Happy Valentine's Day

I wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day. I have had some flowers and candy and some shared lovelies. This little sweetie I made as part of my Quilt Guild Heart Challenge and for my monthly hanger project. Yes, she is 3-D and kickin' up her heels - oh, maybe I should have put shoes on her?

And I can show the whole thing now - the Valentine I made for the Initial Heart Swap. One of my fabric framed cross stitch pieces. OF course I am still loving the one I received.

And I had this lovely piece arrive - Vickie at A Creative Notion had a give away and we could pick the color - oh, you know it HAD to be blue!! Isn't this just special??

This box arrived too - I was runner up in the "Let Me See Your Jelly Roll' challenge at Crooked Seams. I already know what I am doing with this for a new spring quilt for a birthday gift for a family member.

And be still my heart - this huge box of lovelies were the Grand Prize for the Scrap Along Challenge at Pleasant Home. I shared some of the things in the box with family and friends so pieces are missing. This box was stuffed! Yes, there were baggies of scraps from projects shared during the month - I am always tickled with a bag like this - ideas spinning!! Oh, the bag is just so sweet, did not expect this in the box. And the new book 'Cut The Scraps' has been well thumbed already.

Since I have been so blessed with gifts and wins - and I didn't use these lovely charms - I have 2 charm packs of Deb Strain's 'Always & Forever' along with 2 mailers left. So I can pick TWO winners - will hold comments until Friday midnight and announce the winners Sat. Feb 18th. I will ship over-seas.

CLOSING THOUGHT

On Valentine's Day we think of those who make our lives worthwhile,
Those gracious, friendly people who we think of with a smile.
I am fortunate to know you, that's why I want to say,
to a rare and special person: Happy Valentine's Day!

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Stringing Along

Hearts strings, stringing you along, string of bad luck, string of good luck, tie a string around your finger, string quartet, string of music, quitar string, yo-yo string ....... Oh, I could go on. When you look at a piece of thread do you see it as a string? When you look at a bit of fabric, do you notice how the threads (strings) are woven to make the whole? When you use that thread and that bit of fabric, do you see how the strings become stronger?

Yes, that endless bounty of strings in that tote! Seems to be no end in sight, but hey look! How is it that a dangling string of fabric will always attract a kitty just as much as a bit of yarn? It was hard enough to sort out what I wanted without the Queen trying to 're-claim' it as hers.

These are my blocks for the Scrap Attack Strings QAL and I decided to go with a rectangle block rather than a square. I love Char's at Clothe Stitched and Pattie's at PattilousQuilts rectangular string quilts and had to give them a go. My center string is a 'mushroom' colour - I use so much white, I thought it would be nice to play with another kind of string - these are 6.5" x 8.5". Yes, Moe had to help too.

OK - had to make some 6" string blocks. There are just so many in that tote to play with. I am just so amazed at how different these look compared to the other blocks. They are fun, and a great way to use up those strings.

These are so cool. The pattern is from Marcia's Quilter's Cache and those strings are 1/2" - so I am using right to the smallest up. I think I will use a skinny black sashing so I don't have to play with all those setting seams.

And of course there were lots of triangles created, found, and given to me (clippings from the 1600 Jelly Roll Race), so they were done up into HSTs which I love to play with. I had a LOT of small ones to say the least. Those will finish at 1" and I didn't count them - just chained them up into groups of ten.

I will be linking up with Scrap Attack Strings Quilt Along and Judy's Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

And I did have a finish. This baby quilt was made from scrap strings given me - yes, wider strings, but they made for a sweet crib quilt. I hand quilted this up in one night - yes, when I don't sleep. The backing was in my other scrap tote - a lovely piece of Hoffman 2007 International Challenge fabric. Pink, peach, raspberry, and cream string/scrap goodness someone was going to toss out - now a cuddly quilt.

CLOSING THOUGHT

"Words form the thread on which we string our experiences."
-Aldous Huxley

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Traveling Stash!!

I know you all are following these boxes so want to update as they are all ready to move on shortly and I don't want you to miss out:

Box #1 Quilting NaNa comments open til Monday night - Feb. 13th

Box #2 HoosierToni comments open til Weds Night - Feb 15th

Box #3 My Sister Made Me Do It comments open til Tues. Night - Feb 14th

NEW BOX - called 'Pass It On' started by Brandie at ABC and now with KatieQ at Saltmarsh Path comments open til Tues night - Feb 14th

Good Luck
Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Christmas Quilt Along

Today is the day! The first Christmas Quilt Along and our hostess for today is Hazel at Haxel's Quilts and she has a linky set up for you to share your progress for the day. I hope you join in - I will be updating thru-out the day on this one post and linking up myself.

This is my sorry tote of Christmas fabrics - not many, but enough to go for the scrappy setting and I will put the pot of coffee on and start cutting. I think I have a panel somewheres that could be pulled out for some extra play.

Even if you are not up to the mystery quilt, it's a good day to start on a Christmas project. So come play with us today, and link up over at Hazel's,

**UPDATE**

My fabrics are all cut - scrappy dark greens, red for medium, gold for light and Kona Snow for background. Will pack them in the Christmas tote with the extra fabrics (for incase) and it well be ready to come out and play next month. Now off to find that panel!

**UPDATE**

Well, I didn't find the panel yet, but did come across this box - so I will see what I was attempting, or just go with something else with it. Looks like some fun.

**UPDATE**

As I started sorting this box of partially made HSTs and some of the 'scenes' fussy cut - I remembered and had a bit of a cry! I had started this as a gift for my Dad - sadly he passed away, so I put the project away, tucked into a back corner. He loved to make replica Amish furniture, supported my Mom's love of quilting, made many little quilting tools, quilt racks, quilt hangers, etc... I will finish this project up and give it to my youngest son who was very close to his grandpa and has a lot of his characteristics.

**UPDATE**

Well, I got 9 of the 12 star blocks done, had a nap with the fur babies and the party is over. I have a baby quilt to finish the last row of hand quilting and then the binding, so thank you Hazel for starting us all off right. Until next quilt, along.......

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon