Clean Up

After finishing the Junkyard quilt I decided that a change of colours was in order, and I am not talking about my stash (love those brights!)

I started by removing any notions that I never use....paper patterns that have outlived their usefulness, trash that will no longer be given sanctuary in my studio, fabrics that I couldn't stand to look at, embroidery floss better off in someone else's stash. I removed the no-longer-inspiring from my inspiration board, and evicted every hidden dust bunny.

My clean corkboard:

Finally got rid of my 2012 calendar.

My organized stash:

The view from my sewing machine:

The green bin holds thread.

Newly spacious cutting table:

Being uber organized makes it a pleasure to work.

A WIP back on the block for some chain piecing:

And a Pixie who found a "baby Jedus" (complete with manger) while I cleaned her sister's room.

Soon I'll have some quilty progress to report. I can tell you that I redesigned the Green Monstrosity, but it may be a little too small now. Coming up: picture of frustrated cutting.

Junkyard

Last night, after my Punk should have been in bed, I was sewing the last stitches of binding. She was so excited about her new quilt, that I had to finish it before I tucked her in.

After auditioning many bindings (including several black and white prints), I finally went for an extra hit of colour and bound the quilt in more orange.

It's pretty heavy. My husband didn't want to hold it up for long.

When he dropped it I got a shot of the vintage sheet backing.

My Punk is thrilled with her new quilt. It stayed on the bed long enough for a few pictures, and then I think it became a Baby Burrito Wrapper.

The Punk was so excited about all the colours that she didn't want to lay down for sleep last night. I let her sit up for about ten minutes so she could admire all the eyeball-searing brightness.

This quilt will be very loved for many years to come.

It feels very good to finish. Now, I'm going to pick another WIP and complete it....

Motivated

I neglected taking pictures because I was working so hard. Nothing appeared to be picture-worthy. I started the day by cutting strips for the last five blocks.

I did not realize that I was working so fast - I ended the day with a finished flimsy, and this morning the quilt was basted (thanks for your help, Pixie).

I am looking forward to the clearing of my desk in preparation for some free motion quilting.

This may be the closest my camera has gotten to the right colours.

I think this quilt really tests Quiltville's claim that "anything goes" with these Scrappy Trips.

The plan is clamshells. Perhaps even double clamshells. I was debating doing orange peel, but a lot of people have done that with their Scrappy Trips.

Next post: A finish!

Socks and Blocks

A finish: My first pair of socks. These will keep my feet roasty on cold Canadian nights. I couldn't seem to grasp the Kitchener stitch, but otherwise an easy learn.

Next, twenty more scrappy trip blocks for my Junkyard quilt.

I've made a total of thirty blocks. I thought that a 5x6 layout would be all right for a short person's bed, but I have my doubts now that I'm looking at 30 blocks all laid out.

It should be longer, right? She sleeps in a twin sized bed.....half of one, since she's pretty short. I'm sure she will grow and the quilt will not.

So how shall I add length? The prospect of cutting and piecing five more blocks give me that "ugh" feeling, but I will if I have to. Do I just give it borders? Put string pieced blocks along the bottom? Make fabric and randomly insert?

I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and dig out my colours again.....more cutting and piecing. I wanted so much to be giving my Punk a complete quilt for Valentine's Day. Not gonna happen now.

Sigh.

Where's my rotary cutter?

PS. My fugly fabric giveaway winner is Sam!! 

Still Alive

And thank God for it! 8 days ago I fell victim to a "nuclear" case of strep...and then a cold, pink eye, and now a possible complication of the strep. I feel like I've been hit by a freight train.

On to my progress!

Before I took sick I transformed my neatly pinned strip sets into sewn strip sets:

And this afternoon those strip sets got a final seam.

I may have started secondary cutting....

My leaders-and-enders Jacob's ladder is ready for a new block to be sewn.

Having found a ball of mercerized cotton for $1 at the thrift shop, I venture into the realm of crocheted lace (destined to trim pillowcases).

