A Non-Quilt Related Post About Time

I really wanted to have this blog be only about quilting.  I figured if a person reading my blog is interested in quilts, they don't want to read about anything non-quilt related.  Now I understand why some quilt bloggers write about other life related things; life sometimes takes over and quilting has to pause.  That has been my life over the past two weeks. My life has taken so much time that I haven't had time to sew or spend with my husband.  He and I haven't had any "our" time. Life has taken all of our time: work, home, teenagers, homework.  We are running from 5 am to 10 pm when we fall exhausted into bed.

So, after all of our weekend errands were done, I wanted to continue having just hubby and me time.  We dropped off all our stuff, told the kids we have more things to do, and headed to the coast.  Yes, that was time I could have spent sewing, but we really needed "our" time.  What did we do?  We talked on the drive and stood quitly together enjoying the beach. 

I played amateur photographer for a while.  I've got to say, my pictures are not that bad.  My best ones are below.

 Maybe I will get up early tomorrow and do some sewing.

Happy quilting everyone.

Jacob's Ladder block

This will be a quick post tonight.  I haven't had much time to sew; work has been crazy, my nights have been filled with helping my children with their homework and my weekends are filled with housework.  Today I managed to get some time to make one Jabob's Ladder block.

Over the weeks I have taken some time here and there to cut my squares and strips.

When I found time to sew my strips together and cut them into 2.5" sections for the 4 patch, I realized I did not have enough material.  Ugh, I need to get better at figuring out needed yardage.

Normally, I am a person who needs to get things done now.  Through quilting I have learned to wait patiently for my projects to be completed.  Well, I should say, I am learning to wait patiently.

Have a great week everyone.  Happy Quilting!

Quilt, Craft and Sewing Festival, Pomona, CA

Sorry I haven't posted anything for the past two weeks.  Going back to work and getting really sick has left me not wanting to do anything but lay on the couch and be pampered by my hubby.  Although I do still have an annoying cough, I was feeling well enough to go to the Quilt, Craft and Sewing Festival at the Pomona Fairplex. 

I had a really great time with my mother and aunt.   We walked around the booths and bought stuff I needed and stuff I just plain wanted. 

I had gone to the festival intending to buy only two items: a free motion quilting foot for my machine and a yo-yo santa wall hanging pattern.  I found the foot at a booth that sells lots of different items for sewing machines.  Not sure if this foot is going to meet my needs.  My mother purchased a springed free motion foot, we decided to try them and see which one we like the best.  The foot I bought is really simple (which I like).  Let you know what I think.

I had to order the santa pattern and have it shipped to my home.  

This batting is made with 100% bamboo.  I like the idea of bamboo batting.  Bamboo is a renewable resource, breathable and antibacterial (I once bought some bamboo socks and loved how they felt on my feet).  I bought a crib size and a twin size.  It is produced by Winline Textile Products in Odgen, Utah.  (www.winlinetextiles.com).  If I really like working with the bamboo batting, it may be my choice for all future projects.

We visited a booth that sold wool felt by the yard and felt kit projects.  My aunt bought a small kit which makes a Christmas ornament.  I purchased this kit.  It makes three wool felt Jane Austen Cameos.  The kit includes everything I need to make the cameos: precut felt shapes and thread.  I only need to supply the safety pins to make them into broaches.  The husband and wife who own and run the design shop are absolutely delightful; they were very friendly and were very willing to talk to us about thier company.  I asked how she got into design and she openly shared her experience and background. Their products and kits are fun, easy, and inexpensive.  Please visit their website: www.lumenaris.com.  I just enjoyed meeting these two and really wanted to spread the word about them.  Their shop is located in Morgan Hill, Ca. but they said they travel to many different craft shows around the country. 

Of course, I couldn't leave the festival without adding to my yo-yo maker collection.  I bought the heart yo-yo maker in large and small, and the large flower yo-yo maker.  As I was walking around, two women commented on my denim bag which I had embellished with yo-yos.

We were talking about making yo-yos and I explained how the yo-yo maker is so easy to use and makes perfect yo-yos.   One of the women makes yo-yos by hand and was impressed with how the yo-yos have such nice centers.  Her friend said she wanted to buy her own yo-yo maker so she can start making them.  It's great how sewing and crafting can start a converstion between strangers.





I had a great time seeing my mother and aunt.  We went to lunch at Islands and then frozen yogurt at the Golden Spoon.  I tried taking a picture of us with the timer on my camera.  I had never used the timer before and didn't know my camera took multiple shots.

Finally, I took my aunt's intial advice and asked someone to take our picture. 

It was a great day!!!

