WIP: Double-rainbow Edition...

Have you seen the youtube video where the man is exclaiming over a rainbow he is filming?  Well, it's what comes to mind this week as I labor over  one of my last three remaining "must do before baby girl is born" list of WIP's.  I will show you the picture a little bit later, but first, I started cutting and pinning burp cloths from the flannel that I purchase over the shameful weekend (see Monday's post).  I will be making making bibs to go with them and I have plans to make a flannel baby blanket for the either the Youth group fundraiser or the Parish school fundraiser for next year.

 And now for a little "double-rainbow" action!  This is sort of like "bottled rainbows" meets organic sunshine (meaning rainbows got a little melted, maybe?).  This is to be a wall-hanging that someone sort of asked me to make.  I believe the words, "colorful" and "modern" might have come up in the conversation and I might have taken it a little far.  It's kind of a fun project though.  I just have to work in the rest of the blues & purples.  Then we have a whole lot of zig-zagging to get done and the usual binding fun; I think I have a fun black print I am going to use for that.  I am praying that this one gets done before Friday so I can mail off my last two packages!

And finally my favorite WIP that is still on-going for another 8-15 weeks (depending if she comes early, on-time or late).  I love those little lips; as soon as I saw this ultrasound picture my first thought was she looks just like my MIL!  I am so happy about that because my husband looks just like his mother too (I have the best MIL in the world)!  I ended up out a little too long on black Friday and we started having some contractions, so though not on official bed rest, my project numbers will be greatly reduced in the coming weeks.  I am so happy that next week I will post more about the lap quilt I am working on to give away for the Baby name contest (over on my husband's blog).

So my WIP's this week are:

New projects -11

In process - 33
In planning- 9

Finishes - 5

I am linking up with:

SR-W48: I can Explain...

My Dear, sweet husband if you are reading this, please be a dear and STOP reading this post....

I was a bad girl, a very bad girl.  I bought 5 yards of fabrics from the Christmas section at JAF (in my defense it was 60% off plus my 10% discount card...) which I plan to use to make some items for Our Parish School's silent auction. And then, 3 yards came out of the remanent bin and I already have them cut up into pieces for my quilt kits (I like to pre-cut my fabric into kits with directions so I can just grab a kit when I need a project).

And then, Black Friday sales hit me...This is one week in which I do not wish to share how much fabric was obtained!  Friday itself, found flannel at $1.49/yard (normal $7.99/yard) and then Saturday Quilter's Showcase prints were $1.99/Yard (normal $5.99/Yard).  I've had my eye on several of those prints for the Yellow/Black/Gray/White Auction Quilts for our Church Youth Group fundraiser.  Let's just say I saved a bundle of money, but I have spent all of my fabric budget for November, December & January.  Now I will have to wait to sell something or maybe Santa will be very nice to me this year and give me fabric and/or gift cards! (hopefully Santa is reading this part...lol).

I am working on burning my hands fusing my scraps for a project I have been working on thinking about for about 6 months.  Amongst the fabric pick-ups was a few orange fat quarters because I realized when I got to this project that I barely have orange fabric let alone orange fabric scraps!  I will show more about this project on Wednesday when I share my WIP's.  I also need to finish 2 important projects this week, one of which I haven't started yet....Stay tuned!

so here's the shameful verdict this week:

Busted this Week:                  37.25 yards

Busted from 08/01/2011:       206.25 yards (Gave Away 22 more yards)
Stashed this Week:                52.25 yards
Stashed from 08/01/2011:       95.5 yards

Net Busted for 2011(from 08/01/2011):  110.75

TGIFF4: "Santa Claus is Coming To Town..."

Welcome to Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday (TGIFF); I hope you will stay for some cocoa and a little bit of merry making!  As promised here is my recipe for making one's own Cocoa mix.  I love to change the recipe up a little bit and give out as part of a gift, perhaps with a mug or this year I am giving it with the "mug rugs"  I made last week.

Rich Cocoa Mix

1 cup milk powder 

1 cup powdered coffee creamer 

1 cup sugar 

½ cup cocoa powder 

Mix well and store in a labeled container. 

