Oh dear-- a week of no updates

Yes, I'm here.
Yes, I HAVE been doing some sewing, but not at much as normal. Life got hectic for the moment at school again, and my evenings have simply been used for major vegetation! I've been exhausted!

I finished up the last of the curtains -- one for the kitchen window above the sink and one for the dining room door. Both face the west, so when we sit down for dinner or wash up the dinner dishes, the sun blares at us, looming above the horizon before setting, and is quite BRIGHT on many days. I have no pictures---simply didn't take them yet. Someday.

Last Monday morning, Paul's phone rang at 6:01 AM. The post office was calling........"Your CHICKS are here. Come and get them, PUH-LEASE!!!!!"
LOL---I guess a box of chirping chicks is enough for anyone! I can't imagine how the shipping guy(s) handled them :0)The post office is just a hop-skip-jump away, so I started getting the girls ready for school. Dad arrived back when the girls were sitting at the breakfast table. He had one simple rule---"Don't touch!" The picture of Caitlyn shows perfectly how bad they wanted to hold one. The paperwork showed they had been hatched two days before arriving.
[[No, the chicks really don't have red heads; we ordered for a buddy as well, so we asked the company to mark the two separate orders clearly since they were mailed in the same crate.]]

I am looking forward to a day in front of the sewing machine. Yesterday was a long one; we watched Cassie's Destination Imagination team compete ((NOT at a local city)). They were aliens trying to share the importance that "too much technology isn't a good thing!"
POOR OPAL! She had so much red body-paint on her. We went through a whole box of baby-wipes trying to get it all off!
This was Cass's team's first year of competition and they were satisfied with their performance, although slightly sad that they didn't earn an award. One team from our school will be advancing to the State-level competition.

The middle-school venue had access to a swimming pool, so after her competition, we dressed up all three girls in their suits and they "swam" for an hour.
The awards ceremony last almost an hour and started late.....Candace simply couldn't take anymore.

[[But she DID stay awake for the enitre 2 hour ride home]]


Happy Sunday! I'm off to start my day downstairs.

Success #2 and #3; March UFO; Stash Report March 1 - 7

Yesterday morning (Sunday), both DH and I were up by 5:30. YIKES! Yeah, I know! By 8:00, both of us were completely motivated to get some "stuff" done, so...I asked him if he was willing to tackle the wood requirements of the curtains I started TWO weeks ago already while I did some finishing touches on the fabric.


Remember Success #1?

Well, here is FINALLLLLLLY Success #2...
...and Success #3...
[[yeah, the cords are currently tied to the door handles--until we get some appropriate tie-hooks.]]

I haven't been doing much quilting work; I have taken out Deer Camp, my March UFO. NOW I remember why I put it away last year (2009).

Short version: I whipped out this baby in ONE DAY back in April, 2008. I was motivated and pumped after a day at a Quilt Show; I purchased the panel and sewed up the log cabins that evening. However, this was BEFORE I knew a few finer methods of quilting....
ie: proper measuring
ie: proper cutting of borders
ie: mastering the 1/4" seam

You can't tell that great from the pic; but the center panel is MUCH larger than the outer border of blocks; and the outer borders aren't pictured from this April 2008 version.
WHY is the panel so much larger??? I had a larger seam allowance than 1/4" when I made the log cabin blocks, and over 20+ seams, that made a HUGE difference in actual size. I was mathematically cutting my borders to what they SHOULD have been, but....well.....

After a couple of hours of ripping...UGH! That reminds me! Not only did I not know a lot about measuring back then, nor have the 1/4" mastered....I used a STUPID stitch length!!!!!! It was seriously 1MM or less!!!! Ripping out those seams was NOT fun! But---with a couple of hours in front of the TV this past week, all borders (outer and inner) were unsewn, awaiting appropriate measurements.

The inner border was only 1" too long and 1.5" too wide. NOT BAD! But the outer border.....
...one side was THREE INCHES too long and the other was 2.5 inches too long! Holy Cow! No wonder it wasn't hanging nicely.

It is now in a nice FLAT, SQUARE flimsy stage, and **sigh**....will await the return of my Bernina for quilting.

Yeah----STILL no Bernina! No wonder I haven't done much quilting! My Brother just doesn't hold a candle to the Bernina!

