Check me out on Instagram!!

The truth is ... I'm not blogging so much anymore.  You probably figured that out by now.  But it doesn't mean I'm not sewing my heart out.

So if you need a Sea Quilts fix (and you do) then please follow me on my Sea Quilts Instagram  account.  It's all sewing, all the time ... separate from my personal account.  Thanks so much.

@seaquilts

Sea you there.

~ Pixie Dust ~

I'll forgo the apologies for having not blogged for 1/4 of a year ... and just move on to the good stuff. 

You may notice that my work in this post is decidedly sea-less. 

There's a good reason for that.

I am helping out a friend who is putting on a charity event called

Tavi's Fairy Festival

in honor of sweet  Tavi Cook who touched everyone she knew with her sweet happy spirit and delight in all things that are Fairie-related and sprinkled with Pixie Dust.

Go here to read all about it and get to know Tavi.

I made this wall-hanging (25"W x 36"L) which will be one of many things with a fairie theme to be auctioned off. The proceeds will go to local (southern Cal) charities benefiting women and children.

I've called it Enlightening as the flowers are sprinkled ... and good things grow.

I have my friend Kelley Smith to thank for the original artwork which I enlarged (by hand) and then transferred to fabric.

(Apparently I can draw an octopus, but I can't draw a fairie).

Her original drawing was for a stained-glass window which was just perfect for me as I need to work without a lot of small detail.

I am also making a slew of girlie-sized sun glass cases (they will come complete with the sun glasses inside) with a magic starfish wand on the back fit perfectly for a California Girl.

My work is ... quite literally ... cut out for me.

This entire process has been nothing but pure JOY!

I love the work,

 I love the cause.

Join us if you can on the evening of April 18th in Ladera Ranch (southern Orange Co) CA.

Expect to go home covered in sparkles.

~ What's New? ~

I'll tell you what's new!!

Ornaments ... that's what's new.

Coastal Ornaments.

You can purchase the pattern and make your own, or ...

You can buy these, ready-to-hang babies and be good to go.

Check 'em out on my Etsy Shop and decorate your tree (or a gift, or a napkin) with 

Coastal Cheer!!

~ I Spy the Sea ~

Hello out there!  Is anyone still left?

I know I have been a very bad blogger, but I've been a very busy, bad blogger.

And that's the excuse I'm going with.

I have been very busy designing and sewing this fun, fun, fun, coastal-themed

I SPY Quilt

 You can find the pattern on my Etsy Shop.

You know you already have a stack of sea prints that you have been dying to find a place for. Well, this is the place.

Give your child some sea legs!!

~ Repurposing: Pillow Covers ~

I have spent more time this summer (when I have been sewing) on household projects than on Sea Quilts projects ... I cannot tell a lie.

For instance: I decided I wanted a new shower curtain in my guest bathroom, even though the one I had was pretty much in brand-new condition. At the same time, I had become aware of the fact that my porch pillows had seen one too many rainstorms. I was feeling guilty about unnecessary money to be spent on either one.

That is until I figured out that I could solve both problems simultaneously.

Since my shower curtain was of the water resistant variety, I just cut that baby up and made new pillow slips for the old faded porch pillows. By utilizing the already stitched side seams on the shower curtain, I saved oodles of time.  In fact I cut and sewed up all three in less than an hour.

Next, I found myself in the market for yet another white throw pillow for my bedroom. Which ... I needed about as much as a new shower curtain.

Or holes in my head.

In the course of another project -- a major, whole house purge -- I came across two embroidered napkins I had purchased about 20 years ago for some long forgotten project. (True story. Sad, but true story.)

I dug into my pile of pre-made pillow forms and found myself a down (feather) one, the same size as the napkins.

I stitched them together along the inside of the hem edges (with the right sides facing out) leaving an opening at the top. After stuffing the pillow form in, I finished sewing around it by machine. (This is where the down pillow form came in handy, as it more easily squished out of the way as I sewed that final seam.) This was a 15 minute project.

It's been a good month for pillows.

It's been an even better month for grandkids, as I had all five of mine together for the first time in awhile.

I Love Summer. And grandkids.

(and pillows)

~ Surfboards X Nine ~

I have been furiously sewing the last few weeks because I wanted to present this triple threat of

Summer Surf Decor

 all at once.

Each of these (16" x 27" wall-hangings) is for sale (as a finished product, not just the pattern) on my

Etsy Shop.

You may recognize the bottom one as the cover photo from my Moondoggie Pattern. Having had so much fun making the other two, I decided I could part with her and make a new one for myself later.

So ... here is your choice: Make your own or skip the hassle and let me mail it to you.

Either way ...

The Surf is UP this Summer!!

~ Summertime ~

Forgive my absence, but don't expect a huge amount of activity from me this summer.

Why?

Because it's Summer!!

That's why!

Since all of my sewing is summery sewing, it won't surprise anyone that I have been sewing some waves.

And catching some.

I don't actually surf, but I did take the ferry yesterday at Balboa Island with two of my sunny grandchildren. It was heavenly.

 I wish you all a summer filled with sunlight and water.