tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74734282698869707022024-02-20T21:09:22.208-06:00Texas FrecklesMelaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.comBlogger213125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-49171086257011042912015-02-23T17:48:00.000-06:002015-02-23T17:49:59.458-06:00My Farmer's Wife quilt<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/16005877364" title="Farmers Wife by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="Farmers Wife" height="500" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8639/16005877364_3310a9bab5.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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I can't believe it, but I FINALLY finished the blocks for my Farmer's Wife quilt! <a href="http://www.texasfreckles.com/2011/06/busyness-of-summer.html" target="_blank">I started on this quilt in the summer of 2011.</a> I made 71 blocks from the book and threw in one of my own.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/16005875914" title="Farmers Wife by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="Farmers Wife" height="500" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8586/16005875914_b218afdfc6.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/16008480263" title="Farmer's Wife templates by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="Farmer's Wife templates" height="500" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8668/16008480263_85b9dd808b.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Because I'm not a fan of paper piecing, all but two of my blocks were made using templates. For the squares, rectangles, and triangles, I just made notes on the template sizes and used the dimensions to cut the pieces, but I used the laminated templates for all of the angular or oddly sized pieces.</div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/16441042640" title="Farmers Wife by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="Farmers Wife" height="500" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8572/16441042640_0d9ab2034c.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Unfortunately, I got a little bitter about this quilt over time. It was a lot of work fiddling with all the templates and cutting for only one block at a time, so in the end, I was desperate to just get it done. </div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/16442252859" title="Farmers Wife by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="Farmers Wife" height="500" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8672/16442252859_6b20668b37.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Here it is with all the finished blocks! If you look in the top left corner, there's an airplane in my Farmer's Wife quilt. I decided to put it in for two reasons. One, because I made that block a while back for my husband; I'm not a farmer's wife, but I am a pilot's wife. And two, because the thought of making one more stinkin' block for this quilt made me want to pile it up with some leaves and toss in a lit match.<br />
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I still need to add the border, but I was so excited to get the blocks finished that I just had to take a photo and share my excitement that the top is almost finished! I can't decide how wide to make the border or if I want to do just a plain black dot border or incorporate the grey seeds in the border too.<br />
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Hopefully, I can muster the discipline to see this thing through to completion before starting something else, but honestly, I kind of doubt it.</div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-14290562445674098632014-06-26T20:29:00.001-05:002014-06-26T20:29:37.258-05:00Journal Making Video<div style="text-align: center;">
I've been a journal making fool lately and I made a little video of the process.</div>
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It is long, but it's kind of fun to watch if you are into this sort of thing. Enjoy!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vM7qxsxXuds?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-11620310438240656792014-05-06T13:36:00.000-05:002014-05-06T13:36:18.245-05:00Vintage Blocks Jackpot<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13561913683" title="Vintage Quilt Blocks 4 by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="Vintage Quilt Blocks 4" height="312" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7055/13561913683_708d343839_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I feel like I hit the vintage quilt block jackpot with these blocks! I went to a "digger style" estate sale a month or so ago and found 12 of these 17" blocks. This sale was advertised as a "digger" as it was necessary to get down on your knees and dig through tubs and boxes at your own risk. I wish I'd had some gloves, but being without didn't seem to stop me from diving in.</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">I think they are a version of the Star of Bethlehem block. The prints themselves are not pieced; that's all Y-seams!</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13561915093" title="Vintage Quilt Blocks 2 by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="Vintage Quilt Blocks 2" height="480" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3692/13561915093_508d9cbeae_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13561910893" title="Vintage Quilt Blocks 5 by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="Vintage Quilt Blocks 5" height="480" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3821/13561910893_e382d1cccd_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13561843345" title="Vintage Quilt Blocks 6 by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="Vintage Quilt Blocks 6" height="367" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7246/13561843345_8290bd794e_c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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They have some water stains on them, but I'm hesitant to wash them for fear of unraveling, distortion, and shrinkage. <span style="text-align: center;">I guess I could just sew them into a top, quilt and finish it and </span><i style="text-align: center;">then </i><span style="text-align: center;">wash the whole thing.</span><br />
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<b>Does anyone have any advice?</b> The ivory background is muslin.<br />
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Ideas...<br />
*Sash them with muslin or a Kona solid to match one of the solids in the blocks.<br />
* Find enough of a vintage fabric that coordinates and use that for sashing.<br />
* Sew them together as is and add a border with a coordinating solid or vintage print. Maybe a navy polka-dot? They are about 17" and I have 12, so if they finish at 16" (once I square them up), a 3 x 4 layout would make a top 48 x 64" before sashing or borders.<br />
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I really want to finish these into a useful quilt. I love the idea of seeing this through for whoever took the time to hand piece all these blocks.<br />
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Oh, and I paid $1 each for them. ☺Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-81787821302610018552014-05-06T12:31:00.000-05:002014-05-06T12:31:30.327-05:00Handmade Journals<div style="text-align: center;">
Let's just pretend that I haven't been absent from the blog for eight months.<br />
Just where does the time go?</div>
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I've been making handmade journals lately. I love that it combines two of my favorite things... paper and sewing. The first journal I made after taking Mary Ann Moss' <a href="http://www.dispatchfromla.com/dispatch_from_la/rotdoci.html" target="_blank">Remains of the Day</a> e-course was for my mother and I gave it to her for her birthday. BTW, Mary Ann's course is fantastic.<br />
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The second one I made is mine (below) and I've been using it on occasion to document my days. I uploaded some photos of it to Flickr today,<br />
so I thought I might share them here also.<br />
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Closed journal.</div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/14120288681" title="ROD Journal #2 (1) by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="ROD Journal #2 (1)" height="240" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5197/14120288681_de40310a5b_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The entire cover.</div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/14100425626" title="ROD Journal #2 (17) by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="ROD Journal #2 (17)" height="209" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5190/14100425626_b9e2099337_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/14100423926" title="ROD Journal #2 (2) by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="ROD Journal #2 (2)" height="240" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7359/14100423926_fa5151ffba_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Inside the front cover.</div>
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Some pages I've journaled on.</div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13936933779" title="ROD Journal #2 (3) by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="ROD Journal #2 (3)" height="240" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7355/13936933779_a5395148e9_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13936968250" title="ROD Journal #2 (4) by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="ROD Journal #2 (4)" height="240" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7342/13936968250_e1cd25b46c_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13936959768" title="ROD Journal #2 (5) by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="ROD Journal #2 (5)" height="240" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5557/13936959768_b10855321a_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/14120283731" title="ROD Journal #2 (6) by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="ROD Journal #2 (6)" height="240" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/14120283731_929dd84fa1_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/14143651613" title="ROD Journal #2 (7) by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="ROD Journal #2 (7)" height="240" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2898/14143651613_0452eb0c69_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/14143650323" title="ROD Journal #2 (9) by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="ROD Journal #2 (9)" height="240" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/14143650323_749ca0bdd1_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And some of the blank pages in the back. It's not even half full yet.</div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/14143646923" title="ROD Journal #2 (13) by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="ROD Journal #2 (13)" height="237" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7385/14143646923_b54bea0de0_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13936928699" title="ROD Journal #2 (11) by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="ROD Journal #2 (11)" height="242" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/13936928699_71aa0980ed_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've probably made a dozen journals so far...</div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13937208030" title="Journal Pages by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="Journal Pages" height="240" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5512/13937208030_da21342867_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Collecting vintage papers, books, postcards, and ephemera from estate sales</div>
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has become a regular thing for me. I love the hunt!</div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13937200428" title="More journals by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="More journals" height="240" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2898/13937200428_460e071c41_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The solid red one is a Midori-style leather journal.</div>
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I LOVED making it and can't wait to start using it. I bought some beautiful</div>
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pieces of leather, so there will be more Midori-style journals in my future.</div>
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The open book below I've been using for an inspiration notebook.</div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13937200808" title="Journals by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="Journals" height="224" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/13937200808_9c47520628_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>
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I even sold one in my Etsy shop! I love the one I sold; I really hope<br />
it's new owner enjoys filling it with her memories and treasures.</div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13493225475" title="handmade smash journal cover by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="handmade smash journal cover" height="240" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3796/13493225475_f76f13a17c_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13493336233" title="handmade smash journal 4 by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="handmade smash journal 4" height="233" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/13493336233_298e1eaa5d_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/13493585534" title="handmade smash journal 5 by Melanie Sullivan, on Flickr"><img alt="handmade smash journal 5" height="212" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3798/13493585534_eed8c4699b_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, obviously, I'm hooked. I even dug all my papermaking bins and screens out of the basement so I could make some handmade paper to add to journals. I'm hoping to get some more listed in my Etsy shop soon. There's no way I can use all these myself, but I can't stop making them!</div>
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Sorry these photos are so small. I haven't used Flickr much since the new interface was rolled out and I guess I used preview images that were too small. I really don't like the new Flickr format; maybe I'm just resisting change.</div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-48411955735375892762013-09-27T16:43:00.000-05:002013-09-27T16:43:05.448-05:00The Vdaim Scrap QuiltRemember all those vintage, hand cut two inch squares I mentioned at the bottom of <a href="http://www.texasfreckles.com/2013/07/vintage-fabrics-swatch-book.html" target="_blank">this post</a>? I've been trying to think of a way to use them. I tried sewing them up with some of my scraps and a pretty Delft blue Kona, but it wasn't enjoyable. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9969841465/" title="Postage Stamp Border Blocks by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Postage Stamp Border Blocks" height="260" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7375/9969841465_03202f6f38.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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The two inch size of the hand cut squares is not consistent and it made matching the seams a real pain. There was a lot of stretching and pinning involved and in the end, they are still distorted.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9969911246/" title="Sewing Scraps by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Sewing Scraps" height="400" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3783/9969911246_5c1477d2bd.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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I was playing with the hand cut scraps this morning with some of the scraps from my overflowing scrap bins and thought that if I trimmed a few of them down (to 1.5" x 2" or so) and then sew them together, it would create more of a brick pattern and I wouldn't have to match the seams.<br />
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Let's see, stretching and pinning hundreds and hundreds of two inch squares or willy-nilly sewing them together with abandon? Willy-nilly it is!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9971634126/" title="intentionally mismatched by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="intentionally mismatched" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7297/9971634126_dfc88b2c30.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9971572255/" title="intentionally mismatched 2 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="intentionally mismatched 2" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7317/9971572255_9246c86886.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I figured that with seams that wonky, I needed to give my quilt a name to help explain the mess. I Googled the names that initially came to mind, but they were all taken... hot mess, vomit, etc. </div>
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The following is a transcript of what went on in my head:</div>
