one shabby chick

Fabric sightings

Just thought you might like to know (in case you don't already) that Denise Schmidt's new line is out here and here.

And I have this Etsy store saved in my favorites and this morning saw they have Sandi's new line already (and at really good prices)!

Can't wait for Heather Bailey's or Anna Maria Horner's new lines either - fun summer with all this gorgeous fabric!

I have the binding sewn on the Drawing Room quilt and now just need to hand-sew it to the back. I used this fabric...I thought about this one but it seemed like it would make it too sophisticated or something so I went with the yellow instead.

Have a great Monday!

Busy as a bee

I am exhausted.

I tried to cram a lot into today and think it's all catching up to me right now. I have pictures to upload to Flikr and Facebook but just don't think I'll manage it tonight.

I did want to show you my projects from today though...

Coasters for my sewing area

(I have been really needing some and so I just grabbed some scraps and whipped them up - I even used some of my Drawing Room selvedge!)

Pillows for the couch

I am still thinking I'll re-do these eventually but, for now, the new ones are masking all their flaws.

I made an envelope closure and long ties on the back to hold it all securely. I guess my middle son thought they worked great as shields too since I found him using them as shields later in the day.

And I basted the Drawing Room quilt and am almost done quilting it - just have the border left!

I am LOVING my walking foot. How did I not buy not sooner?

They're done

Yep - all of the panels. Woo-Hoo! I spent a good portion of today hemming and hemming. But they're all up and I'm surrounded by little birdies.

There is just one tiny drawback - the other curtains were sheers and let air flow through so it's a tiny bit warmer in the living room than before.

But I think I can just pull them open on warm days and it will be fine (at least that's what I'm telling myself after all my work today!).

(these are my "killer" tie-backs - if you scrape against them...watch out!)

Here's the pile of fabric and ribbons for the table runners.

(thanks to Sandi for the tip on where to get ribbon!)

And a mock-up of what they will eventually turn into (not magically though - I wish!).

I got my batting in the mail today and am working on pillows for the couch so hopefully I'll just keep marking items off my to-do list!

Table Runners

My "bride" just called me to tell me she's on the way over with all the fabric and ribbons for the table runners {sigh}

I had wanted to finish some quilts and all the curtains before she even brought the material over so I could start fresh and feel a little more organized. Oh well, guess I'll stare at it for a few days (or weeks) before getting started.

I did whip up this little doll/skirt/bag for a belated birthday present.

She just turned two and was gone on their RV trip for her birthday.

I had made this bag for her mom (her birthday was early June) and added a few things in there so they are both ready to go.

I am FINALLY mailing my giveaway packages - I am usually not so late, sorry ladies!

Re-arranging

So I've spent the week cleaning and re-arranging furniture. On Monday I had the great plan to clean the kids' rooms and in the process, took down the crib. Because she's a big girl (getting potty-trained and all) and I thought it would be ok.

Yeah, I put the crib back up on Tuesday. She was so not ready for the big girl bed. Yesterday I also re-arranged my sewing area.

I think I like it more...not sure about the ironing board placement but I kept worrying about someone knocking it over so it's more out of the way now.

I've been serging all the edges on the panels and now just need to hem them and make the top seams.

And here's my pile of to-be-quilted tops.

Just waiting on batting. I haven't ordered my big roll yet but Joann's was having (and still is) a sale so I bought some there (online).

Oh and all my computer time lately has been devoted to Facebook..and re-connecting with lots of old friends. So fun!

My eldest made these today - out of this book. Yum!

The Zen of Sarcasm

I got one of those chain emails today that I usually just delete. But it was from my mom so I started reading through it...and was cracking up. They aren't all funny but there are a few really good ones.

Zen of Sarcasm

1. Do not walk behind me for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me,
for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much
leave  me alone.

2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and a
leaky tire.

3.  It's always darkest  before dawn so if you're going to steal your
neighbor's newspaper, that's  the time to do it.

4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be
promoted.

5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.

6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their
shoes.

9. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to
fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was
probably a wise investment.

12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

13. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.

14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put
it back in your pocket.

16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

17. Duct tape is like 'The Force.' It has a light side and a dark
side, and it holds the universe together.

18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.

19. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are
moving.

20. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need  it.

21. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

22. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative
on the same night.

 * No crafting going on - have been a psycho cleaner all day - as in "re-arranging-furniture psycho". I have cut out some more curtain panels since the t.v. is now in a new spot and needs darker curtains. Because t.v. watching is the only motivator for the curtains :-)

Oh - and thanks for all the quilt love!

Forts and quilts

This is how my house looks on most days lately. They are really into fort-making. I usually try and keep the house organized and straightened up so it's forced me into my room so I don't have to look at the mess forts.

I sewed up this quilt today.

I'm not sure I like the fabric selections on this one either - what is happening to me?! I do love all the fabrics individually but think I should have edited them better.

