When Do You Sleep? Organizing Your Life to Sew

Fabric made just for me!

My mother-in-law lives just down the road, and she's 
one of the first people to see a finished project. I'm 
sure I hound her, but she's a captive audience. She's 
never honest, and always says she likes everything. 
Let's admit it--that's pretty sweet. Then she asks 
me, "Do you ever sleep?" It's our routine.

Honestly, I sleep a lot. I need every minute of

8 hours, and sometimes 9. I go hard during the

day, but I get a lot done. I had to cover a lot of 

territory with 5 kids. There was always a little 

one in tow while we were on the move and 

homeschooling. I also sewed, gardened, canned 

when I could, and we always had enough animals 

for a zoo. Most of the time my house was controlled

chaos, but I used a lot of tricks. I am a list maker 

by nature, and remember doing this even by

about age 9 or 10. 

In the recent past, Sunday afternoon 
of every week was my time to make out all the 
assignment sheets for the week for the kids.
Then I did a menu for each meal, and a shopping 
list for everthing I needed to buy. If it wasn't on 
the list, we weren't coming home with it.

My memory was already at capacity.

I was a Fly Baby, and read Fly Lady emails

every morning. It worked like magic here.

 I still had someone come in to help half a

day every other week, but we took care of 

the rest. That meant a big yard, feeding the 

pets, and even mucking the barn. 

Most of the kids are grown now, and I

don't make so many lists anymore. Some

have become second nature, though, like

throwing in a load of wash first thing in 

the morning, and hanging it at night. We 

share shopping, and who knows what 

strange things show up to be cooked, but

my youngest is an aspiring gourmet, and I

encourage that. She takes over a lot of

the cooking these days, and is better than I.

Lentil soup from scratch, and homemade 
bread was dinner last night!

Another thing I try to do every day is 

Eat the Frog.

Whatever it is that I want to do the least,

I try to do it first thing in the morning,

and get it out of the way. Then I'm

free from dread for the rest of the day.
******

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning 

and nothing worse will happen to you 

the rest of the day.”

― Mark Twain

Moving my cubes up to the loft space was a major 
project over the weekend, and I needed 
help and equipment. We mowed in the morning while 
it was freezing cold, and my husband was happier 
about helping me move things up there in the 
afternoon. That evening I put all my fabric away, 
and now I can find things again!

Here are a few of the prints I found
at some of my local quilt shops just
before my move, and had lost
in the boxes and bags. Love those
kitty cats, don't you?

If you think there's never a way to carve out

enough time to sew, try organizing the parts

of your life that you have control over.

Make decisions about lots of little things at 

the same time. Be a list maker, if that works 

for you. It's no different than the

theory of chain piecing. Do all the same 

things at the same time, then move to the 

next activity. You will save time, and 

work more efficiently.

As lists go, here's my list for the week.

Monday--Ikea trip with my daughter. Look

at floating shelves, and fabric for backing.

Monday's are their Eat for Free day here. Save

your receipt from your meal--do get dessert, 

add some chocolate bars there, too, and then 

when you spend $100 or more, and show your

free Family Card, it's deducted from your 

total. You can't beat that deal!

Finish the FMQ pillow to enter in the month's
giveaway at Quilt Shop Gal. Must be blogged
and entered by Thursday.

Tuesday--Finish remaining blocks and setting 
triangles for the QST quilt. Start sewing rows.

Wednesday--Sewing at JoAnn's in the evening.
Start an applique project during the day to
take along, but I have a beginner coming I've
promised to teach basics to.

Thursday--Do the binding on one charity quilt
before starting in on my own projects. 
Hang my shelves, and clear a table to relocate 
my ironing area off my cutting table.
Create a large pressing surface from a piece
of leftover wood, batting, and fabric.

This will be the last day for entries to the Variable
Star Within a Star Giveaway here, so tally
emails up with Pet Project entries. Did you
send me your email yet to enter?

