Out with the old, in with the new...year!

A lot of my bloggy, crafty friends are posting huge mosaics of what they've accomplished this year. Not that they're bragging--in many cases, they're as shocked as their readers! But it's left me feeling a little bit out of sorts, like I should somehow be managing to be more productive.

Then I decided that some accomplishments were better than none, and what the hell, I'm celebrating my little triumphs, too!

I've made a pillow cover, a mug rug (my first!), a table runner, tea towels, coasters and a drawstring bag for 3 rounds of swaps in flickr groups...


1. PillowTake 4, take 1, 2. Saavy Seasons Swap gifts!, 3. Urban Home Swap, sneak peek


I've finished 2 baby quilts, 1 small throw (for another swap), and one large throw...




1. Baby quilt, finished!, 2. 398.2 baby quilt, finished!, 3. Urban Home Swap 2, 4. jay's quilt, finished


And I've made lots and LOTS of blocks for my two bees this past year!




1. Flying Geese, for Jo, Dec. Beehive , 2. 9.5" block for Belinda, 3. 18.5" block for Belinda, 4. Beehive blocks for Mel, 5. 2 Blocks for Feb Coast to Coast bee, 6. Beehive blocks for Bec, February, 7. Beehive block for Bec, February, 8. Jennifer's block for March, 9. March Beehive block, for Kat, 10. May CtC Block Party block 2, 11. May CtC Block Party block 1, 12. Beehive May block for Julie, #3, 13. Beehive May block for Julie, #2, 14. Beehive May block for Julie, 15. CtC Block Party April block for Tracy, 16. String blocks 1-4, Andi's July Beehive blocks, 17. string block 5, Andi's July Beehive Block, 18. Amy's June Beehive block, 19. Susan's blocks, July Coast to Coast Block Party Bee, 20. Bibi's Block, C2C bee, August, 21. CtC Block Party block, September, for Wendy, 22. Beehive block, September, for Angela, 23. Oct Beehive block #2, for Karlyn, 24. Oct Beehive block #1, for Karlyn, 25. Sheridan's block #1, 26. Sheridan's block #2, 27. Sheridan's block #3, 28. Sheridan's block #4, 29. April Beehive block 1, for Tanya, 30. April Beehive block 2, for Tanya


So, while not a lot of finishes, still plenty of sewing. Since I figured out that quilting at the dining room table is so much easier than trying to do so at my little sewing table in my office, I hope that I'll be able (and willing) do quilt and finish a number of my works in progress before it gets too warm to think about quilting for awhile! Here's to more finishes for 2011! Have a safe and happy New Year!

My naked design wall

It seems as though I've had some project or other on my design wall nonstop for month now. And with the madman's quilt only requiring binding (this evening's chore), there is nothing on my design wall.

Blank. Zilch. Nada.

It's disconcerting for me to walk into my sewing room and see nothing on that wall--it's the first thing I see when I walk in. I have a wee baby quilt to finish by mid-January for a friend's shower, so I'll have to pull those blocks out (I have 7 completed, just need to make another 5) and put them up on the wall this week.

Anyone else have that sense of momentary panic when they've completed a project? And be honest--how many of you wind up starting something new instead of picking up a UFO?

How I spent the last weekend before Christmas...

Finally finished my Grandmother's Christmas present. Because really, what do you get for the 87 year old woman who has everything? This matches the colors in her living room quite well. I hope she likes it--I find giving handmade gifts rather nerve-wracking!!



This weekend, my sewing machine has taken a bit of an excursion. Out of the sewing room/office and out to...


The dining room table! Complete with Christmas wrapping paper detritus, centerpiece left over from Thanksgiving, platters set out for hosting Christmas Eve, as well as extra chairs for said holiday hostessing event. Nine people for cocktails and hors d'ouevres? No sweat!

What was I saying?

Right!

What you see here is my new vantage point. It means that not only do I have all the table space I could ask for as I quilt miles...




And miles...


Of my husband's Christmas present (doing organic shattered line quilting), but I also have the TV across the room to keep me company. The finished quilt will be about 50" x 60", a decent sized throw for the Madman's Man Cave--plenty big to cuddle under when he's watching movies on the wide-screen, seated in his recliner. He helped me baste it, so it's not a huge surprise, but it will be done on time (barring any and all catastrophes), and that's what counts. He's out tomorrow night with the guys to see Tron *yawn*, so I'll spend tomorrow evening watching something, anything else, while hand-tacking the binding.

The wrench in the works...

Isn't it always the way? Grand plans, detailed schedules, all's going according to plan and then...

Disaster.

In the post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas rush of things, I had a great schedule for working on my husband's quilt, finishing my Pillow Talk Swap pillow, a few odd crafts for friends and family, and it seemed for a minute like I might even make it.

And then I came down with the icky stomach bug that's been going around. And thought I was better! And then it came back. YUCK. Four days, gone. And now my poor madman has it. He is not a good patient.

So we're struggling along here. And I'm sorry there's nothing to see. And I'm sorry I keep starting sentences with "and".

Here's to hoping for a HEALTHY end to this year, and beginning to the new one. Because being sick is seriously cramping my Christmas spirit.

Bits of sewing

Thanksgiving went off without a hitch! Well, unless you consider the gravy flood of 2010, but otherwise, everything was great. Hehe.

In the last week or so, in and amongst preparations for the holiday, I managed a bit of sewing!


First, I volunteered to be an angel for this round of the 3x6 Bee over on flickr.com. I knew I couldn't devote a lot of time to being part of a beehive this quarter, but I've liked helping out when I had some free time.



Dipped into my stash, and found I rather love the color combo. Not sure it would work in my house, but it's one more reason I love bees--I get to play with fabrics and color combos I might not otherwise sew with. Also, I love maverick stars. LOVE them. So quick and easy--I have a feeling that my Heather Ross quilt may be made of these. Ah, one day...



In other news, I'd mentioned that I'd finished the last 10 blocks of my husband's quilt. Here they are together on the design wall. They just need sashing and sewing together. I may move them around some, as I see a few spots where the red is pretty concentrated.


