Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you and your families! May your week be filled with light and cheer!

Ziona has had her beanbag in place for presents opening for a few days now.  It was exciting to see her open presents for the first Christmas she will remember!  Husband bought me some wonderful gifts that I can't wait to show you, tomorrow!

Time to go Skype with the family!

*\o/* Cheers

Shanna

Finishes: First Peek of Christmas

Wonky Christmas advent Calendar-Front

Wonky Christmas advent Calendar-Back

My first packages for Christmas went out last week.  In one of the boxes is a project that I have literally spent 3 years trying to complete.  I have ripped out the FMQ stitches 3 times; it was pretty much put on the shelf in frustration.  A few weeks ago I felt like I got this burst of energy and it popped in my head that I should make it my goal to get this completed this year.  The stitch done on the front is a swirly loop bit in between the pockets.  This was my very first attempt at making something "wonky" which is why it is not very wonky, haha!  I tried to figure out where I got the idea, but I honestly cannot remember after 3 years.  The Advent calendar went to my Sister-in-law, her husband and family, along
with a quilt for our nephew who is 5 months old!  I was trying to remember why I never sent a quilt for the older children and it finally dawned on me that I hadn't started quilting yet!

I also made a Valentinesy Popover dress to send to my friend's little girl (She has a February Birthday like Miss Z) along with a baby quilt for her newest little one which is due in February.  Being early is definitely a new idea for me!  I find it fantastic that both her girls and mine, who are all second cousins as well, will share a birthday month!  My friend was one of my college housemates for a bit of time but she also happens to be my husband's first cousin as well.  I have two matching dresses for Miss Z, and for one of her other 2nd cousins that I have almost completed.  You can find the pattern for free HERE is you are interested in making one of your own!

I have the FMQ completed for the Time Warp lap Quilt, the binding has been attached, I just need to finish hand-sewing the binding to the front.  I got a little behind as I got the sudden notion to wash all of my fabric in my stash.  Why I decided this on the eve of a coming ice storm I haven't a clue, but, I'd better get back to that and I will save the hand-stitching for when the power goes out instead!

*\o/* Cheers
Shanna



I am linking up this week to:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Fridays with Laura @Quokkaquilts
WHOOP, WHOOP Fridays @Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Link A Finish Friday @ Richard & Tanya Quilt

Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts

*\o/* Cheers
Shanna

The Game is A Foot!

Greetings!  If you are looking for my TGIFF Hosting Post please go HERE!

Stockings:  The Unstuffed Truth

So this is one of those rare times that I can write about something that is a gift right after I make it.  Mostly because Brother One (keep it zipped, Two & Three, if you are reading this) does not have the internet.  He never got addicted when I was young(er) to it like I did, lol!  I had the packages ready with my customary gift for our Mother and....errr other stuff.  Before I could do the early send off--which is very rare for me, I am a distracted mailer--Brother One asked me to make him and his family stockings instead of gifts.  I already had my niece's gifts made, so those will go into the box as planned. [I am sending her belated First Birthday present as well]

A Blue Plaid flannel material Mother gave me 6 yards of 6 years ago !

Brother One  is a "salt of the Earth" kind of guy and as a former Marine (meh, I know you say there is no such thing, but he is not currently serving) he is also so non-frills.  And although I have talked on the phone quite a bit with Brother One's wife, since we have never met in person, I am not sure what kind of gal she is so I was at a loss there.  I figure I can make up for it by making something semi-frill for next year (Brother One will just have to cave if I will get Mother on my side).

Inside out:  Each Stocking is fully lined, i did a quick side stitch to seal the turning portal!

I didn't have time to go searching for a sock pattern so I just drew one out and after a couple of tweaks it is what I used.  I made 3 Stockings with Brother One, His Wife (how does "Brother One Wife" sound?) and His child's (Brother One Child Three*? Or B1C3, lol) first letter.  I also included a fourth blank stocking if they ever decide to procreate again.   Should I make one for the Dog?  Maybe a mini-stocking?

