A Flood of Creativity...

     Here we go again... I am starting to wonder if we inadvertently relocated to Seattle!

     And let me just say, right through the Fourth of July week, it looks pretty much the same. All this has worked well for sewing productivity, if not for gardening-- I've had another torrential downpouring of stitch-y progress this past week.

      I'm feeling very smug about my Sew Sampler Box projects this year.  I keep seeing boxes everywhere, and when I open them, they are--gasp-- empty! I've been using them to store little project pieces in, but honestly, I may have to consider throwing some out.

     The Cupid Box is an FFO-- ready to be gifted at the end of this week.

      For the May box, I had some extra pieces and was going to attempt a first ever pieced backing-- but this came out so darn cute, I think I'm going to make a little mini table runner out of it. My sister lives in Florida, so oranges would be perfect for her.

     I smashed right through the Liberty box in less than a week. This was a GREAT box, that sold out super quick. Why? No yards and yards of background fabric to purchase. Simple, but sensational pattern. Great fabric-- "Stateside" by Sweetwater. I hope Fat Quarter Shop sticks with this formula for the rest of the year.

      I did order matching backing fabric for this... I figured out, with just a little extra navy blue, I could make two of these-- GIFT and KEEP -- yay. So I ordered a navy blue for the backing and got a little extra. Just waiting for that to come in, then I will straight line quilt these and they're done! It won't be in time for the Fourth, but this is honestly a great summer decoration that I would keep up till Labor Day.

    The June box just came in-- I will get the checklists done for the "2023 Sew Sampler Challenge" Facebook group for this and the Liberty box soon. I had quite a chuckle when someone on the official Sew Sampler Facebook group asked where the checklists were! Of course, Fat Quarter Shop had no idea what they were talking about, and I didn't answer, because I'm sure they would not like a referral off their site.

     In June, as is mostly the case, it isn't fabric I would have gone out of my to buy, but I do like it. It is Camille Roskelley's "Sunnyside." 

     The pattern is way too intense for me, with a lot of additional background purchase, as you can see. 

     So after some consideration, I could either:

1) just make the center part of the given pattern. 

2) Make the Fat Quarter Shop's free pattern "Fruitcake" in a table runner size (which is made for fat eighths) or 

3) Make Robin Pickens Mod Flower Box, also for fat eighths. I've had my eye on that pattern for a long time. 

     The photos are linked to the last two websites because I am using their photos-- just click on them if you're interested as well. The Fat Quarter Shop pattern is free.

    I would love to hear your opinions in the comments. 1, 2 or 3?

   We are in HIGH birthday season here-- three birthdays in three weeks. I did some baking for the first one, but it's gonna be hard to keep up! This was a fun cake to make-- an exploding "Funfetti" surprise cake. Oh, to be 26-- and to give a hint, those exact candles will be used again in a slightly different configuration for my own birthday in August... yikes!

      For my hand stitching week, I took the challenge and did my own ornament design for the Fat Quarter Shop's Star Spangled Ornament series... what cross stitch set is complete without a cottage?

     I'm really happy with how that came out, and I now have a set of five Fourth of July decorations.

    I think I can get one more done for the Red, White, and June stitch-a-long... they stitch up super fast. I think I need another one with a white background and so it will be Uncle Sam's Hat.

     I am going to sit down next week and FFO these with the little tart tins the Fat Quarter Shop sells-- they produced a video on how to do it, and as long as I can find my hot glue gun, it should be easy.

    For San Francisco Stitch Co., a lot of bowl filler sets have been promised, and I really need to work hard to get them done. Summer is almost designed, but Fourth of July hasn't even been started yet. I'm feeling rushed-- it's a week away. Let's see what happens! The colors of Summer are still getting worked out-- so purple haters, don't worry!

   Another week for the history books-- hope you are a little drier than me, but still getting some quality stitching time in for the lazy days of summer!

xox

Carol