(For international equivalencies it is a 2:2:2:1 ratio) 

NOTE: A hot cocoa mix is not the same as a "drinking chocolate mix" and therefore cannot be augmented to make it into one.  I have had several questions concerning that from my overseas visitors!  I did a little research and tried to augment but it doesn't work out...sorry. 12/02/2011

Variations: 

Peppermint: add 8 finely crushed peppermint lollies to a batch of mix 

Vanilla: add 5 tsp. vanilla powder to a batch of mix 

Cinnamon: add 4 tsp. cinnamon to a batch of mix

Special flavors:  You can used flavored coffee creamers to give it your personal touche. 

I have been tackling some Christmas themed WIP's week in the hopes of clearing up my list!  These two simple runners are finished off with stars and meandering stitches on the outside sashing. 
I am so happy how both tumbler quilts turned out!  I thought the quilts looked kind of plain when I was finished with making the top; I thought about adding some appliqued flowers or something.  So I decided to try FMQ a sort of flower design on the girl one and Meandering stitch for the boy quilt.  I had several firsts for these quilts: 1) first time using such a contrasting color for binding, 2) first time using a different color bobbin thread than top thread to attach binding, and 3) First time machine stitching binding onto a baby quilt. And most importantly last time I will ever FMQ with Sulky thread (If I can get away with it)!

 So finishes for this week:
1.  Christmas Table Runner 1
2.  Christmas Table Runner 2
3.  Fall into Fall mini quilt 1
4.  Fall into Fall mini quilt 2
5.  Pink/peach/green Tumbler baby quilt
6.  Yellow/green/Blues Tumbler Baby quilt


New projects (since last Friday)- 1

In process - 22 (took projects off list I haven't started)

Finishes (Since last Friday)- 6

Be sure to link up your finished projects and visit the other blog links, leaving merry little comments along the way!  Please include a link and/or button for TGIFF! (It's just over there on the right hand side) so your visitors can see other fantastic finishes.  Be sure to check back at TGIFF Central for the link party host/hostess next week!  

WIP: Crawling To The Finish Line

Well, it's Wednesday again and I have a lot I want to get accomplished this week!  It will be my first time hosting TGIFF and set up the linky party for others to share their finished projects.  I hope it all works out well!  I will be sharing my fun recipe for making your own Hot chocolate mix.  My goal this week has been to tackle some of my WIP list, get it down to a more manageable list.  First off I cleared up the list on the sidelines by deleting projects that haven't actually been started, off my list.  That knocks off 8 items that I realized when I went looking for them, that did not yet exist!

I wanted my last two fall wall hangings to be finished by this post, but I still have a  little more handi-work on on the binding to do.  Some other items that I am hoping to get wrapped up are two Quilt tops and 2 Christmas runners that were spray basted and sandwiched over the last couple days. The quilting on the Peach/Purple Tumbler quilt has begun, I am thinking about trying my hand at machine-stitching the binding on this time, but we will see if they can be completed.

The binding though is ready (pictured below), and perhaps I may have overdid it with 27 yards of the yellow binding for the Christmas runners.  But then I always kind of feel elated when I am working on a  project and I find perfectly coordinating binding already made-up, it sort of feels like cheating.  I have 8 yards each of the green and blue binding, however I realized when looking at them again that I made up the blue in 2 1/4 inch wide instead of 2 1/2 inch wide. so I may need to make up another set for the blue/yellow tumbler quilt if I decide to machine-stitch the binding I will need the extra 1/4 inch.

Of course a week cannot go by without started just one tiny little extra project that is needed for some important reason.  I am however very stuck on this one because it calls for me to cut the blocks so that they are not all lining up with each other.  It truly is a struggle to not line all these boxes on the advent calendar up like little soldiers.  I used the pattern on Sew Mama Sew, however I modified it (of course) to fit what I was wanting (mostly matching boxes for one thing), so maybe it doesn't have to look wonky either!  I also just cut the numbers out by hand rather then follow a template for them (I did cut out an extra batch of numbers so I can have them ready if I make another one).  

Well I am off to take another picture of my baby girl, Nugette (nickname until we can reveal her name), my greats WIP project that I am currently working on, that's for sure!

So my WIP's this week are:

New projects -1

In process - 27 (took projects off list I haven't started)
In planning- 8

Finishes - 8

Linking up at these places this week:

SR-W47: "It came upon a Midnight..."

