Family Time - All Five

Family Time - All Five, a photo by capitolaquilter on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
We surprised my mom with a group picture of me and my siblings. This one is a similar shot of the one we used but taken with my phone - which you can tell because we are all looking in different directions!

The attire theme was black and white casual interpreted in a range of ways with my t-shirt and flip flops the most casual, go figure.

Having gorgeous weather in the seventies made for glare from the morning sun,  harsh shadows and squinty watery eyes - but I like this one too.

Christmas 2013 - Siblings Portrait 

The last time one was taken was from seven and a half years ago when our High School had a 1970's Group Reunion and I "made" everyone pose with their graduation portrait.  All five of us fell within that 10 year range, a bit of a novelty.

I think it's funny how my sister and I unintentionally wore similar black dresses then and white shirts with ruffled fronts this time.

High School Graduation Portrait and me in 2005

As I mentioned in my last post, I don't have my picture taken often and whenever I see one that I like it makes me think I should wear makeup and style my hair more often than once every decade.

Siblings Flashback 

While at my moms house I snapped a picture of a picture from her wall of portraits.  I'm not sure what year it was from but I love our outfits.  If you'd asked me if I've ever worn yellow pants I'd probably have laughed but the answer is apparently yes!

Quilts for Siblings

These are the quilts that I made and gifted to my sisters and brother over the last several years. I've listed them in order of age - but I'm not about to give away details other than to say that I am the youngest so no matter how old we all get, I'm still the baby. 

Now to get busy on the final 3 for my nieces and nephews :)

Merry Christmas

Christmas Selfie, a photo by capitolaquilter on Flickr.

Thanks to this little doll, Grammy's become quite the poser. I think I've had my picture taken more in the last month than in the history of cameras!

Gramps (he prefers Paps) by it's my post!

The same is true for my hubby.  He just can't get enough of her but with dimples like this and those cute little toes I don't blame him a bit.

I have yet to master low lighting or back lighting with my new iPhone so I had closed the drapes - this turned out kind of poor quality but is still a classic. Our traditional boys with dogs pose we try to do every year.  Dottie was WAY to busy to sit still, but that's a whole other story...

Christmas 2013

Photo on our Fridge 

On my bucket list is to gather all of the pictures I have from over the years and make a collage - this shot was easy to find since we keep it on our Fridge.  Not sure when it was from but you can see how much they have all changed.

Holiday Handmades all finished and gifted

Rip Curl - a Family sized Quilt

Kitchen Aid Mixer Cover

Table Runner 18x38

Another down to the wire completion. Next year I start in July!

Cose Up

Temporarily Interrupted 

I'm super excited about my new project - enough to set aside what I "should have been doing" and pull this lovely stack of prospect fabric.  Aqua/Teal isn't hard to find in my stash.  Gray to go with it on the other hand is lacking and may call for some after Christmas shopping.  This is for my niece's wedding quilt due in June (if you're reading this - close your eyes!)

More secrets that I can't share just yet...

Hope you are all enjoying family and friends this Holiday Season!

Rip Curl and Corduroy

Rip Curl Complete - December ALYoF Goal

Rip Curl complete, a photo by capitolaquilter on Flickr.

A little sand and seaweed won't hurt - the bird poop on the other hand.... ha ha
headed home to toss it in the wash.

A quilt photo shoot is much more fun when the tourists are gone although I'm still a little self conscious wandering around. My iPhone battery went from 3% to 1% then shut itself off but not before I captures a few nice ones.

The back

The FMQ went pretty smoothly with a traced back swirl and random loops.  Despite the crazy Christmas crunch - I was also motivated to finally make my A Lovely Year of Finishes goal for December having rolled this particular one over from previous months.

way too much binding

The wave fabric that I was using for the binding had been cut into so I had to piece together a bunch of partial widths having no idea how many strips to make I just kept going until I ran out.  There ended up with so much extra, another quilt will surely be bound with it.

New Years Resolution Goal - All 9 are done!

I mentioned before that finishing Rip Curl was especially gratifying because it is the 9th and final top that I set out to make into a finished quilt as part of my New Year's Resolution goal posted here.

Corduroy

My latest WIP is really kind of exciting. Corduroy improv - finally.  It must be nearly 3 years since I started collecting.  I was fortunate to have a friend let me in on some tips since I'm pretty much exclusively a quilt cotton kind of gal.  The varied texture and depth has appealed to be for longer than that.  How about you - ever given it a try?

close up

linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced, Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict,  Finish It Up Friday with Amanda Jean, to the December Finish Link Up at ALYoF  and Q4FAL 2013 with Leanne at She Can Quilt.

Completed: 1
Rip Curl

New: 2
Corduroy Improv
Christmas Secret

Belated: 3
21st B'day guy quilts

In the planning and plotting stages: 2
2014 Wedding quilts

Swirling Small

Finally Finished 

32"x32" Front

Flannel Back

Details

Completing my big xPlus quilt was tough - and I think I needed a bit of relief before taking on anything, even this little quilt.  The top and back have been done since the Quilt Retreat a month ago but I just now finished up the quilting and binding tonight.

It's a gift that is hitching a ride for an in person delivery otherwise it might still be sitting.   The fabric (especially the birds and the binding) and small size will give away who I made it for - so if you're reading this, act surprised when you open the box!

