Blocks of the Month

I have signed up for many a BOM with grand intentions.  I either never remember to download the patterns or download the file and forget about them. Or just plain run out of time.  Sometimes it is a bit of both. That being said
There is a great one over at Fat Quarter Shop and they are teaming up with Moda to raise money for St. Jude's.  It's just way too cute and I *will* be making it. The puppy love block looks just like my nephew's favorite stuffed animal "Dog dog"  I need to make this block for him for sure! I believe there are kits available too.
Quilt Doodles also has a Mystery BOM going on - "My favorite things"  I haven't started it yet but I have a plan for it. There are prizes each month too!
This next one - I'm not exactly sure why I'm so excited about it but I  actually have fabric picked out and I am ready for the first block... Which is not coming out until June.  I love this quilt! It has coffee and tea cups and is adorable. Jacquelynne Steve always has great stuff!  This one is called Cozy Afternoon.  She has kits available here.  I love the fabric she chose, but I have been collecting pinks and greens for a while and decided to use them - all I need to buy is the cream color for the back ground!  I even have backing fabric.  Yippee!
Maybe I will work on the others while I wait impatiently for my Cozy Afternoon! If you'd like to join any of them click the links above! 

Willy Nilly complete

Last Sunday afternoon I decided that my brother, who is going through a tough time, needed a quilt. Kinda a long distance hug.   So I rummaged through my fabric stash and found these funky pieces that look like little shirts.  And then I willy nilly grabbed this one and that one and ooh how bout some blue and threw together this pallette for his quilt.  I cut what I could out of  the "little shirts"  but didn't want them too small because I didn't want to lose the cars.  So I had all these 5x11 pieces.  Added some strips to each end and was going to do a brick or something easy.  But it wasn't large enough and the math wasn't coming out right. (I do not  love mathematics) The girls on Facebook were talking about disappearing 4 patches,  so I made some large ones  and added my car strips until they fit - this is turning into a very improv quilt.  I used all stash fabrics except for the binding.  I had my heart set on white with black and didn't have enough of anything left over.  I used this tutorial to spiral quilt the center.  What a workout that was!   The quilt is 55.5 inches square.  Not sure how I managed that.  :) 
It is a rainy and chilly day and I am cuddled up with Roger's quilt as I type.  This is a record for me - Of course, I didn't get anything else done this week but I started this quilt Sunday afternoon and completed it Saturday morning.  I will hopefully mail it in Monday morning and Roger should receive his long distance hug by Thursday. Stanley even added some hugs to the quilt. 
Now it's time to work on another UFO and a newFO... Which one shall it be...

We have a sandwich

Yesterday I spent the entire day sewing - I even forgot to eat (which I didn't think was possible) when I got to the back of the quilt I realized that I didn't have enough fabric and I didn't have a way to the store and didn't want to stop either. So I ended up piecing the back almost as much as the front.  I just got the quilt sandwiched and am about ready to go and quilt it. If you don't hear from me in a couple days please send take out!
The colors are more cinnamon and turquoise than the picture shows.
Have a fabulous day

Technical difficulties

I don't have a "real"  computer and most of the time it's not a problem. I can do most things on my phone (which is rather amazing)  but there are times when only a real computer will do.  My blogger app has been acting up and it is still saving a post I wrote 2 weeks ago. And the one I wrote Saturday- to that one is still saving.  Once it is stuck, I can't even open it or delete it.  Grrr snarl spit and snort.  
Since you are here I will give you a peek at what I have been doing. It's been a sewing marathon - I even forgot to eat!
Hopefully I can get these blogger bugs worked out soon but until then - have a fabulous day!

Have a late latte part 2

My fabric arrived!  Check back Monday for more have a latte projects!

