Rally Along!

Jun24

I made progress this past week on my Rah Rah Rally quilt. I couldn’t wait to see how they would look connected, so I took my four blocks and made a single larger block. Here’s my model, Nora, showing it off:

This is a fairly forgiving pattern. It’s amazing how hard it is for me to sew all these straight lines and have it all come out square. My husband said this looks more like a lawn chair than a quilt. I prefer maroon, white and grey – but these are UCLA colors and should be perfect.

Notice how neat and tidy the sewing table is? I finally sent off not one, not TWO, but THREE quilt tops to LiMa Sews. Then I took my newly purchased project boxes and got a little more organized. Here is a picture of my sewing corner from a distance. This is as clean as it gets. My stash boxes are part of the permanent fixtures in my room. Along with my stacks of magazines, books and patterns.

Another great buy I made on Friday from Joann Fabrics is my new Ott Lite lamp. First, they had them more than half off (half off is fairly common for them, if you wait awhile). Then, since I went shopping last weekend, I got a special coupon for 25% my total purchase – including sale items (which is more rare). Therefore, I got a $275 lamp for $75. It was too good a deal to pass up. Especially since I do so much of my sewing really late at night.

You can also see on my wall, a mounted magazine rack which I bought specifically for my long rulers. It works out great!

I also worked on my Robin’s Nest applique, but I’m only halfway through the block. I’ll show it off when I’ve got it completely attached. I’m not sure how well I’m doing on it. It looks a little …. messy?

Finally – a gratuitous picture of the kittens. Hope you had a great weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jennifer

Rally Quilt started and BOM progress

Jun18

I got a good start this weekend on new projects. I had been working on the Swoon quilt for 5 weeks straight – it was time to change things up!

I completed the “two” blocks from my 2013 DM BOM project.

Here’s the completed block, a cute basket block designed by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts.

As I mentioned on my last post, I am going to make two blocks each month. If I don’t have quite enough fabric from the BOM, I can easily supplement with my scraps from my Avalon Bouquet quilt I completed earlier this year. Click here to see that post.

I originally miscalculated my long background strips and failed to cut two of them. So, when I was putting together the blocks, I had to make a small piecing fix to make it all work. Here’s my bonus block, where you can see the extra seam in the background border strip:

It’s not very noticeable at all. Here are both blocks:

My camera has some kind of scratch or film on the lens, so my pictures are turning out a little blurry. I’m going to have to figure something out soon.

Another new project that I started this weekend was the Rally Quilt. The pattern is found in Sweet Celebrations by Lissa Alexander (picture taken from Amazon):

Inside is the ‘recipe’ for the Rally Quilt, pattern designed by Melissa Corry (of Happy Quilting blog fame). Here is a link to one of her blog posts where she talks about her own quilts made with this pattern. She made one for her husband and modified the pattern a bit and made one for herself. They are wonderful and her applique school logos are fantastic!

My Rally quilt is going to a new HS graduate that will be attending UCLA in the fall. I live in Texas, so I have never been to UCLA and I have never seen any official school colors in person, so I had to do my best guess from online sites and Bella Solids to come up with my selections. Here are a couple of pictures from a Campus Clothing website:

Here’s my first block. The quilt calls for 20 blocks to make the throw size blanket. I think it is going to come out great. In my attempt to take a better picture, I have this laid out in front of a glass door. It is fading the colors a bit, but I’ll share more when I have a few more blocks completed:

How’s your summer going?

Thanks for visiting!

Jennifer

New BOM Spoiler Alert!

Jun15

Forewarning! I received my first shipment from FQS for the 2013 Designer Mystery BOM yesterday, and I couldn’t wait to open it!

Before I do, I’ll give you a chance to avert your eyes and come back later if you are waiting on your own shipment and want to see the first block as a surprise.

I opened up my Robin’s Nest block 2 package, and pressed out the background fabric needed for the center applique. Once my center is done, then a little fussy cutting and applique of the round of scalloped border.

After this step, it will be some piecing for the next border round.

