Birthday Wishes

Thanks for all the birthday wishes, texts, presents, messages and phone calls!  I had a great birthday (despite having to work) and I love hearing from all my friends, no matter how far away.  I don’t really feel any older, but I am a little sleepy.

Today is a quiet day, cleaning, laundry, sewing, and such.  I am sewing, despite the continued lack of finishing stuff.  I am also really looking forward to our upcoming French Canadian vacation!

I Swear I Am Making Stuff

I don’t have any finished items to show, but I have been sewing like mad this week trying to finish all 320 of the 4.5″ blocks (each one made up of 6 pieces) for a quilt that is due in early October.  My goal was to finish before my vacation coming up at the end of the month, and while I had to go and buy a little bit more fabric at the end, I made it.  I also put together 4 of those 4.5″ blocks to see what they look like put together.  A little scrappy (those little squares in the middle are 1″), but I am super happy to have hit a major milestone in the project.  Tonight I sorted the 320 blocks to make sure all the colors were spread out, so now 1 down and 79 left to go!

Year of Making Stuff: #30

This item was made with leftover yarn and a pattern Amy showed me when she was here visiting.  It will be a little birthday gift for a certain someone about to turn one, so only getting a preview right now.

I was in the middle of a great weekend of market, friends, garage sales, gardens and crafts when I fell hiking by myself on the rocks at McCormick’s Creek.  Not my most brilliant hour as I smashed my head and knee on the rocks.  Still sort of limping around.    On the bright side, I am now up to date on my tetanus shots!  Bring on the rusty nails!

Indy and #29

I finished this quilt last week for the Community Quilts Project for the Bloomington Quilters’ Guild.  I had been cleaning out some of my fabric/craft/quilt storage recently and came across the top of this quilt, fully put together.  As part of my using up fabric that I already have, I quickly pieced together the back and was able to finish this up pretty quickly and have item #29 done for my Year of Making Stuff.  Now I just have to finish that twin sized one too!

Even with working on Saturday, I was able to drive up to Indianapolis to visit Stephanie and enjoyed a hilarious night out at the Rathskeller.  And as a bonus, I stopped and met new baby Stella at Abby’s on the way home. She was thrilled to meet me too.

Year of Making Stuff: Item 28

I am catching back up!  I finished this little fabric basket last night for Taleah, Abby’s oldest.  I am headed up to Indy tomorrow to stay with Steph, but will catch Abby and her girls on the way back home on Sunday.  I have quilts for the younger two, but didn’t want to come empty handed for Tay.  I love my little fabric basket, so hope that this will work for her too.  Just a little something to put hair ties, or similar.

I also finished a quilt this weekend too!  Just when I thought I was out, I was able to pull myself back in!  Heh.

Tim is off to a double header softball game tonight, so its a little white wine, and maybe some knitting and reading.  After some pretty intense reads, I picked up a Maeve Binchy.  So far its sort of gaggy.

Quilt Block Tower

This is what 243 4″ quilt blocks look like.  I need 320, so I am getting close.  So while I haven’t been finishing anything lately, I don’t want you, internet, to think I am slacking.  I have been working on things, only they are bigger projects.  I’ve been waiting for a book to come in at the library that has a headband pattern in it, but other than that, I am out of small project ideas.  Maybe I could whip up some quick coasters?

Would it be against the rules to change the YoMS rules?  What if I finished 52 things this year, but it wasn’t necessarily one per week?  Would that still count?

Year of Making Stuff: Week 27

When peaches are in and ripe, I will eat them with every meal.  However the season is short, and come winter I will be craving my favorite fruit.  Today I peeled, sliced and mixed up 18 cups of peach pie filling.  Portioned out into individual freezer bags, I have enough for three pies this winter, with a few left over for instant snacking.  Come winter, I’m set.  Week 27?  Making pie filling. Not exactly instant gratification, but talk to me again in January.

I have also been sewing my tiny pieces together, and out of 320 blocks to make, I have 230 done.  I am running out of 1 1/2 inch pieces though and may not have enough fabric to finish without introducing something additional.

The rest of this Sunday afternoon will be spent reading about Bananas.

Really.

Holiday Weekend Traditions

This is my second year in a row going to St Louis for the weekend of the 4th.  I had just as much fun as last year, even more with the addition of Cynthia.  We watch fireworks, went swimming and picnicking at Johnson’s Shut-Ins, shopped, watched movies, drank beers and in general had a great time just being together.  Tim also spent most of the weekend with his childhood friends and made the trip to Holiday World!

Cynthia also received her apron (YOMS: Week 24), so the full picture:

P.S. It is really hard to take your own picture in an apron!

Year of Making Stuff: Week 26

I found this tutorial on My Little Mochi to make a wrist pincushion.  Usually I love my magnetic pin keeper, but sometimes I need just a few and they are never very handy.  This wrist pincushion was super easy and quick, and I had all the materials on hand, including beverage cap, hair tie, polyfil, and a 6″ circle of fabric.  Oh, and a hot glue gun.  I love it and I know it will get a lot of use!

I also got some beautiful yarn this week delivered…project must remain under wraps though, because it will be a Christmas gift.  Yes, you read that right.  It may just take me that long, but I am excited about knitting again!

Year of Making Stuff: Week 24 and 25

Between 12 Hour Comic Book Day and the two other programs, last week was a bit of a blur.  And now I can’t believe that tomorrow is Friday and this week is almost over, and that July starts next week.  Crazy!  I love summers here, but it is going too fast.  Last weekend was Taste of Bloomington and a fun night out with the girls.  And tomorrow I get to see Steph who will be down from Indy!

So this was finished somewhere between last week and this week, but it is a gift to be delivered next week for Cyn (very late Birthday), so here is a sneak peak.  I bought the lemon fabric while we were in Chicago.  So cute!

And since last week was running so late, I am ahead of the game for this week.  Sharpie Tie Dye!  Ok, so it was a program that I did with some teens at Ellettsville, but I love the way it came out and  I was in desperate need of a new night shirt.