Saturday, March 30, 2013

Bee Wrap Up

The Simply Modern bee ends in April. I've done 2 rounds of a Garden Fence block bee and have enough aqua and red blocks for a quilt now!   I ended up with almost an even number of blocks with red borders and aqua borders --which is fantastic.

I completed both my March and April blocks this week and got them out the door.  I'm so glad to have these off of my plate!

March Simply Modern Bee Block for QuiltyGirl2

March Simply Modern Bee Block for fushigi88

April Simply Modern Bee Block for Quilty McQuilterton

April Simply Modern Bee Block for Quilting&Cussing
Fabric used in the blocks are a variety of Lizzy House Pearl Bracelets, Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow, Momo It's a Hoot and Oh Deer, and Violet Craft Madrona Road --all from stash

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

March - Just 3 Check In

It's almost April!!!  I'm happy and sad at the same time.

This little girl is getting so big!  Time is flying by and she is picking up new words everyday.  I want her to stay this age for just a little longer.

I'm looking forward to the beautiful weather, playing outside, and getting back to gardening.  And of course April 1st will bring the next month of the Woodland Sampler and the first installment of the Springtime Sampler.

I'm making pretty good progress on my March Just 3.....

1. My fingerless mitts are done (yay!), except I have to weave in the yarn ends and figure out how to bind off....

2. My Hugs & Kisses quilt blocks are coming along.  I am about half done sewing the blocks...and should have no problem finishing up the rest this month.

3. Binding is complete!  I finished it on a recent car trip to visit my in-laws.  Once it starts to feel more like spring around here, I'll take it outside for some pictures!



Pattern is Smitten by Rachel Griffith.

I'll have lots of time this week to catch up on my Hugs & Kisses blocks because Hubby is traveling for work :(

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

A week in the life of the CraftyProcrastinator on Instagram


If you're on Instagram, I'm craftyprocrastinator. And well, if you aren't, you should be!

Instagram is my new favorite social media app...I love seeing what everyone is working on (stitching, sewing, quilting, knitting), the materials/eye candy (yarn, aurifil - did you see the Tula Pink aurifil collection?!, and of course fabric), and even what everyone is baking/cooking/eating.  Yum!  Plus it was a great way experience Quilt Con last month without being there.

Bad {work} day yesterday...stopped at Starbucks for a little relief.  It only took 20 minutes with one person ahead of me in line!

Finished knitting a hat...quickly frogged said hat because errors (holes) and sizing

Birthday cupcakes made by Heather.  Yum!

The only way I get to sew during normal hours is to let her "sew" too.  Set her up with a pattern, fat quarter bundle, and sometimes a few blocks and she's entertained for awhile.

Birthday breakfast in bed on the couch.  I woke up too early to be surprised by Chris & Emma with breakfast in bed.

I caved....I said I wasn't going to, but I did.  Spring is my favorite season.  How could I not? #springtimesampler #frostedpumpkinstitchery

Part of my Just 3 goals for March.  I'm finished the 2nd fingerless mitt and just need to figure out a proper bind off technique.  Suggestions?

Thursday, March 14, 2013

A little review...

I recently picked up a copy of Quilty magazine at JoAnn's when I was really supposed to be shopping for a birthday gift for my (almost) sister in law.  I spent so much time in the store trying to pick out yarn, needles, or even a knitting book for her but I wasn't having any luck and I really didn't want to leave the store empty handed.  I was deciding between Quilts & More and Quilty and I ended up picking Quilty because I had never read it/seen it before and it had an article about quilt guilds.  The quilty (ha-ha, get it?) content was ok.  The quilt patterns (previews here) are geared towards beginners so easy-peasy stuff.  There is a quilt that I've considering making, so that's a win!  I was pretty disappointed with the article about quilt guilds though.  It seemed more like, this is why you shouldn't join a guild, guilds aren't for everyone unless you have lots of time because we are all so busy.  Well ain't that the truth, but I still love my guild(s) and sewing with friends is so much better than sewing solo.


I did enjoy the article on batting, the fabric eye candy, & I really liked that they included information for submitting content (i.e. original quilt patterns).  Will I buy it again?  Sure...I mean just check out this cover, and this is pretty nice too!


