Progress

Now that I've finished and revealed three recent baby quilts and Doodle Whack, my 'works in progress' list is very small! Part of me is thinking that means I should start another project. Part of me is thinking that means I should put more energy into finishing up the long running no progress ones (like the pansy project for example?). Although, if work stays this busy, my progress list might look more or less like this for quite a while!

Monkey Blocks

Yet to Do: quilt, buy/find fabric for binding, make binding, bind, wash

Happy Go Lucky Quilt

Recent Progress: Top completed
Yet to Do: Prewash back fabric, iron again, baste, quilt (need new thread first), make binding, bind, wash

Chocolate Covered Cherry (on Top) / Disappearing 9 patch on point

Yet to do: Add border/complete top, make back, baste, quilt, bind, wash

Random Block Bag

Still need to finish this up - and I'm still thinking that really means taking the binding and lining out and starting over on both...

Semi-Sampler (small) Quilt-to-be?

Progress: I'm up to 14 blocks - and I'm out of all the fabrics I've used thus far (except scraps). 
I have a plan for a little more progress - but it may require taking apart at least one of my lesser liked blocks (and end up with 12 blocks instead of 13 or 14). But backward progress might be progress after all... maybe... 

Pansy Patch Project

No recent progress.
Yet to Do: finish piecing tops together, make back, baste, quilt, bind

Waiting to Start:

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Something (more) Pink...

After a weekend of thinking about my on point blocks and throwing around possible solutions, I ultimately decided that the best thing to do was:
     a) to remove the small triangles from the blocks that weren't yet trimmed down, replace them with larger triangles that would require less cutting down and would hopefully keep the diamond points from getting lost in the seam allowance
      b) remove the small triangles from the blocks that were cut down, then use scraps of solids to bulk them back up to something like the size of the originals, then attach the larger triangles

I hated the backwards progress - but it was completely the right thing to do. Once I got going on some forward progress, I didn't want to stop to take a photo, and I didn't stop until I had most of a top pieced.

It's nearly impossible to see my franken-blocks in the photo, and when I was showing it off in person a few minutes later, no one noticed the reworking on the two red borders (the pink one however was noticed). I'm hopeful that they'll be even less obvious once the top has been quilted. (The pink franken-block is the second from the bottom on the right side, I can't tell you where the two reds are...)

I think it needs a border - but I can't decide if I want to add only on two sides (to make it a bit nearer to square) or something on all four sides. I do have a lot of pink fabric left, including a non-matching-but-maybe-close-enough pink with cupcakes, but maybe it's time to use something a little less pink. There are some great blues and greens I could use, or even a bit of yellow I could pull from.

Next time I have a few minutes free time, I think I'll pull a few more options from my stash and see if anything looks like it works.

I also need to spend some time thinking about how to quilt this - I'm not sure my machine would be too happy to go over the blocks of textured fabric, so I may need to think about how to avoid them, or at least be careful with them. But, one step at a time, and there are still a lot of steps between now and then.

Oh, again, I do have a slightly more fun name than 'something pink' for this one. Not that it's worth dragging out suspense over, but I'm going to wait on revealing it until I know the color of the border I add. That just might change how applicable the current name is. 

Roses and Hay

Trying to keep up with all the work things this month is really wearing me down. Fortunately I have a few happy things waiting at home for me:

The rose bush above is more than a little confused. The same bush is growing a few of the roses we thought we were getting when we bought it (the light colored ones near the top, they start as a soft yellow then turn almost white), but also growing a lot of the dark pink ones you can see behind the leaves nearer the center of the picture - which, as far as we can tell, are some kind of climbing rose. It has a tendency to take over the yard for a few months, but none of us really have the heart to cut it out and replace it with a non-climber. 

And it's not all roses around here either - there's even some grass hay drying in the sun. 

Sure, I like the fields of grass waving in the wind before a cutting, but I also like the smell of cut grass - and the decrease in pests (from coyotes to moths) we see after a cutting.

Here's hoping the raccoons get the memo and stop showing up. Our baby garden isn't ready for their raids yet - and we'd love it if the coons forget to visit for the rest of the summer.

Slowing Down...

Things may be a little slow around here the next couple weeks. I've been absolutely swamped with work recently - being on site 10-12 hours a day, working through lunch and dinner, kind of swamped. This is great news in many ways: professionally, because we're just a tiny company and being this busy is a great step toward being able to expand (or hire another employee), and personally, because Greg and I are trying to save up for a few major purchases/projects. But it doesn't leave me any time or energy for getting extra things done. Actually, it doesn't leave much energy period - I've been going to bed at 10 (on the nights I'm done working by then!), and I've slept through my alarm more than once!

