Chef in Training Give A Way

I just found a great blog that shares recipes.  She now has a great give-a-way for  THREE months FREE subscription to E-Mealz!  It is a meal planing, shopping organizing and recipe program.  It sounds great!  Hop on over to this blog and check it out.  Just click the above button.   She has also just started a new link party for all crafts and lots of recipes.  If you are looking for something to cook or bake it's there. 

July/August STUD (Swap Till You DroP) Completed!

I have shown you the SPUD mini quilts I received, now it's time to show you the one's I sent.  I had to wait until they were received because one was a big surprise for my partner, CASharp.  Remember in this swap we know who are partners are and we cross swap,  therefore we are each others partner.  Remember I showed you Frogs Legs that I received from CASharp.  Isn't it cute and such extras. 

I stalked searched her Flickr photo stream for several weeks to find just the right subject.  Every time I came back to the same picture.  One of her son's dog, Sophie.  She is a Smooth Fox Terrier and her face just called my name.  I had read on another thread that her favorite pet was her cat but Sophie kept saying "Do Me! Do Me!"  So I gave up and quilted her.  First I will show you the sneak peek I showed her. She said it was worthless but fun.

What do you think?  Can you tell the subject.  he he he  Now that she has received it you can see the whole thing.  Go to my Linky Parties Page and see where I have posted this quilt along with all the other wonderful quilts.

Didn't she come out great?!  This was a lot of fun to make and even more fun to hear her joy after receiving it. I can't show a picture of the dog here but just click her name above to go to the actual picture I used to create this quilt.  Click Sophie's quilt to go to CASharp's photo stream and see her response.

What I didn't know was that Sophie passed away almost a year ago.  But she feels that this quilt is a great tribute to her son's dog.  She has already hung the quilt in the hall right next to her son's room.  Right now he is away at school.

Last but not least, the quilt I sent to Caryquilter.  I have posted some ideas earlier, but I had to choose which color way to do.  I ended up doing both the dark grey and the white one.  Then I picked the white one to sent to Caryquilter.  I am thinking of doing a tutorial about this quilt in September so I won't go on and on now.  Here it is "Which way is Up?"

Remember this swap had a theme of "One Shape in Rainbow Colors".  They were all thrilled to see a unique shape.  I've been wanting to do arrows forever and this was a great way to complete that desire.

August Mug Rug Received!!

Yesterday I received a package from my secret mug rug partner.  It was like having Christmas and my birthday at the same time.  Before I show you what I received let me tell you about a conversation I had with my BFF in Texas.  I was complaining to her that I kept telling my secret partners that I loved frogs but yet had to receive a frog quilt.  She suggested that I was being to subtle.  Part of each swap is to create a mosaic of favorite mug rugs we have seen on Flickr.  Here is the mosaic I created to post on this group.  Do you think this makes my point?  LOL  I had also posted several pictures of my frog collection the week before.  Check it out here.

Click the picture and it will take you to my Flickr photo stream and you will be able to click on the sites for each quilt.

Here is what I received from my partner, AlwaysSewLove.

Isn't it cute.  A rectangle log cabin with a frog in the center.  Not what I  was really looking for but it is a frog and she did a great job.  But wait this is the back, lets turn it over!

Isn't this the best Mug Rug you've ever seen!  The grasses in the back is a melted crayon technique that she found on this blog: http://www.suzyssitcom.com/2011/04/feature-friday-making-batik-fabric-with.html She also told me that this blog is going to feature this mug rug some time soon.

Click on the picture and you can see the details.  Look at those eyelashes.  Then there is a small water lily peeking out from under a lily pad.  Not to mention the dragonfly.  Is that lunch?  She has such attitude.  Now I need to tell you that AlwaysSewLove states that she has only been quilting for a year and is a beginner.  I told her she may be new to quilting but is not a beginner.  This is very creative and well done!  I love it. Wait there is more!

Look what else she gave me.  Earrings she felt looked like frogs.  Werther's Original one of my favorite candies.  See that flower quilt, it's not a quilt but a book and book cover to start my own Haiku Journal.  I had already started one and was really glad that she made this cover to fit a composition notebook, which is what I used.  I just slipped out her book and inserted mine.  I will use her book after mine is full.  Do you think that will happen?  Haiku's are addicting.  But what an addiction!  Oh, I almost forgot her Haiku.  I was so excited over what I received that I over looked it at first.  She had to tell me where to look for it.  LOL  She made a special card for me.  Here it is:

Oh well, maybe the dragon fly is for dessert.  Here's the Haiku I wrote after receiving this lovely package. 
                                          Mug rug swap received
                                          From partner AlwaysSewLove
                                          Frogs, surprises and gifts


Sewing, Sharing, Swapping the three "S's".    Marjory

August Mug Rug completed!

