Facet + Plus QAL Finish

I did it!  I stuck to my goal of making just a little time for sewing (nearly) every day this month, and I finished my quilt top for the Facet +Plus Quilt-Along !  It was down to the wire, really.  I had to sneak some sewing minutes and put off some chores last night in order to have a finish to link up to Amanda's wrap up post today over at This Mom Quilts.

And, I had to get up a little early this morning in order to get a picture to share with you before getting ready for work.  But, I did it!

And here it is!

I am pretty happy  with this lap quilt, overall.  There is one fabric that I wish I could change. The white print is too close to the pale grey background. Not enough contrast in those blocks means that the overall pattern gets lost.  But, that also adds some interest, I guess.  Plus, there's just so much pretty in those prints,  that I smile every time I look at them.

This  was my first experience with a Quilt Along, and it was a great one to start with!  Amanda's directions were clear and easy to follow.  She provided pictures, diagrams and cutting charts.  There was even a coloring page which helped me with planning, but which I also kept close at hand while I pieced the top together.  I'm happy to say, all of my rows went together smoothly and correctly, thanks to that chart!

I have no immediate plans to baste or quilt this top.  I think that I want it to be not only my first Quilt Along Quilt, but also my first FMQ quilt.  However, I have a lot of practicing to do before I will be ready for that.

So, this pretty little lady will have to wait patiently for a while.

Pop over to This Mom Quilts to see Amanda's  almost-finish of her beautiful design.  She will have links to other finishers' posts, too.

Thanks, Amanda, for creating this fun QAL, and letting me join in!

National Sewing Month

And somehow, its mid-September!  Its been a whirlwind of back to school, new routines, the first cold of the school year,  and rehearsals for the musical that my daughters and I are in.  I've had intentions, most nights, of posting, but, quite frankly, this schedule has left me tired and without a lot to write about!

At the start of the month, even though I knew it would be a doozy, I set a personal goal of  getting into my sewing room every day , even if only for 10 or 15 minutes.  That was to be my own small celebration of National Sewing Month.

Did you know that September is National Sewing Month here in the U.S.?  Click the link to go to the website and learn  more!  There are a few project ideas, and a list of ways to get involved.  I'm not entirely sure how useful the list of ideas is for any of us, as I think you're likely to already be a sewist like me, if you're reading this. However, I LOVED the suggestion that employers give people time off from work to sew or teach others to sew!  Sounds good to me! Who wants to forward that to my boss?

Anyway, I haven't been 100% on in meeting my goal, but, I'm happy to say I've found time most days to get little bits done. Unfortunatley for blogging purposes, it's been mostly boring sewing of the utility type.  I've done some mending, some ironing (yuck) and FINALLY managed to shorten three pair of pants that have been sitting around so long that I had to try them on to make sure they still fit around the waist!  (They did.  I was hoping to be able to report that they were way too big now, but, no.  They fit perfectly.  Which is not exactly a bad thing, I guess).

My daughter joined me for a pants- shortening marathon over the long Labor Day weekend.  Every pair of pants she bought on our school clothes shopping trip needed to be hemmed.  She is petite, and self-conscious about it.  Now that she is fully out of girls sizes and into Junior's sizes, she is even more aware of her lack of height, as well as other body image issues.  Every single item of clothing she put on fit strangely somewhere.  Honestly, I find the same thing is true for me when I shop. Proportions and measurements just seem off. Exactly who do these clothing makers think they are dressing, anyway? What is up with the sizes?

It's an interesting topic, actually,  I've listened to a few podcasts on the issue, and have read a few eye opening articles about the lack of standardization in women's clothing sizes and how sizing "guidelines" have changed over the years.  I'm coming to realize, and hopefully teaching my daughters, that clothing sizes really have very little to do with body type, and that we fare better when we make clothing to fit our bodies, rather than fretting because our bodies don't fit the clothing.  I've started to buy clothes a bit bigger than I need, and alter as needed so I get the fit I want.  My next step is to get more comfortable for table with garment sewing so that I can make EXACTLY what I want.  My daughter already  does this a bit, and I love it when she wears something she made to school.  I think that takes a rare kind of confidence.  And, I'm so proud that she shortened her pants by herself.  Maybe she won't grow up to be someone who leaves them sit around in a pile for months!

Alright, this has been a long post with nothing fun to look at.  So, I will end with a few pictures of my slow progress on quilty things.

I am getting really, really close to having a completed Facet+Plus top!  All my blocks are done, I've laid them out and stacked them in order, now I just have to sew rows and join them!  So. Close!

 Amanda at This Mom Quilts plans to share her completed quilt on Monday, September 19, and she will link up with anyone else who has progress to share.  I am going to try really hard to have a completed top AND a completed blog post to share that day.  It's good to have a goal, right?

Yes.  There was a block missing.  Yes.  I panicked.   Yes. It has been found.

I've also done a bit of puttering with the half-square triangles that I've used as my leaders and enders for the few months.  I got curious about how many I had, and what I could do with them. Here's my favorite layout with what I have so far.

Despite the terrible lighting in this picture, I think it's going to be really pretty!

