It's still dark outside...

This past week has been unbelievable! I have gotten a ton of things done - sorry still no pictures yet - and been running and running and running which I consider a true feat. The days here are getting ever shorter and when I wake up - it's dark now. Just after I get home - it's dark out. It's hard somedays to get motivated and out of bed when it's still dark out when a few weeks ago it was light when I got up. My body is still confused - it keeps telling me it's still dark, go back to bed. However the alarm clock does not lie and then we have issues.

Aside from all that babble, I have started yet another maybe 3 projects this week. I have enough scraps left over from this quilt (remember this one - it still needs a border):

And am planning on making flannel versions of these:

It is that time of year again. It's supposed to be really chilly this weekend and I was able to get out of summer storage my fleece pants that I just love. There are a few upsides to this whole cold weather stuff...

Alright, I'm planning another cooking tutorial soon, just as soon as I get a big bag of fresh apples (any guesses?) And I will be working on more results this week so I have things to show you. Off to make Hubbin a hearty breakfast!

Flannels and 90 degree weather...

So, to update you on the whole sewing machine ordeal, it's just fine and dandy now. It went to get fixed and that must have been all it needed because it was working fine as soon as we got there. Don't you love it when something needs fixed but as soon as you go to show someone what it's doing it stops?! But now I know what to do to fine tune what the issue might be should it ever arise again. Hopefully not.

Since the sewing machine is now back in working order, I was able to finish the Flannel version of Skip to My Lou. I'm going to add a border or two, but I'm thinking this might look wonderful on my bed and I want to make sure I get the right drop on the sides. I'm going to measure it tonight and figure out what and how much I'll need to get that done.



As crazy as it may sound, I was considering putting a flannel backing on this quilt but to compensate for the extra weight and warmth, I was thinking of using a low loft batting. It's still a work in progress as I said before and I'll keep you updated on how it turns out. It's a mystery to us all...



On a little side note I have to show you some adorable pictures of my little man Duncan. When he's not helping me in the "office", he's been keeping track of the bunny that has decided our yard is the best on the block. I have seen it everyday for the last two weeks except today, but there's still time left today for him to make an appearance. The one day it was relaxing in the sun right outside the front window and when I looked over this is what I saw.



Duncan was practically teetering on the window ledge trying to get as close as possible to his new friend. Cracked me up for a minute, but then I had to try and get him down safely.



That's pretty much all of the excitement we had around here this week, nothing too crazy I guess. Might start another project today, or I might wait til tomorrow and read some of my book tonight. I think that sounds like a good plan. Start a new week and a new project tomorrow on a fresh note. Well, hope you all had a great weekend, what's your plan for the week?

Well.....

I swear I had the best of intentions today and did manage to get a ton of stuff done which was great. But... I did not finish the top of the flannel Skip to My Lou. Sadly I have not even finished the blocks yet. I might try again here in a little bit (I only have maybe 15 blocks that need one seam and they're done!).

I love my sewing machine, I really do. But it had a temper tantrum a few months ago and had to go to the doctors because it started sewing on it's own (obviously I wasn't paying enough attention to it or something!) and it got a good cleaning (which it needed desperately) and life has been good since...til today. It started acting up again, the last time it did this it wouldn't do it when my husband was watching so I might try again when he's up in a little bit. We'll see, I hope it was just a fluke and it's on to doing what I want it to do, otherwise all the sewing I had in mind and finishing this quilt top went right out the window. (Sigh...)

But, I am getting ready to send the next pattern, Charmed Living Runner, to the printers so here is a preview for you.



I did a photo shoot for this pattern last week and none of the pictures really did it for me. I started rethinking of how to do it and it turned out awesome. I really wanted to leave it set up because it worked so well, but that wasn't going to work unfortunately. So then since that went so well I went to go get some gorgeous flowers to use as props in the next photo shoot of the color option.



It has a simple applique embellishment on each end that is completely optional whether you would like to do it or not. This version is really bright and springy, just perfect for the weather we were having today. Just add humidity in there and you're all set!



Now the flowers are done with their original purpose so they've been trimmed and set into one of my favorite coffee mugs that is cracked so can't be used for hot stuff any more and are gracing my desk top. It's just nice to have some pretty flowers in the house. None of mine outside have bloomed yet, but it's just around the corner. There are small buds on each plant and I cannot wait to have beautiful Stargazer Lilies right outside my door!

I'm going to go try and see if the sewing machine will behave itself and try to finish those blocks so I can at least get the top laid out tonight, wish me luck! Take care and I will keep you updated once the new patterns are ready as well as how the new version of Skip to My Lou turns out.