I finished my STUD(Swap till you Drop) mini quilts and my Scrappy Mug Rug Swap/Haiku mug rug just in time to make the mailing deadline last week.  I was unable to post anything at that time because it would have spoiled the surprises I had in store for my partners.

First the sneak peek of the mug rug that I made for my partner stitchduchess2.

This is just a very small peek.  She would have known who she was if I had shown more.

This is the whole mug rug.  Stitchduches2 loves peacocks, so I found some left over peacock feather fabric in my stash and created this little quilt.  I then quilted a peacock in the center.  Some think that I free motion quilted this center.  I'm not very good at that.  Instead I pinned a picture of a peacock printed in black and white on regular paper over the quilt and followed the lines without stopping.  Appears like free motion but isn't.  That's me, I cheat all the time.  LOL

Now for the Haiku part of the swap.  For those of you that don't know what that is, it is a short poem that does not rhyme popular in Japan.  It flows because of the control of syllable's.  There are several different formulas for this but our group chose to do a 5/7/5.  This means 5 syllables on the first line, 7 on the second and 5 on the last.  Each poem is supposed to be a story.  We all practiced on a thread posted on the discussions group. Click "thread" and it will take you there.  Some are really great.  OK here is mine for this quilt.       
                                       Beautiful Peacock
                                       Feathers spread in glory
                                       A fabulous sight

I printed it on fabric using my alphabet on my sewing machine.  This is harder with my old machine, because if you goof you have to clear the machine and start over.  For some reason it kept doubling some letters.  This took so long that I started printing more than one copy so if I made a mistake I would have a back up.  Here are the two that came out.

She received her package last Saturday when I had mailed it on Thursday.  Boy was that fast.  She loved it.  Click on her name above to visit her photo stream of Flickr and she what she had to say about it.

Keep swapping!  Marjory



 

Design Wall Monday

On Judy Laquidara blog, Patchwork Times there is a link party linking everyone to each others design wall and what they have going on every Monday.  Here is my design wall for today, Monday, August 29, 20ll.

This is the first 2 blocks in a 9 block wall hanging.  It will be a large wall hanging as the blocks are 12" x 16" and there will be some kind of sashing and borders.  Nothing is sewn down yet just lightly glued so I can make changes.  The boot seems too dark next to the cat.  Will have to live with it on my wall and see what happens.  The Ghosts will have faces done in embroidery.  I am calling the quilt "Spooky Times" and will have black cats in every block. 

Keep in stitches!!!   Marjory

Romance Series Block 3

Here is the next block in the Romance Series.  Roses, who doesn't love roses.  I'm late as usual even though I promised myself I would never do that.  But here it is late, late, late.  Well I hope it is worth the wait!  Just click on the picture and it will take you to the PDF.

Enjoy!!!  
Marjory

E-Book Pouch Free Tutorial now Available

Pellon Projects in now featuring a Pattern/Tutorial on my E-Book cover.  This one was made for a Kindle but the directions tell you how to modify it to any size E-book.  Just click on the Tutorial button above and follow the directions for finding the download page.   Hope you enjoy the tutorial and the E-book cover you make from it.  I love mine!!!      Happy quilting/sewing and crafting.   Marjory

S.T.U.D. Swap Received!

Look at the great mini quilt I received from my S.T.U.D (Swap till u drop) partner; casharp.  Didn't she do a great job and I finally received a frog quilt.  She has named it Frogs Legs.  Take a good look at the closeup and you will see the quilted frogs and lily pads.  How fun is that!!  Then using frog fabric where the frogs are pink.  How could you go wrong, pink frogs!!!  I simply love it and I've been bad.  I should have posted about it sooner.  Well better late than never! 

She also sent me the left over fabric.  How cool is that!!  Also check out the frog tape measure.  I'll be styling when I measure.  LOL

Now to get busy and finish mine for her.  I also have another partner in this swap. Plus, I have rejoined Scrappy Mug Rug Swap.  I've designed all three quilts, just need to get some sewing time in.      Happy sewing!!!!  Marjory

Most Recent Projects

I have been busy with some new swaps I'm doing.  I joined the Scrappy Mug Rug again and am designing something just for my partner.  I also joined a group called STUD (Swap Till You Drop).  This is a mini quilt group, it can't be bigger than 15" square.  In this swap you know who your partner is and the swap is to each other.  They had two ways to join the fun.  First was one shape/rainbow colors the other was anything goes.  I joined both groups so have two partners.   Both mini quilts are designed and I'm in the middle of piecing one of them.  I can't show you the second one as it would be a dead giveaway. I can show the design of the first.  I posted three ways for the design for my partner to choose.  She was like me and liked the white one and the grey and black one best.  She left the final choice up to me.



Which one do you like?   Happy quilting and/or crafting.     Marjory