SewingCategory Archives:

It’s that time again–FNSI

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It’s time for the Friday Night Sew-In for March and I am doing the happy dance. Would I have sewn tonight anyway? YES! But it’s a lot more fun to spend your Friday night sewing when you know there are a lot of other people doing the same thing. Plus there’s a chance to win a prize, and I love prizes! It’s not like I haven’t already been sewing (and knitting) all week, but I have fun checking out everyone’s projects and participating in something.

So far this week, I’ve finished a circular scarf for my best friend, worked on my wrap for my knit-along in the Simply Notable Ravelry group, gotten my February free motion quilting challenge assignment finished, cut out the rest of the blocks for a couple of granny squares quilt top, made a mug rug, made a kindle sleeve for a friend, and started on a couple other mug rugs for friends. I’ve been a busy, busy girl, and I’m about to get a lot busier this evening as I try to wrap up the mug rug making, work on a notebook cover and start on a crochet hook roll for a swap.

This morning’s kindle sleeve turned out fairly well. It’s not perfect, but it’s nice, at least.

Kindle Sleeve

Netta's Kindle Sleeve

 

Here’s my February assignment for Sew Cal Gal’s FMQ challenge. I have to say that I’m VERY proud of myself. After January’s assignment being a monumental flop, I’d honestly wanted to just chuck the whole idea of FMQ right out the window. I didn’t have any time to do any fmq last month, but I decided to give it another shot this week. I’m glad I did, because I did so much better than before. Perhaps I’ve just gotten the hang of working with Bessie 2, or perhaps it was popping in some earbuds and listening to a show in the secluded comfort of my tiny sewing room that loosened me up enough to enjoy the fmq.

February FMQ

February FMQ

 

And finally, this is the lace wrap I’m working on for the knit-along.  It’s made with Paton’s Angora Bamboo, so it’s warm, but breathable. I should be able to wear it through three seasons…four if there’s a chilly, dreary evening in the summer or someone turns the house into a walk-in freezer with the AC.

Knit Lace Wrap

Knit Lace Wrap/Shawl

 

I’ll be back tomorrow sometime to update about my FNSI progress. Hopefully this month I’ll be more productive than I was able to be during last month’s FNSI.

Enjoy your weekend! :)

 

 

Random springy stuff

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The weather this week is absolutely gorgeous. I’m deep into spring madness. The kids have spent hours outside every day soaking up the warm sun (and more than a few tons of dirt, I’m fairly certain–at least their clothes have done so). Eddie and I have been uncovering all the overwintered herbs and flowers from their cozy blankets of leaves and have been delighted to discover that almost all the plants are peeping through the soil already.

With my sewing room finished and the kids playing outdoors, I’ve managed to get some time to do a bit of puttering in my sewing room. I have all my granny squares quilt pieces cut and sorted, some of the blocks planned out, and this morning, I whipped up a little mug rug to match my sewing haven’s color scheme. Since I can never be parted from my coffee or tea for very long, it’s pretty much a necessity for me to have a hoard of coasters around to keep from getting coffee rings on everything. This is way prettier than a ceramic coaster:

Promenade Mug Rug

Mug Rug in Promenade for Riley Blake

The colors suit my springtime mood quite well. It almost makes me as happy as the flowers I picked yesterday when the first few tulips decided to shout hello to the world. I quickly snipped them and tossed them in a pitcher along with nearly the last of the daffodils.

Hello Spring

Hello spring!!

Since my loverly hubby is making dinner tonight (don’t get jealous, it’s kid food: hot dogs and mac and cheese) I’m going to be able to spend a little more time in the sewing room cutting into some of these lovely bits and pieces to make a few more mug rugs, a notebook cover, and a kindle sleeve.

Scrap Fabrics

So many scraps, so little time

 

Lest anyone get the wrong impression and think I’m some superhuman who can whip up things left and right and have a sparkly house and still manage to powder my nose: I don’t. I have to let so much slide just to carve out time to do any of the yummy things. I still have lounge pants on and my hair is in a messy pony, made worse by the headband holding back the stray tendrils. I’m a disaster, and perfectly happy as such. ;)

 

Cutting and more cutting

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I’ve been turning my California Girl jelly roll from the last post into this pile of squares:

California Girl squares

So. Much. Cutting.

I have enough from one jelly roll to do two of Blue Elephant Stitches’ Granny Squares Quilts: one the same size as she made, the other larger. Right now I only cut enough white squares for the first quilt top (and not all of them are shown, obviously). Let me just say that cutting is one of the most boring, time consuming sewing tasks EVER. My ruler kept slipping, so I got creative. I stuck some little cabinet door bumpers on the back of the ruler. They’re polyurethane, clear, and self-adhesive.  I would like to say it’s one of the more brilliant ideas I’ve had. No. More. Slippage. Which, of course, means I’m far less crabby and my squares look less wonky. Just pop one in each corner on the back of your ruler and it’s happy cutting from there out! Since they’re clear, you can still see through them easily, although I really don’t know if it would be much of a problem if you found some that aren’t clear.

