tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12688880249752537202024-03-13T02:24:29.137-07:00Because I needed another hobby like I needed another hole in my head.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-23062717823176018522011-05-18T16:09:00.000-07:002011-05-18T16:27:53.631-07:00Signs of Spring and SummerI've watched the Blogger's Quilt Festival from afar before but this year I've decided to actually enter. It's inspired me so much and now I get to be a part!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://amyscreativeside.com/"><img src="http://amyscreativeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Spring-bqf-2011-button.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br />For me this quilt is so simple but it represents a real sense of progress for me. I know that it's probably not considered "advanced" or "intricate" but all the points are good, the borders were the right size, it's the first quilt I did entirely freehand on my frame, and also? I used up every single bit of the fat quarters. It's officially a stash-buster. I think back to my very first quilt, paper pieced and sweet but not really "me." And then there's this one, it's *all* me and it's currently draped over my love seat bringing screamingly bright spring and summer into my house even when it's thundering outside.<br /><br />When I first saw the Dulcinea Schnibble I loved the soft colors of the original. But when I went to make it the fabric that called me was altogether NOT soft. I went with Deb Strain's "Fresh Flowers" along with some scraps of Fresh just to use them up. I finished it a while ago but just managed to get the binding on it last weekend.<br /><br />With Steve not around to help with the holding-up duties, and given that it's a Schnibble, I enlisted the help of a Schnibble-sized helper. Clearly she gets her quilt display skills from her father. (I tried to pick just one of these pictures but I swear I just couldn't decide)<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TdPuGa73NWI/AAAAAAAADHs/mqyPoKQPWH8/s512/DSC_1420.JPG" /><br /><br /><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TdPuGxgjYqI/AAAAAAAADHw/oxpL--uRftA/s512/DSC_1421.JPG" /><br /><br />And for those who like their quilts in a more wearable fashion:<br /><br /><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TdPuHACSH2I/AAAAAAAADHk/yvnjvgeLcQo/s512/DSC_1422.JPG" /><br /><br /><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TdPuH4oyF5I/AAAAAAAADHo/CM-xPgL3jl4/s512/DSC_1424.JPG" /><br /><br />I was going to ask her to show off the new top I made her but clearly that will have to wait for another day.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-46583859365496592462011-05-05T13:00:00.000-07:002011-05-05T14:42:32.118-07:00A day in the life of a quiltWhen last we met it was roughly noon and I was chain piecing the second points on my stars. the more I worked at it the more precise I got. I've never done one that was "perfect" but I feel good about how I improved and I only felt the need to redo two or three of the points in that second chain piecing run!<br /><br />1pm - Time to press them back, trim them off, and press them open. Which sounds like some kind of horribly sadistic aerobics move from the 80's.<br /><br /><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYai0s0dLI/AAAAAAAADF8/xvin2vBSmBc/s512/DSC_1306.JPG" /><br /><br />There's our babies, all in a row in sets of four. This picture is specially courtesy of the acrylic extension table that comes standard with my new sewing machine. I have a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Janome</span> Horizon and I'm a total convert. My clunky basic machine still works like a champ but it's so LOUD. With this one? I'm like a sewing ninja. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Soooo</span> quiet.<br /><br />Now it's time to get the three strips of this star done. Do you guys do them like that? I do two side strips and the center strip with the big square. <br /><br /><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYajCumhEI/AAAAAAAADDc/VsQRTIfLnLI/s512/DSC_1307.JPG" /><br /><br />2:15 - I'm on my last set of strips to chain piece and then I'll press the seams open and get ready to complete the stars. It always seems like stars take forever and then <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">suddely</span> you have a whole pile of them. I love that moment.<br /><br />I know what you're thinking. An hour and 15 minutes to chain piece so few stars? Let's be fair,<br /><br /><img style="width: 443px; height: 295px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYajSkIICI/AAAAAAAADDg/o48CRhqua_8/s512/DSC_1308.JPG" /><br /><br />At some point I did need to have lunch. In this case I polished off the last of the small vat of chili that Steve and I made when The Small Demanding One went off to Camp Grandma. It was so good and just the boost I needed. <br /><br />Pause for a moment to admire the little details: mud splattered pull-behind bike trailer for the little girl to go on bike rides with her dad? Check. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Netflix</span> app running on my iPhone? Check. Seriously, y'all. I'm lucky I'm grandfathered into the original unlimited plan because I use my phone more for TV and movies than I do for phone calls. By a factor of about 10:1. Kitchen table I made myself from scratch? Check? (do *not* look at the big spot where the stain didn't soak in right) Lunch being eaten from early 80's Tupperware? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Awww</span> yeah. It's all about the details.<br /><br />3:15 - At this point I've got all the sections of the stars pinned together and just need to finish piecing, separate and press them. It's starting to look like I'm making some progress.<br /><br /><img style="width: 561px; height: 374px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYajoJjjXI/AAAAAAAADDk/tgIViWpdElY/s720/DSC_1309.JPG" /><br /><br />And before you say anything, yes, my pins are organized in my pincushion. It helps me find the ones I want without digging around. Don't judge.<br /><br />While we're at this point let's talk about why I'm now a huge fan of pressing my flying geese open. Also why I love both my sewing machine and my camera. Probably especially my camera.<br /><br /><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYakYRya-I/AAAAAAAADD0/01yy_CaZ11w/s512/DSC_1313.JPG" /><br /><br />See that spot right at the top of the point? That's where I want to stick my needle. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">I's</span> not as easy for me to see the sweet spot when I'm working with seams pressed to one direction or the other.<br /><br />Pretend I remembered to blow he dust off my 1/4" foot before I took that picture, please. Also this one:<br /><br /><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TcMSCXoDDqI/AAAAAAAADGA/C7waSpaAMzc/s512/DSC_1312.JPG" /><br /><br />Bingo, right on the spot. In this shot you can see my only gripe with the Horizon, see how the right feed dogs aren't actually fully under the side of the foot? It doesn't throw me off, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">c'mon</span>, how hard would it have been to notice that and fix it?<br /><br />4:15 - All the stars are done and pressed open. <br /><br /><img style="width: 540px; height: 359px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYakk8wVQI/AAAAAAAADD4/wxWODb0eMqo/s720/DSC_1314.JPG" /><br /><br />At this point I stood up to stretch my back and looked outside. For just a week or so this:<br /><br /><img style="width: 527px; height: 350px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYaliZlVTI/AAAAAAAADEA/6fIJ1E3R9pI/s720/DSC_1316.JPG" /><br /><br />was outside my window. I love this tree, it was blooming like this the day we closed on the house and it always reminds me of that lovely day. I snatched up my camera and headed outside for a while.<br /><br /><img style="width: 517px; height: 353px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYamB3jxtI/AAAAAAAADEE/zoMShF8BaLw/s720/DSC_1317.JPG" /><br /><br /><img style="width: 586px; height: 455px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYam7wLOBI/AAAAAAAADEQ/wjckhG3y1lE/s640/DSC_1325.JPG" /><br /><br />I smiled and sat in the grass for a bit, I farted around on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">internet</span>, I enjoyed how quiet my house was for he moment. Then I got back to the grindstone.<br /><br />5:40 - The borders for each star block are in opposing groups. Two short ones on each of two opposite sides, then one long one on each of the other two sides. At this point I've got all the short ones pieced together and pressed open and I'm getting them on to the star blocks.<br /><br /><img style="width: 620px; height: 413px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYanT0wRSI/AAAAAAAADEc/1kHjK-Iknnc/s720/DSC_1327.JPG" /><br /><br />Happiness is a total chain piecing pile-up. Okay, let's get these puppies finished.<br /><br />6:30 - Whew. Done. With the blocks, I mean.<br /><br /><img style="width: 628px; height: 418px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYaoKlHR4I/AAAAAAAADEk/2usNaFHzr_I/s720/DSC_1331.JPG" /><br /><br />They go with absolutely nothing in my house but they make me SO HAPPY. Let's try out some layouts. I counted the blocks and decided that I wanted one longer as opposed to square, that narrows down my options.<br /><br />6:45 - This is what I've settled on. I'm loving it.<br /><br /><img style="width: 555px; height: 369px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYapJfF9kI/AAAAAAAADEo/s8MPEplV55M/s720/DSC_1333.JPG" /><br /><br />So let's get it together, eh?<br /><br />9:20 - Strips sewn together.<br /><br /><img style="width: 548px; height: 364px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYapZyoRYI/AAAAAAAADEs/fT8SpOdP8ow/s720/DSC_1334.JPG" /><br /><br />I know, I know. You're like "What the hay, Melly? It took you almost three hours to do that?" No, but a girl's gotta eat, yo. I stopped for dinner and a little TV and a phone call with my mother that went on for like 45 minutes but I can't remember a single thing we talked about (I love those calls). Anyway, it was time well spent is what I'm saying. I make up for the delay by being able to say....<br /><br />9:45 - Done.<br /><br /><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYapg5nuVI/AAAAAAAADGI/QW_X7jr6i4w/s640/DSC_1335.JPG" /><br /><br />It's all together and just waiting for the laser stylus to arrive so I can give it a fun swirly all-over and make sure it gets to Project Linus. I love it and the idea that it may go out into the world and brighten <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">someone's</span> day is why I'm in this hobby.<br /><br />My favorite star? I'm glad you asked.<br /><br /><img style="width: 471px; height: 378px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYaqSIMvQI/AAAAAAAADGM/o5mMeIw2MIU/s576/DSC_1337.JPG" /><br /><br />Isn't it just so... happy?<br /><br />Now, what have we learned today? <br /><br />The secret to better piecing is sadly not a new tool or book or machine or even pixie dust. Just like everything else the secret is patience, persistence, and practice.<br /><br />I'm a big fan of pressing my seams open. It's more work but I the results were worth it. And with the time I saved by *not* having to do some stuff over I may have done a nice break even on the time spent. <br /><br />And finally? Atkinson's patterns are perfect for fat quarters. In fact she even details how many blocks you'll get out of how many fat quarters and what kind of layout you can make with that. Do keep that in mind and count your <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">FQ</span> before you cut. Lest you end up like me:<br /><br /><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYaqwtxTFI/AAAAAAAADGQ/1csdaQJZau0/s512/DSC_1340.JPG" /><br /><br />with two leftover blocks. Pillowcases perhaps?<br /><br />And for a sneak peak of what's next, a fantastic busting of my stash of oranges:<br /><br /><img style="width: 543px; height: 341px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYarIDVqyI/AAAAAAAADFE/dSkVIw04JAU/s800/DSC_1362.JPG" /><br /><br />Have a great evening, gang!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-52969816577980188112011-04-28T18:09:00.001-07:002011-04-28T18:55:49.562-07:00Like the world's slowest time-lapse photographyLet me preface this by saying that y'all know I love my girl. She's 18 shades of awesome and when she says "Mommy, I'm going to make you a quilt!" or "Mommy, I love you" or.. well.. anything, it just melts my heart. That being said, sometimes quiet time is nice, too.<br /><br />This past Saturday my beloved was off hitting people with swords (no, really!) and our little ball of chaos was off being spoiled by her grandparents (that's their job!) and I took full advantage of the time. Not only did I spend the entire day quilting, I decided to take you along with me by taking photos every hour to document my progress.<br /><br />Friday night I finished up Eventide and did a couple of proof-of-concept blocks for the quilt I planned on making Saturday. I also hauled all the rest of my tools and rulers and bits up from my sewing room in the basement and into the kitchen. I <span style="font-weight: bold;">*love*</span> my sewing room but it's in the basement and if I'd spent the entire day down there I'd have felt like a bit of a troll. The kitchen gets masses of light and I'd be able to hear if anyone came to the door and make myself some tea.<br /><br />Here we are at 9:30 in the morning.<br /><br /><img style="width: 505px; height: 337px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYaf3NLLMI/AAAAAAAADCs/qlrlQKwQggc/s640/DSC_1295.JPG" /><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Hmmm</span>. You see my dilemma. That chair is too short, that soda is not mine, I'm not sure where the pattern is and somewhere in here:<br /><br /><br /><img style="width: 483px; height: 321px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYagQKrxNI/AAAAAAAADCw/cawFULLdtis/s640/DSC_1296.JPG" /><br /><br />.. is my seam ripper. Also my thread snips, my good scissors (when you're a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">leftie</span> these things really matter) but OH! there's the pattern. Okay, making some progress. But still, it would be a good idea to tidy up. Also breakfast would be good. And some of my own soda. I don't drink coffee, I just start drinking Diet Coke at breakfast. Gotta pick your poison, eh?