It's been GRAND...!

Okay....so I'll admit I had an ulterior motive in asking which colors you all would choose for a monochromatic quilt.  We have a challenge this month in the Modern Quilt Guild to do a monochromatic quilt!  We're allowed to use ONE neutral as well.  But MY problem?  I can't choose just ONE color!  I heart color so much and I finally decide I want orange, then remember how much I like green, and suddenly red strikes my fancy....oooh but look at that purple!  See?  It's a problem.  So I thought, HEY, I'll ask our blog hoppers which color THEY would choose....thinking the color picked the most would be the color I would settle on.  But....BIG MISTAKE!  Obviously, I'm not the only one who loves color in the quilty world!  I can't tell WHICH color was picked the most.  I think it's a toss up between Blue, Orange and Green.  But I sure did like all your reasoning.  I like that green makes you think of spring, and orange and yellow are warm and happy.  I think I'm leaning toward the warm colors.  I'm soooo sick of winter.  I think I could use a splash of color!  So I will keep you all posted on my progress. We'll see how many MORE times I change my mind!

Meanwhile....yes I DID whip this up from start to finish in ONE day! 

How cute is that?

It's only a 40" X 45.5" sized quilt, so nice when you just NEED to get some sewing in.  

I stuck with reds and creams and the entire time I was totally craving THIS...

Yep, strawberries and cream.  YUM!  I think we need to rename this quilt...

"Strawberries and Cream, Baby!"

We're going to put together some kits and put 'em up in our shop if anyone's interested in whipping together this little cutie too.  

Just make sure you have some strawberries to munch on during the process!

Oh, and I just HAD to show off the binding.  Yeah, I know, binding is not so exciting.  And I'm one of those who likes to whip it on by hand while watching countless TV reruns or a good chick flick.  But just LOOK at those stitches!  See 'em?  No?  Isn't it amazing? 

 I used Aurifil 50 wt and you can't see a single stitch.  I LOVE IT!

Speaking of Aurifil....have been to ALL the blogs today?  Did you visit...

 Sew Cal Gal – (Letter L) Darlene

and

 I Have a Notion (Letter T for Thread!) Kelly Jackson

Then make sure to visit Pat's blog to find out how to put all your blocks together....AND

to see if you're a GRAND PRIZE WINNER!

Keep leaving comments on our blogs all through tonight...(and since I'm so late in getting this up today, tomorrow morning is good too!)  Then we'll all pick names for the grand prize.  At THAT time, we will also pick the winners from the last three days.  We'll announce OUR winners tomorrow afternoon.  The Grand Prize Winner will be announced on Monday.  GOOD LUCK everyone!

And because we've had so many requests for more, we'll leave you with another Lizzie B (Mis) Adventure.....

"Max, really?" Beth asked, grasping the bars in front of her and trying to give her son the most serious MOM stare down she could muster.

"You're throwing us in jail.  Your own Aunt and MOTHER?!"

"Mom..." he started in an exasperated and slightly tired voice.  "It's for your own good. You need to stop meddling in police business, there's only so much I can do for you."  Snapping the keys back on the key fob hanging on his belt, he turned to walk away.

"Hey Max, " I piped in.  "Could we at least have our quilting in here?  We'll go crazy if we don't have something to stitch on."  

He stopped, sighed, and his normally tall straight frame slumped for just a moment.

"I promise, you won't hear another word from us tonight!" I said, raising my right hand as if I were in court or something.  But I could tell he was about to give in.  The wheels in his head were all but visible as he was probably trying to figure out if there was anything in our sewing cases that could  possibly give him any more trouble that night.  

"Okay." he said. " I'll bring you your sewing cases.  But that's it.  Not a word from you until you're released tomorrow morning."

We both readily agreed.

His partner Jeeter returned with our cases.  "I'm really sorry about this guys." He said a little sheepishly as he passed our sewing to us.

"It's okay Jeeter." Beth replied. "I guess it's payback for all the time-out's I had to put him in as a child!  Hahaha."  We all chuckled.

"Tell ya what Jeeter..." I said.  "Bring us each a Diet Coke and we'll start working on a quilt for YOU tonight!"

"Really?" He said excitedly.  "No way!  I'll be right back!"

"Don't forget the straws!" We both yelled after him.

Half an hour later we were calmly sitting on a disgusting mattress in a cold cell at the city jail in Tucson, working on hand applique blocks.  What else could we do?   Ok, so we meddled in police business. But not THAT much!  And really, every time we did we brought down the perp.  What was the big deal?  Was it because we'd had no police training?  Was that it?  Because what we were finding was that simple sewing skills mixed with common sense made up for a lot of training we didn't actually have.  And add creativity to that mix??  Well, let's just say we made a pretty lethal team.

I glanced at the cop on duty sitting at his desk, back slightly to us.  Max and Jeeter had gone back out on surveillance.  The precinct was quiet.  Beth and I looked at each other and nodded.  It was time to start some SERIOUS sewing!  First, we pulled on our quilting gloves.  I took out our special needles...soaked in a formula of essential oils we'd found on the internet that cause a temporary paralysis. Completely organic of course!  Carefully handling the needle, I stuck the end in a small piece of paper that held some wadded gum I had chewed earlier. Beth handed me the straw she'd pulled quietly from her Diet Coke.  Very gently, I pushed the needle into the "launcher"...(growing up with brother's sure did teach a girl a few tricks!)  I poised myself near the opening of the cell. "Ready?" I mouthed to Beth.  She opened her hands to show me that she did indeed have the tools we needed and it was a go.   Very slowly I leaned through the bars, inhaled as deeply as I could.  Having played the flute over half my life, let's just say, I could inhale REAL deep, and boy did I ever have force behind the exhale!  I blew quick and hard, hitting our target sitting at the desk in the neck perfectly.  Seconds later he slumped over in his chair.  Quick as light, Beth was at the lock with her seam ripper.  It clicked once, then twice.

"Get the Aurifil!" She whispered urgently.  I grabbed our 28 wt bright pink thread  (hey, tools should be pretty!), and yanked it like floss where the doors clicked together.  Beth shoved and the door flew open!  Grabbing our sewing cases we quickly walked to our poor cop on duty.  Checking his pulse to make sure he was okay, I pulled the needle from his neck.  No reason anyone needed to know he had help falling asleep!  Beth quickly secured him to his chair with our Aurifil rope.  

"That's calling card enough, don't you think?" She said as we stepped back to admire our colorful thread work.  

"Perfect!" I replied. Tossing a finished appliqued flower block on his desk for an added touch.

Arm and arm we left the police station.  We were sure there'd be consequences for our actions.  But honestly, never underestimate the power of two quilter's armed with creativity, Diet Coke and sewing essentials.

Big, big mistake.

Thanks for hanging out with us this week!  Be sure to visit our blog in the future for more Lizzie B fun!