WOW

It is like 1000x easier to finished a quilt with a sewing machine. Holy cannoli.


Pictures later.

Updates. Life Happens.

I know I post these "I'm around" posts every few months. But that's because I am.

It's really hard to motivate myself to craft with no sewing machine. It's such a production to get all of my hand sewing things out, and it's such a mess.

So, here are my updates:

• Nannying is over. I'm now a cubicle jockey. I'm so thankful for a job, but it's definitely not what I was planning on when I got my education degree.
• Moved into my parents house after nannying. A few months later, and I moved into my own apartment. Which is awesome. And soooooo small.
  
• Moving into my own apartment has shed some new light on things for me. First things first, closets. are. AMAZING. I've never really had a closet before. Oh man. One side is for my clothes, and one side is for my never worn clothes/ WIPs.
• Two rooms and a bathroom = no room for a desk or a sewing machine.
• Sewing machine doesn't even work. Need a new one. SO BADLY.
  
• P&K are having a baby girl, named O (I call her the Bean). I'm making her a quilt, and a receiving blanket made from AMH flannel and voile. That is, I will be once I find the motivation/4 hours to hand-stitch the binding on. Le sigh.
  
• D&J are also having a baby girl, named H. L's going to be a big brother! Of course this Baby H is also going to be getting a receiving blanket and quilt. Just need to figure out the logistics.
  

Taking the Plunge

I'm cheap. A tightwad on a good day, but cheap when it all comes down to it. At least when it comes to spending for myself. I don't like to spend extra money, even on really little things. Movies? No way, too expensive! That pair of shoes that I'm in love with? Not practical, I'll never wear them. If there's a deal to be found, I'll find it. I pride myself on consistently feeding myself weekly in under 40 dollars.

But when I see fabric that I looovvveee, I'm sunk. No project in mind? Who cares?! I just spend he equivalent in my grocery budget on fabric. On 2 yards total of fabric. Two half yards from one shop plus shipping, and one yard from another shop plus shipping. It's 'spensive fabric. Nope, not Liberty of London. You can still find that. Far Far Away II by Heather Ross.

I've had my eye on this fabric since it came out, but I could never justify the cost since it is rather expensive. But I just found out I'm having another niece or nephew, and another sib has resumed trying. And I already have a boy quilt planned out. So, I got two of those FFA2 prints on sale. Score, good job Meg. Way to continue in your tightwad ways.

And then, all of a sudden, I was searching for Roses in Dusk (my absolute favorite of the line), and I couldn't find it anywhere! Not at any of my primary shops, not at any of my secondary shops. I was a mad woman. Frantic. I had to have this print. The collection I have in my head just would NOT be complete without this print! This print is what attracted me to the line in the first place. What do you mean it's sold out everywhere?! Someone must have it! WHERE IS IT?!

I found it, though. At a tiny little etsy shop. I found it. And I paid 18 dollars for 1 yard of it (shipping inclusive). I've never paid that much for one piece of fabric before. And dammit, I'm okay with it. Because even if neither couple has a girl, I know there'll be more to come. If there's one thing my world could use a little bit more of, it's babies.

Although I'm having trouble with the fact that I just spent 40 dollars. But I worked overtime this week (50 hours for the win), so I'm pretty sure I'll get over it.

Student Teaching...

... is plodding on. I come home every day exhausted and stressed out. Every single day I plan on coming home and doing some sewing to wind down. Every day I get my small sewing bag from my upstairs room and bring it into the living room in preparation. And every day I get sidetracked with the internet, or with baking.

I'm a stress-baker; needless to say, my high school classes are reaping the benefits. One class has had baked goods every class for the last 3 classes (homemade cinnamon buns, leftover cake, and giant lemon-blackberry scones)! It's a small class (4 kids!), which is why baking for them is kind of perfect. I don't need to make a big batch or use a lot of energy and resources to make sure everyone gets some.

Anywho. When I do get around to sewing, it always is such a relaxing thing. I'm really glad I decided to do the piecing of this quilt by hand instead of waiting until I can afford to have my machine fixed. I don't have a sewing area, so when my machine was working, I had to constantly be bringing it up and down stairs to be able to use it on a table. Sitting in front of the TV with my sewing in hand literally melts the stress off. I wish I did it more.

Silly lesson plans. Don't they know I have a WIP?

All Quiet on the Sewing Front

Sorry there haven't been posts as of late. Subbing has kept me busy, and a healthy fear of cutting into and then sewing together my precious Little Folks fabric has kept me away from my machine.

I did start sewing together some rows of LF a few days ago. My machine promptly then decided to stop working (I think the needle threader hates me, as do all of the tension settings). While part of me is super disappointed, there's another part of me that would just rather be handsewing it all anyway. I'm much better at it, I get much less frustrated, and I think that the product lasts longer when properly stitched by hand (I'm going to research this soon, for proof of my theory). But then I remember that there are 118 blocks to that quilt. And I'm not so sure I'd like to tackle something like that. We'll see. I might take the machine in first to see how much it'd be to repair it.


One adventure I have partaken in! I want to have a pieced backing for this quilt, so I cut out (too many) 2.5" squares. Because of the overflow of those squares, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. I started a paper-pieced hexagon pillow that will match my beauteous quilt.

The hexagons are all basted and pieced; I just have to determine what size pillow this will be, and the general construction of the thing. I lurve the LF fabric all together; seriously, this square could not be any cuter. Pictures soooooooon.

Sneakery Peakery