one shabby chick

Overwhelmed

I have just been feeling overwhelmed lately - and a lot is self-inflicted...

Taking on too much and leaving things to the last minute - never a good combo.

(new Christmas pillows - you know, sewing things I shouldn't when I'm supposed to be working on other things)

I had a bunch of log cabin blocks from this swap and so I sewed a couple for myself and have some tops quilted to make my mom a few for her birthday (this Friday)....

 

I did get a few things accomplished this morning and am feeling a little better...

Put Rebekah's blocks in an envelope (yes, they've been sitting on my desk for a month!)

Finished up my pillow for the Pillow Swap (and it's now ready to mail as well)..

 

  

 

and Allyn's blocks for October's A Notion or Two - they have been sitting there just as long as Rebekah's - I just couldn't get them to turn out right so I was not wanting to finish them because of that - but I finally did - sorry no pictures though.

 

I've made progress on the quilt too - just don't think it will be done this week...I'm going to have to ask Marina for an extension (she didn't put a time limit but she is due this week)...

Whew - so I still have 7 aprons to make - 3 for a soccer friend of mine and 4 for my sister-in-law...all are gifts for people on their list. I've started picking out fabrics and cutting them out too.

And my other two finally get home tomorrow....feels like they have been gone forever!

Oh - and the giveaway winners....here they are:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

18	37

Timestamp: 2009-12-02 02:21:14 UTC

18 - Kathy Murray

and

37 - Jenny

Congrats ladies - and thanks everyone for putting up with my slacker blogging!

Hi there

Didn't mean to take a break....it's been a busy week but I really haven't done much (does that make any sense?).

The craft fair went great - I did really good (the best I have ever done at a craft fair!) but I guess a bunch of people complained that it was slow...it did rain the last hour so we finally packed up after getting wet...my sister was such a great craft fair buddy - thanks Cacia!

Had a soccer game on Sunday (which we lost) so by Monday I was wiped out. I don't know why, but as I was cleaning on Monday, I decided that I would re-arrange my sewing area...which meant I had to move all my fabric and re-fold it so there was no sewing Monday or Tuesday.

 

Yesterday we spent the morning at the doctor with an asthma attack (my 7 year old) but he seems better today.

I finally was able to start sewing again today...I cut out all the pieces for this quilt.

It's for this amazing photographer - she's about to have her 4th boy. Now I have to figure out the best layout on my design wall.

And since I needed my design wall, I sewed up this quilt - just need to add the outer borders.

 

And the best package came today - my Echino order from Fabricworm...this line is so gorgeous! I love them all! I'm thinking about making  up a few more totes for our church craft fair.

 

 

I do have a few apron orders to work on - and a couple birthday presents too. But tonight we have a babysitter and a group of us are all going to see "New Moon" - I may need to go watch Twilight right now :-)

Oh one more thing - Did everyone see Fabricworm is having a Thanksgiving sale - and they have Sandi Henderson's new line...plus they are getting Hope Valley in next week - yeah!!

Too many thoughts

Do you ever have those times when you are trying to do too much and end up getting nothing done at all?

That's how I feel lately. I think I just need to get a few things done for the craft fair next week and I will feel like I have done something.

I did finally finish my embroidery for this swap (I'm mailing a day late but at least it's done).

I don't like how her face turned out but I don't know how to make it look any different....I think I'm just bad at faces.

I also finished Rebekah's blocks for Common Thread 2.

 

I hope it's ok I made two - I had enough fabric!

I am still working on the October blocks for A Notion or Two (I just got my fabric the beginning of Nov.) - they are kicking my butt - I seriously have never had this much trouble with a block before! So I've put them aside until after the craft fair madness is over and I feel like I have some real time.

OK off to Bible study - I'm hoping for a very productive day tomorrow - sewing and laundry.

3 down

Ok so I've gotten 3 UFO's done - yeah!

2 baby quilts/mats....

and I finally finished this one...

for the back I used a Target curtain....

 

I also tried out this great tutorial and now know what everyone will be getting in their stockings for Christmas. These are so fun and fast to sew up - and who doesn't need a coin purse?!

Rainy

So it's finally raining here..and feeling like November instead of the middle of Summer. I've been reading all the blogs in my reader and there's all these wonderful pictures of beautiful trees and Fall and we have sun, sun and more sun.

I'm sure you can't believe I'm complaining about sun but a little cold weather is nice every now and then...I'm sure I wouldn't be able to stand it for too long though. The rain does make sewing more fun though - and it's way cooler.