Now I bet Brother Two and Brother Three are wondering what Shanta** Claus got them!  Ha Ha Ha!  They will have to wait until Our Mother receives the package and then gives them their gifts!  Okay, Now I must be off to do more projects so my WIP list will look awesomely short on Wednesday (I am skipping the UFO Sunday to allow for more finishes) and I will have more free bobbins to use in my FMQ of those two crib quilts.  I am also pushing off on declaring what fabric I got for Christmas so my finished projects will hopefully swell my fabric usage count.  Oh, I will share pictures on Tuesday of my final Stash Report, Hubby was very good to me (or bad if you think I already own too much fabric).  So now I am off and I will (hopefully) see you tomorrow.

Don't forget to check out my 200th Post Giveaway:  HERE
  

*Brother One has lost 2 breathing children thus the child three reference
**A derivative of my name Plus Santa

A Soaked WIP Wednesday

I have made some advancement in the Soaked Crib Quilt.  Its a rather easy concept to sew and the fabric is a dream to work with being so silky and yet not so much that I have to wear gloves to sew with it.  I have also been working on some Christmas Costumes which I have to have completed and dropped off by Friday.

Soaked Crib Quilt:  Squares sewn together to form rows for top; need to iron, sew rows together.  Still need to:  add borders, sandwich, stitch, bind and sew on info batch on the back. 

I'll Fly Away Quilt:  Pieces cut but this one is a long time project.  

Blue-Black Churn Dash:  Project is lost & now MIA!
Chain Quilt:  Some blocks are assembled, many more to go
Christmas Advent Calendar:  finish Stitching & binding
City Weekend Project:  We are back to table toppers/wall hangings
Dusty Rose Quilt:  Currently in 4-patch and 2-patch segments, needs some love
Dot Explosion Quilt:  This needs some reworking in concept.
Hello Sunshine Crib Quilt:  Pieces cut for the top and binding
I'll Fly Away Quilt:  Pieces cut but this one is a long time project.  Since I am planning for this to fit our bed there with be many, many flying geese that needs to be made; I am guessing this one will take 3 months in among all the other projects.  
Martinique Strip Quilt:  A festering WIP, one of my oldest needs lots of focus
Poppy Wall Hanging:  a small bit of progression, trying to figure out stems & leaves
Rainbow Stars:  This block is complete, 3 more are in progress, might use in a mixed quilt
Red Eye Quilt:  Making adjustment to top, then needs to be sandwiched & Finished
Squares & Patches Quilt:  Some blocks are squared up, more to do during movie day maybe
Soaked Crib Quilt:  Squares sewn together to form rows for top; need to iron, sew rows together.  Still need to:  add borders, sandwich, stitch, bind and sew on info batch on the back. 
Summer Games Table Runner:  the quilt idea just wasn't working so I turned this into a table runner
Z's Christmas Dress:  Fabric chosen, but  pattern  is wrong size pattern; maybe next year?
Z's Christmas Nightgown:  Pattern is cut out, fabric and trim rounded up, just no progression

SR/WIP-2012-W12: Oh Where Art Thou My Blogosphere?

It has been a few weeks since I last posted the wonderful news that Ziona was born!  She is my finest project for 2012 and yet there will always be more work to do to care and raise her.  I had wanted to make her baptism gown myself, but I simply ran out of time since I waited to figure out her size. It is a good thing that I did not make the gown because I had cut out a newborn size and my little girl's dress ended up being a 3-6 month sized dress (the one we bought).  [In the picture above My husband and I are in the middle, I am holding Ziona, while each set of Godparents stand to the sides.]

2012 Used by Permission
by Lisa Francis Photography 

I will not be posting a lot about my daughter on my blog because someone mentioned that Mommies end up making mommy-blogs rather than craft blogs when they focus on their children.  I do have another blog I am thinking of dusting off to allow the my friends and family to keep up with her there.  My goal in starting this blog was to work on sewing, quilting and other general crafty type things.  Since I have been away from blogging I have done exactly Zero projects!  I realized how much having the place to discuss, share and plan my projects was such a help to me in accomplishing my goals.  In a way I felt like I have accountability with my blogging friends that I cannot drum up on my own!  I also miss the inspiration I obtained from reading and/or stalking my favorite blogs.  Sometimes I was simply inspired by their color choices stirring me to try a similar combination of colors.

