Day 4 - S is for Stitch Book Tour

Amy of nanaCompany is ... hmmm ... how could I possibly describe her?  Well, for starters, she's my dear friend.  I think that's my favorite thing about her. ;) 

But she also writes the most beautiful blog.  Her creations and posts are pure delight.  I couldn't have been more excited when she agreed to participate in this tour for S is for Stitch ... 'cause in my opinion that girl doesn't make stitches with a needle & thread, she makes nothing short of magic.

Day 3 - S is for Stitch Book Tour

Amanda Jean - of Crazy Mom Quilts fame - has a few things to say about S is for Stitch.  You have GOT to see how she's incorporated a cute little song from what just so happens to be my favorite sitcom into a work of embroidery with a design from my book!  Stroke.of.genius LOL!

AND she's got her kids stitching from the book too?  There are no words for me ... just the biggest possible grin.

 

I've been a huge Amanda Jean fan since ... forever, it seems ... and I'm constantly inspired by her talent.  If you don't know Amanda Jean, you're in for a treat. :)

Day 2 - S is for Stitch Book Tour

My cute friend Allison of the equally cute blog Cluck Cluck Sew is up today.  Pop over and say hi ... and remember to enter her giveaway for a copy of my book ...

Day 1 - S is for Stitch Book Tour

Hey y'all!  Hop on over to the Stash Books blog, written by my friend Allison.  She's got a few things to share with you about my book ... and you can enter her giveaway for a copy of S is for Stitch!

S is for Stitch - A Book Tour

Hello Everyone!  Tomorrow is the start of a very fun two weeks for me ... and hopefully you too.  I have somehow managed to sweet-talk, beg, bribe round up a handful of my all-time favorite blogger friends to share their thoughts about my book "S is for Stitch".

I've been a huge fan of these gals - some even before I started my own blog - and they make for a very talented and creative crew.  I'm dying to see what they all have up their sleeves.  I already know what a few of them are doing and I can hardly stand the waiting! 

Here's the amazing lineup:

Allison Rosen @ stashbooksblog.com - March 19
Allison Harris @ cluckclucksew.com - March 20
Amanda Jean Nyberg @ crazymomquilts.blogspot.ca - March 21
Amy Sinibaldi @ nanacompany.typepad.com - March 22
Anne Sutton @ bunnyhillblog.com - March 25
Lori Holt @ beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.ca - March 26
Sherri McConnell @ aquiltinglife.com - March 27
Me! @ prettybyhand.com - March 28

At each of these blogs you can enter a giveaway for a copy of my book - 8 chances in all!  The giveaways close on Thursday, April 4th and the winners will be announced shortly after.

Good luck everyone!  And enjoy. 

If Life Gives You Lemons ...

or in this case, one block shy of a bonus row for a quilt

make lemonade

or in this case, an embroidered signature block!

I'm supposed to be doing this anyways, thanks to Hester's inspiration on this antique beauty I saw at Quilt Market last year.

Hope life doesn't serve you any lemons this weekend.  But if it does, just remember that lemonade is ... well, it's delicious.

Cheers!

Hedgehog Pouch ... Also Known as the Birthday Gift That Took Forever to Make

At long last I can show you what I turned this pattern into ...

Cute, eh?  (If I do say so myself.)

My now 10 year old certainly thinks so ... especially because I used her favorite colours and fabrics.

And I couldn't be happier about that.

Now she has (another) little pouch to store all her ... stuff.

Hey Natalie, my cute little Aussie friend, thanks for designing such a sweet little stitchery!

Plan B - Ticker Tape

Remember these placemats I made for Valentine's Day? 

And my daughters liked them so much they wanted to use them as wall hangings instead of placemats?

Well, I guess I was so keen on the idea of having nice new placemats, I went and made another batch.

The plan was to make them "less nice" so we wouldn't be as worried about wrecking them with spaghetti stains and such.

So no embroidery this time.  And I used this cute "ticker tape" method of patchwork where you apply fusible web to the back of fabric scraps, trim them to size, press them in place ... very much a make.it.up.as.you.go.along sort of thing.

And then you secure all the bits in place with your choice of machine applique stitch. 

I used this small zigzag stitch for a "Made in China" look in an effort to make them "less nice" ... I don't think it worked 'cause I actually like these ones more than the originals!

Clearly I have a thing for monograms ...

And I finished them off with ricrac and a little lace tab.

My husband is so thrilled to finally - after all these years of being married to a pink-loving quilter - have his very own pink, patchwork, monogrammed, laced & ricraced placemat.

What a lucky guy!  LOL!

Getting Somewhere

For my Strawberry Fields fabric project, I now have a very satisfying pile of these ...