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<i>I could just call it the Visually Disturbing quilt because that's exactly what it will be, visually disturbing. But then it's nickname would be "the VD quilt" and nobody wants to cuddle up under that. Maybe something like the</i><i> Intentionally Crooked Visually Disturbing quilt? No, that acronym is ICVD. Again, gross. Replace "crooked" with "mismatched"? IMVD? Um, nope. Flip it around? Yea, that's it!</i></div>
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<i>The <b>V</b>isually<b> D</b>isturbing <b>A</b>nd<b> I</b>ntentionally <b>M</b>ismatched scrap quilt.</i></div>
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<i>I'll call it the "VDAIM" for short.</i></div>
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So, I present you with the first four blocks of my VDAIM scrap quilt. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9971585914/" title="VDAIM 1 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="VDAIM 1" height="496" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2828/9971585914_b3c3226513.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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I'm going to square them into 12.5" blocks and wait until I have more blocks before sewing them together.</div>
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<b>Epilogue:</b></div>
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After typing this post, I thought I should probably Google VDAIM and make sure it doesn't mean something inappropriate. Guess what? Vdaim is already in the Urban Dictionary! Here's the definition:</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">1. vdaim</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">adj.<br />1. Departing from a recognized, conventional, or established norm or pattern.<br /><span style="line-height: 1.8;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 1.8;">n.</span><span style="line-height: 1.8;"> </span><br />1. An individual who deviates markedly from an established norm, especially a person of odd or unconventional behavior.<br />2. Physics. An oblong solid mass that has properties somewhat defiant of gravity; Similar to a gyroscope.</span></div>
<div class="example" style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Mary: "Have you seen Frank?"<br />Jessi: "Nah that kid's vdaim"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.8;">Departing from the conventional norm or pattern? Yes, I think this name fits. And, there truly is nothing new under the sun.</span></div>
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Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-80327084525235833172013-09-27T14:25:00.002-05:002013-09-27T18:06:54.137-05:00Fractured quilt in progress<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9969841965/" title="Fractured quilt by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Fractured quilt" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7412/9969841965_3a900769b6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ever since the wonderful weekend I spent with six of my stitchy friends earlier this month, I've been in a quilting mood! I pulled out the Farmer's Wife quilt I started in 2011 and have made some decent progress; I'll have to share that later. In addition to a couple of new scrap quilts, I also started on the Fractured quilt (photo above) from Kathy Doughty's new book, Making Quilts with Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession: 21 Authentic Projects.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607058227/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1607058227&linkCode=as2&tag=texasfreckles-20"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1607058227&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=texasfreckles-20" width="160" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=texasfreckles-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1607058227" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9971052014/" title="First Fractured blocks by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="First Fractured blocks" height="262" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3684/9971052014_476aca9ede.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
The first blocks I made were single color scrappy with a one dark fabric for each block, but ultimately, I decided to go with two fabrics per block as in the top photo.</div>
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Pulling fabrics for this quilt was fun! I'll be able to use some of the lighter fabrics that have been sitting in my stash for a long time. It's a good stash-buster and really fast and easy to sew.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9969842315/" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Fractured quilt fabrics 1 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Fractured quilt fabrics 1" height="320" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3691/9969842315_9b657ef4a7.jpg" width="240" /> </a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9969912136/" title="Fractured quilt fabrics 2 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Fractured quilt fabrics 2" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7392/9969912136_85a63f86b0.jpg" width="240" /></a>\<br />
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Sewing up the Fractured quilt has me thinking about my scraps. I got distracted this morning and started making some new scrap blocks that might just become my long-term scrap elimination solution.<br />
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It feels good to be blogging about quilts again!</div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-38773397097402872622013-07-04T11:42:00.000-05:002013-07-04T11:42:04.951-05:00Vintage Fabrics Swatch BookI've been collecting old/vintage fabrics for some time now. I use them as inspiration for work and enjoy simply re-folding and re-stacking them on occasion while the lovely colors and patterns make me smile. After looking at images of antique textile sample books in the online digital collection of one of the major museums (I think it was the Met, but I can't remember), I decided I should create my own book of swatches. Since they have no monetary value to speak of, mounting them in a book seemed like a fine option to me.<br />
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i love books + i love textiles = i love love books of textiles</div>
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I began by hand sewing them into an acid-free sketchbook, but that was taking far too long to hold my interest, so I've settled on using acid-free glue to mount them. I thought I would share a few pages with any fellow fabric lovers out there.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9207048357/" title="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages" height="264" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2868/9207048357_f139c6110f_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm sorting them by color.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9209829422/" title="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7405/9209829422_08a7a4b4a2_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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At first, I was going to nicely square up and pink the edges of them all, but many are so small that I would loose a part of the pattern (or repeat if it existed) if I cut any portion of it off, so I decided to mount them in whatever shape and edges would preserve as much of the pattern as possible. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9209828720/" title="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages" height="400" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2878/9209828720_64907dabf3_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Initially, I thought I would just mount all the 30's, 40's, and 50's fabrics together, but then I decided to include the 60's and 70's. Now I'm just calling it my collection of 20th Century Fabric Swatches.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9209827998/" title="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7374/9209827998_ab138880ac_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Some of these fabrics I purchased, some were given to me or passed down from others, and I've also taken many from old "cutter" quilts I've found at the flea market, antique malls, and thrift shops. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9206913347/" title="Swatch book pages by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Swatch book pages" height="400" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3775/9206913347_bbeb2df978_z.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
I still have many fabrics that I've been unable to bring myself to cut, such as whole flour/feed/sugar sacks.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9207083453/" title="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages" height="225" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3672/9207083453_4b09c9366e_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9209864204/" title="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7455/9209864204_577eee1064_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9209863402/" title="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Vintage Fabric Swatch Book Pages" height="265" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7403/9209863402_c39552f5d9_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is one of the cutter quilt tops I've taken some swatches from. It's not in the greatest condition, but it has a wonderful assortment of un-faded fabrics. I have taken swatches from old quilt pieces and it's amazing how colorful the fabrics were before the quilts were used and washed again and again. The original color hidden in the seam allowances is a fun surprise!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9207061689/" title="Fabric Charms by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Fabric Charms" height="400" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/9207061689_89e68a700f_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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One of my favorite recent finds was this shoebox of 2" fabric squares which have been hand cut and were obviously destined for some lovely project. There is an assortment of fabrics, but the all appear to be early 1970's and older. They aren't quite big enough to use in my Hexie Charm Quilt, but I won't be able to resist turning them into a postage stamp quilt after I take one of each fabric out for my swatch book.</div>
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So, that's what I'm doing with my old fabrics. I've got hundreds of additional bits and pieces I need to press and mount, but I'm just going to take my time and enjoy the process.</div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-3947736373385017332013-06-10T18:02:00.000-05:002013-06-10T18:03:04.005-05:00Is it June already?<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8835979316/" title="Percy has been helping me make a swatch book. by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Percy has been helping me make a swatch book." height="400" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5469/8835979316_ca32d765cc_z.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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I've been absent from the blog for a long while now, but I have been keeping very busy.</div>
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On my agenda for this week:</div>
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* finish up new curriculum, patterns, and samples for my sewing summer camps,</div>
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* start working on designs and developments for NY Home Textiles market in September,</div>
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* teaching three separate 3-hour private sewing classes in the studio,</div>
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* spend a day volunteering in the conservatory at the Botanic Garden where we are busy propagating plants for next year's butterfly exhibit,</div>
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and, * get my house and garden cleaned up to host a dinner party for a few friends on Friday night.</div>
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Next week, I'm teaching two sewing camps in the studio, so I'll have four girls from 9:00 until noon and four girls from 1:00 until 4:00 each day. I know we will have a great time, but I also know I'm going to be exhausted when it's over!</div>
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Here is a peek of what's been going on in my sewing room.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9007846671/" style="text-align: center;" title="floral fabrics by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="floral fabrics" height="300" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3778/9007846671_5ae109a212_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've started pulling together fabrics for my dream quilt. Floral, floral, and more floral.</div>
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</span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9007805155/" style="text-align: center;" title="in the sewing room by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="in the sewing room" height="252" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/9007805155_995180fee2_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My sweet hubby put some great shelves up in the sewing room above my sewing table a while back, and I love them!</div>
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</span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9007805755/" style="text-align: center;" title="sewing shelves by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="sewing shelves" height="400" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5344/9007805755_ffd3a53564_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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I like having my stuff organized, but out where I can see it.</div>
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</span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9007806607/" style="text-align: center;" title="fabric stash by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="fabric stash" height="400" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3812/9007806607_68e2f6bc2c_z.jpg" width="399" /></a></div>
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I refinished a large curio cabinet for my quilting fabric and I love it too. The closet is still full of fabric, and there are probably about 10-15 big plastic totes in the basement/storage of fabric too, but at least this fabric is out where I can enjoy the wonderful colors. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/9008985282/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="My desk by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="My desk" height="400" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3707/9008985282_ebe1eaae7c_z.jpg" width="372" /></a></div>
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This is where I'm sitting right now, writing this post instead of working on that 'to do' list above. I guess I need to get back to my list.</div>
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I hope your summer is gearing up to be full of fabulous fun! </div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-42298493444080003782013-05-12T21:22:00.003-05:002013-05-12T21:23:26.088-05:00Too fabulous not to share.<a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/635cf59c72979edd58d6b4b83c94b0ea/tumblr_mlwmqnqo3s1qlzc82o1_400.gif" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/635cf59c72979edd58d6b4b83c94b0ea/tumblr_mlwmqnqo3s1qlzc82o1_400.gif" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://gifmyass.tumblr.com/post/48993260089/dougie" target="_blank">source</a></span>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-49799560440466378222012-11-27T12:06:00.000-06:002012-11-27T13:27:20.929-06:00Planner Dependence<div style="text-align: left;">
I guess I'm just old fashioned, but I just can't find a virtual replacement for my Moleskine. A quick Google search will reveal that I'm not the only one who can't seem to make the switch to digital. I've been working on my planner for 2013 and thought I'd share since I like getting peeks into OPP. <i>That's "Other People's Planners".</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8223375849/" title="Old Planners by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Old Planners" height="235" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8484/8223375849_a761166ac6_z.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
