I'm Swooning!

Have you seen the lovely Swoon blocks and quilts that are popping up all over blog- and Flickr-land?  Aren't they gorgeous?  I've been wanting to try Swooning for awhile now, and I thought these might make fun blocks for my 3x6 bee.  I had no idea the pattern created a 24-1/2 inch block!  So, after reading all the hints and tips in the Flickr group, I set out to make a 12-1/2 inch test block.  I was successful, but only just.  It's not that this block is so complicated really, it's that you really have to be focused.  I put it together wrong at least 4 times.  In fact, I if you look at the lower left you will see a white block pencil mark-side up, but after taking it apart so many times, I just didn't have the heart to grab the seam ripper again.

Nevertheless here it is - my own little mini-Swoon.  And it looks remarkably like the original, only half the size. So, I'd call this moderately successful.

Modernista Homemade - A Modern Swap for Every Space in the Home

1. Amber's Design Studio, 2. Vintage Sewing Machine and Notions - Sew Out Loud QAL #5, 3. Pinball Swirl Pincushion, 4. Patchwork 318 Bee - Sewing Basket For Amisha, 5. pincushion from neet designs sps3, 6. Pincushion Caddies from 'Seams to Me', 7. máquina de costura, 8. mug rug from Karie Nov 2011, 9. craft1, 10. Rainbow mosaic machine cover 2, 11. DSCN3352.jpg, 12. Flirty GIrl, 13. Hanging Hoop Wall Pocket Swap, 14. Sewing Machine Cover, 15. Scissors for Amisha ~ Patchwork 318 Bee ~, 16. Selvage Spool Mini Quilt, 17. Issue 5 - Scrap Bucket, 18. Scrappy Storage, 19. Scrap bucket, 20. Dressmakers Mannequin Mini Quilt, 21. Sewing machine cover - side 1, 22. sneak peak, 23. Stay Calm & Quilt On, 24. IMG_0166, 25. Last Project Complete!, 26. Wonderful Package from Rachel (Stitched in Color), 27. Folding Knitting/Sewing Basket {Explored}, 28. Craft Apron Slanted Pockets - Pocket View, 29. Sewing Machine Cover (Front), 30. finally finished my sewing machine cover!, 31. UHG Swap Sewing Machine Cover - Front View, 32. singer handmade quilted cover by mama, 33. MMM Swap Machine Cover, 34. Modern Swappers Machine Cover, 35. Hoop Up for Jill, 36. Christmas swap with my friend

If you're a regular reader of this little blog you know that I really enjoy Flickr swaps.  I like virtual quilting bees and mini quilts.  I like pot holders and kitchen items.  I really like pillows and home dec.  So when Jennifer (thethreadedchickadee) invited me to join the Modernista Homemade swap, I didn't waste any time.  We're going to go from room to room making cool things for every room in our home. And the first room we're going to adorn is the sewing room.

Now my sewing space isn't exactly enviable, and it is filled with even more stuff than was here when this photo was taken.  In fact, it's amazing I can get anything done in here.

And I received a couple of sewing machine covers in swaps last year.

Which are very, very cute.

Call me greedy, but I just can't pass it up.

And there are plenty of decorative things besides sewing machine covers that one could make to dress up a blah, overcrowded sewing space.

Like -

• a clock
• a banner
• some storage space
• wall art

and a million things I haven't thought of yet.

I hope you'll join us.  We're gonna have a blast!

Sick Days

I thought I had miraculously made it through the winter without being sick, but alas, it was not to be.   And you know I'm sick when I don't feel like sewing.  But I did have some scraps and hexies don't take much thinking, so I managed to get some hexie blocks done.  I'm maybe 3/4 of the way to my GMFG quilt.  That's progress, especially considering that I never thought I would EVER do this much hand sewing.

I managed 5 blocks in 4 days.  Hmmm...  at this rate, it will be a long time until I get the other 20 blocks made. 

And I actually did a block with gray in it.  I even like it. 

And I planned the block for my Ticker Tape Mini Quilt for Denise in the Mini QT Swap.  Can't show the whole thing until Denise receives it on Monday.  Here's a sneak peek.

I think even this little bit of progress is way better than daytime TV.  I think I'd go crazy if that was all there was to do. 

Here's to feeling better!

Swappy Stuff

I've been playing along in several swaps recently, and I finally have something to show for it.  Being gone so much and then being sick really put me behind, but thank goodness, I think I am finally almost caught up.

Taking advantage of our love for Denyse Schmidt, Leona put together a fun Flickr swap using DS Quilts fabrics.  Have you ever had a project that just wouldn't work?  I had what I thought was a great idea, and it just would NOT go together and look like it did in my head.  After several frustrating sewing sessions, I finally scrapped it and set about to do something different, and frankly, I think this idea was far superior to my first one.  I really like how this one turned out.  I hand quilted inside each of the circles and echo quilted the outside.  It honestly turned out better than I imagined it.  I hope my partner likes it.

The pattern was inspired by a quilt in the book BD#1 got me for Mother's Day.  Timely, huh?

