Will Work for Fabric

Departure Gate 2

OMG, that big stitch quilting is making my fingers sore! So I need a little break from that, so I planned on a visit to my Bernina today.  You see, it's been a while....I got so caught up in the "I don't have any handwork to do " panic that I prepped three projects, and have not visited my long lost friend in a while.  So while the lazies slept,  I got an early start. 

Did I have a plan, oh no, I did not.  As the great philosopher Sponge Bob would say "Tartar Sauce"!!!  Now I have to cut something out?  ok, let's do Double Delight blocks and Doll Quilt Swap 8 miniature quilt....cut? check!  and we're off!

Today I was able to finish 240 square in a square blocks for the Double Delight in progress., go to the movies with the kids (2 thumbs up for Percy Jackson---I laughed, I cried, I sang along with the music) and got the center of the DQS done....

This little part is 9" x 16"  so there's some LITTLE pieces in here.  Some half square triangles on the sides and then borders all around.  This little one will be done in the next day or so.

And now time to get ready for the week.....let's hope there's no snow days, or other expected weather, I have alot planned!

This day at the machine was brought to you by the letter S for sore fingers, soft fabric, small pieces and super Sunday.

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan 

Finishing an iffy month....

The first few weeks of July were not so wonderful for me.....I spent time in the hospital from salmonella, I'll just say me and talapia are now having a long distance relationship....and then I had people trying to break into my house at 3 in the morning one night when my DH was away, and then well, mattress adventures, a family of skunks moving in.....but fear not I turned to retail therapy in a very big way with just 4 letters.....S...A...A...B.  

I feeling much better now, thanks!

And I even managed another finish...my third this month!!!!

Being part of this group has really spurred me on

So this little one is going to our friend, the realtor, who's been so kind to us thru our transactions....

Now I think I'll go for a drive and hope that August is a little kinder to me.....I can't afford any more of this therapy!

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

Hopping

So a while back I was asked to design the shop hop quilt for the LQS.  In this shop hop, each shop has package of 8 (or 10, I can't remember) squares of red.  Each comes from a different manufacturer, thus ensuring that no two shops will have the same fabrics in their bundles.  So the challenge for me was to use all of them  and to use most of the square provided.  I did not want people to cut a little 2" square of each fabric, I wanted them to use the whole 10" square they bought.

So true to form, I finished it and neglected to take a picture, and it went right over to the magical Jeanne for quilting and she sent me some pictures....so now that the quilt is "going public", I can show you Jeanne's pictures (thank goodness she's more organized than me!)

and look at her quilting.....boy, she makes my simple design look gooooood.

So now I guess I better to writing the instructions, just in case any of you NJ Hoppers want to make one too.

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

taking liberties

my poor machine, I've been spending so much time with Aunt Millie that my machine has been making little yearning noises from the other room.

So I relented this week and visited just a little every day.  I decided on a few NY Beauty blocks.  At this point, I would love to make a great big NY Beauty but this is all I can muster up the strength for...

and besides, I don't have time to sew, Monday is Dr. Suess' birthday so I have alot of baking to do!  Our school makes a BIG deal out of it....parties, Reading Across America Day celebrations, etc. I might not to able to volunteer to do alot at school but I can sure make a mean rice krispie treat.  Ok, so it's not actually baking, it more melting, but you get the general idea.....

This weekend is all day teaching at Cozy Quilts in River Edge  on Saturday and then a day of melting and baking....now if I could squeeze in a pedicure and the house magically cleaning itself, it would be perfect!  Hope you have a super weekend too!

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

Geez, they crack me up....

So today was my turn to pick up the kids and the conversation, the great philosophical discussion was:
which would you rather have-----the super power of invisibility or a puppy.  The bottom line end of the discussion??  if you had both, oh what bodily functions you could blame on the other......geez they crack me up!

So let me backtrack.  My kids are going to college.  Ok, so it's not for 7+ years.  But I'm going to have two at once and I started getting nervous.  So nearly two weeks ago, I started a new full-time, put makeup on everyday, go to an office and do interesting things job.  Oh sure there are some adjustments around here.  But change is good for the soul.

