November Schnibbles

If you're looking for the giveaway, check it out here.

I finished my Schnibble on Saturday. I really liked this pattern. While all the trimming was tedious, it made for very accurate HST and my baskets turned out well. And it didn't waste very much fabric, which made me happy.

I have no idea what happened to my sashing, apparently it was supposed to line up somehow. But I like my off kilter sashing. It seems appropriate, both for the fabrics, which are American Jane's, and the Picnic theme of the pattern. I feel that I haven't been very creative just copying the patterns, and the fabrics or very similar used, for 2 of the 3 patterns so far, but I think Carrie has done a great job designing the patterns around fabric lines. I'm think I will make this one again in 30's prints, and probably make it bigger. I do like it, and depending on how you make the baskets, which way the HSTs are turned, can give you some very nice secondary designs.
This quilt may become bigger.I'm thinking of adding another solid white border and some prairie points. I think I want to give it to my cousin who is due at the end of December, and I like quilts that can be big enough to be use at least through toddlerhood. I'll pick up another American Jane charm pack, hopefully an older line without the pinks, when I order my pattern for next month's as yet to be revealed Schnibble. If my math is right, which is in no way a given, it will end up being 40" square. I think.

I made a pin cushion from the left overs and it is part of my giveaway


I love these tuffets. I get to use up my scraps, even when I don't have enough to make much of a mini. Though all of this one is going to live elsewhere, the quilt and the tuffet!

Giveaway Announced

It's been a few days since I meant to update on my giveaway. Some how the days got away from me. Don't you hate when that happens?
So without further ado I have decided on my giveaway. It will be for these lovely fat quarters. There are 12 in the little bundle.

And this pin cushion. It is made from the scraps of American Jane November Schnibble.

And guess what? Winner gets three custom rose pin toppers, colour of their choice.
Hmmm...I just looked at the picture...so I guess it will be FOUR pin toppers!

Ok for the rules. Simple I promise.
You can get an entry my leaving a comment on this post.
And by being or becoming a follower.
And I've recorded those that have left comments in two weeks worth of posts and they get an entry for each comment. Sorry no going back and doing it now.
I'd love if you'd blog about my giveaway on your blog but its not necessary. I know I don't really like doing that unless I read the blog regularly and even then I'm not a huge fan of it so I'm not going to make anyone else do it.
Deadline? Well, lets make it December 6th at 6pm EST. I'll have Little Bit do the draw that evening and will announce Monday December 7th.

Giveaway

No not mine, but Pink Pincushion! She's having an awesome giveaway little wallet and super cute pin cushion! Check it out.

Ok I've decided I will add a pin cushion to my own giveaway. And pin toppers. And maybe some FQs. Ok, for sure some FQs.
I'll post pictures etc tomorrow.

Hmmm I've used my store of update titles....

So I found my scraps from Winter White Schnibbles back in September. My good intentioned tidying ended rather abruptly when I realized I could make another of Miss Rosie's Tuffets...so I did.



Isn't the snowman cute? I really liked him. I actually forgot to add the carrot nose, I'd had it made but forgot to put it on before I baked him off. Ooops.
I actually read all the directions this time so it turned out bigger then the last courthouse steps one I made. I also picked up a little set of 3 funnels at the dollar store. They really helped get all the walnut shells in there. This one is quite firm, not rock hard, but definitely sturdy. The first one really is kinda wimpy, especially now that it has settled.

Here is the first block in Picnic, the November Schnibble pattern. This one goes together nicely, and the trick Carrie came up with to make the HST using charms squares, without wasting but still able to trim down, is GENIUS. Check it out.

Little Bit wrote her letter to Santa with Daddy's help. This is her first time writing to Santa, who will write back with the help of Canada Post. Santa's address you ask? North Pole, HOH OHO Canada. Seriously that is the address, which is very cute if you ask me.
Little Bit drew pictures for the jolly man too. So we added it to the envelope.
I'll get a stamp and she can mail it after school tomorrow.


So I'm getting close to my 100th post,and following blog tradition have decided to have a giveaway. I haven't decided all yet what but it will involve some fabric and most likely a couple of pin toppers. I will post more about it next time. But one thing I decided is there will be more then one winner. Just saying.