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I've been keeping some form of diary/journal/planner for years. I dug out the old ones that I could find this morning to see what kinds of things I used to record. Not much has changed about the things I record in my planner, but I did figure out why I'm so tired all the time. I was working 70 hour work weeks in 1997!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8223377419/" title="Planners by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Planners" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8067/8223377419_252880dd93_z.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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I did realize that most the years I kept a planner, I didn't keep a personal journal/diary. That stack of Moleskines contains years of daily journals. Some years, like in 2007, I wrote almost a full page every day of the year. Other years, like 2010, I hardly wrote anything in the entire journal. (Maybe it's because I bought a red Moleskine in 2010; I think I need to stick to classic black.)</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8224590326/" title="August 2012 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="August 2012" height="281" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8343/8224590326_09fd9aeae9_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the past couple of years, I've been having more fun with my planners. I figure if I'm going to be looking at something multiple times a day, it should be fun to look at. This year, I used a Moleskine XL Monthly Planner with a soft cover and I'm in love!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8224780198/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Pages by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Pages" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8350/8224780198_a9339dd66e_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Not only does it contain my calendar, but I've used it to journal, take notes, record ideas, sketch, make lists (gift lists, shopping lists, to-do lists, books I want to read lists, wish lists, etc.), copy scriptures and quotes, remember passwords, write down recipes, and log my freelance work hours to name a few. </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8223639651/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="journal doodles by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="journal doodles" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8063/8223639651_f2b7b5f5b2_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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It's also a good place to doodle.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8224590188/" title="planner supplies by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="planner supplies" height="298" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8058/8224590188_dcd3220c72_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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For 2013, I'm going with a completely blank XL Moleskine with a soft cover. With the blank pages, I can customize it to be exactly what I want. I spent some time yesterday thinking about how I wanted to organize it and drawing in the monthly calendars. I've never used a system (like <a href="http://www.davidco.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GTD</a> or the <a href="http://www.actionmethod.com/product/paper" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Action method</a>), but I made myself some "action stickers" and printed out a GTD work-flow to see if I like using them. I love that paper/washi tapes are getting so easy to find, because it's a fun way to add some color and pattern to your planner. I also bought some really neat paper tapes at Daiso in San Francisco like Post-It notes on a tape roll. (I wish I'd bought more!) My favorite pens for my Moleskines are Pigma Microns. </div>
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I've got an iPhone and an iPad, but I still can't give up my paper planner, I've tried. I've got organization/productivity apps like Evernote, Notability, OneNote, Toodledo, UPad, Time Optimizer, the Moleskine app, Errands, and Mindjet in addition to the calendar and reminders on the iPad, and I don't like any of them.</div>
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So far, the only things I can't get my paper planner to do is make a noise to remind me to do something and back itself up. Other than that, the battery never dies, it boots up instantly, and requires no wi-fi connection. I think I remember things better when I've gone through the act of physically writing them down. </div>
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So, who else can't seem to break their paper habit? </div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-40607934023442961512012-11-06T00:07:00.000-06:002012-11-06T00:07:55.596-06:00Inspiration from Quilt Market!For the second year in a row, I had the pleasure of making the short trip down to Houston to attend International Quilt Market. I rode with my friend, Michelle, who owns and operates a fabulous <a href="http://urbanspools.com/" target="_blank">sewing lounge in Dallas called Urban Spools</a>. This trip to market was focused on finding inspiration for new classes to teach at our studios. I got some great ideas, met a number of lovely people, brought home a large stack of new reading material and some lovely fabrics, and had a great time hanging out with Michelle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8160226540/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="photo.JPG by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="photo.JPG" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8344/8160226540_b80c81a962_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michelle at the Moda booth</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8147358911/" title="Meeting the King of Color, Kaffe Fassett by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Meeting the King of Color, Kaffe Fassett" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8189/8147358911_84d6742269_z.jpg" width="300" /></a>
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One of the highlights of the weekend was meeting the king of color himself, Kaffe Fassett! Long before I started quilting, I was an avid knitter. Back in the 90's, I drooled over (and knitted) some of his gorgeous knitting patterns. If you aren't familiar with Kaffe's knitting patterns for <a href="http://www.knitrowan.com/finder/pattern?taxonomy-form-0=&taxonomy-form-1=&taxonomy-form-2=&taxonomy-form-3=tid%3A172+&taxonomy-form-4=&taxonomy-form-5=&submit=Find+Matches" target="_blank">Rowan</a>, they are as fun and colorful as his quilts. He was actually knitting in his booth at market that day and showed me the scarf he was working on with some new ombre wool. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8147341861/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Kaffe and Brandon by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Kaffe and Brandon" height="300" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8330/8147341861_2780789e9a_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brandon Mably and Kaffe Fassett at Schoolhouse</td></tr>
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I hadn't splurged on a copy of his new autobiography yet, and I'm glad I waited because now I have my very own autographed copy! His other new book, Kaffe Quilts Again, is a feast for the eyes. In it, he revisits his favorite patterns from the past and updates them with new fabrics giving them a completely new twist. Both of this new books are must-haves for the Kaffe fan.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158479996X/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=158479996X&linkCode=as2&tag=texasfreckles-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=158479996X&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=texasfreckles-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=texasfreckles-20&l=as2&o=1&a=158479996X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600857663/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1600857663&linkCode=as2&tag=texasfreckles-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1600857663&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=texasfreckles-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=texasfreckles-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1600857663" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Book images will take you to Amazon.com.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8147388856/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Amy Butler's new line Alchemy by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Amy Butler's new line Alchemy" height="400" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8465/8147388856_e5c8df7b85_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amy's beautiful booth</td></tr>
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If meeting Kaffe wasn't enough, I was also thrilled to talk with Amy Butler herself. She's so sweet! And so tall. Very tall. At her schoolhouse lecture, she presented the new free online magazine she and her husband are launching this fall/winter called <a href="http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/blossommagazine/" target="_blank">Blossom</a>. The preview we saw was just beautiful and I can't wait for it to launch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8147357299/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hanging out with Amy Butler by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Hanging out with Amy Butler" height="304" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8464/8147357299_cdeb861c30_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Amy.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>We took our badges off so it would look like we were just hanging out. ;-)</i></span><br />
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Have you seen Anna Maria Horner's new book, Anna Maria's Needleworks Notebook?</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118359976/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1118359976&linkCode=as2&tag=texasfreckles-20"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1118359976&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=texasfreckles-20" width="172" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=texasfreckles-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1118359976" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8160091110/" title="IMG_3249.jpg by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_3249.jpg" height="200" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/8160091110_325407660a_z.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon.com link (left) and my copy (right)</span><br />
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This book makes me wish there were 36 hours in the day so I could find the time to make every project in it! The photographs and illustrations are lovely and it covers the basics for the four most common types of needlework: cross stitch, needlepoint, embroidery, and my favorite, crewel.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8160093134/" title="IMG_4434.jpg by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_4434.jpg" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8058/8160093134_f9eb20c941_z.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8147334583/" title="Anna Maria Horner by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Anna Maria Horner" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8046/8147334583_aefb1dbec0_z.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Embroidery from Anna Maria's book (l) and Anna Maria at Schoolhouse (r) </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8147373214/" title="Anna Maria and me by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Anna Maria and me" height="319" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8473/8147373214_b9938c5b4a_z.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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I don't know how she does it all. Busy mother, beautiful wife, talented and successful business woman who still finds the time to pose with dorky fans! Anna Maria was as kind and gracious in person as she is on her blog. She's the real thing!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8147350445/" title="New Echino at Seven Islands by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="New Echino at Seven Islands" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8324/8147350445_93b0036140_z.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8160177118/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="photo.JPG by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="photo.JPG" height="320" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7274/8160177118_69f5540e6a_z.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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One of my favorite booths at market is Seven Islands, who distributes Echino and Kokka in the U.S. in addition to many other amazing fabric lines. Their booth is so colorful and fun. That stack on the right above, that's the <span style="text-align: center;">delicious stack of the new Echino that I brought home from Sample Spree! </span><span style="text-align: center;">I think I want to use it to make a quilt. I'll have to think of a pattern that really focuses on the fabric and works well with the large scale prints. I've got half yards of 20 patterns, so I may have enough to make a quilt and some other fun stuff.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8160178413/" title="photo.JPG by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="photo.JPG" height="320" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8067/8160178413_6c53cc3fa2_z.jpg" width="271" /></a><br />
<span style="text-align: left;">So how to you top off a weekend as exciting as this one?</span></div>
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You ride to and from Houston in Michelle's new Mini!</div>
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Cutest. License. Plate. Ever.</div>
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Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-34429492289287926542012-09-20T17:17:00.001-05:002014-08-26T21:38:40.875-05:00Too much fun to blog.That's my excuse. I've been having too much fun to blog. Why spend time on the computer when you have a fun place like this to play all day...<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8007382561/" title="Studio9-18 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Studio9-18" height="265" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8042/8007382561_50eb7691da_z.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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This is my new sewing studio! I finally did it; I leased a space and opened a sewing studio where I teach sewing to kids and adults! The studio is very near my home in an office suite. The building I'm in is actually an old church building and all of the classrooms have been converted to office suites. I signed the lease in the middle of May and started teaching the first week of June.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8007382375/" title="studio39-18 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="studio39-18" height="265" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8317/8007382375_171d0fb0b7_z.jpg" width="400" /></a>
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The studio is set-up for four students at a time and I have two large cutting tables and two ironing areas. This summer I put together sewing camps for kids and created all the patterns and curriculum myself. I had seven camp sessions of four days each. There were a lot of kiddos in here this summer and I had a great time teaching them.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/8007384780/" title="Studio29-18 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Studio29-18" height="254" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8447/8007384780_62471d713e_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now that school is back in session, I've got some adult classes going during the day and a kids class after school one day a week. Marketing is not my thing, so I'm still just operating via word-of-mouth or simply by people who search for sewing classes in the area online. It's been enough to keep me busy and pay the rent, so I'm thrilled! By moving the sewing classroom out of my home, I got<i> my </i>sewing room back to myself and I've been working on some changes in there as well. I've got more organizing to do, but I'll share some photos soon. </div>
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So, I haven't been blogging, but I've been sewing. Constantly! I've even been doing some draping and pattern drafting to make garments for myself. All this in addition to my Master Gardener certification hours and I've had a busy summer. I'll try to blog again soon, but right now, I'm ready to go home. I had three classes today and a meeting about making quilts for a school auction. This workin' girl is tired!</div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-56658941682201574932012-04-16T18:24:00.000-05:002012-04-16T18:24:57.184-05:00My front yard gardenWhen looking at photos on my phone last week, I realized that it's only been a year since I started on my front yard garden. Today was my only free day this week, and it rained yesterday, so the ground is too wet to plant anything. Instead, I decided to document what's growing in my front yard today.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6938860914/" title="Front Yard 4/2/10 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Front Yard 4/2/10" height="300" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7188/6938860914_361f060d15_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This was my front yard during our massive remodel. April 2, 2010<br />
We moved in in November 2010, but couldn't decide what to do with the yard. The soil in my front yard is black Texas clay. It's dense and full of limestone. Mine has a pH of 8.2 and almost no nitrogen.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6938840432/" title="Front Yard 5/4/11 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Front Yard 5/4/11" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7261/6938840432_a94030e269_z.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
