Am I allowed to take a break?

Took a walk this evening with my oldest son. It was less about exercise and more about one on one time with him. The things I learned:

Dandelions are my favorite flower, according to him.

He wants to have a dog named Oscar or Herbie someday.

We walked past a giant crater in the ground that might have been from a meteor or something.

As we walked, I took the time to remind myself that I need to have more of these walks and talks, with all my kids. Fabric and quilts can wait.

I'll still be here, but less busy. I'm working on dresses for my girls and all my quilts. But I've got a crawling baby I need to watch like a hawk these days, and four other kids who are growing up way too fast.

I'm working on striking a balance, because I haven't yet.

Fabric Friday

I confess, I don't have anything remotely close to a finish this week.

 I pieced together two quilt tops, but as I voluntarily chose to complicate my life with involved borders, those quilts won't be hitting the finished pile any time soon. But as I plan on rotating them on my bed, I want to take my time with them.

Instead, I thought I'd do a little bloggy daydreaming. I was fabric browsing in the wee small hours with a feverish toddler and thought I'd blog my wishlist. I really like the combination of gingham and polka dots in this line, The Simple Life. The colors are some of my favorites. I know it's no longer cool to like red and aqua, but I've never claimed to be cool.

Source: fatquartershop.com via Jennie on Pinterest

I've already got plans for Mama Said Sew, starting with this sewing machine cover and this sewing accessory set. Won't it be just perfect?
 I'm still working out a quilt idea, but I'm getting closer. 'Course, Sweetwater always comes up with adorable plans for their fabric, so I might just wait and see. August can't get here soon enough.

Source: fatquartershop.com via Jennie on Pinterest

I'll confess to being late to the Ruby bandwagon. And I missed the Bliss one entirely. I'm all over Vintage Modern, and now I'm smitten with Marmalade. And we have to wait until October!! This one might be my favorite - love the yellows and oranges in there. I love citrus-y colors. And if they make it in flannel I've got a whole mess of jammies planned!

Source: camilleroskelley.typepad.com via Jennie on Pinterest

There's a rumor floating around here that I'm going to get a sewing day out of my husband tomorrow. He scored a shooting day today, so it's only fair. We'll see how that works out. If I really do get it, who knows what I might get done! I think I'll go cut those white squares I need for my granny square border just in case it really happens.

WIP Wednesday: the one where I make decisions

First, if you're interested in taking part in a 5 yard color spectrum charm swap, head on over here and sign up. There's 15ish spots available All full! Hope you got in!

On to progress. My granny square top is done minus the borders. I've decided that this border is the one I want. Which is going to be a lot of work, a little math, even more pins and quite a few more white squares and strips. But it's gonna be gorgeous!

Can't wait until this one is on my bed!

And on to my Pam Kitty Morning pinwheels. I have the first three rows sewn together, complete with sashing and cornerstones. I'm thinking ahead on the border.
Call me crazy, but I LOVE this border. And I'm going to do it (in the comments section, she very kindly gives some of the measurements to make our lives so much easier!). I just have to cut more fabric and sew a boatload of baby pinwheels. So much for being almost done with these two quilt tops? But I find that a pieced border makes me school-girl giggly happy. So I'm going to do it.

Linking up!

Make-A-List Monday Week Four, the evening edition

Oh, the plans we make!

I didn't consult with this little missy when I made my over-the-top ambitious plans last week.

All six months of her cute self is currently miserably cutting two teeth, conquering crawling and not napping. Makes for an unhappy baby and an unhappy mama.

Who, me?

I did get a few things done. Mr. Law Student was kind enough to make sure I regained some sanity. He's awesome like that. And what time he couldn't give me I snuck in where I could. Even if it was 10 p.m. and I only finished one block. Still makes me feel good.

See, this is my list I post next to my sewing machine. So sewing one block means I get to "X" off one block. It's nice that way.

On to progress!

• Sew 16 Sew Cherry granny squares

More on this one below. But I love.

