I finished the binding of the harvesty colored quilt. I got the quilting mostly done on the turquoise one, but I have to pick some of it out. Note to self: Don't straight line quilt when exhausted...
All the nine patches are done for the batik one. Now I just have to cut them up and reassemble.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
I've got a lot of works in progress...
I've bitten off a lot...gonna try to finish a batch this week and add in the Farmer's Quiltalong and skill builder blocks as well.
Here's what I'm working on:
this just needs the binding finished.
This one needs quilting:
This one needs the back finished and the quilt sammich pinned:
This one is just begun in terms of piecing:
Yup...whole lotta work.
Here's what I'm working on:
this just needs the binding finished.
This one needs quilting:
This one needs the back finished and the quilt sammich pinned:
This one is just begun in terms of piecing:
Yup...whole lotta work.
I need to get back to my camera...
I need to upload a buncha pics tonight...but my camera isn't with me right now. Evening time, I hope to post some up here...
A couple of quilt tops, an almost done scarf...a second that just needs to be kitchener stitched together.
Go, Crafty Girl, Go!
A couple of quilt tops, an almost done scarf...a second that just needs to be kitchener stitched together.
Go, Crafty Girl, Go!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Gratuitous Plug...
Wow. The Pirate and I just got back from the Fiber Arts International exhibit at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester. It's only there for another week. (Closes July 3.) Sunday is free museum day, which means folks get in free. This exhibit was AMAZING.
As a newbie quilter, long time knitter, weaver in a former life, hand stitcher before I got a machine...WOW.
I wish I could have taken pictures...alas, photography was not permitted. HOWEVER, you can see images here.
If you happen to read this, and you're in Rochester, GO SEE IT.
As a newbie quilter, long time knitter, weaver in a former life, hand stitcher before I got a machine...WOW.
I wish I could have taken pictures...alas, photography was not permitted. HOWEVER, you can see images here.
If you happen to read this, and you're in Rochester, GO SEE IT.
36 before 37...
So, this isn't an original idea, but I liked it.
I'll be hitting 37 in August.
Here are 36 things I'd like to do before I turn 37:
1. Finish the quilts I have in progress. (Does that count as 4 things?)
2. Take and post actual pictures of the crafty items I've completed as of late. (ie. this summer)
3. Clean the library/cat room.
4. Learn how to give the dog a proper bath (and have him semi-cooperative).
5. Find a hamburger place in town that doesn't leave me hivey.
6. Make exactly the right sour cherry soup recipe.
7. Try making other fruit soups.
8. Dye dance veils.
9. Get better at poi. (Maybe with veil poi as a reward?)
10. See the laser light show at Stone Mountain. (Yes, I've lived in GA for over a decade and haven't seen it.)
12. Have one of my friends over for a fancy-ish dinner.
13. Tell 5 friends how much they've changed my life.
14. Make a dent in that book bin in the dining room.
15. Keep a record of what I read this summer to compare with my kids in the fall.
16. Look for a place to put up a photo show from the Hungary/Czech republic pics.
17. Go on a photoshoot.
18. Actually block all the knitted lace I have done.
19. Try to teach the Kraken to let mommy sleep all night.
20. Play fetch a little every day with Kraken (when I'm in town.)
21. Start saving for a nice sewing machine. (at least a little...see #22)
22. Research a new washer and dryer before this set dies.
23. Figure out how to do a custom header on this blog.
24. Get a couple of my IRL friends to follow me. (Ie. Admit I have a blog.)
25. Write some poetry.
26. Balance my checkbook more regularly.
27. Find a purple nail polish I like.
28. Wear my contacts more frequently.
29. Get in the habit of wearing lipstick or at least tinted chapstick.
30. Learn to keep smiling while dancing.
31. Practice shimmying for the shimmyathon (try to break my old personal best of 42 minutes). (Do this even though Shimmyathon is post poned til 2012.)
32. Do some yoga.
33. TBA
34. TBA
35. TBA
36. TBA
I'll be hitting 37 in August.