This is the photo that reminded me that it was only a year ago that I started on my garden. Here, I'd just had a Chinese Privet removed from the corner of the house. The birds, especially the Cedar Waxwings, loved the berries on the privet, but it was scraggly and is considered by the state of Texas to be invasive. Adios, privet! May 4, 2011<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/5751659523/" title="Gardening 2011 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Gardening 2011" height="265" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2216/5751659523_7932edc5e8_z.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
This was just after I convinced my husband to let me build my Texas cottage garden. All it took was "You'll never have to mow, " and he was on board. I started putting up a little black iron fence and laying down my pathways. Those large rocks lining the pathway are the limestone I dug up as I planted. May 13, 2011<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6939327180/" title="Front Yard 4/16/12 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Front Yard 4/16/12" height="306" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5079/6939327180_0da77aafa2_z.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
This is the front yard today. It's still a work in progress, of course. A garden that's finished is dead. My garden is a collection of plants I've purchased, plants I've started from seed, plants I've propagated, and pass-along plants I've received from others. I'm thinking another three to four years and the garden will begin to mature into the garden I've dreamed about. Until then, I'm going to enjoy the ride and learn from experience.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6938894766/" title="Sweet Peas 4/10/12 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Sweet Peas 4/10/12" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7119/6938894766_89f70bd291_z.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
I cannot even begin to express how I love spending time in the garden with my hands and knees covered in soil. Regardless of how difficult the task, it never feels like work.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">We have such a short spring here in Texas that I'm just relishing this brief time before the crazy heat is upon us. Last year's heat and drought was horrible all over the United States. Here in Fort Worth, we suffered though 70 days over 100°! This spring God has blessed us with rain, lots of rain. All this rain will hopefully help my new plantings develop strong roots before the summer heat arrives. I've filled my front yard with native and adapted plants, with a few exceptions, like those Sweet Peas above. The vast majority are perennials, some evergreen, some semi-evergreen, and some herbaceous. Last spring, I installed drip irrigation in these beds and I lost very few plants.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/5752194952/" title="Snowberry Clearwing Sphinx Moth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Snowberry Clearwing Sphinx Moth" height="249" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2732/5752194952_035dcfdc3c_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Snowberry Clearwing Moth on my Pavonia last spring</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">This morning, I walked through the garden and listed everything I have growing in the front yard. Some of these things are very small, having just been planted, and some have happily returned from last year. I'm including the list below for my records.<br />
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Once summer arrives, I'm sure I'll be spending more time inside in the sewing room. My sewing room looks out into the shady side of my garden where I keep the birds well fed and watered and they return the favor by letting me enjoy their antics through the windows. I just love this time of year!</div><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>The lesson I have thoroughly learnt, and wish to pass on to others,</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>- Gertrude Jekyll</i></span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>In my front yard :: April 16, 2012</b><br />
<i>Achillea millefolium </i>'Apple Blossom'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Achillea</i> 'Moonshine'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Aquilegia chrysantha</i> var. <i>hinckleyana </i>'Texas Gold' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Artemisia</i> 'Powis Castle'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Asparagus densiflorus</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Aspidistra elatior</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Aster oblongifoliu</i>s</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Buddleia davidii</i> 'Nanho Blue'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Canna</i> spp.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Chrysanthemum</i> 'Five Alarm Red'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Cleome hasslerana</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Coreopsis grandiflora</i> 'Baby Sun' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Coreopsis verticillata</i> 'Moonbeam'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Coriandrum sativum *</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Crocus vernis</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Cyrtomium falcatum</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Delphinium consolida</i> *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Dianthus</i> 'Clavelina Tickled Pink' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Dianthus</i> 'Fire Star' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Dianthus gratianapolitanus</i> 'Firewitch' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Dryopteris erythrosora</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Echinacea</i> sp. *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Gaura</i> sp.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Gelsemium sempervirens </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Hellebore orientalis</i> spp.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Hemerocallis</i> 'Stella de Oro' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Hosta fortunei</i> 'Aureo Marginata'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Hosta fortunei</i> 'Francee'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Hosta</i> 'Sagae'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Hymenoxys scaposa *</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Iris</i> spp.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Lantana camara</i> 'Lucky'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Lathyrus odoratus x *</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Lavandual stoechas *</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Leucanthemum vulgare</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Leucanthemum x superbum</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Leucophyllum frutescens</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Liatris spicata</i> 'Gayfeather'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Lobularia maritima</i> *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Malvaviscus arboreus</i> (pink)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Malvaviscus arboreus</i> (red)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Matricaria recutita</i> *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Melampodium leucanthum </i> *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Mentha piperta cv. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Monarda citriodora </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Monarda didyma </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Monarda didyma </i>'Joseph Kline'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Muscari armeniacum</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Nepeta x faassenii</i> 'Walkers Low' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Ocimum basilicum </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Oxalis crassipes</i> 'Little One' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Papaver nudicaule</i> 'Champagne Bubbles' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Pavonia lasiopetala</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Petunia</i> 'Shock Wave Purple' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Phlox subulata</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Physalis philadelphica</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Pittosporum</i> 'Wheelers Dwarf'<br />
<i style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rosa banksiae</i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> 'Lutea'</span><br />
<i style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rosa</i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> 'Amelia Renaissance' *</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /></span><i style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rosa</i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> 'Cecile Brunner' *</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /></span><i style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rosa</i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> 'Duchesse de Brabant' *</span><br />
<i style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rosa</i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> 'Marie Daly' *</span><br />
<i style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rosa</i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> 'Perle d'Or' *</span><br />
<i style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rosa</i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> 'Radrazz' *</span><br />
<i style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Rosa</i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> 'Radwhite' *</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i>Rosa</i> 'Souvenir de la Malmaison' *</span><br />
<i>Rosemary officinallis</i> 'Barbeque'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Rosemary officinallis</i> 'Tuscan Blue'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Rudbeckia hirta</i> *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Salvia farinacea</i> 'Victoria Blue' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Salvia gregii</i> (coral) *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Salvia gregii</i> (pink) *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Salvia gregii</i> (red) *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Salvia microphylla </i>'Hot Lips' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Salvia nemorosa</i> 'Snow Hill' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Saxifraga stolonifera</i> *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Scutellaria suffrutescens</i> (pink)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Sedum x</i> 'Autumn Joy'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Tagetes</i> spp.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Thymus x citriodorus</i> ‘Golden Lemon’</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Tulipa</i> spp.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Verbena canadensis</i> 'Homestead Purple' *</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Zinnia</i> spp.<br />
(* blooming)</div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-822192335054836952012-03-09T22:45:00.000-06:002012-03-09T22:45:44.784-06:00Hello? Hello? Is this thing on?Let's see if I can remember how to do this.<br />
<br />
I've been busy. Really, really busy. There's no need for explanations or excuses. It's my own fault; I take on too much. <br />
<br />
So, I'm getting emails like crazy that the link to my easy-cut hexagon printout isn't working. I moved it to Google Docs last year, and the links seem to be working for me (even when I'm not logged on to Google), so I'm not sure what the problem is. If you have ever previously downloaded any of my PDF's from the downloads page above, please clear your browser cache, reload the page, and try again.<br />
<br />
Here's the link to the <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzOwot6tYVkYNmY1ZmNlNWUtZTE3OC00ODE5LTgxZjEtYmVhMmUxODk4ZmYx" target="_blank">ONE INCH EASY-CUT HEXAGONS</a>. If you are looking for it and it still won't download, please let me know in the comments below. If you have emailed me requesting permission to use the easy-cut sheet in a class you are teaching, please go ahead and use it. If you haven't asked me if you can distribute and make copies, please don't unless you ask first.<br />
<br />
While I'm here, I suppose a little update would be appropriate. This year, in addition to my freelance design job and teaching sewing classes (among other obligations), I'm training to become a Texas Master Gardener and I am having an absolute blast!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6822091710/" title="Master Gardener by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Master Gardener" height="265" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6822091710_38c42fcde8_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Gardening isn't a new hobby for me, but this is first time I've received any formal training. The Master Gardener program in my county is the largest and most active in Texas. I've been studying botany, landscaping, fruit and nut production, turf and trees, irrigation and rainwater harvesting, composting, vegetable gardening, entomology, diagnosis and management of plant diseases, plant propagation, flowers and shrubs, and so on and so on. I've added words like xylem, evapotranspiration, and peduncle to my working vocabulary and I now know the difference between a dicot and a monocot. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6822091356/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Propagating Roses by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Propagating Roses" height="265" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7039/6822091356_f9e8ac7759_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Master Gardener program takes a year to complete. If all goes as planned, I'll graduate in January and become a state-certified Master Gardener. As we move into spring, things are really getting busy! I'm assisting in public school gardens, community gardens, hospital gardens, historic landmark gardens, and women's shelters gardens. I'm working in our amazing Botanic Garden, learning to assist the public with home horticulture when they call the County Extension Office, and this weekend, I'll be working in a conservatory full of butterflies from around the world. I'll be the volunteer at station #1 making sure no one opens the emergency exit, reminding people not to touch the butterflies, and answering questions about the butterflies and plants in the conservatory.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6968214893/" title="Rag Quilts by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Rag Quilts" height="265" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7069/6968214893_e4abc65fd8_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you made it through all that gardening talk, I've done a bit of sewing lately too. I think I've made four rag quilts in the last couple of months. Everyone is having babies!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Next week is spring break and I. Can't. Wait. I'm hoping to make some serious progress in the basement, which we are in the process of converting into a sewing/art/craft studio. There's some sewing I'd like to get done and I just started converting my daughter's unfinished Creative Memories baby book into a Project Life album. And of course, working outside! I've got veggies to set out in the garden and perennials to plant. I'm going to need a week off after spring break. </div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-74972274509077813892011-12-21T14:05:00.000-06:002011-12-21T14:05:55.313-06:00Wordless Wednesday<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6550466057/" title="Dec 21 2011 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Dec 21 2011" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6550466057_2fe4ac70b4_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6550466061/" title="Dec 21 2011 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Dec 21 2011" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6550466061_10cd4f2d2f_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6550466317/" title="Dec 21 2011 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Dec 21 2011" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6550466317_710cf2b1db_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6550462581/" title="Dec 21 2011 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Dec 21 2011" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/6550462581_8e1e4f6230_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6550462595/" title="Dec 21 2011 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Dec 21 2011" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/6550462595_c65a8e9723_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6550470257/" title="Dec 21 2011 by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Dec 21 2011" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6550470257_a570a9c9ab_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-24118262050116509182011-12-01T19:09:00.000-06:002011-12-01T19:09:44.321-06:00Our Thanksgiving adventure.I hope you and yours had a lovely Thanksgiving! For only the second time in my life, we left Fort Worth for Thanksgiving. The only other time was in 1999 when my husband and I went to Paris and then to<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;">Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany to visit his sister who was living there at the time. My husband skied, but I was pregnant with our daughter, so I didn't get to ski the Alps.