FNSI Results!

Sew I didn't get very much done for the Sew In! It has been an incredibly busy week for me. It is collection week at my church for this...

and I am proudly on the committee. So far we have collected and packed into shipper boxes over 1200 shoe boxes. The energy is great and the enthusiasm is catching. Operation Christmas Child is such a great project for everyone...young to old, teens, families, friends, etc and it reaches needy children all over the world with the love of Jesus. We have 2 more days of collection and the boxes will be shipped to headquarters and sorted for the country they will be going to. If you haven't heard of this project, find the Operation Christmas Child collection site near you or go online to pack a box!

Sew back to FNSI...I managed to finish up my November Birdie BOM. 

and I sewed these little HST. 

As you can see they are pretty small...1"

...I did cut out a bunch more but don't have a picture of them. 

This weekend will be very busy but I'm thankful that school is closed for Thanksgiving Break and I will have all week to relax and catch up (even with the holiday.)

Hope you all had fun on FNSI! Check out what everyone was doing here.

I just couldn't wait...

I am so excited to show you my newest finish! I designed this quilt myself and I am thrilled with the way it turned out! It is so fresh and modern.  Sew without further ado, introducing... Asymmetric Argyle.

It is pieced using Kona Snow for the background and a solid gray, yellow and black for the argyle pattern. 

The yellow and black are Kona but not sure of the gray.

The machine quilting was done following the lines of the argyle. I love how the pattern turned out on the big open space.

The back is pieced using Ironwork in Granite by Joel Dewberry.

I'm very proud of this piece! The design was mulling around in my head for a while and is now a reality. I am smitten.

I also promised in my last post to share the knitted throw that I finished. A new technique for me...knitting a round throw.

This little throw will be heading to my DD2 and DSIL soon.

A reveal, some finishes, and the winners!

I have a bit to share today as it has been busy around here. 

First up is my reveal. I joined my first Flickr swap for a Little Quilt 

about 2 months ago. I found this great quote on Pinterest 

that I wanted to design my quilt around. 

I can now reveal my quilt since my swap partner has received it! 

It went all the way to Sweden!

And this is the cute Little Twister Quilt I received from Karen (also know as sewgentle.)

I don't have a twister ruler but I may just need to get one. Love the tessellation!

Next is a wedding gift quilt that has been WIP for quite a while. My nephew and wife got married in Sweden just 3 weeks after our daughter's wedding.  Since many family and friends (including us) couldn't go to Sweden, they were going to plan a reception/party here at a later date. Although the top and backs were pieced, without a date, it was easy for me to make this quilt a MUF. 

Two weeks ago we got the invite for the wedding party. Yikes! only 3 weeks to finish, all while the Wantobe Campaign was finishing up, the Ghastlie Blog Hop was just starting and I was participating in the Little Quilt Swap! 

This quilt is rather large and to sandwich it required some furniture removal from my living room. Thanks to my DH for doing the rearranging, I was able to sandwich the quilt and pin baste it in an evening. I decided to FMQ ribbon circles around the rings and then choose a design to go in the white middle. I also FMQ a ribbon along the border.

Now it is ready to go to the newlyweds. 

I also have been doing some knitting and finished a little throw but since this post is getting quite lengthy and you are probably wanting to know who won my giveaway, I'll leave that finish for another post. 

So without further delay the winner of the pincushion is:

Linda from Buzzing and Bumbling...

And the little zippered bag goes to:

Nancy from Coeur d'Alene! 

Congratulations Sistahs! I will be emailing you shortly.

It's my turn...Day 8 of the Ghastlie Blog Hop!

Thank you all for visiting my blog during Madame Samm’s Ghastlie blog hop. I hope that you all have visited and enjoyed my sistah’s from last week and found some Ghastlie inspiration. I know I did!

I don’t know about you, but I tried to resist the Ghastlie’s sew many times. I had a couple of encounters with the family before succumbing down with the FLU. There is something disturbingly enticing about this family. When Madame Samm announced the Blog Hop I knew that I had been bitten. 

So without further delay....my first projects relate to the ghastlie chore of laundry! That never ending chore. As soon as it is done, it starts appearing again.  I  like to hang my laundry outside in the fresh breezes of summer, so I made a clothespin bag.  I had an old bag from my grandma that needed to be replaced and the Ghastlies were the perfect fabric. I just reused the frame. It just makes me smile!

I also found this cute clothespin apron pattern. The front features the Ghastlie family as they dine. 

The pocket is deep to hold many clothespins...or maybe some treats for the trick or treaters! 

Yep, that’s what it was used for this Halloween!  

Edit: I had many request for the apron pattern. I followed the tutorial here with a few adjustments to the pattern.

Next, I made this clever cover for a bucket. 

