Schoolhouse Tunic and mostly gifts for Baby

Schoolhouse Tunic

me and my baby grand girl 

Sporting a new haircut and wearing a fresh off the sewing machine Tunic, I got to hold my sweet baby grand girl during most of the time at my nieces Baby Shower. Linking up my goal (seen here) to ALYoF October finish.

If my tunic fabric seems familiar it's because I used the same to make curtains for my sewing room.  One of my all time favorite's from Kaffe Fassett, Sprays from his 2009 collection.

Baby Shower party favors

My talented SIL gets all the credit for the amazing jams, jellies and chutney but I did get to help make them pretty with some fabric and tags.  The wooden tray was scored from our local thrift store.

Newest WIP

On the design wall

I'm not very good at keeping secrets and my niece isn't very fond of waiting....so I showed her the stack of Valori Wells Wrenly fabric that I had chosen for her baby quilt.  That night I starting cutting and stitching and playing with layout.  Her nursery is in green, pink and yellow so I may back this in yellow flannel - we'll see since I tend to change my mind (a lot).

Presents Unwrapped - so now I can share

The baby shower had so many handmade gifts it was fun to have given these:

Moby-style wrap with Briar Rose and knit

Blanket made with Roses Minky with Full Moon Lagoon 

Flannel Receiving Blanket - using Missouri Quilt  Co tutorial 

Giants Onsie Dress - using Suttongrace tutorial

f+f2 Oct Bee blocks - photo by Anne @ Playcrafts

Finished:7

Schoolhouse Tunic (ALYoF Oct goal and tardy Selfish Sewing Week)

Briar Rose Moby-type Wrap

Minky Blanket

Flannel Receiving Blanket (Love the self binding method and do many more)

Giants Onsie Dress

2 Cracker Scrap blocks f+f2 bee- tutorial by cut to pieces

Progress:1

Wrenly QCR baby quilt 

Everything else.....you know the drill.

Linking up to Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday, to Really Random Thursday at Live a Colorful Life, Can I get a Whoop Whoop and to Finish it Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts. 

2013 FAL Q4 Goals - sweet sixteen

2013 FAL Q4 GOALS

Every quarter when I set my goals I'm amazed at just how many possibilities there are.   I've narrowed it down to 16 and know for sure I'll actually make other projects that couldn't be included because I didn't want to ruin the surprise since they are gifts.

If some of these look familiar it's because they are repeat offenders and manage to roll over Quarter to Quarter, even year to year.

I've split up the mosaic in no particular order and although I'd like to crank them all out before 2014 I'll be happy to chip away at whatever gets finished.  Some of these are blocks received from swaps while others are abandoned projects. Three are tops that have come to a screeching halt and need backs before I can baste, quilt and bind them.  They're the closest to being done and should come first.

1. Curve On: Parts from Sherri Lynn Woods workshop hoping to make it a top then a quilt.

2. Sparkle Punch: SBAMQG Quilt Along, major lack of progress does not set a good example as VP

3. Rip Tide: finish for my son, promised before grand baby arrived

4. 3x6/4x5: Navy Aqua Gray blocks sash into a quilt - this color combo was a favorite of mine

5. Seaside HST: layout will likely be different despite the fact I spend days deciding on this one

6. Polaroids: I want to make a fun gift - so many people have used my tutorial and finished so I should

7. Fruit Salad: top needs made into a quilt 

8: Mixed Scale xPlus: Top Priority, Must, Must Make

9: Batik Shuffle: 80% of this is cut and partially sewn - have totally forgotten where I left off 

10. Mod Mosaic: Left overs destined for an improv setting 

11. Equinox: Traumatized years ago by templates and curves - now ready to face this again. 

12. Bonus HST: Should be fun and freeing to layout. 

14 AMH Stars: Left over from Starred Swoon and can hold their own, such pretty fabrics 

15. Grammy's Gray: This is a picture of the swap blocks I made and sent and I didn't even take a photo of the ones I got back - straight into a UFO bucket.  This new Grammy's head is hung in shame

16. Crazy Bento: How hard can crazy be?

Linking up to Leanne at She Can Quilt for FALQ4 Goals.  

The deadline is looming so head on over and join the fun.  What do you have that you hope to FINISH before the New Year?

September 2013 Fresh Sewing Day

September 2013 Mosaic, a photo by capitolaquilter on Flickr.

The month of September flew by and it shows. With one finished quilt, two bee blocks and parts from a workshop, I laughed when I hit the "create" button for this mosaic.  I'm posting mostly to keep track and add to my Monthly Set on flickr.

That's OK. I've been on full speed ahead for some time now. And when I look at the other months leading up to this, I still feel pretty accomplished.

Besides, holding my first ever brand new baby grand girl is all that this month needed to be about anyway.

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day.

2013 Finish-A-Long Q3 Recap -let's call it Six and a Half

Today you can find my Giant x and + Block Tutorial at Leanne/shecanquilt  as part of the Finish-A-Long Q3 Linkup festivities.  For the first time every - I'm a Guest Blogger - how fun is that?  

My ambitious FAL Q3 Goal Mosaic and the Recap of how I did.  

#1 Ring Around the Briar Rosies

Finished and given away at the Baby Shower.  I borrowed it back to hang in our South Bay Area MQG 2nd Annual Quilt Show and need to toss it in the wash to give to my new Baby Grandgirl.

