WIP: Summer's Over?

School started this week?  I am absolutely sad that summer is over.  It was too short!!

Via Flickr/Instagram

I think Button will miss the big boys too!!

Finishes:

Merry, Merry Snowman Block #1

Via Flickr/Instagram

I am wondering what I have gotten myself into.  There is ALOT of appliqueing.  ALOT.

French General Pincushion.

I know.  I know. I am absolutely ADDICTED to not only French General, but also the darn cathedral window block.  I had to make a pincushion for all of the needles and pins that are needed for my Merry, Merry Snowman blocks?

Logical, right?  

I am pretty much convinced that I will be doing a full cathedral window quilt for the family room someday. 

In Progress: 

Merry, Merry Snowman Block #2

I have the background pieced...

Just awaiting the appliqueing process.   I did a half starching/pressing and needleturn technique.  I am not quite sure I was happy with it.  I might try the technique I used on the Artist's Palette mini quilt for the round/curved snowman parts. 

The Teen Boy Room

I have the window treatments hemmed and the curtain rings attached.
 Hoping to find some time to hang them soon.  In the meantime, they hang on my quilt top rod!

Photo of my space for Moda post HERE

The teen boy?   He is definitely showing his 15 years clearly and has his opinions.  I have decided that he chose the stripes for his windows and bedding because he watches a little to much of the show The Big Bang Theory.

Sheldon has a striped pillow that he leans against.   I told him very soberly that I was going to just do the curtains in baby pink stripes instead....he grimaced...and then I quickly said "BAZINGA".
He laughed! (for those who are not fans...it is a form of saying "just kidding")

Halloween Quilt

I bought cut my 20 strips to make a fuller jelly roll.  All of the strips are organized and ready to be made into the rectangles I need before cutting my blocks.

Love how the spur of the moment quilt takes precendence over the vast No Progress quilts?  Not to mention the projects that I DON'T have listed here, but are on paper elsewhere?

Definition of insanity =  Heidi

No Progress:

Retro Flower Quilt

Button's Nursery Twin Bed Quilt.   
I was staring at his room while rocking him at bedtime.  I hate that it isn't DONE.  It is definitely on the sooner than later chopping block!

A Figgy Christmas Quilt 
I think I personally smack myself for not getting it done.  It is absolutely ridiculous!

Baby Girl Quilt. 
 I have no idea who I am giving it to now.  These babies are too grown now!

Thank you quilt
Might become a quilt for my Aunt.  More on that in a later post!

Craftsy Classes
At a standstill.  I am so behind on projects, that I really need to take a break...the beauty of an online class, no?

New Projects:  NONE! NONE! NONE!!!!  At least none that I know about ;)!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced
Her guest poster today is Cindy at Live a Colorful Life

I "found" her through WIP Wednesdays and ADORE her blog.  Go check her out!

The Useless Nook

All my projects are in so many different stages of completion right now and I have no pictures of them, so I thought I would share a "decorating" project I recently finished.

I am not sure if you recall Meemah's Quilts? 

 

They were my payment for making William's Quilt for a good friend of mine!

I was not quite sure what I was going to do with the amazing vintage, hand sewn Cathedral Window square quilts. 

I have good news....They found their new home.  

I call it the Useless Nook.

Have you seen these types of spaces?  These areas above doorways for you to decorate? 

When we moved into this house, I envisioned a Christmas tree in the winter, summer baskets in the spring/summer, a beautiful fall tableau.  

Ha!  Four years later, it still remained empty. It was such a weird and awkward space and I had other things that I needed to give my attention to that were MUCH more useful.

Until I found the wagon. Ridiculous, but a nod to the Ole West.  We do live in Texas now!

Then I found an over-sized lantern a HIDEOUS fake black bamboo ladder and painted it taupe.

And hung Meemah's quilts...right where they belong!!!!!!

I just love it up there now!

But it is still the USELESS Nook.  

Just the Useless Nook where I get to see Meemah's Quilt everyday!!!

NOTE: And for those who might be worried...I promise, the windows are tinted with UV protection...so no fading!  We learned our lesson when we first moved down here to Houston.  I have a former deep red couch that is now a faded red!  I actually think they are the reason I have such a hard time taking indoor pictures.

  I have to really open up my aperture and decrease shutter speed (I think that is what I do...I am still quite an amateur at this photography stuff).  And then still ramp up the brightness when I edit my photos!

In the Trenches

My Operation Orders

Task Organization: My mission is to finish one t-shirt auction quilt AKA "the beast" in 7 days with all the firepower I can use.

Taken earlier in the week...not the final layout.

I.  Situation: The school auction is set for the date of the 28th of this month. I have ramped up my due date to the 25th in case there are any diversions from the mission.


A. Enemy Forces
1. Weather and light data: the general forecast is looking good. No new rain in sight.  Could be distracting when any window gazing might occur.
2. Terrain:  Be prepared for piles of toys, dishes in the sink, backpacks on the floor, and shoes in the family room.
3. Identification of enemy forces: Four small males. Highly dangerous with weapons of mass destruction. 
4. Locations: Game room, family room, kitchen, pool, and driveway.  Don't underestimate school or extracurricular activities.
5. Activity: The enemy is in constant attack position.
6. Strength: A small platoon.   Ages 15, 12, 9, and 14 months.  Morale is low due to the absence of father-figure on a business trip.  Capabilities?  Unknown.  They are very inconsistent and can't be trusted. Do not underestimate their capabilities.
7. Probable courses of action when contacted:  They will fight, disperse, retreat, gather themselves, and attack again.


