Beyond Sadness

I usually keep my personal life away from my blog, mainly because my blog started as a place to get away from the stresses I was facing at that time.

It has been a place of peace for me.
 

But something happened...my little brother had an accident and fell, landing on his skull and fracturing it. The resulting brain damage was severe. After 5 weeks he passed away. As his big sister it was always my responsibility (at least I felt so) to protect him, but I couldn't protect him from this. I could not have asked for a better brother. Although distance kept us apart I never felt he was that far away. He was creative and giving and sarcastic and wonderful. He was only 47 when he passed away. 

 

A picture from long ago... and a favorite for both of us.

 

 

 

He was always the biggest supporter of my blog. He would often email me little comments and sometimes would ask if what I was making was for him. Knowing that he will never again read my blog or comment on it breaks my heart beyond words.

 

 

A picture from just a year ago at my wedding. It was a happy day.

 

 

 

It is time for me to start healing and I know that my quilting and keeping my blog updated will help me get through this.  
 

So it is time to get quilting and blogging again...
so back to my sewing room I go.

Another Surprise!

I'm still on my mission to slowly get my space ALL put together.

I happened to look in a small bin and I found something I wasn't expecting - a box of 2-1/2" squares!

 

 

 

They are all scraps cut a very long time ago and I don't have a clue what was ever intended from them. So when I need some mindless sewing I am going to start putting a light and dark together! I am not going to put any thought into it - it will just be random.

 

I will see where that takes me...but I suspect it will make an 'ugly' quilt that someone will love!

And that someone might very well be me!

 

Happy Stitching!

UFO's....again!

Moving into a new space really brings out the UFO's!

 

The cowboy boot quilt is going to be a Christmas gift for one of my stepsons. The boots were all in pieces so I got them put together. It's a fun quilt and a great way to use up those 'western' look scraps! It is from an old Fons and Porter 'Love of Quilting' magazine.  

 

 

This is a fast, easy quilt made from10 fat quarters. It's a pattern from The Quilt Patch - 'Take Ten'

It will go into my 'to be quilted pile' for a quick wedding, shower, birthday or just because gift.

 

 

Then I found a UFO from probably 4 or more years ago. These were made from a Honey Bun.

 

 

My pieces came with one little diagram I had scribbled so I am not sure what my original  intent was... I think it got put away because I need one more dark star to make any of my preferred layouts work and there are not enough strips to get one more star..

 

I do have some yardage as well that goes with it -one light piece and one dark piece.

Here are a couple of possibilities.

 

 

 

 

 

I will layout a few more possibilities but I think this is going back into the UFO box again- for now at least. It did inspire me though! Maybe a better planned one is in my future.

 

Happy Stitching!

 

The Big Move!

A year after getting married and moving in I am finally moving into my sewing room!

I will never, ever take for granted again such a wonderful privilege!

 

So during the moving into my room process I thought I should clean up all those things that need cleaning. First thing I picked up was my ruler holder. The dust was thick in the slots. All of a sudden I had a thought...one that I couldn't believe I had never thought of before- compressed air!

 

 

Works like a charm! My ruler holder is happy and dust free!

 

The rest of the room is slowly getting more organized but the walls are bare. I had a couple of small UFO's that  I have not been sure how to finish so I decided to frame them and hang them on my walls. After a quick trip to Michaels to buy some square frames, I managed to get these two sashiko panels done.

 

 

In the process of getting this little UFO framed, I had to wash out some markings and discovered the black fabric RAN! Ouch! The whole beige border had black dye 'smudges'!

This was not made from my own fabric so I didn't realize it was not prewashed!

 

 

Synthrapol to the rescue. A quick wash in the sink with hot water and the black is gone!

It worked like a charm!

 

 

Not a perfect framing job but it will do. I'll call it "rustic"!

 

 

I am going to enjoy decorating my sewing space!

 

My next project will be a design wall!

 

Happy Stitching!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not much going on...

It has been a while and although I feel as if I haven't done much, I really have. I have machine quilted four quilts. I just finished putting on bindings and all that is needed now is to hand sew down the bindings and give them a wash to get out the water soluble thread.

 

 

And speaking of machine quilting...I bought a new foot for my sewing machine for free motion quilting. It is easy to see where you are going and since it is closed all around it doesn't catch my basting threads! I LOVE it!

 

 

 I free motioned my apple core quilt and I think it was the best free motion quilting I have done yet. It has markings so you can do echo quilting so I am going to practice with some muslin squares to see what I can come up with! I have LOTS of ideas!

 

And I started prepping the pieces for my next applique block too.

 

 

I am happy to go back to my usual freezer paper method!

 

And after a year without a sewing room, I am finally counting down the days until I get a room to create in once again! You don't realize how hard it is to be without a space until it is taken away.

 

Hopefully my next post will be about me setting up my space!!!!

 

Happy Stitching!