2013: Year of the Finished Project

Oooh, look at me...posting again and it's only been two days.

Today is a lazy, lazy day.  I don't even feel like sewing (Gasp! I know!). I guess Monday is looming over my head like a big, dark, ugly cloud. Tomorrow is back-to-work day. Ugh.

Oh well.

Yesterday, I put together the blocks for my Sock Monkey Postage Stamp quilt.

 

Slightly fuzzy picture - sorry about that (no, it's not your eyesight). I took this pic when I was laying out the blocks, but they're all sewn together now. I plan to put a border around it and I have some appliqué I'd like to add also. It should be cute when it's done, although I have no idea for whom or what purpose I'm making this. I just had a couple of jelly rolls hanging around.

In the spirit of getting these WIPs out of the way, I've joined Lynne's Year of the Finished Project challenge. This is a good one because we can make up our own rules. Here are mine:

• I will finish at least one WIP per month
• WIPs can be of any variety - quilting, sewing, cross stitch, knitting - and any size
• I can start one new project per month, provided the previous month's WIP has been completed
• Class assignments for the Curves Class I enrolled in do not count as new projects

First up on my list are the Christmas Strings quilt or the above Sock Monkey Postage Stamp quilt. I'll let you know how it goes. (Actually I'll throw a ticker tape parade if I finish one of them by the end of the month.)

New Year Check In

Happy New Year!

I was so ready for 2013 to arrive. How about you? It's always exciting to have a new beginning and look forward to and good things on the horizon. 2012 was hard, in some ways, so I'm glad to move on.

Today is my last day of "teacher vacation" and it might be my last teacher vacation day ever. I've quit my job.

Well, not really. That sounds a bit dramatic. I've taken a leave of absence for 1 year and accepted a job with the Department of Education beginning February 1. I need a change and, as I mentioned in earlier posts, there were some disturbing trends happening at my school and some bad decisions being made. I'm not sure if I'll go back after the year, but I'm glad I have the choice.

So, no more summers off, no more Christmas vacation, no more Spring Break (except that I'm still taking my students on our battlefield tour to England, Belgium and France this spring). But...also no more marking all weekend and evening. It's going to be an adjustment...

I have to say I've enjoyed this vacation time. I worked on a few projects, did some reading, relaxed a bit. You can see in the photos the Christmas String quilt I started a while back. The top is now done. And I've been working on another Postage Stamp quilt using sock monkey fabric. I have further plans for this one and can't wait to show you!

I've been trying to resist the temptation of joining the impromptu Scrappy Tripalong that cropped up on Twitter. It looks like fun, but I still need to finish my yellow and grey Dresden Plates, put together my red and grey Bowtie quilt, and make pillows to go with Swoon. Plus, there are a couple of other projects I haven't yet started, but for which I have already bought fabric.

I had a to-do list that didn't get done - and that's okay. All those household projects (cleaning out closets, painting the bedroom) can wait. I did get my marking done (almost) and I'll be ready for work on Monday (maybe), but I'm looking forward to the end of the month and kind of excited (and a little nervous) about the new job.

And New Year's Resolutions? Well, you know, the same old plans: lose weight, be more positive, read more books.

How's your New Year shaping up?

Christmas sewing

I guess nothing gets you in the mood for Christmas quite like sewing a few gifts. I've been spending a little time in the sewing room lately, making small things.

First of all, here are the Christmas aprons I sewed. I made two each of the green/white and red/yellow aprons and one of the black/red apron. They are gifts for four girls and one boy. A quick and fun project to make!

 

And, again on the small side, I've made two coffee cozies (they will be accompanied by Tim Horton's or Starbucks cards as gifts for colleagues), a gift bag, and two sets of Christmas pillowcases.

 

Nothing big, nothing exciting...but at least something Christmassy is happening around here.

Trying to get in the Christmas spirit

Oh, Christmas Spirit, where art thou?

We've had snow since October. Decorations have been up in stores for over a month. Christmas music plays on the radio.

I'm just not feeling it yet.

Too busy, I suppose. Too focused on other concerns. I told Mr. P not to buy me any presents this year. I don't need anything and I don't want him spending money needlessly. I'd rather go on a trip than have "stuff". We agreed not to go overboard with each other or the OnlyChild, but I think he ignored me. And the OnlyChild - well, she has a list as long as my arm. And on that list, among the requests for purses and face cream and clothes, is a trip too. I told her she can't have all that junk AND a trip. Sigh.

Anyway, I'm trying to find the Christmas Spirit.

I've made a couple of presents:

 

Aprons for my friend Kim's little girls.

Here's the reverse of them:

 

I have enough fabric to make one more of each and a friend at work wants me to make them for her girls. She says she'll pay me, but I have no idea how much to ask. I mean, my time alone would make them unaffordable. I think I'll just make them and give them to her rather than ask too much (or too little).

I've made a couple of other things too, but I can't really show them on here. You never know who's watching haha.

If you have any extra Christmas Spirit (or jolliness in general), send it my way please. I really want to get into this season!

Finished!

I can't believe it!

I actually finished my Swoon quilt. The last stitches went into the binding last night, then I popped it in the washer on gentle and, this morning, I took it out of the dryer and hugged it tight.

I think I'm in love.

 

It's snowing quite hard right now, but that didn't stop me from taking it out in the front yard to snap a few photos. I was looking for nice, unblemished snow (which cannot be found in the backyard with two dogs) and wouldn't you know it, yesterday was the day Mr. P chose to put up the Christmas lights. So, excuse the footprints and focus on the loveliness of Swoon.

If you're with me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, you've probably seen the constant updates. Still, I'm thrilled that I actually completed this before the end of the year.

Took me long enough!

Quilted!

I haven't been on my own blog for so long, I almost forgot how to get here.

But I have exciting (to me) news...

Swoon is finally quilted!

Here's a teaser photo of the back. Very simple diagonal straight-line quilting 4" apart. Took me forever.

So, now for the binding, which shouldn't be a big deal. But considering how much time I've actually spent in my sewing room lately, you might not see it - or me - until Christmas.

My goal is to have this finished by the end of the year. I can do it!

Basted!

I know, I know...I fell off the face of the earth again. I've been sort of busy. Sort of. But really, I haven't done much sewing or anything really exciting worth posting about.

But yesterday, I basted Swoon!

Finally!

I packed up everything and took it to work so I could lay out this monster (92" square) on a classroom floor. And then I realized I'd left the backing fabric at home on my ironing board. Duh.

So, I brought it home and laid it out on the dining room floor - after removing the furniture! I had to work very carefully because I didn't want to poke pins into the hardwood floor.

I managed to keep Abby and Derby out of the dining room for most of the basting event, but when I was done...

 

She's claimed it as her own. Ha!

Now to quilt this... See you in about 6 months.