Happy Monday!

I had today off but went off on an early start to get Reny to the shop this morning.  I was trying to FMQ the orange and purple quilt on my FAL list yesterday and it kept skipping.

Unsurprisingly, it stopped doing what it was doing wrong when I brought it in.

Since the quilt is basted and all, I'm going to try to get some of it quilted tomorrow after work.

(I also pin basted the Sew Intertwined QAL quilt....that one may sit a bit though.)

Because I couldn't use the machine yesterday, I decided to work on two other projects on my list.
I tackled the red, black and grey quilt, since it's been sitting untouched since April.




It's done!  And in the wash with the rest of the box of color catchers.  *is praying it was enough*

I also have the Modern Medallion quilt done up to the large borders and the binding is on it.  That's on my to do list this week as well.

So, to recap, goals for this week:

1.  Medallion quilt
2.  Orange/Purple quilt
3.  The Pirate's Apron (I had fully intended to get it done today, but the 2 hour round trip to the shop ate that time.)
4.  Catch up on bee blocks.
5.  Catch up on How Far Will you Go? QAL blocks.

oh, yeah...all that and Zumba, designing a process drama for my classroom, and regular work.  Eep.

Ipad sleeve tutorial!

Melissa at Sew Bittersweet Designs is a bloggy friend of mine.

When she asked if I would be interested in helping her with a project near and dear to her heart, I couldn't say no!



Not only that, but she organized the drive with Hopeful Threads!

They are trying to collect 100 e-reader sleeves/covers and pillow cases for servicepeople abroad.

I asked if I could make an ipad cover.  I wanted to make it beginner friendly.  You can, of course, adjust the measurements for any e-reader.

I cut three pieces.  Two pieces for the lining, 9"x11" each.  One piece for the body of the cover, 21"x9".  You can piece it together however you want and then cut it to size if you wish.  (I'm thinking I have some orphan blocks that will be reformed into colorblock/improv strips for a few more.)  I'm going to try to make some in linen, but I have to restock my supplies.  The only other ingredients you need is a piece of fusible fleece (21"x9"), 2 hair elastics, and 2 buttons.

  (oops...I had already fused the fleece on in this photo)

 Recap of "ingredients":
(2) 9"x11" lining pieces
(1) 9"x21" exterior piece
(1) 9"x21" fusible fleece
(2) hair elastics
(2) buttons

Assembly is easy.
1.  Iron the fusible fleece to the exterior piece.

2.  Sew one piece of lining to one end of the exterior piece.  (All your pieces will now make a LONG piece that goes, interior, exterior, interior.

3.  On the other end, pin the two hair elastics each two inches in from the top edge.  Layer the other lining piece on top of it.  (Think of it as a hair elastic sandwich, with the lining and exterior as the bread pieces.)  Sew.

4.  Fold the long piece (with right sides facing).  Sew along the edge in a giant U (leaving a 3" gap at the end of the lining edge of the sandwich.

5.  Turn it right side out.  Sew the opening closed.

6.  Press.

7.  Topstitch the top edge.

8.  Sew on the buttons.

9.  Pack it and send it!

10.  If you so desire, repeat!

I hope y'all will make one.  Honestly, I made it easy.  At least as easy as I could.
You can add all kinds of fun embellishments.  Improv!  Hand stitch!  Really, it's an awesome cause. Rumor has it that they'll be drawing some prizes over at Hopeful Threads for the folks who help contribute to this!  There's also a flickr group to join and lots of other awesome bloggers doing tutorials.

Thank you, Melissa, for letting me help say thank you to our troops!

Sorry, I can't seem to keep up.

With posting on the regular, that is.

I'm still trying to get into the swing of things with school.
Add to that parking lot issues, dog, and then gearing up to camp with my students.
(I'm so not outdoorsy...and the fact that I miss the Sewing Summit registration and have a proxy doing it is making me UBER OCD/mad I have to go.)

Anywho, I tried to catch on things this weekend.
I still have a crapload of hand sewing to do.
I'm taking the Hexy MF with me to work on.
Part of my Medallion quilt is hand quilted, but I still have ton to go.  I get a long weekend next weekend, so that is part of my list of things to get farther along.

I have, sadly, come to the conclusion that I won't get through my whole FAL list.  I'm aiming for 2 or three more completion.  Maybe I'll be hit by some magic and get more done.
I have one more tic of my list, though...my super secret Sept project.
The tutorial is coming after midnight.

This weekend, I caught up on my How Far Will You Go QAL block:



I think I'm REALLY going to love this quilt when it's done.

I did my do.good.stitches block for Emily in the Heal circle:



I've got a few more blocks from last month coming my way and I'll have to assemble and quilt one, too!

I did my Running with Scissors Bee block for Danielle:



I did my Neutral and Not block for Nydia:



The shot cottons in this one were so lovely.  I can't wait to see that quilt.

I did stars for Lyanna, for Sew Bee Blissful:



I also worked on a Mystery Round Robin that I can't share with ya.  It's getting mailed off to its next owner tomorrow.

Finally, I made my pouch for the PLPS.
I love how it turned out.  Like a doofus, though...when I went to get my partner's mailing address, I realized she asked for a bigger pouch.  (So there is a compromise INSIDE this pouch.  I hope my partner will be ok with that.)



So, how was your weekend?

Can't believe it's been a week!

Since I posted, that is.  As a result, this one will be a bit pic heavy at the end.

It was a wee bit crazy as weeks go.

The dog hurt his back, which resulted in me almost having a breakdown.  (The dog is neither allowed to be injured or die.  I have so decreed it...It might also be noted that the first task on the list when we win the lottery is to clone the dog.  Like I said, I don't really like all dogs, just this one.)

Add to that, our parking lot got torn up and I couldn't get answers about the schedule of when...which added to the freaking out over the dog and how I was possibly going to carry him several blocks to a car.

Blarg.  So, my sewing was on hold until this past weekend.  When I played catchup.
Didn't finish my whole list but got a bunch done.

I finished my Swoon mini:




I caught up on my How Far Will You Go? QAL blocks.  (GOD, I LOVE THESE.)





I sewed together my Sew Intertwined blocks.  I also have the back and the binding done.  Now...just to find some time to baste and quilt it.  Maybe in October?



I finished my Sailor Mouth swap items, but I'm only including a pic of one of the items in case my partner is reading my blog.



I also started hand quilting my Modern Medallion quilt.  I'm trying to get that done this week.  (At least through to the orange peel stage.)  No pics of that, though.


Other random updates!
I am addicted to refrigerator oats.
I've lost (according to Weightwatchers) 10 lbs.  (which is actually more like 12.)
I finally took pics of this finished quilt:

Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop Stop

Many moons ago, the lovely Beth over at Plum and June asked who wanted to join in on a blog hop!  (Answer: ME!!!!)

 This is, I believe, my first ever hop (at least one that wasn't a giveaway hop)!

Okay, so a little about me in general before I answer the craft related questions.
I'm a bellydancer in my spare time.  I once actually made some costumery as part of an Eternal Maker challenge.  Yes, I actually danced in it.  No, I did not win the challenge.  (But I am hoping the photo of me IN the costumery wasn't what threw me down.)
I live in Atlanta with an inconveniently snuggly, somewhat evil Tuxedo cat who tests all the quilts for me, a smooshy cocker spaniel who tries to boot the cat off the quilt so he can prove his quilt testing skills with his little victory dance (what we lovingly refer to as rubbing his stink on it), and an awesome fiance who cooks almost everything I eat (I have some really weird food allergies...onions, anyone?) who I refer to here as The Pirate.  Oh, I'm a teacher.  And a klutz.  And a quilt along whore.  (Seriously, peoples, I just finished the Soda Pop QAL over the summer and the last installment of the My Precious QAL.  I'm currently doing the Sew Intertwined QAL, the How Far Will You Go QAL, and the Hexy MF QAL.  I really want to start the Scrap Vomit QAL but I'm waiting til at least one of the others are done.  That said, each project has surprised me with how much I'm loving each quilt, for teaching me new skills or playing with new fabrics...Currently using Hope Valley on two of the QALs.)

Some of my quilty projects:

How long have you been quilting?
I made my first quilt in college.  It started off rather inauspiciously with stitches.  I had discovered all these silk remnants and was going to crazy quilt style a quilt.  Long story short...handwashing, trips to a washing line, sliding glass door, cat that wasn't allowed outside, door slammed on finger.  Oh, and I was home alone when I did it and my dad's secretary had to come get me to take me as I couldn't drive my non-powersteering car without two hands.  Sigh.  I said I was a klutz.  That quilt idea got tabled, and I made another one.  I did the top, and my mom actually tied it.   I found a piece of that quilt in my stash.  Um, metallic paisley? Really?
I didn't really start quilting again til the summer of 2011, when I started this blog.  It's been non stop since then.

Favorite Quilting Tips
Measure at least twice before you cut.  CHANGE THE ROTARY BLADE REGULARLY.  Then, PLEASE remember it is newly sharp and don't cut yourself.  Clover binding clippies (they're red and clear) work fabulously for binding and don't scratch you up like some of the metal ones do.

Wish list fabric
Gah.  Too long.  Anything by Tula Pink (I'm mildly obsessed).  Heather Ross (I have bits hoarded all over my sewing room).  I'm also a big fan of Lizzy House and Laurie Wishbrun.  Lotta's cool, too.  Honestly, other than those designers, I'm picking stuff that just appeals to me.

Favorite Craft Book
I got it for my birthday and am exercising much self control in not starting a project from it yet.  Hexa-Go-Go by Tacha Bruecher.

