Dizzying Diamonds

My friend Melissa over at Sew Bittersweet Designs has designed a new pattern called Dizzying Diamonds and today is the official release!  I'm so excited for her.
 

A few months back she asked me to test the pattern for her and of course I don't know how to say no.  I think my husband would even agree with me on that statement.

Anyways I expanded  Melissa's pattern since again I can't just leave things alone. I have to make them a bit more challenging and if deciding on the layout wasn't enough I just had to make mine to fit my bed.

I added 2 extra rows to the left and right sides and one extra row to the top and bottom for a finished top size of  84" wide and 96" long.

For my prints I used Simply Color by V. and Company.  When picking the contrasting solid I asked for my husband's opinion.  He choose 'green', I decided upon the Peridot from Kona.  It is a great pattern,  Melissa makes all of those half square triangles (HST's) so easy and fast to do.  I used approximately 1.5 layer cakes of each the print and the solid.

Melissa, thanks so much for allowing me to test our your pattern. It was a great experience and you have a great talent for writing them.

If anyone is looking for a challenging but easy pattern this is the one.  

ALYF December Goal

Fabric hoarding collecting must run on both sides of my family.  My half-sister who lives out of state sent me these beauties that she was holding on to for a quilt one day along with some pattern books, magazines and a package of queen sized batting.   She finally decided on a pattern she liked enough to to involve all of these pretties.  My job is to make her that quilt and I'm happy to oblige.  My goal for December is to get all of this pressed, cut, and the top sewn together.  This should be quite the chore since in 3 weeks my kids will be on break for 2 whole weeks and I will have to entertain them.  I also must do my holiday sweet making, it wouldn't be Christmas without a sugar overload right?

November ALYF Finish

I have met my goal for the month!  I finished my table runners.  It was a busy month, and I was thrown off with my kids and husband all being home this week along with traveling and lots of cooking, but I did it!

The lighting in my photos is horrible.  The only color that is close to being 'true' is the red in the bottom photo and the blue in the top.   Here is a better picture of the colors in case you missed it in a previous blog post.  

The patter is out of Quilitmaker magazine from the Spring of 2013, it is titled in the magazine as Sicilian Sunrise or Solar Eclipse.   Mine is more of a 'snowball fight'.  The runners are going 2 different places so I must get to the post office on Monday and get them shipped off.  

Progress

I'm making progress on my ALYF goal for this month. I'm hoping to get all my blocks together this morning so I can hopefully get them quilted next week.

Here is a sneak peak of a couple of pieces.

I'm really loving these fabrics and I hope the persons they are going to like them as well.

Fat Quarter Shop Sale!

If you have never checked the Fat Quarter Shop there is no better time than now to do that, all of their Layer Cakes (10"x10" square fabric) are 20% off!  They even have solids!


These are perfect for a quick Christmas gift because your fabric is already cut!  I made this quilt top below using layer cakes.

Whole quilt not shown.

  I will share more on this quilt pattern later. But be sure to check out the Fat Quarter shop, not only have they been a great sponsor for my blog, but they always have what I need and if I'm not sure if something matches I can contact them and they are very helpful in making sure something matches.

Happy Veteran's Day!

Happy Veteran's Day!  I have a  huge admiration for all who have served and are currently serving in the armed forces.  It doesn't matter what country you live in, you have a military family who serve to protect your country.   A huge Thank You from me to you or your family members.

My husband and I have gotten involved with a group of Indy car fans that call ourselves 'The Pit Crew'. Our goal is to serve veterans by helping them.

I spent many hours last week making curtains for an extreme makeover type event that took place on Friday and Saturday.   We had 2 Indy car teams join forces with us for the renovation, Panther Racing and their National Guard Crew worked many hours on Friday and Driver Charlie Kimball and his Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi crew were there on Saturday.  Hearing stories of how different families have been affected by different aspects of war was very touching.   Here is the link to the article that Fox59 (one of the local news stations) did.

Me, Charlie Kimball, and my hubby

Like I mentioned, I made lined curtains from fabric that was donated. We picked up the fabric over the weekend, but I had to wait on the final dimensions.  I received those late on Tuesday evening.  Five windows with panel curtians and one very large window that was to be a pleated drape (oh boy) by noon on Wednesday and not having even one panel sewed for the curtains I thought I was doomed for failure.  I kept going though, Thursday evening the decision was made that I would stay home on Friday and continue sewing until they were done or the kids got home from school.  At 2:00 on Friday afternoon I was stumped on the pleats for the huge bohemith drape and called a friend for help/advice.  If it wasn't for her I think I may have jumped off a cliff since we have lots of rock quarries here where I live, she said there is a product called pleat tape that has pocket in which you can insert pins to make your pleats.  At that point the light-bulb came on.  I had bought pleat tape and sewed into the drape for 'stabilizer' for making my pleats,  all I had to do was go to the store and by the pleat pin things, so off to the store I went 30 pleat pins later the drapes were done. I packed my weekend bag and all my hard work (curtains) into the van, and waited on the kids to get home from school and off we went.  Ok, I know you want to see more pictures of things, so we are finally to that point.