It has plenty of room inside to tote your projects around.  It is big enough for more than one project! The pockets around the outside of the bucket keep all your supplies close at hand.

It is cleverly made to slip right over a standard bucket (I purchased at Lowes).  This bucket has already been on several outings!

Miss Helga Broomswell is watching over my projects.

Hmmm...what’s next? 

Before I really began quilting, I made garden banners for the many seasons/holidays. 

I thought the I would welcome the trick or treaters this Halloween 

with a new Ghastlie welcoming banner. 

I wonder what brew those witches are cooking up!

Some of my smaller Ghastlie projects include these pin cushions...one starring dear Prudence and the other features the knitters...and a small zippered bag.

Gotta love Prudence and the knitting sistahs!

This pattern was adapted from the Sweet Zip pattern by Terrie Atkinson. I made it bigger to accommodate the Ghastlie characters and added the handle.

I hope you enjoyed my Ghastlie projects.  Now be sure to comment on this blog post as I will be randomly selecting one name from them to forward to Madame Samm for today’s grand prize drawing. That name will be drawn tonight and the winner will be announced tomorrow over at Madame Samm’s blog, Sew I Quilt. The winner will need to pay postage. 

I will also be having 2 giveaways right here. 

The first giveaway is the pin cushion starring dear Prudence. The second giveaway is 

the small zippered bag. If you would like a chance to win one of these Ghastlie creations, 

tell me so in your comment. Although you do not have to be a follower of my blog to win, 

I surely would love you to become one. 

Please make sure that I have a way to get in touch with you (or I will need to select a new winner). 

I will draw the winners (for my giveaway) at 10 pm Nov. 4th (CST). 

The first random number will  get the pin cushion and the second number generated will get the zippered bag. Good luck to all!

Be sure to visit the rest of my Ghastlie sistah’s blogs posting their Ghastlie creations and leave comments to win prizes. Here is today’s links.

Mrs. Jane Ghastlie
Mrs. Laura Ghastlie  ( sadly she will not be available)

Mrs. Mary Ghastlie

Mrs. Michelle Ghastlie

Mrs. Dawn Ghastlie 
Mrs Mary Ghastlie

Edit: The grand prize winner for Day 8 is Duff from Mrs. Jane Ghastlie's blog. Congratulations!


Thank you for all the wonderful comments...still coming in :D I probably won't be able to get back to each of you individually but I read them all and really appreciate all the love.  Stay tuned for my drawing  this Friday. 

Special praises to Madame Samm for all her effort in putting 

together another FUN blog activity! 

She is kind!

She is smart! 

She is important!

Blogger's Quilt Festival

Welcome to all that have come to visit my blog from Amy's Quilt Festival.  I love visitors so I hope you will stay awhile and take a look around. I just recently featured this quilt I finished so if you have seen this before I apologize.  This quilt is the second in a personal challenge I have to make a quilt out of my 'less preferred' fabric in my stash. Since I am pretty much running out of room for my newer, much preferred stash, I challenged myself to use my 'less preferred' stash in every other quilt. 

The bright cheater crazy quilt fabric was my challenge.

I actually really love the way this quilt turned out! It is so nice to be surprised to love a quilt I wasn't expecting to love. This pattern used a Stack and Whack technique that Allison at Cluck, Cluck, Sew shared when she was a guest speaker at Sew We Quilt. It was quick and easy and used up all of the 'less preferred' featured fabric from my stash.

I was also able to use up another piece from my stash for the backing. WOOHOO! Two pieces gone from my less preferred stash.

Hope you enjoyed it! Now make sure you visit other blogs at the fest. 

Ghastlie Blog Hop Begins!

Welcome GHASTLIE FANS

The Ghastlie Blog Hop Begins!

Behind the scenes we (54) Ghastlie obsessed

stitchers have been rather busy, you could say.

We all have been brewing some pretty Ghastlie 

projects, searching for a cure...

Your assistance is required...YOU are the

prescription we are looking for...

A comment of ohhs and ahhs 

will surely be the cure!

So....

If you have this thing for Ghastlies

and they have tied you in a knot

and you wish you could get them out of your mind

than this may be a thought.

We heard her plea for a cure

Mdm Samm was pos/it/ively sure

that we could stitch the nights away

in hopes that we MAY----???

(all 54 of us)  

BUT....

The side effects are Ghastlie

there is no mistaking too.

if you don't run this very minute

YOU too will catch the FLU...

We suspected all along 

this was her master plan

she did not want to be alone,

 with all YOU Ghastlie FANS...

HERE is OUR Schedule.....

each name will link you to our Ghastlie Sistahhhhhs!

Be sure to leave your prescription (comment) for each of the sistahhhhhs!

