Busy Weekend Sewing!

Monday again- Why do the weekends go by so fast?!  I had a busy one full of sewing though so it was very enjoyable. 

First up was completing this week's block for the Sew.Happy.Quilt. QAL.  This week was the Fireflies Block which was really fun to make and came together pretty quickly!  This is one I could definitely see being enlarged and then made into some couch pillows.


Sew.Happy.Quilt. QAL - Block #5 - Fireflies Block

Then I decided that I just didn't have enough projects going on already and decided to join the Made in Cherry QAL over at Pins and Bobbins.  I've been stashing 1930s fabrics for a while now and have been waiting for the perfect pattern.  I knew I wanted something with a star/s so this is perfect!!  I spent a chunk of time going through my fabrics and then cutting all of the squares (200!) and laying them out in our basement (the only place with enough floor space!).  Once I had them all laid out I realized how much I didn't want to stack them all up while keeping them in order and take them upstairs to sew them...so I just lugged my machine and ironing board downstairs and spent some quality time in the basement.  I got 7 of the 8 points sewn up and I'm hoping to finish the rest tonight!  I'm using Kona Khaki as the solid and am going to add some borders of that so it's a full/queen size and then it can go on the bed in our spare bedroom.  You can check out the Flickr group to see everyone else's progress!

Oh our delightful unfinished 1920s basement




On a little side tangent: Does anyone have their sewing space in an unfinished basement?  Ours is not very "nice" since our house was built in the 1920s but it is the warmest place in the winter (since the boiler is down there) and the coolest in the summer (we don't have AC) and I would have TONS more room if I moved my sewing set-up down there.  I mean TONS, right now I share a small 8x8ish room with the hub's office space and it is cramped! After working down there a bit this weekend I've been considering moving down there but it's just rather well....unfinished, so I'm hesitant. Does anyone work in their basement and have tips for making it a bit nicer and inspiring?  We have some rugs down there and there is good ceiling lighting (nothing fancy) but no natural light, cement walls and cement floors. 

Kelsey

Linking w/ Manic Monday @ Sew.Happy.Geek and Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story - Stop over and see what everyone else is up to!

Winter Stitching List - Update!

Oh ambition- how you get the best of me sometimes!  Back in October (and I couldn't believe that when I just checked - really it's been that long!) I made my Big Winter Stitching List as part of the Winter Stitching link-up over at Fairy Face Designs.  Well now it's time for the mid-winter check in! 

I've completed some, decided not to do others, and still have some left to keep me busy the rest of the winter.  Here we go:

• Make Cross Terrain (from Moda Bake Shop) in Ruby - Hasn't happened and don't think it will so it's crossed off the list.  I'm making my Swoon in Ruby and Bliss so we'll call it a fair trade :)
• Finish the Jellybean (Thimble Blossoms Pattern) for my mother-in-law - DONE!  It was a Christmas gift, she cried, loved it and it lives happily on her couch now.  I will blog about this soon.
• Make clutches for my 3 sister-in-laws for Christmas - Didn't happen and isn't going to.  Just wasn't enough time so I went and bought them thoughtful gifts that they loved instead.  So it's off the list but I do want to make one for myself sometime....
• Finish the Subversive Cross Stitch - DONE!  Was a Christmas gift to the hub's aunt and she loved it!  It's hanging in her craft room.
• Finish the Christmas wall hanging - DONE!  Blogged here.  Finished it with plenty of time to spare.  Hanging it for Christmas was a problem itself so it got nicely draped over a built-in in the Family Room.

• Make a Sewing Kit for my mom - DONE! Kind of...I actually made her a pin cushion organizer thread catcher, blogged here, since I realized she would love that much more.  I gave it to her for Christmas (along with a trip to the International Quilt Festival in April!!!) and she loved it!
• Pick fabrics and make at least 4 Swoon Blocks - Well, the fabric picking is done.  It's going to be in Ruby & Bliss.  And I have 2 blocks done.  Progress people!

