Utter Failure

I've never had to scrap a quilting project. I never use patterns, so if something gets cut wrong or is a little off from what I imagined then I just make it work.

But um, this first Banksia attempt is going in the trash [actually, I don't want to just throw away good fabric...what can I do with pieces of rayon?]

My bust darts looked so good after I sewed them. Except they weren't even. So um, unless my bosoms aren't even...that ain't gonna work.

Then I scrapped the front and back of the top because there were so many other problems due to shifting of the silky rayon while I was cutting. After browsing the Internet [I would have never been able to sew if the Internet wasn't around!] I'm going to layer the rayon between paper for my next cutting attempt.

Back to quilting for the night, because cotton squares aren't as finicky as shirt-shaped rayon.

Plans for simple patchwork

My friend Kelly saw Stephen's simple patchwork quilt over the Christmas holidays and loved it. I said I'd make her a quilt. She said she wanted to pay me, but felt weird about it. So she's mailing me presents! I said she totally didn't need to compensate me in any way, but hey, I'm not going to turn away a present that appears at my doorstep! ;) [that means you guys can send me presents too! haha]

So far I've gotten: A Polaroid Pogo printer, Harry Potter scarf and pen [we're die-hard fans], puzzles, bath products, jewelry, and a pair of slippers. Quite the variety, yes?

So this quilt has to be goooood. She may want patchwork on the front, but I plan to spiff up the back a bit to surprise her!

I've pulled these fabrics. She requested purple-ish colors be involved, and I settled on this mulberry tone that I think suits her/goes well with the rest of the colors more than a true purple. 

I'm cutting 5" squares so that I can throw in random squares from charm packs that fit the color scheme. So far I have 33 cut from pieces that were big enough from my scrap bins. So, 10% cut? Ew, let's not think of it like that! Hopefully cutting into the yardage tonight will go quick!

Plus I just put my Banksia top fabrics in the dryer so that when I get home from my interview I'll be able to iron them and cut out the pattern pieces! Happy Wednesday!

*Linked up with WIP Wednesday :)

Swaps and Birthday-palooza

I was floored by my For the Love of Solids package. Susan didn't post any sneak pictures in the photo pool, so I had never seen a bit of what I opened.

Susan wrote me a very touching note as well; she mentions that she looked through my blog and Flickr to find designs that I'd love, despite her own trepidations at some of the pieces. It totally shows, and I totally love it all!

I also got buttons and sewing machine needles; I plan to use some of the buttons for this shirt pattern, which came in the mail the same day! The colors of the triangle mini are true in this picture as compared to the one above, and you can see Susan's beautiful quilting

And this is the back of the runner! Or the front? Because seriously, just as beautiful, and I love green just as much. Although it's more of a kelly green...my picture-taking skills were clearly very off that day.

Susan, if you happen to read this, I just wanted to say another thank-you. I greatly appreciate you putting together such a beautiful package in spite of the great personal tragedy that you mentioned. I was very touched.

Since it was my birthday, I picked up a few fun things! :) I got this rayon challis and this netted knit to make some Banksia shirts. One of my favorite things already in this pattern is that Megan Nielsen includes additional ways you can make the shirt. [Side note: do you guys care about hearing about my clothing-making or should I stick with quilting?]

One yard cuts of the only Flea Market Fancy print that I really like. The colors are more muted than I thought they would be, but otherwise I'm pretty pleased.

A big fabric.com purchase! From the top down: Outfoxed, Washi, Washi, Kitchy Kitchen, Metro Living, Children at Play, Heirloom, Heirloom, Outfoxed, California Girl, Farm Fresh, Farm Fresh.

I really tried to fill some voids in my stash with this purchase, and I'm very pleased with the colors they really are in person!

Tomorrow I'll show you the start of a new project with some of these new additions :)

When Scraps Attack; Also The One with Dead Nerve Endings

You all remember my original mustache cross stitch?

I sent that one out to my For the Love of Solids partner. So clearly I needed one for myself!

My original idea involved surrounding the cross stitch with some of my favorite fabrics.

So I combined that idea with Rachel's Scrap Attack celebration going on right now. That all led to 104 different scraps measuring at 1" finished squares, scraps of gray solid for borders, and scrap pieces of binding. Even the Aida that I cross stitched on is a scrap!

I did extremely minimal quilting, just an outline just inside of the gray border, and then an outline around the cross stitch square. I really did not want to take away from the squares at all, and they're too tiny to do too much quilting, but now the mini is more, um, floopy [I make up my own words now] than I generally like my minis. I also probably should have ironed it before I took this picture...whoops...

Whoa, hello wonky red piece...embarrassing!

Some absolute favorite fabrics...hippos...Sandi Henderson ginger blossoms...HR fishies...other favorites that aren't pictured include a Kitchen Aid mixer from an HR print and a Holiday Happy Santa gnome!

 I immediately hung it in my little fabric/quilting shrine corner. [Fab triangle mini is from the Love of Solids swap eee!]

The only thing I'm not too happy about [besides the floopyness] is that I don't really like my binding choices. But since I was working with scraps I did the best I could with what I had. 

