Holy Smokes....has it been that long?

I haven't blogged in ages, but I'm happy to report that summer school is finished and I rocked it with an "A". Woohoo! I have two weeks off and I'm ecstatic to be tackling some long neglected UFO's. First I'll be finishing up the binding on a string quilt. It was suppose to be for one of the ladies in the office at my son's school, but she quit over the summer so I'll just tuck it away until I decide who to give it to. I need to pin basting Shane's quilt. It's so hard to come up with a quilt for a teenage boy. What to do, what to do? Oh I know, 5 inch solid squares. Boring, but perfectly appropriate for him. I also had planned the zig zag skirt for Moda Bake shop for O as a back to school outfit. Let's just say I didn't get that done, but now I have time. I already have the front done, and just need to finish the back. I have blocks for two flickr bees to finish. And then I want to start working on some Christmas gifts. I've really missed getting to stitch and I'm glad to be back in front of my machine. I'll post some pix of the completed project just as soon as I can.

UFO Status Report

I'm happy to report that I've been doing awesome finishing up my UFO's. I really only have a few more left. I have my "Mad Men" inspired dress (although Mad Men is set in the 1960's). Here's the pattern. I'm doing version C in a blue and red plaid fabric I got for a good price the Patsy Aiken Outlet. I also need to finish a backpack for O., a lunch bag for me and a little duffle bag for my sewing/knitting notions. Then I can begin my holiday crafting in earnest. In fact I've actually started working on E's quilt. I'm using a pattern called "Perfect Ten" from Swirly Girls. Super cute. I'm making it from a fabric line called "Serengeti" that features realistic jungle animals. I've cut out all the fabric for it. It took me a bit and had me wishing for a accuquilt cutter, but my omnigrid ruler's did the job fine. I might make myself a quilt from this pattern too one day. Of course I have my regular monthly blocks to finish for my different flickr quilting bees. And I'm participating in a really fun challenge with TMQG called "Glam Garden Gala". Robert Kaufman fabrics donated 25 layer cakes from Glam Garden by Josephine Ketterling to our guild and I was lucky enough to get one. You use the layer cake and one other fabric to create something. I've been kicking around a few ideas. I guess the final project is going to depend on how ambitious I'm feeling. Anyways, I'm plugging along. Trying to stay cool and crafty,lol.

In the UFO basket

I've been doing a lot of quilting (or at least making a lot of quilt blocks) recently which means my garment sewing has suffered. I don't have a ton of free time to stitch so it's not hard for that ufo basket to overflow. Anyway, in the last couple weeks I've begun working on my ufo basket sewing again. I just love the hum of my machine(s) and the satisfaction I get when I have a finished project. Here's a list of unfinished projects that I'm determined to tackle. Let's see.
1. a bunch of undies for O.
2. a top for me
3. a dress for me
4. boxers for the boys
5. O's first day of school outfit
6. O's backpack and lunch bag
7. a coin wallet
I'm also getting ready to start working on two special quilt projects. Both my little fellows have requested quilts of their own. I'm making E's out of this great fabric line that features jungle animals. I'm going to make M a Chinese coin quilt (or maybe a fence rail) using primary colors and a few novelty prints. Neither pattern will be terribly complicated or exacting. Just something special for them to snuggle under.

Work on it Wednesday

I have so much personal sewing to catch up on. I can't believe how I've let these unfinished projects pile up. I think it was the mad rush to finish the TMQG blocks and the quilt for O's teacher. Well that's all behind me now and I have to get back to my UFO basket. What's in there you ask? Well, I have a lunch bag for my mom, a backpack for O, a top for me, a quilt for me and a quilt for E. That should keep me busy for the next six months, lol.
Oh, I almost forgot, I took the foot pedal to my neechi apart to rewire it. I really need to get that back together and back on the machine.
But best of all I found an inexpensive singer 15-91 at the thrift store last week. I'm jazzed. It's suppose to a wonderful machine to quilt on. Speaking of quilting, that was an education for me. A machine you use for piecing might not be the best machine to quilt on. So, even though I adore my Brother PC6000, the harp area is pretty small. I have quilted a full size quilt on it, but it's not ideal or easy. The harp area on the 15-91 is over 7". Nice! It's also a straight stitch, direct gear driven machine, so super powerful with a lovely looking stitch. I found so much useful info online about this classic singer. I'm also going to attempt my first full rewiring job. I've rewired foot pedals before, but I'm a bit intimidated about the machine motor. My TMQG friend Lisa's husband, Mike just finished doing her 15-91 (and an awesome job he did) so I hope he can walk me through the process.
I can't decide what to do first. I know I should finish the sewing first, but I'm anxious to tear apart the 15-91. Decision, decision. Hmmm....sewing first!

