Design Wall Monday

If you were watching last week, I didn't have sleeves with cuffs yet.  I'm making progress, slowly but surely.

Goals for the week?  The lining for the cassock.  Two rows of "Pink Things" hand quilted.  Once Judy draws the UFO number and the monochromatic challenge color, think about those projects.

Yup, that's enough for a week.

For inspiration, check out the other Design Walls.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Week #9

Numbers remain the same this week.

Two more rows of "Pink Things" are complete (only five measly, yet interminable rows left!).  Two, maybe three, rows is the goal for this week.  I'm going to run out of thread, as there's only a wee bit left.  This is the first time I've used an entire spool handquilting one quilt.

The cassock has sleeves (and cuffs!) (just don't think about the 33 buttonholes.  Hey, I said DON'T think about them.).  I have used one entire spool of black thread and am well into a second.  (3 spools of thread used so far this year.)  I want to finish the lining this week.

I am stalled cutting clothing, as the overall patterns is from Jalie, so it has about 25 size options for each pattern piece.  That means I need to did in the gift box bin and find enough tissue paper to trace out the Assistant's sizes.

Eagerly I look forward to the announcement of Judy's next drawing for color of the month (monochromatic challenge) and UFO of the month.  Check for those on Tuesday, and check today for the other stash reports: Patchwork Times.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

Sunshine and Moon Shadow (old quilt)

Design Hanger Monday

Currently, garment sewing has taken over my sewing nook.  The cassock has a collar.  Now for sleeves, lining, and hemming.  Then, gulp, buttons.  We won't think about those right now (I'm not very good at buttons).

Basket of pieces

And who doesn't like to see a boy wear a crown?  Especially a boy as cute as Bear Cub Q.

Check out the other stash reports on Judy's blog.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

Monochromatic Challenge: Violet

I took the pictures and forgot all about them...

Here is my violet table runner.  It's a variation on my yellow table runner (I would like to write up the pattern, and am seeing what variations I like).  The rings are blockier, and my quilting was MUCH less complicated.  The backing was pieced of other violet fabrics, thus reducing my violet stash by almost half.

I have observed to myself before that violet fabric is hard to find!  That would explain why my violet stash is so small, and why even though I like the color, I have so little of it.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report Week #8

Despite my no-buy pledge, a trip to a quilt shop (in search of a BOOK, not fabric), resulted in 1/2 yard in for the Assistant.  At least it wasn't for me, and it wasn't pink (we have enough pink scraps to last me a LONG time.  a long time.  seriously.).

IN this week: 1/2 yard
IN YTD: 36 yards

OUT this week: 0 yards
OUT YTD: 8 1/2 yards

YTD Totals: 27 1/2 yards IN

I've been doing lots of browsing on the internet, and have pages of ideas.  Once the cassock is done, my machine is going to be running like crazy.  The cassock... it's slow going.  Saturday morning, sewing the one seam for the collar took 20 minutes because I had to rip out twice.  My nervousness is definitely slowing me down, but the results are elegant, so I guess it's not all a bad thing.

Yards and yards of cutting... princess dress, Easter dresses, a vest, a skirt. Yet to come?  Overalls for the Assistant and a vest for Bear Cub Q.  When it is all done, I will have some serious busted fabric!

7 1/2 rows of quilting left on the Pink Things... I will be working hard on that!

Check out the other stash reports on Judy's blog.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

Busy Week

I've been cutting, cutting, and cutting some more!  While the machine is set up for the 5/8" seam for the cassock, I've been cutting clothing - Easter dresses, princess dress, vest for DH.

The cassock progresses slowly for many reasons: I am finishing the seams without a serger, and that's slow going.  I am trying to do it all right, so I don't have to buy new wool and start over, since this is for a friend to be ordained a deacon in May.  I am making mistakes - sewing where I'm not supposed to, or on the wrong side.  Next up is the collar, where I had LOTS of trouble with the practice cassock.  Wish me luck!

There are only 8 rows left to handquilt on Pink Things!  Soon I will be ready to work on Favorite Things - finishing the borders, basting, and hand quilting.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

Happy Sts. Cyril and Methodius Day

Ah, I'm counter-cultural about things like this.  Not that I don't celebrate Valentine's Day, but this is more a family thing.  See, the thing is that I grew up in a VERY strongly Czech/Bohemian family.  (I can even cheer for Nebraska in Czech).  So today, I celebrate the patron saints of all Slavs - Cyril and Methodius.

And no, I did not write "Happy Sts. Cyril and Methodius Day" on my daughter's valentines for school (but that didn't stop me from thinking about it.  Long.  And hard.)

Happy Confirmation name day, bro.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report Week #7

Best news first... I do not have a broken ankle, only a bad sprain and some nerve damage on the side of my leg that should resolve with the help of ibuprofen.

Not best, but also excellent...  the quilting on the Assistant's Pink Things quilt is over halfway complete.  Now that I'm back on my feet more, I won't be quilting as quickly, so it will still be a few months, but I have time.

My February challenges are done.  To read about the saga of UFO #10, read this.  I also finished my violet table runner, but due to company and a house showing, there is no picture this week.

