The Wanderers...who knew!

Here's a little Moosestash History!

 

You've seen it on my header...

One of the first quilts to enter the MooseStash, after it was founded.

 

I don't usually purchase kits, but when I saw this one at the "Russian Taylor" in

Skagway Alaska, I threw that rule out the window.

Say it's the batiks...

who doesn't love them?

Say it's the colors...

so delightful and warm!

All I know is, it followed me home...

Who knew, it would become my "mascot" some day!

How do you like this photo?

I upgraded my photo program to ACDSee Pro 8, and did a little playing.

Wow, how I wished I had done this quilt a little differently.

Who knew that this program would allow me to see things

in such different ways.

The lesson here, is never say never!

Who knows where tomorrow will take you.

;-)

Skill Sampler

Have you seen the new technique builder sampler over at "Fun Threads"???

                                     
                              You can read all about it right HERE

                      It's a great way to brush up on your skills a bit. 
                        Who doesn't  love that, with all our "hearts"?
                                                      ;-)

 

I had a chance to play with it already.

Oh, the joy of pattern testing!

;-)

Check it out.

It's a fun one!

 

 

Easter Party Quilt-A-Long Block 8

 

Starting on our last row...

It's bunny time again.

After the "hare" raising experience of our last block,

we are going to make this one, quick and easy!

:-)

This trio sits on a background of Island Batik 

 "Batter" from the Neutrals Collection again.

Our Island Batik color pallet from left to right...

111509193 from the Flower Fields Collection

111512077 from the Flower Fields Collection

111505165 from the Flower Fields Collection

Almond from the Neutrals Collection

Such a simple little block with such dramatic results.

I love how it picks up all the colors in our print...

Which, yes is going to be our final border!

;-)

We are moving right along here!

And I know you don't want to miss out...

so grab those threads and read up on how this works right

HERE 

 Til next time

Keep on stitchin'

Kimberbell Krazy again!

Oh I just can't seem to get this Kimberbell thing out of my system.

Have you seen these fun patterns?

Such great stash busters.

It's the crazy little details that bring them to life!

This one really stumped me. I kept trying to pick strings, off of it.

I guess I really should wear my glasses more often.

Upon closer look it was the pattern of the fabric!

Yikes!!!!

(although I do spy a loose thread on this photo)

tee hee

Don't think you've seen the last of these guys!

I've got a book with loads more...

...and I just bought the Halloween book last week!

Way too much fun for one person,

You need to join in!

Be sure to show us what you've done.
;-)

Our Favorite Things Blog Hop

When Linda over at the Patchwork Pearl suggested a

blog hop, for the Island Batik Ambassadors...

a hop to share our favorite things about our sewing room.

Shear panic struck!

:-)

I'd love to tell you I'm organized and my room is always neat and tidy...

But these pictures are worth a thousand words, aren't they?

 I gotta get busy and clean up this mess!

What better motivation, than having to show it off!

:-)

We were asked to share one thing that we just love about our stitchin space.

Hummm...I think mine has to be IKEA.

I fell in love with this "IKEA thing" when they opened a store here 3-4 years ago.

They are well known, as a leader in organizing.

Who better, to need some help with that???

 My first purchase was this drawer base, for my ironing board.

It's a great place to hide I mean, store fabric!

Check them out right   HERE

A close up here shows just why I love my ironing station...

(I'm walkin, the walk of shame here, 

this board has since gotten a new cover)

;-)

While the shelf holds all my favorite Alaska treasurers, 

it's main purpose is to give me a place for these fabulous lights.

These are LED lights from Inspired LED. 

They are on a sticky strip that is simple to attach to anything.

Best yet, they are so affordable!

I'd love to say, cheap and easy...just the way I like it, 

but that would be tacky now wouldn't it!

OOPS, my bad!

Seriously though, I can't imagine my sewing room without them.

You can read more about there right

HERE

it's at the end of the tutorial

and 

HERE

Shows the sewing machine kit.

These drawers worked so well, that I added 2 more sets,

so I could leave a couple of machines up all the time.

and of course more fabric storage!

;-) 

I went on to add this drawer set for my longarm supplies.

There are drawers for everything, including those big cones of thread.

P E R F E C T !!

Check it out right HERE

 

The last piece I added was this rolling cart drawer set, 

to sit next to my sewing machine.

Check it out right HERE

 All my supplies, are at the tip of my fingers.

I've been on a paper piecing kick lately, 

and this cart allows me to cut and press,

 without leaving my chair. 

It's a great time saver, but it sure won't 

make that pedometer move much. 

There is no 10,000 steps

a day with this set up!

LOL!!

If, there is one tip I can share...

It's, to re-purpose those old cutting mats.

They are easy enough to cut to size, 

and they can come in handy, in so many ways!

Thanks to Island Batik, I have a lot of favorite things in my sewing room!

;-)

 

Thank you, for visiting the MooseStash!

The boys, and I just love the company.

(Oh and there are a few Moose-ettes too)

I do, hope we have inspired you.

Be sure to visit the other Ambassadors for some fabulous faves they have to share...