Ok … now – are you ready? I got Block 1:

And another picture:

Although I never started 2012 DM BOM, I wasn’t going to let this one get away from me. I have already cut out the pieces for Block 1. One thing with FQS exclusive BOM programs – they give you LOTS of fabric. I am going to cut out two sets of blocks from each month’s delivery. Here are my pieces for this month:

I have plenty for two blocks and I put the left over fabric back in the clear envelope. Can’t wait to get this pieced later today.

Also decided it was time for new rotary blades. Joann’s is having a ‘firefly’ sale and most everything I was interested in is half off. So, I got this 5 pack of blades for only $18, which is a great price. Plus their storage containers are also half off. Here’s my loot:

Project wish list as of today (no particular order):

Block 1 FQS DM BOM
Block 2 Robin’s Nest
Special quilt for a new high school graduate
Blocks 9-12 Blogger Girls BOM
AYOS for June – Dulcinea Schnibbles
Quilt my own tops – 10 Little Things, Hat Trick
Away From Home – Tree Block #2

How’s your summer wish list shaping up?

Thanks for visiting,

Jennifer

Weekly Wrap Up

Jun14

Well, I have nearly made it through the week without the kids. I was hard the first night. Really missed them to bits. But we made it through and managed a dinner out one night and a movie last night. We saw The Internship, and we literally laughed out loud in some spots. That’s unusual for me, but I think I’m at just the right age and generation to feel the humor in this movie. But I like these kind of comedies. Vince Vaughan kept saying “On the line” instead of “Online” – it was funny, … really.

I have also decided to start a new series that I never watched when it was in its prime. If you recall, I got hooked on LOST and I did complete the entire series. I don’t know how I would have made it through some of those seasons having to wait a week to get to the next scenarios. It was really good. Not sure about the ending – probably over thinking it. I particularly liked SAWYER (played by Josh Holloway)- too bad it wasn’t on HBO, probably would have seen ‘more’ of him.

Now, though – I am getting into ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. I really like Jason Bateman humor also. Dry wit and sarcasm. Perfect for me. I’m still in Season 1. I’m not into it as much as LOST and giving up hours of sleep to see the next episodes. Just catching it when I can on Netflix. Perfect for lunch breaks at the office desk. They are coming back to do another season, but this time it will be EXCLUSIVELY on Netflix. Got to get caught up first.

Finally – I will say that I am absolutely, positively finished with the Swoon quilt top. No.. you can’t see another picture. I know you want to, but you can’t. I am so flaky. I kept wanting to wrap it up and move on, but I couldn’t. Not until I was satisfied. Now I’m satisfied. It will be in the mail to LiMa Sews on Saturday morning. DONE! I’m so excited, I may throw in another quilt top and get it done at the same time. Nora is due her own quilt finally, and I bequeathed her the 2011 FQS DM BOM quilt. Perfect for my pink princess.

Did you get to take advantage of Fat Quarter Shops awesome sale this past weekend? They cut prices on patterns, books, and precuts. I couldn’t pass up some patterns at half off.

I always love the look of Planted Seed Designs, but the Perkins pattern is really speaking to me right now.

And, with AYOS – there’s a pretty good chance I’ll need these Schnibble patterns that I didn’t already own. If not – they were on my list to get anyway.

DULCINEA is the AYOS pattern for June. I still haven’t started, but with Swoon done now – I can get into it this weekend!

Hope you have great expectations for this coming weekend as well! Thanks for visiting today!

Jennifer

Blog Anniversary! 1 Year!

Jun11

Time has flown, that’s for sure. My first blog post was a year ago today, and it was pretty weak. Over the last 365 days however, I have completed almost 80 posts, so averaging about 1 1/2 posts per week – which isn’t bad I think. For an amateur. I have also completed 5 quilt tops and 1 AYOS project (wall hanging size).

I am counting this as a finished quilt top as well, but I have one more night to dwell on it. I like it, but my husband asked – what are you going to do on the sides? Is it finished?

Swoon 4

How do you like the tumbler block border? I really think it looks good. I have it on the top and bottom right now.

Can’t wait to see how this will look all quilted up!

