Counted cross stitch

It's been a long time since I worked on a cross-stitch project. I have half-finished one that is a birth announcement for my now 10 or 11 year old niece, but I can't seem to find it! (Not that that's a shock since most of my belongings are still in storage, but since I started it after my move across country it is a bit of a mystery!)

I've been looking for a small project that won't take up too much space (as I don't have a lot to spare) and will satisfy my need to craft. A year, maybe two, ago I picked up this cute little kit. It's sat on my shelf in the other room ever since, but about a month ago, I really was craving to start something.

I love that it's so portable and I can bring it outside when I take the dog out in the morning. It's also giving me a great sense of completion which boosts my delicate confidence.

My Oh My

Every semester I'm optimistic that I can do more, but I'm always mistaken. Last week, I had an exam that took every moment of my time to study for it. I believe I did well enough, but the course kind of terrifies me.  To reward myself for getting through it (and for all the time I devoted to it last week), I spent some serious time in the sweat shop over the last 48 hours.  I'll tell/show you what I've been up to, but first a little progress report.

I'm making a wall quilt for February (yes, I'm aware that the time has passed... but there's always next year!). I'm using a Miss Rosie pattern called Speck.  I'm making both X's and O's using a charm pack each of Chemistry and Always and Forever. Since I'm using two charm packs and the pattern only calls for one - so naturally, I cut twice as many little white blocks for the corner. Unfortunately, that was not nearly enough. As it happens, I had to cut four times as many!! I ended up becoming so frustrated that I had to set them aside for a bit (before I threw them somewhere they didn't deserve).  This is how far I've gotten on that project:

So, I'm very behind on my BOMs. There was a bit of a glitch on my Memories of Provence BOM deliveries which meant that I ended winter break behind where I had planned to be. In addition, I keep getting two blocks a month and I haven't worked on it since January! I'm feeling bad about that.

Then there's the Blogger Girls BOM. The third month was just posted last week and I'd only completed the first month. So after I cleaned up the shop and put away my birthday purchases (tell you about that in the next post), I got down to business to at least get month two's blocks completed.  I'm doing the full-sized option so making two versions of each block which also means that I'm four blocks behind. But four blocks is a whole lot less than 7 or 8 behind (as with Memories of Provence). So, that's what I tackled first. 

I had cut out the background fabric and the colors for the first block and was in the middle of piecing it when I turned back to my machine (from ironing) and found this:

I tried to move her, but she wouldn't budge until I got the camera out. The turkey!

Anyway, I love the first version of this block. It's pretty much perfect.  The second version went through some changes. I initially planned on using three fabrics, but after constructing the first three stripes and auditioning the third fabric, I decided to repeat the second fabric instead. I'm happy with the results.

Here's a close-up of the version 2 second fabric. I love the little stars in the check.

The hubs was on spring break this last week and finished the trim for the back door we put in. The travels for his job this week as well. The most important thing, though, is that I have spring break next week!! I can't wait for this week to be over.  We just got some icky weather topped off with lots of snow. So not only am I looking forward to the "break" (which isn't much of one because I have lots of homework to work on before the end of the semester), but I'm also not looking forward to travelling in this crud. Oh well, it's just one more week, right? :) I plan to at least finish catching up on the Blogger Girls BOM.  Hopefully, I'll start on a birthday gift for my mom and another for my sisters. 

Next time: what I bought with my bday money!

Easy Street Mystery

Have you guys heard about Bonnie Hunter's latest mystery quilt, Easy Street?  You can see the latest linky post here.  Bonnie originally suggested a grey and white as neutrals, deep purples, teals and lime greens as colors for the quilt and many quilters are following that suggestion.  But there are several others who are creating their own color schemes.  I have to admit, while I like the  original color pallet I'm not in love with it, so I would probably choose a different combination of colors.  I was thinking chocolate brown and cream as the neutrals, and rich red, pink and tan as the colors.  Or maybe red, green and blue.  Or pink, green and blue. Or yellow, orange and red.  

My semester is almost over (both teaching and taking classes) and I am anxious to get creative in my sewing room.  Dr J has completed his section of our Christmas gifts, but I still need to do my part, and there are two Christmas quilts I was hoping to get to, and his quilted gift.  I can't wait to get in there!

