Hopping over to say . . .

Warm greetings and best wishes from our Lilypad to yours! Here's hoping that 2012 will be a happy and healthy year for all of us!

Love,

Check out the sales at our Sponsors!

Just a quick note, since I know everyone is super busy -- be sure to check out the sales that are going on at our sponsors, OK? They help us keep the fun going here at the Lilypad!

Green Fairy Quilts is offering 30% off of everything --- bundles, jelly rolls, layer cakes --- even the new arrivals! If you have had your eye on something in their shop, you had better scoot over there and snatch it up!

Fat Quarter Shop has some incredible deals in their Huge Year End Sale, so click through and check it out! You'll be amazed . . . many of their bundles (and yardage, too) is marked 50% off! (I just spent an enjoyable time, shopping their sale, and used my gift certificate from the Christmas Quilt Show at SewCalGal's to buy some goodies! More on that when they arrive!)

(Looking forward to seeing this bundle up close and personal!)

Here's wishing all of our sponsors, and all of you, a very happy and healthy New Year. As we say down here in the South, "May God bless you real good!"

Love,

Merry Christmas to all of the Lilypadquilting community!

(Picture courtesy of Nichol, at A Desert Quilter blog) 

 

Just wanted to let all of you know that I'll be taking a "time out" from blogging for a few days . . . I have some gifties to finish, and some baking to do, and I also want to spend some quality time with my sweet family!

I'll be back soon, and I'll have some progress on my "Blossom" quilt, using the Butterscotch and Rose line --- I'll even show you on the OleFrogEyes wall, how it is coming along! I promise!

Till then, my wish for all of you, is a very merry Christmas, and a healthy and happy new year in 2012! And happy Hanukkah to all of you who started celebrating the Festival of Lights on Tuesday! (I'm looking forward to veggie latkes and challah in our meals today - Yum!)

Blessings and much love to all of you!

Love,

A Christmas Update on Malawi

What do you think of, when you consider what you might be giving or getting for Christmas?

Does your list include soap? How about corn, or peas?

Many of you special Lilypad quilters participated in the Destash for Malawi effort earlier this year. I thought that you would like to see an update from the mission effort there. 

The Kropfs are making their Christmas distribution to the children and adults that they minister to, and you can see the food, clothing, and other items that the people receive - you might even see some of your fabric in one of the pictures!

Please go to this link and read Anita's post - I promise you will be blessed, and your Christmas will be all the merrier! And thanks again to all who donated thread, fabric, and more, to our Destash effort!

Love,

A finish and an epiphany!

If you have been following Lilypadquilting for a while, you have seen pictures of the progress on my Roanoke Star table topper . . . designed and sewn by "moi" (imagine that said in a flirty, Miss Piggy voice) using Accuquilt dies --- the chisel die and the 3.5 inch half square triangle die, to be specific. (I was going to post it on Ole Frog Eyes, but I discovered that when I sewed the binding on, I got two of the corners a little wonky, so it didn't make a good photo for use on the site.)

It has been a labor of love to get this done in time for Christmas! And by that I mean I have loved every minute of it! Here is a picture of the completed topper:

Yay!! I quilted it by hand, using Presencia Finca thread in gorgeous red and green colors. I really like how this thread handles -- it is super strong, and doesn't shred during handquilting. It keeps pulling through the fabric and batting with no issues!

I'm going to show you another picture, from a different angle (can you tell I'm proud of this project?):

"Here is a closeup of the stitches," she says bravely, hoping that no one will notice that they are not as tiny as they could be, nor are they consistently the exact same size.

And you know me --- sometimes I love the way the back looks, as much as the front. I'd better correct that.  This time . . . I might like the back BETTER than the front!! Check it out:

Oh my gosh, I can't stand it . . . I gotta show you this one, too:

Well, the Roanoke Star show is over! But let me tell you about the epiphany that I mentioned, OK? On our virtual design wall, Ole Frog Eyes, we ask our subscribers to download the free software called Paint.net so that they can manipulate their photos just perfectly, for use on the site.

