I just had to make one of these...

And there will be more to follow!
Being a huge fan of boxes and homespun (I have a ton of both) this project really seemed to come together on it's own.

This is a wonderful project if you are tired and really don't want to sit at the sewing machine or spend time figuring out a pattern and cutting a lot of intricate pieces.

I started with an old paper mache` box and covered it.

Years ago (the 80's) this was something I did all the time.

When I had my shop we made fabric covered 'hat boxes'.

Here's the result.  This one has been 'stained' with coffee.  Maybe it needs to have a little more aging before it is finished?  Yes!

So, this is not done yet...but will be one day soon...after I decide how to finish it.

There are many, MANY more boxes hanging around the house just waiting for some great fabrics to enhance their beauty.  Maybe they won't all be covered but I will try to make an entire set someday.

Happy Sewing (or crafting)!
Colleen

Happy Easter!

I hope you all had a Blessed Easter Sunday.

My day was spent at home with my husband.  Quiet but somehow I managed to be in the kitchen most of the afternoon cooking and cleaning up.

Finished it!

My friend's secret scrap quilt is completed and on it's way to her...it's a surprise so don't tell.

Here is a photo of the lap quilt I made.

Very colorful for me, wouldn't you say? 

I used an assortment of Batik strips cut from my (growing) stash of Batiks.

I too was amazed at just how many different fabrics I have collected.

What I started to do was to purchase 1/3 yard of some Batiks I thought were pretty and that I liked.

The 1/3 yard cut (for me) works better than a FQ or a 1/4 yard.  I have found that with collecting certain fabric lines getting that size offers me a good amount of fabric to work with in quilts or toppers that I want to make.

This quilt was quilted using a variegated Sulky #12wt. thread.  The thread colors were a perfect compliment to the fabrics.  I simple quilted through every other strip in a straight line.  Easy as can be!

Made with 1 1/2" strips.  Finished size 41" X 50".

The other thing I did was to put a label on the back.  Yes, I know that we should always do this but I must confess that this is the first time I have done this!  Shock throughout the nation!

Usually I simple stitch my initials and the date on a corner in the back but this time I actually made and attached a simple label.

When I started to stitch down the fourth side of this label a strong feeling of pride and accomplishment came over me.  I cannot explain it and it wasn't a sappy kind of a feeling...just felt good.

This isn't a prize winning quilt or anything. It is really cute and very cheery.  The label thing was about the label.  So perhaps there is more to adding a label to a quilt than just identifying the maker and date and some other things like perhaps the recipient and the occasion for which the quilt was made.

I don't know what it was - it just felt good!
So now, I will need to label my quilts from this point on.

I think my friend will like this little quilt!

Happy Spring!  Take time to watch the flowers grow!
Take time to sit and sew!
Colleen

OH HAPPY DAY!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Yes, I am Irish...everyday!

BUT...I HAVE TO ALSO SAY...

OH HAPPY DAY...

HAPPY NATIONAL QUILTING DAY!

CELEBRATE WITH FABRIC

SHOP FOR IT...

DESIGN WITH IT...

PREPARE IT...

SEW IT!

Uh Oh...look what I found...

So, remember the last post with the fabric that I am going to use this month (even if it kills me - which it won't).

Well, when I was 'shopping' through my stash for fabric for a project I came across another piece of the green.

Now I have two 3/4 yard pieces.  I will add this to my March obligation and see what becomes of it.  How in the world do I have two pieces of this fabric I will never know!

In between sewing some projects (no pics yet) I did a little more organizing.  My Civil War fabric shelf was in need of a clean-up since I have been using a lot of this fabric in projects lately.

Here she is...

The blue box holds all my small scraps of Civil War and the little book has a snippet of each piece I own so I can take it along on shopping trips and not duplicate.  It doesn't always work!

I keep my Civil War FQ's in a plastic box along with some CW panels and a piece I don't want to cut up because I am saving it for a backing.

Maybe if I organize and clean a little section of my sewing room every day I will reach the point of having a wonderfully user friendly sewing room!  Just maybe!  All I know is that you will not see the before pictures!  LOL

Off to work on some samples for classes!

Colleen