giveaway

I know it's been forever since I've posted, but I'm hoping to remedy that in the coming weeks.  In the meantime, I've updated my blog template (and lost my widgets in the process), and also wanted to let you know about a giveaway I'm doing. 

I first found Little Birdie Secrets when I was searching flickr and google for some bunting pictures, since I'm making some for a friend.  I'm completely obsessed with it lately, ever since my friend Erin made some for her family's celebrations as well as gifts for family/friends.

In the process, and I'm not really sure where or how, I came across this adorable quilt:

You can read all about it here.  Isn't it awesome?  I definitely have this on my "must-do" list now. 

She's currently hosting a giveaway for Noah and Lilah over there, so head on over to check it out.  Ends tomorrow night!  I can't seem to link to that specific post, but scroll down a few days and you'll find it on the main page.  Good luck!

Has it really been almost two months?  I guess so!

I'm destashing again!  I have bolts of Echino & Kokka (including Heather Ross) and I'm trying to cut down on my shop fabric so I'll have more time for quilting after the holidays.  Check it out here!

Peace Light Love - fabric destash

For those of you that follow me on facebook, you already know about my new shop, Peace Light Love, where I'll be selling fabric, DIY kits and patterns, but I'm also coming to terms with the fact that I have wayyyyyyy too much fabric, and I really need to destash.  So, I'm getting rid of some things.  And hint, hint...some of it is out of print and hard to find (especially the precuts!). 

Check it out here. 

shade garden quilt

So, yeah.  I've been making stuff (I swear!!!).  In fact this quilt has been done (and living with it's new owner) for months but I'm just getting around to posting about it now. 

This quilt was made for a wonderful friend's new baby boy, "D".  A total cutie.  And lucky younger brother to big sister "G".  Also a total cutie. 

For this quilt I used Michelle Engel Bencsko's line she designed for Henry Glass Fabrics, Shade Garden.  I actually acquired these fabrics by purchasing a fat quarter bundle that she donated to crafthope during the crafthope for haiti drive (which I also donated to).  There are a few sellers that have her fabrics on etsy, but she also has her own shop, cicadastudio, which carries the same fat quarter bundles.  I see she's on vacation now, but should be open soon.

I love these fabrics.  Sweet little flowers, sprouts and trees, and my favorites, the snails and mushrooms.  I chose more of the boy-ish colors and cut them all into 9" squares.  The back is a print used in the front and I quilted it with double squares.  I made a square block 1/4" in from the seams, and then another one a couple inches in from that. 

I love how it turned out - very simple and clean - but I do wish the quilting would have shown up better.  It was the first time I strayed from my cream colored quilting thread and went with something a bit more coordinating, so perhaps that was it.  It was fun to make though and I hope D loves it!

april blocks

It's about time I actually do some crafting posts around here, eh?  Not just "I don't seem to have time for crafting" posts.  Because I do have some time (just not "being able to sew 3 dresses a day time!)...and here's what I've been up to. 

I thought for sure I had posted my April bee blocks already, but alas, there the post was...sitting in my unpublished posts.  Oh well...better late than never!

First up is my block for Greta of the Modern Tradition Quilt Bee.  I LOVE love love this block.  Love it.  Here is her inspiration quilt and that totally sold me when I saw it.  So I'll totally admit to cutting extra 3 1/2" squares for my own (someday....). 

Next up is Tracy of Nittany Block Party.  She basically wanted total improv blocks (basically, as long as we used the fabric she provided we could make whatever we wanted).  Since I had just done my zig zag quilt and was totally on a half-square triangle kick, I went for two blocks utilizing those. 

I'd love to do a whole quilt out of half square triangles like this someday. 

Finally, a paper-pieced Tea Leaf block for Margaret of the Bee's Knees Bee.  Normally this block is appliqued, but since many of us had never done curved blocks before she created a paper-pieced version for us to follow. 

I'll admit...I struggled with this one.  The paper piecing part is easy.  I actually really enjoyed it.  My problem was more with the fabric.  I changed my needle, made sure my machine was working right...but I struggled with those batiks something awful.  I had trouble in places where many seams joined, and also had trouble doing the stay-stitching at the end.  Blech.  I just hope they turned out okay!

I still have more to show you all!  May blocks...and two quilts I've done that I have yet to post here.  I'm really falling behind!

300 sales (and another change!)

(A word of warning....this is long.  I wanted to write something short and sweet about the changes and well....all this stuff just started flowing out!  So if you do read it all, thanks in advance.)

Today I officially hit 300 sales..wow!  It seemed fitting that on this day, I'd also go ahead and announce a change coming to the shop.  Actually, I've already started making the changes, and more will be made over the next few days. 

