Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Progress of My Zipper Bag Project



It's early this New Year's Eve morning. I've already been sewing, and put together this little bag. (Ummm. I like it.)This is probably the only end of the day I'll be awake to enjoy. It's never been a big draw for me to stay up until midnight to welcome in the new year. I'm definitely a morning person. But, for those of you who are prepared with your hats and party horns, make a lot of noise, and kiss someone for me. 

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Unisex Baby Quilt


I finished this little quilt top this afternoon. I'm SO happy how it turned out. I think it says, "Baby!", and neither girl nor boy. Mission accomplished. That's what I was aiming for. We've got company coming this week to visit, so it might not be a finished quilt by week's end, but I'm shooting for it. It's given me so many more ideas on how to use the Depression fabrics.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Birthdays




We celebrated Christmas quietly yesterday, and today we're on to a daughter's birthday. December is a busy month here. We're part of a rather large extended family, and getting to the point in life where children are marrying, and our siblings and friends are becoming grandparents. It's rather exciting, isn't it? Babies are such a joy to be around, especially when you aren't directly responsible for them, and they go home with someone else!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Fa-La-La-La-La, and I'm Not Done. Are You?


I showed you this little quilt top a few weeks ago made with a Merry Go Round charm pack. The fabric designer is Nel Whatmore for Freespirit Fabrics. It's become a favorite after using it, and one I'll replace for my stash. Very girly and romantic, but modern, too.

Monday, December 22, 2014

One Charley Harper and a Zombie Dog Bed Done


My daughter requested a dog bed for a friend. Could it be something edgy for one very feisty dog? I love the Zombie fabric, and luckily had some leftover in both my stash and scrap bins. They agreed, so I used the same piecing method as the Love quilt. Free-cut strips, and improv piecing. I didn't pay much attention to the layout, but evened up the strips when they were long enough. I was aiming for a 24"x24" top.

Friday, December 19, 2014

No Rest for the Weary




Remember a few days ago when I was looking forward to my week alone with my husband? I was planning to sew my days away with little responsibility, take walks with the dogs, etc. Well, let me tell you, it didn't happen quite like that. 

All week long I've run like a crazy woman. I've refereed more llama disputes than I could imagine, been spit on because I got in the middle, and have had mulitple flashbacks to the early days of mothering 5 kids. The other family dogs came yesterday afternoon for a total of six. Three over 50 pounds, and 3 bad dachshunds. It was a sleepless night while the new dogs got used to regular house noises. We were all up by 4:30. While trying to get medications out for one big dog, the other two played chase in the living room, and took out a lamp. One doxie didn't want to eat, but I coaxed her into it. She then threw up for the next several hours. Oh, dear, I hope it's not contagious. 
(Did I happen to say today's my 27th wedding anniversary?)

So, while I babied the sick dog, the rest have had a couch day. They slept, I finally got the new lights for the tree on, and you can see the little church and Santa finished the decorations. Now it feels like Christmas time.

I did squeeze in a little time to sew.
This is the other pillow top done for dear son's new house. I'll get it all together before he's home from vacation.


This, next, is a Christmas present for the in-laws. It's a dog bed top for their Scout. My mother-in-law has always had a thing for birds, and loves Charlie Harper prints. Harper did a fabric line with winter birds, and it was a perfect match. Some of the fabric was in a panel of sorts, and I had to be creative to work those into a bed top. Two rows go up, and two go down. No matter how the bed is turned, half the blocks are in the correct direction. I think it adds interest to the top. The sashing is a grey with hatch marks.


I quilted the blocks at about an inch apart, and the sashing in between closer to 1/2".


I think his prints give so much character to the animals. 



All six are sleeping hard, and I think I'm going to sneak downstairs alone.


Remember the saying, "Let sleeping dogs lie."
I'm off to sew alone.

Monday, December 15, 2014

My Christmas Mantle and Musings





My "Need to Make or Buy" Christmas list is very small in spite of our family's size, but it still has some big holes in it. I may not get it all done before the big day, but that's still okay. I know there are people who believe the holiday is ruined if the presents aren't just perfect--or complete, but I live in the real world. I don't have little children anymore, and we're all very busy people. Realistically, there isn't always enough of me to go around. Any of this sound familiar? 

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Low Volume Projects--Who? Me?



