Today and This Weekend

Today I....

...got some pretty fabrics in the mail.

A stack that grew when I went to buy the peacock print on the top. I've been waiting so long to snatch some of that up.

Lovely bright shot cottons all the way from the UK. Oakshott to be presise. I blame Lynne for this as she is giving away a color box and so many people are vying for it. I also didn't want to wait to see if I won before getting my hands on some.

I am very, very pleased with both the fabrics and the company itself. They send packages to the US by FedEx Express, which means you get it overnight. I didn't quite get my the next day because I wasn't home when they tried to deliver, but I did go pick it up from them the first chance I got. I got a promo code when I signed up for their newsletter which equaled free shipping. The prices on their site include VAT, which is promptly removed if you do not live in the European Union. And as an unexpected bonus, they threw in a color card for free. After some not so great experiences with other online fabric stores, I am giddy over all of this. I also had read that the shot cottons most people use are not going to be sold anymore (boooo!) so this is an excellent option.

I didn't want to spring for a color box right away as I wasn't sure how I would feel about the fabrics. I am just so picky with everything. So I picked up a charm pack and two kits. These are the kits I bought (images from Oakshott's website).



...picked out fabrics for my Cathedral Windows apron.

This weekend I...

...will be making up one, if not both, of Chad's vests.

...will be starting, if not finishing, my Cathedral Window apron.

...will be embroidering my Nesting Place needlebook.

...will be finishing at least the top of my Sparkle quilt.

...will at least prep the fabric for the Dessert of the Month Club and hopefully start.

...will be watching some long-anticipated stock car racing, as it starts Saturday night!

How about you? Any plans for the weekend?

WIP Wednesday

I need to make this quick, so I will get on with it and link up at Freshly Pieced.

Completed:

Three different pouches - Made for me but to test the waters with my partner in the Mouthy Stitches Swap. After getting reactions, I am going to take that and hopefully work on my swap pouch this weekend. This also means my Migration blocks can come off my list. Double duty projects are my favorite thing.

Progress Made:

Quilt Challenge of the Month: February - We are to do something with Cathedral Windows. I am going to make an apron and have purchased the main fabric. Next to pick out the windows and I can get started.

Garter Stitch scarf - I've knit about an hour on this the past week. It really is just taking forever and I'm feeling guilt if I think about starting another knitting project.

Sewing Machine Cover - I had brought this to work on in the truck, but got frustrated with the plastic templates I'm using. I did manage to stitch one hexie to the rest before putting it away.

Wedding Present - This is so late that I am ok with sharing my progress visually. This has made the most progress this past week. I had left it with just the red part done. There are three more towels to go with it, all with different designs that I will be freehanding.

Nesting Place class - Linen is stretched, design is transferred, and I have started stitching a bit. This is my first project using stretcher bars and so far I love it more than using a hoop.

Chad's vests - Fabric has been purchased and the muslin made. I need to draft the collar to add to it and get started on sewing these up.

No Progress:

Sparkle QAL - This is in the same state as last Wednesday. Hoping to work on it this weekend.

Dessert of the Month Club: January

Dessert of the Month Club: February

Drunkard's Path QAL

Kaleidoscope QAL

Zig Zag QAL

Tangerine Tango Challenge

2012 Color Challenge: January

2012 Color Challenge: February

Curves Class - I have been reading the posts but haven't made anything from the class yet.

For the Love of Solids Swap

Made in Cherry Swap

Embroidery Journal Project: January

Embroidery Journal Project: February

Embroidered Ornament set

Mini QT Swap

Project Quilting Challenge: Music

Project Quilting Challenge: Tools - I missed the deadline to win prizes but still want to make what I came up with. I have it in mind to go back to the challenges that were posted before I joined and do those too, but I think I should knock out more things here before I do that.

Hand Pieced QAL

New:

Typography Challenge - I have a couple ideas for this one. After watching Pam from Threading My Way take part in these challenges, I couldn't resist anymore.

