Showing posts with label Instagram swap. Show all posts

Woppet Swap Team #woppet_kiwi Part Two

I received my Woppet swap package from Betsy in Germany last week.  She made me a two-sided bucket lined with the cutest flamingo fabric.  I should mention that I love plastic yard flamingos.  I find them really amusing and I also use them to strategically protect some of my flowers from the deer.
Isn't this a nice swap package?
Anyway, I got a really nice bucket and I love that the sides are stiff so that it stands up.  One side has a pieced block and the other has some flamingo hexies.  She also sent me a much-needed couch caddy for sewing that I've been using all week.  It lives on my arm chair now.



Some new fabric snips, lots of fabric, some bath salts, and some German Lindor candies were in the package too.  I'm so pleased with everything she sent!  I can't wait to try the Lindors to see if they taste the same as the ones sold in the U.S.
I've had some brief bursts of productivity. I started quilting my Astrid quilt.  Does anyone else think of The Office when they hear that name?  LOL.  It took me an hour to get the first four inches quilted.  I haven't had time since to go back and work on it.
I made 12 Halloween napkins last week.  I sent eight to my sister--forgot to take a picture of those before I sent them.  I also made four for us.  
I also started piecing the Fig Tree jelly roll diamond pattern.  (Note:  fabric is by Sandy Gervais, I think.) I had made the strip sets a while back and then left them all piled up on my bigger design boards.  I have a guild Sewcial day this weekend and thought I might like to take a design board or two with me.  So I needed to start sewing to clear some off!    I've accepted some imperfections in some of the seam matchings, so it's not too bad.  I need to make 20 some-odd of these.  Pressing will be fun...

I cut out all the fabric to make another Floral Burst quilt--I call it a cross quilt.  The pattern is from Love Patchwork & Quilting issue 31.  It's on the cover.  I made one for my mom two years ago, I think, and decided to make one for myself in a slightly different color way.  I'm planning to work on this at Sewcial.  

 I've been working on some small cross stitch projects in the evenings--so glad to have my new sewing caddy to catch all my thread trimmings and to hold my scissors.
Now that my husband is completely finished with his class, he has been working on getting the window in my sewing room trimmed.  Obviously not painted yet!  Now that the leaves are falling, you can really see my neighbors' house through the woods.
And we still have four and a half weeks before the FLL competition, so tons of time is being spent there. 


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Woppet Swap Team #woppet_kiwi

I mailed out my Woppet swap package on Saturday, and the recipient, Amista, received it on Monday.    As I've been mentioning, I really struggled with what to make for this swap.  (Who am I kidding, I struggle with what to make for almost every swap.  It seems like I always get someone with a HUGE social media following and then I feel a ton of pressure.)  Anyway, I finally settled on making a Sew Together bag and a unicorn cross stitch for the extras and went with the plain Tula Woppet bucket.
Woppet bucket made with various Tula Pink fabric lines including Elizabeth, Eden, and Spirit Animal.
I love the elephant print I used for the lining, but I could not get my camera to focus on it at all.
Sew Together bag using various Alison Glass fabrics and linen.
The flying geese pattern I used is from Michael Ann Made.
The inside was pretty bright.  I had a terrible time finding any zippers to coordinate,
hence the crazy green one.

Cross stitch pattern by CrossStitchDaily.com, available on Etsy.
I changed a few of the colors.  For the white, I used a combo of white and blending filament.
I also added some outline stitching around the unicorn to make it show better. 
Here's everything I sent.  The Hot Wheels car was for her son.
The swap requirements were 1. a Woppet bucket, 2. a handmade extra,
3. other extras to total $10, and 4. a fat quarter of your choosing.  Mine is one of Heather Givans's lines.
I think she liked it.  Social media commenting has been pretty positive, so I'll call it a win.  I haven't received my package yet.

 We are deep into the FLL season and we are super far behind.  Only six weeks to go.  My husband is finishing up his ninth of ten Masters classes this week.  Then he gets a break until March, so I'm hoping my sewing room will be finished within that time.  Right now we are waiting on my father in law to finish up my cabinets.  I'm also moving toward officially offering my long-arm quilting services to the public.  I just need to decide on a business name, which is turning out to be much more difficult than I anticipated.

