3rd Time's a Charm

Last year I made myself a halter top using an Amy Butler pattern. I might have gotten to wear it, too, if it hadn't been just a little bit too small!

Last month, I made myself a Sun Surf Halter. Too bad it turned out to be 2 sizes too big! I look ridiculous in it, and it would take me less time to make another than to re-size the one I already finished.

Just to prove you can't keep a sewing fanatic down, I'm taking a third stab at the whole clothing thing. I've decided to attempt the Anna Tunic. It has a great flower pin that reminds me of the one on the Lilly Apron!

I'm having a hard time deciding which fabric to make my tunic from, so I've decided to run a week long pole. So, thru next Saturday, May 9, you can vote in the sidebar of this blog for which fabric you think I should use to make my tunic. When the week is over, I promise to attempt to make a correctly sized tunic!

Here are the choices:
Dark Red Rebel Roses


Green Damask from Soiree


Arcardia Blue & Brown on Eggshell


You have one week to vote for your favorite print. Happy voting!

Prince Charming, Here I Come!

When I was about 7, we moved a short distance to a different house. With the new house came a satellite dish, and my first introduction to something besides channels 2, 4, 6, and 12. It was one of those dishes that still lurk in some back yards, the ones that are the size of a UFO and physically turn when you change the channel. No Directv in those days! Nope, just good old transponders, like G8-24.
With this fantastic new dish came the CMT channel. Back then, CMT actually played nothing but music videos, and one of the hottest videos about that time was "The Race is On," by Sawyer Brown.
And that's how it happened: Love at First Sight! Me, my cousin, even our moms lusted after that dancing hunk with the voice that made us drool. (Mark Miller)
The only two concerts I've ever attended were Sawyer Brown concerts. At the first, my mom bought me their latest cassette and my cousin got the T-Shirt, and then we traded them back and forth every week. My bedroom's main feature for many years was a Sawyer Brown poster, (The Dirt Road). (My sister had a poster of Billy Ray Cyrus, but you didn't hear it from me!) And when Mark Miller started going bald, we didn't care. After all, my Dad's bald, and he's a great guy, right?
Over the years, I lost track of Sawyer Brown off and on, although every once in awhile I get the urge to listen to their music again. I have several albums of theirs on my Ipod, and their Christmas album played all last season at the quilt shop. And, if Mark Miller ever asks, then yes - Of course I'll marry him!
My husband bought the Sunday paper a couple weeks ago. Right there, hiding amongst the ads, was an announcement for a concert at the nearby casino. And guess who's the main act!

Oh! Be still my beating heart! Prince Charming, here I come!

OK, so maybe I'm a little older now. And there is that small matter of my husband and children. Oh Darn, I guess I'll have to settle for being one of those screaming, crying, fainting fans in the audience. Oh Well, I'll take what I can get! Don't be surprised if my mom and sister are right there with me!

And no, I'm not telling you where to get tickets. I'm not risking anyone getting ahead of me in line!

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!

I just finished two long weekends of vending at local quilt shows, Moscow, ID and Clarkston, WA. The shows were great, I especially enjoy the Clarkston show as the people there are so supportive and warm!

At both shows, I wore a Lilly Apron borrowed from a friend. The apron is absolutely fantastic, due in large part to the great, big, oversized, matching fabric flower pin. Of course, I assured everyone that even though the pin is not shown on the pattern cover, the instructions to make it ARE included inside the pattern.

So, Saturday evening my mom happens to ask me if I've ever actually checked to be sure the flower pattern is inside?

Well............actually,.........no. I just took my friend's word for it, because she is very trustworthy, afterall.

Little did I know that the pattern manufacturer, sometime after my friend bought her pattern and before I started buying patterns for the shop, stopped including the flower instructions with the apron.

Uh Oh..............How many patterns have I already sold?????

