Guest Posting at Craizee Corners

Sharon at Craizee Corners features different projects from different designers on her blog and I was honored to be asked to share some of the items I've made using fabric designed by Sandy Gervais.  Go over to Sharon's blog to see what I'm showing today and also all the other fantastic projects featured there this week.

Doll Quilt Swap 12 Inspiration Mosaic

 After taking a year or so off from swaps,  I signed up for the Doll Quilt Swap on flickr.  This rounds' designs must include flying geese, log cabins, NY beauties, churn dash or drunkards path blocks and no white backgrounds are allowed.  I rather like having a few constraints to the design as otherwise someone like myself tends to agonize over the infinite choices.  I have received information about the partner that I'm making  a quilt for and have already began to strategize a design and ordered a fabulous Suzuko Koseki print for the focal block.  Be sure to watch the flickr group this next month as all the creations appear!

Quilt Square Quilt Along

Jo from Jo's Country Junction is hosting a Quilt Square Along using Lori Smith's pattern set.  This is #1.  These little quilts are 12.5" and are classic designs.  I decided to join as time allows...this month I made a square that I'll use for fall decorating from some of the my scraps and more primitive stash from my wannabe quilter years. 

Go to Jo's blog to check out all the different squares and also she is having a giveaway from the the Quilt Along sponsor, Country Threads.  (And I think she is also giving away a Mini Quilt stand from Ackfeld Manufacturing...which I think I am going to have to order -  I was originally going to frame my mini and despite best efforts of trimming and measuring each round, got a little big on one side so the frame didn't look so good.)  Thanks for stopping by!

Baskets for Anita

I was excited to be invited to play in the Flickr Friends Bee (BeeFF) earlier this year by Sarah.  Sarah and I were partners in the placemat swap a year or so ago.  I haven't participated in many swaps as of late, but love the idea of the online bee...just doing a few blocks a month and even getting blocks made for you one of those months! 

January is Anita at BloominWorkshop's month, and she chose baskets inspired by Gwen Marston and Freddie Moran's book, Collaborative Quilting.  Anita asked for bright colored baskets and backgrounds in varied neutral prints. 

I was nervous about the basket handles because I have never appliqued, but they turned out fine and I love how the applique foot on my Horizon worked wonderfully to line up my stitching so close to the edge and the wide plastic foot smoothed down the handles as I sewed them on.  My mistake on my practice block (below) was to trim the block halves before joining them...and I didn't think about how the handles are getting wider and basket narrower as I was trying to match up the handles with the basket edges?  There really is always something to learn isn't there?
 

To see all the other pretty basket blocks everyone made for Anita, check out our Flickr group.

Building Houses

Sherri and Sinta have organized Another Year of Schnibbles.  I plan to participate again this year as time allows.  January's Schnibble is the Full House pattern.  Carrie had several variations posted on her blog, and I opted for one of the pillows. These are a few of the houses I have constructed so far from an older Moda line, Renewal by Brannock & Patek.  Be sure to check out the parade of finishes on February 1st!

Best Pressed

It seems like every year it takes a fair amount of time after the holidays before things return to normal around here... There are many decorations to put away, gifts to find places for, and inevitably I have a mess to clean up in my sewing room from sewing last minute gifts.  And also, this very important guy just turned 10 a few weeks ago! (my oldest son, Jon).

One of the things I received this year for Christmas was a new iron.  My old iron was ok, but I put it up in our bedroom for ironing clothes and will keep this new one downstairs in my sewing room. It is a SINGER Expert Finish 1700 Watt Steam Iron.  There are so many wonderful irons to choose from now: the cute Oliso irons (but I just couldn't get over the foot thing), the cordless Panasonic (that some of the reviews said weren't very hot) and the Rowentas that everyone seems to either love or hate passionately.  I wanted something that was a bit lower in price point and this one was recommended by Consumer Reports, so this is what I picked and my husband got.  It is has 1700 watts which is comparable to the more expensive models and several settings...and gets very hot.  I haven't done any large projects yet, but so far it gets a thumbs up.

And of course, a new iron meant that I had to spiff up my ironing board.  It hadn't been that long since I covered mine but let me assure you it was rather nasty...so I kept the patchwork strip and replaced the rest of the body of the cover.  So now I'm all set, ready to sew and ready to press!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Minnesota! Hope you all have an enjoyable holiday weekend with your families and safe travels to wherever you are going! See you in 2012!