You've Got Scraps!

And the lucky winner of my scrap collection in my "Help Me Give-A-Way" is Sandie~call me crazy. 

CONGRATULATIONS SANDIE!

Thank you all for your comments concerning scrap accumulation. I learned some great ideas ... if you haven't had an opportunity to read the comments for getting control over your scraps please take a few minutes and check them out. As I said there are some great ideas!

Again congratulations to Sandie... I hope that you will find a place for my scraps in one of your fabulous quilts!

Hope you have a great day stitching!

Hugs,

Elaine

PS: Thank you to my dear husband for his help in picking the winning number...#14!

"Simply Charming" - A Review

I just received Tara Lynn Darr's new book "Simply Charming, Small Scrap Quilts From Yesteryear"*...

It's a keeper...absolutely worth purchasing...If you like small scrap quilts this is a "must have"! There are 20 projects in Tara's book that are inspired from patterns of the past.
Here are a few samplings... "Stars Over The Mountain"

"Living Off The Scrap Basket"

"Mountain Pathways"

"Tabitha's Trinkets"

Tara's instructions are very clear and detailed.

Tara also shares her "time -tested tips" for working on small quilts!

I thought that this was a great quilting book, not only for the beginning quilter but for those that have lots of experience too. You'll finds quilts with baskets, flying geese, star blocks and sew much more. I loved them all!

Check out "Simply Charming, Small Scrap Quilts of Yesteryear," it's a keeper in my quilting corner!

I hope you have a great day stitching your heirlooms of the future... and don't forget to leave a comment on my March 24th post to be entered to win my scraps and tote. My "Help Me Give-A-Way" closes tomorrow night (Sunday, March 27th) at 11:59pm.

Hugs,

Elaine

* No affiliation or connection to Tara Lynn Darr or Sew Unique Creations. This review is based strictly on my personal opinion.

On the Road Again ...Quilt Retreat WOO HOO!

Well, I guess that should be "In the air again"! Yes, I'm getting ready to leave for Nebraska for a quilting retreat with Jo Morton! I'm getting my bags packed so I'll be ready to go. Of course I started with my quilting and retreat supplies...the most important part of packing when going on a retreat or for that matter any trip!

And getting my "Jo" fabrics ready...

The focus fabrics are from Jo's older lines and background pieces from "Toasty" and "Attic Shirtings". I'm going to precut my fabric so it will be easier to pack and then once I get to the retreat, I will have a head start!

And there will be more "scraps" to add to my give-a-way tote! Please read yesterday's entry (March 24th) and enter to win my "Help Me Give-A-Way" and don't forget to tell me how you deal with your scrap accumulation!

Hope you all have a moment to stitch a little today!

Hugs,

Elaine

Dilemma: Those Scraps..Help Me Give-A-Way!

I have a problem...a scrap accumulation problem!

These are great scraps, lots of Jo Morton fabrics that are large enough to make a mini or doll quilt. Strips left over from my "Abe's Log Cabin", triangles and squares from other various projects. These are good scraps...

And those triangles and squares...big enough to really make "something" cute!

What do you do with your scraps? Do you just toss them or do you have a ....GIVE-A-WAY??

Yes, that's how I can solve my problem....I'll have a Give-A-Way and I'll even include the Rubbermaid Tote that they are stored in and 5 fat quarters of civil war fabric to help you with your "scrap" project!

Please leave a comment on how you address the issue of scrap accumulation.

Give-A-Way will close on Sunday evening, March 27th at 11:59pm PDT (pacific daylight time) and be announced on Monday, March 28th. Please leave your e-mail for contact purposes... I would like to mail your package before I leave for my quilt retreat in Nebraska on March 30th.

And I am VERY interested in hearing your "scrap control methods".

Hugs,

Elaine

"My Quilt Shoppe" In Florida

Of course, we visited a quilt shop or two while in Florida... "My Quilt Shoppe" was my personal favorite!

