Yarn Bombed

Have you ever heard/seen this?  I hadn't until we were at the River of Lights in the Albuquerque Bio Park. 

All the trees, light posts, rocks, etc. in this area were wearing colorful knitted sweaters.  Apparently guerrilla knitting (a.k.a. yarn bombing) is quite a popular form of street art, dating back as early as 2004. 

I was telling my sister about this yesterday, and she said she saw a bus that was yarn bombed.  What have you seen in yarn graffiti?

Photo Friday 2012

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday with their loved ones.

 

 



Do you believe this tree?  It's not ours, it is my son's preschool teacher's tree in their home (his teachers are a mother/daughter team.)  My picture does not do it justice; and no matter what I did or how I positioned myself, I couldn't fit the whole tree in.  Their ornament collection in itself is just amazing.  Many purchased while they were living in Germany, many made from preschool students or while they were growing up, many of homemade ones from past family.

Speaking of teachers - here is how their lunch bags turned out. 

 

 

I am rather pleased with them.  Any more sewing for you?  Or are you all resting up, getting ready for a new year?







Last Minute Holiday Making

On Saturday, I had the crazy notion that I needed to battle the mall in order to get my 2 year old daughter, Aslyn, something for Christmas. I had yet to get or make her anything and time was running low. 

Upon this "quest" I realized that the mall has absolutely nothing for a 2 year old girl.  With my 4 year old son in tow, we frantically searched three stores only to come out with a pair of pajamas my son picked out for her from him (it has trains on it,) and a few beaded necklaces.

I think I have mentioned before that every time I have my kids with me at my local quilt shops, they pick out a fabric for their own little stash.  So yesterday, I decided to whip a couple of things up for Aslyn with some of her stash fabric.

 

First was a little purse; she loves getting into mine.  I found this tutorial here.  The outer fabric is Urban Zoologie, handle and lining is A Stitch in Color Little Dot Clementine.

 

Second, a doll quilt.  Currently, she takes her little stuffed animals and tries to wrap them in twin to queen size blankets.  I received the hexagons from my swap partner in the Post-Summit Swap.  

   



 

 

This quilt will more than likely get lots of use, lots of dragging around the house and outside, lots of washing; therefore I quilted it rather densely with straight lines.  I had quilted around the outer edge of each hexagon and skipped over those with my straight lines, so the hexagons kind of pop out a bit.

 

 

 

I had some trouble with the fabric feeding through my machine.  For some reason my feed dogs weren't catching it.  So, it's not the best quality work.  But I don't think Aslyn or her "bebes" will mind.

 









16th WIP of 2012

Hey all!  It's dark and gray with a snow storm swirling in right now.  How's that holiday sewing coming along?

I decided to make Logan's teachers some lunch bags for this Christmas.  The fabric is La Femme by Melissa Crowley that I won from the Zakka Sew Along.  It's so pretty!  A few pieces of my stash make these bags up as well.  Most of you will recognize the layout as Ayumill's tutorial. 

Remember that community project for Logan's school I spoke about.  I am making a quilt with the kids; each kid is making a block of their hand and I will sew them all together and quilt it.

Here are the one's who have finished their blocks.  Aren't they coming along nicely?  Some of the kids are really getting into sewing, so I have had several parents approach me with questions on what materials to buy and encouraging their child in this interest.

Notice Logan's block isn't in there. 

Now for that triangle quilt that I started way back when.  This is where I am at now.  I don't know.  This is for a little special someone, but admittedly I am losing momentum on it.  I am trying so hard to power through.

Check out other work-in-progress projects over at Freshly Pieced.

Photo Friday - 2012

Ornament Exchange

In my post last Wednesday, I wrote about my green and brown scraps and how they were to come together into a possible tree with little colored round fabric pieces for lights.

Yeah, umm, well it wasn't coming out the way I had planned and I was running low on time.  So here is what I actually exchanged...

This picture was taken hanging on the door underneath my porch light, it didn't come out so well.  Also, I was (literally) running to the car to get to the Albuquerque Modern Quilt Guild holiday party and meeting on time.  Aackk.   Talk about last minute right?!!

The ornament - I took a 4 inch wooden embroidery hoop and tied a bunch of red and green scrap pieces to it to make a wreath. 

As for the tree?  My 4 year old likes it so I may finish it and just let him have it to play with.

Photo Friday - 2012

 

 

Sewing Again!

Tomorrow is the Albuquerque Modern Quilt Guild holiday potluck and ornament exchange.  I took out my bin of green and brown scraps and started stitching them together.  Not sure what this will become - maybe a tree?  With small colored scraps for lights?

Whatever these scraps decide to become, it's great to be sewing again!

In the New House

Remember the house we've been remodeling for the past year or so?  Well, we started moving in!  So now our new house is a mess as I try to find a spot for everything; our old house is a mess as we are still slowly moving stuff over.  At least all the big items (i.e. beds, couch, etc.) have been moved.

