$50 of Fat Quarters!

Who wouldn't want a $50 gift certificate from the Fat Quarter Shop? For your chance to win, visit Rachel over at P.S. I Quilt. Or you can skip entering so it ups my chances of winning. :)

It's a cinch

I'm obsessed with making these little cinch bags. They're cute and fun and only take about 20 minutes to put together. I bought the Cake Therapy pattern the last quilt camp I attended and prompty made five bags. I can't wait to make some more, in different sizes.

Bumble Beans giveaway

Bumble Beans has a giveaway going on through August 1. Head on over and leave a comment for your chance to win this:

Double Wedding Ring

When my grandma was a young girl, living on the farm with no running water or electricity, she spent a summer making a quilt out of her old dresses. It was the double wedding ring pattern and she and her siblings - including her brothers - would gather around after dinner to hand quilt it together.

My grandma has only made one other quilt since then, done entirely with a sewing machine. But that double wedding ring quilt is hanging on a quilt rack in her bedroom. Every time I visit her, I get it out and look at it. It's so beautiful, with the intricate pattern (put together by a beginner!), the 1930's fabrics, and the scalloped edges. I could look at it for hours!

The last time I visited her, she mentioned she would like me to have the quilt some day. I'm the only one in the family that quilts and she knows how much I'd appreciate it. It would certainly be an honor. Maybe it's time for me to make my own 1930's quilt?

Bulls-eye Quilt

In the 10 years that I've been quilting, I've made over 60 quilts. I have enough bed sized and wallhanging quilts for myself that in recent years, I seem to be making more quilts for other people. This includes baby quilts which are nice because they're smaller and I can try different patterns. Plus they're easier to quilt.

I love being able to give a personalized gift. Some recipients appreciate it. I think there are others who wish I would have stuck to their registry list. But what fun is that? Some take a photo of their baby using the quilt. Others acknowledge it with a card or email.

I made this Bulls-eye Quilt last fall. The baby was born in January and I promptly mailed it off to the happy couple. This week I received a thank you email with a photo of the baby on the quilt during her six month photo session. What a cutie!

Psycho Pink

I've done the Psycho Log Cabin quilt pattern a few times and when my cousins announced they were expecting, my motgher-in-law suggested we do this pattern. A girl is expected and the room decor is pink so we used fabric from the couple's pink and white wedding quilt we made a few years ago. That quilt was very calm and traditional. This quilt is quite the opposite!

Taaa Daaa!

Behold! It's my new sewing area...

As well as my new blog! It's been a year since I first started blogging over at I Married a Polack. Which is my perspective on life, mixed in with a lot of updates on the family, mixed in with a little bit of quilting. Quilting is my passion and joining the blogging world has opened my eyes to a whole new quilting community; one that humbles me, that inspires me, that encourages me. I've decided to separate the family and quilting stuff and for now, I'll be keeping two blogs.

This all coincides with my new quilting room. We've been using the fourth bedroom in our house as an office/sewing room. But since we are hosting an exchange student this year, we had to give up the room. We've moved our family room into our living room and turned the family room into the workcenter. Quilting on the right, computers on the left. Decorating has been fun and we're loving the funky feel of the desks and retro faux yellow chairs. I predict many a quilts in my future!