I've got a couple yards of khaki solid for sashing. And that dark print with the little spots? It's a Japanese import, little owls on an indigo background. My husband fell in love with it when I was using it in one of the first months of my first bees last year--I tracked some down on Etsy, and have slowly worked along on improv log cabin style blocks. It should be big enough for a good-sized throw (just shy of a twin bed size), and will go well with the reds, blues and tans in his man cave. :)

Now, for a little more recuperation from yesterday's holiday marathon. So far, today has been nothing but lounging and napping. However, I do have a hot date for some leftovers, drinks and video games this evening. How can a girl resist an offer like that??

Hibernation instinct

You know, I don't much care that the Weather Channel keeps telling me that the Northeast is running about 10 degrees above average. It's cold most morning when I'm going to work. And it's cold most evenings when I'm getting out of work. My house is cold--the heat clicks on. We have piles of covers on the bed, and the cats sleep on the bed in shifts to be all snuggly and warm. The littlest one has started her annual habit of burrowing under the covers and napping there all day long.

My Yankee instinct at this time of year is to hibernate. A warm cup of tea after a hot, comforting dinner. Curling up with a blanket and a cat and a book in the evenings.

There has been a bit of sewing. I finally caved in and joined the Pillow Talk Swap over on flickr, this being their fourth round, and my first. I've got the front pieced and quilted--I just need to put it together with the back. I finished the last 10 blocks of my husband's improv log cabin quilt, and will spend the weekend sewing on sashing and sewing blocks together.

That just means I have to survive Thanksgiving! This is my second year hosting--last year was extremely stressful, but both my mother and husband have noted that I seem much calmer this year. If you don't count the massive muscle spasm I've carried in my right shoulder for the last month, I'd agree with them. I feel fairly well prepared--I'm doing less this year than I did last year. I'm doing the bird, gravy and three sides--two of the sides will be done and ready to be reheated by tomorrow afternoon. Mom's bringing pies and 2 more sides. My in-laws and their friends are bringing befores. I delegated pretty well this year, and the house is clean--it'll just need a quick once-over that morning. And there's only 11 of us this year. Still too many for a sit-down dinner in my teeny-tiny little house, but less than last year's 14.

And once it's done, I get to enjoy three more days off--here's to hoping I have enough energy for some sewing! And to my readers--have a happy and safe holiday. See you on the flip side, with photos of what I've been working on!

3 highways, 8 flights of stairs...

or, How I Met Denyse Schmidt.

Ok. Long post incoming, you've been warned.

As some of you know, yesterday and today were the dates for Denyse Schmidt's studio sale in Bridgeport, CT. I don't live too far from there--in fact, I work about a half-hour away from her studio location. I've even dreamed about taking her improv piecing workshops. But imagine my dismay when I realized I was scheduled to work a 9.5 hour shift on Day 1 of Denyse's studio sale. I couldn't get a switch for the shift. My one break of the day wasn't long enough to get down there and back, let alone get into the building.

I emailed back and forth a bit with several of the ladies helping Denyse with the sale. No, they weren't planning on holding anything back for day 2. At 3pm, they notified me that there was very little fabric left, and just a few scrap bags remaining. Throwing my cautious nature to the wind, I told Julie (who was a sweetie) that I wasn't sure what the etiquette was, but would she put aside a couple of scrap bags for me, and I'd come down Sunday morning.

I didn't hear anything back last night or early this morning. I was in an agony of indecision. I knew I couldn't afford one of Denyse's quilts, even at a reduced price, on my current budget. For all that I'm not an incredibly productive quilter, I love to quilt and I love Denyse's fabric. Should I drive down and find myself disappointed if there's nothing left?

I got an email this morning from Denyse herself, in the midst of my indecision, saying that there wasn't any DS fabric left, if that was what I was hoping for, but that there were a couple of scrap bags left. I thanked her profusely, conveying my regret that I hadn't been able to be there on day 1. And then Julie emailed me and said "hey, I have 2 scrap bags with your name on them at our table in the studio."

Thank you, Julie, for that final prod in the bum. I jumped out of my cozies and slippers, took a shower, threw on some clothes and raced out the door. Honestly, that drive of 3 highways was a total blur. I got turned around at one point (my own inaccurate writing of directions--yay me), found my way back and to the right building, and then faced...

The stairs. For those of you unfamiliar, Denyse's studio is at the top (4th) floor of an old converted warehouse, which now houses some gorgeous studios for a number of very talented artists--this weekend was an open-house for these artists. This also means that I had 8 flights of very steep steps ahead of me. For some, no issue. For me, well, I have a sedentary job and had partly-successful back surgery two years ago (I never regained full feeling or function in my left leg).

This? Was a trek of epic proportions. A commitment, as Allison (another of Denyse's helpers) said. I did it, I'm proud to say. Only realizing, as I climbed, that I was wearing a shirt with a stain on it. And I'd forgotten my belt. And I'm not sure my socks matched. I was a mess, going to meet one of my industry idols. *facepalm*

Too late to turn around now.

I reached the top, winded, and stood outside the studio, looking at several of the gorgeous quilts hung up for display (and to buy a little time to recover). Did I bring my camera? Are you kidding? I'm lucky I was wearing pants! I finally mustered up a little courage, and went inside. Quilts, pillow covers, shams. And Denyse. I had to keep walking and keep up the pretense of looking around for a minute, I was admittedly starstruck. (I wasn't being rude, I promise. She was also chatting with some other visitors, taking photos. It would have been rude to interrupt!)

I found the bin of scrap bags, and sure enough, there were just a couple left. I checked them out, found one with some blue dotted leaves from FMF at the bottom, snapped it up and went to the table. I was probably grinning like a fool. This is where things got a little hazy...

Julie asked if I was Meg, I said I was, and Denyse perked up and smiled at me, saying she was glad I'd made it. I shook hands, saying it was an honor to meet her, thanking them for the work they'd put into the studio sale. Julie grabbed the bag with the other two scrap bags in it, and Denyse herself rang up my sale. She noted I'd found some FMF, as well as some KJR, and I believe I said something along the lines of being able to pick out a DS print at 20 paces. Or maybe I just thought it. As I said, hazy. I signed up for her online newsletter, filled out an art show raffle ticket, thanked the ladies again and found myself outside again, dazed and blinking. The combination of endorphin high from the climb and from meeting Denyse Schmidt was enough that I don't really remember the drive home, either...

