Here she be.

I here by vow to try my very derndest to get these babies out on time from now on. This is June's (oops) Common Threads quilt block for Melissa.

I used this stuff for the first time when pressing this.

It's a starch alternative that I got at JoAnn. I dig it. I think I'll be using it frequently. I don't know what you more experienced quilters think about this sort of thing but my seams need all the help they can get. They're not always what you call "straight."
So July was my month and I've received two awesome blocks so far. I can't wait for the rest to roll in!

Checking Stuff Off

I'm going back to work in a week and a half and there is much yet to be done. I have squandered my hiatus. I will admit it! But for the rest of my time off I'm going to make an effort to be better. I have a to-do list! And there are already things being crossed off of it. I even got my hair cut and went to the dentist this week. Not only that but I also finished my first Common Threads quilt square! Late, I know and for that I am truly sorry. Sorry Rebekah, I'll try to be better in the future!

Yesterday I decided to buckle down and do this thing. I drew up a little plan and here you go.

Kind of boring? Maybe. I was trying to keep it from being too busy because it is just one of twelve blocks in a quilt. I wanted it to blend in. This was kind of hard! Rebekah sent out red, black and white fabric but my bundle only had red and black. She didn't say anything about using additional fabrics so I stuck to the hand I was dealt. Definitely a little out of my element. When I finished I thought it was a little "ugh". But I reminded myself of my original intention. This is not a stand-alone piece, it's part of a much bigger whole and I think that it will blend in quite nicely. I hope Rebekah thinks the same!

Common Threads

I've recently been asked to join a virtual quilting bee a la "The Virtual Quilting Bee." I really love this idea and I'm very excited to participate in something with a group of quilters who seem to share a lot of my design sensibilities. And speaking of which, I just wrote a long-ass post on the bee's blog all about what I do and don't like in my quilts with little sprinklings of how I discovered my style. Please read and share your own design story, I'd love to know! For many of you it will be much more than you ever wanted to know about me+quilting. But it was really fun to write and interesting for me to put the story of how my quilt style and tastes developed into words. I've found that with many creative endeavors, so much is internal and that you can learn a lot about your process and the way you think by trying to put it all into words.

The "bee" is called "Common Threads" and I will certainly post here about the blocks I make for it. And to anyone who thinks this sounds like fun and is sad they are not participating, please please please, start your own! Email a bunch of bloggers that you like and get to quilting! I certainly didn't think to do that after seeing bloggy ladies join together for the first bee. I just pouted and wished I could join in. But don't be like me! It's such a great idea and really encompasses one of the most appealing aspects of craft blogging which is connecting with other crafters. I have next to zero friends in the real world who do what I do. It's so fun to meet and share with people who have a common interest. But you knew that already! You're smart.

Recent Acquisitions

Exciting...
More exciting...
Most, best, super exciting!
Is this some kind of joke? I really don't understand how I could be so lucky as to get a beautiful quilt that I absolutely love and suits my tastes so perfectly not once, but twice! I really am blown away. The quilt is from fabulous Maritza.
Poking around on the internet recently, I saw this quilt that would be mine, and I read Maritza's unsure ponderings over whether its recipient would like it or not. She didn't know if it suited my tastes and I didn't give too many specifics about what I wanted. (I believe all I said was "no batiks, no novelty prints") Then I read something that Ashley of Dogged said here. That she was having the same dilemma as Maritza and wanted to come up with something her partner would like without a lot to go on. I realized that this situation felt very familiar.

I have never been one to make Christmas lists and when people ask me what I want for my birthday my usual response is "Oh, I don't know...surprise me!" Of course I don't really mean that, not exactly. I do want a surprise but I want a surprise that says "The giver of this gift has put so much thought into this that they have picked out the exact perfect gift that you didn't even know you wanted but now that you have it you can't imagine living without it!" That is my dream gift.

I know that's not very fair to you gift givers out there. I think my mom especially hates it. My sister Leigh has been known to buy her own gifts and get reimbursed later. And I am far from the perfect gift giver that I would like to be. I am a bit of a procrastinator. But I try! I'm sure you will agree that giving the perfect, thoughtful, surprise gift is even better than receiving one.

So anyway, I don't know Maritza any better than I knew Lynn last time around but I am pleased as punch that she sat down and created this truly beautiful, perfect little surprise just for me. I can't tell you how much I love it. I can't imagine receiving a better quilt.

And I couldn't let you go without sharing the rest of the treats Maritza gave me.
Some fabric covered buttons and a pack of the plain buttons that I can cover myself.
And one of her pocket squirrels! I love this little guy! So cute and you really can't go wrong when you're using this fabric.

Thank you again Maritza! You're great!