I think that's everything. I'm so behind in everything except school and work (which would be pretty impossible to get behind). My wish to have one snow day is probably not going to come true either. For everything to shut down here it needs to be nightmarish bad. Think hurricane force winds with heavy snowfall - like 15"+ at once.

I hope your Wednesday is going well!

Tuesday at the Table

I'm linking up today over at Debbie's wonderful blog, A Quilter's Table, for Tuesday at the Table. If you've never visited her, do stay awhile and see the amazing things that she creates.

I don't have a recipe to share (no time to cook over the weekend) and don't celebrate Valentine's Day as every day is an opportunity to show love in our household. Don't throw up or anything though, it's not like a cheesy love movie or anything. Chad and I both just crave the same sort of relationship after all the many failures before.

Instead, I have a story from Sunday. Now Sunday was when we drove to see his dying father and the day as a whole, was not great, all things considered. It was a gathering of close family members, including some that I have not yet met before in the almost three years we have been together. There was an aunt and uncle who just don't come to family events often, but do live nearby in North Dakota. And then there was an uncle who now calls Las Vegas home. His energy was over-the-top and I'm not sure if he normally is that way, or if the fact that his brother is facing the end was the cause. A day spent with him was a lot for me, and very draining. It just reaffirms that I couldn't deal with the energy of a large city and that living in somewhat seculsion is best for me.

I'll get the somber part of my story out of the way and onto the enjoyable part. Chad's father is out of the hospital and at home now. He is bedridden and under hospice care, though it is Chad's sister, a nurse at the local veteran's hospital, who has taken a leave from her job in order to tend to their father.

There was a bit of crying from almost everyone, especially as people left for the evening. His father burst into tears when we came to say goodnight, as he knows as we do, that we probably won't see each other again. I have never experienced this before; any family or friends that have died before have done so suddenly. I'm not sure which is better, having the chance to say goodbye but watch someone die, or to not have that chance. Both are quite unpleasant.

On the drive home I asked Chad if his father is still living this upcoming weekend if he wanted to visit again, but he's not sure he can do it again. Well, I'm not sure I can either, but I need to be there for him whatever his decision is.

There were bright spots during the day. Of course there were stories to be told, photos to look at, and a few home movies to watch. Food was supplied by family and friends and included the standard Midwestern potluck fare: hot dishes and bars, among other things.

It was between meals that we watched old episodes of Johnny Carson. I never really watched him on tv and had got to the point where I had to do something. I had brought with a few projects to work on if I had the chance, so I pulled out some embroidery. I set up camp at the kitchen table so I could lay out everything. As I was working, Chad's five year old niece came to get water and noticed what I was doing. She started asking questions which progressed to her "helping" me stitch. (I would put the needle where I wanted and let her pull it through.) Soon enough she wanted to do it herself. Instead of letting her take over what I was working on, I pulled out an extra towel and threaded a needle for her to practice with.

Here's her go at embroidery. I wanted to snap a photo before I cut out the stitches because I do need to use this towel for something else. She had wanted to keep it, or at least cut our her part. I told her that next time I see her, I will have fabric with that she can stitch on and keep, if she wanted to.

It was a bright spot to the day for me to sit down and teach her a little bit. Definately distracting as well.

Pouches

I spent some time on Friday and Saturday sewing a few pouches for myself. This served two purposes. One, because I really do need some for myself and just can't wait until I get mine from the Mouthy Stitches Swap at the end of the month/beginning of March. And two, to make samples to show my partner and get input. I had a lot of fun doing this and have even more ideas to get out.

The first one I made I shared on Friday. It's the dumpling pattern from Keyka Lou. I smile just looking at it because of Little Red Riding Hood. Guess that means I need to use more of my stash of fabrics with her on them.

Then I made a pouch using my orphan blocks from my Migration tutorial. This was made for the Monthly Challenge hosted by Candi and our challenge for January was to do something with our blocks. Well it took me until February, and up until late last night, I assumed I was going to make them into mini quilts. Since I didn't jump on that I'm glad I found a way to use them in a manner I can enjoy.

