Whoops

You know what that means...

Yep, even though it is the last thing I really need, I started a new project.

I can justify it all I want -- it's all scraps, I'm using up stuff that was taking room in my storage, it's going so fast, I couldn't have worked on any of the others anyway -- but while those are all true, it really boils down to this: I needed something a little more brainless.

I've got great projects going on. I really do want to be working on them. Even if basting is the worst.

But everything else I'm working on -- or working towards -- requires a lot of attention to detail. Measure twice, press once, measure again, then cut or sew. That's great for a more perfect outcome.

But right now, I need something messy and fast and just plain fun.

So, I'm scrap busting. I'm sewing fast. I'm not even looking at colors or patterns -- only sizes.

I pulled 4 orphaned blocks I've had for 5+ years out of storage, then pulled all the greens, blues, yellows, and a few creams and oranges from my 'too big to be a scrap but too small to be really useful' pile (does anyone else have one of those?). Then, I just matched scraps together in increasingly bigger blocks.

When I took a break because I needed to iron -- and the ironing board was in with the sleeping baby (technically not a toddler for a couple more weeks) -- I whipped out a quick draft layout to see how my progress looked:

There are still a few blank spots to fill in, and the layout will almost certainly change as I keep working, but, it's fun and a little wild, and I kind of love it. You can easily pick out 3 of the 4 blocks, but I think the 4th blends right in (left most, approximate middle). The dark brown zigs stand out, but not as much as I thought they would. I might move them more towards the center -- if they can't be disguised, might as well feature them! -- but I might not. I might keep on with my 'don't look, don't think' plan. 

Of course, I've had help. Any moment the baby is away, the help comes out of hiding: 

His nap on the creams and yellows might have led to the color choices so far, but I'm not too worried about it. I've honestly not paid any attention to that yet, and I don't intend to. I need a total vacation from thinking -- or over-thinking -- and this is it. It might not look great (although, I actually kind dig it) but I feel great, and that's what really matters right now.

Quilt #31 -- The Scrappy X Plus Quilt

Whew! I kind of raced to finish this one in the little free time I had, but I think it turned out great -- especially for having been forgotten about for so long!

 Maybe it doesn't look much different to anyone else, but there is something about that final step of washing and drying a quilt that takes it from 'eh' to 'oh yes!' for me. I was feeling pretty 'meh' about this one for a long time -- probably part of why it was left to languish under other projects until I completely forgot about it -- but here it is freshly washed and I am in love again!

Oh, I did remember a photo of the back this time:

I was so close to finishing the whole back in yellow -- but I used up every scrap of yellow flannel I had and was just that short! That's okay. I think the dark green goes well with the top.

Actually, that dark green piece of flannel and the dark green/pine tree scraps on the front of the quilt were the two very first fabric purchases I made when I started quilting about 6 years ago. Walmart fat quarters. I worked with them until I was ready to try bigger, more precious pieces. And that memory made them precious to me. So, it's kind of nice to see the last of them (aside from tiny, tiny scraps) turned into a project -- and nice that they got to go together. No one else will ever know, but that's one of the fun things about working in scraps!

While I love the crazy colors, it is obvious that I pulled these together a block at a time with no thought for how they would all work together. I wish I'd been a little more specific about where the different intensities of colors would go -- like all brown/dark plusses with the mid tones on the x parts. But, this was a more or less 'blind' scrap assembly, and not the most exacting piecing either, so let's call it a scrappy little learning curve quilt and know that I'll be coming back to this quilt pattern when I have a little more time in my life.

Scrappy and wonky? Yes. But it turns out I do love it after all. And that roller coaster ride of will it or won't it is part of what I like about the way I quilt. I like the artistic freedom of not having to be perfect, even if I think I might like perfect results too.

When I started this top, I had my baby in mind, but he's got more quilts that I know what to do with -- and I bet he gets more before he's much older! At this point, it's going into the stash for a baby shower (though as always, with a little mental note as to who I'm hoping it'll end up with).

Back at the Machine (for now)

It's been a long time since I've really had a chance to sit down and do a long haul at my machine. My lovely husband got an afternoon off recently and took the baby toddler out for a couple hours so I could actually work on something. We've tried letting them play in the other room while I work on quilting or sewing, but the toddler comes running the moment he hears the machine whirring. He likes to sit on my lap while I try to sew -- which is challenging at best and impossible at other times. 

