Doll-in-progress

I spent the day working on my Harvest Moon doll. My customer chose the green-eyed face from a few posts ago, so this is the girl with the brown eyes. I really had a difficult time choosing fabric for her costuming, finally settling on a print that I've had for a very long time for her skirt. I still need to cover her jointing buttons. I haven't even started looking for hair yet.

BOM ~ April

Just finished the April set of blocks for Amy Gibson's free Block of the Month class on the Craftsy website. This month we learned English paper piecing. All the hexagrams are sewn on by hand. I had a bit of a struggle with the block on the right, arranging and rearranging hexes until I had a design I liked. Part of it was the busy background fabric, but I'm running low on the prints with the white background. I may have to buy more. I'm using fabrics from a fat quarter bundle called "Fresh Flowers" by Deb Strain for Moda.

And here are the blocks so far, in no particular order:

Score!

So we were driving by an estate sale last weekend, and decided to stop and check it out. I found four early issues of The Cloth Doll magazine. Now I already have every issue of that particular magazine, but I though some of you out there might need to round out your collection, as they're kind of hard to find. So I'm offering them to anyone who wants them, for $5 each (plus postage) - first come, first served. SOLD

This one (with the cobbler) was missing its insert, so I copied mine.

Harvest Moon

 Before starting the costuming on my group challenge (storybook) doll for MAIDA, I needed to get the faces painted on a couple Harvest Moon dolls. One head/body will go to a customer ~ she will pick the one that appeals to her and finish the doll. I will finish the other one, though I've yet to consider the fabric for her costuming (maybe something from the fat quarter bundle I just bought?)

I've also got to make revisions to my Suffragette Sally pattern instructions (thanks to Danielle for proofing and testing). It's a perfectly dreary day outside - just the right kind of day to work in the studio.

Fencerail Quilt Progress

I've sewn a little more on my fencerail quilt this week, adding borders and backing. I think I might actually finish this project! The size is smaller than a twin, but would be a good size to curl up with on the couch and read or watch movies.

When I bought my backing, I was thinking my borders would be narrow. After deciding on a wider orange border, my backing wasn't large enough. So I had to do some piecing. The brown stripe looks a little more slanted in this photo than it does in person.

I've done some stitching in the ditch to secure the quilt sandwich layers, but haven't decided on an actual pattern for the blocks and borders. This is going to be the tricky part for me. 

And while I've sworn off buying any new fabric (and use my stash instead), I couldn't resist this fat quarter bundle, called Fiona's Fancy by Riley Blake Designs:

BOM ~ March

I've just finished the next set of quilt blocks, taught by Amy Gibson's free Block of the Month class on the Craftsy website. The problem with finishing the blocks so quickly in the month is that there's a really long month to wait for the next blocks! The String block is on the left, the Broken Spider Web on the right. I'm using fabrics from a fat quarter bundle called "Fresh Flowers" by Deb Strain for Moda.

Here are all the blocks thus far:

I've also started working on a doll for a group submission to Prims magazine, due in April, for the MAIDA group. We're keeping our projects secret, however, until they are published in the magazine. From what I've seen so far, it's going to be a fantastic spread!

Back Home

We've been home since the 19th, and have been back to work to some incredibly busy shifts. We had a wonderful trip to Zihuatanejo, and would really like to make this trip again. It was just what we needed. We've decided to learn more Spanish, and maybe even dedicate days here at home where we speak only Spanish.

The beach in front of our hotel: 

While we were there we went on an all-day trip with a very special tour guide - Juan Carlos Garcia. He took us many places we would have otherwise missed, and even had some special surprises for us (good ones!) He has a website http://www.tourswithcarlos.com/ and we highly recommend him. He was a very gracious host.

On an all-day tour with Carlos:

Our hotel ~ Brisas del Mar:

Vacation!

I'm officially on vacation. We'll be leaving the rainy clime of Oregon for the warm sunshine of Zihuatanejo, Mexico. I'm looking forward to basking in the sun (with a liberal application of sunscreen, of course).

Jambalaya Jubilee!

I

I just spent the morning making hotel reservations and buying airline tickets for this summer's UFDC Convention (July 24th to July 27th) and ODACA Day Luncheon and Sales Room (July 23).

I've never been to New Orleans, and I imagine Louisinana in July is HOT and HUMID. The event will be held at the Sheraton New Orleans on Canal Street.

The airline tickets were a bit spendy, so I'm going to have to make LOTS of dolls between now and then to sell on ODACA Day to pay for the trip.

I think I'm in trouble...

Not only did I resolve to NOT buy any new fabric, I think I've been bitten by the quilting bug. New fabric and quilting seem to go hand in hand. I've just finished another pieced quilt top (fence rail block), about the size of a lap quilt. I used a small jelly roll of fabric called loulouthi by anna marie horner.

I still need to trim the edges and decide on a border/binding/backing. And then, of course, do the actual quilting. I'm hoping my  free-motion/darning quilt will arrive in the mail today (I thought I already had one), so I can get going on finishing the projects that are stacking up.

Help!!