I'm home again, obviously. I've pawed through my scrap bags, full of great vintage fabrics, some of each of Denyse's fabric lines, as well as lots of solid and shot cotton scraps. Denyse was sweet, and I have to say, absolutely lovely--any photos I'd seen did not do her justice. Oh, and I've seen Greenfield Hill in person. I wasn't sure about it from early photos of it, but seeing it together in a quilt (the blue and green colorways in one of her recent patterns), I have to say it has some distinct possibilities.

I'm looking forward to her next studio sale, at which point, I will certainly be prepared to be there on day one.

And I'll also make sure I have a clean shirt on.

Destash comes to a close

If you've been following me this week, you know I've been destashing in a big way. You can go over to my etsy shop to see all the goodies. If you've been waiting until I'm done listing things before you start shopping? Wait no more--right now, everything I'm planning to destash has been listed. A big thank you to everyone who has bought from me--the big project now? Shipping!

Picking up where I left off

With the destash sale, that is! I woke up late this morning, thanked my municipality for the floating holiday today, and went out to run errands in the beautiful New England fall morning. Not a cloud in the sky, warm, still a little color on the trees. I picked up a few things at the grocery store, grabbed a cup of coffee, then took a drive down the valley to the farm to pick up this week's co-op box. Broccoli, peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash, turnips, and chicken! Tonight we're having roast chicken with veggies, I think. Mmmm.

In any case, I'm home now and ready to start day 2 of the giant destash of epic proportions. Thanks again to my customers who helped out overnight! Keep your eyes peeled over at my etsy shop--lots of great yardage coming up today!

Final destash update, day 1

Wow. 44 listings up at the moment. I've hardly made a dent. It's after 5 here, and pitch dark--no more photos til tomorrow. I've been through Yellow and Orange from my modern stash so far, in addition to precuts, some FQ bundles, etc. I have a crick in my shoulder like whoa--I need a masseuse named Sven to help me out with that.

There's some pretty great stuff in ye olde shoppe, if I do say so myself. Heather Ross's Mendocino, Denyse Schmidt's KJR, Amy Butler's Belle, and Midwest Modern 2, and Lotus. Joel Dewberry. Lizzy House, Tula Pink. You know, just to name a few. :D

Happy shopping, folks, and thanks again for helping me destash. I've needed to tackle this for awhile now, but having to come up with closing costs in order to refinance our mortgage really gave me the kick in the pants I needed. See you tomorrow!

Destashing update

Just before 3pm. I've realized I've forgotten to eat. Still a lot more to go through. This will certainly continue on into tomorrow. Thanks for your patience! About to get into some yardage, and the most modern part of my stash.

First, though, lunch. Or snack...

Destash sale update...

So, being the silly woman that I am, I forgot to recharge my camera battery yesterday. That meant that partway through photographing the second round of fabrics to list over on my etsy shop for the epic destash sale of massive proportions, the battery went kaput. I managed to bring over a few photos, and got those listings posted. Nicey Jane FQs and some scrap and other FQ bundles, including some holiday-type scrappy bundles are up there now.

Sorry for the delay. I'm going to go and prep some more things to photograph while I wait for the battery to charge up some. Keep an eye on me here and over on Twitter for more destash madness!

First round of destashing, posted!

I've gotten all of the precuts I'm destashing listed in my etsy shop!

Lots of April Cornell, Bonnie & Camille, some Urban Chicks, Chez Moi, and more.

Next round will be some coordinated FQ bundles and scrap packs (by collection, color or theme). Should have those up within the next hour or so.

Want up to the minute info on what I'm working on? Follow me on twitter, located in my sidebar!

Getting ready for a destash of epic proportions!

So, all those giveaways? Were just the tip of the iceberg! I'm in the midst of a major resort and destash in my sewing room. (To my last batch of winners, don't fret. Your prizes are set aside and neatly packaged, waiting for the USPS. No mix-ups, I promise!)

Last night, I went through my precuts. Holy wow. Once upon a time, I joined a jelly-roll of the month club. I had such high hopes for my own productivity. Ha! Now I am drowning in them, months after canceling my membership. Add in a few honeybuns, and layer cakes, and charm packs, and... Well, it's really just the tip of the iceberg.

What does this mean for y'all? I just wanted to give you a heads-up. I plan on going through yardage tomorrow night, and then taking photos Thursday morning. By early Thursday afternoon, I should have at least a quarter of the listings up. I'll keep you posted here as well as on Twitter. There is a LOT of good stuff, OOP, HTF, etc. 3 sisters, Amy Butler, Chez Moi, Sandy Gervais, Erin McMorris, Lizzy House, MoMo... Just to name a few.

Now, back to work with me!

Final GiveAway Winners!

Holy wow, you guys! 168 comments is absolutely a new record around these parts. I want to thank everyone who joined in the fun throughout October--it was a blast. So much so, I know I want to do this again next year--I'll start planning now!

In the meantime, I'm guessing folks might be interested if they won some goodies!

For those interested in the gory details, I went through and made up separate lists for each of the prizes, adding extra entries for those who blogged, tweeted or Facebooked. Then cut up the slips and dumped each list in its own bowl. Fishing around with my eyes closed brought up a winner from each bowl.


For the Amy Butler Full Moon dots, the winner is...:

Diane said...

I am a new follower!

The winner of the Heather Ross scrap pack is....:

Ducks and Rabbits said...

I'd love any of those but if I must chose one than it's #2 - the Heather Ross scraps.

The winner of the Happy Holidays scraps was:

WvHmmngbrd said...

I would love the scraps from my Saavy Seasons projects. Thanks for the chance to win!

I think Monica over at Happy Zombie would be delighted to bits that her fabrics were such a runaway hit!

And finally, the winner of the Flea Market Fancy fabrics is:

sarahbeth814 said... I put your giveaway on my FB!


Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments--it made this giveaway process so much fun. Winners, go and check your emails!

Something a little traditional

I'm on vacation this week, and the time off has been stuffed full of grown-up stuff. Getting the ball rolling to refinance on our mortgage, talking to building inspectors and appraisers, going to the dentist. In a word? Yuck.

Today, I finally got a chance to sit down and do a little sewing! I took a block I've seen around quite a bit lately (I even did one for a fellow Beehive member awhile back) and scoured through some of my older stash for the makings of a traditional buzzsaw block.


While I'm fairly new to the online quilting community, I've actually been quilting for about 11 years now. And my roots are pretty traditional. I also inherited a ginormous stash of Civil War repro prints from a friend when she was moving earlier this year. So I dipped into some of that, too, and made up a buzzsaw block to fashion into a pillow cover for a Xmas present that will go to my grandmother. It's not quite altogether yet, but should be by evening's end, then on to the pillow-making part tomorrow.

