Sunday, February 24, 2013

Lovely Year of Finishes February

This month I started joining in  A Lovely Year of Finishes
 
Here is my February Finish ...
 

Hugs and Kisses Quilt

This quilt, which I made for the blog hop, was my goal for this month.  Details in the link above. At the time I found this year long lovely linky party, I was working on the quilting and decided ALYF was just the boost I needed to get this one fun and done.

There are many many beautiful finishes posted in the linky party!
More quilty inspiration!

Time to start thinking about my March goal. 

For next month's project, I want to chose one of older UFOs that needs to become a WIP again and then ALYF.

Hmmmmmm ... I have a few of those ...
what to pick?
;)

 

Saturday, February 23, 2013

It's a Cat's Life


Katniss and I were busy finishing up our blog hop project
and we are a day late to linking up with ... 
Katniss does not like to miss a party.

Katniss has been very helpful this week.  Here is she making sure my thread trails are pulled back so my machine will run properly.


Here she is helping me quilt. Such a helper. 

Of course, the real reason she is poking my quilt is because she is looking for this ...


This is the little pincushion I was making with the thought of adding it to my wall hanging to make it 3-D.  What was I thinking? 
This is not a quilty embellishment. 
This is a Katniss toy.
Now you see it; now you don't.
Here is Katniss telling me she is going to sit on my quilt
until I find it for her.

This is Katniss enjoying her toy again.

This is Katniss saying, "You moved the quilt."

This is Katniss saying, " I am going to sit on this quilt
until you find my toy again."
This is Katniss after Mommy found the toy for her again.
This is Katniss saying, "This quilting is very tiring."
Naptime!
This is Katniss really helping me quilt.
This is a very patient Butterfly saying,  "When do I get a toy?"

RIP The Butterfly
2000-20017

This is my newest quilty accomplishment.  Cat Toys. 
To make the quilty cats happy ...

Take a scrap piece of batting and pack it into a tight ball.  The rounder the better.  It rolls away faster, much better that the pincushion pillow design.

Find a colorful scrap fabric and sew tightly around the batting.

Leave a little thread trail for a tail.

Make many of these as the cats will run around with them in their mouths and bat them all around the house and keep losing them under the furniture.

Afterall, you are only the human and your life is to serve. 

It's a cat's life.
;)

Friday, February 22, 2013

I'm a Little ... Scrappy!

 

"I'm a little ...
S C R A P P Y !

As soon as I saw the ...

...  blog hop announced at Sew We Quilt I knew I would be making a little wall hanging for my scrapatch with this cute pattern because of this ...

... the view from my sewing machine.
 
There is something wrong with this picture ... ?????
 
There is no QUILT in it!
 
So I decided that I needed to do something about that.

So when the "All About Me" Blog Hop was announced, I decided it was just the right project to add to the wall above my bulletin board. 
 
This cute pattern is from Amy Bradley and was free to all participants!
 
Thank You, Amy!


The first thing I did when the pattern arrived in my inbox was to decide on fabrics.  This was really easy.  It had to be scrappy to be me so I pulled out one of my stack of scrap baskets.  This one has a lot of bright and colorful scraps and I want this little quilt to be bright and happy scrappy. I also pulled a couple of pieces of yardage out with sewing notions and buttons on them for the background and framing fabrics.

Deciding on the word I wanted to use to describe myself was also easy. I have been called "Scrappy Pat" by friends and I occasionally sign my email correspondence this way.

I like to think I am scrappy in a good way.

I am really very pieceful ... and peaceful.

Piece by Peace, I like to say.
 
Making the project was ... not sew easy for me.
 
I am really happy with this top! 
It even looks something like the pattern!
 
As those of you who know me can attest, I feel all thumbs when it comes to applique ... by machine or by hand.   I read the instructions carefully and followed them as best I could. 


I used the same font that is my default for my blog and email to make my letters.  Then I did more of a satin stitch than a buttonhole stitch.  One of the things I learned that was most useful to me was to set the stitch size for my machine very small.  I did a small stipple quilting around the lettering to make them stand out.
 
 
The top lettering was a "free style" attempt at machine embroidery.  I printed the words in the same font and followed the outline in satin stitch with a variegated purple thread.  I am pretty pleased by my efforts. 


I did the face details in hand stem stitching.  Again, I am pleased.

Katniss helped my sandwich and pin.
 
Then Katniss helped me quilt my top.

    Here is a closeup of our quilting and border details. 
 
I used 2 inch squares from my stash and strip pieced them into chains HERE.  I have extra chains that are now in my scrap drawer for a future project.  I am even thinking of making a whole quilt of scrappy 2" blocks.  I love scrappy squares.
 
Katniss helped my bind.
 
(Katniss says I need to learn to do better applique
and to add her to my quilts like all the other quilty kitties
we have seen this week on these little quilty creations. I told Katniss maybe she needs to help me work on that and she said, "Purr!")
 
The view from my sewing machine now!
Much better!
 Much Quiltier!
 
 Sewing Room In Progress
 
Today my sewing room is in a state of reorganization while my sewing machine is at the spa, so I have not added the organizer that I had also intended to make to hang under my bulletin board, so that will be another day. My sewing room, like my quilting, is a constant WIP.  My hubby and I are also making my sewing space more eronomic by adjusting my table heights so my back may be less achy. In this photo I had my new quilt on another wall and my quilty kitties are jostling for position again, as they do with every change in the house.    More sewing room pictures later when I can get this part of my sewing area (and my quilty kitties) settled in again.
 