I didn't quilt this at all. It is lined with a green Kona cotton and has fusible fleece for some body. I put zipper ends on this one to give it a try. The tutorial I followed was not the best, so I won't link to it. I know where there can be improvement for next time though. It finishes about 10" x 11".

The last pouch I made I started with a loose plan. I knew I wanted to use the Heather Ross print and pulled linens that matched. I had an idea of size, which was smaller in my head than what it turned out to be. This one finishes about 12" x 13" and has a 2" depth at the bottom thanks to boxed corners.

I played with some FMQ on the front and back, and also some running stitches on the front. Because this is for me, I didn't plan much of where the FMQ would go on the back. The "Wild at Heart" is a play on the wildflowers and also a line from a country song that I like. It's also a good way to describe me and is a side that most people don't see.

I didn't sew on zipper ends on this one so I could try that too. Before making these, I had only ever put zippers in clothing, so this was an experience. I like both ways and don't find one harder than the other.

The other sewing I did was for Chad's vest. We went to the fabric store when he got home from work and picked out fabrics to make two of them. He had wanted a tan twill and a black wool, but the wool was a bit expensive for us right now, so he will have a black twill as well. I measured him and made up a muslin to get the fit right. Luckily, it fits well without any adjustments. The only thing I will have to do extra is draft a collar for it, as the patterns available in the store didn't have one. Pattern companies should really make more of a variety for men's clothing.

The urgency to make these has increased. I don't think I shared the reason behind it, but he wants to have the black one to wear to his father's funeral. I told you that his father was going on hospice care, but the next day he was hospitalized because of fluid entering his lungs. We know the end is very near and as of my typing this (Saturday evening), he is still alive. I've been praying that he makes it through Sunday so we can see him in person as this may just be the last day we see him alive.

Sorry for the somber note, but it is on my mind a lot right now. I already have the ok to have a night off work for the funeral, once we know when it will be. This is very generous of my boss because since I am part time, I don't have all the benefits that full time employees have. And not being married to Chad, the death of any of his relatives doesn't fall under the funeral leave allowance.

I'm taking a few handwork projects with me to keep me occupied today. Like a lot of people, I don't do well with hospitals and death. Unlike many, I tend to get physically ill and can't sit still. (I missed a grandmother's funeral because I was in the bathroom throwing up, for instance.) I could have used something to work on the past few visits but didn't think to bring anything. This time I am prepared so my hands are at least doing something.

Ok, I think that's enough of me bringing you down. I should be back early in the week with more to share with you as I'm hoping to have another finish under my belt before Wednesday.

Studio Saturday

Here we are at Saturday again. My classes this week were pretty light as far as work goes, but here is what I created for them.

Firstly, in sculpture we are working on making two part molds. So far, I just have one half of it done. I'm making a mold of a plastic lemon; nothing exciting.

In painting this week we worked on making mixed media collages, concentrating on color and shape. The first one I made in class looking out one of the windows. I used a little paint, marker and oil sticks to add to the color already on the collaged paper.

This second one was done at home. I glued torn up sheet music to a large sheet of paper and painted over it. We were to use something 3D on the collage as well and that is represented by the waxed thread I used as strings. Marker was used as well to define. I think I managed to wreck it though by drawing over slightly wet paint.

Our final cyanotype project was due on Tuesday. We had our critique and then our instructor surprised us by telling us that our pieces were going on display in the gallery. We had until Thursday to tweek them, taking into account the comments made during critique.

