Catching Up

It's been a long couple of weeks.

I won a stack of fabrics from the Wandering Stars Blog and a great pattern, too. Selina & Lizze of W.S. host a great cyber gathering on Friday evenings. You can catch the conversation on Twitter, hashtag #gdas. I hope you'll join in the fun discussions about favorite music, links and sewing related topics.

They're not just bloggers, but Etsy Shop owners, too. Find them at http://thewanderingstars.etsy.com/, on Twitter @ws_on_etsy and Facebook as Wandering Stars. Thanks again, girls for the Lancaster County III Judie Rothermel line by Marcus Brothers & for the Friday sewing parties!!

So....here's my latest distraction. It's for RSVP's biggest fundraiser and I'm hoping an awesome car collector or sweet gear head bids on it. What a fantastic gift it will make!

This is just one of the designs. Each block is hand embroidered. 

Yes, HAND embroidered.

1967 Toyota 2000GT

My block took 88.75 hours to complete. whew! Don't laugh. I haven't embroidered since I was 10. 

 

Woo HOO! Fun mail included selvages this week!!! Special thanks to the senders. 

Happy Stitching,

Heather

MIRACLE WORKER STATUS ACHIEVED.

The last corner of my 30s Over the Rainbow Jane was just completed.

It's official. I'm a 'miracle worker'.

Happy Stitching,

Heather

3rd Corner Complete

Just one corner left to go before a nice, long break!

Off to play in the front yard.

All my best,

Heather

Fabric in the Mail! What Could Possibly be Better?

            

Fabric in the mail. A fantastic selection of it. What could be better, you ask? It felt like Christmas around here this weekend! My order from Ericas arrived much quicker than I expected. There were 3 fantastic books for the library that arrived Saturday with a beautiful, scrappy pattern and some templates, too. I even found a stack of kid friendly fat quarters (on sale, no less!). Spoiled by another gorgeous sunny day today...we found some time to play outside {so no time to quilt--- maybe tomorrow}. The daffodils were our first floral losses of the Wiffle Ball Season. There will be plenty more to come, I'm sure.  I have to look forward to the blossoms at second base next year....unless I wise up and move them this fall.

 

 

Happy Stitching (and gardening!) Heather 💚

PS - the violets are coming in and the centers are more pronounced this year than ever! They're gorgeous white, light purple to dark purples in the centers. 

A Busy Week

Oh my! Where to begin...So much has happened this week. I finished my second corner kite & ordered some goodies from Erica's. YAY!

DH and I went to a perennial swap at a nearby park and found some goodies for the garden. As they begin to open and flower, I'll be sure to share photos.

I found some cream peonies, a lily that looks Asiatic but I'm told it's a single blooming tall lily {possibly a tiger}. We'll just have to wait and see. Some purple daylily that I imagine is a lavender shade came home with us and some daffodils, too. 

Another daffodil looking plant with a large bulb came with other bulbs. I'm told it may be surprise lily. Whatever comes up will be surprise, that's for sure!

I shared mature Shasta Daisy starts, lots of Siberian Iris, Many Happy Returns Daylilies, dark purple {almost black} Columbine and some Stella de Oro Daylilies. There's another swap in fall. Mr. Fabulous and I can hardly wait.

The weather has not been kind lately to our blooms but I'm happy to see the double daffodils doing well. They're my favorites of all the daffodils. The centers are so full they remind me of carnations.

Fun mail arrived full of selvages & a large floral fabric bundle. 

Thank you to the sweet blogger who has been saving selvages for what looks like quite a while. =) I've already separated them by color and added them to the selvage stash. One of these days, they'll make an incredible project.

Have a wonderful day!

Thanks for stopping by.

Heather

Erica's Shipping DEAL {International, too!}

Ooh la la. You know I love a great deal....and Erica's Fabrics, too.

I found YLI silk thread there and have never looked back.

It's a fantastic shop!

Should you ever make your way to Indiana, South Bend is where it's at.

Home to a delightful collection of 1930s reproductions (where I spend a great deal of my fabric budget!) and lots of other great stuff....so much I couldn't possibly list it all! But I don't have to. Ericas.com does it for us.

Just so you know, you'll find their 30s listed under fabrics and in a subcategory called "old fashioned". It took me a while to navigate the site the first time.

There's a food and drink section for fabric----someone was just asking me about the Farmer's Market & Farmer John's fabrics for realistic fruits.

Erica's has them {of course!}.

You'll find children's prints, batiks, homespuns and other fabrics, applique & embroidery supplies, kids' craft kits, adorable quilt patterns,

quilting software [including Dear Jane & Dear Hannah] and more.

Fair warning: this site is addictive!! =)

Now for the exciting stuff: Erica's is offering free shipping for US residents and HALF OFF INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING through the 23rd of April!!

I was just telling DH I'd like to take a little road trip to South Bend.

I may have a virtual visit instead.

Erica's Craft & Sewing Center

1320 N Ironwood Dr

South Bend IN 46615

888-837-4227 or 574-233-3112

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Heather

Applique Daffodils & Fun Mail

Using Barbara Brackman's vintage applique daffodil block pattern, available at BarbaraBrackman.blogspot.com, I whipped up a table runner for a birthday gift in 30s, reproductions.

The flowers in the yard must have been an inspiration.

The backing is the same print as the center block. I just knew I was hanging on to that Judie Rothermel Aunt Grace ties one on fabric for a reason!The applique fabric pieces were from the Dear Jane stash. 

Speaking of stash...

Special thanks to the sender of this beautiful fabric.