I have learned in these nearly two weeks that I am very very lucky.  I have  a wonderful babysitter who happens to be a dear friend, I have a great support system at home and from the other moms in the neighborhood.  Ok, so I need to lower my standards when it comes to home-cooked meals and household cleanliness.  Hey you're not hungry and you've got clean underwear, what else do you want?  But we'll adjust , everyone will be fine.  And besides in this job market, who knows how long any job will last.  I'm just thankful for it as long as it does.

And it makes me treasure these little moments even more when the  genius in my minivan teeters between bizarre and hilarious.

And now how do I fit a bit of stitching into all of this?  Well, it occurred to me the other day, I know the perfect little 6" blocks to work on....a little at a time, not a big time commitment to make one. I don't even know how many I have done to this point, I'm not going to even count.

So last nite, I did this one....

Slow and steady......I'm not even worried about the race.

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

won't you be my neighbor??

sorry, channeling Mr Rogers.....

This little neighborhood is only 22" square and is a newly finished sample for my miniatures class
 
ooo, it feels good to be checking things off the must finish before the holidays list, and especially when it is done without the purchase of any new fabric!   Now, let's see what's next on the list.....totebag gifts perhaps??  stay tuned....

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

Change of Plans

Well,"Veg in front of the TV" day turned into "quick clean the house---company is coming".  Company was lunch with my parents---a nice treat for a Saturday afternoon!

So in an effort to actually finish my Doll Quilt on time, I decided to machine quilt it today instead.  There's alot of intersections and distractions on this little quilt.  So for a change, I flipped it over and quilted it from the back.  That's right, reversed the pins, put full faith in my BSR, threw caution to the wind.....and off we go.

It is most decidedly a leap of faith in the consistency of your tension, but  then, I guess, I've been pretty consistently tense so it worked out pretty well!

I'm happy with how it came out, I hope the recipient of this little one is too....

Quilting from the back is definitely something I will do again.

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

What's Today?

Well, today was "OMG, I better get moving on my Doll Quilt Swap Quilt" Day.

Even with kids home for Teachers Convention, I managed to finish the piecing...
 
Thank goodness, cause tomorrow is "Veg in front of the TV while Hand Quilting" Day!

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

A little Birdie Flew In

How very exciting, my doll quilt arrived today from my swap partner!

Well, it actually arrived the other day, put the postman wanted me to sign for it, so I had to go down to the post office for it.  So I took the kids, and how wonderful, a package from across the pond!

And because I am exactly 2 years old when it comes to packages, I had to open it right there in the post office.....geez, I should set a better example for my kids (or not)

So here's my little birdie quilt from my new friend in Spain

and isn't it funny with the one little birdie leaning over to pick up something....probably after some kid that didn't pick up their birdie socks.

Thanks Maria!!! this is quite a treasure!

I'm so glad I decided to join in this swap, if you haven't done one, take a chance and join in the fun.

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan

Cut it Out

It's getting to be end of summer/pre-school/getting ready for vaca/planning someone's big birthday bash crazy around here, so there's not much quality time at the sewing machine.  I seem to only be catching small segments of time in the sewing room (formally known as the dining room in our house) so I decided that cutting is about all I can handle right now.

So I took out a overflowing big rubbermaid container of fabrics that Kathie gave me from her recent clean-out effort and started cutting.  Some of the fabrics had already be cut into strips thanks to a little cutting party with the Sisters of Disorderly Conduct.  So I took the 4-1/2" strips and cut out 4 pyramids, a tumbler, a 4-1/2" square and then thimbles out of the scraps.

For some of the strips, this used on the strip, others, there was leftovers.  The leftovers and whatever larger strips were left went back into the box.

The pyramids and tumblers are being shared with friends, and a set for me.  The 4-1/2" squares are going to my medallion quilt.  And the box was reduced by half!

I'm psyched!  I love the idea that the stash is a little reduced and that it's passed on to friends, and what's left is a little more organized and ready to use.

I'm doing the same with the Lollipop box of fabrics now too cause I have another little project in mind and I heard might be a need more some bright tumblers. So I cut large tumblers, thimbles (which I made into my little quilt, cause sometimes you just have to use the machine!) and 4-1/2" squares for another project.

It's a very time consuming process, but I've been doing it in short chunks in between other pressing engagements like back to school shoe shopping.

Hugs and Stitches!

Megan