Felt Food Friday - Smorgasbord

Everything so far, minus the donuts that were packed in my hand stitching bag.

And minus a chicken leg, several strawberries, a couple eggs & the carton, an apple and one chicken nugget that are already lost. I think someone needs some kitchen organization in the new year.

Cheez-Its

Bacon & Eggs

Eggs & Carton

Pumpkins

Apples

Banana

Strawberries

Squash

Turkey with Legs

Potato Chips

Chicken Nuggets

Donuts

Christmas Cookies

Sunday Stash Report - Week 52

Whew - I didn't get fabric for Christmas! 

I got gift cards...and anything purchased this coming week doesn't count because I start at zero in the new year - right?

I finished Rudolph and the Grinch, but I still need to take pictures. They went straight from the dryer into wrapping paper.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Used this Week: 10.16

Used Year to Date: 136.4

Added this Week: 0

Added Year to Date: 165.95

Net Used for 2011: (29.55) yards

Check out how everyone else is doing on Patchwork Times!

Felt Food Friday - Christmas Cookies

Merry Christmas!

I used regular cookie cutters, picked by the Dude, and traced onto cream felt.

Then I stitched the blue about 3/8" inside the line. 

{The cross was easy. The tree was not.}

Then I trimmed them down and realized I wasn't planning on stuffing them, so the tracing was now on the wrong size of the cream. Oops.

So a quick retracing, stitched along the line, cut them out, sprayed away the line, and - Christmas cookies!

Next week: the so-far-smorgasbord.

WiP Wednesday & Fifteen Minute Challenge - Stomach Bug Edition

The Dude had the stomach bug Thursday night, puked all night, and bounced back by Friday afternoon. I had the stomach bug yesterday, puked once, slept for 13 hours, and am barely moving today. I want to be a six-year-old.

But Christmas doesn't care about stomach bugs, so I had to keep working today.

I used my 15 minutes each day to prep the binding for Rudolph and the Grinch. By Sunday it was ready to go and I started alternating 15 minutes of binding with 15 minutes of present wrapping - a good way to do two hated tasks.

Plus it's really nice to have the binding all neatly wound up while sewing it!

Christmas Sewing:

Grinch panel quilt - niece - quilted, half-bound

Rudolph panel quilt - the Dude -quilted, bound & awaiting threads clipped

 

Quilt-Alongs:

Fat Quarter Stars - four blocks behind...sigh...

LQS Saturday Sampler - 10/12 blocks done - need to do October and December

Quiltville Orca Bay {Skorca!} - 50/112 B&W QSTs, 9/36 red strings, 34/175 B&W HST, 32/32 blue squares to become triangles, 4/175 B&W HST with additional triangles

Hunter's Star, round two

No actual sewing progress, but I did cut most of the pieces I still need for the half-blocks.

Untouched This Week:

Chunky Log Cabin

Frolicking Pinwheels

St. Paul's Cross

Swoon A Little, Swoon A Lot

Awaiting Quilting:

Sunkissed Jewel Box

Bad Romance

Layer Cake Quilt Along

Hunter's Star

Fall-gyle

Star Wall Hanging

New Projects: 0

Completed Projects: 1

In Progress: 16

Don't check out more at Work in Progress Wednesday - Lee is taking the month off. :) But do check out how others are managing their time at Life in Pieces!

Design Wall Monday - Week 51

Nothing, really. I took Debbie's suggestion and hung Christmas Stars on the wall, even though it's done. It's keeping the Christmas spirit while I finish the binding on the Grinch and Rudolph.

And in Skorca news!

Starting to look interesting... I wonder what these units are going to connect to. Seems like we've used a LOT of black & white and still not much of the main color!

Check out more design walls at Patchwork Times, and more Orca Bay progress at Quiltville!

Sunday Stash Report - Week 51

Thanks to the Friday Night Sew-In, I got everything for Christmas just about finished up!

Finished two dresses and two nightgowns for an American Girl - like last week, one from stash, one purchased.  

I used two patterns for the A-line dresses - Simplicity 3929 for the top and Simplicity 2458 for the bottom.

