Pro-gress!

So I've made 6 adorable Tutu's, 5 fun T-shirt/Onesie dresses, and 1 cute Bandana dress. All done and hanging for sale at the local Trader's Mall. The Bandana dress has even already sold so I need to get cracking and make a few more of that one! But did I remember to take pictures? Nooooo, of course not! I did however, use a couple old bandanas that belonged to my grandfather and used to be hung as the valance in Mini-man's room when he was small and made Stinkerbella a top. They are old and a smaller size, so too small for a dress. Now I did try to take a picture of this one, but every time I get the camera out this happens:

Then this:And finally this:"Peese, Mama, Peese!" No sweetie, you still can't have the camera. Now get over there and be cute so I can take your picture!

Game Plan

So now that I have a little unplanned time on my hands, I've decided to make myself useful. I'm going to go cruise the local thrift & consignment stores in town for baby/toddler T shirts and make some dresses to sell in the local Trader's Mall. I'm also thinking of making some Tutu's too. Maybe I'll do Esty. Will get to work and post some pictures!

Lotsa Updates!

Once again - long time no blog! This time I have gotten several things done though.

I made this dress for Stinkerbella:
(I'd post a better pic but she likes to run towards the camera!)

I quilted this top my MIL made for stepdaughter #3:

I quilted loops in the "rails" and echo quilted the print. Not too shabby :)

I made this one for my cousin's new baby:

See that orange frame in the blocks? That's 3/4" cut. What possessed me to put 1/4" sashing on a baby quilt? Well, mama will appreciate it - she's a budding quilter.

I also quilted a baby quilt for MIL. I know I did a few other things too but I forget!

Life's been busy too - kids growing like weeds, got let go from my job (I thought taxes should be deducted from my pay, my boss disagreed), adopted a shelter dog.

This would be Nala, our Great Dane/Hound/? mix. (Translation: BIG) She's too thin but getting better and an absolute sweetheart. She's housebroken and all the kids adore her. And she clearly adores the kids. Her personality seems to be all Dane. The housebroken part is real high on the list of pluses for me :)

Light Bulb!

A revelation struck me last week - I'm having a hard time finishing my UFO's because I DON'T LIKE THEM! Some of them are much loved and stopped for valid reasons, like lack of (expensive!) batting or the right idea for a border. Others I just don't like. Those need to go. So give me your opinion - anyone interested in a give-a-way? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

Forgetful me!

While the knitting is going well, quilting is progressing at a snail's pace. But did I remember to say why? Of course not! QuiltMom is back to Working QuiltMom. Just as panic was setting in I found a job. The pay isn't good (we're talking 30% pay cut from my last job) but the potential future with this company is very bright. Heck, they're sending me to Germany in December at their expense! And I work from home 2-3 days a week. It really helps balance the low pay.

Another neat surprise - my mother-in-law decided to start handing out my phone number to people looking to have their quilts quilted and one of them called me. She was just looking for a price but it's a start. Apparently there is quite a shortage of longarmers in the immediate area. It maybe time to bite the bullet and put an ad in the paper to take in tops for people. I may not feel ready for fancy custom quilting, but the basics and a little beyond are well mastered. We'll have to see....

And now a quilt pic, because I need one. Don't you?

Ooooo, pretty!

I think I'm in love! A friend's blog mentioned an Etsy shop she loves give-away and Wow! I love the fabric on their home page. Lorenza by Alexander Henry is my new favorite fabric. I'm all about girlie things since StinkerBella. Go check them out and enter their give-away.

Branching Out

First of all - isn't the new blog template great? Many, many thanks to Template-Mama and her wonderful blog and fantastic directions.


What is this you say? A scarf?! Mittens?! These are not quilted! Well after trying to work on UFO's, QuiltMom craved new learning. New quilt supplies were not in the budget and toddler demands mean larger chunks of time in the basement are just not possible. I did however have a stash of 30 year old yarn and an 11 year old who wanted to learn to crochet. With internet directions in hand, #2 learned to crochet. He's making this scarf for his grandma's birthday. Ssshh, don't tell.

