New Bee(s)

I don't know if I'm crazy but I joined a new (to me) bee and started another one - Simply Modern Bee.  Simply Modern is a continuation of the Simple Bee which uses the Garden Fence Tutorial.  Sandy, the Simple Bee Mama, was not running another round of Simple Bee & said I was free to run my own.  Yay!
(There are still a few spots left if you are interested.)

Here are my July blocks for the Simple Bee:

July Simple Bee Block for craftycamel - red & gray

July Simple Bee Block for kritta22 - pink & red

The other bee that I joined is the 4 x 5 Modern Quilt Bee --thanks for the heads up Becky!  I'm really excited about this one!  I need to make 5 blocks (+1 for me) total, one in each member's color scheme using my stash.  I've already picked my block for the group and plan on making a test block this weekend.  The bee runs until November so I better get busy making my 5 blocks!  For my blocks I chose shades of purple, gray, and white for my background.

The Catch Up Game

The Simple Bee was over in August but I'm still playing catch up.  Blocks for May & June were mailed back in June.  July & August's blocks are waiting to be sewn together.....I have no idea how I got this far behind!

Simple Bee Block for  Sandy (May)

Simple Bee Block for Tiffany (May)

Mary took both spots in the bee for June.  She requested combinations of gray, orange, and yellow.  I really like how these blocks came out and I hope they fit well in Mary's quilt.

Simple Bee Block for Mary (June)

Simple Bee Block for Mary (June)

Bee Blocks 2.0

It’s been a long time since I’ve visited this bloggy space.  I always think I’m going to have more time than I actually do.  Making big plans to clean, sew, or visit with friends…which always ends up never happening for one reason.  

She sure is cute though!

I’ve managed to keep up with my bee blocks for the Simple Bee though.  It’s been easy since I’m using my own scraps and the blocks are easy.  See for yourself!

March Bee Block for Alisha

April Bee Block for Anna

April Bee Block for Heather Rae

We’re using the Garden Fence Block tutorial from Hyacinth Quilt Designs.  My month was March and I requested red and aqua.  I’ve received most of my blocks already and can’t wait to put them together.

Announcing….

the South Jersey Modern Quilt Guild!!!

Our first meeting is Tuesday April 24th at 7pm.

Details can be found here.

P.S. Tell all your friends!!

Thankful for….

these two.

Things are so different this year!  Who knew last year that this year I’d have this little one!

She’s changed so much already.  It feels like she was just born yesterday but she’ll be a month on Sunday!

So much to be thankful for this year!  Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Baby Emma

She’s here!!

Baby Emma was born on October 27th.  She was a whopping 8 lbs 6 ounces and 22 inches long.  Everything went well besides the 25 hours of labor in the hospital. 

Emma is a little over two weeks old now so I snapped a few pictures of her on the latest quilt I completed.

This is a cheater quilt that I started at a guild sewing night.  I saw the fabric print on someone’s blog (can’t remember who) and knew I needed to make this for the baby!  It’s perfect for tummy time. I quilted it using an all over stipple and backed it with a  Kona cotton solid.  I saved the binding until I was “too” pregnant to feel like doing any other sewing so I finished it just days before Emma’s late arrival.

We’re all adjusting to being sleep-deprived and I almost feel like sewing again!

Scrap Bee Complete

So my first and only bee is wrapping up.  I have to say it worked out perfectly.  We’re finishing up 2 months early as we had 2 participants drop out…who just happened to have the months of November and December.  Perfect for me since who knows how much time I’ll have to sew with a newborn…who’s arrival is late!

For August. our bee mama asked for a block to make Mona W’s European Stories Quilt.  A very easy block to make…I was really hoping to send Corley an appliqued block but nothing came out quite right so I fussy cut a MoMo print.  I dove into the scrap basket for the border and love the scrappy outcome. 

I was slightly confused about September’s block…Christine requested a Scrappy Depression Block, basically sewing a bunch of half square triangles together any way we wanted.  I might have taken it a bit too literally, because my block looks nothing like anyone else’s….

Pam requested a monochromatic, crazy, scrappy block using Aneela Hoey's tutorial.  We each picked a different color to send and although my pink scraps/stash far out weigh any other color I chose red to challenge myself.  I like how it came out but I don’t think I could make more than 2 of these blocks ever.  It’s good to try new things though.

I’m currently on maternity leave from work…baby girl is a little late arriving….5 days past so far!  Here’s my 34 week belly at my last Phil’s game of the season!

Here’s hoping she comes soon!!

Milestones…

For most of my pregnancy, I’ve been pretty quiet.  But recently, I’ve hit a milestone and I want to celebrate.

28 weeks!!!  { the point at which baby’s chance of survival outside the womb is 90%.  Now obviously I want her to stay put for another 10-12 weeks but each milestone makes me breathe a little easier.}

28 week belly….{Edited:  Currently ~31 weeks…just really behind in blogging}

At this point, I’m feeling incredibly unprepared.  Baby’s room is in shambles…electrician isn’t coming until next week…and we haven’t really bought much yet.  With the electrician coming, buying anything else has been on hold since we already have huge crib and changing table boxes taking up space; not to mention the glider and ottoman in the middle of my living room since there isn’t anywhere else to put it. 

This baby girl is active…all day long.  I love feeling her little kicks and punches, but sometimes I feel like she is going to burst out of my stomach.

Since I can’t get her room ready, I’ve been knitting and sewing.  My knitting skills are limited…but I’m pretty proud that I could make cute little baby hats.  I’ve definitely picked up the knitting bug and am trying to teach myself how to knit all sorts of crazy patterns.

This is one of the hats I made…my first project using double pointed needles.  I’m finishing up the last few row using the same hat pattern but in pink.  Not sure what my next knitting project will be…surely something baby related!