The Process Pledge

I, Liz, pledge to talk more about my processes, even when I can’t quite put them in the in words or be sure I’m being totally clear.   I’m going to put my thinking and my gut feelings out there.

As I'm sure you've noticed, my last post was more than a month ago. I've been working, although truthfully not as much this month, but I started this blog to help me complete UFOs. If I'm not keeping the blog updated, it may mean the UFO pile is only growing, the WIP pile is shrinking and the completed projects are not making any new friends. 

So I hereby pledge to post at least every other day.  Even if only to say hi, and that I'm shirking on projects.  For the actual completion of projects? Well, DH will be on night shift ALL month, which means any night he's not at home is a night I can freely spend at the sewing machine without feeling like I'm ignoring him. So here's to a new start.  See ya soon!

July UFO Challenge

The number for this months UFO has been posted, and it is.....drumroll.....#5. The Green Ripples Crocheted Afghan. Hmmm.  I know I need to finish this thing, since it's been taking up space for so long, and I know it will make a great Christmas gift for someone this year...but I really don't want to work on it.  That's probably why more than 10 years later, it's still unfinished.  I really can't remember why I started it, or why I quit working on it, but I know I was working on it when I was volunteering at the hospital as a candy striper delivering the flowers and other gifts people send.  I would work on it between runs.  I think I was 15 or 16.  I guess, though, that finishing it will be a good thing, I'm just going to have to dig deep to find the motivation.....um....1)early Christmas gift .......2)regain use of the bag it is stored in......3)can I make it count to DH as one of the finished projects required to begin on BFs baby quilt and other sundries?.......4)won't cost anything but time to complete, which is good since we just set a to-the-penny budget in order to be debt free by March!!  Feeling a bit more motivated now...

Go forth and CREATE!! (or finish, as the case may be ;)

June UFO Challenge

The June number has been released! And once again, it is just what I wanted to be working on (so much so that I was going to go renegade and swap my numbers around if it wasn't!) The chosen project number is #9!!! My Teapot Quilt, the very first quilt I ever made. Now for those of you who remember that wasn't originally the project, very good! Yes, it's true. But remember, I promised dh I would finish two (2) quilts before I bought the supplies to begin another quilt. And now my bf is pregnant, and I want to make her a quilt. The Teapot quilt is actually almost finished, so I can definitely finish it this month, then go back to working on the 4th of July quilt. And when I finish it, I can go shopping!!!

The other reason I was going to swap my numbers around is because I took my car into the shop a few weeks ago, and had to spend over $1,000 to get her fixed. Ouch! So I needed a project I could finish without having to buy any supplies for. Okay, I bought marking pencils, but that doesn't really count, because those are necessary for the quilting process! (which, by the way, the best quilt marking pencils out there are Roxanne's Quilter's Choice) I think the original plan with this quilt was to use the remaining yardage to make bias binding, so I have all I need. Except for a border hoop. Which I really would like, but think I have come up with a way to make it work with my regular hoop.

On another note, with the mini-storm we had last night, we now have fried outlets. Over half of the outlets in the house do not work, even after searching out all three (yes, 3) breaker boxes in the house. We have flipped every circuit, tried to match them all up to lights and outlets in the house, and failed miserably. Less than 1/3 of them were labeled to begin with, and as I flipped them, we discovered that 1 in 4 were mislabeled. Imagine that. And we never did figure out which ones were to the outlets that are dead, probably because it's not a circuit breaker issue, but a wiring issue (did I mention this house was built in 1940 and has "crazy" wiring all over?) There are places where you can see new, grounded outlets have been installed, but that doesn't necessarily mean the wiring was updated. So, who knows what's really going on behind the walls! Ergh! At least it's not all outlets, and at least the computer was plugged into a different set of outlets. And now I'm beginning to wonder about our surge protectors.........This probably means they're shot too.

ARGHHHHHHH!!!!

Fourth of July Quilt

I know I haven't posted lately, but that is due more to the fact that I am still entirely wiped after spending 3 days cleaning out and moving the rest of the junk from the old apartment. And when I say I cleaned, I mean I was down on my knees Cinderella-style scrubbing at carpet stains and removing mildewy grout. I. Am. Tired.

So most of my evenings have consisted of me flopping dramatically onto the couch when I get home, moving only for bathroom breaks and to finally slink off to bead. Thankfully, I have my day job, which includes a sleeping angel for at least 3 hours a day. The work from this week shall give me posts enough to last me several days if I split the stories! Which I will. Therefore, today, I will tell you about the UFO Challenge quilt I am ready to begin hand-quilting as of tonight!

This quilt is pictured and described in my UFO History page. As I pulled it out to begin working with it, I was trying to remember how and when exactly it got started. I was part of a quilting class at my church in Chattanooga, and for Christmas, we had a fat quarter "naughty santa". The fabrics I received were patriotic, and I can't remember how many exactly I got. I think it was 5. That spring, our fearless leader brought in directions for a Yellow Brick Road quilt. Since I already had the 5 patriotic fabrics, I chose the full size option and headed to the LQS for 10 more fat quarters. Now, the time period here I'm still fuzzy on, but it was less than two years after September 11, so patriotic fabrics were all the rage then, and soon, I had enough to work. Blocks made, sewn into strips, three strips sewn together, and I put it away to begin on another project. (see the UFO pattern?)

