Caught Up...Mostly

I finally had time to put together my December blocks for do.Good Stitches.  Gratefully the Cross Quilt Block is straightforward and simple.  She just wanted plain yellow and white, so you'd think that would be easy to come by, but I don't use yellow a whole lot in my quilts, so I had to dig in my scraps to find a solid yellow.

I'm in charge of the January block, so I'm excited to get working on that.  I still need to put together all of my Sister's Modern BOM blocks as well.  I haven't decided who I'm giving the quilt to yet, so I'm not feeling a major push to get it done at this point.

In the Nick of Time

My Skill Builder quilt just was not getting finished.  I wanted it to be done before my parents got here, but that most definitely did not happen.  This is the first time I've ever done a Quilt As You Go quilt, and when you're on a time crunch trying new methods may not be the best way to go.  Attaching all of the blocks is time consuming and a definite skill unto itself.  I researched different methods and in the end liked Leah Day's tutorial the best. 

This quilt was my dad's Christmas gift.  A while back he asked, "Where's my quilt?"  It had never occurred to me that my dad would want one, but I've been working on these Skill Builder blocks all year with my dad in mind (thus the green and blue). 

I had everything except the binding done by Christmas Eve.  Both my parents had to work the day after Christmas, so they were leaving early afternoon on Christmas.  The quilt may not have made it under the tree to be opened, but I was determined to have it done before they left.  After Christmas Breakfast I sat down on the chair and started binding like a crazy lady.  I got it done in record time with an hour to spare before they walked out the door.  Wahoo!

Giving Tree

I don't usually talk about things I do outside of my family, but today I want to share with you a little about what I've been up to this crazy month of December.  A little background:  I'm Relief Society President in my ward.  For those of you that have no idea what I'm talking about, I am over the spiritual and temporal welfare of the 200+ women that are 18 and over in my church congregation (we refer to congregations as wards in the LDS church).

One of my responsibilities during the holidays is to oversee the Giving Tree.  I try to find out what families need help with for Christmas, and then we place tags on the tree for members of the ward to take and get things for these families.  It takes a lot of coordination, because we try to make the giving and receiving as anonymous as possible, but also because in our particular ward we have a lot of needs.  For those of you who are not familiar with the way Mormon congregations work, it's all by geographical boundaries.  You attend the ward where your home fits within the boundaries.  You can literally type your address in on lds.org and it tells you which meetinghouse you would attend.  I can travel anywhere in the world and easily look up where I would go to church.  It's kinda nifty.  Anyway, the boundaries in my particular ward include a section of downtown Columbus, and we happen to have a lot of people who struggle financially and are going through hard times.  A lot of families needed to be on the Giving Tree.  I also wanted to make sure that single parents and widows weren't forgotten about.  This meant the Giving Tree was quite a huge project to manage.

For the last week my house has looked like a Christmas explosion with gifts, stockings and gift cards all over the place.  Last night I emptied my house and we came to the church to make all of the fruit baskets and organize all of the gifts to be distributed.  It was quite a production.  We put it all together in just over an hour, and then sent out people to make deliveries.  After all was said and done we gave out 44 fruit baskets, 46 gift cards, 15 stockings and 18 gifts for children, and 5 turkey dinners.  The cellophane wrapping didn't hold as much fruit as we originally thought it would, so we also had a lot of extra fruit and nuts.  We ended up giving another 20 families the rest of the fruit. 

It was a completely chaotic evening, but it feels so good to have everything done and distributed.  My favorite part of this whole experience has been to witness the generosity and thoughtfulness of so many people.  The Giving Tree wouldn't have been possible without their willingness to give and to serve.  I love the holidays for this very reason.

Now that this particular endeavor is behind me, it's time to do some holiday baking.  :)  I'd say I was going to sleep for 24 hours straight, but since that's not an option I'll settle for baking. 

Catching Up

I'm determined to get everything done by Christmas.  I may go crazy in the process (well, technically speaking my husband would probably argue I've already stepped over that threshold, so maybe I should just embrace it).

Anyway, I was thrilled to get both of my Skill Builder blocks quilted yesterday.  I took very opposite approaches with them.  The first I went for minimalist quilting.  It just felt like less is more with this block:

 The second block I really wanted to play with Echo Shells.  I've never tried quilting around an applique design before, so it was really good practice for me:

 I particularly like the view from the back:

Inside the diamond is my favorite part.  I believe Leah Day affectionately refers to this stitch as the Hairball.  The name fits a little too well.

