This, That, and the Other...

Last night, the household size temporarily expanded from 9 to 16, so there hasn’t been much sewing and probably too much cleaning, laundry, and cooking.  BJ is being baptized tomorrow, so family is coming to celebrate with us.

I finished my fifth Tiny Tuesday Block for the month, this time in orange and brown, and I tried hard to get my Garden Mosaic blocks done.  I have 52 finished, and the other 52 need one more seam to be done.  I am hopeful that I can whip them out when the daddies of the house take kids off for an adventure.  My Lepidoptera blocks, sadly, were a pie in the sky dream for this month, that that just means I’ll piece them in November.  All in all, I’m happy with my blue progress.

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

P.S.  Be sure to check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this weekend!

12 Things: August Update

This month, BJ joined the family early in the month, which set up a cascade of postpartum issues for me.  After my other children, recovery was quick and I sewed soon after.  This time, not so much.

August’s 12 Things goal was to, at the very least, finish the Block A set for my Irish Chain quilt.  Alas, I made it as far as sewing six sets together, but I won’t quite make the seventh strip set before the end of the month.  Still, the progress has been good.  I knew this quilt would take longer than a month, and since I’m pondering the insanity of hand quilting it, it may be even longer than this year to finish!

For September, I’ll be making a purple Christmas stocking.  In the background, I’ll keep working on my Irish Chain quilt.

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

Stash Report Week #32

This week, I made a mini for the Teal Mini Swap, which raises money for ovarian cancer research.  I’m not including a picture for now, since I haven’t mailed to my partner yet.  It’s only a little fabric, but fabric out is fabric out.

I also used up two odd spools of thread this week, for a total of 16 for the year.

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 1/4 yard

IN YTD: 76 yards
OUT YTD: 84 1/4 yards
YTD Total: 8 3/4 yards OUT

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

Sewing Time

The first full week of school was suddenly, gloriously quieter.  Four kids are back to regular schedule, and next week Miss G will start preschool on her regular schedule.  I’m also feeling better, so having the kids occupied with brain-stretching school and not pleading for screens constantly means I’m resting better and able to sit down to sew every day.

This week, I finished all six light blue Great Granny Squared blocks.  This brings my total to 38.  I have five or six ready to go in purple.  I may be able to eke out a few in grey and black, and then I’ll work out a layout with what I have.  It feels good to know I’m almost done.

I also worked my way through another strip set sewn onto each of the remaining Irish Chain blocks.  These didn’t have to be pinned, which means they moved along faster.  I won’t have the blocks finished by the end of August, but I’ve made good progress.

There was a bit of secret sewing for the Teal Mini Swap this week.  Last week I made a decision on the mini design, and this week I quilted and bound it.  The label still needs to be finished, but I will have it ready to mail next week.

Once the granny blocks were finished, I pushed along my Garden Mosaic blocks.  All the half square triangles are sewn and half of them are pressed.  I should be able to finish them by the end of the month.

Finally, I’ve gone a bit rogue on my Tiny Tuesday blocks.  I won’t be making any more light blue blocks, but am now working on rounding out my collection with 6 blocks in each of the existing colors and 6 blocks still to come in purple.  I think the blocks will live on my wall until I’m done so I can see what fabrics I’ve used and which blocks would look best in the remaining colors.

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

P.S. Be sure to check out all the blue sewing this Saturday!

Stash Report Week #31

No changes.  I’m sewing ever so slowly, which is much better than not sewing at all.  I have a mini swap project to finish, but it may be a while after that before I can manage a finish.

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

I Sewed!

What a week, what a week, what a week...

I had the very unpleasant experience of visiting two different ERs in two days for two different postpartum complications.  Now I’m wrapping up antibiotics for mastitis and resting.  I am so grateful that I’m finally feeling better and, with the kids back at school, I’ve actually been able to make it to the basement and sew here and there.

All my Garden Mosaic blocks are cut.  In the confusion of running a fever, I cut too many squares, but they can always be used later.  At least I can sew the triangles at will and as time allows.

My first Great Granny Squared Block is almost finished.  That may not seem like much, but at least it’s progress.  The rest of this year is going to find a much slower sewing pace, so I’ll take what progress I have.

There is one Tiny Tuesday block waiting for its frame.  I’ll wait until I finish more blocks to decide how it will lay.  For now, I’m just sewing the easy parts!

Finally, pinning strips of Irish chain blocks has been the name of the game.  It’s going to take hundreds (thousands?) of pins to finish the blocks, but as it’s something I can do with my feet up, I don’t mind.

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

P.S. As always on a Saturday, check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!

