Did you ever feel like you're putting together a puzzle when quilting?

often I do!

This was my status last night before throwing my hands up...no longer motivated because I didn't know how to "finish this puzzle"...((Back-pedaling)) Yesterday found me by-passing Chunky Churndash because I was suddenly motivated and inspired to finish up Lucidity. And although this quilt LOOKS simple, for those of you that aren't border-making lovers, this would be a monkey on your back with all those lonnnnng blasted sashing strips!!! Really---it was like putting 11 borders on one quilt! As stated, this was my status as of 8:00 last night....backing ALLLLMOST pieced, and I simply didn't have any passion left after being 6 INCHES short!!!!!!! Bad calculation?? No, I just crossed my fingers and hoped it would fit...... sadly, it didn't...

...so, after tucking Candace into bed last night (and seeing what I had done with HER pieced backing), I was inspired this morning to throw in a strip of left over blocks. CrazyMom throws these dandies into her backings quite often too. I'm growing quite fond of them myself. This decision meant that I needed to rip out the seam I made last night and spent a good hour piecing (and cutting) the extra strip for the backing...
But my puzzle play wasn't through...noooooooooo. Next, I went to my roll of batting, not really knowing how much I had left on the roll. 20 inches SHORT across the entire width!!!!!! Scrounging in my storage cabinet, I found one package of 60x60 batting, but didn't want to cut into that yet. Hmpf.... I should have taken a picture of the what the downstairs looks like right now, because I dug (DEEP) into my bag(s) of leftover batting, tossing batting all over the place in hopes to organize it somehow.... All sizes; some large, some long strips, you name it. I ended up piecing 8 total long/little/stubby pieces together to have enough batting.

Back to work....
...with my Princess helper. Caitlyn prepped my basting pins for me and even helped me put a few in. She was so proud.
Nothing fancy with the quilting. I chose one of my decorative stitches and travelled the length of each sashing strip in purple thread...
...and Lucidity sees a finish! Binding-n-all (just no label YET).
Plans for this one??? Not sure, but it's wrapped around me as I type. The colors are lovely, lines are crisp and clean.

And tomorrow---Goal: Finish Christmas Lights I'm ALMOST done with that one too (worked on it yesterday). I only have binding left on it. SO, I'm doing well on my goals I posted about last week:
1) Finish Chunky Churndash (We'll see how close I get to that, because I'll work on that tomorrow as well, EVEN if I need to stay up until Midnight!!! Oh, wait! I'll probably be doing that anyway!)
2) Finish Lucidity. CHECK!
3) Finish Christmas Lights . CHECK! (Almost) I'll only need a couple of hours to check this one off my list.
4) Start Carolina Christmas. CHECK! I'm doing the last part of step #1 as a leader-ender right now.

Nice way to finish off 2009....stayed tuned for a final '09 post tomorrow evening!

Happy Wednesday!

It's almost here...

C'mas vacation, that is.

Some of you fellow teachers around the nation have already started rubbin' it in that you're on break----we have school through Wednesday yet.

I have only been putzing with some sewing a couple of hours here, a couple of hours there. I have really missed the obsession of needing to sew nearly 24/7...but soon! Soon! The time will return!

Two main quilt tops I've been working on simultaneously, toggling between each of them, acting as leaders-n-enders to each other.....
Lucidity...

and Chunky Churndash (for my parents).
Chunky Churndash is going to have to take the front burner now, since it will be a C'mas gift to my parents; but thankfully we won't be celebrating with them for another couple of weeks. Therefore, I'll have all of break to work on it. (NOT that I'm going to----take all break, that is).

Actually, I have some ambitious goals set over my vacation...
1) Finish Chunky Churndash
2) Finish Lucidity
3) Finish Christmas Lights (it's been in "wait-mode" for a couple of months; all sandwiched and basted already, so once I really get motivated on it, it shouldn't take much more than a day...)
4) Start crackin' away on Bonnie's Carolina Christmas mystery. I needed a new leader-n-ender today as I neared the end of sewing Chunky Churndash rows, so I start strip sewing Step 1... (see below)

Christmas Lights awaiting quilting...

The start of Carolina Christmas... Colors chosen are greens, purples, white and black. I have yet to miss one of Bonnie's mysteries, so... time (SOON!) to start cracking away at it.


Christmas is right around the corner---holy buckets! Where has this year gone? The girls went to the library last Monday for the annual reading of "T'was the Night Before Christmas" by Santa.

Snow finally hit last week, too, so it actually feels like Christmas now.

Cass had her Winter Program Tuesday evening. DH drove on the way home and picked a fight with a big doe. Sadly, no one really won the fight; the car is sitting dead in the driveway (still), and the deer didn't fare too well either. However, we all walked away without a single scratch. We're still waiting to hear from the insurance company to see what the game-plan will be... until then, I've been bumming rides with DH and coworkers.

Finally, has your family turned into a "tech family?" Pictured: Cassie playing on her DS, Candace playing on the ipod touch, Me on the laptop, and Caitlyn on the other laptop. DH couldn't resist taking the pic when he saw this; it's not QUITE the norm, but pretty close....
(anyone recognize the book on the floor????) ;0)

Happy Sunday!

A finish and a new start

Headed back home from parents yesterday morning... and after about 10 miles, I caved and pulled over. MOM wanted the gameplan to be: Cass in the middle holding the DVD player, with Caitlyn and Candace on the sides watching. Well, tshca! Cass didn't want to watch the movie; she wanted to play her Nintendo DS. Candace wanted to watch Dora and Cailtln wanted to watch Drop Dead Fred. So....the lightbulb went off, and I pulled out my computer from my bag; handed the DVD player to Candace, handed my computer to Caitlyn, and everyone (including Mom) was happy! All three could do what they wanted, which left ME to enjoy my Book on CD (Nora Roberts -- Birthright).

Yesterday was filled with unpacking and tidying. Felt good to wake up this AM and know I really didn't have anything I needed to do; other than play vball tonight at 6:00.

Here is the quilt I finished up for my MIL. I did very simple stippling in the whites of the blocks.


Some inspiration hit home this morning when out-n-about. Bonnie Hunter is starting a new mystery which I really wanted to dive in to, BUT... these purple and green fat-quarters have been calling out to me for some time... I saw a picture of a "film-strip" quilt, and fell in love with the clean lines and ability to show off a variety of fabrics. The two ideas seem to merge together... so, with too many interruptions today, I was at least able to cut, strip-sew, and layout some of the very easy blocks. And now...standing back...the one green fabric just doesn't belong!
(The one pictured in the middle here)....

I am in no rush to whip this one out, but I do want the colors to be just right as to what I see in my mind.... "Lucidity" is the name my mind sees with these colors.

Happy Sunday everyone---time to get ready for vball.