• Sew 17 PKM pinwheels

Yes indeedy, all done!

• Sew 10 Dresden plates

Um, if there were a stove in my sewing room, these would be on the back burner. Zippo progress on these girls. Like I said, I was distracted this week.

• Cut and sew sashing for granny squares top

Cut, sashed and CUTE! Had to enlist my 6 foot 2, eyes of blue Law Student to take a picture of this baby. She's big! With the borders, she'll be perfect for my bed. Now I have to come up with some pillow shams/cases.

• Cut and sew sashing for PKM pinwheels top - I've cut the sashing, but I'm debating on a few things - Should I put squares in there, or mini pinwheels (I'm just crazy enough to sew 20 of 'em) - thoughts are welcome!

• Plan border for granny squares top

If browsing around flickr counts as planning, then yes, yes I did plan. I like this border, this border, and this border. Equally. For different reasons. The second and third ones maybe just a smidgen more, only because I still have quite a few squares left, but those could always go to make a pillow shams. Thoughts? Votes?

I totally forgot to mention this, but this is another distraction that arrived on Friday afternoon:

That would be 280 color wheel charm squares, with some black, grey and white thrown in. I know, gorgeous, right?

So if you are interested in a stack of your own, I've just joined another one (because let's face it, two of those stacks would be so much better!). There's still quite a few spots. It's five yards of brights - no batiks or solids or pastels. My kind o' swap. Come and play. You will not regret it!

On to this week's goals. I'm keeping it simple:

• Sew together pinwheel top
• Cut fabric for pinwheel top and granny square borders
  

That's it. Just two this time!

What's on your list for this week?

Finish it up Friday: the one with the British accent

Funny story about scones:

When I was about eleven, I was getting ready for the 4-H breakfast competition at the county fair. I wanted to do scones. I found a recipe, but the recipe writer ridiculously advised you to bake them. Pshaw, I said.

Anybody who knows anything knows you deep fry them.

See, I'm a Mormon. And our church ran a food booth at the fair and sold scones. You made them with a donut like dough. They are similar to elephant ears, but a bit thicker and you eat them (well, I ate them) slathered in honey butter and fresh blackberry syrup. The taste memories I have of those babies!

So I mixed up the scone dough, but fried it instead of baked it.

It was a catastrophe. My mother, bless her heart, choked one down but later kindly advised me to do something else. I didn't know what I'd done wrong.

Flash forward to 2000 and Hyde Park, New York. At the CIA (the Culinary Institute of America, not the Central Intelligence Agency), Jennie is finally properly introduced to a scone. Don't know what I was thinking, making a scone without a proper introduction.

We're friends now. My Southern roots just tell me it's a triangle biscuit and we get along just fine.

Today's scone is lemon. I'm eating my second one while I type this.
And my finish is this loverly (My Fair Lady) scone cozy. Because scones should be cozy. These ones had to come out to be glazed though. But I've got a recipe for brownie scones that should be quite happy in there. I know. I had you at brownie, right? Me too.

The ridiculously simple instructions are found in this book. I aspire to be a Farm Chick. At least I want the farmhouse without the farm. Can you do that? I'd have a really big garden, which is close enough, right?

The sky is blue, the sun is shining and we're going out in search of spring this afternoon. And I have a chess game to play with my biggest boy.

Have a lovely Friday and a wonderful weekend. I've got three rows of my granny square quilt sewn together. Going to try to get that one all finished in time for Monday.

Linking up with Amanda whose rainbow log cabin is coming along beautifully and Sarah, who has the cutest whirligig flimsy with a border I love and will buy the pattern just because of the border.

ETA: for those interested in a rainbow charm swap, I just joined another one (yes, yes I did). Here is the link on flickr - it looks like it's only about half full. And it's brights only - no icky batiks or muted stuff. Sorry if you like that sort of thing, but I don't. Which is why I joined.

Let's talk fabric swaps

Rather than a WIP Wednesday post, which would seem like a re-run of Monday's post, I thought I'd chat about fabric swaps.