So, I am a BIG, FAT, LIAR! If you bought the Lilly Apron pattern from me and I told you the flower instructions were included, I LIED! (whoops, my bad) This is just the sort of TERRIBLE customer service I strive to avoid.

So, if you read this, please call the shop or email me so I can get you a copy of the flower instructions! And shame on me, for not double checking the patterns myself!

Seaport Quilter's Show & Stuff

This weekend, April 25 & 26, I will be vending at the annual Seaport Quilter's Guild Quilt Show, in Clarkston, WA. We didn't even unpack the entire trailer from last weekend's show at Moscow, ID, and we'll be repacking and packing some new stuff up today an heading down this afternoon to set up.

I've quilted the Boot Scootin' and Stampede shop samples, and hope to have pictures up later today. The feather borders, when quilted to accent the feathers, look awesome!

After that, I hope to begin posting here more often. It has been a super crazy month. Here's a partial list of things I've been doing that I may write about soon:

Arguing with a rude and pretentious insurance adjuster about my sewage soaked basement.
Scheduling carpet installation, and trying to paint the basement in between quilts.
Finding new kitchen cabinetry for the quilt shop.
Quilting like mad, that list just keeps getting longer!
Classwork, classwork, classwork. 3 weeks left!
Quilt shows, upcoming shop hop, and crazy online orders.
3 kids who are very tired of school and ready for a break.
My husband's unexpected job loss, followed by crazy new job with long hours.
A new puppy, then 2 new puppies, then 1 puppy again.

I'm sure there's more that I've forgotten, it's turning out to be a very busy Spring! Today's goals are:

1. Finish painting the basement.
2. Finish quilting Stampede, possibly quilt 1 more for someone else.
3. Pack and set up for the Clarkston Quilt Show
4. Make a Home Depot run to find paint, return extra carpet, and get some decking.
5. Come home dead tired and dragging, and try to do some housework and/or classwork.
6. Drink a glass of wine, I'm gonna need it!

Annual Palouse Patchers Quilt Show This Weekend

This weekend, you'll find me at the Palouse Patchers' Quilt Show in Moscow, ID at the Latah County Fair Grounds.

The show hours are Sat. 10-6 and Sun. 11-5

I'm wearing my fanciest apron, loaned to me by a friend since I haven't had time to make my own! It's got these great pockets on the front that hold all kinds of stuff: change, my blackberry, fiber one bars, a hair tye, and room for more! Here's the pattern: Lilly Apron.

And no, that's not me wearing it. My hair is much........puffier than that!

2009 I S.E.W. So I Hop

The 2009 I S.E.W. Hop is just around the corner! Here are the details:



May 8 & 9, 2009, all shops are open 9am-7pm

10 participating quilt shops in the North Idaho/Eastern Washington area

Becky's Fabrics & Bernina
Emerald Garden
Grammy G's
Hawthorne Gallery
Quilted Heart, LLC
Quilt Something
Rather-Be's
Small Towne Quilts
Stitches and Petals,
and of course, me! The Crazy Quilter

Hoppers will receive a FREE fat quarter of your choice at each participating shop, plus door prizes, snacks, and lots of fun! Grand prize includes a $25 gift certificate to each of the 10 shops!

When you complete your shop hop passport, you'll also receive an exclusive FREE pattern!

Visit the shop, or email me through my website if you would like additional details, including a road map.

Happy Hopping!

Ge Designs and Comforts of Home Update

The Comforts of Home block of the month is sitting in my dining room/quilting room. Each section is completed, and it is ready for the wool, which I am patiently (OK, not so patiently) awaiting to arrive so I can add the appliques. Pictures will be added as soon as I get it! This block of the month will begin as soon as the sample is completed.

A few weeks ago, Gudrun of GE Quilt Designs so nicely talked about me in her blog. You can read her blog at:

http://www.gudrun.typepad.com/

Here you will find her upcoming patterns, design process, and more. I love her patterns, so it is great to get a sneak peak at what is coming next!