I've loved having this shop.  For more than a few reasons.  I really have found a passion with sewing that I haven't had before.  Sure, there are other creative outlets that I enjoy and have done well with, such as home remodeling (maybe some day I'll actually get around to sharing some of those photos!) and gardening, but nothing quite like the sewing.  Maybe part of it was how quickly it all came about....  I signed up for one sewing lesson, and within days bought my first machine.  I bought some patterns, and set out to start sewing my own things that I had never made before.  I took one more class, and I was utterly hooked.  The serger purchase soon followed.  And literally, less than three months later, Noah and Lilah was born.  And Lilah was born, literally, smack in the middle of all this.  It's been fun, exciting, and a total whirlwind to say the least.  The extra money is nice as well.  We could really use it right now.  We're doing some things with our finances and the extra money is a nice thing to have (and would actually be a key to success)...but of course that means I should also pare down on my fabric purchases, ahem.

But time......ahhhh.  What is that?  I think in the beginning it was so easy to get things done because I had a newborn who slept like a dream (or at least for some reasonably long stretches) where late at night I'd sew and sew and sew.  But that got old, quick.  I was tired.  And I was crabby.  So then I started sleeping again (phew!) and sewing nights and weekends.  But then I was just missing my family. 

Let's face it....I had turned my passion for sewing into a "job".  Which is fine and dandy, if you have that one thing I lacked...time.  I would often wonder how so many other etsians kept up....were they working late nights and weekends like myself?  Were they missing out on quality time with there family just as I was?  And so many other things fell by the wayside during this time....we have rentals I have to keep the books for, a house to keep clean, kids to dress, keep clean, and most importantly, love on, have fun with and just ENJOY.  Enjoy this very short time in their lives which are so fleeting and I'll wish I could have all over again a short time from now, I'm sure.  I'm lucky to be at home with them.  Extremely.  There is honestly no where else in the world I'd rather be right now.  We gave up a lot, financially, for me to be home with them.  But it's been totally worth it and I'd do it over if I could. 

Long story short - as much as I'd love to keep going on the customs, I just can't.  At least not at the pace I had been.  As some of you know, I've been selling fabric for a time now, and that has been going really well.  But I've also decided to start selling some of my fabric as DIY kits, perfect for beginning sewists or anyone who'd like to just buy a small amount of fabric for that one project and nothing more!  I'd really love everyone who has ever said "Oh, I wish I could sew!  That's so cute!" to actually try one of my kits and realize just how easy it is. 

So, there it is!  I've started rolling some of the DIY kits into the shop and will continue to add more as time allows.  Which with this busy family, could be anytime! 

And with that, I'm off to tball!  ;-)

scrap winner!

I used random.org and it chose:

Congrats Tanya!  I'll shoot you an email soon.  I have company this weekend, so it might not be until tomorrow, but I will be in touch!

scraptastic!

100 posts!  I feel like I go through such stages of post, post, post and then you don't hear from me for a bit, that it's hard to believe this is my 100th post.  But it is!  Just to make things a little more fun, I thought I'd do a giveaway.  You see.....I have a bit of a scrap problem...

I seriously need to pare down my scraps.  So, I'm giving away a scrap bag - the equivalent of 2 yards by weight of scraps.  They'll be my pick, but I'm game for various colors or pieces if I have them.  You can see there are some unicorns (and even some sleeping beauty!) in there, but that's about my extent of purple.  Maybe you want a rainbow of colors to make a rainbow zig zag quilt?   Or maybe there are some mermaids you have your eye on? 

You can enter three ways: 

1. Leave a comment in this post.  No need to be a follower (though I do appreciate it!)
2. Share on Facebook using the @NoahandLilah so I can see it on my page! (leave a separate comment)
3. Blog about it - leave a link to your blog so I can see it as well (leave as a separate comment)

That's it.  Have fun!

ETA:  Oh - and I'll leave this open til noon on Friday.  I'll announce a winner shortly thereafter.  Thanks!

Comments closed.  I'll announce a winner shortly!

fabric!!!

So while I'm taking a small break from custom orders, I'm also realizing that I have more fabric than I know what to do with.  So, I've decided to sell some of it to make some room. Most of what I have listed now is Heather Ross (including a few hard-to-finds like Sleeping Beauty in Plum or the Purple Unicorns that are now out of print).  Get it while it lasts!

red, white and {aqua}

I have a little red, white, and blue aqua of my own this 4th of July!

I've been receiving some of my June blocks for the Modern Tradition bee.  Aren't they beautiful? 

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and safe 4th of July!

:: this moment ::

:: this moment :: - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, join in over at SouleMama.

back in the saddle

So what does a girl who admits to being a little "burned out" on sewing do bright and early on the morning after her first craft show?

More sewing of course!  For my lil' guy this time. 