 Speaking of long-arm quilting, my daughter has decided on a fairly complex custom quilting design for the Astrid test quilt I shared a few weeks back.  It will be a challenge, for sure!  A lot of ruler work and custom free motion filler.  Plus, the blocks are huge, so they don't completely fit in my available quilting space.  I'm anticipating it taking a good week to finish. I'll update as I go along.

 I finished up my applesauce canning project last week.  I had a half bushel of apples and got a yield of eight quarts and one pint.  I also had a bit of hot applesauce bubble out of the pot and burn my hand pretty badly.  Luckily it's only a quarter-inch or so size spot.
Until next week, happy sewing!

Linked to crazymomquilts and confessionsofafabricaddict.

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My Quilting & Sewing Agenda

I mentioned last week that I was pattern testing for Megan at Tiny Orchard Quilts.  I finished my quilt top over the long weekend.  Once you get all the initial sewing prep finished, the actual block assembly and top assembly goes really fast.  Another nice thing is that there is very little waste (it is a very efficient use of fabric). This top is 72" x 96". I used Tula Pink's Spirit Animal fabric with Kona Snow for the background.  My daughter picked all the fabric combinations and selected the block layout.  
I selected Tula Freefall wide back fabric for the backing and my daughter chose one of the Spirit Animal prints (purple with birds) for the binding.  In case you couldn't tell, she has claimed this quilt already.  She wants custom quilting rather than a pantograph.  This is in line behind the Nessie quilt my son has claimed.  He also wants custom quilting and he was very specific on what he wants done on each part!

 You may know that I maintain a pretty extensive UFO/WIP list here on my blog.  It seems really overwhelming to me at times, so I made a shorter list to help me focus on things I'd like to get done sooner.  Currently I have 13 quilt tops ready to be quilted, eight quilt tops in progress that are relatively close to being done, and five I'd like to work on but haven't started yet.

 I also have three cross stitch projects in progress that I'd like to finish.

 And I have fabric to make eight shirts for myself.  I really need to get these done because I could use some new shirts!  Many of mine are too big or are worn out.

 Plus, I really need to work on my Woppet bucket swap.  This will probably get to be first in line since it has a firm deadline and firm check-in dates.  I think I know what I'm doing for my partner, although it isn't what I initially planned.  I want to make one as a test before I cut into the actual fabric though.

 I also need to resize some of my doll clothes patterns.  Speaking of dolls, be sure to click on the My Friend Doll link at the top of the page.  I updated it with photos of the amazing outfits my great aunt sewed for me as a child.

 I'm pleased to say that I currently have all of my flower gardens and vegetable garden under control.  I've done everything I can do right now for my sewing room (waiting on others for things I can't do).  My daughter's dressing table has the paint on and just needs a clear coat to finish.  I do need to have new mirrors made and we need to find a chair to go with it.  The rug to go underneath is on order.

 Looking at this, things are going better than I thought.  That's always nice!  I do, of course, have the time drain of the FLL season for the next few months, but my weekdays are primarily free, so maybe I can get a move on and accomplish something?  One can always dream!
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A Start, a Finish, and Progress

I completely finished the Serengeti quilt I quilted last week.  I made a flanged binding, the fabric for which came in the kit I'd purchased.  There weren't any directions for how to make the flange, so I turned to Google for help.  I read through several different tutorials and finally went with the one that made a 2.5" finished strip, since that was the closest measurement to an actual binding I could find.  It went pretty well and I feel that it adds a bit of oomph to the finished quilt.  The only thing I didn't like about it was that it cut off the points of my top and bottom flying geese units.



I started a new project too.  I am pattern testing for Megan of Tiny Orchard Quilts.  This is still a work in progress.  I have three blocks done so far.  The fabrics are Tula Pink's Spirit Animal and Kona Snow.  When I purchased the Tula fabric, I figured I'd just use one of the white fabrics I had at home.  They were too stark with the fabric, but then I remembered that I had a large chunk of the Snow that was the wrong color for a previous project.  It looks good with the Tula and I used up something from my stash.  Score!  Be looking for her new pattern soon!

Last week I was debating whether my paint color choice (Valspar Homestead Resort Jefferson White) for my sewing room was going to work.  My wonderful husband wired the lights in the room so that I could see how the actual lighting looked with the paint.  I think it will be fine and put the second coat of paint on yesterday. In case you're wondering, we always tape off around the ceiling with the wider painter's tape.  This helps not only with getting a clean edge, but with avoiding roller marks on the ceiling too.  They land on the tape instead.  Which is good, because painting ceilings (or touching them up) is just the worst.

