Katie's Wedding Quilt

For my sister Katie's wedding in December, I collaborated on a queen sized quilt with Katie's maid of honor, Hannah, and Debbie, a family friend who does machine quilting.  I've never sewn a quilt with someone long-distance before, (Katie's friend lives in another state) but it worked out really well! 

We decided on a pattern and picked out the fabrics online.  Once the fabrics arrived, I washed and cut all of the pieces for the quilt, and sewed the multiples of one small block section together.  I then mailed those small blocks and the rest of the pieces to Katie's friend who sewed the entire quilt top together.  Once it was shipped back to me, I added the borders and gave it to Mom's neighbor, Debbie, to do the machine quilting.  Didn't she do a beautiful job with the quilting?  Her quilting completely covered up all the little imperfections with our seaming and point matching!  =)

The quilt was finished and ready two days before the wedding!  This was definitely the biggest quilt project I've sewn, but as the saying goes "many hands make light work" and it really wasn't too overwhelming for any of the three off us who contributed toward making this quilt for Katie. 

Blessings,

Jessica

Blog Makeover

Recently we decided our blog was long overdue for a makeover. It was past time to get rid of the old country blue background and give the blog a new, fresher look. We started this blog 6 and 1/2 years ago, and yet the background and template have only been updated one time.

If you look around, you will see that we did not change too much. We widened the columns, swapped out the fabric for the header photo, changed the background color, added and deleted a few things on the right sidebar, and updated our "About Us" page.

Maybe now we'll feel like posting more often. :-)
Ruth

Too Much Green

Daughter ABC, who loves bright green, picked out some fabric for a simple skirt.  Mom BAD (me) inadvertently cut out the wrong size for the skirt and didn't have enough fabric to cut another.  So Daughter XYZ gets the skirt.  Good thing XYZ also likes bright green.  So sorry, ABC.  

XYZ informs me that she will NOT wear her Kermit shirt with the skirt.  It's the shirt she happened to have on when I coerced her into trying on the skirt for a picture.  Personally, I think the shirt and skirt look rather good together.  But then, I do not like green.  

The pattern:  Simplicity 4285, a skirt with curved yoke sewn to a gathered skirt with options for various trims; side zipper.  

"A Fitting End" Book Giveaway

~EDIT 2/27~ This giveaway is now ended...congrats to Lori and Kris, the winners!

Two copies of  "A Fitting End" by Melissa Bourbon have recently shown up on my doorstep, courtesy of Penguin Publishing.  Last year I had read the 1st book in her Magical Dressmaking Mystery series, titled "Pleating for Mercy" and found it to be a quirky and quick read featuring Harlow Cassidy, a seamstress turned sleuth with a paranormal family history and a grandmotherly ghost who aids her in her search for the murderer when tragedy strikes right in her own sewing room.

At this point I don't have time to read "A Fitting End" and give it a proper review, so I'm going to offer them both up to you!  If you enjoy sewing and murder mysteries with a bit of of magic thrown in, leave a comment and I'll draw two names on Monday the 27th.

Jessica

Front Seat Knitting

Sewing has taken a back seat to knitting in my life this winter. I do miss the sewing, but I am certainly enjoying the knitting!

This afghan has been hibernating in my closet for 2 years now. I started it in 2008, but recently pulled it out and resumed knitting. And now I'm excited to finish it! Just this week I completed 8 more blocks. I'm now halfway through, and I'm determined that this time I won't stop knitting until it's finished.

Pattern: Rambling Rows Afghan by Cottage Creations.
Yarn: Vanna's Choice by Lion Brand



I'll close with a picture of my youngest daughter modeling a hat that was a super-quick and fun knit.

Pattern: Cute Noggin Baby Hat
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease