Random Sewing, Random Running

Sewing

Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day is coming! Lucky you - I'm cleaning up my sewing shelves and there will be something good.

I spent a little time this week making burp rags. They'll be listed on my Facebook page because I'm too lazy to deal with Etsy right now. Of course, OSU went and lost the Bedlam game, so I need to get moving on the OU ones.

My sister knit these for me. No, I don't know the pattern or the yarn shop {sister may need to comment!} - but I do know these are Wash socks. Not only that - they are "Curse your sudden yet inevitable betrayal!" Wash socks. Which is one of my all-time favorite show quotes EVER.

Which actually leads right into...

Running

...because I have been known to yell "I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar!" during races.

Immediately after I finished the Route 66 Half, I sent a nasty text about the thought of a full to my running buddy. And I do mean immediately after, as I sat in the med tent with a bag of ice on my leg, as the nurse yelled at me for texting instead of holding the bag of ice.

Apparently I've forgotten all about that in two weeks, because this race report makes me want to do the Route 66 Full. Again. Even with the actual knowledge of the hills. I didn't get beer or Jello shots! I didn't get to see the Route 66 sign! {I did see the "free hug" girl, but sadly didn't hug her.}

I started training again for my next half, the first of Bling Quest 2013. Current word is the babysitter will be returning in time for the Hero-thon in San Antonio, and if he doesn't, we have a bunch of friends down there with whom I can abandon the Dude. Plus, BBQ! The Alamo! BBQ! The Riverwalk! BBQ!

{Also, can I say what a relief it is to finally get a semi-set end date? We heard everything between January-March...and the husband was once told before the holidays, which he wisely kept to himself. It will be much easier to get through the holidays with the end in sight.}

And speaking of the holidays... It's Runcember! And I'm totally breaking the first two rules of Runcember. Walk or run a mile every day in December. Come on, you know you can do it. My training plan has me running seven sprints on Christmas Day - surely the rest of y'all can manage one measly mile. ;)

Linked:
Really Random Thursday @ Live a Colorful Life

Weekly Progress - Thankful

I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend! 

We drove 16 hours to see some friends for Thanksgiving - totally worth it for the fried turkey and raiding her fabric scraps.

Since I was out of town, I didn't get as much done this week, but I did manage to check off a couple things.

Cut out another doll dress just so I could use the scraps in...

{Design Wall} - a Christmas tree wall hanging for my mother.

 {Finished} - the blocks of the Chunky Log Cabin. Next up, the border. And I'm not going to stop and let this thing sit again, especially since I have everything I need to finish it.

{UFO Busting} - Sunday, I actually sat down and worked on a real UFO! Basted the Blue Bowtie and quilted it up. I'm trying to decide if I want to go for a third line of echoing.

{Fifteen Minute Challenge} - not only did I do NO organizing this week - I made it worse by moving a sewing machine and piling everything on the floor there to make room for all this...

So I'm going to have to really dedicate myself to the Fifteen Minute Challenge this week to get everything put away properly so I can share my work space with Santa.

Linked:
Fifteen Minute Challenge @ Life In Pieces

UFO Sunday @ the Free Motion Quilting Project

Design Wall Monday @ Patchwork Times

BOMs Away Mondays @ What A Hoot

Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story

WiP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced

The Desserts of Thanksgiving

I went to a friend's house for Thanksgiving, so all I had to provide was desserts.

And provide, I did! With a little help from Pinterest, of course.

A) Lemon Cream Cheese Bars - um, perfect. Well, I used a 9x13 pan and the cream cheese part was a bit thin. I would double that part of the recipe next time. Because there's no such thing as too much cream cheese.

B) Crescent Roll Apple Pie - good. I used two apple slices per roll, and apple pie spice. I don't think it's any easier than apple pie - but then, I cheat and use premade crust for that, too.

C) Oreo Bark - white chocolate and Oreos. Can't go wrong. I added a smidge of vanilla and used mini-Oreos.

D) Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake - a little dry. And I think the topping would have been better if it was chocolate.

Linked:

Tuesday at the Table @ A Quilter's Table

Weekly Progress - With Bling!

Oh, my shiny. I love you so.

I was aiming for a 2:30:00 finish, and I actually did a good job making it up all the hills in the first five miles without stopping. Then around mile 8, my IT band was all, "Remember those hills? I hate you."

Close - and there are so many more squats and lunges in my future.

Ahem. Sewing. Yes, that's what I do. 