At Long Last

Have no fear, swap partner, the quilt is going out at lunch today. Not too bad, right? I hope she will forgive me.
Here it is.
A plaid quilt. I came up with the idea shortly after signing up for the swap and then chose the palette and fabrics based on my partner's preferences. The pink '30's reproduction fabric was my jumping off point. I originally envisioned this design using only two colors but I really love how it worked with three. Besides, I think that my partner is more of a three color kind of gal.
I used the birthing method instead of adding a binding. I really like doing this. I think the borderless look is very clean and modern. The simplicity of it really suits my style. I will admit that the term "birthing" definitely creeps me out. I know that child birth is a beautiful thing but I've heard that it is also messy and quite painful. Those are two things that I don't like to associate with my quilts. Plus, the word "birthing" sounds very cold and utilitarian to me, as opposed to "giving birth". Of course what do I know about it...you've seen my children.
The back of the quilt. Notice anything missing? Don't worry, here it is.
Another admission: I was a little perturbed about the mandatory label rule this time around. It felt a little like an infringement on my creativity. I was very unsure about how to incorporate a label that would work with this design and not detract from the simplicity of the quilt. I came up with this disappearing label. In its restful state, it mimics the diagonal pattern on the quilt top, and you can't tell that it is a label.
If you want to read it, you flip it to the front. When you want to admire either side of the quilt in its unmarred simplicity, flip the label to the opposite side. Easy as pie. I am very happy with this solution.
Using scraps from the quilt, I made a little matching card and a cookie.
I hope they are all well received. The quilt looks so pretty on my new pink wall, I wish it could stay here! But I know it is going to a loving, crafty home.

So Sorry

I'm officially a jerk. Doll quilts everywhere are making their way through the postal system. Except for mine. It's sitting at home, waiting impatiently to be quilted, quite embarrassed about its tardiness. I keep telling it that it shouldn't be embarrassed. This is all my fault. But the good news is I should be sending the little darling on its way tomorrow. Only a day late...not too bad! This is so different than the first Doll Quilt Swap. I wasn't working when I did that one and I had never made a doll quilt so I just couldn't wait to make mine and sent it out very soon after recieving my partner's name. This time around there were so many more distractions and much less time for crafting.
The quilt top is done. Here is a little sneaky peek.
I am very happy with it and I can't wait to show you the whole thing. The quilting itself shouldn't take too long...as I said, I'm hoping to get it out tomorrow!
Congratulations to all of you wonderful people who are able to meet deadlines. I hope your diligence is rewarded with equally prompt swap partners!

The Circle is Unbroken

I got a very special treat in the mail yesterday...
My very own doll quilt from the doll quilt swap! Can you believe it?
Lynn made this for me and I can't tell you how much I love it! It's amazing! It totally suits my tastes but at the same time it's not something that I would ever come up with! Isn't that wonderful? How does that happen?
I think that she did some sort of machine appliqueing here. What is that? I certainly know nothing about no machine applique! I am intrigued.
Lynn also sent some sweet treats that I recognize from my (near-daily) trips to Trader Joe's, the grocery store closest to my heart. Thank you so much Lynn, you are the total best! So so talented and creative.

This was my very first ever swap and I am so thrilled! I can't imagine a better experience. It's so wonderful to share craftiness with such talented people. I love it.

The Reviews Are In

I am a happy little camper! My Doll Quilt Swap partner Kristin recieved the package I sent, and it was well recieved. I am so excited! This swapping thing is great.
Since the puss is out of the bag, here are some pictures I took before sending off the quilt.
I am so happy with this experience. Isn't the internet awesome? Look who I'm asking...of course you're awesome! I heart you internet.
Now, this has gotten me super fired up to start some hand-quilting. I have a week and a half left of sweet sweet hiatus. Can I do it? Stay tuned.

A Suitable Swap

I couldn't help but jump right in to my doll quilting. I did a bit of snooping at my partner's blog and flickr page. I was very happy to find that we seem to share fairly similar tastes, at least I seem to like most everything that she likes. I guess I can't say that she necessarily likes the things that I do.
This is a great comfort to me. I was very worried that I would not be able to come up with a suitable swap that would leave both parties (myself and my swappee) happily satisfied with whatever I produced. This is a constant gift giving dilemma for me. Of course one always wants to give gifts that suit the recipient's tastes but in most cases we give what fits into our own interpretation of a giftee's tastes. We send their likes and dislikes through a filter of our own and whatever makes it through to the other side is an acceptable gift. I know that this is almost impossible to avoid yet it seems so silly when I think about how very very different my tastes are from those of some of the people I regularly exchange gifts with (I will name no names in so public a forum as this).
Maybe I have more of a conflict over this than others do. I hate to give people gifts from wish lists or things that they have specifically asked for. I love surprises and I love to surprise others. A gift is not something owed. I value the thought put into a gift so much more than the gift itself. I think perhaps I get a little carried away with this ideal of romantic gift giving and of course it has happened many times that I have made a mad dash for Amazon wish lists a week before Christmas because I have been unable to come up with anything else.
Am I rambling? It's ok, you can tell me if I am. Anyway, I've done it! I have finished my doll quilt swap doll quilt and will be sending it out tomorrow. I would like so much to post some pictures of it right now but I will resist. Well ok, I will leave you with this:
I love sweet little birds and I think that the person I am sending this to likes them as well. I hope so!
These little birds will be flying away to their new home and when they arrive I will share the pictures of the entire quilt.