It is time for the Rush Hour! + Giveaway

September is here, temperature is dropping, leaves are starting to fall off trees, and it is about time for a new Blog Hop!  Thanks to Mdm Samm for being the mastermind behind these blog hops, and thanks to Carol for keeping us in order and being the cheerleader for the Rush Hour blog hop.

August – September is generally a busy time for me at work, but I just could not resist joining this hop, and the name of it is perfectly fitting: Rush Hour is such a busy time! We were challenged to use only red, white, black and grey fabric for our projects in the hop. A few purchases were needed this summer, but except from that I have used fabric from my stash.

So, what would I create for this blog hop? My small laptop needs protection, so it was off to look for good ideas in cyberspace. The simple things are often the best, and I found a pattern for a laptop sleeve designed by Elizabeth Hartman, over at Sew Mama, Sew. The pattern is ingenious, in my opinion, because it can easily be adjusted to fit any laptop size using Elizabeth’s formula.

I designed  the outside of the sleeve using scraps in the designated colors, framed in black fabric with tiny stars. The sashing gives an exclusive touch to the sleeve. The sleeve is lined with batting and a light grey solid on the inside, for maximum protection. The simple Velcro closure makes it easy to take laptop in and out.

About the same time I had made the laptop sleeve, Fat Quarter Shop came out with a tutorial for a Coffee Koozie, and I just had to make one in matching colors.

My little tableau at the café table is very fitting for a quick coffee break before the early morning Rush Hour. Notice the black and white patchwork jacket over the chair, I am sorry to say I didn’t make it myself. It is made of real patchwork, though, not just printed fabric.

I even had room for the Grinch on the back of the sleeve; see him peeping out!

My last project for the blog hop is an attempt of making a landscape background using 2½” squares in the designated colors. The red sun is my very first attempt in curved piecing. I had to have my square cow with me, since she has joined me in my two previous blog hops: Think Ruffles and A Perfect Picnic. 

This time she is dressed in appropriate pin-stripes, but she became a little bit “wild” and used red stockings and had the tail braided in red and white. The picket fence, made of white silk ribbon, keeps the cow enclosed. Once she is released from the pen, she will be off for the Rush Hour!

I had great expectations of making one more project for this hop, but, time didn’t permit it. I have this great pattern that will look fantastic in red, white, black and grey, That will have to wait until another time.

Make sure you visit the other participants in the blog hop today:

Tuesday, September 23

Just Let Me Quilt

I piece 2-Mary

Marjorie’s Busy Corner

Quilt in a not-Shell  <--- that's me

The Slow Quilter

The Blended Blog

Quilting Bias

The full schedule for the blog hop is HERE.

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!       Giveaway is over, winner has been chosen.

It was so fun making the Coffee Koozie, so I had to make another one. This time it is in appropriate fall colors. Together with two fat quarters, this will be the the prize for one lucky winner. One fabric features fall leaves, and the other has plenty of tiny Christmas trees all over (let’s face it, Christmas is right around the corner)!

Leave me a comment on this post, and you will be entered in the giveaway.

Random Number generator will help me pick the winner at the end of the blog hop, and I will announce the name at October 1. Make sure you have a valid email address I can use to contact you.

The giveaway is open to everybody, I will send the prize anywhere in the world!