It's also a great test-run for timing, as I'd like to work on this concept after the first of the year to make a nice big scrappy quilt. :)

Looking for the give-away? I'm choosing the winner after noon EST on Friday, so there's still time to enter. Go here!

Computer disaster!

I wanted everyone to know that I'm on a bit of a forced hiatus. The power supply in my home computer blew out, and we're waiting for a new part--this might take a couple of days. I just wanted to drop a quick line (I'm on break at work). I have photos on my camera, and no way to upload them to show you right now! Soon!

Oh, and if you're looking for the giveaway, head on over here! Remember to leave me a way to contact you if you win--"no-reply" entries make me sad!

See you in a few days!

Week 4 October Giveaway!

Ok, here we go, the last of my October Giveaways! I wanted to thank you all for making my birthday month such a blast, for all of your kind and wonderful comments, and for taking the time to stop by.

And as thanks, I'm pulling out all the stops...

Want to see what's up for grabs? Here goes!


First up: 3 FQs of Amy Butler's Lotus Full Moon dots, in Camel, Tangerine and Slate.




Second: A scrap pack full on nice big chunks of Heather Ross fabrics. The smallest among these is 5"x7" or so. Most are a solid 10" square, approximately. GREAT for I-Spy or scrappy quilts. I've been collecting bits and pieces for some time, and realized I had some duplicates, so I wanted to share the bounty!



Third: All my scraps from my Saavy Seasons projects. These are all between a FE and a FQ. Plenty left for lots of fun holiday crafts! This is Happy Holiday for Lecien by Monica of Happy Zombie. I love her fabric, and want to share the love! (Can you blame me??)



And finally, some Flea Market Fancy! The yellow posies is a FQ, and the barbells is a FQ missing a 5" square. The other three prints are some scraps that would love to find a home in your next scrap project, or mug rug, or pincushion!



Want to know how this is going to work?

Doing things a bit differently this time.

For one entry, leave me a comment and let me know which prize you want to be entered in a drawing for.

For a second entry in that category, become a follower. If you're already a follower? Leave me a comment to let me know.

For FIVE more chances at the prize you've chosen, blog, FB or Tweet about my giveaway, and leave me a comment with a link out. (I'm a librarian, you know I'll fact-check!)

That's a possible SEVEN entries for the prize of your choice!!

Questions? Let me know!

Also, instead of letting this run just til Friday, I'm going to let this go for a little while. Say, til next Friday? This weekend is Quilt Market, and I know a lot of quilters and sewists won't be around the blog-o-sphere for a bit. I'd like to give everyone a chance! So, this giveaway will end next Friday, November 5.

Good luck!

ETA: Please make sure you leave me an email by which to contact you!! All of the "no-reply" users will be out of luck, as I'll have no way to get word of your winnings to you!

Week 3 winners!!

Yay! We have winners!!

Winner of the Heather Ross FFA2 quarter-yard cuts is...

#10!!

Happy Cottage Quilter said...

Wow what a great giveaway! I am not sure what we will be doing this year. We have just moved into a new neighborhood. We may go over to my in laws that evening.

Winner of the Robert Kauffman roll-up of Girl Scouts fabric is...

#28!!

Tim said... Staying home on Halloween to pass out candy if we get any trick or treaters. Last year we had none.


And the winner of the group of patterns is...

#19!!

Karen said...

For halloween this year, I will be visiting my son in Switzerland. I don't know that halloween is a holiday there or not, but I don't have to buy any candy this year (good thing since I still have some leftover from last year!) Thanks!

Congrats to the winners! I've already sent out emails, and will have your prizes out shortly!

And thanks to all who've been playing along with my Octoberfest of giveaways!

Don't forget to check back here on Monday for the final installment--trust me, I've saved up some REALLY great prizes for this round!

October Giveaway, Week 3!

Here's how this week will work. I have three prizes to give away, and the winners will be picked on Friday. First picked gets the first prize in the giveaway, second place gets the second listed, and third gets third.

Clear?

Let's get on with it!

If you've been around this old blog this month, you know that I'm sharing my birthday month good vibes with my readers! And each week keeps getting better!

This week, I'm giving away...


Three quarter-yard cuts of Heather Ross's Far Far Away 2. (Note, NOT FQs, but quarter yard off the bolt.)

A Robert Kauffman roll-up of the Girl Scouts line (perfect for the little Girl Scout in your life!).



And finally, an assortment of patterns from some of my faves, including Me and My Sister Designs, Atkinson Designs, and Cotton Cottage.



How to get a chance at these goodies?

For one entry, leave me a comment. This week: What are your plans for Halloween? Trick or treating with the kids? Staying home to give out candy? Haunted hayrides or masquerade balls? I want to know! I'll be staying home and watching scary movies with the Madman, and giving out candy to protect said big lug from the hordes of goblins and princesses that come marauding through our neighborhood. Last year we went through 5 economy sized bags of candy in just over 2 hours--over 150 kids. WHEW! Going to eat my Wheaties this year!

Want a second entry? Become a follower and leave me a comment letting me know. Already a follower? Leave me a comment saying that, too!

And remember to check back here on Friday for the results!

PS, next week is the last giveaway this month, and I've got some great stuff stashed for you! How do you feel about Denyse Schmidt, Heather Ross and Amy Butler all in one give-away! See you then!

Keeping it real...

Sort of.

Down to making and sewing bindings on three projects. And a little hand stitching. Then some washing, drying, pressing and packing. After my major sleep-in yesterday? I was wide awake at 6:20 this morning. Yup, on a Sunday. So once I got my caffeine levels up, it was time to make some tracks...

Last night, the madman and I basted the baby quilt. I used a new-to-me brand of basting spray. NEVER AGAIN. Everything stuck to everything, and still is. It was like some really bad slapstick. I'll be going back to June Tailor's on my next project. Sullivan's, to me, is like working with superglue in spray form. Gack. (Sorry, Sullivan's. : / )

So this morning, I plopped down to do something I haven't done in many years.

Free-motion quilting.



I went for a meander with some loops in there. By the end my stitches were more even in size, though the design leaves a bit to be desired.



I won't talk about the toenail-catchers, or the tension issues than meant that even though there was no puckering on the back (yay!), there were some serious pulls in my loop stitches.

