This is why I quilt

Remember this block from a few months ago?

At the time all I could tell you is that it was for a top secret project - Project Special Delivery, to be exact. What I can tell you now, is that Faith had organized a group to make baby presents for Heather Ross' first child. Heather has blessed all of us with her lovely and whimsical designs for so many years, and we wanted to do something special to thank her. Some people made appliqued onesies for each month of the year, others did toys, and a portion of the Project Special Delivery group decided to make a rainbow quilt "virtual bee style". We each signed up for a specific color, and tried to incorporate some of HR's fabrics into the block.

We mailed our blocks off to Mama Spark a few months ago, and she assembled the entire quilt and added the most GORGEOUS quilting. I can't imagine that anyone could have done a better job - I just love the motion and whimsy her quilting pattern added to the design!

Here's a glimpse of the back...

...with a close up of one block in particular. It's a message from our little group, and includes one of Heather's favorite quotes.

Just today I found out that Heather received her quilt, and she wrote us the most beautiful note in return. I have no shame in admitting I have an extremely tender heart (just ask Angela about the day she moved), and I cried a little bit when I read it. And this is why I quilt. I quilt because it allows me to give part of my time and my heart to other people through fabric. I quilt because it allows me to be a part of memorable events in other's lives; it gives me the unique opportunity to share a lasting gift with someone that will remind them of that moment, and hopefully, make them smile and bring them warmth.

To quote my dearly departed grandmother "My cup runneth over, I drink from the saucer." I am so blessed to know you all, and to be a part of the online quilting movement :)

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Kaelin: 1, Weeds: 0

This is what happens when you don't garden wage war for the first two months you own a house. You end up sweaty & dirty with a giant sack o' weeds. (I left out sweaty, dirty Kaelin in this photo because no one wants to see that...it might involve frizzy bag lady hair and some butt sweat...crap...did I just mention butt sweat in a blog post? yeah...i'm probably gonna lose about 50 readers after that comment...and Angela's gonna shake her head at me from Indiana...lol)

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Gator Belts & Patty Melts

Sorry, that's an Outkast lyric. I couldn't get it out of my head while I was sewing these. When you see the second block, you'll understand why. These were for Christine's month in Bee (A Little Bit) Japanese. She's making a quilt for her nephew's birthday, and requested a Cheaters 8 Point Star block...

As well as a second block that represented any mode of transportation we chose...

Since I rarely get to make anything New Orleans-related, I thought this would be a fun opportunity! I decided to make a fan boat, an extremely common mode of transportation down in the bayou, and name it the "nola" (New Orleans, LA). And of course, what would a bayou fan boat block be without an alligator and sweltering hot sun? Also, her nephew lives in Australia where crocs abound, so I thought he'd enjoy having one of it's cousins appliqued on a block ;)

I had to sneak and make these Friday night after the hubby went to bed, because he enacted a sewing moratorium last week. I mentioned this before, but I have a pinched nerve in my shoulder that I'd successfully ignored for weeks...well...actually 2 months. I finally did myself in when I had a marathon rotary cutting and sewing session last weekend, because I ended up in excruciating pain Sunday night, and could barely move my arm the next day because I'd get sharp stabbing pains, and then my whole arm would go numb for minutes at a time.

I had to break the rules though, because these blocks were for May, and I was already way behind on them. They didn't arrive until the last week of May, and then it took me 3 weeks to find the time. Christine desperately needed them by the end of June so she could assemble the top, send it off to be quilted, and then mail the finished present to Australia to arrive in time for August. So you see, I had to break the rules a little bit in order to meet the deadline...

But the events of last week got me thinking. My hubby is the sweetest man alive, and truthfully my best friend. He takes such good care of me, and all last week he massaged my shoulder, brought me bags of ice, and fetched ibuprofen and glasses of water for me when I was hurting. He's so proud of my sewing and knows how much it means to me, so he did his best to help me get back on my feet again because he knew I was going stir-crazy. All of this culminated in a crazy idea...

RAY! STOP READING HERE!

Our spouses, boyfriends/girlfriends, partners, etc. put up with so much of our quilting crap. They might grumble occasionally, but for the most part they let us get away with crazed fabric sprees, giant stashes & sewing spaces that take up entire rooms, and marathon sewing sessions that take us away from our families for hours at a time. Why? Because they love us, and know that we love quilting. And while I thank my husband for his support of my crazy hobby all the time, I rarely use my skills to make anything for him. I think a lot of us are like that - we're so busy making things for everyone else, that we forget to make things for ourselves or our families.

