Blocks 157-165

I would love to say I'll get 25 + 7 blocks done this week to catch up to Shelly, but... this is reality, folks.  Nothin' doin'.

I did finish nine blocks this week to complete a top and finish the first of (cough) 90 rings for a double wedding ring quilt.  Do you see yet what you've gotten me into, Alzbe?  (Just kidding.)

It is my recent observation that learning MORE about quilting has made me afraid of techniques that, in my ignorance, I was too oblivious to fear.  Take curves, or example.  I sewing another DWR quilt (scrappy) without any attention to bias, pinning curves, or how difficult such things were sometimes perceived to be.  Now?  I'm a nervous nelly.  Nevertheless, I will persevere.  32 blocks, here I come!

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

More Yarn Goodies

I had crazy awesome plans this week: finish quilting a lap quilt for the Assistant's teacher.  Then I asked her opinion on the quilting (yes, I'm crazy like that), and she asked me to hand quilt it.  I love to hand quilt, but I've been quilting a bed quilt for the Screamer since Christmas, and I'm only half done.  Lots of quilting.  The teacher quilt... well, it's going to have to be a little (okay, a significant amount) easier and simpler.  Onward and upward!

So this week, I have more yarn.  This time, it's purple and slightly variegated.  I'm a fan.  I'm going to make booties for my niece.

I also finished a few hats.

You can check out my hats at facebook.com/zanasninis.

Thanks, AmandaJean, for hosting!

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

Blocks 153-156

Not even ironed, but done!

Now to finish the other 8...

The end of some beautiful work

Dyeing

Start with this:

10 pound cone of sport weight yarn
PFD
(I bought mine here)

Wind a skein.
A swift is NOT a necessary tool, but I wanted my skeins to be a specific size.
You could also wrap your yarn around two chairs or a table, as this is really for winding a skein into a ball, but hey, use what works!

Figure eight ties
Make about 30 of these...
Definitely more than 3....
Ask me how I know!

Soak in hot water for 30 minutes

Protect your counters

Simmer for 30 minutes or more

Rinse in cold water

Agitate with detergent in boiling water for 15 minutes.
Leave in hot water to soak for 12 hours.

Wash.
i had the bright idea of sewing them into a pillowcase as no lingerie bag is unpacked.

Use one of these...

... to make there

Make something beautiful.

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

Yarn!

My finish for the week...
(More pictures to follow later)

I wound my own skeins
Dyed them
Untangled them
And wound them into balls.
Now to make something yummy!

(The top picture is a more accurate representation of the color)

Thanks, AmandaJean, for hosting!

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

Happy birthday, baby

6 years ago

one month ago
(Yes, that's my sleeve,
but she's gorgeous!)

Stash Report Week #16

Last week, I just didn't get this written, so actually, all this was done a week or more ago!

IN these last two weeks: 20 yards (YUP!)

IN YTD: 60 1/4 yards

OUT these weeks: 15 3/4 yards

OUT YTD: 41 1/2 yards

YTD Totals: 19 yards IN

So I ordered this pile of goodies:

4 yards of the top fabric, and 2-5 yards of the others.  The bottom three will be options for next year's Easter clothes.  I like to plan ahead, and these were 50%.  The back sides of the middle fabrics are showing, but I didn't want the kids to see me unfolding fabric, as that's an invitation for FLINGING fabric!

What did I finish?

1/4 yard to the trash of lousy, thin, yucky fabric (from stash... why would I buy bad fabric?)

3 1/4 yards for a baby quilt (from stash)

4 1/4 yards for my yard sale items (from stash)

8 yards for the focus fabric quilt, which I think I named Square Dancing (kinda from stash, kinda not)

This week, I've already cut 14 3/4 yards of fabric of a queen-sized double wedding ring quilt.  I don't think I'll have any trouble bringing my yardage totals down!

from the room of Zana's Ninis,

katie z.