Why?

Because I'm not fixing them. I'm going to bind it, wash and dry it, and mail it.

Ok, before y'all fall over and die in shock and horror, let me explain.

My corners and points don't always match.

My lines and edges are not always straight.

My borders have ripples.

My quilts may have puckers.

I hate ripping out stitches. And if I were being paid for a quilt, you'd be damn sure I'd pick bunches of this apart and start over.

Right now, I have a deadline--this needs to be in the mail on Tuesday, because it needs to get from CT to AZ by Saturday. My cousin's wife-to-be is going to deliver in about a month, and Saturday is the shower. As my husband says, I obviously work better under pressure, because I have a really bad habit of leaving things to the last minute.

My handmade things very often look handmade. And I'm ok with that. I try not to send out things that look like a first grader did them, but I'd like to think that the quilt I am sending out, uneven stitches and all, will keep this little baby just as warm as something bought in a store, one of thousands just like it. I learned from the process, and the next one will be better, though that one will have mistakes, too.

I think some crafters have unrealistic expectations of themselves, ripping and resewing, scrapping and starting over. I don't have the time, the interest or the disposition for it.

I can point you elsewhere if you're looking for perfection, because this isn't the place you'll find it.

But if you're ok with me being human and keeping it real, I'm really happy to have you here.

Trying to get my butt in gear

Overslept this morning. Sure, I have the day off, but 10am? I haven't slept well all week--work has been incredibly stressful. I don't deal well with having loose ends, and there have been many this week! So I guess I was making up for lost sleep. Still, it's been a struggle to get ANYTHING done so far, beyond coffee and breakfast.

Finally, I did manage to pull my thumb out and finish the last of the blocks for my cousin's daughter's quilt. It needs to be in the mail this week, so here's to hoping I don't oversleep tomorrow, too...



Originally, it was going to be 3 x 3 blocks, but the blocks are 12" finished, and that was going to be huuuuge for an infant. So I'm pretty sold on the layout of the blocks, just thinking about sashing now. I'm thinking more pink will be too pink, so maybe white, with thin pink borders on the sides? Need to at least get that done and the basting done tonight. Then quilting tomorrow, binding Monday night, and if I'm very good, in the mail Tuesday morning.

Now to get back to it!

Remember, Monday starts our new October giveaway, this time with THREE prizes. You do NOT want to miss this!

Winner, winner, Xmas dinner!

The results for the week 2 October giveaway are in!!:

Winner of the 2 Fruitcake charm packs is #47, MommyWantsToRead, who said:

MommyWantsToRead said... Right now I'm not sewing but I am crocheting a blanket for my hubby for xmas.


And the winner of the 2 Crazy Eight turnovers is...#27, Ashley:

Ashley said...

My seasonal projects consist of 5 quilts I'm making for my mom, siblings, and my sister's boyfriend. I'm really hoping I get them all done by Christmas!

Congrats, ladies! I've emailed you both, so go check and get back to me!

And don't forget, Monday will start our week 3 giveaway, and week 3 means...THREE prizes! Also, check back here for details on the grand prize giveaway I'll be doing to wrap up this month of giveaways with a bang!

I'm still here, honest!

I'm just working on things I can't show you right now! Like I'm about halfway through making the items to send to my SaAvy Seasons swap partner. And I'm nearly done with the top for the baby quilt for my cousin and his new wife (and their baby, due next month!).

So I'm popping in to say hi, and I'm working my fingers off, and I promise to show up with pictures this weekend.

And don't forget to scroll down and enter to win one of two awesome precut jump-starts to holiday crafting in the previous post! The winner will be chosen tomorrow!

See you then, and good luck!

(PS, I think there might be a grand prize for the whole month. What do you think? Maybe a bundle of Heather Ross's FFA2? Any interest?)

A new week, a new giveaway!

This week, I have two prizes up for grabs!

Here in New England, it's getting a bit chilly at night. Last week, we all talked about what we're looking forward to this fall. Baking, apple-picking, leaf-peeping and decorating for the season were all up there, as was sewing! Glad to know I'm not the only one who doesn't feel much like sewing (and pressing!) in the steamy summers!

Since time is marching rather quickly, it seems, toward the holidays, I thought I'd help you out in that area with this week's give-away!

First up, two charm packs of Fruitcake by BasicGrey.


I love their Christmas lines! You all remember the Figgy Pudding craze last year, right? I am here to tell you that Fruitcake is just as amazing. I'm having a great time working on a hexagon quilt with the jelly roll of Fruitcake that I got recently (pics soon!). I needed to share the Fruitcakey love with the rest of you. (Trust me, this is NOT Grandma's doorstop, bound to be regifted!)

Second prize this week, and just as jolly, is two Moda Turnovers of Sandy Gervais's Crazy Eight!

(Sorry about the lint--oops!)

I admit, I have been hoarding precuts of this line, and found myself with enough for at least three quilts of it. Sounded a little greedy to me, so this would be enough for, say, a nice-sized pinwheel quilt for your bed this season!

Want to know how to get in on this action?

For one chance to win, post a comment and tell me what kinds of seasonal sewing and crafting you're up to!

For a second chance to win, become a follower and leave me a comment telling me. (If you're already a follower, leave a comment and let me know that, too!)

Want TWO more chances? Blog about it, and leave me a comment letting me know!

That's FOUR chances at two great prizes. Not bad odds, eh?

On Friday, I'll use the RNG to pick two winners--first pick will get the charm packs, second will get the turnovers.

Good luck!

Week 1 Giveaway Winner

And the winner is...#28, Carrie, who said:

Carrie at In the Hammock Blog said...

i can't wait to start decorating my house for halloween!! Thank you so much for the generous giveaway, I have a pattern for a girl's dress that these would be perfect for! Thanks!

Carrie, I'm emailing you now, and congrats!!

Thanks everyone for playing along, and remember to stop by on Monday for my next October giveaway. Week two = two prizes = more winners! You do NOT want to miss this!

October Giveaway #1!

Welcome to my first October Giveaway! If you've been stalking this space in the last week or so, you know there are more to come. It's my birthday this month, and I thought I'd share the love with you! Every Monday this month, I'll post a new giveaway. The winner will be picked and posted on Friday. Sound ok to you?

Ready to see what's up this week?

The suspense is killing you, yes?