The white nightgown is McCall's 3627 and the purple is Simplicity 3929 with sleeves from some other pattern. I don't recommend the second pattern with flannel - it's perfect for a cotton dress, but a little too thick for the neck with flannel.

I finished quilting the Grinch, despite a small hiccup with the walking foot.

The guide snap-in broke. Thank goodness for painter's tape!

Rudolph is also quilted, but I don't count them out until the binding is on, so...next week! Which is Christmas - but other than the binding, I just have to whip together a ballet slipper bag, so I am way ahead of schedule.

I also gave away two panels for Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day. They're all packed up and ready to go in the mail tomorrow.

Used this Week: 2.33

Used Year to Date: 126.24

Added this Week: 0.5

Added Year to Date: 165.95

Net Used for 2011: (39.71) yards

Check out how everyone else is doing on Patchwork Times!

Giveaway Winner!

I'll be back with my Friday Night Sew-In results in a bit, but first - giveaway winner!

Congratulations, and thanks to everyone who entered!

Felt Food Friday - Donuts

There were going to be a half dozen donuts, with chocolate and vanilla frosting. And sprinkles. Tons of sprinkles.

Instead, there was tons of puking.

So there is a single, solitary donut with no sprinkles. The stuffing hole isn't even stitched shut.

And I have wiped down every surface of my house - and my kid - with Lysol.

Tutorials: here, here and here.

I used a CD for the outer circle - perfect size. I didn't cut out the middle hole until it was sewn shut. And I have a package of colorful skinny beads for the sprinkles.

Assuming we have defeated the evil 24-hour stomach bug (and not spread it to the parents of the house), I'll be whipping up cookies to decorate on our car ride next week. And the rest of the donuts to be sprinkle-fied.

Work in Progress Wednesday - Week 40

It's Christmas. I'm not in panic mode...yet. I actually keep thinking it's the week OF Christmas already - and then I worry that I'm not in panic mode!

Christmas Sewing:

 Grinch panel quilt - niece - basted & half quilted

 Rudolph panel quilt - the Dude - quilted!

Star Wall Hanging - finished top & "hanging" on my design wall 

Quilt-Alongs:

Fat Quarter Stars - three blocks behind, planning a catch-up day! Er, probably in January... 

 LQS Saturday Sampler - November's block done - I really like this one.

Quiltville Orca Bay {Skorca!} - 50/112 B&W QSTs, 9/36 red strings, 34/175 B&W HST, 32/32 blue squares to become triangles

Untouched This Week:

Chunky Log Cabin

Frolicking Pinwheels

St. Paul's Cross

Swoon A Little, Swoon A Lot

Hunter's Star, round two

Awaiting Quilting:

Sunkissed Jewel Box

Bad Romance

Layer Cake Quilt Along

Hunter's Star

Fall-gyle

New Projects: 0

Completed Projects: 1

In Progress: 16

Don't check out more at Work in Progress Wednesday - Lee is taking the month off. :)

Check out other BoMs at What a Hoot!

{And check out my Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day giveaway here!}

Fifteen Minute Challenge - Week 16

I've spent way more than 15 minutes in the sewing room every day this week - it's Christmas Crunch Time!

Tuesday - basted the Grinch

Wednesday - pieced Rudolph

Thursday-Monday - quilted the Grinch, made doll clothes

Monday - borders on Rudolph

So far the Grinch has diamond cross-hatching. I haven't decided if I want to do a couple of extra lines in there. I think it'll depend on time - I need to get Rudolph basted today so I can quilt while the Dude is at school. Rudolph's quilting will be even simpler than the Grinch's, so if I get done by Friday, I can add lines to the Grinch.

 I tried drawing the extra lines, but, um, I can't draw with a mouse. I think it will look good {with thread} so I hope I have enough time.

I'm going to spend this week's 15 minutes prepping the binding for both of them, so they'll be good to go by next week. Oh, crap, I need to be ready for Christmas by next week! Okay, I need to spend 15 minutes each day ordering presents, and 15 minutes each day baking cookies, and 15 minutes wrapping presents, and...

