Baby Steps

Progress this week has been mostly in unshowwable items or ones of little to no interest. I have been puttering on the smocking of Sophie's dress in the evenings. Partly I am like a large captainless ship...it is just guiding itself (translation: I try something, dislike it, and take it out). I did find my 1-2mm seed pearls leftover from making a wedding dress and have been casually adding them to the bodice. I really love the look of the bullion flowers, but am being cautious not to embroider it just like last year's dress.
I have also done a little leg-work on this dress like making a tester of the bodice to be sure it fit her before hacking into the smocking and having it not fit. I modified two dress patterns to combine their better features so this step was a must. Today I have cut out the under-dress (cotton lining), it's ruffle, and the sleeves which are a deeper peach so that the entire dress looks more like 2 dresses (under-dress and peach-colored pinnafore). I have drawn all of the gathering threads, but came to a screaching halt when I realized I forgot to get matching thread and a zipper. DOH! Tomorrow's my day off so we will visit Walmart.

Here's a pic of some of my birthday blocks. I say some, because I am still awaiting a few. And 4 of the ones in the picture are not useable as they are the wrong size. Sadly I have also discovered that the instructions I drafted for those that don't like to paper piece had a flaw in a dimension so another 3 of the blocks I received have the wrong size corner triangles. Not a happy moment!...I can certainly replace these corner triangles, but the fabrics will not entirely match. Oh well...

I am going to a Project Linus Blanket day this weekend and will bring some of these squares and border fabrics in hopes of getting this quilt knocked out. I have also pieced another top for finishing Saturday while there, as well as yet another that is cut out in pieces. I am fairly speedy when I don't have three kids driving me NUTS so I stand a good chance of completing much of this. BTW...are you sure it is NOT legal to strangle one's kid if he is truly being a pain in the ass?? ...middle children ()

The binding is on my unicorn quilt. Maybe I will sew it down this evening.

I am trying to wrap up some of my projects because I have been a very bad girl (perhaps not as bad as Emma...who buys WAY more than I...what does one do with nearly a kilometer of material??!! ). I have a few yards of some very pretty batiks coming my way to make a wedding quilt hanging for a friend of my husband. I have a month to complete this, which ought to be enough time. I am doing a heart design in the storm at sea pattern. I have also ordered some Superior thread, which has come very well recommended (to which I say it ought to be like gold - three 500yd spools for nearly $30) - Yikes!!

I started machine quilting my ALQS mini this morning. I really like the top, but there are definitely some things bugging me about it. I have a love-hate relationship with it. Part of me really wants to keep it as it is my colors, style and despite it's flaws, I'd love to display at Christmas since I don't have such a thing. The other part of me is slightly bothered by places where there should have been an orthogonal edge, that wasn't, or places where the fabric looks a little "thick", and should have been trimmed more if this was really possible. I am something of a perfectionist, so the little things bother me. I think that the recipient is somewhat this way too, so these things bother me that much more. I hope she is understanding, sympathetic and well-spirited. Afterall, it only has to be displayed 1 month of the year! Joking aside, it is really a nice piece, unique and well-conceived (kind of like my three wild things); I am sure she will like it. Soon enough I will post a picture or two.

And good (promising) news, I am told my Miniature Booty quilt is "in the mail". It could arrive anyday. I'll disregard that Toni violated the cardinal rule of swap ettiquite and actually told me who mailed it! I hope to post a picture later this week (because it will not force me to actually create something of my own to show too!)