Curves Part Two

If you caught my post from yesterday, you know I finally jumped into curved piecing with both feet.  Not bad for a first effort, if I do say so myself.

The larger one on the left is my aunt's

Anyway, I'd been talking to a co-worker about curved piecing.  She'd just finished a wedding quilt for her son and new daughter-in-law...black, white, red and curved.  I wish I had a picture of it because it was gorgeous.  Lucy showed up to work this morning with a few spare block pieces of her own, did a quick demo and sent me home to try my hand at them.  This is what I came up with...

I must say, I like these curves much better.  I didn't have to scrunch up my face, swear like a sailor or clip the curves.  They're big, bodacious, generous curves...like J. Lo's butt, only better.  I just might try my hand at doing an entire quilt...maybe ;)

Happy quilting, y'all!

WARNING Curves Ahead

My aunt Patsy, in an attempt to convince me that sewing curves really wasn't THAT hard, came up with a hands-on tutorial for me several months back.  Mind you, we're talking about a woman who chose curved piecing for her very first quilt.  If we weren't related, I just might hate her.  Anyway, she'd sewn up an example block and left me the pre-cut pieces for a second block with instructions to 'just go with it...it's easy'.  Says you! 

I sat down several times with every intention of ending with a finished block, but it was a no-go.  Apparently, today was my day.  Perhaps this is my reward for making it through the Co Defs' weekend friends extravaganza.

Patsy's block is the larger one on the left.

Now, I used a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Her's was more like an anemic 1/8 inch, so of course, her's turned out larger.  Next time, I too, shall make a go of the Kate Moss seam allowance.  But take a look at my curves, y'all!  They are so smooth and fine...wish I could say the same of my thighs.  Sigh.

Here's a close-up...of my block, not my thighs...

Smooth, huh?  What Patsy neglected to tell me is that curved piecing involves narrowing your eyes to pencil-line thin slits, scrunching your face into all sorts of wrinkle-inducing expressions and generally cussing like a sailor.  I haven't cussed that much since the last time I changed the oil in my car.  All in my head, of course, since my sewing room's in a corner of the living room and there were youngsters present.  And I think I used an entire bottle of Mary Ellen's Best Press to press those seams into submission.  All in all, not bad for a first effort.

Will I do it again?  Well, if you'd asked me earlier I would've said 'oh, hell to the no!' but since I've had that glass of wine, I could be convinced to go for round two.  We shall see.

Happy quilting y'all!

WIP

I've gotten alot of quilty stuff done this weekend...NOT!

Friday evening, Co Def #1 had a friend over for a few hours (I hate and despise the term 'playdate'), then it was out to dinner for us.  I managed to sneak in a little quiet time at the bookstore Friday evening, knowing what was in store for me come Saturday afternoon.

The Boys went to a Houston car-show Saturday morning, leaving myself and Co Def #2 all by our lonesomes...somehow we managed just fine in spite of not being pestered by the Testosterone Twins all day.  I picked up a pair of flannel pajamas for her...you know, it gets SO cold here in Texas during the artic winter months (cue the eyeball roll)

I thought the sewing motif was pretty cute...the dolls themselves, yes, Lalaloopsy dolls, are tacky as all get-out.  But that's just me.  I guess I should be happy they're not American Girl dolls, huh?

Co Def #2's friend came over Saturday afternoon and it was non-stop inside/outside/movie time/where's the popcorn/coloring/crafting/dressing the dog up...bless her patient heart and generally driving me up the freakin' wall time until about four o'clock.  Give me a houseful of boys any day!  At least they can entertain themselves.  Not girls, though.  Nuh-uh, one must have all manner of things to do so as to avoid catfights and assorted sulking.

So, this is what I managed to eek out in the sewing department...

The Popsicle top is completed and I finally got all that paper peeled off the back.  You know, that's the ONLY bad thing about paper-piecing.  Sure, all your points match and everything goes together wonderfully well, but you still have to pull off all that stinkin' paper!  Anyway, this one's ready for quilting.  I also got half of the plethora of HST sewn into rows...it's amazing how fast they go together when you put the pedal to the metal.  I missed my calling...I should've been a racecar driver.

I Am A Quilter

Jennifer at Sewhooked.com gave a shout-out to all quilters to challenge the stereotypes many non-quilters have about us.  So, here's my two cents worth...

I'm 37 years old and I,too, am a quilter.  I found quilting when I was pregnant with Co-Defendant #2 and had a stash of fat quarters and absolutely no clue what to do with them.  I was planning to use them to cover mini-photo albums...what a waste of fabric that would've been!  For the record, I can also embroider and cross-stitch if the occasion calls for it, which thankfully hasn't happened in a loooongg time.

I'm puzzled by the shocked expressions most people give me when they find out I quilt.  It's not like I bite the head off a kitten or something, geez!  And, no, I don't have silvery hair (my hairdresser says they're highlights) and, yes, my teeth are my own.  Where's it written you have to reach a certain age to be creative?  I gave birth for the first time at 25...I'd say that's pretty darn creative!

Why do non-quilters assume only, ahem, older women quilt?  And why assume only women quilt?  I've been to retreats where there's at least one fellow.  People certainly come up with some interesting assumptions, don't they?  Oh, well, their loss.  Stick around long enough and I'll even show you my tattoos.  Heehee!  I got my first tattoo while on a quilt retreat.  Who says quilters are fuddy-duddies?

Me and Co-Defendant #2



Here's my Top Seven Reasons Why I Quilt:

* It's a happy talent the Lord gifted to me and I try not to waste it.

* Busy hands mean I can't strangle you if you tick me off...not to mention that homicide's illegal.

* I have physical evidence that I can follow directions.

* I get to slash things with sharp blades...and it's LEGAL!

* If I mess around long enough, Hubby will make dinner, or at least, go pick it up.

* The Sewing Area is a Child-Free Zone.

* I had free time and apparently, disposable income...it was either quilt or join the PTA.

Here's the link to Jennifer at Sewhooked:
http://sewhooked.com/2011/11/08/the-face-of-quilting/

Happy quilting, y'all!

Glad That's Over

Well, the last few days have certainly been interesting ones for us.  It all started with one of 'those' phone calls from the school.  In my usual snarky fashion I asked 'What's he done now?' only to be told Co-Def #1 was sick and to please come pick him up.  When you nominate me for Mother of the Year, please be sure you spell my name correctly on the ballot, okay?

Anyway, one doctor visit and a prescription of antibiotic later, we make it home where the real fun can finally commence.  Here's the Cliff's Notes version:  he ran fever for 48 hours, his tongue swelled to three times its normal size, he lost the ability to speak and the back of his throat swelled to roughly the diameter of a pencil eraser.  Who says we aren't exciting people?!  Yippeee!

I haven't prayed this hard or this much (sorry, Lord) since he was born.  I am happy to say, he's now on the mend.  I think it's more from all the praying than the medicine, but that's just me.  I hate it when my kids are sick, although to be honest, the not speaking part was kind of nice. (cringe)

The sewing I managed to accomplish I attribute entirely to stress.  I was trying my hardest not to freak out and just keep him calm so he could breathe.  I sewed two hundred and seventeen half-square triangles in two batches...one in Christmas fabrics, the other in wild, funky colors and patterns.  Sorry the pictures didn't turn out so hot, but here they are...

I just threw stuff together and tried not to overthink the whole process.

Wild and funky

Christmas fabrics

Hope your weekend is going a tad more smoothly.  Happy quilting!