SO. Here's my idea. Let's have an official Quilting Widow(er) Appreciation Day! I'm calling it that, because it's kinda true...lol! Our significant others are sometimes quilting widows/widowers because we guy & gal quilters spend a lot of time away from them for the "sake of our art"...hehe! Seriously! I'll be leaving poor Ray in the dust for 4 days while I jet off to Salt Lake City for the Sewing Summit in October. And God love his little heart, he's outside mowing the yard right now to kill time, because he knows I'll be holed up in my sewing room blogging for a while longer! :(

Here's what we're gonna do. I picked a random date a few months off so that we all have time to prepare and create, and we're going to make presents for our Quilting Widows/Widowers as a big fat thank you for their loving support! (Plus it's kind of a win-win, because not only do we get to do something special for them, but it will help perpetuate our hobby because they'll be less inclined to grumble if we make them uber cool things with the thousands of dollars we've sunken into supplies, LOL!) I kid. 99% of the reason we're doing this is to say thank you, and only 1% is for our selfish ulterior motives ;)

The Quilting Widow(er) Appreciation Day will officially take place on Saturday, September 24th! I picked a random, insignificant day so your loved one will be surprised! And I even made a button and added it to the sidebar for those of you that want to join me :)

SO WHO'S WITH ME?!

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Our Favorite Summer Meal

 If I could eat Caprese Salad every day, I would. And in the summers, the hubby and I aren't far off. We fix it a lot. I make it a less conventional (read: less fancy) way, so it's really quick and easy to put together. Instead of cutting large slices and stacking, I chop the tomato and fresh mozarella into cubes and toss all the ingredients together in a bowl. It's just as tasty, but much easier to prepare and eat. Here's what you'll need:

Caprese Salad

• 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, roughly chopped
• 1 tomato (we prefer an heirloom variety), roughly chopped
• 8-10 fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1-2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Coarse salt, to taste (I use kosher or sea salt)

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss. This will make enough to feed 3-4 people. It's best eaten within an hour or two of preparation, because it doesn't keep well in the fridge.

For an even bigger treat, we love to combine Caprese Salad with bison burgers. It's a real party. If you've never tried bison, you should! It tastes exactly like beef, but has way less fat and cholesterol (the ground bison we buy is 4% fat, and has less cholesterol per serving than even chicken). Bison also contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, so it's pretty much the perfect meat. And did I mention it's delicious? Ray has me prepare several pounds at a time and freeze the raw patties so he can cook them throughout the week for lunch :)

In case you're interested in trying something new, I'll throw in my recipe for Bison Burgers too :) And I realize some of you might not have ground bison available in your area (understandable), so I wanna let you know this recipe is equally tasty made with beef.

Also, I recently tried a new trick that has made our burger experience 10x more delicious. I've been mixing the meat in my food processor instead of by hand, and it makes them so much more juicy!

Bison Burgers (makes about 7)

• 1.5 lb ground bison
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 small onion, minced (I prefer sweet onions like Vidalia when I can find them)
• 2 eggs
• 2-3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp crushed rosemary
• 2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 tsp coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)

Note: I experiment from time to time, so if you prefer sweet over savory burgers, try adding 1 or 2 teaspoons of mustard powder to the mixture. 

If mixing by hand, simply combine all ingredients in a large bowl and squish together. If using a food processor, throw the garlic and onion in first to mince, and then add remaining ingredients. Pulse until thoroughly mixed and meat slightly resembles a paste.

Form into 6-7 patties and using your thumb, press a small well into the center of each patty - this prevents your burger from puffing up in the center and helps it cook more evenly. Also, you should never mash down on the burgers with your spatula while cooking, because this squeezes out all the juices and makes them dry. Cooking time varies based on how well done you like your burgers, but we cook ours for 4 minutes on each side and they end up a perfect medium well.

Happy eating :)

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Scottie Watch

1. I'm still thinking about storage solutions. Check out this adorable fold-out needle box kit.

Photo from Michelle (i like orange, too)

2. After seeing the above photo of Michelle's snazzy quilted pencil cups (bottom right), I immediately set out to find a tutorial. Mission accomplished.



3. I hate how ribbons fray at the end after you cut them, but I've always been too lazy to actually look up directions on how to prevent it. Consider this another item checked off my To Do list.



