August 2012 | Go-Go Kim

sewing + social media + so much more

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Starting a new patchplay quilt...

I needed something fun and easy and so I started a patch PLAY quilt since Patch WORK does not sound like FUN and quilting should always be fun :o)



I needed a fun project since we have had a few crazy days filled with mishap and meyhem ( they need to add this one to the commercial)

We ( not me we,the other people we) had a small accident on Sunday with a five year old that was not felling well, a sister that wanted his help cleaning the basement and then there was a remote control thrown and then we ( I was included in this we) ended up spending the better part of our Sunday in the ER getting stitches. She is not a happy camper!


To add insult (or illness in this case) to injury, Monday night her throat started hurting and she had a fever...so did the little man...and lo and behold...STREP THROAT!!!!! I think my littles may be missing the WHOLE second week of school...sigh...

With the people home I had some help around the house with folding up fabric this morning. He loves doing it and I love the help!!!!!



I am hoping tomorrow will be nice and quiet so I can play with my patches some more!!!!!
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Sunday, August 26, 2012

This year's model

One of the traditions I have started in my house is a new handmade pencil bag every year. This year's model is my favorite by FAR!!!!!

Sara ( THANK YOU SARA!!!!) sent me some AMAZINGLY beautiful Tula Pink The Birds and Bees for my birthday and after seeing Annie Lennox's performance at the closing ceremonies for the Olympics which looked like Nightshade come to life I was inspired to do some TULA!!!!!


I made a variation of a nine patch for the front


For my little ladybug :o)


The lining I used was the cute laminate!!!!


I secretly wish she hated it so I could keep it for ME!!!!!
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Friday, August 24, 2012

Pho for Three

There so many ways to help others. I tend to gravitate to causes for children. 100 Quilts for Kids is one way I can help and I was recently contacted by my friend Teresa to let me know she is writing a book...WHAT!?!?!  It is about her life, her adventure and her LOVES...there happen to be A LOT of them and they are in Vietnam and they happen to be orphans.  She asked if I would be willing to help spread the word of her fundraiser and the answer was YES!!!!!!  Pho for Three is where you can go to find out more about this wonderful woman and the children she loves.

( photo from Pho for Three)

"As part of our Pho for Three fundraiser, I’m heading up a charity sewing drive to get quality, handmade items to these kids I love so much. There are five things, in particular, that I’m asking for: shorts, dresses, messenger bags, pencil pouches and simple diapers. Depending on your time, sewing abilities, spare fabric, etc. you can pick whichever one you want to make. With more than 100 kids ranging from newborn to 17 years old, there’s plenty of leeway."


If you cannot donate to the fundraiser, please consider the sewn items for the children you can donate!!! The need is great and we can all make a difference. I realized I had a lot of flannel in my stash that I was not using  and asked Teresa if receiving blankets were needed? She said yes, that the babies are often just laid on blankets for most of the day. These are the blankets I made so far. They are double sided flannel, serged 30in sq.  I will making more before Sept 30th!!!!!





As an added incentive...Figgy's is giving a 15% discount to anyone who donates items or money!!!!!! 



( photo courtesy of Figgy's Patterns)
Thank you so much for any and all support you can give to these beautiful children!!!!!!


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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

100 Quilts for Kids

I love this event!!!!!  Katie at Swim Bike Quilt and the DC Modern Quilting Guild host an annual event to bring awareness to charity sewing for children. You can donate anywhere you wish and link up for a chance to win some lovely items!!!  Last year, I chose Project Linus and this year I am choosing a local organization that supports families that have a child with pediatric cancer, Project Fairy Godmother. I spoke to my pool friend ( I really only see her at the pool) that is involved in the organization ( did I mention she is AWESOME) and it was decided that I would make quilts for two five year olds, one boy and one girl.



When Dear Stella sent me all the wonderful fabrics to play with I KNEW that the It's a Shore Thing was the winner for the girl quilt! Happy, bright, sweet and calming all at the same time...perfect!

Here is the finished quilt!



I used Dear Stella Fabrics, Pellon Legacy cotton batting, Aurifil 50wt thread, and Kona white.

