connecting the dots.

Thank you so much for the kind comments regarding my happy blogger quilt.  It was such a joy to create and it makes me smile each time I see it.

I am really trying to finish projects that have been placed aside for one reason or another.  Do you have some of those too?  My seeing stars quilt was no exception.  The hand quilting was finished this morning and now onto the binding.  How did something so special to me get pushed to the back burner?!  I can hardly wait for it to be finished and pulled out of the drier after a good washing.  All that warm crinkly goodness!

Wishing you a Happy Easter.

xoxo

my happy blogger quilt.

my happy blogger quilt is finished.  and boy am i in love.  each square from all over the world and feels like a great big hug.  warm and crinkled up, right out of the drier.  my favorite.

right after i left the room ... ms. elizabeth made herself at home.  lizzy tested.  lizzy approved.

linking to : sew and tell

a little sewing.

Last October, dear bloggers entered a give a way I was hosting, by mailing a 5" square of fabric.  You can read about it here and here.  This last week, I was able to sew the 2.5" squares, that were cut from the 5".  It was so sweet to turn my machine on and begin piecing my blocks together.  

I have fondly named this quilt to be my "bloggers happy quilt".  When it is finished, I will proudly hang it on my wall, in the sewing room.  I value each sweet piece of fabric and have saved every kind note that accompanied them.

I hope you all have a 

wonderful week.  

xoxo

linking to : Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday

math.

 

Don't you just hate it when you make a mistake while creating a quilt?  Ya.  Me too.

I did the math.  Wrote it all out.  Cut all my white and red squares that I am going to use between the beloved fabric you all sent.  

(and I adore by the way!)

And was feeling pretty darn productive ... that is until

I realized, the seventy two white 5" squares that I cut and sewn to the one hundred forty four 2.5" red polka dot squares ... was suppose to be 4.5".  Not 5"!

grumble.  grumble.  grumble.

(this is where I am just going to make some lemonade out of lemons - will cut 72 more white squares, only this time ... they will be 4.5" rather than 5" and I will also cut 144 more 2.5" red polka dot squares ... and will tuck this stack aside until I come up with a solution for it)

Alright!  

So who's up for round two??!!

my motto

the plan. with all the details.

before I reveal my plan and write a little recap, here are a 

few more fabrics received for my secret little project:

from : Liv at Liv's Swedish Home

(I just had to show two photos of what I receive from Liv.  For starters, she mailed -all the way from Ireland- the cutest little thermo bag.  Isn't it adorable?  And rather than a 5" square, I received a fat quarter of -be still my heart- Japanese fabric -my new love.  I am planning to use this sweet little bag to house this project and will be just perfect for doing so.  Thanks so much Liv!  I adore your blog and love my goodies you sent!)

 from : Rebecca at Our Busy Little Bunch

 from : Sandy at Sandy Sewz

 from : Heather at Crafting

 

from : my dear friend Kathy at Kathy's Cottage

(This particular set of fabrics nearly brought me to tears.  The fabric square on the front right corner is a swatch from her very own grandma's feed sacks  -a favorite of Kathy's.  I plan to do my very best to high light this block.  Thank you so much Kathy.  From the bottom of my heart.)

Allow me to do a little recap for those of you who are new and may be wondering why in the world bloggers were mailing 5" squares of fabric to me.

Back in October, I hosted a little give a way and in order to enter, you needed to mail a 5" square of fabric.  Here you can read about the first batch of fabrics received.
To date I have received fabric from as far away as The UK, Canada, Australia, and Ireland.  And from our country : Idaho, North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, Arizona, Arkansas, Washington, Florida, Maryland, Alaska, California, Delaware, Utah, Texas, Montana, Minnesota, and New Jersey.

After moving into my very own sewing room I knew I wanted to add something very dear and sentimental to me.  Meeting so many precious ladies through blogging, I knew that I wanted to somehow incorporate each of you.  Some of you have become as dear of friends to me, as I could ever hope for.

A long time back, Jodi from Pleasant Home began her grandma's flower garden quilt.  Each flower was created from scraps mailed in from all over the world.  When I first saw this idea, I began wondering how I might do something similar.  Jodi is one of the sweetest bloggers I have met and she is always so generous with her time and ideas.  What a darling quilt she has been working on.  So special!

Then I also saw Lori Holt's "Yo-Yo Mamas" fabric swap that she participated in with her quilting group.  Oh how I wish I could attend one of their meetings!!  They have so much fun and I was blessed to be able to visit The Material Girls while attending The Sewing Summit.  What a fabulous store and the sweetest employees!  Ok ... back to my plan.  Lori took her 2.5" squares and made a gorgeous table topper using a pattern seen in an old magazine.

And then it hit me!  Combine the two ideas and offer a special prize to the ladies who would like to participate.  Trust me ... I wish I could give each and every single one of you a prize!  It is always so much more fun to give than to receive!

So I drew up the blocks to create (do you do that?), just like Lori's and offered my little give a way.  I wasn't sure if the idea would catch on.  I was afraid that I may appear sort of greedy and did not want to give off a sort of false air about me.

I am overwhelmed and blessed beyond words by the response!
This sentimental heart of mine is just overflowing with happiness!

And so the process begins.  I will be cutting each 5" square into 2.5" squares and will also be cutting my white fabric into the 5" squares needed.  This will most likely be an ongoing project and I plan to post about it quite often.  :o)  So please stay tuned and if you were one of the ladies who mailed in a square (or more) keep a watchful eye for your dear fabrics!