April package and some ladies of the sea...

Well, I mailed my mom's April package just in time.  Each month, her package's are getting later and later as things pile up.  I've already started on June's Camelot Snowman block so I'm hoping to be better about it.

This month's package was a more sparse than the others.  I'm working on a quilt for her, but didn't finish quilting it in time.  I just haven't had much time to spend on it lately.  Hopefully it'll be done in plenty of time for May's package. 

I included the next Camelot Snowman mini hanging, the 5th block for Imperial Splendor and a general quilting book by Fons & Porter.  I bought this book back when I started quilting and it has information on almost every subject pertaining to quilting.  I figure it will be a good how-to book for my mom.  She was asking me some questions on how to bind a quilt, so I also printed out a couple of tutorials and included them.  Isn't the web great for finding information?

Since I started putting together these packages for my mom, I'm always on the lookout for things I think she'll like.  I found this little box at Michael's and it made me think of her.

Inside I included several things geared towards quilting your quilt top.  These are few of my favorite notions as well...

We basically have the same sewing machine (hers is just a newer version of mine) so they take the same type of bobbins.  I'm always running out of them so I bought a mega pak online and split them with her.  Also, if you haven't tried the Machingers gloves, I highly recommend them.  They make such a difference in controlling your quilt when free motion quilting.  There's a water soluble blue marking pen which makes marking quilting designs on your quilt top so easy.  But if you've never used one, I'll warn you that ironing over them before erasing will set them permanently - so be careful!  And have you tried the new Sewline fabric pencils?  You can get the lead in different colors as well as an eraser to remove the lines.  I use mine mainly for marking applique projects, but they work well for marking your quilt top too.  And finally, I included a little stencil so she can see how she likes it. 

I forgot that I had picked up some fabric for her as well, but it will keep until I see her.  She's so busy right now, I know she wouldn't have time to play with it in any case.  In fact, she's walking for the March of Dimes today.  Way to go mom!!!

While sitting in front of the television at night, I work on some hand sewing projects.  Lately I've spent most of the time working on my Ladies of the Sea blocks.  I work on them 2 at a time because I find it easier to baste a bunch of pieces in place on both blocks and then applique them down before repeating.  After several months, I've finally finished the outer wreaths for both blocks.

Soon I'll start the ships that go in the centers.

The ships usually take much less time than the wreaths do to applique.

Until later...

"Wherever your treasure is, your heart will be also"

Matthew 6:21 NIV