B. Friendly Forces.
Domestic Sewing Machine AKA Symphony.


C. Attachments/Detachments.
One Long Arm Machine AKA Ole Betsy on stand-by.

II. Mission:  

My mission is to finish one t-shirt auction quilt consisting of approximately 70+ t-shirts before the due date. I repeat, finish the t-shirt quilt!


III. Execution
A. Concept of the Operation:  They must be completely cut, pieced, quilted, and bound in 7 days.
B. Task to Maneuver Units: Avoid all distractions such as things like pincushion I made Sunday HERE, that I really don't need.

Cathedral Window Pincushion

C. Tasks to Combat Support Units:  Fellow bloggers and online sewing friends must be on FULL alert in case I am in need of advice.
D. Coordinating Instructions: I will email, beg, and plead for help, if need be.


IV.  Service Support
A. General: Good movies, good music, late nights.
B. Materials and Supplies: Rotary Cutter, Mat, Stabilizer, Thread, Pins, Pantograph, Batting....the usual.

Superior Rainbow Thread from sewthankful.com

C. Medical: Coke, Lemon heads, Laffy Taffies, Short Naps


V. Command and Signal
A. Command: Myself.
B. Signal:  Call sign: Crazy Lady   Code Word: PATCHWORK

Praying the troops can rally me at

 

 If you see any color smoke...please send in reinforcements.

Sunday Project: A Pincushion...

FOR ME!  

Cathedral Window Pincushion

I am in the midst of working on the Auction T-shirt quilt and needed to walk away from it last night and have something calming to do.

It really truly only took me an hour to hand piece it together!  I was inspired by all of the Cathedral Window pincushions I have seen lately, but I didn't use a tutorial because I already learned from my mom who learned from my Great-Aunt Kay!

A vanity cushion cover I inherited from her!

How convenient is THAT?

I admittedly, did not do the BEST job my first go 'round, but it was a lot easier than I had remembered. 

If you are looking for a good tutorial, I found this one on Moda Bake Shop HERE.  I also found a link on another blog (sorry..cannot for the life of me remember who!) to another tutorial that is closer to the way I learned from my mom HERE at Sunflower seeds. 
 I especially like how she uses contrasting thread on the white!

The inherent difference from those are that they are machine stitched and I did my cushion with hand-stitched hidden ladder stitches.

(I am pretty sure my mom did running stitches like my Great-Aunt Kay did below).

Rough around the edges...I sure wish I knew the date when she made this!

I loved how I finally used the crushed walnut shells that I found at the pet store (by the way, petco carried them in my area, not PetSmart!)

However, one simple problem...

Larry, our lizard...He is always sneaking in from the garage and I am always shooing him out the window in the studio!

you have to travel through the reptile aisle.

And one small pincushion doesn't even make a DENT in the 10 quart bag! 

Now I know EXACTLY why I see so many pincushions on blogs and Flickr...

We thrifty frugal ladies can't stand to have it wasted!!!

Button thought it was wonderful from the button at the top to the pins that he loves to play with that I am always taking away. 

  But more importantly? 

 It's very nice weight as a flying object. 

He used the word "ball"  when he picked it up.

Now my thinking cap is on...

But back to the t-shirt quilt I go.  

 Working on the layout....no more breaks for me.

T-shirt quilt countdown

10 days.

Meemah's quilts...

I have never been more perplexed!

Okay, I might have fibbed a bit....
I am ALWAYS perplexed!!

Just a little more than normal this week.

If you are a regular follower, you might remember my latest quilt....Baby William's quilt.

The DILEMMA

When my friend commissioned me to make his quilt, I pretended to ignore her about the cost. I had a number in mind when I started it, but it gradually dropped to nothing as I worked on it. 

I had decided I was just going to have her "pay" me with forgiveness.  (shh..don't tell Mr. Boss, he hates when I do things for free....)

Forgiveness?  Yes, forgiveness for not finishing other fairly simple items that she had asked me to make over a year ago.

But true big-hearted, kind, self-less, Julie style...she surprised me.

She showed off William's quilt to my scrapping friends at our scrapbook retreat.  I blushed and stammered.  I don't take compliments very well.  I am worried that it isn't good enough.  I am embarrassed and think no one will like it as much as I do.


Then, I pretend to be busy.


A tap on my shoulder and then these are laid on my lap.

Beautiful vintage quilts.


I thought..WOW, she found some vintage quilts to give me on one of her various trips or travels.

But, alas, she said, "These are my Meemah's.  She made these" (forgive spelling..this is how I picture it in my mind)  
"I'd like to see them hanging on your ladder in your Studio"

My response was "NOOO, Julie.  I can't take these.  These are beautiful." 

"They are handmade cathedral window quilt done by your Mee-mah."

They are priceless....

She would not take them back, of course. She walked away.  I kept them on my scrapbook chair the whole weekend.  They burned on my back.  They glared at me every time I returned from naps, meals, and church to my seat.

I asked my other friends.  What should I do?  I can't accept these...

They shook their heads.  You know Julie....there isn't much to do about it.


So, my blogging friends and followers...any ideas of how I can get these back in her hands without offending?


The only thing I can think of is to make a gift for her daughter...but there is no big wedding or event in the near future.


Also, they are not exactly lap quilts with their odd shapes.

So, again, I am always perplexed.

Just a little more than usual...


Oh...and if you see an anonymous comment that tells me to keep them....that is HER!