Some finishes...

I have had to put some hand sewing on hold.  I pulled a tendon in my hand, trying to force a stuck knob.  Lameness.  If only because I cannot take any anti-inflammatories (allergic allergic).  Yes, I'm praying I don't get arthritis when I'm older.  That means moving the appliquing of my Hexy MF to next week's to do list.   Which is a bummer.  I want to get it done and sent out to a long armer.

 (Of course, I still have to find one....if anyone has a recommendation, I'm all ears.)

Here's what did get done this month...my Halloween Spider Web, aka my July goal for the Lovely Year of Finishes goal, posted here.

I finished it mid-July, but I've been apparently feeling blog apathy.

Anyway, I love it.




Here's a bit of the back:


I hand quilted it, using perle.  I had a bit of an issue with bearding, but it seems to be minimized once it was washed.  Any tips on that anyone?

I have been on a scrap using bender.  I got tired of boxes of bits.

I used up almost all my Malka bits in the green and blue colorway.

Front:

Back:

I'm going to keep doing fronts and backs as I have lots of friends having babies.

I signed up for the Penny Sampler camp (my pre-bday present to myself) that Rachel at Stitched in Color is teaching.  I love her online class.

I think I'm going for a scrap back.  So I'm clearing out more scraps for that:



I still have to work on my postage stamp (bin cleared) quilt.  I'm 2/3 done with that.

Of course, I've barely touched any of the projects I have on my FAL list.  I'm working on a back and binding for the scrappy trip.  I *did* make pillow cases, but the octopi both face the same direction, which means that my pillow is upside down.  I may need, in my OCD nature, to make another one.  I don't know that I can bear upside octopi.  It makes me sad.  I have pics of those up on instagram, but I haven't uploaded them to flickr yet.

I will post this week.

I took the Aeroplane bag class (designed by Sarah from SewSweetness), taught by Allegory (AThousandNeedles) over at Fabricate in Atlanta.

I made an Echino version:


and a QAYG version using scraps from the Halloween spiderweb:



My zipper install wasn't perfect on either.  I have spatial issues with it.  I think I need to find more pics of that process for me to follow.


Also, we finally installed the FLOR tiles we bought pre honeymoon.  I'm still getting used to it, but I love the idea of more pet friendly carpeting.  (Please excuse the obnoxious leopard sheet...my dog has a licking prob and the couch underneath needed protecting.)




Cross your fingers for me that my hand/wrist will stop hurting.  I need to offload the carload of school supplies to my classroom, and that will mean a LOT of carrying.

2013 FAL, Q3

I have a ton of unfinished projects, but I haven't really been starting a lot of new ones.  Most of my projects last quarter had a wedding deadline, so....my list is short this time, at least for me.

1.  HST Project Linus quilt


2.  Sewing Summit Mini


3.  Tula skirt


4.  Halloween Spider Web quilt


5.  Red/Purple quilt


6.  Hexy MF


7.  Mom's quilt


8.  Converging Corners


9.  String Block quilt


10.  Scrappy Trip along


11.  Wonky Star quilt


12.  Retro Rubies (from the QAL, but I pooped out with wedding projects instead)


13.  Pillow cases (which were supposed to be a homecoming gift to the hubs, but never got done)


14. Figure out what to do with this orphan block.


Other ongoing projects:

Sisters Ten BOM
Skillbuilder from Pile of Fabric  (uh, yeah...I have bits for some of the blocks cut, but nothing is put together)
Marcelle Medallion quilt (fabric chosen)
Tula block QAL


I'm feeling like I've lost my sew-jo.  I haven't even set up my machine since I've been back.  And, I've been back a week and a half.  (UNHEARD OF!)  The fact that we're on a low sugar/no carb diet isn't helping so much.  I wanted to stab someone for a bagel with nutella today.  On the up side, I lost 3 lbs already.

Linking up!

Plea to the health gods....

I'm still not feeling 100% from the bug/ick I got on the honeymoon.

This week has been a health rollercoaster...but mainly for the animals.
They feature in my banner (which I really need to redesign) *adds to "to do" list*.

Both were due for checkups.  The Kraken (the cat) for her annual Mon.  The Smooshbeast (the dog) for his biannual "senior" dog visit on Tues.  (Shut up...he's never going to die.  We're going to win the lottery so I can clone him.)

Anywho, the cat had something in her eye that was to be monitored.  She's scratched an eye before, so I wasn't all that worried.  The doggy has been pee dribbling, but we weren't sure if it was a submissive thing since he was kenneled for a week and a half, or what.  Thankfully, I asked if they could check him for a UTI.

Fast forward to Wed.  The cat is now winking one eye almost closed.  Yup, the eye that we were "keeping an eye on."  Shit.  Which, of course, she didn't show signs of until Wed night.  It seemed to be less painful Thurs, so I didn't take her to an emergency vet.

So, today....I end up back at the vet again.  Yup, she's got an eye infection.  Yup, the doggy DOES have a UTI and needs to go on antibiotics.  So, they're both on the mend, but I'm feeling a bit frazzled...and a LOT more broke than I was on Mon.  (I'm only half heartedly complaining about that.  Our vet office is fabulous and much cheaper than ones I've used in the last decade.)


So, please make a plea on my behalf to the health gods.  I need to be back in fighting shape (and back on a diet plan), and not to be inundated with animals that either feel like crap and are needing extra love or having to chase animals that do not want their meds.  Eep.

I'm including a cute photo because all posts need photos, right?

Seriously, you'd want to clone this, too, right?

July Goal...ALYoF

I have a goal for July that I think I can manage.


I'm kind of feeling a loss of sew-jo post honeymoon.  I messed up my workhorse Janome machine before I left for the wedding.  I've got to get some sandpaper and try to clean up a burr.  I'm praying that fixes things.  It's not a super expensive back up machine.  My Walmart Brother isn't great.  I had planned on keeping that one at school to use with kids.  Here's a question for you.  If the machine isn't super expensive (like around $150), as what point do you just give up repairs/cleaning and just replace the machine?  I hate the idea of throwing things out/replacing things a lot, but cost wise, at some point, it has to come to that, right?

Anyway.....back to my goal.

I want to finish hand quilting my Halloween Spiderweb quilt.  I've got it partly done, but I have a lot of border left to do.  I'm thinking a spiderweb-ish straight line thingie.  We'll see how it goes.