I have one more Skill Builder block to do before I can put this quilt together.  It's finally starting to come together!

Slightly Behind

Why is it always the month you have the most to do that you have the least amount of time to do it in?  Life has been so ridiculously busy that after a full week all I have to show for myself is one Skill Builder block. 

I did at least get Modern Beauty done today.  I used the "invisible" thread again only this time I used a different zigzag stitch on my machine, and it worked a bit better.  I'm still not a huge fan of this thread, but it wasn't quite as bad as last time. 

Next up is getting some of the kids' gifts done, and also I need to quilt this block.

Gettysburg Getaway

Joel's parents were kind enough to send us away for 24 hours while they and Aunt Liz watched the kiddos.  They live just 45 minutes away from Gettysburg, so it was the perfect distance.  We stayed at the cutest Bed and Breakfast.  It's called the Baladerry Inn.  The place is absolutely charming with the old brick fireplaces and 1800s decor.  The original part of the home (the brick section pictured above) was used as a hospital during the battle of Gettysburg.

I hadn't been to Gettysburg since my 5th grade field trip, so it's been a while.  They've really built up the place.  The new visitor center is huge!  Joel and I decided to spend the morning taking the self-guided car tour.  I've always found the Civil War very fascinating, so it was a very interesting visit.  The picture below is the view off of Little Round Top - the valley below is where "Pickett's Charge" took place.  Lee lost over 5,000 Confederate men in one hour charging across open fields.

Total casualties (killed, wounded, captured, and missing) for the 3 days of fighting in Gettysburg were 23,000 (Union Army) & 28,000 (Confederate Army).  It was pretty sobering to think of so many men fighting and dieing here.

How Can It Already Be December?

December always sneaks up on me.  Even though I was feeling good about myself for knocking a couple things off my list early I now find myself with quite a few things to do before Christmas.  What else is new?

1- I started prep work for another Skill Builder block:

I was supposed to be using this quilt as a Christmas gift, so I need to get my booty in gear and finish up the last couple of blocks. 

2- December Blocks for do.Good Stitches - this may have to be pushed back until after Christmas

3- I have a list of things to make for the Torres Cousins and the kiddos.  Once my Skill Builder block is finished I'm going to start ticking these off my list.

4- Eh...remember this quilt top from last year?  Oops- it's still sitting in my closet waiting to be finished.  I should probably work on that one of these days.

5- My Sisters' BOM blocks still need to be made into a quilt top, but that may also get pushed back until after Christmas.

Stats for the Week:
New projects - 0
Completed projects - 0
WIP- 5

Barbie Needs a Quilt, Too

We're on our second round of the stomach bug in under a week around here.  Little Man stayed home from school and the kiddos have been lounging around in their pajamas all day while I've been sanitizing the whole house...again.  There's nothing quite like a reoccurring illness to make you paranoid about germs.  I've got just about everything wiped down, washed and/or swept, so I can finally sit down and post this.

I haven't gotten much done so far this week, but I did manage to start a birthday gift for one of my nieces.  She's turning 5 and my sister requested that I make quilts and pillows for her Barbies since she's getting a Barbie house for Christmas.  I think it's always fun to work on mini-versions of things with scraps, so I was excited about this project. First thing's first - I had to borrow a Barbie from a friend to measure how big to make the quilts, because my daughter hasn't hit the Barbie phase yet.

Here's Barbie quilt top #1:

One of the reasons why I love using scraps so much is because each fabric reminds me of the previous quilts I used them for and the people I gave them to.  It makes every scrap bust a trip down memory lane while I piece the new project together. 

A while back I started saving all the triangles I cut off while making quilt bindings.  I kind of did it on a whim and didn't have any particular idea in mind when I started saving them.  As I was thinking about possibilities for these little quilts I thought, "Hey - I have all those triangles!  Let's do some mini pinwheels."  I wasn't very particular about cutting them down so not all of them line up, but somehow I don't think Barbie will mind. 

I made the two quilt tops coordinate by using matching borders.

Here's Barbie quilt top #2: 

 

Lots o' Projects

It's been a while since I went to the trouble of making the actual list for WIP, but I'm needing to get myself organized, so this is a good place to do it.

1- Receiving Blanket was started and completed this week.  Check that one off!

