Crafty Sewing & Quilting: May for Me 2012

Showing posts with label May for Me 2012. Show all posts

Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Last Day of May and the May for Me Celebration

What did you do in May?

I had a May for Me list of my goals – the things I wanted to do.

I did quite a bit and more.

Some things I did not get done.

I went back and looked at all of my May for Me posts here and the first Post on the Eve of May for Me.

Here's a recap!

#1 Dance to a song every day.... Well I did dance most of the weekdays, being I work at home alone and no one sees me dancing! I did not dance the last few days of May – I listened to music and sang along to the songs, but no real dancing. As I drove back from Mary Jo's funeral yesterday, I sang along to the 70's songs. Many were our favorites when we were in high school. I had a two hour drive and I was following my husband, so I was all alone and sang my heart out! After unpacking and getting the wash started I sat down last night and listened to Sissy's Song again and added the link to my post – earlier post. I am not a country music fan, as they always make me cry. I like Carly Simon and Carol King songs the best and similar artists. Today's song should be repeat of Celebration, but I think I will share my favorite song sung by Mama Cass – “MakeYour Own Kind of Music”. I think it fits me best. I do like to do things my way. Maybe I should share the song “MyWay”. If you have never taken the time to listen to Landslide – this a good one about life changes. It is favorite also.

I like to create quilts with a unque' twist. I like to quilt different than others. I like to share posts any way I want to and recently I decided you are going to get a few more personal thoughts in my shares... not just ---- I did this and that and used these colors... but more why I did it and what I was thinking about that made me do it that way. I like to have several projects going at a time... so I jump from project to project. I know I have ADHD – but I think it is what makes me – me! So that is a very positive thing for me! I have tons of photos of projects, I have been quilting and sewing that I haven't had time to share yet... but I will share them.

#2 I “thread painted” my Tiptoe quilt and the first part of the binding is stitched. I need to do the embroidery stitching yet. It will get done soon.

#3 Sew something Simple – never did this but I will do it, this summer.

#4 Practice quilting some new design with blue thread... did some doodling on paper with a blue pen … not on my quilting machine.

#5 Sip coffee slowly and just breathe... been doing lots of that – every morning. Today, I had a second cup of coffee while chatting with my daughter on skype. Really enjoy our visits. I am glad I started taking time in the morning to just relax, before I start my day! My daughter and I have a lot to talk about as she is getting married this summer. We are so happy for them! I will share more about this in June.

#6 Polish my toe nails – I did switch them to blue and now back to a soft peach and plan to switch it again tonight to another peachy pink. Mostly this has been about taking a few minutes for me and not feeling guilty about taking time for me. They look nice and I am worth it. Try it you'll like it!

#7 Buy Chocolate Milk --- I never bought Chocolate Milk – I forgot about it! Maybe today!

#8 Add fruit to my water and drink more water. I did that a lot! This was also a good thing to have on my list and was easy to do everyday for me!

#9 Get an old recipe from my Mom and make it. I did make the Cherry Coke Jello and I actually ended up making it when my Mom was visiting. That was fun. Here is that Post.

#10 Make more fabric greeting cards. I did not make more of these as when my Mom came to visit we got carried away making mug rugs! We started some in April and more in May. We also made some place mats which I will share soon too.

#11 Call an old friend. Yes -- I did call a few friends and unexpectedly saw and visited with many old friends at Mary Jo's funeral yesterday.

#11 (which should have been labeled #12) was to replant my plants outside. I did that.

and here... can't wait til it is green and full with veggies!

#12 Spend more quality time with my husband and family.

This was easy to do as it was really important to me.

#13 Dreaming about quilts! This was easy to do. I dream up ideas for quilts all the time. Taking time to create them and write it all up is where I have a problem. Time?

I had fun making the green and blue scrappy mug rugs!

In addition to the items I listed I was able to do a few more...

#14 I came up with the Fabric Garage Sale idea and that is next week. Here is the post about the Sale and Linky Party. This week was cut short by funerals and me not being home to take photos of fabric – but I am going to get it done! More photos to take this afternoon and this evening. Tomorrow I have another funeral. The sale must go on!

#15 I shared more about the Zig Zag Quilt Challenge and made a few more zig zag blocks for more quilts. Link in the sidebar takes you to the Challenge Information.

