Happy Birthday

To me! Not only is it my birthday today, but I was also chosen as a finalist in Rachel's latest mosaic contest, Sweet Contrary. Here is my entry: 

What do you think? I think you should go vote for me, it is my birthday after all ;-). Even though I totally voted for myself, there is a mosaic I like better.  I won't tell you which one until the voting is closed.  I mean, we're talking about free fabric here.  Free fabric is amazing any day!  

I'm off to make some scrumptious strawberry cupcakes for myself.  Maybe I'll remember to take a picture or two before they're gone. . .

~A

Oopsie

I totally forgot to link up with Rachel's Scrap Attack yesterday!  That's what finally motivated me to take this project from drawing to actual, real live quilt.  That and finally figuring out how to start it.  Even when I had it sorted out in my head, I was still skeptical.  But it's working out. So far.




Here's my official link up button.

Scrap Scraps

Today I finally finished cutting out 2 1/2 inch strips for a new quilt.  I drew up the plans for this fella a couple of months ago.  I knew that I wanted it to be made out of scraps of vintage sheets and be amazing.  So far, so good.  

First came the scraps.

This stack of beauties came from Jeni.  She was having a sale. . . so all six of her rainbow scrap stacks came to live at my house.  I'm a sucker for a sale.  Especially on fabric. Or yarn. 

Then came the cutting.

At first I was keeping things nice and orderly.  Cutting one finicky scrap at a time and meticulously folding each strip and placing it on the stack. . .

Then I got bored.  The scraps were like "What the heck man? Neat, schmeat, just toss us in!" So I did.  I threw caution to the wind and started cutting three at a time and then shamelessly tossing them on the pile.

 

Even Danger got in on the action.

This is where I'm at so far today.  

I can't wait to get these sewn together.  I have no idea how exactly this is going to come together but I have faith that it will. 

I even have plans for this pile of scrap scraps.  Crazy, right?

Scrap Mail

Lately I've found myself drawn to the scrappier side of town.  I love the endless combinations, the possibility of bold contrast or sweet subtlety, the play on colors versus patterns and the surprisingly pleasing busyness of it all.

In every day life I like things tidy, simple and clutter free.  Emphasis on the clutter free.  I am by no strange stretch of imagination the queen of organization but I like my disarray well hidden behind a facade of neatness.  So it surprises me a little that I'm happy being scrappy. (I know, I'm so punny). 

So finding myself inspired to create blissfully scrappy things and sadly lacking in the scrap department I did what any young, confident, good looking crafter would do in my position, I bought some.  Hawthorne Threads offers scrap bundles for a very reasonable price.  I ordered a pack of each of their three offerings: cool, warm and fresh. 

This is what I got:

A wonderful assortment of beautiful, current fabrics.  I'll admit, the packs weren't as scrappy as I was expecting but I like the feeling that I have enough of each piece to finish a project.

I have more scraptacular goodness planned, I can't wait to share!

Piece,

~A

The Problem Is. . .

Me!  Lately I've felt behind the 8-ball.  Like way behind.  Way, way behind.  I've been blaming it on the business of trying to sell the house, the fact that I'm babysitting for my neighbor now, the kids being cranky, Girl Scout Cookies and pretty much every possible thing going on in my life.  Turns out, the problem wasn't not enough time, it was time management.  In other words, me!

So, I hitched up my big girl panties and got some stuff done the past couple of days.  I've been painting like a woman possessed.  And I managed to finish two months worth of bee blocks for the Cheer Circle in a night.  Let's not talk about the fact that I just realized that it is actually February and was therefore two weeks late with my January blocks, mmkay?

I also finished the very pink socks I was working on for my brother-in-law and started a gift for a friend's baby.  I feel GREAT!!  Productivity makes me so happy!  Also, I'm blogging right now.  Double score!

Here's a snapshot of what I've finished.

January Blocks for the Cheer Circle of do. Good Stitches.  This block was very fun to put together.  I love the pink block with the mermaid.  It might be my favorite bee block, you know, so far.

 

These two beauties were also for the Cheer Circle, February edition.  These were simple to put together, quick and so, so fun to do.  I could definitely do a quilt this way.  The pattern is a Jelly Roll pattern by 3Dudes.  I used this tutorial by the Missouri Quilt Company.

Oh, these glorious pink socks.  Not just pink, sparkly pink socks.  I thought that using the cable pattern would add a little masculinity.  The yarn is Dream in Color Starry in Pinky.  My little Chickadee promised her uncle these pink socks about 4 years ago.  He's been asking for them ever since.  I wanted to finish them in time for Christmas last year but just didn't quite make it.  As in I didn't cast on until January.  They're done now.  Wear them proudly Mike. . .

Hopefully I'm back on track now.  I'll have more to share soon.

~A

Many hands

make light work.  And light is exactly how I felt after dropping this top off the other day. As much as I enjoyed working on this project, it was nice to send it on it's way for the next step.

 Many hands have helped make this quilt top and more hands are involved right now in making it a whole, usable quilt.  This quilt is the one I've been working on for the Quiltcon.  The individual blocks were from the Quiltcon Challenge.  These are a handful of the blocks that didn't make it into the "official" Quiltcon Quilt.  They are all very different and very beautiful.  I love each of them. The quilts will be donated to the Austin Children's Shelter in Austin, TX to be put to good use.

When I laid the blocks out I wanted a scattered yet cohesive look on a plain background.  Sort of like a gallery of art work.  Which it kind of is.  I chose white because it really was the best fit.  It seems wrong to send a mostly white quilt to a kid, but hey, the back of the quilt will be dark at least. 

When I was working on the quilt, sans design wall, I laid the squares out on the floor of my workspace, aka, the living room.  Since I couldn't get the top done all in one go, I used blue painter's tape and a picture on my phone to remember the correct layout as I worked.  I decided in the process that I really, really need a design wall. 

 

This quilt is being put together by the Coastal Carolina Modern Quilt Guild, just started late last year.  It's our first project as a group and although only a few of us have worked on the quilt so far I know that every guild member is invested in it.  I am very fortunate to work with such talented and generous ladies. I am very excited to see the quilting and to send it off to Austin.  It's due by February 1st and I'll post the pictures of the finished quilt when before I put it in the mail.

Now I'm off to finish my Cheer quilt!  

~A

What I'm working on. . .

It's still busy as ever here at our house.  I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that we're actually leaving.  I'm more sad about it than I expected.  We've been here, in this house, for six years now.  This is the longest I've ever lived in one place.  My dad was in the Air Force growing up and we moved a lot.  As in every couple of years.  I did manage to stay in one place for all four years of high school but then immediately moved again.  Then I joined the Air Force, married a Marine and I'm still moving.  So, I'm used to change. I like the nomadic life actually.  I get to try out new places and I've lived in some amazing areas.  Monterey, California anyone?  So I wasn't expecting this move to be so difficult.

Of course, since I've been here I've made tons of wonderful friends, bought my first house, remodeled my kitchen, started a large organic garden, bought a horse, started a business, sold the business, and generally imbedded myself in the community.  So, this move is going to be tough.  Luckily we're not going too far away so we can still visit often.

In between bouts of painting and cleaning I have been managing to sew every day.  Here's a little snapshot of the things I've been working on.

Gorgeous quilt blocks go in the taped boxes.  I'm working on a quilt for Quiltcon.  It's part of the Quiltcon challenge from last year.  The quilt squares that didn't make it into the official Quiltcon quilt got parceled out to various Modern Quilt Guilds to be made into twin sized quilts for the Austin Children's Shelter.  I'll show you more on that soon.

These are the very pink socks that Chickadee promised her Uncle Mike a long, long time ago.  I'm finally working on them.  The pattern is Boyfriend Socks.  They're going pretty fast for size 12 feet.

Oh, how I love this project.  I'm hoping to have it done by the first of February since I'll have a group of ladies over to show it off to on the second.  

Love. 

I hope you're enjoying your MLK day today.  

Peace,

~A