My mind is racing with possibilities.

I had no idea the line included a pink version!!

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit with Shirley Johnson at RSVP. She's thrilled with the goodies and blocks from the 

RETRO-Fabulous readers and was kind enough to share a quick embroidery lesson. Next on my list: a detailed embroidery block for another RSVP project in the works.

Happy Stitching,

Heather

New Stash & Flowers, too!

Thursday, I had the opportunity to take a little road trip and came across some fabrics that needed a new home.

*It never hurts to feed the stash.*

 I must LOVE the solid blue Kona...it's the third time

I've bought the same hue 'just because'.

It's official. Spring has sprung when daffodils & violets are in bloom.  =)

 I've been playing out in the yard and working on a bit of applique that hopefully will be unveiled this weekend {knock on wood}. I'll give you a hint...

first tulip of the season!!

it has everything to do with one of my non-sewing obsessions.

Happy Stitching,

Heather

MMMM Tres Leche!

My friend, Kelly needed a little encouragement to bake her husband's favorite cake for his birthday. Tres Leche Cake {recipe courtesy of the amazing Alton Brown} looks incredible & smells DIVINE, too. I made her take it home overnight before frosting it with the homemade whipped cream topping so we weren't tempted to eat the whole thing have a tiny taste test.

If you'd like to bake one up, be sure to click on Alton's name for the link.

'good eats' indeed.

Heather

Corner Kite #1 & Flowers

The first kite is done. I have not pressed it since I've yet to make my kite template but couldn't wait to share it.      

                                                               

Both my great grandparents were fantastic gardeners. They shared their talents with anyone willing to give a hand {even a tiny set of hands that probably made more work for them!}. Dividing plants and transplanting to this day still reminds me of my great grandpa Eddie.

Happy Stitching Everyone!

You can bet I'm out in the garden today----it's in the 80s here & sunny.

Heather

My Final Triangles

LS11, LS 12 & LS13

The triangles are DONE.

Just 4 kites to go and on to top construction after a bit of a break

& some charity blocks.

The first daffodil of the season finally opened this afternoon.

Several others are very close to blooming.

There's some serious celebrating going on here!!

All my best,

Heather



3 Triangles Remaining!!

LS 8, LS9, LS 10

With just 3 left to go before the corner kites, it won't be long now.

We're still waiting on that first daffodil, though patience is wearing thin.

We're hoping to look out the window in the morning

and see it greeting us in full bloom.

Happy Stitching,

Heather

2 Yellows

2 more triangles for the completed list in sunny yellow

...the same color of the daffodils we expect to open

up any moment now.

Happy Stitching,

Heather

'Olympic Torch' Completed

Little chicks make up the LS5 'Olympic Torch' triangle for today.

I just finished the tiny applique & couldn't wait to post it.

Tomorrow is a day of rest & relaxation with the family...

though I just might have another tri ready to applique

if I get the urge to do a bit more piecing late tonight.

Happy Stitching,

Heather

L4 is Finished!

Another combination triangle for the completed list.

You'll want to be careful with your center pieces.

They are very easy to reverse.

Happy Stitching,

Heather

Pink LS3 Combination

 LS 3 applique was finished late last night.

LS4 applique pieces are ready to go but I ran out of steam around midnight.

I'm hoping to get to that one later today.

Happy Stitching,
Heather

2 for Today

LS1 & LS2

A day of sewing leads to the completion of a challenging LS1

and fairly quick LS2, with LS 3 partially complete.

Happy Stitching,
Heather

Ah, the Age of Technology!

Triangles weren't included on my original spreadsheet,

so I've been keeping a running tally on paper.

Plugging the tally into the spreadsheet today, I realized

that when I lost my precious hard drive,
I also lost a current piece count for my DJ blocks.

Good Grief!

Thanks to the blog, I have a starting point on the main blocks

but will be double checking the figures when I start

sashing & constructing my top.

If you are using a computer based spreadsheet...

you may want to back it up or at least keep a hard copy.

And if I were doing it again, I'd use the full top spreadsheet, whether

planning to include triangles or not.

I changed my mind about them----you may, too.

NEVER SAY NEVER.

You can download your free DJ Spreadsheet at Janiac.com

Right Side is Pieced

RS 12 & 13

Dancing to "Born This Way" . I'm thrilled to post

that the Right Side Triangles are DONE!!

I'm making fabric choices later today & tomorrow

so I can start the left side very soon.

Happy Stitching,

Heather

Pink & Green RS11

A quick pink & green tri today leaves just 2 more for the Right Side!

Happy Friday =)

Heather

Daffodils & Violets

RS10

Some sure signs of spring {despite snow flurries this evening}.

Clumps of violets are beginning to pop up, too.

I can't wait for the blooms to pop up all over the flower beds!

Happy Stitching & Gardening,

Heather

Tuesday's Triangle

RS 9: Another quick triangle to add to the completion list.

It won't be long and I'll be on to the left side.

Fabric choices for the remaining triangles should be ready this weekend.

I picked up a few supplies this week at the LQS...including some

black and white fabric for RSVP blocks.

I'll get back to those after finishing up the remaining DJ triangles & kites.

Happy Stitching,

Heather

 

A Quick Bit of Piecing

Between loads of laundry, I managed to piece this little triangle.

Who knew Y seams (inset) could be so fun?!

Happy Stitching,
Heather

3 Tris to Add

I planned to finish RS6 today but didn't have much time at the sewing machine. The applique on these 3 kept me pretty busy this afternoon.

I'm hoping to finish the right row this week.

Happy Stitching,

Heather

=)