Snow Day = Sew Day

I called into work today because, well honestly $7.85 an hour isn't worth me or my truck getting damaged in the ice. So it was a Sew Day! I think all of my frustrations yesterday were taken out and put to good use on my new project. Such good use that I am done with all the blocks and cut almost everything else out! All but 4 blocks were done today! I did those 4 last night. This picture does NOT do it justice.

It is a variety of material, including the Civil War reproductions by Moda. I found the idea in an Australian magazine. I'll post more on it when I post the finished project. I love the fabric in this one though. I really need my sister to come and take a real picture of it when I am done. Hopefully it won't be hanging as an Unfinished Project for a year!

Frustration!

I am blogging out of frustration right now. I hate pinwheels. I can't get my middle to match up. Everything seems to match up perfectly until I do my last seam and then it is a train wreck.

See...A train wreck!

And when I do get everything to match up then it won't lay flat. (Not showing that one!) I can do pinwheels when I use Thangles and do the half square triangles. But these pinwheels are not made from half square triangles.

I GIVE UP!! I have 4 more of these cut out ready to sew but I'm moving on to another project. Two is enough to prove to me that I shouldn't be doing this right now.

UFO #3...DONE!

My version of "Circle of Life" from Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting March/April 2006

Original design by Deb York

I finished my 3rd UnFinished prOject! This was a big one too. I started "Circle of Life" in the fall of 2008. I loved this quilt from the first time I saw it in the magazine. I love it even more now that it covers me up on the couch! This quilt was no easy venture. First of all, those circles.... they aren't easy to get spaced out just right and then into the center of the square. I cut them out of 5x5 1930s reproduction fabric. After ironing them on I machine blanket stitched around each circle. Oh, those circles ain't goin' anywhere! Then the middle border.... those are pieced one by one. I couldn't strip it because I had 4x4 squares of the 1930s reproduction fabric. I cut each into 4 squares and started piecing. I have had the top done for quite a while. I loved it so much I was afraid to quilt it! I finally decided I had to.

But what to back it with. I had planned to back it just with muslin. But after seeing some quilts backed with patterned fabric I decided to see if could find something. I took the top to The Country Store Quilt Shop and the ladies there helped me find some 1930s reproduction fabric that isn't in the quilt top but goes very well with the quilt as a whole! I love it! It is pretty on both sides.

What unfinished project should I do next?

Block of the Months for 2010

I love Block of the Months! They aren't overwhelming. I mean, I can't do anything else after I am done with that block because the next one doesn't come out till next month! My favorite quilt shop, The Country Store Quilt Shop in Shop Springs, has Block of the Month and Buck a Blocks. The Block of the Month had 2 options, I chose the scrappy one. The other is the same design but done in neutrals, it is pretty but not me.

Then they have 3 different Buck a Blocks. Again, same design, different fabric. I couldn't pick just one! I love them both! I used to not really enjoy the classic blocks. I was more into the applique quilts. But with all the amazing fabric out now, I love seeing how modern the classics can look.

I have my eye on some fabric. It's by Riley Blake Designs, called Bloom and Grow. I may need to sell a few things before I can continue to increase my stash though!

Must Be Productive!

I get an hour for lunch where I work. I always end up just sitting for most of it, not really doing anything. So I decided to take some yarn in and make baby hats during lunch. I made one in 2 days, working only during my lunch hour. I also found out that there are others there that knit, crochet, and quilt. There is one adverse side effect though.... now my hour goes by way too quickly!

My church does a charity called Hats for Afghanistan. They take all size knitted and crocheted hats for the people there. I think I'll donate what I make during my lunches to that cause.

Book(let) Review Monday!

I almost forgot! I think I am going to start reviewing a book or booklet every Monday. I figured the best place to start is at the beginning so today's review is the booklet that has my 1st quilting project in it. I have seen it in shops and stores lately so I know it is still around.

As you can see I got Wall Quilts for All at a bargain. 2 whole dollars! It was well worth it. It is worth full price! I love these designs by Chris Malone. There is a wall hanging for every season and special ones as well. I have done 3 so far from this booklet. The "Sew Crazy" Sampler, Friendship Hearts (pictured on the front cover), and Home Sweet Home (pictured on the back cover.)

The directions are written very clearly and most of the projects would be easy for a beginner. Full-size patterns are included so you don't have to copy and increase anything.

