Inspired, but lacking time!

      The creative sap has started flowing again, but spring activities have reduced the available time! I am really enjoying watching what comes up in my meadow in the first spring here. There are dozens of daffodils in every color-- that all need to be divided-- haha. I guess we can blame karma on that one-- all the flowers badly needed dividing in my house I left. 

     Absolutely every bush on this property needs trimming-- we closed on the house in July, and nothing got done last year as we weren't fully moved in until October. It's a job I don't mind-- so far the blueberries and the roses are heavily cut back, and I will just work my way around the yard with the clippers and work away with the rest. As in my sewing, my dibble dabble approach carries into everything I do!

    This week is going to rain, so here's what I'm working on-- and not working on-- but I'm really hoping to crush it this week. Writing down goals each day really helps. 

    Zen of Sewing: almost ready for a first stitch out! I say with pride, on mostly everything I digitize, I can get it to sew well the first time. The Zen sewing machine is going to take 2 or 3 stitch outs to get it  to work. It's super dense and I really want it to work for my 5x7 hoop people. I also really want to make it into a quilt block. I can totally imagine it as the center of a medallion quilt surrounded by colorful flying geese and star blocks... and hearts-- because we love to sew!

     So you can see there's a little bit of an empty space to the left of the thread spool-- I would never let an empty place go unfilled! So there's this upcoming:

     I know from recent polling, half of you will be for this development and half against-- so I may make it where you can just omit certain color changes if you don't want a bird. At least it isn't a chicken, people!

     Charm Pack Baskets: Next up, I was looking for something easy to digitize and I found it. Those of you who know me well, know that the "charm pack" is my favorite precut-- so gather yours! I got this pack of "Bee Plaids" in a Sew Sampler box quite a few months ago-- they have been begging me to make them into little baskets ever since. 

I already have three sets in the "Charm Pack" series.

     Apparently, my customers aren't as enthralled with charm packs as I am-- or maybe you don't prefer applique, because these never sold well. I am soldiering on anyway. I just can't force myself to design for commercial success-- it always has to come from my heart. So I will never be a millionaire-- but I'm happy!

    A charm square is 5" x 5"-- and it's challenging to try to design something with no waste. So if you cut it this way:

    Then you can make the basket shape with two pieces and have one left over for a fun half-triangle square border. Plus, it's going to be a one-color stitch out, so you can easily make multiples for a large project. There. Have I sold you yet? I'm going to be digitizing, then stitching these all week-- 42 squares in a charm pack!

   

 In the fully finished column: My Sunburst Table Runner. I had a little trip this week with Mr. SFO to Boston and put the last stitch in it on the road-- this is hotel carpet. This is no travel blog, because not one picture of the city was taken! In my defense, I did not spend the entire time in a room sewing away. Adding to my FFO tab for the month of April.

      I finished hand stitching #7 of the Prairie Meadow quilt this morning. I starched and ironed it a couple of times during the process, and it definitely lays a little flatter. I'm barreling into the prep for #8 today. I. AM. DETERMINED.

     

Then my April subscription box came in-- EGADS! It's pastels...

     Judging by my stash, I don't live my life in pastels-- no one should, but maybe this is the Easter table runner I've never had? I'm am totally embracing it. The featured collection is "Sweet Acres" by Beverly McCollough who is very well loved in fabric design circles. 

    The accompanying pattern has really big flowers and really small flowers, so the Goldilocks in me started Googling for the one that is "just right." I found one I really like -- Lori Holt (again) has a free "Calico Star Flower" block on her blog (link below) that is 8" finished. I was going to applique the circle centers like she did, but I have enough handwork right now, and I don't think they need it for my purposes.

     I have two done so far-- they take about 1-1/2 hours each with cutting and sewing, but are easy to do. 

   

 I am challenging myself to use just the fabric in the boxes--- that means, no added background fabric-- but I can already see this is going to be a big mishmash if all nine blocks I'm planning for are just sewn together. So I am buying sashing-- I'm going with this fabric that's part of the collection.