I will be linking up with a few of my favorite mid week linky parties this week.  Be sure to stop by and take a look at all the amazing works in progress out there!

                              The WIP Link  Up at Silly Mama Quilts.                      
                                Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts
                           Finished or not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts

Small Steps

Today is my first day back at school.  Summer Break is officially over for me.  My girls have a week left.  We've been busy, as we were all summer, doing what we do.  Karate and dance, orthodontist and doctor, haircuts, family games and school supply shopping.  The days have been flying.  There are a few new and different things in the mix, too, which have some of us exploring the outer edges of our comfort zone!

I am following along with Amanda's Facet+Plus Quilt-Along at This Mom Quilts.  I am not caught up, and I most likely won't ever manage to be, within the dates she has set for us.  I'm OK with that.  I just do what I can do.  I have to resign myself to that attitude about most things this time of year, and if I accept that, I find I'm much happier!  I will be sad to see the finished quilts at the end and know that mine is not among them, but, I know I'll get there eventually.  These fabrics are too pretty to leave sitting around for too long!

Despite not keeping the deadlines, I am finding that I really like the QAL format.  I've never done one before, but I will again!   Focusing on just the cutting, or just the first step helps me to keep from getting overwhelmed.  But I suppose that's why QAL's are so popular!

I am only able to devote an hour at a time, maybe three or four days a week to sewing these days, so progress is slow, but it's steady!

It's been fun to watch these blocks grow.

The coloring page has been an absolute necessity, particularly since I am using three different color groupings! Thanks, Amanda, for providing it!   I have had to put sections up on my make-shift design wall in small groups in order to make sure I have everything in the right place
.

Luckily, when I put the last part up there, I had exactly the right combination of colors and block orientations!  Whew!

I've sewn a double line on the diagonal so I have lots of bonus HST's!!

I am hoping to start step two, which is the same as step one, but with the lighter colors where the darker colors are now, for some Friday night sewing.  But, there's still school clothes shopping to do, and I fear that might win!  Amanda's schedule has us piecing the quilt top on Monday.  I look forward to checking out the #fandpQAL posts on Instagram to see what everyone else did.

I will keep plugging away, making small steps toward what I think is going to be a real beauty of a quilt top!

                                                  I'll be linking up to :
                                      Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts
                                   The WIP Link Up at Silly Mama Quilts
                           Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
                   Can I Get A Whoop-Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

One last thing.  Both of my girls and I are doing a community theater production of The Music Man.  I'll share details as we go along,  but for now, Oh Boy!  What have I gotten myself into?!

Five Things To Be Happy About Friday

I almost skipped posting this week.  It's been a week of heat, humidity, crazy busy schedules, back to school preperations and an ant infestation in my house.  I just wasn't feeling the happy.

But, as Melva said in her Five Things post, "Even in the worst of weeks, there is always something to be thankful for."   She is right, of course. There's so much to be grateful for, and happy about.  Even if it's just the fact that the ant thing only seems to happen once every few years!!

Here are some things that did bring me joy this week!

Our first ever batch of pickles!  What a process that was!  But it was fun, my girls got to see how it's done (and me too, for that matter!) And they are pretty tasty!

These pretty sunflowers!  A coworker gave me the seeds in a little basket at Easter.  I almost tossed them out, but my husband planted them in an old coffee container.  We've had such fun watching them bloom on the deck.  And there's been a beautiful butterfly hovering near them the last few days.  So pretty!

This weirdo.  She makes me smile...always. (She got a henna tattoo on her arm this week, at the library.  Just for fun!)

After a long day of running around and doing things for others, I was not looking forward to making dinner for my husband and youngest daughter.  When I asked what they wanted, my daughter (the weirdo above) said, "Let's just have a night where everybody makes what they want."  Best. Answer. Ever.  Cereal and berries for me!  Why not?

And now, if you need me,  I'll be in the sewing room for the rest of the night, working myself the rest of the way out of my funk!

I hope your week was wonderful, and your weekend even better!  Check out Amanda's post at Gypsy Moon Quilt Co. to see what's making her happy, and check out the comments for even more reasons to smile!  And, thanks, Melva, for the reminder!!

Quick and Easy Sweatshirt Blanket

I spent a few hours last week making a surprise for the recipient of the t-shirt quilt I shared recently.  When she gave me her t-shirts, she included several items I couldn't use due to their weight or the type of fabric.  I knew I wanted to do something with them, though.  I decided I'd use the  sweatpants, hoodie and flannel pajama bottoms to make a lap sized blanket.

Shhh!  My assistant wanted me to crop her out.  But she's just too cute! 

It came together really easily!  I just cut the largest sized rectangle that I could get out of each item of clothing, centering the logos.  I cut rectangles from spots with no logo, too .  Then, I laid them out, trimming and rearranging until I had something that worked.

When the blocks were together, I spray basted the top to a yard of snuggle fleece.  A little bit of stitching in the ditch holds the front and back together, permanently.   I finished it off by bringing the edge of the fleece around to the front, turning it under once, then stitching with a running stitch.

Binding clips = no pins in the carpet!!