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6438931173/" title="Thanksgiving gang in Colorado by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Thanksgiving gang in Colorado" height="298" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6438931173_df82cab13f_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Last week, we went to South Fork, Colorado and skied Wolf Creek. That's our gang above without my husband who was taking the photo. My daughter was the only kiddo, but she was a real trooper. The guy in the middle with the white snowboard is my brother and his sweet wife next to him (in blue) is giggling behind her board. The couples on either end are friends.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6438923341/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" title="Thanksgiving in Colorado by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Thanksgiving in Colorado" height="300" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6438923341_0b1ebcc064_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The weather was absolutely beautiful for skiing. Wolf Creek had received over 100" of snow and the entire mountain was open.</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6438939367/" title="Thanksgiving in Colorado by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Thanksgiving in Colorado" height="300" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6438939367_b792f590ee_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">The last day I tried my luck on a blue run. That was a big deal for me, because I'm a bunny slope kind of girl. The view from the top was breathtaking. I did wipe out four times on the way down, but no yard sales and I was able to get myself up and keep going. I hadn't fallen until our last day and I knew it was coming. I wish I had wiped out the first day and gotten it out of the way so I wouldn't have been such a scaredy-cat. I think I had more fun <i>after </i>I finally fell!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I also wish I had more photos, but we were about two hours from home when I realized I'd left my camera behind! I was so upset! We've got a few phone photos like the ones above, but I'll have to rely on my unreliable memory for the rest. Wanna hear some good news though? Guess what I dug out to work on during the drive there and back? <a href="http://www.texasfreckles.com/p/hexagon-charm-quilt-piece-along.html" target="_blank">The hexagon charm quilt</a>. It's been hibernating, but I may have rekindled my desire to finish that beast. I'll save the grizzly details for another post.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6438217181/" title="Containing the Hot Mess by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Containing the Hot Mess" height="400" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6438217181_e1593c0e6b_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the drive home, I also drew up a layout for the Hot Mess Plus and X quilt from my last post. I worked on the actual quilt this afternoon and I like where it's going. I think I have a layout that will contain the chaos, but still lets the scrappy goodness sing. I'll share more later. Right now, I need to clean up my room. I'm having aplaydate tomorrow! My sweet friend, Steph, is coming over to sew for the day. Life is good.</div></div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-46604041188375863532011-11-18T11:15:00.001-06:002011-11-18T11:19:37.252-06:00An Imprudent PostI'm coming to my own conclusion that maybe I actually am The Uptight Quilter. I don't post very often because I hate to post without thinking hard about what I'm going to say and wondering if anyone actually cares and making sure the photos look just so.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Well, not today! Welcome to my imprudent post. This post has no forethought whatsoever. Other than the fact that I thought, I should post something and I should take some photos and upload them for the post.</div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's what's happening currently in my sewing room.</div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6335772868/" title="DS Quilts - Daisy Mae by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="DS Quilts - Daisy Mae" height="318" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6335772868_3f356ea514_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I bought some of each of the 19 new DS Quilts Daisy Mae prints for Joann. They don't feel as nice as the Fairgrounds and Picnic fabrics, but I really like the prints and was able to stack some coupons and get them for 50% off. I think they are worth what I paid for them. I'm not a pre-washer when it comes to quilting (to each his own, don't hate on me), but I think I'm going to pre-wash these to make sure they aren't going to bleed or develop crazy off-grain issues and I want to see how they feel after washing. Has anyone pre-washed their Daisy Mae yet?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6358652425/" title="Farmers Wife Blocks by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Farmers Wife Blocks" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6045/6358652425_919d3b6a71_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I worked on a few more Farmers Wife blocks. I'm going the template route, but I've been measuring the templates and just cutting my fabrics to size. I'm making notes in the book and on my templates of the sizes so I can just refer to the sizes and cut. It would seem like their would be more trimming involved, but I trim anyway, so it doesn't seem to be adding any extra time to constructing the blocks. I'm still using the templates for the unusually shaped pieces. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6358652379/" title="Farmers Wife Blocks by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Farmers Wife Blocks" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6218/6358652379_76661daace_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here are the four blocks I did this week. I would tell you their names and numbers, but since no planning went into this post, I didn't take notes and bring them to the computer with me. I think one of them is called Friendship.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6358662431/" title="Swoon Blocks by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Swoon Blocks" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6213/6358662431_a9af0e97d0_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I cut into my DS Quilts Sugar Creek, Picnic, and Fairgrounds and started on a Swoon quilt. I LOVE the huge blocks!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6358664719/" title="photo.JPG by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="photo.JPG" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6358664719_58421a09ae_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Last Saturday, I moved my rotary mat, iron and scrap bin into the TV room and cut like made during the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;">TCU</span> vs. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Boise</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">State</span> game. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;"><i>Go Frogs!</i></span> My thought was to cut out pieces to take on an upcoming trip and assemble on my newest toy...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6332462590/" title="Hello Kitty! by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Hello Kitty!" height="386" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6332462590_897357e3ee_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6358664649/" title="photo.JPG by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="photo.JPG" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6046/6358664649_a97395f9f7_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">into super scrappy x and + blocks. But, I can't decide if I like these blocks. OK, well, that's not completely true, <b><i>I like</i></b> the blocks and <b><i>I love</i></b> the bright busyness. What I'm undecided about is if these blocks break so many rules that people will look at this quilt and think, "Ugh! What a disaster! What a waste of fabric!" I think it's a bit of a hot mess, and I think that's what I like about it!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And that's what's happening in my sewing room today. Happy Friday y'all!</div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-4692096292717403372011-11-14T17:31:00.001-06:002011-11-14T18:01:02.161-06:00Sew to Swap Blog Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZKGtU7wVDubtzH4lvwhjpcK-cBSOqBj4bCPkEX5PL1vfphVsBi62UyJ0Lia3WDVI3jB7go89RJl0Y_sadcausNT_-3ksZgeq0zbEuO1cp5zAoS4Du-DdJ6Ks8O-pYLqekZcfnqf-tUE/s1600/sew-to-swap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZKGtU7wVDubtzH4lvwhjpcK-cBSOqBj4bCPkEX5PL1vfphVsBi62UyJ0Lia3WDVI3jB7go89RJl0Y_sadcausNT_-3ksZgeq0zbEuO1cp5zAoS4Du-DdJ6Ks8O-pYLqekZcfnqf-tUE/s320/sew-to-swap.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>If you've been following the Sew to Swap blog hop, I'm sure you've seen some great previews of this gorgeous book. I'm still so thrilled that Chrissie asked me to be a part of this lovely book and I'm honored to be in the company of the talented folks who also contributed to this book.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjNkuveHDTu3b2zgON7fM8fL3FwrgZ4OFcKX2XB8uQiYaGeHpNvaxai4AjL0rf1b4QngZKQOj7lSuJdfF_ZjbY13xpHd1VVEZZhuXDw_HKV90V_qD35jeGMJMmXofyMa83ayZmFkoo0Y/s1600/DSC_0370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjNkuveHDTu3b2zgON7fM8fL3FwrgZ4OFcKX2XB8uQiYaGeHpNvaxai4AjL0rf1b4QngZKQOj7lSuJdfF_ZjbY13xpHd1VVEZZhuXDw_HKV90V_qD35jeGMJMmXofyMa83ayZmFkoo0Y/s400/DSC_0370.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I mentioned to you in a previous post that this book is beautiful. The illustrations by <a href="http://www.arieleldridge.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ariel Eldridge</a> are stunning. I wish I had some of these to hang in my sewing space!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4XDoDcYFMUEGEZG3Q1Xo4Y6BffWAgWshEKOOvhFvyaqiufYIkEcKX_9XJIXL2Cm8ny1l1-meI_J4uqXqezysw82dPBF-PsKWykepogcfUjfrP66fGMRzvdv36KOc6x_n5-JMskDvNv4/s1600/photo6" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4XDoDcYFMUEGEZG3Q1Xo4Y6BffWAgWshEKOOvhFvyaqiufYIkEcKX_9XJIXL2Cm8ny1l1-meI_J4uqXqezysw82dPBF-PsKWykepogcfUjfrP66fGMRzvdv36KOc6x_n5-JMskDvNv4/s400/photo6" width="300" /></a></div><a href="http://chrissiegrace.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chrissie's</a> directions and clearly written and she includes everything you need to know about getting into sewing swaps. The book also features a lot of great general sewing information which I think makes it perfect for the beginner and more advanced sewers alike. Topics such as fabric grain, choosing fabrics and colors, pressing, and rotary cutting are covered in detail.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVfmXE2csQ2CwfD9FVoeZSZfHRXVV50DBDiXPfo74qrs31CiSCv-xUHYCW1plq853DhN9xKwnfGFDGcbSDaHTjcFwlaJR5BGMZCoLKs8MJW3bzZGgz_QtLIf4p7hOEX4Gov-ZaKfH7S0/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVfmXE2csQ2CwfD9FVoeZSZfHRXVV50DBDiXPfo74qrs31CiSCv-xUHYCW1plq853DhN9xKwnfGFDGcbSDaHTjcFwlaJR5BGMZCoLKs8MJW3bzZGgz_QtLIf4p7hOEX4Gov-ZaKfH7S0/s400/photo.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Throughout the book, there are little sidebars called "Ask the contributors" with answers to a questionnaire we were asked to complete. For some reason, most of my answers came across as kind of, well, anal-retentive. If you know me personally, I'm sure you know I'm not really as uptight as my answers make me sound. At least, I hope that's the case.<br />
<br />
Anyway, a couple of weekends ago, I attended a quilting retreat with some of my awesome quilting friends from the Dallas MQG and the Fort Worth MQG. I think they got a real kick out of me reading my answers aloud in my snobbiest voice and they got some serious mileage out of my "snacks while sewing" comment (above). (I did notice that John and Nettie aren't into sticky fingers either, so I'm in some good company.) But, it was just too funny at the retreat when <a href="http://retromamaramblings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Angie</a> tore into a big bag of jalapeno Cheetos right next to me. Ah, good times! I was debating using this new header for my blog:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40UTjBmDSdJWf4NCnVXa0NpBO8cewIvkQ3G3YUSnEQMoHt7bHtvpEpxxPRHdIRn1rSWKENIYy-oLdpMe7IAC-ZUhXX4eHHLWc0yES-Sm8p-VmXYP9yFF1rbuSeQJDvsbMEeYnojrDHFc/s1600/uptightquilter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40UTjBmDSdJWf4NCnVXa0NpBO8cewIvkQ3G3YUSnEQMoHt7bHtvpEpxxPRHdIRn1rSWKENIYy-oLdpMe7IAC-ZUhXX4eHHLWc0yES-Sm8p-VmXYP9yFF1rbuSeQJDvsbMEeYnojrDHFc/s400/uptightquilter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm glad I could provide them with a few laughs. I doubt they are finished with me. ;-)</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I was able to participate in four projects in the book. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbt5fsvNNApMJ4nRDarmFLdGv49speyurxbI54KHGyVvN2QOmP9nHfj_rBykT_TW6g_7ib4hQXCUvPL1MwE174S1mftz9cmB-ZzShd4zhi5OgCUj3GmEOc-dUa1_AhG_eyt3HQZ2n69g/s1600/photo+10" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbt5fsvNNApMJ4nRDarmFLdGv49speyurxbI54KHGyVvN2QOmP9nHfj_rBykT_TW6g_7ib4hQXCUvPL1MwE174S1mftz9cmB-ZzShd4zhi5OgCUj3GmEOc-dUa1_AhG_eyt3HQZ2n69g/s400/photo+10" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The hexagon table runner </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">That's my orange hexie at the top and on the book's cover. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8Zf3Psqlx9_UMFpDHFXGMQwPOF5JDivSGNUQ3rPDBnsQ674ivz7tyUuWD2V2gviooKKXBCs2acab-3bMnzJXKsxETBY1qHNMZCvje7kTab3BO4qxY4sh-QDz6_ordmIdfDycZKU-scw/s1600/photo+8" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8Zf3Psqlx9_UMFpDHFXGMQwPOF5JDivSGNUQ3rPDBnsQ674ivz7tyUuWD2V2gviooKKXBCs2acab-3bMnzJXKsxETBY1qHNMZCvje7kTab3BO4qxY4sh-QDz6_ordmIdfDycZKU-scw/s400/photo+8" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The curvy block swap</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My block is in the lower right corner of the quilt,</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAc3KvIPFJjbWBhbws7j5mvYkmgmubiD1uxmbb9u1Iw2oEo7cIZLCSR8HXFDfLx829dEsWCBEqYj8XmiKFqf_H2Tkp2SqmyHArgM4lkzyFruCwh89PBpDf-KQdWkou-SqE08ea1UZZ88/s1600/photo4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAc3KvIPFJjbWBhbws7j5mvYkmgmubiD1uxmbb9u1Iw2oEo7cIZLCSR8HXFDfLx829dEsWCBEqYj8XmiKFqf_H2Tkp2SqmyHArgM4lkzyFruCwh89PBpDf-KQdWkou-SqE08ea1UZZ88/s400/photo4" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">and it also go a really nice full-page photo!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjYS2VAZgWUdMhQQX-M4-DI2faMfJxG4EKoyOKb0cU-YvOt5HMqsUWMuvoTVUCMnFJiOmjIAXTPDYXEVw5pJZe1oBYx0fco3ErynsPz7BKpY1GxMh6zRaD7WjZ7QHRMTUpOewCogbhg8/s1600/stash" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjYS2VAZgWUdMhQQX-M4-DI2faMfJxG4EKoyOKb0cU-YvOt5HMqsUWMuvoTVUCMnFJiOmjIAXTPDYXEVw5pJZe1oBYx0fco3ErynsPz7BKpY1GxMh6zRaD7WjZ7QHRMTUpOewCogbhg8/s400/stash" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The scrapbuster swap, which was really fun.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My block is the middle right of the photo above.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zHlqs6Su9A6RtvaEIz1HgaVbmFaoJAOY0zUgqiAXuHzdgjw0qQh1cWchFH7vEoYWNlkjNRSAzO12jmGfdqJ33mJX4syPYOZ_fQn7g9ZWNNpSIXcLHjtHoNZe9qQcgUTQOw72OoT4Ex4/s1600/photo7" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zHlqs6Su9A6RtvaEIz1HgaVbmFaoJAOY0zUgqiAXuHzdgjw0qQh1cWchFH7vEoYWNlkjNRSAzO12jmGfdqJ33mJX4syPYOZ_fQn7g9ZWNNpSIXcLHjtHoNZe9qQcgUTQOw72OoT4Ex4/s400/photo7" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> And, the wonky siggy swap.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMHw4HR_oRgZRPdfZKAsL252R1dJKagzdvhWlWj6B0qgkJ0O9TnJGujcoVyy3SyNoSXbpEZKwdfhyAiMh8NCDa5mrF0n-CD-O3PH1w757vWkUvXpO8IMBUCI3kv8PbSITnTzFCZFQ9SA/s1600/photo5" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMHw4HR_oRgZRPdfZKAsL252R1dJKagzdvhWlWj6B0qgkJ0O9TnJGujcoVyy3SyNoSXbpEZKwdfhyAiMh8NCDa5mrF0n-CD-O3PH1w757vWkUvXpO8IMBUCI3kv8PbSITnTzFCZFQ9SA/s400/photo5" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My wonky star made it into another full page photo!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">If you are thinking that after this fabulous book tour, you don't even need a copy, think again! This book is a must-have for your sewing library. So if you haven't ordered your copy yet, I've got good news! <b>You can purchase Sew to Swap now for just $14.99</b> ($10 off the retail price!) Visit the <a href="https://store.marthapullen.com/p-8333-sew-to-swap.aspx" target="_blank">Martha Pullen Online Store</a> and enter SEW2SWAP at checkout to receive the discount*!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Thank you for stopping by on my blog hop day! If you haven't visited all the hop stops before mine, use the list below as a tour guide. Visit those you haven't and stay tuned for ten more days of previews and tidbits about the book!