Unpacked boxes - ready to be repacked

I haven't sewed a thing in days and am starting to go a little stir crazy.  Not a good thing either with the Christmas season quickly approaching.  I need to sew something!  Anything!

The internet was just hooked up today!  In between unpacking, moving, work, and kids I've been trying to catch up on my blog readings.  At least I can live vicariously through others and their pretty sewing projects until my little sewing nook is back up and running!

Goal is to start sewing this weekend!!

A Swap, A Tote

After the sewing summit, I received an e-mail about a post sewing summit swap; which I decided to jump on.  This was my first "handmade" swap, so admittedly I was a little apprehensive.

Now most of you are swap veterans, so you can skim past the details to the good part.  ;)

The idea of the swap was to keep up with something we learned from sewing summit.  Everyone who wanted to be involved filled out a "profile" form with likes, dislikes, what they would like to receive, etc.  My one sewing class was a pocket one, so I thought this project would be good. 

My partner (who I will not reveal as she has not received this yet) said she would like to receive a zippered or metal frame pouch, a tote bag, or a pin cushion.  I fixated on making a tote.  What's silly is that tote bags are probably one of the easier bags to make (depending on how you make yours), yet they are not my strong suit.

However, I am also not one to back down from my faults challenges!

I found this pattern in an issue of Modern Patchwork.  Duck fabric makes up the body and the pocket is pieced with fabric from Pat Bravo's Indie collection.  The original pattern had interchangeable pockets, which I decided not to do.  It also did not call for lining the tote, but I did do that to make it seem a little more refined.

I hope she likes it!

Scrappy Stash Quilt

It's completed!  My scrappy stash quilt from the Ellison Lane Quilt A Long.
This quilt is 40 x 48 inches, with 6 monochromatic colored blocks in 5 rows.

I chose to lay my blocks in the same order as the colors of a rainbow. 

For the back, a large piece of Kona Cotton solid in pale flesh.  The binding is more scrappy goodness with half of it being leftover binding from other quilts!  Can't beat that!

Usually when quilting a quilt, I wake up while everyone else is asleep so I can get it done without kids pulling on me and having to stop every two minutes to answer everyone's needs.  This quilt, I did in lines without a care of how straight they were or how far apart.  That way, if a kid decided to jump on my lap and "help", I wouldn't need to stress and pull out a million stitches.

Aslyn and I had such fun doing this photo shoot in our hay barn! 

Our large hay bales were the perfect size to hang this quilt from. And when I was done taking pictures, a quick game of hide and seek (shh, Aslyn is hiding behind the corner of that haybale.) 

Community Quilt

Logan's preschool has a program called "Community Elder."  Basically, someone from the community comes in and teaches or talks to the class about something.  There have been lots of music, paper making from recycled egg cartons and paper tubes, as well as potion making (for Halloween.)

Yesterday was "part 1" of my community elder project.  My job is to teach the kids how a quilt is made.  The idea is to have each kid sew a block and then I quilt it for the school.

These are some of the fabrics I chose to use.  Silly me, I didn't take a picture of all of the fabric before I set the kids on them!  The reds were the first to go.

My example block.  In my haste (I decided to do an example block right before I was to leave to teach the class) I used my sewing machine to go around my hand - the kids are all hand stitching theirs on.

Each child wrote his name on his block; I think I'm going to embroider the names.  One little girl was so excited about this project - I'm sure if I showed her how, she could probably embroider her own name.

They are all doing such a great job on their blocks!  In fact, Logan's teachers told me that instead of resting at rest time, all the kids were sitting around stitching away!

Photo Friday - 2012

A Visit from the Tooth Fairy

I mentioned a while back that my oldest, Logan had a loose tooth.  Well last night it finally fell out (with a bit of help from Dad.)  After the tears slowed, w gave Logan his caboose pillow, the pockets ready to hold his precious first tooth.  Though we have talked about it before, we gave another explanation on how the tooth fairy will come, leave a token for him, and bless him with sweet dreams and good luck.

It's funny - I remember losing my teeth as a child.  The excitement of the tooth fairy bringing me a little something in my elephant pillow.  Logan seemed to care less!  He was more concerned about his tooth falling out than anything else.

As of tonight, here is his pillow.  Laying there, untouched.

In this pocket you will find
A teensy, tiny tooth of mine.
So while I sleep where
dreams are made,
Let’s see if you
can make a trade.

In this pocket I will lay,
the little tooth I lost today.
Please, dear fairy,
tonight as I sleep
leave me a coin.
My tooth you can keep.

- Author Unknown

15th WIP of 2012

Hello!  Happy Halloween!

I got my green blocks done for Ellison Lane Quilts Scrappy Stash quilt along. 

Working on blue blocks now.

Tried my hands at a little reverse applique...



Not a lot got done this week but a bit.

