Around the World Blog Hop!

I was tagged for the Around the World Blog Hop by Anna at Woolie Mammoth. Thanks for the tag Anna! If you haven’t already visited her spot, be sure to do so.

The Around the World Blog Hop is kind of like a chain letter except it’s w/blogs on the internet.  It’s a great opportunity to meet and learn about other bloggers.  When tagged, the tagee has to acknowledge who tagged them, answer 4 questions and then tag 3 different bloggers. If you can’t find 3, one will do! And they don’t have to be quilting bloggers neither.

So here goes…

What am I working on?
I am currently working on several projects, all of which I’d like to get completed by Christmas or sooner. 

The 1st is a gift for mom’s birthday which is November 3rd. It’s a quilt top I finished quite sometime ago that was intended to be for my bed, but in order to make it big enough I added very generous borders  and hated the way it turned out.  FFWD 8 months and now it’s a large lap quilt top waiting to be quilted.


A quilt for my kid sister. 4 blocks down, 38 more to go.


Diamonds and Purples I’m keeping all the points and making it a quilt w/o binding. I’m excited to see how it turns out! 

Plus, I want to make several small quilted gifts, approximately 40 of them, for coworkers, family and friends.

So yeah, I have my work cut out for me. 


How does my work differ from others of its genre?
My work isn’t all that different from others. I make quilts just like the lot of you. I would say that 99% of my quilts are made from patterns since I have not yet had the desire to design my own quilt.  But what does differ is the fabric I use. I cannot afford to buy the latest and greatest lines or collections and am not super picky about color/print.  I believe all of my fabric is 100% cotton though; the majority of it has come as donations from friends or was purchased at Goodwill.  I’m very fond of scrap quilts but I think I do a great job of coordinating colors/prints from my 2nd hand stash for the quilts I’ve made that aren’t so scrappy.  With that being said, I have purchased brand new fabric, either on sale or clearance…and usually at Joann.   I also adore pieced backings and I don’t think they have to match the front of the quilt at all.   


Why do I write/create what I do?
Truth be told I started writing this blog because I think my family, friends and coworkers were getting tired of hearing all my “quilty” talk.  And…I wanted to share my incredible, God-given, quilting passion with others who love and appreciate it as much as I do. I have a few friends who quilt, but they are not nearly as obsessed passionate as I am. The funny thing is, I absolutely LOATHED writing in school. During my senior year, I elected to take a general English class to avoid having to write a senior paper in British Literature. However, when I start or finish a new project, find a new pattern or tool, or make a great fabric score, I just have to write about it and share it with the world!


How does my writing/creative process work?
As for my writing/creating process, it’s a simple 4-step process.

  1. I see a quilt/pattern I like. It’s usually something already in my queue.
  2. I pick out my fabric and start cutting. (I already had most of the fabric picked out in my head AND have 1-3 other projects already going)
  3. I write about it and post pics of my progress
  4. Write about it and post pics again after completion.

I’m working at establishing my blog and increasing my follower base. After 1 year of blogging I’m pleased w/the number of followers and the amount of interaction I’ve had.  My 3 kids are grown but I work full time and don’t have a ton of time to dedicate to it.  Several months ago I committed to writing 1x/week and I have been meeting this commitment. 

I follow a bunch quilters via Blogger, G+ and Instagram, many who are mothers of young and/or multiple children and it seems like they quilt and post constantly! I have no idea how the heck they do it!  I think many of them are stay-at-home moms. But even then…how they juggle motherhood, homeschooling, quilting/crafting, AND still have time to blog and post so often, truly AMAZES me! KUDOS to you ALL!

I like to end each post w/something encouraging; be it scripture, song lyrics or just words of wisdom from devotions or other quotes.  

I call it A Thread for Life.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  Feel free to look around and leave lots of comments.

Now, hop on over to visit these other fabulous women on their blogspots.

Greta at Material Detachment
Stephanie at Imperfectly perfect quilts and more…
Bellezza Squillace at Every Stitch a Prayer

A Thread for Life
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Col 4:6

Linking up with
stitch by stitch

Sew Fresh Quilts

Someone’s Been Bitten by the Quilting Bug!

My sis came to quilting w/me last Saturday. The sisters from church get together every 3rd Saturday to quilt, sew and crochet.  We work on charity and personal projects.  She’d been before, years ago, but didn’t like the experience. She’s a lefty who tries to do everything w/her right hand and cutting w/the rotary cutter was very awkward for her and she just didn’t want to do it again. So I brought her a charm pack to work with.

My Sis

She had a several rows finished by the afternoon but wasn’t thrilled w/the idea of waiting a month to work on it again.
I assured her she could come to my house anytime to sew w/me.  Well, she came over the very next day and said she wanted to take everything home to work on by herself!! I sent her home w/a machine, the manual and most importantly, a seam ripper.

Four days later her very first quilt top was completed!!

She ran into some bobbin issues, but when I wasn’t available when she called, she referred to the manual and YouTube and figured it out! I’m so proud of her! Today she offered to take apart anything I had that needed seam ripping as she’s become very intimate w/the seam ripper. =)

Tonight, I brought her 10″ squares (Layer Cakes) to work on,and already she’s put a another small quilt top together. Yay Sis!!

Next month I’ll show her how to baste a quilt and get her started on stitching in the ditch.

Me and my sis

A Thread for Life
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. – 1 Thes 5:16-18

Happy Quilting!

WIPs

I’m officially on a fabric fast. I’ve taken a challenge not to buy fabric from Jan 1 –  Jun 30.  So far, so good.  I even went to Goodwill last weekend and looked at (and touched)  fabric and didn’t buy any! There is a 2nd part to the challenge and that is to use up all the fabric I have on hand. My stash isn’t as big as some…but I am proud of it.

I get so anxious when I think about the WIPs I have and all the works I want to have in progress…and I’ve got myself all stressed out. So, I’m going to try to do just 1 project at a time for awhile.  I’m supposed to be participating in 2 quilt-alongs:  a mystery quilt w/QA and a crazy quilt along…so I may allow myself to do these in addition to my 1-at-a-time projects…but I might not.



Currently I have 6 WIPs.  I’m really close to finishing 2 of them . I should have some pics posted this weekend.  Then I have 3 small quilt tops (2 pictured below) that need to be quilted and listed on Etsy…and lastly, I still have my Spring/Summer 1BW that I just really want to keep folded up at the top of my closet.


4-Step Flagstone

quilt top #1

                                     Cuttin’ Corners

quilt top #2


















I sold my Quilt Frame this past weekend to a Snowbird here from Iowa.  It was really just a catch-all in my sewing room and a dust collector. I’d only used it twice in the last 2 years, plus I’m raising money for my trip to Canada in May.   



I also have other WIPs besides quilting.  A few weeks ago I transplanted some Aloe Vera and Prickly Pear. Someone told me all you have to do is stick it in the ground and water it occasionally.  So far, so good.   I also planted 2 Mesquite trees in my backyard.  Thankfully the weather is mild enough to plant year round  here in AZ and everything seems to be doing well. 

Last week at Goodwill, I by-passed the fabric…like a good girl…but look at this treasure I found, that I couldn’t resist! I paid $4 for it.  I sanded it, threw some ebony stain and a coat of poly on it and, voila! it’s a lovely little side table! =)

Before


After

A Thread for Life

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail

And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep My faith will stand


And I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior


Oceans by Hillsong