humans aren't the only ones...

 While pruning back my jasmine, I found the sweetest little bird's nest.  Do you spot the selvage?  Humans aren't the only ones who cozy our nests with pretty bits of fabric.  I think this one is Jennifer Paginelli Sis Boom fabric just in case you're wondering...

I have been a little absent here.  There are a few things going on.  One is spring fever (hence the pruning!).  I've been sewing some but unfortunately I can't show the fruits of my labor just yet...you know those secret projects people annoyingly talk about.   I will tell you that after my post yearning to make harder quilts I was promptly commissioned with a quilt with 1300 triangles.  Yup...me and my big fat mouth.  It was fun, though, and only a few hairs turned gray in the process.  Pics to come after Quilt Market *wink*.

The not so secret project is still this guy...

He is not as much work as I feared a puppy would be.  That's not to say he isn't a handful. He is 100% Scottish Terrier.  Short Dog Syndrome.  He is keeping us on our toes!   He already knows Sit, Down, Play Dead, Shake, Drop It, Come, & High Five.   He really thinks he is hot stuff.  I have no idea where he got that impression, do you??

kiddie menu quilting

Two of my boys are picky eaters. Really picky. My husband is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I used to enjoy cooking "fancy stuff" and experimenting with new things (nugget of wisdom...grapefruit juice is not good for marinades) but it's hard to enjoy making a meal when there is no one but you to enjoy it. Harder still, when your failures are met with grumbling or silence. It has become easier just to throw in some chicken fingers...or a frozen pizza...or a hot dog. A sure bet. These are things that will be gobbled up and enjoyed by those around me, though I don't enjoy them much myself. I put the likes of my family over my enjoyment of cooking and now I just tell everyone I hate to cook.

I've been thinking lately about my quilting funk and why it's just not as fun as it was even a few months ago. I've been thinking it's going the way of cooking. My enjoyment is leaving me because I am doing patterns I *think* other people will like or I know how to write...not something that is new, different, or personally challenging. Now don't get me wrong...even for a person who will eat anything, it's nice to have pizza or chicken fingers to fill your belly SOMETIMES...just like it's nice to have a charm square quilt or a strip quilt just to have something to do with your hands. But when it comes down to what I want my grandchildren to see with my name on it, I want more. I want to spice things up. It might be an abject failure the likes of which have not been seen since my grapefruit chicken, but I want to make something challenging and unexpected. I want to make a masterpiece...one day. It might take years and a bunch of not-quite-right quilts to get there...but I want to shove aside that part of me that needs a finish or feels guilty for neglecting this blog which took so long build to make something I am proud to label with my name for the generations to come.  It might mean I never write another pattern.  It might mean I make 1 quilt a year instead of 20...which in turn might mean this blog crashes and burns.   Right now I don't know, but it's just something where I am going to be brave and stretch myself...even if it means a lot of ugly quilts along the way.

So here is to the 12 and up menu! Anybody know what's good?

pUPDATE

I'm going for truth-in-advertising on the blog post title...you know in case anyone hates cute puppies and doesn't care to hear about mine. 

 We are having an awesome time with the puppy...as you can clearly see.  He can actually sleep through the night.  He even does his business in the yard almost as soon as he goes outside.  With our last dog it took 30 minutes or so per potty break to get him to realize what to do because he had been started on papers.  This dog has used a dog door all his life and lemme tell ya...it makes a world of difference! 

 The son in the top picture goes into cute overload just like me.  Randomly I hear "mom WE GOT THE CUTEST PUPPY IN THE WORLD!!!." 

I am not deceived, though.  I can tell there is going to be a mischievous side.  He doesn't think I know there is a giant twig in his mouth here.  As if.

 He really likes shoes and I've had to spray bitters over our shoes.  The upside is that the child with cool light up spiderman shoes has a huge confidence boost because the dog is showing a huge interest in his shoes him.

 He knows that I don't allow children to touch the inside of a dog crate...and thus the dog crate is a welcome respite from the craziness.  I think I could use a crate, too!

 And there are plenty of toys to pick from but..

he seems to prefer the ratty dog towel.  Typical!

tribute mini quilt

If you have been reading a while you will remember our last dog Ewan who passed away in December.  I always knew we had a good vet but that experience showed me I have a GREAT vet....and not just Dr. Lenarduzzi, but the techs & receptionists, as well.  When Ewan passed away they shed tears along with us.  I was surprised at checkout when Renee, the receptionist, told me they were going to pay for the cremation since we had spent so much money on his treatment.  I was moved once again when I received a charity donation made in our dog's name to the Texas Veterinary Medical Association. It brought so much comfort to us to know that he had been in such capable, caring hands.