My piece is dealing with my family and growing up. Before my sister was born, when I was still an only child, my parents would read Goldilocks and the Three Bears to me, substituting Katie Bear for Baby Bear. When she was born, this stopped. That is part of the story here. The other part is how I seperated myself from my family due to long term mental abuse. You can read a little more about that here, where I talked about it. If you have more questions though, feel free to ask. (Like I stated in the first post, any suggestions that I have done the wrong thing are unwelcome. Abuse is unacceptable, period, and considering it continued into my adult years made it horrendous for me.) I found photos that would help portray that idea that my story can be parallel to the fairy tale and traced various illustrations to get the top layer. I used a Japanese book binding technique to put it together. This piece is very interactive and hard to photograph. For obvious reasons, it is hard to portray mental abuse and the photo "showing" that is of my crying as I'm receiving a gift. My parents seemed to think that by buying me things or giving me money that it would erase what they did to me. At one point, I was even bribed to talk to my father again. A pretty hefty $10,000 was on offer... Tempting but not worth it to me.

It was kind of funny to me because I had been thinking how this was a great way to work through feelings but nothing I would want to put on display. Well, it is now hanging up at school and I'm trying to be ok with it. If she had told us we would be displaying the projects from this assignment, I would have made something else, honestly.

That's all that I had to do last week. My only assignment right now is to paint a Valentine's Day themed painting, but it has to not be the expected or use any sort of cliche. I have an idea of what I'm going to do and just need to do it. Good thing it isn't due until Tuesday.

I spent the day doing some sewing, which I will show you tomorrow. Hope your weekend is going well!

Quick Friday Finish & Happy Mail Day

First of all, I'm linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday. I realize I forgot to edit my post I linked last week, so sorry Amanda Jean!

My finish this week? Oh, you would think it would be something on my WIP list, but it isn't. Well, it sort of is. In order to kill two birds, I am going to sew up some different pouches for myself this weekend. This will fulfill a few needs I have right now and also give me prototypes to get feedback on from my partner in the Mouthy Stitches Swap. So, today I put together a dumpling (pattern from Keyka Lou).

I made the larger size and used some of my Red Riding Hood stash. Inside is lined with a deep red print.

I'm glad I made this one though I won't make any more of them for myself. I just don't love it even though I used a fabric I love. Know what I mean? However, if my partner likes this style, I would sew one up for her.

My mailman and UPS guy brought some lovelies to me today.

More sewing patterns, this time from Megan Nielsen. She started making maternity patterns and has now branched out to non-maternity clothing patterns. If you like the dress pattern, she is talking about hosting a sew-a-long for it in March.

My other package contains more solids. I now have the fabrics I need for the February Color Challenge, so I can get started on that next week. Still deciding on my design though.

That's all I have for today. I am going to spend some time after work this evening catching up on your blog posts and emails. See you tomorrow with my weekly studio update!

An Omission

Yesterday while typing up my WIP list I had the nagging feeling that I was forgetting something. It turns out I was, and not just the basket of projects lurking under my sewing table that I'm trying to decide if I should share. I think it would scare all of you because of the sheer amount of projects I already have lined up. I thought keeping it there would help keep me from starting new things, but alas, I am drawn to the new and shiny.

But I am digressing. Those projects may have their time on this blog when I have time to photograph and share. Accountability, right?

The project I was forgetting was the February challenge set forth by Candi at Raccoon Creek Quilts. It hit me at work and instead of editing yesterday's post, I thought I would include it here. Afterall, I am having a blast with her challenges and think you should check them out. Candi pushed us to create a block and post a tutorial, which I would not have done otherwise.

This month, she is challenging us to create something using the Cathedral Windows block. This block is on my list, in fact I have a stash of charms (French General's La Petite Ecole) to make a large quilt. I haven't decided on a solid for them and want to finish up the other large quilts I have in progress before I start this one.

But I also bought a pattern awhile back that uses this block. It's a 1978 pattern for an apron. This is what I'm going to make this month, although I will be altering the length quite a bit. I'm 5'10" and don't want a floor length apron. Knee length it will be.

As I'm typing this up, I also think it would be great to see a border of Cathedral Windows on a dress or skirt. That will be a future project once my list gets whittled down.

If this interests you or you're looking for a fun challenge every month, please visit Candi's blog and join in!