Saturday Delivery Excitement

The US Postal Service came through for me yesterday, as the package from Miss Rosie and her person, Carrie arrived yesterday. I was uber-excited to receive it, as I had been keeping an eye out for it. :D

Inside, were the most scrumptious goodies. First, the book and fabric pack that Carrie gave away for the comment in the 'post-project clean-up' discussion.

A lovely note from the generous Carrie, and the book Simply Charming by Tara Lynn Darr. Let me just say right now that I love this book! It is entirely possible that I will make most, if not all, the projects in this book. They are darling!! Traditional blocks, stash-friendly, and small - what's not to like??

Along with the great book came this Fat Eighth bundle of Collection for a Cause Faith. BEE-YOO-TI-FUL!!! Again, just so scrumptious I could dive right in and start gobbling it up!! (Much restraint on my part to finish the project I'm on before daring to indulge!!)

And in true Carrie and Rosie fashion, their generosity knows no bounds...bonus goodness was included.

Not one, but two! charm packs of Lily and Will. Gorgeous designs and colors! The roll of French General FaLaLaLaLa just puts me over the top! I've been a fanatic for FG ever since they came out with Rouenerries (did I spell that right?). Can you believe my incredible luck??

One of the reasons I began reading blogs was seeing the photographs of the amazing projects that quilters were working on and completing. Then I found a few that I consistently admired, so I 'followed'. Next, I began writing a blog, and it's just blossomed from there. It was ages before I ever left a comment, but soon I was regularly commenting, and then that led to entering giveaways.

My goodness gracious, getting to talk to other quilters from all points around the globe - that's just like living a dream! How else would I ever have corresponded with one of my 'favoritest' designers - Carrie Nelson?!? That's how great blogging is; it brings people together. I'm a small-potatoes blogger compared to a lot of others out there. Regardless of how involved a blogger wants to be, the access one gains to hundreds of other quilters, designers, authors, shop owners, and more, is nearly unlimited. What resources, too; if I ever find myself stumped about something, the answer is just a blog question, comment or search away!

Ehhh, pardon that tangent!

Thank you so very, very much Carrie and Miss Rosie for the wonderful chance to win goodies in your giveaway! I love the book and the fabrics; your generosity is incredible!

Happy quilting, friends!

A Cluttered Workspace

I make no bones about it. When I work in the sewing room, all I need is a path to the sewing machine and a somewhat cleaned-off ironing board, my ipod tuned in to some good old classics like The Eagles or Journey, and my Ott-lite. Consequently, my sewing room looks like this at the moment:

Oh, dear, I can't believe I'm showing this mess...oh, well, there is my path from the door of my sewing room. Just go past the dresser with the open drawer, the pile of recent on-line purchases, and make a left at the 2 empty bins on the floor.

This is the view from my sewing chair. The closet on the opposite wall has DH/s summer clothes hanging on the left, and my quilt tops hanging on the right. The chair, aka 'The Thoughtful Spot,'  has two tubs of fabric stacked in it from last week when I was digging around for a particular red. Generally, that chair is clear for sitting and thinking great thoughts. In the foreground are the stacks prepared for my current project, Long Road Home.

Ok, so here's the reason why I bared my soul (and my messiness) to all of the blogosphere. About a week ago, I made a comment on a blog. The topic asked how quilters handle post-project clean-up. Obviously, my comment wanted to know "What cleanup???"

So, this blogger was offering a giveaway to 2 responders who shared their stories, and the random generator selected my number! How cool is that? Just goes to show that a cleaned-up sewing room would have gotten me nowhere in that giveaway!

Here's the most awesome part of all...the blogger was one of my favorite designers: Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie Quilt Company! I have had a quilting love affair with her since seeing "Tag Sale" made up and on display in a quilt shop. I tracked down the pattern, made it, HAND QUILTED it, and currently use it on my guest bed (when I can keep my two girls' hands off it!)

(Brief tangent: Erin, DD#1, told me as I was quilting it, "Mom, this is the prettiest quilt you've ever made." Awwww, shucks.)

