But who can help themselves with all the gorgeous fabric lines out there, and the amazing quilts people have been turning out on their blogs of late to inspire us? Here are a few quilts and fabrics I have been obsessing over:
Red Pepper Quilts has to be one of my favorite blogs at the moment. I have a stash of Anna Maria Horner Little Folks I love, and think I will have to cut it up to make and adult version of this quilt for myself. I also got some size 8 Perle cotton thread to try my hand at hand quilting like shown on it. I also ordered up some flannel Little Folks this week, you know, just in case I "need" it. RPQ is also responsible for the pile of Far Far Away 2 Fabric I just ordered from an awesome online fabric store up here in Canada called Pink Panda Fabrics. The prices are slightly higher than in the US but still very competitive, especially with the "quantity discount" (cringe) that I earned! With no border duty and free shipping (!!!), it gets me every time. Plus it arrived in 3 DAYS...unlike the weeks of anticipation waiting for a cross-border buy. I will make a couple girly quilts with the FFA2 for sure, but can also see it paired with linens in some cute fall dresses or tops for my girls, or some bibs......Then, another couple beautiful quilts in Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow. A baby boy one by Bijoux Lovely blogged here, and another by Cluck Cluck Sew. I love the masculine feel to many of these prints, and I am a sucker for blues..... That addition to my stash is in the mail and should be arriving shortly.

I have also added some of this and that. Some pretty things on clearance from My Needle and Thread,

then some charm packs of these adorable Japanese fairy tale prints, some more Hunky Dory....

And finally, there is the Heather Bailey Nicey Jane. I love it! I have tagged some of this stash to make a quilt for me, mixed in with some solids in grey and seafoam, and the rest for a couple other projects. Then, this week I had the happy accident of finding a sweet little quilt shop on the strip at Winnipeg Beach, a beach town just north of home. It is called Keeper Quilts, and I picked up some beautiful natural cotton, some thermal batting (for pot holders) and a bunch of lime green plastic mesh fabric, which I plan to use to make a beach bag tutorial! Stay tuned!

Now I just need to find more hours in a day, right?

And please- nobody forward this blog post to my husband! What he doesn't know won't hurt him, right? I'll start my "12 steps" next week....or after the fall collections come out....

La Dolce Vita

Ten years. Yikes! And a busy ten it has been. Couldn't have planned them better.....life is good.
(Cheesy photo, I know)

I mentioned yesterday that I had a big surprise planned for the hubby for our 10 year anniversary, and last night at dinner I sprung it on him! We are going to Italy!!! And that is not all.....I have booked us for a 5 day Porsche tour- essentially we (he) gets to drive us around the Italian Riviera in a Porsche, taking in the sites, staying at a fancy-schmancy hotel....la dolce vita, my friends! Considering how he pours over his monthly Car and Driver magazine (while he continues to drive our 17 year old Volvo), you could say he was a bit excited:

And mostly surprised at my mastery in deception, I think (hmmm, this may come in handy in the future). I have been sneaking around booking tours and flights for months now, in cahoots with his staff at work to book him off, and overall just spending a tremendous amount of energy keeping my big mouth shut. It's going to be great! And a far cry from our last trip to Europe, incidentally 10 years ago, where we stayed in hostels and rode the night trains! Not that we didn't have a fabulous time then, too :-) We don't go until the fall, so we get to spend some delicious time dreaming and planning all the details!

Back in reality, it is another rainy weekend here, and I am so done with it. We have a string of birthday parties and fun planned, and as promised, I have some pictures of the crayon purse I made for Lauren and Serah, to coordinate with their dresses I posted here.

This is my first time making this in quilting cotton weight, so I used a fleecy interfacing and it turned out great! So sweet and girly. Inside, there is a pad of paper (covered with paper and sparkly flowers!), little puckered pockets to hold markers or crayons, and a pocket to stash stickers or their art.

Just the perfect size for little girls to tote around town!

Thrifty Me

Yes, ME. Okay, I may not normally be known as being particularly thrifty, but trust me, I love me a good deal. And today, I found several! I have been meaning to visit some local thrift shops but never seem to find the time. This weekend, I was reading MADE, and decided I needed to make it a priority . And oh, did I have fun!

I bought (I wish I was a photographer, to truly show the greatness!):

- a vintage full sheet set, floral in pinks, browns, green and cream that I plan to use as a quilt backing and as part of a top

- a saucy little yellow floral pillowcase, which my middle child claimed ("MOM, I want thaaaat! Can you make me a dress?")

- 3 vintage patterns, circa 1980, for a coat/vest, yoked tiered dress, and bohemian style tops (for 10 cents each!!)

- a classic vase- in case my hubby buys me flowers. But in the meantime, it held all my notions that I purchased such as.... - a heap of vintage wooden buttons

- another funky charcoal button

- crochet lace trim (planned to use as sundress straps)

- twill tape

- an 8" zipper, intended for my next clutch

- embroidered trim that will look so sweet as a purse strap or on top of a dress

ALL this for the bargain price of...(drum roll)......$10.90!

Seriously. I. Am. So. Happy.

I better go sew that pillowcase dress!

Kristie