Hey Hey Hey

Hey Hey Hey!  Is anyone even still out there?

We've moved and I actually have my OWN sewing room now.  This means I'll be making (and posting) a lot more projects!

If there's anyone out there still, comment and help me dust off this old blog and get it going again :)

(I'll post some pictures of what I've been working on in a bit)

I've missed a few Design Wall Mondays (and I'll miss tomorrow's) and I've missed a few Stash Report Sundays because, well.....because I've done nothing. I took my design wall down because we have company and I put my sewing machine away as well. We're going to the Great Wolf Lodge for a little family get away this week and once we get home, I'll get all my sewing stuff back out and hopefully have more to report in the following weeks. Until then.....

Design Wall Monday ~ January 16

I have a pretty full design wall right now. I got tired of looking at the Irish Chain. I need to piece some more blocks and it had pretty much out grown my wall anyway, so I took it down. So....let's take a look, shall we?

I mentioned last night that I've decided to make the 36 patch from crazymomquilts. I'm going slow, just picking two fabrics at a time. I picked the green/pink, hubby picked the green/orange. Clearly, they cannot be placed next to one another in the quilt. I think it's time a pick a block with no green.......I figure if I make one block a week, then sandwich/quilt it, I should be able to get it done this year. Haven't we all said that before?!? LOL!

My strings are out of control! I've been going over to a friend's house for a sew day a couple of times per month and since we both homeschool (read: kids are there) and we like to chat, it can be a little chaotic! I needed something to work on that didn't require precision piecing. Enter STRINGS! Like the 36 patch, this one will slowly grow over time.

Lastly, Judy picked number 5 for the UFO Challenge for this month. These blocks are blocks that I received in a virtual quilting bee a couple of years ago. I have three other blocks that won't make it into the quilt. One will be pieced into the back (the colors just don't work with the rest of them) and two will be made into pillows. Right now.....I'm just trying to figure out what to do with these 10 blocks. I'm thinking I'll sash them with random widths of Kona charcoal. We'll see....

So, there you have it. If you want to see more Design Walls, head over to Judy's post and see who's linked up!

Stash Report 1/15/2012

~*~ This post is linked up to Judy's Stash Report over at Patchwork Times ~*~

This week I sliced up some center strings for a string quilt I'm working on (to be seen on design wall Monday tomorrow ~ if I can find the camera!) I also cut up some strips for a 36 patch block, I'm making a version of Amandajean's. I'll be working on it a block at a time throughout the year.

Used this Week: .1.5 yards
Used year to Date: 1.7 yards

Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards

Net Used for 2012: 1.7 yards

Line 'Em UP!

Ever since Carter was a baby he has been obsessed with lining things up. It started with peas on his high chair, then he moved on to blocks, and finally graduated to his big brother's Hot Wheels. Often times I'd walk into the living room and find a mixture of blocks, Hot Wheels, cars, and other items lined up from one end of the room to the other. So, I'm not sure why, once I hung a design wall, I was surprised to find this....

My sweet boy hasn't stopped rearranging my blocks since I hung them! I find him fussing with them all day long. He'll get them just right and then out of no where, he'll jump off of the couch and start rearranging them again.

I guess I should have seen this coming, but honestly I didn't. I think it's cute as could be and if my blocks weren't so WHITE, I wouldn't even nag him about washing his hands first :)

I think I may have a future quilt designer on my hands. I've since taken the Irish Chain down and put up some other blocks. He fiddled with them for about 24 hours, but has left them alone ever since. I guess they just don't hold his interest as much as all of those tiny little squares!

Stash Report 1/8/2012

~*~This post is linked up to Judy's Stash Report over at Patchwork Times~*~

I've decided to go ahead and count it as I slice it, but only if it's going straight into a current project. This week I sliced up about a fifth of a yard as I needed some more 2" squares for my Irish Chain. Some of them have made it into blocks, some of them are still in the little basket of 2" squares, but they are all out of my stash :)

I also pulled some fabric for the mug rug swap, but I haven't cut into it yet, so that'll have to count for next week's stash report.

I'm off to a good start. Whoop!

Used this Week: .2 yards
Used year to Date: .2 yards

Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards

Net Used for 2012: .2 yards

Mug Rugs

I'm in a Valentine's Mug Rug swap over at the HGTV Quilting Board. I'm taking a little break from the bed quilts, so I thought it would be a good time to pull some fabrics and start thinking about it......
I'm loving the grey dots. I seem to only have a quarter yard (maybe even less). What was I thinking? Gasp. Gonna have to hunt down some more of that, stat!! I'm totally in love with these colors and the whole concept of a mug rug in general.

This swap is for the rug only, but I've been thinking of hosting a "Mug 'N Rug Swap" where you buy a mug and then make a mug rug to match. Then fill up the mug with a few goodies. If you work from stash, the whole swap would come in right around $20 (or less). So, whatdya say ~ would anyone be interested in such a swap? There would be no theme....just a mug and a rug. What say you?

Are you ready for some football??

Not much sewing going on here today. It's playoffs, baby!! WHO DEY!!!!!