If I stop now, then I can do a simple back of 3 yards sewn to 3 yards… if I make it any wider… then I have options to think about. Albeit interesting options since I have so many tumblers leftover, and a jelly roll/layer cake of Happy Go Lucky I could open if needed.

This will be the (majority of) backing fabric:

I think I really want to move on. It looks good to me, and it can now theoretically fit a King bed – but best for a Queen. I’ve got projects piling up (2013 FQS Designer Mystery BOM is getting shipped out this week!) – but you never know what I’ll show you tomorrow. So stay tuned!

Thank you for joining me today and I hope to keep seeing so much great inspiration out there over the next year.

All the best,

Jennifer

Happy Saturday

Jun8

Having a great Saturday so far. Just keeping it relaxed – no pressure.

Finished cutting out all of the tumblers from my fat quarter stack:

I think I have around 1000, which will be enough for the border and an added row as part of my pieced backing as well. I’m going to try this idea I found on a blog last week to make my ‘random’ selection for putting together the rows. I can NOT remember whose blog I saw this on – was it yours? I’m going to throw my pieces into the dryer for a few minutes, lowest air only setting, and then scoop them out into a basket for my retrieval during the sewing stage. Of course, no two same will be next to each other, but I’ll try to keep it random other than that.

Here’s Nora making up our shopping list for today. All the essentials.

Notice her memo board. This has turned out to be my favorite ruler, and I have a LOT of rulers.. It is an 8×14 Fons & Porter Omnigrid ruler, purchased at Joann Fabrics.

And the shopping list:

I started helping with the spelling halfway into the list. And I added the “meat” word. Can you decipher the first three items?

Finally, today’s cat picture. They are getting more and more cuddly. And courageous. But not at this particular moment:

Have a great weekend! Thanks for visiting!

Jennifer

(Final note, as I was completing this entry – the cats pooped in the bed because I moved their litter box earlier in the day. Daddy was not pleased at ALL. I did show them that I moved it – but they are just babies – right? Going to do some laundry now!)

Decision made, possibly

Jun6

Clue to my border question for Swoon:

Yep – that’s a Crumbler tool by Miss Rosie’s Quilt Company. I still had it intact, in the package, when I looked in my ruler drawer for ideas on the Swoon border. I really do love borders. It would be so hard for me personally to make one of those quilts that have patchwork blocks right up to the edge of the binding. I find myself thinking of the borders as almost a second quilt in itself.

I am going to put in the white 2 1/2″ strip inner border, then a row of tumbler (excuse me … “Crumbler”) blocks and a final 2 1/2″ white outer border. The tumbler size I am making is the largest for this tool – cut from 5 1/2″ strips and adding 5″ to the finished border width. With the other two strips added, I should be close to my 100×100 size that I originally wanted for a king size bed.

Here is a pic of my preview for this border row:

I was playing with the idea of two rows of tumblers, and I may still do that – depends on how many I get cut from my remaining fat quarters and scraps of Happy Go Lucky. You can cut 18 of this size tumblers from a single fat quarter. They go together really fast. If I can use up my leftovers, then that would be perfect. I’m not likely to sew again soon with this collection, since I have so many other projects I want to work on.

Do you like?

Cat update: Daughter asked “Where did the kitties sleep last night?”…

I replied “They slept on top of Daddy.”

Daughter said “The kitties can sleep wherever they want – because they are our special guests.”

I replied “Yes dear. You will find that the kitties will always do whatever they want. That is what kitties do.”

Did I mention that I’m actually allergic to cats, and so is my husband? Waiting to see how the kids are affected.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Jennifer

Is it a finish? Or not…

Jun5

Oh – I can’t decide!! I want to move on to my other projects, but I really think I want this extra border put in place to make it bigger. What to do, what to do… Flying geese don’t take that long… I guess I’ll see how many I can whip up tonight when I get home from work.

Here’s the completed (?) Swoon quilt top:

This iPad doesn’t take good pictures inside, at a close distance… but here is my aerial view:

And my center block with the newlywed embroidery (thanks again to Kristyne for the great font suggestion):

I need to do two months of Blogger Girls BOM and I already missed May AYOS. I don’t want to miss out on June AYOS. And then there’s my Robin’s Nest quilt that I am really wanting to get back to… I love my problems!