More Progress

Stack of twos

Pressed stack.

I'm making steady progress on this project.  I know a young man who would be thrilled to hear that... if he even knew about this project.

Epiphanies

Yesterday, as I was driving my massive 2.5 hour commute home from class, I had an epiphany.  Despite loud, upbeat music to motivate me on my drive, five hours round-trip still gives me a lot of time to think.  An unfinished project randomly jumped to mind. I began this project a couple of years ago, but lost interest in it as I was trying to complete revisions on my Masters thesis. Once I'd lost interest it was very hard to get back into it.  It somehow didn't fit the intention for beginning it anymore and every time I thought of it in a re-purposed manner it didn't quite fit that either. But yesterday, I knew exactly what the purpose of this project is meant to be!!  The more I think about this change in purpose, the more I am committed to it.  That's a good sign, no? 

I'll post pictures when it's complete.

Yeah!

I am in between teaching sessions right now.  My last set of classes ended September 16th and I finished grading their final assignments on Friday Sept. 21st.  My next session of classes doesn't begin until October 8th which means I do not have any teaching obligations until October 7th when I have to prep the online classroom(s).   This also means I have a little more time that I can spend in the sweat shop which is good because the holidays are just around the corner!

The timing couldn't have been better. This last week was incredibly stressful.  I had two exams and a class in three days.  One of the exams was in Statistical Methods which is not my strong suit.  I get the math, I just don't get the interpretation (what does getting this number mean? I have no clue).  I've gotten a tutor as a result of my grade on that exam.

Anyway, I needed sewing therapy.  I've been working on a Jelly Roll Race quilt.  I'd heard you could finish it in an hour.  I think those people who said so are on crack.  There's no way you could finish it in an hour - two or three possibly, but definitely not one.  It took me an hour to prep the strips and sew them together end to end.  Then another to create the bulk of the quilt and another 15-30 minutes (approximately) to cut and sew on the borders.  Here's the flimsy on our bed. (Please excuse the boxes and totes, I am slowly working through the closets and prepping for a charitable donation.)  Obviously, the double-wedding ring quilt is the quilt we have on the bed during the summer - so ignore that peaking out as well.

I used Coffee Cake Treat Strips that I had found on sale ($29.99 instead of $39.99). I'm still not sure how I feel about the quilt top.  It's pretty, but not what I was expecting.  I really thought there would be more diversity of strips together.  Instead, most strips are placed every other strip which is a bit too close together for me.  I bought that fabric collection because of the neutrality of the colors.  I think it will be a nice addition to the living room.  We have a fleece blanket on the couch promoting the hub's favorite NHL team, and an afghan for my recliner which is fine for the fall/spring, but in the dead of winter, the afghan's composition (holes between stitches) makes it not as cozy as the fleece or a quilt. 

Fabric.com was having a sale a couple of weeks ago and I bought a nice 90" wide cream/natural flannel for the backing.  I will quilt it next weekend.  I'm really looking forward to this quilt this winter! 

Then it was on to the next project.  This one has a deadline and I needed to complete it while I'm on "break" from teaching.  I'm afraid this is all I can show you right now, but not to worry.  Once I send it out, I will post pictures.

So far, I'm pretty pleased with the project.

A Little Help...

Progress on the HS quilt is slow. I tire easily with the fussy cutting of the 9-patch squares and have become bored again.  So, I moved on. I'll come back to it, but I needed to make some visible progress on a project.  So, I finally finished the binding on this:

Yeah! So, I'm continuing at least one finish a week and I feel good about that.  I'm working on a couple nameplates for Christmas stockings.  Those should be completed this week too... if I have time.  We have company coming.  A lot of company.

Anyway, I would like your feedback/opinion on what to work on next.  I need a wall quilt to switch to when July is done (but have no idea what it should be - should I continue with the summer theme or go for an autumn look?), I also have a couple Halloween projects to work on, and an anniversary wall quit (or four) to complete.  So where do you think I should go with my next project?

Tedious Work, That.

I finally decided what to do about that quilt top from the 12th grade.  I spent most of Friday ripping stitches and taking apart the pieces that had been sewn together.

