a work in progress

That describes my sewing space perfectly.

A work in progress.

A couple of weeks ago I got the best deal on some plastic tubs at Canadian Tire.

Like almost free kind of cheap!

so of course I bought lots!

and then I went back and bought more for my scraps-larger ones...

the smaller ones are shoebox size and they fit my other WIP's perfectly!

which made me and the hubby happy.

less than $15 = happy hubby

organized sewing space = happy ME

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so what are these other WIP's?

Well there are more than I'd like to admit....

AND this does confirm to my hubby that I'm good at starting but not so great at finishing...

but it's all relative--

and now that I'm organized--it'll be so much better!

I've told myself that once there are no more boxes for a project then I can't begin anything until I finish one--so on with the show

this one is a scottie dog for my dear middle child who has asked for a "dark blue" polka dotted dog stuffy.

SPECIFICS: Scottie Dog (free) pattern from Denyse Schmidt HERE

STATUS: so far the front patchwork is done and the back will be made from the royal blue felted sweater in the picture

Next up, a quilt made with a layer cake of my fave Sweetwater fabric called MAKE LIFE...

this quilt is a modified Disappearing 9 Patch using a special cutting method

SPECIFICS: Easy Bake pattern by Cluck Cluck Sew available HERE

STATUS: blocks completed...now I have to sew my quilt top together

now this quilt has been put away for a good reason.

I'm mad at it.

Mainly, it's just not going together right and is just not playing fair.
So I put it away and was going to leave it there for a LOOOOOONG time but then taking it out to take these photos did spark a tiny desire to see it finished....

and then as I folded it up and put it back in it's tub--and saw all the stray threads--

I remembered all the seams I've ripped out on this baby and it may stay out of my sight for a bit longer :)

SPECIFICS: fall quilt adapted from the Sugar Pop n' Change (free) pattern

STATUS: retired until further notice

These lovely blocks were gifted to me from Heather Bostic of (House) of A La Mode fame.

She was making a quilt in aqua, grey and orange 'til her hubby nixed the orange and then lucky me!

So far there aren't enough to make a quilt the size I'd like so I need to add to it...

SPECIFICS: inspiration quilt HERE

STATUS: blocks in progress

Lastly, probably my most favourite project at the moment.

A quilt for my pumpkin's bed (double) made with the love Sultry fabric by Basic Grey for Moda.

Using a couple of layer cakes to make an oversized version of the Disappearing 9 Patch.

Take a good look at this fabric--isn't it so pretty?

I just love it in all it's pinks and limes and browns.

thanks to my mom who understood my need for this fabric and came to my aid with her credit card until I could pay her back--now that's love! Thanks mom!

SPECIFICS: Disappearing 9 patch (oversized) --my first bed quilt

STATUS: initial blocks sewn--slicing and dicing, trimming and quilt top sewing in progress
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So I guess that's most of them that I'm working on however I have tons more swimming around in my head.

And I may have just purchased a layer cake of Lori Holt's new line "Sew Cherry" to make a quilt for someone super special but it won't do to name names at the moment

*wink wink*

catching up

I have been embarrassingly behind on my blocks...

both in making them and blogging about them!

So here goes!

Coffee Improv Blocks for Jan of Hip 2 Bee Square


These were for January 2011

Next up: 3x6 BEE blocks

In this bee you make 7 of the same blocks using your own fabric and the colours choices by your fellow bee mates...
aqua, red and white

pink, red and white

a baby quilt inspired block of green, yellow and white

black, white and yellow

a baby boy quilt block--no specified colours

and this was for my friend Tong (from the Great White North Bee) and was my favourite...

blue, yellow and gray

My colours for this swap were yellow and grey but I've yet to make myself a block.

I'll show you my blocks from my fellow bees another day, once I get my last one :)

The following block was made for Quynh in the Hip 2 Bee Square

The theme was bubbles and I had a terrible time with the circles!

But mine looked like most of the other ladies so I guess I didn't do too badly.