Ok, ok!

Up for grabs is a pattern by one of my favorite designers, Daniela Stout of Cozy Quilt Designs. I actually won a bunch of patterns from Daniela last year after winning a Moda design contest. However, I wound up with a duplicate of one of her patterns from a fabric club. It wouldn't be fair to keep it to myself!



And to go along with it, how about an oldie but a goodie? I've been hanging onto this one for some time, just waiting for the right opportunity to use it. If this isn't making great use of it, I don't know what is! A jelly roll of the out-of-print Oh-Cherry-Oh! by Me & My Sister for Moda.



Yum!

What to do to win? Leave me a comment telling me what you're looking forward to this fall? A certain fabric line? A certain autumn ritual? I'm ready to hunt down some It's a Hoot! yardage from MoMo this fall. And the Madman and I will be doing some apple-picking in the next week or so--here in New England, the harvests have begun in earnest!!

Want an extra chance to win? Become a follower, and leave me a comment to let me know. (If you're already a follower, comment to let me know that, too!)

Want a third chance? Blog about it, then comment here with a link to let me know!

So that's three chances to win!! Good luck!

A busy Sunday

First: The critical



I don't normally drink my coffee that dark, but we've been putting off a shopping trip, and I ran out of half n half. Soymilk was not really the best substitute, but it's what we had. Oh well. Caffeine was crucial to doing anything productive on a chilly, overcast Sunday. (Hence the quality, or lack thereof, of today's pics.)

Next on the docket, turning these sweet, yummy little scraps I've collected:


Into a little gift for a friend in need.


Then, tackling this pile of strips:



And turning them into more of these:


Sweet, scrappy squares for a baby quilt for my cousin and his new wife--and the little girl they're expecting next month.

Hey, don't forget--tomorrow starts my first giveaway of the month! It's a delicious one, and I can't wait to share it with you! I'll be posting a different giveaway each Monday, and posting the winner every Friday for the whole month, so keep checking back!

The Urban Home Goods Swap--Round 2!

The spoils of swaps! Many thanks to all of the folks who participated in this round of the UHG swap. It really is amazing to page through and see all of the goodies created by this talented group!

I received my swap WAY early. Darci was just too fast! Can I please explain to you how much I adore this bag? Linen, Momo's Wonderland, AND those fab red bamboo handles? Killing me! I use it as my new book bag for work--and I get tons of compliments on it! The Flea Market Fancy pincushion? Almost too cute to use--ALMOST! It's become a sweet little staple to make handsewing hexies even more enjoyable. Darci, I cannot thank you enough!!



For my own part, I hemmed and hawed. I stacked and restacked fabric. My partner's color choices screamed autumn, and boy, was I ever ready for something that spoke to cooler temps! She (being Mary, aka Sewing Geek, of October Eight) had asked for a small throw that worked with her new living room colors of green, spice, and dark brown.


Ultimately, what I came up with was a Birthday Cake throw, using another pattern from Elizabeth of OhFransson!. Love that lady!

That would be my hubby modeling it for me. The whole quilt was pieced from my stash. Mary has similar taste in color and designers, so once I got started, it just flew. For me, that's saying a lot, since I typically sew at the speed of molasses in January. From cutting to sewing the binding, I think it took me maybe a week? As I said, fast! I really love this pattern, and can definitely see me using it again in the future.

PS--don't forget to stop back next week--there will be a bunch of give-aways here all through the month of October. Help me celebrate my birth-month in style!

Oh, what a mess!!

My husband thought he was being funny the other day. A friend asked where I was, so he took a picture of my stash, and said "Well, my guess is she's in here. Somewhere..."



Heh. The man has a point. What a mess! Pretty, though.

Anyone want to share the method to their stash madness??

Unplanned absences?

Wow. Where the heck has September gone? I've been busy, honest! Swaps, bees, and lots of planning for upcoming projects. We've had the strangest weather the past few weeks here in CT. Hot and humid, cold and almost frosty, more thunderstorms in these early days of autumn than we had the whole hot summer. Very bizarre. Those few chilly nights, though, have been enough to put me into hibernation mode--all I want to do after work is sleep! Though that could be because those warm, humid nights in between keep me awake! As my mother would say, sometimes, you just can't win for losing.

In any case, I can share a few things with you while I'm caffeinated enough (I hope!) to string together coherent sentences.

I'm caught up on my bees...

August for Coast to Coast Block Party, for Bibi:


Bibi sent us some of her amazingly gorgeous scraps (serious scrap envy over here!) and had us use Elizabeth's Map of the States tutorial to make up her block. It was a great learning experience--I've been an admirer of the technique for awhile, so it was great to try it out on a smaller scale. Bibi was definitely smart to spread the love on this one, to get enough 9" blocks for a quilt for her little guy--it was labor intensive. Definitely worth it, though, I think.

Also for the C2C Block Party bee, for Wendy's September block, she asked for house blocks. I chose to freestyle, so there's a little wonk to it. I still get a kick out of the stripey door!



And for my Beehiver Angela, a simple square-in-a-square block, which she'll put together as a bento block quilt once she has everything back!



Stay tuned--I have swap pictures queued up from the Urban Home Goods Round 2, and starting in October, there will be give-aways! (It's my birthday month, and really, I can't help but share the love!!)

More time?

My twin blogger, also a Megan, (also a librarian, and also a quilter!) asked today on her blog what her readers would do with more time.

So...

With an extra 60 minutes today, I would:

Sew. I've got 2 rows of blocks finished and trimmed down and up on my design wall for my Urban Home Goods Swap (Round 2), and I'd love to get another row or two done. (I am a sloooow sewist.)

or Read. I'm currently reading Alison Weir's "Innocent Traitor", a novel about Lady Jane Grey. I'm a Tudor fanatic, and biographer Weir writes killer historical fiction.


If the power was out at the library today (it has happened to us 3 times in the nearly 9 years I've been here...), I would:

Go and pick up my co-op box early, instead of driving like a madwoman after work to pick up my share before they close at 6.

Go to the supermarket to pick up more canning jars.

Take all those yummy veggies home and do some canning.

Finish sewing the top of my project for the Urban Home Goods swap.

Read my book!


If there was a library strike (actually, we're forbidden to strike, but we do have the option of picketing in our off-hours, but I'll roll with it...) I would:

Finish up my swap and bee projects, so I'd be caught up for September.