     As every gardener knows, you're not supposed to plant your flowers all in a row, so I am going to experiment with uneven widths for the sashing- also, as a quilter, maybe I'm getting tired of sewing in rows-- heaven knows, I complain enough about it. First, I thought I could just add a random width sashing to the right and bottom of each block, but then nothing will fit together obviously. So then I got my handy graph paper out and did somewhat of a layout--

    You can see the flower blocks, and the red outlines show the rectangle pieces needed to connect them. All I have to do is count the squares and add my 1/2" seam allowance to cut each piece. I highly recommend graph paper to help facilitate any cockamamie idea you have for a quilt. I'm also clearly over-confident in my ability to step-piece-- we'll see what happens.

    To further complicate, the black outline represents the oval shape I would like to cut this into when it's done. I really think round shapes are totally overlooked in the quilt pattern world-- most likely because you would have the expense of printing a huge pattern for cutting it-- that's my guess. 

    So that's the plan for the April Sew Sampler box-- I hope you stick around to see how this adventure ends.

    This week, I was lamenting my Barn Star Sampler-- only one block done, when I'm supposed to have eight. Since I got behind so very fast though, it stands to reason I will have more time to catch up. This week has five rainy days, thus five chances to get it rolling again.

    That's my week! I leave you with this adorable painting a friend posted on Facebook:

Now go stitch yourself into something beautiful this week!

xoxo

Carol

     Lori Holt Calico Star Flower Block

Charm Pack Embroidery Designs

Zen Embroidery Designs

My Sewing Room Makeover!

     I am always reading things about how to write catchy headlines-- I got you with this one, didn't I!

Well, here it is!

     In just five weeks, my cute little chicks temporarily housed in my future sewing space have transformed into a band of thugs.  "Sewtopia" is now referred to as "Jurassic Park," I've raised the white flag, and moved operations back downstairs. Is it any wonder it's been a less than productive month?

     We have one more week before the little monsters can go outside, and it's going to be a long one. So before you scroll on to the next sewing room makeover, just allow me one little picture of "Bea"-- she's the white one and is always ready for her close up.

    On the plus side, after forcing myself to sew all week, I have "faked it till I maked it" and am starting to pull out of quilter's block. Do you ever feel like you are "forcing" yourself to sew? The May Bowl Fillers are finished and I think they make a nice addition to the set. I'm going to try to get a photo with ALL of my bowl fillers in it-- it's quite an impressive display, and I had to now move on to a bigger storage box!

    Did you realize these can also be stitched flat? Simply do not stuff them--- heehee! I'd love to make a table runner out of just some rose blocks. I'm getting a lot of ideas in my head again-- too many-- that's how I know I'm starting to recover from the slump.

    I have the Zen sewing machine to finish this week, then, should I make another set of quilt labels? A new heart block? A gorgeously detailed chicken? (this is inevitable anyway) Quilted feather borders for your quilts? Let me know in the comments-- I really need to pick one thing and just do it.

     One thing I'm proud of is keeping up with the Sew Sampler boxes this year. Four are just about to be done! Every time I say "Sew Sampler" on the blog, I lose subscribers. So just read "quilt projects." I am not making the projects in the boxes at all-- I'm being creative with the fabric given. I think if you stick with me, we would all learn how to make things our own. How to work with what you have, how to match patterns with fabric, and how to finish things! A quick recap:

     In January, I learned how to use foundation papers, and instead of the notorious, overused white background, I did a mix of colored backgrounds. Finished!

     In February, I again just worked from the fabric provided with no extra fabric purchases. I also dusted off my free motion quilting skills, and decided it's not for me. It took me ten hours to do this-- tension and stitch length is just such a struggle when I am doing curves. Since time is money, it's cheaper overall for my to use a longarmer for now. It's also good to learn some "don't do this" lessons in life, isn't it?

   The free motion honestly looks "okay-ish" and is plenty good enough for my picnic table and the inevitable ketchup spill. I'm not looking for perfect, but I guess for the amount of time I spent, the results weren't worth it.

I am proud of myself for using my stash-- I found a piece of backing fabric also enough dark blue for a binding.
Zero extra money put into this box!