It's late, very late, (or very early in US, or afternoon in Australia) and as baby girl happily kicks my ribs I am thinking about all I am hoping to accomplished over this next week.  I have WIP's floating out of my ears at this point and I still can't seem to stop myself from starting new ones.  I did not succumbed this past weekend, but it's bound to happen before too long!

I am still reeling from the news from the doctor that baby girl may be coming sooner than I had planned (wants me to be ready 4-5 weeks early just in case).  One of my thoughts has been if only I can get my quilt tops, table runners and larger projects ready for the hand-sewing, then I can do the hand-sewn binding when I reach the point that I can't move anymore then I will still feel like I am making progress.  I will tell you more about those projects tomorrow, today is about fabric and my addiction.  I had no plans to purchase anymore fabric this year, but realizing I have one more Christmas present to start and finish by the end of the week, I needed just a tad bit that I picked up while grocery shopping.

This Thursday/Friday I host my very first TGIFF link party, which I am super excited about!  It has been such an encouraging group of ladies from around the world, and I simply love stalking their blog pages to see what projects they are working on, a few have stirred up my desire to start more WIP's though!  Please come by, check it out and even think about joining us!

So on to the report:

Busted this Week:                    7.75 yards
Busted from 08/01/2011:        169.00 yards
Stashed this Week:                  2.75 yards
Stashed from 08/01/2011:       43.25 yards

Net Busted for 2011(from 08/01/2011):  125.75

 I do not have a post this week for Modern Mondays, but please check out what's going on there!  Such darling items!

TGIFF3: "Put Your Records On..."

Welcome to Friday!  I have the record player on today listening to some of my favorites and taking inventory of the week!  A very sweet friend came over this week to help me sort through some boxes and get them labeled in anticipation for our move in the Spring.  I decided to pack all of my scrapbooking materials and most non-sewing craft supplies as well.  Unfortunately I was discouraged to discover several WIP/UFO's scattered through out random storage boxes that have now been identified and put on my "WIP list" over to the right side of my blog.

Continuing to have energy, I am trying to blast my way through as many projects hidden in my "WIP Pit of Despair" as I can.  That includes the blue/white girls dress (size 2) to the left.  It was a project I started over 3 years ago, sadly enough it just needed a little hemming, buttons sewn on, and I thought it needed the snazzy little scrap fabric flower I made from this tutorial.  The flower is the 2nd item I have actually made from my "Pinterest boards!"

Finishes Since last Friday:
1.  9 blue/green/yellow Modernish mug rugs
2.  Table topper in blues & cream
3.  Blue Plaid Girl Dress (Size 2) & snazzy flower
4.  6 Spirit Scrap bibs w/ yellow ties

New projects (since last Friday)- 19

In progress - 35 (Found a few more in boxes, sigh)

Finishes (Since last Friday)- 17

So, linking with Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday (TGIFF) being hosted this week at Bending Pins!
and Amanda Jean is back with Finish it up Fridays over at Crazy Mom Quilts!

WIP: "The Flight of The Bumble Bee..."

I am trying so hard not to tear into the new fabrics I spoke about on Monday to get working on Nugette's quilt (don't forget to check out her naming contest).  Plus I still have a few more Christmas presents to try to get done by Friday's TGIFF linky party!  The picture in the upper left hand corner starts off today's WIP list with the Ticker Tape Wall hanging a new addition for this week!  My belly and I are getting the background spray basted in preparation (with a mask, don't you worry),  I added a few pins just in case.  I did add my baby bump, we call her "Nugette," to my WIP list on my side bar this week, she has been counted in my numbers since I started, but someone pointed out she should be on the list!

I have 12 more Christmas Projects that I started this past Saturday, but I was able to finish 9 of them on Monday evening Post, but now I need to get them gift wrapped with the Hot chocolate mix that I make-up every year for gifts (and personal consumption of course!).  I am gifting them in tea tins and then plan to wrap the whole bundle in plastic & ribbons.  [I plan to share the recipe for the hot Chocolate mix next Friday when I am hosting my first TGIFF linky party!]

I do have 4 more "Mug rugs" to complete.  I only have one left to do for Christmas and then the other three I plan to use as prizes for my baby shower or maybe as birthday gifts this spring, I really haven't made up my mind yet!

