Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Streak of Lightening!

Add another quilt to the done list!

After binding Midnight Dreams on Sunday,
I was really in the mood to quilt!
But I knew I couldn't start anything new.
(you know all about that darn Hawaii list!)

And the only thing I had going on quilting wise
was my son's quilt top.
Its been done since about March.

Soooo, I layered it and used my new basting spray/glue.
It worked really well, but it was messy.
Got on my pants and socks, ugh.
I'm hoping it'll come out in the wash.
But I really loved how easy it was to use.

Admittedly, this quilt doesn't have alot of quilting,
but I think its enough and I love how it turned out.
And Nick will be thrilled that its finally done!
This is a UFO from last year!
Close up:

Now, I'm a sad panda.
I have NOTHING started in the quilting arena.
And I really can't start anything until I get the other list done.
But I can dream and plan.
After seeing the new quilt on my bed, both teen's have
placed their order for one :)


Sunday, May 29, 2011

Midnight Dreams

I am so excited and thrilled to present
my new quilt.
Its been a long time coming,
an even longer time being dreamed of.

Presenting.....
Midnight Dreams
Final dimensions ended up being
115"x105"

Here's a close up of the quilting

I picked it up from the quilter's yesterday
and put the binding on it this morning.

And, yes, it immediately went right to my bed :)
BTW-my hubby named it and I think its perfect :)

Saturday, May 28, 2011

MIA?

In case you are wondering,
I'm still around.

Its been so hectic lately and I haven't done much sewing.
I finished a skirt that I wore today....

AND

the big news is

I PICKED MY KING SIZE UP FROM THE QUILTERS!!!

It looks amazing! I am so excited about it!

Binding either tomorrow, Monday or Tuesday and then I'll share.

For now, you just get to know that its home and almost done!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Friday Night Sew In

Friday Night Sew In Results

Last night I spent a few hours sewing.
And not even working on the list! Ooooopps!

But I was working on my mental list, so that makes it ok.
But, I made a sunglass case
Which I think is way too big,
and I'll make it smaller next time,
but it'll work.
Samantha thinks it looks like a calculator holder.
Dh says it looks like a barbie sleeping bag! LOL

and a small carry anything pouch.


I'm not thrilled with how the zipper turned out, but
that's probably because I didn't follow the directions exactly.
Oh well, it'll work.

I also got the extra blocks from the Quilt A Long picked out that I am going to use on the backing for my Waiting for Spring Quilt.
I cut the backing in half and got one piece of it ironed,
so hopefully I can finish it up tomorrow and get it to the quilter's soon. At this point, my king size should be almost done, so I may just wait until its ready before I drop this one off.
The LQS is not close, and with the price of gas, I hate to drive out there all the time.


Thursday, May 19, 2011

The End is Coming

Really?
The Rapture is happening this Saturday?
I guess I should get ready!

Wait.....yeah, I'm probably not going.
I'm too skeptical of all of this talk.

But, that's not what I am here to chat about.
I've been sewing and sewing!
And dealing with a stubborn migraine that is not going away,
but that's beside the point.

Yesterday, I finished Allie's 4 layer skirt.

So cute!
She picked out the fabrics, and they came out beautifully together.
Of course, she had to wear it to school today.

And, here's her first quilt square.

I'm not going to say she is doing it all on her own,
cuz I seem to be doing an awful lot of pinning and all of the cutting.
And some of the ironing.
BUT she is doing almost all of the sewing.

I also started my new spring/summer purse yesterday.
Finished it today, so voila, here it is:

And, I finished a dress for Samantha. Maybe she'll try it on later and I can get a pic.
But, its one of those fabric's where the top is already smocked, so all you have to do is sew a seam down the back, hem it and its done.
An easy cross off on the list, so that makes me happy.
I have another one of those to do for Allie, I'm just waiting for her to get home so I know how big to make it.

My pace right now is one thing crossed off her day.
If I keep up this pace, I'll be done in a month! LOL

The FNSI is tomorrow night.
Are you signed up?
If not, check it out here.

Not sure yet what I will be working on, but you know my list is long, so I'll find something.


Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Messenger Bag

When we went out of town last month,
I stocked up on some quilting magazines.
Two 18 hour drives requires alot of reading material.

One of the magazines I picked up was this:

See the cute little bag in the top right?
That's on my to do list. Somewhere.
But, inside the magazine was a purse/messenger bag free pattern.
And, coincidentally, my oldest daughter has been asking me to make her a messenger bag.
She wants it for the Hawaii trip, as well as day trips where she needs a bit more room and an "over the shoulder/across the chest" strap for comfort.
I should have taken a pic of it on her, but I didn't.
Here is the outside.