Another Update

So the laptop is still dead. We are debating fixing it or getting a desktop for Little Bit and I to share, since she will need to start using a computer for school in the next few years,and my next computer had better frickin' last that long this time.
I do apologize for the pictureless posts, I don't like not having any but of well.

I've been working on the Year of Schnibbles pattern, which this month is Picnic. I've got all the half square triangles sewn, and they are all matched up. So I need to do some more ironing and sewing and I should be able to get them done this week, and the sashing is not complicated so it won't take long.
I've been working on embroidering a tea towel for my mom with nesting dolls and will add wheat sheaves to the edges. As soon as DH gets the pics of my camera and puts them on a thumb drive for me I'll show you. I got the pattern free from the Hand Embroidery Network or HEN.

I've been noticing more that I'm having more trouble with the dyslexia when I'm at the computer. I don't know if it is because I'm in the middle of a pain flare or what but excuse the typos, and general none nonsensicalness of me. Using Mozilla Firefox helps because it underlines misspellings, or non US spellings, of most words so I've been able to catch most of the mistakes. It is getting annoying because so many of the errors are ones I have managed to not make in years. I'm hoping it is my fingers are going slower instead of my brain not being able to compensate like it is trained to.

If you are a love of Fat Quarter Shop, as I am, head over to the Jolly Jabber to get a code for 20% off until November 24th.

I debated sharing my "excitement" from yesterday. I got a call from Little Bit's school. An AMBULANCE had been called for her. AN AMBULANCE. Apparently she is ok, but all you hear is AMBULANCE. Could I come to the school? I'm half way out the door already. When I arrived there was a police car and the AMBULANCE, light on, in the parking lot. The EMTs were smart enough to let me see her before they started talking.
Little Bit had appeared to fall asleep at her desk, when the teacher tried to wake her, she was unresponsive, the EA told me later she appeared to be in a seizure at first, when she finally started responding, when the EMTs were there, she was disoriented, complained of a headache, and was pale with red angry looking welts on her jawline and back. The ones on her back had faded by the time I got there, the ones on her jawline while I was waiting at the doctors office.
After discussing things with the police, who are called whenever an ambulance is called to a school, and the EMTs we decided I'd take her to her pediatrician as she seemed to be alert and generally ok by the time I got there.
The pediatrician couldn't figure out anything, her blood sugars were normal (although it was about 2hours later when they were tested) so we are going to be referred to a neurologist, and we are under orders to take her straight to Children's ER if it happens again, probably by ambulance.
She seems completely normal now. No residuals at all. She was pale for a few hours, and not jumping off the walls but generally normal. And now she's still her normal cheery self.
So I have no idea what happened yesterday other then I got scared to all get out, and that both the EMTs and the policewoman did an amazing job, checking out Little Bit, keeping her calm and not scared, and of dealing with me, who was flashing back to my son's death until I saw her sitting there clutching Sparky, a stuffed dog the policewoman gave her.
So thank you to you, even though in all the rush I forgot to get your names. Thank you for taking care of my baby girl.

Update

So it sounds like my laptop is pooched, the extended warranty that would have covered the replacement of the faulty parts expired in September. So I'm trying to find out how much it would cost to pay for the replacement stuff or if it would make more sense to just buy a new computer, which I think would be a desk top because Little Bit is going to need to use one more often in the next few years.
I'm using an old laptop that is very unstable, ie shuts down randomly and often.

Any way I finished the Penny Mat from Sandy Gervais of the Cross Country Christmas Designer Blog Hop, seriously try saying that ten times fast.
This was my first time doing the blanket stitch by hand, and the first time doing the French Knot at all. I really enjoyed making this, and its really making me want to start the colour wheel on Amy's City Park blog. It was great to have something to do with my hands while DH watched football this weekend.
This is the mug cake from day three of the blog hop. It is quite tasty but I found it turned out differently almost every time, which makes me think I may have over/under beaten the egg, and I know my microwave is finicky.



Here is my moment...Little Bit came out of her room covered in Princess stickers, this was Sunday morning, when she refused to get dressed until almost 4 in the afternoon. Ignore the mess in the background, not cropped out though ;)

My little rose collection.

I almost forgot to show you the tree with all the buttons on that I blogged about last time in my pictureless post.