Get caught up on my sleep!!

Clean. Like, a big clean. Windows and all. *shudder*

Go out with my husband on his day off, maybe for Indian food and a matinee. (We are almost never off on the same day. Ever.)

Work on a quilt project that will stay with us!!


If I were granted a year's paid leave of absence right now, I would:

Bust through my stack of UFOs and try and get them all done. *falls down and howls laughing*

Ahem. Sorry.

Get caught up on my sleep, my reading, and my movie watching.

Write the book I've had partly finished for the last two years.

Spend more quality time with my family.

Probably learn to bake. I can cook, but my baking amounts to box mixes and quick breads.

Get the house organized. We both tend to be clutter-y people, so cutting that back would be nice.



So? What would YOU do with X amount of extra time?? Tell me in a comment, or go blog about it and link it back here!

As promised, the wanna-do list!

Ok, in my last post, I went over my list of works in progress. *shudder* Did it make you feel a little better about your own list? Did you actually go and count yours? It's a little scary, but it actually made me feel a lot more organized. Now, on to the list of things I want to work on in the future...


1) HR focus square in a square block quilt.

2) FMF quilt. Pattern?

3) Strips and bricks. I've seen Rita make two of these now, and Malka is about to re-release the pattern on her blog. I really, really want to make one of these. It's really rare that I stick with a pattern, or that I covet one like this.

4) Maverick stars. You've seen them everywhere. I know I have. They look like a really fun way to use up scraps and wee pieces. Perhaps some of my FMF will wind up in this quilt?

5) Buzz saw blocks. I actually have my solid background for this, and some squares cut for it. I made one for Kat in The Beehive this past spring, and while each large block is very labor intensive, I'm delighted at the prospect of making a big scrappy quilt of these blocks. This will likely find itself to be a long-term WiP. We'll see.

6) Xmas lights. I have a couple of charm packs of Lumiere de Noel by French General (who I love, btw), and an idea for my own pattern. We'll see what happens with this one...

7) Audrie's scrappy quilt-along. This is due to start any day now, and I'm very excited, but I will likely wind up playing catch-up after the fact. Need to get a few other things knocked out first!

8) A scrappy string quilt. I've actually started sorting through my scraps and putting aside the strings in anticipation. Maybe this will help me put a dent in my scraps!?

9) Another coin quilt. I loved Something Blue, and I know it's well loved by its owners. But I know I'd really love one like it for me, too!

10) Hope Valley, New Day varied squares. I've set aside my New Day half-yard cuts and some corresponding solids for this one. It requires a lot of quality time with my design wall, so I'll need to time this accordingly...

11) Kaffe Stripes. I have a small stash of Kaffe Fasset woven stripe fabrics in some relatively muted colors. Not entirely sure I know what I want to do with them yet.

12) Clara's Geese. I won a FQ bundle of French General's Rounneries fabric last fall, and think I'll save it to make a Wild Geese quilt, like the one Anita is doing in her quilt-along. (As for the name, Rounneries is a palette of grays, beiges, and creams with some gorgeous reds. I plan on using the reds to make the geese crosses in the middle of the blocks. Red Cross = Clara Barton = Clara's Geese. See, logical. :D )

13) Vintage ZigZag quilt. I won a great big stack of 6" squares, all from different vintage sheets, from Evelyn during the Sew Mama Sew giveaway extravaganza. I know I want to use them to make a scrappy zig-zag quilt.

14) LOVE. Another FQ bundle waiting to be made into a quilt. I created a pattern for it already. Now it's just a matter of taking the time to make it.

15) ORBC's hexagon quilt-along, with Julie. I wanted to do it while she was running it, but it just didn't happen that way. I've often said that quilt-alongs should be called "hurry up and finish it months after the fact...".

16) Scrap quilts 1-3. I plan on using a couple of patterns/tutorials from Rita and Elizabeth, two of my inspiration quilters.

What do you think? Should keep me busy for a couple of years, no? And that's if I manage to move faster than a tortoise, which has been my recent state of affairs!

Tell me--what do YOU want to work on next? Do you keep a list?

Think you've got WiPs?

This post is as much to get my head around what I have started and what I would like to work on in the future. I sat down the other day and started making a list of works in progress and quilts that I would like to make in the future. The list is almost enough to overwhelm me. But not quite! My goal, if I really have one, is to get a stack of tops done and ready for basting and quilting, whether that be on my machine or at the long-armer's. I have a number of quilts that are literally sitting around as a stack of blocks to be put together, or are partially finished and awaiting borders (like the one in my last post). Some of the things I haven't started yet are things that I have a stack of fabric set aside for (like my FMF stash and also my stash of HR scraps).

In any case, here's the list of getting real...



Basted quilts that need quilting and binding:

1) Pink strips baby quilt.

2) Quilts for Kids charity quilt.



Works I have started and need to finish:

1) Handpieced Xmas stars. If I choose to make this a smaller quilt, or a different sashing option (leaning toward the latter), I should be able to have this together in a matter of a weekend. Must double check the number of blocks I have finished--think I might have one or two left to round it out.

2) Amanda Jean's quilt-along. I'm currently about 3 weeks behind. It will realistically take me about a week's worth of not-working time to push through and get caught up/finished with the top. I still haven't figured out whether I'll quilt this myself or not.

3) Simple Abundance quilt, which you saw in the previous post. I have the last of the fabric I'll need on it's way, so I could quite possibly finish this top this weekend.

4) The Madman's quilt. I've got about 8 blocks done, unsashed. I'll need at least double that. I have all the fabric set aside for it, so it is just a matter of sitting down and doing it.

5) Wonky log cabins. I started this back with John's round of the ORBC quilt-along (#3? Good lord...). Again, I think I have a good 10-12 blocks done, so I just need to make a few more and sash them, and that's another top down. An evening's work, maybe 2.

6) Blue and brown baby quilt. This needs 3 more blocks and a border and it's done. It currently sits at 6 blocks and a pile of scraps. (This one has actually been really hard to pick up and work on--the couple who were the intended recipients lost their little boy at 4 months into the pregnancy. I need to finish it, but I believe I'll likely donate it as a charity quilt.)

7) Asian 9-patch. This started out as a quilt along, and wound up being a little pile of blocks, not enough for the intended project. I'm thinking of doing some off-set blocks with the blocks I have finished and just get it done, about throw-size.

