Quilt musing...

I wanted to say Thank You for those who have left me such encouraging comments on my quilting endeavors! It means so much to me. I tend to sew alone, and “wing it” or teach myself, and I always doubt myself. I think I am doing it wrong, or there could be a better way. Blogging has been good for me, I’ve met so many other people who love to quilt and it encourages me to try harder things and just go for it. So, thanks to all of you for giving me the courage to try harder :) You are all awesome!

I was reading through Crazy Mom Quilts blog today. I found a post where she has written out the things she uses when she sews. I found her favorite threads were from Connecting Threads. I decided to give them a try, their thread is really inexpensive and you get a lot of it for your money. I’ll let you know what I think after I use it. Also, I ordered some “machine quilting gloves” I laughed when I saw them. But I need something grippy on my hands, I hope it’ll help me with the free motion quilting I’ve been doing. Plus they were only a few bucks, if they don’t work, I can use them for gardening lol!

For those of you who asked if I am doing this on a regular machine, yes I am. I bought a Babylock Quilter’s Choice machine last year, and it came with a free motion quilting foot. I am sure if your machine has a free motion foot you would be able to do this. Let me know if you try it out.

March Review

Stitch one block on Shores of Hawk Run *not really, finished one, started another about ½ way done*
Make a Jo Morton mini quilt *no*
Finish tablerunners for my bedroom *finished 2 of 5*
Make 3 Abby’s treasure box bags *no*
Start quilting Cherie’s quilt *yes*
Finish Nikki’s baby quilt *yes!!*

April may not be a really productive month for me, there is a lot going on.
April Goals
Stitch one block on Shores of Hawk Run
Finish 3 tablerunners for my bedroom
Make 3 Abby’s treasure box bags
Finish Cherie’s Quilt

I'm trying

I have been working on this quilt for my mother in law since last July, it has been a harder one to do, adding corners to over a hundred squares, so I took my time on it. I also decided I would quilt this one on my own. I've been practicing on mini quilts and tablerunners. The finishing of quilts is what I really put off. I don't like stretching them, and pinning them (kills the back!) and then tying or quilting them. It just is hard work, and I can't bear the thought of messing up on a quilt top I spent hours on. Well, I finally bit the bullet yesterday and pinned this one together and started quilting it. I am just doing stipple quilting all over it. I wanted to try some sort of pattern on the border, but I don't know what yet. My goal is to have this finished by June, my mother in law might come out to visit us then, and I'd love to hand it to her completed :)

For those of you who are to scared to try quilting on your own, just practice on smaller stuff first and get comfortable with it. I am realizing as I quilt this, I need to work on it for about 30 minutes at a time, because it hurts my shoulders pushing it around.

So, what do you think, does it look okay so far? :D

Where have I been?

Hello my friends! I’ve been out of the blogging world for a few weeks. I give up on trying to redeem myself. Life is too busy right now. I did so good for so long on posting every week, or several times a week!

My excuses are as follows:

#1. My kids: 1st and 2nd grade kids bring home lots of homework, and for a working mommy and daddy like us, our evenings are filled with teaching kids how to add 234 + 193 + 78, and teaching them how to spell “no” vs. “know” or how to not write out numbers backwards for the 50th time!

Cute Jessie story: We were on about page 7 of some sort of math homework, and she kept writing her numbers backwards, I’d just erase and tell her to rewrite it. She finally got fed up with herself and exclaimed “WHY do I live in backwards world???” She was so flustered, it was adorable! I love my kids, even though their homework isn’t that fun.
This week is spring break and I think I was more excited about it than my kids… no homework wahoo! (does this make me a bad mom??)

#2. I joined a gym. Which means after I put the kids to bed at 8:00 I go and work out. I feel good! BUT it cuts into my “craft” time. I doubt I can stitch and swim laps at the same time.

#3. I am tired, from #2. Which means I go to bed earlier.

The weekend was very nice, I managed to get a few things out to work on.

I have made a bit of progress on Shores of Hawk Run. Here I am as of today, the 4th block is slowly filling in.
And I started a new quilt! I bought this kit from Hollyhill Quilt Shoppe in West Linn, Oregon. I have bought several of their kits (they are amazing!). This is called Puzzle Play and uses all blues/greens from the Amy Butler Midwest Modern fabrics. I am in love with it.
I got 2 of my 5 tablerunners done for my bedroom, here is one on our bedside shelf. I love batik fabric!
A few months ago Mark was complaining about how the little quilt hanging above our bed looks weird. It just kind of looks “stuck” there. It just so happened I read on Heather Mulder-Peterson’s blog about how she hangs her quilts from a curtain rod… so I suggested that to him, and we bought a curtain rod, several months go by, and we finally hang it up. At least it doesn’t look “stuck” there anymore. Painting the bedroom will happen someday, I've only had the paint for over a year now...Mark got us these adorable ladybug truffles, aren't they so sweet?
All is well in Portland, how is it for you??

Baby quilt all ready to go

I finished it! It took 6 fat quarters, 1/4 yard of minky fabric, and about 1-1/2 yards of white fabric. I quilted it on my machine with light pink thread. The backing fabric is one of the pinks used on the front. It's so cute! Jessie keeps trying to steal it :)

Shores of Hawk Run, block 3

I got another block done! This is my third block. I don’t know what to think about that seahorse, he’s kind of silly looking, but I like everything else about the block. I am going to start the one next to it now, with the white house and the mermaid. After that I think I’ll do the big center block with the ship. This is a very nice project to work on. Maybe I can get the next block done this month? Wish me luck. I finished my sister’s baby quilt too! I need to get some pictures of that up soon. It’s very cute.

There was a comment on my last post about what types of fabric I liked to stitch with. When I was first using linens and evenweaves, I liked a 28 count evenweave. It was easier for me to count the linen that way, after I got comfortable with that, I moved into the 32 count linens. That is my favorite now. I don’t have a favorite type of linen that I know of, but 32 count is a nice size. I haven’t attempted a 40 count or anything, it is just too small for me to do right now.

And I have a question to all of you chefs out there, what is your favorite clam chowder recipe? I’d like to learn to make it at home! Pass on the recipe if you can! Thanks :)

March Goals

I’ve been humming along on Shores, I am over half way done on my third block. I hope to get it done this week. We’ll see if that happens! I haven't even thought about any other cross stitch projects since I started working on this, it's very addicting. Did you see Giovanna’s Shores? She finished it this weekend, you must go and see. It is beautiful.

I was working on quilting my sister’s baby quilt yesterday and ran out of the thread I was using, so I have to get to the store and pick up some more. It is turning out so adorable! I want to finish this this week as well.

At JoAnn’s I picked up a new book called Jelly Roll Quilts, it’s a GREAT book! I don’t even own a Jelly Roll, but that is okay. I have lots of fabric to make my own Jelly Rolls :) I want to make some of the quilts out of here soon. Check out this book if you are looking for a good variety of quilt patterns.

I was so lazy/unmotivated in February that I didn’t even do goals! I’ll try again this month :)

February Review
Stitched one block on Shores of Hawk Run
Worked on Nikki’s Quilt
Made some tablerunners, but need to add binding

March Goals
Stitch one block on Shores of Hawk Run
Make a Jo Morton mini quilt
Finish tablerunners for my bedroom
Make 3 Abby’s treasure box bags
Start quilting Cherie’s quilt
Finish Nikki’s baby quilt