AND

I'm finally conquering sock knitting! See, Cheryl? I can be taught! I had to take a book out of the library for this monumental occasion. I learn the best through books; I'm weird that way. This would be a much easier lesson with a brighter coloured yarn, but I takes what the thrift shop offers.

As long as my health holds, I should be able to get some blocks done by next week....perhaps I'll even have a flimsy to show off! I've already decided on a backing and the batting is waiting. This shouldn't take too long (in my head).

The End of the Beginning (and giveaway)

I have finished cutting all the needed strips for the Punk's Junkyard Quilt (scrappy trip along). This is 20 more blocks' worth of cut fabric, organized into strip sets.

See how empty my palette stash is? I used almost every fabric at least once.

I now have a huge stacks of fabrics to sort and put away!

Much better, yes? This makes me happy to see, but I'm thinking about removing these boxes from my studio for a few months. They infringe on my cutting space.

I have plenty of fabric for creative endeavours without using my newly slimmed down palette. I have a HUGE jar full of strings and possibilities. I also have refilled my random scrap box and my "crumb" collection is getting to a respectable level again.

When I began my January cutting marathon, this box could close. Check out this stack of 2.5" squares! These are leaders and enders for my long-term Jacob's Ladder quilt. I have 8(?) blocks sewn up, and I've decided that binding this quilt with prairie points might be a cute idea. End date goal of Christmas 2014.

I also have a tentative desire to finish (as in quilted and bound) 12 quilts this year. At least one will be baby sized; for whom I do not know yet.

While cleaning and sorting, a few more fabrics made it into my fugly pile. I keep it hidden under my desk so that I don't have to look at it. It's mostly neutrals and sickening chartreuse.

However, since it is anathema to throw away usable fabric I am offering to give it away. I'd love for it to go in one lot to save on postage. Who wants it?

If several of you want it, I will get my Pixie to randomly pick one.

PS Am I the only quilter who gets a little thrill to see one of "my" fabrics on someone else's blog?

January Days

I have come very close to not reaching my goal of being able to walk every day this year. Some days I can only stand for 4 or 5 minutes at a time, but if I work slowly and methodically the chaos remains at bay and the children still get fed. Every day gets better (or so I keep telling myself).

I pulled these stacks of fabric to make my Punk's Scrappy Trip Quilt. I've decided to call the quilt "Scrap Yard" or perhaps "Junk Yard" since a lot of the memories attached to it are of me broken down and not being able to move! I made it a goal to cut out one strip set every day and I finished these last night. They are sitting in a pile by my machine, awaiting the days that I can slowly piece them together.

I made an effort to make these smashed potatoes that are floating around Pinterest. I've made them before, but always thought they gave too many steps to the process. I've narrowed them down....

First I boiled jacket potatoes until tender, and then distributed them on a greased baking sheet. Mine is covered because it is many years old and looks more ghetto than the world should know about.

Then I laid a clean. folded tea towel over each potato and exerted some aggression in a downward motion.

When all the potatoes were flatter, I drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper.

Then simply bake until GBD. (That is, Golden Brown & Delicious.) We served them with Awesome Sauce.

Awesome Sauce is simply concocted by snipping a large handful of chives or scallions into a tub of sour cream and mixing well (salt to taste). Also excellent as chip dip.

The other day I sorted through crayons while my Pixie coloured next to me....I came up with this rainbow and the idea to make some melty crayon art. If all goes well, I shall share my fail with you soon. I'm thinking about papering the room with multiple dropcloths before this is attempted.

And lastly, some yarn work. This was a long term project that I was hoping to have the patience for:

But I simply don't like look of join-as-you-go crochet. I unraveled the yarn....

And I re-crocheted! I like this much better. There is no pattern or colour scheme, and I need to haunt thrift stores because my stash of yarn is dangerously depleted; but I love the work so much more now. This will also be for my Punk, because her crocheted baby afghan turned up with a huge hole in the center, likely from some young girl's indiscriminate use of forbidden scissors.

Could've been this girl, but I'll never know. Might've been a mouse!