Kinda old peonies, but still pretty

I'm sure things will slow down eventually (either work will be slower or we'll hire another employee, which could really change my schedule in particular), and I'll be trying to make progress on my day off (though it'll be limited, since that's also the day I have a standing date with a friend, and have to do all the laundry and most of the cleaning for the week!), but if things are quiet or slow around here, at least now you'll know why.

- Amanda


And yes, I realize this slow time is corresponding with just when I said I'd open this up to more viewers than just one. So... I don't know if I'll be getting to that or not. I mean, obviously this isn't a grand time for that - but on the other hand, I've just got to take the leap some time (or give up the idea completely) and it seems silly to want to put on a show of perfection just for the strangers who might stumble across this little blog. In all reality, any day is as good as any other - now that all my secret projects are either on route or completely unmentioned. We'll see... 

Welcome Baby S II Package

My initial plan for this being smaller than the Welcome Baby C Package may have failed ...

Here's the vast majority of the loot - though the hooded towel was still in the works (as I happen to know this mother prefers my mom's way of making them, so I 'hired out' to get that one right).


I was initially going to keep it very small - just the quilt and a couple outfits (see below) and a couple books. That sounds innocent enough...

Baby S #2's mom isn't big on pinks, princesses, or the super girly stuff it's so easy to find, so I started out with a neutral quilt (started before I knew Baby S #2's gender). When I learned the gender, it was fairly easy to add some navy and red outfits - which coordinate well with the quilt.

I did "accidentally" buy a pink and purple bunny ear jacket (you can kind of see it in the first picture). I am not sure Mom S is going to appreciate that one quite as much as I do, but I always tell people that they can return anything they don't want (I'll store it away for future packages or maybe my future kid). And I won't be sad if this one comes back - especially since I know I'm pushing the envelope with the pink...

And yes, those onesies, socks, and the tshirt have all hopped into my cart over the last year (some more recently than others), and they were just begging to join in this package.

I'd really hoped to send a different set of books, but they were more or less impossible to get my hands on by the time I got around to ordering them. Next time? Order the books early if you have to shop online! So, while none of these books are what I set out to get, I still think I picked some good ones that I'm excited about.

• The Matchbox Diary - This one was new to me, but such a wonderful story - not just for the interesting tale of immigration, but also for the rather sweet idea of how to keep a diary without writing. I had a hard time giving this one away... 
• The Paper Bag Princess - Since Mom S does not approve of the run of the mill princesses, I thought I'd give this one a try. 
• Blueberries for Sal - All my life I've been told how wonderful this book was, and all my life I turned my nose up at it because it was a little too simple/boring. Now that I'm an adult, shopping for someone younger than I was when I had my first chance at reading this one, I can see why it was so popular. It was cute - and color coordinated to the quilt - but what really sold me were the pages where the (spoiler alert) mothers turn around to find each other's children behind them. I loved the little bit there about each of them being wise enough to know even a little bear/human could be trouble. 
• Gossie - This was thanks to a recommendation from my sister-in-law and brother-in-law who brought this set of books to my attention. This was the only one of the set I saw in the store, but it's super cute.  
• Baby Farm Animals - I think everyone knows this classic, in fact, I'm a little afraid I may have already sent it to this family for their first child... but it's still a good one! 

Going with the 'no pink' thing here for Mom S... The dotty fabric up top was originally purchased to be part of Baby S II's older brother's quilt, so it feels like it's gone full circle. The rest is kind of scrappy, but I just really wanted to include the robot fabric. Not girly at all (though no one here is saying girls can't like robots!) but the robots and the navy dots make me think of all kinds of space adventure things... 

I love this quilt so much. The fabric line is just adorable - and I think it's perfect for a baby. Well, really, I think it's perfect period, but I really like it for a baby anyway.

Throw in a few things for Mom, Dad, and Big Brother N, and a few toys (see the first picture), the denim quilt so the family has something larger for those beach trips, and I think I'm done. I sealed up the first of the two boxes immediately upon taking these things inside. And trust me, the box is full!

Sadly, there's just no way for me to take these to Mom S in person - much as I'd love to!

I Spent My Weekend...

