Friday Finishes!

I have a bunch of items done.  Despite having a head cold that feels like it's morphing into an upper respiratory thing/sinus infection, I've been sewing and sewing.

Items now completed (although I'm missing pictorial evidence, apparently):

Bess Top.  (It's still too hot here to wear it.  I'm waiting for a cold front.)


Divided Basket.  Seriously, how did I live with this thing before I had it?!  All my sewing bits go in, and now I can actually find them!

Improv Malka quilt.  Love it.  It needs a baby to travel to.  And a wash.

Pixie Churn Dash.  I seriously love this one.  I thought I had a baby it was going to go to, but she had a little girl and I have a quilt that's more in line with her mom's personality already done, so this one is looking for a home, too.  (Totally fine, I have a ton of babies coming to friends and this will lower my stress level.)  It, too, needs a wash.

Meridian #1.  I have to wait a bit to post pics of this one.  This is the one that my machine ate the sleeve on.  I've fray checked it and plan to wear it as is, just grey side out.  Rachael at imaginegnats just launched her kid version of it.

Wellspring Quilt.  It's quilted!  Just needs to be washed to be ready for the hand off at the Nov Guild meeting.

Sisters 10.  I. Love. This. Quilt.  I don't know why I keep saying I don't love pink and it keeps showing up.  This one is very 80s.  Maybe that's why I'm so feeling the love.  The quilt was designed by AnneMarie over at GenXQuilters.  She's pretty cool, and, I think, planning another QAL for 2014.  I'm pretty sure I'm in.



Progress Made:
The Wonky Star quilt is now a quilt top.  I have purchased some solids for backing and binding.  Plans are in the works to baste it and do a bit of hand quilting.


The Hexy MF now has all its papers and threads removed.  I still have to do one more layer of applique, but it involves some drawing, so I haven't gotten there yet.

I'm a bit behind in the Penny Sampler.  I haven't started the paper piecing bits yet.



Next on Tap:
Other than basting, binding, and quilting the Wonky Star and the two postage stamp quilts, I have to design the space quilt and get going on that one.  I'm waiting for a few more blocks for the Heal quilt, but I hope to have that one done by Halloween.  I'm planning a sewing marathon day in Nov to make pouches and maybe the sidekick.
I've also got fabric for the train case redo and need to make my octopus pillow case.

Fabric wish listing!

Ok, so there is a really cool linkup happening over here:


You should totally join in.

I'm hoping for some of my favorite fabrics to pop up and for someone to be willing swap or trade or such.

Those of you who follow me know two folks pop up in my work fairly consistently.

First, I'm a sucker for Tula.  Her Prince Charming line is the first one I collected as a quilter.
That frog still kills me.  As does her octopus.  However, I'm hunting for some oldies...ones that came out way before I discovered them.

Nest and Neptune

Anyone got any that wants to swap me?

My second favorite designer is probably Lizzy House.  I love her lines (and am dying for Catnap to come out already).  I may have an octopus dress still planned for Salt Water but I am DYING to make a vintage-y rockabilly dress out of Lizzy's kitties.  Oh, and her foxes in Outfoxed in the orange.  Still in love.

The ducks from Red Letter Day (I missed out) and Outfoxed foxes in the orange.

I'm putting it out there into the universe.  Give me a holler if you're interested.

No pictures today, and sad faced me.

So, I'm leaning toward agreeing with the Hand, Foot suggestion.  I had a new spate of blistery things on my other hand...and I haven't handled any sewing bits in common with the weekend activities in the past two days.  I still feel like crap, but for other reasons.

I'm currently a splotchy faced, sniffly mess.

I was pattern testing for Rachael at Imaginegnats, who is awesome and lovely.

My Janome had been crabby about sewing knits in the past but had been tended to in the meantime.  I made it through part of the cardi before my machine started skipping stitches.  I switched out thread and needles.  I'd make it part way through a seam...then skipping again.
Then it ate a sleeve.  As in shredded my knit fabric.  So, my cardi #1 is as done as it's going to be.  I've fray checked the hole.  I'm putting Cardi #2 on hold.  I'll have pics of #1 posted at some point, when I'm not a splotch.

I'm going to take the whole machine apart, but, at this point, I'm thinking of throwing it away.
It's not worth paying the $75 to service it again.  I'm also getting soured on Janome in general, having had bad issues with tension on my Horizon as well.  I'm looking for a workhorse that does simple stuff, like straight lines, but can still quilt.  Under $300 if possible.  Any suggestions?  I can't take having a machine that destroys many hours and money's worth of work.

Feeling weird....

So, plan for tonight is to pattern test the Meridian.
I have to have enough focus to try to match some stripes.

In the meantime, I'm still feeling kind of off.
My goal over the weekend was to pinbaste a ton of quilts.  I made it through 2 on Saturday before I got hit with a lot of nausea, followed later by itching of the bottoms of my feet and my hands.
Now, I didn't eat anything weird for me (at least nothing I know I'm allergic to).
My first thought was, "Crap.  The pins may be made of metal I'm reacting to."  I had, in fact, stabbed myself several times on the pins.  I had been standing on them while I moved around the bigger quilts.  That said, these are the pins I've always used....and I regularly stab myself without any of this crap every time I use them.  I took Benadryl and woke up itching after it wore off.  I waited out the itchies, which were over by Sunday around noon.  (I also realized at that point that I had forgotten to take my regular allergy meds on Sat.)
I pinbasted the Malka on Sunday.  No nausea, no hives.
Anyone out there with sensitivities develop them to pins?  If so, what the hell do you use to baste quilts?  I'm really hesitant to try spray baste because of chemical issues.

I'm not ruling out that this is viral...as I have a sore throat (but I yelled a lot at a noisy mixer last night) and I had weird water blistery looking marks break out on my hands yesterday.  Some are still there and hurt like burn blisters.  (Even though I know I didn't touch anything hot yesterday.)

I went down for the count last night...as in no sewing after a school mixer.  I had trouble dragging myself out of bed this morning, despite at least 8 hours of sleep (that's a lot for me).

I'm falling behind in the Penny Sampler.  I've got the Churn Dash quilted, but not bound.  I've the got Malka's straight line quilting started and two ginormous quilts on deck (The Wellspring and my Sisters 10).

Anyone out there got any ideas about the basting issue or insights into WTF is going on?  I'm open.  I'd rather not dash to the GP if possible.  I'm low on the budget for medical for the rest of the year other than allergy meds.

4th quarter FAL list..it's EPIC.

Okay, so I'm living large in the world of lists.  In that regard, I'm a legend in my own head.

My sewing room is like a Tardis.  It's bigger on the inside.  Seriously, I come from a line of stuffers/hoarders.  I have an insane amount of projects...and supplies.  I need to get a handle on that this year.  Or sew faster.  One of the two.

So, anyway, here's the list:

1.  Bess top.  I cut it for the Selfish Sewing week, which turned out to be the week from hell.  So, it didn't get finished because I ran out of bias tape.  It will.  Early on.  In time for cooler weather so I can wear it.


2.  Divided basket for me.  Ditto on the Selfish Sewing week original plan.  Cut following the making of a basket for a BFF having a babe.  Never finished it.


3.  Penny Sampler Quilt.  I'm still on track to finish this one before Christmas.


4.  Sisters 10 Modern BOM quilt.  One more block to be released and then I can finish the top and quilt it!


5.  Wellspring quilt.  I made one for the Atlanta Modern Quilt Guild donation to the house.  I needed to get batting from the Guild to finish it.  On tap for the Oct meeting.


6.  Postage Stamp Top #1.  Made when I cleaned out my scrap bin.


7.  Postage Stamp Top #2.  Made after #1 when I realized my scrap bin apparently is also like a Tardis.


8.  Wonky Star Quilt.  I have a baby this one needs to be for...so I need to get inspired.


9.  Hexy MF.  Seriously, this one needs to be done.  And sent away to come back and be bound.


10.  Space quilt.  I have to get this one done for the aforementioned mama of the babe that is coming for whom I made the divided basket.  I inherited a block from Katy at The Littlest Thistle.  It is so so perfect, as her nursery themes involve robots and rockets.


11.  Retro Rubies...will only get done if I'm in the mood for curves.  Who knows?!


12.  Converging Corners.  It either gets done this session or it finds a new home.


13.  NY Beauty Orphan Block project


14.  Bag out of 2 churn dash orphan blocks.


15.  Churn Dash quilt..Started during The Penny Sampler class.


16.  Meridian Cardi #1


17.  Meridian Cardi #2


18.  Hexy Diamond quilt.  Realistically, this is not going to get done as it's my long term hand sewing project.  I'm just including it to get it on the master list.