I'm about to get my package in the mail from my first swap and I have to admit I think I'm addicted already. I keep imagining all sorts of swaps.

So I want to know what you think. I created a little poll over there on the side, but comments are awesome too.

Would you do one?

What about 2.5" strips?

Themes? I thought a Christmas one would be fun in September after all the new fabric comes out.

How big? The one I'm getting in the mail is a 5 yard color wheel swap, which means I'm about to come into 280 different charm squares. It's a little breathtaking, but so very cool.

So let me know.

Make-A-List Monday Week Three

Happy Monday to you! Hope you had a glorious Easter weekend. We visited my parents - mom's birthday was yesterday, so it was fun to get together with some of my siblings and have a good time.

Now, back to reality. Well, reality follows me, even to my parents. But back to my home and my reality!

Here's what I had planned to finish last week:

• Sew 10 more granny squares (shhh, I'm going to try for 16, but 10 is my minimum)

I hit my minimum, which was 10. Since Friday and Saturday were spent at my parents' house, I really only had through Thursday to sew. Still, I'm up to 40, which means I only need sixteen more and then I get started on the sashing and borders. Hip hip!

• Sew 10 more Dresden plates

Somehow I miscounted and I only had 48 last week (sorry if you feel you've been lied to - I felt the same way!). So I had to make 12 of these beauties to make an honest woman out of myself. Stacked up against a Dr. Pepper can - my stack is getting pretty tall! FYI - no end in sight!

• Sew 10 PKM pinwheels (I have 30 to do)

These big beauties (measure almost 15" square!) are coming together so fast. I got a little carried away and made 13. Good times. I'm using this tutorial for those who want to know.

• Photograph and blog my goals for the 2nd quarter FAL

See Saturday's post. I'm getting a little ambitious, but I think I can do it if I focus. And my baby girl cooperates. My husband is doing a summer internship, so I'm going to bond with my running shoes and sewing machine while he's gone. These goals will help me get through his absence I hope.

• Finish my cake mini

I didn't. I would have if I'd been home Friday and Saturday. But I didn't. Grrr. Hate not being able to cross something off the list!

Okay, moving on.

For this week, I want to:

• Sew 16 Sew Cherry granny squares
  
• Sew 17 PKM pinwheels
• Sew 10 Dresden plates
• Cut and sew sashing for granny squares top
• Cut and sew sashing for PKM pinwheels top
• Plan border for granny squares top

There we have it. Have to run to the grocery store this morning, and then it's off to the races again. Hope you've got amazing goals this week!

2nd Quarter Follow-Along Goals

I might be getting a little ambitious here, but here is what I want to finish for April-May-June:

1. This strawberry pinwheel quilt top is done. I just need to piece the back, then baste, quilt and bind it.


2. This quilt actually was basted and I started to quilt it but ran into some serious tension issues. I have to get out the seam ripper and start over with it. So frustrating.
3. I've got all these Delft blue Dutch pinwheel blocks that need to be finished and stitched together. Then the usual: baste, quilt, bind. And snuggle.
4. This one is ready to be quilted - just baste, quilt bind.
5. I need 25 (I think) more blocks for this one and then it's done. Going to back it in yellow minky and it's going on my bed. Seriously love this quilt.
6. And this one is all done as well - just needs quilting. But it will be so nice to have it off the WIP list.

7. Another Jelly Filled Dream On quilt - this is in the blues and greens. It just needs basting, binding and quilting.


8. What's the point of having an Accuquilt if I don't use it? I cut out these apple cores and started stitching them together. Just need to finish up the quilt!


So those are my eight goals, along with the stuff I'm working on right now. Linking up at Quilter in the Gap for the Follow-Along.

Finish it up Friday: second verse, same as the first

I'm 'enery the eighth I am
'Enery the eighth I am, I am . . .

Loved singing that song. And I have a Henry (although he's not the eighth), so I sing it at least once a week for him. Look at it this way: I'm helping him learn to spell his name.

