One Last Post This Year

I know I'm pushing it close. It's almost 11pm here in CST, but I wanted to update everyone on the last of my finishes for the year.  First up, another baby blanket.  I love this color! We don't have anyone expecting right now, but there's always someone around the corner and now I won't have to scramble.

Next, I am able to cross this nursery rhyme quilt off my 2012 list! Isn't it cute? It's 37" x 46". This one also will be waiting in the closet for a new owner.

Finally, there's this cute little wall hanging I made the hubs for Christmas.  He used to live in the Florida keys and is a HUGE Parrothead (fan of Jimmy Buffett) so I thought this would be a nice trip down memory lane for him.  He was very surprised and pleased.  We try to do at least one handcrafted gift to each other each year.  I had wanted to do more, but ran out of time. 

So, that's it for this year.  I'm pleased with my quiltiness this year.  I've pushed myself and tried some new things.  I made the biggest quilt thus far. I have done some blanket-stitch applique. I've gained some confidence in my quilting ability and feel good about my progress.  Tomorrow, I'll talk about my expectations for 2013.  In the meantime, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

Not your average baby gift

My youngest sister married the boy-next-door, literally.  And while I had not been living at home for years by the time my parents moved to that house, I have known her husband and sister-in-law (EBG) since before they were teenagers (more than a decade). So when I heard that EBG was adopting a baby with her hubby, I made appropriate plans to send her something (stereotypically late, but none-the-less). 

I saw a tutorial for a baby towel here and knew that's what I wanted to make for her.  So I grabbed a towel and chose a coordinating fabric.

It didn't take long to make and I like it a lot!

Friday Finishes

I'm pretty proud of myself. I completed two projects this week! 

First, I quilted, bound and gifted the baby quilt for the young lady in our church.  I'm pretty happy with this one.  The 9-patch blocks are approximately 7" square with 2" sashing.

You can see the backing I used for the back and binding in this picture, but what you can't see is the very pale white polka dots in the yellow fabric.  I'm not surprised as it was hard to see up-close as well.  I think the yellow backing complimented the top well.

The second project I completed was a curtain.  When we moved into this house last year, I was complaining to my sisters how I couldn't find a curtain I liked for our bathroom window. The previous owners had left a top curtain hanging which was about 10" in height.  It did nothing for the window and was not complimenting my chosen color scheme.  My problem was that the window is positioned in such a way that I needed something that was about 45" long because the window cuts over the countertop and I didn't want to have a solid curtain which would block the sunlight.  My sister said that I should stop looking and make my own.    Of course!  Why didn't I think of that?!  So that was the beginning of my planning process.  What did I want the curtain to look like?

I decided that I wanted the top to be this top curtain.  I had tried it initially when I took down the curtain that had been left behind, but the tabs made it hang loosely and unattractively.  Hmmm... Ok, I can fix that, but what about the bottom?  I need privacy and sunlight.

I had been eyeing this gauze-like material at Hobby Lobby.  This week, they were having a 30% off sale on their upholstery fabric.  I bought 3 yards of this fabric.  That means that with the gauze fabric and the window ribbon to create a sleeve for the rod, the curtain cost me less than $16 and it's exactly what I wanted!!!!!!!

I frogged the tabs from the curtain top, cut two 38" panels from the gauze-like fabric, hemmed it, and gathered it before sewing it to the top about an inch from the bottom of it.  I also create a sleeve for the rod just below the top of the plaid.  Here's the window pre-treatment.

And here it is post-treatment.

I was very grateful for the experiences of my youth when I made my own dresses because it made the gathering of the gauze so simple for me. 

I absolutely LOVE it! Thanks, Mary, for the suggestion that I make it myself.

What I've Been Working on...

This is a baby quilt for a young woman in our church.  She's had a rough go of it and just graduated high school.  Her baby is due Friday, but she's still planning to go to college in a few weeks.  I don't know if she's crazy or idealistic.  She's very lucky to have the support of her family and new husband. 

