What Am I Not Doing?

I haven't posted lately because, lately, I haven't been sewing. Not because I've run out of projects (never in a million years!), not because I've run out of fabrics (that will happen about the same year as the projects), but because I ran out of steam. I'm all out of "umph!". I end up with lots of attempts but no achievements. 

Back in October, the plan was to add a light green (more like lime) Scrap Jar Star to the group. 

Well, it's not done but it is cut. That counts for something right? 

I cut more scraps to kit another project. Don't know the name (I call it Quarter Star for now) but I'm in love with it. 

I believe I have enough for a large quilt or maybe even two small quilts in here ... and I'm not done. I haven't looked into the red scrap basket or the orange one yet.

This is the block ...

and this is the result. 

I blame Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict (scroll down a little) for my sudden obsession. Hahaha! I had to look at some videos on how to cut the Half Rectangles Triangles unit. You have to know the trick of the trade to do this one. Funny unit but I'm hooked. I'm even thinking of making one with flannel. 

This search for scraps for the Quarter Star prompted me to declutter the sewing room a bit. 

This is what's at the bottom of the design wall. :^(  Shame. 

After a few days, there was an improvement. 

I still have to deal with the two white plastic tubs and the basket holding all the grey fabrics. The projects are in their own boxes or containers and are labeled (far left). I even have a box named "Mini Vibes". It holds projects that are almost done and that just need a little bit more love to be finished, like sewing the binding on mug rugs and stuff like that.  

I did sew the label onto Field of Poppies (Good Fortune). There are still lots of thread ends to be dealt with but other than that it is done! 

I haven't jumped on the wagon of Chilhowie that Bonnie is so generously giving as a Mystery Quilt because I am not sewing. I am keeping all the directions though. I'll see in January if I need a Chilhowie or not. 

So, what's the reason I am not sewing? First reason: I finished Field of Poppies! I need to baste another quilt to quilt but I don't know which one. I'm stuck! Next week, I have two days off. Hopefully, I'll get my act together and get something done. 

Second reason: I am training two new employees, yes, two at the same time. It's draining my energy but at the same time, it is a relief because they'll be doing my job. We were three Team Assistants doing the work of five. Soon (hopefully), there will be five of us again. Yay! They are fast learners and they are doing very well so far. To train them, I have to work from the head office, which is a 45-minute drive one way. When I get home, I'm brain-dead but happy. All this has been accompanied by an increase in my salary ... but a decrease in my sewing time and energy. Oh well, it's temporary. :^) 

This is not much blog-post-worthy but I wanted to come in and say hi. 

Hope you all have a great week. 

See ya! 

;^)

Joining 

Angela at So Scrappy

Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts

Cynthia for Oh Scrap 

and 

Sarah for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? 

Following the Curve

I am the lucky recipient of a quilter's generosity. I feel so blessed to know such wonderful people as you all. Some of you know that my friend Pink found an Accuquilt Go in a second-hand store. All the dies (knives) were missing so in a note on my blog I asked if anyone had some they would be willing to sell. Cathy raised to the occasion and sent me not one, not two, but THREE dies! How generous is that?

I am trying my hands at sewing curves with the Drunkard's Path die.

Setting the two simple pieces straight.

Pins

and the sewing is not that good. Some puckering occurred. Try again.

 
More pins.

 Ugh! 

I am sewing so slowly that the machine stalls every now and again. It reminds me of the first time I sat behind the wheel of my boyfriend's car. I said, "Hey, look. I got this. This is easy," as the car was slowly rolling down the street. He looked at me with a funny face and said, "You have to press down on the gas pedal. This is idle speed!!" Haha. I married that guy. :^D

Anywho! Here are the others. 

Okay, so I'm getting better. By next Saturday, I'll be able to sew these without pins. Haha! I'm such a joker! 

The other dies are the Diamond to make Tumbling Blocks and this one. 

I'll keep practicing with one curve before tackling three curves. This is my challenge for 2023. 

Thanks again, Cathy, I just can't say this enough. May blessings fall upon you too. 

I manage to make some wee sewing as leader-enders. 

Last week, we had our Artisanat meeting. I came home with some gifted scrap bags. Someone sewed triangles of the same fabric together. I am slowly taking them apart to turn them into something else. I do this during my lunch break at work. 

Done and pressed 

Waiting to be press

Still plenty for my lunches next week

There are a lot of two colours HSTs also. Of all sizes, it seems. 

I received another panel sewn to a piece of cheap batting. I used the first one as the backing for Stars in Blue. I guess the person liked what I did with her panel and decided to give me the pink one too. Shall I make a Stars in Pink? 

Today I am sewing with the Artisanat ladies. We were commissioned to make adult bibs for some residences. 60 bibs were called. More about this in my next post. 