So Friday, I couldn't run, couldn't do strength, and had a lot of pent up energy. I scrubbed the house. I wrapped Christmas presents. I shredded an entire box of paper in the office.

Finally took that energy to the sewing room. I'm awaiting my next set of t-shirts, so I was free to do anything. I should have basted and quilted something. Or at least put borders on the few quilts that need them. Or made some doll dresses or prepped binding or...

Yeah. You know what I did.

New project!

It's a Schnibble, which is typically done with a layer cake, but I used up some Olivia yardage and fat quarters.

Oh, list of to-be-quilted tops... You're never going down.

Design Wall/UFO Busting - Chunky Log Cabin

I think the layout is going to come down to this one {Streak of Lightning} or the Furrows from two weeks ago. And I swear, I'm making a decision and putting them together before next week!

Also, my cat is a jerk.

Finished!

Running T-Shirt Quilt #2

Other sewing

First of several doll dresses. I really need a model.

Saturday Sampler 2011 is back from the longarm. Time to prep some binding!

Made the Dude a pillowcase for his sleepover while I was in Tulsa.

Fifteen Minute Challenge - Organization
3 out of 7 - I wrapped ribbon, picked up the sewing room floor, and refolded and organized my flannel scraps after making the pillowcase.
 
Linked: 
Fifteen Minute Challenge @ Life In Pieces

UFO Sunday @ the Free Motion Quilting Project

Design Wall Monday @ Patchwork Times

BOMs Away Mondays @ What A Hoot

Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story

WiP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced

Running T-Shirt Quilt #2 - Finished!

Moving right through the t-shirt quilt pile! I have one more before Christmas, and then I get to take a breather.

Sorry the picture isn't the best. I snapped a couple of pics before delivering, but when I went to upload... "No card in camera." I think I need a speaking camera to yell that at me.

This one was for a friend who is not allowed to park next to me at school pick up. Seriously. I'm all proud of my little 13.1 sticker, then she shows up with 140.6 - a full Ironman! The blocks in the top middle {without sashing} are t-shirts her husband and kids made for that. One says "You are an Ironmom!" Love!

One new thing I learned - there was a tech shirt that was impossible to cut because of the sleeves going to the neckline. So I ended up using it with the sleeve seams, and it looks pretty cool.

It measures 80x80" and is backed in black minky.

Linked:

Whoop Whoop @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

TGIFF

Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts
Link A Finish Friday @ Richard and Tanya Quilts

#Rt66Run

On Sunday, I'm running the Williams Route 66 Half Marathon, and the organizers asked for blogs posts about why people run.

I had a really good run yesterday {taper, schmaper}, so I thought I could post about how running makes me feel in shape and less stressed. 

I could post about how it feels awesome to get faster these past six weeks, and so incredibly awesome to know I'm going to beat my PR by 30 minutes. {Barring injury.}

I could post about the comraderie I have with other runners, from the DIS Boards, to my friends, to my squadron, to the local running club.

I could post about the numerous races I have on my must-do list, because I like staying in training shape.

Haha, just kidding.

{Shiny}

The bling. I run for the bling.

And Route 66? Has some of the best bling.  

Special medals for Half Fanatics, Marathon Maniacs, and 50 States Club. Special medals for your first marathon. The Center of the Universe detour medallion. And just the regular old bling is pretty darn awesome.

I got a taste of special medals with the Disney Coast-to-Coast this year, and I want more. Disney doesn't do a first marathon medal, so that's out. {Heck, Disney didn't even put "inaugural" on the Tower of Terror 13K medal. I'm not still bitter about that five years later or anything.}

I want the Route 66 first marathon medal, with the detour medallion. And I want to do it from the Maniac Corner. {I also want to do it once I get my half time down to two hours, because I really don't want to run for five hours. Which just means I'll be collecting more bling on the quest for this bling.} 

I know most of my blogging buddies are quilters, but if one hobby involves a lot of sitting, shouldn't our other hobby involve a lot of movement?

And, fittingly, my next post will be a finished running t-shirt quilt!

A parting shot from the next generation:
Me: "Want to do the 5K on base next week?"

The Dude: "Sure - what do we get?"

Me: "A t-shirt."

The Dude: "There's no medal?? What's the point of running if there's no medal??"

Linked: 

www.route66marathon.com 
Really Random Thursday @ Live a Colorful Life

Guest Curator Challenge

Sew Lux Fabrics is having a guest curator contest - make an eight fabric bundle and describe the inspiration.

Easy peasy on the inspiration. My sister is engaged! And more importantly, I'm the maid of honor! I'm taking my duties very seriously. You can tell by my Pinterest board devoted to it.

