Happy Halloween

I snapped this picture of the kids this morning when I dropped them off at school.

Kids at Halloween

 MK had been something different each time she's dressed up--totally taking advantage of being the youngest with all the costumes we've accumulated. This morning she's a dragon. She wants to be a mummy tonight. We'll see.  C has a scary mask, to wear with his black cape/cloak/gown but can't wear it at school. S made his own glasses, wand, and broom. He's wearing a cloak aunt Dolly made for her kids they outgrew.

UPDATE:

I took the kids the the city's Trunk-or-Treating at a local park. Yes, MK did talk me into making her a mummy. I put it together SUPER quick and she kept tripping over stray mummy wrappings.

S: Harry Potter, MK: Mummy, C: Scary Monster

Kids at Halloween

Kids at Halloween

Real Salt Lake

Last night, R and I went to cheer on Real Salt Lake. He was given tickets and food vouchers by his work. Sweet, I know. S was bummed that he couldn't come with us as he is a HUGE soccer fan, but so goes life. It was a midweek date night for us. 

We're Here for RSL

It was a great game. Real won 2-1. I still have the battle song running through my head. 

WIP Wednesday #23 - Honey Honey

This is a pattern I'm testing for Esther over at ipatchandquilt.wordpress.com. She will soon have the pattern available at her craftsy store here.

Honey Honey Quilt

I know I haven't posted in a whole week. I've been busy--luckily a lot of it was sewing time. I really buckled down and got to work on the Honey Honey project. I had a minor speed bump, but got it figured out with the help of Esther. I sewed up all my units and this is what I have so far.

I really love how the hexagons weave. This looks like it would be complicated, but it really is simple. Esther has put together a clean and easy pattern with lots of helps.  

I picked these colors because it was what I had in my stash. The more I look at this, the more I want to make it again only in different colors this time. I'm really thinking of doing it with a white background and then bright yellow and black hexagons. We'll see. Plus, I want to finish this one first. 

WIP Wednesday #22 - Updating MY WIP Pile

I need to update my WIP page because I've now got 3 new projects started. Two of these projects I started at the Utah Quilt Festival last week. (SO MUCH FUN!)

• OLD ITALIAN by Anita Grossman Soloman

Old Italian Quilt Block

I took this class from National Teacher Anita Grossman Soloman. She has several books out about simplifying quilting. I bought two of her books Rotary Cutting Revolution (This quilt is on the cover) and Make It Simpler Paper Piecing which she used as basis for the class. Excellent books and AMAZING technique to simplify paper piecing. I didn't quite get it when reading it on my own, so I was glad to have her there demonstrating it. She also has great links on her website for video clips demonstrating her technique. 

One thing I LOVE about this pattern is that it keeps the directional fabric whole. Check out the stripes in these blocks. They continue as if the dark fabric was appliquéd onto it. 

Old Italian Quilt Blocks

I plan to make this into a queen size quilt for my bed. 

• POCKET FULL OF PINWHEELS by Bonnie Miles

Pinwheel Quilt Blocks

This is from a class I took from a local teacher. I won't be surprised if she soon becomes a National Teacher. This class was to learn the techniques of several types of pinwheels. We were supposed to do six, but only had time to do four. (We started late due to a RUDE quilter. She was on the waiting list, but showed up and set up. It took us a while to figure out who was supposed to be there and who wasn't taking up precious class time. Grrr!) I have the pattern for the other two and plan to make them. I figure I can make a sampler quilt of pinwheels. My favorite so far is the bottom right corner one.

• HONEY HONEY by Esther at ipatchandquilt.wordress.com

I've chatted with Eshter through linky parties. One day, she showed off this amazing pattern she created. I loved it. I commented I would love to be a tester when she was ready, and she remembered me. She's sent me the pattern and her deadline. I've picked out fabric.

Due to being gone last week at Utah Quilt Fest, I haven't gotten very far. I did spend one evening reading through the pattern, printing out the pattern, and cutting up all the parts.

The pattern is amazing. She has LOTS of colored pictures of options, clear instructions, and more. I'm really excited to try this pattern out. 

Now I need to get sewing! LOTS to sew.

Linked up at WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced here.

3rd Place Viewers Choice

I made this block for the Utah Quilt Festival's Save the Boobies Fundraiser.

Flower Quilt Block

The Fundraiser works by selling a Fat Eighth of fabric. Each person then makes a 12" finished block of their choice using that fabric. This year's theme was flowers. I found this pattern on craftsy.com.  You can find it here. At Quilt Festival, everyone then votes on their favorite block. There were 70+ blocks.  The blocks are then made into items to sell. They make money from selling the fabric and from selling the finished products. Funds raised go to support a women's hospital in Southern Utah.

I won 3rd place! 

 

Isn't this a cute prize?

Linked up at Anything Goes Monday at Stitch by Stitch.

Linked up at Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story.

Linked up at Paper Piecing Party at Quite Play .

Laughing at Your Own Joke

A Text Message conversation between my mom and me the day we were setting up for the Utah Quilt Festival.

Me to Mom: At Walmart. Do you need anything?
Mom to me: New brain? Nothing other than that.
Me to Mom: Abby Normal? I'll get right on that ;)
Mom to me: Ok.

She didn't get it. I had to explain it was a Young Frankenstein reference. Somehow, it isn't as funny anymore when you have to explain it. I thought I was hilarious. Apparently, I was the only one.

WIP Thursday #21

Where have I been?

Unfortunately, it hasn't been to visit my sewing table other than just once. 

My butt has been glued (not literally) to a computer chair every day for two weeks. Why you ask?

First, I had to work a lot the past couple weeks. I work in customer service, taking calls from the US and Canada speaking English and French. I sit at a computer at work. 

Second, I'm on the committee for the Utah Quilt Festival. My job is to arrange the seating for our luncheons. I have to organize seating for 297 people for 4 lunches. Holy Moly! My deadline for reservations recently passed and then I was super busy confirming payment, assigning tables, making sure people were moved around the room each day, then email each and every person their confirmation. Even after that, I've spent the last 2 days fielding calls and emails about concerns.  

I'll be so happy when the event is here and I can go learn about, talk about, see, and play with quilts.

My one visit to my sewing table was to sew up all my rows for my Fractured Flower Quilt.

Now I need to make a trip to my ironing board to iron the seams open. *grrr* 

Fractured Flower Quilt

My aunt's sister-in-law passed away last year. My aunt doesn't quilt, so she brought all her SIL's quilting supplies to my mom. My mom and I went through the boxes to divvy up the goods. I made a rule for myself "If I wouldn't buy it from a store, don't take it." It seemed to work for me. I picked out a few books and move fabric. One can NEVER have too much fabric. 

Red Fabric

I love all this red and pink Valentine fabric. It will be perfect in the Valentine hearts quilt I've been planning forever.

A Voracious Reader

C loves to read. He always has a book or two on hand he is reading. He rereads his favorites if we can't get to the library for a few days. The local Librarians know him and help him find new and exciting books. He takes books with him whenever we drive anywhere to read in the car. (Something I can not do--ugh.) I really don't know how he doesn't get car sick from reading in the car.

Yesterday, we had the following conversation while driving S to his soccer practice:

Me: Kids, we need to talk about our plans for tomorrow.
C: *looks up bewildered to find I had been talking to him* Uh? Oh, sorry. I was in another world reading my book. I did't know you were talking.