A Little Sunshine!

"Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting,

small but approachable, Butterflies lead you to the

sunny side of life. 
And everyone deserves a little sunshine."

                                                                                  Jeffrey Glassberg

I pieced this sweet little butterfly quilt approximately 8 years ago ...

... it has been patiently waiting to be transformed from a top to a quilt!  I have been busting through some UFOs and it was time to sandwich this top with batting and backing.

Spring is emerging quite late here in my remote corner of the planet ... we've been in need of a little self-made sunshine!  That mission began with "stitch in the ditch" quilting around the butterfly shapes and sashing!

Next step was machine appliquéing the bodies.  Fortunately I had already completed the hand embroidered antenna, so it was just a quick blanket stitch around each one!

Initially, that was all the quilting I had intended to do, but the butterflies needed a bit of something to bring them to life!  Sew ... on went the free motion foot ... out came the freezer paper ... templates were drawn ... and before long the butterflies took flight!

It is a simple fact ... I hoard gingham.  And when I can find woven gingham, it is treasure saved only to be used for special circumstances.  The black butterfly bodies were a bit overpowering and I needed to dim their impact on the eye!  I wanted each the butterflies to shine ... so more black was needed, but it had to be subtle!

Small, eighth inch black gingham to the rescue!  On the bias ... as that was a dillydally necessity!

Final step to completion ... into the wash!

I love quilts best after they have been laundered!    A gentle wash brought my butterflies to life!

Here they hang on my living room wall ... spreading a little sunshine everyday!

Do what you love!  Create sunshine!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

A Little Something - Sew Very Wonderful!

Here in DillyDallydom we are celebrating!

A dear friend and designer, Roseann Meehan Kermes' first book with Martingale Publishing has recently been released!  Yep ... we are doing a happy dance!

How cute is this!

I ordered my copy directly from Roseann and have been anxiously anticipating its arrival!  Monday evening we checked our P.O. box ... and there it was! You can order a copy here!  Roseann traveled to Cordova last summer and taught at our guild's 30th Anniversary event, details here and here.  At that time, she shared that this book would be coming ... I've been excited ever since!  As a gift, she included two little kits to get me started!  How wonderful!

Yesterday, I ignored my obligations and immediately pulled out the kits ... gathered the equipment and supplies ... and got busy!

Just like Roseann, the directions are clear and easy to follow.  She has included many tips and techniques that are very useful when working with wool applique'!  I began by making the strawberry blossom pins!  They are sew dang cute ... delightful to make!

The second kit was the scissor fob ... sew very sweet!  Fun and easy to make!

Every project in this book in very user friendly!  Small projects that will make thoughtful gifts and beautiful items for everyone's home!

Girlfriend DD with Roseann

I met Roseann years ago while on a quilt shop hop bus tour in 2009.  She followed my blog then (I had under 10 followers that entire first year) and empowers everyone around her!  A true kindred spirit, she immediately understood my dillydally philosophy!  She is so generous with her talent and encouragement!  I am so very excited for her and this chapter in her life!  

Her projects in this book are small is size, but they carry a huge impact!  This afternoon, I have a "dillydally playdate" with my WBees (Wool Buddies) and will begin another "little something"!  Stay tuned!

Do what you love!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today would have been my mother's 80th birthday!  I loved that her birthday was also May Day!  Spring was always a special time on the farm ... and her birthday gave us another reason to celebrate.

 

She is the inspiration behind my dillydally lifestyle... her passing prompted me to develop the life changing philosophy I call dillydallying!

 In her memory ... and the spirit of May Day ... I spend my mother's birthday doing random acts of kindness in her honor.  She was a blessing in the lives of many ... it is a privilege to be her daughter.

Do what you love.  Be kind.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally 

     

Her Majesty's New Dress!

I am completely buried right now in 007 projects, so decided to share some of the UFO busting I've been doing lately.

One of my favorite UFO finishes in 2017, is the new outfit gown dress (cover) I made for "Her Majesty"!

