The Bunny has Landed!

I finally feel like SPRING is here even though it is still very cold. Elijah cleaned and raked my gardens today.....I'm fearing I may have lost a few flowers but at least it is done. I have enjoyed putting my spring things out. They always look my house so happy and I am all about happy these days. 

It always begins with the fireplace.

 Beautiful antique blown glass egg.

 Dolly looks like she has spent way to much time in the tanning bed.....raccoon eyes. Didn't think about that when I coffee dyed her. My friends the 3 B's {Barb, Beth & Beth} made the White Rabbit a few years ago.

 Love the happy spring chickies.

 A very handsome Easter Bunny.

 I have used the lamb mould to make cakes before.....not the easiest thing to do.

One of my favorite antique quilts. 

The week and a half since I have been back from retreat have been very busy to catch up in the office. With the office work done it was time to do a little playing. 

I have had a few moments to get into my sewing room . While at retreat I was sewing along nicely thinking I would have a 3rd top finished before I came home. Well it was not to be.......I had sewn 42 blocks COMPLETELY wrong! What a disappointment. Anyway those have all been un-sewn and are well on the way to being complete. I spent most of today working on getting them back together. 

To get my mind back in a good place after sewing all those blocks wrong I made this little needle case for my friend Barb's birthday celebration. The 3 B's and I went to lunch at The Gourmet Goat (which was very good) and gave Barb her gifts. Then headed to a place where you paint your own pottery. That was a lot of fun. I made a cup cake plate. If it is worthy I will put it in the blog. We will have to wait for it to be fired so I can pick up later this week. Then I will know if it gets to be used when I make birthday cupcakes or if it will decorate the back of my cupboard. 

Looking forward to REAL SPRING getting out to the garden and a little sewing here and there. I have a few projects to finish and few to start. 

As Always, Lori

Monday After Retreat

What a great 4 days I just had. There were about 45 quilters quilting away almost 24/7. Some ladies went to bed early and got up early with others going to bed very late and getting up late. I was somewhere in the middle. 

I really enjoy retreat because there is so much talent in one place. There are all ages and levels of experience. Again I fall in the middle. 

Sari my POD mate.

 Miss Gloria and Emily......Rosalind is in the back hiding.....my other sewing roomies.

 Sherri Newcomer

Mary Perini

You just wouldn't believe the beautiful art that comes from all these ladies. Be sure to attend the Guild Quilt Show next April 2012 to see some of the works done this weekend. Here are just a few snaps that I was able to get during the weekend. 

There were so many more that I wish I had gotten a picture of but if I had spent my time taking pictures I would have never gotten any sewing done. Wish I could do this every weekend....but guess I will have to wait till fall......the count down to November has started. 

As Aways, Lori

Leaving for Quilt Retreat Weekend

YAY leaving tomorrow for a QUILT RETREAT weekend. I am so excited....it is a weekend of LAUGHING, EATING, NO SLEEP and OH SEWING......in that order. I made myself a great little snip-itz bag with a pin cushion attached.

Such a useful little thing.

 I am all packed up and ready to go. I have cut for 3 different new quilts that I plan to work on plus I am taking a Stack n Whack that I have started and plan to finish. Also I have started an applique eagle huge block that I hope to work on as well. 

Hand applique is so relaxing to me......not sure
why I don't seem to do it more. 

The place that we go has NO internet, NO TV and you can't always get phone service so it truly is a relaxing weekend with friends. I will take plenty of pictures and have a full report once I get back to civilization with internet. 

As Always, Lori

Favorite Things in my Room

Today is a much better day. Just wish this awful cough would go away. But feel great!

As I was sitting and pondering my pincushion project in beautiful newly redone sewing room I took a few pictures of my favorite things. Some I have inherited others loved ones and friends have given me. My pincushion did not get finished today......I couldn't located my stuffing. Going out later and will pick more up so that I can finish the pincushion tomorrow. Can't wait for you to see it.

Tim gave me this wonderful Sewing Bird

Beautiful sewing basket that was my Aunt June's

Antique jar with wooden spools
Book of fun things from my Friend Sari

Standing Pincushion and great
Antique sewing basket from
Beth Rockwell

2 people I don't know but Love Them
Pincushion from Sari

Oreo's is Good Medicine!

I hate the flu! After 3 days of fever, aches, pains, cough and just plain feeling awful I decided today was going to be be different. Last evening the fever finally broke and I started feeling better. Think it was the medicine Tim brought me.......he got me Nyquil and Oreo's. I got up this morning did my office work, cleaned up the kitchen and put away laundry that had been sitting since Friday when I started feeling bad. After doing all my chores I decided that today was the day........the day for the first project in my sewing room.

I decided to make pillowcases for my bed that match my quilt. This is a nice tailored pillowcase and simple to make. This is not my pattern so I can not give exact details in my blog but if you contact me I will give you details.

My favorite part of these pillowcases is choosing the fabric. Most time you want to choose 3 but for these I only wanted 2.

The flowered fabric is for the body and cuff. The blue is for trim.

Body is 27"
Cuff is 12"
Trim is 2.5"

Each is cut from entire width of fabric.

You fold the trim fabric in half wrong sides together.

Body of the fabric is face up, trim is placed raw edges up and cuff fabric is face down. Pin all the way across.

Once you have pinned all the way across fold up the cuff fabric so you are looking at the right side of all fabrics.

This is the WEIRD part of this pattern.

Roll the body of the pillowcase up and flip it over so you can re-pin raw edges together.

This is the tube made from flipping pillowcase. Pin raw edges all the way across.

Sew tube.....I use 1/4" seam.

Every job needs a SUPERVISOR!!

After sewing tube you pull the fabric through the tube......this always amazes me. Whoever thought of this is a genius.

Then press seams from both back and front of case. The sharper the seam the better.

Someone makes ironing VERY hard.

Fold your case with wrong sides together and cuff at the top. Match the raw edges and pin. Now for French Seams.....first you sew down the side a scant 1/4". Turn your case inside out and press seam.

Step two of French Seam......with right sides together sew down the same seam with a little more then a 1/4" seam. Turn to the right side and press seam again....nice sharp seams.

Do the same process on the bottom of case.

Two pillowcases done and on the bed in less then an hour.

These pillowcases make great gifts. Fun way to use some of those whimsical fabrics that you see.

Have I said how much I love this quilt and now with cases to match......can it get any better.













Already have next project picked out. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able get that started. Going to make a travel scrape bag for my up coming Quilt Retreat weekend........I am so excited can hardly wait!

As Always, Lori