Secret Sister update

I forgot to mention that I got a new secret sister this past Tuesday at the quilt shop. I am so excited.

Of course, this also means that the person who had me for a secret sister revealed herself. Thank you, Rosemary! The parting gift she gave me was a ball jar of amish fabrics along with one thirties (or maybe twenties?) reproduction fat quarter that was made up of four or five different prints on one sheet. That was cool.

Also, my secret sister, who was Cindy, did not actually know who I was as I reported here. She made me that adorable postcard (which I should photograph and put up, but you know how lazy I am with the pictures) and had someone else address it. She didn't know who I was and I think she probably thought I was a bit silly for not catching on to the fact that the note was written in a different hand from the address label. Though I haven't yet checked to see how obvious the difference really was.

Anyway, I'm excited again to ferret out gifts for the new sis. And due to the birthday I didn't get to work on the Round Robin blocks. :(

Happy Birthday to me!

I just had to post real quick to say that I finished two, count 'em, TWO, blocks last night! Only 14 more to go...and 18 days to do it in.

Round Robin sewing has begun

Well I started sewing my blocks yesterday. Sigh.

Ok, my goal was to finish one block yesterday. Just one lousy block. I had about an hour and a half to play with. So I sat down, and carefully followed my instructions, checked and rechecked my quarter inch seams, and did all the proper pressing. I need to provide a quality block, ya know? So I was getting ready to press open a bunch of half triangle pieces and I called my dad. I'm chatting on the phone, and carefully pressing, and I look down and think, something is funny here. Now, I'm in the basement, and there is just one bare bulb by the ironing board and I'm thinking, this is just a trick of the light. But no. It wasn't a trick, it was my own dang stupidity staring me in the face and saying, 'HA'. I sewed one of the fabrics with the wrong side up. OMG. I spent 45 minutes carefully marking and sewing "scant" quarter inch seams (which, whoever came up with the term "scant" for something as accurate as piecing should be shot) and then cutting all of the pieces carefully apart on the lines...and it's wrong. Not even fixable wrong, just out and out wrong.

So I didn't get my one block done. I didn't have time to recreate the triangles. I have 21 days to get 16 blocks finished. Ugh.

Oh, and the only thing that kept a string of loud and vague obsenities from streaming out of my mouth was my dad asking what we are doing about our flood damage. Thankfully he can't read my thoughts. At least I think he can't.

Cuttin' it up

Hurrah! I started on my blocks for the round robin last night. I cut into one of my four fabrics. I finished cutting all of the pieces that I need from that fabric.

I don't understand it, though. I thought I estimated fairly close how much fabric I would need. I think I ordered 3 yards of each of 4 fabrics. Which, yeah, I was of course trying to err on the side of caution since running out of a fabric mid-block would not be an option. So I cut into the actual challenge fabric, and got all the pieces I needed cut for my first block (the second block doesn't use the challenge fabric) and I think I only used maybe a yard. A yard and a quarter, at best.

Oops.

So I guess when the exchange is over and I have all of the blocks, I'll have plenty of fabric left to add borders and sashing, etc.

And in other news. We have experienced a flood. One of the kids accidently left the bathroom faucet on full blast all day while we were at work last Wednesday. When I came home I found it raining in the kitchen, as well as the basement. Ugh. We are now in the throws of trying to get it cleaned up and fixed. I can't believe how damaging a little water is. Ok, it was a LOT of water. We currently have an emergency services company visiting our house daily to check on the myriad of giant (super loud) fans and dehumidifiers spread around the house. Today they want to cut out the soffit that is over the cabinets in the kitchen. Of course they already tore up the bathroom flooring and cut holes in the kitchen ceiling.

This does not look good for the sale of our house. Obviously we can't put it on the market in this condition, not unless we want people laughing and pointing. So. We're kind of floating around in limbo, not really sure where life is going. I guess that's the joy of the ride, right?

Primal urges

Ok, so I have no progress to report. I am really sad about this, as I have an almost constant urge to sew at the moment. I am so far resisting the siren call of the fabric store. Though I did start working on a dress that I'm making for The Girl. I took the dress I bought for her for Easter which is super-simple and tried to draft a pattern from it. We'll see how it turns out.

