Convoy!!!!

Well, thanks to the help of the amazing ladies of the Beejeebers Bee, each of them making one of those awesome semi's around the border of the quilt,  this  is ready to Roll On Out in time for Father's Day!!  Yippee Skippee!!!   Convoy is a special quilt for my dad designed to fit in the cab of his truck.  He started driving trucks again last year (after a 20ish year hiatus while we kids grew up) and just loves being on the road!!

I struggled for a while trying to decide on how to quilt this without taking away from all of the awesome semis.  In the end I decided to go for a basic straight all over stipple that I think tied it together without distracting to much.  Most of the quilt is done on a larger scale in white but I wanted the semi in the middle to really pop.  I designed that particular block to look just like my Dad's Semi.  Down to the logo on the door :)       So I quilted it with blue thread instead and did a slightly smaller scale of quilting.    I really like the way it turned out :)

I found this super fun backing fabric in my stash.  It really ties in well with all of the fun colors from the front and just reminds me of my dad because it is a little on the wild side!!  (His nick name is Wild Man because of all of the crazy shorts he wears that my mom makes him out of the wildest fabric she can find, including flames :)

So now I just need to wrap it up for Sunday :)  I can't wait to see his face.  I will be sure to take lots of pictures :)  Thanks again Beejeeber's Ladies!!!  You all rock!!!

EDIT - -  Several of you have requested dimensions for making this quilt.  While I don't haev all of the dimensions for each of the trucks as my Bee Mates made up their own, this post has the basic small truck block  dimensions that we used for most of the trucks, and this post has the basic large truck paper piecing pattern I drafted for the large semi in the middle.   Hope that helps ;)  

Patchwork Car Shade - A Tutorial for TNT

Sew Mama Sew is doing a wonderful Ready, Set, Go!!! series full of great tutorials to aid you on your summer travels.  Well for our family, the biggest issue about summer traveling is the beautiful Sunshine coming in through the car windows.  So I whipped up a fun little tutorial as part of the Ready, Set, Go!!! series.  A Patchwork Car Shade, that doubles as a Tic-Tac-Toe board.  Pop on over and check it out.  

And I was super excited to try something new for this little tutorial.  I tried using the automatic button hole maker (very techincal term) on my machine.  And I love it!!!  So much easier than the good old days of manipulating the zig-zag stitches at least 7 times to create 1 button hole.  Now I just type it in, stomp on the presser foot, and wham!!!  A button hole. And it's got me thinking I need to make some more projects with button holes :)

So what have you been trying new this week??  You know what to do . . . Link on Up :)

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I Love Summer Reading!

One of my favorite things about summer is all of the great summer reading programs the libraries have.  A little enticement of  getting a treat or prize of some sort and my morning look a little like this . . .

Yes, even the little ones get in on the fun, although I think the baby just wants to eat the book.  (My middle child was sleeping in this particular morning :)  Reading time . . .  A little slice of heaven.   I would be joining them but somehow the book I was reading seems to have grown legs and walked away (I fear the 3 year old has something to do with it :)

Our library program this year asked the kids to keep track of their minutes but didn't have any type of form  to track them on.  I guess they were just supposed to write them down.  We'll for my kiddos, half of the fun is getting to mark off that you have read, so I whipped up these little reading charts.  (yes, I need to get new fridge magnets :)   I have put the template into Google documents, so if you find yourself needing a Summer Reading chart you can find one here.  (they mark every 10 minutes of reading)

 Oh, and one final note for today, Yes, my children do have pajamas that fit them and are more appropriate for the season, they just choose to wear the old, worn out, hot ones.  And after several discussions, I ended up conceding that it wasn't that big of a deal and if those are the ones they like they can wear them.  (even though it drives me nuts :)  My husband just reminds me that you just have to let some things go :)

Swapping and Quilting-Along???

It's coming soon!!  I am working on some of the details but go here for a little clue :)  Interested??  We'll be doing a Color Wheel Charm Swap first followed by a super fun and entertaining quilt-a-long :) (OH, an you know there will be lots of prizes!!)  So are you ready???  Any preferences on colors??   Watch for more details to come :)

Winner of the EZ Dresden Ruler

It's time to choose a lucky winner!!  But first, a huge thank you to all of the super sweet comments you left about my Double Dresden Delight!!  I was just tickled pink with them.  You all sure know how to make a gal feel great.  And I hope I see lots of Double Dresden Delight's start popping up here and there :)  It really is a fun little quilt to put together!!

Now . . . Let's get onto the winner.

Mr. Random. Org says the lucky owner of a new EZ Dresden ruler is . . .#61

Who happens to be . . . Kathrynn!!  Congrats Kathrynn, I have sent you an email :)

And I am off to tidy up the house.  My Mom and Dad are arriving today to spend the rest of the week with us. My dad competes in the Utah Summer Games each year and since they are in Cedar City they get to come and stay with us :)  Which means my mom and I will have lots of time for sewing.  (she is bringing down her machine :)  I am so excited!!