I Won Another Giveaway!

This is what arrived in the mail this week!  I won this beautiful organizer in giveaway over at Sew-Fantastic in January.  I helped to name this new item Terri makes called the Mini-Shopper.  The prize was a Mini-Shopper in the colors of my choice.

Isn't it cute?                          

Here is the inside...a pocket for coupons and credit cards, a slot for a pen, and another pocket for holding a pad of paper for your shopping list.

Here is the back with an additional pocket for more coupons or the check book!  Love it!







I have to tell you that this is definitely going to get a workout.  Thanks Terri!

Leanna's Pillowcase

We have great neighbors where I live.  The family to the northeast of us is no exception.  They have been so kind to us and are always there for us.   They have nine children.  One way we show appreciation to this family is to remember their birthdays.  This year it will be custom pillowcases in each person's favorite color.  This will be is a challenge for me as I am a lover of printed fabric and the family is Amish.  So I must use solid fabrics.

First up is Leanna.  She is going to be 9.  The first time the family paid us a visit when we moved into the neighborhood, the children all sat quietly as the adults talked...except Leanna.  Leanna had to make several trips to our bathroom, and it was mostly so she could check out our house.  Her mother was on to her and was a bit embarrassed. 

Leanna's a bit of a free spirit and her favorite color is red.   I have also noticed when the girls in their family get to chose a fabric color for dresses, such as a soft blue, Leanna would rather have teal. 

So here's Leanna's pillowcase. 

First a close up...

And the finished pillow! Hope she likes it!  Hope her parents don't think it is too bright!

My Design Wall

I am so excited!  Hubby and I made a design wall for me this week.  I have looked longingly at other bloggers' design walls, and now I have one!  I no longer have any excuses for design screw ups!!  (Haha...if that were only true...)

We took two 4x8 (as in 48in x 96in) 1 1/2 inch styrofoam insulation boards and a king-sized Dream-Poly batting (122in x 122 in).  Each piece of styrofoam was covered with half of the batting (or a piece approximately 122in by 61in).  We wrapped the batting around the edges of the styrofoam and taped it down on the back.  The two boards, standing side by side measure 96in x 96in and can accommodate a queen-size quilt.  I never plan to make anything bigger than that.  If I am doing a baby quilt, I can just use one of the boards.  They can be stored behind some cabinets I have in my sewing room.

Yes, I might do a couple of things differently if I made this again.  First the styrofoam I bought was blue...only choice at our nearby lumber store.  The blue color shows through the batting and so my design wall has a slight blue cast to it.  If I ever to do this again, I will paint the styrofoam board either white or maybe even grey.  The other thing I am not sure about is the batting.  I debated about whether to use the poly batting or to use cotton batting (like Warm and Natural) or to use flannel. My blocks really stick nicely to the poly but I am not sure how this poly batting will fare when the humidity of summer hits it.  So stay tuned on that one.

PS  I have a long way to go on my photography skills.  :o(

I won a contest!

It's been a couple of weeks and I haven't blogged about this because I have no pictures. But I won the Bernina "What's Your Favorite Foot" National Sewing Month Contest! It was pretty cool... a roll of OESD AquaTear biodegradable embroidery stabilizer; the book Simply Sublime Bags by Jodi Kahn; two patterns - "Be Green Market Bag" by Cheryl Kuczek and "Retro 'Groovy' Bag" by Lila Tueller Designs; a BERNINA view-tainer, a BERNINA seam ripper, and 10 fat quarters of "Piggy Pirouette" by Benartex. Quite a haul, huh? I am so grateful to be the winner.

Sew Mama Sew Sewing Machine Meme

This is my first post!!

What brand and model do you have? Bernina 1230
How long have you had it? 20+ years
How much does that machine cost (approximately)? Don't remember. More than $1000.
What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)? Quilts, kids clothes, and home dec projects...want to try a bag!
How much do you sew? In spurts...a lot lately.
Do you like/love/hate your machine? I love my machine!
What features does your machine have that work well for you? I love the way it sews perfectly all the time.
Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine? I wish there was more space for machine quilting.
Do you have a great story to share about your machine? I got a check in the mail from my grandma. She said it was part of my inheritance. She wanted to give it to me early to be sure I actually got it. She was the sewer in our family. She was always encouraging about my sewing. I bought my machine, a cabinet, and a cutting table with the money. It was great and I think she was happy!
Would you recommend the machine to others? Definitely. Why? It sews well every time. No surprises...
Do you have a dream machine? Bernina 820