WIP Wednesday 11/7/12

Here's what's on my sewing table for day three of my vacation.   

I got the binding sewn onto this cute panel and just need to handstitch it down on the back.

The binding's cut out for the next completed top...it's navy, not purple.  Gotta love cameras and lighting and all that.

And while this isn't a WIP, it will be soon.  What's that make it...a WIP-in-waiting?  It's a Christmas present for.....who?  The pattern is from Quilts and More magazine.

This week I have several helpers to keep me company and soldiering on as I make my way through almost-done and half-assed done projects.  In no particular order, they are...

Coffee, and lots of it.  And if I find out who put decaf in my cup this morning, I'm gonna kill 'em.  Oh, wait...that was me.  Ahem...

My faithful, furry companion, (no, not Himself), Lulu FooFoo

And last, but certainly not least...

...because everyone knows grapes have antioxidants which are really good for you.  Heehee.  Ahem...

So...what're you working on this week?  I'm linking to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced to find out!

Happy quilting, y'all!

Halloween WIP

Call me a witch, but Halloween holds as much appeal for me as going to the vet does for the dog.  Perhaps it's the crush of whining little ones every. where. we. go or maybe it's the obviously frazzled parents accompanying them, each wearing an expression that says they'd rather eat ground glass than be trolling for candy.  Or perhaps it's just the thought of a quirky holiday in which we celebrate children begging for candy (much like mine do every time we're at the grocery).  Whatever...The Diva's terribly excited about all that free candy and I'm looking forward to soaking my sore foot when the whole thing's over and done with. 

I successfully managed not to fall down all day and got my 10 year cross stitch WIP almost done.

I'm turning it into a wallhanging.  All that's left is to stitch down the binding.  I briefly thought of doing that by machine, but oddly enough, I really like stitching it down by hand.

Well, I must hop on my broom as we scour the countryside for treats.  Happy Halloween, y'all!

Pinning the Albatross

So, in an effort to be truer to the process pledge I took some time back, I'm gonna bore you to tears with info about the quilt that refuses to be quilted.  I blogged yesterday that I'd had serious thread breakage and batting issues after loading this baby onto my mom's quilt frame.  I swear, this'll be ready by the time Captain Studly walks down the aisle.  He's only 13, surely there's plenty of time!

 

Anyhoo, I managed to dodge a trip to a heretofore undisclosed destination...yes, I'm being evasive on purpose and was left to my own devices by Himself and the Co-Defendants.  YAY, peace and quiet!  I've never pinned a quilt on carpet, always on linoleum.  My knees are thanking me and it wasn't as difficult as I'd anticipated.  Thank heavens for small favors, eh?

 

Now, it's all pinned and ready for Lennie the Featherweight. 

 

I checked out a blog post over at The Amateur Quilter about quilting a big-ass quilt (his words) on a home sewing machine.  Considering the quilt he whipped out appears to dwarf mine, I'd say there's hope for getting this puppy done. 

 

Wish me luck!

 

Sweet 'n Sour

Now don't y'all go thinking that the post title is referring to the Co-Defendants!  Oh, wait, that was my thought...hehe.  Ahem... 

It's Wednesday and I have a WIP to show you!  This is but one in a ginormous pile of WIPs tops, not to mention those I've already quilted that need the threads tied off.  Ugh!  There're parts to this quilting hobby that are nothing but pure unadulterated drudgery.  Where's the Quilt Fairy?

But, I digress...here's my WIP for Wednesday...

This is what happens when I get bored and decide to take a couple packs of charm squares and just run 'em through Lennie the Featherweight like Kirstie Alley through a bag of potato chips.  I'm still trying to decide on borders 'cause this girl is a wee mite skinny.  The quilt top, not me.

I like how it's turning out, though...all those funky patterns and pops of color.  And I love white in a quilt.  I know some people think it's nothing more than a distraction and utterly ruins a quilt, but white has its place.  Don't knock it!

On a side note...did you notice those tiny spots on the concrete? Yep, those are raindrops. This is August in Texas. I. am. excited.  And yes, this is the highlight of my day.

I'm linking up to Freshly Pieced...care to join me?

Unproductive Targets

I love to read my daily horoscope.  It's a lot of fun, but it's not like I plan my day around it or anything.  After all, the blurb underneath it clearly states 'Astrology has no basis in science.  This column is for entertainment only.'  I never would've guessed.  Reading it at the end of the day is even better because, if my day went according to the alignment of heavenly bodies, then the stars must be right...right?!  Weird, I know, but there it is. 

