Saturday Stash

Elder Son is so smart.  When he made a mistake in his 4-H project quilt, he would say, "Can you see it from the back of a galloping horse?"  When we went fabric shopping, he would say, "It's OK to buy it just because you think it's pretty."  Plus, he can cook.  He is going to make an excellent husband one day.

In a classic "It's OK to buy it just because you think it's pretty" purchase, I present this week's "Saturday Stash."

First, as a result of a really-too-good-to-pass-up sale at Stash modern fabric, "Kingdom" by Jessica Levitt for Windham Fabrics:

The complete collection.  Plus enough for a border.  No, I don't have a pattern in mind.

Next, because "everyone is using it and what if it is all sold out when I need to make another quilt because a sailor on My Little Sailor's ship got his Navy Warfare Badge?" I present, Salt Water, by Tula Pink:

 Another spectacularly good deal, this time from Westwood Acres.

Now this one is not just a good buy, but a gift from Hueisei, who won the giveaway awhile back.  I sent her the EZ Angle rulers because she was making Bonnie Hunter's "Easy Street," and well, they don't have JoAnn's in Malaysia.  And she gifted me the gift certificate she had won to Marie-Madeline Studio!  Isn't that the sweetest thing?  So of course, I bought:

 
Sugar Hill!  By Tanya Whelan for Free Spirit Fabrics!  Just because I think it's pretty . . . . 

And the best deal of all, this stack of Northcott Solids, from Ruth's Stitchery:

Because I think Ginny just wants to see what I will do with them!


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A Friday Finish

Before I introduce today's finish, remember when I wrote about washing the February Jelly Roll Party sample here?

Believe it or not, the red didn't run.  Not one bit.  The Color Catcher Sheets didn't even turn the least pink!

I know the hearts are kind of cliche', but I love a red and white quilt!  We'll be making this one at Ruth's Stitchery for the February 1st Jelly Roll Party.  If you're in the area, come join us.  If you're not, you can call Ruth's and order the pattern.

Most of my sewing this week has been sample-sewing for 100 Blocks Magazine and assorted block parties. So I can't show my work!  (Always my nemesis in math class.)

However, I did finish the March Jelly Roll Party sample!

This is "Lucky Charms," another Cozy Quilts pattern.  I used the Tonga Treasures Tonga Treats batik jelly roll "Gumdrops."  Yes, I bought mine at Ruth's!  The borders are green prints from the same collection, with an inner border of black and white stripe from my "stripey binding" bin.  Rather than use the white background for the pinwheel blocks recommended in the pattern, I used fat quarters of black on white prints. Once again, taking a photo shows how the colors do (or don't!) show up against the background.  I'm taking this one to my favorite long-armer, Ann, to do a shamrock-panto quilt design.

Linking up to Richard and Tanya's "Link a Finish Friday" and "Thank Goodness it's Finished Friday," hosted this week by Diane at "From Blank Pages."

Speaking of finishes -- My Little Sailor, and blog co-author, has some time off this weekend.  Maybe he'll get a button loaded for the 13 in 2013 challenge!

From the desk of your

WIP Wednesday: UFO Update

Remember when I announced the "13 in 2013 UFO Challenge," here?  Have you started on your #5 UFO?

I have mine pieced!  It is Dot Dot Dash from "Skip the Borders" by Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts. If you don't have a Local Quilt Shop, you can order your copy here.

Here is my version:

An important announcement:  YOU decide what is "finished" for this challenge!  For years, I considered a quilt "finished" when it was ready to go to the long-arm quilter.  By that rule, this UFO is "Finished!"  Woot woot!

Rather than host a link-up, or a Flickr group, I decided to go with the same method Sinta and Sherri used for "Another Year of Schnibbles."

When your January UFO is "finished" to your standard, send me an email with a photo attached.  Email to Aunt Marti at 52quilts dot com, attach your photo and I'll edit it for size.

January 31 at midnight Mountain Standard Time is the deadline to enter your photo.  February 1, when I announce the February UFO number, I'll also show a "parade" of all the January finishes.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday, guest hosted this week by Heidi at Buttons and Butterflies.

Yes, I've been collecting prizes! AND I've been nagging my tech editor and co-author about designing a button you can post on your own blog!

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Made on Monday

 The Sweetwater girls (designers of Mama Said Sew, Reunion, Hometown -- you know the ones) also have  a club called "Label Crew Club."  Each month, members receive a unique label and instructions for a project.  When I saw their "Daybook" labels for 2012, I knew they would make the perfect Christmas gifts.  So I ordered a batch of the labels personalized with "2013" rather than "2012" and made one or two notebook covers using Nancy Zieman's tablet cover notions and instructions. They looked great, but what a pain!

Luckily, I found "Stitched in Color's" tutorial for notebook covers.  So much easier, and they actually work better with the composition notebooks I wanted to cover.

Rachel pieced her  own "made" fabric for the covers.  Since it's already January 7, I wanted to get some finished ASAP, so mine are made of just one fabric.

I even added my "My Aunt Martha Made It" labels.They read "PeaceLoveandHappiness" on the reverse.

I have plenty more labels, so I'll be making more of these cute (and easy!) notebook covers.

Thanks, Rachel, for a clever tutorial!


From the desk of your