I'm baaack..

Hi to anyone who stops by occasionally, I know it has been a long time between posts but I have really been busy with family, work and even some great quilting time!  I will leave you today with pictures of what I have been working on. Still have some more pictures to add but not sure where they are all saved! 
Until then, Lisa
P.S. if someone out there wants to offer a pharmacist an opportunity to change careers to be able to play with fabric and quilt full-time, just give me a holler.....I am your gal!

Accuquilt Go! How I love thee!

In February, I finally broke down and bought an Accuquilt Go! and I must say I do luv it!  The wonderful team at Accuquilt sent me an email that I had been selected to choose 2 dies and blog about them...this all happened about the same time that I had my back surgery...so finally I am able to blog about the time-saving, super fun Go!  In addition to the 2 dies I received, I have also purchased a few  many dies that have made cutting out quilt pieces a breeze.  Two that I will show you pics of below are the 2 1/2" strip die which cuts 3 x 2 1/2" at at time and the 5"x5" charm die.  These dies alone are a necessity if you like Charms and Jelly Rolls like I do!  The most important lesson I learned this week is to position your fabric with the straight of grain vertically on the die....I cut out 80+ solid 5"x5" not on the grain only to find out that they measured at 5"x4 7/8" when I tried piecing my blocks and they didn't match up with my Moda Charm pack. The gals at Accuquilt were so friendly when I called to express my concern that my die was not perfect...I was advised to cut on the straight grain and 'test' the die with a piece of paper..did that and it cut a perfect 5"x5" square..thanks Michelle!
Now on to the pictures..the first ones are for a quilt I am making using Moda French General La Petite Ecole and I needed a lot of 2 1/2" strips...the Accuquilt made this a breeze...along with my new Bernina 57 1/4" foot..the seam guide makes all the difference for me!  The second set of pictures are going to be a wonky star Countdown to Christmas quilt....another Moda line I just love! 

For anyone that might have missed me??

Hi...I'm back after a long summer break...well break from blogging...still worked, took care of the kiddos and moved!  I have been quilting as much as time has allowed which is never enough for me, but it is what it is and I make the most of it!
I will share my completed projects.  I finished my Max & Whiskers quilt and a Woodland Bloom 'stepping stone'-type quilt....I spray basted both as kneeling on the floor, hunched over pin basting just wasn't going to happen!  The basting was easy and quilted very smoothly, but I did get some gumming on my needle and I did make sure to vacuum out my machine frequently.  I also found out that I won a lovely give away from Don't Look Now...for those of you that have visited here before, you know I am a huge fan, so this was super fab!  Now I just need the courage to try out the pattern...her work is so beautiful, I am scared I will not do it justice!  Now for the pictures...they are more fun than my rambling...Wait...one more picture of the super, deeduper wonderful Ruby pillow cover I won from Kristyne at Pretty by Hand...she is just finishing up her quilting through Simplify by Camille..take a look-see over there, she is a doll and my first blogging friend! http://prettybyhand.com/

The day I have been waiting for...

Remember the Moda Progressive Dinner from earlier this year?  Well I was the lucky winner from Jenny Garland's blog http://jennygarland.com/...I won the Fresh Fabric Treats book and get this...a fat quarter bundle of Jovial by Basic Grey...yes, a whole big stinkin' bundle of 39 fat quarters!!!  I have been patiently waiting for the day for the book to be released.....and tonight was the night...I was watching TV and there was a knock on the door...only the UPS man knocks on the door at my house...then I started thinking hmmmmm I have not ordered any fabric recently that is coming by UPS so I hestitantly opened the front door.  What to my wondering eyes should appear but a big brown box with a United Notions Dallas, Tx. return address!!  My heart went pitter patter and I jumped for joy...this is just what I needed to make an otherwise crazy day the best...day....ever...(thanks Sponge Bob for that quote)
Here is what I found in my box:

I just want to say Thank You again to Moda and Jenny for making a little girl like me super happy!

Max & Whiskers update....finally!

Wow, didn't realize returning to work after 7 weeks off would be so rough...I guess life did go on without me there!  Needless to say I have not have much time for sewing.  I finally finished my Max & Whiskers top last night and really love it!  I used Camille's Coming Home pattern from her super fab book Simplify.  I made it larger by using two charm packs.  This is a super fast patern with a lot of impact.  I, being a fan of Camille's recommend it for anyone.  Enough of the chit chat...here is the finished top...now for the backing, batting and quilting!

Max & Whiskers and Camille...what a fun combination!

I bought Camille's book last fall and have been ohhing and ahhing over it ever since.  I have a long-distance friend who is undergoing chemo and I wanted to make her something to help keep her warm, snuggly and wrapped in love during her long chemo treatments.  Because my quilting time is very limited due to surgery I needed to find something that I could do and make it a little more creative than straight blocks...which is what I usually do in a pinch...not saying that is bad, but sometimes I like to think I can do more.  Enter Camille's book Simplify and the pattern Coming Home...easy peasy, one charm pack, some Kona white and the blocks were cut, sewed and ironed in less than 4 hours!  I haven't selected the outer boarder yet, want to wait until all the blocks are sewn to decide what I want to do.  Although this pattern is a topper size, I think it will be perfect to cover her while she sits and waits to have that horrible  life saving medication enter her body.  I will post final pictures when done, but for today, this was a huge accomplishment for me.  I go back to work on Thursday so I am cherishing these last few days.

Mother's Day Surprises

My back is healing well and I am allowing myself about one hour a day of sitting sewing time.  I have to get back into the swing of sitting since I return to work next Thursday...boo for that, but so very thankful that I have a job to return to and am healthy to return to work.  I made a quick pillow for my mom and a pin cushion for my MIL, I have some really cute pin toppers coming in the mail..can't wait to see those!  I also have been ooohhing and ahhhing over all the rainbow quilts out there and ordered the bold solid fat quarter sampler from Connecting Threads...I have been a devout Kona solid user, but I am so impressed with the colors and the 'feel' of these solids from Connecting Threads...fat quarters are $1.24 and the bold sampler has 24 fat quarters for $23.76!  I have not cut into them yet, so can't comment on how they stand up to washing, but very pleased so far. 

http://www.connectingthreads.com/kits/Bold_Solid_Fat_Quarter_Sampler__D3274.html

I made the small pillow from Moda Martinique, I bought a few fats from the Houston Quilt show this past fall.  The pin cushion is Fresh Cut from Heather Bailey...I can't tell you when or where I bought that from but it was a pleasant surprise to find them in my stash!

To all the Mother's out in blogland, have a very blessed Mother's Day.  I also say prayers for peace this weekend for those women out there who want so desperately to be a mom.  I went through a few long tearful years of infertility and Mother's Day was always a very difficult time for me.  I was blessed with twin boys almost 15 years ago, but I still remember how sad it can be.

Lisa....the Rx Quilter!