Today's horoscope went like this...

'If you deviate from your plans, you're likely to lose focus and squander effort on unproductive targets.  Stick to your agenda, and you'll do just fine.'

What's weird is, today's horoscope would've been better suited to Friday or Saturday.  I have a WIP that  absolutely must get finished, but what did I choose to work on for a nice chunk of the weekend?  Add to the fact, that I just HAD to eat and sleep...well, let's just say the WIP is still waiting. 

Aren't they cute?!  I love me some pincushions!  These were leftover paper-pieced blocks that I paired with a charm square, trimmed to size and then filled with crushed walnut shells.  I haven't decided what to do with them yet.  I mean, how many pincushions does a girl need, right?  Maybe there's a giveaway in there somewhere.  Stay tuned. 

All the while, the WIP has hung on the design wall screaming for me to hurry up and get it done.  Patience, grasshopper, patience.

Happy quilting, y'all! 

WIP Wednesday: BOM Style

I've been about as productive as my soon-to-be-teen son when given a list of chores.  Yep, there's a whole lotta nuthin' going on in the sewing department in my house. 

One block is the extent of my sewing accomplishments this week.  I'm trying not to strain myself (wink).

I've never participated in a block of the month (BOM) project before, but for $1, how could I go wrong?  My local quilt shop, Tomorrow's Quilts, is hosting a BOM in four colorways...I chose brights.  You get the fabric for each block and a set of destructions instructions.  The block construction uses Thangles of which I have a beauteous bounty, but of course I didn't have the size needed for this project..thank you, Mr, Murphy.  There's plenty of fabric left over to make a second block and considering my 7 1/2 inch square block came out at 7 1/4 x 7 3/8, I'd say a second block is in my immediate future. 

I don't know why I'm a quilter since I strive mightily for perfection and fall short every time!

If I ever make this in a colorway of my own creation, it'll be batiks or really gaudy florals.  Not sure why this is considered a 'bright' colorway, but the other options just didn't blow my skirt up.  The finishing kit (not $1, I might add) has some pretty spectacular colors in it, so there's hope for future blocks.

I'm linking up today to Lee at Freshly Pieced.  Check out what other crafty types are working on and get inspired!

Happy quilting, y'all!

Windy and WIPd

Sometimes I think Central Texas has got to be the windiest spot in the whole U.S. of A!  Co-Defendant #2 and I watched the wind whip up a dust cloud in the neighbor's driveway this morning...one big funnel cloud of grit and grime.  It's really a knee-slapper when you get a cornhusk cloud a-twirling!  No, it doesn't take much to excite us me.  Add in the humidity and rising temperatures...ugh!  Baby, it's cold enough to hang meat in my house.  Just ask DH.

On to quilty things!  I've been doing a lot of stripping lately and boy does it make everything go faster.  Focus here...I'm still talking quilting.

Keen eyes (or space satellites) may be able to pick up the, ahem, slight discrepancy in accurancy as the quilt nears its outer rings of strips.  Let me be clear: this was entirely on purpose!  And I'm gonna wake up a size 2, also.  Anyhoo, I decided I'll embellish it with rickrack and make a center diamond around the parts that are actually correct.  You know, nothing detracts from a glaring holy-crap screw-up quite like embellishing the darn thing!  Moral of the story: measure thrice and cut once.  And yes, I'm still giving this puppy away!

From the leftovers, I pieced this...

Go ahead and yawn but sometimes, okay, okay A LOT of times, my brain just wants to sew and not think about pattern and direction (please refer to first picture for photographic evidence of this phenomena).  The hum of Lennie the Featherweight and she zips her way over the fabric is just. so. soothing.

So what are you working on this week?  I'm linking up to Lee at Freshly Pieced!

Happy quilting, y'all!

A WIP Of A Different Type

I haven't done any quilting this week as I spent a great deal of time just cleaning up my sewing area and then packing for a quilt retreat this weekend.  I was going a little stir-crazy so I pulled out this cross-stitch kit that's been in the works for ages and have made a bit of progress.

The design is by Nancy Javier and Barbara Finwall of Banar Designs; the kit was purchased through Better Homes and Gardens.  The entire thing reads Having a place to go is home; having someone to love is family; having both is a blessing.  I'll probably have this completed by the time #2 graduates from high school.  She's seven...and yes, I am that slow.