When I made my own version of a  Scottie block, I knew  would make a quilt for our family one day but it just felt right that the first block go to the Manvel Animal Clinic for as a thank you to them and a reminder of Ewan.  I decided to do a tribute mini.

 I did "mesh curtain" from the FMQ project for his hair and pebbling for the background.  It was fun to do the pebbling but WHEW...a lotta work.  I don't know if I have the stamina for a large quilt quilted with small pebbles.

I made a label (which I am ashamed to say I almost never do) that reads:

Made by Mary Lane Brown

in honor of our dog Ewan &

the loving care he received at 

Manvel Animal Clinic 2002-2011

Many thanks also to our honorary vet, Eris Deterding.  She is a friend of ours from college and she has given the honesty of a friend wrapped in the knowledge of a veterinarian.  If you live near Southaven, MS  and need a truly special person to care for your pets,  ask for Dr. D at Stateline Animal Clinic.  You won't regret it.

UPDATE: I took this quilt to the vet and they were so kind and hung it right away.  It is now over the doggie scale in the lobby.  It's pretty funny since Ewan would never stand still enough on the scale to get a good read.  Now his memorial stands guard on the vet scale!

double dose of cuteness...

Hey guys!

We are having so much fun with our puppy!  Here is a picture of Bosco:

He is doing very well with pottying and sleeping through the night.  He is really loving our boys.  Hayden said it best when he said "mom we picked the correctest dog" (he's 5).

And for those of you who want a picture of sewing stuff (on a quilting blog...imagine that...) check out my latest recipe on Moda Bake Shop.  I've whipped up some curtains.  Trust me, if I can do it, you can!

I wanted to say "so easy a quilter could do it" (you know, like the geico cavemen) but I realize most quilters can do more sewing techniques than a newbie like me.

Nervous.

Saturday we pick out our puppy.  For a while I was all:



But after the supplies were purchased, appointments made, and dog food was picked,  my energy had nowhere to go and turned into "OMG It's so fluffy WHAT IF IT DIES".  Anxiety.  The kind of anxiety I used to get when I would hold my breath to watch my babies breathe.  It's a good thing I never had triplets or I would have passed out from oxygen deprivation many a night! 


Not much sewing going on...I hope to be back in the saddle...er...seat very soon.  I'm a one track mind and right now that track is puppyville.  Do you have a one track mind, too?

Batting Battle: Fairfield Nature-fil Bamboo Batting

Today's Batting Battle is brought to you by the generosity of my bloggy friend and long arm quilter, Cindy. She writes a great blog called Tops to Treasures. Check her out!  She sent a box of scraps from long-arm projects and I will be reviewing them as I sew them up.

Today we have Nature-fil Bamboo Batting made by Fairfield (the same maker of the ubiquitous polyfil poly batting).   This is actually a blend of half bamboo, half organic cotton.  The bamboo is said to have natural anti-bacterial properties meaning the company is able to leave disinfecting chemicals out of the manufacturing process.  This is definitely something to consider if you have a chemical sensitive loved one or are making a quilt for someone who has a serious illness.  Bamboo is also said to be breathable & moisture wicking while retaining warmth.  If you've seen bamboo growing you know it can be quite invasive.  The upside is that this makes bamboo a very renewable resource.  Bamboo absorbs 2/3 more carbon dioxide and released 2/3 more oxygen than any plant on earth.  This product seems to be earth friendly.

  Cindy purchased this as a full-size batting in a bag at Joann.  Since I don't know the exact price I will be using the price at Amazon.   If you purchase at Joann, remember to use your super saver tips (and check the comments section of this post for more!).

The Cost Rundown

Nature-fil amazon price = $17.87/yard (90" width)
Warm &Natural= 10.37/yard (90" width)

The Feel

This is no contest.  The bamboo batting has a very silky hand.  It seems to fuzz more than the warm and natural.  The warm and natural is just downright nubby compared to the bamboo batting.  It could just be me, but it seems like Warm and Natural is not the same as it used to be.  Anyone else feel this way?  It just seems less consistently thick.

Quilting Distance

This batting needs to be quilted every 8".  Warm and Natural is every 10".  This batting is suitable for loosely quilted quilts...perfect for when you feel a little lazy or just want a softer, squishier quilt.

Shrinkage

I experienced about 1/2" shrinkage all around with my table runner.  In my experience this is the same level of shrinkage I would expect from Warm & Natural or Warm &White.