And I finished my "for real" mannequin pinnie.  She is ready to fly off to her new home.  I hope my partner likes her.  As I was creating her, I decided that I really have a love-hate relationship with hot glue.  I haven't used it in awhile - in fact, I had to buy a new glue gun because I have no idea where the old one ran off to - and if I don't use it again soon, it will be OK.  The stuff goes everywhere except where you want it, and then cools too fast to stick your stuff together - except when it gets on your fingers.  Hmmmpft.  Anyway, she is finally finished.

Partners, here they come!

Happy Mother's Day

It is Mother's Day here in the U.S., and I have had more like a Mother's Weekend.  On Friday evening, WH called me at work and invited me to dinner.  When I arrived, I had a wonderful surprise - HS had come for a weekend visit.  It had all been very hush-hush, and I was oh-so-surprised.  We watched movies on my new Blue Ray player and at the theater, ate out both evenings (no cooking for me - yes, I am spoiled!) and had a great time.

When we arrived home on Friday evening, there was a package from Amazon on the dining room table with my name on it, but I was under strict instructions not to open ANYTHIING that might come in the mail until the day itself.  I am proud to say that I waited until breakfast today.  And yes, my gift from BD#1 was Material Obsession 2.  Such lovely photos of such lovely quilts...  Perfect!  And it has already provided the inspiration for my DS Mini Quilt re-do, for which I am grateful.  (My first attempt at this project was an abysmal flop.  Although this is still a WIP, I am pretty happy with it, so far.)

And, to top it off, I had a fairly quiet Sunday (having to take HS to the airport shortly after church) and so had the opportunity for a nice long Face-Time chat with BD#2 and her husband.

All in all, a perfect weekend!

I hope you had a lovely Mother's Day too!

The List - Progress Report #3

I'm finally getting around to finishing my progress report from LAST weekend, and I'm glad to say that I did make some progress.  (I've been sick this week and barely managed to move from the couch to the recliner and back.) 

Last weekend, though, I managed to make 30 bow-tie blocks and kept 5 so I have 25 to trade.  I don't know why it was so hard for me to get to these.  Or get the photos out of the camera.  These left on their journey a week ago.  This one is my favorite, I think - leftovers from my jelly roll race quilt (which has yet to be sandwiched, quilted or bound =<  .)

And I'm playing along with Krista and the Old Red Barn Co. Granny Square quilt-along (tardy as ever!) but I finished 9 more granny square blocks for a total now of 12.  I need 20 for my quilt, I think, so I have a few more to make.  Don't you love the fabrics?

I traded a couple of charm packs for literally hundreds of perfectly cut squares with Marian (lookwhatladyfacemade).

 I have not had to cut the first square - except for the setting triangles (which aren't really squares at all, of course.)  I really hate waste, and I couldn't imagine what I would do with all those white Kona bits, so I used Tracy's tutorial and cut triangles that fit (sorry I haven't cut the dog-ears yet).  The added bonus is that with Tracy's method, the squares don't have bias sides, so I think the quilt should go together better.  If I ever finish all the blocks.

Aren't these fabrics cute?  Almost all of them were fabrics I didn't have, so sewing with them was a real treat.  I decided my quilt needs a little red, so I'll have to cut some red squares, but heaven knows, I do have red fabrics.  Yes, I do.

I really had a lot of fun with these, especially since I didn't have to spend hours fiddling with the rotary cutter and my scrap bin (although my scrap bin would certainly have been all the better for it, the blocks wouldn't have had nearly the variety - and that's the truth!)

And I was trying to be artsy with the camera (ha-ha - me?) and this is what I got.  Does it make you crazy?

But I do kinda like this one.  Maybe it's better in small doses.

Happy Monday.  I'm going back to the couch now.

The List - Progress Report #2

If you read this post you know that last week I made a plan that included far more projects than was humanly possible to complete in a weekend.  I made some progress on some bee blocks one evening last week which I mentioned in Progress Report #1 so I kind of got a head start.  I am happy to say that I did make good progress, although of course I did not cross off everything on the list.

I made some bento blocks for the Scrappy Bow-Tie Block Swap.  I totally missed the first deadline, but apparently I wasn't alone, because Alisha extended the deadline.  I made 10 blocks, so sliced in quarters that makes a total of 40, but I messed one up in the slicing, and so sent 30, but only have a couple of useful ones.  Oh well, I guess that's what I get for trying to slice blocks before work in the morning.

And I made a prototype pinnie for the Fab Little Pin Cushion Swap.  I'm not sure I like the base - especially since it's glass and this little guy has to travel a long ways - but overall, I like the concept.  I found the tute on the DIY Network.  If you find a good source for cheap candle sticks or something else that would work for the base, please let me know.  I think the peg is OK for the top, but I think I need to add it before the pinnie is completely stuffed because I don't like that it sticks up as far as it does.  Lessons learned.

  And I made my pot holders for PP11.  The theme was "summer time".  My partner likes - uh, well, guess.  I'm thinking that these need a bit of embroidery to finish them off.  Maybe some seeds to add to the overall theme. 

I'll save the rest for Progress Report #3, since the pictures are still on the camera.

Hope you had a productive weekend too.