Ready....


This is the living room before.

Look at those lovely sheers, so glad I didn't have to witness the gross carpet.

The living room area with a new floor and fresh paint.

The giant pleated drapes.  The window opening was 105.5" tall by 122" wide. 

Now for the side windows that you see in the middle picture above.

There are 2 of the 3 windows.  I just loved this fabric.

The next 2 pictures are the living room area completely done.

It was so beautiful.

Now the dining room and hall area off of the living room.

Hall area

Dining room.  No more nasty linoleum

And

Me and my hard work in the dining room.  Look at the pretty new floor.

These curtains are lined so hopefully the sun doesn't fade them

 The stairs you see in the above pictures come down into the dining room, which you see below.  At the landing there are more stairs that go up to the bedrooms.

Dining room all done with a nice area rug under the table.

And that my friends will be all the pictures I am posting tonight.  You can see more pictures on The Pit Crew's Facebook page if you are interested.  Just click the yellow TPC box above or right here and it will take you to it.

ALYF November Goal

I took last month off from the ALYF party.  I hated to miss it, but at the same time I am glad that I did because I had so many random projects going on topped with school parties and Halloween.

I have what seems like tons of things to do this month as well, but I have some projects with specific deadlines that I will be working on as well.

I have 2 different secret Santa Christmas swaps that I am participating in this year (yes, I think know I have totally lost my mind) so my goal for this month is to get them both done!  Specifically the one using the bottom set of the 2 sets of Christmas fabrics below.

Since the person's who will be receiving the items I make don't know they are coming from me I will be able to share my progress and the completed items with you all.  Bonus, I don't think either of them follow my blog!  That is kind of sad, but it is ok because it will be a super surprise to them as well.

Other things on my list of things to complete this month are:

Curtains for HVAF Jackson Street house renovation.  This a home for homeless veterans in the city of Indianapolis.  My husband and I volunteer with a group that does 1-2 renovations each year to help out a veteran.  I'm still not sure how I got the job of making curtains, but I have over 100 yards of fabric and lining in my sewing room to sewed up by the bedtime on Thursday.  I'm praying that Trevor gets me the window measurements early today so I can get started, I'm really starting to feel the stress.

My sister that lives out of state will be home at the end of next week and in town for a week. I really want to spend some time with her.  She has also commissioned me to make her a quilt from Batiks.  I can't wait to get started on that as well.

I still don't have the quilting done on the circles quilt that was my September goal. It is staring me in the face right now.

I also pieced together a quilt as a pattern test for Melissa from Sew Bittersweet Designs last month that is in the 'to be quilted' pile.  I see a huge need for a massage and some chiropractic work by the end of this year.

I hope to get a few minutes to show off some pictures of all the work I did last month and the extra projects from this month in the next few weeks.  

Catching up

I really hope to get back to posting regularly around here.  This past week I was busy working on making 252 HST's (half-square triangles) for a project.  I'm using my Simply Color layer cakes and have paired it with some Peridot kona.  My good friend Melissa from Sew Bittersweet Designs just happened to have some simply color and a kona color card to help me match it up.   Thanks so much for your help Melissa.  Melissa has been having blog issues so if anyone is a WordPress guru you can get in touch with her through her Sew Bittersweet Designs facebook page.

I bought a new 'spinning' cutting mat to eliminate the awkwardness of trimming up the HST's.  It has been a dream, if you don't have one you might think about getting one.  I had a 50% off coupon that I used when I bought mine.

These are just a few of the HST's laid out on my floor.  I'm not sewing them in this order but I think I decided on just what order I am going to use, and I just might get them all laid out tomorrow or Tuesday depending on the craziness of my schedule of shuttling children, volunteering and getting in a run.

I also made this sweet little Halloween skirt last week.  It is especially twirly and its recipient is absolutely in love with it.

And a sparking leotard for my little gymnast.  

