Back to ABC's :)

Yesterday I finally pulled back out my ABC Blocks after setting them aside for a little market sewing.  I love making these blocks.  They are so fun and easy and provide instant gratification.  I was able to sew up E and F, two awfully easy letters to make as there are no angles ;)

I actually finished them up so fast I decided to work on a little off shoot project I had been thinking about.  Ever since I made this block, I have been thinking how fun it would be to make a Crazy Patch letter.   So I grabbed some green scarps and started slashing and sewing.  Before long,  I had an adorable Crazy Patch A.   Yippee Skippee!!!  I plan to quilt this up and make it a cute mini for a special friend.  Any suggestions on the quilting??

Oh, and another quick question, would any of you like a tutorial on how I do this crazy patching??  It is a little bit of a anything goes kind of method of piecing, but I can share some of the ways I go at it.  Would that be helpful??

Linking up these fun finished letters to Sarah's, Amanda's, and Fort Worth Fabric Studio

The Quilter's Applique Workshop & Giveaway

I was super excited the other day when I received a copy of The Quilter's Applique Workshop by Kevin Kosbab from Interweave.  It is no secret that I love applique and use it a lot of my projects.  It was so nice to be able to take this on our little family vacation and have some time to go through it.

And can I just say, I am loving it!!!  Kevin Kosbab does such an amazing job with the technical writting, explaining each and every little detail with fabulous illustrations.  There is no way you can get lost and  I learned so much!! The book is broken down into an applique basics section followed by sections on raw-edge, prepared-edge, and needle-turn applique.  I spent a lot of time reading in prepared-edge and needle-turn as I tend to stick mostly to raw-edge applique.

And of course, I couldn't get through the book without adding a few more "to do's" to the list.   First off, these fantastic All Seasons Pillows from the needle-turn section.  They are so stinking cute and of course, some hand sewing practice would be vastly helpful to me, you know, the non-hand binding gal.

And then from the prepared-edge section this stunning counterbalance quilt.  I think this is calling to be a new master bedspread.  And I am so excited to try out some prepared-edge applique, I have never done that but Kevin's instructions seem to make it seem like a piece of cake.  Here is hoping ;)

To see more fabulous reviews of this book, check out the official Book Tour.  You can find all of the links at Kevin's blog here ;)  

Not only was I happy to be able to review this fabulous book but Interweave has graciously offered to giveaway a copy of The Quilters Applique Workshop to one of my readers.  Want to win this fabulous book??  Of course you do.   

To enter for a chance to win simply leave a comment of your take on applique.   It can be as simple as "love it", "never tried it", "excited to learn", or you can share some of your applique experiences.  Whatever you like as long as it is about applique ;)  

The giveaway will be open until Monday the 28th and I will announce a winner on Tuesday morning.  Good Luck and have a Happy Quilting Day ;)  

Project Linus Opportunity

Fave Quilts is teaming up with Leisure Arts to help the children of Project Linus.  I know lots of you make so many amazing quilts for Project Linus.  It is incredible.  If you don't know about Project Linus or have been thinking about doing a Project Linus charity quilt this would be a great time to join in the giving.  There will even be prizes opportunities for those who donate a blanket.  To see all the details go Here ;)

I am sending in my Playing The Scales quilt.  It is one of my tutorials that is featured at Fave Quilts ;)  

I like to think of it being wrapped around a special little child.  I never cease to be amazed of how much love can be put into a quilt and how much love it receives in return.  I am so happy to be part of such an amazing community that uses their skill to give back :)

Mellow Yellow

Well, I am all unpacked, laundry is done, and it is time to get to my sewing room.  And just in time, this lovely bundle arrived from Art Gallery Fabrics yesterday afternoon ;)

I am doing a little Market sewing today.  Yippee!!!  Don't you just love Yellow.  It is so Happy to sew with ;)

Fabric Collections are from top to bottom are:
Minimilista
Meadow
Chromatics
Tule
Pure Elements
Chromatics
Oval Elements
Sweet as Honey

Our Spring Break!!

This weekend was Spring Break and we spent it in San Diego, California!!!  We had a wonderful time except for the 30 minutes I posted about yesterday ;)  Thank you so much for all of your kind thoughts and comment from yesterday.  I started to respond to them individually and quickly found myself in tears.  So I read through them all, had a wonderful therapeutic cry and am now writting thank you  here.  You ll are the best!!    But now I am getting off topic again.  Let's get back to the fun!!!

We spent 2 days at the beach enjoying the sun, sand, and waves.

My kids are beach babies.  They could stay here forever ;)

The family that plays together, stays together ;)

On Friday we went to Lego Land!!   The kids had a blast!!!  Mini Land was my favorite.  So cool!!

Dad and the older three loved all of the roller coasters!!  

And Kami had fun on rides a little more her size ;)

And this one and I just strolled around the park.  She did amazing, and I think enjoys people watching as much as her mom does ;)

And we finished the day off with the Aquarium.  So cool!!! No surprise that these little fishes loved seeing all the fishes ;)

 While in San Diego we also visited the Mormon Battilion Visitor's Center and San Diego Temple.  My twin sister served her LDS mission here a few years back so it was exciting to go see where she was ;)

The kids especially loved getting to dress up like the Battalion ;)

 And the San Diego temple is just stunning.

All in all, an amazing family vacation.  Here is hoping we can go back some day :)