Farmer's Wife - the one in which the blocks are DONE!

See that stack there?? That is all 111 of the farmer's wife sampler blocks! So many pretty blocks! I finished up the last 6 this week, and the sashing/cornerstones/setting triangles are all cut and ready to go! It is going to be spectacular :) I can't even wait to have this top together! Hopefully tomorrow that will happen. But that is for another post when it is finished. For now, here are this weeks {final} 6 blocks. (please forgive the somewhat unfortunate pictures, it was super cold and windy and there was snow on the ground)

#108 - Windmill

I made this one backwards actually. I don't remember if I had the fabric upside down or the template, but in any case, there it is. I like it a lot though and it was a really simple block. 

#60 - Noon & Light

I was waiting for this block just so I could use the stripes like this and I love it! They lined up amazingly well!

#103 - Whirlwind

Love! So simple and lovely.

#2 - Autumn Tints

Yellow may not have been the ideal color choice for this since it doesn't give it much contrast, but I like it anyway.

#40 - Friendship Block

I love this block. I kind of want to make a whole quilt of it. 

#88 - Star of Hope

 I generally don't love the blocks like this, but since it was the last one, I'm feeling all lovey towards it :-P

I'm not going to lie, I got a little sad {and triumphant} when I made that final block. It was such a milestone. I have loved making these little blocks more than I could have imagined and I am certainly sad that there are no more to be made. I am pretty sure that snuggling under the huge, colorful finished quilt will make up for it though :)

So that wraps up the block posts for my FW quilt. Wow. Next week I will hopefully have at least the main part of the quilt top to show (without borders I suspect, but we'll see). For now I have a star quilt to quilt and bind! Wishing everyone a lovely {and productive} weekend!

Progress?

Even though there is no link-up this week, I am going to go ahead and do a WIP post anyway. Now that I am putting this together I realize how little I've actually gotten done. Even though it feels like I've been working on things non-stop. Hopefully all the little things I've been doing for everything will add up to quick finishes this week. So here's the updated list


The List:
Fabric bin (x2)
Stars for Edie quilt -top done
Hoodies (x2) - both cut and ready
Gifts for hubby (x2) -should finish up thursday
Laptop bag
Travel sewing wallet
gift for my sister
FW quilt - finishing blocks today, sashing all cut and ready
apron (gift)
slippers for the little one
keep up with Skill builder blocks -started but I need more heat n bond
work on embroidery 101

Stars for Edie

FWQAL

Hoodies

Fabric Bins - the only real finish

As you can see, I have a whole lot to do and only 10 days to do it! I think I have it pretty well mapped out though, so if things go according to plan (ha!) I'll get most of it done. And if I'm lucky I'll be organized enough to bring some things with me to work on when we travel. How's everyone else doing with the christmas crunch?

Nothing much

Hey! Just thought I'd take a break from the madness to pop in and say hello :)

Things are reaching the height of craziness around here. I have been working furiously (and training for work), and while I've gotten a few things done, I don't have any pictures to show for it yet. I have a finished quilt top and some fabric bins so far, and a bunch of things cut and ready to go. I am definitely feeling the crunch. And with a teething toddler, it is just a bit harder. Today is going to be spent working like mad on hubby's gifts since I only have 2 more days of him being gone all day at school to get them done. Hopefully I will make it.

Anyway, even though there is no link-up this week, I think I'll go ahead and do a weekly recap tomorrow anyway so that I can actually see my progress. I think it will help me push on through. Sad to say, that's all I've got for today. I am beat and just needed a little break. Tomorrow I'll be back with some pretty pictures!

In the meantime, if you are looking for an interesting article, Megan at Canoe Ridge Creations linked to this one yesterday. I thought it was interesting and really applied to me as an educated domestic woman so I thought I would pass it along in case you didn't see it over there.

Farmer's Wife: the almost done edition

I am so close to finished these blocks I can taste it! I made 5 more blocks this week, so I only have 6 left (one of each color) which I will finish next week. I thought about pushing through and finishing this week, but I still don't have sashing (hopefully I'll pick some up today) and I have so many other things I need to work on. So next week the blocks should be done. I have mixed feelings about it since as much as I can't wait to snuggle under this quilt, I will miss making these happy little blocks. But enough of that, I can worry about that later! On to the blocks!

#92 - Streak of Lightning

This one is a really fun rainbow one. It is a simple block and I love having all the colors in it. 

#102 - Whirlpool

I had a hard time figuring out how to make rainbow work for this, but in the end I just went the random route an I like it a lot. 

#16 - Calico Puzzle

Nice and simple. 

#63 - Ozark Maple Leaf

I like this one a lot more than I thought I would. It's quite a cool block. 

#14 - Butterfly at the Crossroads

I don't tend to love the blocks I make with these polka dots, I am not sure why. But I love this. A lot. I want lots of these happy little blocks.