Now that my challenges are complete, I need to make serious progress on the cassock.  I've self-imposed a deadline of Spring Break, which is 5 weeks away.  I also need to sew Screamer's princess dress, but I will work on cutting out those pieces while the sewing machine is taken up with the cassock.

IN this week: 0 yards
IN YTD: 35 1/2 yards

OUT this week: 2 3/4 yards
OUT YTD: 8 1/2 yards

YTD Total: 27 yards IN

Slowly but surely, I'm making progress!

Check out the other stash report disasters and successes on Judy's blog, the Patchwork Times.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

UFO #10 Complete!

My UFO for February over at Patchwork Times was my "Foot Prints" slippers.  The pattern seemed simple, so what was slowing me down?

1. It required things other than cotton fabric (polar fleece, slipper foam, Jiffy Grip...)

2. I am SLOW when it comes to cutting out patterns.  The kids think it's a free-for-all, and want to help me by tearing.

...

So, on my first trip to the basement post-foot (it's not broken, thank you, God!), I fetched my parts and pieces.  I cut the parts, using four layers of batting rather than slipper foam.

Then I hit a snag.  The directions said that all seams would be inclosed, but I couldn't find how to attach the top and lining to the heel without a seam being exposed.  Well, heck, once one seam was exposed, who cared about the rest?  Hence, the red pair that shows the white batting.

Attempt #2, I ditched the instructions and made a fully-seam-enclosed pair of slippers using my treasured fabric.  Yummy.  They're so comfy.  Then, when DH arrived home from work, I informed him what a lousy pattern it was.

And went back one last time to read the directions.  Surely I had missed something.  Boy howdy, did I ever.  Part of the pattern pieces that you cut out are printed on the same page as the written directions, and at some point, the top part of the written directions folded back, and I didn't realize they were missing - but that would have explained my dilemma of lining, top, and heel.  Now I know, and knowing is half the battle, right?  I admit, I am chastened.

I love my slippers!  There will be more slippers in my future, but not right now.  There are other important things to do, like a princess dress for Screamer (she covets the Assistant's princess dress), Easter dresses for the girls with a matching outfit for Jimmy (if I have a pattern), and a cassock.  And I heard something about a bathroom being painted.  Maybe that's why I'm up so late tonight.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,

katie z.

Little Joys I Have Forgotten to Mention

Bear Cub Q has learned to walk.  I think he waddles like a penguin; my mom says he walks like Frankenstein; my older sister oohs every time she sees him walk.  There is something so amazing about the first toddling steps of any baby, and Bear Cub Q has all his charm going when he walks toward someone.

He has also climbed stairs unassisted several times when his sisters have left the baby gate open.  I'm not as excited about this accomplishment, but I am relieved that he didn't fall.  Now to work on that baby gate staying closed.

The Assistant has her own sewing machine.  She will turn 5 in April, so she is a bit young, but she doesn't get to use it without my help.  She earned the machine for finally (excuse the mommy potty language) pooping in the potty.  We have had a year + of trauma with terrible constipation, so we offered her her own sewing machine when she was finally 100% potty trained.  She started doing all her business on the potty around the time she got the stomach flu, but that didn't hold her up, and I am so grateful.  In the last two months, I have gone from 3 kids using diapers (not all the time for the girls, but diapers are expensive) to only Bear Cub Q. It's beautiful.  No constipation lately - whatever it was finally clicked!

The Screamer's previously frequent accidents on the floor due to anger, defiance, etc., have mainly faded to an unpleasant memory.  There are still accidents, but only if Mommy or Daddy forget to take her to the potty every few hours.

I love my mom.  She's done almost all my laundry since I hurt my foot (washed, dried, folded, and delivered).  God bless her.  She still has plenty to do at her own house, but she's been keeping mine as well.

Today, since I was up anyway, I made cornbread, pumpkin bread, and ground wheat.  We made poptarts yesterday, and they're almost all gone.  Tomorrow's a snow day, most likely, so we'll see what fun I can get into then.

My foot is feeling better, even if my leg is not.  I will see a doctor on Thursday for, if nothing else, some coping mechanisms.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report Week #6

It's been a long week.

There have been no finishes, but I certainly quilted almost 3 rows on the Assistant's Pink Things quilt.  Usually, I consider a week successful if I finish I row.  Laying on a mattress all week instead of cooking, laundering, and cleaning will do that.

I only turned on my sewing machine once, to finish one short seam.  Sitting up with my foot down is reserved for dinner times, the car, and volunteering all day Saturday (I was CAREFUL!).

Is my foot broken?  Why is there numbness alternated with yucky burning, prickling feelings in the side of my leg?  I will be visiting a new, more competent doctor in the coming weeks to see if I can resolve these unpleasant questions.  I am in significantly less pain than I was this time a week ago.

We had two snow days, so DH got to run the show while I laid on my futon mattress and hand quilted.  And there's not a thing I could do about it.  It's nice to be lazy occasionally when I can't get blamed for it!

Pictures are... too much work.  Maybe for Design Wall Monday.

Check out the stash reports on Judy's blog.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.