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #472a14; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">November 7 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://lovelylittlehandmades.blogspot.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-family: arial;">Lovely Little Handmades</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 8 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://www.stitchesandscissors.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Stitches & Scissors</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 9 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://www.cluckclucksew.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-family: arial;">Cluck Cluck Sew</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 10 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://mythreesonsknit.blogspot.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My Three Sons</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 11 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://twinfibers.blogspot.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Twin Fibers</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 12 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://stitchyquiltstuff.blogspot.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Stitchy Quilt Stuff</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 13 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://www.arieleldridge.blogspot.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Creative Juices of Ariel</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 14 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://www.texasfreckles.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Texas Freckles</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 15 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://www.quiltdad.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Quilt Dad</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 16 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://artsycraftybabe.typepad.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Artsy-Craftsy Babe</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 17 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://www.littlemissshabby.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Little Miss Shabby</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 18 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://acuppaandacatchup.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A Cuppa and a Catch Up</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 19 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://aquiltisnice.blogspot.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A Quilt is Nice</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 20 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://tashahorsley.typepad.com/alittlesweetness/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A Little Sweetness</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 21 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://alamodefabric.blogspot.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">House of A La Mode</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 22</span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://www.ryanwalshquilts.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> I’m Just a Guy Who Quilts</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 23 </span><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://www.littlebitfunky.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Little Bit Funky</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
November 27 </span><span style="color: #cd2027; font-family: arial; text-decoration: none;"><a class="Hyperlink SCX191384633" href="http://www.chrissiegrace.blogspot.com/" style="color: #cd2027; text-decoration: none;">In His Grace</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #472a14; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*Offer expires Nov 30, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. Special Price in US Dollars, for items that are “in stock” only. Martha Pullen Company reserves the right to correct pricing errors.</span></span></div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-77718801208228627332011-10-31T13:08:00.001-05:002011-10-31T13:12:18.238-05:00Fall Quilt Market in HoustonI've been exploring the idea of moving my little sewing studio/school out of my home and into a retail location. So when I found out my my friend <a href="http://urbanspools.com/" target="_blank">Michelle, of Urban Spools</a>, was headed to Quilt Market in Houston, we decided to go together. Market seemed like a great place to explore the reality of a brick and mortar existence.<br />
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I thought I'd share what really caught my eye at market with you. There is so much to see and I while did feel like much of what was being introduced felt like more of the same, there were some very exciting fabric lines that I can't wait to add to my stash and some really inspiring booths.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6299369186/" title="Free Spirit booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Free Spirit booth" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6031/6299369186_118a76e4e1_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Does it get any better than this sofa at the Free Spirit booth? I've pined for some patchwork furniture from Squint in the UK for years and that's what this reminded me of.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6298836169/" title="Free Spirit booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Free Spirit booth" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6048/6298836169_f89dc9c38d_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Yes, um, Free Spirit... I'll take two, please.</div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6298836713/" title="Free Spirit booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Free Spirit booth" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6059/6298836713_fd41cddaa9_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">And while you are shipping over the sofas, go ahead an add these pillows and cushons too. Just beautiful!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6298837301/" title="Parson Gray Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Parson Gray Booth" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6031/6298837301_460a49af7f_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">This is the handsome booth of David Butler, Amy Butler's husband. His new line is gorgeous!</div></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6299370256/" title="Parson Gray Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Parson Gray Booth" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6058/6299370256_b0024dc3f8_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I saw a lot of indigo blue and ikat at market and his line was a beautiful twist on the trend. I love that quilt and I think lots of men would too.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6299382590/" title="Amy Butler's Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Amy Butler's Booth" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6095/6299382590_4fde9acc4f_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Amy's booth next door was equally amazing. Her new line is called Lark and I don't think it will disappoint Amy Butler fans.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6299383382/" title="Amy Butler's Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Amy Butler's Booth" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6110/6299383382_30f7d56e94_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6298850679/" title="Amy Butler's Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Amy Butler's Booth" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6212/6298850679_be18ae09b6_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">The designs and colors in Lark were really fresh and the collection has a really happy feel. Amy and David Butler are one of those picture perfect couples; it was fun to get to see them in person.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6298842687/" title="EPB, AMH, DS by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="EPB, AMH, DS" height="276" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6110/6298842687_cd914cff5c_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Just down from the Butlers, was Anna Maria Horner's booth. On the sofa, left to right, are Elinor Peace Bailey, Anna Maria, and Denyse Schmidt. Yes, I felt like I was in the presence of fabric royalty. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6299376598/" title="EPB, AMH, DS by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="EPB, AMH, DS" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6299376598_292fc24f22_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anna Maria had some beautiful needlepoint canvases (on the wall at the right). Her booth was beautiful!<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6298839329/" title="Seven Islands Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Seven Islands Booth" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6224/6298839329_ef4c6fb5cb_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Seven Islands booth (Prints Charming, Echino, Kokka, Melody Miller) was drool-worthy. Above is the new line from Print Charming for Kokka called Daisy Chain.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6299374046/" title="Seven Islands Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Seven Islands Booth" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6112/6299374046_bd8c4c613c_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">I'm going to need some of this line.</div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6298841493/" title="Seven Islands Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Seven Islands Booth" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6107/6298841493_99e51f1bb7_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">And, I LOVE this bag pattern!</div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6298840055/" title="Seven Islands Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Seven Islands Booth" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6038/6298840055_469778ecc5_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">This is the new Melody Miller (Ruby Star Rising). Pretty cute stuff!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6298835091/" title="Krause Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Krause Booth" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6093/6298835091_6dee0c9aa1_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">There's the new Sew to Swap book at the Krause Publishing booth!</div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">If I had to pick one favorite new fabric line from market, it would have to be this one.</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6298852233/" title="Moda Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Moda Booth" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6236/6298852233_07ce08c151_z.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Yes, it's Malka Dubrawsky, but no, it's not hand-dyed. It's Malka for everyone, it's Malka for Moda! </div><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6299385474/" title="Moda Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Moda Booth" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6236/6299385474_86e931192c_z.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">This line is completely amazing! The colors are crazy bright and beautiful. I absolutely LOVE this line.</div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6298853901/" title="Moda Booth by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Moda Booth" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6032/6298853901_8df2d794ed_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">There was one original Malka in the booth and there's just no way to do this quilt justice in a photo. The colors are spectacular.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, that's my quick, quilt market recap. I took about 300 photos and uploaded some of the best to a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/sets/72157627896019873/with/6298853901/">flickr album you can find here</a>. I also have some great photos of quilts from the show, but I'll save those for another post. For now, I'll just let you drink these in! </div></div></div></div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-75317048328145646582011-10-27T23:22:00.000-05:002011-10-27T23:22:04.785-05:00And the winner is...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJXoJ92FOQiwEErk6vpRZ5CWWtwcONoMv-zJIRrvpTLRhx_J-xN-OWMvJgSxOw6WU_k-__lYfCi0T-bDOIXfpKE1LaTogvfjIBgR0gRkORNJb77KXTCK0dY4HI7g2ilXeTfGltOb6LyA/s1600/christmasbloghopsmallbutton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJXoJ92FOQiwEErk6vpRZ5CWWtwcONoMv-zJIRrvpTLRhx_J-xN-OWMvJgSxOw6WU_k-__lYfCi0T-bDOIXfpKE1LaTogvfjIBgR0gRkORNJb77KXTCK0dY4HI7g2ilXeTfGltOb6LyA/s200/christmasbloghopsmallbutton.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope you got some great gift ideas from the 12 Gifts of Christmas Blog Hop! What an awesome hop Jennifer put together!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdTmYbiE1J6VEP26iYrGLBSBfmyBNBMheZYTLmlSuCVp5Baz-WvHzVhwCR9kxJHvYH71O4Xv_gmnRWbT8KdIcF7bzX4cVD6BwTWNPVdlVCE5l22xXCMEJtV2n1T4wxW3uweB-vIxuAd8/s1600/FatQuarterShop-200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdTmYbiE1J6VEP26iYrGLBSBfmyBNBMheZYTLmlSuCVp5Baz-WvHzVhwCR9kxJHvYH71O4Xv_gmnRWbT8KdIcF7bzX4cVD6BwTWNPVdlVCE5l22xXCMEJtV2n1T4wxW3uweB-vIxuAd8/s1600/FatQuarterShop-200.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now for the information you are looking for... the winner of the $25 Fat Quarter Shop gift certificate is...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSJJ-h4oyV-UNT9d9im1jR1MlTHRvken4THkQMh9h0iR-neJQvoxQ7QUKfTMEHZs_p5ZljDGCq7dRp-FdHn5D__RiUfWmzaVNff7RIk26rcDLwctYXKwwrO4BphoJQdyyNelury2Ajg4/s1600/bloghoprandom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSJJ-h4oyV-UNT9d9im1jR1MlTHRvken4THkQMh9h0iR-neJQvoxQ7QUKfTMEHZs_p5ZljDGCq7dRp-FdHn5D__RiUfWmzaVNff7RIk26rcDLwctYXKwwrO4BphoJQdyyNelury2Ajg4/s200/bloghoprandom.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">comment number 106, which belongs to...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQvIuvyZCjAGWwaQoC4SJO234GKeq-lTima-jr8s8GgWXkNst4eJABz5bY-lOP3fVda609oW0cd4x4lbUNWz9WzsrB_SPman3j6kpLNn-IveW_LbWa_Hcx5BTgyvZLw8irZIfwadC5J0/s1600/winner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQvIuvyZCjAGWwaQoC4SJO234GKeq-lTima-jr8s8GgWXkNst4eJABz5bY-lOP3fVda609oW0cd4x4lbUNWz9WzsrB_SPman3j6kpLNn-IveW_LbWa_Hcx5BTgyvZLw8irZIfwadC5J0/s320/winner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://iliketoquiltblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Bente</a> who blogs at <a href="http://iliketoquiltblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">i like to quilt blog</a>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Congratulations, Bente! I've sent you an email, but feel free to email me if you don't see mine first.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks to everyone who stopped by during the blog hop!</div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-85093754036851274222011-10-22T08:54:00.000-05:002011-10-27T23:01:30.532-05:0012 Gifts of Christmas Blog Hop<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijB3N54r5aUePex9WsMi8lyddczPB5Vyr4elt8RDWBngCYfXAP_uwXu-n8eSn_MmNC0MjuEkcqhEYjeAFOExmDVR2EhYWLl0O7_YnBO-tu7CqYBar8hZD9-_kQjd-g3linlrDZk96D4P0/s400/topphoto.jpg" width="383" /></div>
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If you've been following the 12 Gifts of Christmas Blog Hop, the brainchild of <a href="http://ellisonlane.blogspot.com/">Jennifer at Ellison Lane Quilts</a>, I'm sure you've added some adorable gifts to your Christmas to-sew list! I've seen some very cute ideas and I can't wait to make some of the adorable gifts featured.</div>
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My tutorial is a ruffled wristlet. Every girl needs a few ruffles in her life and every girl needs a wristlet. I'm sure there's someone on your list who could use one. If not, I think <em>you</em> could use one, but we are talking about gifts here, so make one for someone else first and then you'll have no guilt about making one for yourself. Throughout this tutorial, the photo always follows the instructions for that step. Here we go, it's the...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IuOIPhFQV2LgO2uq4k_If5UUa8f86tjipPpJ8r-8V7hKb0UhCBG6H_QxOHakiRArFQtPvq2n6zO7QEKBqENgC36C-uaREsuAz1vrntpjsFYBUEMhPwj7VGJXpgj1SSyn0JT_d6YuXQ8/s1600/wristlet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IuOIPhFQV2LgO2uq4k_If5UUa8f86tjipPpJ8r-8V7hKb0UhCBG6H_QxOHakiRArFQtPvq2n6zO7QEKBqENgC36C-uaREsuAz1vrntpjsFYBUEMhPwj7VGJXpgj1SSyn0JT_d6YuXQ8/s400/wristlet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This wristlet can be made with one fat quarter (FQ). Advantage, it's ONE fat quarter. Disadvantage, the entire wristlet is made from the same fabric. Use the cutting layout below if you want to cut the entire thing from one FQ. To make it from different fabrics, use the measurements on the layout to cut your pieces. Or, you could make two or three with two or three FQs and mix the fabrics up.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6w1_ohjtMdznrWPxLyxmwV0mg92kEyR2G-drOQPH-mrbXkZsfVJtqccV87Iz73AATpFjRNgaGhfRWKeccZ9jH_9x_11dJZb_PvVSo2CovS0EIBKAQ5eBnt9snI-HaTcLfV3d8MstXAJQ/s1600/Cutting+Layout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6w1_ohjtMdznrWPxLyxmwV0mg92kEyR2G-drOQPH-mrbXkZsfVJtqccV87Iz73AATpFjRNgaGhfRWKeccZ9jH_9x_11dJZb_PvVSo2CovS0EIBKAQ5eBnt9snI-HaTcLfV3d8MstXAJQ/s400/Cutting+Layout.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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Here's what you'll need for this project.</div>
