Future Project

Oh, who am I kidding? I want to get started right away on this. But I won't. I will finish up that costume and the dresses for November before I allow myself to get going. But I want to, so desperately.

I was cruising around on etsy when I discovered this stack o' lovelies. An Oh Cherry Oh fat quarter bundle. Someone was destashing and I was going to reap the rewards. This is my all-time favorite line of fabric and I keep buying it for different projects.

What will I make with it this time? Well, I'm so glad you asked. I plan on making this quilt, times two (one using the pinks/greens and one using the reds/aquas). You can buy the pattern here.
Can I just say I love Allison's patterns? This isn't the first one, or the last one, I've purchased. I've got a Kaleidoscope in the works, and I'm dreaming of what I'll use to make the Seville quilt and the Basket Case quilt. I still need to buy the Shortcake and Sugar Dish patterns. But that's for later. I've got too many WIPs and future WIPs to add to the pile.

But that won't stop me from making these little fabric baskets. I will have some yellow FQ left over from that bundle, and as my sewing room is decorated in yellow, I thought, why not? I'm always need storage spots for scraps and "stuff" - these will be perfect!

Okay, baby is sleeping now (I was taking a nursing break, so don't think I was just wasting time - I was multi-tasking!). Back to the Abigail Adams costume.

Still Here

I'm still here, still busy, still pregnant. Got my law student (that's his handsome self up there, posing with a perfectly roasted marshmallow, all for me!) off today and so begins are latest and greatest adventure. I'm so proud of him. I don't get too personal on this blog (usually save that for my other one), but I just love this guy - he's a hard worker and he's determined to make a good life for us.

The least I could do is finish quilts in time for Christmas! I've been sewing like crazy - I've got 56 blocks done on my string quilt. I've got some catching up to do on the FWQAL, but I'll get there. I'm also finishing my last two (hooray) classes at UW. Then I'm a graduate! Hooray!

Our landlords are remodeling the upstairs next week, so we'll be escaping the chaos and chilling in the air-conditioned goodness of my parents' house. I've got sewing projects there to cut out (baptism dress, blessing dress) and lots of fall/winter shopping to do. It will be a nice break, although we'll miss Aaron a whole lot. But it's his first week of classes, so he can really focus and work out the kinks in his schedule without having to worry about neglecting us. We'll all adjust when we get back from K-town.

In the meantime, happy sewing. I'll be ordering a boatload of flannel to back my quilts with - that's decision is a long story, but for another day - and then I will (gulp!) start in on the quilting of my finished quilt tops. Scary. But if Aaron can go to law school, I can quilt a quilt.

Progress!

Well, and why not start with my favorite block? This is my all-time favorite Christmas fabric. I'm hording it like food storage. But I did fussy cut 20 squares and turned them into these blocks - this is just my favorite one - love the present.

I love red and white for Christmas. LOVE it. There is a touch o' green in there, and I'm debating on adding some little fussy cut green tree fabric with the sashing for some popping green color - but not too much. Thoughts? The sashing is a white on white snowflake print (Micheal Miller again) and I think the little bit o' green would be nice, or would it be too much? Voice your opinion!
This is the Easy As Cake quilt from Moda Bake Shop. It came together rather quickly, and isn't meant to be anything special other than something to get us through our first Moscow Christmas. I'm thinking that I'll have enough Christmas quilts to hand out to my little family this year. That will be fun!
Just some happy red and white HSTs. I have another one in the works, although I'll do it as a barn raising quilt this time. More Christmas quilts!
I made two versions of this Jelly Filled quilt - I separated out the greens/blues and the pinks/oranges/yellows. It will make for two smaller quilts, but I'm happy with them. Just good, snuggle on the couch quilts once I add the borders.
Version two - I think I like this one a bit more, but is that even a surprise?
I'm loving the Double Hourglass quilt, even if there is a mistake. Can you see it? Yet another reason why I need a design wall so that I'm not hurrying to get those blocks off the floor before a little helper rearranges them. So one block got flipped. Once I spotted it, I wasn't super keen on fixing it. We'll live.

Yes, I need to improve my photography skills. Working on it, I promise. I need a better camera (and one that doesn't disappear on me).

I also finished some coin purses/wallets that will be handy little gifts. No pics and I still need to put snaps on them. Made a shark one for William and a cupcake one for Laurel. I'm wanting to make a matchy-matchy bag/coin purse/laptop sleeve for me. Too cutesy, or just right?

Well, happy sewing. I'm about to dive into my string quilt and that may consume the rest of June and most of July. But I want it for my bed, so it's got to be big!

