Packing, Dust Bunnies, & Candlelight Prayers

I had this impossible idea that somehow I would be able to sneak off and work on projects while we are in the process of moving.  One morning almost a couple of weeks ago, I awoke early with the idea that I just needed to get a cupboard cleared and I could make a little time to finally top stitch my Christmas on Easy Street (Bonnie Hunter winter mystery 2012).  About 15 minutes into my work on the bathroom, I realized that I wasn't hearing from my mother as I normally do on Tuesdays; she still takes great delight in calling me early now that I am a mother.

I went to find my phone, though it was plugged in, my daughter had run down the battery, it had shut off and I had automatically plugged it in before bed.  Turning on the phone, my world exploded in a moment. There were messages in every form waiting for me; texts, voicemails, facebook from my mother and 2 of my brothers.  Every word, every messaged boiled down to this:  There was an accident, call us!

I was 10 months old when my brother Nicky was brought into this world.  From my first memory he has always been there. When they told me that he had been hit by a car as he walked across the road at an intersection, I couldn't breathe, nor could I talk, let alone craft or quilt. I haven't slept a full night, nor had a full thought since then.  I have been assigned the role of spokesperson for our family.  My life is now calling the hospital, the police, setting up updates via a private facebook group, and praying.  Right now, we are hoping for a miracle.

On top of all this, we are packing to move in a few weeks.  Needless to say I probably won't be sneaking off to sew, instead I occasionally stalk Richy's Instagram for more quilty goodness (LINK). Of course this stalking has me planning like 6 or 7 new projects in my head even while I find more and more UFO's while getting things packed up! Well, I'd better get back to it!

Shanna

Rainy Days Quilt

This was Project #6 on my First Quarter list HERE for the Finish-a-long.









Quilt Specs:

Rainy Days Baby Quilt

Completed: March 2015

Design:  My Own arrangement of a BOM block

Size: 40" x 40"

Other info: Baby Shower Gift, Fabrics from Connectingthreads.com, uses a Pebble FMQ stitch for the border.

I am linking up this week to:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Fridays @TGIFF & Simply Pieced
WHOOP, WHOOP Fridays @Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Link A Finish Friday @ Richard & Tanya Quilt

Fabric Tuesdays @ Quilt Story
Needle & Thread Thursday @My Quilt Infatuation

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

WIP: This & That Mystery Mondays 8

Behind the scenes this week, I have been working on This & That's Mystery Monday 8!  It's been a fun little quilt to put together.  When I almost had the center completed, the blocks were doubled to make it a larger quilt instead of a wall-hanging.  There are still borders to be put on and a backing put together from the left-over bits.  Using this lovely Tula Pink Acadia line I picked up last year for my Birthday from Westwood Acres.  I am trying to let go, cut into my favorite fabrics and simply enjoy it all, not just hoard!

Thanks for stopping by!

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

Design Wall

I am drinking tea and hand-sewing the binding on the rainy day quilt.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

WIP-Rainy Day Quilting

I am eager to complete this quilt before Sunday so I can deliver all the recently born babies (born in the last year) from my church friends at once! This one I decided to throw in pebbles FMQ because I love the sound of rain on stonework.  The fabrics are from Connecting Threads' collections from about 2 years ago. I am down to just a couple FQ's and some yardage for 2 of the prints.

Thanks for stopping by!

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

Pretty In Pink Finish

This was Project #12 on my First Quarter list HERE for the Finish-a-long.

The past couple of years I have not been that great about getting baby quilts that I planned as gifts finished and delivered!  This coming Sunday I plan to deliver 2 such Quilts.  If I can manage it I plan to finish another one next week.  I have been really spurred on this year by the Finish-along group, by instagram, and an insane desire to complete as much as I can before we hand the keys over to this current apartment in 7ish weeks!  I am overjoyed that I completed this quilt yesterday afternoon!

It was quite funny to find a place to get some pictures.  I finally decided to combine a much-needed trip to the park with my pictures taking.  There was a boy who kept popping up just behind the quilt as I was snapping pictures and you can see the shadow of his sister on the top of the structure!

Quilt Stats:

Pretty In Pink Quilt

Completed: March 2015

Design:  My Own arrangement of a BOM block

Size: 40" x 40"

Other info: Baby Shower Gift; the backing is Coral dots from Connecting Threads basics

I am linking up this week to:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Fridays @TGIFF & @QuiltMatters
WHOOP, WHOOP Fridays @Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Link A Finish Friday @ Richard & Tanya Quilt

Fabric Tuesdays @ Quilt Story
Needle & Thread Thursday @My Quilt Infatuation

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

WIP-Almost Finished

Better get back to work!

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

BOM's Away: Legacy Sampler

I am getting more caught up with these blocks every day. I have 4 more of the regular blocks before I beginning on the unifying smaller blocks in the finishing kit.

I am linking up to:
BOM's Away with Lyn @ What a Hoot Quilts

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

Working On More WIP's

 As we are packing, I have been gathering up any former project/UFO I come across to make sure I have all of them together when we move and unpack.  In the meantime, I have been trying to work on the project boxes a little bit each day.  Some days I am more motivated than others and I get lost in the process of moving forward with a project.  This past week, was one of those weeks where I got more done than seems humanly possible!

Holiday Happenings Quilt

Anita's Arrowhead blocks from Craftsy class

Faster Fourteen Quilt top

As Far as the quilt tops go, those are being kept in their filmsy state until after we move and I am able to obtain more batting.  My goal has been to put in atleast 15-30 minutes a day on various projects.  I have been using the Finish-a-long to help me focus, maybe stay committed to getting more completed projects.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

More Gabriella Fae

This was Project #30 on my First Quarter list HERE for the Finish-a-long.

I wanted to share with you another Gabriella Fae dress that I finished a few weeks ago.  I really wanted to get a great outside shot with my daughter wearing the garment, the wind gently swaying the skirt about. However, with the ice storms sweeping thru the area in the past couple of weeks or so, it just was not possible!

Once again, the variety one can do with this pattern is fantastic!  With this project I have incorporated the gathered bodice with the long sleeves and a longer skirt in a size 5 for growth.  The back sports a pink zipper.  If you are interested in checking out this dress for yourself, you can pick it up from the Scientific Seamstress Etsy shop HERE.  I cannot help how much I love how this dress turned out!

Honestly, I want to share that the best part of using a Scientific Seamstress pattern is their private facebook group! I have never met such an encouraging group of sewers!  I took part in a couple pattern testings for Gabriella Fae as well as the Carolina Mae, the adult version.  It was weeks of testing, I did 5 muslins on the Carolina Mae alone as Carla was that concerned that she wanted to make sure that the dress would fit as many women and their body types as possible.  They opened a private group for each testing and it felt like a group collaboration.  There were people chiming in from Australia (I often sew in the middle of the night; they were awake having lunch) when I had a problem with understanding a part of the pattern that was new to me.

I am linking up this week to:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Fridays @TGIFF
WHOOP, WHOOP Fridays @Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Link A Finish Friday @ Richard & Tanya Quilt

Fabric Tuesdays @ Quilt Story
Needle & Thread Thursday @My Quilt Infatuation

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

PS-I wanted to share with you what SS is doing for March.  They like to have themes for their contests.  I have about 3 projects in the works myself that I cannot wait to share! Blogpost HERE