My Mom's finally on the mend.  She had, in her words, a 'touch' of pneumonia.  Isn't that like being a little bit pregnant?  Anyway, we're both ready for retreat.  I managed to whittle what I'd be taking down to three projects...all of them in various stages of completion.  I'm taking my Featherweight, one small tote with my projects and another stuffed with clothes.  It looks so paltry but I always complain that I take waaaay too much stuff with me and wind up disappointed that it doesn't all get finished.  My mother's harping at me to pace myself.  Wish me luck!

I'm linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.  Go check out what other crafty types are up to this week!

Happy quilting, y'all!

One Step Forward Two Steps Back

Progress has been slow, but steady on Co-Defendant #1's airplane quilt.  He's given me a little encouragement along the way as only an almost-teenager can...looks good, Ma uttered in a thoroughly uninterested montone. 

O-bee-kay-bee.

Most of last week's progress was in the paper picking department (141 minutes worth).  There are a total of 76 paper-pieced blocks needing paper backing removed.  Never again, I tell you...never. again.  Co-Defendant #2 had been helping me out, but let's just say I've discovered her efforts were a bit...exuberant and I wound up with some blocks like this...

Apparently #2 is quite strong and ripped the stitches clean through the supporting fabric.  YIKES!

So now, I'm painstakingly going over the entire thing, looking for more blocks to mend...and the dang thing's not even done yet!

This week's 'progress' is miniscule since #2's not been feeling well.  What can I say though?  Motherhood is one of life's best WIPs.

Linking up to WiP Wednesday at freshly pieced.

Happy quilting, y'all!

Big Woo WIP Wednesday

You know the line from Raspberry Beret by Prince where he sings I was busy doin' somethin' close to nothin', but different than the day before...?

That's a fairly accurate description of my sewing week.  I've managed to start strip piecing a Jelly Roll (hold your applause, please) but, I've spent plenty of time gazing and, okay, fondling the fabric stash so it's not a total waste.

Here's my secret WIP...sorry, no details yet.

I believe this is the Spring Memories line, but if you're gonna quote me you might be disappointed as my memory is something of a steel sieve rather than a trap.

Other than that, my biggest accomplishment has been to abandon my Facebook page.  I love technology as much as the next gal, but I don't think folks will miss me too much.  Besides, I'll have more time to play on my blog now...heehee!

Having a quilting slowdown in your neck of the woods or are you puttin' the pedal to the metal?

Link up to WiP Wednesday at freshly pieced and let others know what's up with you!

Happy quilting, y'all!

WiP Wednesday

It's been slow going, but there's progress on Co-Defendant #1's airplane quilt.  Picture me doing Snoopy's happy dance.  The main bulk of it (all those damn darling paper-pieced planes) has been completed along with the red sashing and the first of four, yes I said four, borders.  I've been working on picking off the paper backing, which is almost as fun as watching car bumpers rust, and even got a little help from #2.


This is her 'Don't take my picture' face

The next border will be made up of leftover plane blocks (more paper picking...yay!) alternating with cloud fabric.  I'll be orienting the blocks so they look to be circling the quilt.

Want to check out what others are working on this week?  Check out WiP Wednesday at freshly pieced.

Happy quilting, y'all!


Stickin' It To The QP

I've heard of the Quilt Police but haven't ever actually met one of their rank...or maybe I just wasn't paying attention.  This might also explain why I'm not currently wearing neon and living behind bars.

Charming lass, isn't she?  Looks like she could bite the head off a 16-penny nail. 

She's intended to be a hanging of some sort, but I thought she looked better like this...

I debated between rice and crushed walnut shells...if she starts sprouting we'll know I didn't choose wisely.  As she is now suits my mood just fine and it's been very cathartic stabbing her with my butterfly-head pins.  Scary, ain't it?

Even though she's a whipped WIP, I do believe I'll link up to WiP Wednesday at freshly pieced. 

Happy quilting, y'all and if you run into me, beware...I still got a lotta pins left ;)

WIPd Into Shape

Leftover blocks are always a challenge to me.  I typically wind up with one orphan block from every project, but several blocks means it's another quilt just waiting to be made.

What, you expected something sedate?  Pshaw!!  Don't y'all know me by now?  Not sure if it's this dreary Texas day or the fabric really is that garish, but this makes my corneas scream me smile.

I'm still working on Co-Defendant #1's airplane quilt (oh, the humanity!) and have yet to touch my handquilting project in 2012 (how sad is that?), but for now I'll focus on the stuff that's kinda-sorta done and call it good.  I even managed to make a little money by quilting a top for my Mom.  Hooray for those that'll pay me to do what I love! 

