candy land.

have you ever been to candy land?

it does exist!!

i was so overwhelmed on my first trip.
it was candy overload!!

there is an entire isle of moda marbles

and what feels like endless isles of flat folds
there are cotton/poly mixes for $2 a yard .. flannels.. knits... there is a lot for under $2 too!
digging is a part of the fun.. you can't tell what things are from the ends so there is lots of pulling and digging!!
the flat folds are the back half.. this is the front.
isles and isles of fabric.. new current stuff...
see... they even have the wide bolts, wovens, and pre-quilted...
this is the checkout.. and more piles you can dig through...
i told you.. it is like it never ends...

i usually avoid putting pictures of me on here.. cause well you are here for the quilts.. and pics of me.. well.. but i decided to give in.. just to prove that its me in the top one.. circa early 2007...


so where is this place? in LA... we learned about "M&L" in a local joanns... from a local quilter.. i asked where was a good place to get fabric and she sent me here.. with a warning ..

it is not a quilt shop.
they will not cut fat quarters.
there are limited notions and barely any patterns.
they don't know about quilting and can't help you.
the staff isn't very nice
there is no website, or newsletter
she said to lower your expectations on everything but the fabric.
i almost didn't go!!

she was right.. it is not a quilt shop.. but its fabric heaven!
as for the staff... they were not so bad on my last visit... but back in 2007... well.. ya know.


so candy land. seriously.
if you are in the LA area.
you have to go.

M&L Fabrics
3430 W Ball Rd
Anaheim, CA 92804-3709

wip wednesday... a bit late

as you can imagine things are a bit busy over here...
between work..the blog.. mbs tutorials.. wips..
there is a lot going on!

on top of it i am working on 3 samples for the shop..
they will be kits for the booth at
Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza XVI...
they have to be done.. quilted.. and at the shop by sept 5th!!

first is a kindergarten quilt...
simple and easy... made from a variety of kids/30s prints

the top is done.. i just need to piece the back and quilt it...

next is..

picnic made with a custom charm pack containing five fig tree lines..


cute but not fast... i have one block done for inspiration.. all my 1/2 sq triangles are sewn and half are pressed and trimmed...

the stack of yummyness waiting to be worked on...

and last is metro...
super sleek...
but this pattern suffers from over information...
there are cutting directions for every type of fabric.. and by block or by fabric.. its just pages and pages of information... once you sort out what you need it isn't that bad..


i've got 8 large blocks done and 10 to go..
and all 10 small blocks done..
they aren't that complicated... just time consuming with 17 pieces in the large blocks...
here is what it'll look like...
so i have a lot to do!!
and i didn't work on any of it today...

--
so what have i been working on?

a little bit of this..
and a little bit of that... something will be baking soon over at the moda bake shop!

nine patch. getting there!!

last weekend = productive
this past one = not so much

today is day 22 of round #2 of amanda jean's one block a day quilt along...
on 6/17 i was at 46... today i'm at 47.

but i have made some progress... i had a few marathon cutting sessions and i have 23 sets of squares waiting to be sewn...

and all my border squares cut...

so my goal.. is finish it in 2009...

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i did get started on my Good Ol' Summertime Mini Quilt Swap ... my partner gave me very little info... so i opened up my summer fun honey bun and started to have fun!

and here is what i have come up with so far... not sure where i'm going from here.. but i have a few ideas...
oh and for KJR.. i think wonky log cabin is the way i'm gonna go... so thanks for all of your suggestions!!

katie jump rope.

a while back i mentioned that i got a FQ bundle of katie jump rope...

well it still looks like this...

i can't decide what to make with it...

i love so many quilts i see that use KJR...

so help me...

what would you make with it?

and fyi.. i got it from pickled pear lane... great shop to work with... Marianne is super sweet!!

wip wednesday

its been a busy wednesday over here...

i haven't gotten much sewing done since the weekend...

but i did get a bit more done on one of my cider mill road projects...

history...

when i saw the cider mill road book i knew i needed it and i was going to make everything in it.. don't as me why.. i just knew.. i got the book as soon as it came in and also bought a TON of yardage... i'm talking minimum 1/2 yd cuts but over a yard of most.. and more of a few...

i started my working on two quilts and two table runners... the table runners were right from the book... for the quilts i made the blocks 75% of their size and did a 3x3 layout instead of 4x4... so in total we are looking at 28 apple blocks to make...