Cowboy Table Topper:  In pieces

Advent Calendar:  It still lingers on...

My Goals for this week:
1)  Work on Cowboy Table topper.
2)  Finish top-stitching on Christmas Advent Calendar.
3)  Finish putting together a tutorial.

Projects:

Started in the past month:           00

On WIP List this month:             06

On UFO List this Month:             09

Completed past Month:              00

Completed this year:                  40

Fabric: (Includes wonky blocks)

Busted the past month:               5.25 

Busted this year:                      17.00

Stashed the past month:             0.0

Stashed this year:                     26.0

Net Busted for 2012:                -9.0

Linking up this week to:

Finishes-2012-W4: By the Seat of My Pants...

Welcome!  It has been a couple weeks since I posted a finish, but I figure since I have been working on my baby-growing project, no one minds too much.  Here's an update of my projects...

Ziona:
I have now visited the hospital twice in the past week (we just got home a couple hours ago from trip #2);  I am now in the "early labor" stage which basically means I get the fun of contractions without the progress of getting a child at the end of the round.  They tell me that this will be on-going for perhaps a whole week or more!  Needless to say I will be taking a short break from posting for probably the next couple of weeks or so...


Christmas Advent Calendar:  The stitches have been ripped out and I have started to come up with a plan for FMQ the top.  I should have posted a picture of the back of this project, which was truly dreadful before the stitches were removed!  I had some serious tension issues so there were both tight and loosen threads on the back.

Cowboy Table Topper:  More tiny star parts have been assembled, they need to be squared up before making into tiny stars.  I am hoping this might be a nice project to work at while sitting and resting these next weeks.  This is a project a friend asked me to make so I am eager to get it completed!


Wonky House Block Swap:
My husband gave me the idea of making a wonky igloo instead of the traditional wonky house (he's so clever)!  We are from Alaska, but we did not actually live in an igloo, although you'd be surprised how many people ask us if we have or assumed that we did!  Many of my blocks look similar because each block is going to a different person so I did not get too crazy making them too different so I have only posted 5 completely done so far.  Please check out my Flickr account to see all the blocks that I finished (I will post them as I get each one finished)!

Linking up this week to:
TGIFF hosted this week by Lynette @What a Hoot,
Finish It Up Friday hosted by Amanda Jean@Crazy Mom Quilts
& This Week hosted by Sunni @Love Affair With My Brother!
Don't forget to check out Laura's QAYGFMQQAL@Quokka Quilts!!

TGIFF/TW: "The 12 Days Of Christmas..."

It's Sew Good To Be Back!
[I snuck back on a day early :-D] To say that I missed you all would be putting it mildly; blogging has organized my life and enticed me to finished more projects than you can imagine!  By Thursday last week I could not figure out even what day of the week it was and I was itching to get back into my craft room.  Feeling quite a bit more rested, I begun spending small pockets of time trying to work on some of the little things still plaguing me and of course I started a couple little projects...<laughter>  I have also been working on some pre-apology sweets for the nurses/hospital staff for when I go into labor; one bucket of goodness for each shift!  So far I have made cake balls, chocolate cream cheese truffles, and I am thinking of maybe cookies as well; any ideas??

How was your Christmas, Hanukkah, or other holiday celebrations?  As Anglicans our family is learning more about the 12 Day of Christmas; it amazes me how many celebrations happen all around the world this time year!  Before next Advent season, I am hoping to make a liturgical Advent calendar, but first I am so excited that I finished my first regular [wonky] Advent Calendar top (backing fabric is in the mail, I am eagerly waiting for delivery)!  So on to the complete finishes for the past two weeks!