<br /><br /><img style="width: 467px; height: 307px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYagp0pHlI/AAAAAAAADC0/oenH7ncWNkM/s640/DSC_1297.JPG" /><br /><br />10am - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ahh</span>, <b>much</b> better. Table cleaned off, fabric cut and organized. I see my seam ripper, my thread snips, and my favorite chair. (It's orange! I love orange.) Now, let's get to sewing. We're going to do Terry Atkinson's "Lucky Stars" pattern because it's awesome with fat quarters, looks fast and easy, and I do love stars. We're using the stack of fat quarters I got of Riley Blake's "Bloom and Grow" by My Mind's Eye in the coral/blue colorway. I used most of the brown and orange for a fall quilt that's sitting in the UFO pile. Should I be working on UFOs instead? I'll pretend you didn't say that.<br /><br />11am - I've got two piles going. One of these -<br /><br /><img style="width: 529px; height: 352px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYag5G9RgI/AAAAAAAADFk/LpoQOQmkGXA/s640/DSC_1298.JPG" /><br /><br />One side of the little star points with the seams set and ready to be pressed open. Cordless iron? Best present I ever got. My poor mom was traumatized about giving me an iron. I think she worried it would seem like she was reinforcing some kind of stereotype to give me a housekeeping appliance. I thank her for it about once every month. And a pressing cloth. Not to protect my fabric, but to protect my pressing surface because I use starch like it's going out of style. I make it myself or I'd go broke on it. <br /><br />Also, I have a pile of these -<br /><br /><img style="width: 469px; height: 312px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYahmUm_6I/AAAAAAAADDE/FKKw1_hSWrs/s640/DSC_1301.JPG" /><br /><br />The points pressed open and ready to be trimmed before.. well.. more pressing. I decided to make this (and the next) project the ones where I master two things, one being short corners. I've had a hard time getting them right and they're in so many great patterns I refuse to just write them off. So I remembered a line from the front of the hymnal that I used to pluck from the pew in front of me and read as a bored teenager in church. John Wesley said "If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing." I know that perhaps this isn't how he meant it (or perhaps it is) but I've always felt that to mean that facing your fear and conquering it makes you stronger and wiser. And maybe a better quilter?<br /><br />Anyway. It's what I bring to mind whenever I think "I will never get this." I take it up, I practice, I am patient and forgiving with myself as much as I can be, and I accept that there is a level of expertise which only comes with time. It's amazing what I can get better at doing if I forgive myself for not being perfect at it right from the start. <br /><br />Except for chess. I suck at chess. I forgive myself for that, too. :)<br /><br />Where was I? Oh yeah! Okay, so I'm mastering short corners AND I'm making this the first project where I start pressing all my seams open. I found it made a big difference in some of the Eventide seams and it takes away that "which direction do I press these?" question. Unfortunately it adds an extra step to these corners. But worth the time.<br /><br />Noon-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ish</span> (I may have waited until I had a good photo-op before I took this one, so let's call it 12:20)<br /><br /><img style="width: 560px; height: 373px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYaiZk-VxI/AAAAAAAADDQ/-rWE3W_h03Q/s640/DSC_1304.JPG" /> <br /><br />Here's everyone pressed open and getting their second points. Is it me or does this stage seem to go on forever? (No Melly, you're just writing a really long post) Also? Behold! My Angler II in action! I have a new tool coming to replace this. It's vinyl cling and will allow me much easier access to my drop-in bobbin. I love my Angler but I hate having to wrestle with the extension table to get at my bobbin.<br /><br /><img style="width: 538px; height: 359px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYaiKEQa-I/AAAAAAAADDM/CsRyhWzV9Xo/s640/DSC_1303.JPG" /><br /><br />Chain piecing? I love you.<br /><br />At this point I'm getting some real steam going and am rolling through episodes of Bones on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Netflix</span> at a frightening rate. It's gearing up to be a good day. We'll handle the back half of it in another post because this one is getting too long even for my wordy self.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-52216264674923064242011-04-25T18:10:00.001-07:002011-04-25T19:23:54.838-07:00It's done it's done it's done!I procrastinated forever about getting the scrappy border on. And then I took a while to audition some single fabric borders. And then I finally just put my big girl panties on and finished the quilt. It makes me so happy.<br /><br /><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYjaJD0-5I/AAAAAAAADFY/iNeLadl-h3c/s640/DSC_1293.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 446px; height: 275px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYjaJD0-5I/AAAAAAAADFY/iNeLadl-h3c/s640/DSC_1293.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I tried to get a nice hanging shot but it was too windy to go with a tree or the fence and my husband? He's brilliant, clever, and funny. He does the dishes, takes the trash out, and spends his days teaching English to thankless high school kids. He's a saint. But holding up quilts for photos is not one of his strong suits. Witness:<br /><br /><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYaeerkxwI/AAAAAAAADFg/w0V0ef2G5Oo/s512/DSC_1287.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 427px; height: 426px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYaeerkxwI/AAAAAAAADFg/w0V0ef2G5Oo/s512/DSC_1287.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I particularly like the bunchy bits at the top where he's got the fabric clenched in his fists and the drapey corners. I love him. Eventually he got tired of me saying "Higher.." or "To the left.." and I got this look:<br /><br /><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYaetY5rxI/AAAAAAAADCc/2dPI-PtRInA/s640/DSC_1290.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 489px; height: 316px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TbYaetY5rxI/AAAAAAAADCc/2dPI-PtRInA/s640/DSC_1290.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />He's too good to me to have to put up with my whinging at him about how this, so that's the point where I headed inside and got the kitchen floor shot.<br /><br />My laser stylus for my frame machine (a Pfaff GQ I got for a steal complete with frame) gets here tomorrow and I'll put a nice swirly pattern on it, something that will just play with the surface without trying to compete with the fabrics. And then?<br /><br />It's not quite right for our house, I'm still toying with letting my mother-in-law auction it off for her church auction. Or possibly a sale on eBay for charity. It wouldn't even be a big sale, I'd feel bad even considering it because my workmanship isn't at a professional level. When it comes to a worthy cause, any amount is a good amount.<br /><br />I'd joke about how the complete engine replacement last week (to the tune of a number that starts with number greater than 3 and has a comma in it) makes me a charity, but the truth is that there are causes out there I'd love to be able to contribute to while still engaging in my hobby. We do what we can in other arenas; community service, giving of our time and resources, and I don't make quilts for any grand purpose but if someone liked one enough take it home in exchange for helping to make sure there are plenty of supplies for a place like <a href="http://www.hamlinfistula.org/">this</a>? That's pretty good in my book.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-88814795475779092942011-04-18T18:03:00.000-07:002011-04-18T18:11:32.185-07:00Signs from the universe.Things which will bring your creativity to a screeching halt: The phrase "Ma'am.. it's the engine. We're going to need to replace it."<br /><br />Which is, y'know, fine. It's fine. I really only need one kidney, right? :) Seriously, I think this calls for some serious destashing. I've never quite figured out what to do with some of the fabrics I just *had* to have, like that half-yard bundle of Wiscassett, or the Sanibel that is so pretty but has never quite wanted to be in any quilt. And lord knows there's French General coming out my ears. Plus, I got a layer cake of Grace last week and I know I'm going to need more anyway so why not let it go to someone who will use it and ask the birthday fairy for a fat eighth bundle? (eyes on the prize, eh?)<br /><br />This might be the universe's way of saying I need more space in my sewing room.<br /><br />The bundle of Heather Ross's Far Far Away lines, however? That's staying right where it is. I'm desperate but I'm not crazy! :DMelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-38523874642049203542011-04-05T13:59:00.001-07:002011-04-05T14:16:19.473-07:00Not quite EventideYou might have guessed by my lack of presence in <a href="http://cupcakesndaisies.blogspot.com/2011/04/eventide-parade.html">today's parade</a> that I missed the Eventide deadline. To be honest, I could have made it. In fact all but four blocks are made and the center of the quilt is sewn together but... I was rushing. I was rushing and I was making mistakes and I was wasting valuable sleep time.<br /><br />And then there's the girl. She often comes to play with me while I'm sewing. She likes to put random fat quarters up on the design wall and "make a quilt" (which usually involves strewing a charm pack from one end of the floor to the other) but I realized that I'd been focusing so hard on making this deadline that I'd basically had my back to her all week. (note to self: Next sewing room layout involves a sewing table which looks out into the room instead of staring at the wall)<br /><br />She's three, and she is occasionally a royal pain in my butt. Don't look at me that way, it's true. My child is a joy and a blessing but parenting is hard work and not always a barrel of laughs. And this is coming from someone living in the age of washable markers and dishwashers and OxyClean. I can't imagine what it was like for my mom. Though I'm sure I was a perfect angel who never gave her any trouble. STOP LAUGHING! <br /><br />The thing is, that even if the days are sometimes long, the months and years are so, so short. Fabric lasts for a long, long time, but little girls are only little girls for such a little while. She's getting so tall and every day her words are clearer and she understands more and I just can't afford to spend a week with my back to her. Not to mention what she'd get up to while I wasn't looking. I'm lucky my hair is all still attached. <br /><br />Anyway. Some time on Friday I just put the project into a lower gear and played on the floor with Chloe. I taught her how to use her safety scissors and we read books. And I sewed as well, but not quite as intensely. I should be done tomorrow or the day after. I'm going to give the top to my mother-in-law as she is a quilter herself and from Ohio so a quilt of Ohio stars might appeal to her. She has a friend with a long arm and they'll probably finish the top and raffle it off for the church.<br /><br />It's been a great project and I had a really good time. I wouldn't have tried this pattern for a few years if it weren't for this and I wouldn't have made some of the color choices I did if I hadn't wanted to avoid duplicating anyone already in the challenge. And I am in *love* with some of the other outcomes. Just the variations in how the quilt looks with dark vs. light patterns for the big stars is amazing. And now I have a great notion of what to do with the Buttercup fat quarter bundle sitting on my shelf.<br /><br />Am I sad I missed the deadline? No, I'm really not. The chance to win a goody straight from Mz. Carrie herself would have been lovely but come on, there's nothing lovelier than this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TZuCZNmOHnI/AAAAAAAAC_4/fGo3UGeYoqM/s512/%5BUNSET%5D.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 384px; height: 512px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TZuCZNmOHnI/AAAAAAAAC_4/fGo3UGeYoqM/s512/%5BUNSET%5D.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-81173701161954291972011-03-28T17:24:00.000-07:002011-03-28T19:01:37.791-07:00The story of a determined patternThis is the tale of a determined pattern.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TZEmZmzrIdI/AAAAAAAAC_I/_lpoKm6RHHg/s512/%5BUNSET%5D.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 419px; height: 404px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TZEmZmzrIdI/AAAAAAAAC_I/_lpoKm6RHHg/s512/%5BUNSET%5D.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I found myself with a Saturday afternoon free. Those of you with very small children will understand what a rarity that is. I knew that Steve would be gone most of the evening so I took advantage of the 50/50 split we try for on the weekends and said "I have an errand to run.." Then I took off for the drive to one of my favorite quilt shops.<br /><br />Here's a dirty little secret: I don't like either of the shops in my town enough to call them my "favorite" quilt shops. One of them is stuffy and dark and it's really clique-y. Don't get me wrong, it's lovely to have a store where they recognize you and are happy to see you and hear about your projects and all that good stuff, that can make a good shop great. But with that store I get the feeling that if you're not part of their crowd they don't have time for you.<br /><br />The other is a nice store with sweet people but geared heavily towards stitchery, needlepunch, and other textile crafts. And while they're one of the few stores I've found that actually carries Riley Blake fabrics, they don't carry Moda. With those things in mind I tend to make the drive about 20 miles further to the two stores in a neighboring town.<br /><br />I tucked a couple of fat quarters into my basket and then spent the next half hour just... poking. You know, where you kinda tune out and just browse. I love that. I'd been meaning to try "Brown Eyed Girl" by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. but when twirling through the pattern rack I found "Eventide" instead. I stared at it and then as though by magic it leapt into my basket. Leapt, I tell you! It spoke to me and said "Take me home!" When I said "What?" it said "Quilt along!" I sighed and realized that there's just no arguing with a really determined pattern.