Happy New Year

Wow 2013 seemed to have come and gone in a whirlwind. Where did the year go and what did I do with it? I will be a year older in January and that might explain why I can't remember what I did with it. As far as resoultions go, I won't remember so why make any.

How about a book review to start out the New Year?

Susan Taylor Propst, best-selling author of Beautiful Blooms and Another Season of Beautiful Blooms, presents a gorgeous new collection of nature-inspired appliqué designs. Discover a stunning array of practical items for gifts and home décor.

Choose from nine beautiful small projects--all celebrating nature--with appliqué designs ranging from daffodils and tulips to hostas and ivy.

Find step-by-step instructions showing how to make place mats, tote bags, carrying cases, a neck-roll pillow, an elegant swan wall hanging, and more.

Use hand or fusible appliqué; or, make the projects using theme prints or preprinted panels instead.

This book along with many others are new in my store and they are on sale.

Christmas is 4 days away!

I have been under the weather so I haven't done much decorating for Christmas but I decided that I had better do something today. I think only one of the kids is coming but those grandkids should not see grandma being a scrooge. So I bucked up and did the tree, just a little one with bears. The cross stitched angels my youngest daughter did for a Christmas present a couple of years ago. I love them.

Then I had this brilliant idea to put their presents in a stocking (they were in a box waiting to be wrapped) and have a little stuffed animal peeking over the top. It just makes me smile.

Do you see the cowboy ornaments on the floor, their legs move, so cute and fun.

Well so much for that, I am wore out and need a nap, but have much to much to do, to rest now. Dirty dishes, dusty house and laundry to do. OH MY!!

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Elves a working!!

The elves have been busy at my house.

 This is the bed in the spare bedroom. You see 5 rows, for 5 of my seven children and their kids (22 grandkids). I have two of the kids stuff boxed up and ready to be sent. I need to get finished with 3more by Monday, and get them boxed up to send, that will leave 2 and hopefully they are coming to my house and picking up their gifts. I am getting close to being done with presents and need to do cards this weekend. I got the lights on the house today but no extension cord, I think their is a elf that keeps walking off with them. So fat lot of good it did for me to hang them, well Wally world here I come (on Monday).

I have been busy doing scarves in my spare time.

A friend wants me to make about 4 of these for her for stocking stuffers.So quick and easy using Red Heart Sashay Yarn and there are lots of instructions on the internet how to do it. Sewing and quilting have taken a back seat to Christmas right now, and the rest can't be  put on my blog for now, otherwise the gifts wont be a surprise. ;)

December Block

Hows your Christmas sewing going?

Tomorrow is the City Quilt group meeting. We decided to bring treats and share, instead of working on a project but I still needed to make the December block.  We make a block every month and bring, then someone in the group takes them home and puts them together and finishes it. We sell some at the City Museum and we donate some to the police department to put in their patrol vehicles to use in an emergency.

It is called the Baton Rouge Square and you can find the pattern at McCalls Quilting. It looks like a package with a bow on it, especially when made with Christmas fabric.

Thanksgiving Winner!!!!

We have a winner for the Thanks giving blog hop. It is Joyce from NC. 

JoyceLMNovember 22, 2013 at 8:34 AM

I'd love Feathered Christmas in green - thanks for the chance to win.

We had a great Thanksgiving. It was a small group, only two of the daughters and their kids (6 adults and 6 kids total) and we had it in  Starbuck at the youngest daughters house. It was nice to go and visit and have someone else do most of the cooking. We had so much food left over and we just kept making more. I think the seven layer dip was a hit, it disappeared and we had to make a second one.  I am so grateful for family and I love all the grandkids and had fun. The noise level and the mess was over whelming at times but all in all I think everyone enjoyed themselves.

We went shopping on black Friday, something none of usually do but it wasn't so bad. We were in Walla Walla and the crowds had either thined out by the time we got there or they all went to Tricities. We hit JoAnns for the flannel and we bought 10 bolts, it was easier that way, then we didn't have to stand in line to get it cut and they had the bolts measured and marked so all you had to do was pick and pay. Yea!!!! Baby blankets coming up. Then we went to WalMart and I got presents for all the grandkids, my daughter helped me with my list of 22 things (can't let the cat out of the bag before Christmas). I am done with the grandkids, now to finish the family presents, whew, I may just make it yet. 

Then we came home and worked on aprons. I helped cut but then the baby needed holding and of course I volunteered for the job so the girls could sew. Oh what a sacrifice that was;) Here are the aprons, they were fairly quick if you don't count all the interruptions from kids.

 The blue and yellow was actually retro fabric, the real stuff. My daughter was given a whole bunch of boxes of craft stuff from an elderly neighbor and there was old fabric in it. The quality isn't as good as we have now but it was definitely cute.

 Oh, one last thing before I go do something productive. All the Christmas fabric in the store will be 20% off for the next week, so if you are still looking for quick presents, there are panels that would make nice placemats or other cute projects. Also a panel (below) to make an advent calendar. Take a moment to look.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

Giving Thanks – Quilters’ Blog Hop Party

It’s time … for the Thanksgiving  Blog Hop.  There are tons of  bloggers participating in this party. I hope you’ll visit all the participants, check out their blogs and enter their give-aways. Just click on the picture or the highlighted words.

