Friday Release...

of pent up energy and frustration. I gave a test this morning in my class, so this week was hectic with many hours of prep and grading, and stressing that my students really weren't taking the course seriously. It is, afterall, Thermodynamics...a major weed-out class in the curriculum. I passed only about 60% last fall in this class. Usually during tests, I sit and sew, but today I did prep work for Monday so I can have the next 2 days ALL to myself. YEA!.

While the kiddies were upstairs this afternoon (one napping, the other pretending to be a not-so-quiet monkey), I worked feverishly (thanks to my newly acquired cold) in the basement on my many projects. My sewing space is a mess on acount of too many unfinished projects so I need to complete some things asap or I will be in need of another 6' work table. I just bought one 2 weeks ago (to which my husband raised his eyebrows and said "you need this?"... "Yes, dear, unless you want threads and fabric in the dining room indefinitely!")

The last few days I have been piecing the last border for my summer quilt. The piecings are fairly simple, but I am such a stickler for NO CUT OFF POINTS that I am being quite careful. I have managed to make this entire quilt of many hundred triangles and if there is a cut off point, I have not found it yet. OK, that may be an exaggeration, but it is pretty good.

So here is one border piece staged beside the quilt. I have about 80% of the triangles assembled for the other borders. Now they just need to get strung together in a nice, random way. I really love how the border brings out the simplicity of the wider, more neutral border, as well as tying into the very busyness of the central part of the quilt.
I have no idea how this will be quilted. I fear that the Amish would not really want to quilt it how I would want (patterned and not just all stitch in ditch), but I think I will send them a photo to comment on. It has always been my image that this be hand quilted.
Here's a little Unicorn, paper-piecing from Hell. Ha! If I never do anything with this much PPing again, it will be too soon. I am not happy with how the unquilted horse looks, but I can't really decide what to do there. Any ideas??
Tomorrow is my day of sewing for Project Linus. I have three quilts in parts to take. Two just have fleece backs so they should be easy to complete (just tied). The third is made up of 15 of my birthday block swap blocks, and I plan to MQ...just not sure if I will get to it tomorrow. At any rate, it will be a pleasant day away from the noise of my house. We have a weekend of rain in the forecast so the kids will be too energetic inside for my taste. THey also say that we may have Hurricane WhoseIt heading our way too. Batten down the hatches!...

Why Be Normal?

This past weekend, we went to a neighborhood party. It was an "Around the Block" party, where we went to 4 houses, done with different themed events. The first house was the Frat-Toga party. There was a keg in the back of a pick-up and a quarters match in the dining room. Mind you - we are all 15-20 years out of college so this was quite amusing to see. The second stop was the start of the "trailor park trash" theme. Their entire house and garage and yard was decorated to the hilt - pop-up trailor set up, all lawn decorations out, three pick up trucks on lawn and all kinds of good redneck paraphanalia in the house. Very amusing. SHe did squirrel stew (really pulled pork), and had drinks from mason jars. I'm a little embarassed that this hick is my real-life husband, but then, look at me??! I went as Daisy Mae the unwed and pregnant Walmart worker, dolled up with very bright blue eyes, extra-long red nails, large earrings, ciggie & PBR, and the lovely curler in front. Oh, and the back of my maternity shirt had "hottie" in rhinestones! The front (which is hard to read) said "Who's Yur Daddy?...Billy Rae, Bobby? Clinton?". Fortunately, my shoes (which God only knows why Goodwill does not own yet) really hurt so I got to go around as the barefoot and pregnant gal too! The gang quickly decided that I was fit for the head roll at the next house - It was the redneck wedding! So Rosco and I got hitched (again), complete with wedding dress, great redneck vows, jello shooters (to tuck into my nearly-nonexistant cleavage during the ceremony, and staged out rolls like Big Sexy, the angry ex-boyfriend. It was all a riot, really!

Dare I digress for a minute...Back to the real world. I have pieced and quilted this as a present. It still needs binding. If I ever contemplate doing a paper pieced like this again, someone just shoot me.
I also completed this as another Linus quilt. It uses some of my Kona scraps and Kaffe Fassett squares I got on ebay some time ago. It has nice crispness and vibrant colors. Wish I could get that to show in a picture :-((

The quilting is done in the ditch and on the KF squares in a variagated red-mauve thread, flower pattern.

And lastly, if anyone is seeking a sneek peek of my ALQS quilt...the top is nearly completed and I hope to get it sandwiched this week. I must admit, I violated the rule and decided to make a holiday-esqe quilt. At least I do know that my partner is not Jewish!

The Weekly Ramblings

I have been puttering along with this and that, a little slower than usual because of going back to work 3 mornings a week, and having to prep for class, grade homework, etc. But none the less, there are still some sewings going on. And plenty of plans in the works (naturally!).

My youngest turned two a week or so ago. Here's (sadly) our best picture in the birthday dress I made for her (Damn her affinity for that silly hydrant!). She just loves the little red enameled ladybug buttons on it too-

I have finished up three Project Linus tops in I had lying around this past month. Last year I must have had lots of UGLY fabric donated because this is definitely not a beauty. It's well made, and machine quilted, but far from lovely. Someone will still be warm.
Here's a closeup of the quilting. I am obviouslt still working on machine quilting and various shapes, etc. I did flowers in each square.
I have started on this Unicorn quilt. I must have fallen and hit my head, and am losing my mind. I found this on the internet. It is massive paper piecing. I think it has 50 sections to paper piece. PPing is far from my favorite thing to do, being that it is slow, wasteful and I frequently mis cut and have to take out those awful tiny stitches. UGH! Luckily, I have all but one section pieced and will start to see the sections come together later today. I'll hold onto this for Christmas.I am also going to make my daughter a smocked dress for the holidays. The fabrics I have ordered are not "holiday-ish" but will look fancy and will be great for all of spring. I thought the ribbons and ballerinas were so girly. Plus she looks great in peach. I am anxious to try out the smocking pleater a former colleague of mine lent me last year once this fabric arrives.

Other notes...

~I am still awaiting my Miniature Booty quilt. Don't know if it's lost in the mail or if I have another no-show this session. Looks like it's time to quit swapping!

~My ALQS quilt top is getting closer to being pieced. I have been hand sewing bias strips the last 4-5 days (no hints for what they are!!). Maybe a sneak peek in a week or so.

~I have finished up a couple more blocks for the birthday block swap and will post pictures of September's next time. Julie - Your house is not a shed!! And no it's not a double wide either (though that'd be funny!). I think it looks good. But remember, every neighborhood has that one house that raises an eyebrow and makes you think to your self "What were they thinking??!"