I'm linking up to WiP Wednesday at freshly pieced...happy quilting, y'all!

Report Cards: Quilting and Otherwise

I had to take a break from that dang airplane quilt that seems to have taken over my sewing corner, quilting time and life in general.  I don't ever want to see another plane after it's done!

Mom and I attended our quilting bee The Happy Stitchers last night.  I haven't been in forever...'Who are you again?' was a question I heard quite frequently and it was nice to catch up with the ladies.  I got this quilt top that's been languishing as a WIP for an eternity finished up...

You may recognize the pinwheels as being from my Thangles stage.  You know, the one where I lost my mind and sewed strip after strip of the little buggers.  I still have two baby quilts to make out of the remainder.  The fabric is Love U by Deb Strain...it's all nature and owls and makes me want to go out and hug a tree.

Yesterday was also Report Card Day (cue the dramatic music and nail-biting suspense).  I am happy to report that they will both live.  Co-Defendant #1 has come a loooong way in the academics department and is doing great.  Take that, you snarky naysayers..he can make farting noises and good grades at the same time!  He had an awesome down-the-court dribble and couple of free-throw shots at last night's basketball game as well.  Co-Def #2, although academically gifted is, in the words of my beloved Nana, developing her personality.  In English, this means she's a ringtailed tooter and believes rules are for others.  I see a future in politics or the law for her.

It's cold outside and I really should be cleaning my house....nah, I'm gonna link up to Can I Get a Whoop Whoop and Finish It Up Friday!

Happy quilting, y'all!

Of Progress and Razzberries

It's not been a very productive week quilting-wise, but for whatever it's worth...here 'tis.

Now, before you go and say 'Stephanie, you showed us that picture last week!' I'd like to point out that last week all the rows weren't sewn together and the remainder of red border hadn't been sewn on.  Perhaps I'm splitting hairs here but cut a girl some slack!  The other twenty plane blocks are finished and now it's on to the borders.  Al-most there...

On the home front, the dog's gotten her spring bath (it's 81 degrees today-yippeee!) and the school has let it be known that Co-Defendant #1 makes some fairly awesome awful, horrid, disgusting fart noises with his mouth that will not be tolerated in this establishment!  I'm just glad he hasn't taken up biting the head off kittens or something, you know, REALLY offensive.  Mind you, his class is made up entirely of boys.  Hey, maybe they could form a barbershop quartet...throw in a few armpit farts and I bet they could bring the house down with their enthusiastic rendition of My Country 'Tis of Thee! 

To channel my inner Charlie Brown...oh, good grief!

I'm doing the link-up thing with freshly pieced's WIP Wednesday...happy quilting, y'all!

Weekend Workshop #1

With Dear Hubby working today and Co-Defendant #1 spending the day with Papa building their model train layout, Mom and I decided it'd be a swell idea to get together at my house for a day of sewing.  The weather cooperated by being dreary, cold and wet..perfect quilting weather and Co-Def #2 cooperated by keeping herself occupied. 

Mom's decided to put together bags for expectant mothers that includes a small quilt and bib, so she spent the day figuring out a pattern that would work well for a diaper bag.  This is the prototype...

Sorry for the picture quality.  For some reason, my camera doesn't like yellow.  Anyway, the bag turned out really cute, but she decided it was too small (about 14x10) so #2 wound up with it to use as a bookbag.  The second bag she made was roughly double in size with a square bottom (of which she was particularly proud).  I didn't get a picture of it or the third bag she started on, but three bags in one day isn't too shabby at all if you ask me.

As for me, Lennie the Featherweight and I managed to knock out the rest of the airplane blocks for Seth's quilt.  I finally had to throw in the towel because my hands are killing me, but I still feel like I got a lot accomplished.  We decided that a weekend workshop was an idea worth repeating and look forward to doing it again soon.

Happy quilting, y'all! 

Here I Go...Again

Just when I thought I had plenty of those pesky airplanes for Co-Defendant #1's quilt, I came up with a brilliant idea to incorporate some of them into a border.  Sigh.  Sometimes my flashes of genius really wind up being one ginormous brain fart.

What you see above will be the center of the quilt.  It'll have red all the way 'round followed by a skinny border of navy.  The fart flash of genius will be the next step where I intend to alternate airplane blocks with solid blocks of cloud fabric...all circling their way around the entire quilt.  It'll need at least one more border but I'm waffling on thick or thin, solid or subtle pattern.  He should be out of college by the time it's done.