     

     March-- not crazy about the pattern provided, so I  swapped for a pattern I did want to try-- the free Brick House quilt that Fat Quarter Shop has. One reason I love the Sew Sampler boxes-- you get fabric you probably wouldn't have bought, in a pre-cut that you despise-- (jelly roll) take the challenge, persevere and get a result you really love! Realizing that any pattern with a lot of 2-1/2" pieces is good for a jelly roll, for the win.

     Cupid Box-- so in addition to the monthly boxes, Fat Quarter Shop puts out four more seasonal boxes each year. I can't resist buying them-- it's FOMO-- Fear of missing out! This is obviously a Valentine one-- again, I wasn't crazy about the pattern-- I actually sketched up something on graph paper and tackled stepped piecing. This is my favorite of all of the boxes this year-- proud and happy!

     I did end up spending extra money on this one, but to me it was worth it. This one and the house one are at the longarmer.

    So the word is, April's box is on the way-- I am ready! I watch *spoilers* on YouTube, and I won't get into it, but again, my least favorite fabric collection so far this year, and a pattern I'm again not crazy about. I do like FQS, but honestly this is the fourth *white background* piece in four months and third lap quilt. (January was a tablerunner.) I know it's a popular look, but honestly I'm ready for something else-- could we just do a background color? Anyway, it has prompted me to go in my own direction so far this year, which I am proud of. Bring it on!

     Handstitching update: After forcing myself to get back to my Lori Holt Prairie quilt, I might even say I'm enjoying it again. I hoped to get this on my bed by my birthday in August, but I just wasted a month so it's going to be tight. Again, I find my idea of "perfection" gets in the way of my actual work product-- LOL-- so I'm now just trying for "good enough." Here are some close ups, so you can make a decision if my finished will be better than my perfect.

I pretty much switched to the Appliquik method now-- I like sharp points. Sewing and turning is not working for me. Then I even tucked the extremely sharp points on those long leaves in-- it is just not in my skill set to get that sharp of a point, so I'm working around it.

    Block 7 of 12 will be done this week-- it's a pretty block! I mentioned last week I was going to try gluing down fewer pieces at a time to try to help the puffiness I was getting on finished blocks. It didn't work, because you need to measure distances from other pieces for the layout, so they all have to be down to place them properly. Now I'm trying to just starch and press more as I go along, and I think it has helped. You see how rumpled they get after hand stitching for a couple of hours!

   

    Then, look what came in the mail! Yup, more Lori Holt! I wasn't crazy about her stitch cards sets A thorugh N, as they just looked like copies of her quilt blocks. I guess she ran out of blocks! Then Stitch Cards O came along that had more detail and were really vintage looking. I enjoyed stitching them-- they are a faster stitch than most of the things I usually work on.

    

   I didn't intend to get hooked on these cards and still don't-- but Stitch Cards Set P is again more detailed and sewing themed. I'd like to make them. They are probably destined to a drawer right now, as I'm really trying hard to focus my hand stitching on Prairie Meadow for now.

   I may also order this little gem-- again, sewing themed-- I love it! Take a look a JBW's "In the Round" designs-- they are really creative, and look like a relaxing stitch with the limited colors.

   Did you know that sewing themed designs are always top sellers on San Francisco Stitch Co.? And yes, sewing bowl fillers are on the drawing board!

    So that was my week-- spring is still very slow here at Sugar Meadow and I'm losing a couple of sewing days for a family visit this week.  I hope I've encouraged you to take a look is currently under you needle and to "force" yourself to work on it!!

  

xox

Carol

Spring Blues!

      Well I have to admit while the sap may be running, the creative juices are not! It is a terrible admission for a person always used to being a fountain-- I'm afraid I'm a bit of a drain at the moment. A little family drama, continued cool weather, and TAXES are my top three excuses. I'm hoping that tapping out a few words about sewing will shake my mood.

