Blah blah, boring, blah blah

I seriously don't know what my problem is lately. I'm all over the place, sewing-wise. Oh, heck, I'm all over the place life-wise.

Love the idea that we're moving. Hate the actual moving. Where's my fairy godmother? I don't need a pumpkin coach or a fancy dress. I just want my house packed and moved. Not happening, but a girl can dream, no?

It's too early to do any serious packing, so I'm trying to crank out flimsies. Because it's easier to move flimsies, right? That's what I'm telling myself.

Here's my stack o' flimsies thus far:

So life isn't really all that boring. Just don't/won't have any fabulous finishes for a while. I've got lots of tops prepped and ready (and a lovely list to keep track of them all!).

Instead, just baby steps. Here is what I did last week:

I'm making two Dottie quilts out of my Simple Life FQ bundle. A twin-ish sized one for my oldest girl, and a toddler bed-sized one for my baby girl. They will be sharing a room once we move and I'm determined to have it look nice. For a day. Until my daughter and her dragons and LPS toys move in. But I'll take a picture first!

I've got to get more white fabric (I just order it by the bolt from FQS) to finish the blocks and do the sashing. Still, makes me happy to have the blocks mostly done.

I've still got a mountain o' trimming to do on my Hello Sunshine blocks.

And I have to get my do.good stitches blocks done. Today, really. And mailed tomorrow or Wednesday!

I've laid out the rest of my Gypsy Girl quilt. Gonna stitch that one up soon. But first, I get to make my husband a birthday present. It's completely random, but he requested it, so I can't say no.

And then we've got an epic spring break trip coming up in two weeks. Even though vacations mean more work for me, I'm excited to leave the house and go play with my family. No sewing for me, true, but no studying for my husband, so I refuse to see the downside to this. And I'll take some embroidery with me for the road. Because the first day is going to be a LONG one. Think I'm going to work on my Halloween stitchery. So it can be done for THIS Halloween!

Here's another silly thought that occurred to me. We're staying in a hotel for two nights, and, well, nights at the hotel can be rather boring once the kids are in bed. Can't really watch TV. So I thought I'd take the quilt blocks that I have done and lay them out in one of the banquet halls. I used to work in a hotel, and I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask to use all the gorgeous empty space for an hour or two. Leave the husband in the room reading a book and actually get something done. Crazy, or brilliant? There's a fine line . . .

And here's my latest Pinterest obsession. I ordered Lori Holt's half-hexie templates and I can't wait to create something awesome. Like these:

Source: etsy.com via Jennie on Pinterest

Source: generationqmagazine.com via Jennie on Pinterest

Friday Finish: Red and White Christmas

I love the film "White Christmas." It's been a favorite for a really long time. Love it when Bing and Danny Kaye dress in drag and do the "Sisters" number.

Go ahead. Watch it. I'll wait.

But the finale is my favorite. Makes me cry, every time. And I love that everything is red and white. Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against green, but red and white are my Christmas colors. The tree gets to be green. Everything else is red and white.

I finished two red and white HST quilts last year.

This top was in the works all year. I've been hoarding the last of this Holiday Hostess fabric.

If I could, I'd make myself a dress like this one. I'd wear kitten heels. Think I'm kidding? I also would love to recreate Vera Ellen's dress up there. Nope, not kidding at all.

Now, normally I wouldn't love such a matchy matchy quilt. I've actually come to adore scrappier looking quilts. But for Christmas, and for this fabric, I'll make an exception.

And when it's backed in red polka dot minky . . .

And bound in red and white stripe . . .


Well, it's going to be hard to share.

Checking this one off the 4Q FAL list. Eleven down, ten to go! Ooh, and this one is on the 100 Day Hustle list too! Hallelujah!

Linking up with Sarah at Confessions and Amanda Jean at crazymomquilts. 

Friday Finish: My Secret Source of Power

Source: tribaltattoos24.com via Suh on Pinterest

Hee hee. I love Wonder Woman.

