THOSE Dresses~

Now that "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress" has opened at The Little Theatre of Norfolk , I can safely show you the tag-team dresses I was working on. The goal was ridiculous, yet plausible, bridesmaids dresses. Designed by costumer Kathy, base dress by me, fitting, zippers, hems and decor by Kat and all the rosettes (and hats) by Kathy and MaryLou--- truly a labor of love. (Of theatre. Not the dresses!) Congrats cast & crew of  '5 Women...'!

(I love how the petticoat stands up by itself after Brianna sheds it!)

L-R  Kim, Molly, Grace, Bri, Shauna

Shauna, Greg, Kim

              (I covered Greg's tie and cummerbund with the dress fabric so he'd match them.)

Testing...testing...

This new year has already brought new opportunities in quilting and that is being a pattern tester. And I realize--I like it! In January, I was able to test a block pattern for Beth at Eva Paige Quilt Designs ( yeah, yeah, "Kickin' Stash", meg, we heard you already...) and this month I was happy to play with "Bear Tracks"  from Cindy at Quilt Doodle Designs. It is a fun and very easy pattern and my boys really liked that it wasn't all 'flowery' and 'girly'. Cindy's pattern was done in flannel, which I didn't have, so what's a girl to do? I went internet fabric shopping and got all the colors required from Fabric.com, except for the cream which I knew I could find locally. While I waited for the flannel, I scrounged up a bunch of pieces I had from P & B's "Zanzibar" line. They were all odd pieces because they were cut for kits I picked up at a shop hop last year but I didn't really like that quilt anyway. I did have to add a few other pieces from my stash and God Bless Mary Beth over at the Quilting Bee in Chesapeake, Virginia for scrounging up the last fat eighth she had from Zanzibar so all my bluegill blocks could match! Here's the first top with no borders~

The second top made from flannels:

This was my first pieced flannel top and I don't think it will be the last. I really enjoyed sewing it!

I don't think this is my last "Bear Tracks" either. My boys both want the flannel one, and there's my Dad and my Father-in-law...

Cindy's pattern is already available in her Etsy shop: Quilt Doodle Designs  and on Craftsy ~

My Kickin Stash winner~

Congrats to Lisa Lisa from The Quilt Jam! Lisa is the winner of the 'Kickin Stash' pattern and has my thanks for taking the time to help me decide which marathon quilt is going on the Git 'er Done list! (It's not a DUFUS quite yet... ;) )  "Dear Jane" is the chosen one~ now to collect fabrics!

Face the world... with hexies

 Today is the last day to add your name in for my giveaway- http://theworksofourhands.blogspot.com/2012/03/survey-and-give-away.html
Recently, a lovely lady from my church started a Tuesday evening crafting get-together called, appropriately, "Crafty Ladies". It's a nice time for fellowship, sharing, crafting, getting together with friends and meeting new ones. I've been bringing the hexies I made during all those theatre hours last season and started putting together some flowers. Still not sure where I'm going to go with them but I've decided to call the quilt "Backstage Hexies"! It's a long way from done but at least I've now got wonderful company while I stitch my flowers instead of the solitude of a lonely backstage corner.
Sweet Chris got this shot of me in the rocker I have unofficially claimed as "my spot" on Tuesdays:

HeeHee!

A Survey and a Give Away~

   My little clicker-counter tells me I have (finally) reached 3000 views. (No, it's not all my mother. My mother doesn't go near computers.) I told myself some time ago that when and if I made it to 3000 I would give away something. So I will. But if you want to be the one I give my prize to, you'll have to work for it. Don't worry~ it's not dangerous. Just help me decide.
 Because I don't have enough to do, I guess, I am itching to make one of the big quilt-along quilts that are so popular. I thought I wanted to do "Dear Jane" but then I saw the "Famer's Wife" and there's even a Civil War one or two. I'm confuddled and I don't 'love' one over another. I love 'em all! So, help me decide. Leave me a comment and say 'make a Dear Jane' or 'you'll love Farmer's Wife' or whatever you favor. Make sure you leave some kind of trail so I can contact you if you're the winner. (I don't recommend bread crumbs. Ask Hansel & Gretl why not.)  On Wednesday I'll use some kind of random generator-thingy (which might amount to my daughter pulling a name out of one of her bazillion hats) to see who get's the prize.

What's your prize? How about a brand-spanking new quilt pattern called "Kickin' Stash"? Yes, the beautiful 'rainbow balls' quilt I was lucky to help with. I have my copy here but you can't have it. It's mine. But I'll send you one if you're my winner!
 And I promise I'll make the fabric choices myself.