4 new pairs of shorts/pjs/loungers!  They work for it all, really.  All made with fabric that I've had sitting around (and even one I bought especially for him - love those swirlies!).  (And man...can you tell I'm a genius with the camera or what?  Yeah, I know - I need some white balance lessons....).

Gonna be a BUSY couple of weeks around here.  I have quilting bees to catch up on.  Birthday bunting to make.  A couple (or more!) of quilts to finish.  And a handmade doll to boot.  One just like this little girl....

Eeek!  Wish me luck!

changes are a comin'

I've been crafting...in quite a few ways lately!  But I seem to have no time for blogging.  That and it started to feel a bit like a chore....which is always a sign to back off. So I did!  ;-)

The other thing that is beginning to feel like a chore somewhat is the shop, to be quite honest. I love it, I truly do....but with summer and sun and warm weather and strawberry picking and the pool open and bike riding and ....you get the idea. I'm starting to feel burnt out on it. I want to craft, but I don't want to do it because I have to. Or at least not this time of year. Maybe in the winter when it's cold and snowy and we're holed up indoors. But not now. I just feel like I spend time working on orders and then I don't spend time working on the things I really want to work on. Like baby and birthday quilts (the number of quilt ideas I have in my head right now is scary). I want to make Noah shorts and have time to do it...not put it aside for another day because I have other orders to fill, know what I mean?

So I've decided to make a change, at least temporarily.  I'm closing the shop to custom orders.  I'll leave it open for now in case there  is something someone has really been wanting to order, but then I'm closing it up for a craft show I have this weekend, and when I open it again on Sunday, I'll only have ready to ship items in there.  I will still be selling, but I'll be listing things only after I've made them (when the mood strikes me!). 

And I'm hoping that doing this also means I'll be here more often.  When blogging isn't about "getting my name out there" for the shop, but more about the art of crafting...the process...and why I do it. 

I only learned to sew last May (I bet some of you didn't know that!), and I truly feel that I was meant to do it.  I am mostly self-taught (especially in the quilting department), and it brings me joy and satisfaction in a way I haven't experienced often.  I love quilting, and feel that is where I am the most creative.  I have so many ideas but I just seem to have no time to bring them to fruition.  I'm hoping this changes that!  ;-)

zig zag baby - blogger's quilt festival

This was not the quilt I hoped to be showing you today, but it's a quilt I love nonetheless! This is a quilt which I recently did for a friend of mine who had her seventh baby. This friend also happens to be my midwife's assistant, and was present at Lilah's homebirth. It was inspired by this quilt that Alison made of Cluck Cluck Sew.

She had no idea what she was having so I waited to start it until I knew what she had. I happen to be part of a great group here in town (but chapters are available nationwide) of Holistic Moms Network. Each time a new mama has a baby, we take turns making dinners for about 10 meals or so and spread it out over the first few weeks. I purposely asked to have the last possible meal so I could get this quilt done as well!

I cut all the squares the weekend before and then spent a few nights making the half square triangles. Then (and this is one of the reasons I love this quilt!) I put the entire thing together in a few hours on a Sunday (the day before I delivered it of course). I will admit to cheating a little....I machine stitched the entire binding. I normally will machine stitch to the front and then hand stitch to the back, but at this point, exhaustion from too many other things (craft hope bean bags, numerous shop orders, also trying to create inventory for a craft show I'm doing next month) led me to go this route.

This might seriously have become my go-to baby quilt!

I backed it with a boyish print (Alexander Henry's 2D Zoo in pool) all in one piece (again...exhaustion!).

Now, because I just have to...here's the quilt I was really hoping would be done for the quilt show. I am hoping to finish it in the next week and a half or so...or at least before the craft show as I'm hoping to display it and a few other quilts there!

But while you're at it, look at the quilt that Carla made using this same block, and even this one on flickr! So gorgeous! (and make me want to finish my quilt even more quickly now!)

craft hope

These are the bean bags I completed for craft hope and their Liberia Orphan Education Project.

March blocks in May

 Yep...no better way to remind myself just how "on-top" of the blog I've been than to post blocks I've done 2 months later (not unlike my February blocks in April post).

First up are Debbie's house blocks for the Bee's Knees Bee.  These were a super fast, super fun take on "house" blocks that I've seen all over flickr.  Of course, I could use some help on making sure my fabric lines up in the same direction (eek!).

Lesly's blocks for the Modern Tradition Quilt Bee were called Granny's Flower Garden.  I loved making these.  The colors she chose were so spring-y and beautiful, and the essex linen background fabric was just lovely.  I can imagine the gorgeous quilt these will make!

And finally, Carla had us do some wonky log cabin blocks for the Nittany Block Party Bee with Nicey Jane fabrics.  I love these fabrics...I have the entire Nicey Jane line and haven't yet cut into it.  I could easily see myself making one of these for myself.  I've never been the hugest fan of log cabins, but I do love the wonkiness of this one and I think I see a wonky log cabin quilt in my future!

babies and butterflies and bean bags, oh my!