Friday-Put in an order for supplies including
batting for my QST quilt. I like the Fairfield
50/50 blend of cotton and bamboo the best, 
but maybe something lighter that will take less
space in the throat of my Janome. I'm a wee 
bit worried about the bulk of that giant quilt.
Decide on a design for my Anna Marie
Horner Swap for my secret partner.
I'm laying out some combinations.
This is the new Folk Song line.

I hope you heard something that gets you 
thinking about time management, if that's
what you need. It's the only way I can
Do It All, so to speak, and I can tell quickly
when I drop my routine of list making.

Let me know what works for you in the 
comments. I love suggestions for organization.

Come on, Doxie Girls.
Let's go sew.

Linking up today with~
Freemotion by the River
Blossom Heart Quilts
Quilt Story
Show and Tell Tuesday
Late Night Quilter
Monday Makers
Show and Tell with Bambi
Patchwork Times
Hug-a-Bit Quilts
Cooking Up Quilts
Molli Sparkles Sunday Stash

Thank you for the link up opportunity!

'My Life Aquiltic' and Pet Project Show #17

I'm resisting the urge to say, "Ta-Dah!" It

happens every time I finish a quilt, and I'm 

not sure why. It's not very mature, but...

"Ta-Dah!"

"My Live Aquiltic" is completed, and I can

knock it off my list for an On the Windy Side

Finish-Q2, too. It finished at about 51"x62",

and I used a loose FMQ motif that reminded

me of wave action. I used my Janome

domestic machine, and Iris thread. 

Other details are in these posts.

Wednesday WIP

Pie Quilts

I added a 'column of water' to the solid backing

made from pieced scraps leftover from the top.

I curved a crest and trough for fun.

I had just enough extra backing left with which 
to bind it. No more than 2 extra inches to spare 
this time. Besides making sure I estimate more 
yardage for my backing next time, here are 
a few things I learned along the way.

How to fix a thread break: Take it back

to the last change of direction to tie it off and 

bury the threads, and then start the FMQ there.

I marked a point I thought would be good,

then I used a ripper to cut the other threads.

Don't spend your time fussing with anything

other than what you need to tie off. In this

case my thread broke again, so I had to go

back even further.

Usually the rubber end of a ripper will do a better 

job of getting the last thread pieces than 

scratching at them with your fingernail.

Burying your thread right then and there gives

you a better chance of the new start blending in.

I learned that by taking your FMQ off the edge of 

quilt helps to anchor the edges. This makes

binding much easier and quicker.

Spring is in full swing with bushes and trees

both coming out in leaf. The other side of 

this wall is where my Clematis paniculata

is rooted. I was late cutting it back, and 

just got to it early this week. I was nearly

done when I saw there was a nest full of

eggs in last year's vines. I was crushed, but I 

took the whole nest and reset it in the 

vines I had left.

When I checked on it this morning, the mama 

bird flew into a nearby bush. 

She was still brooding!

There's just about a week left before the 

drawing for this pillow. If you've linked up 

to the Pet Project Show this month--including

tomorrow, you'll automatically get a chance 

each time. Other ways to enter are at 

this post, Variable Star Within a Star.

Linking up today with~

Q2 Finishes On the Windy Side

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Finish it up Friday

Link a Finish Friday

WIDTW

TGIFF
A Quilting Reader's Garden

Quilt Shop Gal
Planet Penny Happy Friday
Fort Worth Friday Frenzy
Sew Can She

Thank you for the linking opportunity.

Come on, Doxie Girls.
It's Saturday, and time for the weekly 

Pink Doxies 

Pet Project Show. 

Add your link here every Saturday. 

Rules

Do we have to have rules? 

No worries! It's EASY.

1. Use the blue 'Add Your Link' button (below left)
to upload a picture of something you've created 
in the past week. Any kind of handiwork--
share it now! It can be a work in progress, 
finally finished, or even your fab new fabric. 
Whatever it is that inspired you to create this 
week, we'd like to see it here. 

