Looking At New

I cut out some 3" squares yesterday. Some of them were cut in half to make these HST's. Aren't they colourful?

I have a plan that involves much, much colour!!!

....because me using colour is news to you.

Kids Week

I know that I'm telling you this a bit late, but most of last week was consumed by making clothing for my kids. It was fun and I get into a groove very easily when sewing for my darling cuties.

The Punk got a new skirt. She picked out the colours herself. She wanted it to match her new-to-her Dubble Bubble shirt.

My Pixie needs sundresses so badly....this was made in very short order. I like it, but it's not supremely cute. I'm debating stitching some pick-ups into the dotted swiss overskirt.

Is it really Wednesday already? I'm going to bore you with cute pictures (because I missed Sunday's Grandparent Eye Candy Day), and here's a bonus Confession: I don't sew all of my kids' clothing. I love to sew for them, and they will always have their "best" dresses made by Mom, but to save time (and keep it for quilting) I will spend money in thrift shops and at garage sales with the ultimate goal of cheaply covering my girls.

This cute shot is a prime example of thrift and cute. My Pixie, on a rainy day, wearing a steal of a find: vintage shirtdress with a-line skirt.

Couldn't you just die from cute overload?

I especially love garage sales for second hand kids clothes. Why? Because of good timing. Sometimes a sack of donations will sit around a thrift shop so long the clothing goes out of style before it's sorted onto the sales floor. At garage sales, moms will do almost anything to get outgrown clutter out of the house. It sells fast and cheap and often is only a season or two behind the stores.

And just for fun.....some shots from the farmer's market [aftermath] this week. We go every week, but our favorite face painter isn't always there. She's such a great artist!

My Kitty....she meowed all day.

So what's next? I have traced the pattern for a tunic dress for the Punk. I also have the feeling that quilting satisfaction may have to come in small doses - I have the urge to make baby/toddler quilts and randomly give away. No new blocks to report for Rambo Bright. No progress on the Green Quilt (although there will be soon - I want it on my bed by fall).

We had watermelon for breakfast. What did you have?

Saturday

On typical Saturdays I take my girls to the Farmer's Market for veggies and gluten-free baking. Today was not typical....The Pixie slept in and both girls wanted to hang out in their pj's for a few hours. So I let them.

By the time they had been sufficiently fed, dressed, and allowed to have unreasonable tantrums it was too late to hit the farmer's market. We still wanted to go shopping, so we went to a fabric store we don't usually shop at because they were having a sale. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I have no idea what these are but they're pretty and they were immediately chopped up and added to stash.

The other three huge cuts were purchased with the House Of Love in mind. Remember House Of Love? I has been waiting to be finished for months. I still love it.

These are destined for backing and binding. What do you think? Will it look good? Do you have any great ideas about how to quilt it? I have no clue....help!

I've been on a roll with blocks for Rambo Bright...the total number of large blocks is now 37 out of 49.

 I have also been toying with the idea of starting a long term piecing project....so long term it would take a year just to make the top (one block per week).

 Or maybe I could get a little feedback from the couple who will be receiving Rambo Bright. Maybe they hate it and I have to keep it.

 Perhaps I should consider entering it into a quilt show. I think all local quilt shows happen in the fall, though.

 I may just content myself knowing that the recipients thrive on colour because they are crazy artists. They will love the quilt.

 If I end up showing off this quilt it will be brought to my LQS for brief admiring. And more pictures will have to be posted here, of course.

So, what do you think? Love them? Hate them? Passively indifferent?

Saturday's Free Confession of the Week: I have a new addiction. I can't help myself. It's kale chips. Cheezy Chipotle Raw Vegan Kale Chips. Ask me for my recipe if you dare. You'll get addicted, too.

Counting

I have been busy!

More blocks for "Rambo Bright" are piling up every day.

I am loving how some of these turn out....and others are kinda blah. But they will all look fabulous together.

I need a total of 49 large blocks and 36 small (alternate) blocks.

This set of six brings my large block total to 31.

The end is in sight! I also have seven of thirty-six alternate blocks ready to go.

Perhaps I will meet my invisible goals!

Fresh

Being back at my sewing machine feels like coming up for air after a long dive. It feels great to stretch my creativity again; to live in bright, maddening colour; to enjoy the fruit of my labours without having to change diapers, lol.