This week's projects

Everyone in my house has been ill this week.  It started with my beautiful daughter, then with my wonderful son, next my very sweet husband got sick, and now me.  So I haven't gotten as much sewing done as I had wanted. 

I found a great tutorial on Missouri Star Quilt Co.'s youtube channel: "Make a Jacob's Ladder Quilt".  This tutorial makes sewing a jacob ladder block easy and even.  I didn't have to cut small triangles or worry that my seams were lined up properly.  

I really liked the way these fabrics went together.  The green matched the little leaves and helped to bring out the purple of the flowers.  I decided that I wanted to make a twin size quilt of these blocks, but discovered that I didn't have enough fabric.  When I went to Joann's, I couldn't find either one of these fabrics.  (Ugh, I should have bought more that one yard each).  My wonderful son and very sweet husband helped me to pick new fabric.

 I just love the green dotted fabric.  I am thinking of making two jacob's ladder quilts: blue and flower, rust and dots.

I also found the star fabric to back my pinwheel quilt in the clearance section.  I only paid $2.00 a yard so I purchased what was left on the bolt: 2.5 yards.  It's always nice to find fabric on sale.  If I look closely, I always can find some good stuff on the clearance racks.

I also cut the pieces I need to make two Black Apple Dolls.  My sister asked me to make them for my two nieces.  I'll post photos when they are completed.

That's it for this week.  I'll post again next Sunday.  Have a great week everyone.

Happy quilting.

Another quilt top done

I decided that I will only be posting on Sunday nights from now on.  Posting takes a lot of time.  Time I would rather be sewing.  Isn't that what we want to do anyways?  I started this blog to share my work, to participate in sew ins, to work on challenges, and to become part of the wonderful community of internet quilters.  Before I began blogging, I would browse the net to visit all the beautiful quilting and sewing sites: Quiltville's Quips & Snips, Cluck Cluck Sew, The Purl Bee, The Free Motion Quilting Challenge, the Missouri Star Quilt Co., and so much more.  I truly enjoyed looking at everyone's work and learning from all of you.  Now, my time for internet surfing and posting will be limited to the weekends.  Thank you for everyone who has visited and my followers. 

Yesterday, I spent the day sewing another quilt top.  I found the tutorial for these pinwheels on Missouri Star Quilt Co.'s youtube channel.  The tutorial is named "Fast and Easy Pinwheels".  They were fast and easy.  In fact, I would not have been able to make such nice and even pinwheels any other way. 

The pattern uses charm packs.  Instead I cut my material into 6.5 squares.  The final pinwheel block measured 8.5. 

(That's my beautiful daughter holding up the quilt)  I added a four inch border to finish the top.  This would make a cute, quick and easy baby blanket.  My beautiful daughter loved it, so I told her it can be hers.  Visit Missouri Star Quilt Co.'s youtube tutorial "Fast and Easy Pinwheels".  This will be the only way I will be making pinwheels from now on.

The meatloaf is in the crockpot, the Chili Peppers are playing on Pandora, and I have more quilting to practice.  Everyone have a great week and I will see you again on Sunday.

Happy Quilting Everyone.

Yeah, the lamb is done.

When one of my coworkers is expecting a baby, it has become sort of my own tradition to make a baby blanket and a stuffed animal as a gift.  In the past, I would crochet a small donkey doll as the gift.  This doll became known as "Eeyore" (although the pattern was only for a donkey).  Everyone at work knew that if they were having a baby they got an "Eeyore".  In fact, I sometimes got reminders, "Are you going to make my Eeyore?"

Now I that I can't crochet, I had to find a new doll to give with the baby blanket.   Simplicity has a pattern to make a horse, elephant and lamb.  I made the elephant for a neighbor.  Now I wanted to try the lamb.  It wasn't the easiest of patterns, but I think I found the doll I will give from now on.

It is the perfect size for little hands.  The pattern called for button eyes, but I used embroidery floss to make french knots instead (I thought this would be safer).  Isn't it cute?  The pattern number is 2921.  I wonder what my coworkers will call this doll... Lambchop?

WIP Wednesday

While browsing other quilting blogs, I noticed that many quilters post for WIP Wednesday.  I am currently working on a baby blanket for a coworker.  I know the blanket is a panel, but I did add batting and a backing.  To quilt, I stitched in the ditch and am now working on binding.

I was originally going to try finishing the binding with my machine.  The Missouri Star Quilt Co. has a really good Youtube tutorial on machine binding,  I wasn't too happy with how my binding was coming out on the machine, so I took it apart and am now finishing it by hand.  There is something calming about hand stitching. 

Happy quilting!