To celebrate our success so far my quilty kitties and I are sharing
this fat quarter cut from my stash!

Fat Quarter Giveaway!
 

It is the sewing notion fabric that frames my "self-portrait."  As this was cut by me from my stash, this fat quarter is washed.

You do not need to be a follower to win.

I will send my mug rug anywhere in the world.

Please be sure that I have a way to contact you by email to tell you that you have won and to get your mailing address.

For a second chance to win, be a follower and leave a second comment telling me you are.

This Giveaway will close at Midnight EST on Thursday, February 28th.

I will pick a winner using a random number generator and will announce

the winner on Friday, March 1st.

Good luck!

Please visit all the blogs on the hop today ...

Friday, February 22

Life In The Scrapatch (you are here)
 
A big "Thank You!" to
 
and
 
for running this wonderful blog hop!
 
Thank you for visiting me in the Scrapatch!
:-)

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

WIP Wednesday



This is what Katniss and I are sewing today ...
handsewing the binding to the back of my newest little quilt. 
Good thing, too, that I have some handwork to be doing.
 
As there is something missing in this picture ...
 

... my sewing machine beauty has gone to the spa to be exfoliated, oiled, pampered, rested and renewed.  Her warranty is about to run out and I decided it was an optimum time to have her go in for treatments and a much needed holiday.  I hope to have her back home soon ready to run.
I have a lot of projects lined up.

I am linking up again today with ...
 
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced
 
... where I always find much quilty inspiration.
 
So I will probably find a few new projects to add to the planner for my big beautiful sewing machine when she returns.
 
Have a happy quilty day!
 

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

It's All About Me Starts Today!

"It's All About Me"
Blog Hop Starts Today!
at
 
 
Here is the Full Schedule
 
Today
Tuesday, February 19
Just Let Me Quilt


Wednesday, February 20
Buzzing and Bumbling


Thursday, February 21
Kris Loves Fabric


Friday, February 22
A Little Bit of Lorene
Life In The Scrapatch (All About Me!)


Monday, February 25
Quilting Lines
 

Tuesday, February 26
Pat Sloan's Blog
My Spoolish Art


Thursday, February 28

Cherry Blossoms

Enjoy the Hop!

My quilt top is pieced and ready to quilt and my post is ready to go!
I am feeling pretty quilty!
:-)

Monday, February 18, 2013

Scrappy Always Makes Me Happy

This is what I am working on today. 
It is the scrappy part of my current project. 

I am linking up again at Plum and June's ...
 
Plum and June
 
... which is being hosted today by Martha @ Weekend Doings

There are some lovely quilty projects posted today!
 
 
Katniss, of course, is my ever-present helper. 


These will be sewn in later today and my top will be done.

More pictures later in the week.

Have a happy quilty day!

:)

Valentines' Day Giveaway Winner


And the Winner of my 2nd Chance Heart Mug Rug Giveaway is ...

True Random Number Generator


47

# 47
 
Kaynik said...
Great tutorial. I will be making these in the future.
I'd love to win one for myself :-)
February 15, 2013 at 12:36 AM

Congrats, Kaynik!
 
I have sent an email for your mailing address
so I may mail out your mug rug to its new home.
 
Thanks to everyone who left me lovely comments on my
Happy Heart Day mug rug tutorial and giveaway.
 
Looking forward to my next Blog Hop!
 
I am posting for the It's All About Me hop on Friday
and there may be another small giveaway.
 
Have a happy quilty day!
 
:-)

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Hugs and Kisses Winner


My Hugs and Kisses Pink and White Mug Rug Giveaway ...
and the Winner is ~~~~~~~>
 
True Random Number GeneratorMin:Max:Result:65Powered by RANDOM.ORG
 
Bloggerlorene said...
Love your quilt! And I love the mug rugs too. Arent these blog hops fun?

 
Congratulations, Lorene!
 
white binding
pink binding
 
Lorene, I have sent an email for you to respond and let me know where to send your mug rug to its new home. You may also pick your mug rug!  Pink binding or White binding?  Or a surprise? You decide!




For those of you who may have missed my Valentine's Day post, there is another chance to win one of these Pink and Green Heart Shaped Mug Rugs on a separate giveaway HERE which will be open until Sunday Midnight.

Thanks to all who visited my blog and left me lovely comments for the


 
It has been wonderful. 
 
Thanks again to 

to Jane and to Madame Samm
 
XOXOXO

 


Friday, February 15, 2013

Feline Friday


Katniss helps me sew.  Really she does. 
Here she is making sure my thread trails are pulled to the back
properly so my machine will run happy.
 

she hosted


and I am linking up for the 1st time.
Thanks, Sarah!

Here my quilty kitties ...                  


 Butterfly
(aka Baby Cat, The Flyer, The Cat)
who is almost 13 years old
and is "Top Cat" in this house





and Katniss
(aka The Niss, That Kat)
 who is 2 years old and was adopted last summer from a shelter 
and who is the "Interloper" in the eyes of "The Cat"



 My quilty kitties are good company.
 
:)