During my time off, I made a quick patchwork flannel back for my scrappy x-plus quilt. 

And I even managed to get it basted! That's usually where I bog down these days, so even though I wanted to do something more fun, I pushed myself through. Pin basting is just not my favorite -- and I have yet to find a replacement that is any better!

I'm going to try to get through this one as quickly as I can. Yes, "quickly as I can" is not the recipe for a beloved quilt. But, as much as I do like this one, I think we missed 'beloved' quite a while ago. I seem to have that moment with almost all my quilts though, so maybe after quilting and/or washing, I'll feel differently.

I hope so. I like to love all my projects.

Can't wait to see how it looks when I'm done!


Later:

Well, it doesn't look much changed yet -- though I love the way the perfect binding really sets off a quilt top!

I was able to do almost all of three sides in the same brown (leftover) binding, and finished up with two more scraps of brown binding. I had envisioned using black and white -- but there's no black in the whole quilt top! With brown already playing a prominent roll in the top, and just enough brown bias tape left over, it seemed like the perfect solution!

The back is comprised of three different yellow flannels and a tiny patch of dark green flannel. I'm a little worried about the shrinkage when it gets washed... At the moment it is only quilted in one direction (lines between the blocks and a line on either side of the center of the plus). I had intended to quilt the same in both directions, but obviously I didn't. It seemed well quilted when I finished the first direction. We'll see if I'm right or sadly, sadly wrong!

I'm about to pop it in the wash and find out. I'm so excited to have a finish -- and so looking forward to seeing it all done. I really think a quilt isn't finished until it is washed at least once.

Quilt #30 -- Purple and Black Modern Baby Quilt

Okay, so I think of this one as the "Motor-cross Princess" quilt. Because if all goes as planned, it is intended for a child whose parents once called her that. Then again, because of the size of the planet, by the time I have a chance to give it to her, she might be far, far too big for a baby quilt!

 It's not a very large size for the toddler she will probably be before I get to meet her -- or a chance to mail this overseas -- so there's a chance this will end up going to someone else between now and then. Life is tricky that way sometimes.

It's really too bright outside to get good photos of this one. The colors are so much more powerful than this photo makes them look -- though not too loud for a nursery with all the grays and neutrals in there. It certainly isn't what I'd call a typical 'baby girl' quilt, and that was exactly the point. The colors are a little unusual for 'baby girl' (purple, grey, black, and yellow) and the prints are all quite neutral and sophisticated. 

I quilted it quite simply with mostly echo or in the ditch quilting. To add a little bit of jazz, I did swap over to some dark purple thread for some extra quilting in the black fields. You can kind of see that in the photo of the backing and binding -- but it turned out much more subtle than I expected.

Now to sit back and see if I get a chance to give it to the motor cross princess before she's far too old to appreciate it!

Welcome Baby Packages...

Welcome Baby C #2!!

Two of my favorite people just welcomed their second child -- a little bit ahead of schedule, but apparently fit as a fiddle. I haven't quite finished her 'welcome' package, but I've asked for a lot of help this weekend so I can wrap it up and get it in the mail as soon as possible!

I'd still like to add a thing or two... more on the book/toy scale than the hand made or hand-me-down end of things, but here's the beginning:

Recognize the quilt? My wonky star sampler seemed perfect for this little one, so I didn't bother making her a quilt all of her own.

Or... maybe I did. The other quilt/blanket isn't much to talk about, just some scraps of flannel quilted to a scrap basket piece of fleece, but experience has taught me this is a great combination (the much nicer looking quilt like this a friend gave us is a favorite). Experience has also taught me that it is handy to have a blanket or two you don't care about -- for picnics, use in strollers, or those late night baby can't stop puking trips to the ER.

Of course a hooded towel, a couple of toys, and some clothes -- some new, some hand me downs.

Not pictured, there's a sleep sack, a couple more toys, and two terry cloth backed bibs.

I had hoped to make a new quilt for this baby -- but when she turned out to be a she, I let myself take the easier way out. I'll have to make another for the planned upon baby #3 (no matter the gender), but hopefully by then I'll be able to take a little more time to work on projects!



I've been working on a couple other welcome baby packages as well. All these new babies are keeping me busy, and emptying my stash of baby quilts! I'm also making lots of bibs, including some extra large ones for my house!

Here's hoping I can get one more hooded towel done asap -- I want those other welcome baby packages in the mail before the babies arrive!