If you’re new here to Inchworm Fabrics .. welcome! I’m Jeanette owner of Inchworm Fabrics and this blog along with my daughters who help me out and blog occasionally. I hope you will spend a little time looking through the store. We have Christmas items that might be of interest. There is a cute advent calendar panel from Riley Blake, that all you do is fold and sew and quilt, quick and easy project. We have the kits for two of Cherry Blossom's Christmas quilts and the pattern if you don't already have it. Actually that is what we are going to giveaway one of the kits, the winner chooses. Just leave a comment telling me which kit you would like and specify red or green. And for an extra chance be a follower. I will pick a winner on November 26. Thanks so much for stopping by and have fun hopping.

Fancy Folded Star Potholder by Maria on Moda Bakeshop

Have you seen the folded star potholders? Jennifer has been making them. She found the recipe on Moda bakeshop.  The tutorial is great and it is a novel way to make folded stars, you should check it out. All you need is the following. 6 Fat Quarters, Disappearing marker, Color matched thread, Cotton batting. This is the one that I made. Instead of folding and sewing them down, you sew the squares on and then fold.

 The first two pictures are the squares sewed on and I folded one point. The last two pictures are of the finished star.

I had fun doing them and I think they would make great Christmas gifts.

Head bands from selvage scraps

I saw these cute headbands out of fabric and my daughters wanted to make some. We used left over selvage scraps and some elastic. Super easy and super fun!!

Then we (the girls) went horseback riding to see and hear the Elk bugle and wear our new headbands. The boys were pheasant hunting (ugh).  It was awesome!! The elk didn't seem to mind us at all. It was an amazing feeling to be there and see them and be "one" with them. Wow!! Definitely want to do that again. It got a little chilly on the way out, but the kids had fun. (sorry no pictures of the elk- it was too dark and the pictures are really hard too see anything.)

Megan's first time on a horse and she was super excited. She did not want to get off.

My awesome friend Jayna (who's horses we rode).

Veterans Day

I come from a military family and I would like to salute all those that are in the service and thank them for their sacrifice for our freedoms. Many have died to keep this country free and I pray that we don't have to see any more die.

SewCalGal did an excellent blog for Veterans day and has links to ways that we as quilters can help our service men and women. http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/

This is some of what she has to say.

"Veteran's Day is celebrated on November 11th, which coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, that are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark the anniversary of the end of World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect.)

At the end of the "Great War" (World War I), an "unknown soldier" was buried in highest place of honor in both England and France ( (in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). This special ceremony was scheduled to honor Veterans. And these ceremonies took place on November 11th, to celebrate the ending of World War I hostilities at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). This day became known internationally as "Armistice Day".

May each of us remember and stand up for freedom.

Costumes and Pumpkins

What a fun time of year! We love pumpkin carving and decorating and caramel apples. Especially, caramel apples. I'm thinking I've gained 10 pounds from eating so many caramel apples!!! Ugh- but they were good.

Pictures of the kids and our pumpkins. Supported a local grower this year. The pumpkins were beautiful and it was fun to watch the kids change their minds a hundred times.

Adrienne carved hers all by herself-- She did a fantastic job!!

Ty did a lot of his on his own this year too!!! Yippee!!! for me - less carving and more time to eat caramel apples.

This is how Megan helped---

They picked out their costumes. I am wishing now that I had made them. I had to sew seams in all three costumes... that is how poorly they were made. They were also over priced. They kids did not seem to care either way. By Halloween night they had already worn their costumes several times and I was lucky to get this photo--- they wanted candy!!

 

Have a Beautiful Fall Day and get you a caramel apple....

 

 

Happy Halloween!!!

Hope everyone enjoyed their evening...We sure had fun.

Adorable Knit Dolls

I do have a few sewing projects underway, and you might get to see them if I ever get them close to being finished. But mom (Jeanette) asked me to blog, and I enjoy string more than fabric...so today you are being treated to my knitting endeavors.

I am a big fan of knit and crocheted toys....and some of my absolute favorite patterns are these knit dolls made by a lady out of England at the Flutterby Patch. You can get her patterns at Dollyetime on Etsy and Ravelry.

Needless to say, I have probably made around ten of her dolls now. And I get better everytime I make one, and I have to say they get cuter each time. Here is the latest dolly I made for my daughter's birthday last week. The hair is a little messy, but she has already been loved a little by my daughter.

This doll was made from the Little Nellie Nutkins Pattern. I still need to make the dolls cute sweater and little bag, but I ran out of time before my daughters birthday. Maybe she will get them this week....or it might be for Christmas. We'll see how much time I get. Anyway, check out the Flutterby Patch. She has lots of cute patterns if you like to make knit toys, and her patterns are very well written and easy to follow. Even beginning knitters could tackle one.

Enjoy,
Bev

Tie Die

The kids have been begging since my sister helped them tie dye bags this summer to tie dye something. So, I finally gave in (not looking forward to the mess) and we tie dyed some onies for my sisters babies. They are not perfect but they are cute!