I also started another 6 baby bibs, some of which I plan to give for Christmas, some are for the Spring Baby Boom (I have 7 friends due within 3-4 weeks of myself!) which I intend to pair with a burp cloth for a little set.  Since almost all the babies are little girls or supposed to be, I pulled out Tula Pink's Spirit fabric from my Moda scrap bag collection.  A friend walked into my craft room the other day and exclaimed over my large bundle of bias tape, which is what I like to use on my bibs that tie;  I made it.  Yes, I was crazy, and spent many hours when we were back home in the Alaskan winter evenings cutting and ironing strips to make a million yards of bias tape!  I have to say in part it was so worth it because in the 3 years we have lived here I have only run out of one of my bundles, the green one of course!

I also found more UFO-WIP's from some storage boxes which has grossly inflated my WIP count!

So my WIP's this week are:

New projects -22 (Since last Wednesday)

In process - 42 (Found a few more in boxes, sigh)

Finishes - 16 (Since last Wednesday)

For another happy little finish, we have for your viewing pleasure a nice little blue table-topper I made for one for one of the end tables in my living room (I hate to dust)!  I have plans to make a second one to match for the other table.  I know I said I wasn't going to make anymore items for our household, we have plans to move in 6 months, but I have plans to bring these end tables with us!  Plus it was already started so I was trying to get it off my WIP count (that's my story and I'm sticking to it).

Linking up at these places this week:

I Am Such A Nerd...

I admit it, I am such a nerd [noun Slang. an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit: a computer nerd.]  I had this idea a couple days ago that I could play with some of my orphan blocks and scraps to make some mug rugs for Christmas, and it looks like everyone is getting one for Christmas!  I might have, just a little, gone perhaps a tiny bit, overboard (as per usual).  John from Quilt Dad is perhaps known as (or should be, I think) the King of Mug Rugs because it always seems that he is making one every week.  In fact that is where I first even heard of the idea of basically a fancy coaster.

This past week on WIP Wednesday I ran into a lovely blog called, Sew Awesome, who posted about a lovely moment with her mother and she inspired my attempt on the abstract blocks you will see a little of in the pictures!  Another inspiration was A Girl In Paradise's post about her Folded-star mini quilt she posted for AmyLouwho's Mini Quilt challenge.  I will admit I had thought about trying to enter my link in as well, but I misbehaved (ie. lifted things to cause a little pains to happen and husband to get a little panic'd) and missed the deadline.  I was able to get 9 of the 12 Mug Rugs done, but I also have a picture of the other 3 which I plan to use as baby shower prizes (I know one is not supposed to do things for their own shower, but...).  I really like how the scrappy binding turned out which I modified from Jaybird Quilt's Scrappy Binding Tutorial, I used scrap bag strips 3" inch wide and cut my binding to be 2" straight across instead of on the slant.  I will have to try to follow her exact directions next time though cause I really like how her's turned out too!

9 Mug Rugs 5.75" X 8.5" (14cm X 21.5cm) in green/yellow/blues

3 Other MR's that still need binding

My husband, lovely man that he is, was tied up this past weekend with a wonderful opportunity to "beta test" the new Star Wars:  The Old Republic MMORPG (Massively Multi-person Online Role Playing Game).  In a world before I had all my fabric organized, I would have been sitting right next to him all day, but in my new world I just sew all the time (I used to play MMORPG's, which are really great fun).  We did get out Saturday night to register a few more things on our baby registry at Babies R' Us (seriously the name of the store, crazy, huh?), although I think my husband just likes hold the scanner because every time I turned around he was scanning another item or two; I just may need to double-check that list!  So with a few more finishes under my belt this week I think I will be able to rest a little easier having Christmas almost wrapped up (literally!).  And now I will leave you with a little tidbit of fun with the trailer for the game!

I am linking to:

SR-W46: "You're Going To Miss This..."