19.  Marcelle Medallion quilt.  I petered out before the Flying Geese section.  Need to make this one happen.


20.  Improv Malka quilt


21.  Heal Circle Quilt.  (I'm the quilter for September....just waiting for the blocks to come in.)


(picture from Emily, used with permission)

22.  Madison's Senior Quilt.  This one may carry over to next year, as it's a graduation present. I'm using 3x6 blocks for this one.


23.  Pouch for Alicia


24.  Pouch for Trollop



25.  Pouch for G.


26.  Pouch for Mom


27.  Pouch for Karen


28.  Secret gift pouch #1


29.  Secret gift pouch #2


30.  Train Case Makeover


31.  Octopus pillow case for me (I made 2 before, but the one for me is upside down. I've gotten new fabric to redo it.) In the photo, it's the failed one. I'll be making another one, one with the octopi upright, with the cuff on the right.


32.  Sidekick Bag  (Yup, I wrecked my most lately used 241.  I need a new bag.)  I bought fabric for it a while back when Marla and I shopped.



Yeah.  It's an insane list.  But I think I can make a considerable dent.  Plus, um, there's the pressure of a deadline with the Christmas gift make-age.

Goals for this weekend:
Pin baste like  MOFO....the Malka improv quilt, the two postage stamps, the Wellspring, the Sisters 10, and the Churn Dash....Of course, that means I have to finish the Churn Dash mini first.
Also, cut fabric for the first Meridian....finish the divided basket and maybe the Bess top.

ALYOF, Oct goal

I have a project I have started, the Pixie Churn Dash.




I love me a churn dash.

My October goal is to finish it!

FAL, Quarter 3

My list for the third quarter was overly ambitious (not that the 4th quarter list won't be even longer/insane).  To be honest, there are a few projects on there that just aren't floating my boat right now (wonky star quilt) but I'm keeping them on lists just because 1.  I need to keep tabs on how many UFOs I have and 2.  I might change my mind and like them again.

I blogged about my list here.

For the purposes of linking up, I'm only including pics here of finished UFOs.  Here's the current status of the projects listed:

1.  HST Project Linus quilt:  Not done yet.  Perhaps in the next day or so.

2.  Sewing Summit mini:  Done!


3.  Tula skirt:  This is on hold until my weight stabilizes.  I don't want to sew up a skirt that I can't wear for very long.

4.  Halloween spider web quilt: Done!  Man, I love this quilt.  I have it hanging on a railing right now so I can pet it each time I walk by it.


5.  Red/purple quilt:  Done!


6.  Hexy MF:  Blarg.  I still have to pull out all the papers and finish the last stages of applique.  My intention was to finish this one during Selfish Sewing week, but that week got shot to hell.  I have to finish this one and find some place to send it to get it long armed.  Suggestions still welcome.

7.  Mom's Quilt:  Done!  Yay!  I have one Christmas present done.


8.  Converging corners quilt:  I'll be honest.  This one falls solidly in the "not floating my boat" category.  I've made a couple of blocks, but they are fidgety and take lots of cutting...and frankly, I have other things I'd rather mess with.

9.  String block quilt:  Done.  And a major disappointment.  Seams popped.  I thought I could tie it but apparently the batting I used (which was a brand I don't usually use) was kind of crappy and needed far more tying than I did...and it shredded.  So, I've given it to the dog until he digs it apart and then it's going in the trash.


10.  Scrappy Tripalong:  Done!  And I made two more postage stamp tops when I was on a roll.


11.  Wonky Star quilt:  On hold.  In the Meh basket.

12.  Retro Rubies:  Ditto.  I have to be in a mood to sew curves.  And I haven't been.

13.  Pillow cases:  Done!  I just bought fabric to make one more...as the octopi are upside down on mine.  (They turned out to both be left side of the bed pillowcases...Yes, I am OCD and I can't bear an upside octopus....or the cuff on the wrong side.  I've already been laughed at by the husband.)


14.  Orphan NY Beauty block:  Sitting in a pile of orphan blocks.  I have plans for them in the 4th quarter.

Seven, maybe 8 by the end of the deadline, finishes out of 14.  My worst record so far.  But I have plans to crank out many of the tops sitting in piles for the 4th quarter.  And I have all the bits I had planned for the Selfish Sewing Week to reschedule.  So, the next list will be EPIC.  Let's just hope it's not EPIC Fail.  *ahem*