So...I helped take over my daughter's project :0)
Remember latch-hook ruggin????? I LOVED doing these as a little girl! I'll admit that Cass and I have each done about 50% of the complete project. There are still two rows left, and then she'll be done. We hope to make this into a pillow.

---

Although I did a LITTLE bit of quilting, no stash was used.... Simple report this week:
Stash Report: March 1
Used this week: 0 yards
Purchased this week: 0 yards
Used-to-date 2010: 70.735 yards
Purchased-to-date 2010: 86.25 yards
Net used: -15.515 yards


Happy Monday

Lazy

Yup, that was me today

Sure, I started the day off on a strong note by finishing the living room curtains, but....
After Cassie's Basketball this morning, I made some lunch and headed downstairs.
I used up another 120" of fabric today: pressing, cutting and hemming bottom/sides for the next set of curtains for the kitchen. I did NOT do any more work on the Roman Shades for the kitchen; DH has been fishing since lunch, and I need his assistance to know what wood he has in mind...

so...
After the basic hemming, I didn't have the ambition to cut/sew the tabs for the kitchen set of curtains, so, they were lain on the floor until tomorrow (??maybe??)

I figured I'd sew up another set of Paintbox blocks. But I knew I wasn't going to be sewing long once I made this silly mistake....I was feeling tired...

But set #7 saw a finish...
and here is set #6 from earlier this week.


Remember earlier this week when I said I was in the cleaning and tidying mood? Well, it didn't last much more than an evening, but a LITTLE bit of progress was made. Some fabrics in the basket and that had been hanging out on the floor were pressed and folded and placed on the 3rd shelf, while others were pressed and cut into scrap bins. However, YES, a basket of scraps STILL remains to be pressed and cut/folded.

While going through scraps though (MOST of them donated by my mother from one of her many garage-sale jackpot finds!!)...
I found this cute little panel of the Pledge of Allegiance. So, I took a break to throw on some borders. It will await completion until I get my Bernina back.


So....
Although there are some pictures of tasks, I really had a lazy day. I even napped for an hour this afternoon while the girls were watching Max and Ruby. Sure, I did a few loads of laundry, but....yeah, it was a very quiet, lazy day around here for me.

I have the Olympics on, and I don't foresee me heading back downstairs tonight. I sense an evening of web surfing or magazine browsing.

Happy Saturday!

Success #1

An hour this morning....
One-piece split into two...
Jimmied up into place for now (until hubby gets out the drill to put in the actual hardware...

Off to baskeball

Part #2 coming this afternoon: The Roman Shades for the French doors

March BOM

I am SO thankful Friday has made its way to me!
Today was a doosey, and I'm just thankful for work to be over and that I WILL be able to put that behind me. It used to be, the first few years I taught, I wouldn't be able to "leave things at the door." Only every now-n-then NOW do I find certain "issues" plaguing me in the evenings; I have become experienced enough to be able to leave most 'issues' at the door when I leave school.

Some of you have poked around enough to find the BOM updated page :0) **wink-wink**
This post is informing ALL of my followers that I have updated my Skattebo's Creations website. It received a lovely facelift, with a background that reminds me so much of MODA fabrics ;0) It's still rather bare, and I need to find time (and motivation) to get it up to the completeness my old site was, but for now, it serves its purpose. You can either link to the BOM off of the main page, or link directly to it here:
BOM by Amy. I have included the link on my side bar as well.

The blocks for March:
Scrap Happy.












Double Friendship Star













Arizona Cactus (for our AZ resident!!!)










Enjoy your weekend. My goals????
**sigh**
[[insert clashing piano chord music]]
Curtains!
I want them to get finished and hung.
Outside of that---I really don't know. I have so many WIP's in the fire; I may just sew a little on each of them.
I will wait on any actual quilting until I get my Bernina back from the shop; most likely next weekend :0( ??? Crossing fingers!!!

Happy Friday night
Amy

a deep breath...

Okay
Sunday is over, and I've had a super good chuckle re-reading THAT post...
I 100% appreciate all the WONDERFUL pat-on-back and been-there-done-that comments; I must admit that I had some great giggles at some of those comments!!!

And, NO, the curtains have NOT defeated me! Tonight after school, I ran to the hardware store to pick up some rings, eyelet screws, nylon and mounting brackets for the curtains and shades. I don't think I'll work on them tonight; they may wait until later this week, or even this weekend.

