A Beautiful Day!

The view from the front deck yesterday morning at 8:00 am ... a beautiful dillydally day!

A guild "Time to Sew" event with a mission!  You'll find the details here at the guild's blog!

Working together ... even with all the giggles and shenanigans we seam to get things done!  And we always make it fun!

It was a wonderful day ... and ended as beautifully as it began!

Do what you love.  Dillydally with friends.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Saturday Sewing Fun!

On Saturday ... I put the knitting needles down.  Just for a day!  ;-)

 The Block of the Month class I'm teaching has evolved into a "Block When We Feel Like It" event!  Definitely puts a dillydally stamp on it! ;-)  Crazy fun!

 This week's piecing technique.

 Love this block!

Terry and Sam were both pleased with the results.  I always check to see if everyone's eyes are open when I take pictures ... that was when I noticed that one of Terry's units was going south!

In two shakes she had it turned north!  We all had such a laugh...none of us saw it until we looked at it on the camera.  Too funny!  This quilt really is fun to make ... and with these two QBees, it is twice as fun!  We meet next in a few weeks ... yep, the dillydally version of a BOM!

A few weeks ago, I received three wall quilts back from the long-arm quilter!  As always, I am so pleased with the talent she puts into my piecing.  Lucky me!  I made this quilt in 2009 in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Alaska's Statehood!  It is a pattern by Terry Atkinson called Lucky Stars.

I love the flag of our great state.  I find its simplicity inspiring!  The first line in Alaska's State Song is ... Eight stars of gold on a field of blue ...

... this quilt was my interpretation of both the flag and song.  I created my "field of blue" with multiple shades of blue batiks.

My stars of gold have centers that depict the lifestyle we enjoy here in Cordova.  A simple quilt that holds special meaning to me and my family!  Feels so good to have it done!

Next up ... Thimbleberries!  This kit was part of their Patchwork Party club!  Many of us Guild members ordered the seasonal (2011-12) kits!

I couldn't be more pleased with how the long-arm quilter enhanced this quilt!  Love the fence posts!

Her work on and around the pinwheels really makes them stand out ... as though they were sent spinning by a summer breeze!

My favorite ... quilted flowers in the blue ... makes me swoon!

I also had my "Happy Jacks" quilted ... finally!  I love this quilt!  Every single fabric in this quilt came from my stash ... including backing and binding!  It is my first Buggy Barn pattern and I fell in love with their "crazy piecing" technique!

This is my favorite ... I call him "Lumberman Jack"!  He is pieced using a woven brushed flannel plaid!  I wanted to show a close up of the quilting ... it brought my Jacks to life!

I had so much fun raiding the depths of my stash!  Here is a micro dot from the mid-eighties paired with a corn cob print!  I love all the silliness that went into piecing this quilt ... it makes my heart sing to have it done!

Everything about this quilt makes me giggle!  This was immediately hung on the wall!  I smile every time I walk by it!

Sharing skills ... finishing quilts ... what a wonderful way to spend a Saturday!  Love this dillydally life!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Undercover Knitting!

I came across this flow chart on Facebook recently!  It had to be created by a true dillydallier!  Finding this was just the affirmation I needed!  Heaven sent ... don't you think?  I do!  This is exactly how my brain works when the dillydally winds blow.  ;-)

You may have noticed that I haven't been posting much about my own dillydally efforts ... I have been busy doing undercover work!  Secret agent duty!

Actually ... I have been spending every spare minute knitting.  Granted ... spare time has been abnormally limited because of work obligations this fall, but I've made good progress.  I just can't share it ... yet.

Gosh ... 007 work is fun, but it's hard to keep this kind of activity secret!  So I couldn't help myself ... I had to share a few teasers ... proof that I am still maintaining my dillydally lifestyle! ;-)

Top secret knitting is getting done ... housework?  Not so much!  Hee-hee!  Except for the laundry!  That must get done ... DillyDally family members must go to work professionally dressed!  Plus ... I can knit to the rhythm of the washer and dryer!

Do what you love.  Knit on!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Celebrating Sister!

Summer 2013

Last week was a milestone for the DillyDally family ... Sister celebrated her 30th birthday!

A little bit of time travel is in order!

Fishing with her Papa.  Age 3

 With her new baby brother.  Age 4 1/2

Living like a Rock Star.  Age 5

Playing with her brother.  Age 6

Picking wild flowers.  Age 7

Cabin life.  Age 7

Fourth grade.

First duck.

Cabin life.

First formal dance.  Age 15

Sister and Teacup.  Age 18

College Graduation.  Age 22

Life with Peder.

Adult life in Minnesota.

New life in San Francisco. 2013

I have treasured every moment of this child's life.
She is a blessing ...
... and will always be our little "Sunshine Girl".

Do what you love.  Family is everything.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

An Early Christmas Party!

Long time readers of this blog already know that I listen to Christmas music year round ... yep, I watch Holiday movies all 12 months as well!  Yep ... no one can call me a Scrooge!  I took Dicken's Christmas Carol seriously ... and "I honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." 

Lila held a Christmas in July event ... you can revisit it here.  In July, she introduced two new holiday lines of fabric with many samples to inspire us all!

On Saturday, it was Christmas again at the Hideout!  Another new line of Holiday fabric!  

As always ... she had several samples!  This is a free pattern available with fabric purchase!  Lila says that it is easy and fast to piece together!  Love that!

This pattern is from Sherri Falls' new Christmas book, Very Merry!  The fabric works with this pattern perfectly!  Sew fun!

The third quilt is also a free pattern that is available with fabric purchase!  Gosh ... I love free!

And finally ... the panel print is four Holiday stockings!  They are sew cute!

  We also celebrated Saturday by beginning this Holiday Block of the Month quilt.

We practiced precision cutting ...

... and perfected that scant 1/4 inch seam!  The blocks for this quilt are so rewarding to piece ... it is sew fun to be together while our skills and quilts grow!

Keep Christmas in your heart!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally