Sewing Again!!

I am so happy to report that I actually did a little sewing tonight after work!!  Yes, I turned on the machine (since I can now see it on the table, it's no longer piled with stuff) and sewed two blocks for my Phone Guy's Wife collection.

First I finished up the Maple Leaf block that I had cut out about a month ago.  It's a spring maple leaf, bright green like the tree in my back yard was before the heat wave.

Then I did a block called Northern Lights.  I think it was supposed to be a lower contrast, but honestly I don't think I like blocks where the colors sort of mush together.  What is the point of doing all that piecing and not have it show, you know what I mean?

So this block looks very nice but I must not have been careful sewing because one side is slightly less than the full 6 1/2 inches, I think you can see the offending corner.  I might have to un-sew, and re-sew this one.

I also pressed some more hearts onto some more muslin.  I'm trying to convince my oldest Grand that she can do the sewing around the edges.  Right now they're just held on by Wonder Under.

Also I am ready for a marathon sewing weekend, (since I have taken vacation the two days after the coming holiday) having cut many small pieces into usable strip sizes...  I have a bin of two inch strips

and another of 2 1/2 inch strips...

just ready and waiting for some production sewing.

Also ready to go is one little girl's dress for the smallest grand

All that is needed is a zipper, and some facings or bindings on the neck and sleeves.  I guess I didn't hang it too well, did I?? 

Oh, and I got a 'housewarming' gift in my new office today.  It matches exactly the green of the guest chairs and the wall and ceiling in the break room.  Thanks went out to the generous guy who sent this to me from Overland Park, Kansas.  What will they think of next??

This is actually a very functional tape dispenser!!  What a hoot!

Sew on, and I mean it!!

It's All In the Prep Work

I am part of a group of quilters through our church, the Loving Hands Quilters.  We make baptism quilts for the babies in our congregation and those who are baptized in our church.  We donate quilts to various charities both local and worldwide. We enjoy working together.

Everyone has a task they like best, but we all do various things.  Over the past couple of years I've become the "kit maker".  We pick various patterns to sew, and I cut up fabric from our stash and pack each kit in a zip-locked plastic bag.  I label the bag with the pattern name, and everyone works from their personal copy of the pattern.

We cleaned and organized our stash recently.  I ended up with a large tub of fabric, tied into bundles of fabrics that go together.  Now I have to start cutting.

Normally we're what we call 'self-funded'... that is, we are on our own for finances.  This has been OK for a long while, because we have donated fabrics to work from, and we've made do with things from our various personal resource centers.  Once in a while we get some money and go pick up the things that we're missing.  Most of the time we buy solids or tone on tone fabrics, and batting.

This month I have the pleasant task of spending a few dollars to fill the gaps in our stash.  We have a lot of floral calicoes, and we need some coordiates and some muslin.

The ladies requested that we do a couple of heart applique patterns.  I picked up a bolt of Wonder Under at Joann's with my 40% off coupon.  Then I used my ASG discount for another 10% off.  I spent this afternoon tracing my heart templates onto the paper side, and ironing them onto swatches of the various florals and other small pieces of fabric. 

Then. I. Cut. Them. Out.  Wow, even when watching reruns of The Gilmore Girls, that makes for a long, boring afternoon!!  Then, more ironing onto 6 1/2 inch squares of muslin. 

I hope someone else wants to sew around the edges of these hearts.  I think I may be tired of looking at them...