Laptop imploded

So my laptop is pooched. Well not totally pooche, but has to be sent off to be fixed pooched, assuming I can find the receipt, DH says he has it so fingures crossed. Apparently my model has some sort of recall business, or if these things happen they will fix dealy. The Geek Squad guy at BestBuy thinks my files should all be fine, but I'm terrified of losing all my pictures of Little Bit, DH thinks he backed up my pictures a few months ago, I'm really hoping because otherwise I could lose everything from about 2 or 3 years ago onward. Not even worth thinking about. It's one of those things I've thought about doing, ment to do, but never got around to doing. I'm using my old laptop, which DH somewhat salvedged, but it is very unstable and my camera won't connect to it so I can't download any pics, Boo.

I finished the penny mat from Sandy Gervais' Day of the Cross Country Christmas Designer Blog Hop, click on the icon on the side to check it out if you haven't already. It has been a lot of fun.
I also got all the buttons on Gudrun's project,which was an awesome quilt as you go.

Cross you fingers for me that we find the receipt, cause I'm in trouble if we don't! :) At least I know I didn't DO anything to it myself.

Hope you're having a good weekend, Little Bit has gone of to the Santa Clause Parade so I'm sure she'll be back happy as a clam. My pain was too bad to be out in the cold for several hours right now. I actually cried earlier over it but as DH said, it's not like she doesn't get to go, and really she won't miss me with Grandma, and my brother and his family so I don't feel to bad about it now.

Christmas Tree

Have you heard about or checked out the Cross Country Christmas Designer Blog Hop? It's in Day 4 already but its a great treat, and of course their are prizes, but even cooler than that is the fact that each day the designer du jour, today is Pat Sloan, provides an awesome pattern for free! They are also sharing favorite memories, recipes etc based on the theme for the day. Check it out.

Here are the projects I've made so far, the tree has since had buttons added, but I need to get a few more to fully embellish it, I'm using them as ornaments, and to tack down the prairie points. It's quilt as you go too! So its quick and fully done before you know it. Check it out here




Little Bit helped with the stitching on the middle one. I punched the needle, and she'd pull it through. She got a real kick out of it. Since I was thinking of embroidering some tea towels for mom for Christmas/her birthday, I think I'll do it for sure and she can help. Don't grandparents love things kids make?

I was reading memories of Christmas Trees and I have a bunch of those. One the silliest is when we were away the day after Christmas and kept getting called about the alarm going off in the house. Turns out the ornaments were falling of the tree setting of the motion detectors. This took several trips by our neighbour and the police to figure out. Not good, but now funny, because at first everyone thought it was a spider in front of the detector because, well there was one when they got there the first time, but even after it was suitably disposed of, the alarm kept going off.
Another year the tree came crashing down, fully decorated. Luckily we only lost a few ornaments, as mom never really believed in having much breakables with four kids around. After that we took to stringing, well string, at the top of the tree and tacking it to the wall/door frame, as safety cables.
When I hit high school I moved into my brother's old room, he'd moved out the year before, in the basement as it was big enough to hold a queen size bed and I had out grown my single, and at the time we didn't know I was finished growing already.
So I ended up buying my own little tree for down there maybe the next year or something, and since I was of course broke after buying the tree, I could only afford to decorate it in those tacky little red bows and tinsel, and a few left over ornaments from the big tree upstairs.

Now that I have my own apartment and family we have a little fake tree that gets done up quite nice every year if I do say so myself. I had a big one in my old apartment but their just isn't room for it here at this one, even though it is actually a bigger place, just not laid out to have extra room for a 6 ft tree.

Little Bit is chomping at the bit, waiting for the snow to come. She loves the stuff, and can't wait. I promised her we would put up the tree when the snow came, I hope she doesn't remember lol. I would like to wait until December 1st, tradition etc, but mostly I'm not ready for snow!

Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day here in Canada, Veteran's Day in the US, and Armistice Day in the UK, and across the world people will stop and be in silence for 2 minutes on the 11th hour, on the 11th day, on the 11th month to remember all you have fought, and died, in all war. This is the first year were there are no World War I vets at most ceremonies, as there are only believed to be maybe 5 or 6 left in the world.


This poem was written during the First World War by a Canadian soldier, who did not make it home. It is inscribed on the back of our 10 dollar bill, and every school child is taught it at school.

One day I will have to share my pictures and memories of a trip to France, were we traveled many battle site, more cemeteries and the amazing stories and things we saw, including a women tending Canadian graves for 55 years, at the time, as she had since they brought them injured through town in Bayeux.

