CAUTION....SOAPBOX Speech Up Ahead...

Ok....this post has now been removed.....the ones I intended it for I think have seen it and I hope it will accomplish what I wanted it to.....I love all you wonderful lovely ladies who are sooo kind and supportive. You gals have just made my week!!! I have gotten to meet some of my 'lurkers' and kind of put a name with some of you! Now....let's just get on to some nicer things...like exciting new quilty projects!!!

Confetti Stars

I, like Bumble Beans have several projects on my design board that I worked on this past weekend.....but this little mixture of colorful goodness was sooo BOSSY and DEMANDED that I work on it today......So I did!!!

Some Late Night Sewing...

Usually when the mood strikes me I don't ignore it....regardless of what time of day or night it is!
I get right to it before it passes me by!!

I've had this pattern a little while and have been very anxious to see if I could make it work! I thought is was a little pricey...but, you get the handle with it and the pattern is like a nice little booklet.

So....I got right to picking out some fabric and cut out the front and back pieces you see here.

.......Oh....but why not try something a little different. I usually have different ideas than the original pattern......YES.....I'M USING A PATTERN.......so, I spliced once and then twice!.. No

point in just being 'ordinary'...right???

Don't you just love it when the polka dots and ric rack show up to help you out with those vacant areas..!!.

A little larger polka dot bullied it's way into the inside of this little number and then invited some plaid to come cozy up and be the pockets.

............................................I just love it when a plan comes together...................................................

A view of the back.

And I found this little note laying beside my cute little bag this morning!! Aaaauuugh....Thank

You Mr. Brown Dirt.....you just made my day!! ( the bag is not for sale....that is just a phrase he uses when he really likes something)

Got Pattern.....????

How do you come up with your quilty projects??? Do you ALWAYS use a pattern or do you just DRAW one up??? This little sketch is one I drew out last year. I would like to do this for my oldest granddaughter one day. I have 'tons' of notebooks of all shapes and sizes full of drawings and sketches of ideas. No matter if you are a 'great' artist or draw like a first grader I think it is a good idea to keep notepad and pencil handy to write down or draw out those ideas so you don't forget them!!

I was thinking about doing a table runner one day and doodled out this idea. This little drawing is only about 3 inches long.

I think this teapot drawing I drew from one of Tonya's at Lazy Gal Quilting tutorials, drawing out separate units to be sewn. I divide the pattern into sections. This helps me figure out how it might get put together.

This is my most recent I-dee for a baby quilt gift. I know these people so-so and I'm not sure I should spend that much time and effort on a gift for a couple that is around 33 yrs. old and has been away from our community for at least 15 yrs.....but, living in a small town....EVERYONE gets an invitation to the shower. I guess I could just do another little 'token' gift and make this anyway and save it for someone special in my own family.....'cause you know me...I will probable want to HAND quilt it!!!

This was my very first rough draft of the mini teapot quilt I showed on my previous post. I just couldn't get the 'tea time' letters to fit in right!!

I joined the Hexagon 2 blog here a while back. I 've been struggling with what fabric styles I would like to use. I think I have narrowed it down to the blues and yellows....maybe. My little hexagon papers are freezer paper and I punched holes in the middle to make it easier to remove them. I think I got the hole punching idea from Mel over at My Own Place blog. Mel always has such great ideas doesn't she!!

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my ways and processes on how I start some of my quilty projects....SO... go get a pencil, pen, marker or CRAYON and DRAW something....I promise....

you will like it!!! Then be sure and post and show us what you came up with!!!

Catching Up....Part 2

OK....I promised to show you more of what I worked on during my time off. This little project all started with a wonderful vintage tea towel.

Yes....do you remember this?? I adore the large criss cross stitching!!! I was looking at it closely one day and I wondered if I might be able to do a pattern and maybe free piece the teapot...hhhmmmm...let's see if I can give it a go!!

So, I got out pencil and paper and drew out the design...using lines where I might cut and sew and drawing out shapes to sort of 'jury' what type of fabric to use where...with a little color too. The numbers you see there on the handle I put trying to help myself know what pieces to maybe sew first. The little round circles represent polka dots.....yes, I had someone in mind who LOVES polka dots!

After numerous rip outs and re-placements of the different fabrics I finally had the center to my mini quilt started. Now I just had to figure out what would come next!

I finally decided on a mixture of tiny squares.....once again....since I didn't have a pattern for my project and I was just 'winging it'....figuring out the dimensions for the size of the tiny squares might pose a problem.....I figured and figured and measured and allowed for ALL those seam allowances and it came out perfect!! YEAH!!

.........VIOLA....!!! The final product!! Of course I knew the whole time I was creating and sewing on this I would most definitely HAND quilt it!!! I love it!!!

A close up of the hand quilting and the scalloped edges. I had never done a scallop edge before, but I think it sure makes it look 'prissy-er' with it!

I had a few scraps and pieces left over and used them to finish up the back. My label I tried to camouflage.....it's in the bottom right hand corner.

Catching Up....part 1

I haven't been 'loafin' around or been off on some exotic vacation, but I did make this little 4 letter word for Tonya's challenge. We were to free piece in block or brick fashion and I must
say everyone's words are sooo cute and fun!!! Go check them out. Tonya at Lazy Gal Quilting has the best tutorials on letters and she is very encouraging on trying to get you to try new techniques. I owe her for taking my fears away on free piecing and being able to overlook some of my flaws in my quilt making and being able to accept it as it is!! ( this block is in the mail to you Tonya)

While I was absent from the blogging world I went to the big city and did a little fabric shopping. Don't you just love fat quarters...I tend to get a little carried away!

Working on this little project took up some of my time..... but more on this in another post!

Hhhhhmmmmm....looks like I did a little more shopping doesn't it...???

I managed to start another project too. These are the cutest little 4 patch squares, about 300!

Oh......and did I tell you I did a little shopping...??

And while I was out shopping.......I bought a new one of these!!!!!

I just want to let all you lovely ladies who emailed and some who 'demanded' (lol) to know where I was and what I was doing that I LOVED that I was missed and you took the time to check on me. I too have missed everyone and will have a lot of catching up to do!!