"Don't Touch Me" -- Pattern Test & Giveaway

Back in May, Amanda over at Fabric Engineer asked for volunteers to test a new pattern she created.  As a thank you, she has given me 1 copy of the pattern to give away to one of you!  More on that in a minute.... 

Amanda's original quilt (you can see it here) uses bold solids (red, blue, yellow, green), but I decided to try a different color scheme.  I'm using only stash fabric in 2012 so it was a bit of a challenge to choose the fabrics I'd use, but I think these colors would be sweet for a little girl.

The pattern for the top is called "Don't Touch Me," because none of those little triangles touch another triangle of the same color.

The pattern for the back is called "Hug and Make Up," since the triangles make nice and come back together again.

Amanda used white solid on her back (where I have the floral print).  The triangles really stand out more against the white, but at 35" x 35", I thought this quilt would be great for a child's "playing on the floor" quilt.  White quilt backs would not stay white for long on my floors, so I opted to use the flowers instead.

The obligatory "rolled up quilt" photo.  Please be kind and ignore that my HST's need some work and don't always match up as they should.  That was definitely user error, not the fault of the pattern!

I quilted around each large triangle, then shadow quilted 1.5" inside each one as well.

I quilted around each medium triangle, but not the little ones.

If you'd like a chance to win a *FREE* copy of Amanda's pattern -- which includes the instructions for both "Don't Touch Me" and "Hug and Make Up" -- just leave me a comment about what colors (or prints) you'd use in this quilt.  I'll number each comment as they come in and use Random.org to select a winner from all comments received by midnight (Eastern time) on Thursday, July 5.  I'll contact the winner and announce his/her name here on Friday, July 6.

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Linking up with: 

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for "Whoop Whoop Friday"

Sew Many Ways for "Find a Friend Friday"

Pieceful Life for "Show Off Friday" 

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~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~


Thanks for stopping by!
~ Kat ~

Austin's Wonky 9-Patch (WIP)

The little guy in this video -- his name is Austin.  His sister is the one in the striped shirt.  His mom is a very dear friend of mine.  Last Friday, Austin had his 14th surgery.  He is only 3 years old.

Link here, if the icon / play button above doesn't work

On Thursday night, after days of praying, tears and updates from his mom, I started making a little something for my little buddy.

 

I wanted it to be bright and happy and colorful. 

 

I wanted it to be big enough to cover him, but small enough to drag around the house. 

I wanted it to be his and only his.

I wanted it to use basic colors and shapes, to help him learn when the time is right.

And of course, I wanted it to be full of love and ladybug hugs.

This is pin basted and ready to quilt.  I'm not sure how I'll quilt it yet.  I tried to FMQ a different quilt last week and just couldn't get the tension right.  I'll probably go for something fun and playful on this, rather than striving for "perfection" like I normally do.  'Cause you know what?  "Perfect" is in the eye of the beholder and I know this quilt will be perfect no matter what... just like Austin is.

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~


Thanks for stopping by!
~ Kat 

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My Sister the Fairy

My "baby" sister (Sarah) flew in last Friday night, to surprise my little one for her 6th birthday party on Saturday.  What a treat to have my sister here for 6 full days!  She hasn't been to Florida in almost 2 years and we haven't seen her in over 6 months.  Way too long!  She left this morning (very sad!), but exactly 1 month from today, we'll be flying to New York to see her for 3 weeks.  I'm already counting the days!


Sewing was not my focus this week, but I did manage to get 10 of these little babies done:

These are the beginning of my "summer (hand) sewing project" that I'll take to New York with me, so I won't go through complete withdrawal without my sewing machine.  Those yellow hexies are sitting on the other project I worked on this week, but still can't tell you about. 


If you've read my blog before, you may remember that I had a very long project list for May.  One of the items I did not get done was to compile my running scrapbook.  I mentioned that I was waiting for the Scrapbook Fairy to come to my house.   Guess what?!?  She did!!!  Her name is Sarah and it turns out, I've been related to her all her life.  *LOVE* this sister of mine!  (You'll have to believe me when I say the pages look much better in person than my poor photography skills would imply.)

These 2 are from the first 5k I ever ran, the Freedom 5K on September 11, 2011.  I was not fast, but I was proud!  My "baby" cousin (who is in the Air Force) ran with me, and I made a "Heroes" shirt which included the names of friends, family and friends of friends who have served in the US Military.

This is the first 5k I ran with my sister, in October 2011.  It was also the first time I'd ever run up (or down!) a hill.  

