A Lovely Year of Finishes, August goal done!

I'm trying to play catchup this long weekend.

If you follow me on IG, you've seen my August heal blocks and me catching up on back months (so far May and June down) on the Sisters 10 modern block of the month.

Sisters 10 blocks:
May's:


June's:



I haven't uploaded all my pics to flickr.  I've also been working on my Dogwood Blossoms quilt for the Penny Sampler class.  The top and back are done.  My goal is to baste (and maybe quilt) them tomorrow.  More pics coming on that one.

I finished my August ALYOF goal.  It was kind of a disappointing project.
The one thing I will NEVER do again is use paper as the foundation.  I hate ripping it up.  Triggers all kinds of OCD finding little bits of paper around.  Several seams popped.  Blarg.




I tied the quilt.  I don't know if it was the tying that did it, but when I washed the quilt, the batting (the generic poly/cotton stuff from Hancock's) just shredded.  So, I have bald spots in the quilt and spots that have tons of stuffing.  Meh.  So, it's done.  I have to fix a few seams.  (You can see one that popped in the pic if you look.) Anyway, I am just not excited about it.  Gonna throw it in a car so I can have a quilt for the dog to sit on when he rides in my car.  I *am* excited about Sept's goal.

Linking up:

Not being lazy just trying to catch a groove....

It's the second week back at school.  Still in whirlwind mode.
It took a while to sort out my math class.  (I teach the JH level math for elementary kids...so I get kids from all 6th grades.)
I think *knock on wood* that it will be sorted by Tuesday, including the WHERE I teach bit.  (My normal building is being renovated.)
Let me just say that so far I'm totally digging my students.  Incredibly sweet bunch.

Today I started my knitting afterschool.  I may die from the cuteness.  I have a 1st and a 3rd or 4th grader.  So tiny.  AND HILARIOUS.
They have to "catch the bump" when they're making a new stitch and then drop the old stitch.

Somehow it morphed into "Kicking the old man off" the mountain or cliff  or hill (aka needle).
Then followed by sound effects.  I laughed so hard, I almost was late dropping them off.  (Couldn't believe an hour had passed.)  Also, they're awesome at knitting.  No dropped stitches or panic moments, even with slippery metal needles.

I'm working on the Dogwood quilt from Stitched in Color.  I've got 12 out of 20 blocks done, but I got marker (?) on one petal and have to remake it....cross your fingers, as I have one 6in square of that Notting Hill fabric left.  But still....
WOOOOOO!

Also, sadness....my string quilt is done but already in need of repairs.  I tied it.  Not sure I'll try that again.  Plus, I used Hancock's batting.  Um...it shredded.  as in there are spots now with no batting and other spots with lumps.  Blarg.  Good thing it was going to be a dog or a car quilt.  Two string seams popped.   (I had some tension issues on my crappo machine (the Brother from Walmart).)
Ah, well.  I'll have the finish and pics of the somewhat disappointing quilt up, may be tomorrow.

So it's my birthday....

And I've had a lovely day.  Low key after a weekend of birthday treats.

Friday, I got to go to Folkfest with the hubs and one of my bestest friends.  I didn't buy anything, but I ogled lots of vintage quilts.

Saturday, we were going to go to the Piedmont Arts Festival, but it was kind of gross out.  So, I sewed on my string quilt instead.  God, those blocks were endless.  I don't know how I thought I had more done.  Turns out I needed 48 blocks.  Anywho.  We went out to dinner at Cakes and Ale Sat.  I cannot recommend them enough.  It will definitely be our go to special dinner location.  They were amazing about my food allergies.  Their desserts were fantabulous.

Sunday was more sewing...and cupcakes.  Mmmmm.  Camicakes.

Today, my actual birthday, I got lots of texts and phone calls. I had to be at school.  (Actual teaching starts tomorrow.)  I got to see old students coming in for 7th grade orientation and a few new ones.  I got to pick my choice for dinner tonight.  The Hubs made pretzel rolls yesterday.  I had a bacon cheeseburger with hot peppers on a pretzel roll.  Up next, chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes and ice cream. Mmmm.  So going back to the diet tomorrow.