So what's left is for me to paper-piece another twenty airplane blocks. 

To keep myself from getting utterly bored (trust me, with this many blocks it doesn't take long) I have a couple of quilts that need the threads tied and clipped.  And binding.  And that hand-quilting thing I keep putting off.  And the new comforter my daughter wants me to make. 

*Bangs head on desk and commences weeping*  

Please pause for a moment of silence as I mourn the passing of my remaining sanity...

I'm linking up to WiP Wednesday at freshly pieced.

Happy quilting, y'all!

WIP Wednesday: February 8, 2012

Yep, it's one lonely placemat...the sum total of what I've accomplished since last Wednesday.  But one gal's lonely placemat is another's 'holy crap, look at all that quilty bounty!'  I confess, I really like handstitching my quilt binding.  Call it cathartic, my little slice of quilty Zen, my zero-calorie scrumptious fabric treat, call it weird.  Whatever!  It's progress and it's all good!  I even managed to work on it while cheering on my son's basketball team...stitch-cheer-scream at opposing team's coach to get off the court already-repeat.  How's that for multi-tasking?

The heart pattern is from Carol Doak's book Show Me How to Paper Piece.  Have I mentioned before how much I love paper-piecing?  Yeah, I thought so.  Some folks are really intimidated by it which gives me a chuckle because I can paper piece, people, how hard can it be?!? 

Here's a shot of the back...

Lollipops, anyone?  I also tried something a little different when I went to quilt these babies.  Instead of marking my lines with a pencil or disappearing marking pen, I used (drumroll, please) masking tape.  I learned two things by doing this:

1) You get nice, straight quilting lines without the worry of 'will the pencil/pen marks wash out'

2) Masking tape, even when you DON'T sew into it, gums up your needle and makes your stitches skip

So, will I be using it again...probably not.  Actually, no.  But it was worth a try, right?

On the home front, my son's school basketball team finally won a game...WHOOP!!!!

This is the only shot I'm allowed to show you, 'cause geez Mom it's like totally embarrassing since you're gonna put this on eBay and all.  I didn't have the heart to tell him it was my blog and not eBay...would anyone on planet Earth pay to put up with all his drama and sarcasm?  I think not.  I wonder where he gets it from? 

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced.

Happy quilting, y'all!

Progress (?)

Geez Louise, it's Wednesday again already?

I've made a little (very little, actually) progress on my set of placemats.  I managed to get all the paper backing pulled off the paper-pieced portions while trying not to nod off during the Barrett Jackson car auction my husband is so fond of watching.  Gaack!  I don't know which is worse, the tedium of removing all. that. paper or the auction itself.

In the end, I wound up with a nice mound of shredded paper and four placemat tops.  And everything lines up just so.  Sigh.  I do so love paper piecing!

I've only managed to get two of them quilted.  My excuse is that our household is in the midst of basketball season and I can't seem to get my schmidt together to get anything done around here lately between practices and games, not to mention appointments.  Okay, I'm done feeling sorry for myself.  Does anyone else feel like they should make like a bear and hibernate until spring or is just me?  Please, make me feel better and say it isn't just me!!! 

I did get one non-quilty project finished but can't post a picture yet because it's a gift.  I confess I totally stole the idea from Amanda Jean at crazymomquilts!!

Hope your progress is far better than mine..perhaps after basketball season is through I'll get my mojo back!

Happy quilting, y'all and I'm linking up to WIP Wednesday at freshlypieced

Placemats WIP

I recently posed this question to a group of FB quilting friends:

Do people really use placemats anymore?

My only reply was from a friend and fellow blogger directing me to Google to look up various sizes of placemats to make (that was the second part of my burning question).  Other than her reply, nothing.  I don't know if people use them anymore or not, but I like them.  Plus, I had an abundance of mini-blocks crying out for a project.

I love the retina-scarring shade of pink polka dot fabric and the screaming green.  I'm fairly certain they don't whisper 'slow down and enjoy your veggies' so much as they screech 'eat more hot dog...faster, faster'.  Oh well, I have the best of intentions.

I chose some funky food related fat quarters for backing...

I like 'em!  Sure, as I gaze upon them now, it's a little jarring but let's face facts: my family practically inhales dinner so they won't be sticking around too long to be totally blinded.  And I have plenty of sunglasses.

I did manage to finish something since last week...yeah, me!  My Halloween table topper is finally finished and safely tucked away for me to forget about its existence use next year.

I'm linking to WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced.

Happy quilting, y'all!