Inspiration for Colour Wheel

Amy's Colour Wheel Post got me thinking when I saw this in my vintage needlework magazine.

This would be a great springboard idea, I think!  Oh great...another project to add to my list! LOL!!

Luke....I am your boots.

My boys LOVE StarWars right now.   So, lucky me,  I was given a little boy's Darth Vader costume for my little guy, and my big guy wants to be Luke Skywalker.  

I was excited to sew garments again.  Fabric shopping was another ADD experience for me. OOOh wouldn't that paprika colour be a great winter coat for me?  OOOh, that would be great fabric for a simple dress for the Christmas gala this year.  

A little nattering voice inside me, however, kept reminding me of last Halloween.  Same pattern of excitement.   Stoked to start.  Couldn't wait to finish.   Garment sewing is not my favourite.

But alas, Luke is complete.   After a bit of an 'itchy' problem with the wool fabric,  I whipped up an undershirt to go under his tunic, and we're all set.  I felt like I was on Project Runway sometimes, the way I altered and created!  

More photos tomorrow of the whole costume, as 'Luke' is at school right now.   But I did manage to snap a pic of the boots I made for him.  

Done in faux suede, fitted over a pair of his rain boots.  I sewed strips together in rows to get that layered effect like the original Luke boots.

Ikea trip...

So off I go to Ikea with my husband and kids.  Kind of a date you know...drop the kids off at the playroom (free babysitter for an hour!) grab a coffee and browse the store!  Bliss!

I found oodles of things...and came home with one little stainless steel holder for utensils.  *rolleyes*   You see, it was one of those days, where the stuff you want is only partially there...the rest is sold out.  So, I am the type of person who can't buy just part of it and wait until it restocks.  I wait until the whole set is back in stock.  Thus, I came home with one thing.    But in my ideas and dreams, there were many cabinets and shelving units bubbling around.  I have a few drawings to keep my ideas in my head, so next week, my walls will fill with things.  So, I came home and did an ikea sewing room search.  And came upon this beauty:

Ikea Sewing Room 

Isn't it fantastic?  

The only problem is... that cutting room table with all of the lovely drawers?   $800 here.  And seriously.  Do I want a pretty cutting table, or put the money towards a better machine?   

I could look at that room all day.  

***edited to add... I'm trying, really trying to add more photos in my blog.  But I just couldn't add my exciting food purchase at ikea.  My husband treated me to $2.50 meal.  Can you feel the romance?   Oh... whatever...here it is...

A word about organs.

My brother-in-law, Ryan, is 33 years old, married with a 2 year old daughter and needs a new liver (he's not or never has been an alcoholic - they tell him it's a fluke thing) 

Please spread the word about organ donation.  

If you believe in organ donation, please check to ensure that you've signed your organ donor card, or have registered with your organ donor registry...

It's so surreal.  You hear it about others, and now it's critical in our family.  :(  

Just for reference, I know a little person who has benefitted ...  My son's friend at school has been blessed with a double lung transplant last year, and is finally back at school.  It's incredible!   

Shameless post... but need to get the word out there....it's hard to think about isn't it? signing your life away like that.  Its something you don't want to think about - but boy - when it hits close to home, you want to think about it. 

Let's be honest...

I know exactly why my quilting hasn't been productive in the last while.  

It's been growing. 

It's been molting.

It's been stagnant.

The fairies haven't appeared to help me out. 

In order for me to get any inspiration to craft, I need to fix this.  Pronto.   

I think Ikea is on  the list for tomorrow...need storage.

lucky duck...

Do you ever wonder if you'll ever ever ever win?  I was beginning to.  And then I did!

Beth was hosting a giveaway of two patterns and a sweet treat of 1.5" strips...and I won.I love the oranges and greens in these fabrics!!  The art quilt design is so pretty...Hooray!  Thanks again, Beth!  

I've actually won another giveaway (!!), but haven't heard from the poster yet, and don't want to seem too anxious about it.   She just got back from quilt market and I'm thinking it's a whirlwind time for her right now.   I'll post about it when I hear more.  

