WIP Update

I hear it's spring but you wouldn't know it looking outside. To top it off, there was an announcement today that we should expect major flooding once the snow melts and the ground thaws. Oy.


As for my update, I really only have one project with any significant progress. That would be my Woodland Sampler. This past week I have found myself wanting to work on at home instead of solely at work. I should be all caught up come April 1st.


I hope spring is treating you nicely so far. See you soon!

Giving Paper Piecing a Second Thought

I'm about to eat my words today. When I posted my Sugar Block Club blocks, I mentioned how I didn't care for the paper piecing in the February block. My reasons? It was tedious, wasteful, and I didn't find that particular block challenging at all.

That was all before I stumbled upon the Forest QAL that is going on right now. I need another project like I need a hole in my head, but I just can't resist. And even the prospect of paper piecing isn't enough to change that.

  Image from Shape Moth.
I won't be starting it right away but am thinking I will start on them in April. Blocks are posted until June and then there is a link up of finished projects through August. These blocks should be challenging enough, and if I still don't care for paper piecing, then I don't have to continue.

What about you? Do you find yourself creating a quilt with an undesirable technique in order to get a desired outcome?

On Free Time and a Little Stashing

I briefly mentioned in my last post that I've made some changes to how my free time is spent. I'm going to share that but first show some of my recent stash acquisitions. Don't let the lack of yarn fool you; I have welcomed more skeins into my life than I would rather publicly admit.

I got my fabrics for the Road to Round Rock QAL. I don't care for the polka dot print with the others, which was not my first choice anyway. I got notification that the print I wanted is back in stock, so it's on its way to me now. The QAL just started today so there is time to join in if you want.


A few other fabrics snuck along for a ride. I love everything that Lizzy House comes up with, so of course I had to get some of her Constellations prints.


I also bought some new books. I have only paged through these but hope to dig in soon.


As for my free time, or should I say time I am not at work/sleeping/taking care of the house, I'm taking a different approach. The way things have been going, I have only been knitting, which is fine, but it means I don't work on any of the (many!) sewing projects I have on deck. After brainstorming over why this is, I decided that I waste the free time I have before going to work each day. I don't spend that time knitting since I like to knit in large chunks of time so instead, I just relax and really, waste a couple hours each weekday.

Knowing this, I decided to try sewing in the time before work. With sewing, I find I am satisfied with a shorter time window. In an hour or two, I can sew enough seams without ironing, and then the next session I can iron them out. Cutting is also something that I can only do for so long, so doing that before work has been great.

I don't have any fruits of my labor to show really, other than the Sugar Block Club blocks I shared last time, but I can say the past couple weeks have been very productive for sewing projects. This way, I also get to spend a couple hours after work knitting without guilt. (Guilt over not sewing, that is.)


Another new thing is an updated smart phone. My old one (the smaller one with the cracked screen) wasn't useful for doing much online. With my new one, it's easier for me to type on the screen so I have been working into the habit of using it to answer emails and read blogs. Some days this has been useful, but it all depends on the time I have to check up on things. Most of that time is at work, so if the office is not busy, I am able to be on my phone.

And you know what else a new phone means, right? I new phone case. As you can tell, my old one won't quite work any more.

Sugar Block Club

I am so excited to share with you my progress on these blocks! I joined in with Amy's club back in January and really did nothing to play along until this past week. Well, I guess I have been collecting fabrics to use, but that is all. The only reason these happened is due to the change in my mindset towards my free time. I will talk more about that next week, but I have found a way for myself to be more productive.


Let's get on with the blocks. First up is January. Because the block looks like tulips to me, I decided to pick fabrics that would convey tulips in the (dirty) snow. Let's face it, snow is only white for a short time once people/animals/vehicles get involved.


Next is February. This was the first time I have ever paper pieced by machine. I just never have had the inclination to do so and really am not impressed enough to seek it out. It was easy for me to grasp, but so wasteful and tedious. That being said, I do have a project waiting that involves a bit of paper piecing.


Lastly, is March. This block is my favorite pairing of background and batiks. The penguin peeking in the center kills me (and was completely unintentional).


It feels so good to be caught up with these. I can't wait to see what the rest of the blocks will look like. There is a growing pile of text fabrics and batiks waiting to join these.