These are the door bumpers. I had mine on hand already, but I purchased them from Rockler Woodworking when we were doing our kitchen cabinets. Super cheap, and I’m sure they’re probably available in local hardware stores, though I can’t guarantee that because I never actually looked for them locally.

door bumpers

Clear Door Bumpers from Rockler Woodworking

 

Anywho…after I worked out my issues with slippy rulers, I got the cutting finished and started playing with placement. This is going to be the super difficult part for me because I cannot make up my mind.

Granny Squares Quilt Block

Possible Layout for Granny Squares

 

Once the kiddos and I are done with school for the day, I’ll probably curl up in my teensy sewing room and wrestle with the hard decisions like which print to place in each spot. Such a delightful puzzle! :)

 

It’s a snuggly sort of day

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Ever have one of those days where you want to ignore every single person on the planet (including your family), hole up in your favorite lounge pants with a cup of hot chocolate, and do nothing at all other than what makes you happy? I am having one of those days. So far, I’ve gotten the lounge pants bit down. The hot chocolate is going to happen here in a bit. The other stuff? Not likely.

Around here, we’re getting tormented by spring. She’s giving little promises of showing up, and no sooner does she pop her head around the corner than Old Man Winter smacks her upside the head and knocks her back a bit. I have daffodils blooming and it’s cold and wet and all around crummy outside, so I haven’t even been able to get outside to pull the weeds around them.

So, today, if the planets align just right, I might curl up for a while and work on finishing this bit of squishy goodness. Forgive the picture. I was too lazy to get up and take a decent photo. Seriously. I was that damn lazy.

Cowl

Cowl

It’s coming along much better (and I’m happier with it) since I frogged the whole thing again and got rid of the wretched curling edge.

 

Once the kids are in bed for the night, I’m hoping to cut into some of this yummy awesomeness and get a bunch of 2.5 inch squares made for the top of the Granny Squares Quilt ala Blue Elephant Stitches.

California Girl

California Girl by Fig Tree & Co. for Moda

California Girl is, hands-down, my favorite fabric collection ever. So far. When it comes out in yardage, I might just buy it, wrap myself up in it, and stay that way for a month or two. Right now, though, I’m going to find a snuggly blanket to wrap up in while I sip my hot chocolate and knit. (For the record, I’m very glad I’m not in school. My kids are trying to diligently work on their school assignments, but I think they feel like snuggling in for the day every bit as much as I do.)

Swap box and Friday Night Sew-In

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Well, my partner (and new friend) for the Simply Notable “Make a Crafty New Friend” swap on Ravelry received her package today. I think I was just excited packaging everything up for her as she was to get it.

Swap Package

Lots of Goodies

There were a few skeins of Caron’s Spa yarn, an infinity scarf knit in Caron’s Spa in a taupe color, a set of four coasters made with Liz Scott’s Domestic Bliss for Moda, some crochet stitch markers I made when I couldn’t find any pretty ones to buy for her. She was hoping for bamboo crochet hooks, so I found some of those, a yarn/needle gauge, a few things for embroidery, the Doodle Stitching book (one of our favorites here), some note cards, a bag full of spiced pecans, and a dozen hand rolled truffles that I had a seriously hard time parting with despite being able to make more any time I feel like it.  She loved her package and I can finally stop being a bundle of nerves about it!

Now that that’s all wrapped up, I can start working on a couple other projects…perfect timing really, since tonight is this month’s Friday Night Sew-In hosted by Handmade by Heidi. There’s still time to sign up for tonight’s sew-in if you want to head over to Heidi’s and sign up. It’s fun, and you could win a prize for participating. And the rules…yeah, they’re super easy. Sign up, participate, and blog about it tomorrow. It’s that simple.

I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to be working on tonight. I want to work on something fun and for me…I had planned to make a blouse for myself tonight, but my material did not arrive in time. :( Sadness. Instead, I’ll either work on knitting one of about four scarves I owe people, a crocheted scarf, my February feathers FMQ challenge for Sew Cal Gal’s Free Motion Quilting Challenge, or maybe work on the blocks for the Craftsy BOM Course. I’m seriously behind on the Craftsy blocks because I’m not entirely certain I want to spend the time learning to make these blocks because I just don’t love them. I am probably going to attempt it anyway, because, as the ladies in my quilting club pointed out, even if they look horrible on their own, they may look really lovely once they’re all pieced together and you see the quilt top as a whole.

Anyway, feel free to pop over and sign up for the Craftsy BOM Course (free) or join in with the Friday Night Sew-In tonight.

I’ll be back tomorrow to update on what (if anything) I managed to accomplish this evening.

Have a fantastic weekend! :)