Almost October...

Well, I haven't done so well on my resolution to keep this blog current. But, I have gotten some new inspiration from a fellow Etsian and friend Kay Zoretic. Check out her Etsy Shop http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=54302 as she is a fabulous silversmith and has some really wonderful jewelry. This is one of my favorite items... simple but elegant.

Fresh Start

Okay, today I am going to make a fresh start. I am going to try to keep this blog current but I have to admit it is a bit of a struggle. The decision of whether to spend time on the computer or time on the sewing machine is hard... but I almost always choose the sewing machine :-).



So... what is new here? On the personal front, I am developing my lesson plans for school. We will begin classwork on Monday and I have a lot to finish up.



What is new at Poppy Patch Quiltery? Well, the production of Christmas items have taken the top spot on my to-do list. I plan to have much of my inventory completed before the hectic holiday season starts. In addition to my fabulous (if I do say so myself) 6 and 7 foot Christmas Tree Skirts, I am planning to début my Jesse Tree ornament sets this year. These should be listed on my site (http://poppypatch.etsy.com/) by mid October.



Coming soon, I am creating beginner level sewing kits for children and youth. Look for listings in my Etsy shop (http://poppypatch.etsy.com/) .

Okay - off to sew now....

Kites in Flight!

Well, I finished a bedding set which turned out really nice.

Here are photo's taken of the twin size Kites in Flight Quilt (shown on a Queen size bed), Pillow Sham, and double sided Kite Toss Pillow.

This was custom ordered for a little boy who was turning 3. I think his room will turn out great. What do you think?

Still Here... just busy!

Well, it has been a month since I last posted... I figured I better add a note.

We have officially started school in our home for the year... but do homeschool families ever really stop schooling? With a Kindergartner and 1st Grader this year, I am multi-tasking a lot more than last year. DD2 isn't as willing to sit still as DD1 was at her age and requires A LOT of focused attention.

Our school room will need to be rearranging again this year - we keep accumulating teaching tools and need to find places to put them. The local school district is having another auction on Thursday and my DH is threatening to hid the checkbook. At the last school auction, I bought an entire school room (desk, tables, bookshelves, etc) for $15.00. To get anything in the room, you had to take the WHOLE room. The problem is... what do you do with all the things that won't fit into your house? Thankfully, in that instance, I found someone at the auction who was trying to stock a new church school who was willing to take everything I didn't want.

Off to teach... We will see what happens on Thursday!

Off to the Craft Shows....

I have been frantically sewing (and not sleeping enough) in preparation for my first Craft Shows of the season. I finished the "must complete" works in progress last night at 3:00 a.m. (yawn).

I am exhibiting at a private event on 7/18, but if you are going to be in the Bowling Green, KY area, please come and see me at either the Car Show - Sloan Convention Center on 7/19 & 20 or in the Pavilion at the SOKY fair 7/22-7/28.

Today, I thought I would highlight a Stay At Home Mom who makes and sells some fabulous items.

If you have a little girl that you are shopping for, you should check out SarahsCreations at Etsy.com.

Not only does she make cute embellished socks but she also makes mini purses and hair accessories. My favorite items are her darling Button Socks.

The Fabric Mover...

A few folks have asked about the fabric mover so I thought I would share some of my limited knowledge.

First - I love to quilt - primarily free motion, but I don't like having varying stitch sizes. The answer... originally was to get a long or mid-arm sewing machine with stitch regulator. The stitch regulator speeds up and slows down your needle based on how fast your needle is moving over the fabric. Unfortunately, not only are they expensive but even worse they are really BIG! My sister has a Millennium Long Arm and I love to use it while I am visiting her home in Michigan BUT it takes her entire sewing room to house it ... and it is a big sewing room.

So, sometime around December, I found out about the Fabric Mover with Stitch Regulator by Quilter's Cruise Control (http://www.quilterscruisecontrol.com/). It is basically a frame that you place your fabric on and as you move the frame, it controls the stitch speed. The only assembly required is that it plugs through your power supply/foot pedal. They are still not cheap but at least they don't take up any space!

I believe they are compatible with the Pfaff 2000 series and up and they also have a similar product for Husqvarna Viking and probably other machines as well.

I don't have the fabric mover in hand yet but I should get it soon... I hope.