QuiltCon

All I can say is, wow. Just wow. I'm exhausted but so happy. I met so many incredible people and am soooooo inspired.

Hint: if you want to meet awesome folks and talk to them for a few minutes, work the registration desk. They all have to come through. Just try not to be a spaz. ;)

I am not going to list all the folks I met because I am certain to forget someone. I had so much fun just mingling, shopping, chatting, realizing who people are.

The class I took from Susan Cleveland was A-MAZ-ING! OMG, I am so ready to finish something so I can bind it. (I'm pretty sure I've NEVER said that before.)

And the quilts! They were simply awe inspiring. Lots of pics below.

Oh, and I bought a new machine. We were offered an incredible deal on the classroom machines and I could not pass up a Janome for nearly 70% off retail. Bonus that an old friend who gave me tons of free advice while I was a novice was the dealer selling them. It'll be here later this week.

Holy cow, football ate my fall (and part of winter)

We had an incredible football season. My son's team went 15-1 and played in the state championship. It was a lot of fun but as a booster club officer, it often felt like I had 2 full time jobs. I wouldn't trade the memories we made with those boys for anything!

Sewing and quilting suffered. I did finish most of the projects I was giving as gifts (it helped that the state championship was the weekend we were supposed to celebrate with my family and I got a couple extra weeks to finish). I'll post pics of those later this week.

I now need to reorganize and restart The List. It helped a lot last year. Whew, let's get started. First, the old list...
Big List

1. Aprons- back to at least one a month, I got a great new book of apron patterns
2. Bailey- done, pics later this week.
3. Kyle- ditto
4. Swoon nothing new, back to one a month
5. Pillowcases nothing new
6. Secret #1 gonna be next Christmas....
7. Secret #2 well, this one's on hold for a little bit. I have a pattern chosen but I'm unsure on fabrics.
8. Secret #3 Have fabrics. Design chosen. nothing else
9. Arbor Lane Road trip coming up!
10. Potholders for gifts
11. Pouches Because I'm now obsessed with making cute little pouches.
12. Socks Having some issues with the one on the loom. Leaving it alone for a bit. 
13.  Heather didn't finish for Christmas but her anniversary is in June and birthday in Sept...

The New Big List

1. Swoon one block per month
2. Pillowcases one pair per month
3. Aprons at least one per month
4. Secret #1 fabrics and pattern chosen
5. Secret #2 pattern chosen, will chose fabrics soon
6. Secret #3 pattern and fabric chosen, to be done by May
7. Arbor Lane short road trip for our anniversary next weekend, I might take this along
8. Pouches at least one per month
9. Socks not feeling this right now.
10. Heather I need to look at see where I am on this one.
11. Aggie Baby 5 of 9 blocks pieced. Needs to be done by March
12. Challenge Blocks done, pics later
13. Scrapboxes making several. Need to start
14. Baby quilt- fabrics and pattern chosen, need to start soon.

And now, if you made it to the end, pics to remind me why I started all this...

Baby girl quilts!

Finally finished working on all 3 baby girl quilts. Each one is for the precious baby girl of friends. They were all due this football season (like life wasn't busy enough!). The twins decided to get themselves born early, nothing like the pressure of babies already being born to light a fire under a quilter. They were teeny tiny and perfect. Each is gaining weight and doing well.

I wanted to use the same materials but not make them the same quilt. I settled on Moda's Puttin on the Ritz, in pink, of course.

On to finding patterns. I couldn't find anything I was truly in love with. I finally found a pinwheel block that I wanted to modify for a different quilt. After looking at it, I realized it would be perfect for this project. I'm not a big fan of sashing and borders and quite honestly, they caused me some real problems. I finally got the kinks worked out.

Love it.

For the other, I knew I wanted to try the great granny block because I was in love as soon as I saw it. I didn't want to use a white fabric for a baby though. I chose some denim that has been hanging out in my stash for a while.

I'm seriously in love with this quilt. If I didn't adore the parents of these babies, I'd be keepin this sucker for myself.

The backs are the same.

 As is the super cute polka dot binding.

 Quilts in a tree!

The other baby girl came slightly early but was still full term. I wanted a playful, bright quilt for her. I found this hiding in my stash and knew it would be perfect. I didn't like the olive green so I pulled it out.

I saw the Four Squared pattern in the Moda bake shop and had to make it.

The weather wasn't as nice the day I finished this one.

Wow, it has been a while!

Fall has been very very very busy. My son's football team is undefeated and we have been super busy with that. Work is crazy as usual and Aggie football has been FUN! All of that means precious little time with my machine.

I took this week off work and decided I should make sewing a priority. I feel so much better. A few things have been finished and a few more are well on their way.

Big List

1. Aprons
   
2. Bailey Most blocks pieced. Layout started
3. Kyle All decisions made. quilting this week
4. Swoon 3 blocks made, 6 to go.
5. Pillowcases 6 made.
6. Secret #1 Has to be done by Christmas. Looking iffy
7. Secret #2 Finalize design and fabrics this month. ugh, I keep changing my mind!
8. Secret #3 Have fabrics. Design chosen. Might get started this week.
9. Baby quilt #1 DONE!!! Pics later this week.
10. Baby quilt #2 DONE!!!! Pics later this week.
11. Baby quilt #3DONE!!!! Pics later this week.
12. Arbor Lane Not sure if this is going to get worked on anytime soon.
13. Potholders for gifts
14. Pouches Because I'm now obsessed with making cute little pouches.
15. Socks Having some issues with the one on the loom. Leaving it alone for a bit. 
16.  Heather Step 1 of 3 blocks complete. I started piecing the rest as leader/ender blocks while working on the baby quilts. Working great so far.

Going to try to come up with a gameplan for the rest of the week while gettin my hair done!
 

Trying to play catch up...

I need to kick things into high gear in order to finish Christmas presents and baby quilts. I have one finished and I can't share it with you until next week.

Two of the other baby quilts need to be worked on fairly quickly. They are for the baby girls of my friends Sam & Pete. The sweet babies were not due until December but decided to get themselves born last Saturday. They are teeny tiny but perfect and doing well. Auntie Jenn needs to spend some quality time with her sewing machine now.

I know you'll all be shocked but I ordered fabric almost as soon as I could. Sunday evening. It's here and it's all beautiful.

The weather has turned cooler and we even got some rain. There is grass in my yard, y'all. I'm not sure what to think of that.

Okay, time to get ready for work. Hopefully I'll get some good time with the machine this evening.