4. Fabric.com is having a huge Christmas in June sale. Most prints have been marked down to about $7/yard, and you can get another 15% off the sale price with the coupon code THX115. I was having a moral dilemna yesterday when I got the sale email, because I wanted every single print from this collection and also this one. However, the final price tag wasn't husband-friendly, plus I really only need Fat Quarters of any given holiday print and the smallest cut they offer is a 1/2 yard. My friend Karen and I came to a solution that will probably work for most of you...we compared shopping lists, and then ordered the prints we both wanted so we can split them into FQ's. Win-Win. We both get the Christmas fabric we want, but at half the price :) 

P.S. Novelty Christmas prints make the CUTEST Mod Bento Box quilts. Have I ever shown you guys pictures of the one Karen made for me last year? I love how she mixed in some flannels for added texture. I nap under it year-round. And one of these days, I'm gonna get around to making a cute advent calendar and tree skirt. I'm telling myself this year is gonna be the year I finally do it. We'll see ;)


5. Form & Fabric is having a 20% off moving sale, plus shipping is only $2.99.  I bought myself some wholesome and delicious Aviary 2 prints - yum yum. I got the Bloom print in Lilac and Granite, as well as the Lodge Lattice in Lilac and Vintage Yellow.

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I love my sister

Her Facebook statusi bring me joy. A sampling of my favorites...

1. GaGa needs to take off the spiked thong, put on some big girl panties, and start writing good stuff again. I'm sorry but this last album is stinking up my hard drive.  
2. I just lost 5 minutes of my life figuring out how to spell acquaintance.
3. Just regained consciousness after seeing Robert Smith without eyeliner 
4. Specifically not going somewhere because it looks like a place that someone I hate would go. 
5. If you're going to molt and leave your exoskeleton on my porch that's one thing, but don't hang around afterward like a hillbilly. [cicada infestation]
6. I shot 910 pounds of rabbit, but was only able to bring back 100 pounds of meat. [posted with this picture] 
7. I can't be the only person still throwing their clothes on the floor.
8. I don't know why I learned to read, it only makes me mad. [posted with this article]
9. Just saw a 'Law Offices' sign that I'm 99% sure was stencil and spray paint. I wonder what the odds of them having a walk-in fridge in the back are. 
10. The world will never know a hatred greater than that between Mega Shark and Giant Octopus. 
11. Just looked at clothes at Talbots. It's the end for me now, I'm sure of it. 
12. ...sometimes worries how our world can ever be saved, but then I remember we have Russell Crowe.
13.  It's really annoying when people call about an interview RIGHT when the Nazgul attack the hobbits on Weathertop. I was so waiting for her to say something about the horribly loud screeching sound...."Well yes ma'am I'd be able to..." "SHIRE! BAGGINS!" 
14. Is YouTube considered a good thing to list on a job application under "relevant software application skills"? 
15. Sunday morning wood floor dust bunny roundup.
16. It's 1:30 am and I just javelined a gigantic katydid lurking on the crown molding with an unclothed Swiffer followed by several minutes of intense and inaccurate pounding. The carcass has been flushed, it was a closed casket funeral. Husband is still asleep but might be faking it so he doesn't have to get involved. 
17. Facebook is now like being in a naked dream. And you're awake, and everyone can see you.  
18. What cometh from eBay, returneth to eBay. 
19. I know I'll like the shoes when reviewers say the heel is just too high to be practical. 
20. Seriously underestimated how loud her fart would sound in the airport terminal
21. Will start caring about vampire love stories, when vampires start caring about MY love stories.
22. Make me some food, internet. 
23. Discovered a new and unexpected foe- furniture shopping.
24. Considers herself environmentally conscious, but would shower a thousand pounds of DNA-altering, earth-scorching chemicals on any place I even thought had a spider in it.

Happy Thursday :)

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Whack-a-Bunny Quilt Pattern

I've gotten requests for more information on the Whack-a-Bunny quilt - like dimensions, yardage requirements, etc., so I've decided to post a brief pattern for you! Most of the instructions you need can already be found in my tutorial on reverse applique, but I thought I'd go ahead and give you all some basic cutting and piecing directions, as well as fabric requirements.

Fabric Requirements

• Twenty solid charms (5"x5") in graduated colors (I used part of a Kona Pastel Charm pack)
• 3/4 yard white solid
• 1/4 yard for binding
• 3/4 yard for backing

Cutting Instructions
Fold your white fabric in half, selvage to selvage, and cut four 6.5" x 44" strips. Unfold your strips and sub-cut into 6.5" x 6.5" squares. You should be able to get 6 squares from every strip (for a total of 24, but you only need to cut 20)

To create each block, follow the reverse applique instructions here. I didn't include this in the tutorial, but to help me center my fabrics (and traced circle), I folded and ironed my fabric pieces into grids (as seen below). and lined up the center points. Then I pinned and pressed flat again.

