I'm a roll - I won again!

I am so thrilled!  I received my own copy of Tokyo Subway Map, courtesy of Elizabeth of Oh, Fransson!  I had to make a deal with myself not to start it until I've finished a couple of current projects first. Here's a picture of the finished product, you can order your own from Elizabeth's shop for 40% until Sunday - check her blog post for details.

Thanks so much, Elizabeth - I can tell you put a lot of time and effort in your design!

Sunday Stash Report, Week 11 - A very busy week! (my totals are at the bottom!)

I've been slacking on the blog front again, work has been busy and I've been exhausted when I get home.  I even went to the doctor's to make sure there's no underlying reason, but other than my iron levels being on the low side of normal (which is typical for me) everything is okay. I've even managed to lose 15 pounds over the last year, and bring my blood sugar levels down.  Diabetes is a concern, and there is a family history of both types, and Type II is very prevalent once we hit 50.  I walked away with the usual instructions:  exercise 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week, cut back on the carbs, get more protein (that's a struggle for me, because I'm not a big fan of meat).  I'm sure I'll start feeling better now that Spring and more daylight is on the way.

Despite not reporting in last week, I did good not adding too much to the stash this last two weeks, even after a visit to Jo-Ann fabrics in Bellingham, WA, just across the border and about 45 minutes from my home (not including the wait at the border - which was almost an hour this time).  I had remarkable restraint and I only bought 1 yard of a beautiful teal batik, and 1/2 yard of PUL for a special project.  On the way home, I stopped by my LSS, Hamels and picked up a Charm Pack of Little Apples by Aneela Hooley.  I also got this when I was at Jo-Ann's!

I've been coveting this book and any of Bonnie Hunter's, so when I saw this on sale for just $12, I had to pick it up. I have another special project planned that involves Christmas fabric and an old T-shirt. Total fabric added this two-week period, once it was converted, was only 2 metres. 

Fabric used this two-week period was mostly in the last couple of days.  I finally finished quilting a flimsy that has been sitting around for about five years (well, only as a flimsy since July, but a UFO before that). 

My incentive was this cute little girl who came to spend the night, along with her cousin.  She's not quite crawling and the wood floors make it a challenge.

My girls and their husbands were getting together to celebrate my youngset daughter's 27th birthday, so I got the kidlets overnight - such a hardship ;o).  I can't believe my baby is getting close to 30, after all I'm only 39 - right?

I needed something to put in the bottom of the playpen for Zoey, so I managed to get this quilted and trimmed up just in time.  It was made with a panel called Wash Tub Club and features little overall-ed SunBonnet Sue's doing her weekly chores (like Monday is for washing, etc...)

I took this picture while I still had some daylight and before I was finished quilting it. I'm starting to get more comfortable with machine quilting, and moved out of my in-the-ditch comfort zone, and tried circles!  They were so easy and I love the effect on the back.

I don't want this quilt to be densely quilted, and I forgot to keep the wrapper for the batting, so I hope it will stand up.  The largest unquilted section is the four-inch square where each of the blocks are. I wish I knew what the batting was because it gives a really nice quilted effect, nicer than Warm and Natural.

Since I never counted that fabric out before, both the top and the muslin backing amounted to 5.5 metres. 

Since I made something for Zoey, I had to make something for Alex. My daughter brought back a cloth-book panel back from New Zealand when they went there for Christmas, and although he's past the cloth-book stage, it was a very cute book about animals in NZ.  I made it up last night and surprised him with it this morning. Another 0.6 metres out the door!

But that isn't all I got done this week! 

I pulled out my Farmer's Wife blocks again, and redid Block 6.  I didn't like the contrast of my first one (the blue one), and I'm much happier with the second.  The only thing is I seem to have forgotten how to foundation-piece and it's a little shy on some of the seams, but I'm not redoing it again!

I didn't stop there - I found this cute pattern by Monica Solorio-Snow - The Happy Zombie.