Favorite Book
My all time two favorites are One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Favorite Children's Book
Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory

Favorite quilting tool
My rotary cutter

Favorite Music to listen to while quilting
I actually tend to sew by the TV.  I like marathons of shows, especially Psych, and horrible SyFy original movies.

Binding-by hand or machine?
By hand.  But I'm sloooooooow.

If I'd only known
How much of my space was going to get eaten up by my fabric hoard.  I'd have started with better storage.


My Tutorial: A Polaroid Snack Mat!

It's not really earth shattering.  I've liked the Polaroid blocks I've seen up and about the internet.  (I know there was a swap of them a while back.)  I don't have a plan to make a quilt of them right now, but I have some cool charm squares from a fussy cut charm swap.  I got my batch from Allegory over at Sew Allegorical.  (She's rad and local to me!)
I wanted to use a couple of them to make something I could use every day.
Coaster/snack mat it is!

I took the tutorial on making the tiny versions and amped it up for a bigger size.

For each coaster, I used a 5 in charm square, 2 strips of white Kona measuring 2 in by 5 in, 1 strip of white Kona measuring 2 in by 8 in, and 1 strip of Kona measuring 3 in by 8 in.  I also used a piece of batting, approximately 9 in by 10 in.  For the back, I used some Kona charcoal, a piece about 8.5 by 7 in.

First sew the side strips on.

Then sew the top and bottom strips on.

I attached the batting by sewing around the "picture" part of the Polaroid.

Then I trimmed up the Polaroid block (with batting attached) to 8.5 in high and 7 in wide.

I sewed the back on (by placing right sides together and sewing around it, leaving a 2 in opening for turning) with a 1/2 in seam.  Hint:  Don't do what I did and leave the opening on a corner.  Your corners will look better if you leave the 2 in opening in the top or the bottom middle instead.

Clip the corners, turn inside out, and press.

Then sew a 1/8" topstitch and you're done!

If you wanted to be super fab, you could embroider a message on the Polaroid before you sew the front to the batting!


It's making my afterschool snack that much more fun!

Thanks for visiting my blog!  I hope you'll come back!


Please visit the other folk hosting this week:
Aug 28
        Lucy from Charm About You

Aug 30
       Elaine from Dashasel Sews
       Jess from The Elven Garden
(Jess is co-hosting a phenomenal QAL right now, and it's not too late to join in!)

what I did this weekend...

I tried to catch up on projects....

I'm all caught up on my How Far will you Go? QAL blocks:


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I did my 3x6 blocks.  I'm worried they are too plain.





I have 2/3 of my Woven blocks for the Sew Intertwined QAL done.  It took me a long time to wrap my head around the combo of paper piecing and y-seams.



I have plotted my Sailor Mouth swap items.
I also got a tutorial object done for my stop on the Let's Get Acquainted blog hop stop this week.
I started sewing my Hexy MF rows.  I'm doing two at a time so I can start sewing them together.
I also finished hand quilting my Swoon mini, but I still have to do the binding.
I sewed a secret block.
Oh, and I spent time at school prepping my math stuff for the first official math class tomorrow.


Phew.

Um...I forgot to take pics of the finished Across the Sea boy quilt.  But it's done!  I have yet to get cracking on my Medallion hand quilting.  That's on tap after I finish the Woven blocks.

Twas a great first day of school!

I met all my kids for this year.  (Well, I have to find out who is in my Math class this year, but I won't know that til Friday.)

It was a lovely day. Lots of hugs.  Smiles.  Questions, questions, and more questions!

They're a chatty bunch.

I didn't sleep well last night.  The Pirate stayed up til 1:30am cooking so I'd have lunches this week.  I kept waking up and worrying that he wasn't in bed yet.  Plus, I (like many of my students probably) had trouble sleeping the night before the first day of school.

Post school, I planned on sewing, but I came home and took a nap with the animals snuggling me on the sofa.  (The cocker doesn't usually like smooshing for a lie down on the sofa, but he was smooshed between me and the sofa back.)

I worked on my Swoon mini today.  It's just needs binding sewn on.  I hand quilted a bit o' perle on it.  I have yet to bust into my Medallion hand quilting.  I'm going to try to get that going this week.

I finished the Across the Sea boy quilt on my bday.  (I just had to handsew the binding on.)  It's in the dryer.  I'll try to get pics of it tomorrow.

Mostly, I've been working on my Hexy MF.  I have one row sewn all together.  I have a few flowers left to assemble.




What I need to work on Wed/Thurs:
mailing out charms/scrap vomit squares
Sewing the 12 blocks left for the Sew Intertwined QAL.  I think I'm doing the paperpieced ones.
Catching up on the How Far Will You Go paper pieced block BEFORE the new blocks come out.
Sewing my Sailor Mouth swap item.  (I have a design in my head.)

Tomorrow, I ZUMBA.  So, we'll see how much juice I have left after that and school.