I love walking into GREAT quilt shops!

Yes, they had beautiful quilts on the walls...

Absolutely beautiful quilts...

In fact, lots of gorgeous quilts were on their walls...

But they also had "Jo Morton" fabrics by the boatload!

In San Luis Obispo county, there is only ONE shop that carries "Jo" fabric , so when I actually get to see so much "up close and personal", I think I am in quilter's heaven!

We had a great time at "My Quilt Shoppe"!

And I left very happy!

It was an excellent day in Florida...

Hugs,

Elaine

Florida Palm Trees

Palm trees are abundant in Florida...even on the wall paper!

The beauty of nature...

It takes you breath away...absolutely magnificent!

Life is good...

Hugs,

Elaine

On The Quilting Front...

I've been working on my stamp basket quilt...remember this one from the Jo Morton exchange?

I needed to make 8 more blocks to get the size quilt I wanted. Well, I have 6 blocks in various stages of being "almost" done!

Wow...seems with retirement I have more time to get some sewing done...Imagine that?

And the house is clean with the laundry done too!

Life is good ...

Hugs,

Elaine

Lots of Rain in SLO

It's been pouring here in San Luis Obispo. Over a 12 hour period, we received 3 inches of rain making the total since Friday at 4 inches. Lots for the central coast of California!
This is the creek that runs behind our home...usually nothing more than a trickle. Now take a look!

And its running...

We drove over to Avila Beach to see the waves...

There is such a force behind these waves... nothing like a tsunami but still powerful.

View from Joe Mamma's ... huge waves for Avila Beach!

Apple orchard under water...

San Luis Creek...this runs through Old Downtown San Luis Obispo. And believe me it's really running now!

Even the ducks decided to stay out of the water...

The walkway is flooding from so much rain water in the creek.

The rain is expected to continue all week with the only break on Tuesday. On the positive side, our lakes will be filled to capacity this summer and our mountains are so beautiful and green. Sorry for the picture quality...it was a "moving" picture as we driving along the highway. To clarify, Jim was driving, I was the one taking the pictures!

It's an excellent day to be quilting!

Life is good...

Hugs,

Elaine

Florida Flowers

The foliage in Florida is amazing, their colors are so vibrant! I truly enjoyed just walking around and snapping pictures of all the blooming flowers. Please join me for a walk around the neighborhood...

The pinks...

The purples...

And oranges...

Oh My!

Vibrant blooms ready to pop!

The clusters of color...

And the dramatic...

So beautiful...

Thanks for sharing my walk with me this morning! 

The memories are priceless...

Hugs,

Elaine

Out of the Closet

I finally was able to organize my fabric closet this week. I wanted to get some of the projects out that I have been working on forever and see what I needed to do to get them FINISHED (my word for 2011).

One of the first things out was an older project that dates back to around 1996. I had started the quilting but never finished.

Then there was my blocks from the Jo Morton "Sawtooth Block Exchange". I might make an applique center, whig rose, and then set the blocks around that.

Then there are my half square triangles. I set them similar to Jo's "Chocolate Mint" and will follow that pattern by placing an applique border around them.

My stamp basket blocks from the Jo Morton exchange. I still have another 8 blocks to make to get the size quilt I would like. Another enjoyable block to hand piece and applique!

Update on works in progress:
My spool blocks have progressed to 25 blocks. I have no idea how I will set these or how many more I will make but they sure are fun! Very relaxing...

Abe's Log Cabin is almost completely quilted! It has been really enjoyable to hand quilt this little mini quilt.

No further progress on my mini stamp basket quilt other than choosing a quilting pattern.

Lots to do but now I can see "light at the end of the tunnel" on finishing a few of my projects. It was so nice to get them up on the wall and actually "see" the blocks, very helpful in reaching a decision on how I want to complete them.

Life is good in my sewing room...

Hugs,

Elaine