Today is not only for the World Wars though, it is to remember ALL veterans of ALL conflicts, Korea, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and all members of our peace keeping forces who have given their lives to our great nation's service, and for the dream of a peaceful world for all.

Sickie Sicks

So Little Bit got hit again on Thursday night/Friday morning with a bug. The fever didn't last long, and she had to go see bio dad, but this morning it was back so she is home sick from school.
I was hit some yesterday, and ended up sleeping til 4:30 in the afternoon, and went back to bed at midnight.
I'm still sleepy, and very fuzzy headed but of course what child actually sleeps when their sick? Not mine, I've just browbeaten her into taking a nap or quiet time, if she wants me to consider letting her go skating with Grandma tonight. But she's up again, so no nap for me...more tea lol.

I've not felt well enough to tackle anything large but I did make another small Tumbler quilt top, or mini top anyway. I cracked open one of the few unopened Moda tin samplers I had left, this one was Inspiration, which had 4 2.5 fabric packs. I used the Kansas Troubles and Barbra Brackman's line, to create this 16.5" x 12" mini top. I haven't decided if I will keep the edges or cut them off and just deal with a straight edge.


I really do prefer the smaller size tumblers. There are 72 tumbler patches.
I think I may buy a layer cake and see what I can't do with it, maybe make a set of matching place mats? I'll have to try to find one with out a lot of stripes, because they really stick out to me, though that could also be because they're from the lighter of the two lines. I really felt that the KT needed something to lighten it up, otherwise I find it kind of depressing, and the Seneca Falls line was still a reproduction line, but not with the same almost tea dyed look.

For my moment for the weekend, DH and Little Bit and the mass of things on the island in my kitchen that serves as general storage, file cabinet, lunch bag holders, etc etc etc.


I really feel uncomfortable showing the mess but hey that's what moments is about. Being real and not Photoshopping life to some unrealistic ideal of what life should look like, but what is. Not that I wouldn't love a magazine spread for a house, or maybe I would, but between my illnesses, Little Bit's needs, and DH's aversion to housework, well that's what it looks like til I get so fed up and reorganize, and that will last all of one week, maybe.

I'm rambling. I need more tea!

More Pin Cushion

Go check out Quilt Hallow for a chance at winning a beautiful table topper/tree skirt.

The weather here is poohy today, actual hail between light showers and teasing glimpses of sun, so I've not felt like doing much at all, and I'm hurting more then the pain pills are helping so sleep is out of the question.

I decided to make another pin cushion since nothing else really called to me, and I honestly wouldn't trust myself with a rotary cutter right feeling this out of it. I stuffed about a cup of the crushed shells into this one so it is quite a bit firmer then the last one, which feels like a fuller bean bag.



I managed to get a better picture of my pins, with some detail showing up! No idea how it happened, when all the ones I tried never worked but I'll take it and play some more.


Sad news is I only have enough shells left for one more cushion. :(
Good news, I can get the stuff easy, close by, for cheap :)

Picture swiped from FQS
Anyone out there who has seen/has the Rouenneries faded red paisley, I need some help in matching/identifying the blue/grey/slate colour in the paisley, or the brown in the roche(dark grey) paisley. I think either one of those would really set off a quilt done in the line but I can't really see it/match it, and can't get out to the quilt shops for awhile, so was hoping to order some online, but I just can't match it well on the screen. I think it might suit Chocolate, Vienna Nights, or maybe Anticipation, all older lines(2005ish) from Moda. The picture makes it look like the roche but it isn't a match, I checked lol. The paisley is a really interesting print as it has an olive green in it too.

I, of course, am getting sleepy now that Little Bit will be home in 45 minutes so I'd better go make myself some stong tea.

Couldn't Wait

So last night after I finished my blog post, and generally got ready for bed it happened. I tried to resist, really. But they looked so cute! So I dug out the scraps of Cornicopia from this
and decided I had to make just one. At least before bed. Later today, probably more.
I didn't fill it as much as I'd like, I have no funnel though. Which I can't quite understand, I thought I had a funnel or two, but they are no where to be found, so I may be just crazy cause DH says he's never seen one here. Oh well. I put some of my pin toppers on. I love pumpkins, so this made me happy, and the little snowman, he was quite a bit of work, but cute I think.



