Winner!!!!!!

Winning is awesome.  The votes are in, the drawing has been completed thanks to RandomPicker.

The winner is..........

Shanners who said: 

ShannersJune 25, 2014 at 9:22 AM

So many FQ bundles! And all so pretty. But I think I would want the botanics bundle. Love all the fabrics, and I would probably make a quilt or maybe some pillows. Thanks for the chance to win.

Winner list

RandomPicker drew the following people.:

Winner ID	Prize
ShannersJune 25, 2014 at 9:22 AM	FQ Bundle

Congrats Shanners!
I'm sending you an email for your address so we can mail this delightful bundle of Halloween goodness your way!!

Thanks to everyone who played!

Next month we'll have another "What I made Wed." and a chance to win again!

♥

New Sponsor and a Giveaway!

Are you ready?

It's the first post of 'What I made with Wednesday'!!  Woohoo!

I have a new sponsor, Fresh Modern Fabric and I'm SO excited to have FMF on board.  The lovely and talented Alice is the brains behind FMF.  Her shop has been open since 2011 and I can honestly say, she's been my go to when I'm looking for something specific.  She curates delicious bundles and puts together awesome fabrics for your sewing pleasure.  Also, I am a little demanding sometimes, and want something different, or want a bundle made just for me.  I've convo'd Alice a few different times and her responses are always lightning fast.  That's a bonus for me, me being impatient AND demanding. Haha.

So, what have I made with fabric from FMF?  Let me show you!

I love the Sidewalks line and I found the perfect bundle to make this quilt here.

Then, I loved it so much, I had to make another one (with Chenille).  This time I asked Alice if she could throw in a pink print rather than the green one.  She did, and it turned out lovely I think.

So, here's what I made with fabric from FMF.  Now, on to the good stuff.

Alice is giving away a FQ bundle to one of you lucky readers.  That's right!!!  A FQ BUNDLE!

Oh my goodness.  Not only is it a FQ bundle, but it's the Witch Hazel line from Riley Blake, with 11 pieces of hauntingly delicious tricks and treats to make your Halloween delightful!  My favorite is the text print!  I love the green in there too...it makes it more modern and not so much traditional-orange-and-black-is-your--only-option-for-Halloween. ;)

So, to enter, please visit FMF and tell me what bundles you love and what you would make with them. Also, for an extra entry, if you follow me on Bloglovin or Instagram, let me know in a separate comment.  ♥  I'm a little obsessed with Instagram. ;)  Find me @robotmomsews.  For a 3rd entry, like FMF on FB and tell me you do. :)

The giveaway is open until 6/29.  Winner will be announced on Monday.  Sorry, US residents only.
Also - please make sure you are not a no-reply blogger.  If you are and you are chosen, we will draw again.

Ready?  Set.... GO!  :)
And thanks again Alice for being my first lovely sponsor!!!

♥

Be sure to come back on Wednesday!!

WIP

Exciting things are coming ahead!

I'm starting a new series once a month (for now) on Wednesdays called.....ready for it??
'What I made with...'  Wednesdays!

Here's my thought process.  I have two new sponsors on the blog.  I am SOOOOOO excited.  Beyond excited actually.  I've got moonbeams and unicorns running through my head. Yah, it's that exciting people.

I am an Etsian and I am proud to purchase my fabrics on Etsy.  I have a few favorite shops on Etsy that I frequent and I'd like to give them a shout out, so this is what Wednesday's are going to be about. Supporting your Etsy shops!  Need a certain line of fabric that your LQS doesn't carry?  Look no further!  Order online in the comfort of your jammies with your Coke or favorite beverage and let the shop and the mailman do all the work!  Plus, I'm not going to lie, I get giddy when I get a package in the mail.  Even if I paid for it, it's not really a present but it sure feels like it because it's wrapped up all pretty and they know how to take care of your precious fabric.

SO, this Wednesday, be sure to tune in for our first in the series.  Alice from Fresh Modern Fabrics has an EPIC giveaway....  want  a hint?  Think FQ bundle.  Yup...FQ bundle people!  Are you going to come back?  I sure hope so!  ;)

In other sewing news, my whale quilt just needs the binding on it.  UGH - those whales are so adorable!!! More on that coming soon.  I've also made the daunting decision to make my Robot Children a fabric dollhouse.  Um, not sure what I was thinking, but Robot Child #2 has made it her job to make sure it gets done.  Last night after working on the dollhouse ALL day, I went to bed - she came in and said, 'Why aren't you upstairs sewing on the dollhouse?  Hmmm??'  
I've created a Robot monster.

Come back on Wednesday!!

♥

Picnic Worthy Patchwork

I recently bought up some Country Girls fabric and mixed in a little bit of April Showers.  Just because.
The two play nice together.  I was able to make up 2 patchwork baby quilts using my FQ's I got and some blue Lakehouse polka-dot print.  YUMMY.

Before I got my Babylock, I was sewing on a Brother Innovis.  This was my 'transitioning' machine.  She worked really well, for what I needed, until I wanted to go big time.  Haha - well big time in my mind.
My Brother (Penelope) did not enjoy straight line quilting.  She would cause puckers everywhere and this would give me major anxiety...which led to me hating straight line quilting.  Interestingly enough, she relished in the stipple.