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TZEmiRX-jXI/AAAAAAAAC_Y/MxFxqBFB1ro/s512/%5BUNSET%5D.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 431px; height: 433px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TZEmiRX-jXI/AAAAAAAAC_Y/MxFxqBFB1ro/s512/%5BUNSET%5D.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I got home and thought about fabric. My first reaction was that I had a Park Avenue bundle that still had the ribbon around it. Then I remembered that Thelma was using Park Avenue and that given what I'd recently done with Madeline's Good Fortune if I used Park Avenue too that would make me the Single White Female of quilting. <br /><br />So I went with Rural Jardin. Well, mostly Rural Jardin. I pulled out all the leftovers from my MGF and some blue Rural Jardin that I had tucked away and started piecing. I know I could have strip pieced a lot faster but I loved getting each block together one by one. I'm strip piecing the inner border strips but where there's more color thought I'm going one at a time. And I'm loving it.<br /><br />I had to get some of the lighter blue to do the big double hourglass blocks and that's not here yet but fingers crossed it'll be here by the weekend. In the mean time? My design wall looks like this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TZEmOX7jifI/AAAAAAAAC_c/lDGt0gcGiec/s512/%5BUNSET%5D.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 484px; height: 492px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TZEmOX7jifI/AAAAAAAAC_c/lDGt0gcGiec/s512/%5BUNSET%5D.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>And growing by the minute!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-81275290478071910642011-03-21T16:27:00.001-07:002011-03-21T22:06:53.564-07:00Feet hurt, Heart happyIn honor of National Quilting Day some good girls got to go to AQS Lanaster. It's possible we did some shopping.<br /><br /><a href="http://goo.gl/photos/mQ39QAYJN9" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TYeavY5gTqI/AAAAAAAAC-I/L7wOXLMxU3M/s512/%5BUNSET%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />(editorial note: there are four people's worth of insanity in that photo. Yes, it's still a LOT of stuff but per capita it was perhaps merely "obscene" as opposed to "GNP of Burundi")<br /><br />Are we embarrassed by our own rampant consumerism?<br /><br /><img style="width: 537px; height: 403px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TYea3OjjtSI/AAAAAAAAC-M/DaXzeJhb8ZI/s640/%5BUNSET%5D.jpg" /><br /><br />We really really are not.<br /><br />Debrief and more later, for now I have to go put a cold compress on my debit card. Poor guy seems to have strained himself somehow.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-76635949247374490182011-03-16T07:18:00.000-07:002011-03-16T15:52:12.454-07:00The sincerest form of flattery..I had been looking over at Nicole's blog at <a href="http://sisterschoice.typepad.com/">Sister's Choice</a> and saw she'd been saying that she wanted a quilt like the Schnibbles called Madeline... only bigger! Then she had the inspired idea to skip finding one like it and just make <a href="http://sisterschoice.typepad.com/sisters_choice_quilts/2010/04/madeline-all-grown-up.html">a big version of Madeline</a>. It was "all grown up" as she said. Nicole always blows me out of the water with what she does. The colors played so beautifully and she even was super helpful about how to measure and cut the setting triangles for the sides. And then she sent us over to see what Thelma had done and I was a goner.<br /><br />A few of you may be familiar with Thelma over at <a href="http://cupcakesndaisies.blogspot.com/">Cupcakes and Daisies</a>. She's amazing and her work is just breathtaking. I love how precise her work looks and how she's not afraid to fiddle with a pattern to make it work for her. She liked Nicole's big Madeline but needed it to cover a king sized bed. More blocks or a medallion in the middle? Medallion in the middle was her choice. Again the inspiration fairy struck and Thelma realized that the stars and layout of the Good Fortune Schnibble would fit perfectly in the center if she modified the border just a touch. <br /><br />Presenting, <a href="http://cupcakesndaisies.blogspot.com/2010/05/schnibbles-in-schnibbles.html">Madeline's Good Fortune</a>, is it not stunning? It just took my breath away. I though "I must have that quilt." It's bigger, more complex, and requires more precision than anything I've ever done before, but I figured I could maybe make it work if I took it easy and did it in bits and started with the big blocks before getting frustrated by the central medallion with its wee little fiddly bits.<br /><br />Like some kind of glorious twist of fate, about a week later an online quilt shop I frequent got in almost all of the Rouenneries collection at $4 a yard. What I did next could be politely described as "overbuying" and might more accurately be called "losing my fool mind." I substituted some dark reds from other French General collections and got some of the pearl fabrics from Lumiere de Noel and then surveyed my hoard.<br /><br />Yeah, I bought like twice as much fabric as I needed. The good news is that I'm now set for another project! Anyway. I knew I wanted to use the Fit to be Geese ruler I'd gotten for Christmas so I had to modify the pattern cutting requirements. I did some math and figured out what I needed and sat down and spent the better part of an evening cutting everything out and putting it in labeled bags. I was positively anal about the bags and it totally paid off.<br /><br />So, long story short (too late!) I finished the top last week. The border fabric I'd originally picked ended up not working, the scale was just off, and the one fabric I'd really really really wanted could not be had for love nor money unless I spent $24/yd and ordered it from Australia. I'll pass, thanks. I let Steve pick out which fabric he thought would work and he was right, it's great.<br /><br /><a href="http://goo.gl/photos/9lwTr8syzY" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TYE8A-JOdNI/AAAAAAAAC9g/cv0rzzYbZh0/s512/DSC_1219.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Is it perfect? No, certainly not.<br /><br /><a href="http://goo.gl/photos/KTTSmwASKV" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img style="width: 407px; height: 270px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TYE79WnIt3I/AAAAAAAAC9c/aFspjOT6iSg/s512/DSC_1218.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Point on the far right? Lovely. Point on the far left.... not quite so lovely. But A for effort, eh?<br /> Rather than pick it out and make it super perfect I'm loving how I can see improvement from one block to the next, this quilt is big enough that I can watch my skills evolve across it.<br /><br />These pictures are pre-border:<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://goo.gl/photos/PXnU8PPE2A" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TW5Lop2JF1I/AAAAAAAAC8w/K-14Gdv0gkg/s512/photo%282%29.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the design wall it looks a little too brown. It also looks a little small but that's because there is absolutely NO way this whole thing was going to fit on the wall. So I did just enough to see how things would play together and then laid the rest out on the kitchen floor.<br /><br />Here it is, sans borders, basking on the lawn:<br /><br /><a href="http://goo.gl/photos/ThfCKhZjXA" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img style="width: 431px; height: 323px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TW5LpzUv80I/AAAAAAAAC8w/wy6oPOXxyzs/s512/photo.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here's one taken today with the borders on. I really <span style="font-weight: bold;">must</span> get a taller place to take pictures.<br /><br /><a href="http://goo.gl/photos/ioLmEyrkBv" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TYE70PFcdaI/AAAAAAAAC9Y/TjFVKtul_v8/s512/DSC_1216.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I really could not be more pleased. Thank you to Nicole for wanting Madeline to be bigger, to Thelma for wanting it to have a medallion, and to Carrie for giving us the Schnibbles that made it all possible. I am so inspired by my fellow quilters, they make it possible for me to reach for things I thought were impossible just months ago.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-86791707581670123512011-03-06T08:26:00.000-08:002011-03-06T09:01:54.414-08:00WOE! The battery for my beloved camera (I'm not kidding, I love it, it's called My Squishy) just stopped recharging right as I had a bunch of things I wanted to take pictures of, so bear with me on the phone cam shots while I wait for the new batteries.<br /><br />Now, first things first, my new quilting <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">BFF</span>:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/51560916/homepage/name/75770?type=sn"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 431px; height: 297px;" src="http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/51560916/homepage/name/75770?type=sn" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />(is it not obscenely sexy?)<br /><br /><br />I only took up quilting about a year and a half ago, but I've been sewing one thing or another for twenty years. Mostly medieval reenactment clothing and bags for armor and archery equipment, but the occasional more structured item would sneak in there. <br /><br />For those things the throat space on your machine isn't a big deal. And though I occasionally got frustrated with lack of power and the tendency to burn out the motor 2ft from the end of satin-stitching a 25yd hem skirt (about which I am STILL bitter) I managed to get by with $98 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Wal</span>-Mart Singers and steel-head mechanical machines from my youth. Okay, from my mother's youth. But man those things are like old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Volvos</span>, they just go and go and go until you get too big for your britches and think you can fix something yourself and snap the belt on the 1977 Viking. <br /><br />Hypothetically.<br /><br />Honestly, I still have three of those old steel-head machines in my basement. The snapped-belt Viking, a semi-industrial Singer from the mid-60's that still runs like a top, and a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Pfaff</span> which we call "haunted" because of a short in the power cord. You might not notice such a short in the cord until one day when you're alone in the sewing room and you finish sewing a piece and you turn around to iron it and the machine suddenly takes two more slow stitches. At which point you will REALLY notice, and possibly scream like a little girl.<br /><br />Hypothetically.<br /><br />When I took up quilting I did fine on my existing machines until I decided to try free-motion quilting at which point I bought a Brother that came with the right feet and could actually do the stitches, more expensive than any machine I'd bought so far but still less than my average electricity bill. Lately though I've been having trouble with the power. When going over a seam it would loose <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">oompf</span> and dodge to the left. The resulting seam allowance can best be described with the technical term "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">hinky</span>."<br /><br />I sat and thought about what I wanted in a machine. Two decades and two separate hobbies that involve sewing mean that spending some actual money on this machine wouldn't be a waste of money. Even if I gave up quilting (gasp, wheeze) I'd still have to make garb for reenactments and frankly, I just like sewing. <br /><br />I thought about my actual <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">BFF</span> and the machine she bought (a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Pfaff</span> 4.0) and how much she loved it, how much the technology actually helped her. I thought about how much I loved the Brother when it was new and the motor still had some balls to it. I thought about the phrase my friend Jeff uses when playing cards with me - go high or go home. <br /><br />And I bought the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Janome</span> Horizon 7700. Going from the Brother to the Horizon is like trading in your asthmatic old Geo Prism for a Rolls Royce. It's just completely changed my sewing life. <br /> Eleven inches to the right of the needle, 5 LED lights, 254 stitches, dual feed 1/4" foot, it's like someone read my mind. It's possible that I pet it lovingly as I walk by. <br /><br />Hypothetically.<br /><br />Next post it's back to the actual quilts with pictures of my finished Apple Pie (it's getting binding finished today!) , my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Schnibble</span> salute to Spring, and hopefully my finished quilt <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">plagiarism</span> project provided the border fabric gets here tomorrow or the day after.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-89918121432056709262011-03-02T05:54:00.000-08:002011-03-02T06:18:41.217-08:00Jam and Jelly JoyA mysterious fairy dropped a jelly roll of Breakfast at Tiffany's on my doorstep. (Okay, it was just a really good sale, I'm weak.) And I'd been meaning to try the Jam and Jelly pattern from Fig Tree Quilts for a while. So this seemed like fate.<br /><br />The color choices were the hardest part, really. You want them to "go" but still have contrast which means some combinations you're really attached to won't work. Once I'd gotten them picked out the sewing was a breeze. Sorta. Who's got advice on how to sew and press jelly roll strips without them curving?<br /><br />And now, a quiz! Which of these two blocks do you think the pattern calls for?<br /><br /><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TW5LmjompZI/AAAAAAAAC8M/YL9kiaVM_g0/s512/photo%287%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 214px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TW5LmjompZI/AAAAAAAAC8M/YL9kiaVM_g0/s512/photo%287%29.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TW5Lmxi8UuI/AAAAAAAAC8U/d1RJzOXu2do/s512/photo%286%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: right; cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 199px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TW5Lmxi8UuI/AAAAAAAAC8U/d1RJzOXu2do/s512/photo%286%29.