Dresden / Butterfly top preview

Thanks to the quilt group time (in June), I managed not only to finish the fourth butterfly needed to round out the Dresden quilt, but I even pieced them into the larger blocks I needed -- and placed things together for a preview of the top!

I had just enough background fabric to piece the approximately 5 inch butterfly blocks into two 12 inch blocks.

The two butterflies closest to the Dresden plate are made from fabric pulled directly from the plates / scraps that came with the quilt. The two farther removed butterflies are partly (orange) or all (green/black) pulled from my scrap stash.

Since I had a little bit of extra time -- and not much desire to start on another project in that little bit of time -- I started practicing my planned layout:

I had thought to put the butterfly sets in the center (as shown above) but all the feedback I've gotten says to move it to the top row. I have a while to think about it, but I'm leaning towards not listening. I like it how it is now.

Right now, finished size is on goal to be around 40 - 42 inch square. I like it, but it feels just a little small. Then again, not all babies are the size of mine! Still, I'm debating adding a thin brown then a thick yellow border just to add 3 - 5 inches before the dark brown trim. I think the best option is to finish the top as designed above, then I can make the determination on adding extra borders once I see the real top.

On the other hand, I love the way it looks right now, and I really don't want to mess with it further.

Do I always end up in these kinds of situations? I think I usually do. Must be one of the reasons most people who quilt plan first and piece later...

I'm so nervous about adding those 4 little brown blocks. The quilt needs them, but those kinds of elements are exactly where my accuracy (or lack of) usually becomes incredibly obvious. But there's only 4 of them. Surely I can keep it together for that long!

July Check-In

Wow. It's July again.

In a few days, I'll have a one year old.

Wow.

I'm so not ready. And yet, every day is more fun than the last. So maybe I am.

Meanwhile, sometime soon -- when I never know -- I'll be going to the post office. Hopefully Monday or Tuesday, as these are quite overdue in the mail!

Blocks headed out, birthday presents headed out, and hand-me-on clothes headed out. And three more packages to wrap up and for sending or delivering.

And yes, I got to quilt a little today too. But I can't show you any progress.

Because the noticeable parts are all currently under a fluffy bottom that has no interest in moving from his lovely new spot.

Binding is ready to go on, but I guess that will wait until next weekend! There's no rush on this one, unless I want to ship it overseas... But I keep being told there will be a stateside visit at some point, so that's my target date for finishing. It's just my closest to a finish, and I had high hopes for getting one crossed off the ever growing list of unfinished / works in progress!

Outgoing, and Soon-to-be-Outgoing

I'm usually quite content to be sitting at home interacting with no one. But there's a big difference between having nice, quiet, introvert time alone and being wonderful, busy, Mama all the time. I'm not really alone anymore, and while my little 'co-worker' is a lot of fun these days, it's just not the same as any introvert time. Since there simply isn't more time to turn into introvert time, I'm looking for new ways to feel like I'm rebuilding myself, new ways to find a little more energy.

So, in terms of trying something new... well, what's newer for an extreme introvert than getting out and doing something interactive?

In June, I sent out a message to someone about sharing hand-me-downs, joined a local caregiver/child group, and joined a facebook group: Quilting for a Cause.

To some, that might not sound like much, but for me, that was a lot of 'risk' -- and so far, I think it is paying off.

These are the two blocks I made for the first quilt I'm participating in. I really wanted to do a #QuiltsforPulse, but I know there's not time in my life to do a whole quilt myself right now, so I'm glad to be participating in a group project.

What I learned so far? I made all my paper pieced butterflies backwards (mirrored?). Since I was working with myself, it didn't matter. But the first heart I started making for this project was mirrored, so it turns out I've been doing it wrong! I was able to print off another pattern and make another heart, but I did lose the green I'd really been hoping to use. I found an alternative -- not my favorite, but most of my greens turned out to be yellow-green, which wasn't what I needed. So, it was a surprise make-do moment, but I think it turned out alright.

I'm a little nervous my background choices on the orange one might be a little bit 'out there' too, but, I like it. I think it's more fun than the background choices on the green one.

Anyway, so I'm getting ready to ship these off.

Just participating in this, it's been a lot of fun. And yes, it's helped me feel a little better.

The other two 'outgoing' things have yet to turn into anything I can do yet, but I'm still feeling a little better than I was for a while. It's not quite getting out, or having coffee with friends, or whatever moms are supposed to do to help refill their personal cups, but it's helping.