• Take a knitting class and make a chevron afghan - Eh hasn't happened.  I'm going to take it off of the list since I've taken a liking to cross stitch again so I'm not looking for another hand work/in front of the TV project anymore.
• Learn Embroidery - Well when I made the Gnome Ornament for the ornament swap I taught myself a few stitches but I'd still like to learn more so I'll leave it on the list as 50% complete.
• Start & Finish my Rectangle Block Quilt - I started it and have the top done!  Just need to pick a backing and then go quilt it.
• Finish the stocking for Stockings for Kids - DONE! I finished mine, blogged, and had a great time making it.  There were over 200 stockings sent in for foster kids!!

• Make a wall hanging for the dining room - Have some ideas and some different fabrics but haven't started putting anything together yet.
• Make potholders - Nope.  Haven't made any!  But it needs to stay on the list since my friend bought me fabric months ago to make her one and I need to get it done!

Ok, so that's 5 finishes, 3 cancelled and 5 left to work on.  Not too bad!!

I do need to add a few new ones though:

• At least buy the fabrics (Hometown by Moda) and pick a pattern for a wedding gift quilt I'm making since I'll need it to be done sometime in the next few months
• Keep up with/finish the Sew.Happy.Quilt. QAL over at Sew Happy Geek.  I already have the first 5 blocks done and need to do number 6 this weekend

How are you doing with your WIP lists?

Kelsey

Swooning

Are you swooning?!  If you haven't heard, i'm a ginger monkey, has started a Swoon-along!  No time limits, no deadlines, just a whole bunch (Over 500!!) of people making their own Swoon quilts.  Go check out the Flickr group when you have a chance- there are so many amazing blocks to look at!!  Consider joining in too :)

I am making mine for our bed, and am using Kona White for the background plus Ruby & Bliss that I got for Christmas for the stars.



Ruby & Bliss

 I finished my first block when I had the day off on Monday and am almost done with the second!  Each block is very time consuming but so it's so gratifying when you finish one.



Swoon Block #1


If you want to participate you can buy the pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop or Thimble Blossoms!

Kelsey

Sew.Happy.Quilt. QAL - #2

Sew.Happy.Quilt. QAL week #2 and I love these blocks even more that last week's!!!  I'm so glad I decided to use the Little Apples (even though my husband refers to the print of just clothes as "the creepy fabric") and I'm really happy with how well the prints and the blocks are playing together.


This week had instructions for two more blocks.  Here are mine:

Friendship Star



Pinwheel

Hoping to get started on a Swoon block for the Swoon-along tonight!

Kelsey

Sew.Happy.Quilt. QAL #1

Have you heard about the Sew.Happy.Quilt. QAL yet?  No?  You should go check it out! It's over at SewHappyGeek and we are making the cutest sampler ever! Plus it just started so you don't even have to play catch up :)

I decided to use Little Apples (just red/aqua/gray prints) and Kona White for mine.  The first week (last week) was two blocks and I loved making them!  They came together really easily and I can't wait for the directions for the next set.



Snowball Block



Woven Block

Stop by the Flickr group to check out everyone's blocks!

*And I know I need to stop taking crummy phone pictures at night but it's just so much easier (and we have about zero sunlight)!!

Kelsey

Blogger's Block of the Month

Hope you all had a wonderful Holiday season!  We were so busy but I got some projects done and started some new ones so I have lots to share in the coming weeks.

One of the things I'd like to do this year is keep up on ongoing projects.  I'd started the Blogger's Block of the Month back in September, made my first block, hated it and then forgot about it.  This past week I decided that I was going to start from scratch and catch up!  I remade block #1 and then did #2, 3 and 4.  All caught up and ready for January's block to be posted.  And it's not too late to join in too!

And I swear they aren't wonky like they look in these pictures!  All are made from scraps from my scrap bin and I'm planning to make the rest of the blocks from scraps too :)


Block #1 - September




Block #2 - October




Block #3 - November




Block #4 - December

I joined another quilt along too!  The Sew.Happy.Quilt QAL.  You should definitely check it out!  It will end up as a great sampler quilt.  I have my first two blocks done and will share them soon :)





Kelsey