2- Sister's Modern BOM:  All of the blocks are completed, so now I need to make a quilt top.

3- Skill Builder:  I got one block done this week.  I'm about 5 behind...I think.  I've lost track at this point.  I'm not too sure I'm going to be able to get all of them done by the end of the year.  We'll see.

4- I've cut out what I need to make purses for my daughter and my niece (for Christmas).  That's the first thing to cross off my list this week.

Other projects

do.Good Stitches- need to do November blocks

Christmas quilt - really should be on the radar, but it's not

Upcoming projects

Stuffed Animal Sleeping bags for the kiddos
Mel's birthday gift
Madrid Temple Wholecloth quilt

Stats for the Week:
New projects - 3
Completed projects - 1
WIP- 7

The "Not-So Invisible" Invisible Thread

Anyone else love Princess Bride?  This is what came to mind when working with Invisible Sulky thread yesterday:

As part of a Skill Builder you are supposed to get outside of your comfort zone and try things you've never done before.  I tried "invisible" thread and boy is it a pain in the buh-tootie to work with.  It's super fine and very difficult to see, and the thread tension is crazy weird.  See all of those thread ends to work with?

I personally think that for the amount of pain it is to work with that this thread isn't really worth it.  I think it's still pretty visible.  Maybe if I used a smaller needle the punch marks wouldn't be so noticeable in the fabric.  I still have another Skill Builder block to do with this thread and I'm debating about just using regular thread for the applique. Anyone else worked with this stuff before?  

Sweet and Simple

This may sound silly, but I feel more comfortable making an intricate quilt than putting together a receiving blanket.  The simple reason would be because until today I had never made a receiving blanket.  My friend asked me if I would be willing to make one for her since she's hosting a baby shower and doesn't know how to sew.  Why not?

I found this tutorial and went to work.  It was easy, so I don't know why I was so nervous to make it.  I already had green thread in my machine from a previous project, so I didn't have to switch anything except the foot for my wavy stitch.  Easy peasy. 

Now I've got to return to my applique blocks and get 'em done. 

Brilliant Colors

I love the Fall.  I have been absolutely loving the gorgeous leaves all over.  Even our own bushes are making me smile these days.



I finished up the last blocks of Sister's Ten Modern today, and they fit right in with the changing trees.
These are called Aunt Lee's Frame:

Next up is to put all of the blocks together into a quilt top.  I'm excited to see what it looks like.

When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Have you ever met someone who is so wonderful, but for some reason seems to get more than their fair share of bad things happen to them?  We have friends, who we love dearly, who have tried for a very long time to have children.  They are the type of people who you just know will be the very best of parents.  Ask anyone who knows them and they would say the same thing.  They are kind, caring and some of the most giving people I know.  I really ached for them.  I cried I was so excited when I found out they were going to have twins- a boy and a girl.  I cried again when they found out their little boy has anencephaly (a defect that causes the skull and parts of the brain to not form correctly or at all).  These babies usually are born stillborn or only live for a few hours.  

My first gut reaction was, "Why?!  They have already been through so much. Why do they have to go through this as well?"  And then I started really thinking about their reaction and how incredible they have been in the face of such difficult news.  They are so inspiring to me.  Here they are with such emotional, devastating news and yet they are comforting those around them and making everyone  feel at ease when it should be the other way around. They have somehow found the good in the situation.  Their example has reminded me how each and every one of us has struggles and goes through difficult things in life, but it is how we choose to respond to these challenges that really defines us and solidifies our character (for better or for worse).  They have a difficult road ahead of them.  It will be a mixture of joy and deep sorrow knowing she will give birth to two babies but only come home from the hospital with one.  I am in awe of their eternal perspective and how blessed they feel to have both of them as part of their family.

As soon as I heard the news last week I knew I wanted to do something for them.  I can't change the situation, but I can give love and support.  I set about making a quilt for their little boy right away.  They already have such love for him and want to celebrate his life, however short it may be.  I plan on making a quilt for the little girl as well, but I just felt an urgency in giving them something tangible to hold onto throughout the rest of her pregnancy.  It may sound odd, but while he's still alive inside of her this is their time with him.  For the last 4 days I have spent every extra second I had thinking about and making this quilt.  Life has been super crazy, but I can't even begin to tell you how special this quilt became to me.  I had such a sense of direction and peace envelop me as I worked on it.  When I saw Elizabeth's Heart String tutorial I knew I had to make that the focus of the quilt. They have such a strong love for their little boy that a heart was the natural choice.