This was November's block.

For the December blocks of the Great White North Bee

Jen entrusted us with some much coveted Heather Ross fabrics to make confetti blocks

using this tutorial...

I got super behind on these because they scared me!

Alot of seams! Not my forte...

Barb asked for pink stars for January's blocks for the GWNBee

I love the look of the ohio star quilt block and used this tutorial from the Moda Bake Shop.
(this is the same tutorial I used for the blocks above)

The pinks she sent were so pretty :)

now I want a pink quilt!

I'm still behind on the last block for the Tethered Threads 2 bee and then I'm caught up for 2 weeks...

Then more fabric will arrive...

fears

I am afraid.
nothing scary, but it holds me in its grasp and I stress...

After reading this post by Anna of Noodlehead fame--I don't feel alone.
not completely.

This was my comment on her blog after reading this:

"i fear wasting fabric...the fabric industry is so cruel...it turns over fabrics too fast and just when i get the nerve to use my beloved fabric it goes OOP and i can't get it anymore. i stand stuck in this place.
my husband does not understand.
nice to know that someone else does :)"

note: OOP means Out Of Print.
as in done.
gone.
finished.
nada.
a bazillion dollars on Ebay for the world's last remaining fat quarter that someone else is selling because they were smarter than me and bought lots so now they can share it and get their projects done.

hmph.

yes. it's the strawberries all over again.
why do I obsess?

My hubby asures me "we can buy more fabric.
They will design fabric that I like just as much. take it one project at a time."

Problem is that it takes me MONTHS to finally begin a project and then the amount of fabric I have limits my creativity.

Fabric is expensive!
I don't want to waste it!

'cause once it's gone. it's gone.
so sad.

Hubs said to me the other day,
"you're getting a nice little stash of fabric now. Great for creativity."

umm...yeah.
except, no.
practically every piece of fabric I have was bought for a purpose.

It's not a stash.
It's a hoard.
waiting it's turn.
hmmmmm.....
time is also a problem.

I'm not entering any more quilt bees so that I can work on my own stuff.
promise.

what's that?
no I'm not crossing my fingers behind my back.

Swaps don't count do they?

hmmm.... could someone pass the strawberries please?

TO BE CONTINUED...

swaps

My June blocks for the Tethered Threads 2 Block Swap have been done for a bit but I've not shared them....

Fabulous fabric!!
I wasn't so sure about my wonkiness...
"wonk" I've noticed, does not come easily to me...

but I think Kathy likes them, so I'm safe :)

I have also joined another swap called the GREAT WHITE NORTH BEE

I'm excited as this is a group of ladies that are all Canadian (like myself) but love designer fabrics and the look of a more modern quilt design.

These are my June blocks for Kristy, our bee mama....

Wonky again!

It was fun and using so many different fabrics and bright prints was a thrill!

her quilt is going to be delicious!

I joined the swap late so the July block will not be coming to me as she doesn't have enough fabric for me to do a block for her.

that's okay--i'm going to be busy with a baby anyway.

My month isn't until February so I have time to decide what I would like.

I'm so enjoying the swap process.
It has opened up opportunity for me to really stretch and learn.

I'm excited for more fabric to show up on my doorstep so i can play with it!

a thousand apologies

here they are.

My May blocks for Kathleen.

For the Tethered Threads 2 swap.

Done and dusted.
In the mail.
LATE...

So sorry....

so what happened to me this month??
why the late blocks from a girl who's turnaround record has been pretty good?

ummm...
well when I received the fabrics and directions, I froze.

I found it confusing.

ummm...yeah.
let's remember I'm 34 weeks pregnant.
I have baby brain, people!

so then I didn't have the right fabric in my stash.
so I had to go to the store.
the fabric store 25 minutes away.

this is not normally an issue.
It's normally a joy...

hmmmmm...this month? not so much.

"surely I must have something here..."
nope.

