Winner can now cook a chicken dinner (with a cute apron)

Congrats, Jamie! Random.org picked your comment number 77 as the winner of the apron.

It was so fun to read through everyone's specialty in the kitchen. Thanks so much for entering. And thank you Sew Mama Sew for putting this together. I discovered a lot of great blogs in the process!

I hope to hear from all of you again!

May Giveaway Day

**Giveaway closed. Thank you for all the comments!**

I'm participating in the Sew Mama Sew May Giveaway Day. Up for grabs is this super cute apron.  Half aprons come in handy, especially in time for BBQ weather.

I love the colors. So summery!

Apron with my little herb garden

Closeup of the fabrics.

It is fully reversible.

All you have to do is tell me what your cooking specialty is. I'll draw a random name May 25. Make sure to leave me an email address. Thanks for stopping by!

Blogger's Quilt Festival

I just finished this quilt in the nick of time. I knew when I heard about Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival that it was just the incentive I needed to finally get the binding put on. I just finished the binding an hour ago. Here's an earlier post with more details on the pattern and fabric.

Please excuse the craptastic lighting and photography. It's raining outside but I didn't want to wait to post.

Star-in-a-day

I bought most of the material and the pattern for this quilt last summer while in my hometown. I live pretty far away, so that means something to me. A while ago my mom had also pointed out that we don't have any quilts hanging up, odd for a house of someone who loves to quilt. I took that as a challenge and this quilt is the result. We're lucky enough to have some large vaulted areas in our house and this will soon hang on one of our high walls in the family room. (We've got some wall painting to finish up and then it will be put up.) I'll think of where I came from when I look at it, not to mention that the pattern is striking especially from a distance.

It's a pretty big quilt that is basically one block.

beautiful quilting by Deb Geissler

 The colors of the fabric are much more beautiful in person. I was having a hard time getting them to look as rich in the photos.

Wanna swap?

Anyone from Australia or New Zealand want to swap US DS Quilts prints for your prints?

Mother's Day treat to me

I got to sew up a Phoebe purse for Mother's Day. It was so nice to start and finish a project the same day. I had seen Angela's and I couldn't resist. It is a great shape and is a nice size.

I took the extra step to do the fusible fleece to give it more body. I did end up breaking 3 sewing machine needles in one place though. I guess 4 layers of fabric, 3 layers of iron on interfacing and 1 layer of fusible fleece was a bit much for my machine. The sad thing is that it was my Juki that couldn't handle it, but my 10 year old Kenmore cheapy sewed through it with no problem. I think my Juki needs a service.

I had the fabric already. I just loooove those Heather Bailey flowers. I think I need more. :)

the contrast lining

Pattern: Phoebe bag free pattern from Artsy Crafty Babe

Fabrics: Heather Bailey Nicey Jane Hello Roses (dove) and DS Quilts Fairgrounds modern tile

More retro apron fun, this time for me!

I made another apron. This time I added 2" to the width at the center, and it turned out perfect. I've got the decent amount of wrap around my hips and my bust. I also did more simple attachment of the waist ties without the knot. That is about perfect!

Lined with cuteness!

Pattern: Retro Fun: Vintage Style Apron free pattern from Sew4Home

Fabrics: DS Quilts Picnic line and navy bias tape

Retro apron fun

These aprons might be addicting. I'm already making another one for myself and giving this to a friend. It's a wee bit small on me. Not horribly, but just a little. I don't want to feel like a fat guy in a little coat so I'm making another for myself but just a little larger. (I'm a size 12, fyi... did I just admit that publicly??)

Those fabrics look made for each other

Fun knot detail

Pattern: Retro Fun: Vintage Style Apron free pattern from Sew4Home (with seriously easy to understand directions and lots of photos)

Fabrics: Hoodie’s Collection Vegetable Patch Tomatoes and DS Quilts Picnic Pink and Red Dots, ecru bias tape

Notes: I just sewed on the straps instead of making button holes, and tacked down in front of the knot so it lays down better.