(Inherited) Scrappy Crow Quilt

Quite the name, I know, but it's sure 'scrappy' and as far as I can tell the fabric was called 'a year to crow about' -- so scrappy crow it is!

The scrappy top came together quickly, and is adorable -- if neither perfect nor my taste.

(I know, I'm supposed to find indirect sunlight without shadows of trees, but give me a break, it's over 90 degrees out there and I'm actually accomplishing stuff! If I hold out for either better photos or better weather, nothing will ever happen here again.)

I just added 2.5 inch square patchwork between each block and then all around as a border. It's really busy, but cute.

For the back, I just pushed together scraps until I had something large enough to work with. It's not nearly as cute, but it's going to work.

And by using the same fabrics, it does coordinate perfectly, which is nice.

By far the cutest detail on the back is this little corner:

which was built of more of the started but not finished pieces that came with the blocks and fabric I've used. I think it will make a natural and perfect quilt label area.

Binding is already made for this one -- scrappy as well, of course. So, it's just a matter of basting. Which is where I bog down on every project these days!

I'm hoping to get some folding tables set up outside some time and have a basting party. I do have some spray baste to test out, but I want to start with something smaller (I think). I also have a newly improved stash of pins, so hopefully I can get a couple things done while I have a good setup going -- assuming I can do such a thing!

Butterfly Charm Blocks for Dresden Plate Quilt

Slowly but surely, I'm making progress on these butterfly charm blocks!

Not including my mistakenly too bright yellow butterfly, I'm currently standing at 3 of 4 done:

Aren't they adorable?!

The green is made up of the last tiny pieces of one of my very favorite green scraps. The yellow and tan butterflies are made completely from coordinating scraps that came with the quilt.

These blocks are taking me around an hour to an hour-and-a-half a piece to finish, so it's been a challenge to squeeze them in to my day. Then again, knowing exactly what I have to do -- and how long I'll need to do it -- is helping everyone else get me the time to work on them. Which is a lot of fun.

Basting, quilting, even working on larger tops is harder to squeeze in. It often feels like I'm finally set up to start and boom! Time's up!

I'm crossing my fingers to get the orange one done yet tonight. I can't wait to see all four of them finished. I'm also crossing my fingers to have enough background fabric left to piece these 5 inch squares into 12 inch blocks!

Inherited Dresden Plate Quilt

Out of all the options I could come up with for the two extra blocks needed to finish the top of the Dresden Plate quilt I've picked up, I finally chose to go with paper pieced butterflies.

It gives me a chance to dig through my scrap containers -- thankfully organized by color -- as well as trying to pull from the coordinating scraps I received with the quilt blocks.

I love paper piecing, but I am not particularly fast at it. My husband was kind enough to give me almost two hours of baby free time so I was able to finish my first of (probably) four butterflies.

This is my first try at Lillyella's wonderful free butterfly charm blocks. Although there are three different patterns available, I've chosen to do multiples of the Pepper pattern. Although I had made this particular butterfly in a hope to coordinate with the Dresden plates, it is far, far too bright lemony a yellow and simply does not work. So, I'm sure it'll come back as something else cute later, but not with this particular quilt.

I'm thinking one in yellow, one in oranges, one in tan, and one in green. I'd like to do some pinks or blues, but I'm trying to stick near the palette given in the Dresden blocks.

The (new) yellow butterfly will use the golden/yellow from the plates and the future border, as well as some of the tan-ish fabrics from the plates. The tan butterfly will also use at least some of the fabric straight from these scraps. I have hopes to use the dark brown fabric from the plates with two new oranges for the orange butterfly -- and hopefully I can find some really coordinating oranges! The green will be pulled completely from scrap, so it will be the least matchy-matchy of the set.

I can't wait to see how this turns out!

Another Inherited Quilt

I can't tell you how many 'inherited' projects I've picked up so far this year -- and there may be a lot more to come from what I hear. I figure I'll have several to pull out in the future, but I've got a couple I want to work on right away. These tend to be the larger ones, or the ones where what to do with them is more obvious. Some of the other projects are just enough blocks that I can't justify doing nothing with them, but not enough to easily turn into anything without me making more blocks of the same style.

After checking to see that my initial guess on who 'needed' this top were wrong, I've got a new intended recipient in mind (assuming she turns out to be a she-- or even turns out at all since I'm jumping the gun just a little bit here!) and I'm so much more excited about working on this one.

Fortunately, whatever the plan was with this particular top when it was started, coordinating fabrics were kept with it, so I'm close to ready to build a top already!

Unfortunately, there are only 7 of the Dresden plate blocks. I can't imagine what was going to be done with seven, so perhaps theysimply didn't get finished. But I haven't any more fabric to make more that match... not even of the plain background they are hand stitched onto.

I'm feeling the floral print (I'd call them black eyed susans) as the backing, and I've already cut the yellow into sashing and borders. I'm thinking the dark brown will be binding, and maybe a detail in the sashing if I'm detail oriented enough.

But two additional blocks? That has me a bit stumped at the moment. Well, while I stumble along looking for inspiration, I'm pinning ideas away here.  Hopefully I'll stumble across something I like, but in the meantime, at least I've got some ideas on sashing and other details between here and a finished quilt!

Again in June!?

Hey, what do you know -- two posts in June? And I actually have made progress on a quilt or two? This is a big moment after nearly a year of doing almost nothing -- well, almost nothing quilt related!

Thanks to a 3 hour get-away with my local quilting group, I've made quite a lot of progress -- some progress on one of my inherited projects and a finishing touch for this old 'embraceable' quilt, which is perhaps now known as the 'serviceable' quilt.

This top was made up with the leftover pieces from a Persimmon charm pack + jelly roll, while the fabric pieces I purchased the two pre-cuts for went to a different project. This top has sat around waiting for binding for way too long -- and the inherited quilt I've already introduced you to came with fabric colors that coordinated just enough that I thought I could get away with using some of it for binding. As much as I like going to the fabric store, it's always nice to find something in the stash that will work instead.

I think the lucky coordinating sheet back is one of my favorite parts of this quilt. It is just such a perfect match. And the butter and blue scrappy binding coordinates well with the back too -- another lucky moment!

It's in the wash right now, waiting to be turned into a baby shower gift the moment it's dry. I'm excited to have it done, but really, I'm excited to have had a baby shower gift so ready to go. And lucky too, because my stash of finished quilts has really dwindled over the last year or so of minimal activity.

Thanks to my own projects and the inherited ones, I'm trying to slowly build up another stash -- but so many friends having babies this fall is making that a bit more challenging! But I'm not complaining at all.

June Check In

So... I'm managing about 30 minutes of sewing time every month, and I'm only making it to my local quilt group about half the time (once a month). So, not much is happening around here. Well, not in the sewing or quilting area. There's lots of stuff happening elsewhere -- we've got crawling, and lots of attempts at walking.

But yesterday I had a few minutes of time to myself, so once I cleared off the sewing desk (which was a challenge), I had a chance to work on something. It's true that the last thing I need is one more top waiting for basting... but that's what I started on anyway!

Do you ever wonder what will happen to your stash if you can never return to it? I don't really mean that as a morbid question, but I suppose it is a little bit... I have wound up with a small pile of unfinished projects from a relative who quilted. (There's a much larger pile still waiting for the family to go through it, so this may only be part one of the "inheritance" or it may be all I'm going to get.) While this relative had a lot of projects going on, things were left in such a way that most people coming in after won't be able to guess what the plan for each started project was, much less try to finish it that way. (And my stash is the same, lots of started projects with no guidelines for anyone!)

Some of these started projects are far enough along I think I can turn them into finishes with only a little bit of effort. Others are probably more destined to be orphaned blocks for a long time... but it's a fun new challenge, and right now, it fits my time allotments better than basting!

So, I pulled out this pile and set to work to see what I could make of it. The big blocks were already completed, as were some of the patchwork borders -- though it was clear that they'd been assembled block by block rather than in a short cut method. There were scraps and precuts made for whatever the other 'sampler' blocks were going to be, but with no directions, I couldn't figure out what to do with them. So, I made a few more patchwork strips.

I obviously have a few more to make before this is ready to assemble into a top, but I ran out of time to keep working on it. Most of the patchwork block strips are only 5 - 7 blocks long. I've left them that short so I have a better chance of putting them all together in a variety way instead of a patterned way, since my next set of patchwork blocks will be coming from a different pile of precut scraps. I didn't have much of the orange or green in the blocks I made, so I want to aim for more of that next time around, then ensure that the little strips get mixed together as they assemble into longer strips.

When I first put out the blocks, the one in the center was one of my least favorites -- but with the addition of the patchwork stripes, I think it's become my very favorite!

