WIP Wednesday

I'm so excited to be participating in WIP Wednesday again!  I'm hoping it will help me stay on track with my next couple of projects then it's back to the UFO's from last year that need finishing!

Orange Elephants:

Thanks to some early morning cutting, all the pieces are cut out waiting for me in the basement.  I just love getting up early when the house is still quiet, drinking coffee, and working away in my sewing space.  It's the best!  This afternoon while the boys are napping and after I'm finished making dinner, sewing will commence!  I hate when my domestic life gets in the way of my quilting!!

I have received a ton of pictures of the new little guy and I can't wait to meet him!  My cousin Elise did good, he's adorable!

Sailboats:

Here is my stack of Anchors Away by Dear Stella.  I wish I had seen the kit from FQS before I bought yardage.  It would have been perfect!  I just bought the pattern, so I'll have to see if I have enough fabric on hand to make it.  Here's hoping!

This stack will turn into a beautiful quilt for my sweet step-sister's baby who should be here in Mid-May.  I can't wait because I just know he will be gorgeous!  Now, I just wish somebody in the family would have a little girl!  Oh well, I guess I'll just have to use A Walk in the Woods for myself!  :)




I can't get enough of these anchors!  They are so preppy which will be just perfect for this family!  They look like they stepped right out of a J. Crew catalog!

 Of course I have a million other projects either already started or spinning around in my head, but these two for the new babies are the priority.  Not to be selfish, but I can't wait to get back to a project for me.  Oh well, soon enough!

To see what others are working on head on over to Lee's.  Good luck making progress on your project's this week!

Hello Out There!

Well, I'm back.  Sorry to have been away for so long, but I needed to take a break.  Not just from blogging (since baby G came along I haven't been doing much anyway), but from quilting in general.  Without going into a ton of boring details suffice it to say the past couple of months have been exciting yet stressfull and in the end turned disappointing.  Needless to say, everything and everyone is okay, but I just needed a little time to get my head together.  Now I'm itching to get back into my sewing room!

Some sewing updates:

I finished my first quilt top for Quilts of Valor.  I was so excited to turn it in to the MSP Quilting Angels I didn't take a picture first.  I will be sure to post one when it is back from the long-armer!  If you want to see a picture of the first block I made find it here.

I'm currently busy working on a quilt for my cousin who just had her baby this morning.  As usual I'm running really, really behind, but I'm determined to finish it before he's a year old!  Oh how I love having a new little baby to squeeze especially when I don't have to deliver them!  I can't wait to get my hands on that sweet little boy!

 Once I finish this baby quilt I will start on one for my step-sister who is due May 8th.  Lots of little babies coming into the family this year!  I can't wait!  Keep 'em coming ladies!

Well, I'm off to the park to wear out the kiddos and then I'll start quilting away!

See you tomorrow for WIP Wednesday!

stash report

I have been taking a little break from the stash report, but there hasn't really been much to report as of late.  I've been doing quite a bit of sewing, but it has all been counted out already or I can't quite count it used yet.  I still don't have any finishes, but I do finally have some changes in my numbers in both directions.

Last week I met with the Quilting Angels and donated 3 yards of fabric that had been sitting on my shelf for years gathering dust, but I knew someone there would put it to good use.  I'm very pleased to say that a purple batik I brought in was the perfect border fabric for one of the quilts.  I was so happy to see it used instead of taking up space in my teeny, tiny house!!

I have decided that it is imperative that I stay out of quilt shops while on my self-imposed fabric diet!  Yesterday I went to a local shop with the DC Modern ladies and bought a little fabric.  It was so fun and I know what I'll do with most of it, so I'm not going to beat myself up about it.

The gray polka dots are for an online swap, the red was just too beautiful to stay in the store, and the umbrellas are for an I Spy quilt I will make one day for the boys.

See, not a lot of fabric.  I need to put the move on some projects though because next month Flea Market Fancy comes out and I'm going to allow myself to go a little crazy.  :)

I have two baby quilts I need to start soon as the two babies will be here before I know it, so that should help the numbers tremendously!  To see how everyone else did this week head over to Judy's.

For those of you that have an extra day off this weekend, Enjoy!  Hope you can fit in a little sewing!

Used this week: 3 yards
Used YTD: 12 yards
Added this week: 2.25 yards
Added YTD: 3.75 yards
Net Used YTD: 8.25 yards

Saturday Sewing

I was fortunate to spend this morning with some of the fabulous ladies in the DCMQG.  It is always so much fun to get together with this group!  I'm so glad the boys are a little older so I feel a little more comfortable leaving them for a couple of hours.  Graham sleeping through the night definitely helps matters!

I remembered last night at around 10:30 that at today's meeting we were getting a needle turn applique lesson.  Of course that means I was up really late getting prepared!  Oops!

