Time to Vote

Vote for your favorite Nominees for the 2011

 Golden Quilter Awards

Fabric Expressions has been nominated for the Golden Quilts Award in the category  #4 Best Quilt Shop (physical) You can go vote at   
http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/.  
Leave your votes in the comments section
My good friend Joanna Figoura (Fig Tree Quilts) and  Harriet Hargrave have been nominated in other  categories.

MODA Star Block Challenge

I Love this quilt. Not just because I made the sample for one of my best Friends Lissa at Moda fabrics, but I thinks it is beautiful.  Lets make some star blocks and help them make 100 quilts in 100 days.

The challenge is to piece, quilt and bind 100 quilts in 100 days using the
Flag of Valor pattern by Minick and Simpson.

The deadline for star blocks
is May 1, 2011 so that we can meet our quilt deadline
by Flag Day, June 14, 2011.

As the saying goes – “many hands make light work”.

We need 1800 star blocks to reach our goal.
Please take a few minutes to piece Just One Star block (click here for block pattern) using a medium red or blue and a cream background. Better yet, invite your small group or even your entire guild to make Just One Star block. Sign each block with your name and state.

Then we can truly say....the hands of a grateful nation comfort our soldiers!

We will coordinate the  donation of the 100 quilts thru the Semper Fi Fund, a cause

that is near and dear to designers, Polly Minick and Laurie Simpson.

Thank you for your help!

Send untrimmed blocks to:

United Notions/Moda Fabrics
Attn: Just One Star Project
13800 Hutton
Dallas, TX 75234

My Day Off

Wednesdays are my day off.  It is the one day I do not go to the shop, but that does not mean I am not working.  Today is a perfect example.   It was a beautiful day today.  We were suppose to reach the the low 60's today.  I went outside this morning and my cat "Mr Moda" followed my outside and climbed his favorite tree where he thinks he is the king of the neighborhood.  We may get snow tomorrow night.  There is just a  little snow left in my yard behind the cat.

The rest of my day I never left the inside of my house.  Most of my day was spend on the computer. The highlight of the day was meeting my cousin (Katie Brannon) for sushi dinner. Yum.

After dinner I was determined to and sew.  I have been designing a couple of quilts and this one of the blocks.  More blocks to come, hope to have it ready by May.

Charity Challenge

The basics charity challenge. 

This is a great opportunity for all of us to give a little, and it doesn't take much time. 

Stop by Cara's blog to read more about the challenge.

Cara is even offering great prizes!

Happy Groundhog Day

Happy Groundhog Day!  The Groundhog did not see his shadow YAHOO!! Early Spring!  The weather has been crazy across the country.  It is cold here in Colorado.  It was -27 degrees when I woke up this morning.  OK so I wake up when most of you are sleeping but it was really cold this morning.  Today the high is suppose reach 1 degree.  We are suppose be warmer the rest of the week then more snow on Sunday.

Looking a fun fast Valentine gift?  How about this cute wool-felt penny rug with votive candle.  We have kits ready to go.  Everything is cut for you and the candle is also included. $7.99.

 I better get back to getting organized.  It is a slow process I am going through every piece of paper, magazine, UFO, and fabric to see what to keep, donate, or trash.

Getting Organized

   It started by deciding to organize a bin full of scraps for our upcoming Super Stash Bowl class. Then  I decided organize the whole house one room at a time. I started with the easiest rooms first.  The kitchen, bedroom and bathroom are all done.  No Fabric in any of these rooms.

   Today I attempted the extra bedroom, that used to be were I had my sewing machine set up.  Lately it has become a dumping ground for fabric, papers ,and most of my clothes.   I cleaned out the closest and all the selves.  The room is empty and everything that is sitting in my living room need to be put back.  My cat Mr Moda, checks out the empty selves.
   While I was cleaning out the closet I found a laundry hamper with three different sections that I forgot I had.  I was about to put it in the donation pile when I  thought I could use it for keeping my stash organized. I have strips and squares  in many different sizes. So this is how I am going to keep by 2 1/2 inch, 4 1/2 inch , and 5 inch strips and squares.
   Now I have to go through everything again and edit out only what I need and donate the rest.  I will keep you posted on my progress.
  

We will be having our first Charity Sewing Day this Monday January 17th.  we will be making pillowcase,  as part of the million pillowcase challenge.  We are also  making quilts for "Quilts of Valor". The mission of QOF is cover all those service-members and veterans touched by war with Wartime Quilts call "Quilts of Valor. "  This is not about politics, it is about people. 

We will have patterns in the shop. 

American History

2011 marks the 150th year since the beginning

of the Civil War. Barbara Brackman has started a new
blog and is providing a free block pattern each week.

Along with the block is a little history on the Civil War.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/