A Lovely Year of Finishes: March

My project for this month is something I have been meaning to sew up for quite awhile; pretty much since I moved in with Chad (and for the record, that was almost two and a half years ago!). Like all of our beloved pets, mine can make a mess when eating and drinking. They also love to scoot their supposedly non-skid dishes around the kitchen.


To help stop some of the clean up and movement, I'm going to sew up a mat for their dishes. I've been collecting various dog fabrics with this in mind (and the hope that I could find one that had Boston Terriers on it - success!). I'm not sure I will use all of these or what kind of design I will come up with. Probably something simple.

Linking up with Sew BitterSweet Designs and Fiber of All Sorts.

To Do First: March

Well, it's the first of the month and that means it's time to see how I did on my to do list for February and share my plans for March. As you know, I always plan way more than I can do. Because of this, there isn't much new for March. I'm going to be concentrating on finishing the projects I have going, but there are a couple things that I either have to finish or that start this month.

Let's kick it off with February's list.

Knitting:
Must Do:

1. Cora test - I'm still on the sleeves.

2. Joji Mystery Shawl - didn't start.

3. Sermon Mystery - I'm still on the first clue.

4. Itasa Stole - didn't touch.

5. New Beginnings Mystery - didn't touch.

6. Denise shawl - finished. I haven't posted about it yet but should get to that this month.

7. Madison test - finishing sleeves and have to knit the band.

8. Boo Knits Mystery - I started this one but haven't made it past clue 1.

9. Sourwood Mountain - no progress.

10. Olympic National Park shawl - didn't start.
11. Canyonlands shawl - didn't start.

12. Cowboy Cowl - didn't start.


Might Do:

1. Mystery Sock - didn't start.

2. Driftwood - didn't touch.

3. May Day Shawl - still working away on this one, slowly.

4. Abalone - didn't start.

5. Age of Brass and Steam - didn't start.

6. 28's Big Sister 77 - didn't start.

7. Business Casual socks - didn't start.

Sewing:

Must Do:

1. Project Quilting - I completed one of the challenges for this month. The second wasn't enough of a challenge for me to just make something up. There are two left in March for the season.
2. Handstitched mini - didn't touch.

3. Kaleidoscope back - didn't start.

4. Baste and quilt Drunkard's Path - didn't get to this yet.
5. Emerald challenge - I have my design sketched out and know what fabrics I will be using.

6. Sugar Block Club - I picked out my fabrics but didn't sew them up yet.

7. Thread Catcher - finished.

Might Do:

1. Row QAL - didn't start. I still need to buy my background solid before I can even think about it.

2. Weekender - didn't start.

3. Low Volume top - I still have to get some fabrics for this top before I can start.

4. Dogwood Blossom - didn't start.

Embroidery:

Must Do:

1. Nesting Place needlebook - didn't touch.

2. Edward Gorey Stitch-a-long - didn't start.

3. Woodland Sampler - I'm still plugging away at January.

4. Reindeer banner - didn't start.

Might Do:

1. Garden Tote - didn't touch.

2. Dessert of the Month - didn't touch.

3. White on White - didn't start.

4. Sampler from school - didn't touch.

5. Cloth from EEC class - didn't touch.

Not so good, but some progress is better than none. For March, I will be adding the following.

Knitting:

Must Do:

1. Tank top test - another test knit (and the last for awhile). I won't be able to share this until April as the design is being published. Should be a quick one to do up compared to the long sleeved sweaters I have been working on.


Might Do:

1. East Gable Shawl - a beautiful shawl that is paired with a lovely green yarn. Inspired by the Anne of Green Gables books.

Sewing:

Must Do:

1. Honeycomb SAL - hosted by Jenelle. Instructions have started and I am as far as picking out my fabrics.

2. Road to Round Rock QAL - hosted by Judy. Fabrics have been ordered and are on their way. This starts March 16th.

3. A Year of Lovely Finishes - I will post tomorrow about what I pick.

Might Do:

1. Curved tree mini - a project from Curves Class. It's more winter/holiday themed but I would like to get it finished so I'm ready next winter.

2. Zig Zag top - from the QAL two (?) years ago. I have the fabrics and just need to get started on it.

Nothing new for the embroidery category this month. My focus is on the deadline items and also on my FAL list. I will hopefully finish one item and make good progress on the rest.

What are your plans for the month?