Do what I want or do what I am supposed to do????

Oh boy - I did something VERY BAD yesterday and this morning. But FIRST - let's talk about some Show n Tell.

Yesterday was Christmas Club at Cockadoodle. Here is a reminder of the project we are working on.........

Bringing Home the Tree by Seams Like Home

The project is not that big - about 39 by 29 or something like that. So I have to find a creative way to spread the pattern over the course of the year.

The first assignment was to make the background. Now the one below (mine) is made the way the pattern said. However if you have been following the blog - you know that I have some VERY creative students and they came up with all kinds of variations on the background. Have a look...................

This is MINE - exactly the way the pattern indicated

Helen Anne (who followed the pattern as well)

Mary - followed the pattern for the top (mostly - not all of her blocks are snowballs) and then one piece of fabric for the bottom

Annadele used strips for the bottom rows, but she has HALF snowballs on top. She is doing a NIGHT sky

Suzie - did strips for her entire project

Karen (this isn't Karen's fabric) or it might be. She had several on display last month and I am not sure which one she was going to end up using. But she is going to use a solid piece for her background. She wasn't there yesterday which is why I don't exactly what she is going to use. 

Tony went with TWO pieces of fabric for his background

Marlene went through the pattern and wherever something covered one of the corners of the snowball, she did not do the pieced corner!!!!!    WOW - that was a LOT of work Marlene!!!!!

Beth did something similar to Marlene where she eliminated some of the corners if they didn't seem necessary

WOW - isn't that amazing how everyone can work on the SAME quilt and yet they are so different. Can't wait to see what they do with the rest of it.


All the components in the quilt have MANY MANY pieces in them. And fiddly to cut - I know - I've done some of the trees. BUT - we are going to dabble with thread sketching/painting instead of cutting all those pieces. It is still NOT TOO LATE to join this class if you want the ins and outs of thread sketching/painting. It is going to be an awesome project when it is done.



I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF. It is like the devil has taken possession of me. I can't stop with getting these kits ready!!!!!!!!!    I have been cutting, sewing, pressing and trimming and I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I guess I was just made out to be a worker bee, not the creative or brainy one!!!!   OH OH OH - I shall call this my SCRAP HAPPY phase. Then it doesn't matter!!!!

Well have a look at what happened in the last 24 hours..................

After cutting up the extra pink fabric that I found yesterday - I found that I had enough of the dark pink and the white/pink (60 squares of EACH) to make a quilt that will end up being 55 by 66. I think that is the perfect size for a kids quilt. Yes - a bit larger than most people would make, but then it can be used to make forts, snuggle with parents or friends or pets. The Barbie fabric that I found in the stash is in the dryer for the backing and binding. 

SO FAR SO GOOD.  Then DISASTER struck when I remembered that I had some more flannel upstairs in THAT closet in M's studio!

A quick search revealed yet ANOTHER bag of scraps.   These are leftovers from my last ATTACK on  my flannel baskets. I am certain that I blogged about them (how could I not) but I can't find the post.    Hmm - the importance of TAGGING everything in a post. 

So after sorting that bag - this is now what I have to cut and sew , press and trim. 

Then real DISASTER struck this morning when I thought I would casually go to the closet to get photos to show you what was there.

Not ONE, but TWO baskets of flannel that is earmarked to make funky bright kids quilts for gifts or for sale. I am NOT donating all that to my cause. I think I will start cutting it up into 3 1/2" strips so I can make Hopscotch quilts with it. 

Found HUGE quantities of backing material - most of this was purchased from Wal-Mart when they still sold fabric

I also found this - one of my cousins has boys - well when I bought this - I think they only had TWO boys, now they have FOUR!!!!   I was going to make them all quilts. 

I also found some zippers in the Wal-Mart bags - so much for unpacking when one gets home!!!!   OK - this was YEARS ago. 

As I sorted through the baskets of flannel, I did find more scraps. 

And this is what is on the floor waiting to be processed!!!!!   I figure I have enough scraps to make a green and yellow quilt (all the same size as mentioned above), a blue/red one, a purple/pink/white one, red and yellow (OK - so I did buy some red flannel at Cockadoodle yesterday BEFORE I remembered those baskets) and then there should be enough for one more of mixed colours. FIVE quilts from stuff that most people would throw away. Yes - they are going to be scrappy, but HEY - they will be warm and cozy for someone. 

Shoot - I will find the pictures of the FIVE quilts I made with the Winter games fabric. I think one of the nicest ones was made with the leftovers from the other four.

And while we are on a roll - I dug out the REST of the construction fabric that I had bought to make quilts for those boys!!!!!!!!!!

More construction fabric. If I just cut squares OR make hopscotch, I can have FOUR quilts made in no time. 

On that note - I am preparing for a class I am teaching today and I had better get that finished. BUT I really really want to be working on those flannel scrap quilts!!!!!!!!!!  


Yes - I have loads to do, but the big problem is that this is ME and that BUSY-NESS will NEVER Go away. I am just that kind of person. I enjoy having lots on the burner and I like sewing and everything else. It is NOT a question of finishing or getting things done - it is just a question of DOING. And having fun while doing it.


Oh yes - went to see the Die Hard movie last night. Oh boy - a LOT of cars got smashed up in that or they did a very good job on the computer. I lost count very quickly!!!!!   Lots of action - and totally mindless - just my kind of movie!!!!!!!!!!!



Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!