Anyway, I've had these squares for a couple years and I thought a nice 9-patch with sashing would be cute.  I have to say that I'm pleased so far.  I had hoped to have this quilted yesterday, but I processed a bunch of veggies we'd harvested during the day and didn't get to the store for batting until about 5pm.  Monday night is also date night, so no sewing time after end of business.  Today is another story, though.  I'm done with veggie processing (all the romas, melons, and corn yesterday) until Saturday.  I have a nice yellow with white polka dots fabric that I'm using for the backing and binding.  I have another project I'm working on as well.  Pictures to follow tomorrow. 

Another Finish - SIL3's blanket

Saturday, we made a special trip after commencement to rural Midwest to see SIL3 and her family.  Their newest addition arrived last Friday (May 4) and the hubs wanted to see his new nephew before he left on his big trip.  I literally finished tying off the blanket as we drove up their driveway.  Here's a picture of the finished product:

And here it is in use that very evening!

Baby W is SO adorable!

It was only overnight, but definitely a good trip!  We were so pleased to meet baby W and to see his sisters again.  It's always good to be loved so much.

WIP... Thursday?

Normally, WIPs (works-in-progress) are a Wednesday report for most blogs... but most blogs are not written by a doctoral student. :o) I report when I have two minutes together.

I am almost finished with my Spring semester obligations.  I just have one final project left (due next week) and I received my feedback on the drafts last night.  I no longer have to make the 5-6 hours round-trip drive (depending on traffic) this semester either.  So, I'm taking today off from schoolwork.  This morning I checked email, read a few blogs, drank coffee leisurely and planned the rest of the day.  I had hoped to have lunch with a friend, but it wasn't in the cards.  So, instead, I worked a little on this blanket. 

I'm really loving this pattern.  

Yesterday, the hubs came home with flowers! It was such a pleasant surprise.

This afternoon I am planting a couple of bleeding hearts (one pink and a couple white) in the front.  Our front yard is in shade for most of the day, and I wanted perennials that would thrive in this condition - especially since the grass doesn't do well.  This spring, we turned soil in two feet swaths along the retaining wall, sidewalk and patio and planted a couple dozen shade-loving perennials.   Hopefully, by the end of the summer (or the beginning of next spring) we'll be able to see the beginnings of a beautiful shade garden!

I also have some onion plants to put in the ground.  The other day we were at one of the local home improvement stores to buy a new front door and saw that the tomato plants were huge and on sale for 50% off!  So, I'm going this afternoon to pick up a few of those and check out what else they have.  I'm also running over to the new garden store to see what they have.  Last fall, we learned that our favorite, locally-owned garden store was closing after several decades of business.   Apparently, they were unable to weather the slower business from the area flooding.  Anyway, they were bought out by a well-known, regional gardening group.  When the hubs drove past last week, he said that the greenhouses are overflowing with plants.  I can't wait to check it out! 

Enjoy the weather!

What I've Been Up To...

 Lots of homework!  That's probably not what you expected - or maybe it is.  I'll tell you what, I feel like there's always more reading and writing to do.  My Spring Break is not until next week, and BOY am I ready for it!  I had hoped to spend the whole break working in the sewing room, but last week I had some homework dropped in my lap that will have to be done over break (seriously??).  So, I'm going to have to do some school work still, but I will definitely be getting some sewing done as well!

Dr. BB was on Spring Break this past week and he was finally able to work on my Valentine's Day presents.  We bought a turning lathe earlier this year for him (his dad has one and has been teaching Dr. BB over the last couple of years).  He turned a blush brush, a lipstick pen and a perfume spritzer for my purse!  Aren't they lovely?

Meanwhile, I've been working on another baby blanket.  I haven't been working on it much during the week, but last weekend we drove up to Minneapolis for a hockey game and I was able to get quite a few rows done on the way there and back.   I'll write more about it when I've completed it.

So, that's what I've been up to lately.  I'm still struggling to find me time, but I'm not sure it will ever be something that comes easy to me.

See? I Have Not Been Slacking!

While classes are in session, it is typical for me to become overwhelmed with homework, research, and studies.  The semester almost always weighs on me until I "break."  Not in the sense that most people do, but I get to the point where I'm just not happy and frustrated with never doing anything I want to do because all the things I have to do take up all my time - sometimes even more time than I have to give and I lose sleep because I'm up late doing work and get up early to make sure everything is done on time.

I hit this point week before last.  I've been feeling alone and missing my friends (from my foodie friends to my best gfs who are always so supportive).  I really needed to nurture my soul.  My subtle signs were not getting the desired results so I took things into my own hands.  I organized a much needed "stitch-n-bitch" then I committed to spending some time on crafts throughout the week.  You would think this would be an easy commitment as I haven't been spending any time on crafts since classes started this semester.  But finding even five spare minutes is a challenge.  However, I know I need to take a break (however small) from school work and teaching to nurture my soul.  

So, that's what I'm making a conscious effort to do so.  This week I finished one of the projects on my 2012 "to-do" list.  This little blankie will be mailed off to my DB1 and SIL4 for their new baby (due in a few weeks).

So cute!  I'm happy with it.

And I started another "to-do" project.

This one is going quickly (which is good because this is for another baby due soon).  I can't wait to show it to you!

Finding time for me is always a problem.  I'm sure it is for some of you, too.  So, my question to you is: how do you find the time to nurture your soul?  How do you do it?

In-Law Visit

The In-laws came to visit the weekend of November 12th.  Unfortunately, my MIL came down with the flu the first day.  

I felt really bad for her, but at least she was able to curl up on the couch w/ a blanket and recover slowly.  While she was napping and the boys were off to Menard's for some home improvement shopping, I worked on the binding for the pinwheel baby quilt.

I'm making progress - it's just not going very quickly.  The binding is about 2/3 completed.  

It's inevitable that if I have a blanket on my legs, a kitty will be settled in shortly.  I don't mind most of the time because it is comforting to have them there.  This time was no exception.  Mac was unamused by my attempt to record her nap on my legs while I worked.  

I just have this week left for classes and I'm very much looking forward to working on some projects over my break.  

Baby Blanket Finish!

I completed this blanket at 1am last Sunday morning.  It was just in time for little Levi's Christening Sunday morning.

It's made out of terry yarn that I've had for years - waiting for the right project.  It turned out so thick and soft.  I hope Levi gets many years of use out of it!

While I Was Away...

While the move itself only took a few days, the preparations took months.  We had to pack everything in preparation for the moving company, but that included several big trash bags of shredding, four pick-up trucks of Goodwill donations, a pick-up truck of book donations, etc.  The nearly 1,000 mile drive was long, but relatively uneventful, and I had a job interview the next morning.  I got the job and started the next week.

It seems like the last four weeks have been a blur of activity, from finding a new bank, to organizing the garage, to finding a new church.  But I have been busy...

This last set needs to be finished (there are no ties on the sweater, and the edging hasn't been done on the bonnet.

Now that we're becoming a bit more settled, look for more projects!

Closer...

I was also able to work on the spring wall quilt a little. I got the borders on and pinned the top, batting and backing together.

It's only about halfway quilted, but as I told my sister, it's not bad for only an hour here and there between working, cleaning and preparing for our big move.

Given my schedule for the next two weeks, I probably won't be able to finish it until the weekend of the 24th.

On Friday, I was able to finish a baby blanket I'd had sitting in a project bag for a few months. The baby is now four months old, but it's a good spring blanket. Here are a few pictures of the finished product:

IMHO, this was a very nice baby gift. The yarn was very soft - just what a baby would like to rub against their cheek.