Happy Birthday QBee Sam!

What a beautiful day to celebrate a birthday!  The sun was warm and everyone in town was wearing a smile!

Here is the gang ... it was SEW good of Sam to give us all a reason to celebrate!

Chocolate cake was served!  Dessert is always the main event at our parties!

We showered her with gifts and affection!  Her apple sewing kit ... a "golden delicious"!

Celebrating with QBees ... a terrific way to dillydally ... a lovely way to end the week!  Happy Birthday Sam!

Do what you love.  Celebrate.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Hand Applique' Adventure!

Sew fun!

Here is the sample that "Appliqué Guru" QBee Valerie made for the class!  Very inspiring!  Since I last posted (here) the class met twice!

Valerie taught the techniques of Piece o' Cake designers Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins.

The pattern we used came from their new book, The Best Ever Appliqué Sampler.  It is a terrific reference!

The book is great, but nothing is better than being shown how to do something.  Honestly ... Valerie makes it look easy!  Look at everyone's serious expressions...yep, we had to focus!

QBee Barb had no prior experience with hand appliqué ... she now qualifies as a professional!  I am not joking ... her workmanship is exceptional!

Sweet Sara falls in love with anything involving hand stitching ... she is always a quick study!  Look at the beautiful Hand Appliqué Carrier she made for herself!  Adorable!

She made one for Valerie too!  See ... that is why I refer to her as "Sweet Sara"!

QBee Lila is running the shop ... and still manages to take the class!  I know ... incredible!  The rich tones of her fabrics on the light peach colored background is going to be stunning!

QBee Diane chose black for her background ... yep ... she is fearless!  Purple is her signature color!  It will be as lovely as she is!

When it comes to hand appliqué ...

... I am not a quick study ...

... however, I am tenacious ...

... and as long as I feel like my skills are improving ...

... I'm happy!

It was a great class ... thank you Valerie!  I plan to plod along ... I have big dreams concerning a hand appliqué kit I purchased some time ago!  How I love working towards my dillydally dreams!

Do what you love.  Do dream.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

June's Paper Piecing Party!

Cordova Quilters' Hideout hosts a Paper Piecing Party the first Saturday of every month.

Shop owner, Lila, was busy cutting out a new Quiltworx project!  Love the colors she is using and look forward to watching it come together!

Valerie made great progress on her spike units!

Terry began piecing the star units of her new Quiltworx project.

Diane continues to make great progress on her Glacier Pines!  It is going to be stunning!

My flying geese are coming along!  It is so nice to have time dedicated to this technique ... this project isn't high on my list to finish, so I would not be working on it at home.  Dabbling away at it monthly allows me to make progress and remember Judy Niemeyer's techniques!  Plus ... more time with QBees!  Win/win in every way!  A wonderful way to spend a very rainy Saturday afternoon!

 Sunday, I was able to make great progress on my 007 project ...

... even with Flicka's assistance!  I love how my little fur ball has to be in the middle of everything!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Summer Time!

My crochet and granny square obsession continues ...

... I decided to join the granny hexes together to be used as a table mat.  I looked at some of the multiple ways that crochet pieces can be joined ...

... I ended up sewing them together with a darning needle.

I used it outside on the front deck ...

... the sun was warm ...

... the tide was coming in ...

...yep, summer is just about here!  Time to begin a patriotic themed granny something!

Do what you love.  Celebrate summer.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. Stavig

A DillyDally Report!

Friday

Friday, May 24, 2013 at 11:00 pm

Friday was the last day of school!  A wonderful retirement party was held for the five colleagues that will not be returning next fall.  Together their service to our local school district equals 103 years of teaching!  I am happy for them as they begin this new chapter of their lives ... but ... oh ... how they will be missed.  Many mixed emotions.

Saturday

May 25, 2013 - Eyak Lake

Another beautiful day.  I deliberately included the foreground in this photo to prove that the leaves still have not arrived!  Am hoping all this sunshine will encourage the leaves to show themselves.  We are all craving GREEN!

Speaking of green ... I went to our local garden supply store and picked up plants for my containers.  Love pansies ... they have such happy faces!

And ... I kept my promise to myself ... by keeping my appointment with the crochet hook!  Those of you who follow me on facebook, know that I have been inspired by granny square projects.  Yep ... it has been a bit over the top.  I have been finding beautiful projects using this crochet stitch everywhere!

Sunday

On Sunday we enjoyed liquid sunshine.  The rain doesn't bother us ... it makes for great dillydally weather!

Flicka decided to try crochet ...

... she decided that it wasn't really her thing!  She would much rather supervise!  Sorry the pictures are blurry ... Flicka is faster than my camera.  Love my little furball!

After making 1.5 squares ... I decided to give granny hexies a try!  What fun!

Monday, Memorial Day

Woke early ... made potato salad and a big batch of baked beans for our Memorial Day meal.  We enjoy so much because of all that has been given to us by our military service men and women ... I am truly grateful!

I spent the late morning and early afternoon at our local quilt shop, Cordova Quilters' Hideout.  QBee Valerie taught a hand applique' class!

We had such fun and Valerie taught us a lot!  She is our local hand applique' guru ... I have showcased some of her work here over the years ... always inspiring!  We will be having our second class soon ... will keep you all updated!

Flicka - June 2012

Last summer, Flicka was too small to spend anytime outdoors safely.  We have many birds of prey here on the beach, and they love to feed on small pets.

We have begun to allow our "teenage" kitty more time outdoors ... she is larger, but we're not sure if she is any wiser ... ;-) !  She has been chasing squirrels, taunting nesting crows and climbing trees.  It is difficult to get any pictures of her outdoors as she is in constant motion!  Here she was supervising the tide as it came in ... a great way for her to celebrate the holiday!

Yep ... full time dillydallying has begun!

Do what you love.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally