Wednesday, February 25, 2015

The Elephant Parade Quilt Moves On

My Elephant Parade finally moved on with the addition of more of my favorite solid fabrics, 
Robert Kaufman Kona. Now I just need to finish it. Hopefully that won't be much longer, but there is
the much anticipated arrival of another Monkey Boy that might take more of a priority for me.
I should have made this in blue fabrics!

Sew Fresh Quilts has the correct version of the direction these elephants should be going,
That poor little turtle looks so scared because the elephants are heading right at him!

Baby Monkey Boy (soon to not-be-the-baby) and the other grandson, RJ, tried hard not
to let me get a picture without them. They seemed to like those cute elephants as much as I do!




Friday, February 20, 2015

I Just Wasn't Feeling That Cake At All

I tried to like that other cake, really I did! I didn't hate it, but I just wasn't feeling the fabrics.
Staring at it, thinking about it and walking away from it didn't help.
Even my daughter said it "didn't look like something I would make."
Sometimes using fabric from my stash works out, sometimes not.

So...it had to go. I may still do something with it later.


Anyway...

I switched it up and decided I needed to sew something that made me feel good.
Black and red fabrics do that for me. So I'm using Moda's El Gallo now and I like it better.



I'm looking forward to making the other blocks.
Now it's time to move on and finish the Elephant Parade.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

It's A Quilt Along Cake Snapshot

I think I've lost my mind.

No, actually, I'm SURE I've lost my mind.

I was in the middle of Elephants on Parade and I saw that Kris (of Kris Loves Fabric) had joined a
quilt along that benefits St. Judes Children's Hospital, so I jumped right in to join her in the fun.
What was I thinking! 
I guess I was thinking this looked like an awesome quilt and I HAD to make it!
You can find all the details over at the Fat Quarter Shop.


I'm a little behind and just barely finished the cake using fabrics that I've had in my stash 
FOREVER. I have a fat quarter bundle and tons of yardage! I wish I'd used a different fabric where
 the blue and green polka dots are so that the "chocolate frosting" would show up better.
I may change it up later, but maybe not. Just not sure about it right now.


As for the elephants, I got more white fabric so they are finally moving forward again.
Thank you, Doug, at Clover Patch Quilt Shop for calling me about the fabric coming in! Whoohoo!
Sew Fresh Quilts has all the details on this quilt along...there's still time to join in!


I've also been working with some amazing fabric for the Tree Bird Hop at Sew We Quilt.
The colors of the birds and birdhouses in the fabric by Elizabeth's Studios are just so vibrant!

I have to go now. It's time for my strait jacket fitting.
I'm sure there's several of you who will be joining me...right?

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Elephants At A Stand Still

My Elephant Parade is at a stand still on my design wall because...

ALL WHITE FABRIC IS NOT CREATED EQUAL!
I already knew this, but I thought I had more of my white Robert Kaufman Kona in my stash.
NOPE...it is all gone! Yikes!

Here they are, all stopped facing the SAME direction. Poor things!
They were just heading towards "the chocolate on the left" and now they can't reach it!


I went to FIVE quilt stores in my area and managed to get just three quarters of yard of white.
That-is-all!

I had offers of all those other shades and brands of white fabric, but none of them matched
this project I had already started. Shame on me for not double-checking to make sure I had enough!

I still have to do some hand stitching on the quilt, so I guess I will work on that while I
wait to get more beautiful white Kona...not snow Kona, not eggshell Kona, or any of
the rest of those amazing Robert Kaufman Kona's.  Just plain white will do. 

Good thing I bought the whole quilt pattern so I won't fall way behind, but you can get the free quilt 
along patterns over at Sew Fresh Quilts if you'd rather do that. The directions are great and it has
 been fun to see what people are doing with their parade of cute elephants. 

Hopefully, my parade will get moving towards the chocolate very soon!


Sunday, February 8, 2015

Elephant Babies And A New Blog Hop

I added 15 baby elephants to my stack for the Elephant Parade quilt along.
Of course, they are going the same way as the mama!
Thanks to those of you who told me it was "okay" to have ALL my elephants going one way.

 A while back I won the little fabric bundle I'm using for this quilt...Hug Me by Clothworks.
I've been holding on to it for just the right project...this is it!


The patterns are free over at Sew Fresh Quilts or you can buy the pattern. 
Come quilt along with the rest of us pachyderms!


AND...

Sew We Stitch announced a new blog hop yesterday, Tea for Two.
Mary from Needled Mom is cheering us on for this hop of vintage embroidery with
patterns by Cori from Chitter Chatter Designs. They are so beautiful!
Click HERE for all the details and sign-up information. Come join the fun!


AND...

The We Support You blog hop by Sew We Quilt ends this week, so be sure to check out all the
 creative projects showing our support for breast cancer....the whole schedule is over at 
Life in the Scrapatch...HERE.


Friday, February 6, 2015

Elephants Parade My Way

I was visiting Kris Loves Fabric and saw that she was participating in a new quilt along called
"Elephant Parade" created by Sew Fresh Quilts. Of course, if Kris was doing it, I had to do it, too!
It makes an adorable baby quilt...I love the elephants!


I was feeling rather proud of myself for following the really easy pattern directions,
something I'm not always good at because I'm easily distracted. There they were,
all cut out, sewn together, pressed and looking so cute. Then I saw it...WHOOPS!

All my elephants are going the same direction. Dang it! I missed that instruction!


Sooooo, my big elephants will be doing their own thing and going one direction.
I'm not sure how that will work out, but I'm out of the gray Clothworks fabric so I can't make more.

Sew Fresh Quilts

Next up will be the baby elephants...they are so cute!

Sunday, February 1, 2015

The Volleyball Quilt Scores Big With The Monkey Boy

This Monkey Boy came over today to watch the Super Bowl game with us, but
he was more excited to get the quilt he designed and I sewed for him.

I think the look on his face says it all!


The Monkey Boy thought I should take a picture of the back of the quilt, too.


He's very proud of the label he designed. I am, too!
(His embroidered signature has been blurred out.)


He loved how big it was...about 61" x 76".
The volleyball fabric was by Timeless Treasures.

AND...

The We Support You blog hop continues on Monday.


You'll want to visit all of these blogs for lots of inspiring ideas!


I'm so glad you stopped by to visit!

Give It A Whirl Blog Hop Starts Today

It is time to whirl, twirl, and spin with the "Give It A Whirl" blog hop! What was the challenge? Somewhere in or on your project ...