Check out how others are managing their time at Life in Pieces!

Design Wall Monday - Week 50

Still nothing! I'm being good and not starting anything until my Christmas sewing is done.

The design wall did make it out of the office to its new locale. It's directly across from the main windows, so it will have lots of natural light...assuming that the sun ever shines again this winter.

The bookshelf to the left will relocate to the Dude's bedroom. On the right, where the wall ends, is our treadmill. I always hated it in the main room because it's the first thing you see from the front door. Now you'll see a quilt! And since the wall is lightweight, I can easily scoot it over when I run.

And the Monday Skorca! update...

I am not following instructions - we are supposed to make 5-1/8" string blocks, cut in half. Unlike red, I don't have blue strings - in fact, I have a lot of large-ish blue pieces. Which is why I chose blue as my main color - I need that bin reduced so I can get the top on it!

So I cut 5.25" squares, assuming that I'll be able to trim up the blocks once they're matched to whatever. Hopefully.

I also didn't cut them in half yet - I don't want the bias edges loose in the box, so I'll cut them when they become blocks.

Check out more design walls at Patchwork Times, and more Orca Bay progress at Quiltville!

{And check out my Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day giveaway here!}

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!

Welcome! I hope you'll take some time to browse in addition to entering the giveaway, and feel free to follow me if you like what you see!

I've finished about a dozen quilts this year, I make felt food for my son's kitchen every Friday, I'm doing a Swoon quilt with three different block sizes, and I'm in the process of moving my sewing room.

While moving the sewing room, I sorted through fabrics and found these two panels.

{Frolic by Sandy Gervais and Love U by Deb Strain}

One was supposed to be the back of my niece's quilt...but I ran out of time to piece it. The other, I have two because I really thought my cousin would have twin girls...but she had boys.

My loss, your gain!

To enter, leave a comment about panels. Do you like them? Do you use them in the front or back of a quilt? Do you leave them as is, or cut them apart and rearrange?

{As usual, if you're a no-reply blogger, make sure you leave an email.}

Mr. Random Generator will pick a winner at 5 p.m. PST on 12/16.

Sunday Stash Report - Week 50

Let's see... I finished the top for Christmas Stars. Not sure if I'm going to quilt it before Christmas or just tack it to the wall as is.

Two more American Girl dresses - one from stash, one from purchased fabric. They just need minor trimming and velcro in the back.

And I picked up the last block for my LQS's Saturday Sampler.

And the pattern for next year! I'm very excited about this one - simple, classic blocks in solids with a black background. I was happy with the original reproduction fabrics, but I think it's going to be even cooler in solids.

Used this Week: 3

Used Year to Date: 123.91

Added this Week: 0.75

Added Year to Date: 165.45

Net Used for 2011: (41.54) yards

Check out how everyone else is doing on Patchwork Times!

Felt Food Friday - Chicken Nuggets

Mmm, quality dining going on here.

I used this tutorial and freehanded blob shapes on two pieces of sandwiched felt.

Those holes? Not big enough to turn the nuggets right side out. Definitely emphasize the curves while stitching - the shapes of the nuggets are the best part. Don't stuff them all the way full, so they lay flatter like nuggets instead of brown blobs.

Next week, donuts. Because why stop with the junk food?

Work in Progress Wednesday - Week 39

Might as well list the Christmas sewing first, since it was the majority of the work!

Christmas Sewing:

 Grinch panel quilt - niece - basted! (no idea on how to quilt it yet...)

 Rudolph panel quilt - the Dude - top done (colors not nearly this yellow - I had to hide in the office to get a quick shot!)

Star Wall Hanging - finished attaching the borders 

 Advent Calendar - done!

 

Hunter's Star, round two - 90 light blue half-blocks, 18/90 dark blue blocks

 

Quilt-Alongs:

Fat Quarter Stars - three blocks behind, planning a catch-up day!

Argyle Quilt Along {Fall-gyle} - talked it over with my quilt teacher and I'm not seam ripping, so it's back to top done. Maybe I'll get it quilted along with the Christmas stuff over the next week.