Fast forward five-plus years later. I have never forgotten about the quilt, knowing I needed a backing fabric whenever I chose to complete it, and always looked at fabrics during the summer. Nothing ever really jumped out at me, plus I never really had the $$ to splurge on it anyway. BTW, I also never really went into a good quilt shop here in town to look for fabrics, so I never had a chance. Once the challenge announced the # for the month was 3, I was estatic. I had so hoped to get to work on that quilt! So off I went to Mammaws Thimble. Massive selection of fabric. Choir of angels sing when you walk in, I swear! One hour and 30 minutes later, I emerge with a border fabric, and a backing fabric. (It took longer than planned, but mostly because the #1 pick for backing DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH material for me!!) Luckily, #2 did, and it is just as good a choice.

What I have always planned for this quilt was to hand-quilt "fireworks" as my design, and so wanted to find a good template and hopefully iridescent thread to use. Ix-nay on both. Never could find a fireworks template. And the lovely woman at the quilt shop suggested that I not use the iridescent thread, as it creates more tension in the stitch, more puckers, and more thread breakage. Thankfully, there are templates for sale online, and I found several that with the right thread, will look like fireworks exploding, anyway. And Mammaws had a beautiful spool of variegated thread in oranges, purples and yellows to complement the quilting templates. See?

And, so, after what must be at least 7 years, the quilt is ready for the hoop!

Ready to Begin Again

The move is finally complete, and I have promised myself at least 3 days of crafts only. No unpacking, no cleaning. Especially since packing and cleaning are all I've done for the last three days at the old apartment. Which is clean and empty now. Turned in the keys and everything! Happy Dance!!

The only good thing about the 45 minute drive, each direction, to and from the apartment, is that I had plenty of time to think about the crafts I wanted to work on, how I wanted to do them, and plot out my week. (If you ever find yourself driving down a highway with a car in front of you that is swerving a little occasionally, wave. It's probably me, writing/sketching out my ideas as I drive. I know, slap me on the wrist, I'm a bad driver!) So I have a list for the week!

1. Went to the quilt shop here to get border and backing fabric for my 4th of July quilt. Need to finish sewing the blocks, cut and sew the borders, cut and sew the backing, purchase some batting, get it basted, then begin the quilting!
2. Cut old jeans into 2 inch strips, sew into strips about 4-6 feet long, begin braiding, and make a rug for the laundry room, so that if the clean clothes fall, they don't hit the yucky floor.
3. Make a "feelie box" for the baby to play with (this will be a tutorial, cuz it sounds hard, but should actually be easy)
4. Cut and sew fabric for my design wall. Sew measuring "guide" lines on it, either 6 or 12 inches.
5. Begin organizing the craft room
6. Begin and finish the chalkboard wall.

I think I'm forgetting something. But my brain is fried! If I never move again, it will be too soon! Next time, I'm hiring people to pack me up and move me, I'm not doing it myself again!

Uh oh...

I've done a BAD thing..... I promised DH I wouldn't start any quilting projects until I had completely finished 2. Um, what was I thinking??? I have now broken that promise (HUBBY--IF YOU'RE READING THIS NOW, STOP!!! I CAN EXPLAIN!!!) I found a block swap for funky houses, and I thought in honor of moving to an actual house and getting out of apartments, that would be an awesome project. And I've already been to the quilt shop to get the fabric! I can have my new town in my new house as a cute wall hanging. I'm gonna pattern my "funky house" after the new house, so as I sketch out what I'm planning and start sewing, I will post those pics.

Anybody else doing good on finishing some projects? As soon as I can stop packing and moving boxes, I can get back to work hard-core to finish projects. See ya soon!

UFO Challenge

So, I've been searching the web for a great quilting blog to follow, and I came across... a UFO challenge! So exciting and exactly what I'm already doing, just a BIG group of people doing the same thing and keeping you more accountable than just "I'm going to do it!" So I emailed Nancy at the Patchwork Penguin, and I am now officially a part of the challenge. Here's how it works.

Everyone participating makes a list of 10 UFOs they want to finish. They number them 1-10. At the beginning of the month, she (or someone, I think her hubby) picks a number from cards, and that is the project you work on during that month. Now, obviously, I am behind. This started in January (BTW, it's 10 because she's giving us Nov and Dec to work on holiday projects and be with family instead of frantically trying to complete UFOs.) and it's now April! So I am making my list, and skipping the numbers they have already drawn and hopefully completed.

Now, do I really think I can complete 10 projects in the next 7 months...um....I can do at least 3, I'm sure! No, really, I'm gonna work as hard as I can to do my best to finish some of these things. (Redundant, I know, but it really expresses how hard I will be working!) And since I know what the number for April is, I am making that number the project I began working on yesterday.