The pattern was easy to read and came together very quickly.
I did make a few, small changes and learned some things along the way.
I added heavy duty interfacing to both sides of the bag body to help it hold its shape.
(Haha, what I learned was don't add that until AFTER you have forced the body through the handles to get the bag right side out!)
Cassidy also informed me that she had no intentions of using it reversible, as it was intended, so could I please add some pockets to the inside.
(would have been nice to know this BEFORE I sewed the bag together)
And, lastly, I added a zipper....I have no idea why someone would want a bag or purse that has no closure! Yikes, talk about theft waiting to happen.

Here is a pic of the inside:

And so, the first item has been checked off the Hawaii to do list.
After I finished this, I started Allie's 4 layer skirt.
But I promised myself I wouldn't post pics of anything until they are done.
I got all the layers sewn together, the zipper in and the hem done. All I need to do is add the yoke lining.

For now, I have eaten so I am going to take a migraine pill and go back to bed, in hopes that I can save this day from being headache hell.

Just as a btw, Allie has been working on her quilt the last few days.
I'll take a pic later and update you on her work!
So cool to see her working on a full size (well, twin, but you know what I mean!) quilt!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

FNSI

The next Friday Night Sew In is here!
This Friday!

HA! Heidi put the sign ups up last week.
So, I thought it was for last Friday and I didn't sign up.
Imagine my surprise when I was on Bobbi's blog this morning
and she said it was this Friday!
Yeah! Sign me up!

Are you interested?

I'll have to wait and see what I'll work on. You saw that "to do" pile yesterday!
But I made some good progress already!
I cut out the pattern and fabric for a skirt for Allie and a skirt for me.
Plus, I have Cassidy's messenger bag almost done.
If the girl hadn't asked for innner pocket's, I'd be finished already!

Today:
Volunteering in Nick's classroom this morning.
More laundry.
Finish the messenger bag.
Work on that quilt backing I need done.

Have a good day!



Monday, May 16, 2011

Before Hawaii


This is my pile of "before Hawaii" sewing.
Actually, I have some fat quarter projects that aren't in that stack.
Yikes!
I guess I should get started.
I'm afraid to even count the number of projects in that stack.

But, I've already made some progress.
I GOT MY SANTA SACK DONE!!!

For today, I want to go through that whole stack and list everything out.
Then, pick what I want to work on this week.
After that, I'd really like to start the week by deciding on and finishing the backing for my Waiting for Spring quilt, so I can get it to the quilter's.

Also on today's list:
laundry and a pedicure.
Dh has a softball game tonight, but I'm guessing we'll be rained out.

I'm hoping for an easy, sewing-full week :)


Thursday, May 12, 2011

Waiting for Spring

Have you ever done a Quilt-a-long?
I joined the Block A Palooza quilt a long back in January.
I'd never done one before and it sounded fun.
Make 2 blocks a week for 8 weeks, add some finishing touches and voila,
a whole quilt top, done.
Except it was a sampler.
Which I guess if I had thought about, I should have known.
And that's not my style.
At all.
So, I did the first 6 blocks.
I liked them all.
Just not together.

But I had all this fabric.
That I wasn't sure I would love when I ordered it,
but I did.
Sunkissed is beautiful!

I needed to come up with another idea.
I decided to take the basic idea from the quilt a long and make it my own.
I designed 2 quilt blocks to make the border.
Then I copied the center panel.
As my dh says, totally  not my style,
but it turned out cute.

I finished the quilt top yesterday.
Now I have to do the backing.
I am thinking of incorporating those extra blocks that I made.
Not quite sure yet.
I'd like to get the backing done soon so I can get this dropped off at the quilters next week.

In the meantime,
wanna sneak peak?


And here's part of the center panel.


In terms of 11 in '11, I am almost half way done.
I have the king size (I really need to name that baby!) at the quilters now.
It is #5.
Waiting for Spring is just about ready to be dropped off.
Its #6.
Nick's quilt, Lightening Strikes, still needs to be quilted.
That is on the docket to be done as soon as I get all the Hawaii sewing done.
It'll be #7. (I bought some batting spray, at a fellow quilters suggestion, that I want to use on this, so I'm anxious to see how it works!)





Sunday, May 1, 2011

Santa Sack Swap

So, I joined Cheryl's Santa Sack Swap
about a month ago.
You can check out the details here.
Its going to be fun and I've been anxious for it to start.
I've already been planning in my mind what to get my partner.
Partners were assigned last night.
(Or this morning.
Cheryl is in Australia, so I have no idea what her night and morning are,
compared to mine! LOL)

But my partner is Jen. From Miss Punkie Pie!
I've been following her blog for months.
I don't even remember where I came across it,
but somewhere.
And she's FUN! So, I started stalking following her.
Her style is very similiar to mine.
She's fun and funny.
I enjoy her blog and I LOVE that
her and I like alot of the same things!
So, cheers to a perfect swap partner!
I'm really looking forward to getting to know you Jen!