The First February Finish~

   I'll start off by going on the record saying I know how fortunate I am that I have the time to dedicate to the sewing I do. My work is part time and my kids are of the age that I don't have to hover over them while they're doing schoolwork. Or supposed to be doing schoolwork. I do have to do that kind of hovering. But my twenty minutes a day pledge can easily become hours, especially if a crippling snowstorm closes down the area or a giant sporting event is taking place, as both did this weekend. I decided to start with the tasks I like least to try to make progress; saving the fun for last, so to speak. So I grabbed my grandson's quilt that has been sandwiched for over a month and went for it.

  I guess Beth's isn't the only tractor quilt with a story. Here's mine: simply put, my grandson, Kal-El, adores tractors. Kal's family lives in a cute little house surrounded by a cornfield. It's not theirs. But they're rural dwellers and farms are more familiar to him than Nani's 'big city' life. I didn't make him a quilt when he was born because my daughter asked for cloth diapers instead. When he was a little bigger, I made him one with a robot theme because he seemed to like them. Last spring, when we found out #3 was coming, I told him, "Kal, you're getting so big, it's time for a new quilt. Let's go to the fabric store and you can pick out what you like." Kal got very quiet, looked down and shook his head. I asked him "Wouldn't you like a new, bigger blanket?". Again he said no.  I said okay, but tell me when you want one. He said, "Never! I like my robots!" I realized what he was thinking and after mommy and I reassured him he could keep his robots and have a new one too he got excited about choosing fabric! We went to JoAnn's and I sent him off with Philip, with instructions that Philip was merely to watch him, help him carry bolts and NOT try to talk him into Star Wars. Kal's choice alone. It was only minutes later that Kal came around the corner to us, carrying a big bolt of John Deere flannel by himself, and wearing the biggest grin a little boy could have.  We added the pre-printed broadcloth panels and I pulled the solids from my stash.  I covered one of the printed 'blocks' with a yellow piece I appliqued his name on. The original flannel he chose is actually the back. It was my plan to have it finished before Pippin came, but when that deadline passed I set my sights on his 4th birthday (Dec. 21) or, if I didn't make that then Christmas (because 4 more days would really change everything). Right. Well, Kal's Tractors became #1 for DaGMT. I got it half quilted Friday while I was still stuck in snow, but that doesn't count because it wasn't February yet. I finished the other half Saturday afternoon in about two hours.  Yesterday, (Sunday) I stopped at Hancock after church to pick up a 1/2 yard of a different JD print to make the binding. What should have taken 10 minutes became an hour and a half because their power went out and killed the registers. I already had the fabric cut (2 pieces actually, since I grabbed a piece for Pippin's binding, too, since his quilt is on the list) so I waited with 50 other people 'til they got working again. A stop at Taco Bell for the two teens that had to wait in the car (sorry, guys) and it was 3:00 before we got home. After an episode of "Cutthroat Kitchen" and a chat with hubby I finally headed for the sewing room. My plan was to have the binding made and machine stitched to the front by kickoff so I could hand stitch the back down throughout the Super Bowl. At 4:30 I started cutting strips. I plopped into my hand-sewing chair in the living room just seconds after kickoff at 6:30. Except for one break to stretch, one to eat a couple of crackers and ALL of Bruno Mars performance (I mean---WHOA!) I didn't stop until it was done. We Skyped with the kids for a bit during the game and DH showed Kal what I was working on~ "MY QUILT! MY QUILT!"

Happy GettingSoBigYou'reABigBrotherAgainBirthdayChristmas!, Buddy. Nani loves you.

Yes, there is a matching pillowcase. I made that when I finished the top, forgetting about the need to save some for binding. *smh*

February means DaGMT

  While I was doing my after Christmas straightening, I took notes as I organized and actually made a chart of what I had started, what I had waiting, what I had bought certain fabrics for.

            Don't worry if you can't read it. Sometimes I don't even know what I'm talking about.

   All~ well, a lot~ of the plans that were jumbled in my head were finally on paper with the hope that crossing them off who be so much fun I might actually get them done. Along comes February to help. What's so special about February? It's time for Quilting Hottie Haven's annual Drop and Give Me Twenty!

 

This is a great opportunity to work on and knock out some finishes for those UFOs, WIPs,

Git Er Dones that are hanging around and begging to be done. Twenty minutes (at least) a day, every day-- it is amazing how much you can accomplish! Sign up, make a pledge and post your progress and you could win some great prizes.

 

Without further ado, here is my edited and pasted promise, pledge, plea~

 

"I, meg, (owner of too many UFOs and/or more fabric than I can hope to use up in my lifetime) am joining Quilting Hottie Haven's third annual DaGMT event, and pledge to quilt for at least 20 minutes, (usually first thing in the morning before I drag the children kicking and screaming from their beds to the homeschool table), every day of the month of February, 2014. In doing so I hope to (make way for more fabric purchases, give everyone in my family a quilt for Christmas and ensure my children don't someday have to sort through 89 UFOs and then sell them for $5 each at a yard sale) and I think Beth Helfter is brilliant for coming up with this concept and inspiring me to join. Again."

Join in, won't you?

Hey! I actually finished something~

   Don't faint~~ it's not a costume job either. I have to finish those or actors are naked. No, I did some re-arranging and re-ordering and when I looked at my nice, clean area, I had to sit and sew something. So, on the top of the pile were these panels from a pattern I tested last spring:

 

(Read about them here.)