I've had, like, eleventy hundred (okay, maybe five) comments about how I get so much done. This makes me laugh, because boy do I feel like I never get anything done. But I guess I do. So I got to thinking: how do I get so much done?

Let's not consider that the laundry doesn't always get sorted. And sometimes I'm loading the dishwasher right before dinner. Or the fact that sometimes my youngest son spends most of the day in his underwear. Hey, at least he's not naked. And in my defense, he does have clean clothes. He just refuses to put them on and I don't feel like fighting.

It's nothing magical. Just organized.

First, it totally helps to have a designated crafting space. With a door. I can leave my project out and go back to it when I can find five or ten minutes. Chicken nuggets in the oven for 15 minutes? Sew some blocks, or work on some binding, or quilt a bit of a quilt. Older kids working on lessons? Cut fabric at the counter.

I also live by lists. I love my lists. I make a "to-do" list for each week. I put everything on it. Dinner plans. Lessons. Piano practice for the kids. Sewing things I want to get done. It's all there. I love crossing things off my list.

I deviate from my lists, but being organized lets me play fast and loose sometimes. Take this past week as an example.

My husband accidentally broke my ironing board. I know. How can you piece a quilt top without an ironing board. Don't ask. He got in some serious trouble for that one.

Fortunately, I had just basted a quilt. So I wound some bobbins and got to quilting while he got to fixing (that is his super power: fixing anything and everything!). By the time Henry's quilt was finished, my ironing board was back.

So here is my official finish for the week:

Used the Slideshow quilt pattern (although I omitted the outer border). Used a FQ bundle and panel of Richard Scarry prints from the Fat Quarter Shop. Quilted in a meandering loopity loop, because that's what I do quickest and best. I stuck with reds, blues, greens and oranges for the accent colors. Some pezzy prints, some Essential dots, some stars. All boy-ish, in my eyes. I tend to lean towards girly quilts, and my boys don't mind them, but they need something manly every now and again.

The Pickle Car and Apple Car are my favorites.

Scrappy binding, green Minky back.

My quilt model/holder was at school, so this is the best I've got for full shot.

Here is the happy little owner of his very own quilt:

Checking this one off the 4Q FAL list. Slowly but surely, it's getting done. And now I can claim my string quilt back. Phew.

I also worked on this:

Isn't she purty? I got my fabric allowance and ordered the rest of the fabric I need for the lining. I also ordered the liner for my umbrella girl bag, so I'll be getting started on that soon. I've got interfacing to cut in the meantime.

And I have to give a shout out to my Prince Charming, who slayed dragons and went on a late night run to Walmart to get me binder clips. He didn't even bat an eye when I said I needed them for a sewing project. He's awesome that way.

Hope you have a great weekend. I have to go turn my sewing space into a guest room for my parents. I might sneak in some cutting though. Can't help myself!

Linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, who once again proves how awesome she and her sweatshop of sewers are by helping out whenever they are needed. Read all about it!

And linking up with Amanda at crazy mom quilts, because I've got a finish to share!

Friday Finish: He LOVES Me!

I do not have a favorite child. I love them all. They all drive me crazy at times, but they more than make up for it. But I do love them differently, for different reasons.

This little man is my youngest son. He's three, or, if you ask him how old he is, he's "big." And he's awesome. And a troublemaker.

He has the most adorable curls you ever saw. Curls that I have to cut because they get a tad unruly. But they keep growing back, and that keeps me happy.

He has a thing for my hair. Loves to play with it. If he's tired, he snuggles up against me and says, "I want your hair Mommy." So I take it out of a ponytail and he plays with it until he falls asleep.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I finished a quilt for my oldest son. Then my middle son claimed the Halloween quilt. Henry needed a quilt. Fortunately, I'd been working on this one and I was able to lay it out (he helped me) and get it together for him.

The pattern is Slideshow and the fabric is from a Busytown panel and FQ bundle. We love Richard Scarry around here, and this quilt is just perfect for my little man.