     The hand stitching I usually do first thing in the morning and last thing at night has been replaced by fretting about the news on my iPad, watching Fat Quarter Shop on YouTube, and also the dreaded Jigsaw Puzzle app! I found one with less ads and you can also make a puzzle out of any photo on your computer-- imagine my delight to be able to piece together a 400 piece rendition of my Cloud Club quilt! I am somewhat determined to get back to my needle this week-- maybe the iPad mistakenly does not get charged-- this frequently happens with my phone-- heehee.

    In spite of the iPad, I did move a couple of things forward-- the Love Note free cross stitch pattern is finished. Hoping to make a little pillow out of it. (All of my projects are a rumpled mess right now as you'll see in the photos, just like me.)

     Then, because I was still looking for something to stitch for even five minutes a day, I pulled out my Halloween Town cross stitch-- it's three cute houses in a row-- I'd love to finish just one. The fabric is my first hand-dyed purchase. It's super floppy and I probably need a hoop to do it. I quickly remembered why this got retired last fall.

     What I should be working on is my House of Hardanger Christmas piece-- this is the last of my big 1990's starts and it would be amazing to have it done. It's very close to a finish. The lacework, which I have to relearn how to do every time I pick it up, is what's slowing me down.

     You get some really good nuggets on Kimberley Jolly's You Tube channels if you're willing to just let it play for an hour and a half. On Floss Tube this week, she was discussing how to stay motivated and mentioned that she alternates between longer pieces and quicker ones, to feel like she's crossing a few things off her list. Then this slipped out: a long stitch for her is one that takes 8 hours.

👀😂😂

    For someone who spent over 300 hours on Sandy Orton's Autumn Sampler, I am still trying to wrap my head around that! Maybe, I'm just SLOW?

    I also got the next Prairie Meadow block prepped to stitch, after a three week hiatus. These blocks take as much time to prep as they do to hand stitch. First, you have to sew sixteen scrappy background pieces together, then prep the appliques. I have pretty much abandoned Lori's stitch-to-stabilizer-and-turn-right-side-out method for Appliquik's iron-on-stablizer,-turn-and-glue method.

     I'm also cutting out the portions of applique where they overlap, and just gluing a few pieces on at a time, instead of the whole thing, to try to solve some of the puffiness issue on the blocks I have finished already. I will let you know what happens.

    To offset my tax accounting job last week, I promised myself I would SEW for an entire day! I made a list of things I would finish-- my Woven in Love jelly roll quilt, the Lori Holt chicken quilt I gave as a birthday present two years ago, and the new Brick House quilt just for starts. So the first two I didn't touch-- a shame, because there is so very little left to do, but I did get six more Brick houses done. It is with much pride that I tell you, my math on using the 1/2 jelly roll from the March Sew Sampler box to make this was beyond perfect-- even though I forgot to count the cornerstone squares. I have literally have four or five 2-1/2" squares left and didn't have to add anything except the white background.

     For San Francisco Stitch Co., I started digitizing a Zen style sewing machine-- something I've been wanting to do for a long time. It's pretty dense, and I'm somewhat stumped by what patterns go in the ribbon part on the bottom. Hoping to pull myself up by my bootstraps and finish it this week. Isn't the clock in the dial clever? I may add a title, "Stitchin' Time!"

     Then I got myself outside for a day-- this is listed as a cure for "Spring Blues" on the Psychology Today website. I'm a fan of Googling on the iPad as well. That's if you consider painting the inside of a chicken coop "outside." The girls are growing fast-- from chicks, to pigeon size, and now they are looking like small hens. They are supposed to be inside for another two weeks-- we're never going to make it, and have to get their coop ready. This is a rowdy crew. They discovered there is a world outside their little pen and fly out every time I take the top off for water and food. This, in itself, has brought me the most smiles this week, as I chase chickens around my still to be renovated "Sewtopia" space. 

     My little girls come running over to me every time they see me-- I have treats, of course! Little "Buttercup" loves to sit in my hand. I tell her she's a beautiful eagle, gonna soar over the cliffs, or a graceful swan, skimming the lake. Look at that face. She makes me feel like a million.

