My Giveaway Winner

Susie's Sunroom Giveaway WINNER Announcement

I want to thank everyone  for coming on over for a look at my blog during the  Quilting Gallery     
                              
And a big  thank you to Michele for organizing this fun event!

Mr. True Random Number Generator chose....

My winner-   #17    JoyceLM     
      " I have 3 sewing machines, but I only use 1 of them. Thanks for the giveaway."

The Prize-
THE ROSIE PATCHWORK BAG PDF SEWING PATTERN

                                                                     

This Rosie Patchwork Bag Pattern, is designed by Samantha,   At Home With Mrs H  . 

By the way,  Mrs. H  has an etsy shop, and is generously giving a 15% discount for my blog readers who want to purchase the pattern .... just use the code  NEWPATTERN15 in the coupon code box on checkout on her etsy page!!   HandmadebyMrsH Etsy Shop

                                                 This is a picture of my first Rosie Patchwork Bag :)

Congratulations, JoyceLM!!!    Look in your email for your prize!!  Send me a picture of your Rosie Patchwork Bag when you make it!! 

I really enjoyed reading  all of your comments about what sewing machines you use to sew with!  

And, I  am  so very  happy to learn  that having more than one sewing machine is perfectly normal !!   I am saving these comments for proof that having SEVEN or more is also perfectly normal for sewers! (... when buying the next machine!)    After all, each one performs a specific task or function ..... stitching, piecing, quilting, fmq, overlocking, embroidering,  serging ... and even emotional support  !!  I notice that I am not the only person who likes to have a backup !    

  I was very touched  seeing the comments where the machine was given to them from their mother or grandmother. Some folks gave their special machines to their own daughter or granddaughter.  

Your passion for sewing and creating , and giving gifts that come from your hands and heart,  came through loud and clear in the comments.  (Just give me a second....so I  can wipe my eyes before a tear drop lands on my keyboard and shorts it out.) ( I am not exaggerating very much about teary eyes ... just a little.)

Isn't this what it is all about?  :)

I'm off to my sewing room!

Next post, I'll tell you about how lucky and happy   I was in August !!

Using Texts Fabric Part # 2

Paper Pieced Blocks with Text   Block #2  - Continued 

After making the Rosebud paper pieced block, I wanted to find another block to make.  
I looked through all of my fabric stash to get inspired.  And then I saw some Riley Blake fabric with text (French words) .  One print involved ice cream cones!  All I had to do was find the perfect ice cream cone paper pieced pattern.   That is when I ran across this awesome blog called Annie's Musings !  Annie designed this cute ice cream cone block, and used it in many ways for her creations.  The pattern is found in a  post as a  guest tutorial on Sew We Quilt .com, where she teaches how to paper piece an ice cream cone pattern.   This explanation is so clear and helpful . I highly recommend it to anyone starting paper piecing!
I used Paris & Company by My Minds Eye, Riley Blake Designs, and some Wellesley Dots Gold, and some stash fabric to make my ice cream cone block with text~

                                          French Ice Cream Cone
Best of all,  it is calorie free!

My ice cream block sat on my table for a few weeks, until I saw the Quiet Play Practically Paper Piecing Blog Hop.   You can go on over to Quiet Play and see the list of blogs during August, where they show beautiful ways to use their orphan blocks ( single blocks not used in a quilt, for example) .
I decided how  to use this  ice cream cone block, and  to make a second block with slightly different flavored ice creams.  Then I got my  241 Bag  pattern out , designed by Anna Graham of www.noodle-head.com .  The blocks nearly fit the patterns for the front and back of the bag!  All I had to do was piece together  some of the trimmed-off  material (where there were curves) back to  the bottoms of the pattern  to make it a bit wider!  

           Voila!  My French Ice Cream Cone  241 Tote Bag!

I added a zipper inside pocket, and pieced the scraps together for 2 inside slip pockets, for plenty of organization inside.    

I find that the more things I paper piece, the more I love doing it!  It takes patience,  and a  thread ripper, but it sure 'grows on you!!'  

Welcome!  to visitors who are hopping in from the Quilting Gallery Blog Hop Party  with Giveaways!  You can enter a comment on my  previous post for  a chance to win my giveaway!     I love having a handy place to look for new blogs to follow! 
                                                 
                                                    

Note-  Part 1  of this blog post came out the same night, but is listed as an older post, .  More paper piecing on that post!

I'm off to my sewing room!

Using Texts Fabric Block 1

Blocks using  Text in the Fabric  Block #1

Today is the day to officially post my blocks for  During Quiet Times  Texting While Sewing Contest!  I am a beginner at paper piecing, but have fallen in love with all that you can make with it.  And I can't believe how imaginative people are with their paper pieced designs!  Go on over to look at all of the beautiful work!

The contest  guidelines were to make 12  inch blocks, incorporating text fabric in creative ways.
I knew what I wanted to make as soon as I saw this pretty fabric on Fabric.com.  
It was called French Post Cream  by Michael Miller.  I loved the romantic colors and style of it immediately.  Then I remembered seeing a rosebud paper pieced pattern online. It was a design by Cat Magraith, which I enlarged.                                                

                                              Rosebud on postcards

I want to make it a mini wall hanging someday soon.

I had so much fun making this block!    Part 2 to follow....

I'm off to my sewing room!