It's just waiting to be basted and quilted. Do you have difficulty getting things basted? I feel like the planets have to be aligned in order to get a quilt basted: clean floor, kids asleep and everything prepped and ready to go. See? It's easier to align the planets. I'm hoping to get this basted tonight so I can get it finished. I'll be backing it in green Minky and doing a scrappy binding.

In the meantime, I'm making another one for big brother (he can't keep the Halloween quilt all to himself!) and a super cute Christmas present for my nephew.

Oh, and still working on Weekender bags. And joining in on this fun:

 

I'm working on my bee plans, never fear. Please blame my law student. He's enlisted my typing skills and I'm spending quite a bit of my time working for him. All is well though - he pays in fabric!

Friday Finish: with a question: Would you wait?

Oh Nellie, will this be tough!

I have one finished bed-sized quilt flimsy. It's ready to be quilted. I've got the backing pieced together (yellow Minky) and I'm making the binding. Then there's my Sew Cherry Granny Squares quilt that I'm putting the border on.

So why wait? Because they are flipping queen-sized quilts and I've never done one that big. With a Minky backing (on one at least) no less!

My options are these: go ahead and try to quilt them on my home machine and hope they turn out better than I think they will. Or wait. Until next summer. Yeah, you read that right. Next summer.

See, we're moving next May. And where we are moving to has a shop with four Gammills. They rent them by the hour and I could go and quilt my big quilts on a long-arm. The thought makes me a little bit giddy. You take their class first and learn how to use the machine and then you get to quilt like crazy.

So, what would you do? I really really want these quilts done and on my bed (well, rotating out), but I want the quilting to make me happy.

Thoughts?

Before I sign off for the day, I have another finish for you. My other Valentine's quilt. 

Now, I know what you're thinking. You might be thinking I'm trying to pass off the same quilt. But I'm not. Two different backs. And with this one, the first one, I didn't turn the blocks in all the right direction. So they are a little mismatched and crazy. But I'm over it.

See, different back. Love those panels.

If all goes well, I will have 11 projects from my 3Q FAL list done. Maybe 12. Out of 20. Not too shabby!

Friday Finish: Finally, pictures!

Even a quick weekend trip can totally throw off your sew-jo. I've been trying to get back in the swing of things and get to work on stuff, but boy howdy is it hard.

This finish has been finished for a bit now (for my 3Q FAL plans), but I haven't had a chance to take any pictures of it. Until today. I wanted to go to my favorite bridge, but it's windy and I'm not too keen on it falling in the muck. Guess the backyard will have to do.

I seriously love this quilt. I love the colors in this fabric line (Apple of My Eye from Riley Blake). I love the binding - the red/pink herringbone print. Love the back too - the red/pink daisies on aqua.

I know I've gotten a little crazy with the triangle quilts, but it's fun and different for me. I've got one more in the works, made from Lucy's Crab Shack. If I cut a few more triangles, I can make one big enough for my bed. Although I don't need it, but since when has "need" come in to the picture? If our power ever goes out in the wintertime, we're going to be just fine!

The best thing about these giant triangles is how easy they are to put together. The hardest part, really, is laying out all those triangles and keeping baby girl off of them. She likes to rearrange them for me. Silly girly.

I got some fun mail yesterday too - my Accuquilt circle cutters, so I can finish up my PKM Dresdens. Anyone have a great suggestion for a hand-applique book/video/tutorial? I'm in desperate need!

I'm linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, who gets to piece while at the beach - lucky! Also linking up with amylouwho for Sew & Tell Friday - you must go check out the cute jammies she made for her littlelouwhos - adorable!

Friday Finish: Lucy's Crab Cakes are done!

Check off the first finished quilt of the 3Q FAL baby! I'm determined to plow through that list. With a quilting plow. Or something.

I present to you Lucy's Crab Cakes:

I know, more of my awesome photography skills. I need a new camera. And I need a new backyard. And one of those cool wrought iron beds to put my quilts on. And for this quilt, I need a beach. With a virgin pina colada and a book. And my husband and no kids.