Back in the Saddle Again

I'm giddy to be back in the sewing saddle. Although we're not completely unpacked, the important rooms of the house are in functioning order - the kitchen (including an entire closet for my baking "stuff" - Aaron thinks I should be embarrassed by this, but I'm not!), the garage (read: MAN CAVE) and my sewing space. We opted to make all the sleeping rooms downstairs, which meant that I get the master bedroom for my sewing space. It's huge! Granted, I have to share it with my little homeschoolers and artists, but I don't mind.

And I set up my new BFF - my Juki, which is the champion thoroughbred I knew she would be. With her help, and the help of a fenced backyard, I've finished a lot of unfinished projects. Pictures to come - I want nicer, outside ones, and the weather isn't always cooperative here in Moscow.

But here's the list:

• Finished my two Dream On Jelly Filled quilts
• Finished my red and white HST Christmas quilt
• Finished my Double Hourglass Christmas quilt
• Finished my Easy as Cake Christmas quilt
• Got started on my Holiday Hostess quilt

There's so much more I want to do! Make Christmas stockings, finish a gazillion other quilt tops, actually quilt all these quilt tops (waiting for August/September for that).

Life is great! Hope yours is too! Pics of finished quilt tops to be posted by this weekend (with cooperative weather!).

I've got a little secret . . .

First, don't you wish you had lips like that? Oh, just me. Okay then.

Second, I've got a secret. A good one. But I can't tell.

I know, Aaron is always telling me that two people keep a secret . . . if one of them is dead. Nice, huh? But true. But see, I'm not telling you the secret. Just telling you that I have one.

But I will tell this much (can you tell I hate keeping secrets?):

• It involves my laptop, some colored pencils, scissors, tape, posterboard, and eventually a jelly roll (that's fabric speak for 40 2.5" strips rolled together for those not in the know).

More to be revealed later.

Gearing up!

You know that nervous and excited feeling you get before the first day of school? When you wonder if you'll make any new friends? And you're excited to learn?

Just me? I hope not.

I've got that feeling because this Friday, at 6:30, I'm attending my very first sew-in with the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild. I don't consider my quilts very modern, but I guess they are. I'm just not one to categorize things, I suppose. But I digress.

So I'm sewing together my Oh Cherry Oh honey bun strips so I can have the blocks ready to sew at the party, I mean, sew-in. I'm going with a friend, Rendy, so I'll know at least one person there.
This means I have to be a good girl and get my homework done and have dinner ready for my husband and let him run away on Friday afternoon so he's refreshed and ready to parent through bedtime. He's awesome and it's gonna be so great!

Voters wanted!

Edited post!!

First, I have no idea how to add pictures to my blog in the places I want them.

This is my third option, listed first. String quilt. Half square triangles. With a twist. And I like twists (usually cinnamon twists, but this will work).



I was going to make something using this tutorial on Moda Bake Shop. Bright, fun, cute, easy.

Then, while I should have been studying, I remembered this quilt block from p.s. i quilt, featured in the Quiltmakers 100 blocks. It's completely adorable, and I do like the inclusion of the white - makes it a smidge less busy and definitely allows me to make a bigger quilt with my fabric.



So, voters, which should I make? I won't say which way I'm leaning, since I'm back and forth on it. Although now that I've found the one over at Sew Katie Did, I'm shamelessly favoring that one. But tell me watcha think!

Democracy will prevail! Help me.

I should do a giveaway to encourage feedback, but I honestly can't think of anything to give away. How 'bout the winner gets the scraps when I'm done? For a ticker tape quilt?

Plans for the Weekend

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray

You'll never know dear how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away!

When the sky looks like that quite a bit, is it any wonder that I'm drawn to fabric lines like Dream On and Sunkissed?

If I'm a very good girl, and get my homework done (read at least one book and start a second), I can play around with these. Just to stay loose, keep my craft bug going.

Oh, who am I kidding. It's like dangling a carrot in front of a horse. It's what keeps me going. My carrots are just in fabric form.

And we're getting a piano! So excited. I've already ordered some self-teaching books and I have a teacher for Laurel sorted out (mostly).

So excuse me while I go read a very interesting book about women in the Klan. Seriously.

Happy New Year!

I figure that since this blog is all about me and my interests (rather than the family blog), I can have separate New Year's Resolutions. And pictures of some of them too!

First. Get my hands on one of these babies.

Then figure out how to machine quilt on them and quilt the dozen quilts that are languishing in my laundry/sewing room.

Second. I MUST have this cake for my birthday this year. This is the third year in a row that I've wanted it and, by darn, I'm getting one.
I have two Oh Cherry Oh (yes, it's an obsession) honey buns that are going to become a quilt using this pattern on Moda Bake Shop. Super fun and bright.
I fell in love with this pattern and fabric and went ahead and ordered the jelly roll and pattern for it. I just need to get the background fabric and backing and binding and get to work. Pattern purchased here. I'll be using the Sunkissed line and it's another super bright and cheery quilt.
I've got another project in the works using the Sunkissed line, but it's going to be someone's Christmas next year, so it has to remain a secret.