1 Mug Rug 5.75" X 8.5" (14 cm X 21.5 cm) in sage green/mustard yellow/coral

Flared girl's top in black/brights with Lime Green accents (Size 2 child)

QAYG baby quilt in Pastels with Bright Yellow print backing (40"X 40")

And along came some WIP/UFO's...Yes, once again I have unearthed more random unfinished projects hidden in storage boxes!  Even if I do not get them all completed, at least I will have them all together before our next move (I think/hope).  I am waiting to make decisions on claiming some of the projects I found, but for now, here are 4 more to add to my list<sigh>

I can't remember what these are for, but I am thinking of making them into place-mats...

The fate of these 3 Projects:  currently waiting for me to claim them

I was also able to sandwich & quilt the Modern Pinwheel Twist Quilt; the binding has been attached as well.  I just need to hand-sew the binding to the front and I can deliver it to the winners of our Baby Name guessing Contest.  I will be wrapping up 2011 in my post tomorrow and announcing my own small giveaway on Sunday (I need to clear out more fabric to make way for Ziona)!

Linking up this week to:
TGIFF hosted this week by Jess @Life Under Quilts,
& This Week hosted by Sunni @Love Affair With My Brother!
Also check out Laura's (of Quokka Quilts) Fabric Giveaway!!

TGIFF7: Free Motion Joy and a Whole lot of Scrappiness!

I finished a Christmas mini-quilt and hung it on my new mini-quilt table holder (with optional tree header) that I was able to pick up from Connecting Threads for $16 USD.  It's the only sign of Christmas in the whole apartment right now unfortunately, but perhaps I will get the Advent Calendar tonight for the Friday Night Sew-In!  I cut out the letters which was ironed onto fusible web and then did my own sort of free-motion tree around the words.  It was kind of fun, but it makes me look forward to all the FMQ stitch practice I will be doing this next year, it definitely is needed!

I think I listed and featured most of my finished projects on my WIP posting this week, please take a gander/peek if you wish!

I do not know if I will get to the Advent Calendar, but I can tell you a couple of the items I am hoping to tackle tonight!  The first being these placements on the left that I have been working on since the Spring! I think I have finally figured out how I will be adding the word art that has been flummoxing me for many months.  

The next item on my list is to do some planning with my overflowing collecting of scrap bag strips!  This container on the right is not quite all of them even, so I must get something planned with them.  I have been using them for baby bibs and burp cloths for baby shower gifts, but I am thinking of making some lap quilts with several of the lines I have here.


New projects (since last Friday)- 6

In process - 18

Finishes (Since last Friday)- 15

Linking up this week to:
TGIFF hosted this week by Lucy @Charm about you,
Finish It Up Friday hosted by Amanda Jean@Crazy Mom Quilts!
Also check out Laura's  QAYG-FMQ-QAL for 2012!

Giveaway day-My winners have been picked, notified, and now I am waiting to hear back from them before I announce the winners either Saturday or Sunday (American Central Time)!  Tomorrow night I attend my first baby shower for my own little girl, Ziona!  I am rather nervous actually!

WIP: The Sore Fingers Edition...

Welcome Blogland!  Are your fingers as tired as mine are?  I have had to take a few extra naps to recover from "giveaway day" so far!  How are you faring?  Anything you think I must take a look at?  If so, add a link to it in the comments section and I will check it out!  I have truly enjoyed reading and responding to comments, but my heart is sadden that I had so many "NO Reply Bloggers" out there with truly fantastic ideas that can't win my give-a-ways!

And now on to our regularly scheduled last-minute-edition of WIP's!  Last Thursday, Friday And Saturday I participated in the "Occupy Sewing Room" Challenge ( I had to do the spread out version on account of baby girl cooking).  So consequently I have quite a few more items both cleared off and added to my Progress list!

Cleared:

11 burp cloths, 2 Christmas potholders

Melting Rainbows

A Christmas Pot-holder 

I also finished one of the projects I am writing a tutorial about.  I hope to post a set of tutorials over January thru April on Tuesdays.  It's a way I can still participate in my lovely blogging community while having a baby, recovering from said baby, adjusting to life with said baby, and moving with said baby (when she is 9-12 weeks)!