If it ever turns out.

And still all I've managed for the Round Robin/Block Exchange is washing two of my fabrics. I haven't even ironed it. I so do not want to be the loser that holds up the exchange, so I better get my behind in gear.

Also, I was quite surprised to receive a nice little postcard in the mail from my Secret Sister this week. No, not the one that buys me stuff...the one that I buy stuff for. Wait, you might say. She is not supposed to know who I am! But she apparently does. Am I that transparent? Hmm.

Progress on the Secret Quilt

I have actually made progress on the secret quilt! Can you believe it? I know, it's tough to imagine. I believe I described it before but the pattern I chose to base the quilt on was Trip Around the World. I have the center area cut out though I have to applique and I think probably embellish it still. But I have finished a nice portion of the patchwork. What is holding me up is the pictures. I have decided to include only one row of picture transfers on the quilt. I had thought I'd do four rows but I finally realized that was just too ambitious and probably was going to doom the quilt to failure. So eventually I'll get the photos done, and then major progress will move ahead.

I'm also involved in a round robin through Annie Smith's yahoo group. I think it is technically a block exchange and not a round robin but maybe I'm just being obtuse. Anyways, I got the fabric for my blocks. I've decided to use a block named "Blazing Trails" since the round robin (and also the block exchange) is a new endeavor for me. The second block that I'll make for it is called "Snail Trail". I chose that one because I'm pretty slow at moving along. Also I really like the pattern and I wanted to do one.

Have a great day!

In like a lion, out like a lamb

Happy March! As usual time is streaking by and I am caught unawares. I had better get to work on the in-laws secret project. I accumulated two more yards of fabric for it which I am not sure about but The Husband (who is an artist, partially color-blind though he may be, so he does have some sense of matching and such) says "They're fine, dear." in that husbandly way that lets you know you'd better stop asking.

We're getting ready to put our house on the market and, as usual when cleaning and organizing are involved, I am simultaneously feeling stressed, overwhelmed, energized (odd, I know), and ready for it to end.

On the crafty front - I finished the top from the class hand-piecing class I took. I am thinking that I might try to machine quilt it. I feel a little bad about that since I spent so much time carefully hand piecing it. However it is not of a size that will do me any good and so I have little incentive to finish it except the feeling of finality that comes with finishing. So I thought I might try to machine quilt it, so that it could serve the dual purpose of learning two new things. Am I way off base?

Also this past weekend I went to one of those places where you assemble and freeze a bunch of dinners ahead of time. I cannot even begin to describe how super-awesome it was. No trips to the grocery store, no chopping, washing, slicing, browning, etc, and NO CLEANUP! It doesn't get better than that, folks. I made six awesome-looking dishes (which I split 5 of them so I'll have 11 meals) for 109. Visit Simply Done Dinners to do the same for yourself. I actually received this as a gift certificate for Christmas. I have to admit to being a tad disappointed when I got it because I'd much rather spend gift money on quilty things. But wait! There is a hidden advantage. Now I won't have to make 11 meals...I've been given time to quilt! Heavenly!~

First Resolution Conquered!

I know it's been awhile since I last posted. It's been a hectic few weeks, what with some blizzard-like weather, the flu whipping through the house, crafty classes and our favorite shows coming back from hiatus. (Those shows would be: Survivor, Lost, The Office, and My Name is Earl.)

Here's the news though: I finished The Girl's coat today! I showed it to her and asked her if it was pretty and she said, "It's bootiful." Hopefully she wears it!

Also, I am taking the second-level hand-piecing class at the local quilt shop. This is the result of the first class:

The pattern turned out to be a wee bit smaller than the other blocks for the class. That's why there is a white border.

And here is week two:

For some reason in class I really struggled with the curves. Once I got it home I suddenly was able to handle it. Go figure.

And my favorite, from week 3:

Next week we'll be finishing up class with a bit of applique and I think we'll also combine all four blocks into a small sampler. You might think the splash of blue makes no sense as it doesn't seem to match any of the other fabrics. Never fear--the setting blocks have that color in it.