For the boy's quilt, I am donating my first wonky log cabin fishy friends. It is NOT SNOWING here, LOL! These are old photos :o)




Here is the Blog Hop list of other great quilts to get inspired by!!!!!


100 Quilts Blog Hop Participants


July 2: Lynne @ Lily’s Quilts


July 16: Lee @ Freshly Pieced

July 23: Katy @ I'm a Ginger Monkey
Erin @ Sewing Summit

July 30: Dana @ Old Red Barn Co
Heather @ Olive & Ollie

August 6: Jessica @ Twin Fibers
Holly @ Bijou Lovely

August 13: Leigh @ Leedle Deedle Quilts
Heather & Megan @ Quiltstory

August 20: Melissa @ Happy Quilting 
Elizabeth @ Don't Call Me Betsy

August 27: Jeni @ In Color Order
Miranda @ One Little Minute

September 3: Ellen @ The Long Thread 
Faith @ Fresh Lemons Quilts

September 10: Elizabeth @ Oh, Frannson!
Anne Marie @ Gen X Quilters

September 17 Cheryl @ Dining Room Empire
Jane @ Quilt Jane

September 24: Angela @ Moda Home Mom
September 25: Sara @ Sew Sweetness



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Monday, August 20, 2012

Winterkist is as sweet as CANDY!!!!

It is TRUE you can make some sweet gifts with it! Either to give away or for yourself ;o)





Winterkist is the new line by Monica Solorio-Snow for Lecien that is packed full of COLOR and whimsy that will be perfect for your Christmas sewing.  I was fortunate enough to have really nice sample pack of these lovelies to try out on my very own!!!!! EEEEEEPPPP!!

Ready for some OOOOOOOOing and AAAAHHHHHhhhing?


( photos courtesy of Happy Zombie)

I decided to take my fabrics and make a Peppermint Candy Table Topper using the Peppermint Candy block I made for Sara's 12 Days of Christmas Sew Along last year.


The topper measures 41x19
I used Pellon Legacy Batting and Fusable Fleece to give the candy centers a little poof!!!!!!
Thread was Aurifil Mako 50wt, blue 5005, cream 2311, red 1103 and green 1147. All perfect matches!!!!








I hope you are inspired to start on those Christmas projects!!! I know I am!!!!

Thank you Monica for letting me try your beautiful new line and make something fun!!!!!
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Monday, August 13, 2012

My WIP post...

I seem to have a LOT of WIPs at the moment and I am hoping if I share some them I will have to get my BIG BUM in gear and finish them...

The newest is Katy's new pencil bag for school. I make one every year for her and I was inspired by Tula Pink's new line The Birds and the Bees ! So VIBRANT and perfect for my ladybug :o)




I also have finished the back and binding for the Dear Stella Beach Quilt...now I just have to quilt and bind!!!!!

Super simple back will look AMAZING with...

SCRAPPY binding!!!! At least that is my DREAM!

I should be able to get more done now that I am not addicted to the Olympics, LOL!!!!
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Saturday, August 11, 2012

Time to start wrapping up summer and get down to business (HA)

The countdown has begun for the smaller humans of the house to be going BACK TO SCHOOL! Whatever will I do with ALL that time, LOL!!!!!  I am sure it will be taken up by other thing quickly, things that have nothing whatsoever to do with sewing but for now I am going to dream of LONG hours  spending time with my lovely fabric and playing...erm...working on all of my wips and starting some new fun projects too.  A girl CAN DREAM...right?


For now, I am going to try to get caught up on some wonderfulness that I was the receiver of in the past few weeks...

Bree at My Crafty Crap SURPRISED me with this lovely handiwork and a great book for my birthday!!!! It is sitting in my sewing room making me smile EVERYDAY!!!!! THANK YOU BREE!!!!



Also, Katy at The Littlest Thistle sent me this bag that she did the tutorial for when she was kind enough to guest post in July. The funny thing is the five year old of the house decided HE liked it and took it and hid it from me...WHAT!!!???!!!!! I was looking in ALL the usual spots and finally found it...


EEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPppppppppp!!!!!! I HAD to rescue her RIGHT AWAY!!!!!


I have NO IDEA what that child was thinking!!!!!
Here is the bag not in peril...