Things I have done as of late:

I have now tied the string block quilt.  It still needs binding.  I'm going to keep it as a car quilt as the tension went off somewhere and I'm not sure I trust it to stay together.




I dip dyed my hair.  It was intended to be purple and red ombre, but it came out kind of reddish magenta-y.  I'm going to have to do it fairly frequently.  I love it.  (Thank you, Terri, aka sew-fantastic on Instagram!)

I'm also addicted to watching Dr. Who again.
I haven't gotten to Torchwood yet.

Oh, and I may be 39....yup, 39, but I'm really really proud that I am in better shape weight/health-wise than I've been in a decade.  So, Yay!  I'm off to eat that cupcake now.

Pets on Quilts 2013

It's that time of year!

I have waited for a whole year, largely because I missed the deadline last year.

Thanks to the hubby, we have two quilt testers in our house.  They've both grown to compete over who gets final approval.  Most of the time the cat wins.  (She is currently Cyclopean again and will be visiting our vet again tomorrow...third eye scratch/injury this summer.)

Here is a picture of our dog winning at the quilt game.  We mostly refer to him as Stinky.  (He was skunked the first time I ever visited my husband's home in the woods.)  He also answers to SMOOSHBEAST!!!

I'm not really a dog person, but one of my main motivations to win the lottery is to clone this dog.  He is part Muppet.  He is my "dog on quilt" entry.

Vi (aka The Kraken aka Peanut) is often angry, and, much like a teenager, skimpy in her signs of approval.

All quilts will be snuggled on....sometimes forcibly.  Nothing like an angry cat snuggle to make your day more special.

*blows a kiss to y'all*  I'm trying to get back in the blogging habit.  I'll be around again once my classroom is clean.  I've got some more quilt tops done and some completed pattern testing!  Pictures coming soonish.  (and my bday is next week!)  Cross your fingers for me that this vet visit won't cost as much as the last one.

More finishes! and an August Goal for ALYOF

This past week, I finished my scrappy trip along.
It's baby quilt sized.  I need to find a friend with a new baby girl to give it to.  My BFF is supposed to have a boy...and I'm not allowed to make the quilt for him until he's born.




I decided I needed a break from scrapping and put together my red/purple quilt blocks.  It is now quilted and bound.   (I haven't washed it yet because I'm out of color catchers.)  I love it.  It was intended for another purpose, but I think I may have to keep it.  It's my two favorite colors.  I love the Madrona Road I used for the backing.




I pieced together one 60x60 scrap postage stamp throw.  I have most of a second of the same size pieced as well.  That means my postage stamp bin is pretty much empty.





I pieced a CRAZY big scrap backing.  I am thinking of using it as the back for my Penny Sampler quilt, but I'm currently a bit undecided now.  I think I'm going to add some borders to the Penny Sampler design and make it big enough to be a bed quilt for the bedroom.  Right now I'm just collecting fabric.  It will have some Tula and green.  It might mean having to repaint the bedroom, but I think I might be ok with new curtains and new paint.  (I say that now.  I truly HATE painting.)  I put pics of the back up on instagram, but I have to put them up here still.


Oh, and like I needed ANOTHER project....I started a new EPP rainbow quilt.


....AND I have another project in my head.  I have to make a quick fabric run for it tomorrow.

I have a bunch of stuff in my head that needs to get done this week in the house and project-wise.  Which is kind of stressing me out because I also need to clean out my classroom.

The plan for Sunday is finish my overdue Heal Circle blocks and to thread baste the big piece of the Hexy MF to the base...and to start hand sewing it on.  Ambitious, I know.

Oh, I also need to put up my August goal for ALYOF.  It's still scrappilicious.  (Yes, that is totally a word.)
I want to finish up my string blocks and sew them into a throw.  I think I have 12 blocks so far.



It will mean one more box of scraps cleared.

That's it for now.  I need to get my butt in gear and finish crap up.  Also, I'll be 39 in 15 days.  Eep.