Design Wall Monday

~*~ This post is linked up to Judy's Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times ~*~

I didn't meet my challenge. Bummer. I asked Jason yesterday if I had to give the Juki back. He told me it was a good thing the PO was closed yesterday ;)

I've been sewing like crazy and I'm completely in love with the Juki. I've named her "JJ", for "Jess' Juki".

I actually talked Jason into letting me hang a big flannel sheet in the middle of the living room to use as my design wall. I was originally going for a small corner in our bedroom, but then I thought, "If I'm gonna go, I may as well go BIG!" I assumed I could run to Walmart and find a cheap sheet. WRONG! Plain white flannel sheets aren't as easy to find as one might thing. New plan: head to Joann's and buy some plain white flannel yardage, thumb tack it to the big plain wall in the living room and remove it for company. Awesome.

Sadly, I haven't done it yet so my floor is still my design wall. I've made a few more blocks on the Irish Chain. One of my friends on Facebook suggested I water it and feed it after midnight to see if it grows. I just might give that a try!! There are so many tiny little seams in these blocks, so I'm sewing them together in fours and then sewing the chunks together. It's easier to manage than big long rows for this one....

I'm letting the boys take the rest of the week off of school because, well, because I've been sewing an not lesson planning! Lucky them. I guess. Anyway, once school starts back up next week I fear my sewing time will get drastically cut. I just have to remember my mantra for the new year: Balance.

Stash Report 1/1/2012

~*~ STASH REPORT 1/1/2012 ~*~

(this post is linked up to Judy's link at Patchwork Times)

This is my first stash report of the year. It's also, coincidently, my first stash report ever. I'm not going to list the fabric I used this past week because well, that was 2011, not 2012. I'm kind of Type A like that :)

I'm debating on when to list my stash used. As I slice into it, as the tops are done, or as the quilt is done.....which do you do?

Oh, I will also mention that I have a reminder in my phone right now to purchase fabric on the 8th (payday) because I did slice into some of my stash this week and discovered I didn't have enough of one particular fabric. Off to a great start with stash busting. HA!

Here's to a great 2012. Happy Quilting!

Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 0 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards
Net Used for 2012: 0 yards

Happy New Year!

This is how I spent New Year's Eve. It's a crappy iPad picture, but let's focus on the quilt and not the photo quality, mkay? Thanks.

Here's to wishing everyone a fantabulous 2012!! Cheers!

Oh Yea, Did I mention....

I GOT THE JUKI!!! Merry Christmas to me!!!

The last two weeks have been fabulous! I managed to maintain a somewhat clean house, I got all of my Christmas baking done, I managed to find time to sew most days and I actually got some sleep.

I'm looking forward to continuing on this path, but I'm nervous because I have to fit two more items into my life ~ homeschool & the gym. I know I can fit it all in, I just have to get myself super organized. If there's one thing I learned this summer with my testing is that I thrive on structure. My personality doesn't lend itself well to this, but my brain requires it.

I'm making myself little binders ~ one for quilting, one for workouts, one for chores & I already have one for homeschool. I have to learn to let go of perfection. Often times when I set out to get organized, I'm immediately paralyzed because I'm not sure exactly how I want everything. My brain doesn't seem to think I can start a project until I can see it completely finished in my mind's eye. Life isn't so cut and dry and I have to remember that.

When it comes to organization, evolution is the key. Just start. Eventually a system will evolve that works. I just have to repeat to myself (constantly) to just get started. The details will work themselves out.

2012 UFO List

~*~ This post is linked up at Judy's Patchwork Times UFO 2012 List Linky Party ~*~

This is my little shelf that holds my current projects. Should I be embarrassed to tell you that it hasn't changed in two years? And there are more WIPS/UFOs that this shelf can handle?

After taking about an 18 month hiatus from quilting, I'm so ready to jump back in full monty. Unfortunately all of the things that took me away from quilting (namely: LIFE) are still ever so present in my life. I'm learning to pace myself. BALANCE. BALANCE. BALANCE. If I say it often enough will it seep into my brain and actually stay there? Let's hope so!

Here's my current list of UFOs that I plan to work on in 2012. I have no delusions about finishing all of them this year. I plan to prioritize them and work on them accordingly ~ while throwing in a new project here and there ~ but 2012 is going to all about working through the WIPs and the stash. Wish me luck!

~*~ Edited to strike through first three ~*~

After actually reading the info on the UFO Challenge, (from last year) I realized I needed a list of 12 quilts. The first three are actually WIPs and have a deadline. So, okay, now I'm actually playing by the rules. Phew....I'm a rule follower.

