do. good quilt ::for rachel::

Yahoo! Rachel's got her quilt! So I finally get to share this block. {yay!}
And seriously, the finished quilt is amazing. Go check it out. Stat.
Rachel is amazing, and I am so happy that someone had the idea of giving something back to her.
I have since stepped out of the do. Good Stitches bee, purely to simplify the different demands currently on my plate. All the same -- thank you, Rachel, for working so incredibly hard to give us all the chance to make a difference!

do. good stitches october: around the world

{First of all, thank. you. for both sweet and thoughtful comments + emails yesterday.

I think a lot more of us are in the same boat than we realize.}

This month's block for do. good stitches kinda kicked my butt.

We've talked before about how I'm a wonky kinda gal; I am seriously exact-seam-impaired.

Hence, it took me THREE TRIES (three!) before I finally got it right.

I'm sort of glad, though, because I like the final version a lot better.

{the 2nd version didn't make it to the block phase before I made a major cutting boo-boo,

so no picture there. you know what they say about 

measuring twice, cutting once, right? riiiight.}

Unrelated, but I made Lasagna Soup for dinner tonight. 

The girls were wishy-washy about it, but I am in love,

especially with the canned(!) fire-roasted tomatoes. 

Helloooo, how did I not know about these before??

Wishing you a happy weekend. 

Our plans are scant; I might just close up shop and hunker down with the chickies on the couch.

It's feeling like that kind of a weekend.

wonky triangle improv strip

I think maybe this is a record? 

The 7th day of the month, and my quilting bee block is finished?

{hot dang!}

This one's for do. good stitches {love}. Natalie is having everyone make a 48 x 6.5 strip in whatever design {those are my faves!}. Even better, I got to use some of my very fave fabrics & designers. I have a phobia of triangles that I am trying to get over, and I really really loved piecing this wonky improv triangle strip. If anyone is interested in a tutorial, let me know & I will put one together. 

she's 4 + pink

And I think she's already forgotten what life was like pre-mermaid Barbie.

We had a totally low-key birthday party, and it was the best. Lots of friends from church, hot dogs, fancy straws, and grocery store cake. 

I thought of some games beforehand (like duck duck goose) that we could play in case things got dull,

but the kids just ran wild in the yard for the whole 3 hours and it was awesome. 

I love my little crazy one. She is becoming so sweet and helpful and fun to be around. 

I've got a good feeling about 4, I do.

Tonight's project: glued to ebay -- the auction on my fingers-crossed-ball-gown ends tonight! 

That and my August blocks for the do. Good Stitches bee. I'm a leetle bit down to the wire, eek!

vintage sheet bee quilt top -- done!

Last night I got out my Vintage Sheet Bee blocks that I've been meaning to put together for-ev-ah. And oh! talk about a happy way to spend an hour on a summer evening. Vintage sheets just make me so stinkin' happy.

I sewed two blocks together really crooked, and as I was ripping them apart I thought of an article I read in the Ensign a while back. The author was talking about how ripping out just one stitch here and there can destroy a piece of sewn work, even though you might not notice it at first. Then she talked about how skipping scriptures and prayer here and there can weaken us without us even noticing.

I was adjusting my stitch length as I was thinking about that, then realized another parallel there -- the shorter the stitches, the stronger the seam. Likewise, I know that when I pray and read my scriptures more often and more consistently, I feel stronger and happier.

Parallels aside, I'm super excited about this quilt. I think I'm going to turn + tie it, rather than quilting + binding. More out of laziness/impatience than anything else. I can't decide whether to put in batting or whether to just sew backing + top together for a lightweight summer throw. Anyone have experience with that?

Epic thanks to the ladies of the Vintage Sheet Quilting Bee for this one! You can find my tutorial for this quilt block at my old blog.

Happy Thursday -- it's almost the weekend! Yay!

citron/acid green

Is anyone sick of this lovely limey color yet? Me neither. It has been popping up all over the place the past few days (gosh, like it's spring or something?)...



:: in this month's blocks for do. good stitches



:: dresses! I made 2 on Saturday to go in the shop (+ plotting to make many more), as soon as the zipper and neck facings are in.



:: and even in my mailbox. Golly, how did that get there?

almost-spring saturday

It's a cozy, rainy day today. The ice is melting, little by little, and signs of Spring are starting to appear, almost covertly, like they're afraid the last bits of winter might nip 'em in the bud (they're right).



Fabrics all cut, packaged, and sent for the Rosey Little Bee. I'm so excited!



And one happy little chickie, all ready to splash in the mud! (She's starting to dress herself. Love it.)