The pictures

 Here are the battings on my window.  As you can tell, they are of similar thickness.  I cut the squares different sizes this time...sorry, I was being lazy!

 The bamboo (top) is stretchier than the Warm batting.

 They both go back to their shape pretty well.  

All sewn up

 As you can see, this gave a nice "wrinkly" look like a cotton batting.

 Up close...

The Verdict

I would definitely use this batting again but the price will deter me.   It seems like it would be easier to hand quilt on than Warm batting (but I don't hand quilt, sorry I cannot give a true endorsement on that front).  I loved the feel of the batting but once it gets sandwiched between fabrics that is no longer a factor for me.  I am interested in the antibacterial properties and the earth friendly nature of this batting.  Perhaps if it becomes more popular it will also become more affordable.  If the price comes down to the same price of a similar cotton batting, I can see myself switching over to this full time.

Have you used this batting before?  Do you know anything about bamboo batting? Add your thoughts in the comments!

Nesting.

Our family is due for a new baby in 2 weeks and we are bubbling over with excitement.  Not much sewing is going on but I am trying to get the house as clean as I can in expectation of the chaos and mess to come.  Do you want to know what I am having???

Source: google.com via Jeanne on Pinterest

We're having a BOY...a scottish terrier, to be exact.  The kids wanted another dog like our last who passed away in December.  They are pretty sentimental just like their dad.  His name will be Bosco and we've already started stocking up on toys and new supplies.  Our other dog supplies had seen better days after almost 10 years of use!  Luckily for him being our 2nd dog, he will not be subjected to the indignity of doggie sweaters, doggie bathrobes, and doggie boots (yes, I cop to all those!).  I will be making him some bandanas, though. 

I hope all the stress and potty accidents are worth it.  I am hoping my twins helping out and teaching the dog to potty will cement their own mastery.  Little boys can be kind of gross on that front.  My husband and I are now feeling twinges of regret but I know that will be over once the dog is fully trained.  I feel like I have been toilet training someone or something for 10 years now!

And just a note for anyone who says "who not rescue?"  I looked into that and because we have children we are not eligible for the local breed rescue.  Also, our veterinarian friend discouraged that avenue due to having small children.  I love Scotties and ours was a faithful "big brother" to our boys but socialization and work goes into making a Scottie a family pet.  They can be aloof , stubborn, and cantankerous  unless they are "used to" something....sounds awfully familiar to me- probably why I love the breed so much! 

So, fellow pet owners...any great products I must buy or training tips I must know??

Ready to win some fabulous prizes???

It's time for the annual Accuquilt Barn Quilt Design Contest!

Where else can you win fabulous prizes for designing a block that you don't even have to sew???  You can create a block using a digital program or the old fashioned way.  There will be 100 winners to divvy up $6500 in prizes, including

• Grand Prize Package worth $3,450
• Runner-up Prize Package worth $550
• 100 Prize Packages for Top 100 Blocks

So what are you waiting for?  I am going to submit one and hope for the best...you should submit one too!  Click on the pics to find out the details and get started!

 

YO...or NO?

Y'all remember my dog who died of cancer in December?  Well, his 10th birthday was last week.  My kids are still upset.  We are getting a puppy in April but I wanted to do a tribute for Ewan by making a quilt for our family to all use...a big ol' couch quilt.  I don't know if I will do a pattern or not.  If there is interest, please let me know so I can decide.

Let me ask you...

Should I add a yo-yo collar..

or not?

And let me say this is not your grandma's scottie block.  I don't like those because as a person who lived with a scottie for 10 years, they leave out those things that are just so scottie...the eyebrows, that cute little beard, those skirt covered legs.  I drafted a pattern to add those favorite elements.  I didn't want a dark, mostly black quilt...but a fun one, so I added the sweaters to show off some prints and keep the quilt fun and full of HAPPY memories.

And I should never have to say this but this block is like my Houndstooth block or my Eli's Wheels block...it's extremely personal and sentimental.  If you can figure out how to make it on your own, please give credit where it is due and do not sell a pattern based on it.  I've noticed a lot of people doing that lately...change a measurement...change a name...BOOM...you just designed something.  It's not right and my quilting-world-kindness is wearing thin even when I am not the one who has been ripped off.  I'm sure most of you guys wouldn't dream of being such a heel but for the few bad apples I'm just putting it out there.   I'm blaming my grumpiness on being sick so much from these darn allergies...I even have developed a twitchy eye.  Nobody wants to mess with the lady who has a twitchy eye, right??  ;)