Creative fix

I am seriously hoping that my schedule will get a little more normal soon. We have been working very hard on our retaining walls and they are starting to look really nice. I have been trying to help my son get a schedule set up for filling out college applications while completing his classes and working a new job. He also has ACT and SAT subject tests coming up in October.

I was mowing last Saturday and made some hornets very angry, so one decided to sting me on the top of my head-very painful by the way! That's what I get for trying to keep a very large yard manicured.

I have still been knitting my second fingerless glove whenever I am riding in the car. I hope to have that done soon. Looking forward to wearing them when the weather gets cold!

On this last trip to Hebron with hubby, I went back to the GAP clearance store and bought 3 great Banana Republic sport coats for $19.99 each. One was all Italian wool and the other 2 were just navy linen like and khaki. Great deals and they didn't have any visible issues. I also bought this GAP body hooded shirt for $.25! It was seriously a quarter because it had a hole in the front. I decided to use some of the Amy Butler lotus fabric flowers and applique right over the hole. I thought adding more than one flower would look better. I blanket stitched with pink embroidery floss and I think it looks pretty cute. Now I can wear it and no one will ever know there was a hole. I also bought a cute Banana Republic dress with a broken zipper for $4.99 that I have been working on. Hope to get more sewing done sometime soon. All I have done is hem and fix over the last week, but that is helping narrow my boring pile of "to-dos" and that feels pretty good.

Great grad gift?

Girls are just easier to shop or make for-you know. I am attending a graduation ceremony tonight for 3 homeschool students and one of them is a girl. I decided to use one of the tea towels I bought in Pigeon Forge to make her a personalized apron. I also used my YoYo maker that I bought at JoAnns in Knoxville. That thing is just fun and easy. Added a few blanket stitched leaves that I did by hand and a few vintage buttons from the "Nanny" stash and then her initials. Voila! A perfect female grad gift. A girl can always use a cute apron-right?

Appliqued Tea Towel Apron

Another project I completed while on my retreat was an appliqued tea towel apron (which could use a little ironing). Jane at the Cherry Pit Quilt Shop brought these and also some table runner kits as freebies when she did the trunk show for us at the cabin. These are larger than normal tea towels. This one is 20 X 27. It came with the instructions, which included the template for cutting at the armholes. She had also included some applique pieces that were already backed with fusible web, but I didn't care for them. I found a pretty flower in one of my mom's quilt books that was traceable and voila! I did the stem and leaves by hand and the flower on my machine. First time I have used the blanket stitch on my machine. It isn't easy on something as twisty as this flower, but I went very slowly and it turned out okay. Practice, practice, practice-I guesss. I love this apron because the channel for the ties allows you to adjust it for you. My girls can wear it and quickly make it fit them too. Anybody interested in the instructions on how to make one?

Daisies

I have been doing a little more applique for my mom. I brought these squares home with me last year after the quilt retreat and I haven't finished blanket stitching them. I would really like to give them to her complete when I see her in April, so I am going to have to pick up the pace!

End of June til who knows when projects-HA

I have a few projects going on right now that I really have no idea when I will finish. I bought some great Fisherman's Wool yarn at Micheals with my 50% off coupon. I have started a scarf for winter. We will see if that gets finished by the time cold weather gets here.

I am also working on some applique quilt squares for my mom. She has these cute 9 patch squares with yellow flowers and ladybugs. I brought these home from the retreat to work on. I really like applique. I will take these with me on vacation so I don't have to give up all sewing for a week and a half.

I am also working on making some soft books for church kids. I haven't taken any pics yet, but I have made some carrots and tomatoes for the book. I will take some once I get the basic book together.

Applique is so cool!

I haven't posted any pictures on here yet of the finished birthday gift for my baby sis, so here it is with my sweet sis in the pic.  I had so much fun working on this.  I ended up buying a quilt pattern on my retreat that has a lot of applique on it.  My mom also bought me 3 different block patterns with hearts that are applique as well.  I think it is so pretty with the blanket stitch done all around.  My sister really liked it.  She loves daisies.  Hope to post some other hand work soon.