Once the blocks are completed, lay them out in color order in a 4x5 grid. Sew the blocks into rows (starting with the top row), and then sew the five rows together (starting from the top).

Layer and quilt. The binding yardage listed above is for 1/2" binding (which is what I used for this quilt). You'll need to cut three 2.5" x 44" strips, and then follow the instructions here to complete. 

Finished Dimensions: 24" x 30"

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Giveaway Winners

The winners of the foundation piecing papers from Pink Castle Fabrics are...

Comment #90 - Kelly...

"I'm a loyal follower.....does adding the "loyal" get me any bonus points"

Comment #94 - Candice...

You know I follow you ;)

Thanks to everyone that participated! I'm really excited about getting started on our DWR quilt along in July! I'm going to be taking a bit of a sewing break for the next week or so, because I have a severely pinched nerve in my shoulder from all the sewing I've been doing - oops! I'll still post now and then, just not as often as usual and I won't have any finished projects to show you for a little while :(

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Scottie Watch

1. If you're participating in the DWR Quilt Along, I've started a Flickr group! Feel free to post photos of the lovely fabric bundles you're putting together for it - I'm itching to see them :)

2. Lately I've been thinking a lot about storage. Namely, cute storage solutions. Found some good ideas here and here, and some amazing inspiration here.

3. I've also been thinking a lot about babies, since roughly 94.2% of the females I know are pregnant right now. Check out this quilt pattern (scroll down to "Monkey Business") in the latest issue of Quilter's World. Isn't that about the cutest baby quilt you've ever seen?

Photo courtesy of Quilter's World

Or how about this sweet & simple lamb quilt? I like it because it's gender neutral, and could work well with just about any nursery decor. I love giving presents like that because they're a lot less stress trying to coordinate! Also, you can get an early start instead of waiting to find out the sex of the baby and the subsequent color scheme. All this talk of nursery colors is reminding me of that scene in Juno where Jason Bateman is talking about yellow being a "gender neutral" color...lol!

4. Looking for some cute business card designs for your online shop (or other purposes)? Well here are some adorable ones for FREE. I heart Jessica Jones' designs so much.

5. Here are some cute DIY ideas for Father's Day:

• I love these little bowtie cards. I'm gonna pick up a cheap bowtie at a thrift store/TJ Maxx and make my own version. They look like they want to be all grown up and serious, but I can't help but wanna squeeze their little cheeks :)
• Have one of those "already has everything he needs" kinda Dads that are impossible to buy for? Yeah, me too. So I always get him food...and honestly, that's what he prefers. He loves when I drive up to Kentucky to visit, because I always bring a cake sampler box from Haydel's plus a giant a box of Napoleons and other French pastries from La Boulangerie. Whenever I can't be there in person, I send packaged specialty foods he can't get in podunk London, KY. These labels will be perfect for personalizing things a bit :)
• How about a manly (and hilarious) apron for the BBQ King? But seriously, here is a link to two free manly-looking apron patterns.

Courtesy of tipnut.com

• For the Techie (my father-in-law), here are about a zillion different iPad and Kindle case patterns. That tutorial list is bound to give you some good ideas.

6. I recently found out about Heartsy from some friends on Flickr. In a nutshell, it's like Groupon for Etsy. They have daily deals and coupons that you can purchase. I recently paid $13 for a $40 credit at one of my favorite Etsy shops, This and That from Japan. If you sign up using this link, both of us will receive a $5 credit. Or you can sign up the old school way using this link. Whatever floats your boat :) I waffled back and forth over whether or not I should even put that link...because I didn't want you all to think I was using you for my own evil capitalist purposes, but on the flip side I wanted to give you all a way to get $5 off. So if you're weirded out by the $5 credit thing, just sign up the normal way. It's all good :)

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DWR Button (and a giveaway!)

Notice anything new along my sidebar? That's right! I now have a button for my quilt along that you can proudly display on your blog :)  Just copy and paste that long html code below the button image (and make sure you don't miss that "a" hanging out all by itself on the top line...poor little guy :( )

And here's some even better news! Pink Castle Fabrics will be providing two lucky readers with bundles of Foundation Piecing Papers. Each bundle will contain 50 papers - enough to piece the entire DWR quilt (+ extra), if you so choose.