My philosophy

I hope you all had a great weekend. It turned out to be pretty nice here considering they were originally calling for thunderstorms all weekend and I don't believe it has rained yet...(keeping my fingers crossed!) I started sewing today on a new version of Skip to My Lou out of flannels, and I love it! I know what you may be thinking, I am too. It is hot and humid and I am making a flannel quilt, crazy I know. I got pretty far today but I'm hoping in a couple days I will have a top to show you. I think you're gonna love it too! It's scrappier than the original and I was thinking of some applique embellishments, they're still being planned out.

Okay onto the whole philosophy thing. I have been contemplating a lot lately with a ton of things going on and I wanted to share with you how my brain works and how I create what I do. As you can probably tell, my quilt patterns are a little bit of everything for every skill level. They're a twist on the traditional and come in all colors and sizes. I believe that a quilt should not be limited to such small possibilities.

If you take one of my patterns, like Skip to My Lou for instance, the original works well for a young lady with flowers and the mixture of colors influenced by the main fabric. The latest version I'm working on with flannels will work well for the guy in your life be it your husband, brother, or son. But if you decided to make it using a child's novelty print, it would showcase it beautifully and be the perfect size for a child's bed.

I really like a quilt to be able to transform with the fabrics chosen for it. It's so incredible how the personality of a quilt can change with the simple adjustment of the fabrics. I try to design all of my quilts with this concept in mind so any pattern can be made in 2 or 9 completely different styles.

I hope you all are enjoying my designs as much as I have enjoyed creating them. Please feel free to e-mail me any time with show-and-tell of your versions of my designs and I will be sure to post them on the blog.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the weekend and I will post hopefully on Tuesday the pictures of the latest version of Skip to My Lou. Pray for a speedy and accurate stitch, and I should be sure to deliver. I cannot wait to show it to you! Chat again soon!

Making Progress!

I did it, I can't belive I did it, but it happens sometimes! I got so much "stuff" done this week in so many different aspects of my world. And on top of it all, Skip to My Lou is at Cottonpicker's ready for you to purchase!



For starters, yes Skip to My Lou is ready! I always enjoy the first day or so that a pattern hits the market. This particular pattern was a blast to make and I just love the colors of it. It's a decent size, big enough for a smaller bed quilt, yet not too large so it'll fit on the couch or go with you as a lap quilt.



To get started with this pattern, just pick a focus fabric as your jumping off point and pick six coordinating prints. It's a great showcase for that larger print that you're just not sure what to do with but you loved it so you bought it. Or it's even great for a child's bed if you have a wonderful novelty print that you would like to showcase.



And as always, my Quilt Tester was on hand to make sure that the photoshoot went well and that the quilt was up to the standards he likes. I love this dog and let me tell you, he is definitely a quilting dog!



As far as the other "stuff" I got done this week, I quilted a couple of tablerunners last week and got the bindings on them. They just then needed to be stitched down, check! I also have my red quilt that I just love (It's the first quilt I made for myself and it's all reds with some yellowish oranges in it); I've only been working on it for almost forever (not kidding) and all it needed was the binding stitched down so I could use it, check! I'll have to get a picture of it to show you, I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do.

The agenda for this week is a forecast filled with quilting. Especially this weekend the weather is supposed to be really rainy and yuck, which means perfect quilting weather. I've got one pattern I'm currently testing as well as a few others that are just ready to be on the sewing table. I am notorious for having several projects going in multiple stages at any given time. I have a few that need to be quilted, a few that just need to be pieced and a ton that need to be cut out. But that's the fun of it all, the anticipation of what's next to come and getting to the next step with each quilt.

Speaking of which, the next pattern due out you'll love. It's a follow up to the original Charmed Living Topper. I absolutely love Charm Packs and the alternative of using small scraps to make something "charming". I just finished the second design and just need to take pictures and finalize the pattern and it should go to the printers soon. I'll keep you posted on this one. You're gonna love it!

Alright, I think I've been chatting too much as ususal, but I'm just so excited for this pattern to be out and like I said, the anticipation of what's to come! And by the way, if you are a quilt shop interested in my patterns, please e-mail me at RubyBlueQuilts@Gmail.com or call me at 440-428-5780. Or if you can't find my patterns at your local quilt shop, ask them to contact me. It's that easy.

Have a great weekend and I'll be sure to put up more pictures shortly!

Covered in Threads

It's one of those things. Somedays I love being covered in threads, it's a sign of progress I think. There are even days everything and everyone in my house has an attachment or two whether they want it to be there or not. But there are days like when you're wearing a gorgeous comfortable black sweater that a thread just stands out and looks slightly out of place.