I'm sorry, did I say "very satisfying" pile?

I meant the "most completely, utterly and devastatingly satisfying ever" pile of 180 blocks ...

or 540 geese.  Whew!

If you need to find me this weekend, I'll be chasing these geese around the dining room floor, trying to put them in some kind of order. 

Did You Hear?

... about Fat Quarter Shop's new Designer Mystery Block of the Month project?

I did it in 2011. 

In fact, you know the project I've been working on these past several days?  I'm using my leftovers from that MBOM quilt.

If you like getting a little package of fabric and a great pattern once a month in your mailbox, this is definitely something you should consider.  I know there were a few months when I was already cutting my new block before the mailman got to the other side of the street! 

The project for 2013 also happens to use Fig Tree Quilt's "Avalon" fabric collection - everything you'd expect from Joanna Figueroa but with a surprise pop of navy. 

I just heard space is selling out quickly.  You can read more about it here and here.  Or go here to sign up.

Now I can cross off "be of service to my quilting friends" from my to-list today. ;)

Strawberry Fields Project

I started with this ...

which turned into this ...

which became a VERY large flock of these ...

You may already know where this is going ... it's a pattern from one of my most favoritest quilter people.  She really is all that and then some. :)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Bunny

This is our backyard as seen from the kitchen window yesterday around noon.  Can you see the bunny?

How about now? 

We first spotted him at breakfast around 9:30 when there was no accumulated snow on the chairs or table.  You could see almost all of his little body then.

Still can't see him?

Here he is, under the chair ...

His little breath kept the snow melted on the seat above him.

We were checking up on him all day.  Every once in a while someone in the kitchen would call out, "He's still there!"  (Usually me.)  Sometimes we'd all watch him, wondering if he'd succumbed to the elements.  But then we'd see him fluff, shake off the snow and resettle ... and we'd breathe a collective sigh of relief. 

The kids stayed out of the backyard so he wouldn't be scared away.

Around 6:00 he finally dug himself out from under the chair,

and then like Peter Rabbit, squeezed under the gate.

He didn't lose any brass buttons. 

But we really enjoyed his quiet little company all day.

And I never once considered putting him in a pie.

Weekend Warrior

It is my plan to turn this little bundle of fabric - "Strawberry Fields" by Moda - into something really pretty by Monday.

Or at least get started.

What are you planning?

Happy weekend!

All Kinds of Crazy

You know I wrote an embroidery book called S is for Stitch, right?  I may have mentioned it once or twice. ;)  Well, today I want to share with you a little story about one of the photos in my book that has to do with my very awesome and talented friend. 

Here on page 36 is this really pretty picture of these adorable pintoppers in a cute little pincushion.  (And those now discontinued floss cards I mentioned last week ... please ignore those.)

My good friend - Annie of Pinks & Needles - made them specially for my book. 

You guys, these things are TINY!

You may remember me gushing about Annie & her amazing talent making the diminutive, sweet pintoppers.

She designed the blue rose to go with the fabric I sent her for the pincushion and the nest with 3 eggs to go with one of my embroidery designs. 

Actually, the inspiration for my "N is for Nest" design was this pin-topper I bought for my mom a few years ago when I first started obsessing about collecting them.  True story.

I gave Annie samples of all the embroidery floss colors I used in the book and she customized the colors of the pins to match.  How super cool is that?

She even embroidered a little yellow flower for the button in the middle of the cushion.  (Seriously - that girl is crazy talented!)

I found Pinks and Needles over at Etsy about 4 years ago.  I started collecting her pins and have given many away as gifts.  I still have to pinch myself when I think she and I are friends - and that her beautiful art is now eye-candy in my book.

Seeing her pintoppers in my book - and seeing them right here beside my keyboard on my desk every day - well that is just all kinds of crazy for me. 

So now you know the story behind Page 36.  Thank you my dear sweet Annie!  Love you lots.

Progress ... And a Time Warp

Oy, this little thing is taking me forever!

Started stitching it in October.

Finished the embroidery in January.

And now I finally figured out what to turn it into.

(Hand quilted the embroidery side, but went for the much faster machine quilting on the other side.)

It's for a little someone special here in my house.

She has a birthday coming up.

A big one.

Double digits.

She can hardly wait.

I'm hyperventilating.

Where - exactly - did the last 10 years go? 

I checked my pockets.  They're not in there. 

I could have sworn it was just a few weeks ago she looked like this ...

It Snowed In My House

Of course, that's what happens when you don't have a roof ...

or walls ... or even floors ...

or much of anything really ... except a foundation.

But framing has started.  I think those wood things there are the floor joists.  But I don't know for sure.  I could be totally wrong. That might not even be wood, for all I know.

