Sunday Morning

"I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord; No tender voice like Thine can peace afford. I need Thee every hour; Stay Thou near by; Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh. I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain; Come quickly and abide, or life is vain. I need Thee every hour; Teach me Thy will; And Thy rich promises in me fulfill...refrain: I need Thee, O I need Thee, every hour I need Thee; O bless me now, my Saviour, I come to Thee!"

Robert Lowry, 1826-1899                              Sung by Sam Robson

Friendship X and + Swap....Won't You Join Us?

Do you have an invisible friend? I do.That's what I call my blogging buddies that I have never had the privilege of meeting in person, but feel so connected to regardless. Susan, who blogs at PatchworknPlay,  has become one of those special friends. I love her "style" and certainly hope that someday we will meet in person. Susan and I have hatched out a swap we are going to do and thought that some of you might like to join us. We will be trading X and + blocks. You know the ones! I fell in love with the block after making these pink ones recently for another swap.

Here are the basic guidelines, if you and a blogging buddy (or any quilting friend) are interested:

Friendship x and + Swap Guidelines:

!. Pick a friend to swap with: An invisible one (blogging friend that you have never met in real life)  even!

2. Pick a pallet for your blocks (we used Design Seeds to find ours). Or decide to just go scrappy.

3. Check out Amy Badskirt's tutorial to learn how to make the block.

4. Add the Friendship x and + button to your blog sidebar.

5. Decide how many total blocks you want for your quilts. Suz and I are going with 64 blocks and will be dividing them out for 8 months, making 8 each month.

6. Every month you will make a set of blocks for yourself and an identical set for your swap partner. She will do the same for you. In my case, then, I will make 4 different  xand+ blocks and an identical set of 4 to mail to Suz. With the 4 she sends me that month, I will have 8 blocks for that month.

7. Blog about your blocks on the LAST FRIDAY of each month. Also, feel free to use Instagram with the hashtag #friendshipxandplusswap to show off your block and color pallet.

Here's the Design Seed pallet that Suz and I are going to base our fabric choices on:

 I have even pulled a few fabrics that might work for my first set of blocks. We have also decided to used text or solid white for the background pieces.

Does this sound like fun? If so, and you are game to create identical quilts with a quilting buddy (invisible or not) please comment letting me know. Susan is posting about the swap also. (Be sure to visit her blog and say "hi".) Here's the button and html code, if you decide to join us and would like to add it to your blog. (The button was designed by Homemade Ginger.)

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.lollyquiltz.blogspot.com" title="Lolly Quiltz"><img src="http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad340/mkapple/th_friendshipswapbutton_zpseeb9f31a.jpg" alt="Lolly Quiltz" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Twirly Skirts

Little girls love twirly skirts...

 ...and I know a couple...

 ...oh, maybe three,...

...who would dearly love one!

 I used a tutorial from Sew4Home blog to make the layered skirts and a modified version for the baby's...

 ...a new colored elastic by Dritz...

 ...and Kate Spain fabric, Honey Honey, from Fat Quarterly Shop.

I see lots of twirling going on!

Simply Modern Christmas Give-Away Winner

The last of the roses usher out summer...

...but, October, and cooler fall weather, enters right behind!

The winner of the Simply Modern Christmas book giveaway is Jenn. Congratulations!

JennSeptember 29, 2013 at 3:27 AM

I finally got us a tree skirt made last year-my own design so that took forever! This looks like s fun book!

Mr. Lollyquiltz did the random choosing by selecting comment #42 because we recently watched the excellent movie about baseball player, Jackie Robinson who was, of course, #42. If you haven't seen it yet, here's the trailer:

http://42movie.warnerbros.com/

Thank you for all your fun entries for this give-away. One thing I learned: there are certainly quite a few To Do lists out there with 'tree skirt' as an entry!

Sunday Morning

Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men

is possible with God."

Luke 18:27

Simply Modern Christmas Book Review and Give-Away

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to a beautiful new quilting book written by my blogging friend, Hyacinth Quilts Designs author, Cindy Lammon. If you are wanting to make something with a modern traditional vibe for a fresh Christmas look, then this is the quilt book for you!

 As I have mentioned before, a new Christmas tree skirt has been on my "want list" for a few years now. Cindy's cute design is just what I had in mind and I shamelessly copied her color scheme with the exception of using an Aneela Hoye print instead of solid white.

It looks difficult, doesn't it? But, clever piecing instructions make for a simple and quick project. The sewing and quilting can all easily be completed in a weekend!

 After piecing and quilting, I used a small dessert plate as a pattern to cut out the center circle of the quilt.

 After removing the basting stitches from one seam, I was instructed to cut the batting and backing to make the skirt opening.

 Red Sherbet Pipps binding will look really cute... once I get it sewn on, of course!

 I cannot overstate how well written the instructions are for these projects. Here's a taste of the lovely visual guides that are included for each pattern. There was never a question in my mind about what to do next.

I can hardly wait to see my new tree skirt circling a Christmas tree in December! I promise to show you the complete look once I get the binding attached.

 Wondering about the other 13 projects in the book? Here are a few that I have ear-marked...Hanging Around....

 ....Argyle...

 and this cutie: Spruced Up... Well, seriously, they are all wonderful!

 Cindy and Martingale Publishing are offering a digital version of Simply Modern Christmas to one of my blog readers. It could be you!

For a chance to win,  leave a comment telling me about your Christmas tree skirt...or, lack of. Be sure that you have a valid e-mail address connected to your comment. I'll pick a winner at random on Monday afternoon.

+This give-away is now closed.

Really Random Thursday--Christmas in September

I can hardly believe that I am actually doing Christmas sewing ahead of schedule! That's not my usual MO, for sure. A new book and pretty fabrics have enticed me to make a new Christmas tree skirt.

 Oh, it has been such fun to make. And cleverly simple, as well!

 It's one of those time when you say to yourself, "Oh, that's how she did that!". Love that.

 To keep me company and to "kill two birds with one stone", as my mother would say, I've been listening to an audio book checked out from my local library. So good!

 Sometimes when I sew, I have to take breaks for company...

...or to see what the mailman has brought me.

And sometimes, I just think about my good friends and the fun we have together. (Yes, it usually involves eating...another favorite thing of mine!)

 Check in tomorrow for a view of my finished project (sort of), a book review and a chance to win a copy of the book. 

 I'm linking up with Live a Colorful Life for Really Random Thursday.