 

 

   I had added the borders on a whim a few months ago and last week I found a curtain panel in a thrift shop that exactly matched my sofa slip cover that I thought would make a good back for them.
 I used the finished edges of the curtain (coughbecauseI'mlazycough) to save time and made an envelope style back. Some may say that they are passe' for now because Christmas is over but I say "nope".  Since Mother Nature just dropped 10" of snow on my house, which usually gets less than a few per winter, I say snowmen can stay on the sofa as long as they want. Well, they can stay out. They don't stay on the sofa, exactly, because as soon as I place them in the corners, AbbyBeagle comes along and flips them off. Apparently she can't get her hiney into the corners as she likes when they're there. She'll have to get over it. I like my snowmen!

                                                       

*giggle* BOM *giggle* Time!

I'm not sure why the quilter's acronym "BOM" makes me giggle but it does. Why, after all these years, do I still have to stop and think about what it means? Maybe there was something else it meant back in my Navy days that has left my cognitive memory but there's still a reaction. I don't know, but I do know the only BOM I have ever participated in was "Bottled Rainbows" and while the quilt is sandwiched and pinned it is not yet finished. That's not really a surprise--- I really don't enjoy the quilting part of quilting. I like piecework. Which is why, when I did the after Christmas clean up, I found I have about 8 tops and three sandwiches waiting to be finished. That's another post. Today's is for a new BOM I decided to join. It's a mystery, don't know what it's going to be when it's done but it caught me because it is based on 2 1/2" squares. I adore 2 1/2" squares. They are my favorite size and shape to play with, just slightly ahead of the 1 1/4" hexies I've been working on for three years or so, off and on. Any scrap I can get a 2 1/2" square out of, I do. And this is my storage for them:

This jar held a dozen of the most delicious, hand-made ice cream cones from a famous ice creamery named "Doumar's". It's just a few miles down the road in Norfolk, VA. and it's founder claims to be the one who invented ice cream cones at the St. Louis Exposition  in 1904. I think several people make the claim, I don't really care who did it first, I'm just grateful for the ice cream cone. But an added bonus of storing the squares in the jar is they all smell heavenly when I sift through 'em. But, anyway---the BOM. Cindy Staub of Quilt Doodle Designs is offering this sweet winter themed mystery BOM and I'm in. The first block is up and I am delighted that it is seven sweet snowmen. Half my Christmas decorations are snowmen themed so I know this will be a winner. Here's my January block; looking forward to see what February brings!

 

I used a blender from M'Liss Rae Hawley for the blue and some snowflake white-on-white I had in stash~

 

A scrap of orange for the noses and I opted for a flat-backed craft button for the eyes. I positioned the eyes and noses in a wonky way because I like any opportunity to use the word 'wonky'.

 

 

Bonus--- I got to use one of DH's brilliant Christmas gifts to fuse the noses in place! He is such a smart man to know exactly how to read my Christmas wish list. I asked for one thing from the list-- he bought them all plus some. Yes. I'm keeping him.

 

Happy Whatever-You-Celebrate!

The marathon is over. Since spring I have costumed 7 shows (Scapin, Avenue Q, Midsummer, Rent, 9-5, Proof,  Parade) and performed in one of them. I finished the top for "Scrap Vomit" and managed to complete some small stuff. Every time a show opened and I thought life would slow for a bit and I could have some good 'me' time, it didn't happen. I may have broken a toe a few weeks ago and it still doesn't feel right. Had my heart ripped out over some terrible events that happened at church. But joy oversees all~~

Pippin Storm is here and he's beautiful.

I still remember writing about Kal-El's birth. Now he's a big brother twice. These little people make everything awful go away. Happiest of Thanksgivings~ God is so good.

The September post~

No pictures yet from Shakespeare, Rent or 9-5 but... my sister was quick to send one of the her in the dress I made for her first appearance with a group of madrigal singers. She sent a picture of the style she liked and picked out her fabrics. I looked her picture and made this. I never did get her measurements. Oh, yeah, she's in Massachusetts; I'm in Virginny. Next time I'll hem it a little deeper and shorten the sleeves?

We'll just forget about September~

It seems one post a month isn't just for the summer~ it seems it's going to be the fall norm too. Except we'll just forget about September. It was an incredibly busy month which saw 2 significant things in my little world. One was the return to the front side of the curtain as I  played "Margaret" in "9-5" for 13 performances (four weekends!); the other being I turned 52 on opening day. It was truly the best birthday I've had in a long time, since I don't care about my birthday and try to downplay it anyway. But it was special. The kids gave me a wonderful little camera to replace the one that Leia dunked in my iced tea and I was happy that now I could get good pictures to share on my lil' blog here. The camera took about five pictures before it died. It won't take a charge. I'm at a loss and the folks at a large blue and yellow national chain of electronics stores that told me to bring it to them were of no help. Back it goes to the holders of the receipt. *sigh*

But in the happy place department~~ we had a great birthday for Leia Elise at the beginning of October! Wow--- I remember writing about Kal's impending arrival on this blog and now his sister is two years old! (And the next one arrives NEXT WEEK!!!) Leia asked for a 'princess castle cake' and although it's been a long time since I did fancy cakes I did what I could. I think she liked it!

 

Actually, I did write a September post---it was in drafts waiting for a picture. So I'll post it now after I steal a pic from Facebook. Thanks, JAG!