Added over the past week:

Two Quilt tops in Yellow, Grey, White & Black

Modern Pinwheel Twist quilt top won by our "Baby naming contest" winner who correctly guessed the name of our little girl!  Check out "Giveaway Day" blog post to win the materials to make your own quilt top!

Right in the middle of working on my secret project, my husband begs me to make him a gift for his secret Santa!  Then he said , "Oh it's too nice to give away, I'll find something else!"  I love that man!

 Among my two additions for this week is a Valentine's table runner (circles in the picture on the lower right) and a secret project involving the fabrics from the picture on the left!  Some projects have been taken off my WIP list permanently because I gave them over to someone else to finish!

I have pretty much stuck to bed rest since Monday, we will probably not have much turned out for TGIFF, hosted over at Lucy's Charm About You this week.  I am hoping to be able to participate in my first "Friday Night Sew-In" this coming Friday, but we will see!

So my WIP's this week are:

New projects -6

In process - 19

Finishes - 16

Linking up to:

Well, no where really, everyone is on break! lol.

SR-W50: "Occupy Sewing Room" Challenge

I cannot believe how completely tickled I am by my progress through the "Occupy Your Sewing Room" Challenge!  Neither my WIP list nor my Stash Report ever looked so good!  I did end up having to spread out my time a little bit because of my pregnancy I get quite tired these days.  My husband helped me rearrange my sewing room a little bit to make it easier to put a big comfy chair in there.

Things Finished:

1 secret project (I will show in a few weeks along with a tutorial) and...

11 burp cloths completed, 2 hour-glass pot holders (experiment w/ loop placement)

"Melting Rainbows" Wall Hanging

Christmas Colors- Wonky block pot holder

Quilt tops finished, but projects not completed:

2 quilt tops in yellow/grey/white/black should measure about 50'X 55"

Quilt top with a modern try at the pinwheel twist Should measure about 60"X 60"

So here's the much, much happier verdict this week:

Busted this Week:                  08.75 yards (not counting the quilt tops yet)

Busted from 08/01/2011:       215.50 yards
Stashed this Week:                00.00 yards
Stashed from 08/01/2011:       95.5 yards

Net Busted for 2011 (from 08/01/2011):  120.00

A jar, a haircut, a Challenge and a Last minute potholder...

So with everything I have put on my plate, I threw together a last minute item!  One of my friends, sent me a thank you card thanking me for the "potholder."  I was suddenly terrified that she meant the mug rug I gave her for Christmas, I texted her the next day.  Turned out she did not have any official pot-holders, so I thought I could make one up in a couple hours.

Now, I tried to think back if I have ever actually made one; certainly those yarn weaving ones when I was a child, but not a quilted one.  I used 1 layer backing, 1 layer of cotton batting, 1 layer of pant material, 1 more layer of cotton batting, and then the top.  It was randomly quilted across in straight lines angling just like I did with the Mug rugs.  Made a wonky block for one and two others in an hourglass block (I wasn't sure which way I wanted to go).  It was finished off with some green binding I already had left over from another project. [I procured a new jar for my ever increasing pile of left-over bindings yesterday!]

The one below was completed before I ran off to get my haircut, so I slipped it into my purse for a quick delivery afterward.  Then I had a fun treat; a friend came by and spent the rest of the day with me.  We talked and talked forever; in fact I may be losing my voice today!  Another friend is coming for a visit today, bringing her mother who is visiting her from back home (Alaska).  So I am off to do a little vanity cleaning, we shall see if I get anything else completed for TGIFF tomorrow hosted at M-R's Quilt Matters.  Stop by her place/blog, even if you don't hear a peep out of me until Saturday!

I plan to participate in the "occupy your sewing room" challenge.  You spend one full day in your craft room finishing up projects (click on the button here or the button on my sidebar for more information).  We are moving a comfy chair in there later tonight to ready the room for me to do crafty all day tomorrow!

