got some stuff done

Its been a good week.  I was able to finish piecing the Boot Scootin' Tree Skirt, so it will be off to the longarm quilter soon.  It came out well, and I'm pleased.  After it comes back from being quilted, it will be cut from one side into the center, with a hole in the center to fit around the tree.

I also made some doll clothes for Ashlynn's 18" doll this week.  I don't have a doll here to try them on, so I'm hoping they will fit okay.  I plan on making a pair of pants in the same fabric as the pink shirt this next week, and maybe some more once I can verify they fit fine.

As I opened the pattern for the doll clothes, it can be overwhelming to see 29 or 30 little pieces to make the various garments.  The first thing I did was separate the pieces into individual envelopes, and put them into a larger envelope for storage.  It will be quite easy to make a pair of pants, or whatever, by just pulling the appropriate envelope and not having to pick through all the loose pieces.

We got another puzzle worked this week...150 dinosaurs and an egg.  1000 pieces.  It was definitely a challenge, but fun.  Elise enjoyed it too.

That's all for now.  Have a good week!

still stitching

I've mentioned I was in a mug rug swap this month, and today I received my mug rug from Evelyn.  Really pretty, I call it kind of a coral rose color, with turquoise stitching.  In case you can't read it clearly, it says Lovely, Loving, Legendary, Ladylike, and Loyal, with the letters spelling out my name lined up vertically and stitched in green.  Amazing how someone who hasn't met me got it exactly right!  :)

I also mentioned earlier that I'm using Evelyn's instructions to make a Boot Scootin' Tree Skirt (Elizabeth helped me come up with the name).  I've made good progress.  All eight boots are stitched, and now I'm working on the rest of the design.  Here's what I've got ready to show.

My neighbor girl Emma and one of her sisters were over recently for a couple of hours, so we came up with an embroidery project for her.  We transferred a flower picture to a piece of Kona muslin for her to stitch.  I wish I'd have thought and just drawn out some straight lines, as well as some curvy and circular.  With her limited experience, it probably would have been more appropriate, but she seemed to enjoy it well enough.  I laughed and told her that when I was learning, and even as recently as the last couple of months, I've been known to stitch the piece to my clothing.  You can guess what happened...she stitched to her clothes!  But overall I think she liked the process.

In other news, Elise and I completed another puzzle.  This one is a 1000 piece Route 66 puzzle.  She tickles me that she enjoys it as much as she does.  Generally I show her where a piece goes and she'll put it in, but there are times she'll hold the piece up to the picture, and show me where it goes.  I thought when we finished that she'd be ready to work a couple of her little puzzles, but she wanted another one of mine.  Of course I was happy to oblige.

Okay, that's it for now.  Have a good weekend everyone.

off to a good start

Ah, 2013 is moving right along.  I've been doing  a bit of sewing here and there.

While I was in the journal-making mode, I came across some fabric with dachshunds, and immediately thought of Virgil and Brenda since they have one.  After I got the fabric home, I noticed that alternate rows of the dogs running across were upside down.  That didn't really thrill me, so I cut out the strips with them right side up, sewed them together, and proceeded from there.  It came out cute, and only after mailing it did I pick up on something I hadn't intended...2 identical rows are next to each other.  Ah well, it's still cute, and they seemed to like it.

In December I signed up for a mug rug swap over on the HGTV quilting and sewing forum.  I was drawn to this swap because it was one-on-one, meaning I didn't have to make a bunch of things, just one item for one particular person.   I was matched up with EvelynB, a very talented lady here in Texas.  This was an initial mug rug swap, so I was to use her initial "E" and work up something from there.  Some use embroidery or applique and/or objects that start with the letter.  I deviated a bit, and used it as a monogram with the mug rug itself telling a little about her.  I appliqued the E, and kind of crazy quilted a rug depicting her and her husband as young retirees having fun and enjoying life, and items to represent her children as well as her sewing hobby.  The backing reflects Texax Tech as her alma mater.

While looking at EvelynB's posts to get an idea of what she might like, I came across a posting showing a tree skirt pattern with boots that she designed.  I'd been looking for something I liked to make for Robert and Angela, and her skirt with boots is just right. She graciously gave her permission to use her design, so thank you Evelyn!  Here's her picture from the HGTV boards.  Since they have a size limitation, it's definitely small but you can get a good idea of what it looks like. 

Here are three of my boot blocks.  5 more to go, and then I can work in the rest of the design.  Sorry about the small picture, I'm having problems downloading pics from my canera into the computer, so this is a phone picture.

Okay, guess that's it for now.  Maybe it won't take me another 2 or 3 weeks to get back and show you my progress.  :)