So, Carrie, and Miss Rosie, I thank you not only for offering the giveaway, but also for the years of great patterns! I own at least 3 of your books and at least a dozen Schnibbles patterns.

I will post the giveaway goodies upon their arrival.

Please feel free to make me feel better about my messy workspace by sharing your own messy stories! I need validation!! lol

PS: Tag Sale is one of the quilts pictured up there in my blog header.

Eventide Arrives!

Oooohhh, this was in my mail yesterday! Is there anything more pleasant than presents in the daily mail delivery?? I think not! Look at the tag - a cupcake with a daisy - 3D creativeness!!

Thelma at Cupcakes 'n' Daisies sure makes a pretty package. And what's inside is even prettier!

A few weeks ago I entered a giveaway at Cupcakes 'n' Daisies, and learned last week that I had been the lucky winner! So here is my Eventide pattern by Carrie Nelson. *uber-excitement!!!* It just so happens that I have made several of Miss Rosie's patterns over the years, and really love their looks. This one is getting me pretty excited, I can tell you! If I didn't have several already queued up, I would start on this right away. I am considering, however, moving an item or two down on the list, to make room for inserting this project...hmmm, we'll see.

Thelma is leading a quilt-along group for Eventide. Check it out at this location. Also, Nicole at Sister's Choice Quilts has a nice post today about fabric selection for this quilt.

Thank you, Thelma, for the giveaway! I am so, so appreciative!!

Third Schnibbles Finished

It's interesting to think that we can change our minds so entirely in just a very short time. Six months ago, I was vowing never to buy a charm pack or a Schnibbles pattern. My thinking was that I already had waaay more fabric and patterns than I would ever, in a million, zillion years actually make and  use! Also, I thought "what a gimmick! I won't get caught up in this hype, no, not me!!" And last, I already knew I was in total love with the quilts from Miss Rosie's Quilt Company and Carrie Nelson - why would I want to make tiny quilts, when I was dying to make all of her full-size designs? Indeed, I was determined in my resolve.

Then, one day as I browsed through a shop, I saw a display of Schnibbles with "Darcy" hanging there, front and center. Ahhhh, a Pride and Prejudice reference! How cool! I love that book, and all the Austen titles for that matter, but I especially love P&P! I reached for the pattern, turned it over and began reading the description.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that every quilter in possession of any amount of fabric, must be in want of something to make with that fabric. That the quilt should be small and easily made from charming squares is a delight."

OMG!!! I could not get over the absolute cleverness of my quilting idol, Carrie Nelson!! To think that someone would name a pattern after a literary character, and then in keeping with that theme, 'rewrite' the famous first line of the novel for her pattern discription!!! TOO MUCH!!! I had to buy it.

Here are the actual first lines of Pride and Prejudice: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters." 

Pretty cool, huh? Honestly, I should not have been surprised at Carrie's cleverness; I've been reading her blog for quite awhile, plus I own a couple of her older books, so I already had an inkling of her clever and creative nature.

Well, okay, I broke down and bought a Schnibbles, but it wasn't like I was going off the deep end or anything! I bought this one - this one, only - because it was just too cleverly named and described. My English teacher friend Sharon, also a quilter, would appreciate the witty, clever referencing, and we'd just be so smug in "getting" it. This didn't necessarily mean I would be buying more, now, did it?

Can  you see where this story is going?? In the intervening months, I have bought many, many Schnibbles patterns, as well as many, many charm packs (most often, 2 are required to make a Schnibble).

I am converted!

This month's Year of Schnibbles allowed participants a "free choice." Use any Schnibbles or a pattern from Carrie's new book, Schnibbles Times Two. The variety will be immense; I just can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

For me, it just seemed the right thing to do that I make "Darcy." It's the pattern that  started me on my Schnibbles-love. I had 2 charm packs of Moda's Portobello Market, which just seemed perfect for Mr. Darcy. It was a match made in heaven, and even Mrs. Bennett would have to agree.

