Isn't that the way it always goes??

I have the house to myself, no cleaning, no cooking(well I have the crockpot going for the potluck at BUNKO tonight), no butt wiping, i can leave scissors out and my rotary cutter locked open.... its perfect conditions..  Then this morning I noticed that there are little black flecks under my needle.... I decide to check out my walking foot and find its worn out!  I didn't  know this could happen(but I googled it and it does).  See that thinger near the arrow... it is supposed to be round, but mine has a deep groove worn into it.

Here is a close up... 

Thankfully I am married to the most wonderful guy, who is coming right now to pick me up to take me to town to find another, fingers crossed.  

But I still have a bunch done, and I could find some patchwork to work on if I can't find a new foot.

Pillow Talk

I'm really happy with these recovered pillows.  I think LOVE would be an appropriate sentiment.

I have the bolster and shams to make.  Maybe that will happen tomorrow.  I might be busy getting everything ready for my boy free weekend home alone!!  But come 4:00pm the house will be mine! ALL MINE!!

adding it up

I decided to track where I found my time because I hated that 'I don't know how you find the time' comment. But I think it really ended up making me feel more confident that I deserve this time that I carve out. I make my quilting time by the way I run my house and balance my duties. My kid has home cooked (mostly organic) meals every night, his clothes are clean, he is happy and thriving. I take care of my husband, he is loved, and when he comes home he gets to relax because I have things covered(although he does help with the dinner dishes. God love him!) I've got it covered. I can afford to spend nap time working on a quilt.

So if you ever comment about how I find time, I'll just say,'oh I don't know, I just do' and I wont feel guilty or judged anymore. I feel happy that I've come to this understanding. Its like having an Oprah 'ah ha!' moment.

So anyhow this quilt took about 26 hours total. I started it mid February, and now in late April its done :)

Cutting took nearly 4 hours

Piecing took 8 1/2 hours

Quilting took a little more than 6 hours

Binding took about 7 hours

How bazaar that quilting took less time than binding or cutting???

Finished

I am so happy this huge quilt is done! DONE! I am a little impressed that I quilted it myself.

I need to recover those pillows, and I want to make some shams with the leftover fabrics. Maybe I'll manage to get them done this weekend.

The monster and hubs were the first to try it out.

It took me about an hour to attach the binding.

It took about 6 hours of TV watching time to close the binding. I just found out that Army Wives can be streamed on Netflix, so I spent the monster's nap time today watching TV. I don't normally sit and watch 3 hours of TV during the day, but I really wanted to get this baby done. (And watching Roxy learn how to be a military wife makes me happy.)

I WILL NEVER MAKE ANOTHER QUILT THIS BIG

I'm that desperate

I've devised a plan to make a dent in this problem.... Its gonna cost me a hundred bucks, but I think it might work....

I'm gonna put the doggie door back in so the pooch can let herself in and out and wont bug me.... but what about my dear men??

I made father and son a reservation to get out of my hair have a man weekend together.  It will cost me my allowance, but if I can get some stuff done, it will be worth it!

They can swim and go to the reptile gardens, and I'm going to be at the Juki. I can take over the dining room table and the floor and not worry about getting dinners made, or helping a certain someone to the potty 10 times a day.   I have big plans to get that pile cleared out! 

Blue

print to the left is backing, next to that is binding, next to that is border.

A new project... you know since I only have a dozen other projects going.

Lucky Hands

Today my super thoughtful mother in law sent us a box of goodies.  Easter fun for the monster, and for me... lots of cute things.  But I have to show off these awesome fingerless gloves!  Aren't you jealous?  Although I was a little hesitant about receiving new winter stuff, when everyone in SD is working day to day to not jinx spring. ( Every few days we see some white crap falling from the sky, then it feels like spring for a few, then back to the crap.  Not that I'm complaining about my new life up north, its just I'm anxious about tulips and daffodils.) 

 But back to the point.  I love these!  They match my coat!

 I have heard she may sell them.  If she does, I'll be sure to let you know how to get yourself some!

She also sent me new quilting gloves!  I am a lucky duck!  

So to conclude chapter two

 I'm done clearing out my red scraps....

my yield of red squares 

I had to take a break from the red scraps for a little while. Had you noticed?  It was just SO full!  But I'm happy I got lots of squares from my scraps and LOADS of 2.5 and 1.5 strips.

This is the pile that went back into the red bin.  

Look at all the room in there!!

NEXT UP...Green 

Tag!

I make folks quilts, I gift them.

I hear 'thanks. there is no tag?!'

Next time I will make the label a little different.