Even I have to snicker to myself when I say that I really enjoy the look of low volume quilts. Super-color-saturated-me! Perhaps it's the yin and yang I crave. I had my first introduction to it with A Month of Sundays by Cheryl Arkison. Also inspiring was Sunday Morning Quilts by Amanda Jean Nyberg and Cheryl Arkison. I think this one book gets pulled off my shelf weekly. I started digging deeper into the low volume theory, and I believe that Malka Dubrawsky was the first person credited with the term, but there are others, too, who were involved in it becoming the trend it is today. Looking at Dubrawsky's work, she's also a strong user of saturated color. So, maybe finding balance is in our nature.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

"Tradition!" (said while humming Fiddler on the Roof)


Whatever your beliefs, the Season is upon us, like it or not, and it's here with its many traditions.

I was brought up in a little Mennonite church, in a small town in Ohio. My family had lived there for generations. Therefore, my life was wrought with tradition, most of which I challenged, and much to my grandparent's and parent's chagrin. Some traditions made no sense and didn't 'catch', but others slipped in, binding with my brain and heart, and demanding to be observed this time of year. Combine them with my husband's, those our family adopted, and a Moravian community saturated in them, and we have one really patch-worked holiday here! If marriage isn't a compromise, the holidays are!

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Sewing Machine Covers and Ironing Board Redo

What isn't there to love about Saturdays?


It was a whole day to putz in the sewing room. I tidied, dusted, made sure to vacuum off my sewing machines, and put my cover on. It's a good practice to follow as dust is a real enemy to your machine. I made this one years ago, but my new machine needs one now. Something jazzy.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Waterproof Mug Rugs




I suppose I shouldn't start a post by complaining, but I have a pet peeve with ordinary Mug Rugs. If you use them as a coaster on wood and you have a spill, you may wind up with a water ring or even ruined furniture. I need things to be functional--not just 'decorative'. This family really lives in our home, we eat and drink in the front room, and we don't always pay attention. I say this from experience.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Tiny Houses Tiny Trees-Big Reveal




Tiny Houses Tiny Trees
Here's the Big Reveal!

Monday, December 1, 2014

Tiny Houses Tiny Trees WIP



I love weekends without big commitments. 
I got a lot done,  
but you'll only get to see the trees today.

I did several small stints at my Janome on Sunday, and the Tiny Houses Tiny Trees was quilted. Later in the evening I sat with the family and sewed on buttons. A few more hours, and it will be ready to hang. I'm getting excited now. 






Someone asked me where I find the time to sew and quilt with all I have going on. We have a very busy household here. If you're interested, read on.

Do you know people that when you try to find a date for a get-together, and they start paging through their calendars into the next 2 months? They're booked solid in their personal lives as well as their professional lives. They will say, "My schedule is crazy! It's not me--it's the kids!" We have 5 kid  from teens into twenties now, but they were all young once long ago. I hear my friends lament, and wish I could tell them this.

I have a dear friend who once told me she only allowed each of her kids to do one outside activity that maintained a schedule, like a sport, twice a year. So, 6 kids on a rotating basis, and not all at once. She limited the craziness in her life by setting limits. She's a smart cookie. I applied a lot of her mommy wisdom to my own life with young kids, and still do. Like, I once bargained with one of our children the opportunity to have a horse instead of playing on a softball team again. It was the same amount of time investment, but spread out over the year, and a regular schedule. My kids did do sports, but when they did, they all took lessons at the same time, like tennis or martial arts. I never felt the guilt that they had to do it all. The free time we gave them was every bit as important as another scheduled activity.

Every one of my children found a unique hobby growing up by not following the norm of 'The Hurried Child'. They all, so far, have carried these interests into adulthood. Forcing them to fill their own time worked.

Your free time is often hard to control, especially during the holidays, so don't burn yourself out this season. Manage your time instead of allowing it to manage you. If you must, mark off your calendars with "Free Time" with a pen--it's non-negotiable. I'm advocating a Slow Holiday, and Less-is-More theme.




This is my effort at holiday decorating so far. I found it at the local store on sale this weekend. I love to give a big, sarcastic, "Whatever!" to my kids now, probably because it was a banned word in our house when they were all little. (Having older kids is really more fun, I'm telling you!) I think it carries the same sentiment, but in a holiday way. 

Doxie Girls, let's go pick up your 3 canine cousins, and make this a sewing day. 
(Shut in a room with 6 dogs.)
(Hmmm.) 
Not sure I'll get a lot done today, but we'll have fun.