[gift card wallet]

Yesterday was National Quilting Day and I happened to be home for the day with nothing major doing. So... I decided I could quilt a little. First I finished a hexie for the Inchy Hexagon Swap I'm in. Then I started working on the Mug Rug for Leona's Adventure Mug Rug Swap. Then I messed that up cuz I didn't know how to finish the spider web ... all those points coming together at the center threw me and the block is a mess. Then I tried a different approach, cut jelly roll strips from the fabric I'm using, screwed that up. Then I walked away in frustration, possibly never to quilt again ever. Then my friend Michelle encouraged me to keep trying so I recalled the gift card wallet I had seen on Jaybird Quilts (I think) and decided to give that a go. Without pattern and without tutorial to watch and pause and watch and pause as is my usual way, *this* is what I came up with. And I am pleased!


I invented my own button hole technique because I couldn't figure out what to do about those button hole options on my sewing machine. And I have no idea how to sew things on straight but really, I'm happy and it's functioning just fine as it is and I love how it turned out! Hooray me! Yes, I will clip that thread, and yes, I will likely sew again... just not for a few days, too much stress associated with that room right now! LOL

Hope you had a National Quilting Day, whatever you did or didn't sew!

[nickel hexies]

Look what I've been playing at today!


I am super excited and yes, my eyes have gone a little wonky from the teeny-ness of these! I used an American nickel cuz I didn't have an Australian one (do you have a 5cent piece in Australia?) in the spirit of international hexie love!

I cut the hexagon papers on my Cricut Expression and they measure at one-line-less-than-one-inch on a ruler. Teeny! Tiny! Too cute! I am using mini bulldog clips (from the office supply store) to help get me started and have found that a tiny quilting needle makes the perfect pin to pin the hexie paper to the fabric square for my fumbling fingers. Seriously addictingly fun!

The above photo is a nickel hexie (not yet sewn together) flower with an Inchy Hexie petal on top. Tiny, eh? Soooooo cute!

[getting caught up]

Inchy Hexagons are taking over the house! I have lots of petals made and pressed and am now stitching them into flowers to send off around the world to my swap partners' gardens! I am loving being part of this swap and am finally finding my groove for the making and mailing of hexies!

[finish: tetris wrap-a-throw]

Months and months ago I had purchased three roll ends of the softest fleece at a Walmart in the USA. Last weekend, snow falling, temperatures dropping, husband working, kids watching cartoons I decided to chop it up and turn it into something. And this is how it turned out! I am calling it my [tetris wrap-a-throw] because I use it as a shawl but the kids are using it more like a throw-around plaything or a throw rug or a throw-it-in-a-ball-and-make-it-a-pillow! And all for only $6.27! I did the cutting of the squares with my Accuquilt GO! 2 1/2" square die... not sure why 2 1/2" square isn't exactly square, but am happy with the cozy results! And as I was randomly grabbing squares for the sewing (and yes, I really just forced myself to randomly grab squares) it felt a little like playing Tetris on the Playstation years and years ago! [smile]

The model: My sweet daughter.
The dimensions: almost 7' long by almost 2' wide.

[pillow talk]

Have you seen all the gorgeous pillows popping up around blogland? Amazing and beautiful and eye candy for sure! Kinda makes you want to start collecting pillow forms and get making some of these beauties, eh? Here is some inspiration for you from Sew Mama Sew!

Today is a 'nothing day' for me! Hooray! I love Fridays... especially Friday afternoon when Littlest goes to preschool and Momma can have the house to herself for a few hours! My goal is to work on one of my birthday kits this afternoon... yum!

Hope your day is great and you find smiles in abundance!

[inspiration: blind quilter]

[be inspired]

May your day be inspired, may you find joy, "may you get up off the couch
and offer someone a cup of coffee or a hug"!

Go check out the above YouTube clip, it will make you smile.

[go...win...]

Hello Friends,
Check out the lovely giveaway and enter to win here! I have to say, joining the quiltingbloggers community has been such an uplifting, fun, pay-it-forward experience. You are all such an amazing group!!!
Wishing you 'good luck'!!!
Have a great day,
Kristin