Today is one of the good thread days. I am glad to tell you much progress has been made since we've been back from vacation. I have quilted two tablerunners (pattern is next in line to debut), finished a quilt top, and cut out another project to be started soon. I did clean the house this morning, I sometimes wonder why I do it first thing in the morning knowing that I will have a sewing blitz later on and you won't be able to tell the floor was clean a few hours earlier, but I digress.

Vacation was so lovely and I had such a nice time. My hubbin and I went on a cruise to the Western Caribbean out of Miami. We stopped at Cozumel and explored Caverns and had a buffet at one of the most beautiful and luxurious beaches I have ever been to. Then we went to Grand Cayman and shopped the day away in the downtown area followed up by my still favorite port of call, Ocho Rios, Jamaica. In Jamaica we took an excursion to all sorts of hidden treasures. Our jeep took us through the actual factual Fern Gully (here I thought it was just a movie about fairies, but there is a real Fern Gully and I saw it!), we went to a house over 1,700 feet above sea level that was built in the 1700's and is still as beautiful today as it was back then. We also went to High Mountain Coffee Plantation, Dunns River Falls, and some other places I'm not sure what they were called besides breath-taking. It was magical and definitely an experience I was glad to have been able to enjoy.

Here's just a few pictures from vacation, I took a ton and hope to get some of them framed to hang around the house soon.











And finally what you all have been waiting for. Skip to My Lou is the latest pattern released for Ruby Blue Quilting Studio. It just got sent to the printers this morning and should be in stores within the next couple of weeks. Here's a small glimpse at the design, I hope you like it. As usual, more pictures to come once it hits the store shelves.



It's still fairly early in the day and I dont want to jinx it, but I think I'm getting more accomplished than I planned for which means, more threads to come! Have a great day and I'll update you more soon on the happenings here at the studio!

Breathing...

Do you ever feel so excited about something you've been looking forward to for a long time that the closer it comes it feels to good to be true and then you stress over the small stuff and drive yourself insane in the process? I say this because my hubbin and I are this close to our first official vacation in the six and a half years we've been married and I'm so excited about it I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. The only thing is the grown up in me is slowly taking over thinking about all of the things that I want/need to get done before we go as well as stressing over all sorts of small things. I think what I'm saying is I really need to learn to relax and a week in utter paradise should do the trick.

Well, I hope you all could make it to the Lake Farmpark Quilts 2010 show. Here's a couple pictures of From Grammy With Love hanging at the show. My hubbin, momma and nana went with me to the opening. Mom had a quilt in the show as well and it was a fun night seeing all of the quilts and our friends.

Last weekend Mom and I took a class from Marti Michell herself! It was a blast. We learned her Sunburst technique using her pretty darn awesome templates that you can actually rotary cut around. Not only that but there's no 'dog ears' so the pieces line up perfectly every time. She's incredible. I don't know exactly how she figured it all out, but I'm definitely thinking about trying some of her other templates.

What else is going on in the world of Ruby Blue? Oh, that's right breathing. Why I say that, I am a little stressed over vacation ( I find it very ironic since vacation is supposed to be relaxing, haha ) so what better to do than finish up a quilt project to some extent. Why not relax and enjoy my time and slowly ease into my vacation. I couldn't stand to leave before finishing this quilt top and you know what, I'm enjoying it so much.

Here's the other thing. A few months ago I sprained my foot and my ankle both while exercising with my Wii. I know, another Wii injury. Well, since I have torn muscles in my foot and have to keep it elevated much longer than usually thought. It's not the most comfortable to try and elevate it and sew so I have been working on other hand projects for now. I got my sewing machine fixed, feel much better and finally got back into sewing. I just finished all of the blocks and laid them out on the floor and should be putting the top together tomorrow! I love it and am now thinking of how to quilt it and the top's not even done yet! Crazy, but that's how it goes some days!

The next pattern named Skip To My Lou should be getting printed shortly and then who knows what's next in store. I can tell you this much - I have way too many quilt tops done that need quilted so I know how I'm going to be spending a bunch of my time here shortly. Once the pattern heads off to the printers I will show you a little peek as usual. It'll be perfect timing for spring and all the beautiful flowers we should be seeing soon. I might be jumping the gun a little, I mean it is still March and all but a girl can dream! I'm ready for warmer weather and sun. Lots and lots of sun!

I should go work on finishing that top and maybe tie up a few other loose ends in the process so until next time....