Fabric Worthy

Does anyone else have this problem?

Whenever I get some really awesome fabric, especially in matching bundles, it tends to sit in my drawers designated for awesome fabric.  It sits and sits and sits, because I can never think of anything to do that seems "awesome fabric worthy".  Consequently, I make loads of crap with the novelty scraps left over from scrub caps.  The scraps are fun and wild.  Sometimes they are a little too wild, and the end product...could be better.  

A couple days ago I finally got up the courage to bust out this amazing little Moda mini charm pack that came in my swag bag at Sew South.  The sketch book that I carry everywhere demanded a cover.

It's certainly not perfect (which I think is part of the fear of using the awesome fabric), but still...it makes me happy.  Since it's something I use almost daily, I deemed it worthy.  The front and back is patched with all of the pretty charms.  Not one went to waste (thanks to the pencil loop that used up the only remaining two charms).  Clearly my affinity for big fat writing utensils means my psyche is stuck somewhere near kindergarten.  That enormous pencil also goes with me everywhere.

The inside also features a couple special fabric pieces that accommodate the essential ruler and other tid bits.  Did you know there are such things as ERASABLE COLORED PENCILS???  They are like magic.  They ACTUALLY erase...for real.  I only discovered them a couple weeks ago (I've hunted for years), so I'm still getting over the shock.  Crayola makes them of course, and they are only twice as expensive as the regular ones.  ;)  Maybe they have always been around, and I'm just the last person on Earth to notice them. 

ANYWAY, I struggle with applying the binding.  Attaching it all in one step successfully is my unicorn.  I think I'll stick to the traditional hand-stitching method for future awesome-fabric-worthy projects.

Overall it was incredibly liberating to turn that little charm pack into something special.  I hope it sets the ball rolling.

Keef's Quilt

The past few weeks have been filled with fun summer activities.  Mr. Sexy Pants and I have been busy with family house guests and enjoying our new grill.  SP is a grill master.  He cooks a mean Kabob, Steak, Brat, Burger: you name it!  I'm a lucky gal.  Tomorrow is Shrimp Kabobs.  Yummy Yummy Yummah!

Mi Padre

Besides eating all kinds of excellent meat and cheese here in America's Dairyland, I've had a few new projects going in the shop.  Dad came to visit a couple weeks ago, and I suckered him into lending his electrically skilled hands to install a couple new fancy fluorescent lights.  What a huge difference!  And yup...that handsome lookin' devil right there...that's my Papa.  Never a dull moment when Dad's around.  We always have tons of fun no matter what we're doing.

Test Driving the 2010

Next up was the Chicago International Quilt Festival where I finally got my hands on the Juki 2010Q I've been lusting after for the past few months.  The Juki reps, Jane & Joe were so helpful and friendly.  It didn't take me more than 5 minutes playing around with a little FMQ on the

2010 to give the order.  Wrap it up!  She's coming home!  In actuality, though, I had her shipped and waited very impatiently for the next 5 days until Monsieur FedEx arrived with her.  Let me just say that she is INCREDIBLE!  Perfectly simplistic, but with the few fancy essentials I have come to adore: automatic thread cutter (ON THE FOOT PEDAL!), knee lever, and needle down.  And she goes at an outrageous clip.  All of a sudden...I'm done.  On to the next project.  Fantabulous.  You should get one.

Keef's Quilt

The completed project I'd like to share on this post is none other than a very scrappy Dresden mini quilt I recently finished for (essentially)...my bird.  

I know.  I'm a little strange.

History:  There is this really weird cutout in the wall between our living room and dining room.  When we arrived here in February, the dining room (right next to the cutout) provided the perfect place for Keef's enormous cage.  It offers lots of natural light, but tucks into a corner for comfort.  Well Keef suffers from a bit of separation anxiety (to put it mildly).  So whenever she heard us in the living room, she would fly through the cutout to come hangout.  To add to the separation anxiety, she started chewing her feathers shortly after we moved and consequently relinquished any hope for successful flight.  Long story short, we had to put a sheet up to cover the cutout, because she was basically a kamakazi bird henceforth.  The sheet stopped her from dive-bombing and banging up her noggin.  I vowed to make her something pretty to look at in her little corner of the world instead of staring at a hideous old sheet.  She seems to dig outrageous color, so I thought a scrappy Dresden would suit her.  And tah-dah.  No worries, though.  The quilt doesn't stop her from reaching her final destination.  She comes waddling around the corner into the living room with her traditional greeting, "What're you doin'?" at frequent intervals.

Next on the to-do list is an appropriate quilted counterpart for the grown-ups on the other side of the wall.  It's in the works.