Lovely mail and a trunk show

I recently participated in the Grow Your Blog Event hosted by Vicki at 2BagsFull. I found lots of interesting blogs and entered a few draws. I was very lucky and won two of them! Yesterday the first package arrived from Sheryl of Sewing After Seven. In it was the mermaid scissor pouch. But that wasn't all - Sheryl included the most beautiful scissor fob plus three skeins of floss.

The scissor pouch is perfect for embroidery scissors. It measures a very petite 2" by 4 1/2". Sheryl's work is exquisite. The pouch is embellished with unbelievable applique, embroidery and beading. The same is true for the scissor fob which is 1 1/2" square. I just have to share some pictures of these little treasures!

Front of mermaid scissor pouch

Back of mermaid scissor pouch

Scissor fob side A

Scissor fob side B

I was going to display these little works of art in my sewing room curio cabinet but Sheryl encouraged me to use them. She suggested putting a little plastic tube on the tip of my scissors to protect the pouch which is intended to be used!  I am very fortunate to have won and the pouch and fob will be treasured! If you would like to see some more of Sheryl's amazing pouches go here! They are amazing!

Angie in SoCal now has the border on her quilt! The batik fabric just glows! Isn't is amazing how something so simple can be so effective?

Skootchover embroidered an octagon around her centre modified hexagons and she echoed that shape in the ring. She used only two fabrics for the pieced border but they are used to very good effect!

Talb9999 used a directional print for her border. I am a huge fan of directional prints. You can add a lot of pizzazz to a quilt border or to a block with directional prints.

My heart is aflutter with Kat Lorien's butterfly quilt. The colours are so soft and spring-like. I think she plans to hang this in her sewing room when it is finished! We all owe a big thanks to Kat because she is the one who suggested that I do a QAL!

Deb Sew'n Sew's quilt is really coming along nicely. I love the teal - mauve combination. Again this is something I would never have thought of but it works wonderfully!

This one was posted by Kel at Always Applique. If you didn't love purple before I'll bet that you do now!

Mary Huey has created something special. I would never have thought of using a large scale print like this but I LOVE it! It reminds me of the curtains at a movie theatre! She posted a tutorial on her blog and she demonstrates making the pieced border with templates. You'll find it here.

Clare Clovis has created something very special here. Instead of piecing the border she appliqued the squares. She wrote that she intentionally overlapped the squares into the border fabric to create a unique effect.

Susan (Stitchin' Witch) has created a very soft looking block. Blue and soft gold is a wonderful combination. I love all of the Civil War type prints that she has used.

Heather the Happy Appliquer's sister-in-law is sewing along and this is her block. I love how it is evolving. I love these romantic prints. And doesn't her little bee just pop! Now where is Heather's quilt I wonder? UPDATE: Silly me! Heather was the first to post her quilt after I published Step 4! You can see her quilt here!

Nellie Durand's block is amazing! I love the subtleness of the pieced border against the dramatic striped border. Stripes add drama - good drama!

Nellie has a second quilt and she added a border of  "dancing squares". What a nice fresh quilt. I love the colour combination and the pieced border. If you would like to know how to add your own dancing squares border you are in luck because Nellie published a tutorial which you will find here. In fact she demonstrated the entire process including an alternate method of adding the ring.

GracieEr is taking her time making her quilts. Both have a bird theme and I love them. One will be a gift for her sister (lucky sister)! Can't wait to see them with the border.

Jean Cockburn has made several blocks and here are two of them at Step 3. Both blocks were beautiful before but with the addition of the rings and the background they are even better! I like the solid background - very effective and a great canvas for some nice quilting!

You can see all of these quilts and more at the Soupcon FLICKR Group! And it is less than a week until Step 5 of Soupcon will be published! Can't wait to see what you all do with it!

Also today is the last day for the Sew and Sow Farm Giveaway. It is a five day event and each day you can receive up to five chances to win. Today it is a veritable cornucopia of sewing treats! There are some fabulous prizes to be won so pop on over and be sure to enter. You could end up a lucky girl like me!

That's it for me for today! Until I post again happy sewing!

Karen H