GIVEAWAYS FOR SEWING MONTH

September is National Sewing Month and Sewing.org is having a daily giveaway. All you have to do is answer 3 (or was it 4??) easy-peasy questions and you are automatically entered for every day.  I imagine they will have nice items.  You can do it here
http://www.sewing.org/scripts/blog/ 
Not affiliated in anyway just get their newsletter which is always informative & fun and thought I'd share..
September is also my birthday month (no wonder I love to sew) so I am having a giveaway too.  I will have 3 winners from anyone who leaves a comment with the word BIRTHDAY in it.  Is that cheesy enough? This starts today August 31 and will run till September 21...my big day! Comment as often as you want...each one gets you another entry.  Prizes to be determined but will be NICE!  Stay tuned for revelation as I decide.

Here's some good news:  I recently read that when you think of healthy foods think dark green and orange.  I am so glad Cheetos and dreamsicles made the list!!

Rewards of Teaching

I teach a once a week quilting class at my church.  It has been a little frustrating as the women who have been attending have been rather uncommitted.  They show up sporadically, wander in and out and complain if I tell them what to do.  This all changed this summer.  I had four younger girls who wanted to sew so I told them "sure." As the ladies would show up I would tell them "You can take the summer off if you want." And one by one they did.  The church secretary told me a couple of them were in the office one day and one said something to the effect that she got mad when I told her what to do.  The secretary's 8 year old daughter, who is one that has been sewing this summer, piped up and told the lady "Hey, that is what she's supposed to do, she's the teacher."  I probably sound like an orge but I'm really not. I've been extremely patient for the last six years. Only one of the ladies had ever sewn before but they all acted like they already knew everything.  It's hard to teach someone who already knows everything. I've never seen folks so easily distracted.  Anyway I'm not going into the dynamics of all that comes into play with these ladies. I'll just say this is not the only area in life with which they struggle. 

Ah, but the girls....wow! What success we had this summer.  Each one of these girls finished projects.  They each made several pot holders, learning the process of piecing, designing and putting a "quilt" together on a small project. Learned to iron, too.  We did bunches of crazy patch pin cushions and experimented with the decorative stitches on the new machine. What a great fun day that was. We did more in two monthes than all the "grown-ups" did in six years. What a joy it is to have teachable students.  Alas, school has started and the only student that remains is the above mentioned 8 year old who is home-schooled and is allowed to come to sew if all her school work is up to par.  She loves to sew so it has been a good motivating tool for her school work.   She follows direction and is very correctable. She has finished her first quilt. It took her only two weeks! Here's the picture. Notice how well her seams meet.  She has a good eye for detail and for color. It was so fun to see her pick up the chain of pairs from the back of the machine and have her marvel at how much she had gotten done in a short amount of time.  Delight for her was in every step completed.  Delight for me was hearing her repeat a phrase I use when we were picking fabric for her next quilt... "Let's audition them."  (she already has four projects in mind for the future based on people she loves). She gets the whole premise of quilting on a level I've not seen in many.  She started out wanting to make this for her mother's friend who is expecting a baby.  When she finished it, she held it close and smiled a tiny precious smile. "I might keep it."  Didn't we all have that feeling with our first quilt?  I am blessed.  I am hoping that this child will lead the ladies back in with a bit of an attitude change.

I WON!! WoooooHoooo!

LeighAnn over at http://www.spincushion.com/2010/08/sewing-calendar-winner.html had a drawing for a sewing calandar that she is featured in and I WON!!!!  You really should check out her blog.  She has some really good projects and is always a fun read. Can't wait to get my calandar.  Doing a happy dance...singing a happy song. Lalalalala!!!!

Show and Tell

I found the picture option.  Somtimes I am a little dense...just a little, not much and only sometimes. These placemats were fun to make. I sandwiched them and turned them rather than binding them. (I need to really practise binding because I get so frustrated with it. I probably could have put a little more quilting on them, too. I call them Lavendar Lemonade. The were a gift for my daughter-in-law who loves all things sunshiny. I borrowed the flip-flop idea from a quilt in the Fons and Porter magazine a couple years back.  I think I'll make some more things with them.  They are quick!

These (there are 2 of them) I made for a friend who loves music.  She has a beautiful singing voice.  I only have seen them once on her table right after I gave them to her and wonder if she ever uses them.  I hope so.  She has a small table for two in her kitchen and that is where I saw them the first time.  I called these Walking a Musical Path

                                                                                  Soar Like an Eagle is a table runner I made and sold on eBay. It was one of the first things I machine quilted. It's just a large meandering stitch.  I'll get better at it. It also should have had a border.  But it sold for a fair price so guess it is alright.  I have another one similar in process and I will put a border on it.  You can click on any of the pictures for a closer look. I reckon that's enough show and tell for now...for now.

Changed My Design

I couldn't look at that sunrise any more so changed my design. I found a visit counter...you may have noticed it a coupla posts back. Does anyone now how to get it from the post to the gadget area? My learning curve took a dip on this counter thing. LOL. Now I don't have an add picture on my posting page toolbar. Grrrr!

This Is So Fun To Read

I have to share this blog. It is such a fun quick read every day. Check it out. http://sailorhere.blogspot.com

COUNTER

free web hit counter

Never Done This Before

I just made my first fabric postcard! I've been thinnking about it but almost got forced into it. I'd also been thinking about trying some sun dyeing fabric. I love white T-shirts. I've practically lived in them this summer. I also enjoy eating. It seems I'm all over the place with this but hang in there with me, it will come together soon. See, I slopped something down the front of my new white T-shirt. It didn't come out...even my trusted Shout didn't do the job. Might be I forgot to treat it till I had already washed and dried it once, then tried the Shout. Siiiigggghhhh! Ok so I think I can cover that stain up with a Sun Dye try. Got nothing to lose. I have lots of paint that claims to be transparent and the procedure calls for transparent so I followed the directions--plastic and cardboard between the front and back and painted the damp shirt with a nice color called Clove. Looked nice. I liked it as I pressed the leaves and the flower cut outs into the wet paint. Set it on patio chair in direct sun. Checked it eagerly and finally realized that this particular paint wasn't right. Check that one off the list of possibilities. Ok so now I have a T-shirt painted with a nice front of this pretty clove color with some white barely peaking through. And after washing it, it is a little more sustantial than it was before...alright, alright...it's stiff. LIGHT BULB!!! Perfect foundation for a fabric postcard.

I've also been wanting to try a Liberated Wonky House. I belong to a group of liberated quilters. They are into wonky and houses and postcards...not necessarily together but in everything thye are liberated to be creative in their own way with no quilt policing. Check it out here http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Lib-Quilters
Anyway I combined the Wonky house with the postcard. I loved it...was soooo much fun. Oh, I'll be doing this again. This will be sent to a very dear woman. I just want her to have my first. Here's a pic:

Nudge

In one of groups online we had a very brief mention yesterday of needing a nudge to get things done. A swift kick in the pants may be more like it for me. I am so far behind on so many things and have some decisions that have to be made pretty quick if I am going to get to see my grandkids soon. Then this morning in my email box is this Word.
SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns -- August 4, 2010:
I am leading you on a path of greater effectiveness. Pay attention to the gentle nudge of My Spirit as I show you ways to improve your overall situation both naturally and spiritually. Don't be afraid to make adjustments as you go. I am moving in your life to make the complex simple. This will be the result of enlightenment on various levels, says the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
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I am claiming this to the fullest. Holy Spirit help on getting myself organized and improving my whole situation. And no fear over making adjustments. It doesn't get any better than that.

I promise pictures soon!