Dare to Dresden--Wake up Sunshine!

I'm so excited to participate in another blog hop!  As soon as I saw this announced, I knew I wanted to do this project!  But first ... a little business ... and if you make it to the end, I'll have a little surprise for you :)

Thanks so much to Mdm. Samm and Christine at Quilt Monster in my Closet.  I'm always amazed and awed at the amount of time and positive energy our cheerleaders have for these projects.  THANK YOU.  I am in awe.  There is an amazing round-up of talented ladies today and for the next few days.  Go check them out, too!

A Reformed Heath'n (yay, you're here!)

Thimble Mouse & Spouse

Meadowbrook

Rosemary B

Stitch Duchess' Crazy & Sane Quilting World

Grammie Q's

Bumbleberry Stitches

Sunshine Girl

Spiral

Butjenter Quilter

Blooming Where I am Planted

Quilting Lodge

The Tilted Quilt

Life in the Scrappatch

Pretty Bobbins

In the Boon Docks

Sew Much and More

Threading My Way

Pink Ribbon Quilts

This is actually a project I made over the summer for my daughter, Sam.  Each year she attends Girls Camp with the Young Women's program at church.  It has become tradition for me to make a pillowcase for her to have her friends sign.  The leaders keep the theme for a camp a secret from the girls, soI always sneak behind her back and find out what it is so I can coordinate her little gifts.  Last year's theme was Arise & Shine Forth, from D&C 115:5, 

"Verily I say unto you all: 

Arise and shine forth, 

that thy light may be a standard for the nations."  

I knew just the thing ... but I had NO yellow in my stash, so I bought a few coordinating fat quarters. Then, I cut 20 wedges for each  ray of sunshine the full size of my Easy Dresden ruler from 8" strips ...

Next, I folded the edges over once and chain-stitched the hem on all the tops.

Here they are all laid out.  When I sewed them together I started from the outside so that all the edges lined up.  I knew I was covering the center, so little inconsistencies wouldn't matter :)

Then I cut out a piece of batting just barely smaller than the circle.  Up to this point I had never appliqued before, time was of the essence and I knew it would be well-used and washed over and over, so I just wanted the durability of the machine outline to attach the Sunshine to the background.  There was just a little of the batting showing on the edges which I carefully trimmed as close to the stitching as possible.  I wanted the texture on the sun, so it was a necessary evil.

If I had this to do again, I would hand-applique the center circle on--it would have looked a lot better, but it was OK.  The center piece, I printed onto freezer-paper-backed-fabric that I sent through my laser printer.

I simply quilted each ray of sunshine with a free-motion s-curve and I LOVE the way it turned out.

 I did make two pillow cases because Sam's best friend goes with her and I *love* them both.

Also last week, I used my EZ Dresden ruler yet again.  This time for my Stash Bee.  How timely of the queen bee to request this block in January :)  She posted her tutorial with the link to the original inspiration here if you're interested.  She doesn't want it finished, so it's a simple circle.

This is the third blog hop that I've participated in, so I thought that I'd try a give-away.  Because I do my blog on my own, just for fun, you get something I've made just for you :)  I made several of these little wristlets from Javajem's tutorial here.  I absolutely love mine.  I can put my cell phone, drivers license and a couple of other things and not carry around a big purse.

photo courtesy of JavaJem

Just leave a comment below (I know many of you will anyway ...) and I will have one of my kids pick a number out of a hat or a bowl or a basket or whatever on February 1st and let you all know what happens.  This giveaway is now closed--thanks to everyone!

Have a wonderful week!

I'm a Winner!

I've been meaning to post this for a couple of weeks now, but January is quickly falling from my grasp!  Last month I won two give-aways from blogs that I follow regularly.  How cool is that?

First up was this awesome fat quarter bundle of Joel Dewberry's new Notting Hill line.  Kelie from Craft Nurse Quilt and her sponsor, Caitlin of I Don't Do Dishes ... I Sew Instead, were so on top of things.  The package got here so fast, I forgot to send a thank-you e-mail--amazing!  (In my own defense, it was delivered on Christmas Eve ...)  Kelie is a great inspiration to me--she works so hard and gets so much more sewing done than I do.  Caitlin's Etsy shop is packed full of sweet modern fabrics.  Check them both out.  THANKS, ladies!!

Just last night I decided that my first project for these fabrics will be in the center block for the Modern Mystery Round Robin that I joined.  I also bought some coordinating grey fabric that I think I'll use to make some place mats and matching napkins.

My second win came from Amanda Murphy.  She is an amazing talented designer.  I love her patterns and her fabric lines.  The fabrics have an updated traditional feel to them.  Does that make sense?  Her quilt designs have been published in several magazines and she's go several free tutorials--I'm drooling over the Ambrosia bag.  Love the pleats :)  Just need to make the time ...  She sent me this free pattern and 3 fat quarters from her Bella fabric line.  THANKS!!

On a final note, today is Day Two of the Dare to Dresden blog hop.  I'll be coming to you Monday with my project on Day Three.  See you soon ... I promise!