So here's my list:
1. Winter Sampler Quilt
3. 4th of July Quilt
5. Green Ripples Crochet Afghan
6. Honeymoon scrapbook
8. High School T-shirt quilt (needs to be quilted)
9. A Cross Stitch project
10. Clothing Refashioning

Remember, 2, 4, 7, have already been called, and 10 is the project for the month of April. I went with the Clothing Refashioning because I made over a tank top yesterday, which I will post about, but probably not until tomorrow, because I worked two jobs yesterday and today, and I'm too tired to go upload the pics from my camera and write a second post! But I will say it turned out really cute, and most people who saw me wearing it yesterday couldn't believe I had made it! I LOVE being able to sew!

So, good luck on your own UFOs everybody, and I am off to bed now!

Preparation for Upcoming Projects

I know I haven't been posting in a few days, but that doesn't mean I haven't worked on projects. But most of what I have done has been research on upcoming stuff. And, I created a page here on ALL of my current UFOs. If you want a sneak peek at upcoming projects, you can read about them, how they got started and when and why they were abandoned. So this weekend, I searched my favorite quilting board/forum for ideas to finish my Winter Sampler Quilt. I started on the Block of the Month threads and scanned, and clicked on links, and scrolled, until I came up with several blocks I really liked that fit with the style of blocks already completed. The only problem is that two of the ones I really liked....were paper pieced.

I've never paper pieced before. Heard about it, seen how beautiful the quilts are, and how perfect the points are, which is why paper piecing is preferred for some block styles, but have no clue how to go about doing it. I have an aunt who quilts, and I know she has entered some of her pp quilts in shows before, and they are beautiful. So, I sent her an e-mail to figure out if she had any suggestions. Then I googled paper piecing. And found some great videos that helped me understand the process. Which is a Whole Lot simpler than I thought. ( I thought you cut out each paper piece, sewed the paper to the fabric, then somehow reattached the paper pieces, and the foundation of the paper was what made the points so perfect, and allowed you to use scraps regardless of where the bias was.)

In case you've never paper pieced before, it's so Easy! Print or trace your design onto paper (preferably paper designed to dissolve or remove easily) or interfacing. Start by making sure the pieces you choose are large enough to cover the selected area on the pattern, first piece right side up on the back of the printed side of paper. (BTW, the image should be reversed when you trace it, which it will be if you get it from a pattern book or online, but if you make it yourself, which you can, reverse it to trace) The #2 piece is place right-side together with the first piece, with the bulk of the material going away from where it's supposed to end up, since you will be ironing it over to the correct area. (If you're interested in learning how to pp, PLEASE don't use these instructions! Use this video, or one like it).

So, I needed to resize one of the patterns, which also turned out to be easier than expected. Then , I realized I needed to practice so I didn't mess up my beautifully resized pattern. I used the original 4 inch pattern and some of my scraps and created this:
I like it! It was so easy! Okay, I know you can't really tell what the pattern was supposed to be, since I didn't do such a hot job with planning the color arrangement (red, white, and blue does not a rose make). But for the 12 x 12 inch blocks when the only fabric colors are blue snowflakes and snowmen, it should be fantastic! Once I squared up all those rough and crazy edges, it's a nice block. Don't know what use I'll find for a 4 inch 4th of July block. I guess that means I'll be making another quilt at some point. Maybe a year quilt, 4 inch roses for each month. It's an idea....

What is a UFO?

No, I don't mean little green aliens and spaceships caught in fuzzy pictures that might or might not have been doctored to look like something from outerspace. In my house, UFOs are UnFinished Objects (and for me, that means crafts!). I am buried in UFOs. According to my mother, I have been drawing since I was pre-school (well, who hasn't you say?) and she has saved many of these precious works of art. Some of them, I know were not supposed to be all that great, but you know, when one leg on the teddy bear is shorter than the other, it DOES look like it's walking toward you! Or that's what she says.

In my 19 years of being a crafter, I have begun many projects, finished several of them, lost or destroyed a few of them, and laid many more aside. Which is not to say I won't ever complete them: just that now, as I contemplate orgainizing and packing my one bedroom apartment in preparation for a move in 2 months to either a 2 or 3 bedroom house with my husband of 6 months, I have a LOT of unfinished objects of art. Go on a vacation, purchase supplies to work on a cross-stitch project during trip and down-time: 5 years later, three vacations later, and it's still not complete. Begin making a baby blanket for a co-worker who is pregnant, but then she miscarries, and the project is shelved until a new baby is anticipated. Get addicted to scrapbooking, become Historian of sorority, make 3 lovely scrapbooks for the chapter, but never make one for myself, and now I have no pictures. They will all have to be reprinted.

And this is my life, now. For my New Year's resolution this year, I vowed I would complete projects, and write a journal about what I was doing. Which I did. Sorta. It's another UFO. See, what happens, and I'm sure you understand, is that I get all gung-ho about a project, and it's fun. Then I see a new project. And a new one. And before I know it: more UFOs. And then, I'm up so late working on all the cool stuff, that I'm too tired to write in the journal. BUT, since I have to load all pics to the computer to print them out for gluing into my journal....why not write the journal online! Save a step! Share my successes and failures. Get new ideas. And add to the ever increasing stash of UFOs.