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />That's right! Block two. Now, which one do you think I made six of without noticing? Yeah. Sometimes I'm not the brightest.<br /><br />Still, after some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">unsewing</span> and resewing and a very small amount of swearing I was back in the game. The blocks actually went together really quickly and I was totally tickled to get them all up on the wall.<br /><br /><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TW5LnUJyrzI/AAAAAAAAC7w/Qix02PSdDY4/s512/photo%285%29.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 384px; height: 512px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TW5LnUJyrzI/AAAAAAAAC7w/Qix02PSdDY4/s512/photo%285%29.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />But I liked it even more after I got the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">sashing</span> and border on it.<br /><br /><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TW5Ln7VaK6I/AAAAAAAAC70/5gRBVlVQcy8/s512/photo%284%29.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 384px; height: 512px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TW5Ln7VaK6I/AAAAAAAAC70/5gRBVlVQcy8/s512/photo%284%29.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I took it to the shop where I rent time on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">longarm</span> and did a truly mediocre quilting job. But it was almost all freehand, so that was cool. I even did freehand feathers in the borders. They're a hot mess but they were a good learning experience. I finished putting the binding on it last night and today I just need to do about an 8"x8" spot of quilting where I had to tear out some of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">longarm</span> stitches (hot mess, remember?) After that it's into the washer and dryer and hopefully I can spend some time this evening curled up under a quilt I made myself, something I've never actually done.<br /><br />Next? Pictures of my new quilting <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">BFF</span> and my enormous act of theft.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-37148548877354273682011-02-26T14:45:00.001-08:002011-02-26T15:08:15.128-08:00Worst. Blogger. Ever. I have had like 5 projects going since my last update but I've just never been working on the computer that has the ability to read my sd card without an adapter. And I'm too lazy to go get the adapter. Or the computer. Really, I'm just lazy full stop. But not with my quilting!<br /><br />The big Plan C is still in the state we left it in last time. I think I'll finish it up this coming week and I think I've decided to go with the big piano keys border. Not sure what I'll do with it after that. In the mean time I started and finished Miss Rosie's "American Pie." Only bigger. I had this grand notion of putting it on my bed and having it be a lovely kind of vintage picnic feel but I learned a valuable lesson. Sometimes making something bigger makes it even more awesome, sometimes it just makes it a busy mess.<br /><br />I went with 30's reproductions just like on the pattern cover.<br /><br /><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmCDt6_SqI/AAAAAAAAC6o/0BWuZmnFeY4/s800/DSC_1117.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 651px; height: 408px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmCDt6_SqI/AAAAAAAAC6o/0BWuZmnFeY4/s800/DSC_1117.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />And it looks fantastic like this. If it had stayed this awesome the whole way through I'd have been happy but it didn't. I just got finished quilting it this afternoon and I'll put binding on and take another picture to show you but take my word for it. Busy mess. My mother loves it, so I'll put it on the guest bed and she can enjoy it while she's here.<br /><br />In the mean time, I think I have a pretty decent scrap project brewing because each of those blocks resulted in corners being cut off. Many corners. Possibly in the 1200 neighborhood. Did I toss them?<br /><br /><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmCE3BfocI/AAAAAAAAC60/WXDHGUTAvlo/s512/DSC_1107.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 386px; height: 429px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmCE3BfocI/AAAAAAAAC60/WXDHGUTAvlo/s512/DSC_1107.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I did not.<br /><br />In fact:<br /><br /><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmCEX_NTEI/AAAAAAAAC6w/1I4z6xVg9so/s720/DSC_1113.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px; height: 299px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmCEX_NTEI/AAAAAAAAC6w/1I4z6xVg9so/s720/DSC_1113.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />They work up to 2x2" and they are adorably wee. They will probably be sewn as part of other projects instead of scraps to help deal with the big mess of thread you get at the beginning of each chain-stitching round. (I am offically a Leaders and Enders gal now, I guess)<br /><br />What else? I finished my oldest UFO ever! EVER! It's a fantastic two-color half-square-triangle quilt that I did featuring every red and white fabric I could find that I loved enough to put in. The ambitious part was quilting it with strawberries. They're something of a kindergarten-art-project strawberry but do like you'd do with your kid.. tilt your head sideways, smile and say "Oh honey, it's lovely."<br /><br /><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmB8xG84JI/AAAAAAAAC6g/ycMfdOPNcNE/s720/DSC_1172.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 491px; height: 326px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmB8xG84JI/AAAAAAAAC6g/ycMfdOPNcNE/s720/DSC_1172.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I swear, if you say one word about my kitchen floor being dirty I will weep like a baby. Instead notice the pretty quilt. And how my cabinets are white because I totally ballsed up and painted my cabinets! Ahem. Where were we? Oh yes, kindergarten art class strawberries..<br /><br /><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmBvB2g_JI/AAAAAAAAC6Q/AlcPWglIpZY/s720/DSC_1176.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 498px; height: 331px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmBvB2g_JI/AAAAAAAAC6Q/AlcPWglIpZY/s720/DSC_1176.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Here's the back, I particularly like the back for some reason.<br /><br /><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmBvciijSI/AAAAAAAAC6U/QaOJnbdzpdo/s720/DSC_1175.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 471px; height: 313px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmBvciijSI/AAAAAAAAC6U/QaOJnbdzpdo/s720/DSC_1175.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Oh! And I totally freehanded feathers on the borders:<br /><br /><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmBwsHto-I/AAAAAAAAC6Y/KSa7oaCl37c/s720/DSC_1174.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 537px; height: 357px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TWmBwsHto-I/AAAAAAAAC6Y/KSa7oaCl37c/s720/DSC_1174.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I know, some are a bit wonky, but I was totally tickled. I did them freehand on the longarm down near my mom's too and I liked how they turned out there as well. <br /><br />Okay, I'm going to save some of the projects for my next post (which I'm going to go write now). And perhaps it will be time to introduce you to my new bestest sewing friend ever. I don't want to give it away but if you're on the beach looking out to the ocean what's the farthest thing you can see?<br /><br />Later!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-91640017221870173172011-01-12T19:34:00.000-08:002011-01-12T19:52:38.301-08:00Most Productive Weekend Ever.I got off my butt and decided to bust some stash and finish up some UFOs. I love my stash but it's prettier on a bed than it is on a shelf. And goodness knows my UFOs are prettier on a bed than they are in plastic boxes.<br /><br />The first thing I did was get my Bear Paw box down (had two done) and finished up the rest. I had the bits cut so mostly it was a matter of just actually doing it. I have to admit that it was so fun to see it coming together. This is a Moda Bakeshop pattern and works up very easily. I made one modification, though. The original pattern involves a jelly roll so the blocks are surrounded by 2.5" strips and corner posts and then sewn together. I had yardage of my background fabric so instead I left the blocks borderless and put 4.5" sashing and blocks between them instead. It looks much the same but it was easier on my brain. And since I'm hand-quilting it I'll appreciate having fewer seam allowances to work around.<br /><br />Yay! It's so pretty! And when my husband looked at me and said "Now who is this for?" I was able to say "It's for right there on our couch."<br /><div style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSDm3Bt3as7YpkrY9h6KfTttjxfGjZfDKfum_rNucSC3QljA820sW4wzedgzOPQoxXJM_zsYxCMdtuxfv4hqYv1gRDlmI1cyE5YzT6oVPxGEbCc-sZAUAqMK88XG3rJUATUbf45AAtHfF/s1600/DSC_1097.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSDm3Bt3as7YpkrY9h6KfTttjxfGjZfDKfum_rNucSC3QljA820sW4wzedgzOPQoxXJM_zsYxCMdtuxfv4hqYv1gRDlmI1cyE5YzT6oVPxGEbCc-sZAUAqMK88XG3rJUATUbf45AAtHfF/s320/DSC_1097.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br />I finished the bear paw on Saturday night and then thought rather than go finish up any other UFO I really wanted to start something new. I wanted to do something fast and easy with big blocks. And stars, I wanted stars. So I pulled out my Schnibbles Times Two and looked at Plan C and voila! It was perfect. I've also done a bunch of darker and more "masculine" colors so I wanted this to be light and much more girlie. A quick hunt through the stash and I settled on my cuts from Tanya Whelan's "Darla" collection. Perfect.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ91DSXV8JUC3DN3PUVukd6HqZ34HwhFCI37ysWAezc72PC-ERKNMzwqIsz7dh2j6AUS1I0jZOGIR5y9QJ36nf6Svc-NDUS0eoaVPp7vnj3EnQ8HODZwQVbz3i-Ss4gARRXZpL8FfijIvF/s1600/DSC_1102.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ91DSXV8JUC3DN3PUVukd6HqZ34HwhFCI37ysWAezc72PC-ERKNMzwqIsz7dh2j6AUS1I0jZOGIR5y9QJ36nf6Svc-NDUS0eoaVPp7vnj3EnQ8HODZwQVbz3i-Ss4gARRXZpL8FfijIvF/s400/DSC_1102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561510414802786978" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ91DSXV8JUC3DN3PUVukd6HqZ34HwhFCI37ysWAezc72PC-ERKNMzwqIsz7dh2j6AUS1I0jZOGIR5y9QJ36nf6Svc-NDUS0eoaVPp7vnj3EnQ8HODZwQVbz3i-Ss4gARRXZpL8FfijIvF/s1600/DSC_1102.JPG"><br /></a>What's that? What did you say? Oh, yes. That is, in fact, a 3ft. stuffed T-Rex over on the left. And yes, that's also an inflatable minion from "Despicable Me" in the upper right. The joys of having a three-year-old in the house. (Actually, the inflatable minion is mine and Steve's. We just let Chloe play with it.)<br /><br />These blocks are ginormous, the flying geese are 4x8 and so it worked up SUPER fast. Just perfect. It needs borders put on still but I'm happy leaving it like this for a while while I decided whether or not I want to use the piano key border listed in the book or get a little more yardage (or some from Delilah) and do a solid border. Thoughts?<br /><br />When it's done it should be okay to throw over a double bed. I'll take it down to Michelle's (my mom's local quilt shop, they rent time on their long-arm and I LOVE working on it) and give it a nice all-over soft flowy pattern. Plus there's enough fabric left to do some fun pinwheels for a baby quilt if my co-worker turns out to be baking a female in there.<br /><br />And Steph? Be careful. If you compliment this one it's coming to live at your house. I sincerely doubt Starfish Dude would take kindly to big girly flowers on the bed. :)<br /><br />Next time we move on to my current insanity, Miss Rosie's "American Pie" pattern and the first time I didn't have a heart attack at the phrase "cut 720 of these." I think this hobby has stolen my brain.<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none; padding: 0px; background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-88491032138843028152011-01-04T14:19:00.000-08:002011-01-04T14:31:54.121-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC78s9K9G3aOzwPoCO1aXkuUVjke74OWcckvRn4deAaCtrkdUteLOqTUwt9PouhJ9cXst-i2p9oi2ui9f_fq5DMw15x1wnQ9Z3QMcKgK6jjhyphenhyphenvYoKthLT2gLBC9Jrks7vx24a9SETiOwq/s1600/DSC_1029.JPG"><br /></a><br />Normally I blog about my own quilting and I'll get back to that with the next post, I'm sure (or maybe it'll just be cute pictures of my kid, but how can you blame me?). This time, however, I'd like to talk a bit about the kind of quilting that inspired me. My mother has always had her grandmother's quilts displayed and used in her house. the bottom of each of the guest beds has a quilt across it and the rest are on this wooden quilt rack. I'd like to show you bits of my favorite. It's hte one across the bottom of my bed when I sleep there and I like to think of it as generations past keeping me warm at night.<br /><div style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzE4Qm2QYE6LVaKnWry9dqmbYrC3OKHc3LwYg5Uw_YVhKaxyuWqsKQ3OJzBcEgzSQWkhb6p5pjzS1lxOOsj9Fd3t5uxFnPs840lEs5RGCkDFyEf-L50ugxh7qztrt68UVrxGjMhUnWpnC/s1600/DSC_1016.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzE4Qm2QYE6LVaKnWry9dqmbYrC3OKHc3LwYg5Uw_YVhKaxyuWqsKQ3OJzBcEgzSQWkhb6p5pjzS1lxOOsj9Fd3t5uxFnPs840lEs5RGCkDFyEf-L50ugxh7qztrt68UVrxGjMhUnWpnC/s320/DSC_1016.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div>It's this one, a hexie flower patch. Each of the flowers has a patterened outer circle, a solid middle circle, and the same color center piece for each flower. I love the color choices. They don't "match" but they "go", y'know?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOiC7kx70RHzVb28U2XRdPPzb5sE477sCp4-yZLDaqxYpHh32qtB4buueSKzCMeyigUSbT7cUA6p7yOsvAFclsocSa_F8f4lJ3RtIoj0C4CR2tcZ_aLmCO0bqEHimEveaYMtw2KfV70p8/s1600/DSC_1017.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOiC7kx70RHzVb28U2XRdPPzb5sE477sCp4-yZLDaqxYpHh32qtB4buueSKzCMeyigUSbT7cUA6p7yOsvAFclsocSa_F8f4lJ3RtIoj0C4CR2tcZ_aLmCO0bqEHimEveaYMtw2KfV70p8/s320/DSC_1017.