Boys' Bed Quilts (one needs border, one is in blocks)

Irish Chain Quilt (still working on blocks)

Parker's Quilt (needs quilting)

1. Molly's Quilt (basted, needs quilting)

2. Barney's Blocks (partially quilted)

3. Christmas Lights (not even sure I'm going to keep going with this one....)

4. Ainsley's Quilt (in blocks, poor girl.....)

5. Bee Blocks from my Flickr Quilt Bee (collection of blocks, not even sure how many)

6. Mom's Quilt (blocks are done)

7. Figgy Pudding Charm Quilt (charms are sewn into rows)

8. Old Red Barn Quilt A long (this was from a few years ago, blocks are done)

9. Tranquiltity Charm Quilt (needs borders)

10. Asian Coins (top done, needs to be quilted)

11. RWB Strings Quilt (a swap I was in, need to sort through the blocks)

12. 30s Strings Quilt (same as above)

And then I have a box of UFOs that aren't quilts, just other projects that I'd worked on off and on...to be honest, most of them I don't even care about. I need to pull the box out and see what's in there and decide what to do with all of it.

Phew....that list made me tired just typing it out!! Let's keep our fingers crossed that I get that Juki just so I can get to work on this list!!

Design Wall Monday

~*~ This post is linked to Judy's Design Wall Monday ~*~

Well, I still don't have a design wall, but I'm working on that. Hubby and I are in charge of stuffing our own stockings this year and I think I'm going to put a twin sized flannel flat sheet in my stocking to hang on my bedroom wall. A design wall that can be taken down, washed and folded when it's not in use. Perfect.

For now, though, we'll have to deal with my kitchen table! This is the last quilt in my challenge, and it's pretty slow going. I have all of the units cut, 2/3 of them sewn and about half of them pressed. Now it's time to start building the blocks. I have until Jan 1 to make this a queen sized flimsy. Yowsers!!

As for progress on the other two ~ one is in a stack of blocks, will put them into rows tonight. One is in rows, needs to be pressed and sewn into a center. I have the borders purchased, but not cut yet.

Hubby leaves town Christmas night and is gone for five days. I'm praying that the new toys keep the kids occupied that week and I get to go into a sewing storm so I can get these finished by Jan 1. Pray for me!!! LOL!

Cheers!

Baby Bento

I used the leftovers from this quilt project to make a baby Bento quilt. It measures only 36" x 36"; I started getting sick of playing with these fabrics and having to keep a good variety in each block. That's why it's so small. My cousin is having a baby boy next month, so I think I'll do some simple straight line quilting and send this to her little bundle once he's born.

I haven't been to the quilt shop yet, so a lot of my sewing has come to a halt. I cut up some 2" squares yesterday ~ I need 600+ and I'm at about 450, so I still have plenty to keep me busy! I decided to tidy up my fabric space yesterday. I desperately need a new system for my scraps (and I really really need to start using them!). How do you handle your scraps? How do you organize them? What actually constitutes a scrap in your mind? I grab anything smaller than a FQ & separate them by color. How about you?

Show & Tell

I've been working hard to meet my goal. All of the blocks for the boys' beds are finished. I decided to play around with some of them tonight. This is about half a quilt's worth of blocks. These will be twin sized quilts, so the blocks will be 7 x 9, then borders (don't have the pattern in front of me, not sure of the border size). I'm loving these quilts! How fun!! But I'm seriously ready to work with some grown up fabric! HA!

**ETA, this post is linked up to Judy's Design Wall Monday**

Quilt Progress....

Look at me now! Blogging from a computer again! Whoot!! Ok, just to update you on my Juki challenge:

Quilt 1 ~ all blocks are done and should be stitched into a flimsy this evening (using a pattern from the book above)

Quilt 2 ~ all cut and ready to be stitched (same fabric/pattern as quilt 1). It'll go quick. My goal is to have two flimsies by bed time tomorrow.

Quilt 3 ~ I'm stuck until I get to the quilt shop (I also need borders for the first two quilts)

Quilt 4 ~ well, it's partially quilted and I've convinced DH that finishing the quilting would actually be much easier and simpler if I did it AFTER I have the Juki! LOL!! So, I'm going to try to add in a few more WIPs to this challenge....I gotta go through my stack and see what speaks to me!!

Monday, assuming everyone is healthy (boy 1 is sick), the boys go to PAL (our once a week "school" that our local public school offers to homeschool kids so that they can technically count them as public students), and I get to go to the quilt shop. ALONE. Pure Bliss!

Ok.....enough for now. I'm going to post some ideas that will hopefully keep me quilting (and blogging) throughout 2012.....stay tuned!

A new Juki

My computer died. New one should be here today, but until then I'm blogging from my iPad - please pardon the crudeness.
Anyway, I've figured it's high time I dusted off this blog. I'm quilting again. Yay!! So I'll have some eye candy soon, too (with my new computer!)

My husband challenged me that if I can get four (specific) quilts finished by the end of the year, he'd buy me a new Juki. Um, yes please!!
I think I negotiated him down to three quilt tops and one finished quilt...three of them I'll take to the long arm and rent time, and she's pretty much booked until after Christmas.
So, the four quilts are:
- boys' beds (they are cut, need to be pieced) Pattern: Snapshots from the Happy Hour book

- our bed quilt. (Partially pieced, mor fabric to purchase) Pattern: Scrappy Irish Chain from Bonnie Hunter's Leaders & Enters book

- "Barney's Quilt" (partially quilted, needs to be frogged and quilting started over). This was a Christmas gift to my husband in 2007. Whoops!!

So, anyway. That's where I am. I hope there are still some readers around here!!
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