Here are 36 things I'd like to do before I turn 37:
1. Finish the quilts I have in progress. (Does that count as 4 things?)
2. Take and post actual pictures of the crafty items I've completed as of late. (ie. this summer)
3. Clean the library/cat room.
4. Learn how to give the dog a proper bath (and have him semi-cooperative).
5. Find a hamburger place in town that doesn't leave me hivey.
6. Make exactly the right sour cherry soup recipe.
7. Try making other fruit soups.
8. Dye dance veils.
9. Get better at poi. (Maybe with veil poi as a reward?)
10. See the laser light show at Stone Mountain. (Yes, I've lived in GA for over a decade and haven't seen it.)
12. Have one of my friends over for a fancy-ish dinner.
13. Tell 5 friends how much they've changed my life.
14. Make a dent in that book bin in the dining room.
15. Keep a record of what I read this summer to compare with my kids in the fall.
16. Look for a place to put up a photo show from the Hungary/Czech republic pics.
17. Go on a photoshoot.
18. Actually block all the knitted lace I have done.
19. Try to teach the Kraken to let mommy sleep all night.
20. Play fetch a little every day with Kraken (when I'm in town.)
21. Start saving for a nice sewing machine. (at least a little...see #22)
22. Research a new washer and dryer before this set dies.
23. Figure out how to do a custom header on this blog.
24. Get a couple of my IRL friends to follow me. (Ie. Admit I have a blog.)
25. Write some poetry.
26. Balance my checkbook more regularly.
27. Find a purple nail polish I like.
28. Wear my contacts more frequently.
29. Get in the habit of wearing lipstick or at least tinted chapstick.
30. Learn to keep smiling while dancing.
31. Practice shimmying for the shimmyathon (try to break my old personal best of 42 minutes). (Do this even though Shimmyathon is post poned til 2012.)
32. Do some yoga.
33. TBA
34. TBA
35. TBA
36. TBA
Thursday, June 23, 2011
I saw this the other day...
and, I'll admit, I squealed. It was supercute, and it held still long enough for me to find my phone.
*cough*
I'm not ridiculous or anything.
And, no, I still haven't taken pictures of my knitting.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
I'm not waking up to this:
I'm on a visit to my folks. I miss a lot. The Pirate, the Kraken, the dog...my sewing machine.
I'm knitting a lot. I'll try to post a pic later. (For some reason, I can't get any pictures to post from my flickr account...even though it says it is.)
Anyway, I didn't realize how used to animals I have become. I keep waiting for a cat to appear in my peripheral vision. No dice. My mom had fostered/hospice cared my first cat, who died in November. I think my dad wants a cat...he was like a schoolgirl when a random kitty let him pet it after it rolled in the big patch of catmint they have in their yard. I don't think mom is as ready as he is. So, I started hunting on petfinder.com. And, I think I found another cat I'd love to have, but The Kraken is definitely a one cat cat. I think.
Monday, June 13, 2011
I still have to fix this thang up...
I hate my header. I have to redesign it.
Right now, the Kraken is fiercely playing fetch with me. I will keep throwing this little paper ball until she tires of bringing it back as I have learned that I can't have her free-ranging while I'm sewing.
I'll try to post a picture of her playing at some point. She's uber cute and semi-evil.
I think I'm a type A ADHD quilter. I'm not sure if that's a good combo. I'm working on 3 quilt tops for lap quilts right now. They're all the same pattern. Obsessively stitching 1st quilt ever tutorial. They're not my best work, but I'm using them to learn some things. I used to sew on an old-school metal Singer (avocado green from the 60s or 70s). It died, and I've not been able to find a shop that can repair it. I'm on a cheap-o Brother LX-3125 that I bought when I had to do some emergency costuming for a class play. I'm debating getting a new machine for my birthday in August. We'll see whether or not I can or if I will need to replace the washing machine then. *crosses fingers*
Things I have learned:
*what I thought was the 1/4 in seam allowance on my machine is NOT 1/4 in. I have to painter tape the machine.
* I am not as patient as I should be.
*Nor am I a goddess at piecing.
*I have the potential to be a master hoarder.
Things I'm getting better at:
*accurately using the rotary and the ruler (SMALL GOALS here, people!)
*I think I'm getting better at colors
Also, I killed a WHOLE SPOOL OF THREAD TODAY!!! (this was momentous, really)
I will try to post pics and figure out more about this blogger formatting.
Right now, the Kraken is fiercely playing fetch with me. I will keep throwing this little paper ball until she tires of bringing it back as I have learned that I can't have her free-ranging while I'm sewing.
I'll try to post a picture of her playing at some point. She's uber cute and semi-evil.