WIP: Countdown...

Today I am feeling a little behind.  I sort of dreaded Wednesday coming this week because I haven't completed much lately.  Yeah, I know I am technically supposed to be resting, but since I lost 11 lbs of extra water I was carrying around last week, I am feeling pretty good in comparison!  For those concerned, I am laying down for most of the day...well, most of it.

In less than 2 weeks I have my first baby shower for Nugette (hopefully someone will have guessed her name by then)!  In 3 weeks my husband's parents (and maybe Grandma!!!) will be coming for a visit for a couple of days so we can celebrate Christmas together.  And so the countdown begins...7-13 weeks from now I will have a precious baby girl to put somewhere...sigh.  It's not beginning to look like Christmas here in our household or outside.  We might get another freak snow storm in January/February just in time for baby girl, we might even have to turn the heat on this year (just for her, mind you).

So, with so much to do, (as my husband incredulously noted) I started another project...or 2 or 3, errrr rather 4...Yes I did.  I am working on the "Melting Rainbows" which has about half of the zig-zagging down, but I needed something I could work on sitting on a mountain of pillows or standing for a few minutes.  It also wasn't really going well with the swollen hands.

I have a series of tutorials that I have been working on for a couple of months to put up when baby girl comes home.  In part so I don't feel disconnected, in part so I feel like I am accomplishing something.  Yes I know, feeding and caring for my little girl will be quite the job!  I have plans to fill up my Quilt top basket (I replaced it with a bigger basket with a handle).

My goals for this week/month:
1.  Finish and save my hopelessly unaligned "Advent Calendar"
2.  Finish another tutorial project and write up the post on it.
3.  Finish "Melting Rainbows" by next Friday
4.  Purge through my WIP's by the end of the month.  (Am I really ever going to finish that project?)
5.  Get practice squares ready for the FMQ challenge, Laura's FMQ-QAL & practicing other stitches from Leah Day's FMQ Project (seeing a trend for 2012?)

Project Stats for this week:
New Projects:     4      

In Process:       31
UFO's:               0 (WIP's left at year's end)
Finishes:           4

I am linking up to Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday!

Lee from Freshly Pieced is taking a break from WIP Wednesday until the beginning of the year.

TGIFF5: Late to the Party...

So it's been a very slow week in my corner of the world.  I am on a "lay down as much as you can" kind of bed-rest.  Of course my definition probably differs than the doctor's or my husband's...So I have been laying down a lot and sitting/sewing very little.  The mug rugs have been wrapped along with their Cocoa mixes and 9 were delivered yesterday.

Note:  For those who asked about augmenting the cocoa recipe to be more like a "drinking Chocolate" I am sorry to tell you that it just does not work.  My recipe ends up being a non-fat american cocoa recipe.  I have learned from my research and experimentation that "Drinking Chocolate" is basically made from milk and a melted candy bar which includes the chocolate fat & milk fat, which is why is tastes soooo good!  I was able to only find one drinking chocolate mix in my local area; it was very good and worth the Benadryl (allergy medicine).  So those who have access to such mixes, you really have it better off!  lol.

I finished getting the pieces cut and ironed onto my "melting rainbows" and have begun the slow process of zigzagging around each piece.  I like the look of the black thread on the front, but if I had put more thought into it I would have used a rainbow thread for the bobbin/back.  I can tell this one may take a couple weeks at the rate my sewing times are appearing in my day.  I have been asked how I made this project...since it is being made up as I go along I will have to tell you what the process was/is when I finish.

I had 4 very small finishes this week; I was able to hand-sew the binding on the 4 of the mug rugs I started a few weeks back (I missed taking a picture of one of them).  I have assembled the burp cloths, but have not added the embellishments yet.

New projects (since last Friday)- 11

In process - 29

Finishes (Since last Friday)- 4

Linking up this week to:
TGIFF hosted @ Quokka Quilts
Also check out Laura's give-away
& FMQ-QAL for 2012!