We are getting close to the May Schnibbles Parade, so be sure to visit Sinta and Sherri, our kind parade masters, to see all the variations of Schnibbles the participants dreamed up this month.

A Fun Comparison

Earlier this week I finished the borders on my April Schnibbles called "Tagalong." It was fun to do, and I really liked the Butterfly Garden fabric I used.

This is the old picture (before borders); I will save the finished picture for the Schnibbles Parade on the first of May. The Butterfly Garden fabric is by Kansas Troubles of Moda. Kansas Troubles specializes in creating fabrics that give the feel of sturdy, utility quilts made by our great-grandmothers from old shirts and dresses. They seem to evoke pioneer strength.

A little tangent: The Schnibbles line of patterns are the brainchild of quilting guru Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company. I swore I would not be taken in by these patterns, but alas, I am hooked. I suppose I've got about a dozen of them. The one that hooked me was "Darcy." I am a retired English teacher and a huge Jane Austen fan. Carrie's description on the "Darcy" pattern is a beautiful play on the famous first line of Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Delightful! It won me over.

Now, back to the fun comparison I want to talk about in today's blog post...

"Tagalong" is a smaller rendition of an earlier Miss Rosie full-size pattern called "Tag Sale." I first saw this quilt on display in Waynesville at the Fabric Shack. It was stunning. Sadly, their display must have garnered lots of interest because they had no patterns on hand. Eventually, I did manage to get the pattern, and later it came out in a book that Carrie released.

Here is my "Tag Sale." I loved making it. Both my daughters intimated that it was their favorite quilt of all that I'd ever made. (Makes me consider doing another one, just to avoid a fuss over who gets it!)

My apologies for the poor photo quality. This picture was taken with quite a while ago with my old camera. Perhaps I will  take a better shot of it because I would like some help concerning it...

I wish I could identify the fabric I used. I bought it as a large fat quarter pack at Creations in Chillicothe. The pairing of "Tag Sale" and this fabric just sort of happened. I needed to add about 6 fat quarters from my stash to get the entire top done. I love the floral cottage look. This quilt adorns the bed in our guest room.

Isn't it cool to see how different the same basic pattern looks when done up in vastly different fabrics?

The Mother Lode!

Winning things is not something I have a lot of experience with. Way back in 8th grade, I won 2nd or 3rd place in an essay contest, which resulted in little more than a photo op for the newspaper. How boring! Besides that, I can't really recall ever winning anything.

My luck changed when I submitted my Sunday Best Schnibbles to Sherri's blog for the Schnibbles Parade. I learned that I had been selected to win a layer cake from one of my favorite quilt gurus, Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilts. (Yes, she IS one of my favorites; even before this haul came in today's mail!!)

So today, I go to the post office (a whole different story: our mailbox was the casualty of an over-eager snowplow about 3 weeks ago) and I am not surprised to have a box handed to me. But I am surprised at how heavy it is - just how much does a layer cake weigh, anyway???

Well, goodness gracious, look at what all was in the box!

I'm just blown away at Carrie's generosity! According to the PO weight label, I got 8 lbs. of goodies!! Not one layer cake, but 2! Three charm packs, 2 Schnibbles, and a couple of Easter surprises - a bag of jelly beans and a really cool nesting egg; just wait till you see this:

Four eggs in graduated sizes, each fitted into the next larger one, beautifully painted.  Here they are opened up:

Carrie's generosity knows no bounds, I do believe. Look at all the quilting goodies!

And if all that weren't enough, look at this:

A honking-big bag of jelly beans, and the sweetest note from Carrie and Rosie. I am just beyond thrilled! Even the notecard is special. I don't know how Carrie knew that I am absolutely in love with Italy, but she did! Here's the front of her card:

What fun! I must get busy on some more Schnibbles! Maybe I will get Roundabout made for this month's parade!

Special note to Carrie: one of the Schnibbles you sent was Tagalong. Cool coincidence. I made the bed-size version, Tag Sale, about 5 years ago, and hand-quilted it!! It was a delight to make, and one of my favorites of all time! Thank you so, so much for the fun box of goodies!!