I've been using it for a while now, and I love it! I find new things to use all the time, and I wanted to share this with you, in case you'd like to use it on your own blogs, or your Flickr photostreams . . .

Did you notice that on my photos today, there was a small line of text that identified each one as belonging to Lilypadquilting? Cool, huh? You simply click on the button with a capital "T" (for text, of course) and then choose a font and a size. Then click on your picture where you'd like to add your text, and type away! The only change I made, other than to choose the font, was to change the color. I was pretty confident that the black (default) was not going to show up well on my pictures. So, I clicked on the little arrow to reverse the color choice, and used the "secondary" color -- white. I really like how it turned out.

Awesome software, that Paint.net! I think you will like it, too - I'm not getting any credit for tooting their horn; I just like the package, so if you want to check it out, just go to this link.

Have a stupendous day!

Love,

Accuquilt Christmas BlogHop Winner!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Accuquilt Christmas blog hop!! It was great fun, and SewCalGal did a fabulous job of organizing and promoting it.

It's time to announce the winner of the hotpad, and the kit to make another one to match!

Mr. Random stuck his little hand into the bowl and brought out

And number 108 is . . . 

Mrs. Pickles, who said:

So, Mrs. Pickles (love that nickname!) I'll be emailing you to get your shipping information, and the hotpad and kit will be winging their way to you!

Thank you so much, all of you who entered the giveaway, and thank you to those of you who said such kind things about the projects! I learned a lot of new candle scents that I would like to try, that's for sure! 

I hope that all of you are taking time to enjoy the special Christmas and Hanukkah seasons, and I'll be back tomorrow with a finish to show you!


Love, 

A Sunday Special

Hi everybody! I hope you are having a lovely Sunday --- hopefully it is a restful one! I wanted to show you something that I made just the other day . . . don't know why it took me so long to make it. Hmmm, guess I've been busy here at the Lilypad.

I won a kit over at Brooke's blog, Silly Mama Quilts, for a cute little pincushion. Brooke is one of the lively Quilted Fish team members --- personally, I am over the top in love with their projects and I would kill for love to get my hands on some Delighted fabrics, too! I've even got a guest post coming in January by one of their talented team, Jackie of Jackie's Art Quilts blog. Wow! You want to see some eye candy and some inspiration? Just click on those two linkies and visit Brooke and Jackie!  Go ahead - it will open in a new window, and then you can come back here!

Are you back now? OK, as I was saying, Brooke sent me a kit to make her cute bottlecap pincushion project, and I have not had a chance to put it together, till yesterday. Here it is:

Sorry about the lighting --- I am getting the hang of the macro setting, but lighting is a lesson for another day!
Isn't it the cutest thing? I have adapted it in a super-special-high-tech way for my sewing table . . .

My sewing table is a vintage metal top table, with wooden legs, so now my pins will be right where I can get them, and won't go rolling off the table!  It would have been nice if the magnet were color-coordinated, but hey, we can't have everything!

Thanks, Brooke, for a fun little project!

Hope you enjoyed this Sunday Special today.

Love,

Giveaway Winners!! Yep, there's two of the little rascals!

If you are looking for our Accuquilt Christmas Bloghop giveaway, just click on that link and POOF --- you'll magically be there! It closes on Sunday, so hurry!!

OK, pilgrims, we have had two giveaways going on here at the ole Lilypad, and I want to say, "Bless your pea-pickin' little hearts" cause you have really supported us here, and I've had a blast reading all of your comments! 

Well, the giveaway celebrating Quilting Gallery's fourth anniversary started first, and I enjoyed reading all of your comments about your favorite Christmas foods. Some of you were very dignified and calmly told me about the turkey you were looking forward to, or your mom or grandmom's signature recipe. Some of you had me giggling as you went wild over the goodies and desserts -- I swear, I think I gained weight just reading about all the delectable stuff that you're going to be wolfing down over the holidays! 

I think maybe after New Year's, we may implement a exercise-for-sewing regimen here . . . anybody want to join me in walking to earn sewing time? (Grin)

OK, now let's see who is going to win this charm pack of Terrain!!