And last, but  not least, the 'fire tree'.  My husband says this tree looks like it is on fire with all the color at the top and the bottom still green.  I took this picture on Friday morning after my run.  It was a very crisp morning and I think it took a few hours before my fingers and toes were warm.

I just love Fall,  especially the ever changing colors.  

Last minute sewing

I knew since way early in the week that we had a birthday party to go to today. I was pretty low key, mainly cupcakes for the kids.  I'm not sure why I put off making a sweet dress for the birthday girl, but I did and we were fashionably late by a mere 30ish minutes.

Here are the fabrics I chose.  I have a HUGE stash of remnant's from Jo-Ann Fabrics and so I went fishing in my 'pool of fabric'.  I don't litterally have a pool, but I do have a a lot of remnants.

I did though learn that if I set my mind to I can make a certain pattern from ironing and cutting the fabric to putting the last stitch in the hem in just under 2 hours.  I may have gotten a few speeding tickets along the way with sewing so fast, but it turned out great and the birthday girl put it on as soon as she opened it and last I heard she still would not take it off.  I think she likes it.

I just love sewing sweet little dresses.

And for anyone interested, this pattern is McCalls #3918

A Soft Place To Land

This should have posted yesterday, but for some reason it didn't.  So so so sorry it is a day late.

Way back at the beginning of August Kristy from Hopeful Threads asked me if I would be interested in doing a special project for September. She even sent a link to the patterns that I could choose from! For those of you who have never heard of Hopeful Threads you can find more about Kristy's passion on her Hopeful Threads blog. For those of you visiting from Hopeful Threads, Welcome!

At the time I wasn't super busy or thought, the kids will be in school I will have plenty of time to sew. I think you all know what happens when you have that thought even for a split second, you guessed it, life happens and all of a sudden there just aren't enough hours in the day.  I thought many times about backing out, but I couldn't do that.  I had gave Kristy my word and I was going to hold myself to completing the pattern that I said I would make.

I choose the pattern titled 'A Soft Place to Land'.  It is a very soft and Frilly baby quilt that you can make with 2 1/2" strips.

It was a fairly simple quilt to construct.  I didn't have a lot of experience sewing/quilting with minky going into this project so it isn't my best work, but even though my binding isn't laying flat, I think the waviness of it goes with all the ruffles that are on the blocks.  I chose to free motion quilt in a random meandering for this quilt.

Here you can see the back and how I didn't quilt near the ruffles.

I don't know why the computer decided to rotate my picture, but it did and the photo editor I normally use is not being cooperative at all.  Google lords if you are reading this I hate your new photo editor, please change it back, I'm begging.

I encourage everyone to check out the Hopeful Threads blog.  The pattern for the adorable quilt I made is a mere $5 and you get it in digital format so you don't even have to wait for the mail carrier to bring it to your door.

Also be sure to check out all the other projects being made this month on the September 2013 Hopeful Threads Flickr group.  If you make something be sure to add it to the group.

I am going to donate my quilt to one of the local elementary schools in our town who has 17 homeless children enrolled.  I just know that one of them will have a baby sister that needs to stay warm this winter and what better way to give the family a little HOPE than by giving their child, a soft place to land.

Just a little late

Remember the All Framed Up quilt I made in July?  I made it to the park last week and did a mini photo shoot for the big release, but then I totally spaced sharing this exciting news last week when the pattern was released (sorry Melissa). You can read more on the big release and see this beauty made with different fabrics on Melissa's blog Sew BitterSweet Designs.   I really want to do a king sized version of this, the one on Melissa's blog is just beautiful.

Melissa has released the pattern!  You can purchase it from Craftsy for only $5.00!  It is a digital download so no waiting on the good ole postal service to bring it to your mailbox, you can get started today!  Visit Craftsy to get your pattern.


We had a great weekend at our house and in return, I'm gearing up for what seems to be a busy week, but it may just be today since soccer starts tonight for my boy. Then on Saturday both kids will be playing so I will be getting a workout running from one end of the soccer fields to the other.  

September ALYF, Goal

I have a lot on my plate for this month, but I hope to get the quilting done on the Circles of Hope quilt before the end of the month.  

I do have a plan in my head for the quilting on this beauty.  

I haven't done any sewing for several days now.  I noticed last week when I was trying to put some Sun Bonnet Sue blocks together, that my iron was not getting very hot and that it was using an excessive amount of water when I needed the steam for fusing the interfacing.    I also noticed there were some dark spots coming through my ironing board cover, so I pulled back my cover and was grossed out by what I saw.