To enter...


1. Leave a comment.
2. For a second entry, tell me your favorite traditional quilting pattern :)
2. For a third entry, become a follower and leave a comment telling me so. If you already are, leave a comment to that effect.
3. For a fourth entry, blog about this giveaway or my quilt along and leave a comment telling me so. 

I will announce the winner Monday morning (6/20). Good luck!!!

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Double Wedding Ring Quilt Along

On July 1st, I'll be kicking off a Double Wedding Ring Quilt Along!!! You're welcome to work alongside me this summer as I make a DWR quilt for our home, but you can jump in at any time because the instructions will be up permanently on here. And if you do decide to try out your own DWR, feel free to grab my button for your blog :)

<a href="http://www.theplaidscottie.com/2011/06/double-wedding-ring-quilt-along.html"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2511/5804352009_cebd2dac8a_m.jpg" width="175" height="175" alt="DWR Quilt Along"></a>

Why the Double Wedding Ring, you ask? Well I considered using one of the original patterns I'm working on right now, but I settled on the DWR for several reasons. As progressive as I am on most things, I'm a little bit sentimental when it comes to quilting. I love traditional patterns and think it's important we learn a little bit of the old along with the new. I'm not saying everyone should go out and sew their way through Egg Money Quilts, but I think it's important to learn a little bit about historical patterns so that knowledge it isn't lost.

Another reason is that many of you have expressed your love of the DWR pattern to me, but explained a lack of (pick one) instructions/skills/confidence is holding you back. To be completely transparent, I had a lot of those same feelings when I embarked on my DWR adventure last year, and I can promise you my success was due more to nerve than talent. Once I cut that fabric, there was no way I was going to fail. I'd rather take repeated blows to the face than waste yards and yards of designer fabric *shudder*. So when those horrible moments came while I was piecing curves, ripping seams, crying, cursing, and tearing fistfuls of hair out, my mule-like stubborness kicked in and I prevailed! ha HA! Yes, there will probably be moments when you curse me for suckering you into this, but once it "clicks", you're golden. Piecing those curves and tiny corners will seem impossible one moment, and then the next it will all fall into place. You'll figure out what you were doing wrong, and get into a groove.

But most of all, I want to help you learn. I discovered last year there is very little in the way of in-depth DWR instructions online. Vague instructions? yes. Random tips in forums? yes. Pictures of the actual process? nada. Step-by-step instructions? few and far between. And even if you find a few tips worth their salt, they might not apply to the particular pattern you're using (because there are lots of different methods for making this type of quilt). I see this as a problem. If it weren't for the internet, I wouldn't even know how to quilt, so I want to expand the tools available online as much as I can. I wish I could chat and sew with each one of you in person, but sadly, I can't. So for the mean-time, you'll have to put up with my crazy online instructions. I promise I'll try and do the best I can! 

We will be using this pattern, so if you've been wanting to learn how to make a DWR quilt and how to paper piece, you can kill two birds with one stone. And if you ask me, this is a fairly straightforward introduction to paper piecing. No funky shapes or wonky lines...just sewing 2.5" x 3.5" squares together along a straight line.

You have about 2 weeks to prep, so I suggest you start printing and cutting those arcs. If you're doing the whole quilt, you'll need exactly 80 arcs. If you simply want to learn the technique, but don't want to commit to a quilt right now, why don't you try making one block and turn it into a pillow (8 arcs)? Or if you wanna be a tiny bit more adventurous, try making one row and use it as a table runner (26 arcs).

About supplies....

You'll need the following:

• Arcs: 1/3 yard of 13 different prints
• Intersection squares: 1/4 yard of 2 different prints
• Melons & Center Medallions: 3 yards
• Binding: 1 yard
• Backing: 3 1/2 yards

Now for the fun part! I have a lovely new sponsor, Pink Castle Fabrics, and we paired up to make some custom bundles for this project! Each bundle also includes a stack of 40 sheets of foundation paper to paper piece the arcs. And bonus, she's offering a 15% off coupon if you decide to order something from her shop! Enter the code TPSQAL when you check out to receive the discount :)

Brenda went with a cool & sultry green/purple/brown combo...

While I went for a very summery palette...

I also thought mine looked really pretty paired with Quilter's Linen...