Yes, there's more...

8) Civil War repro log cabins. Fabric is cut and set aside.

9) Civil War repro flying geese. Fabric is cut and set aside.

10) 1974 Jelly roll sampler.

11) Soiree Jelly roll sampler.

12) 2" paper pieced hexagon quilt. This is my current hand-piecing project. I have about 200 of the 350 basted, and about 50 of those sewn together. This is ongoing, and I don't expect the top to be done before Xmas. But that's ok.


Ok, now the gotta-do list is out of the way, so next up, my "wanna-do" list!

Simple Abundance WIP

Simple Abundance WIP
Originally uploaded by meg_norrell

Do you remember this quilt? I was working on it back in February. I got it all sewn together, but really wanted to make it a little bigger. I have some yardage in about a dozen of the fabrics from the Simple Abundance line, as well as another honeybun. But I was totally stumped. Did I just want to do a series of simple borders? Did I want to make some small Log Cabin blocks using the honeybun strips and do a row at the top and bottom to make the quilt longer? Did I want to leave it as just a small lap quilt? So I folded it up and worked on other projects, and waited.

Inspiration finally struck yesterday, in a flash of clarity. I happened across another charm pack on Etsy. With the honeybun, I can make more of the bordered squares and straight set them for a top and bottom border. With the addition of a few small borders of more Kona Espresso, I think I've finally got it. I really want this one quilted and ready for the couch by the time those first chilly night roll around this autumn, so I'm hoping to get it finished and quilted soon!

Trying not to think to hard about quilting what should amount to a twin sized quilt in August though. Ugh!

What I'm doing on my summer vacation...

Finally, vacation. More of a staycation, but that's just fine with me! It means that I get some time to SEW!

Caught up on my bees officially now, with Susan's blocks for July done for my Coast to Coast Block Party Bee:



As well as sewing and cutting:



and more sewing...




to try and catch up with Amanda Jean's quilt-along.

Why do they call it a quilt-along anyway? For me, they very often wind up being a "quilt-along for a couple of weeks, then scramble to catch up at the very end, or possibly not finishing at all..."

Yeah. Does that every happen to you?

Struggling to keep up

Lately it feels like what little time off I have is long since spoken for. Prepping veggies from the co-op share, running the cat to the vet, keeping up with reading for the library book club (thank goodness I have August off from that), epic mountains of laundry--all of that plus the heat (omg, the HEAT and HUMIDITY!) makes for not a whole lot of sewing.

This weekend, I did, however, get a few things done for the girls of the Beehive.


June was Amy's month, and she mailed out Kona Ash plus scraps in red, orange, yellow and sour green to make -, + and = for her "All things equal" picnic quilt for her and her hubby. This was a lot of fun, and I loved her fabrics. The block is 12.5" to be finished at 12".

Andi was so excited about her Beehive month (July) that most of us, even overseas, got her fabrics this past week. She sent out green strips for the centers, lots of red, pink, green, purple and black/white scraps for some string block action. I made 5 x 6.5" blocks for her:




It should come as no surprise, if you've read my block, that I had no problem cranking these little cuties out and could have kept going for days. In fact, it sparked me back up to make some more of my blue string blocks, which have been sitting to the side (all 19 of them) as I try to figure out what I want to do with them...

Something a little different

This year, the madman and I (well mostly I) made the decision to join up for a full share at the local CSA co-op, Stone Gardens Farm. The local farmers' market is only open on the afternoon of the day that I work late, so I never get to go. And while the madman has made the occasional attempt, he finds it so overwhelming, he normally leaves with like 2 cucumbers and that's it.

So yeah, if I wanted to eat local this growing season (and I do), it was going to be c/o the lovely folks at Stone Gardens. And yesterday was our first pick-up!



Holy cow, that's a LOT of greeny goodness! It's been much warmer than normal here in the Northeast this spring, so the growing season is off to a booming start. We got 3 ginormous heads of lettuce (Romaine, Boston and red leaf), a head of escarole (which was made into white bean and escarole soup this morning, and will be frozen), 3 bunches of radishes, 3 heads of bok choy, 2 bunches of scallions, a bunch of salad turnips (small, crisp and almost radishy), and a bag of Asian Mix baby salad greens. Whoa. Can we say, salad for dinner?



And since the weather has been so warm, a neighboring farm had a bumper crop of strawberries, which they were giving away free at the farm stand to drum up business. So dessert last night and breakfast this morning was made of these delicious babies...



Delish! These were, by far, the most amazing strawberries I've had since my mom gave up her strawberry patch about 25 years ago. These had never seen the inside of a fridge, they were so sweet and juicy. Amazing.

Can't wait to see what next week brings! In the meantime, time for more salad!

Thank you!

A big thank-you to Evelyn of Use the Loot. I won Evelyn's awesome SMS giveaway, 140 6" squares of vintage linens--all different! I've been wanting to make a quilt using vintage linens for the LONGEST time, but the problem was that I never seemed to have any luck when I went to the local thrift shops. Problem solved--thanks, Evelyn!


Expect to see more of these babies soon!

Scraps giveaway winner!

I had a date with the RNG over green tea and scones this morning (mmm, scones), and he said that the winner of my scraps giveaway is #37!

Kristen said:

I have always wanted to make string quilt, wonky log cabin or crumb quilts like those on quiltville.com. I am years or decades away from that! I am jealous of all those colorful scrap quilts out there.

I've just sent you an email, so be jealous no more--your start to your own scrap quilt will be in the mail shortly!

Thanks to all who participated, and special thanks to everyone who had great suggestions for scrap quilts! I've got a list as long as my arm, and I can't wait to start!

100th post and the last day of my giveaway!

My scraps are taking over! Want to help me work them down to a manageable mountain? Hop on over here and leave a comment about your favorite way to use up scraps or your favorite scrappy quilt pattern, and a box packed full of scraps could be headed your way! I'm accepting comments until midnight EST tonight, and will announce the winner here tomorrow morning!

PS--Just in time for my 100th post, woohoo!

Here and there... Hexies!

I have, of course, been bitten by the hexagon bug that's spreading through Flickr at an alarming rate. On my lunch breaks, I've taken to turning these:

(2 inch hexagons, from paperpieces.com)

And these:

(4.5" - 5" charms from old charm packs and my stash...)

Into these!

(about 80 or so completed so far, only about 270 to go--oy!)