Sizzix dies for quilting

I just wanted to share what I recieved in the mail this weekend.  I took my state refund and used it for some neat stuff I have been wanting for a long while.  These Sizzix dies designed by Westminster Fibers Lifestyle Fabrics especially for quilters.  You can check out their selection here.

If you arent familiar with Sizzix they are a company that sells die cutting machines and dies for cutting paper and fabric.  I have a little Sidekick that uses sizzlits and a Bigshot which takes larger dies up to six inches wide.  I have lusted after the Accuquilt Go! but don't have the money and can't see buying another die cut system.  (Though I wouldn't mind winning one!)  I also like the way Sizzix lays out multiple shapes of the same size on their dies.  I bought the 1" and 1.25" hexagons, the petals die, and the leaves die.



Ignore the ugly stained press pad I just realized I used to lay out the pieces on.



I obviously will be making some hexies.  The really cut through the multiple laayers of fabric and wax paper easily.  The petals and leaves I cut through wool felt to make flowers.  I am most excited about these dies because flower making is a great hand project I like to do when traveling.

I have a few other dies I got from the outlet at $1.24-3.00 each, including the words live, enjoy, a bird and some squares.

I still would like some of the Go dies. I can use the 6" wide and smaller ones in the Bigshot.

I now want to go through my wool and felt and cut lots of shapes for flower making.

 Keep dreaming...Colleen

A little sewing tools rool up I made for my sewing bag. 
It holds littl scissors, pencil, seam ripper, thread, thimble, and needles.

Full moon, axis shift...

time change, spring fever, end of quarter testing, and anything else I can think of.

The kids this week were WOUND UP!  I was like a zombie half the week and had late meetings the other half.  Thus no posts, no quilting done, just a blur of a week.

 *****

So to catch up.  I did commit to two new projects I will not be sewing on until April.  First was the Great Cover Up Swap over at Sewn Spaces on flickr.  Here is my inspiration mosaic.

 Can you tell I would like something in light blue and light green to match my studio?  I have been wanting to make a sewing machine cover for a while but now I get the challenge of making one for someone else while someone else makes one for me!

I have also decided to continue to broaden my skills by joining the Dresden plate quilt along sponsored by Lily's Quilts. 

I chose the fabrics from my fat quarter stash with the dots for the center and kona ash for the background.  Again you see the light blue/teal and light green. I may only make the one block wall hanging to hang in my studio.  If I like the pattern, it could always be a choice for a quilt in the future.  As much as I like the pumpkin hanging there now it doesn't really match.  I will probably put that away to hang down stairs in the fall(duh).

*****

Look at these cute erasers I found in Micheal's yesterday.

Sewing machine with a little presser foot, spools with needle, and a dress dummy.  These may end up in someones swap package.

*****

I have also been cleaning out closets and my studio.  I am doing a yard sale at my school next Sat.  Then our guild in April has a yard sale too.  Donate an item for the door prizes and you can have a table and sell your misc quilting supplies.  I have two bags full already.

*****

There is some interesting threads going around the quilting blog world about the simplicity of the modern quilt movement.  I have said my 2 cents on a couple of blogs but wanted to comment here as well.  I appreciate the blogging quilt world as it has helped me get back into quilting and has help me remember that creative side that had been set aside for too long.  You all have also given me the confidence to machine quilt larger quilts then wall hanging size.  We can not all be 'Olympic' quilters and it is ok to just be at the  minor league or the local Y team level.  What is important is that you quilt or knit or do something to express yourself in the way that YOU need to. Its not the perfection of your points, the number of pieces in your quilt blocks, or the complexity of the pattern that counts.  Its that you tried in the first place. 

Breath.  Ok climbing back down, it was a little too slippery up there.

*****

Keep dreaming,

and praying for Japan

and Go Heels!!

...Colleen

Quilt blocks received so far for the Relay for Life quilt.

Go here to get more info if you would like to contribute a block.

Quilt Blocks for Cancer

I wanted to share with you the blocks I have recieved so far.  Each one represents some one who suffered from cancer.

It is not too late to send me a 12.5" unfinished star block.  All the blocks will be part of a raffle quilt to raise money for Relay for Life.  See the details here.

Keep dreaming...Colleen

Tonight the awesome Pat Sloan gave a wonderful presentation at our guild meeting.
I talked with her before hand and she was so nice adn fun to talk to.

Ive been a bad bad girl

For those of you who are ACC challenged, here in NC Men's college basketball rules.  Today was the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game.  My team and alma mater North Carolina Tarheels was playing their hated rival the Duke Blue Devils.  Unfortunately Carolina lost :o(.  And it is all my fault.  I jinxed it all because I was trying to be a friend and made this.

It is a mug rug for this friend who loves the hated Duke.  It turned out real cute but I made the mistake of sewing it during the game.  Bad mojo.  Kelly forgive me.  I will burn the rest of the Duke fabric, I only bought a quarter yard.  Oh and SHHHHH its for a secret friend so dont tell.

On the bright side I made a new mug rug for my mom.  She only had the Christmas one, so I used one of my Kathy Davis Journey scrap bags I bought at karen gray.  And an adorable brown with blue and white dot fat quarter for the back and binding(it reminded me of your block Lana).  The pattern was a make it up as I go.  BTW I found the fat quarter at the LQS Sewingly Yours where I took a four hour long arm certification class.  More on that later.  

I wake up and go to bed thinking about the tsunami victims.  As Americans we can be so generous with our time and money.  Her is a link to Makiko Itoh whose blog Just Hungry is very popular.  She is posting news, donation links, and more importantly translating Japense TV disaster info for those who need to know.  Also here is a link to real news broadcast from Japan that tells what is actually happening in Japan as opposed to the biased, self indulgent ridiculous crap supposed to be news in our country.  Sorry I try not to go there.

Please send prayers
Take a minute
It really does help.

Praying and dreaming...Colleen

Charlie Brown quilt along top #1.

five minutes

Five minutes.

From earthquake

to tsunami

to lives lost and changed forever.

God who creates such majesty

reminds us how small we really are.

I wish everyone would

stop watching basketball

stop working in the yard

stop shopping for wants

stop piecing that quilt top

and spend one minute sending prayers

to Japan

to New Zealand

to everyone suffering.

Prayers