I ordered my flooring from flooringmarket.com.  We chose this place because it had good online reviews and the price was very competitive.  They also offer free shipping. The ordering process was super simple and painless.  I ordered on Tuesday and had my flooring delivered Friday.  I had anticipated that each box would weight 20-30 pounds, and in reality each box is just under 50 pounds.  I'm really thankful for the FedEx driver who used the lift gate to unload the pallet even though the shipper didn't pay for the lift gate.  As you can see in the picture, the flooring is AduraMax by Mannington.  It's a luxury vinyl plank. The color I chose is Sundance Gunstock.  I'm sorta laughing because it is very similar in color to the paneling that graced my walls in my childhood bedroom, which I always thought was dark and ugly.  Hopefully it will be better on the floor!  
Can you see my ugly paneling on the wall behind me (I'm in the center)?
An approximation of the wall color, flooring, and trim.  The trim will be more white.
I've been meaning to get this Nessie quilt quilted for several weeks now.  My son has laid claim to it and has very specific ideas on how it should be quilted.  He wants random clouds across the top around Nessie.  I can't draw a cloud to his liking, nor can he draw an example of what he wants.  We use the Magna Doodle to practice designs.  Until I can figure out the cloud situation, it sits and waits.

I'm still agonizing over my fabric choices and what to do for extras for my Woppet swap partner.  This is a tough one.  I think that almost every time I do an Instagram swap because my partners generally like things that I do not have in my stash and that are extremely specific.  I thought I knew what to do for this current partner, but now I am really questioning it.  And I can't just keep buying all sorts of different fabric.  I wish, but that is not my economic reality.  Gah!

 MQX Midwest is quickly approaching.  Just three weeks away now.  I'm excited to learn more longarm skills.  What shows or expos do you like to attend?  Do you go to take classes or just to browse the exhibits?

 Have a great Labor Day weekend. I can't believe it's that time of year already!  Until next week, happy sewing.

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Lots of Little Progresses

I don't feel like I've accomplished much since last week, but looking over my pictures, we've made a good deal of progress.

 First, the bathroom in the basement.  We were really hoping to have everything done by the end of last weekend, but the counter fitting took significantly longer than expected.  And we took several trips in to Menards and Lowes.  And we took our daughter practice driving on base and she sort of got pulled over by the Navy Police.  Mostly it was coincidence and he didn't use lights and we were in a parking lot and there wasn't any issue.  We got a fun story out of it.  

 Anyway, the bathroom walls are done and look great.  The toilet is back in, cleaned, and functional!  I may be most excited by this part.  The counter took a lot of lifting on and off because the drywallers built the corner out too much and it is out of square.  So my husband had to trim the quartz on one end to make it fit nicely.  I think we lifted that thing off and on four or five times and hauled it outside and back in a couple times.  But it's on.  

The next logical step would be to hook up the faucet, but I really wanted to see the light fixture on the wall.  So the light works and the plumbing hook ups and outlets are currently in progress.  I have cabinet knobs on order since the store only had three of the four I needed.  The only thing I still have left to buy is a mirror.  We debated getting a framed mirror since that is what is in style, but I have one upstairs and I hate it.  It collects all sorts of grime and dust.  I will purchase a big, beveled edge mirror because that is what I like.  Trends be darned.

In the sewing arena, I have now received all my Polaroid blocks.
Here are some I sewed for myself.
These are all the extra ones I have left.  I'm still open to side trades.
Here are all the diamond blocks that I am procrastinating on.  I was surprised by how yellow the fabric reads as a whole, although I'm happy to see it doesn't look quite as yellow in the photo.  Oh, and look--there are all those Queen Bee blocks that have been hanging around for a few years. The blocks that are left on that require appliqué or hand sewing.  Could that be why it's still unfinished???