I've had this pattern for quite a while. I saw a Dream On jelly roll on sale and decided I would cave and make a quilt out of it. I love the citrus-y colors of that line. I think I'm just responding to the gray skies over Seattle.

Also on my list to finish/work on:

• my orange/yellow string quilt - I hit a snag and decided I wanted bigger blocks. So I've got to figure that out before I move on with it.
• I'm thinking I'm going to use the Sugar Twist pattern to make a "lemon twist" quilt - or citrus twist using my orange/yellow fabrics (I've got quite a bit!).
• Lots and lots of doll dresses!
• Finish my Delft Blue Dutch pinwheel blocks and sew them together.
• Finish my strawberry print double pinwheels quilt.
• Make my Christmas tree quilt.
• Sew together my double hourglass quilt blocks - need lots of floor space for this one!
• Sew together another Christmas quilt - again, need lots of floor space for this one!
• Finish my red/white diagonal stripe HST quilt (just two rows to sew on).
• Sew together my off-center diamond HST orange/yellow quilt.
• Sew together my red/white HST barn raising quilt.
• Sew my Holiday Hostess Christmas quilt.

And those are just the things I can think of right now! Sheesh. I'm crazy, with school and all going on besides. But this is honestly my therapy, the thing that keeps me sane. And during the school quarter, I prep projects, do the busy, boring cutting parts so that when I have a break, I can just sit and sew. It works for me.

I'm also debating taking the summer off so I can play and sew and all that. But we'll see how the year plays out.

Sunday Show and Tell

Here's a modeling show if what I've been finishing up this week. Kit volunteered to model her new clothes for me. I am so excited to give these little dresses to Laurel (and a couple for Grace!). And so I introduce the lovely Kit.

Here she is wearing a sundress with matching hat. I am making a little white t-shirt to go underneath because we believe in modesty, even for our dolls! Pattern: McCalls 5554

I discovered BunnyBear, who designs historically accurate patterns for American Girl dolls. This is one of the dresses from the 1930s line, #9361.

A little party dress. After making the BunnyBear designs, I'm less interested in patterns from the big pattern companies. They just don't have that polished look. But it's a fun dress anyway. Laurel loves it, and that is what counts the most.

Another dress (this one's for Grace) from BunnyBear.

Another BunnyBear pattern (I'm starting to feel like a commercial for them!) - this one is the Emily dress from the 1940s. LOVE this one. This one is on it's way tomorrow to Grace as well.

Another sundress, same pattern.

This cherry dress is, without a doubt, my favorite one. I love everything about it, especially that red collar. I might go crazy and make Laurel a matching one - I have plenty of that cherry print.

Another one...

A blue butterfly Emily dress. I played around with the collar and cuffs. I think I'd rather have them be white/contrasting from now on. But I like it just fine and Laurel likes it too.

I've got a sitter for tomorrow afternoon so I can sew up my bean bag fish. Then I HAVE to sew that apron. It's a quick sew, so I'll be done with it by Tuesday evening. I might work in a new batch of stockings before Friday, but it's not a priority. I've also got some dinosaurs to make. And a birthday present to make and ship after Christmas.

Happy sewing! Just five days to go!

The Apron I'm Making

Honestly, I needed a quick distraction from this blasted paper I'm writing. So I'm blogging about fabric.

Here are the three fabrics for the Emmeline apron I'm making for the wife of a friend at church. He said she likes blues and browns. Well, it's his lucky Christmas, because Moda's Pure collection is a stunning one, and all blue and brown.

Side A

Side B

The binding and ties and neck strap

Will she love it? I hope so! I know I would!

To Do Tuesday

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go...

Okay, it's the last day of November. That's Christmas season, y'all. And it's especially looking like Christmas in my sewing room (what passes for a sewing room around here - I'll give you the grand tour another day).

I have our community center reserved for tonight for a little sewing party. Might just be me and Rendy, but we're going to be busy bees working on Christmas. Here's what's on my list for tonight:

Sew at least one new dress for Kit

William's boy doll

Just discovered this art journal here and I must make them for my munchkins. I might even get one too!

Can I just say that I'm longing for the days when handmade goods were appreciated as gifts? At church, instead of choosing gifts, maybe even making them and then wrapping them, now we are instructed to just buy gift cards. It's just so cold and impersonal to me. I'd love to make a little girl a doll and blanket and one of these art journals. Now, it's just about giving people money.