I spent part of my weekend hanging out with some people who looked more or less like this: 

And wondering if I could learn to make something more or less like this:

And generally having a blast. Strange fair food was enjoyed, along with some* acts and shows, and when we were worn out and sunburned (despite multiple applications of waterproof spf 30), we headed to check out our friend's new apartment and new town. Too much fun was had - and between the talking and two episodes of Game of Thrones (just starting season 3) - and we didn't get home until after 1 a.m.

Which has made the work week - five jobs and two days in, and it's only Monday evening! - a little more difficult. But it was totally worth it.







* I'm not an easy audience, even when I'm looking to be pleased, but usually I shake my head and ignore it, or maybe roll my eyes. This weekend I booed a performer for the first time in my life. Loudly. I know that by attending Fest. I'm signing up to have certain boundaries tweaked and proprieties mocked (which is part of the appeal for me), but there are still things that cross the line - and this particular performer crossed it. At the time, I was shocked - it seemed so contrary to the general sense of good-natured fun the rest of the Festival fosters. I may only complain about it here, and be a little less open next time I'm able to attend, but the vocal part of me wants to say something to the people who might be able to do something about it.

I've always felt Ren. Fest. was one of the high points of my year - from the food, shopping, and acts, to the costumes and generally body positive atmosphere. (This is the one place I go where it feels like all bodies are treated with the same level of acceptance - where people of all sizes wear corsets (or not) and are (in my experiences) all treated as equally appealing/attractive. I'm sure it's not as perfect as it seems for the few hours when I'm there, but it's worlds apart from my usual grind, in nearly every aspect.) This single negative experience has thrown ice water on my warm-fuzzy-safe-space feelings for the Fest., and that's as difficult to face as the experience itself. In a matter of seconds, I went from happy, looking forward to someday bringing our future kid here, to a gut-sick relief that no child in my care experienced that - and more so, relief that I wouldn't have to be explaining what happened to a child. I'm determined not to let this single extremely negative experience taint the entire Festival for me, but it may be a while before I feel safe there again.

3 Years Ago

Photo Credit: Life Clicks Photography

G -

We will have many adventures and we will grow old together... 

... and when I wake up tomorrow I will promise this all again... 

- A

(from my vows, again)

My 11th Quilt: Welcome Baby S II "Reunion Whack"

I'm finally able to reveal another one of my secret quilts! I started on this almost as soon as I knew my dear friend Laura was expecting another baby. Knowing my friend as I do, I figured there would be no problem if I kept the colors far from the pink/purple spectrum, so I didn't see any reason to wait out the weeks for a gender reveal before I got started on the quilt. 

Since I've only given a couple sneak peeks until now, I'm going to start at the beginning. But, for those - like me - who are a bit impatient, here's the finished product first too! 

Now, back to the beginning: 

I started with most of a layer cake of Reunion fabric - which I am utterly in love with. The colors and those cute little bunting flags? Love. I have a layer cake, plus the leftovers from this, and a charm pack for myself - when I decide what I want to do with them. Anyway!

Following this basic tutorial at Sew We Quilt (found via Pinterest, where else), I made quick work of my chosen fabrics, whacking each into five pieces. 

Swapping the center blocks around more or less at random:

Then quickly putting them back together into larger blocks:

I spent a couple winter nights attempting to puzzle out the best possible layout for the two sides of the quilt and - after another trip to my not-quite-local quilting and fabric store for some coordinating yardage - I was suddenly nearly done! 

The weather never would cooperate for lovely, outside photos - though you can see we tried. 

Turned but not yet quilted

There's really no official top or back, though my quilting changed that a little... 

Since I was short on fabric (having mixed up feet and yards in a math error that made sense at the time but hasn't since), I went with a quick turn - so the quilting did create a top (slightly neater) and back (slightly more off kilter). It's a little more... creative... than I'd intended, but I guess living with the unplanned is a part of quilting - at least for those of us who are disinclined to spend hours ripping out stitches to make it perfect. 

It's a little more wrinkled than I'd anticipated - again, probably due in part to my quick turn choice, and probably due to the tension problems I was having with my machine. 

I do love this quilt - both the fabrics and the way the stack and whack pattern I went with looks - but I wish I had made a few different decisions in the finishing (quilting and binding) steps. I know I could have torn it apart (at least in theory), but after staring at the quilted but not yet washed version for months, I wasn't bothered enough to try to unpick it all - so Baby S II and her family will just have to love it the way it is. Although, Laura is going to have to pick a favorite side if she ends up hanging this one on the wall eventually (the current home for her son's quilt). I wasn't thinking of that... 