My local JoAnn's is closing....well or as they say moving.  When you're used to having a JoAnn's less than 2 minutes from your house forever and then they decide to close AFTER they open the new one...they're really just closing.  They aren't moving merchandise, they aren't restocking anything...they are pretty much just selling what they have left and slowly moving everything up to the front of the store leaving the back half empty.  When I was there last night, the yarn was pretty slim pickings.  The magazines were gone.  I wanted to pick up the new Quilty but all of the magazines were removed. :::sad face:::

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

March - Just 3!

So in attempt to get more done each month, I'm linking up to Traceyjay quilts's Just Three.  Since this is my first time participating {hi everyone!} I don't have a report for last month.

March's Goals

1.  Finish hand sewing the binding on Emma's Smitten quilt.  It's over half done.  I've just abandoned it for other fun projects.

2. Piece blocks for my Hugs and Kisses quilt.  I finally picked out my neutral color on Sunday (Moda Cross weave in light gray- so awesome!) so now I need to press my strip sets, cut the fabric using the Lazy Angle ruler and piece it all back together again.

Progress made since I drafted this post :)
3. Since I started a knitting class in January, I think a knitting goal is only fair.  I need to finish my other finger-less mitten so that I can stop freezing my butt {or hands} off at work.  One of the few disadvantages of having a drafty window office....also apparently, you can knit two mitts, socks, whatever, at the same time on circular needles. :::Smacks self on head::::  Apparently, the teacher thought that I should already have known this....even though I'm a {self taught until now} beginner, in a beginner's class.  Lesson learned, lady!

Linking up to:

traceyjay quilts

Monday, March 11, 2013

South Jersey Modern Quilt Guild - ConKerr Cancer Sewing Night

The South Jersey Modern Quilt Guild and The Little Shop are hosting a ConKerr Cancer Sewing night on Friday, April 12th at 5:30 pm.  ConKerr Cancer's mission is to help children feel special while battling life changing illnesses. They do this through volunteers who make bright and cheery pillowcases for these kids.  

To participate RSVP via email southjerseymqg(at)gmail(dot)com.  Fabric and instructions for pillowcases will be provided  -- just bring your sewing machine!




Friday, March 8, 2013

February Bee Blocks

This month I had fun playing with purple!


Rachel requested shades of purple for her block. {She also has the cutest little daughter, go check out her blog!}



Nanette requested purple & green. It seemed like the perfect chance to use some of my new Lizzy House pearl bracelets prints as I recently purchased this yummy 1/2 yard bundle on Etsy. {My favorite prints are the blues!}

Awful iphone pic!
March's blocks should be fun - raspberry & lime and blues & greens (like sea glass).

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Woodland Sampler - Cross Stitch

When I was alot younger, my mom used to do cross stitch.  We were on vacation at the shore and one of my aunts came over and taught her.  I remember it so vividly because I wanted so badly to learn at that time.  My mom made so many cross stitch patterns when I was growing up...Christmas stockings, Christmas tree ornaments, and numerous wall hangings.  If you had a baby during my mom's cross stitch days, sure enough you would receive a framed cross stitch with the baby's name & birth date.  Each time she finished a design, we would take it to get framed.  You know, the kind of place where you pick out a frame and a mat, you pay an arm and a leg, and they would frame it for you.  They always looked so beautiful and still do some 20+ years later.

When I was old enough, my mom finally taught me how to do cross stitch.  I would start one and she would finish it.  I never had the attention span to finish a design.  The only one I ever finished was for a friend who was getting married....and well, that marriage did not last.

When I saw the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery's cross stitch patterns I knew it was time to pick up the hobby again.  Their patterns are super adorable.  Have you seen their winter wonderland countdown sampler??  It's on my wishlist.  I signed up right away when I saw they were releasing a Woodland Sampler starting in January.  Each pattern/design is released around the 1st of the month and so far I'm loving it!

January - Snowy Deer Couple
I stitched up January's pattern while I was recovering from a minor surgery.  It kept my hands busy while I was stuck laying in bed for a few days.


February - Midnight Raccoon Bandit

February's block isn't completed yet.  I think I'm going to outline around the raccoon's eyes a little more and fill in the moon.  Probably filling the moon in with the dark blue so that the "e" in February is visible.

March - Marchy McMushroom
March's block only took part of an afternoon.  I might still add a teeny-tiny shamrock in front of the "M" but I'm not sure there's enough space.

I had always intended to make a cross stitch for Emma's birth, but was too worried I would lose interest and never finish.  Since April 1st is so far away, I'll probably purchase another Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery pattern and add Emma's birth stats to it because the poor girl has next to nothing hanging on her walls!

Emma (in January)

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Simply Modern Bee

The simply modern bee on Flickr is over halfway through! It seems like everyone is keeping up {YAY!} and I've seen some great blocks in the pool. For the bee, we are working from stash and are using the Garden Fence Tutorial. Each month the queen bee(s) get blocks sent to them in their colors.

November - Orange & Aqua for Micchia

November - Purple & green for sewneatbycaryn

December - Blues for vbobro

December - Yellow & Gray for fresh raspberry quilts

January - Red & aqua for me

January - Red & aqua for k9toywear


I've received almost all of my blocks from January and should have an update with how my red & aqua Garden Fence quilt is coming together soon.

Monday, March 4, 2013

A pin cushion a day....

keeps the doctor away?  Errr, maybe not ;-). Lots of pin cushion making going on over here.

Cathedral window pincushion
It started with one....
Cathedral window pincushion #1
And then there were 2.
Plus another in Central Park {Moda} fabric....

Equals a cute pile of pin cushions!

Tutorial for pin cushions by Kim @ My go go life.


These pin cushions are so cute and fun to make AND they make great gifts!  I think I'll be making a few more of these really soon.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Last Quilt of 2012

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Julie Herman's patterns and when I saw a sample of her Wonton pattern hanging in The Village Quilter, it was love at first sight!  

My mom had requested a quilt for a friend of friend's daughter who was having a baby.  The baby (a little girl) is a miracle baby.  The couple had tried for years to conceive and were unsuccessful.  They decided to give fertility treatment a try without telling their family as to not disappoint anyone if it failed.  It worked and their beautiful baby girl was born in December.

I started this quilt at the Philly Modern Quilt Guild retreat back in November and had the quilt top cut and pieced in an afternoon.  The pieces were cut using Jaybirdquilt's Hex N More ruler.  For the backing, I picked up a soft cuddle fabric in red and quilted with an allover stipple pattern.  The cuddle fabric was surprisingly easy to quilt with and was very forgiving in terms of tension issues.  I think it will be my go to backing for baby quilts because it's so soft and comfy!

Wonton Baby Quilt

Backed with soft, comfy, snuggle fabric :)


Quilt Stats: 
Pattern:  Wonton by Jaybirdquilts
Pieced & Quilted by Me.
Started on November 10, 2012.  Completed on December 18, 2012.
Fabric: ??  Some pulled from stash, Riley Blake, and Bungle Jungle by Tim and Beck for Moda.

Friday, March 1, 2013

4x5 Modern Quilt Bee - Winter

I was so excited to participate in the winter round of the 4x5 modern quilt bee on Flickr that I even set a calendar reminder for the sign ups....yep, I'm a nerd!  But seriously, it was worth it!

This time I picked my block right away, got my fabric pulled, and then stalled out.  I picked a block from In Color Orders HST Block of the Month {who, by the way, has the CUTEST fabric line currently in stores} but the block just didn't feel right so I started the process over.  I ended up with a simple Broken Wheel pattern.  I was worried the size wouldn't come out right so I made the test block in my colors {purple & gray}.  The block came out a little small....for the rest of the blocks I used a scant 1/4" seam and a little creative pressing.  Most of the blocks came out exactly 12.5" unfinished with a few just slightly under that.

4x5 Modern Quilt Bee Blocks - Winter Round
Test block 
4x5 Modern Quilt Bee Blocks - Winter Round
4x5 block for marci (our hive's caretaker)

4x5 Modern Quilt Bee Blocks - Winter Round
4x5 block for AmieJDesigns
4x5 Modern Quilt Bee Blocks - Winter Round
4x5 block for drkornea2010

4x5 Modern Quilt Bee - Winter Round
4x5 block for Oh, Fransson!
4x5 Modern Quilt Bee Blocks - Winter Round
4x5 block for Momma Thomps.
Sign ups for the next round are supposed to begin very soon so if you're interested in joining keep your eye on the 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee flickr group!