#16 I hosted a Fabric Giveaway every week in May! I had a blast laying out the charm squares and creating color combinations and pattern layouts. All sorts of ideas are still spinning around in my head! It kept me busy mailing out packages too!

#17 BINGO was a blast with all of the participants! We (mostly Tonya), were overwhelmed by so many Bingo Players! I hope we get a Blackout today! Thanks for participating and Good luck!

I am very thankful for the May for Me Hosts as it was a comfort to Tonya and I as we struggled with just the two of us last year.

Tonya at Hillbilly Handiwork

Sharon at Vrooman's Quilts

Snoodles at Lily Pad Quilting

and me, Marcia at Crafty Sewing & Quilting

And Thanks to all you - the May for Me participants!

And last, but not least, there were happy times and sad times in the month of May this year.

Most of May was much better than last year. My Mom was in the hospital and very ill. I was going back and forth from there, trying to quilt in between, when I would return home. It was a long summer and fall for my Mom, but she is doing much better now. I am thankful for all the thoughts and prayers that were sent our way.

Making goals to take time for myself was a good thing and I am a better person, because I did it. I took time to play. I took time to take good care of myself – dancing, more water, and self care. I took time to be with family and friends. All in all I really enjoyed the May for Me Celebration.

Last year, I said,

“Don't be sad that it is over...

be glad you did it!”

Take time to enjoy each and every day!

Marcia

Monday, May 28, 2012

May for Me Charming Giveaway - Create a Charm Pack

I created this charm layout using 56 charms squares. 42 charm squares of Quilter's Blenders Fabrics and 14 of a multicolored print. I chose a multicolored print and then selected colors that seemed pleasing to me!

This layout has:

14 multicolored print charm squares

14 Yellow - main color

10 Red - second color

9 Ocean Blue - third color

6 Purple - fourth color

3 Red Purple - fifth color --- This color could be the same as the fourth color as they are far enough apart on the layout.

It creates a quilt top that would be 7 - 5 inch squares by 8 - 5 inch squares.

This May for Me "Charming Giveaway" is a create your own charm pack to match your multicolored print. Winners will select from your own fabric stash a multicolored print. A multicolored print that you can cut 14 - 5 inch squares from it - about a 1/3 of a yard. Then you choose the colors for each row.

There will be two Charming Winners, again this week!

Each winner will create their own Charm Pack of 42 Squares from the 20 Quilter's Blenders Fabrics.

The winners can choose a completely different combination of colors.

The winners could choose 21 Red and 21 Blue and you add your own white fabric squares.

How about this combination?

How about Purple, Red Purple, Lavender, and Cream?

You could choose Rosie, Blue and Cream!

Update: This giveaway has ended. Click here to see who the two winners are!

How do you enter the Giveaway?

Tell me if you won, would you choose colors to match a multicolored print OR create your own charm pack.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Quilting Question of the Week

Sharon from Vroomans' Quilts proposed a question of the week for the May for Me Hosts.
"If you could, as a May For Me treat to yourself, have any one designer or teacher come to your home for a personal 'one-on-one' class - Who would it be and why?"

I would choose Terry White. I had the privilege several years ago to be able to take a class on Thread Painting from her at a Sewing Expo in Southwestern Wisconsin. She taught how to thread paint on your regular sewing machine. I learned on the regular machine, but it is quite different than quilting on a long arm machine. On the long arm quilting machine, I move the machine like a pencil to quilt and on the regular machine you more the fabric to quilt. Now I thread paint exclusively on my long arm machine.
I would choose Terry, because I love her creative embroidery thread painting. I would like to expand my knowledge of stitches to be able to create with a variety of free style embroidery stitches. I love all the textures in her designs.

This is the piece I stitched in the all day class. This is an original design by Terry White. But I stitched things a little different than it was suppose to be. I'll explain why.

Here's an up close photo of the piece.

I struggled with keeping the stitches even. That is why I love thread painting on my long arm with the regulated stitches. Everything comes out even. The leafy things were suppose to be quite different, but I couldn't get the hang of moving my fabric under the regular sewing machine, so I changed them to pine needles and did straight stitches.

I am very thankful that I was able to take Terry's class and I continue to enjoy the skill she shared with me. I love thread painting.
This was the second piece, I tried to stitch on my regular machine. I never finished it and I never will.

