Are we here to talk or are we here to sew???

Fortunately, I've done better at sewing than I have at blogging about it.

Thursday I cut a bunch of little squares making a negligible dent in my scrap pile.  Hey - at least it's a dent.  The designers on Project Runway could have used my scraps - their intimate wear was a mess.  The one that won? (2nd from the left) Seriously wtf?

Oh well.  It's just possible Katrina & I are not their intended market.

Friday I hit Fabric Depot & got the backing fabric (and some adorable elephant print minky that just HAS to become pillows!).  And more Mary's Best Press.  I love that stuff.

Saturday I had a head cold.  The best I could do was sort through and find more scraps for whatever this four patch project is going to turn into.  Then I took some Vicks and went back to bed.

Sunday I slept in and then, determined to make progress, I got ALL THE COLUMNS TOGETHER!!

Here's the first shot of the center(not ironed yet, clearly):

I think it's cool.  The Manchild likes it.  

Other folks have asked "what's it supposed to be" & "Did you make it offcenter on purpose?"  Harrumph.  

Troglodytes.

Monday I cut all the borders and got the first set sewn on.  There are 2 more sets to go - hope to get that done tonight.

On other fronts, the Quilting Guru embroidered a set of napkins and quilted a matching table runner for a wedding gift.  Impressive, no?  (Apparently so is the resulting mess in her sewing room)

Da Noob has reorganized the sewing area around the new table.  That's an endless task, but enough was done that a WIP was rediscovered!  A disappearing 4 patch project that is about 1/2 way finished.  That will be a fun project to tackle.  This coming week, all artistic effort is being tapped out on the job, so da noob gets a pass.  For now.

And what does Mr Jenkins think of all this sewing? 

 If only he could find a way to express himself.

xoxo

sash

Doubled! Then nothing.

The column sections are each at least twice as wide as they were before.  So I think everything is in sets of 4 with one set of 3 (Because odd numbers).

I love Tim Gunn :)

Tonight is Project Runway at Katrina's, therefore no machine sewing.  I have several baggies of scraps that the manchild's girlfriend sorted out for me in pleasing color combinations.  I will cut those into bits for 4 patches & half square triangles.  Need more fuel for the starters & enders!



Friday will see the columns all assembled (and I'll take a picture of that) and Saturday I can put on borders!

Now to track down a long-armer who can quilt this sucker for me....

xo
sash

Too late now!

Dad would say "you bit off more than you can chew"  As is often the case, he would be mostly right.  As is also often the case, I won't listen, I won't learn, I won't mend my ways, & I'll probably "chew" my way through - but it might be tricky.


I'm not talking about September.

I'm still pretty excited about the challenge I've set myself to do something on a sewing project each day.

That part's ok.

It's this one project.  You know, the bargello quilt I'm making for the manchild's guild buddies who are getting married next month.

I've never actually done a bargello before (although ikat weaving uses some of the same ideas and I've done that).

And I could have chosen a simple undulating pattern.  One that uses the exact same strata in all the columns.

or this

something like this

But does that sound like my style?  Of COURSE not.  First time doing it, important deadline ahead, go big or go home, right?

I'm on about the 5th excel spreadsheet to map this out.  It's way beyond EQ7.

So September 2nd (last night), I made more strata, reviewed the spreadsheet.  Again.  Labelled things and got little bags ready to go.  Tonight I'll be at the lovely Katrina's for Project Runway night, so I had to have everything portable.  My goal for tonight is a little baggy for each column with all the bits inside - ready to sew.

Wish me luck!

Random Treasures

Unexpected finds on a cold, headachy day.

First: 
A package arrived from Melinda's Fabric Shop.
Oh yeah - They had some great batiks on sale the other day.

Sweet!

Second: 
I was clearing out my temporary files (a perfect project for a blechy day when I can't concentrate on math).

Not many treasures in there.  Random bids & plans - a picture or two.  Then I found an article that my awesome KT wrote for the zoo volunteer newsletter.  I read it back then and I'm sure I kept a copy for the manchild's scrapbook, but I haven't look at it since then.