#2 Ombre Cradle Quilt

The FMQ was so much fun on this one and I'm happy to say my Baby Grandgirl is sleeping with it along with item #3...

#3 Cradle Bumpers and Sheet Set

#4 Fairies Log Cabin

Given to a local charity at our August SBA MQG meeting and linked up to 100 Quilts for Kids. 

#5 Row Robin

Hand stitched the binding on and now use it to snuggle with.  Thanks again beemates of Around the Bend and Across the Pond 

Binding Hand stitched on to make it an official finish 

#6 Tire Rotation 

This finish came as the clock struck midnight.  Tire Rotation was also my September goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes and after much procrastination, I got it done.  This one is a surprise for - you guessed it, my new Baby Grandgirl (are you sensing a theme here). Although the bike chain and some gears are pink, it's a lot less girly than the other projects and I thought my son might really enjoy that about it.   

The final finish: Tire Rotation

Pattern is Taffy by Jaybird Quilts made with the fabric line called Ride by Julia Rothman. The minute I saw it I knew what I was making.

My favorite Swirly Circles on the Tires.

Started in May at the BamQ Retreat where I also worked on # 4, #5 & #7.

and now for the Not So Finished that will be rolling over to 2013 FAL Q4:

#7 Mixed Scale XPlus 

Terrific progress and oh so close but only a TOP at this point so I'm unofficially giving myself a 6 1/2 out of 9 tally and linking up the six that count! 

#8 Sparkle Punch & #9 Rip Curl, both untouched. Now to set the rest of my goals for Q4 to go with these two.....

Check out the many many finishes and hop on board if you haven't already been playing along.  Read more about it and read the list of wonderful sponsors on Leanne's post.

With Tire Rotation finished this week I'm also linking up Can I get a Whoop Whoop, TGIFF Oct 4 Linky Party with Laura at Quokka Quilts and also with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it Up Friday. I think her scrap baskets are a rainbow delight!

Now the cradle is complete

Baby Grandgirl arrives

She's here!  I'm sharing a finish this week that isn't really my doing but it's the best kind possible, a new baby grandgirl to complete the cradle set that I made.  A perfect 7 pound 20 inches of pure joy.  Everyone is doing fabulously - and check out that smile! 

Sherri Lynn Woods Workshop

On Monday I had the great fortune to attend a workshop with Sherri Lynn Woods and spent the day with quilty friends "getting my curve on".   If you ever have a chance to take her class - do it!  The way she shares her creative thought process and approach is so insightful.  I hadn't really tied improv theater, dance and creative writing to quilting but it's so obvious once you do.  Quilting, just like life is about attitude and perspective - how you choose to see.  My inner voice will now be striving to say "Yes, And" 

Sherri showing me how to smooth the rumple

 I read about her class at QuiltCon 2013 and see that she'll be teaching at SewDown Portland 2014. The Mod Mood Quilt Along on Sherri Lynn Woods blog daintytime.net in 2010 was before I discovered such things but I had admired and marveled at the photos from it ever since.  

I'm definitely going to refer to her blog as I move forward and undoubtedly start another.  I've never done bias binding before and I love the way her quilts have such bold graphic and fluidness to them.  It was an honor to see them up close and personal.  

Sherri Lynn Woods RGB Modern

detail hand quilting of  Sherri's Mod Mood

Rainbow Cloud by Sherri Lynn Woods

That night at our PVQA guild meeting, Sherri gave a moving talk about Passage Quilting Through Life's Transitions, read more at Sherri Lynn Woods  passagequilts.com.  It gave clothing a whole new meaning. 

Selfish Sewing Week Sept 23

Dusting off my patterns

On the topic of clothes...I decided that my new shoes need a new tunic and pulled a few ideas.  Although I'm thrilled to be venturing from quilting to garment sewing, it's hard to make that switch in my head and am glad to have the support group on flickr.

Another concept from the workshop that stuck with me was to make a commitment and then take the next step - I'll be trying that on for size as well.

One step closer to developing my own authentic voice.
Connect and be present.

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it Up Friday and Can I get a Whoop Whoop 

August 2013 -Fresh Sewing Day

Fresh Sewing Day August 2013, a photo by capitolaquilter on Flickr.

I thought that August was all about the Baby Shower but when I made my mosaic I found it also included secret gifts, bee blocks sent and milestone progress on my xPlus bee quilt.

• Vase: Vinyl lettering: first time & pretty easy.
• 2 polk-a-dot container covers: challenging but successful after much procrastination
• 1 matching rocking chair cushion: forgot to take a picture
• set of 3 Baby Shower buntings: I could have made dozens, so addicting
• zippered two-sided boppy cover: made despite my zipperphobia
• 4 final 24" xPlus blocks for the xPlus Top 96"x96" - and a photo shoot: super excited!
• 2 Log Cabin F+F2 blocks for Rebecca: on time and mailed off = pat on the back
• assemble Guild churndash blocks (this was technically July but because the collaborative project was hush hush I couldn't share it last month. Read all about it and see more pictures in this post at PlayCrafts)
• Secret Swap negative space table runner: first time doing orange peel - and I liked it

What is NOT in the mosaic is my August goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes and Tire Rotation although I did make the back so there was progress.   It's linky time for goal setting September and I just don't have the heart to roll it over...we'll see.

That's a wrap for summer.... Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.

Linking up to Lily's Quilts Fresh Sewing Day