I'm thinking this will be another baby quilt, though I have no idea where it'll end up in the long run. The fabric choices are a little more 'primitive' than I would ever have chosen, but it's actually quite cute so far (if I do say so myself), and I'm looking forward to seeing how it finishes up. There's probably not enough coordinating fabric to make it any larger than a baby size -- though if I wanted to be incredibly scrappy I could aim for a twin with a non-coordinating back... but I'm not that brave or scrappy! I do have a couple blocks for the back that look like natural quilt labels, so I'm actually really excited to see how that turns out.

Hopefully I'll get a little time to work on this over the weekend. If not... we'll see how it looks next month!

April Check In

I'm still alive -- and reading again thanks to figuring out how to get books on my cell phone -- but not much else is happening around here. 

Recently read: 

• "The Selection" Kiera Cass
• "Terrier" Tamora Pierce
• "Bloodhound" Tamora Pierce
• "Mastiff" Tamora Pierce
• "Wild Magic" Tamora Pierce
• "Because of Miss Bridgerton" Julia Quinn

and maybe a couple more I can't think of at the moment. Having them on my phone is far from ideal, but it makes it so much easier to read over the head of the sleeping baby. Unless of course I fall asleep too. Last night the baby was out by 6:35 and I was out by 7:00. And we both took a 2.5 hour nap today. I guess I thought that 'sleep while the baby sleeps' would have worn off by now, but if anything, it is more important than ever. 

Oh -- and check something off the yearly goal list: new restaurant visited. Waltzing Kangaroo in Fort Collins, CO. Delicious. Will definitely return. 

It's not on the list, but the baby has now been in 5 states (at 8 months). Still hoping for a trip up to see Baby C soon, and if we're that close, it's tempting to drive a little farther just to hit a 6th state... but I don't think we will. But, we need a bigger car (probably) before we take that trip, so I'm spending time back on the car shopping sites -- what a horrible way to spend time! 

I ordered and received the material for the backing and binding for two quilts I'm working on, which once again puts me back at facing the basting I've been procrastinating on. 

Although I could technically skip ahead and start on another top... but at some point I have to buckle down and finish something. Sooner rather than later on two of these. So, I'm trying to use that top making as a bribe... but so far I'm just accomplishing nothing instead. 

Life called on me to I skip my last quilting night, and I don't get another one until May, so I'm going to have to start getting intentional about setting aside some time to work on my own or I'm never going to keep up with all the babies coming this fall! Full count for people I know is up to about 8 -- but I'm only gifting to two or three of them, plus the one that I ought to be mailing this month (I'm going to be late, I know it). 

So, alive, but a long ways from being having anything to show off here. 

Goal for the weekend: baste. 

Goal for the month: finishing up 1-2 quilts. 

Ambitious and unlikely? Yep. But, I can dream! 

Progress

Our Bedroom Quilts (take 2)

Recent Progress: Top 1 is finished, Top 2 is finished
Yet to do: Make 1 back, baste, quilt, bind,
I have a lead on the second back, so these might be at the dreaded baste point. I have no idea when I'll have a chance to work on something so massive though.

Scrappy X Plus Blocks / Quilt

Recent Progress: -- re ironed after finding it!
Yet to Do: MAKE A BACK! (how did that fall off the list? did I have a plan I've forgotten? I should have been more organized but I had no idea how scattered I would be now) baste, quilt, bind, wash
Actually, I think I found some fabric for the back of this one -- although as I'm thinking on where this one might be headed, I might decide to go with something cozier like fleece after all this time. I had thought this one was a keeper for me, but at the moment, it is on the short list for one of the many babies who will be entering the world this fall/winter... so I might want to warm it up a little bit.

Half-Square Triangle Quilts (Saturated/Black and Muted/Brown)

Recent Progress: Ha, this has looked exactly the same for over 2 years.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the brown one at this point, but there's a 50% chance the black and bold will end up as one of this year's Welcome Baby quilts.
Yet to do: Cut solids (half done), piece tops, make backs, baste, quilt, bind, wash


Embraceable Quilt

Recent Progress:
Yet to Do: bind, wash, give away

Black and White and Panda All Over Quilt (for Baby) -- DONE! 

Recent Progress: basted
Yet to Do: final photos / write up / add to list as finish (#30?)

Panda-monium Mini -- DONE! 

Recent Progress:
Yet to Do:

Selfish Sewing: Raspberry Kisses Blocks

Recent Progress: began cutting
Yet to Do: um... let's talk about that later...

