Happiness Is

Warm and Fuzzy

My picture taking skills – or, to be more accurate, my lack thereof – never cease to amaze me.  So, no, my house doesn’t actually  list to the right like the Titanic going down. 

Still, there’s the rag quilt, making me very happy.

This, too, is part of my current “use what you’ve got” impetus.  Many moons ago I was really into flannels.  And then, I wasn’t.  I’ve had two trash bags full of flannels sitting around for over a dozen years now. 

My sister got the rag die for the GO! and made a baby quilt for a co-worker.  That motivated me to pull out my flannels and she pulled out a bunch to make a lap quilt in blues.  I pulled out some pretty red and greens I had gotten with God only knows what purpose in mind.

I did buy a few more to fill in, about a yard and half’s worth perhaps, but all the rest came from the stash.  It just makes me happy to use them up and get a pretty Christmas throw that I love.  Here it is outside on the deck where the colors are a bit better.

Better but not perfect.  The colors are actually a bit deeper, the reds leaning to burgundy.  Still, you get the idea.  It’s so soft and warm.  Pure cuddle comfort.

And because I’m back in sewing room mode, I am finally getting to the Sew Cal Free Motion Challenge I signed up for at the beginning of the year.  Shame on me – I didn’t do a single month!  But I’m on it now.  And boy do I need to work on my free motion skills.  Here’s my take on the first tutorial – free motion leaves.

I’m supposed to write about what I learned doing this.  One: a reminder of what I already knew – I need to move the needle faster.  Two: I got better (though not good) at setting up the leaf shape.  I learned I needed to set up the stem line correctly or else things went, literally, pear-shaped.  Three: even when what I’ve got is not a thing of beauty, it’s still fun. 

Next month’s (which is to say Febuary 2012) tutorial is on feathers.  Exciting and scary, that.