Her shower will be in early August, and I've already decided on a vague chocolate-covered-raspberry-with-silver-accents theme. {Actually, it's pretty much a Chambord theme...but that makes me sound like an alcoholic.}

Pulling together the bundle was pretty easy. You'd think the focal fabric {Coquette by Chez Moi} would have come first, but it was actually added near the end when I realized I had a lot of tonal prints.

So beware: there are wedding posts to come. Including a guest book quilt, which I quickly agreed to so that she wouldn't ask me to make a double wedding ring.

Weekly Progress - Not So Much

This week was kind of a wash - I lost a day going to OKC to celebrate being the wife of a veteran by getting 20% off at Joann's. With that plus the 60% off coupon, I scored some Kona for about $2.50 a yard. Woo! That's way more awesome than having my veteran home with me!

I also dealt with a stomach bug and a really cruddy long run last week. Luckily I'm feeling better and the forecast is pretty darn near perfect for Sunday - no wind!

So my sewing progress was less than stellar last week, but I'm already catching up.

UFO Busting/Design Wall

Same blocks, different layout. The Dude likes this one a lot. I'm not completely in love. {Does it count as UFO busting if I'm just moving the same blocks around a wall?}

Fifteen Minute Challenge - Organization

Pinterest project! I haven't managed to do it for 15 minutes every day, but it's a start. It'll take a lot of 15 minutes to get through my ribbon drawer. {Why do I have so much ribbon?? And ric rac?? And lace??}

Finished quilting the second running t-shirt quilt. Should have the binding on and deliver it by Wednesday!

Saturday Sampler 2012 - slight miscut required a fabric substitution in the last one - Twister / Martha Washington Star / Air Castle

Donation blocks for My Patchwork Life - they're really not as bright as they look

Started cutting out American Girl dresses. Both nieces have/are getting a doll, so I will be providing wardrobes for the next few Christmases.

Linked: 
Fifteen Minute Challenge @ Life In Pieces  
UFO Sunday @ the Free Motion Quilting Project 
Design Wall Monday @ Patchwork Times 
BOMs Away Mondays @ What A Hoot 
Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story 
WiP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced

Weekly Progress - You Can Take the Girl Out of Jersey

I'm a Jersey Girl, born and raised.

I went to the shore when I was a kid.

I jumped off a pier in Asbury Park in high school.

{Unless my mom reads this. In which case, that sounds very dangerous and I'm sure I would never do that.}

My husband and I went to the shore for our nine month dating anniversary, and I still have the cheesy boardwalk heart mirror with our names engraved on it.

Now, I have relatives and friends who are still without power, with a snowstorm on the way.

Please, if you're able, donate to the Red Cross or NJ Sandy Relief.

Vesuviusmama is also collecting quilt blocks for Sandy victims. I'll be sending her a few!

Anyway, there was some progress...

Finished tops:

Saturday Sampler 2011! It's off to the longarmer's. So glad to get this one out the door, long before Christmas.

Running T-Shirt Quilt #2 - have to quilt this one myself, and I'm out of batting until I hit Joann's with a 60% off coupon on Thursday. So I have a couple days off.

Design Wall/UFO Busting - Chunky Log Cabin

Finished all the blocks. Still pondering the layout. This one is a strong contender.

Fifteen Minute Challenge - Organization

Notion drawer before

Notion drawer after 15 minutes

Slowly keeping things picked up and in place. I have a Pinterest-y plan for the ribbon drawer that will definitely take a couple 15 minute sessions!

Linked: 
Fifteen Minute Challenge @ Life In Pieces

UFO Sunday @ the Free Motion Quilting Project

Design Wall Monday @ Patchwork Times

BOMs Away Mondays @ What A Hoot

Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story

WiP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced

Happy Halloween - from my Bald Eagle

Happy Halloween!

A bald eagle, made from felt and a basic hoodie/sweatpants pattern. The talons were kind of a fail - they were too big in an attempt to hide his shoes, so within five minutes of tripping over them, they were removed.

"Climb on the top of the ladder and pretend you're flying."

"MOM! You're not ALLOWED on the top of the ladder!"

The beak was stitched to one side of the hood and Velcroed to the other, so he could remove it easily.

{And this picture? Wonderful. We have struggled SO MUCH with reading, and it's finally clicking.}

Linked:

Make It, Wear It Thursday @ The Train to Crazy

Halloween Costumes @ Sew Mama Sew

Sew Darn Crafty @ Sew Many Ways