Sew Random Thoughts

We had some snow here this week -- Nugget was not impressed 

I work for the state so we closed a few hours early one day and went in on a delay the next. I'm usually very good about using free minutes for sewing but this time I just didn't and I kinda feel out of sorts. Now, I did go to my sewing room and I managed to process the rest of my scrap-bin and put away the cut scraps but no actual sewing took place. 

I seem to be in a rut ---- a lack of motivation rut. I have 3 sew alongs that I am wanting to get this weeks assignment done and linked up but can't seem to find the motivation to actually follow through with making that next step. 

-- I Need to pull fabric for the link up on 1/31
 

-- I'm actually behind on this one the sewing link up is Sunday 2/2 but once it's cut it goes together super quick. 

-- The next link up on this one is next Wednesday the 5th but it should be no problem to cut these -- I think I've decided that I'm only doing a 2 x 2 layout. I'm not passionate about these fabrics, I won them and am trying to push myself to use them. 

My UFO list is starting to haunt me a little but nothing is on a hard deadline and I think that helps to a degree. Friday evening and Sunday will be for sewing, as I will be heading off to Statesville on Saturday for the Quilting and Needle Art Extravaganza, it's a great show usually so I am looking forward to it -- there goes the fabric fast again but as long as I stick to my budget I should still fit into my fabric diet rules. 

On a related note, I'm restarting the fast in February -- on the 2nd and hope to do much better in the upcoming months as I plan to go on the Quilt Carolina shop hop again this year and I better make some serious room for that. This is usually in the Fall so at least I have time to clear some stuff out. 

Stash Breakthrough and other news

I've mentioned before that I have a great love of my scraps -- well today I made a big change in what I am holding onto and took the plunge and purged my crumbs. 

I haven't worked on the blocks in over 6 months and got to thinking about all the time and other projects that would always come before working on them again. Now my crumb pieces were all less that 2 inch squares but they were overfilling a 12.7 quart bin in and gallon bag in my room, I also started processing my large scrap pieces and purged out some of this fabric as well -- easily 10+ yards purged.

I'm not going to lie -- I did get a little shaky (and even thought I may cry at one point) during the making and going through with the choice but overall I feel good about this.

I made a new UFO top this weekend from the library project and worked on making / getting backings and binding fabrics for other projects that are waiting to be basted. I have a total of 5 in this group and can't wait to be able to pull out the batting again and start putting those sandwiches together.

I'm linking up with Sew Lux as well and have decided to make another Lazy Sunday quilt -- this time I'm going to use fabrics pulled from the stash rather than a layer cake, I'm pretty excited about it.

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and time to sew like I did. 

Library Project

Several posts back I mentioned the Library project - A challenge to identify patterns and books that we have on hand and actually make them. So I'm linking up with Chezzetcook Modern Quilts and identifying projects I've had in mind for a while and I'm incorporating this into my destash goal. 

Lots of great options and bookmarked projects -- here are a few that I pulled fabric for.

Up first is a pattern that I've made before but this time I wanted to use a jelly roll that I've had for a while and 2 extra strips so that I will have enough to make the pattern.

I love my scraps as I have mentioned many times before but before I started cutting them down into usable parts I was never a fan of the 2.5 inch strip (gasp I know). Well now I have an entire bin of them and a great book to go along with them so hopefully I will be able to whip up some of these great projects.

Another book that I have been admiring for a while is Vintage quilt revival -- this book is awesome and I pretty much want to do every project in there.

The first one may be this one but I'm kind of torn because I also have this great pattern that is similar but different.

Looks like I have lots of work ahead of me -- better get to sewing.

January Check IN

It's time for the January check in with Fabriholics Anonymous and I have to report that I have had a few minor setbacks recently including these purchases during a recent trip to Cary for an interview. I went to 3 shops (2 new to me) -- the 2 larger pieces are probably going to be backings.

I already talked about these fabrics that I got during the destash on IG -- 2 lines from my dream fabrics.

I have also had some fabric sales during the instagram destash and through a fabric swap group on Facebook so I am pretty sure I've still had more fabric go out than come in so that has to count for something. Perhaps I'm on a diet rather than a fast -- cause there is that quilt show coming up next weekend and I know I'm going to falter then as well but I have my budget set.