I reorganized my creative space. Ironing board is to the left, sewing machine on  the right.

Can you tell? I've been plugging away at new blocks for Rambo Bright. Here are the two I've completed so far. More coming each week from now on.....I have an invisible deadline to meet!

I've also been splurging on some fabric.....I bought a few quilter's quarters, I bought a new (very large) can of 505 - so worth the price to save my back from further mishap - and I brought home a bolt of bleached muslin. Muslin is my favorite cotton to use as background, foundation, backing, body blocks, toiles. It is comforting to have an entire bolt to myself.

This last project was created last week. I wanted to post before today but, alas, no camera usb cord! Problem solved (obviously) and you get to enjoy a wordless tutorial featuring the face of my darling Pixie. If you need further instructions, please ask in the comments. If I know one thing about quilters, it's that you guys can figure things out!

Presenting: String Starburst Pillow.

Have a creative day!

In the Groove

It has been a long journey back to health, but I'm slowly getting there. Thank you to all of my patient readers.

Sitting is still a painful thing, but I've been managing to get a little sewing done. I made a set of (ugly) napkins with that sinister chartreuse cotton. No pictures were taken, but the design turned out well.

This little black dress was a labour of love for my best friend. Her mother recently passed away and her daughter wore this dress to the funeral. It was all I could do for her besides cry with her and bring beer.

And my little Pixie asked so politely if I could make more diapers for her baby: this is my pattern.

She picked out her favorite fabrics from stash (all flannelette). We cut them together (well, she hovered while I cut). Here they are pinned right sides together, with opening left for turning. Sew, clip (very important), turn, push out corners, press. Then edgestitch.

With the addition of a few strategic pieces of velcro, my Pixie's baby is now styling is brand new cloth diapers.

My plans for the near future include a couple of larger-sized sundresses for two very rapidly growing girls. I have the same list of quilts to work on. And I might try my hand at creating oven mitts for a small project.

In other (non-sewing) arenas, I've been focusing on removing toxins from our environment in order to benefit both our health and the ecosystem. I am proud to report that I quit using shampoo and conditioner (google "no poo"), made my first batches of spoon oil and liquid dish soap, and I'm switching my household cleaners from "environmentally friendly and expensive" to "environmentally friendly and super cheap." I'm excited about how easy the cheap formulas work. I may never buy another cleaning product again! I'm extending my knowledge of herbs and home remedies to accumulating a stash of first aid and homeopathic treatments. You gotta start with what you know and go from there, right?

And now on to a Happy Mother's Day shoutout to Gramady, Nanny, and any other mothers who read this humble little blog. Nanny was the happy recipient of a sackful of whole cacao beans. I believe she suffered from bitter chocolate overload, cause she wants to grind them to mix with sweetie things. Gramady, we have your treats and I apologize for not sending them earlier. I procrastinated (hanging head in shame).

Have the best day, everyone! It's sunny and hot today....I may work in my garden after the indulgence of a nap. Sounds like a good day!

Urges

I want to quilt so desperately! It is a physical need. However strong the urge may be, I just can't do it yet.

I spent almost a week unable to walk at all. I watched the Easter proceedings from my bed. Having energy but not being able to move is terrible! My recovery time is slow, but mostly steady. I live at my chiropractor's office.

And sitting is absolutely, unequivocally from the devil. It hurts to sit sooo much. Therefore, I cannot quilt: And I am sad about that. Plus, the non-walking thing leaves out shopping trips to the fabric store.

What's a quilter to do? Can you feel my pain? Plus, the USB cord for my camera moved out and neglected to provide a forwarding address.

I feel like jumping head-first into my design book and calling my new block design "hurting unit." LOL.

On the very worst day of all, my Pixie pulled down the basket that held precut and counted stacks of delicious green for my Green Quilt. Stacks went in every direction. I actually cried. My Pixie spent some time in her room.

And then a few days ago, when the urge to quilt was almost overwhelming, I put the basket and pattern into bed with me and recounted hundreds of squares and made new stacks. Playing with fabric was like therapy. It raised my spirit for the rest of the day.

I got someone else to put the basket up higher than the Pixie can reach.