Babies...as in  mine wearing his....

 and the other one now walking!!!

 Butterflies...both worn and held.

 And bean bags. 

  These are a project I signed up for with craft hope.  I said last year that I really wanted to get involved in some craftivism this year, and I certainly am.  I donated items to Craft Hope for Haiti earlier this year, I'm now particpating in this project, and I have another (unrelated to craft hope) coming soon. 

The bean bags are due Friday, and I just started today. Which means I'm a little behind the eight-ball, but I must admit is typical. What can I say...I work well under pressure!

Far Far Away 2!!

I couldn't reveal pics of the fabrics I ordered before, but now am able. Here you go!

Of course I would have loved to simply get the entire line, but only chose a few for the shop. For anyone interested in the full line, I know sewdeerlyloved will be carrying all of it when it comes in.

What do you think? Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel are cute, but the Owl and the Pussycat are by far my favorites! ;-)

fat quarterly

The farmer people.....yeah.  Don't mind that post.  It was meant for my family blog, but I can't delete it from the reader. Anyhoo....

Did you see that the very first issue of Fat Quarterly is now available for purchase?  Packed with six patterns, designer interviews and more.  Check out their blog to see all of the amazing photos of the items featured, and click here to purchase for yourself from their shop, or here to purchase a gift for someone else from their etsy shop. 

I'll be back soon...so much to talk about.  My string-x quilt, online quilty ettiquette, and a new finished quilt.  I've also added some new items to the shop!  Dolly and Me items for your little one and her doll, and Mommy and Me items for you and your little one!

nittany block party quilt top

I unpacked all my quilt blocks from my nittany block party and threw them up on my design wall. I became so giddy with excitement that I just had to snap a picture with my camera phone (of all things) and put it up on flickr.

I'm not sure what "Explore" is, but apparently my (horrible) photo made it there and is racking up views and faves like crazy.  Eeeks!  Why oh why did I have to take such a horrible picture?  Well, it's good motivation to get this baby finished and take a proper picture!  I'm *loving* this so much right now! Can't wait until it's done....but that may be a while.  I have big plans for the back as well, so I have quite a few more blocks to make.

february blocks in april?

Well, not really.  These blocks were made in late February/early March before I left for Vegas.  But just now getting around to posting them.

First up, some flying geese for Claire:

And then some log cabins for Leanne:

In super fab fabric news...I have some Far Far Away Part 2 on order.  YAY!  I'm not allowed to post pics just yet, but can't wait to add fun items to the shop (and of course some quilts) with these awesome fabrics!

hellllloooooooooooooooooooooooo

Is anyone out there? Remember me?

Phew! That was a long break! I was feeling a little burnt out on stuff, and had a crazy March. A trip to Vegas with some of my girlfriends (so not what you're thinking....we also had 11 kids in tow!), a couple of huge wholesale orders, and all the quilts, not to mention personal stuff like taxes and the like....I just needed to take a breather! So I gave myself until the end of March and now we're back to hit it hard!

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post and quilting questions. I think kwiltmakr hit the nail on the head. When I went back to quilt again I tried to ease up on the fabric and as she said, just guide it. No more skipped stitches! I think I was just putting a little too much of myself into it.

I'm hoping to have a few new things to show you soon, including my February bee blocks (can't believe I haven't shown those yet!), March bee blocks and some quilts.

For now, off to enjoy the weather. 70's and sunny here this week....truly amazing weather!

boys boys boys

Only significance of this post name is that the three quilt tops below are all intended for boys.

My latest quilt top, for Noah.


Another quilt top, for a special baby!

And this one isn't actually a quilt for a boy, but the remaining squares I had cut of another quilt-top I'm currently piecing for a boy. As you can see, I've been busy quilting (or more accurately, piecing!).

But now I need some help. I'm currently quilting the 2nd quilt shown above and am having trouble. I have to admit...quilting is by far my least favorite part of making a quilt. I have had problems since day one with every quilt top I've ever done. Some have been easier than others, and some problems have been minor with some being downright disastrous (and therefore quilt tops ripped apart, scrapped or still sitting unfinished...).

The problem I'm encountering now is this....I'm using my walking foot and doing some straight-line quilting. Problem is, I'll be quilting along...and everything is going fine....and then all of a sudden it skips on me. So I'll have stitch stitch stitch and then s t i t c h . One big long stitch. Make sense?

I know it would be SO much easier to show with a picture but I'm currently at my MILs and can't do that easily right now. If anyone has any insight for me I'd greatly appreciate it! I have a new needle in, checked to make sure my bobbin is in right, etc. The quilt is so fab I want to finish it so badly but sometimes you just need to set it aside and walk away...kwim?

Time for a glass of wine. :-)