Should you care to make one of these for yourself, you can get the pattern on Etsy or Craftsy :)

How in the world does this relate to dead nerve endings, you ask? I burned my fingers A LOT when ironing seams on these 1" squares [but it was totally worth it, the majority of them matched up yay!]. And then by the end of this project I didn't feel the iron heat nearly as much. Quilting-related hazard? Where can I collect my hazard pay?

Linked up with Sew Modern Monday at Canoe Ridge Creations, Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story, Manic Monday at SewHappyGeek, and sharing this little guy in the Scrap Attack over at Stitched in Color!

These are a few of my favorite things [from the past week]

Got a waffle iron for my birthday. We love waffles around here.

Turns out it's difficult to take a picture while on an elliptical. Stephen and I have a workout competition going and the winner gets a present [ps, I'm going to win].

We're a little unconventional, so we went together to look at some rings so that Stephen can make an informed decision. I have tiny hands, so my dream hand-engraved ring [on the right] was too bulky for my hands.

Huge replica of the Juliette Gordon Lowe house in Savannah, GA. The birthplace of Girl Scouts. It opens up and is an exact replica of the inside too!

Prom dress shopping with my little sister. Where I got asked in one store if I was shopping for prom too, and asked if I was her mother in another store. Sigh.

I love Scrabble! It was neck and neck for a bit, but I won :)

Tag, you're it!

I've been tagged! It kind of makes me want to play flashlight tag. Oh, or I have my Girl Scout troop play tag often because it gets out a lot of their energy and I enjoy coming up with crazy rules for how to be untagged, etc.

Cherie tagged me. We're about the same age, and we chat via email a lot, so that's fun! Yay for the Interwebz!

The rules for this are as follows:

-You must post the rules.
-Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you and then create 11 questions to ask the people you've tagged. [Must put my thinking cap on...]
-Tag 11 people and link them in your post [I'm a rebel without a cause, so I'll just do 3]
-Let them know you have tagged them.

 

1. What is the last thing you watched on TV? There is a FRIENDS marathon on Nick at Nite all week long, so I've been watching that. Despite that I own all the seasons on DVD. That show never gets old to me, as as you see in my sidebar, I like to watch it while I sew!
2. Without looking, guess what time it is. 6:42 pm
3. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time? Oh hey, I was close! It's actually 6:34 pm. Maybe I could be a carnie?
4. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear? My AC just turned on - it's already in the 80's here in Florida and my apartment has absolutely terrible air circulation. And my roommate is playing a computer game, so I occasionally hear voices coming from his room.
5. When did you last step outside? What were you doing? I went outside about an hour ago to check the mail - I'm expecting a shirt pattern and lots of fabric! Sadly, no mail. I have to say that it stinks to walk down 3 flights of stairs for nothing.
6. Can you remember your dream from last night...What happened? Not even a clue what I dreamed about. I stayed up until about 5 am reading Jodi Picoult's newest book, Lone Wolf. She's my favorite author and I own 17 of her 19 books. If you're looking for something thought-provoking to read, definitely check her out. I can recommend which books to start with so you get best sucked into her web haha.
7. Can you close your eyes and raise your eyebrows? I'm glad I was alone because I felt pretty silly trying that out, but yes I can.
8. When did you last laugh? Uhh. Most likely while reading something online today, but I've been by myself all day so I'm not exactly sure.
9. What will you be up to this weekend? It's St. Patrick's Day! Probably drinking some green beer, avoiding Shepard's Pie like it's the plague, and doing some sewing.
10. What is on the walls of the room you are in? There is a large picture from our 2nd Hawaii trip framed behind out couch, but that's it. 

Where the North Shore meets the West Shore, so there are always waves!

11. Seen anything weird lately? Yes! Actually. This little doodad in the picture below is encasing a bicycle. I'm so glad I was on a slow road so that I could quickly snap a picture while driving past. My little sister said he's very popular in our town, and there's a whole FB page devoted to photos of sightings. 

 

I tag: Jennifer over at Knotted Thread, Jessica at Quilty Habit, and Jessica at Make Me Crafty

Ok ladies, your questions are:

1. What is your favorite hobby outside of sewing?

2. If you could only read one author for the rest of your life, who would it be?

3. Do you like putting together puzzles?

4. Where do you normally sit when you're blogging/reading blogs?

5. Is your car normally clean inside?

6. What's the age you think you have to stop wearing electric blue nail polish?

7. If someone took away your sewing  machine do you think you'd keep up with the hobby by hand-sewing, or would you just give it all up?

8. Did you buy Girl Scout cookies this year?

9. What would you normally bring to a potluck?

10. Did you ever own one of those shirts that was teensy tiny and crinkly and then it stretched to the right size?

11. Do you wear shoes while you're inside?

[It was fun making those up, by the way!] Have fun :)
And my weekend got hijacked, so all sewing is moved to Monday while I help my little sister find a prom dress!

Happy Thursday!

Cutting out 104 squares that will finish at just an inch?

Not my most favorite activity, but something that must be done for the finish that I plan to share tomorrow!

And now, to give my wrist a break from the rotary cutter, it's off to the gym to make the rest of my body work :)