lots of cutting back in january...

quilt layout... i'm really glad i snapped this shot b/c there is no way i'd remember where i had each block planned...

one runner went to the shop as a sample to sell kits... i did the applique by machine so it was done quick... {we still have some if you want one... let me know}

not the case with the other 23 blocks... i decided with some encouraging from my dad to hand blanket stitch all the swirls, stems and leaves... i had no idea i'd still be working on it in august...

i also started on the tea towels and hot pads...

i got two done...

and 4 in the works... one more tea towel, one hot pad, and two aprons...

it has taken months but the hand work is done... blocks together... and borders on... only problem is this one is for my mom and her birthday is tomorrow... and it isn't quilted yet... but since she has waited over 7 months i know she can wait a bit more...

fyi-- i mitered my border corners... and took lots of pics to do a tutorial for you guys... lots of people are scared of mitered corners but they are so easy and look so good!!

so totals..

2 runners done.

2 small items done.

4 small ones to go.

2 quilts to go.

and various ones i haven't even cut or started yet!!

how are your wips going?

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oh and go check out modahomemom

and her new tutorial at the modabakeshop

aren't they adorable??

{the kids and the clothes}

so go check it out... because she also has a giveaway going on!!

happy monday!

i had a very productive weekend!

did you?
i vowed to spend 95% of my free time sewing and 5% of my time on the computer... it wasn't easy but well worth it!

i got the pincushions done for my giveaway winners! vicky & amy they will be on their way to you both today!

i stuffed my bakeshop pincushions with fiberfill to take all the pictures... but i knew that wasn't the best thing for pincushions... i just ran out of time... but i didn't want to send vicky & amy ones they couldn't use so i went on the hunt for crushed walnut shells... because they are apparently the best for pincushions... i also had heard you need to go to the pet store to get this stuff... well i don't have a pet and i've never been to a pet store... but i did this weekend... and apparently the actual purpose of crushed walnut shells is lizard litter... who knew?

i'll also be mailing out this cute yellow chick fabric today to julia she has an etsy store and a blog... we met earlier this year at Art Star Craft Bazaar.... i bought her dress from this tula pink fabric and i think she knew i was addicted to tula pink!! she offered to swap me all her scraps for some bright and fun fabric... her package arrived while i was away and i was excited to get it when i got home! then i was off to find a suitable swap fabric which i did on saturday...


last package going out today is to rachel.. just cause...an arcadia honeybun i got her at quilt festival... my patisserie pincushion... an aviary charm pack and some leftover simplicity layer cake squares... she knows about the honeybun... but not the rest... the pincushion is hers b/c the strips were hers!... but rach.. don't use it... cause its got fiberfill.. just stick it someplace to look pretty.. like near your lamp... and then the charm pack... well that charm pack has been sitting on my table for months talking to me and asking to be made into something... and i love it but i don't know what to make... and it told me i better use it or give it to someone that will... so rachel get out that matching mini honeybun and use this charm pack and layer cake squares ok? good. thanks.

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and best of all i finished my gypsy rose disappearing 9-patch topper!
kit from lani @ the quilt shoppe
pattern by rachel over @ modabakeshop


how it arrived... all cute and with a treat... but that isn't in the picture cause i ate it as soon as i opened it... i love skittles!!

blocks started like this...

and ended up like this...
i love it!!

it is a perfect size to be a topper or to lay over the back of the couch... or hang from a door...

sittin all pretty on the bench i made when i was 10.. or 11... somewhere around that age... all i know was i said dad i want to build a bench... all out of 2x4s!!!

again with the bench...with the pieced back peeking out...

here is how i did the back... i could have done it solid but i wanted to try something new...

instead of adding the label after the quilt was done i pieced it into the backing... i used 2" strips around it to frame it and then used the extra fabric from my sashing and binding... (if you want to do this make sure you cut your binding strips first so you make sure you have enough!)

and lastly... i just had to share this one... cause i think its funny... that would be me standing behind the quilt waving it around... one person photo shoots are fun!!
so did you have a productive weekend?
let me know!

another giveaway to tell you all about.. {ended}

amy.. aka park city girl has designed a rockin bag and is having a giveaway for two patterns...

go check it out!

and if you don't win.. you can go buy it on etsy!

have a good weekend!!

i'll be back monday with lots to share!!