2. Please link to a specific post, and not just your
blog address. It makes it easy for anyone following 

your link to find the project.

3. Provide a backlink to Pink Doxies with a link in
your post, or pick up our Pet Project Show
button in the sidebar. Copy the code, then 
create a Pet Show widget with 'Add by HTML' 
on your Layout page.

-OR-

1. You can link up to your Instagram. 
Click on the Instagram icon at the bottom 
of the link up screen. The URL of your Instagram 
feed will be your link. 
Please hashtag #pinkdoxiespetproject

Either way you link up, remember it's a party
here, so schmooze with the crowd! Visit others 
who've linked up. Leave a comment so they 
know what you like about their work. 

Don't miss a post! 

Follow me on Bloglovin' or by email. 

The Linky Party starts now, and runs until
Monday, April 27th at midnight. 

Spread the word, and tell all your stitchy friends.

*The first Saturday party of each month will
feature several of the Doxies and my
favorite link ups.
By linking up, you are giving permission for me
to post your picture with a link back to your 

blog or Instagram account. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Graphic Patchwork and Comments Always Appreciated

My last post, The Lowly Nine Patch Goes Mod, 
was about cutting into my Allison Glass 
FQ bundle. I had taken most of the bundle 
plus half a dozen Kona solids, and made 9 
patch blocks with them. They're bright, a 
little wild, and this is a quilt I'd love to have.
These square were first intended to go
into that quilt, but it became too busy.
So I separated them into 2 quilts.

I had finally decided on this grey background,

and was headed for bed when I got a couple 

comments on my email about the grey. I laid 
there thinking, "Maybe they're right." I couldn't 
go over to check it out either. It was the middle 
of the night! One drawback of not being in the 

downstairs any longer.

This morning I looked at it with fresh eyes,

then packed it up to get some other folks'

opinions. We tried lighter backgrounds,

and they were okay, but they weren't 

powerful. I texted friends for their take 

on it. I looked at some of the sites that the 
posters suggested, but I hesitated because this 
was supposed to be a quickie quilt. I didn't 
want to put that much extra time into a quilt I 
intended to sell. There is a line where all the 
extra time spent cutting, piecing and sewing will 
eat up even more than you can recoup. So I went 

back to my original Plan A you see above.

I still like it the best.

I just want you all to know that I value your

opinions when you give them, and I consider

them seriously because I think it helps 

me grow as a quilter--even if it doesn't

change my mind in the end. So, thank you,

and feel welcome to keep leaving me advice
and suggestions. I'm never offended.

After that little top was sewn up, I pulled
out the triangle quilt from my UFO pile. I've
been SO frustrated with this hot mess. I
tried redoing the backing and batting twice
already, and it was still a wreck.

I started by tearing the whole thing apart
--again. I squared the backing first, then
 I trimmed the side of the backing adding 
it to the top to give it more length. FMQ 
will take up backing, and I was pushing it here. 
I steamed it with a vertical iron because 
it was still sticky with 505, and taped it to my
ping pong table. Then I laid the top on it with
the batting which was also still sticky with 505.
I recalled how Late Night Quilter had posted
a tutorial on how to use your long ruler to
smooth out backing, but I think that was 
without 505. I will tell you it worked like
magic, even with all the stickiness! My hero!
Just lift, smooth, and reset. Check the back,
and repeat until it looks good.

It took several tries before I had things smooth
enough to satisfy me, and then I just used
regular large safey pins to pin it together. To 
save my table surface, I slid my rotary cutter 
mat underneath the area I was working with.

The wind has been howling today, so I put
on some low music, and quilted away. This quilt
reminds me of ocean water, so I did waves.

I didn't have the exact color of thread I
might have chosen if I had shopped for it,
but this pale blue was fine. It's the first
time I've quilted with Iris Ultra.

It shows up pretty next to the teal backing.
I hope to have it all done for a Friday
Finish to show you.