I also have 3 finished projects (carry overs from 2013) this month and have several that are nearly completed once I am able to get back in the sewing room -- this silly stomach virus has me down again.

You can read all about those finishes here, here, and here -- According to my estimates I have used an approximate 20+ yards of fabric in these projects.

I have 12 items on my WIP list so I am hoping that this weekend will be one for sewing.

Happy Quilting everyone.

Not a stitch was made

After a long holiday weekend I am here to report that no sewing happened but lots of great things happened in my sewing room --

The rulers are off the floor

Got the scrap basket off the floor and tested out the Go Baby cutter. (No more throwing things in the floor.)

We moved the dresser out of the room (now hubby has a better place to put his clothes) and rehoused the fabric in the drawers beside the sewing machine -- with a 30% decrease in my folded fabric stash it would all fit here. 

So why did we take on all this extra work just to move a dresser? 

Because this freed up lots of room for my new custom Ironing station -- take it all in, it's pretty awesome (2 feet deep, 6 feet long and 3 feet tall). 

It cost about $100 and consists of 2 wide wire racks from Target, MDF board covered in insul-bright and fabric (stapled to the under side). The top is removable and the whole thing can be moved. I got a few S-hooks so that I can hang my spray bottles from them -- no more hunting for the bottle or falling over. 

The Ikea Hanging wire got hung -- I'm ready to hang my doll quilt once it arrives. 

and as a bonus we painted the Mauve wall and it really brightens up the room.

In all this cleaning out and moving around, I also revamped the WIP list. It's longer than I thought but I can't wait to get started on these, hopefully some of this will happen later this week.

So that just leaves purging out the excess of my scrapbook supplies and the room will be nearly perfect. YAY!!

Here's another look --- at the before 

seriously EUGH -- how did I live with this for so long when the results are so much better 

It may snow here tonight and that would be OK by me -- you all saw the length of that list.

Happy Quilting Everyone.

California Dreamin

California Dreamin has safely arrived in it's new home with Jen @ quilter in the closet and it was a big hit (check her out, this can wait).



Jen was pretty open when it came to design so I took all the different elements from her mosaic and primary colors from her favorite fabric lines and came up with the different elements of the mini -- she likes stars, flying geese, aqua, bright red, navy and grey. I was super excited to see it come together but unsure about how to go about quilting it and then I thought again about my partner and where she lives (I even Googled her address to see where it is geographically) and came up with the wave design. This was the time that I started to loose my confidence in this project because Jen's quilting skills are amazing. As I was quilting the name of the quilt came to me -- I choose to name it after the Mamas and the Papas song because the day I was working on it our low was 8* and the high was expected to be 20* --- meanwhile she was enjoying mid 70's (lucky lady).

Check out her blog -- if you haven't already, she seems like a great person and perhaps we may never meet in person but she could easily be considered a friend.

Confessional Time

I fell off the wagon during the IG destash last week -- I made it 16 days into the new year with out a necessary purchase as outlined in the guidelines of Fabriholics Anonymous. 

And I feel very good about my purchases because they were from my dream fabric list. Don't we all have those? Fabrics no longer in print or very difficult to find. For me there are 3 lines that I know I will always purchase if I see them --- 

Parisville by Tula Pink -- in the pink / green colorway 

Central Park by Kate Spain 

Rockin Romance by Pat Bravo


So during the destash I was able to pick up a Layer Cake of Central Park --- an ultimate find for me and a bit of Parisville. I also sold a few things so it evens out. 

SO what dream lines do you have? who else has fallen off the FA bandwagon? I am setting myself a purchase limit and bonuses for each project I am able to finish and saving this up for the upcoming quilt show in Statesville -- because it's a great one and I know I'm going to buy something while I'm there. Every diet is better with the occasional splurge so I'm back on for now and I have extra incentive to get more done in the upcoming 2 weeks. 

finish #3 and a new start (or 2)

Another carry over UFO from 2013 was completed this weekend and I have to say it may be my new favorite. 

A while back I bought a layer cake of Willow by Riley Blake because I thought it was so beautiful and soft. A short while later my friend Lee came out with her pattern Lazy Sunday and I knew that this would come together nicely once I added in a few other fabrics to make up for the small layer cake(28 fabrics instead of 42).