Well crocheting didn't appeal really but knitting, now that sounded challenging. And I hate not knowing how to do something. It's a sickness, I know. So, in just under 3 weeks I've taught myself how to knit and made 1 scarf, 1.9 mittens (ran out of yarn & local store is out), and 1/2 a sock. Plans are in the works for a sweater for StinkerBella. Cables, I think. I'd like to try those. Is quilting gone? HECK NO! But I can knit in the living room and play with the girl. I can make useful things and be cost effective. It definitely has it's place. Who'd want to miss things like this?

FYI - that bag my girl has was my first applique project 11 years ago. Drew it myself. Didn't even know fusible web existed - I held the pieces down with pins!

Note: Some quilting has been accomplished too, just nothing finished yet. Slow but steady.

Perils of Not Pre-Washing

So after 10 years of not prewashing, disaster has finally struck. I made StinkerBella several T-shirt dresses using some favorites from my stash as skirts and a beautiful blue batik bled all over what used to be a bright pink T.It actually is worse in person. I've rinsed and rinsed and rinsed and dye still pours out of this fabric. Sigh. I loved this fabric but I'm glad a quilt wasn't ruined.

Now will this make me into a pre-washer? No, probably not. If anyone knows a cheap way to stop the "run", please let me know!

A Vile Book

I re-read a book I own this week and once again wondered - why on earth do I own this book? It's Fat Girl by Judith Moore. The inner cover and reviews make this book sound like a triumph of woman over biology, a victory. It's not. It's 196 pages of self loathing, I spent the whole time reading it wondering if the author was dead by her own hand. It tells the author's life story from childhood on and never once calls the mother's and grandmother's treatment of the girl for what it is - blatant child abuse. Every page is full of hatred, just to read it makes me feel bad about myself. The whole book views being heavy as a permanent character flaw. It even implies those who are fat are evil at heart. It's not that I don't understand some of the sentiments. Believe me, I've been there. I'm not *huge* but I was heavier during my first marriage and the shame of being told you're too fat to f*** never goes away. Once that idea is there you always wonder if you're too big to be loved or desired by anyone without a fetish of some kind. There is no light at the end of this tunnel, no acceptance, no recovery, no hope, just a never ending spiral of despair. So, I've made a decision. This book will not stay under my roof but I cannot in good conscience give it away to possibly damage anyone's self worth. So I'm going to destroy it. It's not a no-one should-ever-read-this-burn-them-all thing. I simply don't want to be responsible for passing on the idea that being fat is a moral failing or damaging anybody else's self worth.

Progress...... or Tales of a Free Couch ;)

So a solution has appeared for my rut - a free couch my husband got on Craigs List. Huh you say? Eeeew? No really, it's a couch from heaven. So it's very 1980's but it's clean and comfortable - an excellent basement couch. How did this help my sewing? I spent Sunday organizing and straightening the basement in preperation for it which also meant getting out and putting away quilting things. I've sewn everyday since. Stinkerbella's quilt is done. Yeah! To paraphrase a friend - Wow! She's only a year old!


I've also finished the bag portion of a Rumbleford Bag I started for my niece when she was born. She goes to kindergarten in a couple weeks. Yikes!


All I have to do is get some gromments and it's off the list! That will probably be a trip to the hardware store tomorrow. Can't go without Hubby - he loves the hardware store and today is going to be crazy busy. Two school open houses & football practice on top of the usual daily mountains of laundry and dishes. Back to work!

Side Tracked

I've been so side tracked since the move, I can't even locate the tracks! My sewing machine is still packed in the box. I have plenty of UFO's mere hours from completion, I just can't get my butt down there and do them! Maybe it's me, maybe it's the 6 kids, I'd just like to figure out how to accomplish something everyday. Any ideas?