For Me!?!

I got back from my little visit to OR on Monday, and this was waiting in the mail for me!



I had mentioned in my little Pillow Talk Swap information email that I was working on a couch quilt in French General.

Holly, from Binkwaffle, made me the most gorgeous pillow to go with it!



I almost cried when I opened it... it is so special to have someone you've never met go to so much work making something so gorgeous and special, and just for me. ;)



Thank you, thank you, thank you!



The back is pretty too.



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In other news:

I reached 200 followers!  You know what that means... (giveaway coming soon)

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AND I leave you with a little text conversation from my beloved (I think this is the first time he has texted me ever)

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love your tanks for lunch

I love you too. :-)  And I love your tanks too. ;-)

Smarta**   not my fault auto complete sucks.

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It made my stomach hurt I was laughing so hard.  Maybe you had to be there.

Handmade gifts

S and I went to a friend's wedding this weekend.  Another friend also lives there.

I made a wedding gift.  A pillow.
She wanted creams, ivories, and chocolate brown.  I figured diamonds were appropriate, beings that it was a wedding and all.

(You saw me trying different ideas here.)

And a little wall quilt (that I started forever ago and will now deliver in person.)

Plume reminded me of her.  I hope she likes it, and that it brightens up her windowless office.  (The neutral is Kona Stone)

(And the back next to the plant that inspired some of that color)

two handmade gifts for two friends.  

This is why I love quilting. 

I may buy too much fabric, but I'll never have to buy another gift from a registry again if I don't want to.

♥

Fruitcake under my tree

Hmmm... this will make two Christmas-themed posts in a row...

I've got a new Bake Shop project!

A really easy to piece, octagonal tree-skirt...

...that Leah, over at Burgundy Buttons, is offering as a kit!

(Kit includes backing, and is only $55... marked down from $72!)

It's cute.

Though not as cute as this guy.

Likes to swing.

Or hang around.

Doubles as a barber cover.

(that's my dad)

I like it. :)

Steiger likes it. 

Hope you do too.

Please show me pics if you make it.

Putting the Bee in Christmas

So, two nights ago while I was laying in bed listening to my husband snoring, I thought, "I'm going to start a Christmas bee!"  (even though I'm already in two).  I wanted to get a Christmas quilt (or 2) done, but sometimes my project ADD gets the best of me (you know, make 2 blocks and then be ready to move on to the next thing).  I figured for the same amount of work, I could get other people to join in!

I got up too early the next morning to talk myself out of it, and emailed some bloggy friends to see if they'd be interested.

They were!

Our little bee is starting next week, and we will be done by Thanksgiving, so we can actually enjoy our Christmas quilts. :)

Here are the ladies I can't wait to work with:

Amy @ AllieKatMom

Karrie @ Freckled Whimsy

Kelly @ "I'm Just Saying"

Natalia @ Piece 'n Quilt

Rene @ Luv2Create

Cherie @ (her flickr photostream -- don't know your blog Cherie!)

and me, @ traceyjay quilts

This is a little inspiration mosaic I put together.  Just finding some random Christmasy ideas.  

1. December Dresdens, 2. Quilted Christmas Tree Skirt, 3. Christmas Stars, 4. Maria's block, 5. Mel's Block, 6. Block for Caroll, 7. Beth's Quilt, 8. Machine Applique for the Terrified Quilter, 9. xmas, 10. Jane's Block, 11. Mini received from Ruthiequilts, 12. Deck The Hall, 13. Quilted Cupcake Pink and Green Christmas Trees, 14. Flossybossy's Block, 15. Jen's Winter Spy Glass, 16. Courtney Havenwood, 17. for Beth, 18. Traveling Threads block for myself!, 19. single girl, 20. Fabbbbulous vintage ornament wreath, 21. Tanya's Block, 22. Santa Claus Block , 23. Block for Jane QATW Christmas, 24. Quilt Around the World - Brioni

Continuous bias binding tutorial

Sometimes I think I am a "self-taught" quilter... but the reality is I'm a tutorial-taught quilter!

I first learned this method from this tutorial, and it is now pretty much all I use for binding.  I love it! :)

(I apologize for the unedited nature of these photos -- I wanted to get them up)

• Trim selvages.  Fold one selvage down so it is along the bottom edge.  Cut along fold.

• Turn the triangle you just cut off over, and line up your selvage edges.  Sew together to make a large parallelogram.

• Press seam open

• Starting at one side, draw lines 2.25' from edge.

• Draw a bunch of lines, all across the length of fabric, trimming excess at the end.

• It's hard to see, but that's a "0" next to the first line there.  Start your numbering on top at "0" and number each line.

• Start your bottom numbering at 1, and count up from there.

• Right-sides together, pin at the intersection of each number (the 1's together, the 2's etc.)  There will be an off-set (this is what you want).

• The fabric kind of twists

• Sew the seam you just pinned, and press open.  Here's what your off-set will look like.

• You now have a twisty-tube of fabric.  Starting on one end, use scissors to cut on the lines.  I usually put the fabric on my arm like a sleeve.

The result!  Lots and lots of bias binding!  (see the link at the top for measurement information). :)

*Fabric is Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey.

I used the binding on this quilt

I'm so glad...

...that I'm the one who got to make you a Dad.

But I'm so sad that we won't be spending the day with you.  And while you're with my dad, I'll take little S, and we'll go see your dad.  

Please know we'll miss you. 

And we love you. 

And we'll celebrate Father's Day another day... one that you don't have to get up at 4 am. 

I'll even go camping... in a tent if it's what you want. 

♥

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And Happy Father's Day to you too Dad!

Send my husband home as soon as you can!

We love you too, and miss you too...

And thank you for being good enough of a man that I knew what to pick. 

Layout ideas

I like to practice for my swaps before I jump right in.

So I took these.



And made some HSTs (half-square triangles)



And I'm trying a few lay-outs.



I've a feeling this will become a pillow.

Maybe I'll even make one for us.  Because Jay would be thrilled to not have to bring the pillow from the bed to the couch so he can have something upon which to rest his head.

What I worked on Wednesday.

Pressing...

& 

Planning...

& 

Cutting...

&

Quilting... 

and 

Binding...

& 

Playing...

&

Admiring...

&

Drooling...