Scrap Happiness

I was thinking about all of the projects that I'd like to do and then I started thinking about all the projects that are in various stages of completion in my sewing room. Kind of depressing. There are a lot of things that I get excited about and start in on and keep on going until it's finished. But there are just as many things that start with a bang and then fizzle out. One of my goals is to finish up these projects so that I can move ahead to other projects. I'm banning myself from starting a whole new set of problem projects before my others are done. But then again, I'm not the type of person to only have one thing going at a time.


Still, I finished quilting this monstrosity of scraps this past weekend. It isn't pretty and I'm not sure I'd even give it to anyone because it's really funky. But it's done and it will probably wear well since there's so many seams! I also used this Strawberry Shortcake fabric for the binding and I had JUST ENOUGH so it's gone gone gone from my stash. Yes! It was one of those fabrics that you're really not sure why you bought it and just want it GONE. Well, I can check that one of my list. Finally!



I've been looking around the Internet at some quilts, which always gets me in trouble. I see something that I just HAVE to make, and then I can't stop thinking about it until I do it. Not the greatest for someone who already has a lot of unfinished things going on. Yesterday I saw this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/67604797@N00/3919285645/
Uh oh. So last night I started cutting some scraps for this new project. I got to thinking, though, that maybe I need to be careful about the colors I use. I actually bought some scraps from a fellow blogger, Kristin, and I thought it would be nice to use them. But they're not all coordinated by color or anything. So I'm going to have to see if it will look good or just too crazy. It's funny to look at a bunch of scraps and not have a single memory about them. They are not familiar to you at all. You can't remember projects you used them for or where you bought them. Some of them you like, some you don't.
Well, we'll see how this plays out. I'm also messing with my sewing machine because I'm having issues with free-motion quilting. Maybe need a new darning foot. Oh, and I'm knee-deep in a Christmas quilt. Help! :)

Finishes

Here are some projects that I've been working on. I saw a throw pillow a few months ago that used the Cathedral Windows pattern. I had never seen anything like it and I loved it! I will probably try to make a bigger quilt one day, but for now, just trying the technique out was enough for now. I love how it turned out!

I had these 3 blocks just sitting around and I thought I should do something with them. I was going to make a few more blocks, but I couldn't figure out where I had put the instructions for how to make them or measurements, etc. so I just decided to use the three of them and make a wall hanging!











I also had this scrappy top just folded up in my sewing room and although it's a little crazy, I thought I would just put it out of my misery and quilt it already! I'm almost done with it and that will be another thing to cross off my list! Yay!

Seizure

I had a nice little surprise finish this weekend with a quilt that I have been stepping around for some time. I call it "Seizure" because I figure if you look at it long enough, it just may give you a seizure! I had it basted and ready to quilt forever ago, but it just never made it to the top of my list. I started hand-quilting it, and then stopped in favor of other projects. Friday night after I put my son to bed, I looked at it and decided that I was going to go for it. I ripped out the tiny bit of hand quilting there was (normally that would make me cringe, but there was literally about 12 inches of it total) and started in looping around in orange quilting thread. In no time at all, it was done! And it turned out great! I don't know what I was waiting for, frankly. So I slapped some binding on it and it's ready for...something other than waiting to be quilted! CHECK!! I got the fabric on clearance as part of a tote bag pattern. It's pretty wild and not really my taste, but someone out there might just like it!

I have the day off tomorrow and have declared it (to myself at least) as the day to "Cross Things Off the List" in honor of my triumphant finish of "Seizure". Wish me luck! It's a LONG list! :)

Christmas in...May?

I've been holding on to some Christmas fabric for about 2 years now. It's sat in my sewing room in a plastic bag and every once in awhile I take it out and look at it and try to figure out what I could do with it. I love the fabrics themselves, but I couldn't think of a way to use them that I would be happy with so I would just pack them back up for another time. So many of the Christmas quilts out there are too country or too cute. Anyways, I finally found something I thought would work and so I just started cutting fabric. Just dive in, I say. It's going to involve applique, so I can get more practice with it. I might even try machine applique rather than doing it all by hand. And maybe, just maybe I'll have it done in time for Christmas. Well, I can hope, right?
On a non-sewing note, I've been dealing with some office politics lately. Turns out, I really hate that sort of thing. My husband is KING of those sorts of things and I'm hopeless. I generally really love going to work and all, but lately, it's just been frought with negative feelings and the tiniest bit of dispair. I felt like I had things in balance and I was proud of that since I recently had a child and was sorting out how everything would work out in my home/work life. Back to the drawing board, I guess. Nobody really reads this, so I guess it's okay to complain a little. Hopefully things will start looking up soon. Rickets!

Finally!

I finally got past the sewer's block and decided on some borders for this quilt. Of course, I'm still working on the backing which is another story. And don't even ask me about binding. But the borders. The BORDERS! They've been sewn on!

Spring...I guess I'm glad you're here

I took some pictures this morning of some colorful improvements that prove spring is here. I've never really liked Spring that much, but then again, I'm glad it's not snowing anymore. I like summer even less because I don't like to be hot. But there's something nice about blue skies and the sunshine. Oh, and air conditioning.

I remember growing up, we never had air conditioning. Well, we had one window unit in our dining room. But no central air or anything for our bedrooms. What a bummer. I used to just lay on the sheets with no covers and pray for it to rain so the humidity would cease for a little bit. Sometimes we would all give in and sleep on air mattresses in the dining room. No wonder we spent so much time at the pool!

Now I'm such a baby when it comes to sweating the minute you walk outside in the summer.

We finally got some chair cushions for out patio chairs and I decided to put up a wreath that I made that's nice and summery. Since I love fall so much, I tend to decorate in those colors most of them time. So adding a little more color into my life is a good thing. Maybe I'll get some sewing done one of these days. Still mulling over choices for the borders, backing, etc. for the green/cream quilt.

Progress

Hey! I found those pictures of the quilt I worked on this weekend. I'm at a throw-size right now and I'm debating whether I want to make it into a queen-size quilt or not. Also, I need to figure out if I want to add borders and what kind would look best. I have some green fabric leftover that I could use or maybe darker brown/tan? I rarely do a quilt without some sort of border, but maybe this one doesn't need one. Hm.