WIP and waiting

Built out Backing for Rip Curl

My goal for December ALYoF and the 9th of 9 tops for my 2013 New Year Resolution is to complete Rip Curl. The back, also made at the Retreat has now been built out to a size that will work.  Procrastinating has its price because my can of 505 is near the end and I went to 3 LQS with no luck, all sold out - one more to check this morning when they open otherwise I wait for Amazon prime to deliver.

Linking up to Finish it Up Friday .  Amanda Jean's Scrap Vortex makes me want to start my own and she has the most amazing super swirl going on, check it out and all the fun links too.

Christmas Tee outing 

Elfie Selfie

Signing off with a Grammy brag book picture - cuz that's what we do!

November 2013 Fresh Sewing Day and December Link Ups

Fresh Sewing Day Mosaic

final f+f2 blocks

What happened to the day when I posted my Fresh Sewing Day Mosaic the same time I flipped the calendar page?  October was embarrassingly done on mid-month and this time's not that much better.  I'm determined -tardy or not - to trek on.  After all, one of the reasons that I started blogging and linking was to help keep my quilting (and life) from becoming one big blur!

xPlus was my November ALYoF goal and I finished in time but was too burned out to remember to link up to the party and then I let it get out the door for the show without taking a full shot -mostly because I didn't have enough hands.

sporting my Birthday iphone5s, headband & top

Not only have I been late I've also become quite sloppy with my timeline of projects and the definition of what makes the cut.  November to me means my BIRTHDAY and our QUILT RETREAT - not that there is a chance that these events would slip my mind, but I'm including them to be sure.

Here's a rundown of November's photos above: 1) hang sleeves on my quilts  2) Improv workshop 3) Rip Curl back  4) Schoolhouse Tunic 5) SBA MQG Quilt Retreat 6) Tile Workshop 7) Fruit Salad 8) xPlus 9) QCR baby top 10) Wonky Braid blocks 11) Birthday sort of-selfie.

My First  Quilt Show

Tonight I'm celebrating having my very first Quilt Show at our LQS SueDee's with friends and family who are brave enough to venture out in the cold for the reception- thank you!  I hate to cook as much as I love to quilt but am going to attempt making appetizers.   Having pulled off a lovely Thanksgiving meal for the first time in twenty some years has me hopeful. 

Playing around with the Pano mode of my new phone

I'll be adding a better Here's a picture of my completed xPlus which should be easy to take with it taken by Anne@ Play-Crafts while on displayed at the shop.  When it comes back home I plan a photo shoot in Capitola Village.  In the winter when the tourist are sparse I do enjoy spending time there.

Linking up to Lily's Quilts for Fresh Sewing Day
Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday  , Whoop Whoop and TGIFF December
Linking up to A Lovely Year of Finishes December Goal for my Rip Curl Quilt (bottom right)

2013 New Years Resolution - Tops to Quilts Goal

I'm choosing Rip Curl as my ALYoF goal not only because I made headway on the back this month but because it is the FINAL top that is unfinished in my 2013 New Years Resolution goal mosaic!!!!

PS: forgive the blog layout glitches - I tried to update it and the formatting is a bit off so I'll keep trying to clean it up and make it prettier!

Wip Wednesday Wipeout

FMQing my xPlus just about did me in.  I'm officially wiped out.

Not sure I will tackle a 96x96 ever again and just may have to mooch some long arm time from a friend when I go this big in the future.  

Aurifil 40wt #2840 and #5014

The bobbin was #2325 a neutral 50 wt aurifil and I used 40 wt for the top knowing when I started that one spool was iffy.  After I hit the half way point I had to admit to myself there was going to be a need for a second spool. I found a similar color and decided to embrace the scrappy and soldier on.

Trimming up feels like getting a hair cut, so refreshing.  The binding just needs to be hand stitched down and then I will put a temporary hang sleeve on it and go out on a photo shoot.  The top alone was a struggle - taking a picture of the quilt should be even more interesting!

Quilt Top

Here's a link to the 24" block tutorial.

Improv Workshop - Such a Charge

On Saturday I got to take an improv class with the amazing Pam Rocco at my LQS SueDee's and this is my bit measuring 22x26" so far. She gave us all a whole stack of solid squares and shared a pile of scraps too.  Learning the creative process and approach to composition that she takes was so valuable - I just want to dive right back in. Pam's attitude and artistic eye always brings out the best in me.

I really want to finish up but am pulled in too many directions right now to get my head back in an improv kind of space.   

My calendar reminder is telling me to shop and cook for Thanksgiving so I'd better listen.  Hope you have a chance to spend time with and enjoy your loved ones this holiday.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday with Lee at Freshly Pieced. 

October 2013 Fresh Sewing Day

Party Favors, Schoolhouse Tunic, Flannel Receiving Blanket, Minky Blanket, Swag Bags, Moby-ish Wrap, Giants Dress, f+f2 bee blocks, QCR baby quilt parts 

Baby Koi and her Pond Parents

October flew by with most of my sewing devoted to Baby Shower prep/gifts, *Quilt Retreat swag, two bee blocks and a last minute Halloween costume.   

Oh, and a tardy "Selfish Sewing" schoolhouse tunic for myself which I'm pretty proud of.

*Don't worry...I didn't actually make all 25 bags, the committee did.  In fact I didn't sew a single stitch or zipper - only the cutting and fusing.  

Collaborative projects are really my favorite and I like to include them but sometimes worry that I'm trying to -take credit- where I shouldn't be, do you ever feel that way?

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day with Lily's Quilts.