Friday, July 30, 2010

July Bee blocks


July Bee blocks
Originally uploaded by colimachia
I finally tackled the wonky stars for July's blocks for the Vintage Sheet Bee. Usually what happens when I don't know how to do a certain square I will print out the tutorial and follow along as I'm sewing. I forgot to print out the tut so I had to wing it. I did a trial run with some of my own fabric first, it went well. Then onto the real thing. Everything was all good except one square got out of hand. I'm sure you can guess which one. Middle far right. Ummmm, sorry? I hope Bethany doesn't have to barf when she sees it. The pictures really make the backround look blueish but she sent us all gray fabric to use for the solid backround. The small one is teeny tiny but it was fun to put it together! Each little square started out as 2" square.

This morning I also finished up another kindle cover for a friend but won't put up a pic until I give it to her :)

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A finish and a beginning

The big finish is my quilt! Ya-hoooo! Second quilt down, so many more I want to make! I finished it on Sunday, so relieved. The best news is that it's three weeks early for delivery :) Here's a view of the front. So, I set the 10 second timer on my camera and then ran, picked it up and held it for the camera - I got more of the room, my sewing machine, lamp and June than the quilt. But, it gives you an idea of the size.
quilt
quilt front

And a view of the back:
quilt back
So I used transparent thread for the border stitching because I couldn't decide on a color that would not make me crazy. Basically I just "freehand" stitched wavy lines with flowers in the corners. I did stitch around the appliqued flowers from the front to add more stitching and batting stability. Did I mention that my inspiration for the quilt was the "Cherries and Blossoms" table runner from the Moda Bake Shop? If not I want to make sure I put that out there. Of course I used my own stash because that's just what I do.
stitch detail
All finished and ready to go in the suitcase for delivery :)
folded quilt
I had such a feeling of elation when I finished it, and excitement for what I want to start next - which is???? I don't even know because there are so many options!

So last night was book club and we finished up the book "A Voice in the Wind" by Francine Rivers. And now we are beginning the second book in the series "An Echo in the Darkness." I must confess that I had already skimmed through the book in the library so I could figure out what happens. It's on the same level as reading the ending first (which I do) I think. I've also skimmed the third and I'm not sure I'm going to enjoy it quite as much as the first two. It was a little like -muh- and the others practically read themselves. So I was late to spin class tonight because I started reading the 2nd book after work and just kept reading and reading until I finally realized I either need to leave for class or just poop out and read all night! Um, then I realized that I've been on a rather stubborn weight loss plateau lately and better hoof it to class! So I did that.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

lame

I am so embarrassed right now I can barely stand myself. eewww. So the next door neighbors moved out a few weeks ago, and the house has been empty. And it's been so quiet and nice and dark. They always had their porch light on (always) and it would shine right into my bedroom. So, today I'm sitting there on the couch with June watching "The Princess Bride" and hand stitching the binding on the quilt. Nice and relaxing. Then I hear like at least 2 or 3 cars in the drive way. New neighbors moving in. hmmmm.
The thing is, there is a driveway and half of it is mine the other half is that house's. There is a distinctive break in the pavement. I have lived in this house over a year and I have only parked in that driveway like 3 times. Once when Jeannette came to visit and the other when my Mom did and also on a random lunch break. Because the other neighbors always parked there and I think they also didn't have jobs so they were always home. Fast forward to today and I started to panic a little bit because even though I really prefer to park on the street in the shade I like having my side open. What's a girl to do? Well, if you want to make a good impression on new neighbors - don't do what I did! I marched right over and said that side is mine and it's fine to use it today but the other neighbors used it like it was theirs and....and...and...and like halfway through I realized that I was being totally rude, un-neighborly, unwelcoming, ugh! There's no coming back from the point of no return rudeness. Seriously, ugh!!!! Now I must lay low and stay out of sight. Or maybe just leave for the rest of the afternoon?
The only good news is that I'm almost done with the quilt!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

title

Okay then, are you ready for a completely random silly post? Sorry if you're not because that's what's going down right now. Too much time to think I suppose.
I have been busy working on the quilt, of course, since time is winding down on when it needs to be done. What I ended up doing is hand stitching the borders with transparent thread -tricky stuff! It's like really fine fishing line and gets easily tangled. But, I really like the overall look of it, so that's the important part. I am in the process of seam ripping the larger squares, taking out the multicolored thread there. Maybe, maybe I'll start the binding today. We'll see.

I realized that I never said anything about how I liked the movie Eclipse! I really liked it. The ladies and I all went to see it on July 3rd. We were expecting a sold out theater like it was last time for New Moon, but oh yeah! Holiday weekend - duh. I really liked the flashbacks which stayed in line pretty much with the book. Only thing I didn't appreciate was the ring. Sorry but I thought it was awful. I was picturing something really antique-y looking and what it was didn't look older to me, more mod. I could be wrong but that was my impression. And, I liked that Jasper had more of a southern accent this time!

So, one way that you can tell that God is "talking" to you is not so much that you hear an audible voice, although there might be people that do experience that, but more of a recurring theme. Mine is memorizing scripture. For me, I'd say in the last couple years at least that has been my recurring theme. First, on the Living Proof blog of Beth Moore's she had the year of memorizing scripture. I didn't quite finish. Then, it popped up in a bible study. Then, popped up again at book club. I have always started and memorized a couple of then and then sort of petered out. So, last week I went to church after about a month long oversleeping hiatus. Guess what the pastor has started??? Memory verses! lol, seriously. A long time ago when I first became a Christian I told God he would need to be really obvious with me when he wanted me to do something because I'm not very good at picking up hidden messages......do you think he's being clear enough?

Oh! I found the cutest pattern for my dolls this past week - best part is that it was on sale at Joann's for $1.99! Ya-hoo. So, ya I know I don't have a Blythe but I do have my big head dolls to dress and they are in need of some new clothes! Mmmmm, right - if you've just recently started reading my blog you might want to know that I have a couple of dolls that I like to make clothes for. They hang out in the craft house with me. Their names are Marisol and Vanessa. And I would really love to buy a Blythe doll but still have not justified the expenditure to myself. Nuff said, I have dolls.

Speaking of Joann's and sales: check it! They had some fabric on sale for 90% off dude! So, I had to buy some even though really I have no real idea what I'm going to do with it yet. I bought two different stripy fabrics for .59 a yard, a green solid for .99 cents a yard and some black kind of eyelet for $1.29 a yard!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Glitter is goooood

I just happened to be in Goodwill yesterday, and it's a durn good thing too! If I hadn't been I would have missed out on this cool loot! The jars of glitter are actually glass! There are two pinks and one gold, which is awesome because believe it or not, I only have one shade of pink glitter!!! Shocking. I know. And, really who can pass up sequins??? Seriously. Well, I was actually quite reserved, I left like 3 or 4 packages of regular round sequins. I may regret that decision later when I'm actually crafting with sequins, but for the now I'm trying to not buy things just because. Love the teeny little sequin pins! I have a couple projects in mind right now, and those will come in handy.

Speaking of other projects, I'm in a holding pattern right now until I finish the quilt I've been working on. I know I mentioned before it is going to be a gift and so therefore it is on a time limit. So, must finish it first. BTW since I mentioned the quilt, I'm in the quilting stage. Frankly this is my least favorite part of the whole process. And, I might not like the outcome of this one! I thought it might look cute to use a multicolored thread for the quilting. The top is decent but I'm not loving the back. I am hoping that the finished product will just blend and maybe it won't be too awful.

And, I've been thinking of what in the world kind of square am I going to choose for the quilting bee when it's my turn to choose?!? I have a couple of ideas and the thing is I don't want to pick something that the other ladies are going to be like "lame" or have done a million times. I'm thinking of a neighborhood type quilt, a la "the burbs quilt" from the book Material Obsession. However, I'm not sure how to get instructions to everyone? There are free tutorials for the wonky houses, just not the dolls. And, I was thinking I'd want some dude dolls too and maybe even trees. So, possibly this will not be the pattern for the bee. Unless I just asked for wonky houses and then I would make the people? It's a possibility.
The other pattern I was thinking would just be a simple nine patch and then I would cut it up to be a disappearing 9 patch. Not sure that will work to my liking though because I'd need to add a solid to give it some continuity. Not out of the running though as I can mail everyone a color to do one of the corner patches.
Then, the last thing I was thinking was a non wonky log cabin with an embroidered woodland creature in the center, like this one. But, I know how busy all these ladies are and I don't want to ask too much to have them embroider an animal to the center. The controlling side of me thought I could do all the embroidered squares and mail them out, but then I came to my senses - what fun would that be? I think it would be better to give all the ladies a chance to embroider or not....they could always leave the middle square blank white and then I could finish it up?