It was my own design based on a photo from a friend. On the left side you can see my pencil lines where I was to stitch next. I will keep both of these thread painted pieces as a memento of my first attempts at thread painting.
This was one of the next quilts, I thread painted on my long arm machine. I love the scaly details of the fish.

Recently, I finished another Ball Jar Flower quilt. This pattern and the fish are from Patch Abilities. Julie has some wonderful little wall hangings that I love to make and thread paint.

I love adding the little details to the flowers and leaves.

I flipped this one over so you can see the stitches are even when I quilt in the long arm machine, because it has a stitch regulator.

My First Bloom Quilt is my own design, based on a photo of the first bloom of the summer, last year.

Click here for the link to that post - shows how I created it. I added my variation in detailed stitches in the flower and with the wood grain. I used several colors of greens and blues in the leaves.

Last week, I shared my Connectivity Quilt.

I thread painted on the wires and I quilted tiny circles in the background. Click here for that post. I shared links on that post to several of my thread painted quilts. My post about my Garden Inspiring my Thread Painting shares many thread painted quilts. I designed Blooming Beans too.

I recently quilted another fall table topper quilt.

Well, actually two fall pumpkin table topper quilts!

The two quilts were made by one of my customers, using these two patterns and combining the ideas from both. I quilted (Thread Painted) both of them - one is hers and one is mine!

My Imaginary Barn Quilt shares more detailed thread painting with lots of variation of items to stitch. This is my original design and I created it for Project Quilting.

I still have much more to learn about thread painting. I am really enjoy stitching all the details. I feel like I am a kid again... coloring with my quilting machine!

Thanks Terry for inspiring me to thread paint! Hop over and check out her website www.threadpaint.com. Tell her Marcia sent you!

Hop over and check out the posts about the teachers the May for Me Blog Hosts would choose to invite into their homes for their May for Me Wish of the week!
Tonya at Hillbilly Handiwork

Sharon at Vrooman's Quilts

Snoodles at Lily Pad Quilting

Enjoy your day! Enjoy everyday in May!
Marcia
If you are looking for today's Bingo Items - keep scrolling or click on the link in the side bar - takes you to all the Bingo Item posts.
Linked with:

Pieceful Life: Little Quilts Monday

Sew Happy Geek: Manic Monday

Sew Chatty: Made with Love Link up

Quilting by the River: Linky Party Tuesdays

Quilt Story: Fabric Tuesday

Linky Party at Our Delightful Home
Freshly Pieced: WIP - Work In Progress

It's a Another May for Me Charming Giveaway!

This week's giveaway is a Charm Pack of Quilter's Blenders Fabrics in Primary and Secondary Colors.

UPDATE: This Giveaway has ended. Two Winners announced - click here. Next May for Me Giveaway will start on Monday!

I will be drawing two "Charming Winners" again this week!

It contains 42 Charm Squares - 7 Yellow, 7 Red, 7 Blue,7 Orange, 7 Purple, and 7 Green.
Each winner wins one Charm Pack!

Giveaway is open to everyone! I will ship internationally.

Last week, two "Charming Winners" won their own color creation of the charm squares! They chose from 30 Quilter's Blenders colors to make a 42 square charm pack. Winners were announced on Sunday. Click here to see who won! I shared photos of several of the color combinations. This is one of my favorite color combinations.

You can make your own color combination of charm squares of any of the 30 Quilter's Blenders Fabrics. Same price as the charm packs on the website. Just email me and request it! Marcia@craftysewing.com.

To enter the Charming Fabric Giveaway -

Share your favorite color.
My favorite color is blue. I love denim blue the best!

Leave a comment here.
Or

Leave a comment on my facebook page (see link in sidebar).
Or

Giveaway ends Friday, May 25th at 5pm PST and the two "Charming Winners" will be announced on Saturday, May 26th.

I am linking up this May for Me Giveaway with Sew Mama Sew Blog for her May Giveaway Day at 6am PST Monday May 21st. Hop over and check out all the wonderful giveaways.

I also linked up this May for Me Giveaway with SewCalGal Blog on her Giveaways and Contest Page. Hop over and check out all the wonderful giveaways.

Are you doing the Zig Zag Quilt Challenge?

Next week's May for Me Giveaway will be something Charming to end the May for Me Celebration!

Enjoy your day!
Marcia

P.S. Why do I want to know your favorite color? Because I am throwing in a bonus prize of extra charm squares in your favorite color, if you win!