Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

I knew April would bring some changes for all the lives in the house.  My nieces and nephew headed home to Arizona.  After a little over 2 years of having them around things had certainly changed. 

Here's a look at those cuties in Feb 2010.

This is how much they had changed by Christmas 2011.  Those cute baby faces have been replaced by amazing kid faces.  

I knew the kids leaving would be hard but really it was much harder than I thought it would be.  I couldn't be happier for them to be back at home and with their mom and dad but it certainly took me a little while to settle into my normal life. 

Life has returned to normal and I am having a blast.  Bike riding at whatever speed I want, craft time with no interruptions and getting ready to leave the house happens quite quickly.  Quilting has been happening as well even though right now I haven't taken a single photo of anything.  Tonight I should finish a really nice table runner with my most detailed bit of machine quilting to date.  I think I might become a machine quilting addict.  I do need to find a way to improve my posture while quilting.  Between all the quilting this week and driving a bit longer to work a couple days a week my back is not happy with me.  Oh yeah about that driving a bit longer to work.  In April I also agreed to be the tech to go to the new office we opened May 1, 2012.  So now 2 days a week normally quite easy 15 to if traffic is just awful 25 minute commute jumps to 40-50 minutes one way. 

I did make it to the Indy modern quilt guild meeting in April and had a blast and I will be trying really hard to join in of the fun in June.   I also made it to the regular Indianapolis quilt guild meeting in April and May.  I do love the speakers.  April was Cathy Miller , it was a fun evening and see did show some amazing quilts.  May was very special to me since I am taking her machine quilting class on craftsy, Wendy Butler Berns.  It was another great show and if just a few months or even weeks ago my head would have been clear I could have taken a workshop today.  

I hope everyone else has been enjoying spring!  

Happy Quilting 

CDC

Tonight's plan

I'm pretty excited that after work today I will be teaching little man, age 3 to sew.  He is quite excited and it should be a fun evening to watch his little mind go into over drive.  I'll do my best to come back and show off his work.

Happy Quilting

CDC

I've been shopping.

Not a lot of sewing has been happening recently but planning to sew has been in overdrive.  I will be making my sister a cape for comic con.  Which will be happening soon, of course March 24 is getting closer so it has to happen soon.  This should be fun and once I get it finished I will certainly show it off.

My brother is getting married in September.  I have a quilt planned for him using this pattern.  His favorite color is blue and my soon to be sister in laws fav is yellow.  What a nice french combo.  For the wedding they are going with yellow, black and white.  So here is some the fabric I've bought for this quilt.

For the back I plan to use this fabulous collection from timeless treasures, lemon grove by Alice Kennedy.

I also got some more fabric for a quilt which is right now being designed in my head.  Hopefully it will turn out half as nice as I am picturing.  

The last recent purchase is a big one and one I have been wanting for years.  My new bike!!

Happy Quilting

CDC

Always in Stitches ...

is one of my favorite quilt stores.  So much of the fabric I own is from this store.  I know I don't have a huge stash but it is a growing one.  I do buy lots of online fabric, since blogging at least.  Before blogging I didn't really pay attention to fabric lines being released.  Whatever the local stores had was perfect for me.  Now I do get those "seek peeks" and ideas fill my head and then I "need" that certain fabric and of course those online stores make that certain fabric easy to find.  I still try and support the local stores and of course it is great actually getting to see the fabric in person before purchasing.

Always in Stitches has a blog http://thatquiltshop.blogspot.com/  and recently has been starting to  do some tutorials and posting more often.  For Dr Seuss birthday they had a super cut giveaway and guess what, I was the winner!  This is my first blog win and it was quite surprising to see my name mentioned as the winner.

Today I went up to the store and got backing fabric for the zig zag quilt and got my prize.  It's a nice Cat in the Hat panel and the kids really got a kick out of giving him a hug.  This will make a really fun quilt for them.  Here's a look at the cute guy.

 

Happy Quilting

CDC

 

Lazy me

Some months just fly by and this month is certainly one of those.  It started with me getting a cold, sewing slowed down and then wow it's the 22nd.  I did give L and T the black and white/rock and roll table runner.   They both seemed pretty happy with it.  Of course it did start a little battle between them, would it go on the table or the bar.  My guess is the bar won but maybe one day soon I'll find out.

I did get some nice work done on the Valentine's day quilt, okay lets rename it the spring quilt and maybe just maybe I'll get it completed soon.  I have the top put together and just need to get some border fabric and get the borders on.  Then I'm going to quilt this one.  With all the table runner practice I think I'm ready to quilt a lap size quilt.  It should be fun.

Girl 2 had to get a tooth pulled, by the dentist, today.  I have been worried sick about this but overall she is one tough cookie.  I can only imagine the pain but only a few hours later she was in great spirits.  Here is a look at the great new smile.

I had a little headcold last week.

It certainly wasn't anything serious.  I think it was just a sinus infection.  The weather was bouncing around and my head just couldn't handle it.  I would be fine during the day and had no problem going to work but then night would come and my head would fill up.

I did get some sewing done since I last posted.  I will start by showing off my January UFO choice to actually finish.  If you have been following my blog awhile you might remember the wedding and the cupcakes.  Here's a link to that post, wedding.  It was a busy time this summer when my SIL got married and my sister and I agreed to make the cupcakes.  I had plans to complete a table runner for them but time ran out and it just didn't happen.  The wedding was wonderful and really I thought the cupcakes turned out great.  So the table runner sat around.  I got the top completed pretty quickly and then didn't finish the back until very recently.  I grabbed the black thread and got to quilting it.  It has been fun actually quilting some projects and I do seem to enjoy the quilting process as much as the piecing.

 The front is black and white, the wedding colors were black, yellow and white.  I found out during a bridle shower my SIL doesn't like any color black and gray are her favorite colors, seems crazy to me since there is not a color I do not like.

 The back is rock and roll themed, which was also part of the wedding.  My now BIL is the leader singer in a hard rock band phoenix on the faultline.

Happy Quilting 

CDC

Everyone Deserves Music

I love this song by Michael Franti & Spearhead.  Last night was the first night I thought I could actually play some music while quilting.  It started when the kids turned on their music out in the playroom.  I was in the sewing room and got into a nice rhythm while the music was on and thought I should bring the laptop up and turn on pandora.  As I'm finishing up all the blocks for the zig zag quilt Everyone Deserves Music came on and I was reminded this is probably my favorite song right now.  What a great way to complete and fun night of Friday Night Sew In.   I should really thank the FNSI ladies.  Without them I really doubt I would have sewed last night.  Even though this was a short work week, it seemed like one that would never end.  After dinner I think I should start catching up on Project Runway all stars and then think I should go up and sew, since I do sign up and say I would.  The music and sewing made for a fun night and as time flew I was able to complete all 41 blocks for the quilt plus 2 extras!

I used a jelly roll for these blocks.  I haven't used many of moda's cuts of fabric.  I have used one set of charm packs to make coasters and I'm still using a layer cake to do a BOM quilt, which I'm a bit behind on but hope to get completed soon.  The line was Ruby by Bonnie & Camille.  I had brought this as a gift for someone but then changed my mind and gave her another gift.  Then I saw the zig zag quilt on moda's bakeshop.  They used a layer cake but one of the comments asked why not use a jellyroll that is when the idea to use the jellyroll I had to make this quilt.  I love the look of fabic "waving"throughout a quilt.  Here's a look at a possible layout for my blocks and all the fun blocks I was able to finish last night. 

I think this will be my Valentine's Day quilt.  The colors are perfect for this up coming holiday. 

Happy Quilting 

CDC