And there you have it. Tune in next week for the final installment of blocks. And then I kick the hubby and the kid out of the house and put together a very large quilt top next weekend :) I am very much looking forward to it. But first things first, this weekend I have much to sew and some holiday decorating to do, and a parade to go to and hot chocolate to drink....you know, December things! Have a good weekend everyone!

Cathedral Windows

As you may or may not have seen yesterday, my cathedral windows couch pillow is done! It was a much longer project than I intended. I didn't take into account how much longer it would take me to sew through so many layers.

Cathedral windows are something I had been wanting to try for ages. I didn't want to commit to a whole quilt though, and as it turns out, that was a good plan since I probably would never have finished a quilt. I used this tutorial and ended up with an 18" square pillow (more like 17.5", but that's okay). Since the pillow form I was putting it on, the ugly one that came with the couch, was more like 20" I decided that instead of a border, I would add a strip and make the back the same size as the front panel. It worked out surprisingly well.

I didn't really like making the cathedral windows although they sure do look cool. I think the big problem is really that my points sucked so things are not as crisp as they should be so it looks kinda messy. And my hand sewing leaves something to be desired....I just keep telling myself that it is quirky and quirky is cool. In any case, I am happy to have it done and on the couch :) Eventually maybe I'll make a new cover for the other pillow....I'm thinking maybe something a bit different.

WIP Wednesday {11.30.11}

It has come to my attention that not only is it Wednesday already, but it is the last day of November. How in the world did that happen so quickly?? I am slowly realizing that I have roughly 16 days to get everything done before we start traveling again. Oh man. And the list is quite long.

Completed:


Couch Pillow Cover

I will post about this one tomorrow, but it is done! I don't love it, but I am so glad it is finished. 


FWQAL

100 Blocks!!! I think next week I will finish up the blocks! I so can't wait to lay out the top and see it all together!

Still Going:


Hoodie for the little one
Still needs to be made. And I got fabric for another one, although I still need a lining. So I need to cut that one out too.  I hope she doesn't outgrow them before I get them made...

Embroidery 101
I haven't touched it. 

Hubby's Christmas gift
I am actually working on it. Since I realized I only have 3 more days where he will be gone at class all day so I can work on it. It is slow going though. I hope I can get it done in time. 

New:
Stars for Edie

This is the only {sewing} thing I've started. I got it into my head and couldn't get it out until it was all worked out and started. Now I can't work on it for a few days due to other things I have to do and it's driving me crazy. Thankfully I have to wait for a bit more fabric to arrive in the mail before I can do too much so I'll be alright. 

Leg warmers

I know this isn't sewing, but I started knitting these this past week. I love them. I don't know how long it will take me to make them, but that's okay. I am enjoying them so much. Hopefully they fit and aren't too big...I'll wear them either way though :)

On the agenda for December:
Fabric bin (x2)
Stars for Edie quilt
Hoodies (x2)
Gifts for hubby (x2)
Laptop bag
Travel sewing wallet
gift for my sister (x2)
FW quilt
apron (gift)
slippers for the little one
keep up with Skill builder blocks
work on embroidery 101

So I've got my work cut out for me. A little over two weeks to get {most of} that stuff done (and that's just the sewing stuff!). I'm sure going to try anyway. We'll see how I feel about it by next Wednesday, but I'm pretty sure I've lost my mind. For the moment, I have some FW blocks calling my name :) Happy Wednesday everyone!

Skill Builder Sampler: Halfway done!

And cue the return to real life. For a few weeks before everything is disrupted for the next holiday.  I have a definite love/hate relationship with this time of year now that I have a little one. We survived though, and even had some fun! Now I just have to get back in the swing of things.  Anyway, back to the matter at hand.

This month brings us to the halfway point in this QAL. And it is getting to be more fun every week. We have 18 out of 36 blocks complete and we are getting to the hard stuff. This month was all about the paper piecing. A skill that I am relatively comfortable with, but certainly in need of some practicing.

This month we did:

Block #16 - Minnesota
This is one that I had done before in the Summer Sampler. I don't love all the pink actually, but I think sashed with the white/tan polka dots and mixed in with all the rest it will look good. The sweet stripes more than make up for it :)

Block #17 - Starry Night
I love this. The pattern is cool and I love the way the colors worked out.

Block #18 - Circle of Geese
I have seen these all over blogland and I had been thinking about how someday I wanted to try one. Literally the next day I got my chance! It worked out perfectly since there are 12 geese and I am using 12 different fabrics, so I used one of each. I love this block! I would like to {someday} make a whole quilt of these or some variation.

And this is what I have so far

 I am having a hard time getting pictures now that there are so many blocks. They blow away and don't really fit on my walkway and the weather is pretty unpredictable. So I'll have to work that little problem out. I tried the steps this time and it worked fairly well I guess, but it's not a great picture. We'll see. Anyway, here they are! And I can't wait for the next one where we start with applique!