Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Lesson learned on day 2 of boredom

I have heard that you should wash your fabric before turning into a quilt but as we all know, I am lazy. I know I NEED to wash it before the actual quilting so I tossed the 2 quilt tops (the convention quilt and girl twin quilt) and their respective backs into the wash with woolite on gentle (I'm not a COMPLETE idiot! har har). I didn't dry them, just brought them to the living room and started pressing them.

As an aside, I must say it is a nifty feature on ironing boards that they can be adjusted to short so I could iron sitting at the couch. Moving on.

As I started looking at the convention quilt I noticed in a few places where the seam had come undone. Uh oh. Not a good thing at all. I am really not sure how I'm gonna fix it, and thankfully it's only on that quilt and not on the baby one. The backs pressed nicely, so did the girl quilt. Any thoughts? I am thinking of stippling some thread with a backing of scrap fabric and turning under the frayed edges as I go, that way when it's actually quilted it will look like it's supposed to be there. I dont think I'd be able to deepen the seem allowances on just those spaces and have it look normal so I don't think that is an option.

Sigh. Oh... I did finish one of the mits and started on the second, did I mention that already? Boredom = addlebrainedness.

Tommorow afternoon I watch a little friend so his Mommy can go on a job interview. 5 yr olds are easy peasy so nothing strenuous I'm sure. He'll be happy to bounce on the trampoline I'd wager. Let's keen Jen in our thoughts that she gets a job quickly!

That's it for now, have a great day. I wonder what new and magical things I will learn tomorrow? I did not pray to be taught a lesson! Lol.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Bored already

I've watched 2 episodes of All my children, I'm on my 4th knit & crochet today, 2 knitty gritty's and a quilt in a day. I have a 24 which I need to watch today before tonight's episode, or I could hold it until tomorrow and watch them both back to back! Hehehe. Back to back Jack. lol. I kill me.

Anyway, surgery went well, I'm just pretty sore and very restless. Even at night taking my happy pills I cannot manage to fall asleep in less than 3 hours without adding my normal sleeping pill. Last night I took both and did fall asleep quickly but was up at 12:30 and it took over an hour to get back to sleep. Maybe it's the percoset and I need to just try to deal with taking the IBs? I'll try that tonight.

In yarny news, I've gotten a few rounds away from finishing th efirst fingerless mit. I like how it's coming out, but I did see how I managed to be unable to count to 4... Oh well, who likes evenly spaced cables anyway? lol. I just need to remember to mirror them on the 2nd mit... maybe then I can call it a "design element"! I have only a couple weeks to get the 2nd bag cover done for the mag and send it out. I keep procrastinating because I feel like I will have SOOOO much time on my hands that I dont want to do everything at once.

In quilty news, well there isn't any. I have all the fabric for the boy blanket, I am not super thrilled with it though. It's pretty average, if that makes sense. I really love how the girl blanket came out and I hate to be disappointed with this one. Too late now since it's not like I can drive my arse over to the fabric store! I think they are due middle of June but with twins I'll be lucky to get to the middle of May. I guess I really need to get a move on, eh? At least the pattern goes quickly.

That's really it for now. Thank you for your well wishes and good thoughts. More later.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Ready of not...

I went in for pre-op today and the vampires took 7 vials of blood. I got a nifty new green wrist band for blood typing and instructions so I am all set for surgery on Tuesday. Wonder if I can get my doc to hold the sock in progress? Hmmm. I also went in today to meet with the surgeon about the lump and he said it's just dense breast tissue and nothing to be concerned with and see you in 4 months. I am happy with that.

I have started the thumb gusset for my mitt and the round and round bit of the foot on second sock. I have not finished picking fabric for the boy twin's quilt, nor have I gotten the batting for the other 2. Maybe this weekend. I have a May deadline for the the twins and September for Convention so that's a good thing.

Speaking of fabric, I have been undergoing a major project in ironing and folding my bits of fabric and grouping them by color. I dont even have my yarn so organized! This is a good project so that I can actually see that I have 9,000,000 different greens and only 3 blues. Apparently I'm a green person... who knew?

No real plans this weekend but get the house in "guest condition" since I will have guests next week and I will be out of commission. Let's just hope that my 3 days in the hospital wont = tornadic activity on the homestead.

That's it for me, have a great weekend and I will try to post on Monday.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Pictures of done stuff.

I finished the top for the convention quilt:










I also decided to make baby quilts for my boss who is expecting twin grandbabies - one of each kind! Here's the top for the girl:









I am getting fabric together for the boy quilt. The girl one was easy, I picked the butterfly fabric and the rest fell into place. I will look for a inspiration fabric for the boy one soon. I need to get some batting for all 3, and the girl quilt already has backing and binding strips ready to go. I am still contemplating binding and backing on the convention quilt.

I did get some work done on my newest project - fingerless mits for my mom at her office. I've got about 2 inches done. I was going to keep it a suprise but I have an amazing lack of restraint when it comes to things like this! Those that know me are laughing right now!

I do have a pic to share of Sean. On Friday, he and Jake spent the day with my in-laws. Apparently they were trying to juggle. Sean, being the most graceful child he is succedded in losing an argument with the coffee table:











I am working to get my desk in order and all my poop in a group before I am out for 8 weeks. I will keep blogging from home but will have limited access to pics.

I hope you had a great Easter. More tomorrow, maybe I'll remember to snap a pic of the mits.

Thursday, April 09, 2009

A Scheduled outage...

