A Big Sigh of Relief

My long arm works!!! Why does this thrill me you ask? My poor, beloved machine has endured a vengeful x, storage through an Illinois summer and early winter, and non-use in the past year and a half. It's been home and "up" for 5 months and I've been afraid to discover unseen damage. It was bad enough the x stole the screws to the data cable (!?) but what other harm did he do? Apparently none! The timing was still perfect and even the top tension barely needed tweaked for the lighter thread.

So StinkerBella's Double Wedding Ring quilt top is loaded with a soft sea foam flannel backing. I'm doing a background meander with loops through the arcs and loopy daisies in the corners. I'm rusty but it is a baby quilt and I'm not going to stress about it too much. Pictures will follow soon - one thing at a time!

I've also started pieceing a split nine patch out of some Chez Moi charm packs I bought at Tammy Tadd's a few years ago. I've heard raves about this pattern every where since I saw it here on Sunflower's blog. She is one of my best friends and always does the best versitile and dynamic patterns. In her honor, here's a picture. Can't have too many quilt pictures.I love this quilt and it will hang somewhere in the new house dispite the fact hubby's first wife liked sunflowers. And for the heck of it (and because I like to brag about my kids) StinkerBella. Happy Quilting!!!


(Oh, p.s. to my friends in Illinois - It's been 70 here for two weeks, I wore a skort today. Hahaha!)

Just one more, honey.......please?

Why do the little one's only nap for an hour when you're motivated to get stuff done? And how did I do it when #2 was a baby? Now that she's mobile (and standing!), Stinkerbella has graduated to the into-everything-stage which should last the next 13+ years. This does mean I can't sew with her in the sling or on my lap - she's way too interested in the sewing machine. But hey, maybe she'll be a quilter someday.

The progress for this week - the last two days I've been working on the double wedding ring. All of the arcs are stitched down and half of the corners have been sewn on. If the stinker takes another short nap I'll finish the top today, if not I'll have to finish next weekend. Now back to work!

Multi Tasking

So long time no post.... Hubby has been home for 2+weeks (kinda like him ;) and I started a full time job as branch office manager for an investment firm last Monday. This is of course on top of teaching quilting and the three full time kids and their activities. What does this mean? That I'm tired! Seriously, paychecks are good but leaving Stinkerbella is hell and she's miserable every morning when I leave her off. But you have to do what you have to do, whether you like it or not.

I did manage to get a few things done though. Stinkerbella is now 8 months old and her quilt still isn't done. I planned a pastel 30's Double Wedding Ring using QuiltSmart interfacing before she was born. It was sweet and adorable. Perfect for my gender-unkown progeny, even perfect for a tiny new girl. BUT it's not looking like it will suit the sassy little girl I have. I do have a couple charm packs of Chez Moi fabric calling to me.....

Before:
After:

See that empty space in the after? Yeah, I lost an arc. I found it though, just have to drag the iron and the ironing board out to press one stinking arc..... grrr. Here's a closer look with the corner fabrics....


My Beginning Quilting students are all finished with project #1. They look fabulous! I'm so proud!!! Where are the pictures you ask? Well, smart me took a picture with the cell phone.... but there's no way to get it off the phone! I maybe should have thought of that first (sigh). I did finish the runner top that will be the ladies second, and final, class project. There where some cutting issues. Like I cut the wrong fabric and didn't have enough to recut, took time to figure out how to make it work without starting over. My pattern allows extra and has correct instructions!
This is what it looks like (recognize the fabric Jennie?):


This is what it's supposed to look like:

Isn't EQ awesome? I can't even tell this isn't a real quilt! On to other things!

Useful Things

Quilter's don't often get to make useful things. Yes, a thing of beauty is useful in it's own right but practical, use-it-and-abuse-it things seldom seem to enter our scope. It's just too hard too see something you've poured yourself into worn out or abused. One of the projects I made this fall (and forgot about) is definitely one of those useful things. A wish-I'd-made-it-sooner kind of thing. When Stinkerbella was a month old I made a baby sling. Best baby thing ever, wish I'd had it when she was born. Little ones want held constantly, and unless you have a domestic god for a spouse and no other children, you still have things you have to get done with or without baby. I had five other children to take care of - usually with one hand and no more than an hour or so sleep at a time. These things are $40+ on the internet, some $100+! I made mine for less than $15. It was soo simple. I did have to experiment with a couple different shoulder seams to find the most comfortable one but I found excellent directions here. I could only find one source for the rings (you really don't want to take chances with these) but they were very affordable - I'd recommend buying 2 sets (and making two slings!) for when one sling is in the wash. I'm still using it, although not daily any more, and can see where I'll use it for another year or two. Keep in mind the girl is 17+ pounds now and I'm still comfortable.

This is a hip carry, good for older babies (she's fully supported by the sling - the arm around her is habit & extra protection, her current favorite position)






the Semi-Reclined Cradle Carry - good for even tiny babies (Stinkerbella has never liked to lie down - she has to see what's going on. She's really too big for this now but it was perfect at 2 months.)











