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