Patterns, Pineapple and Primroses!

She did it again...another fun and fabulous paper piecing pattern! Who doesn't like garden gloves? So much fun and protection too!:)
Amy of "During Quiet Time" let me test another pattern...loved it...even though I did it wrong! I meant for the green dots to be the bottom of the gloves not the top!

Oh well....this is a lesson for all of you on what not to do! Want to sew a pair of your own...go visit Amy's etsy shop...and see the pattern pieced the right way!:)

Finished a few more things....

...this embroidery piece for Jo in my Hoop Up! group...she wanted whimsical and slightly creepy...I think an owl with snaps for eyes and a lion with a wind blown tummy does it for me!:) Click here to see what Jo made for Leila, our other group member, it's amazing!:)

Made a couple more minis, Nancy from work gave me the scraps for the mini on the right...scraps from my Granny Square quilt are in the zig zag...guess I should really finish the Granny!:)

Made a double decker pineapple upside down cake for the best father-in-law in the world...yummers!

Cleaned out the veggie garden...see that pile in the middle...it needs to go in the compost bins....soon!:)

(Old Gardeners never die, they just spade away! Bwhahahaa!)

I think I need a new pair of gloves before planting anything...too bad I can't make some!;)

Before I start planting I need to iron, trim and sew these 32 blocks for Nichol's quilt in the Around the Bend and Across the Pond Round Robin. Why did I pick five directional fabrics?!!!

~d

A Tisket, A Tasket.....Oh...That's for a Basket....

....This is a Watering Can!:) An adorable Watering Can pattern by my pal Amy at During Quiet Time! This is one talented chica...I have learned a lot and been so inspired by her work.

Can you believe she was nice enough to let me test it out....guess she knew if I...self proclaimed newbie at the paper piecing stuff....could do it then anyone could do it!:)

Yep...there are some little pieces but I only had to use my seam ripper a couple of times...same seam ripper that Amy's hubby made so at least it's a lovely thing to use!:) You should zip on over to Amy's blog and see a way better version of this cute pattern...she made a pillow too!:) You have to see how she sewed the handle on the pillow....amazing!

If you'd like to buy this awesome pattern head on over to Amy's Etsy shop ...tell her I sent you!:)

On the Hoop Up! front, I finally started on Jo's embroidery piece....I have a lot more done on it but this is a little sneak peek. Yep...it's a Zentangle pattern!:) I need to get this finished and heading to it's new home in Scotland!

I know it's March but here's what we sent the girl for Valentine's day...a pillowcase made out of the panel from the "What a World" collection. I edited this picture so you could see the front and the back...or the right and the left however you want to say it!:) I made a pillowcase because I figured the girl had enough quilts or things to put on her wall....but she wished she could hang it.

Can't win!:)

~d

Introducing....DA DA-DA DAAAA.....

a new young pattern designer....MAXIMILIAN QUILTS!! Yep, this is the same Max that swapped minis with me last year and now he's designing paper piece patterns....and he just turned NINE years old four days ago!!

(Part of my stash in the jelly cupboard!)

Isn't this dolphin just perfect?! I was going to give it to someone but I love it so much I'm going to keep it and put my favorite pins (brooches) on it!

What's even better is young Max is sharing his pattern with the WORLD!:) All you have to do is go visit him in flickrland and you can download the pattern for free!!:) Thanks so much Max...you ROCK! Can't wait to see what you design next...can I be one of your pattern testers? Please?!:) xoxo

Yes, I know it's been a long time since I blogged...thanks so much for sticking with me! Been doing a little of this and a little of that.
A little of this...a Mystery Quilt at work. Like the fabric we picked? I've done the first month's block and need to get brave and work on the next one...triangles...oh my! I'll post photos soon.

Here's a little of that... something I made with some scraps of David Butler's new line Curious Nature. I used some Bella solids and did a little hand stitching. Then I did a dumb thing. I washed it...cause I wanted it more crinkly...but I forgot to put a color catcher in the wash....needless to say there are a few dark spots on the light green border. Oh well, live and learn....and I was going to give it to someone but guess it's mine now!:)

I've also been bitten by the Zentangle bug! Here are a few Valentine's I made the kids...it really is a fun thing to do and having new patterns to doodle is great...no more stuck in a rut with my stacked boxes doodle!:)

See the US and UK flags in this one?

I wonder if the girl noticed?!








One other little project I finished last week....

....a mat to put under Slate's bowls...Max and Whiskers...too cute!

I don't think Slate really noticed the change!:)

~d