And the treasures hidden inside... someone hold me up!!!!! THANK YOU KATY!!!!!


This past week was really fun for me, I was able to meet up with Rachael of Imagine Gnats and her lovely family at the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum in DC. Did you know they have a small collection of handmade quilts and needleworks there? They also have these great little rooms set up for each state with collections of items during that time. Very cool!  Thank you Rachael for making the effort on 395 (YUCK) to come see us and HUGE thanks to Mr. Gnats cuz well... we all know you were "dragged" along and you were WONDERFUL!!!

Anyway, the lighting was not the best but here is what kids do at the museum...


And here is what quilters do at the museum

Not really, they have a great area set up for children on the 3rd floor with hands on activities that included mini quilts!!!! I think we spent the most time here!


Love ya Rachael!!!!!

It has been a really GREAT summer, I may need a vacation to recover ;o)
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Monday, August 6, 2012

Liberty of London circle of LOVE!

I have been meaning to try a circle of geese for a long time, I found a paper piecing pattern on Piece By Number and it has been sitting on my desk...looking at me ...begging me to PLEASE make it soon...so this weekend when I finally cleaned my sewing space and saw it again, I knew it was time. I needed to practice my quilting skills so I looked around and saw the new Liberty of London Bloomsbury Gardens pack that was graciously given to me at Market and KNEW it would be not a circle of geese but a circle of Liberty of London LOVE!!!!!


I really am so thrilled with the finish! The binding is a Liberty of London scarf from Target that I bought and never wore...according to the in house engineer, I am not a scarf person...whatever that means! 

The back and how I WISH I had enough of these blocks to just make a patchwork quilt for my bed! I would have happy dreams every single night!


The batting I used was Pellon Legacy 100% cotton white, I added two layers of the batting ( a Laurie Tigner tip...thank you Laurie) and the thread was not my usual plain white but Aurifil 50wt 2311, it is not a stark bright white but a nice gentle on the eye white, it may be my new staple white.

 I am so happy to have a finish and a Liberty mini to hang in my sewing room!!!!!
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Saturday, August 4, 2012

Giveaway! Heather Ross set and Aurifil Thread Pack!

Today, I have a stupendous giveaway for you! I have dug down deep into my stash for this one, and I know these little beauties will all have you lusting!

The reason for the giveaway is that my friend, Sara of Sew Sweetness, is a girl on a mission to produce clothing sewing patterns for women! But she needs YOUR help! The quality garment drafting software that Sara needs to make these pdf patterns is quite expensive, and Sara has a Kickstarter goal set up to fund the project. Now, contributing to Kickstarter is so simple, anyone can do it. Payments are processed through Amazon (so if you've ever purchased anything through Amazon, you're all set up already!); payments will not be deducted unless she hits her goal (which I hope she will!!).

Besides all of the free bag patterns she's already written, Sara has made a ton of clothes, just a little sampling of which is pictured below! Please visit Sara's Kickstarter page to read more about this product, see which rewards you can receive for your donation, and there's also a little 20-second video of Sara talking about her project!


So...how can you enter to win my little prize pack? To enter, visit Sara's Kickstarter campaign and make a donation of any amount ($1, $5, or MORE if the spirit takes you there). Then come back here and let us know you've donated. This giveaway is open worldwide, and 1 lucky winner will be chosen at random on August 10th at 7pm ET out of those who have donated and commented!


Here are some photos of the goodness!!!!!


SIXTEEN pieces of Heather Ross fabric, I think the smallest is 7x10, all oop and all FABULOUS

All stacked up and ready to GO!

One set of YUMMY Aurifil thread 

LOVELY

The complete set!!!!


THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!


******You all were so wonderful to help Sara reach  her goal...THANK YOU AGAIN!!!!!******

******The winner of the Heather Ross and Aurifil set is Kell Drengenberg!!!!! Congratulations Kell, please contact me with your shipping info at mygogolife@yahoo.com******

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Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Life back to normal or at least my normal and a quilt top DONE!

Sadly, these people had to eventually pack up and leave the fun of Wholouville and the beach and trek back to Virginia. But before we left, I was able to finish the quilt top and take it to the beach for some photos!!!!



It is always hard to say goodbye to the beach...


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