It makes me glad for those who do still appreciate handmade gifts. I'm even making a commissioned apron for a friend at church - he's one of those perceptive husbands who listens when his wife says she likes something. Well, she told him I made pretty aprons and he e-mailed my husband and we picked out fabric and now I'm making an apron for her. I hope she likes it. I'll take pictures, of course!

But that comes after my finals and such. Classes officially end on the 10th, and I have just one final on the 13th.

And here's my early Christmas present - I discovered yesterday that I will graduate in June, if all goes as planned! Hooray!

Finished!!!

I just love finishing projects. Even little tiny, easy ones like these little beauties:

They whipped up so fast and simple - just have to put a snap on the inside and embellish the outside with a button or something else cute. Super fun and completely from scraps - that's always a great thing, right. So, friends and family, don't be surprised if you end up with one for Christmas!

And then there are big projects that just needed two rows to be done. And so, while introducing my children to the Sound of Music, I finished this off. It's a perfect, large, snuggle on the couch lap quilt size, although with some borders and binding, just might work for a twin. You know, I'm beginning to get serious about the twin beds in the master bedroom....

I also finished a few pillowcases for fun. That's the trouble I'm having these days. I have Christmas sewing that needs to get done, but I can no longer do it in front of my inquisitive little kids! So I'm stuck doing that at craft days (oh darn, need another one!). And I still cannot find my rotary cutter. Grrr. I'm beginning to run out of already prepped projects. Girl's gonna need that soon...

In the meantime, happy sewing!

Sewing Day Recap

Since Rebecca asked, I might as well 'fess up. I did get some things going during my sewing day. I've just discovered how quickly piecing together a quilt is compared with fiddling with doll clothes. Love making the clothes for my girl and her dolly, but the hemming and gathering and facings and all that are time consuming! I almost completely finished a Christmas dress for Laurel's doll. That's it. Sheesh!

So I'm really glad I'll get to have yet another one of these days. Because I've got quite a bit of sewing to do in not a lot of time.

Weekend Recap

Did I get all my homework done? You bet your sewing machine I did! When a girl's got some serious motivation, anything is possible.

I didn't work on what I'd planned. More on that later. Here's what I got done:

These adorable pinwheels - I've had this strawberry print forever. Actually, I made an apron out of it a couple years ago. I had a dozen 5" squares of it just sitting around. I got the Dream On green stripe, the Essential Dots bubblegum pink and this cute red check a couple weeks ago. Well, it just all came together. 12 blocks later, I'm in love. I'm going to add another white border to each block and then I'm going to do a scrappy bit of sashing between them.

A close up of the red pinwheel:

A close-up of the pink pinwheel:

A close-up of the green pinwheel:

Now, as to my original plan. I did get a whole six rows done on my chimneys and cornerstones. One small problem. I did not calculate correctly. I might have enough for 12 rows total, but it's not really what I envisioned. Or I could chop the six rows I have in half and make two baby quilts. What I will do with two girly baby quilts I don't know. But it's something. Thoughts? This is what the baby quilt would look like:

Finally, I was tooling around on flickr (it's a bigger problem for me than facebook these days). I found this picture and decided to figure out my own version. I'll be using the reds/pinks and greens from my Sparkle All the Way layer cake. I'm quite excited about this one. I got all the squares cut. It goes into the futures pile.

So it was a rocking productive weekend. I think a lot had to do with sending Aaron to the gun show on Saturday. Shh. He thought it was for him, but it was really for me. If I get him out of the house, I don't feel required to entertain him or find things for him to do. I always feel guilty about having projects I can do with the kids around. He gets a little stir crazy and I feel bad for him. All his hobbies (guns, motorcycles, models) are not child friendly. Not that I'd let my kids loose with the rotary cutter and we've already seen how many pins James can get inside my machine, but my hobbies aren't inherently dangerous.

So off he went to the gun show and I cranked out a stack o' quilt blocks. If I could have someone around to just iron pieces for me, I'd get so much more sewing done.

And now, I MUST get Laurel's costume done. It's all cut out. I think I'll be spending my afternoons getting it together.

Happy sewing!

Reward Time

If I'm very good and focused, and get this done:

This, being a paper on Heart of Darkness, writing a poem, analyzing another poem, and writing yet another paper on yet another poem. If I'm really good and get that all done by tomorrow afternoon (well, the paper on HOD has to be done), then I get to play with this:

My Holiday Hostess quilt top

My Chimneys and Cornerstones quilt top - of which two, count 'em, two rows are already done! Hooray. I'd like to get this one done this weekend. But there is that Halloween costume to worry about as well. Not to worry. The Siamese kitty will be ready before next Saturday at 4:45 p.m.

Watcha think? Can she stay motivated? With rewards like this, I'm pretty sure I can.