I pulled out that Charm Pack of Little Apples I just bought, and some Bella Solid Gray and put together these cute blocks.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this.  4 charm blocks make 2 - 6" blocks, so I'll get 20 blocks out of one charm pack, assuming I use the ones with a white background (not sure if I'll do that).  This one may become a table topper, a doll quilt or maybe I'll just have to pick up another charm pack or two!

And last but not least, the special project I bought the PUL for (this might be TMI for some people).  One of daughter's is allergic to every sanitary product she has tried.  Only recently, I became aware that some people have been making their own (why didn't I think of that!) so thanks to the internet and google, I found lots of patterns and instructions, but ended up making my own design.  The only holdup I have now is finding the right snaps to use.  A friend gave me some plastic ones usually used for cloth diapering, but I don't have the right snap pliers, so I'm not sure if my usual technique of hammering the crap out of it will work.  I've made two sizes for her to try, and then we'll try some more and see if they work better for her than the store-bought type.

Need to work on my topstitching skills!  But overall, they turned out good.  I'll put the snaps on the wings and she can snap them around her panties.  She loves the bright coloured one (sized bigger for night), I lean to the more discreet, but since she'll be the one wearing them, I'm going through my stash for fun, funky flannels.  The night one has 9 layers of flannel, the day one has five, but neither of them seem too bulky.  So, probably 1/2 metre of fabric, mostly scraps used!

Huge numbers this week - if only they could all be like this!

Used this Week: 6.6 metres

Used year to Date: 40.1 metres

Added this Week: 2 metres

Added Year to Date: 16.65 metres
Net Used for 2012: 23.45 metres

Sunday Stash Report Week 9 - A finish and an accident!

I got my sewing machine back from repair on Wednesday afternoon, and by that night I was back to sewing.  Of course the highlight of my week was getting my new Featherweight machine, and I hope to try it out soon (as soon as I know it's properly greased!)

My report is positive this week, some fabric out - about a metre of strings and strips given to my friend who decided to start her own Orca Bay quilt and a finish, a play quilt for my granddaughter, which will be completely bound tonight while I watch the Oscars.  And only a quarter metre in, a couple of fat 1/8's for the scrappy bin.

Used this Week: 3 metres

Used year to Date: 33.5 metres

Added this Week: 0.25 metres

Added Year to Date: 14.65 metres
Net Used for 2012: 18.85 metres

Here is the little play quilt for Zoey - I love the bows that can hold those toy clips so her toys can be easily reached.

And here is the full quilt.  My daughter didn't want it too big, so I left off borders. I still feel it's missing something, but she likes it!

It's made in flannel, a panel cut up and minkee on the back.  I did have a little accident - I ran the sewing machine needle through my finger - I haven't done that since I was 18. 

I split the nail but luckily the needle bent (and broke) and it didn't lodge in the bone, like it did the last time I did this.  That required a trip to the hospital and 3 needles of freezing. 

Luckily, I didn't get any blood on Zoey's quilt!

I'm a Winner - Twice!!

I can't believe it - I actually won something!  A big "shout-out" to Kristen of Sew, Mama, Sew who so generously had a give-away last month, and I was one of six winners of a yard of fabric of my choice.  Aneela Hooley's "A Walk in the Woods" was sold out, so I went with this:

It's Ant Maze from Backyard Baby! My grandson is going to love this!

It arrived yesterday and just after I opened the package, I went to check out an item I was following on ebay.  Here is my big win of the day!!!  Check this out:

(Sorry for the blurry pictures - I was so excited to get these posted)  My first time bidding on Ebay and I won this 1947 Featherweight for just $217.50 - and the best part - no shipping!  The seller was local and drives right by my house on her way home from work, so less than 24 hours after I won the bid, I had this baby in my hot little hands. 

It is in fantastic shape.  The decals are in perfect condition, front and back: 

There's barely a scratch on it - only a couple of minor pin scratches. 

The serial number dates it to about late 1947.

(Those brown spots appear to be dried oil - nothing a little cleaning won't get rid of.)