If you'd like a different background fabric with your bundle, feel free to message Brenda so she can set up a custom listing for you. The bundles include enough fabric to make the quilt top only, so you might want to pick up some coordinates for the back and binding while you're browsing around her Etsy shop ;)

IMPORTANT: I've had a handful people ask about this, but you are NOT required to purchase one of these bundles in order to participate in the DWR Quilt Along. Brenda and I put these together as a courtesy. It was meant to be convenient, and to help those that have either have difficulty coordinating fabrics, or don't have the time right now to put together a giant bundle of 15 different fabrics. I would NEVER require you to purchase something in order to participate in one of my projects! Over and out :)

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Bringing Sexy Back: 1960's Style

All of the fabrics I ordered for my Mad Men inspired Swanky Squares quilt are in. If a geometric pea green, teal, gray and mustard yellow quilt doesn't scream "swanky 60's pad", I don't know what does. Oh yeah. Anyone else feel like snapping their fingers and singing "Fly Me to the Moon"?

Get ready for the wedding quilt of your life Amanda :)

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Finished Whack-a-Bunny Quilt

I finished binding Bry's giveaway prize, the "Whack-a-Bunny" quilt, late last night. Sorry, but all you'll get today is a quick photo parade because the fam is coming over for dinner and they'll be here any minute!

Bunny #1 peeping his head out

Bunny #2 trying to duck back down

Bunny #3 diving for cover (head-first)

 All three bunnies in perspective

Check out how well the binding coordinated! It has bits of light green, blue, and pink.

The back

 It looks so summery on the back...kinda like a watermelon (except that it's orange on the inside instead of pink, lol)

All the prints (front, back, binding) mingling together 

 And here's one more shot of Bunny #1, just for good measure :)

This will finally be winging it's way to Bry tomorrow. Thanks for your patience and I hope it finds a happy place in your home :)

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A lesson from your Auntie K

Dear little children,

Tell your parents to close their eyes, because I'm going to teach you a bad habit today. You see, sometimes your teachers and parents are wrong when they tell you to always be on time. Because sometimes, just sometimes, it pays to procrastinate....like when you don't get around to binding a quilt for 2 months, and a new Spring fabric line comes out that includes a print which coordinates with your project more perfectly than you could have imagined.

Love,

Auntie K


(Hopefully Bry also thinks it was worth the wait...*crosses fingers*)

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I *heart* Kelly

I know we all wonder what our online friends are like in person, and I had the pleasure of meeting one of mine recently!  Both Angela and I had chatted and swapped with Kelly (kelbysews) on Flickr for a while, but the retreat was the first time we'd ever met her in person. I discovered she's every bit as sweet and talented as she comes across on the computer :)

But just in case you're thinking to yourself, "listen Kaelin, that Kelly girl still seems a little shifty to me. She finishes a quilt top every other day and I think she might be some kind of autonomous sewing robot," I can assure you that she is in fact human. And I'm 99% sure she's able to sew at Mach 3 because she's fueled by her incredibly tasty cooking. I'm positive I could have powered myself to the moon and back after eating her Chicken Carbonara. And while she does have a little mischievous streak (she had Angela minxing it up with a booty dance and a one-shouldered shirt by the end of the retreat...we're hoping Angela's husband won't mind her flying down for more retreats in the future if they produce similar results), to quote my mother-in-law, "Kelly's as sweet as homemade apple pie". Just look at the "thank you" bag she sent in the mail as a present for arranging the retreat!

Oooh!

Ahhh!

It's shaped just like a brown paper grocery sack. Too cute! But she had me at "Modern Meadow"...it was love at first sight when I spotted the Dogwood blossoms.

And she even did a little piping detail on the four main corners :)

Meeting Kelly made me even more excited about the upcoming Sewing Summit in October, because I'll finally get to meet so many of you lovely ladies face-to-face. Aren't you all PUMPED?!  Just thinking about it makes me feel like this. How many of you will be going? Leave a comment if you are, because I'd love to know! I'll give you fair warning about one of my more obnoxious traits - I have self-awareness issues when it comes to the volume of my voice/laugh, so you'll probably hear me before you see me. Right when you're thinking something like, "Good God man! Who is that crazy loud woman making a scene in the corner?" and decide you want to put a lot of distance between yourself and said mystery quilter, you'll realize it's me. I was just discussing with a coworker today how I always got an "N" for "Needs Improvement" on my Elementary School Conduct Cards because, although I was an exceptional student, I had a hard time keeping my mouth shut. Twenty years later, not much has changed :)

Ooh...and one more surprise before I go! Guess what's coming to a blog near you on July 1st?

I'm teaming up with Pink Castle Fabrics to bring ya'll lots of fun things ;)

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