Headscarves!

Circa patchwork, lined with aqua solid

Circa patchwork, 20"

Alchemy reversible full scarf

Baby Bouquet voile self lined

Floral patchwork half scarf

So, you know that if I was going to lose my hair during chemo I'd have to experiment with cute headscarves! An internet search revealed nothing appealing. I think I like the handkerchief look more than those with the band around the bottom and tails hanging down. Maybe I'll think differently when I have NO hair, but for now I like this look better. Here's what I did. My first scarf in Circa I pieced a 20"square, then lined in a coordinating Kona cotton. I folded it in half, like picture #2 and then tied the ends in the back tucking in the flap that would hang in the back. My son said I looked like that war advertisement with the lady in the headscarf. Retro is good! :) Next, I did a 22" pieced square, cut it in half and lined with a solid, like the last pic. There is less bulk & then I had another half with slightly different fabrics. With the pieced ones, pay attention to the fabrics you put in the middle because those will be on your forehead. I was thinking that voile would be super soft and comfy against my head, but I think voile on both sides is too slippery, so I would do voile lined with cotton on the other side next time. Lastly, I did a 22" square with 2 different prints making it reversible with Alchemy cottons. Love the reversible idea! To sum it all up, it seems like a 22-20" square is great for an adult's head. I sewing the right sides together leaving a hole for turning, clipping the corners before turning. Then I ironed & topstiched around the edge. Super fast, super cute!

Some Recent Finishes

 Random Patchwork quilt I will soon be working on

 Circa purse for me!

Flannel quilt for chemo

My new fav combo using golden browns and honey

So, I wanted to post something back to sewing somewhat. All of the above are recent finishes or soon to be. I love the random patchwork quilts and the first photo is a fabric group I'll be working with for a custom order. Love the finished combo Betty & I worked on. Next, my Circa purse, cause I needed a new one. Always patchwork! :) Third pic: during my first chemo I was cold & they had these nice, sterile white blankets to cover me, but I thought Anna's flannels along with the cute coffee & donuts munki munki flannel and a Sandi Henderson would brighten things up. I'm going to try to finish 2 more to hopefully give out to my 'neighbors' during chemo on Tuesday. The last blanket will go in my shop, but I really really love the combo and want to keep it! It's Jennifer, Anna Maria & Tina Givens. It really glows! 

My Journey This Year

It has been too long since I have blogged! To be honest, I have really been enjoying instagram, flickr and facebook for short updates rather than lengthy blog posts. I have gone back and forth about writing this post as it is personal, not 'fun' & not sewing related! In the end I decided that some things I've learned are worth sharing and possibly helping someone else in the same position. I have breast cancer. I had a mammogram in September, as usual, everything was clear. Come December, I found what I thought was a large lump. I was scared, but reasoned, "Surely this is nothing because it's so big and my mammogram was clear 3 months ago. It would have picked this up at the time." So I waited a few weeks and finally decided to get it checked out. Another mammo showed NOTHING, but an ultrasound showed the growth and it appeared to be 1 cm (seemed too small to me), so they recommended a biopsy. The biopsy revealed cancer & I can't tell you how completely shocked I was!! I am 45 moving along in life and not thinking it could ever happen to me. Of course, in my mind I was already in stage 4, ready to die, but thankfully that wasn't my eventual diagnosis. After a lumpectomy I found out the tumor was actually 3 cm. My surgeon, Dr. Leslie Memsic, said she got good margins and it ended up being in 1 lymph node which meant chemo. She is an awesome, awesome surgeon and person and told me not to worry because I was going to 'live happlily ever after'. After this journey. Ugh!! I had my first chemo this week along with a shot of Neulasta to boost my white blood cells & so I'm not feeling all that great today, but I am grateful for many things already. First of all, I am so grateful that I am saved by Jesus. He is the only one who can help me through this. There are times already that I have been afraid or unsure and there is no human on this planet that can give me comfort or reassurance at that time except for Him. I have no clue how anyone fights cancer without God, without Jesus & the Holy Spirit.  Secondly, I am grateful for the amazing love and support of my family, friends and online friends~ that's you! I've shared here and there and am so touched by so many people. There are blessings every day in my family and friendships that have helped sustain me. Next, I am grateful for my prognosis. It's really good. Like, once I have chemo (6 rounds, administered every 3 weeks) & radiation combined with anti-hormone pills, my reoccurance is less than 10%. Dr. Memsic said my risk of reoccurance is less than her risk & she hasn't had breast cancer!  So, those things will keep me going and I know I just need to keep my eye on the prize of finishing this treatment. Probably the end of summer. The last thing I want to list in my grateful lineup (but it is not the end of this list, just my top 4!) is the gift God has given me to create. The desire to create, the joy of making something beautiful. When I am in my sewing room,  I don't think about anything but what I'm working on. Absence of fear, worry and pain replaced by joy does wonders for my spirit! So I am still sewing, working on orders & just pacing myself with what I'm asked to do. Chances are I won't be blogging much but I will still be posting on instagram, flickr & facebook as I complete projects. I recently finished a quilt for Jennifer Paganelli that I absolutely LOVE using her upcoming Circa fabrics that will be out in May. So, I just want all of you to know that even if you have a clear mammgram & you feel a lump, get it checked out!! 