Thanksgiving 2011 "Race 4 the Pies" (4-mile run) 

My most recent race and best time yet... a full 1:40 below my goal time.

And just because I'm in a picture mood today, here are a few from Jessica's birthday party last weekend.  

Jessica (the birthday girl) is riding Princess.  

Rachel (who is growing her beautiful copper hair so she can donate it to Locks of Love) found a baby chicken with the same gorgeous coloring.

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I don't have much to share so I won't be linking up this week, but I'll be checking out your updates via these  Friday Linky Parties!

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for "Whoop Whoop Friday"

Sew Many Ways for "Find a Friend Friday"

Pieceful Life for "Show Off Friday" 

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~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~


Thanks for stopping by!
~ Kat ~

Good things in small packages

Thankfully, this was a much better week for me at work and I managed to make some really good progress on a quilt I am pattern testing for another blogger.  I finished both the top and the back and have it pin basted.  I can't show you much (yet), but here's a little peek.  I'm looking forward to getting this quilted and bound and being able to show you the whole thing!

Since it's Whoop! Whoop! Friday, though, I did want to show you my biggest celebration of the week.... my "baby" girl turned 6 on Monday.  This is my all-time, hands down, most favorite picture ever taken in the whole entire history of the world:

This picture was taken the very first time my older daughter (Rachel) met her baby sister (Jessica).  See that look of love on her face?  Man, I just melt when I see this and I never get tired of looking at it!  


Here's my little one now, at 6 years old.  She weighs in at a whopping 39 pounds and at age 6, still has a size 3T waist.  We spent months 9-12 of her life putting her through a zillion tests because she was losing weight.  We fed her fudge and cream cheese and every other thing we could think of to make her gain weight.  After all the trying and all the testing, the doctors agreed there's nothing "wrong" with her, she's just little.  Don't let her fool you, though... there's a BIG personality in there!

She was playing outside and her hair is a mess, but that's how she likes it best!

Jessica's birthday party is on Saturday, at our house.  She requested a petting zoo and "pony back rides," and there is a local family that provides such activities.  They'll bring it all to our house -- a pony, baby cow, chickens, baby goat, rabbits -- and we'll set up our bounce house, too.  Amazing how what started out as "family and a few friends" is now a confirmed guest list close to 50 people.... but the more the merrier, right?

I know kids can get impatient while waiting their turn in line for a pony ride, so I made up a few farm-themed bean bags (with stash fabric, of course!) so they can play a bean bag toss game while they wait.

The bean bags are actually filled with uncooked rice, not beans.  They measure 4" square.  After the party, I will probably use them as boo-boo bags.  (Did you know that frozen rice and frozen un-popped popcorn kernels make great ice packs?  They don't melt and they can be reused over and over again.)

Looking forward to seeing what you've been up to this week!

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Linking up with: 

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for "Whoop Whoop Friday"

Sew Many Ways for "Find a Friend Friday"

Pieceful Life for "Show Off Friday" 

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~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~


Thanks for stopping by!
~ Kat ~

Blue Brick Quilt

I had really big sewing plans for this week.  (What else is new?)  Alas, my day job has been acting up (as it does from time to time) and 14 hour work days (including weekends) don't leave much time for sewing or blog reading.  For as much stress as I often get from my job, though, I have received so much more from the friendships built during those stressful times.

 

This quilt was inspired by one that Sarah made, using a tutorial from the Moda Bake Shop.  It is going to a very dear friend of mine, all the way in India.

See my "helper" peeking through the window?

I "met" Sujay last summer, at 3am (my time) during a conference call for a project we were working on which was (obviously) not going well.  I am the Project Manager, he is a tester.  Most of the testing is done offshore (while I sleep) but from time to time, issues arise that mean I'm (semi) awake and working for crazy, overnight hours.

 

The issue we were having was not Sujay's fault, but he stayed in the office for more than 24 hours straight to help me get it resolved.  Wasn't his responsibility to do so, but he refused to let me (who he didn't even know, except as a voice on the phone half a world away) struggle through it on my own.

We have gotten to know each other better over the past year or so, and I just adore him.  I would adopt him as my own if I could.  He's had a rough year for a number of reasons -- things that I, as an American, won't ever fully grasp.  I wanted to make him something to let him know that even though I'm half a world away, he'll always have a friend in me.

The top to this quilt was done in April.  The quilt tag was finished in May.  The quilting and binding took forever, and I'm hoping it gets to India in less time than it took me to make.  