There.  That's done.  But BOY! was it boring!

Now that everything is in pieces again, the plan is to iron it all and square it up before trying again.  I have faith that it will work better after using the acrylic rulers to square 'em up.

Friday Finish - 4th of July

Wednesday I showed you this block as part of a larger project I was working on.

I indicated that there was more to it than just that bock, but not much more than that.  Last weekend, we took a little trip to Sioux Falls.  The hubs wanted to shop for beer brewing equipment.  We had heard that there were a couple stores, but we were supremely disappointed.  If we need brewing supplies, we're going to go back to Minneapolis, I think.

Anyway, the hubs surprised me by looking up a few quilting shops to take me to! AWW! While shopping in the first store, he saw this project and loved it. I mean LOVED it. The kit was reasonably priced at $19.50 including the backing!  Wednesday morning we got up and walked the dog and then after a shower, we went to our separate shops and worked on projects.  It wasn't long and I had another block done.

Before you knew it, the top was done.  By 4pm, the whole thing was complete!  Look how nice it looks on the entry table:

You can't really see it, but all three fabrics have gold pattern on them, but you hardly notice the color, right? Crazy.

So that's my 4th of July projects. :)

WIP Wednesday

Working on a project I planned last fall.  I think the young lady this is meant for will be thrilled when this is complete.

Change of plans

The original plan was to complete the quilt I began in the twelfth grade.  So, I opened the box and found:

OK, this is what I thought it was.  I can do this.  However, the next things out of the box were:

Um... OK. Precut...some already sewn together.  Now keep in mind that this had to have occurred about 20 years ago which means that it was before rotary cutters and acrylic rulers which also means that nothing is exactly square and/or the same size. Instead of dealing with it right then, I moved on to another project which I should be able to show you in a few days.  I have ideas on how to adjust/fix the 12th grade project, but not willing to tackle it just yet.

The other adjustment I had to make was we adopted this cutie two Mondays ago and for the first ten days, I was alone with her.  M is four months old and we think a German Shepherd/Boxer mix.  She doesn't like to be alone, is still learning to be house-broken, and developing a relationship with our geriatric cats (10 and 11 years old) so spending time in the sewing room has been a bit of a challenge.  But isn't she adorable??

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.

Giddy

A couple of weeks ago, I read on one of the quilting blogs I follow that Hancock's of Paducah was having a serious sale on a recent collection by one of my favorite fabric designers, Fig Tree & Co.   I seriously love her stuff!  Anyway, the fabric was on sale for 53% off or $5.98/yard!!!  I bought 13.5 yards worth and 2 charm packs for $5.98 each (since the charm packs are normally $10 each this was a steal). What a bargain!

I did not buy any of the blue fabric.  I'm not sure why, but it just did not fit in my vision of this quilt. I'm planning on making the Elizabeth quilt from Miss Rosie Quilt Co. It's an older quilt pattern - coming out in the spring of 2005, but I love it and I think this collection will be perfect for it! I just love the colors.

Obviously, I won't have time to make this until this summer when I'm not in classes, but I want to work on it now.  I'm that happy with the fabric.  I think it will make a perfect quilt for the back of the couch this winter.

What do you think?

Learning to Knit...

Two weeks ago, my friend and fellow faculty wife (Sara) and I took a beginner's knitting class.  Sara' grandmother passed away last year and Sara had inherited a lot of knitting needles and a couple bags of yarn.  She thought it would be fun to take a class to learn to knit.  When she contacted me, we were both on break still (she teaches 8th grade science) and I could certainly fit it in.  It turns out Michael's has classes!

We signed up for a Saturday afternoon class and we were the only two there.  It took some time to adjust to the process, but we were making major progress by the end.  Here's Sara working on her project (a pair of fingerless mittens).

She finished the one that night.

This is how far I got during class.  I'm making a scarf to start with.  I love the color of this yarn and it's super soft and cushy!

A couple nights later I was having difficulty sleeping so I got up for some tea and worked on my scarf a little more. 