Here are some updated pics of the new kitties. The ‘shy’ one is doing better.

Bobbie (aka Sparkle)

Have a wonderful evening! Thanks as always for stopping by!

Jennifer

What’s new in our house?

Jun4

Well, as I mentioned in my earlier posts … we decided to foster a couple of kittens who will soon be up for adoption through a rescue group called Dori’s Darlings. I met up with Dori yesterday after work and picked up my two cutie pies!

We all had fun watching them explore last night. I haven’t been this tired since I had a newborn waking me up every few hours. Well, maybe not that bad. I did fall asleep in the McDonald drive-thru lane while waiting for my caffeinated Coke. So, I am pretty tired.

On my way out the door – I decided to try and take a couple of pictures for you. Here’s Possum … now, temporarily renamed “Jewelry”:

Dori called her a tortoise muted calico, or something like that. Oliver says … ‘the one with the spot on her head’. The kittens are about 8-9 weeks old, but they are very much underweight. So our goal is to fatten them up so they can get their final immunizations and get spayed. Once that is done, they can go up for adoption.

Cute – right? Dori also mentioned something like … “It’s ok if you become a failed foster ….”. I was thinking – hey – I just got them – give me a chance!! But she meant, fosters who decide to adopt them for their own families… so, I get it. And yes, that is a very big risk for us. The kids didn’t touch the iPads all night!! Bonus!

I would show you the other one, called Bobbie (because she has a bobbed tail). Her name is temporarily “Sparkle”. However, I couldn’t locate her as we were heading out the door – and unlike a baby newborn, I just left out enough food and yelled out ‘Bye Kitties!’ and didn’t worry too much about it. She’s the one who slept under the couch last night.

Quilting… well, …. the good news is that my friend doesn’t even know I’m making the quilt for her – so she isn’t expecting it at any particular time. I have to connect my last row of blocks to the first two rows and then I can add the border. Almost there… almost there. I will post a picture of my quilt top when it’s done before I send it off, and then an update when it gets back and certainly one with Beatriz (the newlywed).

Hope all is well with you today! Thanks for stopping by!

Jennifer

Deadline – come and gone …

May31

Well, my self imposed deadline has come and gone. I do have all the blocks done for my SWOON quilt (as of last night!), and the embroidery in the center square is also completed. It turned out great!! I’m thinking of adding a few flowers and such, but perhaps I should just get this thing done and off to LiMa Sews.

My friend was married this morning. She’s officially a “MRS” now, and I think she is in bliss this afternoon. I’ll get a chance to see her tomorrow at a reception they are hosting for friends (they only had a small, family wedding today).

My parents are visiting this weekend as well, and will spend the night – all very exciting for the grandchildren. They love it when Nana and GrandDad spend the night! For me, that means I’ll be doing more cleaning in the next 18 hours than I have done all month…

Finally – I have signed up my family to be FOSTER PARENTS! Foster parents to rescued kittens!! I shared this little secret with my 4 year old earlier this week, but she blabbed already. I was going to surprise my husband and son with them on Sunday. I have missed having kitties walking around, under my feet, in my bed, laying on my computer, etc… for four years. It is time. We are fostering for now, but we will certainly plan to adopt later in the year. I’m helping out with a rescue group called Dori’s Darlings. You can check out their website here. If you live in the Houston area and wish to foster as well, they would be glad to have you I’m sure!

Aren’t these the cutest?

They also help with vet needs for their rescued animals and have saved many lives from pain and agony.

Plan of action – add sashing and borders to quilt tonight/tomorrow. Piece the backing. Mail off to the quilter on Monday/Tuesday. Play with kitties.

Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Jennifer

Seams Crazy

Quilting and Family – both crazy!

Archives

Rally Along!

Rally Quilt started and BOM progress

New BOM Spoiler Alert!

Weekly Wrap Up

Blog Anniversary! 1 Year!

Happy Saturday

Decision made, possibly

Is it a finish? Or not…

What’s new in our house?

Deadline – come and gone …

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