Have a lovely day. 

;^) 

Joining 

Angela at So Scrappy 

Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts 

Cynthia for Oh Scrap! 

Sarah for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? 

Not a Productive Week

What can I say? I didn't sew much because of too many meetings and coming home exhausted. My day job is really crunching my sewing time. :^D

I can resume all the sewing I did this week in one picture. 

Ta-daH!

My to-do list said to finish ALL twelve crumb blocks needed for Chaser to be completed. I did one. AND it was partly made already as I used a log cabin block from a gifted bag that someone chopped. So ... well .... whatever! 

This morning, I tried to accomplish something. So I grabbed the camera and some blocks to see what needed to be done.  

Not much of a quilt. The light green block is still MIA. So this one will continue next year. 

Then came Jericho Wall's turn. 

The wind picked up just as I was almost done. Argh! Got some clothespins to keep the blocks down. 

The wind moved to the other side and sent everything flying again. Even though it is almost noon by the time I took this picture, the barbecue shadow is still very long. Yep, Winter's coming. 

Anywho! I resorted to an indoor picture. 

Not the final layout but by this time, I had enough of bending over to set blocks on the floor. I'll get back to it later today. 

Almost forgot. The quilting on Field of Poppies is done. Slowly stitching the binding down. Hopefully, it will be done for Remembrance Day on Nov 11th. 

In other news

I received some dies for my Go Cutter given to me so generously by Cathy at Crazy by Design. Thanks again, Cathy. That story will be told in another post. :^D 

I know Halloween is over but check out Pumpkinville at Quilt Inspiration. It has pumpkin houses and pumpkin cars. It is the cutest Fall town ever made! It is worth the detour and you can  See it here. 

Enjoy! 

;^)

Joining my quilty friends 

Angela at SoScrappy

Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts 

Cynthia for Oh Scraps! 

Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching 

Sarah for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? 

Finishes - The Placemat, the Bird, the House

The placemat: 

I thought of doing a green placemat this month but I could only finish the black one I started in September. 

Instead of the usual white background, I chose a light grey fabric. I had to use some white-on-black strings as it was getting very dark. Used a piece of the M&M print to bring some fun, JOYFULNESS, to it. 

The back is a fun dot print. I had that print in red too and you can see just half a circle of it in the triangle on the front. 

My goal is to make a light/lime green one in November. I've barely touched the sewing machine in two weeks. Gotta get back on that horse soon. 

The house: 

We finished painting the house and I didn't post a final picture. So here's my pumpkin house. 

Next year: landscape! 
 

The bird: 

I just couldn't keep it alone!

I HAD to retouch the chickadee's back. I find its wing too low, and adding a few more feathers would help the issue.

As I opened the paint bottles, some drops splashed onto the plaque! I tried to remove them but of course, the wood immediately absorbed the droplets and I just smeared them on.  

They are close enough to the tree to become another branch, so it's not the end of my world. While at it, I might as well retouch the whole tree. It looks pretty weak.  Ok! Deep breath. You can do this, girl.

A couple of hours later ... 

And Ta-Dah! 

I decided to just elongate the first feathers on its shoulder. I'm now sealing this to protect it from me touching it again. 

The Ste-Trinity Astisans meeting is Nov first and I want to show it to the members. They don't know I paint. Then it will be given to my MIL to decorate her door at the residence. I'm so happy I was able to do this for her. 

Back to the sewing room, I go. Some catching up needs to be done. 

Take care everyone. 

;^)

Joining 

Joy for Table Scrap Challenge

Angela at So Scrappy

Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts

Cynthia for Oh Scrap! 

Another Week - Another Project

Back in July, my SIL asked me to paint a plaque for my MIL (her mom) to decorate her room's door at the residence. I've humbly accepted the challenge.

Since then, I've been playing with my paintbrushes. I haven't done any painting since ... well a very long time ago. So I've doodled a lot at home and at work. I've played with paint, trying to get my brain to remember how to use paintbrushes. (It's really not like colouring pencils.)

At one point, I decided to fly on my own and just go! This is my progress.

I'm pretty pleased with it. I'll keep it like this for a bit before glazing it. I might work its back a little bit more ... but the boys say it looks fine. 

Anywho! Who wants to see some fabrics? Let's go! 

Jericho Wall in green.  

My sewing machine has been at the sewing Doctor's for a week. I've missed it a lot so I did some prep and cut the fabric for these blocks. 

They went together super fast. 

These are the last blocks needed for the Jericho Wall quilt. I can start working on the layout and get the sashing cut. 

That's all! I hope you have a great weekend. 

;^)

Joining 

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Angela at So Scrappy

Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts 

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun than Housework