What I've been up to . . .

String quilts are HARD! I mean, I know they are easy to put together, straight seams, randomness, yada, yada. But that randomness takes planning. And time. I have to pick out the set of 6 or 7 strips I'm going to use for that block, iron them all, then sew each one, iron it out, repeat. And then do it again for the other color.

I've got 25 blocks done. I've got I-don't-know-how-many to go. I'd like to make one big enough for my bed. We'll see how far my strips o' fabric go. I've got more orange than yellow.

Just for the record - I'm not complaining. I'm having a blast and I've got my little sewing room and all is well.

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!).

A New Baby Girl to Sew For!!!

Yep, that's right. I've got a new baby girl to sew for!

Oh, the fun stuff I get to make this summer and fall.

Okay, back to packing and writing papers.

Can't Help Myself

Couldn't stand it - I have to finish my degree. Still, it will only be two classes, which will leave me plenty o' time for other things, like getting settled in to our new little home. I've got projects galore that will hopefully get me organized. Time will tell.

Just an update. No pics. I'm lame. But I'll take some of my sewing space when I get moved in to it (T-minus 24 days and counting).

And, in case you think I've been wasting time, here's what I've got to do this week:

• Critique 2 novel chapters for novel writing class
• Write an 8 page paper on a poet - not fun
• Start a 12 page paper on 1920s English literature and art - sorta fun
• Research for both papers
• Write a poem
• Pack as many boxes as possible in between times
• Oh, cook meals
• Ultrasound on Thursday, where we will hopefully find out pink or blue
• Meet with summer quarter professors to set up independent study
• Pay bills
• Give notice on house
• Outing to the Killer Whale Museum in Friday Harbor on, well, Friday

That's all I can think of for now. But see? I want to be sewing. I'm itching to sew. But I can't do it. Literally - everything is already packed away. Sigh.

I'll be back in the saddle soon. Promise.

A Productive Summer Awaits

Shhh. Don't tell on me, but I might just spend the summer NOT going to school.

Yes, I will be one quarter, just two classes, shy of my degree. Right now, "so what?" is my defense.

We haven't had a summer off from school for 5 years - either Aaron or I have been in classes full-time.

We're moving to Moscow, possibly in June, so I can't finish right now. It's cool. Moving in, getting settled, checking out our new town, heck, our new backyard, is going to be great. Also, making friends is kinda important too. So when I have this baby, I'm not asking complete strangers to watch my kids while we go to the hospital. Just thinking I might not be too comfortable with that.

So I've all kinds of projects to do when we get there. Laundry bags - wait till I tell you how cute those will be. Lego cinch sacks. Ditto the cinch sacks for train tracks. Some storage bins for Laurel's doll clothes and accessories. Fun stuff like that. Easy projects. Loving it.

So, next Sunday will be pictures of my plans. They are going to be awesome!

Where I've been...

Yes, it's been over a month.

I can 'splain.

Back at the beginning of March, I got a big ol' bonk on the head. My first (and hopefully last) concussion. Not fun, let me tell you.

No one knows really how long they take to recover from. I'm going on 4 weeks now and still not back to normal. Reading is still difficult to do. I haven't even wanted to get out my sewing machine. yes, it's been that bad!

So that's where I've been. I'll be back in the sewing saddle soon (I hope). We're gearing up for our big move at the end of the summer and I've still got to graduate. But I'll be doing some sewing in there as well. I've been going crazy without it.