I really want to do the one called Wild About Wildlife (pictured on the back cover). It would look perfect in my bedroom. In case you don't know I have a thing for moose.

I like doing reviews. It gives me a reason to go through some of the many books I have. Look for one next Monday and if you happen to see this booklet and you are looking for a place to start.... I recommend it.

Where It All Began

I learned to sew at a pretty early age. I could cross-stitch before the age I was supposed to be allowed to have a needle in my hand. I crocheted chains as long as the house! But I really didn't take sewing and crochet up as true hobbies until I was out of college. Crocheting came first. I saw my good friend Sarah Johnson crocheting something but I didn't recognize it exactly. She was doing the Afghan stitch. She taught me how and as I always do, I started on a big project. So big that the afghan is sitting next my couch right now still unfinished. I pick it up and work on it occasionally.

I later learned the rest of the stitches from my friend Lea Ann Schnepper. Again, I picked an afghan to start out with. Again, it is sitting net to my couch unfinished. Thankfully I have completed many other crochet projects in the meantime!

Quilting came on a whim. I am not sure where I got the itch really. My mom sews mostly clothes. I hate sewing clothes. But I found a quilting booklet of wall hangings (see tomorrow's post for a review of this booklet) on sale for $2.00. I decided to make one for my mom, since she is the one that taught me to sew in the first place. Below is my first ever quilting project (my mom has it hanging in her sewing room and displays her pins on it.) I remember doing the hand stitching for the words at red lights in Virginia. Those that live in Northern Virginia know that there is plenty of time to do this sort of thing while sitting at red lights.

Needless to say I have been hooked on both and love creating and designing my own things now.

What was your first project?

So pretty I can't use it!

Do you have yarn or fabric that you just love? So much that you can't fathom making something with it? You know that once you cut it, once you make it into something, you can't make it into something else. That's it. Especially if you don't know if you can find that fabric or yarn again. I mean, what if you make something then see the the perfect project you SHOULD be making with it instead? And besides, it's just so pretty like it is! It would take up way too much room to show you all of my fabric that fits into this category. But here is some of my favorite yarn....

So, am I the only one or are there a few more crazy people like me?

A Long Time Coming

If you are anything like I am you have a ton of clippings, magazines, or books with ideas in it. You know the things you see and you just HAVE to make? Problem is, even if I had all the fabric and yarn in the world I wouldn't have enough time to complete them all. This project is one of the first that caught my eye when I started quilting. I finally made it!!! It took a long time to find the flags. My good friend Susan Noe actually found them for me. They were bigger than the project called for so I had to adjust all the measurements but I think it still came out okay. I had coffee stained it, but it smelled so much of coffee I just "washed" it in cold without any detergent and it still took most of the color out! I may try it again though.

"Liberty" from Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting, July/August 2004

UFO #1 Finished!

I started this lamb blankie last June. It isn't very big, but every little piece of the lambs are appliqued separately.

I got the idea and the lamb pattern out of this book.

I just made mine smaller. I love the black and white with just a little color on it.

This is the first quilt I backed with something other than muslin. I think it adds a lot to it. The binding was done ALL by machine! I found it somewhere on the web a long time ago and saved the PDF to my computer. I don't want to post it until I know who to give credit to for knowing how. Once I do I may give my own tutorial using pictures and not just drawings. It saves so much time and the corners work out perfect!

Loving compliments!

I went to my favorite area quilt shop today to get some fabric to back my Circle of Life quilt seen below. I decided I didn't want just plain muslin.

I took that quilt and another quilt top in to see if I could find something. The ladies oohed and ahhhed over them and said how good they were. (They really aren't that good. Nothing like the work they do!) It is nice though to have someone appreciate your work. I did find backing for both tops. Now I don't have an excuse to keep procrastinating... except I don't know how to hand quilt. Of course I didn't know how to piece or machine quilt and that didn't stop me.

Point is, show off your work! It gives you a renewed energy to finish a project or start a new one.

Bibs, Bibs, and more Bibs

Here are some of the bibs I made for the craft fair this Fall. I sold about 3 of them. If anyone sees one they like they are more than welcome to let me know. $5 plus the cost of mailing it.

The one on the bottom is my favorite one

I love these two!

Sock monkeys!!