So, my warning to you is, if you have dark brown or black spots showing up through your ironing board cover, you may have a rusty board.  You can sand the rust away and repaint with rustoleum paint if you don't want to buy a new board.  I opted to buy a new board, because I don't have time to do all that other stuff.

I will leave you today with a picture of raw joy.  We took the kids on Saturday to see the NHRA drag race qualifying in Indianapolis.  This is my daughter and her reaction to one of the runs after we we had been drenched by rain earlier in the afternoon and waited out the delay.

And to quote her, 'That was the fastest car I ever seen!'.    Have a wonderful Wednesday!

August A lovely year off finishes, finsh

I did it.  I dug in and conquered the Circles of Hope quilt top.  It came with a few challenges, but that is ok those challenges equal new skills and a new 28mm rotary cutter.

This quilt top has finished at 54"x54"  It is nice lap size or wall hanging.   I haven't decided if it is going to be on the back of the couch or hung on the wall yet.  I'm going to enter it in a small viewers choice contest at the Ben Franklin in a nearby town.  They winner gets a $25 gift certificate to the store and hey, they sell name brand fabric too boot!  I'd be happy to get something fun for a new project.

Speaking of new projects,  I will give you a sneak peek at what else I'm working on.  No, it won't be my September goal for ALYF, but it will be revealed sometime next month.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!  We are still getting into a groove of things even though it has been 2 whole weeks now.  Second grade homework has proven to be challenging, but I'm pretty sure that is due to the strong willed child I have.  My husband and I are tag teaming on that part and he is taking the math and I get the fun of the spelling and whatever else may come home.  

W.I.F.F.

I honestly didn't get a whole lot of sewing done this week because I was baby sitting a couple of cuties. I did take some hand work to do while I was there.

I was able to finish the outline stitching on 4 Sun Bonnet Sue blocks.  I only have 19 more to go.

It's not very fast progress, but it is progress and that is what matters.   I have a couple of hours before my lovely children get home from school so I'm going to try to sew some of my circle quilt top together for my ALYF goal.   See you next week.

ALYF Mid month check-in

I thought not having my kids at home would mean I have more time to sew.  I was wrong.  I have done some sewing and I'm moving right along with my goal for this month.  I've been babysitting 2 darling children this week, they are so much easier than my kids, but maybe that is because I'm at their house and I don't have all the housework calling my name like I would at home.

Anyways,  Here is a picture of my progress so far.

 I have 12 big blocks to sew together and then add the border and my goal for the month will be met.   If I'm not too late, I'm going to link up with the A Lovely Year of Finishes (ALYF) mid-month linky party. 

Adjusting

My sweet little minions started school this week so I'm adjusting to a new schedule of getting up before I really want to and arguing bedtime since it is still light here when bedtime rolls around.

I took this picture on the first day of school as we were hiking walking from the car to the school.  Parking is an issue on the first day of school because all the parents seem to bring their kids on the first day. Kindergarten parents don't find out who their child has as a teacher until the first day, all other students find out the day before school starts when they tape the class lists to the main doors late in the afternoon. Apparently this system works for the school, it is a bit disorganized in my opinion, but no one asked me.

I am loving being at home kid free, there is no fighting, no interruptions, and if I want to watch smutty afternoon tv I can.  So far, in the 2 days they have been at school, I have watched 2 hours of tv, and that was recorded stuff that I zoomed through the commercials, if I had to watch commercials it would have been 3 hours.

I did do a bit of sewing for the first day of school and made my daughters dress.  She love dresses and even more so the ones that mom makes her.  I know there will be a day that she won't like what I make her, but until then I am going to stuff her closet.

The pattern I used was Butterick B4176.  I didn't have enough of the pink to make the whole dress so I improvised and added the band of black around the bottom.  I want to add some embellishments on the black and I might add some elastic and finish off the sleeves.

I will be working on my ALYF goal today.  What are you working on today/this weekend.   Have a great Friday and enjoy your weekend.

Circles of Hope, ALYF August goal

This month I am digging into a project that I started at least a year ago.  I have all my pieces cut and had sewn at least 2 blocks together before I got caught up with a bunch of other projects and want to makes.  My goal for August is to only finish the top.

The pattern I am doing is called Circle of Hope.

Here are the first 2 blocks that I had done.  It was my first time sewing curves in the quilting world.  I will say I am going to take the top one apart and see if I can get it back together without the puckers.

My sweet little minions start school on Wednesday so I will have a few uninterrupted hours each day to sew. I am going to enjoy every minute of it for at least a week and then I am going to buckle down and after just over 5 years of being a stay at home mom I plan to go back to work in the real world. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.