Author name: Melissa Dunworth

Owner/Operator

My Fave Notions

When I first started this blog I did a lot of reviews of tools and I thought it was time to start bringing some of my favorite tools back onto my blog, after all the tools make quilting so much easier and so much more fun!

To start with I wanted to share the Add-A-Quarter Ruler by CM Designs.

I originally bought this ruler for paper piecing, it is fast and easy to trim the leftover edges down to a beautiful and perfect 1/4″ seam, but when I started to do hand quilting I realized it was also the perfect ruler for drawing 1/4″ lines for my hand quilting.

I just had to line the lip of the ruler up to my fabric and I had a perfect 1/4″ every time, pair that with a Clover Water Soluble Pencils and it makes hand quilting easy!

Each of my hexagon rows are sewn exactly the same with the exact same measurements. A little water and the white lines just disappear.

So there you have it, two of my favorite notions for quilting.

What are some of your favorite notions?

Getting Crazy

This weekend I finished up the center for my Crazy & Twisted Quilt. I am so excited to send this out and see what the ladies in my group do with it!

I’m really looking forward to seeing how this quilt grows and changes over the next year! I still have some more quilting to do before I send it off but I’m officially really excited about this quilt!

Anne’s First Day of School

Last Thursday was Anne’s first official day of preschool. I really did struggle with the decision to start her at 3 almost 4 and go for two years or wait until next year. What tipped it over the edge was her wanting to go because all of her friends were going to school. She is 6 months younger than most of them, so she will be a year behind them when kindergarten starts but I figure the socialization and the ability to make new friends is always a good thing.

For her first day of school I wanted to do something special. I made her a dress for her first day, she picked out the fabric of course, and I also made her a special book…

It is a basic fabric covered Composition Book, but what makes it special is what I wrote inside. When we were home in March my mom gave me this box of papers that she had been saving for me since the beginning of time. Inside it was 6 different sets of papers all stapled with the same set of questions. Each of them were answered in my mom’s handwriting but the answers were mine. Close as I could figure I answered them from Kindergarten until 5th grade.  I decided it would be fun to have Anne answer the same questions, but instead of loose leaf papers that could get lost, I wrote them all into this notebook so I could see how her answers change year after year.

Here are the questions:

My Name Is:
Today Is:
I am ___ Years Old.
I was born on___.
I have ____ hair and ____ eyes.
I am ___ inches tall and I weigh ___ pounds.
I like to wear ____.
Usually I feel ___.
I am happiest when ____.
I am sad when____.
I get angry when ____.
I  like ___, ______, _____, _____, _____, and ____.
I am good at _____.
I am not good at ____.
I want to learn ____.
If I could go anywhere I want to go, I would go to ____, because ____.
If I could be anyone I want to be, I would be _____, because ____.
If I could have anything I want, I would want _____.
If I were an animal I would be an _____ because_____.
I live in _____ with ____.
I have responsibilities at home ____, ____, _____, and ____.
Draw a picture of your home and family.
I go to ________ (school).
My favorite thing about school is __________.
I don’t like _________.
I have responsibilities at school ______, _______, and ________.
Draw a picture of your school.

Lot’s of questions! We spent the morning answering these and Anne was so excited to draw in the special notebook!

I thought you might like to see a couple of her answers!

The cutest pictures of the day though are the ones in her dress all ready for school! But then I might be biased about that 🙂

We also got one picture before heading into the classroom.

Shortly after I took this picture we went into the classroom and signed her in. She was amazing, she found her own name tag without any help! Yup, she can read her name!  After we were done with hand washing she immediately told me that she was ok and that I could go home now.  I was torn between being proud of my independent little girl and a bit crushed at how quickly I was dismissed. I went home, had lunch alone for the first time in almost 4 years and then spent my time sewing and waiting for 2:40 to roll around so I would have an excuse to get back in the car and go get her!

This whole school thing really is a whole new adventure for the both of us!

September Mid Month Party – A Lovely Year of Finishes


Welcome to the middle of September! I don’t know how it is going for everyone else but I have been super productive. To be honest I think that is because I’ve been trying to keep myself from breaking down over the fact that my little one started preschool last week. Sewing is the best therapy!

I finally settled on this lovely little meandering loop the loops for the blocks on my Vintage Christmas Sampler. They reminded me of twinkle lights.

For the borders I did some free motion holly leaves and berries.

There are a few imperfections in my holly leaves but overall I am really pleased with them!

Your turn! Show us what you have been up to the first half of the month! I hope your goals are coming along beautifully! You can link up here or with Shanna, no need to link up twice.

Grab a button from my sidebar and spread the LOVE!

And don’t forget our awesome Sponsors and the incredible prizes they are offering!

September Prizes Include:

1. A CraftsyClass (winners choice of class)

I heart Craftsy!

2, 3. TWO winners each getting to choose one pdf pattern
from Sew BitterSweet Designs – that’s me!
($10 value)

4. $25.00 Gift Certificate to I Love Fabrics

5. Choice of $15 or 2 charm packs from Stitch n’ Giggles

6. A Paper Piecing Kit from Paper Pieces

 

7. Quilting Patterns designed by Quilting Lodge

8 & 9. A thread pack from Aurifil

March ALYoF Aurifil winnings



Jeweled Geese Pattern

Happy Wednesday Everyone! I have a new pattern release for you today!  Two weeks in a row, I’m on a roll!

I designed this block to be the center of my Crazy & Twisted Quilt for my new online quilting bee. I have a mild obsession with Flying Geese and I wanted something that just showed a beautiful progression and was different than anything I had seen before.

After designing and sewing the quilt block I wanted to see what it would look like as a quilt and check out how gorgeous this layout is!

I have named this quilt “Jeweled Echoes” and I love the effect of changing the location of the background fabric.

This block measures 14.5″ x 16.5″ unfinished. The quilt above measures 56″ x 64″ – a lovely lap size quilt.

This pattern is available for purchase at my Craftsy Store for $2.50.

I hope you enjoy sewing it!

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