More snow last weekend.  This means the ducks still aren’t laying eggs.  Seems to me they have their days and nights mixed up.  They stay under the deck all day when it’s bright and beautiful.  When it gets dark or starts to snow, they go to the middle of the yard and they sleep there all night.  Isn’t that backwards?

Kacey doesn’t particularly like the snow.  The neighbor dogs always want to play, but she won’t have much of that!

The only great thing about this white stuff is that it keeps me inside and addicted to my sewing machine.  I finished my second baby quilt for the month, which in itself is incredible!   That big word, FINISH, isn’t usually in my vocabulary.  So here’s one of my favorite boys, Arvo, with his new blankie.  I used the abundant scraps I had from the fabulous freecycle giveaway to make a pretty cute bug blanket. 

Big brother, Nico, pointed out all the bugs for Arvo.

I’m pretty sure that Nico has much more fun when the boys come over than Arvo does at this stage of the game.  Arvo just wants his mama.  Understandable!

I am a thrifty kinda girl!  So much so that I can’t even bring myself to throw away scraps like this….

leftover from the multiple string quilts I’ve been working on.  Really now, what can be done with pieces so darn small?

I’ve got a new quilt, thanks to ideas from a few different quilters, Crazy Mom Quilts and I Love Baby Quilts.  Crazy Mom did this fabulous Ticker Tape quilt.  What a great scrap using idea!  And the mini size baby quilts are a super idea over at I Love Baby Quilts.  Why does an infant in a carrier need much more blanket than this? 

The finished size is approximately 24″ x 24″.  I started it last week during the Super Bowl and finished it mid week, which for me is an accomplishment just to finish something!  Does anyone else sew at times on their coffee table like this?

Absolutely enjoyable!  And if you want to make this little blankey, just follow my brief show and tell….

Start by making a quilt sandwich.  White cotton, batting and a soft flannel for the flip side. 

Pin together and now you’re ready to put your scraps on AND quilt at the same time. 

There really is no rhyme or reason to it.  Start putting pieces all over the top side until you’ve covered the whole thing.

Keep going and going and going.

I used a satin binding so when this little baby gets a little older, he’ll love to rub that satin right up to his cheek (or suck on it!)  and take it with him everywhere he goes ;-)  He’ll be addicted, just like my oldest daughter was to her first blanket!

Of course, the ultimate product is after it has been washed and has that great crinkle and softness.  The edges frayed really nice too! 

 Nope, I didn’t forget about you duck followers.  They’re hangin’ around the back porch during these cold days.  I’m such a nice girl, I put some straw under the deck for them. 

I guess I’m just ASKING them to poop all over my patio!

If you don’t freecycle, then I’m gonna show you how! First, go to www.freecycle.org  and look for your city.  FREECYCLE is a nonprofit group of people (you and me) who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns.  The whole purpose is to reuse and keep stuff out of landfills.  Membership is free!  I like free and I’m guessing you do too! 

The best thing about freecycle is you can get it right to your inbox.  Therefore, you won’t miss much if you’re around a computer.  I jumped on an email a few weeks ago that said “QUILTING, FABRICS, NOTIONS… cleaning out my sewing room”.  I replied quickly and was the lucky recipient of things I knew not what they would be, that’s the most fun! 

I decided the next morning, on my way to “Eula’s” house, that I better scoop the snow from my truck bed, not knowing how much stuff I would be collecting.  She did mention that her husband would LOAD it for me if I pulled up to the garage!  Let me show you my treasures….

You talk about a good time dumping all this stuff out on my living room floor!  Even the dog had to check it out.

There were bags and bags of fabric, quilt books, quilt magazines, thread, ribbon, etc.  Oh my gosh, did I have a good time!

I found lots of “quilts in progress” as I like to call them.  Squares, triangles, pieces, ready to be sewn!

Lots and lots of random squares.

And then there were multiple bags of plaids, perfect for a man quilt!  Unless someone can give me any other ideas??

But maybe the most fun for me was all the bright fish and bug prints.  OMG!!  Let’s just say these will keep me busy for weeks.  I’ve already started at least 6 quilts with just these prints.  I’ll be showing them off real soon!

SO, what are you waiting for?  Get yourself freecycling, NOW!