     So that's where we are at Sugar Meadow-- it hit the high 70s here for a couple of days, but now we're back in the 50s for a couple of weeks. The pond is a pond again-- all the snow has melted. A butterfly flew by my window yesterday, and two Mallards have taken up residence in our little pond. 

Here's hoping wherever you may be, the warmth and growth of the season brings a measure of happiness to you.

xoxo

Carol

     

     

2023 Sew Sampler Challenge Update-- First Quarter

       I haven't posted much on the 2023 Sew Sampler Challenge-- there hasn't been much engagement with the group on social media. Throw me a comment or join in! I am still committed to fully finishing all twelve this year, plus as many of the special boxes as I can fit in. 

     I am about to close out Jan-March, plus the Cupid box, and I'm on the cusp of having some really nice gifts stashed away for birthdays or Christmas. Everything is coming along well. Here's where they all stand!

     January is completely finished and has been comfortably situated on my dining room buffet table for a couple of months. The vintage, darker vibe really looks great on my old mahogany piece-- it kind of looks like it's always been there! I think it's a going to be keeper.

     February-- I stitched this one up super fast, using just the provided fabric. Then it sat, and sat... and sat!

    When the March Box arrived, I immediately began quilting it on my domestic-- just intending to do 1/2" apart straight lines. Then I started changing the direction of the lines with the shapes-- plus, who knew how hard it is to sew straight, evenly spaced lines! I ended up drawing every single line on there with a blue washable marker.

My posture when working on this is a complete horror show-- hunched shoulders, twisted neck, so I can only do about an hour at a time. Then I decided to do some flowers in the large squares, again drawing them--

It really hasn't gone that well, but I am persevering. Honestly, I see this on my picnic table this summer most probably with a ketchup spill on it, (another keeper-- hee, hee) so I am taking the lessons learned and moving on. Until my longarm is set us, it's either the most simple straight line quilting, or a longarmer for these boxes-- otherwise, I'll never keep up.

I'm 8 hours into this-- I have one "flower" to go, then I'm binding and storing until the picnic table comes out. Honestly, anyone who doesn't know any better would think it was fine.

Now here's my favorite piece of the quarter-- my Cupid Box is almost a flimsy. A total win, since I don't think I've ever finished any Fat Quarter Shop specialty box! 

   This is not the pattern provided at all-- I came up with my own jelly roll  pattern with smaller hearts using graph paper. After February's free-motion debacle, I'm feeling like a genius again. Would you buy a pattern for this? I'd love to write one. It was super easy-- just a bit of partial seam construction.

     I cute the tips off all the edge squares last night-- a terrifying moment to be sure-- it went well. Whatever people think of quilting as a sedentary activity is wrong-- it is a SPORT, with lots of drama and action-- the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat!

     All I have to do is add a 6" blue border and off to a longarmer it goes-- this one is definitely worth spending the money for-- I'm gifting it to my sons fiancé for her birthday in May.

     Finally, the March box. I decided I was tired of jelly roll weaving and decided to chop up the strips into pieces for the Fat Quarter Shop's free "Brick House" pattern. It's not written for jelly rolls, but the 2-1/2" width works perfectly with the middle size pattern. Here's my neighborhood so far:

    The fabric line is not something I would have purchased-- that's what I like about Sew Sampler boxes-- and it is perfect for this. I calculated I could make nine houses out of the strips, and it seems like the math is good, so far. 

     Mr. SFO is an architect, and I made a few architectural changes you can read about in the preceding blog post. If there is any interest, please comment, I will share the measurements I used to make the larger roof pieces from 2-1/2" strips and how to center the chimney in my next post. This piece is also going to a longarmer and will be gifted. Houses are a theme I think everyone loves, don't you?

     I'm really happy with where I am on the 2023 Sew Sampler Challenge-- I'd love to hear from you on Facebook, Instagram or here-- if not, you can count on me to keep soldiering along on my own! Just stay tuned and watch the train wreck over the summer-- it is sure to come. Ha ha!

xoxo

Carol

March Wrap-up...

      This is what comes of having an extremely talented and entrepreneurial family: I'm still doing deep dives into Schedules C in my role as family accountant. A simple W-2 is unheard of around here. To reward myself, I'm doing a little sewing between returns. We owe, we owe, so it's off to the sewing room I go!