Sorry. Little daydreaming there. But a beach shot would be nice. Sadly, there are no beaches where I live (although I'm not landlocked - just have to travel like Lewis and Clark did to get to the Pacific, and I'm fresh out of canoes).

Backed her in that cute clothesline print. The bikinis crack me up.

This one (above) would be my daughter's favorite block because the name of the city she was born in is written in green (we did live 9 blocks from the ocean at one point - why oh why did we leave?).

And this one is my favorite. I'm actually seriously contemplating a bag made from these fabrics. Think I can convince my husband that I need a new bag? I scored this pattern yesterday (and paid far too much for it, but I'd never seen it before).

I know, it's been out for forever, but I'm not as cool as everyone else. I'm still wearing boot cut jeans when skinny jeans are in style. But I love this bag. It's oh so perfect for me and it just might become my new favorite. Be prepared to see many versions of it soon. I might have to give some as gifts. Might.

Okay, the stats on that quilt up there:

Pattern: Piece of Cake 3 by Camille Roskelley for Thimbleblossoms - it really is a piece of cake, I promise!
The fabric: one Lucy's Crab Shack layer cake, plus some yardage
The size: 63ish X 74ish - the perfect beach blanket (if you're lucky enough to have a beach)
Quilting: meandering loop - I've done this so many times now I might start walking in a meandering loop and that would be bad. Going to switch over to straight lines for a bit before that happens.

Linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, who has some pretty amazing finishes on her blog.

Have a great weekend - I'll be plowing. On my sewing machine. Because I like to mix metaphors.

Final finish for June

I do love that you can schedule blog posts. Shhhh. It's really not Saturday. It's really Friday night, but I'm waiting for my sweetie to get home and I figured I'd get this post done.

More loopy meandering. The last of my Dream On fabric.

Of the eight quilts I wanted to finish in the 2nd quarter, this is the fifth. I would have made it to six had I quilted my massive string quilt, but I needed batting for that one. I'm getting stocked up in July, as Jo-Ann's is having a sale plus I can score an extra 20% off if I drag my husband and his student ID with me. It sometimes pays to be students.

Have a great weekend and a great 4th of July (if you're a Yank - if not, well, have a good Wednesday next week!).

Friday Finish, the Friday edition

I know, I have crazy title writing skills, right?

Okay, here is quilt two of the three I finished this week. All part of my goals for the Finish-Along.

I know I might have whined a little about piecing that quilt back, but it turned out so cute. I just might do this whole pieced back thing again. I quilted it with a meandering loop. I can't seem to do a stipple. My brain wants to loop it, so I loop it. Guess I'm loopy (not a surprise, really).

My big question is this: would this make an acceptable baby quilt? I have a friend who is having her sixth little girl. I'm pretty sure she doesn't need more baby-sized blankets, but this one she could grow up with. It would fit a toddler bed too.

Linking up this one. I'll have one more tomorrow.

And now I have to go get beautiful. My man is coming home tonight!

Friday Finish, the early edition!

I realized that each of these quilts has to have it's own post, so I'll be posting three days in a row. Because this girl got 'er done! Here is the third quilt I've finished for the 2nd quarter finish-along.

I give you the Orange Dream On Jelly-Filled quilt. This one is a birthday present for a lovely aunt. In October.

Do you like all the clover in my yard? I'd like to think we're a bee-friendly family. And while I can manage to get a few minutes here and there to sew throughout the day, I can't exactly do the same with the lawn. Oh well. The bees are happy, even if my neighbors look on the lawn with disgust. I'm over it.

 That would be my favorite block right there.

And I love the binding. Wish I had more so I could use it for my string quilt. If ya see it, clue me in because it is impossible to find!

There ya go. Tune in tomorrow for another one. And then Saturday. And then I'm on vacation, because my husband will be home and I will be one happy girl!

Fabric Tuesday: the one where I got a little distracted

I didn't get that strawberry pinwheel quilt basted until this afternoon, so I might have gotten sidetracked by those triangles.

And I might have finished a quilt top.