 ON Monday, October 24th

Mrs Kirie Ghastlie

Ms Carol Ghastlie

Ms. Wendy Ghastlie

Ms. Carrie Ghastlie

Mrs Holly Ghastlie

 ON Tuesday October 25th

Mrs. Annie Ghastlie

Mrs Doris Ghastlie

Mrs Brandie Ghastlie

Ms. Alidiza Ghastlie

Mrs. JudyC Ghastlie

                                     

 ON Wednesday October 26th

Mrs. Barb Ghastlie

Miss Karen Ghastlie

Ms. Loralynn Ghastlie

Ms. Jen Ghastlie

Ms Penny Ghastlie

 ON Thursday October 27th

Mrs. Katherine Ghastlie

Ms Sharon Ghastlie

Mrs. Gooden Ghastlie

Ms. Selina Ghastlie

Mrs. Melinda Ghastlie

 ON Friday October 28th

Miss Trudi Ghastlie

Ms. Deonn Ghastlie

Mrs. Marlene Ghastlie

Mrs Kim Ghastlie

Mrs Tammy Ghastlie

 ON Monday October 31st

Mrs. Toyna Ghastlie

Mrs Tiramisue Ghastlie

Mrs. Angela Ghastlie

Mrs Pauline Ghastlie

Mrs. Karin Ghastlie

Mrs Barb Ghastlie

 ON Tuesday November 1st

Miss Daisy Ghastlie

Mrs. Dana Ghastlie

Mrs. Elaine Ghastlie 

Mrs. Gramma Sheri Ghastlie

Ms. Suz Ghastlie

 ON Wednesday November 2nd

Mrs. Jane Ghastlie

Mrs. Laura Ghastlie 

Mrs. Mary Ghastlie

Mrs. Michelle Ghastlie

Mrs. Dawn Ghastlie 

Mrs Mary Ghastlie

 ON Thursday November 3rd

Mrs. Sharon Ghastlie

Mrs Corrie Ghastlie

Mrs Cheryl Ghastlie

 Mrs. Linda Ghastlie

Mrs. Suki Ghastlie

Mrs. Pickles Ghastlie

 ON Friday November 4th

Mrs Nan Ghastlie

Mrs. Gmama Jane Ghastlie

Mrs Joan Ghastlie

Mrs. Nancy Ghastlie

 Ms Susan Ghastlie

Madame Ghastlie 

Each day we will have a giveaway...so be sure to comment.

Some of my Ghastlie Sistahs may also have some special

projects to giveaway besides the daily BIG PRIZES 

from these sponsors....to sweeten the CAULDRON....

Some of our Sponsors

Alexander Henry Fabrics- lot's and lot's of Ghastlie Fabric

Colonial Needle -sewing basket 

Janes Fabrics -Kona fabrics in PINK -fat quarter bundle

Reliable Iron - orange Velocity 50

IHAN ( kelly )- aurifil threads

Coeurdalenegifts- 2 sets of Halloween lights

Forth Worth Fabric Studio - gorgeous gift set of Ghastlie fabric

Creative Grid -3 Rulers their top 3 

Blue FIG- wheeled bag in PINK

Beam N Read and custom Ghastlie Buttons

Be sure to visit each sistah's blog on their day for a chance 

to win some fabulous prizes and get Ghastilie inspired!

Winners announced daily on Madame Ghastlie’s blog.

Be sure to come back on my day, November 2nd!

Introducing Grammie Squares

Remember my personal challenge that I mentioned here? Well, here is the finished quilt using fabrics from my stash.  This is the 2nd quilt of my challenge and this one actually used up my entire stock of 2 different fabrics.  

The bright pink print was entirely used up where only tiny scraps remain. 

This print (inherited from my mom) is a cheater crazy quilt. 

The solid pink was left over from donated fabric from quilts I made with my church's youth group as a mission project. 

The backing is mostly made from a inherited piece I found in my stash. The pink and purple parrots are the perfect colors with just enough yardage when pieced with what was left from the top. Do you have a lot of inherited fabrics like me?   

The background and binding is Kona Champaign. 

(This was purchased for this project.)

All washed and crinkled...ready for snuggling.

I used a new to me binding technique. For years I was using a method that I was taught at my LQS but it is somewhat tedious. So I followed this tutorial from Julie at Jaybird Quilts. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? :D 

I really love how the binding turned out. Isn't it yummy!

The pattern is from Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew. She was a guest at Sew We Quilt  as part of the Wantobe Quilter Campaign and she taught this stack and whack technique.  I needed to change the dimensions slightly to accommodate my fabric yardage and I added the border. 

I straight lined quilted diagonally across the quilt and FMQ along the border. I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Coming soon is the Ghastlie Blog Hop! 

It is sponsored by Madame Samm over at Sew I Quilt (and that other one she manages ;) Be sure to watch for it!