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div>The most amazing thing about it, and the thing I hope you can see in this yellow one, is that not only are the flowers hand-pieced hexies, but so are all the white pieces. Thousands of them. Every single one of them has been hand pieced together and then hand quilted in a 1/4" echo quilting stitch around the center. The amount of work that went into it just amazes me.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXS51Sr-bkmRJvXb45c2REiMEYM3X0FoWT4Lib1BjmAGOUxWsAxD4qS1umzyCFjfSKmZWdwxpbtPyF2XuoANX562Qemwhyn0kTDuNoFui-CVXkRnq1r2eH10LCDfdwNATaLGiMunWeJ8gf/s1600/DSC_1018.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXS51Sr-bkmRJvXb45c2REiMEYM3X0FoWT4Lib1BjmAGOUxWsAxD4qS1umzyCFjfSKmZWdwxpbtPyF2XuoANX562Qemwhyn0kTDuNoFui-CVXkRnq1r2eH10LCDfdwNATaLGiMunWeJ8gf/s320/DSC_1018.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />Another block showing the quilting detail:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzcAC3K0kPwDGjCA6VALUVSEiUCsfB6UDsw7XufVNizThK8xDf7q64UkqVKxWTQTEgMEkGx0wVpxKPVeP_zCu48DR7oOAb0a6Bgfmvj71XASM3mRqXjS5HoujkiJHvDpJ5nVTfGh-KEdG/s1600/DSC_1020.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzcAC3K0kPwDGjCA6VALUVSEiUCsfB6UDsw7XufVNizThK8xDf7q64UkqVKxWTQTEgMEkGx0wVpxKPVeP_zCu48DR7oOAb0a6Bgfmvj71XASM3mRqXjS5HoujkiJHvDpJ5nVTfGh-KEdG/s320/DSC_1020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558459311746338434" border="0" /></a><br />So, how do we do at our reproduction prints? How do those whimsical prints look next to the fabrics they're trying to mimic? You tell me:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbMEJQEgBd0eoBd8pz2H495uDZJQezaA4qRWohoUI88imjIA0coRSIR_CaI3OMNXnsGO1fztzSLjjfMAvRfSMeHJAjXZm52ue6MouPu2HbJOpTqqN_JD1qSxlXRzo0BYg7IiIV5TWGfas/s1600/DSC_1023.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbMEJQEgBd0eoBd8pz2H495uDZJQezaA4qRWohoUI88imjIA0coRSIR_CaI3OMNXnsGO1fztzSLjjfMAvRfSMeHJAjXZm52ue6MouPu2HbJOpTqqN_JD1qSxlXRzo0BYg7IiIV5TWGfas/s320/DSC_1023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558459711720213730" border="0" /></a><br />Circus elephants playing ball? Check.<br /><br />Also fabulous florals with background checks and other fantastic motifs. I feel like our repros are understated if anything. The fabrics from this quilt are late 30's through late 40's so they cover quite a range but if the colors still look like this after thousands of washes imagine how they must have gone POP when first made.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlJ1bw5XsBOh5bSwTEJ3dbSOBafRd3c572ZxCzO4I6S2O_HzTIg5DzduvLCfZr7nc-z2IKAOYbSxtid7f0KxlYh86WNSMJOnERtaB7VzW3QhjhjtADkO7KbxzcX9nszSSiuISUq9yZcxc/s1600/DSC_1024.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlJ1bw5XsBOh5bSwTEJ3dbSOBafRd3c572ZxCzO4I6S2O_HzTIg5DzduvLCfZr7nc-z2IKAOYbSxtid7f0KxlYh86WNSMJOnERtaB7VzW3QhjhjtADkO7KbxzcX9nszSSiuISUq9yZcxc/s320/DSC_1024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558459935211722786" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDBuco0IRZ3k0uCBgR-Vdu3h5tVl_QG41Sb1J5xJG1FHTwW-x8qRCpAnWsZ9fKdf4tfqKWqydpG5ZlaePPvKRhfoq4lkPftgxvJQfQgb-oKWZn8os7r6gcNkpXIuzp2oPZK3IScsNyHaB/s1600/DSC_1025.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDBuco0IRZ3k0uCBgR-Vdu3h5tVl_QG41Sb1J5xJG1FHTwW-x8qRCpAnWsZ9fKdf4tfqKWqydpG5ZlaePPvKRhfoq4lkPftgxvJQfQgb-oKWZn8os7r6gcNkpXIuzp2oPZK3IScsNyHaB/s320/DSC_1025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558460530973571426" border="0" /></a>There's a terrific Sunbonnet Sue hanging on that rack as well but we'll leave that for another time. For now I'll leave you with the fantastic blanket stitched applique from my other favorite of my great-grandmother's quilts:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC78s9K9G3aOzwPoCO1aXkuUVjke74OWcckvRn4deAaCtrkdUteLOqTUwt9PouhJ9cXst-i2p9oi2ui9f_fq5DMw15x1wnQ9Z3QMcKgK6jjhyphenhyphenvYoKthLT2gLBC9Jrks7vx24a9SETiOwq/s1600/DSC_1029.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC78s9K9G3aOzwPoCO1aXkuUVjke74OWcckvRn4deAaCtrkdUteLOqTUwt9PouhJ9cXst-i2p9oi2ui9f_fq5DMw15x1wnQ9Z3QMcKgK6jjhyphenhyphenvYoKthLT2gLBC9Jrks7vx24a9SETiOwq/s320/DSC_1029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558461664834754178" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none; padding: 0px; background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-45350685730957544632010-11-30T07:41:00.000-08:002010-11-30T08:13:24.824-08:00Le Petite November!My goal of making my Le Petite projects out of scrap/stash fabrics has had it's first success. I did the November project, This and That Patterns' "Butter Churn," out of fabrics just from my stash. There are still leftovers from most of the fabrics but one of the light prints is now gone gone gone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB39ONJz8R5rZx-1n4t6pCJILm_QQDX19AQL6C271Ek7yVIvDsZ864PvAdT7XNX2gdYmTgBJjGanKDXA4HybPPiu_oDQICwL3H4U009__1TfEOWQw7q1-Xc1yXgTEv6lymNL0WKUZcq7pT/s1600/photo%25289%2529.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB39ONJz8R5rZx-1n4t6pCJILm_QQDX19AQL6C271Ek7yVIvDsZ864PvAdT7XNX2gdYmTgBJjGanKDXA4HybPPiu_oDQICwL3H4U009__1TfEOWQw7q1-Xc1yXgTEv6lymNL0WKUZcq7pT/s400/photo%25289%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545371286901173378" border="0" /></a><br />I have to be honest, I didn't care for all the different colors and fabrics in the cover photo but I loved the monochrome drawings in the instructions so I decided to go with just two colors. Mixed purple prints and two cream prints with purple flowers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqzn3MYnIXSRR6vLzwRhrN1zKOzJax0WPcndzEb86MJVs0Mnki3BCbNJ_jkXHIRunQFMaJntE4VPoNab5tZMrqrei7JchsVBGcDYyaE23frsAu4ZFx3EQc5bzF0rCkSPJIbu528L-uIRM/s1600/photo%25288%2529.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqzn3MYnIXSRR6vLzwRhrN1zKOzJax0WPcndzEb86MJVs0Mnki3BCbNJ_jkXHIRunQFMaJntE4VPoNab5tZMrqrei7JchsVBGcDYyaE23frsAu4ZFx3EQc5bzF0rCkSPJIbu528L-uIRM/s400/photo%25288%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545371198072785970" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I also wasn't a fan of the HST border so I went solid on the border and I LOVE how it turned out. I kinda buggered it up by trying to put the borders on so when I go to quilt it I'll fix those but I'm happy with the design.<br /><br />I'm also including the picture of my October project. I got it done in time for the deadline but epic failed on getting a picture taken. This month I cut it about as fine as you can. Maybe next month I'll get it right.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cmZKH07yUeBTMEt__obzCOWZP0K30tp9kcc1w-URSgyuJH-zfL-kG1yKCkEThcLmoazv2ktvS2x6JpHgvBN7FX-1SUkD0hJHAomjq6nBu3IY7BIuB8kO7RkqthxJdwQ115osolxraPjT/s1600/photo%25287%2529.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cmZKH07yUeBTMEt__obzCOWZP0K30tp9kcc1w-URSgyuJH-zfL-kG1yKCkEThcLmoazv2ktvS2x6JpHgvBN7FX-1SUkD0hJHAomjq6nBu3IY7BIuB8kO7RkqthxJdwQ115osolxraPjT/s400/photo%25287%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545376351745982114" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Can't wait to see what's on tap for next month!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-25501269491800893612010-11-08T15:37:00.001-08:002010-11-08T16:13:01.697-08:00Command DecisionsI have this idea of stashbusting this year. My shelves are full of fabrics that are still pretty but not at all in tune with my current tastes. I'd probably never use them. So I've pulled out some of most "What was I thinking?" fabrics for freemotion practice and I've decided that all of my <a href="http://pinkpincushion.blogspot.com/">La Petite</a> projects for the year will be out of the remaining stash fabrics. I may never get rid of all of them but I'm making some good strides.<br /><br />In fact, when blog-hopping I fell in love with the layouts from <a href="http://www.freckledwhimsy.com/search/label/Charm%20Pack%20Quilt%20Along">Freckled Whimsy's Charm Pack Quilt-a-Long</a> and decided that rather than pull out some charm packs I'd rather use stash fabrics. I pulled a nice rainbow of ones that I completely adore and said "Go forth and conquer." And then I pulled a Melly.<br /><br />I'm still working on getting a consistent seam allowance even with my 1/4" foot so I was surprised to find out that only three of the 150 HSTs I made were under the 4 1/2" trimmed size. The four-patches? Yeah.. not so much. I stared at them and thought "Ok... I can pick out the ones that are big enough to trim and make more to make up for the shortfall. Or........<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRfPgNe3nGlgpp0-nVarO3AHU8qYBcsNJZ1A8MgSIxQ2gXORF82y7xA93Uv1LYWUasO1PMK0HLPh0Bwb6seH0T2Go3mR8lus2hr9tmVQY36UdTi-C2j_-YFT49XlfRHG0j_NdBwsW6OAh/s1600/photo(5).jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRfPgNe3nGlgpp0-nVarO3AHU8qYBcsNJZ1A8MgSIxQ2gXORF82y7xA93Uv1LYWUasO1PMK0HLPh0Bwb6seH0T2Go3mR8lus2hr9tmVQY36UdTi-C2j_-YFT49XlfRHG0j_NdBwsW6OAh/s400/photo(5).jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537330351187142418" border="0" /></a><br />Yeah, I trimmed everything down to 4.25" and moved along. In the long run it took less time to trim 150 HSTs than it would have taken to piece 40 more 4 patches. <br /><br />I took as much care as I could to be non-anal about how the blocks went together and ended up having a good time. Probably it would have gone faster if I'd chain-pieced but I enjoyed making each block individually and putting it up on the wall. There are three blocks left to put together but here's how it looks now:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkoox5s58x7g9GHSGo0OeVatOztVQAA1FS6vxidsyUUmNEmCAqRcKmwSh1bDNTq4Cw7SScibKrx86LjhrYS6gtoOW4w0bbGniLei5fTacBXXxzGnRq48qyhvh9l7oT4cVXAlx9fHEiaEA/s1600/photo(4).jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkoox5s58x7g9GHSGo0OeVatOztVQAA1FS6vxidsyUUmNEmCAqRcKmwSh1bDNTq4Cw7SScibKrx86LjhrYS6gtoOW4w0bbGniLei5fTacBXXxzGnRq48qyhvh9l7oT4cVXAlx9fHEiaEA/s400/photo(4).jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537331153969685346" border="0" /></a><br />I actually think there might be too many fabrics but it's so happy to look at. Really, just so happy.<br /><br />Other stash-busters on the drawing board? A reverse snow-ball (so colors on the corners and a white on white print in the centers) from my oversized orange stash. A blue pinwheel from Scrap Basket Surprises. And I think a brown and cream one to be manly. Also, the November La Petite project is going to be purples with the lights being a cream with little purple buds. I'm totally looking forward to it.<br /><br />But with the whole day Sunday to myself I chose to spend some time very slowly putting my first block of Fig Tree's Butterscotch Tarts pattern. I used the layer cake from a Gypsy Rose jelly cake.. and, thanks to some cutting issues, some of the jelly roll as well. Whoops. Pictures forthcoming.<br /><br />In the mean time, how do you guys deal with lots of bulk? Press seams open? Lots of steam? Help?Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-8869581187374877322010-10-28T09:45:00.000-07:002010-10-28T10:00:46.958-07:00Schnibbles and bits<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-y8VHJagjJxCnRpLgnTJAM33LSJozqfdFAxkeP_DvvIEHraUqgFKjFpbSnH4Rve_hPPcB0gxMAbT_tg5bZg-HJTZ0Z8S83DGB_0FEQ1xITsuyZZ5Lleryim8-GZy_R1n9KW1ZCbSuTwYL/s1600/DSC_0910.JPG"><br /></a><br />I missed out on the outrageously fun Year of Schnibbles so I'm making up for it by participating in La Petite a year of small projects. Our first assignment was the new Schnibble pattern Paganini. I chose the first variation. Enter, the HSTs.<br /><br />The thing is, you can hate them all you want but they're a necessary evil. I used to twitch and go all foamy at the mouth when I thought about having to make half square triangles. And then I realized what my issue was. I started cutting my squares way bigger than they should be, turned the steam off on my iron, and used the bejeebers out of some spray starch (I make my own, it's awesome! Cheap and smells just like I want.) and all was right with the world. Sometimes they still came out a little wonky but because of the increased initial size I just trimmed them down.<br /><br />One of the things I appreciate most about Carrie Nelson's patterns is that she seems to embrace the notion of go-big-then-trim.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BJrb32tIDYFrt-xJxG2rxtdNOh6gzXpYVSvQUpf4ia26Ri6BfsiJ37DEOf9X11mtjn3sJwQoqHZLOfKiW36ssYLflLA8n-8d4qiGgvD3kssScIrHfu75_WHAQ5FN3Wmqz6U3MjkVtLig/s1600/DSC_0908.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BJrb32tIDYFrt-xJxG2rxtdNOh6gzXpYVSvQUpf4ia26Ri6BfsiJ37DEOf9X11mtjn3sJwQoqHZLOfKiW36ssYLflLA8n-8d4qiGgvD3kssScIrHfu75_WHAQ5FN3Wmqz6U3MjkVtLig/s400/DSC_0908.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533140666642300994" border="0" /></a><br />I welcome that. Here's my pile of trimmings after I finished the HSTs in the Paganini blocks. What's that you say? You'd like to see the wide shot? Of COURSE you would. Because you're a reader of style and class, you care about these things.<br /><br />Here you go:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjediPszvMTq24ZTD1hy0gavfAT7YBEf6LpHl7q2PvXpMvKaxGhWAXPHU_bicLYh7qoN1MtbRbORAAD-makfURwbgizJdbNp5DMeieIefiLe4W0SaeCdzLaaZQOESUPFW4Bv6pgnWwUmPF-/s1600/DSC_0907.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjediPszvMTq24ZTD1hy0gavfAT7YBEf6LpHl7q2PvXpMvKaxGhWAXPHU_bicLYh7qoN1MtbRbORAAD-makfURwbgizJdbNp5DMeieIefiLe4W0SaeCdzLaaZQOESUPFW4Bv6pgnWwUmPF-/s400/DSC_0907.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533141771027426082" border="0" /></a><br />Rotary cutters, rotating mats, piles of trimmings, reruns of Top Gear. These are a few of my favorite things.<br /><br />I'm not 100% sure about the outcome:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-y8VHJagjJxCnRpLgnTJAM33LSJozqfdFAxkeP_DvvIEHraUqgFKjFpbSnH4Rve_hPPcB0gxMAbT_tg5bZg-HJTZ0Z8S83DGB_0FEQ1xITsuyZZ5Lleryim8-GZy_R1n9KW1ZCbSuTwYL/s1600/DSC_0910.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-y8VHJagjJxCnRpLgnTJAM33LSJozqfdFAxkeP_DvvIEHraUqgFKjFpbSnH4Rve_hPPcB0gxMAbT_tg5bZg-HJTZ0Z8S83DGB_0FEQ1xITsuyZZ5Lleryim8-GZy_R1n9KW1ZCbSuTwYL/s400/DSC_0910.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533142540062305586" border="0" /></a><br />It's not hollering at me. I think if I'd had another charm pack I might have done one just out of the blues and green in this collection and that would have really done it. But the pattern was super fun and I'm going to do some of the other variations for sure. This one needs the rows sewn together (put the blocks in rows this morning) and then needs a border on. I may never quilt it, but I'll get it done enough to make the deadline!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-65479385336173513232010-10-24T16:53:00.000-07:002010-10-24T17:42:20.061-07:00Falling in Love AgainI finally got back down in to the sewing room for a good long while and got some actual work done. Nothing is 100% finished but I'm so happy with the work that *is* finished.