Mr Random said:

And #326 was Quiltaholic, who said:

Yes, Quiltaholic, I am one of the guilty parties who uses the fruitcake for a door stop, but don't tell anybody else, OK?! (Grin)

Congratulations to our Party winner!!  I'll be emailing you for your shipping information, and this charm pack will be flying from my chubby fingers to your happy ones very soon!

Now, at the same time, we had the SewMamaSew Giveaway Day going on --- lots of fun all around the globe! I now know that the majority of our group will open one present on Christmas Eve, and that for many of you (and your kiddos) that present will be pajamas, and there will be a flurry of picture taking once those jammies are tried on! The rest of the gifties are held in reserve for the big day! You all had awesome senses of humor, and your comments were really great!

Now, let's see who gets to give the charm pack of So Sophie a new home!

Mr. Random chose:

And our 374th comment was from KatieQ of Katies Salt Marsh Path blog!

Congratulations! I'll email you momentarily, and then ship this fabric yumminess to you!!

My sincere thanks to everyone who stopped in to visit, clicked to follow, and left engaging comments for me to read! What fun!

By the way, stop in at the Quilting Gallery and at SewMamaSews, and let them know how much you enjoyed the bloghops that they sponsored, OK? It takes a lot of work to organize one, and they did a super job so that all of us could have a ball! Let them know you love 'em!

Love,

What was I thinking??

When I decided to host two giveaways, and then a bloghop with a giveaway, too? What was I thinking? LOL

Actually, I have had a ball --- I've enjoyed reading all of your comments (yes, I really do read each one) and I have tried to respond to many of them.

If you have not received a reply from me, please know that I have tried to keep up, I really have! But there have been hundreds, and then some of you have been no-reply bloggers, too. I can track down some of you, but there's just not enough time to do it all!

If you did not receive a reply from me, I'd like for you to consider two things:
         1. You might be a no-reply-blogger. Please check out
              SewCalGal's post on how to resolve this problem.
         2. If you are not a no-reply, it may just be that I was 
             inundated with comments that day. 
As much as it might help, I don't actually have a "Jeeves" to rely 
on, so I find it necessary to cook, clean, and comfort, just as many of you do, too! (Grin)

I want you all to know that I am honored that many of you have said that you like the content here at Lilypadquilting, and you have signed up to follow, too. I have tried to personally welcome as many of you as I could - thank you for your choice to follow here! I know there are a lot of quilty blogs out there, and I appreciate your being here at the Lilypad! I hope that you will continue to enjoy your visits . . . we have some neat things planned for the coming year. Guest posts, hops, and more!

I'm hoping to show you some progress soon, on my quilt that I am making from my Butterscotch and Rose bundle of fabric yumminess. Here is a sample of the prints, in a picture from our super sponsor, the Fat Quarter Shop:

I'll be posting blocks on Ole Frog Eyes so you can watch it grow!

Thanks for stopping by! Our giveaway winners will be announced tomorrow and Sunday!

Love,

Welcome, Accuquilt Christmas Bloghoppers!

Note: This giveaway is now closed....thank you so much for your interest!

So glad to have all of you visiting here at Lilypad Quilting!  A big thanks to SewCalGal for including me in the week of blogging, and to Accuquilt for the awesome giveaway over there!
My project for the Accuquilt Christmas Blog Hop is placemats!  And if you stick with me till the end, there's a bonus project, too!


Let's get started, shall we?  Hang on while I grab my coffee. You want some too? Sure, here you go!

First thing we need to do is delve into our stash and grab some Christmas-y fat quarters . . . if you're like me, it's difficult to cut into these babies! I'd rather pat them and talk to them, and just think up designs and projects --- but the sketches in my design book are not good presents for the folks on my list!