But these will do for awhile.

Nada

My "back burner"

distraction

Back burner + distractions = nada 

I have 

2 quilts to bind

2 quilts to quilt

2 quilts needing backing

and

0 ambition this week

I think I'll work on one of those bindings first.

Around the Block

Last week I vowed to my husband that I would stick to a strict UFO to do list. I finished one project, but then added another. So I didn't really keep my word then eh? Luckily I am better at being faithful to my marriage vows.

Quilt plans really can't be followed exactly, since everything depends on the creative flow. I'm a list maker. But I have come to understand that making a to do list for my projects ends up serving more as a ....don't totally forget these quilts list. Its okay. I have learned in the past few years that if I'm not in the mood to work on something it ain't happening! There is no way I can make myself.

It really helped to have a friend nagging encouraging me to work on this quilt. This sampler, as much as I have cursed and bad mouthed it, has been a really memorable project. Working on the same blocks on our sewing machines fifteen hundred miles apart, sharing photos online of the accomplished blocks and exciting fabric choices. Dual samplers, what a incredibly fun project to do along with the friend that taught me how to quilt.

What a gift she gave me. I hope she knows how thankful I am.

I think I can do it!

Its going well.

I just might have this top put together tonight.  (the hubs is still at work and its dinner time.) 

maybe its not that painful afterall

Although the colors in the photo makes it looks neon.  its not :)  I'm happy about this!

Adding it to the List

Yesterday I crossed a project off my to do list.  Then I added a project.  Not cool.  This is the sampler I did along with Erin.  We were both working from Judy Hopkin's Around the Block and Around the Block Again.  She picked half the block patterns, and I picked half the block patterns.  I'm pretty sure we started in the summer of 2009.  ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO.  Its one of my oldest UFOs.  (I have one from 2008. Yuck!)  

The reason I'm not excited about finishing it???  Because the blocks range from 10.75 to 12.75.  This happened to Erin also, so at least I know it wasn't just me not doing them correctly.  I finished the blocks last summer and promptly started the sashing.  FAIL!  It was horrible so I put it away.

Well  Erin has been on spring break this week, and finished her top!  And everyday she let me know she was  working on it.  So finally yesterday I pulled it out.  Then I spent the evening ripping the sashing off the blocks.   You know seam ripping is my favorite thing to do(that was sarcasm).  I'm going to try to forget the hatred I have for this project and I'll work on it today while I'm doing laundry, and brewing about the government shutdown.  (thats a great combo eh?  hatred, housework, and brewing anger. Usually I'm a happy person that doesn't dwell too much on the crap of life.)  The hubs is working this weekend(maybe for free) so I will give this project 3 days, then I might pack it away again.  Three days.....                 

Crossed It Off

Its going to hang in my sewing area.  :)

DONE!  

The backing is really pieced.  I used all scraps and had to get creative.  

Quilting

Of course with that heaping pile of quilts that need to be finished, I started with the smallest.  Because I am a procrastinator, and I will try to put off the big projects as long as I can.

my first mini

 But I did quilt the mini, and I attached the binding.  I just need to close it.  I'll do that tonight while I watch that new show, Extreme Couponing.  Eeeeee  The previews have been making my heart rate go up with anticipation.  

its a secret project

The secret quilt has been mostly quilted.  I just need to do something in the border.  

The big projects sit there waiting... staring at me.....whispering, 'we're waaaaaiting'

Vows

Today while basting 4 quilts, I vowed to the hubs that I will finish these up before I work on any other projects.  I have to get this huge hunk off my to do list.  So for a while these are the projects on my list.  I'm setting everything else aside.

King Rail- needs binding 

See Bass- needs 2b quilted and bound

my guest room coverlet- needs 2b quilted and bound

Under Par- needs 2b basted, quilted, and bound

secret quilt- needs 2b quilted and bound

My First Mini- needs 2b quilted and bound

  I will have to use a bit of will power to get all of that quilting done, but I really would like to get these projects cleared out.   

 So here I go.

Quote Me

"I AM NEVER MAKING A KING SIZED QUILT EVER AGAIN!" 

 I will die under this quilt.  It will be on my bed forever and ever. It will go in and out of style several times, and I won't care.   

All proclamations aside.  I love it.  I love that I quilted it myself.  I love love love it.  

NO PUCKERS BABY!

 I surprised myself.  Not only did I quilt it myself, I did really well.  The tension is perfect, there are NO puckers, and it looks good if I do say so myself.(humble eh?)

It took me about 60 minutes to finish the quilting today.

Now to find a binding and FINISH it....