Rather, I want to remain calm ( :0) ) and enjoy my time in front of the machine tonight. I haven't made any Paintbox blocks since Friday night, so I'm due for set #6, which will have me caught up in the Quiltalong. They are simple enough where I could easily sew up a set a night and be finished by the weekend. I also haven't quilted the Nicu quilts yet, so maybe one of those will see some stitches tonight.

Happy Monday :0)

*&(^%(*@&^$ DON'T ASK!!!!!!!

Cuz I'm MORE than willing to SHARE my ~!#%##@##&^@^(@ day with you!!!!!! Brace yourselves for a long post, PICTURELESS!


So, it started like this.....

Hubby had an alarm set for 5:40, but it wasn't just our clock alarm-----NOPE! It was the alarm from his phone, which LITERALLLLLLLLLLLLY made BOTH of us jump to our feet when it went off! Holy BUCKETS!!!!!!!!!!!! It was like having a flippin CAVALRY CHARGE of bugels in our bedroom!!!!!!!

Somehow, sleep was able to find its way back into my mind and body, because the next thing I knew, it was 7:30 and Caitlyn was at my side saying, "Mom, can you turn on the cartoons?" DH amazingly DID get up at his alarm to head out ice-fishing.

So, coffee and french-toast was on the menu this morning (well, coffee for me, Sunny Delight for the girls). But, while sitting at the breakfast table---I FINALLY had had enough!

Let me explain.....

we have MANY MANY LARGE windows in our house. We have a loft-style house with HUGE windows in the Grand room / Living & Dining area. On sunny days, it is near impossible to find a place to sit without having sun blaring directly at you. Mind you, I LOVE the sun! But the four of us were scrunching into one corner of the breakfast table because we were getting blinded!!!! Enough is enough. So...........

.......curtains, here we go!

[[yeah, yeah---hubby is peering over my shoulder as I type, giggling and laughing and saying...."'bout time!"]]
[[and continuing to cackle, because he is remembering my ..... well..... my TANTRUM from a couple of hours ago. More to come on that soon....]]

Okay...so...
I spent about an hour just peeking through boxes and bags to find fabric that would be suitable for curtains and shades. I did hit a jackpot of very heavy linens with plenty of yardage. I actually was thinking of giving this box back to my mother to donate to church, because I would NEVER have used it in a quilt. Good thing I held on to it.

Still motivated, I started ironing yards and yards of fabric; NOT smelling all that great, mind you. I figured I would give them a good washing ONCE the curtains were completed.

So, out came my book: "Curtains, Draperies and Shades: A step-by-step guide". Psht! I should have found a book titled..."Ummm, you sure you want to take this on? OK---Curtains, Draperies and Shades for Dummies and the literally insane!"

After half hour of reading, re-reading, scratching my head, and reading again, I figured I was ready to actually start cutting.

I started by cutting two pieces of a nicer flannel that will be used for Roman Shades on the inner windows of the French Doors in our dining area. At the same time, I cut two panels of a tan linen to be used for lining the shades. Then....I found myself scratching my head: 'Should I fuse the lining and front panels??' I had enough fusing to cover MOST of the panels, but the sides would have been left. I spent another 30 minutes searching the book to see if it said anything about fusing, but couldn't find anything stated (even though it lists fusing as a supply???)

Anyway, so, LOTS of steam, pressing hems: tops, bottoms, sides. UGH!!!!! Then LOTS of pinning to have the lining fit perfectly behind the front panel.

Okay, at this point, it was lunch time. Things were still running smoothly, just PUTZY!!!!!!!!!!!
[[lunch -- BBQ sandwiches and homemade frenchfries]]

After lunch, I was finally able to sew. This step wasn't that bad, but I would have been nicer had I had my Bernina and a WALKING foot!!!!!

But, an hour later----two panels for the French Door windows DONE. They now await DH's assistance for the top mounting board. I also need to shop for some rings and draw-string.

It was 2:00...
still feeling motivated, I figured I would start tackling a tab-curtain for the living room.

The window measures 80" wide (finished) and the pattern suggests 1.5-2 times that length. I had 130" of fabric, PERFECT (a little more than 1.5 times the width). THIS is heavy heavy linen fabric. Nothing fancy in color or design, meerly functional.