Monday July 13     The Patchwork Pearl

Tuesday July 14   Bejeweled Quilts

Wednesday July 15  Mary Mack Made Mine

Thursday July 16  Made in Scraps

Friday July 17  Maria Michaels Designs

Saturday July 18  Tamarinis

Sunday July 19  MooseStashQuilting

Monday July 20 KISSed Quilts

Tuesday July 21 Perfect Spots Designs

Wednesday July 22 Adele Mogavero

Thursday July 23  For Quilts Sake

Friday July 24  BeaQuilter

Saturday July 25 FreeMotion by the River

Sunday July 26 Pamela Quilts

Monday July 27 Kauffman Designs

Tuesday July 28  LemonTree Snippets

Wednesday  July 29  Fun Threads Designs

Bobbin the Robin

Yesterday I showed you the pattern for "Bobbin the Robin", from the Row by Row Experience.
Well here is my little version of "Bobbin".

I love her wild colors...

but,

let me back up a bit.

If you have seen "Bobbin", her legs are made from BBQ Skewers. They are scrawny lil things that your supposed to paint strips on. While at Sew Fun Club the other day, Rita brought in her "Bobbin" with these fabulous strips legs. They are hard plastic straws. Much sturdier than a skewer.

I just fell in love with them!

I searched Wal-Mart, and found them with the Thermos and water bottles.

There are a couple of choices.

They run $3.50-4.00 a package.

Of course you will need 2 packages, so you will have legs the same color...

or not, depending on just how wacky you want your "Bobbin"!!!

;-)

I made a few changes to mine.

She really needed wings to soar!

I sketched out a wing on her body pattern, 

to create a wing pattern I liked.

If you place 2 layers of fabric, right sides together,

on a piece of scrap batting, you can trace the wings with pencil.

(Remember to flip the wing pattern over, on one of them. Don't ask me why I know)

LOL!!

I stitched on my drawn line and cut it out with a scant 1/4" seam allowance.

Then, carefully slashed just 1 layer of fabric and turned them inside out.

I added a little fun stitching, just because.

Besides these straws creating fabulous legs, there's a little ring on one end.

It's perfect for keeping the glue that you attach them to the body with,

nicely hidden away.

An unexpected little bonus!

While it wasn't necessary at all, I added some bloomers.

And some lace to top off her socks!

She's a delightful addition to my room!

Now if any of you have a lead on just where I can find swim fins, like this one has...

I'd love to know.

My lil "Bobbin", needs a "Bobbinette"to keep her company!

;-)

Lazy Days of Summer

There's no time for me to have lazy days.... Not with quilting friends to stitch with.  Row by Row Experience's to...experience!   Fabrics to dye, fun clubs to attend.  Whew. I need more hours in my days, weeks and month.

I wouldn't trade it for the world though!

Have you been caught up in the Row by Row Experience like I have?  Oh my goodness, they have me hook line and sinker.  There have been 2 road trips already, and next week I'm taking another with a carload of friends. What a great way to find an excuse to shop! I've been places I've never been before,  and I'm finding some of the most charming things along the way.

Yesterday we were at Creative Traditions, in Holyoke Colorado

What a score, while the other shops we have been at,

were completely sold out of  the 

license plate fabric, they had a bolt.

Yippee!

I've fallen in love with this goofy bird!

Each shop has had such a fun version of her...

but the Holyoke shop took the cake!

She can't stand up with those fins, but WOW, does she sit pretty!

I just gotta find some fins now!

She's just perfect for the H2O theme this year.

Here's their Row.

Perfect for the agricultural community that they are.

I love the 3-D husks.

A few of us from work have been getting together weekly for a day of stitching. Oh, and a little food and drinky poos's along the way. ;-)

Deb

Joi

Yours truly.

Shonna, why do we not have your picture???

Next week girl, next week!

;-)

There are plenty of laughs to share, especially after we open those frozen daiquiri's!!

If that's not enough fun...I've been doing a little fabric dyeing again.

Dharma Trading Company has these silly "Muck" dyes once a year.

Things that don't quite hit the mark for them, but yield a lot of fun for us!

They give them crazy names and sell them cheap!

Above is Cherry-dactyl

Mummy Mud Wrap

Purple People Eater.

Below is Terror Cotta

Guac-ula

Swamp Grass Green.

With those names, no wonder I can't help myself from trying them out!

Some of their past dyes were Mild Wing Sauce, Pepto Dismal, Wet Rhino, Spray on Tan, 

How Now Brown Cow, and Varicose Violet.

It just tickles my funny bone!

I love stretching my dyes. The bottom fabrics are the full strength dye. 

The fabrics on the top are from what I pour off, 

once they have sat for about an hour, 

in the dye bath.

It's always fun to see, just what the residual leftover dye is.

What a great way to get some nice coordinating fabrics, too.

My real goal was to dye some flesh color fabrics.

There is a science to this dye thing, and obviously,

 I just didn't get it this time.

Hummm...it worked fine in the past????

I know I will find a project for them anyway.

"Sew" what's on your summer time list?