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.

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?