New Tools, New Projects

It would seem that I went overboard with the new year in terms of taking on projects. I have many new things in the works: quilts, swaps, pattern testing, tutorials, and junie babie items... And one thing that is nice when working on new projects is to have new tools!


I bought a very tiny (28mm) rotary cutter so that I can utilize my new templates. I'm going to use the Retro Flowers Quilt pattern to create a few blocks for the back of Alexa's quilt.

Retro Flowers Quilt by the Sometimes Crafter

I'm also working on a pattern test, and true to form... I'm going with a rainbow of colors. Hopefully the pattern writer will like it :)

My First Potholder

Do y'all know what a Yankee Swap is? Look it up. I have one tonight for my MOMS Club, and I think that by now everyone knows that I re-gift and/or handmake something for it. The rule is that you are supposed to bring a $10 value gift that you yourself would like to have. I personally don't love going out and buying something so I usually make something for it, or give a gift of something we have around the house that we don't make good use of. Don't get me wrong, I don't White Elephant it, I try to make something people would want.

In fact, one of my goals is to have the most traded/sought after item. Because secretly we all want to be wanted, right???

Anyway, this year for the swap I made a potholder. My first ever. Round. Scrappy. And I wish I could keep it.

backed with some Echino scrap:

and yes, I cheated a little with some storebought bais tape

But it looks good, right? Would you like to have such a gift?

And what do you think... just the potholder, or should I include this very slightly used teapot too? Does that go too far above the $10 limit?

Oh, and I hope none of the people attending the party are reading this because it would totally ruin the surprise.

A very nice morning

A great morning around here is facilitated by the fact that Mira was at a friend's house this morning so I got a kid-free couple of hours to do. things. Like... go to an eye appointment. A walk-in-impromptu haircut. Which led to a free-impromptu manicure (score!), and best of all... Fabric shopping. With no kids. And what I went in for was on sale. So of course I stocked up a little.


Linens at JoAnn Fabrics are 40% off right now, with some awesome colors! I should have bought more... Forgive me if the colors are a little off (too blue?) in the picture. My eyes were dilated at my eye appointment and everything looks a little weird!

Trouty Mouthy

Didn't I once make a rule that I was going to only join one swap at a time? Well... whatever. It's a new year. And there's a new very fun swap starting up right now! The Mouthy Stitches Swap. It is 100% up my alley - cute zip purse/pouches!

Here's my mosaic for this swap:

1. bitty bike quilt for Suzanne, 2. Style Stitches Key Keeper Coin Purse Front, 3. New Block Design :: Half Moon Rising, 4. Heather Ross Mendocino Mini Quilt, 5. SOLD fish in a bag patchwork quilted wristlet, 6. and a bunny pouch!, 7. Oh 1, 8. Umbrella pouch, 9. Hexagon Pouch, 10. Ringo PIe--October--Amy, 11. button clutch :: front, 12. SOLD pink bicycle patchwork quilted wristlet

A little old with the new

I've debated not posting about Alexa's quilt until it is done or nearly done, in order to keep the mystery alive for A's parents, but who am I kidding?? I'm not so great at keeping secrets.


While working on Alexa's quilt, I discovered a little something. A little in with the old life:


See that? I'm drawing circles on fusible web... with a compass. That's right folks. That compass is from my college days, where I studied to be a mechanical engineer. In fact, I worked as a mechanical design engineer for several years before Lili was born and I started this new life as a mom, and even new-er, as a sew-er. But for this project, I needed that trusty old tool because there are lots and lots (and lots) of circles to be drawn. I'm thinking in the range of 100 circles. But it's worth it. It's fun. And unlike on-line travel booking... it is something I can control. Because we engineers? Well, we just have to be in control of something.

I'm using a layer cake of Momo's Just Wing It fabric by Moda. Love it. Bright, cheery, and lots of butterflies. Which matches Alexa's room decor (ish). So hopefully they like it. (Hear that??? If you don't.. well too bad. I'm making it anyway. You can always give it back :)

June Bug is Fabric!

Hey, did you know??? June Bug is a fabric line by Alexander Henry. One of my sewing bloggy friends (Kim at My Go Go Life) told me she just saw some at her local Jo-Ann fabrics! First of all - how awesome is it that she thought of me when she saw the line, and second... I might have to buy some, you know, just out of principle.

It's pretty cute, though I think I don't like blacks mixed in with those fun colors.

You can find more from the June Bug line at hancocks, and fabric worm (and I'm sure some other places... just google it!)

For the Love of Solids - Round 2

The new year brings new rounds of my favorite swaps - and with it being winter and a relatively "slow" season for shows and markets, what better time to swap up? So I'm entering into round 2 of the "For the Love of Solids" swap. I really enjoyed this swap the first round - it feels almost limitless in possibility and the projects that people came up with were so inspired. Here's my inspiration mosaic for my (TBD) partner... Lots of color, of course!