I'm definitely going to have to make some more of these Tuffets. And get the new set of patterns when it comes out.
I don't know that this will replace my mini quilts, but it is a cute way to use and keep scraps from a fabric line used in another quilt, especially if they're only little/narrow pieces.

Mail Delivery

So my package finally arrived from Craft Town. The one I ordered October 6th? For my October Schnibble? Yeah that one. To be fair they had called and said the Rouenneries yardage would be in "soon", like next week? oh yes. Ok, just ship it all when it's ready, but if it's late just send the rest and the yardage separately. The whole order was supposed to be put aside. Well it finally shipped last week, with yardage but without one of the charm packs, which apparently had sold out, AFTER it was supposed to have been put in my order and set aside. Hmmm...ok, at least it was refunded. Oh well. I'll just think before ordering next time anything that isn't in store right then. The price was good too, so no more complaining.
It's here now and that is all that matters. It's not like anything hinged on me having this fabric, I managed to figure out the Cindy Lou Who pattern without the pattern for the Schnibbles parade, and even if I hadn't it is not the end of the world. Life.


I can't wait to make the Tuffets, hopefully will get better pics of the pin toppers and maybe actually get everything set up nicely. DH made fun of me for buying my crushed walnut shells online instead of going to either the pet store or big box hardware store. Apparently you can get big bags of it cheap.
Who knew? Obviously not me lol.
Not that the shells cost much, 1.50 for a lbs. And in reading the pattern Carrie mentions you can get them cheap in a big bag at the pet store. Now I know.

I have no idea what to do with my Rouenneries charm packs now, and since I only got about 1/2 yard of the two fabrics, I don't know what I'll do with them. I saw a Cindy Lou Who in Rouenneries and didn't love it as much as I thought I would, it's lovely but not the wow I was thinking. So I think I'll put them away and maybe another of the Schnibbles patterns will fit.
Ok maybe not put away, you can't pet things when they're actually put away.
So FYI, there are 24 'darks' and 18 'lights' in one of the charm packs, counting the oyster as dark.

I ordered the fabrics and pattern for November's Schnibble, Picnic, from Quilt Taffy. I didn't get the kit because it was several dollars more then putting it together for myself, which irritates me but that is a different rant. I got a 60 pack of American Jane fabrics, not the Moda charm packs, so it won't be as scrappy but I think I'll like it better for this pattern. There are 4 of each of the prints. I also got some cream/white material for the background.


I don't know why, but I've been feeling inclined to try different online stores lately. No reason, just trying new things, looking for better prices, seeing if I can get things faster. Must be part of my general boredom lol. I can't wait to be able to go grocery shopping etc with out worrying about being able to get things up to the apartment. I've been feeling coped up, even though I go out with DH to all of Little Bit's things in the evenings.

Quick question to my crafty friends, anyone know how to transfer a pattern ontop a dish towel for stitching/embroidery? Transfer paper?

Twas a the day after Halloween....

...and the new start of Standard time...and I'm sleepy because small children do wake up to the clock, anymore then cows do.

Little Bit went out Trick 'o Treating with my brother's girlfriend's two children, with them and DH for company. I stayed back at their house to give out candy, which didn't take much as there were only 4 or 5 groups of kids in the 2 hours I was there. Not much but they were cute.
My dad actually came out and saw the kids and spent the time talking to me, which was hard because the brain fog was really bad yesterday and I really couldn't string together a coherent conversation.
Little Bit was Princess Aurora, I ended up buying this costume, I'll finish the other and give it to her at Christmas as a new dress up dress.
The other two were a witch and Belle. The little one dress up as a witch has the most expressive face, and is too smart for her and everyone elses good.
And in the interest of Moments I didn't crop out the mess in my hall way in the picture of Little Bit.




I dressed up in the same medieval wench costume that I have since my mom made it for me 12 or 13 years ago. My headdress was quite popular this year lol.



Here is Little Bit's Poochie designed by the awesome Happy Zombie. DH carried a larger bag so she could empty her loot out and not have such a heavy bag. I made this kind of quick so it's not the best example but this pattern is easy and really nice way to show off some of your fav FQs. I used ribbon for the handles instead of making fabric ones.

I figure that Little Bit can use this at Halloween for the next few years.