     Baby Zela's quilt is an FFO, to be added to my 2023 FFOs tab above! This is our machine embroidered envelope pattern called "Happy Mail Quilt Blocks." I really want to make a Christmas card version this fall. It used two charm square packs.

The baby seemed very pleased-- I encouraged her to wash it many, many times for maximum snuggliness! I used a longarmer who does not have pantographs-- she did freehand hearts and the candy striped binding finished it off.

     One of the best things about having an embroidery machine is being able to add names-- any spelling, any name. Although I love the name, Zela is going to have trouble buying tourist-y key chains with her name on them-- it might even be hard to get her initial. One time I embroidered a shirt for a little girl named "Jennie" and when I gave it to her, she cried. Not the reaction I was looking for, but her mom explained, that's the first thing she's ever received with her name spelled correctly on it. So anyway, this is just a super happy finish for me, and I hope Zela uses and keeps it in good health for many years. 

     The bowl filler selection continues to grow...

and I am now in need of another bowl to store them in!

     Next year, I'd love to add the holidays to the months we are completing this year. It's been a fun set. Also, I'd love to make a "village" or a farm set. I used to love those types of things when I was a kid. I still have plastic animals from my childhood on my desk!

     This jelly roll project really came together last week-- I'm thrilled with it! I want to write up the pattern, but it's not vey timely right now. It was made with fabrics from the Cupid Box from Fat Quarter Shop. I'm calling it "Woven in Love."

     I'll be trimming the red squares on the edges straight, then adding a border. I ordered extra fabric of the white water-colored flower fabric-- it looks terrible-- so busy! So I went back again to Etsy, and order the light teal XOXO fabric which is less crazy--you can see both fabrics in the picture. I have spent more $ than I intended on this project, so I hope it looks great! I guess I can use the flowers for another backing. This one is going to the longarmer-- I'll never keep up with these boxes if I have to quilt everything.

     The March Sew Sampler box came in-- hello! More jelly roll strips. Instead of making the suggested quilt, I'm making the free "Brick House" pattern, which I've had my eye on for quite awhile. I had to make some changes to the pattern... Mr. SFO is an architect, and I can see problems with the way the house is constructed. 

     First of all, there's an awkward seam where the roof is made with two pieces of fabric. You would never lay roof shingles like this-- that's asking for a LEAK. Roof shingles need to be staggered.

Next, over the front door is not the best location for a chimney, unless you don't mind this condition:

    So here's my version, with the leak proof roof and the chimney in the center of the house, for maximum fireplace coziness. I accidentally put two of the big circle prints next to each other in the bottom row, but I'm leaving it. I'll be more careful next time. Hoping to get nice progress on this quilt this week. I can make nine houses out of the 1/2 jelly roll provided. This will be a lap size quilt also destined for the longarmer-- that will be four nice completed projects from the first quarter of Sew Sampler boxes this year!

No progress on the quilting of February's box--
also hoping to wrap that up this week.

No progress on the Barn Star-- I have thought of setting it aside?

No progress on Prairie Meadow. I do intend to try to get another block at least started this week.

Finally, here's the latest stitch-a-long that's tempting me-- I love it! Fat Quarter Shop has been actively promoting Susan Ache's Summer Memories book. I love summer, and I love memories! The cross stitch projects are adorable, but the quilts don't totally speak to me, except this one:

     I had a pattern very like this one that I even pulled fabrics for a Halloween version. So far, cooler heads have prevailed-- if Fat Quarter Shop offered a kit for this, I'd already have pressed the button. But pinks just don't exist in my stash-- and I'm not tempted to start. Growing up between two brothers and doing all the fun things with them-- Tonka trucks, dirt piles, the great outdoors-- it all really killed any appreciation for the color pink.

    So that's about it for last week. I still have a lot of numbers to push, and it's kind of killing my creativity a bit for now. Mr. SFO is calling it Post Tax Stress Disorder. Let's see what the week brings-- have a good one!

xox

Carol