Sweet Summertime

Okay, I know it isn't  officially summer until tomorrow, but it feels like it to me.  I don't mean the heat, although there is plenty of that here in North Carolina.  There is a certain something about the way the sunlight looks in the early morning.  You know what I mean?

And it makes you want to do something summery......like this:

fresh blueberry muffins

now really...doesn't that say summer?

But I did have a very productive weekend.  I took a couple of extra days so I could go to see my out-of-town grandson for his 4th birthday.  And I worked on lots of projects.  I spent most of the car ride working on my Birdie Stitches block.

almost done

I will finish it up this afternoon, almost 10 days ahead of schedule!! Yay!!  And I finished up this little project:

a pair of vests for the grandsons

This was from Oliver + s, little things to sew, a fabulous resource for the doting grandmother in me.  I also finished my sewing for the Prouty so I can get that in the mail.  Final tally is 4 sets of pot holders and 2 quilts for the fund raiser.  I managed to get in a few stitches on my Sunkissed Squares quilt as well and then started this project which I am very excited about:

This one is the Castle Peeps fabric.

this is 1001 Peeps

Both of these are for the grandsons, but I just love the colors and working with them is so much fun!  I am thinking of straight line quilting in the open area to contrast with the circles.
Hope you have a great start to your summer.

Whew! Thought I might not get here

I had to work today, which I usually don't on Mondays.  Then, when I got home I was having some trouble with my internet, but now...here I am.

Had a busy weekend, or actually only Sunday off.  When I got home from work on Saturday, the mailman brought me a nice little thing I had been waiting for.....

I bought a fat quarter pack from Hawthorne Threads.  I was so excited to get it.  I do love it, but I must say that the colors look a bit different than they did on my computer screen.  Still, I have the perfect idea for a quilt for these babies and also my Castle Peeps that I have been saving until inspiration hit me.I love that some of the on line shops will notify you when new fabrics are available.

But first, I started a project that I have been wanting to get to for a couple of weeks.  After the success of the bucket hat adventure, I am working on the explorer vest from Oliver + S Little Things to Sew.  I had forgotten how long it takes just to cut out a pattern.  And I am making two of these for the grandsons.

first I had to trace the pattern pieces

then I cut out the pieces

Once I started with the sewing I felt better.  This is the first time in all my years of sewing that I have done bellows style pockets.  I have to say I was nervous, but Liesl's directions and illustrations are so clear and easy to understand, that it wasn't hard at all.  Just go slow and careful and they turned out great!

See, my first bellows pocket.

There should be room for lots of rocks, and sticks and bugs etc. in these pockets.  I can't wait to see the boys in them.

One almost done.

It just needs the armhole binding and buttons.  The cute bug fabric is from Connecting Threads. Then make one more.  I can't say it enough, this book is fabulous if you have children or grandchildren.  So many cute things to make.

Happy sewing everyone.

Progress made

I'm getting some things moving finally.  Last week I finished my Prouty quilt and this weekend I got the first pair of potholders finished.  These were from a pair of Chefwear pants my daughter had.  I got the idea last year to re-purpose some worn chef's pants into potholders so my brother could raffle them off for his cancer fund raiser.  Now I have started a tradition and will do more pairs this year.

love the fabric!

Now, Chefwear is known for cool prints on their pants, in case you've never seen them.  I have some white fabric re-purposed from chef's coats that a friend gave me.  I will put colorful quilting and borders on them to jazz them up.  The drawstring from the waist is what I use for the hanging loop.  Hardly any waste after disassembling them.  Love that!

I also got started on quilting my Sunkissed Squares quilt finally!  I had forgotten how lovely it is.  I love this quilt from every angle.

I am doing my first try at quilting with pearl cotton.  It's a little different from hand quilting with betweens and quilting thread, but I think I am getting the hang of it.  So far it looks lovely.  I will shre the finished product, hopefully soon.  Have a productive week everyone.

Prouty Quilt Done

Front

 

a little closer

love these tigers

the back

Just finished and I LOVE IT!!

Project interrupted

Have you ever gotten an idea for a quilt or any other crafty project and gotten real excited to start, only to realize you don't have everything you need to do said project?  A couple of years ago I was thinking about starting a small (as in baby size) quilt business.  As part of my thought process, I designed and stitched 4 different quilt tops.  I only used fabric I had on hand and I jotted down ideas for several more.  That was as far as I got.  I decided I wasn't ready or willing to make my hobby into my business, so I put them all away.

So now I was looking for some small quilt or quilts to donate to the Prouty, which is my brother's cancer fund raiser up in Vermont.  Enter again these small quilt tops.  I decided to finish at least one of them and see if they would work.  Okay...need batting and backing.  It's small, shouldn't take much, right?  Hmmm..got lots of 1 yard pieces, but that was too short.  So...sew!

Now it's big enough!  Now the batting.  I never seem to keep batting on hand, as I guess it's a buy as needed thing.  I'd like to know if others keep bats around for just in case they need one today?
So again...sew strips together.

Well, this seems to be working out so far.  Now to start the quilting process.  Round and round and round we go.

So I guess this can be counted as one of my more successful afternoons.  So many times I can't make things work out so well and I just give up and start something else, or go read or watch TV.  While I'm on a roll, I think I'll start putting those potholders together!
Happy sewing!

Just Breathe...

This is the image I am going to focus on....breathing slowly...relaxing.
The reality is I have so many projects I don't know where to start.  Sewing, painting or yard work. I started the painting project last week.

one coat of primer

Yesterday I finished the first coat of primer after sanding and then I thought, okay, I'll go sew for awhile now.  I walked into my sewing room and looked around.  Where to start?

See? Projects everywhere!

I'll start with the backing to my quilt, I thought.  But after twenty minutes of math and looking at the fabrics I have on hand, I decided I didn't have what I wanted or the patience to try and make something I did have work for this. So I put it aside.

Maybe I will start the pot holders for my brother's fund raiser.  I have several pair cut out waiting to be stitched and bound.  No, don't really feel like it.  How about quilting the baby quilt for the fund raiser? Nope.  Need to find enough of the right colors for the backing.  So I sat there and looked around.  Maybe a list will help....Just breathe.  I will get started soon.  I promise.

Can't decide

I was trying to decide what to talk about today on here.  While I started the laundry and changed the sheets on the bed, I though about it.  Nothing came to me.  So I had some yogurt and a banana and sat down to watch an episode of Oprah in the DVR.  That was my undoing.  My youngest daughter dropped by, then I got a migraine, which I was finally able to get under control, but by then, the day was too far gone.  I had no real motivation to do anything.  So I watched some more shows in the DVR.  So besides the laundry, which I kept the loads going, all I did was to clear out the DVR.  Must be Monday.

Last week I did get some curtains made for my oldest daughter's new house.

master bedroom

grandson's room

isn't this cute fabric?

looks good next to that tumbling blocks quilt (also by me)

simplicity

...and the kitchen.

Here's hoping for a more productive week ahead.