I’ve been to do a Quilt As You Go demo at a quilt retreat this weekend and decided to embellish my little QAYG project with some stitchery.
Natalie of Cinderberry Stitches has some ADORABLE free projects on her blog (check out her sidebar), and I used her Sweet & Spotty Needle Wallet birdie (ie, I only used partial of the drawing for the sake of time). So cute are Natalie’s drawings I couldn’t make just one. No… I had to make four and use them for my blocks on my QAYG demo/tutorial in my next post here.
My inspiration stares me in the face each and every day. As does my mysteriously constant desire for 2/99¢ Jack in the Box tacos.
Inspiration on the design wall… so close it could bite me.
A quick trip to Joann’s… some budget “felt”, some floss, a coupon and a twenty… I smell a Halloween costume.
No plan, no pattern. I just held my breath, cut, and then prayed. I used SIX strands of floss. That called for a really big needle, and some very sore fingers.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Москва.
And now I crave 2/99¢ Jack in the Box tacos with beets and cabbage. Tah dah… I’m Matryoshka in the Box!
Dang I’m hungry. No candy for me… tacos please!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Tomorrow’s the big day! I always love seeing the H’ween costumes on the Today show, Jimmy Kimmel Live and Frosty, Heidi and Frank - and seeing what clever ideas they come up with. This is the ONE DAY it sucks for me not to have a job to go to. I so miss the work dress-up day - so I’m gonna have a little trick or treatin’ office party on my blog tomorrow. It may just be virtual nonsense… but I’m giving away pretend candy at my pretend party thrown by my pretend party planning committee. And I’m not handing out that fun-size crap… I’m pretending to give full size candy bars. And if you leave a comment that you’re dressing up too… you get TWO pretend full size candy bars. Here’s a peek at my costume - it’s almost done. Any guesses?
I had so much fun with making my Poochie Bag pattern… I decided I’d make some Itty Bitty Poochie Bags too. Pee wee fun size bags.
Itty bitty Trick-or-Treat bags filled with treats. H’ween fabric used is from my stash cupboard - it must be 5+ years old and I have no idea who/what it is.
Originally I was going to call them Poochie Bagettes… but my mind thinks in food - and it looked like “baguette” - and all I wanted to do was stuff the bags with feta, basil, balsamic vinegar and tomato slices. Thanks to Jenny for helping me with the name. Messy food crisis averted.
While I was sewing my Itty Bitty’s… I had a visitor just outside my window. This is Frank.
Frank alerted Frosty and Heidi that I was on to them.
Side-show over, back to sewing. Giving the Itty Bitty’s some “pooch” is easy. Just pin up the bottom corners - and tack with a few hidden stitches.
Ready to be filled. And not just for kids! The Itty Bitty’s interior measures at about 4½” square (4″comfortably). What to put inside… any treat filling ideas?
I have a tutorial at the Moda Bakeshop for the Itty Bitty’s. I’ve used Moda Layer Cake sheets of American Jane’s Happy Campers and fabric ribbon to make the Itty Bitty’s. Very yummy harvesty vintageishy looking fabric - I just love it.
My favorite thing about the Itty Bitty’s… they’re the carrier for Ding-Dong-Ditch.
Edited in:
GASP! Look at Kimberly’s Itty Bitty’s! So darn cute - she’s a fabric whisperer!
I did it. I made the transition from flip-flops to shoes - and feeling rather Halloweenishy. Huge thanks to Calamity Kim for showing the cutest shoes EVER on her flickr. Kim kindly led me and my plastic money down the cute shoe path. The T.U.K. Women’s Cat Mary Jane can be found here. I have a foot issue - so I took my seam ripper and removed the straps. Tadah… my Meowy Janes!
These shoes should come with a warning. You will be stopped by the nicest people where ever you go with Meowy Janes on your feet - your shoes will be admired and inquired about. Not for the shy or anti-social. This concludes the warning.
I’m late to the Blogger’s Quilt Festival (thank you Amy!)… but hey, I was making everyone pancakes. What a night… I don’t think anyone slept last night. But then, who sleeps at slumber parties? Really. I need a nap, and it’s only Day Uno of the party - and there’s lots more room for lots more NMG peeps.
So last Festival I cheated and showed two quilts. This Festival… I’m showing one. I’ve turned over a new leaf and am playing by the rules - and today I am good and on my best behavior (tomorrow I go back to my old disobedient and risqué ways… and don’t be surprised if you find zucchini in your apple pancakes - which of course I will deny).