<br /><br />With Friday night and Saturday to myself I started off with a good tidy. I didn't get everything I wanted done but I got a good chunk. Some reorganization done on the shelves, more fabric folding, and some time getting the UFOs put in to boxes and labeled. I have an obscene amount of fabric coming in the next few days and I wanted to make sure it had a place to live. Then I got sewing.<br /><br />I finished piecing an Irish Chain from a charm pack of Blush and it will be the perfect snuggly lap throw. It needs a containment border and then a nice big white border so I can put the last four 9-patches in the corners. I think I will proabably just do a nice fun meander quilting stitch. It'll be a picnic quilt so it doesn't need anything fancy. Containment border fabric is due on Wednesday or thereabouts so perhaps I can be quilting on it next weekend.<br /><br />Then I looked at my boxes of unfinished projects and dove for the easiest one. A simple brick with white sashing. I fell completely in love with the California Dreamin' line from Jenean Morrison and I wanted a big block piecing that would let the pattern really show off. This setting is just the thing. It still needs the outside border on it but for that I need to get more white muslin. This will probably be my first experiment with straight-line quilting. Wish me luck!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4fmiiikBfxRByuUm6euB1HyjglKXudA_4ZxtbMRqMijOiYTE8uKotILArgZop6wsoUtWiP7OmKXOp0A_kJEodpQ0hon1LgKgvAV0QzeREBcFR3DD3PaI972bfrp2KyOahbVrtueUbqHs/s1600/DSC_0894.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4fmiiikBfxRByuUm6euB1HyjglKXudA_4ZxtbMRqMijOiYTE8uKotILArgZop6wsoUtWiP7OmKXOp0A_kJEodpQ0hon1LgKgvAV0QzeREBcFR3DD3PaI972bfrp2KyOahbVrtueUbqHs/s400/DSC_0894.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531777185697061138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />No place in the house is big enough to lay this out (except the beds, and I couldn't be arsed to clean the beds off) so I dragged it outside on to the lawn and I think the sunlight really made it since the big medallions in some of the prints look like sunbursts.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-jeIymi0Xbh76Ky02MH_1HBU6R6EfNz0JJULLfZJSMNhURcK1ytoSB-xmFgpLCSlqoFW4sMRacPeL8_jCz9EAz36dDQOW9PcLVgue28np0jrkY2PbuN-1oqktttk2a1-AtK_cNuVxB2Ej/s1600/DSC_0895.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-jeIymi0Xbh76Ky02MH_1HBU6R6EfNz0JJULLfZJSMNhURcK1ytoSB-xmFgpLCSlqoFW4sMRacPeL8_jCz9EAz36dDQOW9PcLVgue28np0jrkY2PbuN-1oqktttk2a1-AtK_cNuVxB2Ej/s400/DSC_0895.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531776859007313490" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12i353bag1wvddkb8lbVM48WkZNMo6DXKOArpASwfO5Se4ehu6JdvQaRN5eKMkQnICiaIhW_LKx9DiVXs5reH_246dGbX5XaYUi5fV6cGn30dbkgBanojFp7NdFV66brnm396GUYexwPw/s1600/DSC_0895.JPG"><br /></a>Now I'm on to my own version of <a href="http://www.spunsugarquilt.com/2010/10/original-hello-yellow.html">Vickie's Hello Yellow</a> made out of Riley Blake's Bloom and Grow. I got the fat quarter set at Lancaster. Vickie is a godsend with this pattern. I've been looking high and low for something that was modern enough to work with the fabrics but still fun and not too severe. Yay! Plus I've been dying to make a tumbler quilt but it never occurred to me to use my Dresden ruler. Huge fun. The pieces are all cut and now I'm slapping them up on the design wall to see how it looks best.<br /><br />So what's coming in the mail? An absolute ton of <a href="http://www.figtreequilts.com/main.html">Fig Tree Quilts</a> fabrics. I've always appreciated the soft vintage colors but something about fall just makes me want to curl up in Breakfast at Tiffany's and a good book. However, with a birthday coming up I'm holding off on buying <a href="http://www.fatquartershop.com/Breakfast-at-Tiffanys-Fig-Tree-Quilts-Moda-Fabrics.asp?Store_id=499&T=1">Breakfast at Tiffany's</a> until I see if any family members are looking for suggestions. *wink wink* Thankfully the fantastic Kimberly at Fat Quarter Shop has been good enough to make it easy on us (or possibly hard on us because omg how do you pick!?) with lots of precuts.<br /><br />While I wait, I got jelly rolls of Patisserie and Fresh Cottons last week and finally got the courage to cut in to my Gypsy Rose layer cake. I picked up some yardage from Fig and Plum on sale and I so completely fell in love with the colors that I ordered a whole bunch more. I have patterns of hers also coming and it's going to be gorgeous. I can't wait! Thank you, Joanna for the gorgeous and inspirational fabrics!<br /><br />I also have some Bliss coming in, a wonderful half yard bundle of reds and blues that I want to roll around in before I make it into something. I've got some Sanibel by Heather Mulder Peterson coming as well and I'm not sure what that's going to be yet but whatever it is will be fun and probably a little old fashioned. I read my way through ALL of the archives of Nicole over at <a href="http://sisterschoice.typepad.com/">Sister's Choice Quilts</a> and it really put me in the mood to make some more traditional quilts. I'm falling in love with this hobby all over again.<br /><br />Anyway. Back in to the basement!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-68233740123405635892010-06-24T20:10:00.000-07:002010-06-24T20:48:25.650-07:00It's just a flesh wound.When last we met... The kitchen table had been clamped into submission and I was finishing the stain on it whether I liked it or not. I've since polyurethaned the living daylights out of it in an effort to get the finish I want. I swear to God it is yet again sitting on the back deck getting a layer of poly on it. <br /><br />Steve says he is reminded of the quote from "The Agony and the Ecstasy" (a movie about Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel) where the cardinal yells at Michelangelo wanting to know when he will "make an end" and Michelangelo yells back "When I am finished!" Steve is both attractively well-educated and a total jackass at the same time.<br /><br />From there we moved on. Realizing that we were never going to get all the books in the living room unpacked until we had something to unpack them on to, I put the media wall on the top of the to-do list. At some point my in-laws decided to come visit that weekend. I spent the whole weekend going in to a room to use the power tool there only to have them dash off in the other direction. I like my in-laws and would never deliberately make them uncomfortable, but if you're one of those who got stuck with a monster-in-law I suggest using your miter saw as an offensive weapon. Works like a charm.<br /><br />I started with the base unit, building the box at my bff's house while she built a bookcase. It went together quickly and easily and even came home without getting all wobbly. I trimmed it out and got down to staining it. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TAk2Om6JwJI/AAAAAAAACyA/5nu8_CUN0_U/s720/DSC_0880.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 348px; height: 232px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TAk2Om6JwJI/AAAAAAAACyA/5nu8_CUN0_U/s720/DSC_0880.JPG" alt="" border="0" /> </a><br />Here I am putting extra care into getting an even coat on the underside of a piece of furniture that will then be loaded down with approx. 18 tons of paperback books.<br /><br />It's a good thing I'm pretty, eh? Because I'm never going to get by on my brains.<br /><br />The hutch construction was even easier and my father in law would cruise through the kitchen or porch every once in a while and make a little "huh" of interest. He's a man of few words so when he said "I'm really impressed" I got all chuffed and blushy. <br /><br />And then... oh and then. And then we moved on to putting the trim on the top. Crown molding that I'd carefully cut and gotten all nicely mitered and ready to go. I used my nail gun and got it attached securely all the way down. Right to the very end. Where I wrapped my hand around the top to hold the molding on, aimed my nail gun, and shot right through the molding, the top of the hutch, and into the side of my finger.<br /><br />Never let it be said that I don't shed blood for my art.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TAk2O28dUOI/AAAAAAAACyE/3Gy4I3MObWM/s720/DSC_0881.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 488px; height: 324px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TAk2O28dUOI/AAAAAAAACyE/3Gy4I3MObWM/s720/DSC_0881.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Looks like no big deal, eh? Hurt like a sonofabitch and then got this lovely bruise on it. And that's the finger I use to scroll down on my mouse. I spent the entire next day at work reading through a massive document making edits. So all day long I'd be like '*scroll scroll* Ow. *scroll scroll scroll* Ow."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TAk2QO_cIiI/AAAAAAAACyM/ubEY7T1LskY/s720/DSC_0884.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 477px; height: 317px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TAk2QO_cIiI/AAAAAAAACyM/ubEY7T1LskY/s720/DSC_0884.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Oh ye gods of carpentry I offer this blood sacrifice up to you. I ask that you take pity on my poor skills with a square. I ask that you grant me a smooth even finish, solid joins, right angles, and the ability to remember how to cut crown molding for more than 5 seconds because it seems like I keep having to look it up every single time. That's all I ask. Well.... that and a spot on the brag board.<br /><br /> Kthnx!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TAk2Pwj3qFI/AAAAAAAACyI/p8zw9EJY1zs/s720/DSC_0882.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 457px; height: 304px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TAk2Pwj3qFI/AAAAAAAACyI/p8zw9EJY1zs/s720/DSC_0882.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />At the bottom of this you can see the oak leaf trim I put around the top of the face trim. It was exactly the perfect touch.<br /><br />And here's the almost finished project in all its glory. If by "glory" you mean "doesn't have all the shelves yet, haven't decided whether to put a back on it, and don't have the side units even started." Which I do.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TAk2QrHAB1I/AAAAAAAACyQ/PgdYnJ_7lk8/s512/DSC_0886.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 448px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/TAk2QrHAB1I/AAAAAAAACyQ/PgdYnJ_7lk8/s512/DSC_0886.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Still, regardless of that I'm so amazingly happy with this new hobby. I look at it with total joy every time I walk through the room and I know that it's exactly what I need. It has exactly the shelves I want, fits my exact tv, and has the perfect finish for our living room furniture. <br /><br />When you buy furniture you buy someone else's needs. When you make your own you get all this personal satisfaction AND something that fits your needs. Also, it gave me the excuse I needed to buy the sliding miter saw I wanted. And really, it's all about the toys.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-41093289870803929372010-05-28T07:19:00.001-07:002010-05-28T07:52:46.404-07:00Introducing: The Big ClampHow did the headboard turn out? I'm glad you asked!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_8_96mEeVI/AAAAAAAACuw/C1gsNQ6xdE4/s720/DSC_0843.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 442px; height: 294px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_8_96mEeVI/AAAAAAAACuw/C1gsNQ6xdE4/s720/DSC_0843.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I love it. I even *heart* it. We might be going steady, me and my headboard. It got one more coat of stain after this and then it got moved into it's happy home in our bedroom. It's gorgeous and it makes me happy every time I look at it.<br /><br />So! On to the kitchen table. My original plans were for the Rustic Table but I wanted different legs. Also, my father loaned me his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Kreg</span> Jig, so it was suddenly possible to attach the apron to the legs at the sides.<br /><br />I got all the holes drilled, the legs attached, the apron assembled, and then I got it set in the kitchen to make sure it was the right size.<br /><br />I'm not sure if I thought we would be feeding the Partridge family or what, but that table was WAY too big for us. And that's *after* I whacked a bunch off the original measurements in the plans. So I whacked some more off. And then I realized that I needed to shorten the ends as well, which involved drilling out the putty and *then* whacking some more off. Finally it's all the right size and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">unassembled</span> wood sits in the kitchen taunting me for a week while we unpacked and unpacked and unpacked (and we're not done yet).<br /><br />Last weekend Steve went off to a camping trip ahead of me and I took advantage of the evening to myself to lay out the pieces and paint them. I wanted a dark stained top and a white base so I put a coat on and decided to go to bed and let it really dry before putting another coat on and letting it finish drying while I went camping.<br /><br />Then I came back down to get myself some water and I turned on the lights and damned if there wasn't a moth dying in my fresh paint. Just laying on his back flapping around in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Valspar</span> Eggshell Interior Deluxe. I freed him to the best of my ability, redid that bit, and called it a night.<br /><br />When I got home from camping I did the assembly and got the top attached. And then I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">detatched</span> and reattached the top. Twice. And then I realized I had a seriously <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">swoopy</span> board in there somewhere. Also that I don't put enough "sink" in my countersink holes. I made a shopping list to remedy some of my issues and put an initial coat of stain on it and went to bed.<br /><br />Here it is that night:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_9AM7I28zI/AAAAAAAACwc/YSbScij3Iog/s720/DSC_0867.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 480px; height: 319px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_9AM7I28zI/AAAAAAAACwc/YSbScij3Iog/s720/DSC_0867.