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