It was even made in Canada!

It appears to have all the parts that it would have come with the original purchase including all the feet, 6 bobbins, a screwdriver, a tube of motor lubricant and even the original manual, barely used.  The only thing missing is the can of machine oil that would have come with it when first purchased.

There are a few minor things that can be expected with a 65-year-old machine.  The case has some minor damage on the bottom corners.

The power cord needs to be repaired near the end that plugs into the machine.

And the light bulb was broken off - it looks like someone tried to take it out the wrong way, but a replacement bulb was in the box!

This machine is going to be a beautiful addition to my sewing room. In a funny coincidence I already own the table that was made for these machines.  I bought it at a garage sale for $5 when I was just 20 years old, and setting up my first apartment.  I bought what I thought was a card table to put my sewing machine on, and it wasn't until about 10 years later that I realized the cut-out was possibly for a sewing machine.  It was only less than 2 years ago when I started reading quilting blogs that I realized I had a Featherweight table.  Mine is folded away right now, but it is in much better shape than this picture I found on ebay - this one sold for $80!!  I'm so excited to have a set ;o)



What to do? The World's Largest Hexagon Quilt

I saw this post on Bonnie Hunter's blog, which led me to this site, and for the last two weeks I've been in a quandry.

What will I do with my hexies? Early last year, I was working on hexies when I'm in the mood, not on the computer and want something to do with my hands.  I posted about them here...

Laid low

and here...

Waiting (im)patiently

I got stalled (and distracted by other projects) and after I saw Bonnie's post, I realized it was because I wasn't happy with my vision.  Originally I was going to sew the flowers together to make it look like a big mass of flowers, but it didn't really look like I envisioned it.  I love the pattern of the amazing large quilt the group of ladies put together in Australia, but it seems to formal for what I want.  So now I'm rethinking my design.  I still want a flower garden, but realize it needs some "greenery" and "paths".

This is the direction I think I may end up taking:

It's going to depend on the greens that I find - I want all '30s repros so I hope I can get enough variety.  In the meantime, I'm going to keep plugging away at flowers - I'm up to 64 completed, only 206 to go!

My Christmas Basket

With my sewing machine MIA, there's nothing on my design wall, so I thought I would share my Christmas Basket projects. I've using this time to precut some projects for Christmas presents.   I bought a beautiful wicker basket at a garage sale last summer for $5, and I've been filling it with "kits", so I have something ready to pull out when I need something to work on (not that that is ever a problem!).

Please excuse the glare - a weird yellow ball briefly lit up the sky for a millisecond! I think it's called the sun.

Two of the projects are for the grandbabies - first up is Zoey's big bed quilt.  She'll be 1 1/2 at Christmas time, so it'll be a little early but that's okay! 

It will be made from the panel and coordinating fabric line "Before the Kiss" by Avlyn, and the pattern is a free download from their website, avlyn.com.  I bought the fabric from the local chain store, Fabricland, so I hope it is a first-run fabric.  It felt like a good weight, and the colours and patterns were crisp so I think it is.  Of course, I will make some changes and add my own touches, as I noted above, hopefully I can read my own shorthand when I pull it out again.  The finished version on display had hot-fix crystals where any stars, gems and water sparkles are, so I'm going to do some research and possibly add some bling to my version.  Supposedly, the ones I have are absolutely permanent and "the only ones authorized by the National Skating Association" for skaters' costumes according to the salesperson.  I'll believe it when I do my own research, but hopefully that is true and I can add some bling to this quilt.  Zoey's not one to put anything in her mouth, not even food, so it might not be an issue. 

I also bought enough fabric to make a coordinating pillowcase for a tradition my sister and I have.

This fabric my daughter brought home from New Zealand when they went there for Christmas this year (her husband is from Tuaranga, North Island).  She brought me 2 metres, and I'm going to use some of it to make a pillowcase for Alex.  I love the rugby-playing kiwis, but the pukeko birds are my favourite.  The pukeko are native to New Zealand, and run wild on Ray's parents' property so it will be a good reminder of their visit for Alex.