I just have to say, thanks for letting me ramble on about boring quilt stuff! I don't blame you if you didn't even read any of that! I might not have :) all those words, words, words! But, if perchance you did read it all and have an opinion on what type of block, drop me a line :)

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Boundaries

This past weekend was an extra long one so I had plenty of free time to work on the back of the quilt! Here's how it turned out:
back of the quilt
If I've learned anything from this past weekend it is this: I do NOT appreciate iron on adhesive! I read somewhere to use iron on adhesive to keep whatever you are going to applique in place while you sew. What I discovered is that my sewing machine did not agree with this! The needle got so gummy even though I kept trying to wipe it off and every inch or so the thread would break off! Grrr. I thought maybe I'll hand stitch the flowers - ummmm two hours later decided that was also a no-go. In the end pulled the flowers off, recut them and appliqued with the fleurs pinned well. Aaaah, problem solved. Still not sold on the zig-zaggy applique look, but not bad. The 9-patches were super easy as they required no extra maintenance and was just a straight stitch. Overall I like the look of the back.
Next step is the quilting. Originally I thought I'd tie embroidery thread or possibly ribbon (?) in the little squares on the front, then straight machine stitch on the borders. Now not sure because I feel that the tension from tying will be looser than if I machine quilt. But, I have thread color and stitch-line-up issues between the front and back so I think I'll just stare at it a few more days. :)

So, I've been knocking something around in my noggin. Thinking of borders, what will look best, what will work best - has got me thinking of boundaries. In general, in my life. I've been working something out with God - this is definitely a work in progress! I have a tendency to feel "caged in" when I feel like I might be doing something wrong and need to cut that thing out. For example magazines at the newsstand. Frankly, there's really nothing "wrong" with the magazine. But, I find that I'm reading things about people's lives that may or may not be true and could be intrusive. It's a form of gossip and God and I have been working on me and gossip. But......when I felt a little nudge to stop, say reading the mag - I felt hemmed in. Like when our cows have gotten out and they see you coming and they deliberately turn the other direction not because it's good for them or because the other direction is safer but because they don't want to be caught. Next step is denial - I'm not doing anything wrong! Next step is justification - there's nothing wrong with this, I'm not hurting anyone, I am allowed to read a magazine for crying out loud! And continue on reading like I never even heard (or felt) that still, small voice and conviction. Hmmmmphf.

So really, why are there boundaries with God??? I've heard over and over and over and over (broken record people!) that there is safety under His covering. But, I wasn't buying it. How could denying myself be something good??? Aha. There it is - state of mind. If I approach something feeling like I am missing out on something totally fabulous - I am being deceived. Mostly all of the time I am not missing out on anything. In the case of a magazine I compare myself and my life situation with those in the magazine, completely unrealistic, but I do. It is not immediately obvious, but in turn this affects my self esteem in a negative way. That subject alone is it's own separate rant and I'll spare you from it. Suffice it to say that if I had listened to the advice from God I would have saved myself that heartache.

It's not like I have everything figured out over here. Not even close. I just want to share a little bit of the struggles I have so that maybe others can know that when you become a Christian you do not automatically have it figured out, there are still struggles and we are faaar from perfect. I know that tons and millions of people hear Christian and equal that to hypocrite. For myself, I am trying not to label anyone anything, I don't want to point a finger anywhere else but at myself. I am just trying to share so that maybe someone else might relate and find hope. Yes, people are hypocrites - but God is not.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Just so you know....

I am totally cracking up at myself right now! I was going to do a "Top 10" list about what I wanted to accomplish this weekend - then came back down to Earth and the fact that I'm not sure I'll get 10 things done! LOL! (sorry for those of you who don't like the lol thing but seriously that's what I'm doing right now :)

Okay, so Top 5? That sounds more like my speed right now!

5. Sew together the back of the quilt after the fabric is washed. I just had to sketch out what I
want it to look like yesterday at work, with highlighters, because frankly sometimes you just
have to. I might, maybe even get the quilt sandwich done??? not going to promise that but
I'm sure I'll at least get it started but not maybe completely quilted.
4. Make some triangle corner book marks - I totally kiped the idea from the Pastor's wife! - is
is that even right??? I'm pretty sure she won't mind, though :)
3. Read a book whilst laying in the hammock - oooooh yeah! I am going to try and pick one that
will not make me cry!
2. Maybe take a nap????
1. Go see ECLIPSE tomorrow with the ladies!!!!!! Ya-hoo, can't wait for that! So, we've had
tickets for like at least 2 weeks now, eeek! Jan raced out and bought them for all of us as soon
as movie times were available. I've heard from other people that it is the best one yet and
we'll love it - I'll let you know!

That's what I'm up to - how about you??? Hopefully whatever it is will be relaxing, fun and safe!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

6 am comes early.....

Right. So, remember yesterday how I said that I could tell that book would make me cry??? Ummm, I was right! Oh, man. Started reading at 9 and finished the book by 12:30 and I was just crying and crying. It was good, reminiscent of the movie "A Walk to Remember" which also made me cry. At least it was a short book! Otherwise I would've stayed up all night reading and crying. I've always done that though, if it's a good book - I'll just read and read until I either can't keep my eyes open one second longer or the sun comes up!