It's give-away time and a new tiny world make-do pincushion

Close-up of mushrooms and grasshopper in Flora and Fauna, Parts of the Garden

It is day one of Quilting Gallery's Blog Hop Party With Give-Aways and I am a participating blogger. This means I have a lovely give-away that you could win (more about it in a little bit). If you got to my blog via Quilting Gallery you already know about this event. If you are here because you follow my blog just click on the Blog Hop Party With Give-Aways button on the right side bar and you will be taken to a list of all participating blogs (the list will be up in the late afternoon on November 21). Every participating blog will have its own a give-away. What fun and it is a great opportunity to discover new blogs and maybe win a prize!

My blog is less than a year old and I hope you have enjoyed what I've done so far. Have you had a chance to read my booklets on English paper piecing? If not check them out under the tab English Paper Piecing and Hexagon Fun. They are free and loaded with helpful tips! You can learn how to make lovely blocks like this!

Stars in the Loft close-up

Make a few more and you could have a quilt like my Stars in the Loft! I've entered in in Hancock's of Paducah's Quilt Contest. You can see all of the gorgeous entries here and vote for your favourites!

Stars in the Loft

I hope you'll take a tour of my Gallery where you'll find pictures of some of the quilts I've completed.

Stars in the Loft centre medallion

Learn how to make little bees to embellish your quilts! There's a honey of a demo under Tutorials and Tips. During the Blog Hop Party week I'll be showing you how to make a grasshopper!

I also have a Tiny World Pincushion Gallery. The basic pattern was designed by Mimi Kirchner. Her instructions are clear and very well illustrated. Once you learn the basics you can let your imagination run wild. I've made so many tiny worlds and there are more in the works. Here is a picture of my most recent creation. I found a lovely little milk glass bowl in the local thrift shop.

And here's a close-up. These little gems aren't just pretty little tchotchkes....they are working pincushions!

Mimi is wonderfully creative. She has a blog and an Etsy shop where you an buy her whimsical creations and her patterns. Check out her muscle men on her blog - they are guaranteed to put a smile on your face!

Now for the give-away! Mimi has donated a Tiny World Make-Do Pincushion Pattern for my give-away. The pattern is a pdf format and it will be emailed by Mimi to the lucky winner. To enter the give-away just leave a comment below. No-reply/anonymous blogger comments won't be entered in the draw unless a email address is provided in the comment. For an extra chance to win follow me on Bloglovin (if you are already a follower with an email address you are already entered). The winner will be announced in my November 27 blog post. Good luck!

NOTE: Those of you who are Google+ users appear to be showing up as "no-reply" so I have no way to contact you if you win the draw so please make sure your email address is included in the comment!  Thanks!

I've got lots to share with you over the next several days so I hope you'll drop by for a visit and see what's new! Until I post again, happy sewing!

Mummies, Another Tiny World Teacup Pincushion and Frixion pen refills

Boo! It is Halloween today! If you are looking for a scary treat for kids pop on over to Pots and Pins for her "mummy dogs" recipe! I think veggie dogs would be a great meatless alternative!

Last night I finished another Tiny World Make-Do Pincushion. The basic pattern is available from Mimi Kirchner. Mimi is wonderfully inventive and she has all kinds of interesting delights for the eyes. I really like her tattooed men! They are a great way to use toile type prints! If you haven't visited her site I encourage you to do so! It will put a smile on your face. But I digress. My latest Tiny World Make-Do Pincushion is called Rosedawn Cottage. The teacup is from Johnson Bros. in England and the name of the line is Rosedawn!

This is the little cottage in the cup sitting on Hexagon and Blue Star.

Rosedawn Cottage

I like my trees with trunks!

Rosedawn Cottage Close-up

Do you use Frixion pens made by Pilot? I do and I really like them but what I don't like is throwing out the whole new pen when it runs out of ink. It is so wasteful because the clicker pen casing is perfectly good. The solution is to buy refills! I bought mine from Grand & Toy/Office Depot and they are fairly reasonably priced. A set of two pens will cost about $5.50 which works out to $2.75 each. The refills are $1.60 so that is much better!

Enough procrastinating. It is time to put the borders on Hexagon and Blue Star so until I post again, happy sewing!

Another teacup pincushion

I just finished a new tiny world make-do teacup pincushion. The basic idea is taken from a pattern by Mimi Kirchner.  I had a teacup with an outdoorsy feel so I wanted to make a log cabin in the woods.

I found a sweater at the Salvation Army Thrift Shop. It was brand new with the original price tags still attached. It very shaggy and it reminded me of dried grasses. It cost a few dollars so I bought it!

And while snooping through one of my Mom's sewing drawers I found these tiny deer. The perfect finishing touch!

 

 

So here it is, my Log Cabin Teacup Pincushion!

 

My newest Tiny World Make-do Pincushion



 



The original pattern doesn't call for a chimney but I've been making them for most of my houses because I think it adds a little extra something. Another addition not in the pattern is all of my trees have little brown trunks! There isn't a lot of room for pins but I don't care! I like my little pincushion and I think it will be very happy in the tiny world that I am building!

 

Yesterday there was a neighbourhood yard sale and I found another pretty little teacup. I think it might just be turned into a pretty pincushion with  a pastel cottage!

 

 

I've got do do some quilting for my Mom today so there are no hexagons today but in the next few days I'll have more ideas for you to try out! Right now Mom's African wall hanging beckons. I'll post a picture of it tomorrow.

 

I'll leave you with some pictures from the garden.

 

Gas Plant

Gas Plant Close-up

Bearded Iris

Yellow Flag (a pond plant)



Until I post again, happy sewing!

A new little house in the neighbourhood!

Yesterday my Janome was out of commission so it was a hand sewing day. I decided to make another Tiny World Make-Do Pincushion (the basic pattern is by Mimi Kirchner). I started a teacup and saucer and a remnant of olive green velveteen.

I covered the fibre ball with the olive green velveteen and stitched down the walkway using the darkest of the olive velveteen. Two strands of variegated floss to embroider all the little flowers!
 

 

I made a little house with a leaf roof and some little trees and bushes. And here is my new little cottage! I love these little treasures. They are so darned cute!

 

 

The tree and bushes are attached to stick pins so I will be able to do some landscaping!

I want to make another teacup pincushion! Here’s another teacup and saucer from the thrift shop. I love the outdoorsy look of the set so I think it will have a woodsy theme! I might have to visit the thrift shop for a sweater that can be cut up to cover the ball!

 

I was snooping in my Mom’s sewing room and found these two tiny deer. I asked if I could have them and she said yes so they will fit in perfectly in the next teacup!

 

For the record, I come by my desire to snoop honestly. I inherited the snooping gene from my Mom who could snoop for Canada at the Olympics! For example, Mom used to care for my daughter when she was very little and I was at work. She would say to my daughter let’s go to Ollie’s house and snoop! Ollie was Mom's sister and Ollie was out! And snoop they did! Ollie knew they were doing it and didn’t mind. So now my daughter is grown and when she comes to visit, guess what she does?  She snoops and usually leaves with an assortment of treasures found when snooping and subsequently given to her by me or my Mom! Snooping pays!

In keeping with the theme of little things, this is a miniature quilt that I made in 2002. I cut and machine pieces each block. It was not paper pieced. The finished quilt measures 9 1/2" by 11". I think one day I might want to make a large album quilt but I've got a few other things to do first!

 

And now for some loveliness from the garden this afternoon!

 

 

Until I post again, happy sewing!