FNSI Results~ a marathon!

When it rains, it pours! Does this happen in your house, too? I'll be going along at a reasonable pace, not worried about time constraints and thinking I had plenty of time for promised projects because nothing else is going on--and then WHAM! Let's have to do everything at once! This week I was collecting pieces for the college show when I was faced with a deadline on a quilt top that I was pattern testing AND got an order through Etsy for not one, not two, but FIVE personalized smocks AND finish the ugly bridesmaids dresses for the play. So FNSI was really a Friday All-Day Sew In! The 'bridesmaids' rehearsed in their dresses today and the quilt top is ready for review. In fact, that is a piece of it up there. I'm not going to show the whole thing until I know it's okay to according to the designer. I'll just tell you it's a very nice pattern and pretty simple and quick to sew. I'll share more when I get the okay. Right now, I'm going to go work on the last smock! :)

Lucky for me it's FNSI time~



I have a ton to work on this week~ I'm working up a quilt top to test a pattern for a wonderful designer; a baby quilt I was working on for a soon-to-arrive baby girl has been set aside because the baby arrived with other parts and needs something "bluer" (I wonder if that ultrasound tech was new to the job?), still pulling together the spring show for the college (not much sewing), sketching for the summer Shakespeare and helping create 5 of the ugliest bridesmaid dresses I've ever seen for another show. I'm tired just writing. But I had a lovely weekend with the grands and they inspire me. Will my Friday Night Sew In project be Irish in nature? Not likely, but who knows! The week is young and we'll have to see what calls to me on Friday!

Remember these? They're "Kickin' Stash"...

If you've been reading my musings for awhile (and if you have, why not say hi?) you may remember these and my ranting about them here:

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3883932318475038080#editor/target=post;postID=1498359772180820821

and here:

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3883932318475038080#editor/target=post;postID=1715453385173480419

These blocks --and many more from mucho more talented sewists-- went to a project which has now been named "Kickin' Stash" and is the brainchild of the funny and talented Beth Helfter of Eva Paige Quilt Designs. Beth has taken the sample blocks and worked up a pattern to make a fun and thrifty quilt which is sure to appeal to scrap-savers and stash-busters. There's even going to be a 'blog event' to kickoff "Kickin' Stash" a little later this month. I feel cool.

I'm not cool, mind you. I just feel cool.

Beth IS cool. She created the cover quilt on the new issue of Quilter's World:

I feel like I know a celebrity, which is silly because we've never actually met, even though we're from the same home state, which I don't live in anymore.  But I am happy to BEE a part of this creative lady's process and who knows~~ maybe 'Kickin' Stash' will make it to a cover someday!

DaGMT Day 29~ The End.

I might've planned to spend every minute of February 29 sewing but there was this 'real life' stuff that got in the way. I had some morning sewing time but then there was this leftover chicken that was begging to be made into soup and a costume meeting and some house maintenance. But I did get a small top together from some leftover "Hoo's In The Forest" jelly roll strips.

 So the quadannual Day of Leap  brought to an end the Drop and Give Me Twenty challenge that was suggested/sponsored/dreamed up by Beth over at Quilting Hottie Haven. I jumped on board and had an interesting month. The first thing that I realized yesterday morning as I pulled out the 2 1/2'' strips was "Hey! I actually did this thing!".  I don't think I ever finished any kind of web challenge that lasted more than the time a simple project might take. Yes, there were a couple of sick days in the beginning, but, you know, the overall goal was achieved. One major factor in 'my' success was B. If he wasn't here being my cheerleader and washing dishes, I might've blown off a few days to housework or, you know, preparing food. It was sweet to hear "Good morning! What are you sewing today?" everyday. Glory, how I love this man. The Stash Game over at SewingMamas.com helped too. While I will in no way win any prizes for my point total I did manage to use only what I had already and I didn't add any fabric to my already bulging fabric storage. In fact, I cleaned out a bunch to sell or donate, after I offer it to DD #1, who is becoming quite a thrifty seamstress herself. If nothing else, DaGMT has taught me I can be productive and I don't have to wait for the schedule to give me precious sewing time. Even twenty minutes a day can be done if I want to badly enough. Jacie made this for me a couple of years ago~ it means even more now:

The total Stash Game/ DaGMT

(not all apply to both)

Two completed baby quilts

One doll quilt

Eight pillowcases

Two pair of PJ pants

Three summer baby outfits

Four kits for Days for Girls

A bunch of yo-yos

Two window toppers

A small quilt top

(and some costuming stuff)