So this morning I arrived at the Fairfax City Library all pieces ready to go, but a little sleepy and blurry-eyed.

I still need lots and lots of practice, but it's a start!

I realize this isn't the world's best picture, but it's mostly just to prove that I actually tried applique.  This is my practice piece, and if it isn't too horrible I'll show it to you when it's finished.  :)

Our awesome teacher could be yours too!  Eileen Thomas is so sweet, informative, encouraging...everything you need/want in an instructor.  Not to mention she brought chocolate!  Can't beat that!

After our lesson we went across the street to a local quilt shop where I broke my no fabric buying streak, but that I'll 'fess up tomorrow on the stash report.

As always I had a lovely time, and I can't wait until our next meeting in March!

Sunday Stash Report

The weeks just keep going by faster and faster!  I can't believe we are already at our last stash report of January!

I'm so pleased to share with you that I finally have some progress to report this week.  I finished my butterfly quilt top Thursday night!  See post here.  I was able to keep the momentum going and pieced the back and cut out the binding Friday night.  Now I just need to baste and quilt it!  I seriously doubt I will have this finished by the end of January for the UFO Challenge, but I'm so pleased with my progress.  I know it will be complete in the next couple of weeks! 

I also had to do a little shopping this week too.  I bought all of the Kona Snow at Capital Quilts yesterday, but unfortunately all they had in stock was 1 1/2 yards.  I need a lot more, but I figured I'd take what I could get.  Running out of Kona Snow is holding up a couple of my projects, so I'll definitely have to order more this week!  Anybody know of any good sales? 

This weeks numbers:

Used this week: 9 yards
Used YTD: 9 yards
Added this week: 1 1/2 yards
Added YTD: 1 1/2 yards
Net used for the year: 7 1/2 yards

Not too shabby!

Thanks to Judy for hosting both the weekly stash report and the UFO Challenge!  You have really kept me on my toes this month!  I have found myself more focused on finishing my WIPs instead of dreaming of new projects and buying fabric!  Thanks for helping me reach my goals this year!  So far anyway!  :)

Sewing the Day Away

Yesterday I met up with the Quilting Angels and had the best time!  Unfortunately, I spent most of my time chatting instead of sewing, but I was able to start a new project which is always fun!

I have wanted to make "Outside the Box" from The Modern Quilt Workshop since I bought the book, so yesterday was the day.  The process wasn't as easy as I had hoped.  The directions call for pieces cut out at the 3/4 mark instead the standard 1/2 that I'm used to, so that threw me off a little at first.  I'm pretty sure the cutting will go better at home because I'm usually not trying to have a conversation while I'm doing it.  I find I'm a much better quilter when I'm not distracted!

I'm so excited to see the way this one turns out!  If it actually looks the way I picture it in my mind, it's going to be really cool!

Here's a picture of my first block, shown off by my little assistant:




Does anyone else have a child that refuses to smile for the camera?


Hurst has been playing with the block every since I took it out of my bag to show my husband.  He thinks everything I make is for him!

Sadly, this quilt will have to wait until I finish a couple of projects this week before I can start working again.  I need to start quilting my butterfly quilt and Saturday I'm going to a baby shower for my sweet cousin and I'm baking about 50 elephant shaped sugar cookies for the dessert table.  Who am I kidding?  I probably won't touch the quilt until I meet with the ladies again in February!

I am looking forward to finishing the top soon.  This will be my first Quilt of Valor and I'm so happy to finally be able to work on one!  I look forward to sharing the process with all of you! 

Late Night, Early Morning Sewing

Well, I stayed up way too late last night, but I finally finished the butterfly quilt top!  Today has been rough, but it was worth it!!  I used a block designed by one of the ladies from my sewing group to make this!  I have loved making a girlie quilt.  That's not something that happens often here in the land of testosterone!

If I can stay awake during naptime, I'll piece the back...that's a big if!

I'm not optimistic that I'll finish this by the January 31st deadline for the UFO Challenge, but I'm going to give it a shot!  Even if I don't finish it by the January deadline I know it will be finished soon.  Once it's complete it will be donated along with other quilts from the Quilting Angels.  The group gives quilts to many organizations for children, but they usually go to children with pediatric cancer.

This weekend will be big fun!  Last weekend the Quilting Angels meeting was cancelled due to weather, but they have rescheduled for tomorrow.  I'm not sure what I will work on while I'm there, but it won't be the butterflies.  Due to the use of inappropriate language that usually accompanies my quilting, I think it best that I quilt at home, in private, after my sons are asleep...ahem.  :)

Maybe I'll start cutting out a new project?  I do love a new project!

What is everyone else doing this weekend?


I'm linking up to Finish it Up Friday at Amanda Jean's and Confessions of a Fabric Addict today.  It's not completely finished, but I'm still sharing 'cause it's fun!