Our tradition of giving pillowcases filled with little gifts was started by our mother when our girls were small.  She made fabric bags and filled them with little things to keep the kids occupied until everyone arrived at my parents home for the family gift exchange and dinner.  One year she made the gift bags out of fabric printed with trolls dressed for Christmas - and they were used from then on!

Trolls seemed a little girly when our grandsons came along, so I made them pillowcases the year Alex was two (at that time, there were just the 2 boys old enough). They loved them so much that I've decided to make new pillowcases every year, and this year there will be a total of 6 to make! 

Zoey's of course is no problem, hers will match her new quilt, and Alex's will be the kiwis playing rugby.  My sister's grandchildren are all boys, including a new one due this coming June, so shopping for fabric will be interesting.  I go to Munroe, WA for scrapbooking retreats 2-3 times a year, so I'll be able to look around the Seattle area for some interesting fabric at lower prices than I can usually get in Canada.  I think I'll stick to a sports theme for the boys, and look for soccer fabric for 2 of the boys (brothers whose dad is soccer crazy), and baseball or hockey for the other little boys.  It doesn't matter that the newest arrival will be too little to understand it, but the older boys will question why he doesn't get one too!

The rest of the basket has precut fabric wallets, using Lazy Girl's Wonder Wallet pattern, a quilt using the Lil' Twister tool and 2 charm packs of It's a Hoot, a Christmas fabric book, a little stuffed bear kit, a couple of Christmas panels for my daughters, and all the parts and the pattern to make Nancy Halvorsen's Joy to the World wall hanging.  humm, I better get started!

Sunday Stash Report, Week 8

It's that time of the week again, and I am so glad that I started keeping track of my purchases and my finishes.  It gives me the accountability I need, both to not buy what I don't need right away, and to use what I have. Of course it hasn't stopped me from starting new projects!  More on that later. 

In the meantime, I stopped by my LSS this week for a very good reason!  I took my Orca Bay quilt to a long-arm quilter recommened by my LSS.  Linda of Quilted Cats Hideaway does most of Hamels quilting and going to do a nice, simple meander on this quilt that has so many seams and fabrics in it.  Of course, the backing I brought was 10" too short (I was going to use muslin, but have stolen some strips off the end of it which made it too short).  I went to Hamels and they had beautiful wide-backing flannels on sale so I got a beautiful red with a black swirl. It's in the washer right now, so I can't show it to you, but trust me it is perfect for this quilt.  I had to buy 90", which translated to 2.3 metres.  Of course, it's 110" wide so it was a screaming deal at $15.97/metre for quilt-shop quality flannel.  I'm going to have to take another look at some of the wide backings for yardage.  I also picked up 4 fat eigths to add to my scrap bins, which some are looking a little empty since doing Orca Bay! 

Used this Week: 0 metres

Used year to Date: 30.5 metres

Added this Week: 2.8 metres

Added Year to Date: 14.4 metres
Net Used for 2012: -16.1 metres

No finishes this week, my sewing machine is lost somewhere - apparently the servicing was finished on Wednesday, but they don't have a tracking system to figure out where exactly it is.  So...hopefully it shows up tomorrow, or on the next delivery Thursday.  If not, I'll be doing the freak-out dance all over somebody Thursday night!

In the meantime, I improved my setup of my baby machine this crammed corner between my ironing table and me and my scrapbooking stuff to my right:

to the spot formerly occupied by my regular machine:

Doesn't she look tiny?  I've put a USB drive and my scissors beside her for scale.

At least, I got a few more scrap blocks done and started 3 more tiny houses.  By time I finish these three, I might be able to dump those scraps.  Not bad for stuff I would have thrown out hoarded forever.  I'm going to start filling a pillow for my dog, as she has taken over a piece of fleece and made a nest under the cutting table.

These little blocks all measure 3 1/2 " and will finish at 3".  I'm not sure if they will appear in the same quilt yet, but it's a possibility.