I sewed up this quilt top from a kit I bought a few years ago.  There was supposed to be enough fabric  for the backing too, but they neglected to take into account that the fabric is directional. Duh.  So I am going to have to piece a backing somehow.  I bought a little extra fabric because I didn't like the flying geese main triangle fabric that came in the kit.  When I bought the extra fabric, it was a three fat quarter bundle, so I will probably try to make the extra fat quarters make up the difference on the backing.  Still, it is really annoying that they didn't give enough fabric to do it properly.
I went fabric shopping because I needed a few things.  (More below.) I was really happy to find some yardage so that I could make a backing for this quilt.  It's a great big one.  Not sure when I'll get to quilting it, but at least now I'm a step closer.
Finally, I joined another quilt along.  I didn't really need another project, as anyone who has visited my works in progress tab up above can attest to.  However, I'd been looking at just how much fabric I have and I was feeling pretty guilty over my excess.  I also was noticing how some of it goes together.  And I had seen mention of #DashAlong on Instagram and the quilt is one of my very favorite blocks, the Churn Dash.  While the pattern calls for a layer cake, I realized I had almost enough in my stash to do the entire thing.  I purchased four extra fabrics to balance out the colors.  There are so many different manufacturers in this--Riley Blake, Moda, Windham, Timeless Treasures, Cotton + Steel, Dear Stella, Kaufman, a few unknown (no selvage).  I hope it turns out well!  I'm terrible at envisioning a finished product.  It's not too late for you to join in too.  Just search for #DashAlong for the free pattern and details.
I'll be trimming HST for the rest of the week.  What are you working on?


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The Final Three

I finished three more quilts last week before the guild meeting.  I ended up with 20 entries in the drawing, and as a guild we finished 60 UFOs.  Even though I had 1/3 of the entries in the jar, I did not win the money.  Bummer.  At least I have 20 completed objects.

 Here are my three finishes.

 This first quilt is a mystery block of the month by Kimberly Einmo that was published in American Quilter magazine in 2005.  I had made all the blocks and then left them in a box all these years.  I think that happened because I had something turned differently than what the pattern required.  I decided no one would notice and just sewed them all together.  Those borders took me like an hour a piece!  I quilted it with a pantograph and machine bound it to have it finished in time.  It is stunningly bright in person.  It looks quite summery.  The outside border fabric is a Moda and was labelled "Classic Florals by Moda".  Not so many designer lines back then.  I'm not sure what this quilt's fate is yet.

Next is a Row by Row quilt from last year.  This is a kit I bought from Modern Domestic and had to wait until the end of Row by Row before they could mail it to me.  I had to add backing, batting, and binding, plus some extra black because I mis-cut a piece.  I think it's so cute!  I did ruler work on the long arm to stitch in the ditch and make the grid.  I'm planning to hang this in my sewing room, assuming it (sewing room) gets done sometime in the next decade.

My final finish is one of my favorites.  This is a kit I got on clearance from McCall's.  Score! The fabrics are Miss Kate by Bonnie & Camille and a printed, solid blue coordinate (white on the back, blue on the front).  The pattern was printed in McCall's and is called Bursting Star.  You can find it online.  I quilted continuous curve with a ruler through all the star points and drew a freehand design for the corners.  I just love how this turned out.  I think I want to hang this somewhere in my house.



We've had exceptionally rainy weather lately.  This is good, because we were in desperate need of rain.  It's not so great for trying to take quilt pictures or doing anything outdoors.  It stopped raining long enough the other night that we were able to go for a walk.  When we came back, we started to walk along the sidewalk in front of the house and almost got hit by a mockingbird flying out of the clematis.  My husband looked at the vine and found this nest.

So far this year we've hosted phoebes, house finch, a sparrow (those babies didn't meet a good fate), and now the mockingbird.  I'm sure there's lots more, but these are the nests we've found so far.  

We also have a hummingbird with a broken beak.  My kids have nicknamed him Chubs because he's quite portly and aggressively defends one of the hummingbird feeders.  His beak looks like a seam ripper right now.  I read that the beaks can be broken by flying into a window or fighting with other hummingbirds.  He seems to be able to drink from the feeder with no modifications right now.  We will let mother nature take her course on this one.

Other things happening right now:  kids are with their grandparents for two weeks.  I'm kinda bored.  I've been doing a lot of cleaning and tried out a new steam mop yesterday.  My hard floors feel so clean.  I'm planning to do a requested resize on one of my doll patterns.  I have a secret swap to work on for guild.  I'm finishing up my #PolaroidGreetingSwap3 blocks right now.  I'm hoping to get to the post office to buy international stamps tomorrow and then get both domestic and international envelopes mailed.  I'll share pictures of all the blocks soon.  Or you can check them out on my Instagram feed.  Link to right and up a bit. ---->

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