Quilted Sleeping Bag

Recent Progress: Finished Exterior and interior panels
Yet to Do: baste

CQG Joy of Quilting Starburst 2016 Quilt

Recent Progress: finished 1 starburst block
Yet To Do: complete top, make back, baste, quilt, bind
I really want to add another border to this one before I call the top finished, but I don't think I have the time to play around any longer. I made no progress on it at the last meeting because I couldn't decide and I just couldn't bring myself to start in on the next set of blocks if I wasn't certain. I think that no progress might just mean it is time to call this top completed and move on. The back is probably going to be conversation hearts on black, though it'll need a little work to make the yardage fit, so it might get a scrappy little surprise too. Hmm... I have a lot of red or pink options that could work if the black + conversation hearts doesn't, so it's just a matter of sitting down and doing something.

Modern Baby Quilt

Recent Progress: completed top (I think), ordered backing fabric
Yet to Do: all the hard work
This is the one that got my attention at the last meeting (which realistically is the only time I accomplish things anymore). I think I'm going to bind it in one of the coordinating yellow prints (though not the boldest one, simply because I couldn't get it). I don't remember now which fabric I ordered for the backing... so it'll be fun to be surprised when the package gets here! I was hoping for the darkest purple, but I don't think that's what I wound up going with. I think it might be one of the multi color prints. Well, I'll be almost as surprised as you will be once it's here. I think this one should come together really quickly. Quilting wise, I'm thinking simple straight lines (probably echoing the ditch, at least in the center patchwork) with minimal work in a multi color thread in the outer borders. I won't do much, so I don't need to go bold (though I do have that as an option), but I'm not sure I want to go too safe (grey/dark grey/black) either.

Waiting to Start:

• Possibly: Modern Neutral Baby Quilt
• Possibly: Arrows/Chevron/Fish Baby Quilt for Baby (identifying letter coming later)
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Tiny Updates

I'm still here, but there's very little to share -- unless you want updates on diapers and laundry and litter boxes. No? Me either.

But -- things are happening. Not a lot and not quickly, but they are.

I'm working on a quilt in my local group time -- it's kind of a free form barely medallion style quilt. It started with my favorite starburst style block, and I'm building out from there.

 At the end of the first month.

At the end of last meeting. You can't really tell, but the strange multi colored border is dogs in sweaters. I think it needs at least one more border. Maybe red with white dots? Maybe another set of HSTs or something else more time consuming?

I obviously hit the wall on making decisions for that quilt, so I started on something else before the meeting was up and it was time to quit for two weeks.

This is a little farther along now, but I haven't taken a new photo yet.

On my own I've been working on this oddblock (leftover blocks and fabric from a project the quilt group did for me) leftover thing:

It's grown -- slowly -- into something larger, and hopefully large enough for what I want to do:

Please ignore the nursery decorations hanging in the way... that ribbon jellyfish is the best thing in the world right now, and I don't dare move it. I have the fabric for the backing of this oddblock project, but I haven't taken the time to work on it yet. I think I'm dragging my feet because I don't want to baste -- and I can no longer claim I'm putting it off for being pregnant (like I did all last year on many projects).

Quilt group is this week, so I'm hoping to make some serious progress again. Or at least, some progress. If not, at least I'm going to have some fun!

2016 Goals

2016 Goals

1. Go visit Baby C and her family (I've got to stop calling her a baby, her parents keep talking about sending her to school next fall!) -- Ideally in early spring, but dependent upon so many factors falling in place
2. Bigger car. I hate to trade in our car, but traveling longer than overnight with Baby requires a lot more luggage than we have room for right now. 
3. Read 5 non-fiction books
4. Donate or dispose of 50 things from within the house (outgrown baby items don't count)
5. Renaissance Festival trip (with an almost 1 year old? is this too big a dream?)
6. Put an extra $50 towards savings most/all months
7. Have the piano tuned 
8. Clear off the piano so it's usable nearly every day 
9. Get a clothes line
10. Try a new restaurant or cuisine at least twice 
11. Attend a live performance (play, musical, orchestra, concert, etc.) 
12. Attend 1 baby shower
13. Attend 1-2 birthday parties 
14. Baby proof the nursery as needed 
• cover 2 outlets, 
• deal with mini blinds/cords, 
• ensure mice and all reminders of are really, 100% gone,
• something safer with the doors?
• attach bookcases to walls,
• fix the squeaky heat register flap!! 
• check for any other needs...
15. Convince the baby to start using the nursery (at least for naps) -- probably a spring / summer project 
16. Trip to NE to see all the family (minimum of 3 days -- but what if we need 4 for travel!?)
17. Sweep daily, mop at least twice a week
18. Install cabinet locks in kitchen 
19. Install cabinet locks in bathroom as needed
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Things to Make in 2016

