Getting back to the fabric

Ok, so the knitty love is still going strong here -- but, my sewing machine has been patiently waiting for me to find my way back to it. Or, well, I did hear some murmurings in that direction about a yarn overthrow. So -- I SHOULD spend some time devoted to sewing here on the blog as well as preventing a coup and yarn basket overthrow. I have finally reclaimed the kitchen for sewing space (there go all those lovely visions of family dinners around the table) so there should be more fabric love showing up soon.

In the meantime -- I thought I would share some goodies that came in the mail over the holidays. This lovely, bright quilt was a gift for my daughter. Despite my hopes that she wouldn't like it ('cause Mommy loves it and wants to cuddle under it) -- no luck. She LOVES her gift from her "Aunt B" and has been sleeping under it every night since the postman delivered it. It's lined with lime green minky -- soooo soft. She's even named it her "super soft blankie". I've got to admit, the kid's got good taste.

The postman also brought me a lovely little package from Sam over at Diary of a Mad Fabriholic over the holidays. I won a drawing on her blog and as a prize I got this fun little pincushion kit and some great cards. Since I really do have to send out some notes soon -- the cards are going to come in handy!

And last, just because I am feeling the need to show something I've made that is quilting related -- here's a photo of the quilt I made for Miss Tinkerbell LAST Christmas ('06). This is one where I had pretty much figured out how to make it from a photograph, but I did end up buying the pattern just to make sure I was "doing it right". Honestly? I shouldn't have bothered -- (though there were a few other cute patterns in the book). The method the pattern used was MUCH more fiddly than what I did (let's hear it for Thangles).

The other thing about this quilt is that it shows why, though I love the idea, when Finn cried "All Aboard" for the Orphan Train quilts -- I was left standing at the station without the ability to get a ticket. When I need quilt backs -- um, well, I'm too cheap, frugal, um -- thrifty, yeah that's a good word, to buy large pieces of fabric (there is also that whole -- I love so many fabric designs I usually don't want to limit myself to one or two purchases of yardage -- I would rather have a little bit each of lots of fabrics). So -- I end up having to either a) go out and buy a specific backing fabric (or two or more depending) or b) make do with what I have. In this case -- it was option b. I had lots of smallish cuts (1/2 yards or less) and an orphan block -- hey, it's a quilt backing! So, not many orphans here at casa de cornfields -- but a whole lot of quilt backs that are a mish mash!

Now, to see about getting that sewing machine to stop plotting against the knitting basket...or maybe I should clean? NAH -- there's still enough room to put down a coke -- I think quelling the overthrow should come first...