I finally got the call to schedule my surgery, I'll go in on 4/21 and emerge minus some girl parts and on heafty drugs. I am looking forward to the After since this before sucks! I normally dont ask for prayers for myself but I will now, please remember me on that day and couple days after.

Moving on... I didn't take any pictures to show and I didn't finish my quilt blocks - I have 1 more side on each one, then they just need to be sewed together and some borders added. I am still thinking about backing. I have a couple ideas in mind and I am looking forward to playing with them in real life instead of just my head!

At lunch I finished the crocheting of my purse cover, but I was not able to sew it up since I didn't have a tapestry needle with me. Tonight that will get done during tv. I also started a pattern that I had intended for my Mom for birthday, having forggoten about the birthday socks and I will see how it goes. Now I'll just tease and say maybe she'll get it, maybe I'll keep it! lol.

Tonight I intend to shampoo my carpets in the living room and dining room. Woo hoo, joy. But, I'd rather it done now than have to stare at dirty carpets for the next 8 weeks!

That's it for now, have a great day!

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Over and out

I finished my brothers quilt and it is on the way to the post office as we speak! I am not thrilled with how it turned out and I hope that I will be able to improve my skills on the quilting portion. For the convention quilt I am researching how much it would be to send it out to be quilted and it looks reasonable, now to convince my boss it's a sound investment!

I brought my purse covers to work on at lunchtime today, but it is kind of freeing to not have a very pressing project to finish rightnow.

Not really much to say today. Maybe tomorrow I'll have some pics or something. Until then, have a great day.

Monday, April 06, 2009

Weekend notes

This weekend was so much fun. Saturday we had a play date and there were more than 10 kids that showed up. I am waiting for more pics but here are a couple.

Sean on the slide enjoying static cling:










Little ones playing baseball:









I got a lot of work done on the Convention quilt. I only have 1 more color to add, so maybe half hour of work, then borders. I haven't decided on the borders yet, I think I will add some sort of mixture of the fabrics that are already in the quilt, the ones I have leftovers of anyway. Here's a pic of what it will look like once I add the dark blue:









I am trying to get a quote on having it quilted for me since my brother's quilt looks so messy and this IS for a fundraiser. Hopefully it will be reasonable enough for me to get my boss to pay for!

I got most of my first cover done for the purse and I like how it's turning out. I have some ideas for the other one too but I will have to play with it to be sure.

Well that's it for me for now, Have a nice Monday. Tomorrow is my doc's appt so this is my last day to obsess about it~

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Play Date, wii fit, quilting

Play date yesterday was so much fun. We had a really good turn out and I think that everyone enjoyed themselves. I got in some exercise running after Sean and pitching baseball. I also got in 30 mins on the wii fit between the hula hoop thing and step classes. I'm pretty sore today so I'm staying away from it. I am really noticing a difference in my energy level (well not today but in general) with getting in some exercise almost every day this week. I am down about 3 lbs this week so I am pretty thrilled... and that is with eating taco bell 2 times!

Today I am going to Jen's church, she's singing a solo and I'm looking forward to it. We'll grab lunch afterwards then I'll head home. Jake is going with my MIL to the base to go shopping so it's just me and Sean.

Maybe this afternoon I'll get out and till up the area for the corn since that really needs to be transplanted soon. I have the area mostly done, I just need to finish up and mix in some soil. Hopefully it shouldn't take me more than an hour.

In quilty news, I have not finished sewing the binding down on my brother's quilt but it's getting closer, just 1 short side left. I did start working on the Convention quilt. It's a log cabin in tan/brown and blue. I got to the 6th side out of 13 (including the center). I really like how it's turning out and it is going pretty quick. Including cutting the strips I probably have 2 hours in it and that is for all 12 squares. I've got a 1 more set of strips not cut but the rest are ready. I am really enjoying it. Now I need to decide if I want to try to do the quilting myself again or have it sent out. Hrm. I have no idea how much something like that costs. It may be worth a little investigating. I'd hate to have it not sell as well because I am a crappy quilter. Decisions decisions.

That's it from me, I'm gonna go get some frosted mini wheats. Have a great Sunday.

Friday, April 03, 2009

A happy place

I've had a rough few days mentally relating to some strange doctor stuff and I wont really know what's going on until Tuesday when I have a consult. I am the least patient and most paranoid person that I know so this does not sit well with me.

However, yesterday when I was between test appointments I went to Joanns. Joanns is my happy place. I spent over half hour fondling yarn and browsing quilting fabrics. I have needed to go and get some springy yarn for the purse and this was my opportunity. Not rushed, no extra "helpers", it was nice. I chose CotnCorn (a blend of cotton and corn) in a peach and verigated peach/brown/white for one purse and a chunky verigated teal & white for the other. Happy Springy colors and I'm looking forward to working with them.

I also got 4 fabrics for the Convention quilt, differents shades of brown from almost white to really dark chocolate. I also cut most of the strips and did the first round of sewing. I actually got a lot done for the time that I had and I'm pretty proud of myself. I could have been taking a nap but nope! I sewed.

In other yarny news, I had started the 2nd sock of Brainless but at doctors appt #2 yesterday I realized that I was relying on my brain instead of the pattern and had to rip out the 1.5" I had done and restart. Oh well. I've got a teeny tiny bit back to done but not too much.

In other quilty news, I am almost done with my 3rd side of handquilting Kerry's quilt. One and a little bit to go. Yay!

That's it for me, have a great weekend.