Cross Something Off

My friends that know me, understand that being late is part of my charm, personality.
  

I go full out, often over committing, and consequently, run smack into deadlines like a speeding car hitting a brick wall.  It's not pretty.  However, I recover nicely and continue on as if nothing happened.  For this reason, I work best independently.  No point in frustrating others because of my idiosyncrasies.

Now that Halloween has passed and all of our school and family activities are completed, I've had time to actually sit and sew.  Sew for some of the swaps I signed-up for. 

This is a pillow cover I started the first part of October.  It was for a private swap from the Modernista Homemade Flickr group.

This morning, I finally finished all of my items. 

I know we said we'd do small things, but I just love pillow covers.  

Erica is receiving a pillow cover, a small lined container, and a QAYG potholder.  And a pair of cute Halloween spider socks because 1) I can't resist cute socks and 2) I don't wear them because I live in FL.  

I also have TONS of Halloween scraps, strips, and stash.  Sadly, this didn't even make a dent in it.  

From Erica, I received this adorable spider pincushion (we even have some of the same stash, just different colorways!), a crocheted dish towel, and a medium size goody basket. 

I love how she echo quilted the spider webs! 

More spiders on the goody basket, as well as hand quilting!  The lining fabric is something I also have stashed.  

I think I made out pretty good.  I hope Erica likes her items as much as I LOVE mine.  The best part though, came in the note Erica wrote.  "I had intentions of getting this sent earlier, but things got crazy."

Obviously, she and I have similar worlds.  It's okay to be late.  

I'm linking up to Amanda Jean's Finish it Up Friday because I really did just finish today!

Happy Friday!!     

QAYG Inspiration

I fell in love with this pillow the first time I saw it.

Newtown Auction Pillow by letseatgrandpa

Pinned it.  Knew I wanted to make one like it.  Just didn't know when.

Our school's Silent Auction and Gala is in two weeks.  The theme this year is Sand, Sea, and Sky.  Perfect.  I'll make something.  What?  Hmmm...  Something small, because, as I said, Gala is in two weeks.  Let's be honest here, no way would I have a completed quilt within a week, even if I wanted to.  So, how about a really cool pillow?

A perusing of Pinterest, my pins and boards, as well as everyone else's, ALWAYS provides inspiration overload.  At any rate, I kept coming back to this pillow.  My style - scrappy, modern, wonky, improv, and best of all, QAYG!  

I haven't tried QAYG, but have wanted to since last October when several of the Scrappy Stash Quilt Along girls did so.

I was just going to wing it - my normal modus operandi - when I happened to check Cori's blog, Let's Eat Grandpa!, the creative one who designed and that pillow.  Lo and behold, she has a tutorial posted.  Ka-ching!  Thank you Cori!

Sea Pillow WiP

Sea Pillow WiP ready to make into a pillow