Sujay, if you are reading this, know you are loved and hugged and appreciated every single day!

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Linking up with: 

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for "Whoop Whoop Friday"

Sew Many Ways for "Find a Friend Friday"

Pieceful Life for "Show Off Friday" 

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~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~


Thanks for stopping by!
~ Kat ~

Wrapping up the May project list

At the beginning of May, Amanda Jean from Crazy Mom Quilts set up an informal Small Project Sew Along for the month.  I created an overly ambitious list but I am pleased at how much I managed to accomplish.  

Original list: 22 items
Complete: 16 items
In Progress: 2 items
Deferred: 4 items

Here are photos of my 2 most recent items.  A full list of projects (with links to the completed ones) is at the bottom of this post.


These are tote bags for my daughters' teachers as year-end gifts.  Only 4 more days of school after today!  One is thrilled, one is heartbroken.  Yup - Night and Day - those are my girls!

I love, love, love how this bag came out.  I think I might have just enough fabric to eek out one just like it for me.  I made the pattern myself, based on some tutorials I've seen and some previous bags I've made.  This time I actually wrote it down so I won't have to make it up all over again next time!

A little dark (too dreary to take outdoor pics today) but the lining coordinates with one of the outer bag stripes and the same fabric is used on one side of the handles.

I wish I could say I was as happy with this one, but I'm not.  I don't like the stripes with the flowers but hey -- my daughter likes it and it's for HER teacher, so I'm trying to let it go and not re-do this one over the weekend.

Lining on this one is yellow.  There are pockets on both insides of the bag.

I also snuck in a few things that weren't on the list, like sprucing up my daughters' puppet theater and this little zippered pouch that I made from a Moda Bake Shop tutorial. 

I really liked having this list and crossing things off throughout the month.  I am definitely going to make myself more lists (all in one place) rather than trying to remember what projects I have started, need to get done by a certain date or just wish I could find time to try.

16 of 22 items are complete!!

1. Complete H2H quilt - link here

2. Complete Laura's quilt - link here

3. Make pillow to match Laura's quilt - link here
5. Make 3 small memory (t-shirt) wall hangings - link here
6. Make 3 small memory (t-shirt) Mickey pillows - link here

7. Make a green mug rug in time for Mother's Day - link here

9. Finish April Seasonal Skinny - link here
10. Complete 2 ladybug Seasonal Skinnies for May - link here

12. Make a portable sewing kit / bag / holder / something-or-other - link here

13. Start (and finish) embroidery for "The Forever Project" - link here
14. Complete "Om" block for "The Forever Project" - link here

15. Make or find a simple pattern for a tote / beach bag - DONE! (used to make 16 & 17)
16. Make a year-end gift for my kindergartener's teacher -  DONE! (photos above)
17. Make a year-end gift for my 3rd grader's teacher - DONE! (photos above)

18. Make a birthday gift for kindergartener's BFF - link here

19. Make a "surprise" for my 11 running partners + myself - link here

2 items in progress:

4. Finish quilt for Sujay - The flimsy for this quilt was complete back in April, but it took me all month to get it sandwiched and quilted.  It still needs a binding.  I was going to show it here, but Sujay deserves his own post, so I'll wait until it's 100% complete before I share it.

21. Update my running scrapbook (no sewing involved!) - I printed all the pictures I needed and organized all the things I want to add for each race / event.  I am not very creative when it comes to scrapbooking, though.  I'm actually hoping the Scrapbook Elf will visit my house one night and turn my piles into pretty pages for me!

4 items deferred:

8. Make a pink mug rug just because I want to - Didn't start this one.  I'm waiting for inspiration to hit.

11. Cut fabric for summer hexie project - I tried some hexies this month and I love them!  I've seen so many beautiful hexie projects on other blogs that now I'm not sure what I want to do with mine.  I'm going to give this some more thought before I start cutting up fabric.

20. Make an Unruly letters pillow for Kim - I have a pile of blue scraps ready to go, but haven't started it yet.

22. Figure out a plan of attack for the "Unless" quilt - My original plan was (is?) to make an Unruly letters quilt which has this quote on it, from The Lorax by Dr. Seuss: "Unless.... someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not." I love this quote and try to live by it, but I'm not sure if I want to make it into a quilt.  This one is going back on the "someday" list.

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Linking up with: 

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for "Whoop Whoop Friday"

Sew Many Ways for "Find a Friend Friday"

Pieceful Life for "Show Off Friday" 

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~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~


Thanks for stopping by!
~ Kat ~