Ironing 130" of HEAVY linen is NOT FUN! PAIN in the tuckus for sure! BUT, after an HOUR HOUR HOUR!!!!!, I had the bottom hem pressed and pinned and sewn. Then, it was time to move to the sides. These weren't that bad, because it was only 60" worth (I am not making curtains to the floor). Oh, and I also am NOT lining this curtain, so I figured it wouldn't be that bad, right?

The sides were hemmed. And even at this point, I was still okay; losing a little motivation, but still going...
Then, back to reading the book; how to make tabs. Okay, seemed straight forward, and really it was, it's just this FABRIC is a ROOOOOOYAL *&^(*@&^! [[breathe, breathe, calm down]]

Okay, snip, snip--16 tabs cut. Press, press, burn finger with the flippin' steam because these stupid things are only 2.5" wide (cut) and 1.75" finished. BUT, after some time (I've stopped keeping track!) they were ready to be sewn. Again, I wished I would have had my Bernina to put a decorative stitch on them, but needed to settle for a simple straight-stitch. No biggy.

Then.....time to attach the tabs to the curtain panel. The math was easy----every 8" (because by this point, the width was 120"). Pinning wasn't that bad, but getting a bit tougher due to the thickness of seams and fabrics in some spots.

Schlepping the weight over to the machine, parking my butt in chair, ready to put in the final line of stitching......

BREAK goes needle #1 at the first attempt of sewing the end.
BREAK goes the thread at the second attempt of sewing the end.
Okay, starting to get frustrated......
Insert size 16 needle.....
Let me explain what this "end" looks like
2 layers of bottom tab
6 layers of fabric panel (panel edges were double hemmed, and the ends have BOTH the top and side edges overlapped)
2 layers of top tab.
So that's TEN layers of fabric (THINK LINEN FABRIC) trying to get sewn!
Thankfully, the third time was the charm, and I was able to get past the end.
Every 8 inches, I came upon another tab that needed sewing (now only SEVEN layers since I only had the top edge to contend with)
My machine wasn't liking the thickness, but I muscled it along a little bit....
As I was nearing the final tabs, getting into a groove and SO THANKFUL it was almost done.....

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BOBBIN WAS EMPTY!!!!!!!

But what's worse..........

IT WAS EMPTY ABOUT 90 INCHES AGO!!!!@&*#$@^!(

[[breathe, breathe]]
((yeah, even **I** am laughing over this NOW....but at the time, a few choice words were shared in my serene quilting space.))

I headed upstairs to calm down a bit, and got a glass of water, then....back downstairs.....

So....wound up a new bobbin....WOUND the excess thread BACK on the spool (ya know, the thread from the LAST 90 INCHES!!!)

And sewed that &*!(#&^# seam AGAIN!

By the time I finished it, I was DONE with curtains forever!!!!!

Upstairs, DH was putzing, cooking something 'er other. I showed him the curtain panel and said it was all his now. He needed to come up with something to use as a rod (we have so much wood and lumber laying around that should work perfectly), and he said "No problem."

So......

Then....

He walks over to the window and holds up the curtain to the window and asked me why it was so big?

Ohhhhh.......
he
shouldn't
have
done
that.

After the DAY I had downstairs......[[seeeeeeeething now!]]
I let it fly!

[[insert typical childhood trantrum here, only picture a 34 year old quilter who TRIED doing a nice thing for her husband who has nagged and nagged her to make some curtains, and so she DID and spent HER entire free time ALL DAY working on this #(*$^(@*&^ curtain that is "too big""????]]
*#&@&*^!#
*&#@&*^@
#*&^@*@

EXCUUUUUUSE me honey, but I READ THE *@^#(*@&^ directions! They are SUPPOSED to be longer than the actual window so they can "bulk" up and "look NICE!".

But then----I reallllly lost it when I realized that I didn't split the *&^(@^ fabric into TWO PANELS!!!!!!!!!!!! One for each side of the *&#^$(@ window!

So, I yanked the flippin' curtain out of his hands, shared a few MORE choice words, and stomped down the stairs, SLAMMING the door behind me and threw the *&^(#@ thing on the floor, which is where it STILL is!

It will REMAIN there until I find the ambition to face the stupid thing again! My next task with it: split it in two pieces, which really SHOULD be easy---cut it in the middle and sew a new side hemmed seam. BUT...I don't want to think about that right now.

***huffy sigh***
Hopefully YOU actually enjoyed YOUR Sunday!