Have a latte? I believe I will! Part 1

COFFEE-TIME 

Welcome to my stop on this fabulous blog hop. When I saw the theme for this hop, I knew I had to join.  My kitchen is in red and yellow and coffee. My cats are named for coffee and tea. (Earl Stanley Grey and Espresso,  I also had Lipton and Java Jack) I collect tea cups and my favorite coffee cup says "all I need is faith,  and a strong cup of coffee." so I obviously had to be a part. My residents at the nursing home and I do Zumba to the song Java Jive  My post,  however, will not be featuring Dan's Have a Latte fabric, which is very sad. I had these grandiose ideas of finally finishing the curtains for my kitchen - I bought the fabric a while ago but they needed another fabric. Along came Have a Latte - perfect!  Except for the fact that I am still waiting for it to arrive at my house - in fact if you are reading this on Friday morning around 10 am it has probably arrived.  A little bit late for a 12am blog post.
So plan B- nope, can't do that one
Plan C? nope, not that one either.
On to plan D - - - > I have the fabric I originally bought for my curtains,  this fabric literally had my name on it so I *had* to buy it.  (my name is Bobbie StClair)
I plan to use the texty strip for the border on the curtains along with Dan's fabric. The cups and pots will be the valance. 
I couldn't cut into the fabric alot since I'm winging the curtains but wanted something to share.
I have the pleasure of having a coffee shop literally in my back yard. Yup go right out my back door and 2 houses down the alley and there it is. I try not to go too often but often enough.  So I decided to make the barista her very own Zarf.  I learned this word from Words with Friends.  A Zarf is the sleeve that you put on a coffee cup.  Also called a coffee collar or a cozy.  I have a few, even for my giant coffee cup, and they are fabulous. This is the tutorial I used, fussy cutting the Espresso panel and some other coffee fabric I had in my stash.  Instead of velcro I used snaps.  I quilted with  a bit of meandering FMQ to mimic steam. 

 I took a moment to run over to the coffee shop and "have a latte"  but the usual counter people weren't there so I brought my zarf home and will deliver it another time.
I hope you have a latte fun and fabric and coffee today. Visit these other sewing baristas and Perk up and let this hop be grounds for happiness. 

Creatin' in the Sticks
Lakeshore Stitches
From This to That
A Stitch in time

Quiltings by Kathy

Why Knot Kwilt

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Coffee Anyone?

Oh boy! the ladies in this hop have done a great job Espresso ing their love for a slug from the mug.  Please check out their fun projects - I promise it won't be a grind!

April 13

Seams to be Sew

I Peace 2-Mary

Janes Quilting

Moose Stash Quilting

April 14

How Art You?

Stitchin By the Lake

Selina Quilts

Beads and Birds

April 15

Just Let Me Quilt

Life in the Scrapatch

Grandmamas Stories

Wow I Like That

My day is Friday and I am impatiently awaiting a fabric delivery. I do have a plan!
I did finish up a tote bag yesterday (well I have to add a couple buttons) for the Sew n Swap  tote bag swap.  I am very pleased with how it turned out since I smooshed a couple tutorials together and changed a few things.  However, I can't show it to you yet. So here's a sneak peek

PhD is now a Ta Da

It only took me 3 years but I finally finished the Kitties in the Garden quilt!   I first mentioned it during the Dots hop in September 2012. Then I put it away and tried to get it done for the quilt show in 2013. It came out again for the quilt show in 2014.  I've been working on it off and on this year, was hoping to get it finished for a March birthday but I managed to get it finished within the month of My birthday.  :) After tossing the quilt in the washer I went to the grocery store with my sister in luv, as I was driving I looked down and realized that I was wearing the same fabric as the quilt. I had bought extra yardage for the dress and the leftovers went into the quilt.  A fitting outfit for the last stages of the quilt.
I am working on two tote bags for a Sew nSwap fb swap. I received my first package yesterday.  Jane even included a mouse for the kitties. Espresso thought she should be able to play but Stanley said "it's all mine" Texas catnip must be better than regular stuff cause Stanley usually ignores the stuff.
The tote bag is adorable - especially the teapots and tickets.  I love the aqua and red together too!  Thanks Jane!  Yours is still in the works and will be going out next week.
This week is the Have a Latte hop - I'm still awaiting the fabric, my day is Friday. I'm seeing some late night stitching in the future!