Which is why my job is to take pictures. 

And nothing else.

Except wait patiently until someone tells me it's time to choose paint colors and kitchen tiles.

Those Cards I Use For My Embroidery Floss ...

Oh dear.  I'm a very sorry person.

Here's the thing.  I have a TON of DMC embroidery floss.  I've been using it for decades.  I keep them all stored on these little white cards in these nifty little cases - all in numerical order. 

Super practical and easy to use whether I'm following someone else's pattern or designing my own.  I love DMC floss.  It works great, it's easy to find and it comes in a TON of colors.

However.

I'm also a huge fan of Lecien fabric and their COSMO embroidery floss.  When I was writing my book it was very easy and convenient to match the COSMO floss colors exactly to the Lecien fabrics I used. 

(I made a point of referencing both brands in my book.)

So I got some of these pretty little embroidery floss cards - designed by Lecien - to use as props in the book and a few made the cover. :)

Now, as a blogger I try to make my photos more interesting & pretty by adding little props and things. 

And because I've been doing a lot of embroidery lately these COSMO cards have ended up in several recent photos.

It seems I'm not the only one who really likes them because I've been getting asked a lot about where to get them. 

Here's where the sorry part comes in.  Sadly, these little cards were discontinued a few months ago and are almost impossible to find now.

I know.

I'm really sorry.

However, I recently got myself a whole bunch of these instead ...

Same design & quality, but they hold THREE skeins instead of one.

I love them.

They look so pretty with the color families in graduated shades.

And they're really handy when I'm searching for that exact right color.

Anyhow, Lecien also makes these ...

And these ...

I got a few of each just because they're pretty. 

But I'm using these to organize & store all my COSMO floss.

I did a quick search online and found a few here and here.  They are also listed here, but show as sold out.  Maybe if enough people ask they will order more.

Otherwise, beg your local shop owners to carry them?  I know they are available to retailers through both EE Schenck and Checker distributors.

UPDATE:  Also available at THIS ETSY SHOP!

Better Late Than Never

So remember the scrumptious PamKittyLove fabric I got from Santa? 

Well I took a deep breath, pulled the FQ bundle off the shelf, rounded up some embroidery floss & ric rac ...

tossed in a few other prints from my stash,

and made some long overdue Valentine placemats for my 2 girls.  (The last ones I made are about 6 years old and have seen better days.)

Oh my daughters are so patient.  They've become accustomed to their mother's secret-last-minute-cram-sewing-holiday-stuff routine.

I finished the placemats late in the evening on Valentine's - past bedtime - so I laid them on the kitchen table where they would surely be found the next morning.

I had so much fun with this project.  It was like making a puzzle without the lid - no idea what it was going to look like when it was all done.  I loved doing puzzles as a kid.  And playing around with fabric like this is one of my all-time favorite things to do.

I started by cutting a 5"x6" piece from each fabric.  I know that seems like an odd size.  But 4x6 didn't seem quite big enough.  And 6x6 ... well that was just waaaaaay way way too much to sacrifice. 

Don't ask me to explain.  There's no rationalizing the irrational. 

Then I spread the pieces out and waited for them to start talking to me.  (I know ... more wingnuttiness ... but that's the way it goes around here.)

Then I got this overwhelming urge to fussy cut ...

A lot!

See?

Could.not.stop.

Then I started joining pieces together, making bigger panels and sections.

There are over 40 pieces of fabric in each 10" x 14" mat.

I do the "same-but-different" thing when I make gifts for my girls and wanted the mats to have different colored ric-rac trim. 

But I also like the idea of incorporating something from each girl's thing into their sister's thing ... in this case, it's the ric-rac.

Of course I had to embroider their initials ...

And as if the fabric didn't have enough hearts already ...

You know, I've made lots of placemats, but they always end up getting stained and faded and ruined - which makes me not want to make more ... 'cause they get wrecked.

But I was in the mood to make something pretty for my girls and was totally inspired by the fabric.  So I decided to heck with it - I was going to use my newest, prettiest, PamKittyLoveliest fabric to make something nice for my family to enjoy.  Never mind if they don't last.

Well, excuse me while I take a moment to wipe a tear of joy that has just formed in my eye.  My sweet little apples?  They did not fall far from the tree.  They've already asked if they could please save their placemats to hang on the wall in their new bedrooms (we're building a house ... I promise an update on that soon).  If I'd known they were gonna do that I'd have thrown in some lace trim too! 

What's even funnier is when I show my husband a "miniature quilt", he just nods and says, "Nice placemat". 

Now I need to decide if I'm going to make more placemats ... that aren't quite as nice ... so we can all enjoy them on the table!  LOL!