Blocks 147-152

6 string blocks, still in a pile on the floor, awaiting trimming.  Yup, that kinda week again.

I did finish a quilt.

I survived an evening of tornadoes after the tornado headed for our house veered east.

We made it home from a funeral.

This little man no longer has two ear infections.

Square Dancing Complete!

Whew!  I was sewing down the binding last night just before bed, racing around the last corner when DH flipped off the night.  "Hey!" I exclaimed.

Has anyone ever noticed how much faster binding goes when you don't have little ones climbing into your lap to help?

 I am half regretting my choice of binding for this lovely lap quilt (approx. 61" x 73"), as the stripe seems to stand out too much.  I had so many things go "not quite right" about this quilt.  All the fabrics except background were ordered online, and the tone-on-tones don't *quite* match the focal fabric.  My strip sets for the sashing bowed beyond belief.  I didn't do anything differently, but WOW what a mess.  The backing is not quite right either, but I'm making this quilt for a group on a very tight budget, so I didn't want to splurge on an expensive backing.  This was sale priced half off.  I also think my layout could have been improved, as the lights are too clustered together in the top corner.

But as they say, hindsight is 20-20.  I do still like the quilt.  I love the sashing moving around the quilt, and the big focal print blocks, which are outside my normal comfort zone (I love tone-on-tones!).

And it's done, and lovely, and only waiting to be washed to be given away!

Thank you, AmandaJean, for hosting!

(oh... one other finish this week... a new crocheted hat!)

from the room of Zana's Ninis,

katie z.

New to my Etsy Shop

Knight's Helmet

Isn't this just the cutest?

The pattern is by Cute and Crafty Crochet.

Check out the helmet here.  Order one for yourself, or your favorite knight in shining armor.

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

Goodies in my mail

Look what showed up in my mail last week!  (And I needed a long awaited, almost forgotten type of package to help me forget all the insanity that is life right now!)

Some stars to help along my hexagon project, and a pattern I won.  Woohoo!  Check out this pattern at other at Prairie Moon Quilts!  You should also take the time to read her blog.  It's hilarious.  Regularly.  As in, all the time.

I think I will make the pattern as a gift for my daughter, who is pink-obsessed (it's better than it used to be, but I am NOT a pink girl.  Not one whit.  See, I have red hair, so no pink for me!).  But it will have to go to the end of the line, as I have lots of other quilty projects that need to be completed first!

Shelly and I are racing to see who can finish our 350 blocks for the year first (or maybe it just feels that way since it's fun to see who finished more blocks each week).  I think she may catch up/pass me pretty soon, as I need to quilt a lap quilt this week, so my machine will be a little preoccupied, and I have to be gone for a funeral two days.

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

Blocks 142-46

By the skin of my teeth, but done!

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

Saturday Yard Sale!

Check out other yard sales over at Quiltville!  Thank you again, Bonnie, for hosting.

Please leave an email if your profile is no-reply.  First person to say (s)he wants an item gets it!

Prices do not include shipping.  Please expect shipping to be $5.15 or $5.30 for priority mail.  If you want more than one item, I will bundle shipping.  I will accept paypal or a check, and will ship after receiving payment.

3 stacks of 10" squares of florals.  Varying amounts.
I'd estimate almost a yard all together, maybe more.
The blue is almost 1/2 yard.
SOLD
$2

5" charm squares of various 30's-type prints.
(These are hand-me-downs, so I can't tell you origin.)
approximately 60-70 squares
SOLD
$2

4" round of selvedges
$2

Oops!  Sorry I didn't rotate the photo.
Lovely book, but now that I've tried it, this is not my style.
(I'm not patient enough!)
originally $19.95
$7

Full of lots of creative and lovely projects.
Originally $14.99
$4

Prize from a contest, quite lovely for ideas, but I'm hoping to move and need to reduce!
Has layouts but no directions.
$1

9 almost-fat quarters, pre-washed.
Each has a 4" square cut out of one corner
I used another stack to make a baby bargello quilt, but don't need the rest!
SOLD!
$4

Enjoy yardsaling!  I will do my best to update in a timely manner, but we have a sick kid in the house, so I'm not making promises!