I also wanted to make it as personalized as possible in the FMQ.  They have focused on their knowledge that they will be an eternal family and that they will all be together again forever.  I wanted to somehow convey that in the quilt.

I thought this print was extremely fitting for the back.  The message is perfect and it's a cuddly flannel.

It has been a very emotional couple of days, but it has made this quilt a work of pure love.  I cried with her as I gave her the quilt this evening.  I am truly humbled by the faith of her and her husband.  The journey of this quilt was very personal for me as is their story.  If you would like to read their own thoughts you can read it here. 

I debated about sharing such a personal story for the Blogger's Quilt Festival, but in the end I think it is experiences such as these that makes quilting so special and knew it needed to be shared. (Also Linkin' up to TGIFF)

Heart Strings

I just love using scraps.  Sadly, after making 30 string blocks to form the heart, it barely put a dent in my scraps at all.  I'm thinking a huge scrappy quilt is in order...one of these days.  Meanwhile, I love this heart block.  I used Elizabeth's tutorial here.  

Personalization

They may not have decided on a name yet, but since the last name in nonnegotiable I decided to applique her quilt with her soon-to-be last name.  I believe she should be making her debut on earth in about a month, so that's plenty of time to quilt, bind and send. 

A Friday Finish

I'm proud of myself for finishing this quilt with plenty of time to spare.  Well, I say that now, but maybe I should hold off on the shoulder patting until it's off in the mail.  This quilt is for my Grandpa Stuetz.  He turns 91 on the 31st.  Growing up it was pretty easy to remember Grandpa's birthday since he shares it with Halloween. 

I used the design from Moda Bakeshop: Positively Perfect Nap Quilt by April Rosenthal.  The back is just more yardage from this Lotta Jansdotter collection.


Linking up to TGIFF over at Quilt Matters this week!

 

Mundane Sewing

I fully admit that I don't enjoy repairing clothing even if it's only hand sewing on a button or fixing a tag on a tie.  I put it off for as long as possible and sew the things I like instead.  However, the pile was getting a little out of control, so yesterday I finally sat down and repaired everything except for one dress (I need to get some matching thread).  I have to say it feels nice not to see that pile sitting there anymore.  Now I can sew what I want with a guilt-free conscience.

Small Amounts of Progress

If only there was more time to quilt!  Unfortunately, life has a way of being busy and getting in the way.  :)  I did manage to piece together this baby girl quilt top this week.  I need to add some applique to it, but the base of it is done.

I also had some quilting issues with my plus quilt this week.  I still need to make the border and attach it.  This needs to be done and mailed before the end of the month, so I probably should get going on that.

Other projects
Skill Builder- I'm behind 2 blocks

do.Good Stitches- need to do October blocks

Sisters BOM- new blocks come out on Friday
Christmas quilt - probably should be on the radar, but it's not

 

Upcoming projects

Madrid Temple Wholecloth quilt (can't wait to start, but it keeps getting pushed back with more time sensitive projects)

Stats for the Week:
New projects - 1
Completed projects - 0
WIP- 6

Rules For a Reason

Surprise, surprise!  I tried to quilt the opposite of the recommended way and it did not work in my favor.  I confess I rarely start in the center of the quilt and work my way to the edges when quilting, and for the most part I don't have any issues.  Not so much this time around.

I have no idea why, but the stretching and movement on this quilt top is the worst I've ever encountered, and I was even only doing straight lines.  I got it off the machine and it was even worse than I had originally thought.  The weird thing is that up close it bothers me A LOT, but when I look at the quilt as a whole the puckering forms an X across the entire quilt and it's kind of cool looking in a bizarre sort of way.  Do you think it will look better or worse after I wash it?  The crazy thing is that the quilting looks perfect on the back of the quilt.  Sigh.  What to do?  What to do?

Never Sew While Distracted

I had some responsibilities from church weighing heavily on my mind and I thought I was still paying enough attention to my sewing, but I guess not.  I lost count of the number of times I used my seem ripper for these Sisters BOM blocks.  The harder I tried to pay attention the worse it got.  I was so relieved when I got to the final step that I let my guard down and sewed the final segments together backwards.  Awh man (palm to forehead)!  It may have taken me twice as long as it should have, but at least now they're done.

September's Blocks:  Sister's Choice