The pattern is from Lori Holt's Quilty Fun book.  I first made it as a door prize for our guild's spring retreat a few years ago.  This version was made using a charm pack and bits of yardage!  I liked the results, and honestly it was a bit difficult to donate!  However, it went to a really good home, QBee Barb H won it!

The second one was made for a guild gift exchange!  We drew names, and I knew immediately that I wanted to make this again!

It was for QBee Susie ... I loved making it for her!  For this one I used a fat eights pack in quilting themed fabric.  It was so fun playing with bright fabrics ... matching the personality of the recipient!

Long time readers know too many things about me ... the references we'll use for this post are: a) I've been working on Lori Holt's Vintage Farm Girl quilt and b) I love gingham ... in every form!  A year ago I decided to make my sewing machine cover using the 6 inch gingham blocks from the Farm Girl book!  I was so excited ... using stash fabrics I cut it out ... pieced four blocks ... and then life happened and it was boxed up and placed in the UFO pile.

When I decided to tackle that UFO pile, I made this project a priority!

Because it had already been cut and organized, before long the blocks were pieced!

Sew many seams ... I willingly admit that I am a bit strange ... but I love the backside of quilts!

Next it was time to piece the front pocket panel.  Quick ... easy ... completely fun!

The pieces were done!  Piecing is my favorite part of the quilting process.  This is the point where many of my small projects land back in the UFO pile.  But I was determined not to allow that to happen with this project.

The dillydally truth is this ... I am not very good at machine quilting nor do I enjoy it!  I am not being falsely modest, and am completely comfortable with not being good at everything!   However, it is the primary reason why my UFO pile exists!

Half of the quilting is done in this photo ... loved using this piece of fabric for the backing!  I purchased it while on the Oregon Trail trip ... brings back sew many wonderful memories!

UGH ... it felt like the machine quilting took forever!

Finally the gingham panel was done! It was "stitch in the ditch" for the pocket panel! Quick and easy!

And of course ... the binding had to be gingham as well!

Finished!  The back!

The front!  Yep, in my mind I was doing back flips!

Her Majesty finally has a dress fitting of her status!

When I walk into my sewing room, and see this ... it makes me smile.  It just makes me sew very happy on many levels!

Do what you love!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

An "Egg-ceptional" Adventure!

Shortly after I retired, my friend Barb and I began having "Dillydally Playdates".  We try to get together once a week, and work on projects while visiting and solving all of the world's troubles!  Over time, others have joined us ... it is sew dang fun to dillydally with friends!  

Barb's birthday is in early April ... a while ago I came across the kit from Purl Soho ... and decided that we would celebrate her special day by making wool felt Easter eggs!

Our first playdate resulted in us each making one large egg!  We had mastered the technique and were hooked!

We met the following week ... added fellow dillydallier Sue, to the mix ...

... and between the three of us, we made a nest full of eggs!

Easter came and went ... and the three of us continued creating eggs!  

Yep ... we are addicted!  I have several 007 projects underway, so felt the need to tie up this adventure.

I made two additional large eggs, so that I would have a half dozen for my spring basket.

Then ... right before I packed up this adventure ... those dillydally winds began to blow!  I had to make one more small egg ... put an Alaskan Forget-Me-Not on it ... and under stuffed it!

It has a purpose!  I have been in need of a small pin cushion for my "Wool Applique' Tool Kit" ... and this sweet little egg works and fits perfectly!  Plus ... it will remind me of the fun I've had on this Egg-ceptional adventure with my dillydally playdate pals!

Do what you love!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Finding Fairyland

Happy Earth Day!  One of the advantages of retirement, is that I can make time everyday to be outdoors!  Today I thought I would just share a few pictures of Nissa and I enjoying nature this past week!

There are days when we linger and spend hours outside ... life is busy so there are instances when we only have time for a quick walk.

"The world calls them the singers and poets and artists and story tellers; but they are just people who have never forgotten the way to fairyland."  

L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

For me ... being outdoors instantly takes me to "fairyland".  I am so grateful.

Do what you love!  Spend time with nature!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally