The Calm Before the Storm and Pet Project Show #15

Some days I have to remind myself that this

is a quilting blog. I know, I know, but while

quilting is the theme, Life, and all its exquisite

details burst through and change me. In turn,

my art and craft are forever changed.

Do the seasons change how we feel about our 

work, too? When the new blooms and shoots

break through winter, our hearts soften--our 

mood lifts. We pause to feel the sun on our 

faces. We think about things to come,

and we make new plans.

 I dream of days in the Swedish countryside 

where flower are blooming. Fika in the afternoon, 

and linens lovingly stitched with traditional details. 

I was ready to practice my FMQ yesterday, and my 

book Swedish Stitch Craft was lying nearby. This

fulfilled my need to express my longing.

Scandinavian Stitch Craft 

by Karin Holmberg

The next morning I was quilting pea pods, and

variations. Notice how the wonky branch is 

another growing thing.

The Pea Pods pattern is from the 

second of Christina Cameli's books,

but I would recommend both to you

as wonderful resources.

First Steps to Free-motion Quilting

Step by Step Free-Motion Quilting

by Christina Cameli

I have been looking for direction lately. I'm 

trying to find my path, and determine my next

heading. I thought I had stumbled onto a 

wonderful possibility this week, but I discovered 

it too late, and all the seats were

filled. I resigned myself to being happy for

everyone else who could go, but threw it out

there to universe. If it was meant to be,

it would be. I got a phone call late yesterday

that they had a last minute cancellation.

Would I be interested?

There was mad scrambling to make sure I 

could swing the logistics, but, 

Yes, I'm on my way today!

Three glorious days to commune with like

souls, and my favorite fabric designer.
I'm SO Hapi!

Pinch me!

I'm sure I'll have some exciting news to

report to you by Monday, if not before. 

Please send me good thoughts this

weekend.

Be sure to stop back for the Pink Doxies

Pet Project Show tomorrow. I can't

wait to see what you've been working on!

Come on, Doxie Girls.

Let's go pack!

Linking up today with~
Crazy Mom Quilts
TGIFF
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Quilt Shop Gal
WIDTW

Thank you for the link up opportunity!

++++++

It's Saturday, and time for the weekly 

Pink Doxies 

Pet Project Show. 

Add your link here every Saturday. 

Rules

Do we have to have rules? 

No worries! It's EASY.

1. Use the blue 'Add Your Link' button (below left) 
to upload a picture of something you've created 
in the past week. Any kind of handiwork--
share it now! It can be a work in progress, 
finally finished, or even your fab new fabric. 
Whatever it is that inspired you to create this 
week, we'd like to see it here. 

2. Please link to a specific post, and not just your 
blog address. It makes it easy for anyone following 

your link to find the project.

3. Provide a backlink to Pink Doxies with a link in 
your post, or pick up our Pet Project Show 
button in the sidebar. Copy the code, then 
create a Pet Show widget with 'Add by HTML' 
on your Layout page.

-OR-

1. You can link up to your Instagram. 
Click on the Instagram icon at the bottom 
of the link up screen. The URL of your Instagram 
feed will be your link. 
Please hashtag #pinkdoxiespetproject

Either way you link up, remember it's a party 
here, so schmooze with the crowd! Visit others 
who've linked up. Leave a comment so they 
know what you like about their work. 

Don't miss a post! 

Follow me on Bloglovin' or by email. 

The Linky Party starts now, and runs until 
Monday, April 13th at midnight. 

Spread the word, and tell all your stitchy friends.

*The first Saturday party of each month will 
feature several of the Doxies and my 
favorite link ups.
By linking up, you are giving permission for me 
to post your picture with a link back to your 
blog or Instagram account. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Giveaway--Variable Star Within a Star Pillow

I needed something to practice quilting on,

and have been spending lots of time looking
at block tutorials. Caroline at Sew Can She 
has a treasure trove of projects, but I 
especially love the block tutorials and tips. 
This block is the Variable Star, part of her 
Classic Quilt Block series, and I sewed 
it as she did with a block within a 
block, within a block. I'm so thankful for
her wonderful resources she shares.

I experimented with my own color palette,
and, of course, it has some pink. *Should I
repeat this again, I would be more aware
that the second star would stand out better 
with more contrast in the fabric patterns. The 
colors are very similar. Perhaps that subtley does
work as the middle star, but it appears 
a little muddied to me when the others
are so much better defined.

I rarely do this, but that color issue was 
bugging me. I went down all ready to tear out 
the middle colors, but hadn't remembered 
I'd already sewn it together. 
I must have been in the zone!

I made the decision to keep it as it was, and
just see if there would be a way to help
define the floral star points from the chevron
background by highlighting it with a
FMQ pattern somehow. I pushed on.

I outlined the daisies to keep it simple,
and added directional lines to the 
chevron fabric to pull your eye in.
It's more defined than it was before 
quilting--not entirely 'fixed', but I 
do like it! I pebbled the dark grey 
with my Aurifil bright pink, and it 
added texture AND color!

Another thing I tried was adding piping
in the same Riley Blake floral. It helps
the eye focus on the repeated daisy centers.
The back is a simple gingham.
and a long, covered zipper to remove
the insert for laundering.

If you're curious, the prominent 
fabrics are here in the selvages 
I saved, and it will have a tag 
this afternoon, I promise.

This is the Giveaway prize for the 
month, and also a finish for Adrianne's 
Q2 On the Windy Side.
The details are all in the post HERE. I
will mail the pillow without the insert
to the winner anywhere in the world.

Follow the directions in the link 
above, and let me know
the details in an email~
juliebehappy1@gmail.com with any
questions.

You have through April 30th at midnight,
and the winner will be announced on
Saturday, May 2, 2015 with the Pink Doxie
Pet Project Show.

*Please, please be sure to list your email
address if you are a No Reply Sender.
If you are unsure, just list your email
in your message. I try very hard to respond 
to all my comments, but there are times
I cannot as you may have no listed email
on your profile. An email from me is not 
crucial, but I wouldn't want you to 
miss out if you're the winner, though!

Linking up today with~
On the Windy Side
Blossom Heart Quilts
Late Night Quilter Tips and Tutorials
 Freemotion by the River
Show and Tell Tuesday
Quilt Story Fabric Tuesday
Sew Fresh Quilts
Quilting Jet Girl
My Quilt Infatuation
Thank you all for hosting your
link parties!


Time to work.
Come on, Doxie Girls.
Let's go sew.

Fresh Arrangements

Effy came out to help me show off the new

bag I made today. I used some heavy gingham

someone had given me, and some uber retro, 

poly-vinyl with giant strawberries I found at

a local discount fabric store. It's a little

over-the-top, but I had to buy a yard of it

at $3 a yard. I'd never sewn with vinyl before 

so it was purely experimental. It was 

easier than I anticipated. No problems.

Simple construction. Make the inside envelope of 

fabric. Tuck the corners so it will 'stand' with

a flat bottom. The same process with the vinyl.

I ran a band of strap reinforcing around the top,

then turned it under and sewed the two bags

together. The handles are reinforced the

same way, and sewn to the band to provide

strength to the whole bag.

The large check gingham peeks through

just enough to make me think of a picinc.

I imagine over time the vinyl with harden

a little, but it will get some solid use this

season. Doesn't it look like a summer bag?

The best part is I can put it down anywhere,

and not be afraid of getting something on it.

Just wipe it off!

I took time over the Easter weekend to 

tear apart my sewing studio, and do some 

deep cleaning. I thought about how

my needs and movement in the space 

had changed since I first took it over.

I needed to make some small changes.

 These are flannel covered artists' canvases.

Blocks hold on to them easily, and I also stick 
pins through them to hang up papers and such.

I hung them up on the wall to get them off the 
back of my cutting table. They're still portable. 
I can take them down and move the blocks over to 
the large design wall keeping everything in order. 
Those extra few inches gain me space, and 
keep the boards from falling over into 
my work space now.

I relocated my sewing machines into a straight

line. Now I can use the table to the left to

help support large projects I'm working on.

I will cover that portion of the table in a 

slippery plastic as the rough surface makes

manipulating my quilts more difficult.
I'm directly under the light in the fan, and 
have an additional lamp. I need that extra
light when doing detail sewing.

One spare table is kept relatively free
in case someone comes in to sew with me.

I'm also facing the t.v. so if I choose to watch

or listen, it's easier. I've made an aisle

behind my machines to walk through, and I

think it all flows much better. My cart can
be moved around to wherever it's needed.

I've gotten bins off my cutting tables to gain

more space, too. I don't need everything up 

there at once, and it keeps things freer of lint

and dust build-up. Just store them on the shelves.

One last walk outside before the rain starts.
The Maple buds will burst open any day now.

Already there is color to go with our
April showers.

Until next time friends~

Come on, Doxie Girls.
Let's go sew.

Giveaway & Projects for 2015 OTWS Q2 Finishes

Happy Easter to all this morning!

This post is to document all my intended finishes

for the 2015 On the Windy Side Q2. Rules and such 

at the link if you'll join me. I'm almost 

pink-cheeked at all my WIPs, but there will 

be more confessions than just mine this week.

Above is a project I will be telling you about

this week. A Variable Star block that will 

become a pillow for a Giveaway at the end of 

the month, and is also my April goal for A Lovely 

Year of Finishes. The Pink Doxies Pet Project 

Show linky party is going on right now here, 

and will last until Monday night. We have the 

same link party each weekend you can link up to.

I will pick one random winner at the end of 

this month to receive this pillow. I'm happy

to ship anywhere in the world for you!

Are you interested in winning?

Enter the Pet Project link party for one chance.

*Each weekend means another chance!

Parties #14, 15,16, and 17 count.

Follow me on Bloglovin' -or- by email for another.

Following on Twitter gives you one more,

and Instagram another.

You can leave me one comment here on this 

post telling me how you're following, and I'll

count up the linky party entries at the 

end of the month and add them to your total.

All buttons are to your right in the sidebar.

HST Quilt

A Kate Spain laminated fabric bag for shopping

Another Pie Quilt with some 

Pam Kitty and other cheery fabrics.

A Love block lap quilt from A Quilter's Mixology

The quilted iPad cover I promised after Christmas!

Tula Pink jelly roll quilt I started over a year ago!

My Pojagi-like hanging for my window.

Dare I even say the Daydream Quilt?

My daughter is getting tired of waiting on 

this hexagon quilt.

Jelly Beans and Chocolate. I love this backing!

Why can't I just finish it?

 Aquiltic

Sashing and backing fabric just 

ordered for this beauty from 

Modern Tradition Quilts Charm

Square Quilt Along.

Whew!

Okay, I actually have a few more, but

I will hold off until the summer quarter.

Actual link ups to the second quarter start

in a few days, but I thought a few of you 

might want some time to get ready. You

know who you are!

Let's bust those WIP's together this quarter!

Come on, Doxie Girls.

Let's go sew.

Linking this post to~

2015 On the Windy Side Q2

Show and Tell with Bambi!

Hug-a-Bit Quilts

Cooking Up Quilts
Design Wall Monday

Pet Project Show #14

I can't give a million excuses why I didn't get the 
post up late last night. I sewed all day, cooked 
dinner, and had a glass of wine. I dozed off before 
8 p.m., and once that happened, who knows what I 
would have written! I'm up early, though, and 
ready to party with you this weekend.

 Cassandra at The Not So Dramatic Life: 
There are so many aspects to comment on--
graphic background, striped binding, etc. This is 
so well done. I think I am especially drawn 
to the FMQ echoing of her motif, and her use of 
color. Notice the thread color changes 

 made to highlight the outline.

Mary at Strip Quilts, Pass It On: Beautifully

orchestrated with your low-volume and high

contrast prints. I get exasperated when someone

says to me, "Oh, a scrappy quilt." That doesn't

mean it all comes together and just works. There

was a lot of decision making that went into this

piece to balance the colors, the prints, and the 

overall feel. I really enjoy it.

Sarah at  Confessions of a Fabric Addicit: I think I 

could sail away on this quilt. It has such simple

lines, and the background quilting is intense. The 

'sails' just pop. I think I am drawn to the story 

and love in it, too.

Thank you to everyone who linked up in March! 

I sincerely love seeing your projects, and best of all, 

I think I've gotten to know many of you from our 

many email exchanges. That's the real gift!

Now lets' link up your next round of projects!

It's Saturday, and time for the weekly 

Pink Doxies 

Pet Project Show. 

Add your link here every Saturday. 

Rules

Do we have to have rules? 

No worries! It's EASY.

1. Use the blue 'Add Your Link' button (below left) 
to upload a picture of something you've created 
in the past week. Any kind of handiwork--
share it now! It can be a work in progress, 
finally finished, or even your fab new fabric. 
Whatever it is that inspired you to create this 
week, we'd like to see it here. 

2. Please link to a specific post, and not just your 
blog address. It makes it easy for anyone following 

your link to find the project.

3. Provide a backlink to Pink Doxies with a link in 
your post, or pick up our Pet Project Show 
button in the sidebar. Copy the code, then 
create a Pet Show widget with 'Add by HTML' 
on your Layout page.

-OR-

1. You can link up to your Instagram. 
Click on the Instagram icon at the bottom 
of the link up screen. The URL of your Instagram 
feed will be your link. 
Please hashtag #pinkdoxiespetproject

Either way you link up, remember it's a party 
here, so schmooze with the crowd! Visit others 
who've linked up. Leave a comment so they 
know what you like about their work. 

Don't miss a post! 

Follow me on Bloglovin' or by email. 

The Linky Party starts now, and runs until 
Monday, April 6th at midnight. 

Spread the word, and tell all your stitchy friends.

*The first Saturday party of each month will 
feature several of the Doxies and my 
favorite link ups.
By linking up, you are giving permission for me 
to post your picture with a link back to your 
blog or Instagram account. 

An InLinkz Link-up