Front Facing/Forward Carry - good when they have good head/neck control (she's getting too big for this one too)



the Vertical Carry - good for all ages, feet/legs in when tiny, out when bigger.





On a personal note - if you care how you look or how your clothes hang, think about what you're wearing before you go out and use your sling in public. Putting the sling on and pulling on the tail can pull your top around and baby will pull on your neck line and give everyone a show. And thick sweaters are horribly unflattering ( I do have a waistline - sort of).

Ups and Downs

On the up: Stinkerbella is officially crawling! The best motivation is always the things they shouldn't have: Legos, small bouncy balls, ear protection.....


The house just got a whole lot smaller.

On the down: Hubby (or Mega Man) was supposed to be home Sunday. Given that he's been home once since starting this job in November, this was a huge deal. It turns out they have either forgotten to let him go or they want to keep him longer. His boss isn't sure. So we are all pretty bummed. Yes it's good he has a job but I was really looking forward to having him home - even if it was just a few days.

And just because, here are a few of my favorite quilts:


Ok, I have other quilts I like too and/or better, but I've taken pictures of these.

Back to chasing the baby and trying to cheer up the boys :(

There's Something with Kids of Quilters

Those kids of quilters. You know the ones who choose to go to quilt shows with mom and nominate themselves official trip photographer. The ones who go to kindergarten knowing the 3 B's before the 3 R's - Borders, Blocks, & Binding. The ones who want to grow up and run a long arm and write quilt patterns. Yes I have those kind of kids.

But they are becoming more "normal". We spent Sunday afternoon checking out the museums in downtown Little Rock. The Discovery Museum was cool. The kids got to pet a live alligator, broadcast themselves on TV, and build wind powered sail cars. It was geared to younger/older kids though - the 4-8 crowd. We also went to the Arkansas Historic Museum. They have an entire block of mid to early 1800's houses that managed by pure luck to all remain standing and are even still in their original locations! Of course Mini Man's favorite exhibit was the sword collection, #2's favorite the knife collection. We will of course have to go back next month because Mini Man missed the knives - he was too busy ogling the swords. They do have a quilt collection but it is not on display :(

The nicknames - in the name of cyber safety I won't be using my kids real names. It is a public blog and I'd have a fit if either of the boys ever gave out their names online - no less should be expected of me. Mini Man and Stinkerbella were easy. That other one is not. So he is temporarily #2 - until we can think of something more fitting.

Now back to the sewing machine! I have the runner for the beginning quilting class I teach almost finished and need to start the applique samples. And that means playing with my stash! So til next time - Happy Quilting!

You have to start somewhere.....

Yaah me! I got something done. Not lots (yet) but you have to start somewhere. So off the UFO list are the Hanging Sleeves and Sewing Baby Ball Holes. In my defense the quilts waiting for sleeves where hanging on the long arm frame so that's clear now to load. And Stinkerbella was starting to pull the stuffing out of the balls. Good for baby's pincher grasp, bad for eating and Swifering. So here are the balls - with their owner.


And here's another project I finished in the fall I forgot about.

It's a Minkee blanket animal. I bought the fabric and pattern at Quilter's Haven in Rockford, IL a couple of years ago. On a shop hop I think.

Ok, enough play time - back to work!

Progress

It's been a rough couple of weeks. But today I was motivated. I cleaned the kitchen, gave StinkerBella a long splashy bath, finished organizing the spare room, and cataloged my UFO's & USO's. I even found a few things I thought my vindictive ex husband tossed. Not everything, but enough to get my long arm up and running with the addition of 1 yard of velcro.

Oh all the USO's! So many beautiful fabrics and wonderful projects! And I love some of those UFO's! Not all of them. Some are UFO's for a reason.

I work so much better in a clean, organized space. So tomorrow morning I'll sew while StinkerBella naps. Work on aclamating to a new quilting space while the light is good in that room. Maybe I'll work on something I'm supposed too - or maybe an old favorite!

Brrrrr?

Yesterday's high temp at my house was 25 degrees. No big deal right? Not too cold for a northern Illinois girl. Not even cold enough to require pre-heating the car. Now things here are apparently different because Mini-man said half of his classes were empty! Kids didn't come to school because it was too cold!? I realize the "halls" of the junior high are outside but they do sell hats, coats, and gloves here. Gees people, be a man about it!

Ok, so I haven't done any sewing still but I did EQ. That counts right? Gets the creative juices going, right? Here's a pattern I think I'm going to write up and teach. I can't come up with a name though (so much for the creative juices). Any ideas?

And so it Begins

So here I go. A blog. Why am I doing this to myself? Because I went from unhappily married and inspired, putting out 20-25 quilts a year (no joke....seriously), to very happily, ecstatically married but uninspired. I've made 1 purse, 1 quilt, and 4 taggie baby balls in the past year and a half. I haven't even finished Stinkerbella's quilt! I want that part of myself back. I want to have days when I ignore the house (but never the baby!), when all I want to do is quilt. So I will do this, I will share a piece of my life, and I will make myself accountable. So lets go quilt!.... Tomorrow, now I'm going to bed.