I usually do 2 craft fairs every December - one is our church's annual women's Christmas dinner and the other is a local elementary school's craft fair - both are pretty low-key and I sell a few things.

I was thinking about what to make this year - and thinking I would have 2 whole weeks of sewing time while the older two are in NY...but turns out the school craft fair is a few weeks early this year - Nov. 21st! So I'm trying to sort out some good ideas without overwhelming myself in the next 2 weeks.

(this was a practice one in case you were worried about those big stitches on the ruffle)

I usually make aprons and they sell pretty well - I was trying to do a variation and do a ruffle (with a rolled hem) on the bottom - just think I need to make a smaller ruffle - can you tell I'm using all my AB Love fabrics? 

I also ended up taking this quilt top and ripping the seams to make it 4 smaller ones - I love the way they are turning out.

I doubled the batting to make them extra thick and soft and, instead of binding them, I am using this method and just tying them with yarn at the seams.

I also finished this quilt and Hubby is giving it to one of his co-workers who just had a baby boy...I don't have any good pictures since it's cloudy and rainy.

 

So I've been busy, busy as soon as school is done each day - and I haven't even thought about Christmas presents yet!

Pumpkin

It's not the real name - I really need to buy one of these - but that's the color orange it is.

And it's what I'm using to sash my Common Thread 2 quilt. I know it looks like a bizarre combo but I think it's going to work. I have to wait to get it all together to be sure but so far, so good.

And I decided on a different direction for my month (November) for A Notion or Two. I'm going to have everyone make wonky stars using pink and blue munki munki and Heather Ross fabrics.

I had to order a little more white but it's on the way and I'll be sending these out next week.

Can you tell soccer season is over? - (except for our oldest whose season just keeps going into Spring)

14 = 4x4 right?

Ha ha - at least that's what my scattered brain was thinking today. I had 12 blocks from my Common Threads month and I was thinking I would just need two more to make it four rows by four rows.

I made 2 more blocks - pink - for some contrast and went about putting them on my design wall. Imagine my shock when I realized...oh yeah, 4x4 is 16 - Duh!!

(I used some of my fabulous scraps from a swap with Dana)

(I think I am officially a fan now)

So I will be making 2 more. I am thinking I want to stagger the blocks - I saw a quilt like that and now can't remember where I saw it.....

I finished up the sashing on this quilt today too.

At first I was going to just go with white sashing but then I thought I'd be adventurous and try orange....I like the way it came out.

I didn't have a soccer game which was so nice for a change - actually got to do some sewing on a Sunday.....

but I still haven't folded the 5 or 6 baskets of clothes that have been in the living room since Thursday!

This is a good one

I finished up Rossie's blocks for Common Threads....

It's long and wouldn't fit in the picture so I folded it up a little.

This is going to be such a cool quilt.

I got the BEST mail today! Fun stuff.....Amy Butler Home Dec fabrics (they arrived so fast I couldn't believe it!)

I ordered them here on Wednesday and they came today - plus I had a coupon so they were 10% off! Such great customer service too!

I also got some of this in the mail - and I want to share it with you.

I am giving away a 10" x 30" piece - you'll get all the scenes with this piece. Leave a comment telling me your favorite munki munki print - how does that sound?

I'll leave the comments open all weekend.

I think I'll go work on this outfit for Baby Girl - I'm wanting to attach this top to a bottom piece and turn it into a dress.

(not sure if I'm going with this fabric or not...)

*** Comments are now closed!

Quilting Bees

I finished up Amy's blocks yesterday...

I made up a bunch in different sizes - can't wait to see the finished quilt!

 

I also finished a word for Rossie and am working on another one now.

She is making this quilt and so we are all making words or phrases for her. I made this word from 5" blocks and the next one is longer so I am making 4" blocks.

My first word is Aloha and my second one is going to be Pura Vida - these are so fun and I love how clean these blocks turn out.

My to-do list is just huge and I'm trying to break it down into manageable pieces so I don't get overwhelmed and do nothing!

And I keep finding new ideas and projects that I want to start!!

And I'm thinking this quilt may be the one I pick for my month for A Notion or Two...I'd cut out all the pieces and then everyone would just have to sew them together - what do you guys think?

Quilt Festival

Amy has done it again - organized an amazing quilt festival!

I tried to narrow it down to just one but I couldn't.

The first one is the Red Letter Quilt I made for Cynthia - it was so fun and started me on my circle obsession!

The second was my first "only solids" quilt.

It was so fun to limit myself to only solids and then work from there - I need to do that again...maybe in pinks and reds!

Be sure to check out the amazing quilts everyone has around blogland!