I love how the quilting turned out on this one and am almost more in love with the back of the quilt than the front. It's just so squishy looking -- and it hasn't even been washed yet.

Thus Lazy Willow was created.

Fabric used 9.5 yards

Since I am finishing up all these UFO's I decided it was time to start another project but this time I wanted to use up some of my pre-cut scraps, so as I was pulling out charms for my doll quilt partner I pulled out some lovelies for my next project as well.

I put them into a simple scrappy top that would be perfect for a baby girl. I may add a grey boarder to the top but haven't decided yet. I'm already looking forward to quilting it because I'm going to try out echo quilting of the star for a change of pace.  

I will also be starting another project on Sunday this week when my friend Teri will be teaching her first class as Sew Original for the lovely Scout Quilt. (the class has been delayed -- hopefully that means more people can join in when it does start.)

Happy Quilting everyone

linking up at freshly pieced

2nd finish of 2014

Doll Quilt 14 -- is completed and will be sent far far away in a matter of days and once it arrives I will post more but I don't want to give away to much till my partner is able to receive it and she may read my blog.

I'll just say it has a story.

Happy Quilting and Happy Friday everyone!!

I'm super excited it's supposed to be rainy nasty here this weekend -- quilting weather.

(Aprox 2 yards used and another 2 sent to my partner)

1st finish of the year (almost)

Happy to announce that I have (almost) finished my first quilt of 2014. (I say almost because binding is not attached.)

It's the 2013 BOM blocks from Sewingly Yours.

The ladies at the shop loved it so much they used my sashing and boarder choices as an inspiration for the finishing kits that the other ladies could purchase to promote other finishes. They had the 1st meeting for the 2014 BOM quilt and the feedback was very positive.

I also did another thing that I have not done before -- put a label on a quilt.

I made a scrappy backing and love how things came together but apparently I forgot to take a  completed picture of that side.

If your in the Winston area and want to visit my quilt it's over at the shop and I'm sure the ladies won't mind seeing you.

Happy Quilting Everyone

(approximately 9 yards used) 

2013 in review

I have been seeing everyone posting about the finishes last year and wondered how many projects I had posted last year -- so I made a list. 

• 30 finished quilts --- anything larger than 24 inches square
• 12 went to charity 
• 8 were commissions or sold at shows

• 152 other completed projects 
• 7 custom Mug rugs
• 15 Mug Rugs for events
• 20 Pincushions for events
• 7 items for swaps 
• 50 Hand Warmer bags
• 50 Boo Boo Bags

• 6 unfinished projects to take into 2014 
• Block of the Month quilt (needs basting and quilting)
• Lazy Sunday (needs quilting) 
• Doll Quilt 14 (need to complete assembly) 
• Bible Studies (need to complete blocks)
• Unwind (needs basting and quilting) 
• Food Fight Wall Hanging (needs basting and quilting) 

So that about sums it up -- can't wait to see what 2014 holds. 

The Library Project

In conjunction with the Fabriholics Anonymous Challenge I have also decided to join in with the library challenge quilt along  hosted by Chezzetcook Modern Quilts  in which we put those lovely books and patterns to use in the upcoming year. 

Here are the basics 

• dig out some of those quilt books, patterns and magazines and pick out projects that you would like to finish in the upcoming year (the number is up to you)
• there will be a monthly link up party to talk about your progress -- the end of the year will be a big link up party
• the first link up is Jan 17th -- to discuss the projects and books you have in mind

For me this was a no brainier because I was planning to incorporate this in with the other challenge anyway, so hop on over to Chezzetcook Modern Quilts for more info and take the challenge for yourself. 

My list of books and projects includes these 2 beauties that I got for Christmas 

A project that the guild wants to do together 

and several from the other books -- just waiting on my bookcase. The top shelf has a pile of quilt mags on it, the 2nd shelf has patterns printed from online and tutorials and the 3rd shelf is all my current books and that owl box is full of patterns. 

So I think that in the next 2 weeks I will be pulling these out and taking a closer look at what I want to include in the link up -- I don't think I'll be short on options.