LQS Saturday Sampler - started the HSTs for November's block

Quiltville Orca Bay {Skorca!} - 50/112 B&W QSTs, 9/36 red strings, 34/175 B&W HST

 

Untouched This Week:

Chunky Log Cabin

Frolicking Pinwheels

St. Paul's Cross

Swoon A Little, Swoon A Lot

Awaiting Quilting:

Sunkissed Jewel Box

Bad Romance

Layer Cake Quilt Along

Hunter's Star

New Projects: 0

Completed Projects: 1

In Progress: 16

Don't check out more at Work in Progress Wednesday - Lee is taking the month off. :)

Fifteen Minute Challenge - Week 15

Last week was crazy busy, after two weeks of really busy, after a month of busy. But, our squadron holiday party turned out to be a lot of fun, and I have a list of what to do better next year.

I did get a little bit of sewing in the meantime, and finished the Advent Calendar.

Tuesday - added borders

Wednesday - nothing {drove to Wichita for a keg}

Thursday - added borders, cut backing

Friday - nothing {holiday party}

Saturday - quilted

Sunday - added binding

Monday - pressed the Grinch for basting

 

 The back is just muslin with simple quilting. It'll never be anything but a wall hanging, so I don't see the point of a pretty back!

One member of the family is really looking forward to tonight.

The Advent Calendar is from the Moda Bake Shop tutorial. Charms are from 12 Days of Christmas and Merry & Bright. Flying Geese and binding are from my mom's old stash.

Check out how others are managing their time at Life in Pieces and more fabric projects at Fabric Tuesday!

Design Wall Monday - Week 49

Absolutely nothing on the design wall, because I have a pile of stuff to finish elsewhere. Grinch, Christmas Stars - all ready for quilting. Rudolph will not go on the design wall since the Dude kind of lives here.

Plus, there's this...

 

We have a big open room for the dining room/kitchen/living room in the middle of the house. We don't have a dining room set, so that room started as a book nook. There used to be large bookcases on that wall. Now they're in the office and I'm...not.

And somehow I have to fit all of this in my nook.

I don't even know where my design wall is going to go! Right now, probably in front of the treadmill (which was supposed to move to the office but won't fit through the doorway.)

I guess that's just part of the joy of being a military wife. By the time we settle on an arrangement that fits, it'll be time to move and jigsaw ourselves into a new house.

In between cleaning shelves and moving furniture, I've been cutting squares for Skorca!

I'm trying to resist buying new fabric for it. I have the few dot scraps, and then just four other B&W prints I've been using. Not much variety, but it needs to be used, so... This is 47 of the 88 squares I need to cut to make my HST this way. And then I need to cut 88 whites!

Check out more design walls at Patchwork Times, and more Orca Bay progress at Quiltville!

Sunday Stash Report - Week 49

I am still suffering from a bad cold, but the squadron holiday party is over so maybe now I can recover. I celebrated by finishing the Advent Calendar!

The borders were on for the first day of Advent, and I got it quilted and bound yesterday and this morning. And yeah, I love it. The pockets are the perfect size - Rolos most days, Christmas movies on Saturdays (well, a note to check the DVD player), and Lego mini-figures on Tuesdays.

And the Dude made this! Okay, not completely by himself - he traced, a teacher cut, he sewed, a teacher guided on the curves. And when his teacher was Mom, she tried not to correct his mistakes....too much!

{That's the finished Saturday Sampler behind him.}

On the ins, I won this giveaway at A Quilter's Table. Not only is it a beautiful set of fat quarters - but next year, I'm going to make a Star Wars quilt in solids, so I see some Darth Vader, R2D2 and the Emperor in that pile.

And then there's this! I helped out with the Dude's sewing class yesterday, and my payment was the scraps. Woo!

Used this Week: 2.25

Used Year to Date: 120.91

Added this Week: 2.5

Added Year to Date: 164.70

Net Used for 2011: (43.79) yards

Check out how everyone else is doing on Patchwork Times!