Blog Hop Party with Give-Aways!

 This giveaway is now closed.
Note: I think this link will take you straight to the list of participating bloggers: http://quiltinggallery.com/quilting-fun/blog-hop-participants-08-2012.asp

My free time this summer has mostly been about my dogs and cats, not much stitching....and very little time posting to my blog. To get back into the swing of things, I thought this Blog Hop might be the inspiration...maybe not, but at least it will be fun :-) Click the Blog Hop button for the link to the list of Blogs posting in the Hop.  I have collected a few patterns that may interest different kinds of quilters so I want to choose 4 bloggers to send a giveaway item.

Hopefully you can see the patterns in the picture here.

For one quilter, there is a pattern of little shirts...folded fabric and appliqued onto a little quilt. Can be done in Hawaiian prints or any style...maybe going back to school shirts :-)

The second quilter will receive the 2 patterns that include the country rabbit and girl doll and the Teddy Bear quilt pattern.

The third option is for the machine quilter to showcase beautiful quilted design on a jacket to wear. It has a simple single pattern piece and actually can be made as a reversible jacket.

The fourth quilter will receive The Backpack it ScreenPlay III. A fun pattern for the school age to carry books or for quilters to carry supplies. I will include some of the buckles used to make the straps adjustable.

So join in the fun Blog Hopping and please leave me a comment telling me which giveaway item you would like. In your comment, I would also love to hear something you love about the area where you live.

I do need to limit this to the continental states and as I'm going to be busy over the next week, I may not be able to reply to comments in a timely fashion but I'm going to enjoy reading what pattern you would like to receive and about the area where you live. So Happy Blog Hopping and Stitching this week everyone. I think the hop goes through September 3rd so I will pick the names and post about it Tuesday September 4th. I will also email the winners so please make sure I have your info to reply to you.

As to my own handwork...I took apart a poorly crocheted afghan (my own!) and re-did it so it is no longer a totally wonky shape, I quilted the little church window table runner but still need to bind it, and I have embroirdered a couple of lobsters on hand towels and am embroirdering another Blackbird Sings....pictures someday. The dogs are beckoning me for more ball throwing!

Shameless Plug

It's time to vote for your favorite quilts in the Pets ON Quilts blog hop and I decided to beg ask for votes :-) My quilt is #26 Dogs on Courthouse Steps.

The linky's have some great pictures of pets and some lovely quilts so even if you don't vote for mine, check the hop out. It's kind of fun!

http://lilypadquilting.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-2012-pets-on-quilts-show-is-here.html

The first link here takes you to the page with the hop links...way at the bottom, past the sponsers giving away gifts...hint
And the link below here is where you can go vote for #26 vote.
Voting  (for #26)is open through Sunday evening.

http://lilypadquilting.blogspot.com/2012/08/its-time-to-vote-pets-on-quilts-2012.html
Have fun :-)

Pets on Quilts

The Pets On Quilts blog hop is starting today! I'm joining in showing a picture of the dog quilt I made for a friend going through cancer treatment...who is now recovering her strength and doing well at it.

I'm showing my sweet felines with it as Mosley doesn't like having his picture taken.

http://lilypadquilting.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-2012-pets-on-quilts-show-is-here.html

Click on the link and read through the list of sponsers down to the lists of Linky photos for the blog hop.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the tour!

an inspiration and a bunch of links

I found some inspiration in posts for the Think Christmas blog hop starting today. Haven't been able to focus much with sewing lately so maybe this will help. (smile)

The first link takes you to the directions for the blog hop and the others link to the placemat and table runner ideas that were inspired by the block designed by Anita Grossman.  Hope these links work! It is a sweet idea for Christmas gifts.

http://lesleythecuddlequilter.blogspot.ca/2012/07/think-christmas-blog-hop-schedule.html

http://threadingmyneedles.blogspot.com/2012/07/its-my-turn_7096.html?showComment=1343672462787#c7708310469363157706

http://quilterinmotion.com/2011/11/21/Promised-Placemats/


http://www.quiltmaker.com/content_downloads/QM_Anita_s-Arrowhead.pdf

Comfort in a Fur Coat

From the same rescue group who gave us Mosley, we have found a new girl to bring into our family. Let me introduce you to Sabra. She just turned four years old and is full of sweet life. Sabra is blending into our family and bringing us great comfort. She looks kind of serious here. I would take another picture but she is busy playing with Mosley and he doesn't want anything to do with a camera.

I have been able to do a little stitching and am working on a gift quilt using my favorite pattern from Back to Charm School. I'm using the leftover charms to make a little version for myself. I love this one block quilt look and thought of making a larger one for a table cloth. Then I started the hand piecing....I don't think I'm crazy  dedicated enough to hand piece anything so big. I'll stick to blocks and small projects for that.

Untitled

Not sure where to start here. June was a good month in many ways but has ended rather sadly. My lab, Sandy, had many good days and walks in the forest but her melanoma came back abruptly last week and we had to say good bye to her. I was very grateful to have these past months with her seeing her enjoy her walks and time with me. I was also grateful that though this return of disease was annoying, she was not in pain. It would have been harder to see her suffer.

The stitching we did this month involved making some table runners for gifts. I can show the pictures now because the birthday girls have now opened their presents. These table runners were from a pattern that was for free and posted, I think, during one of the holiday blog hops a year or two ago. Unfortunately, what I printed out didn't include the designer so I don't know where to give credit for this idea. If anyone recognizes it...please let me know and I'll post it here. It uses fat quarters or yardage and is fast and kind of fun. The quilting is mostly SID and a five point star in the center.
Thanks to Mary, I now have the designer info...head over to Quiltbug at http://www.quiltbug.com/free/table-topper.htm  to see the pattern for the table runner.

I finished the stitching on Blackbird Sings and washed the Transfer Eze off. The stitching looks a little wobbly and loose with the layer of product gone. I should have pulled my stitches tighter and may have to change my feelings about embroidery hoops.  I have since stitched a lobster on a towel...which was on a thin terry cloth towel...using the Transfer Eze and a hoop and the stitches came out nicely. I'll show a picture of that later but the hoop may be the needed change.
I'm machine and hand piecing a little charm quilt that is to be another gift so the picture for that will have to wait as well. The handwork is a helpful distraction here. We are planning to rescue another dog soon to help our hearts  heal. Sandy and Bridget rescued us from loss years ago and another rescue seems like our best idea. Dogs are the best medicine.

giveaway alert

Margaret won the copy of Sonoma Rose that was recently reviewed and given away here. She has enjoyed her read and is now passing it on for someone else to win. Go visit Powers That Bee Quilting to view some of her lovely machine quilting and to enter her giveaway.
I've been working on some gift projects that I can't show till next month and working on some embroidery....more later...:-)