I think I'm a type A ADHD quilter. I'm not sure if that's a good combo. I'm working on 3 quilt tops for lap quilts right now. They're all the same pattern. Obsessively stitching 1st quilt ever tutorial. They're not my best work, but I'm using them to learn some things. I used to sew on an old-school metal Singer (avocado green from the 60s or 70s). It died, and I've not been able to find a shop that can repair it. I'm on a cheap-o Brother LX-3125 that I bought when I had to do some emergency costuming for a class play. I'm debating getting a new machine for my birthday in August. We'll see whether or not I can or if I will need to replace the washing machine then. *crosses fingers*
Things I have learned:
*what I thought was the 1/4 in seam allowance on my machine is NOT 1/4 in. I have to painter tape the machine.
* I am not as patient as I should be.
*Nor am I a goddess at piecing.
*I have the potential to be a master hoarder.
Things I'm getting better at:
*accurately using the rotary and the ruler (SMALL GOALS here, people!)
*I think I'm getting better at colors
Also, I killed a WHOLE SPOOL OF THREAD TODAY!!! (this was momentous, really)
I will try to post pics and figure out more about this blogger formatting.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
This is my brand-spanking new blog.
I've kept other blogs in the past. It's not that I'm cheating on them...perse. It's just that I feel the need to start something new. To mark my new adventures. I've had plenty as actiongirl. I may import those here eventually.
These adventures will be of a decidedly crafty and/or bellydance nature. I've been knitting for a long time. Long enough to generate a bin of shame. Yes, not a single UFO, but many. I've just gotten into quilting. Again.
My first quilt was an originally ill-conceived affair involving scraps of silk. Scraps that required handwashing and resulted in me having to get several stitches in my middle finger.
Did I mention I was graceful? So graceful, in fact, that my mother nicknamed me (sarcastically) Grace. Let us just say that I really was trying to keep our indoor cat in the house, and that the cat was noticing a wasp that tried to fly into the house while I was making a trip to the drying line out back. I slammed the sliding glass door shut in a panic...without realizing that my finger was still in the track of the door.
What followed resulted in me sobbing hysterically, bleeding on my mom's favorite dishtowel (a fact that made me cry even more), and then having to make a semi-coherent call to my dad's office to get the secretary to pick me up and drive me back to his office in the hospital. (I knew it needed stitches. It was my dominant hand, and my car lacked power steering to make highway driving "safe" with one hand.)
Needless to say, I gave up on the silk and eventually settled on a cotton quilt in vibrant colors. I had to wait to sew it until my hand had stopped throbbing. It was a quilt worthy of a dorm futon. It didn't last much beyond college.
Now, I'm back at it again, trying my hand at quilting. All the supplies appeal to the OCD horder in me. I probably already have enough fabric for a lifetime of quilts. I know I have more than enough yarn to knit sweaters/scarves for life....Anyway. Welcome to my blog.
These adventures will be of a decidedly crafty and/or bellydance nature. I've been knitting for a long time. Long enough to generate a bin of shame. Yes, not a single UFO, but many. I've just gotten into quilting. Again.
My first quilt was an originally ill-conceived affair involving scraps of silk. Scraps that required handwashing and resulted in me having to get several stitches in my middle finger.
Did I mention I was graceful? So graceful, in fact, that my mother nicknamed me (sarcastically) Grace. Let us just say that I really was trying to keep our indoor cat in the house, and that the cat was noticing a wasp that tried to fly into the house while I was making a trip to the drying line out back. I slammed the sliding glass door shut in a panic...without realizing that my finger was still in the track of the door.
What followed resulted in me sobbing hysterically, bleeding on my mom's favorite dishtowel (a fact that made me cry even more), and then having to make a semi-coherent call to my dad's office to get the secretary to pick me up and drive me back to his office in the hospital. (I knew it needed stitches. It was my dominant hand, and my car lacked power steering to make highway driving "safe" with one hand.)
Needless to say, I gave up on the silk and eventually settled on a cotton quilt in vibrant colors. I had to wait to sew it until my hand had stopped throbbing. It was a quilt worthy of a dorm futon. It didn't last much beyond college.
Now, I'm back at it again, trying my hand at quilting. All the supplies appeal to the OCD horder in me. I probably already have enough fabric for a lifetime of quilts. I know I have more than enough yarn to knit sweaters/scarves for life....Anyway. Welcome to my blog.