Work on it Wednesday

Heading off to my sis's in VA. in a week and am determined to finish my niece's quilt. All that is left is the binding. Today I will sew the strips together and square up my quilt. I have my sewing bee tomorrow so I will work on getting the binding attached while I'm there. Then all that is left is a label. I'm excited to get rid of this UFO! I've been working hard to get rid of my UFO projects. I think I just have 3 more. I need to sew buttons on a fleece jacket I made dd, finish a top for me and jeans for E. I have a whole list of projects to start after those are finished so I should stay busy sewing from now till eternity.

Stay tuned for a finished project picture. I have a ton of pictures waiting to be shared, just need to upload them to the computer.

It's finished!

I can't believe that I finally, finally finished dd's quilt. I have to say I think it came out lovely even with the million mistakes I made. The binding is the wonkiest binding ever...but still it has it's charm. I can't believe I'm going to write this...but I've actually been thinking about doing a king size one for me and dh. I'll have to think about it a bit more and figure out what pattern and fabric I want to use. I think now that I've finished one and I know some things to do and NOT to do...it might not be so torturous to do another one...but not today, today I will just enjoy the satisfaction of having finished my first quilt. Best of all Miss O. loves it so that is really all that matters.
I'll try and get a better picture of it as soon as I figure some way to suspend it. Ahh...how I wish we were allowed to have a clothesline in our neighborhood.

The home stretch

I am happy to report that I have 2 3/4 sides of dd's quilt stitched and I do believe I can finish it this week. I can't begin to tell you how happy I will be to finish it. I'm not going to say I'll never do another quilt...but I have learned what I will do differently. I realize I like a more modern looking quilt, think Denyse Schmidt and I don't want to have to stitch a million tiny blocks together. I will experiment with ways to attach the binding as all that handsewing is time consuming. Anyway, I just want to share that I'm almost finished...I have to tell you that I thought this day would never come. If all goes well I'll be sharing pictures of the finished product later in the week. Wish me luck!

Tshirtapaloozza

Just plugging away at that UFO list. Finished up a bunch of tshirts that I had cut out for the boys in the summer (hence the fabric choices and short sleeves). Luckily they haven't grown a ton and they should see them through the transitional season and maybe into early summer. Now the only thing left in my UFO basket is some undies for O., the jeans for me and a purse. I'm pretty excited to knock out some of these lingering projects and start the new year fresh ready to take on exciting new adventures. I did cut out a pattern the other day to make myself some scrubs for work and of course I'd like to get started on the weekender bag soon. Oh and goodness knows I should be working on the dreaded quilt. I've got about 8 weeks to finish it. It's crazy that I can't seem to knock it out. Honestly, I don't know that I will ever make another quilt in my life.

Unfinished Business

I'm issuing a public challenge to myself. Perhaps by putting it all out there I will be compelled to finish. I started a quilt for O. last year intending to finish it for her birthday. Well, it remains incomplete, many, many months later. I still have to quilt it and add the binding. I have to admit that while I love looking at quilts and admire the artistry and beauty of them...I'm not a quilter. I don't enjoy it, in fact I find it mindnumbingly boring. But...I started it and I should finish it. So...I'm getting it out of storage and I going to finish this thing for Christmas. You see I want our Christmas to be simple and I want the gifts to be thoughtful and lovingly given; and by george if I ever finish this quilt it will indeed be because I love that little wild haired girl! No excuses...the quilt must be finished.

Progress!

So, I've been working very diligently on my UFO list. I've finished the 6 pairs of undies for O. and am almost done with N.'s birthday gift (the sundress and shirt combo), also been making tons of progress on my second knit project. I plan to spend some time sewing today. I'll finish up N.'s stuff so I can get it in the mail by tomorrow, finish my gym bag so I can use it tonight for my spin class, finish the tunic for O. and perhaps finish the TDK bag which will be part of the Christmas presents pile. It's a good start...I like to see that list getting smaller, lol.
Just thought I'd share pictures of 4 of the pairs of undies. Two aren't pictured since one was in the wash (the first pair of Ottobre ones done exactly by their directions using elastic which I don't care for) and one pair she was wearing.
The pink pair at the top right were made using the new TDK undie pattern that I was one of the lucky testers for. I like them. I love that they use c/l for the waist and legs. They are very modestly cut which is appealing too. However for O. I'd make a few modification, I sewed up size 4 without seam allowance so I guess they are like a 3 which fits her perfectly, but I feel that the front rise hits her in an odd place and could be prone to bunching so I'd raise that and I'd like a deeper leg hole because I thought they were more of a boy cut than a girl cut, but dd doesn't mind that at all since she regularly wears her brothers undies, lol. The other 3 are my version of Ottobre brief done using c/l for the waist and legs. I might try using lastin wrapped in rib knit too. Anyway, I have to say that underwear making is very addictive. You can get rid of tons of scraps and they are so cute and fast. Instant gratification projects. TDK is working on a her boy version which will be perfect since I have tons of boys scraps and my boys are much more the tighty whitey type of underwear guys than the boxer brief kind of guys which is probably why I never finished the many pair of boxer briefs I had cut out. (yeah, that's the reason).