I have been getting to know my Babylock, whom I have lovingly named Betty, after Betty Draper in Mad Men.  I named her after I saw Betty sitting at her kitchen table sewing one night with a cocktail by her side. This fits me perfectly, so Betty she is! ;)  That is where my similarities with Betty Draper end.  Moving on...

As I have been getting to know Betty, she LOVES to straight line quilt. NO Puckers!  NONE!  It's amazing. I read somewhere that your walking foot could be to tight, thus causing the puckers.  I never tried to fix it on my Brother, because at that point I was just annoyed and threw in the towel.  Well, I can happily say, I have retrieved the towel and am back to doing SLQ!

I quilted around the border, then cross-hatched the inside.  I ♥ cross-hatching.

 

This one I used the green duck walk print from Country Girls for the outer borders.  Aren't they so sweet?

And I echoed the patchwork lines.

These quilts are ready for a picnic!  Let's go!

♥

What about you?  What is your favorite thing your sewing machine does, and one not so favorite thing that you wish you could change on it?


Linking up to:
Anything Goes Mondays
Sew Cute Tuesday
Fabric Tuesday

Patchwork and Chenille

 I have recently fallen in love with Chenille.

Who knew Chenille could add such interest and texture to a quilt?
And it washes up deliciously soft and buttery.
Soft like a teddy bear.

This is one of my very favorite go-to designs for a quilt.  It's super fast and easy, but with simple classic patchwork that catches your eye.

Notice how the Chenille is wider spaced than your typical Chenille?  This is Riley Blake's Chenille.  It's AMAZING.

Yummy right?

Tips for working with Chenille:

• Have a vacuum on hand for after you've cut the Chenille. It's messy, like Minky.  And you probably should use your old cutting mat that you save for cutting batting and minky.  Don't use your new pretty one.
• I recommend purchasing high quality (quilt shop) Chenille, rather than from the you-know-where store.
• Wash in COLD COLD water.  I detest pre-washing fabric, and the Chenille does shrink up quite a bit, so wash in cold and you'll be fine.  Promise.
• It does shed, even after washing.  Use a lint roller over it.  I'm hoping that after it is washed a few times, the shedding will stop.  ;)

Quilt Stats:
Mostly Riley Blake Sidewalks fabric used  (purchased bundle from Fresh Modern Fabric)
Chenille purchased from my LQS

Measures: Approx 32 x 33

This quilt is in the shop!

Linking up To:
Anything Goes Mondays
Sew Cute Tuesday
Fabric Tuesday
Let's Bee Social
Needle & Thread Thursday

♥

School's out and Summer is IN!

I've been a busy mama bee to get end of school year stuff done.  I made these notebooks for the kids teachers.  I did a cheesy theme of 'bees' because this fabric was too cute.  I didn't get pictures of the notes we made, but it said:
'You are the bee's knees!  Thanks for keeping us buzzing with knowledge!'
See, cheesy right??  But still cute I think. ;)  Robot Child #1 said it was lame. Hahaha!  Oh kids....

Updated to add:
I forgot to add the tutorial I have been using for these notebook covers!  I feel so bad!! I'm happy to give credit to those whom I use their ideas and tutorials!!  Egads...I am just forgetful.

I used this tutorial from Riley Blake.  It is super easy.  Go make one!  You'll see. ;)

We have a tradition in my house for the end of school year.  I get a bunch of little things for the girls to keep them occupied during summer....it's the Summer Activity  Basket!  Now, I realize the items stuffed in these baskets are only going to keep them occupied for a short amount of time...but the girls did really well in school and they deserve a little bit of fun.

Robot Child #1 loves Paris, even tho she's never been, but as a little(r) one she loved reading Fancy Nancy, so I think that's where this comes from. ;)  SO, when I saw this Paris fabric, I had to use it of course!  I've now made 7 of these baskets....they are super addicting.

She also wanted a notebook cover since I made my first one a while back, so I made her one to match, with a little Paris heart detail. ;)

Sorry for the Instagram pictures - I was in a hurry to get it all done before school got out and of course, my camera battery died.  GRRR.

  

Are you on IG?  Find me and lets be friends!  I am:  @robotmomsews

Here they are all filled up with goodies and stuff to do.  Paper dolls, activity books, drawing pads, colored pencils, watercolor pencils, bubbles.....oh my.  I hope this stuff lasts a while. ;)

Robot Child #2 loves Piggies.  Piggies are her favorite thing in the world.  Piggies make her smile and that makes me smile. :)

To say they were happy and ecstatic is an understatement!!  They loved their baskets and goodies. :)  They have played happily and content...and now I have spent hours cutting out paper dolls. What was I thinking?

To leave you, here is a pug picture.  :)  We got a bike trailer, well Robot Child #2 calls it her 'carriage'. She's a little bit of a princess if you haven't guessed.  So we put Mimi in there to go on a bike ride with us.
Don't let Mimi's face-of-sheer-terror fool you.  She loved it...well mostly. ;)

Linking up to:
Quilt Story
I Have to Say
Sew Cute Tuesday

♥