In other news...I got back from Vancouver from a FABULOUS Thanksgiving weekend trip.  But of course, came down with some kind of flu/cold whatever it may be.  It's almost gone now, but now I'm in catch up mode. 

I went thrifting today and found a really special deal.  Here's a sneak peak.... can you see the date on this gem?

Here's another hint:

...more later.

Thankgiving Day

We have travelled for 12 hours by car to be with family in Vancouver for Canadian Thanksgiving Day/weekend. It's been amazing and so soothing for our souls and for our heartstrings. On the bad side...it's in the middle of Quilt Festival, and I have limited access to email/computer time, so I cannot respond individually right now to your comments. I will do so by the end of the week.

Please know how much I value and treasure your comments and your visits. They motivate me, and make me feel so wonderful knowing there are so many wonderful other quilters out there.
We're an amazing community and I'm so thankful to have found this 'outlet'.

I will be by to check out your blogs and comment later on the week...thanks for stopping by!

Quilt Festival Fall 2009

I have had a fairly unproductive few months since our April Festival...but I did get about 4 quilts finished!

Here is the one that I absolutely love. It is MY quilt on the couch, and I backed it with very soft fabric (chocolate colour) on the back. It's not minky, it's not flannel, it's something in between...almost a sherpa but very short dense pile. It's called Fireside, made by Trendtex. A grown up minky, if you can imagine. That, and it has a grown up price! $31.95 per meter..but so well worth it! It's MY quilt after all! How many quilts do we make for others, and then forget to spoil ourselves? LOL

This pattern is from American Patchwork and Quilting FEBRUARY 2009 issue. The pieced fabrics are from PinkChalkFabrics

and are shot cottons. The binding is all pieced from the scraps left over. I think I had only 30cm left over! Shot Cottons have a bit of depth or dimension to them with the warp and weft fibers being two different colours. The backing is from my LQS

***Edited to change - it's not in the April 2009 issue, but the February 2009 issue! Sorry if you've been looking, my error!

Fall Bloggers Quilt Festival 2009 coming soon!

Come and join in on the fun! Go www.parkcitygirl.blogspot.com for more details! Prizes, new friends, new blogs, lots of gorgeous inspiration....come on... you know you wanna!

Motherlode...now gone.

I went through every piece and kept all of the solids and some print pieces that I liked...and some of the warm and natural,  couple meters of unbleached muslin, and big knitting needles (not sure why they were there!)  So, I've added quite a bit of pieces to my stash.

and then I promptly listed it on kijiji (kind of like craigslist)  and sold it for the same that I bought it for!  $40.   It's already gone! ;-)

It never occurred to me until Mel mentioned to cut it, group it and sell it on etsy.   I really like that idea....except I read it AFTER I had made arrangements for my buyer to pick up the boxes.  

But you know what?  I can't STAND lots of stuff and clutter.  And the boxes, literally were only in my house for 8 hours, and I couldn't get rid of them fast enough.  The extra 'stuff' in my house was driving me insane.     I guess I'll never be one of those manic fabric hoarders after all! LOL

So.  It's been a good day.  Extra stash for me.  And no money lost.  Just a bit of time.  But fun.

Still coveting my Juki and a quilting frame.  The bad part?  My husband would buy it in an instant for me.   I just can't justify it yet.  

Motherlode...

I found someone's stash this weekend....all for$40.

Now, after rummaging through the boxes, I'm wondering if I paid too much for it, as there is alot of stuff in there I probably won't use.   But, I'll go through it and donate the rest, I guess.  Lesson learned.  But when you read an ad that says 10 boxes of quilting cottons for $5 each, I kind of got excited.  And when you arrive at the house, you get excited, and nervous, and I'm not the kind of person that says, um no...this just won't work for me. 

But lots will work.   

I'm dreaming about a juki machine and a frame....went to the creative stitches show (like a sewing trade show) this weekend and found my thing.