Never have I anticipated anything more than the arrival of our first child.  It was almost a year ago that we found out that we were pregnant and I am not sure you could have found two happier persons in all the world at that moment.  When we lost the first of our babies just after Christmas it was with the news that we had two more growing within me, so we dreamed, planned and hoped beyond all reason.  Our greatest joy was surpassed by our greatest sorrow when we found out almost 1 month later, near the end of January 2011, that our children had died.  There is nothing in life that prepares a person for that, but I had to return to work within two weeks of surgery.  Life goes on.  In April I contracted Viral meningitis and my world stopped as I was confined for almost 2 months.  All the meanwhile, I had stopped hoping and dreaming for a child, after all, we had been married for 7 years.  I finished my quilt in memory of my babies the day before Mother's Day, I was starting to heal a little.  Just as I started to get up and try to rework my muscles and gain strength we found out we were pregnant again.

I will be totally honest with you, I never thought we'd make it to 25 weeks let alone have hope again that we'd some day hold our own child.  

The last couple of weeks were emotional ones for me as I worked on gifts for friends who already had their children in arms.  A couple weekends ago my husband said that he had worked some overtime and he wanted me to buy the fabric for our little girl's quilt (I was going to wait to buy it until I had sold some stuff I had made).  He wanted to make sure we were hoping, planning and dreaming again.  So even as I was organizing and giving away fabric, I made a purchase of fabric (at the last possible moment) from the Fat Quarter Shop with a 20% discount code I had received through a PS I QUILT online class.  From that Monday night (11PM) the fabric was cut, shipped and received just a little over a day later on Wednesday(1PM)!  I joyously went down to our campus mail room to pick up my box!  I can show you the fabric, but I will not be able to post pictures of my progress (as per class rules) but hopefully I might be able to show you the finished quilt eventually.

From Kate Spain's Terrain line

Busted this Week:                   13.25
Busted from 10/01/2011:        156.75
Stashed this Week:                 18.75
Stashed from 10/01/2011:        27.5

Net Busted for 2011(from 10/01/2011):  129.25

So in my desire to rush this pregnancy I am reminded of this song, "You're Going To Miss This," by Trace Adkins.  Treasure the time you have right now!  See you on Wednesday for WIP's I can't wait to show you some of the things I am working on, some new starts today (and maybe more tomorrow)...

TGIFF2: Swept Off My Feet...

I got it finished!!!!  I took the purple/green table runner to class with me on Wednesday night and got the binding hand-sewn by the end of the evening!  I was very proud of myself on this table runner because I used some straight quilting, which may sound strange but 98% of my quilting has been stippling for the past year.  I ran out of batteries so I was not able to attempt a few more shots as I usually do.

I am also able to add the two fall mini-quilts I finished on Tuesday, the reversable baby shoes finished today, a set of 3 vinyl bean bags with a little carrying box/bag (I also thought it could be used for tossing them into) and one of the dresses I cut out on Tuesday for Christmas presents.


I was going to try to get more projects done but I ended up twisting my ankle (trying to find a battery).  I now have to spend some quality time with my feet up (somehow being 6-months pregnant magnifies this in my husband's mind)!  I have several more Christmas presents to get started and finished so I can ship next Friday, so this will be a very busy upcoming week!

New projects (since last FIF)- 4

In progress - 17 (Getting the numbers down!)

Finishes (Since last FIF)- 6

So, linking with Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday (TGIFF) being hosted this week at Quilt Matters!

WIP: I Just Can't Help Myself...

Welcome WIP Wednesday!  I am excited this week to get some things accomplished and more things finished.  Number one on my list, you would think, would be the Purple/Green table runner.  The binding is sewn on the one side, binding clips are on and now it's ready for me to hand-sew.

However, I am having such energy this week I had to get some other projects pulled out from my WIP/UFO bin, not mention I did the unthinkable, I started some projects for Christmas presents.  Everything is ready to make some bean bags and 3 dresses, all of which I hope to mailed off before Thanksgiving.

So my WIP's this week are:

New projects -4

In process - 23

Finishes - 10

But wait!  There is more! I have two finishes already for this week as well.  From my WIP from last Wednesday I not only finished the fall mini-quilt, but also a second fall mini-quilt that I had already cut out for my Mother for Christmas (I can say this online because my mother doesn't have internet and will never see this post).  So along with my 8 finishes last Friday that brings my total up to 10 finishes from last Wednesday.  Check out TGIFF for Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday, it's quite a fun group, you should look into joining and showing your finished projects!

Linking up at these places this week: