Koala Kuteness

A Koala Bear pattern coming soon ...

I love putting a block together, and then stepping out of the room for a minute.  When I return to the block , I am  amazed at how pretty and full of life the completed  block has become.  Those  same fabrics , laying flat in a pile, just don't come close to looking as great as the finished block does.

Kristy, of Quiet Play blog, has designed two new sets of paper pieced patterns.  They are Australian Animals and Woodland Animals block . { Awww.  They are all so cute!}  A few of the delightful blocks are already available singly, in her Craftsy shop.   New patterns will be added  , to gradually make up a stellar set 10 inch block patterns.

Aussie Critters  patterns by  Kristy at Quiet Play

Woodland critters patterns by Kristy  of Quiet Play

Guess which pattern I got to test ? It is from the Aussie animals...  Yep,  that "kute koala bear."

Koala Bear    design  by Kristy at Quiet Play     made by Susie's Sunroom

Size:  10 inches unfinished
Cuteness factor:   hugable!

I know these blocks would make  fun and delightful nursury quilts , wallhangings, and pillows.  So keep watching Kristy's blog for  all of the newest patterns .

Speaking of fun, here are two fun winter swaps!!
  
     First:                     Celebrate The Olympics Mug Rug Swap  

Amanda,  The Patchsmith, and Michele,  Quilting Gallery, have announced this year's mug rug swap!  Amanda has designed two special patterns to swap with a secret partner.  The mug rug patterns are: Winter Dove and Russian Doll ! These are such beautiful patterns, with Amanda's  clear and precise directions.    Each person creates these 2 mug rugs, to swap with  their assigned partner, in secret.  There is a flickr group where you can  see  little peeks of mug rugs being worked on .  Your partner might be from the other side of the world!   What a fun way to make a new quilty friend!
 You can sign up until Jan. 21 st ... click here..... over at Quilting Gallery blog.


The second  :

The  Skinny Pincushion Swap!   at  Amy Made That!


Amy,  of Amy Made That! blog, is hosting this cute pincushion swap.  
                                            Here's her description of this swap:

A Skinny Pincushion is easy to make.

You can add some assorted goodies just for fun,

then send it off to a happy new friend...

and wait for your OWN Skinny Pincushion to arrive

from another swappy friend!

Some of you may be asking , "what is a skinny pincushion?"   It's a fun, skinny,  and EASY- to -make  pincushion, that many of us made in the monthly Across The Pond Sew Along , last October. You  get the pattern, which is FREE,  ... here.... designed by Green Bee Designs .

Some skinny pincushions  in the October 213 Across The Pond Sew Along  .  See  our flickr group to see who made each one!

Hop on over to Amy Made That! for all of the details to sign up!  The swap registration will close on January 31, 2014 at midnight.



Linking  up at:    Paper Piecing Party @  Quiet Play  and  Sew Cute Tuesday@ Blossom Heart Quilts

I'm off to my sewing room!

January Blocks

Block Talking in January

                                        

 January is slowly settling back into a routine at our house.  That means I have been fitting  "fun things" (translation: SEWING ) in between regular weekly chores and putting away the holiday decorations.

I got to test some patterns  for a truly cute purse and a paper pieced pattern...  and will tell you all about them soon.  And I got to make some blocks....
  
First Block:                            

Modern Blocks Quilt A Long at  And Sew We Craft.com

For January, our block is called, " Everything Equal"     designed by Louise Papas
                             (page 60 in the book)


Everything Equal is hosted by Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts this month.

Everything Equal block    photo by Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts   

I really love the fabrics in Alyce's block.  She's made such  a pretty scrappy look!

I decided to make my block look scrappy, too.  I tried to bring in all of the colors that I have been using.

Everything Equal block    made by Susie's Sunroom

This is an excellent block to use for 2 1/2 inch scraps, and goes together easily.

Only 3 more blocks left to make in the sew along! 

Second block:

Block # 11   Broken Dishes,      in the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt  page 138

#11  Broken Dishes            Susie's Sunroom

This was a fun block.  I cut out the triangles (32 of them), before paper piecing them together , into  4 rows.  

My pile of Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt blocks so far.....

If you are making the FWSQ blocks,  make sure you add your blocks to my FWSQ Flicker Group!

I'm off to my sewing room!

I am linked up to :  After Christmas Sew Along @ Sew Much 2  Luv    and
                          Modern Quilts Sew Along @ And Sew We Craft

Playing in the Snow!

It's Snowman Time!

Our winter has brought us a lot of snow already .  And a lot of really cold days and nights.  But I have found a way to "play in the snow" and not get  frozen!

The late morning temperature was 3.7 degrees F

I made the January project, a snowman mini wallhanging, from the  book,
                                        " A Year of Paper Piecing" 
                                                       12 Sensational Seasonal Designs   by Beverly A. Maxvill

Book available at Amazon.com

Sections  coming together on the paper pieced block

The block before adding embroidery and the sashing

I decided to use the black and white chunky checks as the sash.  (Faye Burges for Marcus Fabrics   from my stash.)

January's Snowman  mini wallhanging      design by Beverly A. Maxvill

  

Embroidery touches :  scarf fringe,  coal for eyes and mouth, Cardinal feet and eye

Musical note  fabric for the bird house 

I added pockets in the corners , for hanging with a little dowel rod.  I pieced these pockets with scraps left from making the block.  I smile when I see these pieces- the  carrot nose piece and the grass!

                           

Let it snow.... in my fabric stash!

Stay warm!

Linking up with:      Paper Piecing Party @  Quiet Play
                  and       Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? @  Confessions of a Fabric Addict

I'm off to my sewing room!