Sewing and Celebrating

Today, during what has been an insanely busy week, I broke out of my studio for a few hours to meet with three of my girlfriends for lunch - two of which are celebrating a birthday this next week. We had a wonderful lunch and chatted for hours - amazing how time flies when you are sharing it with good friends! We met at a "new to me" restaurant that opened here this last year called Mimi's Cafe and the food was fabulous - we all ordered different things and every plate looked scrumptious...I had the delicious Bleu Cheese and Walnut Salad - it was super yummy! After eating and catching up, it was time for the birthday girls to open their presents...

I made my dear friend Merry a new autumn tote bag and an embroidered/patchwork pillow. The pillow embroidery is a design called "True Friend" from my friend Shelli at Needle In A Haystack and the machine embroidery file can be found at SWAKembroidery.com - the fabrics are from a lovely line called Garden Party by Blackbird Designs for Moda. I really enjoyed working on this special pillow - it was quite fun to make! I also tucked in a Bareroots wool applique' kit titled Quilt Block Candle Mat (I thought this was just adorable!).

Today we also celebrated Kimber's birthday. Kimber is a magazine writer and quilt book editor...and an AMAZING quilter, doll maker, and all around crafter....chances are, you have seen her work! Kimber has recently started a blog called Heirlooms by Ashton House and I know you will just love it - please stop by and take a look at her *perfect* work - it is truly inspiring! I really enjoy her company and was thrilled to find out she would be joining us for lunch. I made her one of my machine embroidered scissor cases and filled it with pins, needles, and a gold pair of scissors...I have made many of these (a bunch from the same line of fabric) and featured them here before - It is done completely in the hoop on my embroidery machine and was digitized by Birdhouse Cottage Crafts. There is a pocket for your scissors...a wool page for your pins and needles...under the wool is page of quilt batting to collect your orts...and under those pages is a little hidden pocket - perfect for a needle threader, package of needles, or a skein of floss. This is a favorite fabric of mine (which I recently found yardage of in a sale room while shopping in IL with my dear friend Terri) called Coventry Cottage by Linda Hohag for P & B Textiles.

Finally, I may have a post or two before I go on vacation, but don't count on it...next week, I am headed to Las Vegas for a week of much needed rest and relaxation. If you are reading and live in the Las Vegas area and/or have any advice about needlework or quilt shops in the area, please let me know - we have rented a car and I plan to do a little shopping!!