Taking A Tiny Break

In my backyard world

I love Spring and I love being outdoors during this time of year.

So, I've decided to take a blogging break to spend more time outdoors. I'll still be stitching... I love to stitch on my back porch. I'll still be reading my favorite blogs in the evening. I just won't be blogging the month of May.
I am on Instagram and will continue to post photos of my stitching there. So if you're on Instagram, I am amystitches .  With Instagram I don't need my computer to post a photo and you know I am a picture girl.

What I've been stitching...

 I've made a few of these 'project bags'


The pattern is 'Bridget's Bagettes' by Atkinson Designs (I made changes to the size)



I love the clear vinyl on the front so you can see what and where everything is in the bag.

This quilt inspired by a pattern called 'Busy City' by Empty Bobbin has been quilted


and just needs the binding put on. It's a wedding gift for my best friend.  These are some of the Volkswagens they own.

I've been stitching flowers in a basket and loving it. The colors in this piece are dreamy!



It will be a gift so I don't want to say what it is just yet.

What I plan to work on next...

I'm not sure


But I have these two patterns to choose from. I may start the 'Strawberry Sampler' because I have the linen already. I still need to order my linen for 'Home Is Where You Hang Your Needlework'.

So goodbye for now. I will hopefully be back in June. Happy Stitching!! and Happy Spring!

Scrappy Frog and Toad Update

All of my projects seem to be WIPs right now.

I feel like I always pick the most complicated and time consuming projects.

I guess it's what I like. 

I am still on block #10 of HocusPocusVille, 

I think I have 27 blocks made for my 'Farmer's Wife' and there are about 111.

I'm stitching 'And A Forest Grew' and it's pretty big. (I'm loving it so much)
Also I am on block #3 of Frosty Forest which will be a 9 month stitchery. 

And then I have my Scappy Frog and Toad...
Only 28 made.

It's really called 'Frog Pond' but I changed the name because I love toads just as much as frogs. So I'm making my little amphibians look like frogs and toads.


I've added a few frogs and toad on logs also...


but I'm not sure if they be in the center , middle ring or outer ring yet.
These guys are a tedious little block to made.
It takes me almost 2 hours to cut out and sew two.



But in the end, if that ever comes, I know I will love this quilt!

In my backyard...


We've had snow a few times.
I love a good snow but I'm pretty over it now and am positively ready for Spring.
I miss my chipmunk, the bees, the frogs and toads
the caterpillars and the butterflies.
I even miss the spiders.

Aussie Baubles

I bought this kit 2 or 3 years ago. I bought it because my son who is animal crazy,

loves Australian animals and wants to visit or live in Australia one day. (because of their cool animals)

This is block 3 of a whole Aussie animal Christmas quilt and the pattern is by McKenna Ryan.
So, I started it years ago thinking I would give it to my son for Christmas that year.
I had all the pieces fused and cut out ready to add to the background but
it never got done,

until now! I finally pulled it back out and was determined to finish it up.
My son's birthday is in February so now it will be a birthday gift for this year.


I quilted it while watching one of my favorite musicals, 'The Fiddler on the Roof'.  And as my son came in to see the progress! Yes, even though it's a gift for him... he knows about it and has watched the progression of the little quilt. I love that he gets excited about it's progress (and the animals on it) and can see the work that his mom has put into it.




We both think it turned out super cute!

The animals from left to right : a Sugar Glider,  a Bilby , a Tawny Frogmouth (which is my fav of the 4), another Sugar Glider and a Kookaburra. 

Frogs On A Log and A Raccoon

I am loving this series so far....'Frosty Forest'.  Here is 'Raccoon Cabin' finished ... adorable, right?! 

I love the raccoon.

I'm not using the buttons so instead I stitched a Bluebird where the bird button would have gone. 

.

Now that I stand back and look at it, I see a few mistakes that I need to fix but those will have to wait because I've received #2 'Snowy Deer' and can't wait to start it. 

Designs by Country Cottage Needleworks

Stitching on 36ct Edinboro Pearl Grey

The new quilt I am starting...

Scrappy Frog and Toad

I found the pattern in a book someone was giving away. It's called 'Quilts for Kids' by Carolann Palmer. I don't know if you know but I am a big frog and toad lover, so when I saw the 'Frog Pond' pattern I grabbed it up.



I am going to try to use as much of my own fabric as I can (scrappy).  So far I've made 3 frogs. The crazy cutting and angles make the blocks a little time consuming but they are turning out really cute.  There are 60 frogs/toad to be made sooo I'll be working on them for awhile. hahaha



I hope everyone had a lovely Holiday! We sure did! I think I will keep our tree up a bit longer... it's so beautiful I hate to take it down just yet. Truth be told, I was still listening to Christmas music yesterday ( the 27th) while working on my Project Life. 

Hand Embroidered Spider Webs

My Halloween / Spider Web quilt is finished. I am so happy with it. And I really can't believe it is done.

After finishing the quilt top with orange stash, black and off white. I hand embroidered spider webs and little spiders on it. I like spiders. ( any bug really). But spiders say "Halloween".

My quilt top has been setting around waiting to be quilted since last September. I wanted it to be done by Halloween last year. Well, that didn't happen. With school and the itch to just stitch by hand I figured I better have some one quilt it for me or it would never get done.

I sent it off to Rebekah Richardson to have it quilted the easiest and cheapest way.

For the black fabric, I picked one with circles so it looked like bubbles coming out of a witches cauldron pot.

My label, not finished yet, but it is there.

I will be ready for Halloween 2012. :o) One more quilt from my UFO's done! I am so happy!

Stitching makes me happy.

I am working on another "Flower quilt" from the 'Bareroots' pattern. This is the 2nd time making this sweet quilt.

This time I am making it for the shop , Quilting Adventures. Here will be some of the colors for the sashing.

I love all of the sweet flowers in this pattern.

Here is a photo of the first one I made. Very different colors. This quilt went to an auction to help raise money for chihuahua rescue.

I am working on....

My cross stitch... called " All we are saying.."

And a commission quilt for a wedding that will be happening in May....

fabric and embroidery

A post about fabric , needle, and thread. I got these gorgeous fat quarters from the "Fat Quarter Frenzy" @ the shop, Quilt Adventures. I am just in love with them. Now I need to find something to do with them. A quilt maybe.

I made a 'Quilt in a Cup' for my best friend for Christmas. She and I ( and our families) camp together through the year in our VW buses.

and of course I had to add a peace sign, because we love peace signs.

Finished my December block . This is the 'bareroots' BOM.

Here is an embroidery project I've started. I am going to make it a quilt one day with all the little sexy girls. And call the quilt "Sexy on a quilt". The pattern came from 'Sew Lovely Embroidery'.

My tea towel made it back home from the "Tea Towel Tour 5". I had a VW / camping theme.

I am working on this for a person, let me just say....I don't like mitering corners. But I do think it's turning out cute. I found the little 'key' fabric on -line. Perfect for the boards. I'll show the whole thing when it's done.

Yeah, I finished another 'Welcome to the North Pole' block. The Ice Cream shoppe.

And I found this 'so fun' flickr group called " What I wore today ( drawings only!)". I've joined in and have been drawing what I wear everyday. This is my 7th day doing it and it's so fun. Here are a few of the days. :o)

Have a great sewing week!!! or just a great week!! ~~amy