Now, once we've pulled out a good mix, we'll get our trusty Go!Baby and our chisel die. Those who follow Lilypadquilting know that I am crazy about the possibilities with this die! You can do so many things with it!  Crank out some chisel shapes, like so:

I have in mind a scrappy look that I'm going for, so you can see I have a lot of variety, and a good bit of contrast in my selection. You can also see that I am challenged in the photography department, but that is a story for another day!

Now comes the fun! Take your chisels and try several different layouts. Mix them up and see what appeals to you, and try several options:

When you have a layout that pleases you, you'll go ahead and begin joining the chisel pieces. Pick up one from the bottom row, and the one directly above it, and pin them (right sides together) like so:

I know it looks wonky --- putting things right sides together sometimes challenges my logical mind, but hey, don't fight it . . . it will turn out alright in the end!

Sew a scant quarter inch seam, and iron. I pushed all of my seams to the darker fabric, and it worked out OK.

Now you should have several sets of strips. I chose to make my placemats a generous size . . . I used six joined strips. I figure why have a placemat that won't catch all the crumbs and accidents? Plus, I like to have room for a nice napkin, and the fork and spoon, and a glass or mug!
Here's how mine looked at this point:

Now you can sew your strips together, and then square it up. (Watch those fingers, now!) I squared mine up to a nice 9 inch by 18 inch rectangle.


Then I cut some 2 inch strips from a lovely Kona red, and sewed them to the top and bottom edges (the long edges) of my placemat. Here is what I had, then:

At this point, it is time to get a rectangle of batting, and some fabric for the back of the placemat, and make your "sandwich." I wanted the fabrics to shine, so I just quilted in the ditch -- but I'll betcha that you folks that can free motion quilt can do some fancy quiltin' here!

Go ahead; call me crazy -- I love that macro setting! Hey! (Pouting) I didn't really mean for you to call me crazy!

Lastly, you'll want to bind your placemat, and then you're done. Except that now you need to make some more, so you can have a complete set!
Here is my finished placemat . . . 

And here is a picture of it being used:

Sincere apologies to those who were looking forward to a fancy-schmansy tablescape, here --- I let Jeeves have the day off today! (You have to imagine that said in a really snooty voice.)

Now, about that bonus project I promised you . . . I had some chisels left over, and I dreamed this up:

It's a hotpad! (Or a potholder . . . I guess it's your choice what you want to call it.) I used some charm squares of Christmas fabric to make the background, 

and then sliced and diced my chisels 

and some half square triangles that I had left over, too. 

I used some LapelStik to adhere the "candle," "flame," and "candlestand" to the hotpad front, and then used a blanket stitch on my machine to applique them on. I'd just like to see those babies try to get off of there, now! (Grin)

Then it's sandwich time!

No, not that kind! The kind where you slap together some batting, your Insul-bright, and your front and back pieces of the hotpad!

I actually used a layer of batting on either side of the Insul-Bright, and I like how the quilting looks!


Would you like to have this hotpad that I made, and a kit to make another one just like this? That is my giveaway for the bloghop!  Just leave me a comment telling me what candle fragrance you like best. I love my followers, so if you are an old follower or a new one, you can have a second entry!  We'll choose a winner on Sunday.


I hope you enjoyed your visit to Lilypadquilting! Don't forget to enter the Go!Baby giveaway at SewCalGal's blog!! 


And just in case you missed any of them, here are the bloggers for this week of fun!

Monday, December 12th

• SewCalGal

Tuesday, December 13th

• Leona's Quilting Adventure
• Cherry (Cherry Bossoms)

Wednesday, December 14th

• Terrie (Bits & Pieces)
• Nancy (Tattered Garden)

Thursday, December 15th

• Katrina (Sunshower Quilts)
• Jacque (Lily Pad Quilting)

Friday, December 16th

• SewCalGal
• Paulette (Sweet P Quilting and Creations)

I had so much fun making these projects that I think they qualified as "Minutes for Me" and I'm linking up with Marcia at the linky party!
I'm also linking up with Katherine's Corner, for the Thursday Favorite Things party! Check it out! 
And since I am loving the fun of linky parties, I'm also at The Shady Porch's Rock -n- Share party, too! Fun!


Love,