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<li>One fat quarter</li>
<li>One 8 x 6" rectangle and one 8 x 6.5" rectangle of midweight fusible interfacing</li>
<li>One 7" zipper</li>
<li>Thread to match your exterior fabric</li>
<li><em>Optional:</em> <em>Two 8 x 6" rectangles for a contrasting lining if you don't cut the lining pieces from the FQ.</em></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43UOGNuYhrAIfvpqWaR_aGtVrN3JM_1Nr2poUuPAT2h1n09A8QhTsX0VglheZnevccKWpRW1z0CmJQlBAef1x5poAMW2KwqZXwusrEiYSS8T2pH9PUUDyBfdD-Vr2WYq4fQ3G8A8xtU0/s1600/RW1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43UOGNuYhrAIfvpqWaR_aGtVrN3JM_1Nr2poUuPAT2h1n09A8QhTsX0VglheZnevccKWpRW1z0CmJQlBAef1x5poAMW2KwqZXwusrEiYSS8T2pH9PUUDyBfdD-Vr2WYq4fQ3G8A8xtU0/s400/RW1" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong>Step 1: Interfacing.</strong> Follow the manufacturer's instructions to apply the interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior pieces. (There's no photo for this step.)<br />
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<strong>Step 2: "Hem" the ruffles.</strong> There are, of course, a variety of ways you can finish the edges of your ruffles, but to keep this simple, we're going to zigzag about 1/4" inside the edge and unravel the fabric a bit. I use my seam ripper to pick the warp threads one at a time and pull them out. I used a zigzag stitch 2.5mm long by 3.5mm wide and unraveled my edge back to the edge of the zigzag.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2U7So8Mg5xqEreg9Tg3xb1xp7_8O2TDis9-WXb-GyAKqQ1gQfZVr5T1QGUk3kQdTson4N31ffmB_o8RhL-vLzTMPWhlnH0YmQztRmWhiwsZ3IAJOnytf0qT0tvJaGx5PsLHwLFrBkfAM/s1600/RW4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2U7So8Mg5xqEreg9Tg3xb1xp7_8O2TDis9-WXb-GyAKqQ1gQfZVr5T1QGUk3kQdTson4N31ffmB_o8RhL-vLzTMPWhlnH0YmQztRmWhiwsZ3IAJOnytf0qT0tvJaGx5PsLHwLFrBkfAM/s400/RW4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<strong>Step 3: Gather the ruffles.</strong> Sew a basting stitch (the longest stitch on your machine) along the top edge of each ruffle. Then sew another row of basting stitches about 1/4" below the first row. Be sure to leave at leave at least 2-3" of thread tails on both ends of your ruffle. I used white thread so you can see my basting stitches. To gather your ruffles, pull on both bobbin stitches on one end at once and gently gather the fabric. I like to push a few small gathers all the way to the center and build the gathers out toward the edge. Do the same on the opposite end until your fabric is gathered to about 8" wide. Gather both ruffles.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6QfQUAxIEuUWEPxcseHl-39tzWPIWAjxX7OY2jcMc9oq77A5Xf4iKl2-TV2yXKdgNANi1uJvm-yaopzpwdgFhAmlaUvEhPXieLRB-yXp9kbWHYfkwQgHpsAIuXAs4sFEeIO-elPtkl0/s1600/RW5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6QfQUAxIEuUWEPxcseHl-39tzWPIWAjxX7OY2jcMc9oq77A5Xf4iKl2-TV2yXKdgNANi1uJvm-yaopzpwdgFhAmlaUvEhPXieLRB-yXp9kbWHYfkwQgHpsAIuXAs4sFEeIO-elPtkl0/s400/RW5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong>Step 4: Attach the bottom ruffle</strong>. Measure 3.5" up from the bottom edge of your larger (6.5" x 8") exterior fabric and mark a line along the 8" length. I used a hera marker, but a pencil would work just fine.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gON17cHh13Z-WXUnwmi96IgBlyGGkN9CS4YocLhLyNf27445BfYlRiZdoPzbn5qlGKsGgMKGXjZg7UAmyGQQE6KMYKDoBLrsdJ8pe_y9BuMi_3c55ZOhyphenhyphenCj0zft_fKL4QvFwHCcPGWw/s1600/RW6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gON17cHh13Z-WXUnwmi96IgBlyGGkN9CS4YocLhLyNf27445BfYlRiZdoPzbn5qlGKsGgMKGXjZg7UAmyGQQE6KMYKDoBLrsdJ8pe_y9BuMi_3c55ZOhyphenhyphenCj0zft_fKL4QvFwHCcPGWw/s400/RW6.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Align the top edge of the smaller (3") ruffle to the line you marked. There will be 1/2" below the ruffle. Distribute the fullness evenly and pin the ruffle to the fabric.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhMjIGCyTuPtW_FBM5egHkvzRZfOSd_8_y3t3sddzSVG-8MxaQSbFFNrQT-I1m6NTw_55mJsxcmkX29r0t-Xxf4ZEhP4JXYbooxqQ2_fEiXf1dLyu0RwMJwqNI-tKWs-h1DBHSZ3gkL8/s1600/RW7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhMjIGCyTuPtW_FBM5egHkvzRZfOSd_8_y3t3sddzSVG-8MxaQSbFFNrQT-I1m6NTw_55mJsxcmkX29r0t-Xxf4ZEhP4JXYbooxqQ2_fEiXf1dLyu0RwMJwqNI-tKWs-h1DBHSZ3gkL8/s400/RW7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Stitch the ruffle to the fabric with a straight stitch 1/8" from the raw edge. At this point, I remove the basting stitches. If you basted with the same color thread and they aren't loose and their appearance doesn't bother you (they will be hidden under the top ruffle), feel free to leave them in place.</div>
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After removing the basting stitches, sew a wide zigzag stitch about 1/16" down from the raw edge. It helps contain the yarns along the raw edge and keeps the top edge of the ruffle flat. I used a zigzag stitch 2.0mm long and 5.0mm wide.</div>
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<strong>Step 5: Attach the top ruffle. </strong> Trim 1.5" from the top edge of the exterior front. <strong> </strong> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobVDZ9CwomyaJGHyzC7gCtnU3S_Z_gLc_NuPDNp7xz-RAEgriz190jwhaCKDHm9nCxOIRH7cUiNogZmlsL0-84xmyR2RVZKGSaI3k6rZxqrwswhf1rsVBeZgOpHoDglnAvIbV0I_y-CY/s1600/RW10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobVDZ9CwomyaJGHyzC7gCtnU3S_Z_gLc_NuPDNp7xz-RAEgriz190jwhaCKDHm9nCxOIRH7cUiNogZmlsL0-84xmyR2RVZKGSaI3k6rZxqrwswhf1rsVBeZgOpHoDglnAvIbV0I_y-CY/s400/RW10.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Align the ruffle to the top edge and pin in place distributing the fullness evenly. Stitch this ruffle to the bag front using straight stitch and a 1/8" seam allowance (or a VERY scant 1/4" seam allowance).</div>
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Place the 1.5" strip you cut from the top edge of the bag front right side down on top of the ruffle and align the top edges. Attach this strip to the bag front with a 1/4" seam allowance.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn35xBkCivCz7El0PIqa1V6O9YcOtCxc9WL-OjApK820jCOv-UVHtPnn-rJtau6XVp9eICHKSbVU92LXj6DOzul7AKDKWuCHWt4JGuYSr391Kv0T6KaPTZkudLjAh35H4mH2Z8fWmSQGo/s1600/RW12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn35xBkCivCz7El0PIqa1V6O9YcOtCxc9WL-OjApK820jCOv-UVHtPnn-rJtau6XVp9eICHKSbVU92LXj6DOzul7AKDKWuCHWt4JGuYSr391Kv0T6KaPTZkudLjAh35H4mH2Z8fWmSQGo/s400/RW12.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Fold the strip up and press it away from the ruffle. If you have any stitches, basting or otherwise, showing along the top edge of the ruffle below the strip, remove those carefully with a seam ripper.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlnchPVNR6zNzc4hsfS__phYWsKnkcEM2PwpnLUtlK5d5eJrWYFHwboOebAYPHnhpBqcc7TTsrPAjZMCFwJ_v8JicNQKM9guXkY8Pje5G44RD_ZaJLBXMeqw9zGahyphenhypheneOnQvJwlHXrdxI/s1600/RW13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlnchPVNR6zNzc4hsfS__phYWsKnkcEM2PwpnLUtlK5d5eJrWYFHwboOebAYPHnhpBqcc7TTsrPAjZMCFwJ_v8JicNQKM9guXkY8Pje5G44RD_ZaJLBXMeqw9zGahyphenhypheneOnQvJwlHXrdxI/s400/RW13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong>Step 6: </strong><strong>Cover the ends of your zipper. </strong>Fold each small 1.5 x 3" rectangle in half to form two 1.5" squares. Press each square and align it (folded edge to the inside) over the ends of the zipper covering the metal zipper stop on each end by 1/8 to 1/4". Stitch over the end of the zipper in that small space as shown on the right below. Take care to avoid the metal zipper stop; your machine needle probably won't win against it. Stitch both ends and flip it over to check out how fancy your zipper looks now. Trim the fabric on the ends and sides so that it's the same size as the zipper.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncFhiPl3Q8yOmlsn8Zmu6ymS8n6VrYGsFJS7a9fUDlIrxhSDp5KaI0u_2Yap5XqFEMpwxPUQ8YfVY3dtHle0mXsvLfHwpMpsmmwPmm57IqgKN_lhz6hJcCK6WonFOlnuok_uviIQKDjg/s1600/RW2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncFhiPl3Q8yOmlsn8Zmu6ymS8n6VrYGsFJS7a9fUDlIrxhSDp5KaI0u_2Yap5XqFEMpwxPUQ8YfVY3dtHle0mXsvLfHwpMpsmmwPmm57IqgKN_lhz6hJcCK6WonFOlnuok_uviIQKDjg/s400/RW2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong>Step 7: Zipper Time! </strong>Center the zipper right sides together on the top edge of the bag front. It will be slightly longer than the fabric.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTbfs-sBFT9pJdRKPkpjDzun7_jC00UTZVkBRIiZAJyUBnsN_8-JMb8TYZA5Q4HGO-Vks6KWuOfUWXJKBb90inP-E0zAg3wwQWZ2QD4CsGgOInFx0W3mS83Rc6OLG_04nKYAqrQA47DI/s1600/RW14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTbfs-sBFT9pJdRKPkpjDzun7_jC00UTZVkBRIiZAJyUBnsN_8-JMb8TYZA5Q4HGO-Vks6KWuOfUWXJKBb90inP-E0zAg3wwQWZ2QD4CsGgOInFx0W3mS83Rc6OLG_04nKYAqrQA47DI/s400/RW14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Use a zipper foot to stitch the zipper to the bag. Start on the end opposite the zipper pull with the zipper closed. Sew to about 2" from the zipper pull, lower the needle, and raise the presser foot. Reach under the zipper and push the zipper pull backward past the presser foot. Lower the presser foot, ensure that the fabric edges are still aligned and finish the seam. <em>I totally forgot to take a photo of this step, so I faked it in the photo below, but I had already sewn the seam. You only need to stitch it once; don't let the photo confuse you.</em> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCUFt7bXU_ADkiQqHG0mbbkcB1P1pnpCKUPQyXKmysY9m3sEWh9O-q8XRia2D8x7GvRP33NFdXdjRdXvQeTU8uy3hlJdi_t69o9228Ch42uYa9pAlfYUL3ik28qsY6X2H77xz59gNp1c/s1600/RW15" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCUFt7bXU_ADkiQqHG0mbbkcB1P1pnpCKUPQyXKmysY9m3sEWh9O-q8XRia2D8x7GvRP33NFdXdjRdXvQeTU8uy3hlJdi_t69o9228Ch42uYa9pAlfYUL3ik28qsY6X2H77xz59gNp1c/s400/RW15" width="353" /></a></div>
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Close the zipper and place one lining piece right sides together on top of the zipper and bag front, aligning the top edge and sides. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQpTVU-HZwdRUAlHcGW9gI4X8wLkfKhVqvjQwGJC_oxyelwEL4h6yo-bNN3Uwq2MI-imdph064yTrNr8m1C1O9jl7j4Ij0-VBR1vBjNj8LVaeAisX96zsXu5JhS0-hPxIYgxi1rVN9is/s1600/RW16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQpTVU-HZwdRUAlHcGW9gI4X8wLkfKhVqvjQwGJC_oxyelwEL4h6yo-bNN3Uwq2MI-imdph064yTrNr8m1C1O9jl7j4Ij0-VBR1vBjNj8LVaeAisX96zsXu5JhS0-hPxIYgxi1rVN9is/s400/RW16.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Pin and stitch the lining to the zipper using the zipper foot. You won't be able to see the zipper, but your zipper foot will be able to find and follow the edge of it through the lining. Move the zipper pull to the back in the same manner as before to ensure your seam is straight.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQ2fjLQXqsViKKep6wF3qro4eIhfo8Q22s5BcMuC4z2-U1bq4tIisDlVlBR4vyp9fBdHc9W29ryMh1gr389z1so2ZC3FvFoTOrk9Il7kspF3R9Hx78bxhyphenhyphenEHYNEN_eCMjWwyUwqTYLi8/s1600/RW18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQ2fjLQXqsViKKep6wF3qro4eIhfo8Q22s5BcMuC4z2-U1bq4tIisDlVlBR4vyp9fBdHc9W29ryMh1gr389z1so2ZC3FvFoTOrk9Il7kspF3R9Hx78bxhyphenhyphenEHYNEN_eCMjWwyUwqTYLi8/s400/RW18.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Open out the lining fabric and press it away from the zipper. Understitch the zipper to the lining to prevent the lining from being caught in the zipper teeth. Stitching will only go through the lining and the zipper, not the front of the bag. Be sure to pull the fabric gently away from the zipper as you stitch.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvZ1OXbGp0kFTdzsRlx_pMry9DNBQENdXnb5vLgPAlvFZ8GDjsBkEksGHdUQ9GT2u9-Uz5tHF73F_zGUsIi8VJskpZA-BFsXgfrvwzqEbEhuEkt3l1Q5oQhIYZvcVDK5y_uVQ5KllOjU/s1600/under2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvZ1OXbGp0kFTdzsRlx_pMry9DNBQENdXnb5vLgPAlvFZ8GDjsBkEksGHdUQ9GT2u9-Uz5tHF73F_zGUsIi8VJskpZA-BFsXgfrvwzqEbEhuEkt3l1Q5oQhIYZvcVDK5y_uVQ5KllOjU/s400/under2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Repeat<strong> </strong>Step 7 to attach the other side of the bag and lining to opposite side of the zipper. Don't forget to understitch the lining and press all of the seams when finished sewing.</div>
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<strong>Step 8: Wrist Strap: </strong>Fold the wrist strap in half lenghtwise and press. Unfold it and fold each outside edge in to the center fold and press again. The raw edges are hidden and the strap is four layers thick. Sew close to the edge along the length of both sides.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoh42PgWQq2fbOiLhWs-rOadCwvdXbmF2-0aIM-X6za-mbgN55rcq15Bve96cQ8cSgxG_PmoeTDAiKTn-RXmS8tXFpXUMKI0QqCu_kn7qLmEXBTcp1Rtk5UGNAo4uvwZPxO96CJwcsMuU/s1600/strap0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoh42PgWQq2fbOiLhWs-rOadCwvdXbmF2-0aIM-X6za-mbgN55rcq15Bve96cQ8cSgxG_PmoeTDAiKTn-RXmS8tXFpXUMKI0QqCu_kn7qLmEXBTcp1Rtk5UGNAo4uvwZPxO96CJwcsMuU/s200/strap0.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yn-tXUgAntFmYBYUMOf65cVBBPNv9CorI8XSKAGrpnCKDl9Ky_nYpokx6anhLg2QQUwMRpmGJlFFYmhf1Qt4Z4nNdx7REwejv5CA4yzh2tmAOAZs21dcMOX5UdpfiRec4Ywanx_ZfIg/s1600/strap3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yn-tXUgAntFmYBYUMOf65cVBBPNv9CorI8XSKAGrpnCKDl9Ky_nYpokx6anhLg2QQUwMRpmGJlFFYmhf1Qt4Z4nNdx7REwejv5CA4yzh2tmAOAZs21dcMOX5UdpfiRec4Ywanx_ZfIg/s200/strap3.jpg" width="173" /></a></div>
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Secure the wrist strap to the edge of the exterior back (only the back, not the lining) on the side where the zipper closes, about 1" down from the top edge. I used some zigzag stitches which will be hidden inside the seam allowance.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYRnJ5yYFfVanEFiIzEUECXKtYxLFeGjqqQIdATkQ2TgmWftLPZ1f-ahg-eM6q0riGMebV_MaKV0_2peyvd8QChSdlvWGvQJi5rgENiTT5sO8ZvBBm83DcoE4jpx3sy6kavKNY7Iqtmk/s1600/strap2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYRnJ5yYFfVanEFiIzEUECXKtYxLFeGjqqQIdATkQ2TgmWftLPZ1f-ahg-eM6q0riGMebV_MaKV0_2peyvd8QChSdlvWGvQJi5rgENiTT5sO8ZvBBm83DcoE4jpx3sy6kavKNY7Iqtmk/s400/strap2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<strong>Step 9: Sew this thing together!</strong> Okay, this part is very, very important...</div>
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<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">U N Z I P T H E Z I P P E R H A L F W A Y!</span></strong></div>
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I don't know if you've ever tried to unzip a zipper from the back side, but it's so hard to do, I don't even know if it's possible. So, please, please don't forget to unzip your zipper half way or about four inches. </div>
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Fold the bag so that the right sides of the exterior and lining are together. The seam allowances at the center (the zipper) will fold toward the lining.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHbB2MOW0HDWGRAPgGTUfCT4CAEdb1b6_TFMCpcHz88eNE96OjDjOloG2kj8C3FH6X4RQsNmObJDUGdHZ0krDAK1CpgwEavbAbhX9Fr0xMxafuZNW21Xk3RpR34wwzA-fLPVw2MjADb0/s1600/strap1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHbB2MOW0HDWGRAPgGTUfCT4CAEdb1b6_TFMCpcHz88eNE96OjDjOloG2kj8C3FH6X4RQsNmObJDUGdHZ0krDAK1CpgwEavbAbhX9Fr0xMxafuZNW21Xk3RpR34wwzA-fLPVw2MjADb0/s320/strap1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pin the bag together on all four sides, matching your edges and corners. If the bag is a little crooked at this point, take a moment to square it up. Make sure that the sides of the ruffles extend out past the edge of the bag to ensure they are caught in the seam allowance (see mine sticking out on the sides below). Leave an opening in the center bottom of the lining about 4" long. My opening is marked by the pink pins.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PWc4MEWa8clwsmgbehyZjpoS2ouVw7AG0sG7xk5htrpmV9HT-24RYoxolZPr4zSqilwLkDKxu3aQhqiJrHOYSZ81q9kHcXp1wsKO7-hMGUasEdB0tgDrRYG5EJMuAj9nZF6wlwEB1dg/s1600/flat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PWc4MEWa8clwsmgbehyZjpoS2ouVw7AG0sG7xk5htrpmV9HT-24RYoxolZPr4zSqilwLkDKxu3aQhqiJrHOYSZ81q9kHcXp1wsKO7-hMGUasEdB0tgDrRYG5EJMuAj9nZF6wlwEB1dg/s400/flat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Stitch all the way around the bag with a scant 1/2" seam allowance. Make sure that the ruffles are pushed back out of the way of the bottom exterior seam.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiONwTZvPRNYNAA4nznHQfl10oKgtXnyZY22K8-zpHWwkIYTwnYQVzKlq1oBZFYfmtUUQye8RfR4e1Qr_PoK0COX8846vvQyX60WAisULivooiE6zbiAGw8hYSh2cE-ChG4FTiG96aS-Y/s1600/around2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiONwTZvPRNYNAA4nznHQfl10oKgtXnyZY22K8-zpHWwkIYTwnYQVzKlq1oBZFYfmtUUQye8RfR4e1Qr_PoK0COX8846vvQyX60WAisULivooiE6zbiAGw8hYSh2cE-ChG4FTiG96aS-Y/s400/around2.jpg" width="333" /></a></div>
