I've Been Sewing!

I think my Christmas sewing is done! I've made lots of "little" things that sew up quickly--doll clothes, pillowcases, doll quilts, Christmas ornaments and gifts for our group gift exchange.
I've had to buy very little fabric for these things--being small, I've been able to use fabrics from my stash! Hooray! I'll get out my camera, take some pictures, and share the projects with you in my next few blogs.
I like creating and sewing so much that I'd rather do that than anything else. My house is proof of that. I could do my designing in the dust on the end tables, I think! And I certainly haven't taken the time to keep up with my blog! But now I definitely have some things to "show and tell," so stay tuned!

Fun!

A few disappearing 9-patch blocks that I picked up on a "Free" table are making the cutest doll quilt! The 9-patch blocks began as 3 1/2" squares, and it is taking only 3 of them to make the quilt. I have some fabric in my stash that will be great for a border, so I should have this project finished in no time! It's amazing what can be done with a few leftovers!!! Fun!

End of October!

Where did the past month go? It flew by because I was on the go! And so busy that I didn't have time to think about blogging! I knew it would be that way, though, because of everything I/we scheduled. Glad to be back home and getting back to a normal schedule.
I have lots of sewing projects I want to get to...first I had to be able to get to my materials! I spent last night cleaning out and re-organizing my sewing room. I now have a stack of things waiting to be cut--aprons, doll quilts, and a new pattern I want to try out. I also have some scrappy piecing to do. Can't wait to get started!

Have You Seen It?

If you are a member of NQA, you should have recently received the fall issue of The Quilting Quarterly. Have you read it yet? Check out the pattern on page 33!
When I sent a copy of my book, Start With Scraps, to the editor for review, she asked me to design a project for this issue. I had the perfect project sketched out in my notebook and this was the perfect time to bring it to life! (Actually it wasn't really the perfect time. Most of the work on it was done while I was at my daughter's in June, helping with the new baby. It was a challenge to work with the sewing machine of someone else and in the workspace of someone else. But the project turned out the way I wanted it to and was to the editor on time!) I hope you will give the pattern a try!
Tonight I'm showing my scrappy-piecing technique to a new group of quilters. Hopefully they will have fun with it and get hooked on this way of using up scraps!
I'm taking along my patterns and the samples for my newest ones. If you haven't yet seen them, go to http://carolsscrapquilts.webs.com and check them out! It's a great time to make some "Little Pink Houses"!

Next projects

Wow! Can't believe it's been a couple of weeks since I last blogged! Where has the time gone?
The T-shirt quilt is now in the hands of the quilter. I can't wait to see it finished...we decided to use variegated thread for the quilting and I found a great batik fabric for the back. I purchased Fairfield's Classic Cotton batting for this quilt, so I'm anxious to see how that works out, too!
Now that that project is out of the way, it didn't take me long to move on to others. I'm beginning to think of Christmas gifts. I've found the perfect pattern for this year's ornament for everyone; I've pretty much decided what I will make for the gift exchange within my quilting circle; and I'm designing the doll quilt that I'll make for my granddaughter. New aprons are needed for the little ones, too.
If you need some quick little gifts, why not try my newest pattern, shown here, "Scrappy Sacks"? They are fun to make and each one is unique! Check out the details of this and all my other patterns on my website: http://carolsscrapquilts.webs.com. Happy stitching!

Pattern's Ready!

Little Pink Houses is now ready! Hope you like it! It's my tribute to all those ladies who have been or are now battling breast cancer. It is designed to be a fund-raising quilt. I hope lots of you will use it to raise lots of $$ to help find the cause and a cure for this disease. It has affected way too many women in my life!!! (and probably in yours, too!) The pattern is available from me...check my website for ordering instructions: http://carolsscrapquilts.webs.com

More Waiting

I guess it is a good thing that the answers to the T-shirt questions haven't come yet. The other day my sewing machine decided to act up. I wore out another gear in it, so it is out of commission for at least a week. In the meantime, I'm doing some hand-sewing, cutting the pieces for a couple of quilts, finding backing so I can take a wall quilt to my quilter, and putting together my latest pattern. "Little Pink Houses" will soon be available. I hope to have it on my website in the next day or two. Keep watching for it! Happy Stitching! :)