Sneak Peek (TRACEY, DON'T LOOK!)

Drum roll please. I finally got started putting together Tracey's bag from her swap that ended a million years ago. Amy Butler's Weekend Bag. I got a little farther tonight and completed the piping around the front panels and attached the zipper. It isn't nearly as complicated as I feared and I am so happy with how it is going together. The stripes matching on the front panels is a total fluke...and they don't match up one bit on the zipper panel, which may look funny. So this is a sneak peek:
I haven't given up on quilting yet. I'm also still stitching away on my pink quilt. I really enjoy the actual quilting part and slowing am getting better at it. Addie's toes will probably peek out from underneath by the time I get it together. :)

Squares & Skirt for Addie

TA-DA!

All but one of my homework squares are finished now. I will be working on getting borders on and then will start quilting. These squares represent HOURS of seam ripping...especially that silly 8 pointed star. I now have a much deeper appreciation for the hands behind all those quilts I own and see in shops.

After this week's overwhelming class where we learned about different quilting stitches and techniques, I had to go straight home and work on something that I was comfortable with. So I made Addie this cute little skirt from Bananafana out of the princess material and ribbon she picked out at the store recently. I have some beautiful fabrics to make a few more skirts from this pattern, but had to make this one first. It turned out SO cute and was SO easy.

Quietly Quilting

I've been spending those few precious hours after the kids go to sleep, working on my quilting class homework. I finished four blocks last week (pictures soon) and now have two more to do before the next class...eight point star and drunkard's path. I have enjoyed the cutting, piecing, and ironing--I think it really appeases the control freak in me. Okay quilters out there...why, when, and where do YOU love to quilt?

Blooming Gifts

It's Teacher Appreciation Week at J's school. This is what we came up with for his four awesome teachers. I actually bought a very similar pin recently, and planned on buying more for these gifts, but I ran out of time and was forced to make my own. :) Mine are a little less shabby-chic (it's the OCD in me) and a little more symmetrical, but I think they turned out so sweet. Jackson instructed me to pick out "beautiful orange fabric." I'm not a super fan of orange, but I love all of these fabrics. The top two look red/pink in the photo, but they are really orange. What do you think?

Triangle Squares-

These are the last of the units for this week's homework. I still need to trim the triangle squares and then piece together two blocks from these squares. You can see my favorite tool...the princess pencil. I thought it was appropriate to work on Addie's quilt!

Making Progress

I completed 2 more units tonight! I'm saving the triangle units for tomorrow. Once I get those units finished I'll piece together my two 9-square blocks. I am having fun learning about "quick piecing," and am getting better at lining up the seams.

I'm Back and Gettin' Busy

Now that the marathon is over I can get back to my sewing! You can read about my marathon experience over at the family blog (link to the right).

This is part of my homework from a Quilting class that I am taking with my friend Linda. This is my very first block ever...the Rail Fence. The blue one is the sample I took from class, the pink one is mine. I'm pretty happy with it except that the center seam is a tiny bit off. Can you tell what's on the fabric? Cupcakes, polkadots, & flowers. Can you tell who is going to receive the finished quilt? You guessed it, the number 1 pink lover in my house...Addie.

Two more blocks to go before class next Tuesday. I'll post pictures when I get them together.