Last week we started a new blog hop
called Creative Space Tag. I tagged
Maryse at Maryse Makes Things, and 
she's on the ball! Pop in to see the
bright and beautiful room she works in.

Do you want to be involved in our 
creative space hop? It doesn't matter
if you work in your kitchen, your
bedroom... darn, I know someone 
who relocates to a porch when the
weather warms up. 

Be proud of it! 

Show us how you make it work 
for you, and inspire those people who 
say they have nowhere to sew. 

Send me an email, and I'll add
you to our growing list. You'll
have advance notice if you need it.

We had a treat from Mother Nature last night.
This rainbow was up close and gorgeous.

Can you see the double

off to the right?

Within a few minutes, this was all that was left.
Glorious color!

Until we visit again~
May all your days feel like they
end with a rainbow.

Come on, Doxie Girls.
Let's go sew.

Linking up with~
My Quilt Infatuation
who also featured me today!
Thank you, Kelly.
Quilty Thankful Thursday
Freshly Pieced
A Quilting Life
Sew Fresh Quilts

The Lowly Nine Patch Goes Mod

I have a few favorite blogs I frequent,

and one is Sew Can She. I've learned so much

by reading the different tutorials, and am

excited every month when a new

Classic Quilt Block comes out. Many I've done

before, but more than a few times I've learned 

a technique that really was quite helpful.This 

month's block was the 9 Patch, and I wanted to 

link up with one I'd done to her Facebook page so 

I was entered in the contest for the month. There's 

always a free giveaway, and that's free fun.

I was brave, and cut into my Allison

Glass stash of fat quarters I'd gotten a few

months ago. One 9 patch easily turned into many 

more, and soon I had a small pile I thought would 

make a wonderful throw quilt. What I thought

would work was this, and before you look, it

 Did Not.

You know how much I like print with print, 

but this even made me a little nauseous.

So then I tried this.

It was still pretty awful. I threw in some

slate colored sheeting, and it was getting 

better. It gave the eye somewhere to rest,

but also allowed the brilliant colors to shine.

I still wasn't happy with the layout, though.

Next try here, and I thought it was cleaner,

and simplified. I could now walk away for the 

day, and look tomorrow with fresh eyes.

Coming back this morning, it still made me 

smile, so I plugged on making more 9 patches.

Some were dark/light/dark, others opposite,

and some just had a funky-cool look so I 

went with the combination.

Did I say that I'd already cut out 50 blocks

6.5" square the night before? Yes, I did! So as to 

not waste the fabric or my energy, I tried this.

Again, very simple, but wouldn't it look a

little more glamourous with a stacked coin

border around the whole perimeter?

That's two days of sewing work for me. I also

did a little gardening, and mowed everything 

from north to south. Each morning brings

something else into bloom, and it's

really pretty exciting if you're into it like

I am.

Bleeding hearts

Magnolias, and to the right a clump of

a double narcissus 'Erlicheer' that you 

can smell 20 feet away at times!

My 2 pink dogwoods will be out by

morning I'll bet, but look like fairy

trees today.

Pansies greet us at the front door now.

And look what surprised me! I had no

idea it was going to bloom after all

these years.

I hope you're enjoying spring as much as I am.

Thank you to everyone who linked up to the

Pet Project Show #16 this weekend. It runs

through midnight Monday, April 20th.

When you link up, you are automatically

entered in the drawing May 2 for the

quilted pillow. Follow the directions in the

link below for other ways to enter.

Variable Star within a Star Pillow Giveaway

Come on, Doxie Girls.

I have another idea to try.

Let's go sew.

Linking up today with~
Val's Archives
Quilt Story
Freemotion by the River
Late Night Quilter
Blossom Heart Quilts
Show and Tell Monday with Bambi
Sew Many Ways
Design Wall Mondays
Main Crush Monday
Monday Makers at Hug-a-Bit Quilts
Monday Makers

Thank you for the linking opportunity!