First I wanted to let you know one of the reasons why I have not been posting as much. I've started a new excerise training program at our local Fleet Feet store called No Boundaries. Between dealing with my type II diabetes and the effects the medicines I take for it, I have lost the will to move. I have always been such an outdoor person that I decided I needed to do something. Through better regulated eating I have been slowly losing weight, though still have about 50 pounds to go. Now I have a plan to get me to the activity level I need to do every day. Plus there is daily guidance. Mondays and Thursdays we meet at 6pm, all 150 of us, and run (though I walk) the prescribed distance and then we stretch together. Im loving it! I have always loved to walk but now have constant encouragement-there are 20 plus coaches/mentors. My goal is to get in shape and continue to lose weight so I no longer need the medicine that has given me such bad side effects for the last couple of years.
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So back to sewing. Tuesday is Triad Modern Quilt Guild and as swap Mama I am hosting a Travel Pillow swap. Here is the pillow I created for my secret partner.
I used my EZ Dresden ruler and pulled out 20 + scraps from my special scrap bin, so each blade is different.
I offset them on a Kona Ash background.
I freehand quilted in 5 different pearl cottons. I did not plan out the design but just let the color and the space dictate the design. I put in my first hidden zipper on the side and it was simple! I can't find the link I used, but Design Sponge has a good tutorial doing it the same way.
So here again is the finished pillow! I love how it turned out! It look nice on my studio chair. I may have to make one for myself!
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I'm also making a pillow for the Pillow Talk Swap. Here are some of the fabrics.
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| I love using instagram on my iphone for quick pictures. |
And have started to play with the design.
Can you tell that they will be Polaroid pictures? I still have fabrics to play with. I plan to piece the whole top and then use my embroidery machine to add captions to the photos.
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I forgot to blog about Superbowl Sunday. Not so much about the game as I am not that into sports. But I usually hang with mom and dad and make some good finger foods. Mom supplied veggies & dip and chips & salsa as well as shrimp. Dad vetoed the usual favorite of pigs in blankets. So I decided to make Pioneer Woman's Spicy Whiskey BBQ Sliders.
They were easy to make! I halved the recipe and made 6 sliders.
Don't look too hard at my messy presentation.
They were very good! Everyone loved them including me!
I also whipped up a batch of PW Strawberry oatmeal bars for dessert. Yummy!
And Dad agreed!
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Today I'm working on basting two tops. First my red and white challenge quilt. I kind of got sidetracked on this but need to step it up. I will use more of the Bliss red and white for the binding. I'm entering this in the quilt show and only have a month to quilt it.
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| backing |
Second I finished up this quilt top. I'm also entering this in the general quilt show. I will straight line machine quilt this. I have to get one small piece of fabric because I ran out of the Jay McCarroll and used up the Freespirit Dogwood Gray for the backing. I will put a scrappy binding on this.
This was a project from the Modern Quilt Guild challenge.
Keep dreaming...Colleen
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| I received this in the mail. My prize from #talknt twitter chat party. Moda was the sponsor and I received a bag full of mini charm packs and a United Notions pouch! |