Flower Boxes Quilt

Even before Happy Land was in my hands I was planning on what to do with it. I surprisingly won 6 yards of it from commenting on the freespirit blog and was excited to see what the colors truly looked like. I don't know how Jennifer does it, but all these colors play off each other so amazingly. I really do get my inspiration from a single fabric and run with it. After all, these fabric designers are the experts at color- especially Jennifer! I started cutting up the fabric and wanted to do a different design for this line and the Flower Boxes pattern took shape. I only had a few blocks done and had to wait for a gap in receiving the rest of my order, so they sat Washi taped to my wall for a few weeks. Once I received the rest of the yardage, the fun began. I tried to mix up each block, not matching the fussy cut flowers in the center too exactly if possible. If you can let go, you can find some amazing color combinations just playing around. I quilted it with an Aurifil thread that is a fuchsia variegated #4660. Every fabric from Happy Land was used in this quilt! I truly get too distracted on a daily basis finding new fabric combinations as a happy accident from a sudden inspiration! :) I have put this quilt in my shop~ a rarity to have a ready made quilt in the shop, but this one is here in case it speaks to you! :) Its a 45x63 which would work as a throw, or toddler bed or baby quilt. I am so honored that Jennifer featured this quilt on her blog today!!! She is such an amazing, supportive person and I love the beauty that she brings to the quilting world with every new collection! I had never sewn clothes until recently because I found I had to wear these amazing fabrics, too! :)

Happy Land & Best of Jennifer Paganelli Quilt Done!

I was finally able to finish a custom order for a customer using the Happy Land fabrics with the best Jennifer Paganelli fabrics from her past lines that coordinate. I used Aurifil thread #5006 to quilt it. It was fun pulling out my Loopy scraps for this one. I love how the navy and fuchsia are great contrasts with the other colors. That's me in my newest Devon, a larger picture on flickr. I used Candice in sky and love how it looks with jeans. The fun has just begun with this fabric line! You can find it everywhere~ Hawthorne Threads, Etsy & Quilt Home to name a few. Marie Madeline will be carrying it soon. 

Charming Dolls

I gave my friend, Christina, some Jennifer Paganelli scraps and look what she did! Aren't they just adorable?? I'm trying to convince her to open an etsy shop. Right now they are up for sale at her Art Quilt group's exhibition. I went to the night where there was a reception and got to see all these amazing art quilts made by her as well as others. So inspiring!

Here she is helping me sew a Crazy Love quilt. I love our time to sew together! :)

What I'm Working On

minky blanket

barcelona skirt

quilt WIP

Just some projects I've finished or are currently working on. I have posted all these in instagram, so I feel like I neglect the blog! It's like mini blogging. First pic is a blanket I made with my freespirit winnings plus adding past Jennifer fabrics. 

Second is Amy Butler's Barcelona skirt, altered. The original length to cut is 28" & I changed it to 23". I just prefer the skirt to go above my knee. Also, I don't line it. I worry that the bulk will make me look wider, so I just omit that step and attach the zipper as directed & just finish the top edge myself. Now, the pattern is perfect in my opinion & I plan on making a bunch to match my cardigans!

Last is the quilt pattern I'm working on for my shop using Happy Land. I have in the past used 8" squares or random patchwork, but felt like adding a different design. I am fussy cutting flowers from the line and mixing it all up with the small inner and outer borders. I'm calling it Flower Box, so If you are interested in having one of these, let me know. Right now my plans are to make this a 40x56 as that works as a small throw, toddler bed or baby quilt size. I can always make it bigger! ;)