Life is good. :)

"Check, check, 1-2 ... you want me to talk now?"

Last month, the sweet & lovely Pat Sloan invited me to have a little chit chat on her radio show.  She recorded our conversation and that interview airs today.  I haven't heard it yet so I'm not exactly sure if I should warn you about anything.  I most likely said something silly or inappropriate - on account of a severe case of foot-in-mouth I've suffered from all my life - so I'll issue a blanket apology now.  Just in case.

Click here to tune in for the live airing of the pre-recording. 

?

It's at 4 pm EST.  If you miss it today, Pat keeps all her interviews archived so you can look it up whenever you want. 

She always has lots of interesting guests - like today you can also hear Amy, Allison and the editors of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine.  So if you've never checked out her radio show, do yourself a favor and go listen to some of her interviews.  I'm sure you'll find guests you know & like.  I love listening to my favorite quilters and I always learn new and interesting things from her show.

(I know I told Pat that I was "coming up" on my 2 year anniversary as a blogger, but that's because it was January.)

                    *                    *                    *                    *

And by the way, all your generous comments last week about how young I look?  Keep 'em coming!  LOL! 

Truth is I've always looked a lot younger than my real age.  In high school I was often mistaken for my brother's younger sister, depite being 3 years older.   People accused my husband of marrying "jail bait" ... and I was 28 when we got married!  Plus I'm older than him too.  The last time I was asked for identification was in a restaurant on our 15th wedding anniversary.   And I didn't have my wallet.  I thought I was long past needing it, especially since I didn't have to drive OR pay.  The waitress actually sent the manager over to decide if I looked legal.  

Then there's the whole "I live in Canada and therefore suffer from a Vitamin D deficiency because my skin is rarely exposed to direct sunlight" thing.

I wasn't kidding about photoshop either, people.

And I promise you if it weren't for a flat iron & hair color I'd look homeless.

Anyhow, enough "confessions of a blogger".  I'm much more comfortable here in the shadows of the internet ... behind the camera and the keyboard ... and now the microphone. 

"This Hurts Me More Than It Hurts You"

Let me start by apologizing for this post.  I wrote it several months ago, but it's taken me this long to gather the courage to publish it.  I promise you I'm not narcissistic as one might think with this seemingly self-indulgent stream of pictures.  But I'm often curious about the face behind a name and I thought you might be a little curious about what I look like.  On a good day.  Sort of. 

So as painful as this is for me, here's a "behind the scenes" look at a photo shoot I subjected myself to last May ...

                                   *               *               *

I know I'm not alone when I say I don't particularly like having my picture taken.  But when you're foolish enough to write a book and the publisher REQUIRES a mug shot ... AND it's gonna be seen by at least a few strangers around the world ... well ... ya kinda wanna look your best, right?

For me, that meant coloring my hair a few days earlier.  And then having my first haircut in ... too many months.

(Not bad, but too windy)

I know you can't really tell here, but I actually put makeup on.  I went all out with concealer, eyeliner, mascara AND lipstick.  Yeah, I really spackled it on.  Most days it's just chapstick.  Or lipgloss.  If I'm lucky.

Then I dug out my nicest pink outfit (more of a lavender pink) - a twin set from my sister.

(I think a bird just landed on a branch above me and I was hoping it wasn't going to poop on my head.)

I wanted a pretty nature background, but trees blossom for all of 48 hours here so if you blink you miss them.  In fact, a wicked storm stripped this poor tree bare the very next day.

(Trying the other side)

A good friend of mine took these pictures.  (Thanks Maggie!)  As you can see, I was having a hard time taking this whole thing seriously.  But these few shots ... out of almost 200 ... (told ya she's a good friend!) ... are ones where I look ridiculous on purpose ... as opposed to the other 190 ... where I look ridiculous without even trying.  Clearly I won't be appearing on America's Next Top Model any time soon.

(Back to my left - apparently it's my better side.)

When my 9 year old came in the room as I was writing this post, she exclaimed how beautiful I looked.  (Love her.)   And then - as children are apt to do - honestly clarified that I NEVER look like this in real life.  (Still love her.)

She's quite right.  It's amazing what good light, a studied angle, a talented photographer and the miracle of photoshop can do for a girl.

Seriously.

(I was insisting that I was NOT old enough to be Channing Tatum's mother, but only just barely.)

Anyhow, here I am ...

... on the "About the Author" page of my book. 

So that's me.  Wife, mother, crafter, blogger, occasional bad parent ... and most recently new author.

                                 *               *               *

Okay, that was one Bandaid ripped off.  Now that you know what I look like, tune in Monday ... I'll tell you how to find out what I sound like ... yet another Bandaid for me.

Happy weekend, everyone!