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Before turning the bag right side out, press the seam allowances at the bottom of the lining (the edge with the opening) back on to the wrong side of the lining. This will make it easier to sew the lining closed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLUF9lgklReV0GPXAUcen_u2WpnW30A-wgkUUpgxgSchEdB4yv3X7upAaf0OS2L04yynWdSxwPLNmjb051aH3-139iHx5NPGu5KIeFG7TDH6EDAXaLOXFdE8PqKLOqmVim83O_vZote0/s1600/lining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLUF9lgklReV0GPXAUcen_u2WpnW30A-wgkUUpgxgSchEdB4yv3X7upAaf0OS2L04yynWdSxwPLNmjb051aH3-139iHx5NPGu5KIeFG7TDH6EDAXaLOXFdE8PqKLOqmVim83O_vZote0/s400/lining.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Clip your corners and trim the bulk off the seam allowances at the zipper ends. I also trimmed back the ruffles and the end of the wrist strap.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBB32Q3hR-v7RQSwa6gcBERVjKhaqffIVwvibNRJtFpWLVzx5ofYHBHkK5m4vAcqm3DK0ZIS-DYz4nuVP7-fxXJbpP5uUawXNDe4LIjDUxMdtvvZzNSHUHiqWqJmwUYCbjrIW8TjRr0w/s1600/trim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBB32Q3hR-v7RQSwa6gcBERVjKhaqffIVwvibNRJtFpWLVzx5ofYHBHkK5m4vAcqm3DK0ZIS-DYz4nuVP7-fxXJbpP5uUawXNDe4LIjDUxMdtvvZzNSHUHiqWqJmwUYCbjrIW8TjRr0w/s400/trim.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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It's the big reveal! Reach inside the opening in the lining and turn your bag right side out. Use a point turner (or a chopstick) to push the corners out from the inside on both the lining and the exterior and inside the corners formed at the ends of the zipper.</div>
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<strong>Step 10: Sew the lining closed </strong>by machine or by hand using a slip stitch. All finished!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtK35B2Kej386DVy1ZfzBga_nB6SblvxZNUC_3i4yilL16x5WXLA-hd1iQR_8lKQ5v77jvWy-MZTmmk1uT-2kPrE2KRYVSRHs7AWioIOPCgCK2KF-3AQ7MEKlJePWhfQxNI4RW0wfjxQE/s1600/full.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtK35B2Kej386DVy1ZfzBga_nB6SblvxZNUC_3i4yilL16x5WXLA-hd1iQR_8lKQ5v77jvWy-MZTmmk1uT-2kPrE2KRYVSRHs7AWioIOPCgCK2KF-3AQ7MEKlJePWhfQxNI4RW0wfjxQE/s400/full.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;">So, are you ready for a <strong>giveaway</strong>? How does a <strong>$25 gift certificate</strong> to </span><a href="http://fatquartershop.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Fat Quarter Shop</span></a><span style="color: black;"> sound! Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner at random on October 27th.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">But, it gets better! Even if you don't win the gift certificate, everyone is a winner at </span><a href="http://www.fabricworm.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Fabricworm</span></a><span style="color: black;"> who is offering a <strong>15% discount</strong> to readers of the <strong>12 Gifts of Christmas Blog Hop</strong>! Just use the code <strong>fw12days</strong> at checkout<strong>.</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.fabricworm.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2cqEqP0ULfzKvDpgYzwaJowQitUGCQOD36Vlul4VedmYuQ7Zz8GVWCEyckweojyxD_5CBHxe6SmDKgGWr6OgteAzZocXhkaGmx0zsGc9XxkrxDjl_aRJiRN8GygJXS8N6UfQ6yrJgSk/s1600/fabricworm+button+200.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;">But, that's still not all! Visit Jennifer at </span><a href="http://ellisonlane.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Ellison Lane Quilts"><strong><span style="color: #a64d79;">Ellison Lane Quilts</span></strong></a><span style="color: black;"> and leave</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">one comment on her tutorial to be entered to win the</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">GRAND PRIZE of a $250 gift certificate to Fabricworm</span>!</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l623/ellisonlanequilts/holiday%20blog%20hop/christmasbloghopsmallrectangle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="aligncenter" src=" http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l623/ellisonlanequilts/holiday%20blog%20hop/christmasbloghopsmallrectangle.jpg" /></a>
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Friday, October 14- Jennifer @ <a href="http://ellisonlane.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Ellison Lane Quilts">Ellison Lane Quilts</a>
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Saturday, October 15- Ayumi/<a href="http://ayumills.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Pink Penguin">Pink Penguin</a>
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Sunday, October 16- Amy/ <a href="http://lotsofpinkhere.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Lots of Pink Here">Lots of Pink Here</a>
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Monday, October 17- Faith/<a href="http://www.freshlemonsquilts.com/" target="_blank" title="Fresh Lemons Quilts">Fresh Lemons Quilts</a>
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Tuesday, October 18- Penny/<a href="http://sewtakeahike.typepad.com/" target="_blank" title="Sew Take a Hike">Sew Take a Hike</a>
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Wednesday, October 19- Kati/<a href="http://www.fromthebluechair.com/" target="_blank" title="From the Blue Chair">From the Blue Chair</a>
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Thursday, October 20- Lee/<a href="http://freshlypieced.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Freshly Pieced">Freshly Pieced</a>
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Friday, October 21- Elizabeth/<a href="http://dontcallmebetsy.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Don't Call Me Betsy">Don't Call Me
Betsy</a>
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Saturday, October 22- Melanie/<a href="http://www.texasfreckles.com/" target="_blank" title="Texas Freckles">Texas Freckles</a>
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Sunday, October 23- Lindsay/<a href="http://www.craftbuds.com/" target="_blank" title="Craft Buds">Craft Buds</a>
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Monday, October 24- Amanda/<a href="http://www.acraftyfox.net/" target="_blank" title="A Crafty Fox">A Crafty Fox</a>
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Tuesday, October 25-Vanessa/<a href="http://littlebiggirlstudio.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Little Big Girl Studio">Little Big Girl
Studio</a></div>
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I'm really grateful that Jennifer asked me to be a part of her blog hop. Be sure to check out all the great tutorials above, and enter their giveaways if you haven't already.</div>
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Happy sewing and best of luck on the giveaways! </div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com307tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-87390504558454234922011-10-15T17:27:00.001-05:002011-10-17T13:53:28.803-05:00I'm so excited!I noticed that <a href="http://acuppaandacatchup.com/" target="_blank">Nova</a> spilled the beans on her blog and <a href="http://chrissiegrace.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chrissie</a> has a link on her blog, so I guess it's safe to share some news that has me very excited!<br />
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</div><div>See this adorable book...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440215901/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=texasfreckles-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1440215901" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkp4dTghwjnzkALt2xx8NGaJ1LDPEFEzeyf6PZnNlaPgM4bApEYHCYWgsyUpOp7FkNyWcdRxI_J78z94z2h0ApfUmEontgpbKaMPlMGj8Z49y6Y7faxmuflVT8KetRiZj3foe7OM9Rwk/s320/sew-to-swap.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>I got to be a part of it! Last year, the lovely <a href="http://chrissiegrace.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chrissie Grace</a> herself asked if I would be interested in contributing to a book she was writing about quilt swaps. Have you seen <a href="http://chrissiegrace.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html" target="_blank">Chrissie's other books</a>? Yes, I was interested! I was in some very good company too. It still doesn't feel real to have participated in something like this with Chrissie and some of the coolest bloggers out there.<br />
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I haven't seen a copy of the book in person yet, but from the preview at Amazon, it looks amazing! The illustrations are beautiful, the photographs are inspiring, and the text is clearly written. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. The publication date is November 8th, which is not very far away. <i>(I'm grinning right now.)</i><br />
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I'm sure I'll be mentioning this lovely book again soon, but I just wanted to share since I am so excited.<br />
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Oh and and that orange hexie flower on the cover... I made it! Eeeek! <i>(Yes, I'm grinning again.)</i>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-54746802967702462802011-10-07T15:54:00.000-05:002011-10-07T15:54:32.624-05:00Yes, I've been a bad, bad blogger.Life is good, I've just been crazy busy. I've been working, quilting, sewing, teaching sewing, gardening, working on my house, and serving on a very active PTA board for the first time in addition to my wife and mother responsibilities. Sixth grade has been a major transition for my daughter, but she is doing really well in school and I'm so proud of her.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/texas_drought_fires/bp19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/texas_drought_fires/bp19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/09/texas_drought_and_wildfires.html">Photo from and great article Boston.com</a></span></div>The drought and weather here in Texas has been completely devastating. We've had the hottest and driest year in Texas history. Wildfires, dead and displaced cattle and livestock, withered crops, and parched soil. It's really heartbreaking and the outlook isn't good. Forecasters tell us the situation isn't going to improve anytime in the foreseeable future. I'm trying to think of something positive to end this paragraph with, but I'm completely at a loss. The impact of 2011 on our landscape, lives, and economy will be profound.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6215158794/" title="Teagan's Quilt by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Teagan's Quilt" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6215158794_778d010d1a_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div>On a happier note, I finished a quilt! This is the quilt I started in my <a href="http://www.texasfreckles.com/2011/07/fun-with-go-baby.html">previous post</a>. It's completely over the top and I just love it. This quilt is for my cousin's gorgeous daughter, Teagan. I wanted to make something as delightful as her smile. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6215158368/" title="Teagan's Quilt by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Teagan's Quilt" height="265" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6119/6215158368_ddaefa4b9c_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I quilted it with bright colors of Perle cotton and tied it with some hot pink for a little extra hold. Everything except the binding is dots. I was surprised at how easy it was to pull a dots quilt together from my stash. I must have a serious love of polka-dots. </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/6214642551/" title="Teagan's Quilt by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Teagan's Quilt" height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6106/6214642551_50206c4c83_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Teagan evidently really likes her quilt and I hope she gets years and years of use from it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So, if you are reading this, I'm guessing you haven't deleted me from your blog reader due to inactivity. I'm going to make an effort to post more regularly and I've got lots of fun things to post about. It's good to be back. </div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-20382763961590223292011-07-18T11:45:00.000-05:002011-07-18T11:45:13.266-05:00Fun with the Go! Baby!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/5950958434/" title="Accuquilt Go! Baby by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Accuquilt Go! Baby" height="265" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6007/5950958434_6f9e49200f_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I'm sure you've seen a few of these new Go! Baby cutters around blogland lately. I was so excited when I was presented with the oppourtunity to try one out and show it to you. As someone who has been in the emergency room having seven stitches to re-attach the side of my left pointer finger after cutting all the way to the bone with a rotary cutter, the Go! Baby seemed like a great fit for me. I was also excited because I teach kids to sew and I think this would be a really fun (and safe) product for them to use.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/5950959410/" title="Accuquilt Go! Baby by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Accuquilt Go! Baby" height="265" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5950959410_013efa9a84_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.accuquilt.com/">Accuquilt</a> let me choose three dies, and I chose the <a href="http://www.accuquilt.com/go-shop/dies/go-baby/go-value-die.html">Value Die</a>, the <a href="http://www.accuquilt.com/go-shop/dies/designer-series/alex-anderson/go-quarter-square-4-finished-triangle.html">Quarter Square 4" Finished Triangle</a>, and the <a href="http://www.accuquilt.com/go-half-square-4-finished-triangle.html">Half Square 4" Finished Triangle</a>. My favorite die so far is the quarter square triangle. It cuts eight triangles at once, but the best part is that they fit together <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>perfectly</b></span> making it simple to get perfect points. I have never made HSTs or QSTs that fit together this nicely. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/5950400451/" title="Accuquilt Go! Baby by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Accuquilt Go! Baby" height="265" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/5950400451_ddeca4a98e_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">The corners of the triangles are dog-eared, so that when finish sewing your four pieces together, there's nothing to trim! Using the Go! Baby is easy and it's really portable. I took it to a Saturday Sew with the Dallas Modern Quilt Guild on Saturday and it fit easily in my bag and wasn't too heavy. When it's folded closed, it looks really cute on the shelf too!</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/5950961606/" title="Accuquilt Go! Baby by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Accuquilt Go! Baby" height="265" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6024/5950961606_d4a101c1a3_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've been cutting lots of Kona white triangles and bright dots to make a quilt for my cousin's daughter. I'm going with a totally random layout and I'm loving the way it's coming together. I'll show you more as soon as I get the blocks together. The way the points line up is amazing!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.accuquilt.com/texasfreckles-signup"><img alt="22 Free Patterns - Download Now" border="0" src="http://www.accuquilt.com/media/22FreePatterns.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I wanted to share this link with you too. Head over to <a href="http://www.accuquilt.com/texasfreckles-signup">Accquilt</a> and sign up to receive 22 free patterns! I downloaded the patterns and there are some really cute ones in there. You get one set of quilt patterns and the other is a collection of quilt blocks. I really want some more dies for my Go! Baby now. I'l drooling over the <a href="http://www.accuquilt.com/go-shop/dies/go-baby/go-tumbler-3-1-2.html">Tumbler</a> and the <a href="http://www.accuquilt.com/go-shop/dies/go-baby/go-drunkard-s-path-3-1-2-finished.html">Drunkard's Path</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So, stay tuned for more of the quarter square triangle quilt and some exciting news for one of my sweet blog readers!</div></div></div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473428269886970702.post-30096582976506897892011-07-18T11:13:00.000-05:002011-07-18T11:13:08.438-05:00And the scraps go to...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJrM7xz1NACagmDt8ncobwhR0orkN95WMLbBT5dQKzcnUStJ_pbsFqjePwouM8H-BVFpEDomv7gV8apkCm-UvNsf50o3VlitUuTE67Lp1sEUWHZbeMgekkRifCz-uH35DpE-X0RkzmHY/s1600/random.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJrM7xz1NACagmDt8ncobwhR0orkN95WMLbBT5dQKzcnUStJ_pbsFqjePwouM8H-BVFpEDomv7gV8apkCm-UvNsf50o3VlitUuTE67Lp1sEUWHZbeMgekkRifCz-uH35DpE-X0RkzmHY/s1600/random.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jo at <a href="http://sewthismommajo.blogspot.com/">Sew This Mama Jo</a>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msullivan/5951091228/" title="Scraps going in the mail. by texas freckles | Melanie, on Flickr"><img alt="Scraps going in the mail." height="400" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6024/5951091228_59cc1c0955_b.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's kind of weird but it appears that Jo lives in Dallas! She's a fellow Texan and a fellow member of the Dallas Modern Quilt Guild! I'll send you a message, Jo, and get your address. I've got two pounds of scraps (a Target bag full) that I'll send your way!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And to my international friends, I apologize for restricting this giveaway to the USA, but I wanted to be able to send it in a flat rate box that's one price anywhere within the states. I promise, there was no prejudice, it's just a matter of my shipping budget.</div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13623163005593009850noreply@blogger.com2