But this week's post looks awfully familiar, hence the "second verse, same as the first" up there in the title.

Here is bag #3. I think I'm bagged out for a few weeks at least. Still working on that other #%*@ bag. It is really trying my patience.


But I *heart* the yellow and blue. Yellow tulips and blue skies.

In case you were wondering, yes, that tulip picture is mine. Not taken this year, or anywhere around here. That's the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Washington and it's gorgeous. This will be the first year in four years I haven't gone. Sigh.

Instead, here are two views from my window, on the SAME day. I swear, I'm not lying.

8 a.m. Snowing. Hard.


3:30 p.m. - sunshine and melting snow. Crazy weather in these parts. At least the Seattle area was more predictable!


But we're headed toward springier weather next week - hooray! I was getting mighty jealous of all the blogs with apple blossoms and daffodils. I've only spotted a few crocuses here and there. Ooh, that reminds me. Gotta stop by the library today and take a picture of those crocuses I saw.

I have been doing more sewing than just that bag, but I felt kinda dumb posting the same pictures on Monday and Friday. So Monday you will see my progress on my goals. Fridays will just be for finishes. Deal? Deal.

And tomorrow, before I start baking my mom's birthday cake (her 60th, er, 39th), I will post my second quarter goals for the 2012 Finish Along over at Quilter in the Gap. Join in the fun - goals are a good thing! I'm being ambitious - we'll see how I do!

Linking up with crazy mom quilts, whose rolling stone quilt rocks (pun absolutely intended!) and Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, who has the best finish of all - a new granddaughter!

Have a great Easter weekend!

Make-A-List Monday Week Two

Happy Monday to you!

Did you pull any April Fool's day pranks yesterday? I thought about it. For a split second. Then I remembered that when you play a prank on my husband, he retaliates. No thanks.

I love lists. Especially lists with lines through them. Confession: I sometimes will write something down on my to-do list just so I can cross it off right away. True story.

But I didn't have to do that last week. Here's what I wanted to do:

• Sew 10 Sew Cherry granny squares

Done. I actually did 13 because I already had 17 and I hate it when I have an odd number of things. Aren't they pretty?

• Sew 10 PKM Dresden plates

My stack is growing.

• Finish my new bag

Did I not say I would finish three new bags? Huh. Have to edit that later. But this is the one I was meaning to finish:

• Finish my cell phone sleeve

Don't make explain that yes, it does have to match the bag. And that I've got two others that match the other two new bags. Or that I'm looking at my wallet and wondering if I can make three new ones out of the scraps so that they match. Just don't.

• Press color wheel swap fabric, cut and ship

Done, sorted and shipped. Now the waiting game for my gorgeous rainbow o' fabric.

• Prep fabric for weekend cutting

Um, why didn't I also say I would actually do the cutting? Don't have pics of the prep because I have pics of the progress!

I cut out my Ruby flannel fat quarters, my Ruby charm squares (which may or may not be used for a granny square quilt - I'm aware of my obsession, but it's a healthy fixation in comparison to french fries or Magnum bars), and a Pam Kitty Morning pinwheel quilt. Oh, and a boatload of 2.5" white squares to finish those loverly grannies. But you don't want to see a giant stack of squares. But the rest? Sure!

See? I lie not.

Phew. I was a busy girl. But I love having projects prepped and ready to sew. I'd rather do two days of cutting and then a whole bunch of days sewing than cut/sew all the time. Ick.

But then I also eat the green and yellow Skittles first because I like them the least. I save the red ones for last because they are my favorite.

And so for this week:

• Sew 10 more granny squares (shhh, I'm going to try for 16, but 10 is my minimum)
• Sew 10 more Dresden plates
• Sew 10 PKM pinwheels (I have 30 to do)
• Photograph and blog my goals for the 2nd quarter FAL - I'm aiming high! Check it out and join in the fun!
  
• Finish my cake mini

We're celebrating Easter at my mom and dad's house, so I've got to get all this done by Thursday night. Yikes! Better get started!