Quilt/Bind:Log cabin quilt

No progress:
Beatrix Potter quilt (fabric hunting)
Barn quilt
Husband's shirt
Felt Christmas ornaments
Colorbrick quilt
Baby quilt for Susan
Logan's wall hanging

In progress:
Summer skirt - just need to hem!
Scrappy Stash quilt along
Zakka nesting boxes

Stats:
New projects: 1
Completed projects: 0
No progress: 7
In progress: 3

Linking up to Freshly Pieced

Sunbeam Turbo Steam Iron Review

As sewers and quilters, we know that pressing those seams can be just the ticket to a more accurate and crisp look.   Recently I purchased the Sunbeam Turbo Steam Master Professional iron.

I was so excited when this iron arrived at my doorstep!  As soon as I saw it, I opened the
box and showed it off to my husband, who amused me with his excitement as well.

So here is what you get:

3 way motion smart auto off (definitely need this one!)
Self Clean button (I have not used this yet)
Powerful Vertical and Shot of Steam features
Retractable Cord

My thoughts:

I like the auto shut off as I am notorious for sewing late at night, then sleep deprived heading off to bed without even a second thought that the iron was on.

The weight is nice, good balance.

Though I like the retractable cord, it does come back awfully fast! I have hit my fingers several times while retracting and it was not pleasant.

Bottom line: I would recommend the Turbo Steam iron.

14th WIP of 2012

A little sewing has been happening in my neck of the woods.

I've been working on this nesting box from the Zakka Style book by Rashida Coleman-Hale.

 

 

I am participating in the Scrappy Stash quilt along over at Ellison Lane Quilts.  My purple blocks are done!  I am working on my last red block and then onto green, blue, and orange/yellow.

 



Every time I go to a fabric store, my son Logan picks out a fabric for his "stash".  Our last trip he picked this fabric.

We recently decided that this fabric should become a new lunch box for him.  After perusing my stash for an interior lining, he decided on the one below.

Quilt/Bind:Log cabin quilt

No progress:
Beatrix Potter quilt (fabric hunting)
Barn quilt
Husband's shirt
Felt Christmas ornaments
Colorbrick quilt
Baby quilt for Susan
Logan's wall hanging

In progress:
Summer skirt - just need to hem!

Scrappy Stash quilt along
Zakka nesting boxes

 

Stats:
New projects: 1
Completed projects: 0
No progress: 7
In progress: 3

Linking up to Freshly Pieced

Photo Friday - Sewing Summit Trip

Sewing Summit Recap

Hey guys!  Well, I'm back from Sewing Summit and so inspired.  I am just overflowing with new ideas, new changes (more on this later), and new friends.

There was just so much going on I don't even know where to begin really.  As you may or may not know (did I even mention this?) we drove.  Yep.  My little family drove from New Mexico to Salt Lake City - 22 hours (round trip) of all of us in a car.  Our first "major" road trip - and a whole lot of nothing for miles and miles and miles....

There were so many talented people.  I felt small and timid next to many of them; being a natural introvert didn't help either.

Many great sponsors made up this year's sewing summit such as Craftsy, Riley Blake, Babylock just to name a few.  Here are just some of the goodies that got to come home with me.

The keynote speaker - Joel Dewberry!  He showcased his new fabric line Notting Hill.  Which I think is just gorgeous!

Erin Singleton and her staff did a terrific job! I couldn't even imagine putting on such an event. All that time and effort!

I won a prize at the Salt Lake Modern Quilt Guild mixer on Friday night!  Riley Blake's Puppy Park.

 It was a privilege to take a class and meet Carol Van Zandt.  She gave me this beautiful fat quarter bundle - Tokyo Rococo.  I'm thinking this will make a really pretty new bag!

There was much, much more that went on and happened.  I am still wrapping my mind around it all. 

This Weekend

Boy this weekend sure flew by!  And I have so much to do still before I leave on Wednesday for Sewing Summit! 

Remember those pieces of fabric I wrote about in my last WIP post?  Well, they are now blocks ready to go to Utah for a Quilt of Valor.

 

Saturday was spent working on the house we are trying to move into.  Logan's teachers came out and helped.  Seriously, we probably wouldn't be as far as we are if not for them!  Speaking of Logan, my little guy has a loose tooth.  Already?!  He is growing up way too fast! 

 

 

That means a tooth fairy pillow was in order!  And since it is pretty loose and can fall out at any time, a tooth fairy pillow needed to be made ASAP!  So, I dropped everything and went off to create.

 

While growing up, mine was a green plaid elephant with a little pocket on it's body.  I love that little pillow.  All of my siblings used it as well.  I think one of my brother's got it as they had kids before I did.

 

 

Okay, done reminiscing.  On to Logan's pillow.  He LOVES his trains, so I figured a train pillow was in order.  I ended up making a caboose, with the windows as pockets to hold the tooth and coins the tooth fairy brings.

 

The back is some leftover fabric I had from the I spy quilt I made his class. The fabric is The Little Engine that Could.

 

 



Logan was so excited, he brought his pillow to school today to show all his friends, as well as his loose tooth!