1. Make the Ditto quilt (I own the pattern and the tool, just haven't used it yet) 
2. 2014 cross stitch portrait -- In Progress 
3. 2015 cross stitch portrait? (I think at this point I need to focus on every 5th year and let the annual process go)
4. 2 or more Welcome Baby Packages 
1. Make a quilt or two (use from stash if possible?)
2. 2 hooded towels
3. 4 bibs
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5. Complete in progress quilts: - In progress! 
1. Solids 
2. Stripey Persimmon Quilt (need binding)  
3. Scrappy X+ quilt - Top done, back needed
4. 2 quilts for our bed -- ugh, I made progress early in the year, but haven't come up with a back for the second one, and the idea of basting just exhausts me. 

First goal of 2016? To get a goal list written and posted before January is over!

Uhm... missed it by a couple days... Sounds about right for my life right now.

Plotting the Course

I know I have many works in progress that need finishing, but I am hearing the siren song of a new quilt... and beginning to plot out how to make it.

It's a new year, and that means new chances for new babies to join my circle. Some of those babies will get quilts I've already made, but at least one of the hoped for arrivals (for whom I am jumping the gun) is going to get something not yet made.

As expected, it started with a quilt top (found via Pinterest). As I learned at Linda's Quiltmania, this quilt is from, and featured on the cover of, Beyond Neutral by John Q Adams.

The shapes of blocks -- my husband calls them arrows, I think they look almost like fish -- are appealing to me, as is the scattered pattern. Another thing that draws me to this quilt is the more unusual solid choices used by the makers, bold blues instead of a traditional white or the often seen black or gray.

I don't have access to that book through my local library, and can't justify buying it right now, so I'm going to use the pictures as inspiration and figure out something similar based on the size of quilt I want, and the size of precut fabrics I'm working with. This might end up being more work in the long run -- quilt math hasn't been kind to me in the past -- but I have time to do sketches and calculations. And these are much more easily put away when my limited time is up...

From a layer cake of Hugaboo fabric I picked up specifically for this hopeful-baby, I started pulling choices, beginning with the yellows, grays, and aquas.

I could add in a couple of the dark red prints:

Or, depending how long this top takes, I could add some reds and pinks:

I think the best course of option is to plan on the yellow/gray/aqua. My mock ups didn't include a light vs dark aqua option, and that might make enough difference I won't find I need the red. That said, to keep my options open, I think I had better pick a background fabric that plays nicely with at least that darkest red, and maybe make a couple blocks with it so I can see in person whether it's needed or not.

Decisions, decisions....

The hard part was always going to be choosing a background fabric. Not knowing whether I'll be including red/pink or not makes it even harder!

I need a solid (ish) for the background. I know part of what attracted me to the inspiration quilts -- but I'm not sure I can go that unusual, especially with the colors I've chosen to work with!

I whipped up a quick mock up (in part to play around with layout of the arrows) and wound up playing a little with background options.

I am -- of course -- drawn to the darker gray. (Not a surprise as I've used it as a neutral a lot recently) But is that a little too safe and boring? The deep teal (middle above) has some appeal, but finding the right tone could be a massive challenge. I don't care for the third option at all. I had hoped a dark blue / navy would work, but I have yet to be won over even a little by my testing.

I tried a second batch. All worse (I think). The darker blue seemed miles darker when I tried it, but here it hardly looks different. The green is completely wrong, and the black? Is it just me or does this take on a Pac-Man ish color scheme? Not what I'm looking for -- although so far everyone I've shown the options to thinks that is a great thing.


Taking out the red:

the black does look a little less video game inspired (I think?) but I'm still not really sold. Without the red, the dark blue seems too blue heavy.

I could go really unusual:

I don't know if I can bring myself to work with something this intense, but it looks like it could work...

Ugh.

I can see a trip to the fabric store is in my future. I think I'm leaning towards the deep teal color, but if nothing seems perfect, I might just go with the gray so I can get started. Decisions, decisions!