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

Picture Perfect Bunny Ears

I just wanted to take a moment to blog about the newest hat in my shop (a bit late, but you know, better late than never!)

3-5 child

 This year, I've been aiming for a new hat "style" a month.  So far, I've had a ladybug, Valentine's hat, green bowler, and this bunny hat.

It was hard to decide where to place the ears.  Originally, I had in mind floppier ears, but that just didn't look right.  Instead, they're now centered and perky - flexible with pipe cleaners crocheted into the rims of the ears.

0-3 month

These are available in any size, 0-3 to child (6-10).  I just finished the white and light pink for an order, and I might have to make another just because it's so cute!

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

Easter clothes finish

Amanda Jean, thank you for hosting Finish It Up Friday.  I look forward to it every week.

The last dress is finished, and I've already picked out fabrics for next year's.  I aimed for brighter but still boy-friendly.  I could choose garment fabric, but I find that I don't like slipper leftovers, and cotton washes well anyhow.  I'll post pictures when I receive my package in the mail.  (Who doesn't love squishy packages in the mail?)

Oh, to remember to rotate!

I also finished this lovely little baby quilt (36" x 42"), completely from my scrap bags and stash.  I should have picked four colors with more contrast to see the weave effect, but I still really like it.  I machine quilted it in less than an hour on the second morning my daughter stayed home sick this week.

Speaking of which, what a month!  Spring break interrupted by DH's Nana suffering from a brain aneurysm.  Two days of fever for Screamer last week.  Two and a half days of fever for the Assistant this week (after school today, the fever was back.  Ack!).  Emergency rush to minor emergency for Bear Cub Q on Wednesday night for a double ear infection (last time, his ear drum burst less than 10 hours after he complained of pain).  DH's Nana died Thursday.  Bear Cub Q turns 2 on Good Friday.  Funeral Easter Tuesday.  WHOA, Nelly!

And today, Friday, my sale on Facebook ends at noon my time (Central).  I'm selling remaining crocheted hats from 2011 for $5 a piece.  Crazy cheap.  (They're usually $16-22.  I'm just sayin'.)

from the room of Zana's Ninis.

katie z.

Stash Report Week #14

State of my stash?  Not too bad for the end of the first quarter of the year.

Over spring break, a pit of yardage came in, backing for a commission quilt, shopping in Texas, background for the commission quilt, and a fat quarter pack to design something with the girls.

In the past few weeks, I've finished all 5 of our Easter clothes and discarded 1/4 yard of fabric that was too flimsy to do anything.

IN this week: 0 yards
IN YTD: 40 1/4 yards

OUT this week: 2 yards
OUT YTD: 25 1/4 yards

YTD Total: 14 1/2 yards IN

I've used 11 spools of thread.  I probably won't use that much every quarter, as I've never come close to using 44 spools of thread in a year!

I have a baby quilt ready to quilt, if only I could finish the top of the commission quilt to have my machine free!  Then, there's going to be a mini yard sale here this weekend, with approximately 4 1/4 yards of fabric to pass along to a new home.

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

Blocks 122-141

One of these hexagon snowflake shapes.  This is a take-along project that usually gets put aside for crocheting, as I get paid for the crocheting!

I made the last 16 blocks for this quilt.  Now for the sashing, which sadly doesn't count for anything in terms of block numbers.

I also finished three string blocks, but they all look about the same, so I didn't take a picture.  Besides, I try to trim them and take them immediately to the stack in the basement so I'm not accused of leaving quilting bits all over the house.  (Our house is on the market, so bits are a pain!)

from the room of Zana's Ninis,

katie z.