Denim Blankets

Now that I've been showing these finished pictures in my Friday Progress report for weeks (if not months) I finally got around to writing a little more about them. So if you'll bare with me, let's pretend these are new finishes, and let me talk about them a little bit more than I have.

1

2

This was my first time working with fleece, but I knew I wanted something thick enough that the seams of the denim patches wouldn't be annoying. Four yards of fleece was just enough to back both blankets - I can't believe I was that lucky!

I did a quick turn and stitched the edges closed. I had intended to go back and add a little more stitching in the centers to keep everything held together, but after a week of test use, they didn't seem to need it and I went without. Which frankly, was for the better.

The smaller of the two wasn't so bad to stitch closed -

but the larger one fought me in one spot where there were just a few too many layers.

I may yet go back and try to fix that spot, but I may just let it go. I'm a little nervous to try again considering it pulled my needle out of place. It took about ten minutes and a set of pliers to get it back out again. So I'm a little afraid.

Not quite stitched or not, the larger one is staying here anyway. Since it's so heavy, I figured it would be a great winter weight sofa blanket, but the moment it was done my husband grabbed it and started talking about how perfect it would be for his new comforter. I'd been planning to make him a new comforter soon (since his old one is getting holey!) but if he wants to use this for a while, that's fine by me. I think it's a little small - it's slightly narrower and slightly shorter than a twin - but he like to have his limbs exposed, so he's excited.

The smaller of the two, which is closer to a square, is headed off to my friend and her family. I started working on it for her first, shortly after seeing a photo of her trying to use her son's quilt as a picnic blanket. (Which, don't get me wrong, quilts are meant to be used, but his is a little small for an adult to sit on, much less an adult or two and a child or two!) While this one may not keep up if her family gets bigger, I'm hoping it'll be large enough to hold a few picnicers.

All thread used came completely from my stash - I used this as a chance to use up some strange colors, each quilt has several different colors in the patchwork stitching. All denim came from either my closet or my parents' closet. We're pretty hard on denim around here, but it's been fun to take the pieces that have some life left in them and turn them into something more useful (I hope!).

It'll probably be a while before my denim stash is replenished, but I've made a little bit of progress on a third already. Mainly by accident. I don't have a real process - I mainly start with a block and build off it in every direction until it's too heavy, then start over with a new piece. Eventually I attach the large pieces together. This large piece didn't manage to get attached to either of the tops I was working on, so I guess it'll be the foundation of the next one!

Something Pink...

I've been complaining for a while that a great deal of my stash of fabric is in the pink spectrum. I'm not against pink - in fact, it was one of my favorite colors when I was a younger child - but it's not a color I find inspiring or easy to fit into the things I make. But I was getting a little tired of being mocked by the giant pile of pinks - so when I came across a charm pack of Cherry on Top, I knew it was pink enough to work with some of my stash - without being too incredibly pink.

Slightly inspired by some directions I found for a disappearing 16 patch, I set out to make something similar with what I had on hand.

In addition to the charm pack pieces, I added some textured pieces from my stash (in pink, brown, and cream), as well as a couple pink prints from the stash. When assembling my nine patches, I made sure the textured pieces fell in the center of one of the edges so I wouldn't have to cut them in the next step.

All three prints in the center column are added from stash

Instead of cutting parallel to the stitching as I have in my previous disappearing nine patches, following the inspiration of the disappearing 16 patch, I went along the diagonal, cutting each block into four triangles.

Which got stitched back together into square blocks.

After completing the next couple steps, I have a couple ideas about how to make it easier in the future, but at the time I just took things one at a time working center out. 

Next, I cut some solid fabrics, pink and red, to make a border around the blocks:

I really wanted to keep the border on point, but I wasn't particularly successful with my early attempts at Y seams, so I stuck with something I knew how to do. That did meant more trimming before I was ready for the next step (which is another one I now think I could have done more cleverly).

After trimming the blocks, I added some triangles (some solid, some print) to the corners to put the original squares back on point. I was really liking it - until I started squaring these blocks. You might be able to see just how near the diamond's points are to the edges of the squared block? Once I had three trimmed, I placed them together and realized that at least sometimes I would be losing those points to the seam when I sewed them together. That wasn't the plan!

So, I've set the blocks aside for a little thought.

But, I'm making quite a dent in my pink/red stash (which is currently my largest, all by accident). I doubt I'll find a way to use the two or three skulls on pink prints with this quilt, but I'm planning to use a lot of solids, some cherries, some dots, and maybe a few cupcakes too.


And yes, this has had a silly name from the very beginning... more on that when I've made a little more progress.