BOM Disease

I'm not very good at keeping up with BOMs.  Not good at all.  I started Barbara Brackman's Civil War blocks....love, love, love them....but only did four.  Life got in the way.  But I printed all the patterns and someday I'm going to make that quilt.

This year I decided I wasn't going to do any BOMs.  I'm pretty sure BOM is a disease and my immune system is a bit down right now so I decided I just better not read any blogs that have a BOM so I won't catch it.  Know what I mean?

But then I accidentally saw Promises and Borders by Jenny of Elephantz.  I didn't mean to, really I didn't.  She does the most beautiful things and this was no exception...I was hooked.  Okay, I decided, I could do one.  No more than that though.

Then, I'm not sure how it happened, I saw Harrington and Hannah by Michelle at The Raspberry Rabbits.  I fought a hard battle with myself, but I lost.  I mean this is the cutest thing ever!

So far, so good.  I know it's only the first month but the month isn't over yet and I've done them both!

If you're as susceptible as me to BOM Disease, don't go visit these two blogs.  I'm pretty sure this disease is catching.

Sometimes You Need A Friend...

Sometimes you need a friend to help you learn commands.  Sit, for instance, works best with a buddy.

Whimsical Garden #2

I haven't been in the sewing room much at all this week.  It's funny how some weeks just seem to race past me as I plod along in my busy mode.  I've had a meeting at church and a Bible study class and physical therapy and yesterday something I love more than I can explain, the friends in my small stitching group came for lunch and an afternoon of sewing.  I've done some hand sewing; I stitched down the binding for the Hooty Owl baby quilt and for the Valentine table topper and embroidered the verse from Jenny of Elephantz's Promises and Borders first block.  I'll work on the flowers on that block tonight I think.  But as busy as I am, and even though I'm doing hand sewing, I can hardly wait on the days I know I can get to the sewing room.  Today was one of those days.  I put together the second block for My Whimsical Garden and did some free motion quilting on a patriotic panel that will eventually become a wall hanging.  I love how the Whimsey blocks make me smile.

You can't see the stitching on this because I'm using a straight stitch with invisible thread.  I'm not sure I like it as much as using a blanket stitch.  What do you think?  When you do machine applique what's your preferred method?  Do you like to use black thread on the whole thing, giving it a sort of primitive look and feel?  Or do you color match the thread to the piece?  I'm not too far along that I couldn't go back and redo...but I hate the thought of redoing anything just as much as I hate unsewing.  Decisions, decisions.

Hearts And A Flower

I wanted to make a Valentine table topper and when I saw this one designed by Barb at Bejeweledquilts by Barb I thought it would be perfect.

Isn't it the cutest thing?  I love her choice of fabrics and the way the hearts are interwoven.  She very kindly sent me the pattern so I promptly started on the hunt for fabrics similar to hers.

I couldn't make anything go together.  I must have auditioned 20 fabrics but nothing struck a chord.  Finally, I dug to the bottom of the pile and found several I thought would work.  I started tracing the pattern on my fusible only to realize that I didn't have enough fusible to make this and another project I'm working on both, so I had to make a decision.  When I was in education we used to chant..."monitor and adjust"... over and over.  So that's what I did and this is what I came up with.

I used Barb's heart pattern and made the 28" circle she suggested and this is what happened.  Pretty cute I think!  I stippled the center, did 2 outline stitches inside the hearts, and free motion quilted hearts and vines in the white outside.

My speed is getting better...I've slowed down a lot...but I'm still not consistent.  And I often forget to leave my hands in place until I actually stop stitching so I end up with some jump stitches.  Progress though, I'm making progress.

Temptation

I'm SUPPOSED to be working on UFOs.  But I so wanted something bright and cheerful to put my coupons in.

I had no idea what I was doing, which is quite obvious, and it's a good thing perfect isn't part of my vocabulary or expectations, but this works for me.  :)

Tool Time

Are you looking for me?  I'm over at Sew We Quilt with a post on  my favorite tool (or two!).  Come see me there!