  I am so pleased with the way the binding looks!

My favorite feature, though, is the pocket from the front of a Hoodie that I included at the top.  It's placed in exactly the right spot for the user of the blanket to tuck her hands into in chilly weather.

This is NOT the recipient of the quilt.  Just my cute assistant, again.

If Hailey  decides not to take this blanket to school with her this fall, I know her mom will put it to good use.  It's perfect for snuggling under by the fire, watching football games on chilly Friday nights, or just to cuddle with while reading  (and, I'm sure, missing her oldest child).  

I'm going to link this post up, but I'm not sure where.  What are your favorite link up parties?

So far, I'm linked at Monday Making at Love, Laugh, Quilt, and Let's Bee Social at Sew Fesh Quilts

Have a fantastic week, quilty friends!

Five Things To Be Happy About (#8)

Oh, August.  Such mixed feelings I have about you!  Am I saddened by the rush of days that will soon bring an end to our summer routine, or sweetly anticipating the shift in the weather and the promise of new adventures?  August is, I think, the embodiment of the word bittersweet.  And I can never decide how I feel about it.

Maybe it was just that August melancholy that kept me from getting this post up earlier in the day.  I tried, this morning, to write it, but the words wouldn't come.  I typed, deleted, tried again, stopped, started...and eventually gave up.  I wasn't feeling the happy, and couldn't force it.

The whole day has been a bit like that.  One step forward, two steps back.  But, I have been able to remind myself that the good things remain, even when they are hard to see.

Here are some things that have soothed my anxious soul this week...

Listening to "maker" podcasts as I've worked in the sewing room. Hearing these conversations have made me feel connected to the work I'm doing and to the community we share.  I have smiled and laughed and nodded in agreement more times than I can count.

Observing my daughters together.  The younger one got up early this morning (6am!) to go running with the older one.  It was a quick run, but they came back laughing and high fiving.  This week they've worked on their 4-H record books together, played games and shared late night snacks. They have seldom been grumpy with each other.  There is so. much. love.  I am blessed.

Using and enjoying what we've grown in the garden.  We haven't always been good about this, but this year we are  making an effort. Lots of fresh stUff in our meals this week, and, tomorrow I will attempt to make pickles!!!  Yikes!

And, a few pictures (because, fabric & doughnuts!):

Getting ready to start piecing on the Facet Plus QAL.  Aren't they sooooo pretty?  I realized I was a bit short on one of the fabrics, plus, I just really wanted more, so during karate class on Tuesday, I ordered more!  Love technology!

And my happy mail came today!  Sheryl at BrewStitched is so quick and my fabric was packaged so nicely.  Happy, happy for sure!! 

And who can resist a doughnut and coffee.  It makes you happy - the cup says so!!!

I hope your happy was easy to find this week.  Pop over to Gypsy Moon Quilt Co.  and see what everyone else is smiling about!  It's contagious,  it really is!

Five Things Friday (County Fair Edition)

Happy Friday!  It's County Fair Week, here, so I have a special Edition of Five Things to Be Happy About for you!

I love the fair!  It's been a crazy busy week, with a lot of running around and rescheduling of regular activities, but it is the best week of the summer for me.  I absolutely adore watching my girls talk to the judges about their projects and take on the responsibilities of volunteering in the food stand and action and promotion booth.  I love the music and the vendors and the food, the exhibits of flowers and quilts and decorated cakes.  I love running into people we know. Even the vendors building where you could spend all day entering drawings for free stuff (and spend the next month dodging phone calls from sales representatives) provides a nice break from the sun and humidity. I remember all of these things from the county fairs of my childhood, and I am so glad that my girls are getting to experience them too.

And, even though my parents told me (and I tell my girls) that it's not about the ribbons, it's pretty cool to see my girls earn blue ribbons, and even better, merit awards and state fair entries!  They outdid themselves this year!  And the best part was that their projects were really and truly theirs.  I did a bit of prodding here and there to make sure they remembered the deadlines, and I helped solve a few problems along the way, but I was pretty hands- off on the actual construction and completion of the projects.

Emily had help from her dad in building her state-fair bound checker board, but, the judge was very impressed with how well she explained the process, used the correct terms for hte tools they used and described the problems and solutions they encountered.  He told her that working with her dad was one of the best things she'd ever do in  4-H, and they they should be very proud of themselves for BOTH surviving!  (He also asked her who needed more patience, her or dad...which leads me to beleive that the man has daughters!  LOL!) Before this week, she wasn't sure she wanted to continue in the woodworking project, but the positive outcome just might have changed her mind.

We are heading back to the fairgrounds in a bit so the girls can enjoy midway rides with their friends.  We have not ventured down there yet, so I don't have pictures.  It I get a good one, I'll come back tonight and edit my happy pictures.

But for now, here are 5 Fair Things That Make Me Happy:

SNEARY picture in picture action.  So proud of them, both!

Not my quilt, but I just love it.  It's Moda Building Blocks. Made me smile every time I saw it this week.

Stop by Gypsy Moon Quilt Co. to see what everyone else is happy about this week!