Not just because I love the colors, or the fabric, or the quilt pattern… it’s because it’s my “Wonder Twin Super-Powers Activated” quilt. About 2½ years ago Pam surprised me with the cutest little bundle of some Windham fabric from her stash…
and unbeknownst to each other - we were each making a quilt from the SAME quilt pattern from the SAME little Japanese quilt book called “Square Patchwork” at the SAME time. Photo above is right after I made it - at my previous home - and apparently I was a much neater and organized person back then. Book info: Square Patchwork ISBN4-8347-6441-9
It was all very Gift of Magi like - but Pam’s and my watches and hair survived unscathed. I have very, very, very little wall space in my teenie weenie studio… but this is one quilt that I will find space for so I can look at it every day. Everything gets moved around this quilt. What’s in front, beside, above and below is dictated by the quilt (like the birdie branch a friend made). Yup… WTS-PA rules the roost. At least the wall roost.
Baby Happy is one of two quilts from my “Two Happy” FREE pattern that I designed featuring Lecien’s “Old New Fabric Collection 30’s” fabric collection.
One pattern. Two Quilts. One for Momma, one for Baby. This free for download pattern is available here.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m lazy… or because sometimes I can’t even find the glasses on the top of my head… but come Quilt Market time, I always get frazzled and razzled trying to find all the blog posts about quilt market. Pam has always done a great (and HILARIOUS) job of not only posting about market… but posting about who’s blogging also.
Apparently it’d be really rude of me ask everyone who makes a market post to email me the link. Luckily Pam has set up her own little “radio show”. Radio KPKM is like community radio… but in text - all the who, what and where all in one place. And no one’s gonna out you on-air for leaving a crusty casserole dish behind after the recent community potluck down at the grange.
So now anytime anyone makes a market post on their blog, all they have to do is go to the Quilt Market blogging center of the universe (aka Pam’s “Radio Free PKM“) and add their Market permalink into Mr. Linky. The more one posts, the more often they get to say hello to Mr. Linky. It’s like everyone is practically emailing me!
Even though I won’t be at Market, I plan on a Market report of my own. A WYWO at market post - and I plan on building a tent in the living room with chairs and a big quilt and I’ll tweet and facebook and eat cupcakes with all my other Non-Market-Going friends and hope you all will join me in making WYWO Market posts… grabbing a button… and enjoying the fun at Radio Free PKM. And I say we NMG peeps have a potluck. I’ll bring the cupcakes!
Pics from my iPhoto… odds and ends of things that crack me up, inspire me, embarrass me and make my heart swell.
In Portland, Oregon in the South Waterfront district - peppered with train/trolly tracks. I love this sign. Though I am puzzled that the bike has no front tire. Maybe the sign means, “Caution: Ride with all tires” or “Beware of floating tire thieves”.
Five Guys in Beaverton, Oregon. It’s not every day I get to sputter things like “Let’s do 5 guys for lunch”. Thank you to Jackie who suggested I try the hot dog there. WOW! I’ve found THE perfect hot dog. Mad love fest for the Five Guys hot dogs! And yes, I really did want to word that differently.
Target in Walnut Creek, California. Thanks a lot Wipeout. Now every time I go to a Target - I have an urge to jump on the big red balls. Shout out to Sarah… Good Day, and big balls.
On I-5 near Eugene, Oregon. Oh Land of Lincoln… you are so funny. You really have to super-size this photo. The best part… the couple in the car looked like textbook Norman Rockwell midwestern grandparents. And also funny… this is a numbered plate. You mean there’s more like this? Watch out Missouri… I’d keep on eye on Illinois - they may have plans to copy (and slightly modify) your Show Me State nickname. EDITED IN: If you don’t have flickr or can’t read the plate… I’ve edited what it says on my photo’s caption here.
Lunching at Bagels by the Sea in Seaside, Oregon…. I caught the color fairies spreading a little color magic.
On I-5 near Mt. Shasta. The color fairies spreading even more color magic - and this time in my colors.
At my parents house in Walnut Creek. Yes, it’s a bull. Yes, it’s a chair. Yes, we are an odd family. After his recent trip to Australia to visit my oldest son and DIL - my youngest son brought me back a shopping bag from Oz. He said he knew I was going to go gaga over it - and that I would probably blog it. Yes - and yes. Mission complete.
Sunkist Zombie - circa late 60’s. I hated my freckles as a kid. HATED. THEM. Now I wish they’d show up more. I guess if we had that stuff in the sky (sunshine I think it’s commonly called)… my freckles might just pop out. Photo credit: George George of Berkeley, Calif. Oh yes, definitly circa 60’s.
Mami Zombie - circa late 30’s/early 40’s Germany. I’m seriously ticked at my mom for not saving her toys for me. I’m sure the captain of the Mayflower would have made room for the buggy.
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Posted by Monica in Quilty n Crafty, Tips & Trix 
Farting around with needle & thread and then blogging about it.