Too cool not to keep at hand.  Too cool not to share.  We'll file this under the "book" heading.

A genuine treasure - don't you think??

- sash

DONE!!!!

What was I thinking?  My first finish challenge ever and I pick a quilt top that's not even done.  (See just how undone it was here: January Goal

Oh, and it's frickin' TAX season.

OK - I was an adult and I DID prepare all my tax forms first.

And then I FINISHED THE QUILT!!!!

Just now.

With minutes to spare.

The Front

The Quilting

And check out that sexy border!!

 No time to format or elaborate.  I gotta figure out how to link this to the finish page!

a demain!

sash

Official Type Linky Thing

How's THAT for a technical title?


If it worked, then this is my first project in  A Lovely Year Of Finishes.


I've already blogged (in mysterious black & white) about this quilt.  Sadly, it was another wrapped UFO.  KT had to squint & imagine her completed quilt.  I am determined that it will be finished while it's still chilly enough for quilts, so it's the perfect project for my January finish.

Serenade Herringbone for KT

The piecing - once I reworked the traditional friendship block so that my mathematically compulsive brain wouldn't explode - went together smoothly.  Pressing & squaring after ever strip kept it even & I'm pleased with the way the colors look in the panels.  If I'd just added another border I could have stuck the landing & at least had the thing sandwiched for Christmas.

But then I was doodling in church - as I often do - & starting drawing wiggly, organic, vine like things around the edge of a herringbone scribble.  Hmmm.  That would look cool.  I wonder if I could do that??

Well - yes.  I can do it.  Not quickly, however.  Piecing the first side there took a long time.

One Improv Pieced Curvy Organic Border

Serious trial and error.  The others will be smoother, but on Christmas Eve I decided to attach ONE border instead of sewing more.  Slapped a bow on it about 11:30 - just before Santa arrived.

So my goal for this project in January is:

• Finish piecing the curvy border thingy
• Attach the borders
• Sandwich (backing of grey/green textured minky:
• Quilt (using my Pfaff Ambition & grey Presencia thread)
• Bind (Black?  Brown?)
• Label (Maybe the quilt-diva's embroidery machine will be back in service by then?)

Slam dunk, right?

- sash

2014. Wow.

I have 13 more minutes to say "Hello 2014!"

2013 ended with a sniffle & a cough, but I'm cautiously optimistic about the year ahead.  Or maybe that's the cold meds talking.

High fever and low energy lead to a stack & whack project (You can only play so many hours of Minecraft - even on Nyquil).  Here's the photo with the blocks laid out.

I just finished assembly tonight & cut a border of chocolate brown.  It's busy, but it shows off the Acacia fabric that I LOVE so much.  This was one layer cake & there is a tutorial by Missouri Star Quilt.  I want to make several laps quilts to scatter around the house.  Fun patterns, low pressure, bright color - little bits of warmth for the family to enjoy.

KT loved her quilt top - even having to imagine the rest of the border.

The pillowcases were a success.

And I ventured out to the Fabric Depot sale.  Probably not a great move in getting over the chest cold, but all the Christmas prints were at 50%.  I didn't need any more penguins or snowmen, but many holiday lines have complementary fabrics without holiday motifs.  I got some beautiful jewels tone prints & beautiful swirled solids.

Oops - I've run over my 13 minutes.  Enough looking back - it's time for goals & planning & resolutions, right?  Well, I don't know about that, but I've enjoyed following a couple blogs this year and their "Lovely Year of Finishes".  So here's my first goal for 2014.  I will participate in the 2014 Lovely Year of Finishes.  That means posting here and linking up...somewhere... at the beginning and end of each month.  Setting one project as a goal, finishing that project, and posting it.

So sewing, finishing projects, blogging... all good things, right?

Here's the link to check it out.  I'll take a photo of KT's quilt & that will be my January goal.  Borders, sandwiched, quilted, & bound by the end of January.

I'm tempted to go start now - but I think getting more sleep is another goal for 2014 so the borders will have to wait until tomorrow.

A demain,

sash