Thursday, March 28, 2024

Sew Place Like Home

 Better late than never, right?
I love the Art East Quilt Company patterns.
Sew Place Like Home is no exception.
They had me at Dorothy.
I have been slogging my way through the blocks.
Here is my progress so far.

Dorothy was the first block.
I found some sparkly red for her ruby slippers.


The Scarecrow



Some house blocks for the border


And some rainbow border blocks


Poppies also for the border


The Tin Man


Cowardly Lion
(I really love this one)


The Emerald City


More border blocks


Finally Glinda the good witch.


ALL of these blocks have some very little pieces.
I started using one of the products recommended by Art East for pressing.
The Acorn pressing solution.
It was a game changer for EXTREMELY flat seams.
I bought the kit (find it here)
The kit includes the solution, the refillable pen and the glue.
The glue is also a good product to align small seams to make thing match up more easily.

I had to stop working on these for the moment as I have been doing some pattern testing.
I made some things for Clothworks for the trade show they are going to.
I tested a quilt for them too.
I don't think I can show those yet though.

I tested for Sandry Healy.
Some blocks and a quilt.
I will share those in another post.

I am currently working on a test for Meags and Me.
Then will be testing some machine embroidery for them as well.

Once all that is done I can get back to Oz.

What are you all up to?

~XOP~


Tuesday, March 26, 2024

It's Been a Minute

 I am so sorry it's been so long. 
 Life seems to be moving at warp speed these days. 
 Theo girl is already 7 months old.  
She is crusing around the furniture and I don't think it will be long before we have an independent walker, oh my!


Avery is almost three and a half already.
Learning his letters and we are having a lot of fun together.


My health.
I went home to MI in Feb for a quilt retreat but also for doctor appointments.
Mammogram was normal.
Oncology visit was normal.
Learned my oncologist is also a quilter.
I think we spent more time talking quilting after my check up was done than during the appointment!
She is awesome.

Quilt retreat was up next.
Met up with my SIL, my friend Kailie and my other friend Cori.
It was a much needed respite from childcare duties.


I had made this ghost pillow to go with the book,
the Patchwork Quilt that was a Ghost.
I stuffed him and closed him up at retreat.
I have a second one waiting to stuff and close at home.


Kailie taught me how to make a Hamingway pouch.
I am now OBSESSED with them.
I made this one for my kindle


I used 2 of my favorite Tilda fabrics.


Next up were some advent calendars.
I made this exact one for Avery and he loves his "mail pockets" so much
 one of his friends asked for one too
I made 2 of these.  
One for his friend and one for a dear friend of the family.
She had twin girls and has another daughter, and recently they just had a son.


This is the back of the one for Avery's friend


And this is the back of the one for our friends kids


Realizing that perhaps it might be too much to expect 4 kids to share one,
I made a second one for them.
Isn't this house the cutest?


This is the back of the house one.
The directions tell you how to add the pockets but not really how to finish it.
I quilted all three, and added the tabs then bound them.
They came out pretty cute, I think.
Can't wait to mail these off next fall.


Another quilt on the "to do" list was this Minnie mouse quilt.
I needed to bind it so I could gift it.
I managed to get it bound while at retreat.
Will have to gift when I get home in the fall.
I used a white minky on the back.


Here we are on our last day together.
I sure do miss these ladies!


Seems like all this just happened yet it was a whole month ago already!
I have more quilty things to catch you up on.
I will be posting over the next few days to catch up.

Hope you all have been well!

~XOP~


Thursday, November 23, 2023

Thanksgiving In North Carolina

 We got to spend Thanksgiving with the Roberts family.
We ordered our food from Cracker Barrel.
We did this same thing when Avery was born.
It was a fun filled day with good food and great company.

Here are a few pics from today





Three generations



She is always smiling.
I love this girl so much! 
 

Our little sweet pea turned 3 months today


Someone may have gotten this in with his Christmas PJs


There was some reading with Papa in the morning too.


Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends and family that celebrate!

~XOP~

Monday, November 20, 2023

Goldilocks is Finished and For Sale

 Oh my goodness!
I have had a lot of tops finished lately.
That means I needed to send them to my quilter(s).
When I was home I got a couple of them bound so thought I would share.

First up is a pattern test I did for Meags and Me called Goldilocks.

This quilt is so sweet  
I used the Three Bears fabric by Stacy Hsu for the pattern,
The bears and goldilocks are all machine embroidered/appliqued.
This quilt is for sale for $250 shipped in the US.






I pieced the back and it turned out so cute!


If you are interested in purchasing this quilt please send me an email.
mamaspark@gmail.com

~XOP~

Saturday, November 18, 2023

The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt

I came across this book a few years ago.
I bought it for Avery.
This year I decided to make a little quilt to go with the book


I even quilted it myslef.


I used this adorable ghost flannel on the back.


I made two of these ghost pillows!
I have not stuffed them yet since they won't be gifted until next year.


I used some scrap minky I put on the back of both of the pillows.


 I found the cutest pattern for ghost hand puppets too.
I wanted to be able to give one to each of my grandkids next year as well as to my daughter's bestie's four kids too.
The pieces are itty bitty but they are SO cute!

How am I planning for NEXT Halloween already!?!

~XOP~

Friday, November 17, 2023

Someone Turned Three

 Avery turned three and had a garbage truck themed birthday!
I even found some garbage truck balloons.
He had a party at a local park.



The night before we all met up at a local brewery.
We brought our gift, a garbage truck, and he LOVED it!
Papa was helping him figure it all out



I found garbage truck treat bags.
He wanted hats so hats we had!



Gigi and Avery had a lot of fun and so did everyone at the party.


I can't believe our little guy is three years old already!
Happy Birthday to my favorite boy.

Love you, Gigi

~XOP~