Fall Leaves

 I finished this fall quilt a couple of weeks ago it seems.  I meant to take photos, but it hadn't been washed, then we got thirty inches of snow, and I really didn't want to take photos of my fall quilt in the white blizzard yard.  It has taken a full week for the the snow to melt.  Actually there are still big piles left, but I was able to find a green spot. 

I love this quilt.  I don't often make quilts on a whim anymore.  I used to.  Maybe because I never used to have twelve quilts going on at once.  So starting a new project was fine.  Now with my mile long to do list I have to behave.

 I love that we have a seasonal quilt for the fall now.  I used fabrics I had in my stash or scraps, bought a bit of Kona Natural for the background and I love the way it turned out.  Just in-case you want to make this quilt I used 4.5 inch squares to make the leaf-and for the stem I sewed two 3.5 inch natural squares on the 4.5 inch print square the way you make snowball corners. I think the proportions works well.  

 I bought my backing at Hancock.   It is perfect. 

 I'm not sure how much you've heard about the blizzard here but it was pretty bad.  A lot of cattle was killed.  So many trees were lost.  Many people have spent the last week without power.  Our two trees in the front of the house were hit pretty hard.  One was a total loss.  It's been very sad for us.  However today I realized now I can get a great shot of our new paint job.

Painting and homeschooling really took it's toll on my sewing time in September.  I feel like I lost an entire month.  

This was how the house looked the week we bought it, 

This is how it looks now with new paint and a lost tree.  Much different eh?

Rail Fence

Before this....

I was able to get some nice sunny photos in our still green yard of this newly finished quilt and placemat set.  

I made the set for my mom and step-dad.  They redid their living room and above their TV they had an oddly empty wall.  I told them I would make them a quilt to hang there.  

We made a quick stop at Mary Maxims in Port Huron while we were visiting and my step-dad picked out the fabrics.  The two prints were from the Tapestry line I realized and I just happened to have four of those little candy packs back home.  So once we returned to South Dakota I started making this rail fence quilt.  

Then I whipped together two placemats.  I managed to mail everything out last week before our blizzard hit. 

I'm happy to have finished a couple of things lately.  But of course I have a growing to do list.  I think I'll be in this sort of shape again this year.  Maybe I'll make myself the big deadline list in October this year instead of November.  Oh wait! It is October already!  I might be in trouble.

A Work Filled Weekend

 I was able to get a ton accomplished this past weekend.  

I got the quilting finished on my fall leaves quilt. I even got the binding attached.  Last night while watching tv I got a little more than half of the hand sewing done.  I can hardly wait to get this quilt finished, washed and start using it!  

 I caught up on the Virtual Quilting Bee blocks.  I needed to make five to be up to date.  I believe the last block will be posted this Friday.   Looking forward to that.  

Don't judge me but I chickened out of making the paper pieced block.  Luckily block 13 had two variations to choose from so I made both.  Since they look totally different I don't feel too bad about my decision to be a wimp.  

Along with this sewing, I also quilted my mom's wall hanging and bound it.  It feels nice to have a finished quilt.  After all of that, I got to work on my marmalade quilt, which I'm pretty sure I haven't blogged about at all.  I will soon.
It felt amazing to have such a productive weekend for sure!

Guess Who Mopped!

Planning to get quilting after school today.  I think I'll do straight lines in the sashing, the free motion the leaves?  I'm still a little torn

Slowly

I am slowly but surely carving out little bits of time for my sewing.  Thank goodness!  I feel more like myself after I've stolen a half an hour to get some work done. 

 I decided on a whim to make a maple leaf quilt.  Nothing like the change of season to get a big bolt of inspiration to trump the laundry or vacuuming.(I'm kidding, my laundry is done and the carpets are vacuumed)

 I've been working a little on my nine-patches for a project that makes me happy.

 I caught up in my BOMs.  I love these.  They are so pretty.

I also got this wall hanging quilted.  Finally.  It's been hanging around for a month or so.  

This is how I was feeling there for a little while.  I'm hoping I can keep this up, Christmas sewing is approaching. I'm nervous.

Reasons I'm Not Sewing

 I've started a small project since being home.... but it isn't finished.... here are a bunch of excuses....

 Everyone in this house requires meals to consume.. I'm the cook.  Everyone likes clean clothes.... I'm the laundress.  Animals here like kibble and seed and whatever it is I feed the mouse that lives with us now.... I'm the zoo keeper.  No one likes crap building up anywhere... or litter..... or muddy floors.... or smelly accumulations in general..... I'm the maid.

 I also bus the young one around.... luckily even the bus driver is allowed to browse the library's shelves. 

 We've been painting the house.  And by "we" I mean the hubs mostly.  I helped when things were still at my reach.... now I mostly keep things from falling to crap while he's busy making messes in the process of being the painter. 

 We've been enjoying the last bit of summer.  I'll have months being locked inside to sew.... right now its warm and sunny. 

 My garden isn't letting up yet.  

I've been waking up early.  Well early for me.  

 I'm the teacher this year for this guy.  

By late afternoon I'm feeling like this... ready for a nap!

But I just keep walking by the sewing room... looking at the stuff calling me to take a minute or ten to sit down.... Soon.  I just need a couple more days to get adjusted and catch up.  Starting school while painting is a little much.  I just need to get a better grip.  Then I'll sew. 

What Neglect!

 I haven't posted in a month.  That's pretty lame.  Mostly I have a good excuse though.  We went on a road trip to Michigan.  

 We've been home for a week and I haven't done much sewing.... so I'll share some stuff from the trip.... Like that 10th anniversary quilt on my moms sofa.... with some cute kids in the photo too.  This quilt was put into use as soon as it hit the sofa!  I love that.  I even had to wash it once during our two weeks there.  

 I made a few quilt shop stops.  

 Didn't buy too much.  

Stopped by joanns.  P.S. I didNOT buy this print. 

But I did grab some DS prints.  I think I want to make simple stars with these.  

I picked up some I spy prints, low volume prints and this panel.  

 Since we've been home I've started on a little project for my mom, otherwise I'm just back to gardening, cooking, cleaning, laundry.... you know all that fun stuff!