School has definitely taken up a lot of my time (even now I should be working on school work instead of finishing this blogpost).  So, I haven't done much with it in a couple weeks.  To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about knitting yet.  I like the concept, but it's very awkward for a long time crocheter to make the change to knitting.  I have a bag of this gorgeous plum yarn that I bought specifically for a sweater many years ago (at least 15 years).  I had hoped my mom would do it, but given that it took her 25 years to complete a quilt for me and more than a year to complete a scarf for Dr BB, my expectations are low.  Given that, I would like to learn at least a basic cardigan pattern so I can make the sweater I've always wanted, but I hesitate to make any claims beyond that.  

As always, I will keep you posted. (No pun intended.)

2011 Unfinished Projects (UFPs) Update and 2012 Plan

At the beginning of 2011, I recapped my progress on projects here.  I think this is a good thing to do each year and helps keep me honest.  I always think I'm going to get more done and I get a lot done normally, but not always.

In 2011, I planned to complete:

Full quilt (blue, green and pinks that I began in the 12th grade which no longer fits my style, but we could use another quilt around the house.)

Three anniversary wall quilts

Finish binding on pinwheel baby quilt

Three Christmas stockings (barring any other family additions this year)

Nine patch, Mother Goose baby quilt - need to finish piecing, quilt and bind

Two Christmas wall quilts

Witch and Candy wall quilt - all cut out, but needs to be pieced, quilted and bound.

Haunted House large wall quilt

Winter Penguins wall quilt - almost done, I just have to finish the binding

Three potholders for a friend

Nina's Tea Cozy

Verity's Tea Cozy

Dr. BB's Office Wall Quilt

As you can see, I did not get much accomplished last year.  The flood that lasted the entire summer, move to a new house, and beginning a PhD program really threw things out of whack for me.  This year, I plan to take on a couple new projects as well - like applique. 

In 2012, I plan to complete:

Full quilt (blue, green and pinks that I began in the 12th grade which no longer fits my style, but we could use another quilt around the house.)

Four anniversary wall quilts

Nine patch, Mother Goose baby quilt - need to finish piecing, quilt and bind

Two Christmas wall quilts

Witch and Candy wall quilt - all cut out, but needs to be pieced, quilted and bound.

Haunted House large wall quilt

Winter Penguins wall quilt - almost done, I just have to finish the binding

Three potholders for a friend

SIL3 new baby gift

SIL4 new baby gift

Mary's Tea Cozy

Two Christmas stockings to fill an order

Of course I hope to add to this, but since I did not get much accomplished last year let's start with this. 

Another Tea Cozy

I've been away for far too long!  Last semester ended in a rush, then Christmas left as suddenly as it appeared and I was back in the classroom again. Holy moly... boy, did that go by quickly!  

Anyway, I promised pictures of the tea cozy I gave my middle sister for her birthday.  It took her forever to get to my parents, but she finally did and now I can show the gift! 

Nina had chosen this fabric collection so long ago, she'd forgotten about it.

I was cutting the insulated interior out with a little help.

I quilted around the center square and continued to spiral around beginning at 1/4" and moving outward.

I bound the edge with the same fabric I used to enlarge the panels.

And that was that.

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.  

A Non-quilted Project - The Milk Box

When we bought this house, the previous owners had left an old milk box in the "garage."  Dr J really wanted to put it on the porch, but I wouldn't let him do that unless it was sealed against the elements so it would be preserved.  We went to one of the local craft stores (who happened to be having a sale on the supplies we needed) and bought some sealing paint, stencils, stencil paint and a brush.

Last weekend was Dr J's Fall Break, so we were doing quite a few outside projects.  I laid some newspaper down and put the box on top.

Then I did several coats of the white spray paint.  I basically just kept coating it until there was no more paint left.

Then I stenciled "Milk" on the front and top of the box (sorry - no pictures of that process because I forgot.)  Then I sprayed the lettering with the same sealant I used on the sign for the front door (seen on the door in the final picture).  This is the end result.

It's cute, but I'm not completely satisfied.  It's a little plain and the "L" looks like a "2" to me.  If I had free-hand painting ability it would be no big deal, but I don't.  So, I'm not sure what I'm going to do to remedy this.

Obviously, we don't have milk delivered anymore, but packages will fit nicely in there.  It looks just right under the mailbox!

A close-up of the sign (sealed and hung), for inquiring minds.