....

so then I equated purchasing the fabric for the block
to finishing the block.

ummm...
note to self:

purchased fabric=UN finished

so this morning
I decided to let it lag no longer.
45 minutes
2 freezies
and a broken seam ripper later

(don't ask-- I didn't even need it for the block!)

ta da!
two blocks finished.

April already?

So how do I know it's April?

I got Marty's fabric in the mail for the Tethered Threads 2 Block Swap, that's how!

She sent out 4 base fabrics to everyone and then one complimentary fabric specific to each person in the swap.

I was a lucky girl and received this beautiful orange-yellow fabric!

which I happened to have some stash to match!

Marty requested simple and off centred.

In my first block I added the lovely centre square from my Make Life stash

--the surrounding fabrics are the ones Marty sent.

finished off by my "signature colour" also from Marty.

This block, I fear,

is not the "simple block" that Marty requested.

I simply went overboard-- I couldn't help it!

It was the first time I was ever able to just pull stuff from my stash that worked!

and the block just carried me away!

The stripes are from my Amy Butler stash

and the polka dots and flowers were again from Make Life by Sweetwater

I mean look at all those seams!!!

aren't they pretty!

Sorry Marty!

Your fabric was just too good and I was just too weak!

Simple went to the wayside.

Hope you can still use them :)

Crazy Nine Patch

March was Crazy Nine Patch month for our Tethered Threads 2 Block Swap

These were so fun! I've always wanted to try them!

I'm hoping to make a quilt in this way soon.

--I've had the fabric since last year!

My seams aren't perfect but I think the more you do the better you get!

Not that I'm one to look for perfection but I tried my darndest considering these weren't for me.

I didn't add any fabric as she sent the perfect amount and I think this is a quilt that she is going to be gifting for Christmas...

Where do I start?

Well I've been working on some "stuff"...

Like this quilt top finally finished!

I don't know why it took me so long...

the kids were so excited to hold it so I could take a pic :)

Now to start the back...

I've been inspired by this...

I've been working on other things too
Like some blocks for the month of February for my Tethered Threads 2 swap

yes. these blocks for Kim were fun.
the fabric was beautiful.

She had us use this tutorial from Oh! Fransson and we modified it a bit...

block #2 came together even quicker.
and then I thought I'd try another...

and then I realized I really don't like to make these blocks anymore :)

I was up until midnight because I couldn't stop
and then....

I did.
and I was done!

2 things I learned about myself:

1- I like straight lines. I love the wonky look but it's not my forte.

2- I like to use every bit of fabric. Every bit went into these blocks.

I even got a fourth one done but it was an inch shy of the 12" Kim was looking for.
I sent it back to her so she can play with it or add to it.

I also received these awesome blocks from Beth!

They came quite a bit ago and I just let them sit there looking pretty and forgot to blog about them!
thanks Beth!

these two blocks arrived this morning!

and I have to say they are AWESOME!

thanks Jen!

As the final blocks trickle in I'm really starting to sweat about what to do next.

I thought I knew how I wanted my quilt to look and now I'm not sure....

Once I get all the blocks I guess I'll have to decide :)

I think I've yet to receive blocks from 2 ladies and then it's down to the sewing machine!

January Block Swap

My mailbox has been overflowing with goodies for my month of the

Tethered Threads 2 block swap!

I couldn't be more delighted!

Here they are so far in no particular order...

So far I have received blocks from 6 of the 11 ladies in the swap...

I can't wait to see what treasures the other ladies come up with!

this final block is the one I made myself.

I wasn't happy with the positioning of the trees but I have seen and heard that many other ladies were also have a tricky time of it...

here's what Knittin Brit in WI had to say about it...

"Kelly, the secret to getting the trees on the triangular pieces the right way is to draw a template of the piece on scrap paper, then place it on your tree fabric so that the trees are in the right position and cut it along the diagonal line. Worked perfectly for me."

and then I had an "of course!" moment!

duh!

I'm going to try it tonight...