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">OMG</span> stop looking at how messy my kitchen is! I swear we've made progress! Anyway, at this point I went to bed.<br /><br />The next day I went to the Big Orange Store and got clamps big enough to hold down the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">swoopy</span> board, longer screws, wood putty, all that good stuff.<br /><br />Oh, Wood Putty, I love you best of all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_9APNLGlFI/AAAAAAAACws/pSwAVvJsl2A/s720/DSC_0871.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 522px; height: 347px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_9APNLGlFI/AAAAAAAACws/pSwAVvJsl2A/s720/DSC_0871.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />By the time the putty got put on I'd already clamped down the edges and really gotten rid of the gaps, put the correct size screws in, all that good stuff. Sometimes I'd bring the big clamp back out and show it to the table, just to scare it.<br /><br />See the table quaking in fear? Wood trembles at the very approach of The Big Clamp.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_9APQcqwOI/AAAAAAAACww/Mt7q4Y65gcY/s720/DSC_0872.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 488px; height: 324px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_9APQcqwOI/AAAAAAAACww/Mt7q4Y65gcY/s720/DSC_0872.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Eventually I got it buffed, polished, smacked around, and more stain on it. Then I moved it outside. Because if it's going to be 90 around here, I'm going to take advantage of it.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_9ARym002I/AAAAAAAACxE/j4l7Mg3qtLg/s720/DSC_0877.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 480px; height: 319px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_9ARym002I/AAAAAAAACxE/j4l7Mg3qtLg/s720/DSC_0877.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>Last night Steve and I had the discussion about whether or not it's done. It usually goes like this:<br /><br />Me: I think it needs another coat of stain.<br />Steve: I think it's fine.<br />Me: You don't think it looks uneven?<br />Steve: No, honey, I think that's just the light.<br />Me: Well maybe just a touch-up on a couple of spots.<br />Steve: *twitch*<br /><br />And then I wait until he goes to bed and I put some more stain on it anyway. Of course now I *have* to be done because I'm out of stain. Somewhere Steve is very happy. This is how it looked after the last stain coat. It'll get poly on the top and some putty/sanding/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">touchup</span> paint on the base and it's done!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_9AS1KQCeI/AAAAAAAACxM/4KqxGx292SY/s720/DSC_0879.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 445px; height: 296px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S_9AS1KQCeI/AAAAAAAACxM/4KqxGx292SY/s720/DSC_0879.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />(You're looking at how messy the kitchen is, aren't you? <jedi> You don't see the messy kitchen. You see only the gorgeous table. This is not the messy kitchen you're looking for.</jedi> (I just made a big HTML nerd joke, I have no shame.)<br /><br />Now we're on to the Rustic Media Center, the base of which you see trying to hide under the table in disguise as a bench. I think it's afraid of The Big Clamp.<br /><br /><br /></div></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-23316760511921099402010-05-08T19:36:00.000-07:002010-05-08T20:11:54.912-07:00Homely Hall of Shame makes good<div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center">Later, when we're sitting around having coffee and chatting about power tools, let's pretend my that I don't do most of my projects in the kitchen. Also, let's pretend my kitchen doesn't look this bad. In my defense, we just finished moving in today and most of that stuff will be put away by Tuesday. But for now, let's just wave our Magic Wand of Martha Stewart and pretend this is a nice shiny workshop somewhere with all the tools on pegboards and stuff instead of on my counters.</div><br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_EhrRaTKOF9pEOWqrhQS4ShxAZDcLpTWDHa5DkYHOhbykGFWdyVUBs_wIuqaXzsHpsUUfnxrg2SCW-bLmNOpLCnm05Ps1HNBtFD3v1ipQrGMO25m-xzJ-XKrcmQYZY-ZuqJhJoDKWw8E/s1600/DSC_0824.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_EhrRaTKOF9pEOWqrhQS4ShxAZDcLpTWDHa5DkYHOhbykGFWdyVUBs_wIuqaXzsHpsUUfnxrg2SCW-bLmNOpLCnm05Ps1HNBtFD3v1ipQrGMO25m-xzJ-XKrcmQYZY-ZuqJhJoDKWw8E/s320/DSC_0824.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p>Here you can see that I've embraced the clamps and I'm letting my air compressor irritate my neighbors until it's got enough juice to let me nail these together while holding the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">nailer</span> like I'm on a SWAT team. </p><p>Ana's <a href="http://www.knock-offwood.com/2010/03/plans-mason-headboard-its-all-in-finish.html">original plan</a> calls for 1x4's and 1x6's for the panel boards. I am lazy and also I know myself well enough to know that mine would have had gaps and been uneven and whatnot. So I <strike>cheated</strike> improvised and used 1x6 tongue-in-groove flooring. It gives me a little fudge factor in the alignment of the boards and it appeases my husband who wanted something just a little less rustic. They worked like a charm. This is the back.</p><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxHIo8BVoR0LS1zMlgUdN6h6RahpryC4exuFR04AyOuQ_r40m8GKDQMesaHs7A8-TyzF6SkOVCn6SZYOA610h1PowgKYz0y8Iq-NQNfTV8aFnmfbgHnppWn9ev4060zEX71V07fcY_Fbn/s1600/DSC_0826.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxHIo8BVoR0LS1zMlgUdN6h6RahpryC4exuFR04AyOuQ_r40m8GKDQMesaHs7A8-TyzF6SkOVCn6SZYOA610h1PowgKYz0y8Iq-NQNfTV8aFnmfbgHnppWn9ev4060zEX71V07fcY_Fbn/s320/DSC_0826.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><br /><p>And this is the front. I think they look pretty good. You get a clear line between the boards, but there's no gap so that makes me happy.</p><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNS5piDDo4WRc5dpffzuRZvdFN_gHlg9nfVDEWhx6oVD5Gir0kEDJ15ju6xPA0F-yf0Cag8hOXPcsz6e04EvqwAl793FaSzyDluYyBFAz_E45KY5do1QVVg8bfPqZ6aAiZctQLirPN0PFa/s1600/DSC_0828.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNS5piDDo4WRc5dpffzuRZvdFN_gHlg9nfVDEWhx6oVD5Gir0kEDJ15ju6xPA0F-yf0Cag8hOXPcsz6e04EvqwAl793FaSzyDluYyBFAz_E45KY5do1QVVg8bfPqZ6aAiZctQLirPN0PFa/s320/DSC_0828.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><br /><br /><p align="center"></p><br /><p><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Mmm</span>... clamps. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mmm</span>.. strawberry cake on the counter. We have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">houseguests</span> who came in to help us move and when the menfolk went to get dinner they came back with cake. Works for me.</p><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4El6Zc80bQQY-3K5oFPPgSRL2wqlgMDovQoyMWmnZJbU3BcXZbp3pNTZn003ShncwW_o1D6Cmjr4Y_eSEGegxzRmAw8i4JeUFZpl6-0p6jlIoqnysWZiWdiAZjyRjcS8C8X_iF5Gsju_q/s1600/DSC_0829.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4El6Zc80bQQY-3K5oFPPgSRL2wqlgMDovQoyMWmnZJbU3BcXZbp3pNTZn003ShncwW_o1D6Cmjr4Y_eSEGegxzRmAw8i4JeUFZpl6-0p6jlIoqnysWZiWdiAZjyRjcS8C8X_iF5Gsju_q/s320/DSC_0829.JPG" border="0" /></a> </p><p></p><p><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ahh</span>, another Saturday night at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Chez</span> Melly.</p><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 352px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-YewAP204I/AAAAAAAACro/rUnw3I4eKcQ/s720/DSC_0830.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />And voila! Y'all, seriously, this took less than an hour to put together. The nice guys at the Orange Store cut the lumber for me, and thanks to my square it actually went together with 90 degree angles and everything. It's going to get another 1x4 on top and crown molding on top of that just because I got 8' of solid maple crown molding for $2 at my local Restore and I can't pass that up. Plus, again, Steve wanted a little less rustic and the molding gives it a more polished look. However, that will have to wait until tomorrow when I can run the miter saw and only piss of the neighbors a little bit, as opposed to doing it at 11pm, which will ruin my chances of ever getting their daughter to babysit.</p><p><br /><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-Yew3GdmJI/AAAAAAAACrw/sgXeM6yLUts/s720/DSC_0832.JPG" /> </p><p>It needs a couple of good rounds of sanding and an epic amount of wood conditioner before it can get stained, but I'm so tickled!<br /></p><p>Who doesn't love wood putty? Though next time I'll put on a pair of surgical gloves before I wipe it in with my fingers. It's currently forming a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">stainable</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">paintable</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">sandable</span> bond under both <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">pinky</span> nails.</p><p><br /><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-YexTqmK7I/AAAAAAAACr0/VTiwfPRnfNE/s720/DSC_0833.JPG" /> </p><p></p><p><br /><br />And today's lesson learned is this: If you think to yourself 'This is really hard to do from this angle' you should stop and stand up and move to a more comfortable position. Because I don't care what your college boyfriend told you, nothing is ever made easier or more fun by doing it at an awkward and uncomfortable angle. Especially if it involves a nail gun.<br /></p><p>On that note, it's bedtime. Because tomorrow for Mother's Day my husband is giving me a few hours alone to hang out with my tools and my books on tape and quart of wood stain. *happy sigh*</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><div style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial" alt="Posted by Picasa" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-10552663131643040432010-05-06T03:21:00.000-07:002010-05-06T04:40:03.866-07:00I wouldn't even take it out on a pity date.So I stumbled upon Ana's <a href="http://www.knock-offwood.com/">Knock-Off Wood</a> site a few weeks ago and I got all ambitious about furniture for the house. I don't need complicated dovetail joints or fancy scroll work, I just need nice sturdy furniture that doesn't look like it came from a dorm room or would tear in half if you leaned on it funny. Also, me and Steve are big on books, we need Serious Bookcases. Steve, who is just ridiculously supportive of me, got me a nail gun. I got some plans printed out, we were good to go. And then Ana put up the plans for this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Iu7Hkv5sOmI5kl6Zu1t0NPHPnt4NtweQmon3bZURLJAm2yZO6Ec360-sTGbTRt_P3WpEQxMEJFtlvsVKZBOURguw3npB9stdNHoyoxCEGhP3ggXr7vv5-2VLG2nnMF9bZtyT7N4bses/s400/knockoffwood+ladder+table+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Iu7Hkv5sOmI5kl6Zu1t0NPHPnt4NtweQmon3bZURLJAm2yZO6Ec360-sTGbTRt_P3WpEQxMEJFtlvsVKZBOURguw3npB9stdNHoyoxCEGhP3ggXr7vv5-2VLG2nnMF9bZtyT7N4bses/s400/knockoffwood+ladder+table+1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Looks simple, eh? Yeah, I thought so, too. I thought it would be a good starter project before I got into tables and headboards and such. And then came the lesson in humility. Because y'all, I made this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVJZRQi3I/AAAAAAAACp0/Ue-Z-NNFxTg/s720/DSC_0812.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 402px; height: 268px;" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVJZRQi3I/AAAAAAAACp0/Ue-Z-NNFxTg/s720/DSC_0812.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Is that not the homeliest <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">lookin</span>' piece of carpentry ever? I know there's a rafter's square in the picture but apparently I thought it was just for show, because I certainly didn't use it. This piece is so sad and off-square and not flush and just hanging out in the corner with the girl who still wears headgear for her braces. But don't feel pity for it. Because it's mean. It taunts me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVKPs_MgI/AAAAAAAACp8/bujHmFfyg24/s720/DSC_0813.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 396px; height: 263px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVKPs_MgI/AAAAAAAACp8/bujHmFfyg24/s720/DSC_0813.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />See it!? See it just sitting there with it's little edges. They're not only not flush, the vertical leg in this picture is uneven at the end so there's a gap. This is where my father went "Wow, it did that even after you made sure and checked for plumb and flush on your saw blade?" And then I just blinked a lot like "Well of COURSE I did that." And then I said "Show me how *you* do it. Because I'm stealthy like that. <br /><br />Boys and girls, it was off by not much, a degree and a half, perhaps. But when it comes to seating boards right up next to it, that makes a huge difference. Plus, it's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">lookin</span>' at me funny.<br /><br />And don't miss that screw in the back that won't go in any further.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVKb16kEI/AAAAAAAACqA/WDmIWd-G6lg/s720/DSC_0814.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 305px; height: 202px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVKb16kEI/AAAAAAAACqA/WDmIWd-G6lg/s720/DSC_0814.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />How do I know it's going to stick up that way forever? Simple.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVKy6QB7I/AAAAAAAACqE/bxp2WDK8v3k/s720/DSC_0815.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 198px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVKy6QB7I/AAAAAAAACqE/bxp2WDK8v3k/s720/DSC_0815.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I stripped the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">bejeezus</span> out of it trying to get it in. I'm good like that.<br />At this point I put the top boards on and then I cried little teary tears of "why is this so hard!?" and then realized I hadn't had lunch or dinner and that I was probably tired, hungry, cranky, and in real need of a nap. Things got better after that.<br /><br />We moved into the new house and I decided to start with something I had some vested interest in and real need for. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Instructables</span> (sorry to cheat on you, Ana!) has a great plan for a super-easy platform bed. As a person always in need of storage space and not attached to the idea of a box spring, I'm a big fan of platform beds. I made the one we've been sleeping on for the last 7 years but it's mostly plywood screwed on to 6x6 posts, so it's not really a feat of engineering achievement.<br /><br />Also, when we tried to get it out of the old house it was such a pain. And the screws were in so tight that bits of it wouldn't actually come apart. I wanted a bed I could take apart, that would be sturdy and easy to fix if something went wrong, and something that (even though it's *under the bed*) wouldn't look like it was dorm furniture (the plywood and 6x6s look like they came straight out of Rush Week).<br />I grabbed the lumber, just 2 2x4s and some 1x4s and then I went through the epic process of trying to get two cuts done. Two. Eventually the nice guy in the orange apron said "Are you sure you feel comfortable using a saw?!" Buddy, do not start. In my house the nail gun belongs to ME and I'm the one who snakes the drain.<br />Anyway, at this point I took my lumber home and learned important lessons about the Value of Clamps. Do not underestimate the power of clamps. Clamps will save your ass. Clamps are like being an octopus with very very strong hands. Drilled pilot holes and then carted my drill (who needs a name) upstairs and built my bed.<br /><br />Check it out, baby's first 90 degree angle. My parents would be so proud. *sniff*<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVMQvr1sI/AAAAAAAACqQ/0w4p_NbEfZo/s512/DSC_0818.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 340px; height: 512px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVMQvr1sI/AAAAAAAACqQ/0w4p_NbEfZo/s512/DSC_0818.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />What you see if you're the monster under my bed:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 257px; height: 388px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVL4wt_gI/AAAAAAAACqM/3EVDJ-bKiq4/s512/DSC_0817.JPG" /><br /><br />It is level, square, sturdy, everything fits, and it doesn't wobble when I get into it. I'm calling that a success.<br /><br /><img style="width: 260px; height: 392px;" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_LFV0oLDK44o/S-KVLNK2eQI/AAAAAAAACqI/zfqWG-XFeR0/s512/DSC_0816.JPG" /><br /><br />And after firing up my nail gun last night just to see how loud it was (lessons learned: a) it's not that loud and b) those pieces of scrap wood had it coming to them, wily bastards) I'm moving on to the headboard. Maybe, if Dad leaves me the Kreg jig when he departs this morning I'll tackle some of the table, too. Duck and cover, folks.<br /><br /></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-12838092759664637352010-04-21T14:43:00.000-07:002010-04-21T14:43:45.807-07:00<div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center">Well, my hand hasn't been this sore since the time I used a circular saw to cut up a 6x6 to make a platform bed. But it was worth it because we're now <strike>home</strike> mortgage owners! The closing actually went off without a hitch. We met at 4 and at about 5:15 I started to breathe again for the first time in a month. Chloe spent the time getting acclimated to her new school and when we picked her up we got Chinese from the place next door and went back to the new house for a carpet picnic.<br /><br />Here are Daddy and Chloe (and her huge bunny) heading up the walk to our new green door!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxLBtXRMwkmidImJlB5PqKgIfSQWflNlt-AsfRJiKwpj37_57t4PL0NCB428WKZSjjeeitXXY-KY7Q-zDbG2QaWwm8ydGE4UfByJ0je8uAKa1NKoZTi0pGoQP45lk_i-ISKfIEf5cO4sQ/s1600/Picture+001.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxLBtXRMwkmidImJlB5PqKgIfSQWflNlt-AsfRJiKwpj37_57t4PL0NCB428WKZSjjeeitXXY-KY7Q-zDbG2QaWwm8ydGE4UfByJ0je8uAKa1NKoZTi0pGoQP45lk_i-ISKfIEf5cO4sQ/s320/Picture+001.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div>The most common view of a toddler, walking away from you. Here Chloe and the bunny are off to explore her new room (also her new closet, her new bathroom sink, her new a/c registers, Mommy's closet, and several light switches).<br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSLudAYAMNTOBeidsj5iTYXgRp-ZqD3V_uCD8ExTcaz8nUnSzyfQ2qymKlqbS_ZHgDaUy2S4Bz7O39VQhYiVRH51Y03PjGiP4hhZKemO1oLL1VrZVuLrJCHbp8S_CxvfV-2KQQ2JWF0Gn/s1600/Picture+004.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSLudAYAMNTOBeidsj5iTYXgRp-ZqD3V_uCD8ExTcaz8nUnSzyfQ2qymKlqbS_ZHgDaUy2S4Bz7O39VQhYiVRH51Y03PjGiP4hhZKemO1oLL1VrZVuLrJCHbp8S_CxvfV-2KQQ2JWF0Gn/s320/Picture+004.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br />We have a bona fide ornamental cherry tree in our front yard and it's still got some blooms on it. Steve and Chloe stopped running around long enough to pose in front of it. Kinda. She's halfway through struggling her way out of his grip and off to the rest of the back yard but we held her still long enough to snap this.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt22DHkhm_c6pHdnCkpUANKdYTY7h64D41xW52izaza554H9ZYKimzTNh6lm1BHbr4ayA9-NC8JLKipFDceTB7TtTZcMe5KVzVQfsCQ85UOV-knWGe90V6_IdRwig7kfb6FbVh1KqrPjIR/s1600/Picture+007.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt22DHkhm_c6pHdnCkpUANKdYTY7h64D41xW52izaza554H9ZYKimzTNh6lm1BHbr4ayA9-NC8JLKipFDceTB7TtTZcMe5KVzVQfsCQ85UOV-knWGe90V6_IdRwig7kfb6FbVh1KqrPjIR/s320/Picture+007.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here is the intrepid suburbanite himself, bringing in the necessities. MREs, caffeine, and the binoculars so he can see if the zombies are invading.</div><br /><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQepbhWYKHfrl5_15FhSVsA1sAjRx8xggtH-Yr6ay3TmgMvxX90MkuUTichyphenhyphenClWA6rcO-L5aCZIL6BFggnaH_z3rcrGHYl61wK6WovogO13ffUuISwq_XLN4Cf-vmMEzKPXrI5Kp8wUPp5/s1600/Picture+005.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQepbhWYKHfrl5_15FhSVsA1sAjRx8xggtH-Yr6ay3TmgMvxX90MkuUTichyphenhyphenClWA6rcO-L5aCZIL6BFggnaH_z3rcrGHYl61wK6WovogO13ffUuISwq_XLN4Cf-vmMEzKPXrI5Kp8wUPp5/s320/Picture+005.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div>During the closing the lawyer brought out the documents where they detail any aliases you might have. Usually it's just middle name and middle initial and stuff but Steve has the same name as his father and a name with a couple of common spellings so his was a bit more involved. They even presented him with a spelling we'd never even dreamed of.<br /><br />Lawyer: So I'm assuming based on the paperwork that your name is not spelled Steven.<br />Steve: No, it's not.<br />Lawyer: And you're not Steven R. either?<br />Steve: No. That's my father.<br />Lawyer: How about Stehin? Does anyone ever call you Stehin?<br />Steve: Nooooo. I have occasionally wished to be called Allejandro, but no one ever took me seriously.<br />Lawyer: *confused blinking*<br />Me: *pleased I married him*<br /><br />Now it's time to start moving the fabric! Also, making a thank you present for our darling loan officer who made this a smooth transaction for all. Yay!<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-69713938475493161042010-04-19T07:23:00.000-07:002010-04-19T07:23:41.453-07:00<div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center">We had a super productive weekend. Got most of the big basement cleaned up so that we know what to put on craigslist, what to give away, and what to trash. There are even some things going with us. I got tons of boxes packed upstairs but until I can get them staged downstairs I won't really know what's left to do. <br /><br />The allergies kicked my butt in the basement, though. And I think that knocked down my last defense against the Spring allergies. I woke up Sunday feeling like I'd been hit with a brick. Steve was an angel about getting Chloe out of the house for a while so I could keep being productive. Got some cleaning done upstairs and some more packing and even more packing. <br /><br />Chloe and I took a three hour nap (not together, that would have been nice but she's not much of a snuggler) and then after we got up I set in to finish some stuff. I finished her Easter basket (plan from Moda Bakeshop), I finished my first Million Pillowcase Challenge project (adorable, still needs the threads snipped) and one other one that we'll get to in a minute. I made good progress on a couple more blocks of Chloe's fancy schmancy quilt, that's lots of hand sewing and very relaxing. And here's the little darling herself:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHuMPnS6ZV_okRv37C6aCIgiJV27iYYQj6f82ndLns49qxiFdpnxi28v0wJXJZLRkZnDCrwZ0l83vOtTeJ_6Etsxn8Ged1PyB4pmSPLlJRWsRjM5FxlRUdIKPvswsR5R1e7nMv7Of_2wC/s1600/IMG_0302.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHuMPnS6ZV_okRv37C6aCIgiJV27iYYQj6f82ndLns49qxiFdpnxi28v0wJXJZLRkZnDCrwZ0l83vOtTeJ_6Etsxn8Ged1PyB4pmSPLlJRWsRjM5FxlRUdIKPvswsR5R1e7nMv7Of_2wC/s320/IMG_0302.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Barefoot and wandering around the backyard at Grammy's house. I love that dress on her, it's smocked and I have a serious addiction to smocking.<br /><br /><br />And here below is the other project I finished: </div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhn-2G8yWPV-n1NuqzbPkLcpQu2s-ZsU-ZpscPJbTNOM2PIgT4ay5Vh3dto9eAQJiY4Rk0Wvjjgsiuaf1KwiT0vFLlWOOE3FxVost4yYngEN5-Bb1QS4oZJS2E0z_ahtao4bbCdf_iiG9/s1600/IMG_0305.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhn-2G8yWPV-n1NuqzbPkLcpQu2s-ZsU-ZpscPJbTNOM2PIgT4ay5Vh3dto9eAQJiY4Rk0Wvjjgsiuaf1KwiT0vFLlWOOE3FxVost4yYngEN5-Bb1QS4oZJS2E0z_ahtao4bbCdf_iiG9/s320/IMG_0305.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I taught myself to do Cathedral Windows after Mom and I got frustrated at not being able to figure it out (I don't deal well with that, it becomes a matter of principle at that point!) and made a 14x14 pillow for the spare bedroom at the new place. I think it's 4 windows by 4 windows. It turned out to be a GREAT way to use the Delft Remix stuff from Studio E that I got for Christmas. They're all such wonderful prints but hard to put together because they all blend into each other. I love how they're displayed in this pattern. The pillow needs the threads clipped, I hate that job, but I'm really pleased with how it turned out.<br /><br />The other thing that happened this weekend is that I got sucked into <a href="http://knockoffwood.blogspot.com/">Knockoff Wood</a>. I spent hours on the site, on the Facebook group, and in the Flickr pool. I've decided on my first couple of projects, and to support me my husband got me this:<br /></div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwjpRu5jYWWUboNUwAOKQCbOkqg47nK-PKlg_4-IMl2s2hA8r5SyFGlT8BlMK3eNlFKPmTHVwV0kKpyEhfeKb96cDwaKjJLsY4UzfV4fWGKq8IJEPnjmZKoZAfc1KjC5CMbum6hzUeRXB/s1600/IMG_0307.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwjpRu5jYWWUboNUwAOKQCbOkqg47nK-PKlg_4-IMl2s2hA8r5SyFGlT8BlMK3eNlFKPmTHVwV0kKpyEhfeKb96cDwaKjJLsY4UzfV4fWGKq8IJEPnjmZKoZAfc1KjC5CMbum6hzUeRXB/s320/IMG_0307.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br />That's right. In my family we say love with nail guns. Three of them. And an air compressor. Nothing says love like a gun capable of firing a 2 and a half inch nail.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268888024975253720.post-52095161845967450682010-04-14T08:15:00.000-07:002010-04-14T08:15:24.285-07:00The good, the bad, and the toddler.<div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><u><span style="color:#0000ff;"></span></u><br />After reading a completely familiar account over at <a href="http://thequiltingdiaries.blogspot.com/2010/04/fabric-cuteness-overload.html">Amy's place </a>about taking her boys to a quilt shop, I got to thinking about the last time I took Chloe in to a quilt shop. She's pretty good in the Joann's because we're mostly only there for supplies so it's a short trip. Actual quilt shops? That's another story altogether. I suppose it's unfair of me to even hope she'll behave. She's two. She's not a bad kid, she's just two. And when you're two you don't look at baskets full of jellyrolls and charm packs and think "My, aren't those pretty. Perhaps I will just admire them from afar." No, you think "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Oooh</span>! A basket!" and then you grab it and carry it around with you, putting things in and taking them out as you go.<br /><br />C-'s local quilt shop is the completely wonderful <a href="http://webfabrics.net/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Webfabrics</span>.net </a>(I know, I'm horribly jealous too) and we paid a visit the other day. The first half of the trip was a nightmare. Chloe was just a total pill. Grabby, knocking things over, struggling so hard I couldn't hold her, all that good stuff. C- said "She's being a good girl." I said "No she's not, she's being a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">butthead</span>. The fact that she's so cute is the only thing keeping her from being nothing but a strange smell coming from the attic."<br /><br />The staff was horrified. Either that or deeply amuse, I couldn't tell. Anyway. The second half of the visit was a dream. Why? This:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHVD-TDdj012Wh5zd5n-bwKxu4s158clO49MmLyDWZLkFmHC5mecwpA9rqD6WQVmWS7_drQYk5Icq13oF4BcQhAbAbrmOV1mmrg2yHcXw0mCjRp6Yz0iUEk9E0mtRd6LZgu9vcTQeGyZE/s1600/IMG_0301.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHVD-TDdj012Wh5zd5n-bwKxu4s158clO49MmLyDWZLkFmHC5mecwpA9rqD6WQVmWS7_drQYk5Icq13oF4BcQhAbAbrmOV1mmrg2yHcXw0mCjRp6Yz0iUEk9E0mtRd6LZgu9vcTQeGyZE/s320/IMG_0301.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br />Coloring books, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Lego's</span>, little chairs, lots of books, a little kid haven. I still couldn't leave her completely alone but at least I could scan the nearby pattern racks without wondering if Chloe was pulling the rotary blades down on top of herself. Thank you, nice ladies at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Webfabrics</span>.net for making it a little easier to be a quilting mom. (Thanks also to the ladies at Artful Quilter who have a comfy couch with a Mr. Potato Head and a gigantic stuffed iguana that Chloe loves to cuddle).<br /><br />In an environment where it is so easy to just stay at home and order off the web and lose the great tactile sensation of a brick and mortar store, it's things like this that keep me coming back.<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06520715476611158579noreply@blogger.com0