These triangles are huge. Like 8.5 inches huge. Perfect for big prints.

The official stats:

Fabric: Apple of My Eye by Riley Blake
Pattern: sorta used this one by Lori Holt, but I didn't have the right triangle ruler that it calls for. And honestly, $14 for a pattern that basically says, "Cut a bunch of big equilateral triangles. Lay them out and sew them together. Baste, quilt, bind." It's a bit ridiculous. Still, I'm the idiot who bought it. Figured there'd be something special about it. There's not.
Finished size: 62 ish X 84 ish - I added an extra row, so mine is probably in the 92ish range

Linking up, because I can!

WIP Wednesday: why Camille Roskelley is not a fibber

Not that I ever had a reason to doubt her, not even for a second.

But I know I'm not the only one who has this thought run through my head (please, tell me I'm not the only one!):

"Easy for her to say. She does this for a living." And I say it in my non-snarky voice. It's more of an "I'm in awe of her awesomeness" voice. That one.

See, I get it all the time when it comes to baking something (I trained as a pastry chef in my previous, non-mommy life). And I think it all the time when it comes to computer stuff my husband says is easy. When you know what you're doing, and you do it all the time, then sure, it's easy.

But this quilt really is easy. 

She's not fibbing. When she says this quilt is easy, she means it. I had already cut the fabric, and I sat down yesterday, late afternoon, and pieced all the blocks together.

Laid them out this morning. Rearranged them a few times. (Can't have similar colors/patterns right next to each other if I can help it). Sewed the top together.

Quilt top done in less than 24 hours. I like. I like a lot.

Doesn't hurt that the fabric is Lucy's Crab Shack. And I need more of it. Much more of it.

Okay, back to what I should be working on. I just forgot how difficult it was to baste a quilt with a crawling baby. Like, impossible. So I'm piecing tops again because she'll let me do that. Basting, not so much. That is her territory and how dare I intervene. Unless I give her a cookie.

Stop looking now if you don't want to see a cutie with her first chocolate chip cookie.

 

I just don't have enough cookies to get a quilt basted. Guess I'll have to wait until after bedtime tonight to baste that quilt. In the meantime, I'm piecing.

Piece out!

And Camille, if you happen to read my silly little blog, I hope you know I'm a huge fan. And I would never call you a liar, or a fibber, or anything else other than awesome. Promise.

Friday Finish, the early evening edition

Boy howdy it's been a week. Any single moms out there, I tip my hat and raise a cold Dr. Pepper in your honor, because honestly, this is impossible. I mean, it's possible, but it's hard.

Like, really, hard.

Wow, how profound was that. My English professors (yes, I have a creative writing degree) would be ashamed of my lame description. I don't care. My brain cells are frying.

Okay, but honestly, I love it and I loved today. It's been a great day, which is why this post is late.

And I do have a finish. Whoop whoop!

That's right, mark another of the ol' list. My 2nd quarter finish-along list is getting shorter! And it's such a great time to cuddle with a flannel quilt. Um, not really. I'll give it to my husband so he doesn't freeze, poor man.

Gotta say, I like this one a lot.

 'Member how I said I'm famous (in my head) for a gingham binding. Well, I'm also partial to a scrappy binding. Because, hey, I didn't have enough aqua gingham, or aqua chevrons, or aqua polka dots, so I just mixed them all together. Because I can.

 Backed in red flannel. Honestly, this is the last time I back a quilt in flannel. Well, I might try a flannel sheet, but I'm not buying anymore bleeding flannel. And no, I'm not using a British expletive. I mean this flannel bleeds. I pre-washed it. I used a truckload of Color Catchers. I washed it FIVE times. It worked, but sheesh.

Oh, and if you're feeling blue, or taking care of five kids by yourself and going a little batty, please visit Cake Wrecks. Be prepared to laugh until you cry. Don't do it while you're trying to nurse a baby to sleep. The two don't mix. Oh, good times.

Linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict who has a gorgeous quilt with a great story.

Have a fabulous weekend!