Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Project updates...

The biggest project I have been undertaking over the past few days is cutting and sewing up a sample for the Advanced Beginner Quilting (Steppin' Out) class I am planning to offer over the month of May and beginning of June. This one will take more than the 4 nights that the Beginner's class was; I'm thinking more like 5 solid work nights with a couple of hours of "homework" every week. I had seen a picture of a quilt similar to this in my browsing on the web a year or so ago; it's use of 4-patches is enough to keep it still at a beginner's stage, yet can be considered a bit more advanced due to the HST's (half-square-triangles.) I also plan to demonstrate the Quilting-in-Sections method for those individuals who want to attempt machine-quilting on their DSM (domestic sewing machine.)

DH went to play open-gym volleyball tonight (since we had a bye in our tournament series), so I headed downstairs (UNWILLINGLY if you can believe it!!!----still dog tired! I can't seem to shake it; it must be this poopy, gloomy, rainy, cold weather!) Anyway.......

.....I headed down with intentions of just doing something small; cut and sew up the March block for Beth Ferrien's Now-n-Forever BOM (block-of-the-month) quilt . I needed to see something "finished," (even if it was only two blocks) since I have so many loose ends downstairs. Seriously; I should take a pic of all the projects I have laying scattered all over the basement floor! DoubleDelight is laying out on the main carpet area, untouched in about 2 weeks; Steppin' out is in the main concrete area; the Seven Shirts is hanging on one main wall reminding me it needs batting and quilting; my 100+ Perkiomen Daydreams blocks are scattered next to DD; Oklahoma Backroads is folded up waiting for batting and quilting; Country Spirit, Chloe's Colors, and Scrappy Irish Chain are all laying over the back of a spare matress, all in different stages of quilting, Lake-n-Lodge is also in that stack, basted; March green quilt blocks are on one shelf, and then 8 or so other UFO's are stacked in some kind of order in a spare book case......

*sigh*

When the two BOM blocks were done, I worked some more on Steppin' Out and have most of the rows sewn together, but quit at 9:00 to head up to blog......

Catching up from Monday and Tuesday.....

I know I said in my blog post yesterday that I hadn't been done any quilting on Monday or Tuesday, which is true, but I helped Cassie put together her own special blanket from fleece; one of the simple "cut and tie" blankets. She measured up the fabric and matched the bottom and top up, trimmed up the edges, and then cut slits about an inch apart. The whole project took about an hour and half; she was very excited to sleep with it right away Monday night!!!





Last night, pretty much from the moment we got home from school/work/day care and after supper was finished, I relaxed in the glider with a good book : New Moon, the second book of the Twilight Saga. I'm re-reading it (ONLY for the 2nd time---honest!) Candace and Caitlyn were going around the house with my camera, snappin' pics from their perspective again.


A few other shots they took....... Happy Wednesday!

6 comments:

Cornfield Quilter said...

Wow, you definately deserved to sit and read! Your girls are so cute and it is fun wathcing Cassie work on her very own blanket. Love seeing the younger generation enthused about fabric. :D

Laurel said...

I love your Steppin' Out quilt top! I always love when there's a secondary design going on. And the colors are right up my alley. But I have to say, even tho you insist you're pooped, you still got a lot done last night; two BOM and the Steppin' Out rows together?!!! I'd be lucky to get just the two BOMs done in an evening. Keep your chin up. The weekend is coming (and a chance for snow!).

scraphappy said...

So glad to hear it is not just me running on empty these days! I guess it is impossible to go full speed all the time. Soon enough something will inspire you to get back into action again. For me it may be the end of the month growing near and the need to finish off my March project.

Nancy said...

Oh I love the quilt....... what is the basic block? Looks similar to the Buckeye Beauty at quilterscache.com.

And as far as being tired and shlumpy... I think its the 'we are coming up on the last marking period and want it over' feeling..... the kids are starting to shut down, its rainy, cold, and we want it to be all over with.

Hugs!

Calidore said...

I'm sure it's the change of seasons that's making me tired. Couldn't be the three kids that are sick - surely??? Sit and rest and read.There's nothing better than rereading a very good book to recharge the batteries. Hope you're feeling on top of everything again soon.

Amanda said...

I think the Easter term is always the most tiring - I always used to find that everyone came back to school tired after Christmas, not rested at all, and then it was just a slog to the next holiday. It sounds to me as if you ought to pack all your projects away into different bags and then pull just one out to work on for a while - having all those different projects hanging around and staring at me accusingly would make me tired I think!