25 First-Date Dos and Don’ts Sex, Love & Life: glamour.com.
Word.
I think I’ve lived through all of these – either on the receiving end of the faux-pas, or sadly, as the culprit.
- k
November 2, 2009
Mom’s Apricot Fence Rail
I started quilting three years ago. Well, that’s when I first learned how to do a nine-patch and since then I’ve progressed quite a bit both in terms of my skill level and my taste. I do love the traditional patterns but over the last year I’ve really started to gravitate more towards modern quilting. I think it’s the wonderful influence of all the blogs I read!! My eyes have been opened to a whole new way of looking at quilting.
In anycase, my mom is a more traditional gal, and after she and my father came together (they’re divorced) to buy me a Pfaff ClassicStyle Quilt sewing machine three years ago, I knew the first quilt I wanted to sew would be for her as thanks for the amazing sewing machine (dad, poor dad, was 2nd on the list).
I did a little photo shoot when I was at her place over Thanksgiving, and here is her quilt.
The only problem? It still doesn’t have a name! I feel so bad about it being nameless. It’s almost as bad as a quilt being homeless.
Any and all suggestions welcome!
- k
November 2, 2009
Sunday Stash #1
Okay, so I’m a little late posting but here is some adorable fabric I bought this weekend. Well, I think it’s pretty darn sweet.
I am in love with the David Walker “Oh Boy!” print! I’m going to make a baby quilt from this using the Cowboy baby pattern in Material Obsession. I love the cowboy prints used in the book but I’m going to a baby shower at the end of the month and I suspect my friend will like the zoo theme better (cowboy might be too edgy for her), plus … this is what they had in stock at my LQS.
And here it is up close… Aren’t those animals cute?! I could stare at the print for hours. I know. I have a problem. I wish I could get paid for staring at fabric and admiring it.
In any case… usually I get scared about cutting into my fabric as if somehow the act of slicing it up takes away some of its magic. But in this instance, I’m looking forward to it! Cannot wait to get cracking on this baby quilt.
- k
October 10, 2009
Christmas Gifts A Go-Go…
Work has been crazy busy, but I’m carving out time to get on with making gifts for Christmas. I’m determined to make this a handmade holiday. It’s so easy to buy something, usually made in China, and while that’s fine and goodness knows, I’ve done that a lot in the past… This year I want to walk my talk of buying local or handmade, and better still – make it myself.
I can’t describe how rewarding it is to have an idea then bring it to life. If you’re a fellow quilter, crafter, baker, or anyone creative, then you know what I mean! And I’m not going to lie, I DO love the wonderful exclamation “You made that?!! WOW!!”
So… onwards. Here are some photos from my latest adventure in sewing. Jacquie from Tall Grass Prairie Studio has some wonderful tutorials, and I loved her kitchen set tutorial. I thought this would make a great gift set for a few of my friends. Since not all of my friends go made with decorating for the holidays, I thought I’d make the set in fabrics that can be in the kitchen year ’round. I made a trip to The Workroom to pick up “just one fat quarter” to round out my stash. Ahem.
I walked out of the shop with these:
There’s something about the mix of brown, aqua, grey and linen that just calls to me right now. But then I realized I didn’t really have a focal fabric. Not like the adorable Michael Miller “Holiday Hostess” print Jacquie used in her tutorial.
I decided to improvise and broke out my embroidery floss, grabbed some white Kona cotton scraps, Jenny Hart embroidery iron-on designs and le voila…
I made a couple of wonky log cabin blocks using the embroidered squares as my focal point, and cut a 10×10″ square of the Robert Kaufman beater print for the back…
Then I sandwiched using warm and natural cotton batting and insulate — a special batting for oven mitts and that type of thing.
My quilting… it needs work! I don’t know how the fabric went wonky in that one place, but I am getting better with practice.
Here is the complete set — two potholders and a coordinating tea towel.
I just need to put a grommet in each pot holder and this set is done.
-k
September 14, 2009
I’m here!
I’m still alive. For what that’s worth to the random person who comes across this blog. 
Lots going on and nothing going on. In other words, as the Thai would put it, my life is “same same but different.”
Work is busy.
Men have come and gone.
I’ve lost and found the same five pounds over and over again.
I’ve been quilting.
And saving.
And spending.
And reading.
And writing.
But not nearly enough writing.
My life feels like it’s in a free-fall and I don’t even know if I care enough to freak out. I wish I did. It’s the ambivalence that I’m feeling that I detest the most and yet, for all that I hate it, I can’t seem to change it. I just accept.
Accept that I feel meh about my career, my personal life, my friendships… everything.
I want to have a wild bush burning in my life. I want to burn down everything that’s not working, slam doors in people’s faces and open windows to something… more fulfilling.
I still have LOTS left on my 101 list to complete. Maybe hitting a few of those goals hard will shake things up for me, and help to purge what really needs to go and attract more of what needs to stay.
-e
September 7, 2009
Cathedral quilt in the making
Now that I’m done my Scrappy Christmas Hedgerow blocks, I can get back to work on this.
-k
September 7, 2009
Scrappy Hedgerow Christmas Quilt
I had so much fun making my blocks for the Scrappy Hedgerow Christmas Block Swap, that I made a few (ahem) extra for me to make a second quilt.
This week, I took advantage of having an extra day off and finished the candy cane blocks. Then, as you know, one thing lead to another and I started – and finished – sashing the blocks too.
This is one of my favourite blocks:
It brings back memories of playing with Barbies and colouring in “Gibson Girls” colouring books on family trips to Florida. I so love this quilt top and can’t wait to get on with the next steps! Now the *only* thing I need to do is the backing, quilting and binding.
I certainly don’t want to hurry winter along, but I am going to enjoy cuddling under this quilt come Christmas time.
- k
August 31, 2009
Scrappy Hedgerow Christmas Blocks Redo
I wasn’t thrilled with the blocks I made and then I came across some fantastic inspiration! Michael Miller’s “Holiday Hostess”. I made three of each for the block exchange and then, yes, a few more for me. I cannot wait to see how this quilt comes together!
More photos to come!
- k
March 23, 2009
new fabric stash
I should really change the name of my blog to “Confessions of a Fabricholic” instead of Frostitute. My love affair with cloth continues to burn strong. My obsession with frosting is on the wane. My waist line is better.
Fact: I cannot go into my local fabric store without buying something. I affectionately refer to the store owner as my “dealer.” She thinks it’s amusing and no doubt, she felt the pinch when I was away in Thailand.
Here’s what I’ve added to my stash. Some selections from Anna Griffith’s new line:
new Anna Griffin (& misc) stash
I don’t know why, but I’m on a red and white kick lately. With everything. At the beginning of February, I bought new bedding from Ikea in white with a red floral print. Valentine’s had nothing to do with it. I’ve been prowling through my apartment and as I look around, I see this trend has been brewing for quite some time. My cherry red Kitchen Aid mixer, the cherry print napkins, apron, cookware… the list goes on.
So no surprise that the trend has now hit my bedroom. What can I say, I’m really attracted to bright and clear colors right now! It must be a herald of a new and exciting chapter in my life. At least that’s how I’m looking at it today.
-e