Oh well, it will be going on the couch as a throw (since the top part of the couch has a rip in it) and will look nice with the curtains and pillows.

I do need to get some batting though. And I ordered this off Ebay so I think I'll wait for it to come so I can use it to quilt with. I have to get up - I'm typing this on my knees since all available chairs go into the fort-making.

And I need to get up the motivation to go to Walmart after Hubby comes home (which means taking a shower) - I have to go get my crochet stuff for the class tomorrow or I will not be able to go!

New quilt

So I decided on a pattern for my Drawing Room quilt. I was looking through magazines today (while watching this) and saw this quilt. They have a few patterns on the website and this one looks pretty easy.

I thought it would be nice since the blocks are pretty large and would show off the fabric nicely (at least that's what I'm hoping). I'm so bad at actually using patterns to make quilts but I think I'm slowly heading that way.

Poor Baby Girl is sick - she keeps pointing to her tongue and telling me it hurts so I think she must have a sore throat. I'm hoping it's just a cold and will pass soon.

One of the ladies from church is teaching us how to knit - the first class is on Sunday. I need to head to Walmart and pick up some supplies. And while I'm there, a longer ruler (if they have any). The longest one I have is 12 1/2" and was just not long enough when I was trying to cut the Drawing Room fabrics.

Plus - it will help when I finally start on my other curtains.

I heart Facebook

I do - this morning I had the best emails back and forth with two guys I have not seen in 15 years! And it was just like old times. So fun! Definitely made my morning a lot brighter.

And thanks for the encouragement - I am feeling much better. Think I was just dwelling a little too much on it yesterday.

I re-cut all my blocks for the quilt class and sewed up the rows. Most of them line up good but there are a couple that are a little off but nothing too bad. Guess the squaring up is almost as important as ironing.

(I'm not sure I like my fabric selection on this one but oh well, I'm not re-doing it)

These blocks are for a quilt we are making to raffle off at church. The women's ministry is raising money this summer for wells in India and our quilt teacher thought we should make a quilt to raffle off. She cut out all the pieces and gave us kits to make up. We have to give them back to her by next Wed. so I did mine right away.

We had to use a scant 1/4" seam which was so nerve-racking. We are all making a couple blocks and giving them back to her so it was really important they all are the same size.  But somehow with the small seam, my strips kept coming up a little short (she said this might happen). It was not fun. But I finished them both and they measure up ok so I'll just give them to her and hope it's ok.

I'm searching through all my patterns to find one I want to use to make a Drawing Room quilt. I think I'll rename my living room "The Drawing Room" after I'm done with all the projects :-)

Mindless rambling

Not to sure what to call this post. I've been kinda in a funk - mostly because of a couple of friendships that are hard to sort out. I've talked about it before and thought I had dealt with my feelings about it but I guess it's something I'm always going to have to deal with. Ughh- kinda sucks.

And last night at quilt class, I was sewing my rows together and realized it was going together really crooked. So I consulted the teacher and she told me to use my trusty seam ripper and then square up all my blocks - which I should have done in the beginning. Oh well, lesson learned. And I want it to turn out good since we will be quilting it on her long arm machine.

I'm holding Baby Girl in my lap...kids are so comforting - pets too but we have kids instead :-) Poor little thing - she's feeling a little warm and is snotty. Think it will be a mellow day.

OK I'm back - I know you didn't know I was even gone. I was cleaning up around the house - mostly feeling sorry for myself - It's so hard with friendships because I am more of a confrontational person and so if I feel like something is wrong, I like to address the problem and get it out there. So having all this in my mind to just think about really gets to me. Sorry to be such a downer today - my husband's advice is always just get new friends and I feel like you guys are...even though I'm on this tiny island far, far away :-)

The bag is for a friend for her birthday. Right now she and her family (they have 4 kids) are on a RV trip around the West/Midwest. We keep getting updates from them and it looks like they are having so much fun! They had first bought an RV off Ebay about 5 years ago (hilarious story). And yes, they live in Hawaii. So recently, they upgraded to a really nice one and plan to leave it at a rental place that will rent it out for them throughout the year to help defer the costs.

(I bought these tags off Ebay a while ago - need to get my brother-in-law to design me a logo and get some new ones but for now I'm using these up)

Anyway, we gotten updates from Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, Rocky Mountains, Yosemite and a few other places. Right now they are headed to Texas for a family reunion. The past couple years she has celebrated her birthday in an RV so I wanted to make her something nice and have time since she's not going to back for a couple weeks. I think I'll stuff it with fabric and a pattern or two. She is a great seamstress.

My first attempt at hand-quilting. Luckily it's a very small quilt. I'm not sure what I'll do with it when I'm done but am thinking of starting an etsy shop (I actually have one already - just nothing in it) and having it be my first item. We'll see. Ok off to sew and try and think about something else.