Stash Report Week #30

IN this week: 22 1/2 yards
OUT this week: 0 yards

IN YTD: 76 yards
OUT YTD: 84 1/2 yards
YTD Total: 8 1/2 yards OUT

Well, well, well... Between some treats my family and daughter brought me from their vacation and some new baby splurge fabrics I ordered, I’ve ruined my nice totals for the year.  The Assistant and my older sister both picked out some quite lovely fabrics for me, so they are nicely useable additions. I ordered half yard cuts of all the metallic confetti ombré fabrics from V and Co., both the new and old lines, and that added up fast!  I have no idea what I’m going to make, but it certainly has the potential to be splendid.

I will spend some of my (enforced) recovery time puzzling out how to get 21 1/2 yards used before the end of the year to get back to my goal.  I think my Lepidoptera and Tiny Tuesday blocks can both make it to finished status before year’s end, even with the slower pace I’m anticipating for the rest of the year.  My current project of an Irish Chain quilt would make a fabulous finish, but I’m toying with hand quilting it on my frame, and that won’t be a fast finish.

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

Blues...

I had high hopes of, at the very least, spending a few minutes each day at my sewing machine.  Unfortunately, this postpartum recovery has meant a lovely, healthy baby and an unwell mama.  It’s nothing permanent, just having a hard time.  Yes, yes, I know I’m meant to rest.  Lying in bed for a week makes me restless, so it has been challenging.  Fortunately, BJ is happy to lay in bed with me or in his bed, so he’s not restless.

PK is thrilled to be a big brother.

Sorting and scheming

JoJo didn’t want to miss out on his turn to hold the baby, but he was just a little tired.

At least today, after a short walk outside and a nap, I have my strips pulled out to do some cutting from my bed.  I will also pin strips for my Irish chain quilt as long as the pins hold out.  On a brief excursion down to my sewing area, I did discover Miss G or some other child has been in my drawers so the floor has become a bit of a minefield!

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

P.S.  I look forward to enjoying all the inspiration this weekend, even if it will make me itch to sew!

August UFO List

July 1: 10 projects
Started: 4
Finished: 4
July 31: 10 projects

1. Pillow
2. Scrappy DWR
3. ABC appliqué
4. King sized 16 patch
5. Hand pieced hexagons
6. Great Granny Squared
7. Garden Mosaic
8. Lepidoptera
9. Tiny Tuesday
10. Irish Chain

July was a month with a flurry of little projects.  I started a quilt for BJ, a stocking for him, an Irish chain quilt, and, finally, Spunky asked to make a quilt for BJ as well.  Fortunately, I managed to finish my 9 patch and stars quilt as well as the two baby quilts and stocking, so the month ended at the same number!

I will certainly start a new project this month, but I’m hoping it will be a quick finish as I don’t think the Irish chain is can be finished.  With a new baby on board, it’s just not practical to think I can finish half the blocks, put them all together, and quilt it!

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

Stash Report Week #29

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 2 1/4 yards

IN YTD: 53 1/2 yards
OUT YTD: 84 1/2 yards
YTD Total: 31 yards

We finished a quilt for the new baby this week, and that’s about it!

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

Sewing, Interrupted

I’m very delayed in posting today for good reason... Baby “BJ” was born yesterday, a whopping 9 pounds and 4 ounces, after a rather traumatic hospital experience for me.  We were supposed to be home already today, but the post-birth experience at this hospital as been as bad as the pre-labor.  But that’s a story for another time, when I’m less upset about it.

Nobody wanted to sit still for Dad!

In the meantime, I sewed early in the week, and I’m looking forward to some blue sewing in the coming weeks.  I need more 16-patches, and my blue-green Irish chain blocks will be a splendid accompaniment to my scraps.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

August Goals

In July, I wanted to...
1.  For my “12 Things” project, I have an orange boot stocking to make for Christmas.  Done!

2.  Since that shouldn’t take too long, I’d like to start on an Irish chain quilt of hand dyed fabric.  I’ve made the easy blocks and cut and sub cut all the strip sets for the second block.

3.  Finish the 9 patches and stars quilt.  It’s time to be done.  Done!

4.  Scraps:  I think we’re on purple.  I want to trim and make the usual blocks: Great Granny Squared, Garden Mosaic, Lepidoptera, and Tiny Tuesday.  I also want to finish up another round of purple 16-patches.  Oops, not purple but pink.  It’s all good.  I finished the blocks I needed.

In August, I’d like to do a lot of things, but baby BJ was born August 2, so I’m sure some of these goals are wishful thinking.  I’m going to write them down anyhow, just so I see what I can do when I get a chance.

1.  For my “12 Things” project, the goal would be to finish the quilt.  However, there’s no way.  I’d like to get as many of the 72 blocks made of strip sets made as possible.

2.  For my light blue scraps, I’m going to trim up the scrap bucket, make Great Granny Squared blocks, garden Mosaic blocks, aim for 2 Lepidoptera blocks, 5 Tiny
 Tuesday blocks, and make some more 16 patches as leaders and enders.  I think I’ll let the Lepidoptera blocks slip first, as I don’t have any more blue fabric and they are more time consuming than other blocks.

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