A Decision (and other little things)

After all the wonderful advice (you guys are the best!), I have decided to skip the border. I cut up the pieces and laid it out around the edges of the quilt, but it was just too loud. I think Simply Color could be really fun on a low volume background, but just not in this context. I am going to leave it as-is and quilt and bind it. It's on the small side, but it's so pretty! So who cares, right?

I already have plans for the little rectangles of Simply Color, though. I need more low volume fabric!! This really cleared out my stash...

Anyways, while I was waiting for my HUGE roll of batting to come in the mail (YAY for one day sales!), I spent the weekend with yarn instead.

My sister's roommate has these cute little crocheted potholders. I loved them so much when I saw them, I just had to go home and make my own (significantly louder) version! So that's what I did this weekend while watching Tomb Raider and Downton Abbey. It was a really lovely weekend :)

Yesterday I had some time to kill before an appointment so I went to a local discount fabric/craft store (SAS for the locals!). I may have "liberated" some pretties from the enormous mountain of cotton remnants...

...because let's face it, Amy Butler does NOT deserve to be unceremoniously buried under such a mountain! And when I say mountain, I mean MOUNTAIN. I mean, in theory there are boxes of fabric. But the fabric pile extends a good couple of feet above the boxes and it all just sort of runs together. Who knows what other treasures await my discovery? And all at $4/yd! AMAZING. Unfortunately, I really had to stop myself. I could have dug through that mountain all day and bought all of the pretty fabric! You should see the stack I left behind... But I could already hear my wallet screaming, especially considering the batting roll and the bundle I just bought, too (that will hopefully be in this week so I can show you)!

I also got these lovelies, too. The houndstooth is for a project for the boy (who is just as obsessed as I am, fortunately). I really wish I could've found a wider piece of the wide Spot On- it was the same price as fabrics of normal width!

I didn't get a picture, but I also got quite a stack of zippers. The short ones (less than 10" or so) are only $0.25 each. The longest one I got- 22"- I believe was only $0.75. There weren't a whole lot of colors and I will likely also put in an order at Zip It on Etsy, but it's good to know I can get some good neutral colored zippers for super cheap in town. I really want to make more bags, so I have been slowly gathering the hardware stuff I need. Anyone have any good sources for relatively inexpensive purse hardware online?

I have my batting and I'm just about done with the backing. I hope to move on to quilting the little pinwheel quilt soon!

Recovering!

Wow, what a crazy week! It was my first week at my new job and it was busy. Training and tours and paperwork and soooo many introductions and a bazillion other things. It was a long week. And yet, somehow, I managed to get a few little things done!

First, I made these cute new pot holders for myself. I decided to use the March Sister's Ten blocks so I would be catching up on that and making something useful. I really love how they turned out.

I used the same binding technique as my scrappy trip quilt, but I think I did much better on the quilt! I don't know why this was so much harder for me. Maybe because these were thicker than the quilt. Oh well. I still love them :) I added a pocket on the back, too. I have discovered I like that style of pot holder.

I also made this cute little zipper pouch wristlet for work! After the first two days I decided I really needed something little to carry around my phone, a pen, maybe a couple sticks of gum, and my keys while I am away from my desk. Girl pants are just not conducive to holding so much in my pockets. So I made this:

That second picture ended up really bright, huh? Oops! But it is just the right size to carry around all the little things I need from meeting to meeting without filling up my tiny pockets. It was also a very satisfying finish because it only took about an hour start to finish! I will definitely be making more of these types of things. Maybe next time I'll use an actual tutorial, though ;) I would like pointier corners.

And finally, I caught up on my bee blocks with this guy.

I just love how it turned out! So bright and happy :) I am also super proud of how pointy all my points are and how well they line up! I think this is my best bee block yet! I am definitely getting better. I will be getting this guy in the mail sometime this week.

I am still adjusting to my new schedule. Definitely not used to working full time anymore. But it has been good getting out of the house every day. And now I know I can still make time for sewing, even if it is just little things this week :) I hope to catch up on my skill builder blocks this weekend. Well, at least the March blocks. The April ones are hexies and another one that requires templates and things. I totally forgot to buy mine, so they are definitely going to be late. Oh well.

Hope you're having a fantastic weekend! I am going to go take a cake out of the oven- YUM.

A Little Finish

Do you ever have those mornings where everything just seems to suck? Like no matter what you do, you can't win? I felt like that this morning. I woke up with a sinus headache and my arm hurting. I have trouble with one of my shoulders and sometimes it flares up out of nowhere to ruin my day. But I got out of bed anyway and wandered out to the kitchen to get myself a much-needed cup of coffee. I was going about my little morning routine- letting the dogs out, getting the coffee going, refilling the dog food dish and then the water dish... and what do I do? Drop the full dog water dish so it makes a HUGE mess and gets my pajamas and feet wet. UGH. All I really wanted to do was leave the mess for later and crawl back into bed where it was safe and warm. But being a grown up (sort of... not really) I instead cleaned up the mess, poured myself a cup of coffee, and sat down behind my sewing machine to make myself feel better.

This may not have been the best plan given the state of my arm, but it did make me feel better! And a couple of hours later I had these to show for it:

Pretty little potholders for a house warming gift for a friend who recently moved into a new house. I LOVE this fabric! It's Everything is Nice. I love the little stand mixer and the little spatulas... And, of course, all the dots! Pretty, pretty dots. Finishing these made me feel so much happier.

And even better? I got to wear these while I was sewing:

I decided after all the holiday sewing and crocheting that I really needed to make something little for myself. And since it is ALWAYS COLD in the winter in my sewing/computer room because we don't have central heating, I thought these would be perfect. I used this pattern that I discovered via Pinterest. It was a really great, easy to follow pattern. And so quick! I finished them up yesterday. Now I have something pretty to keep my hands warm while I sew. 

So, a little bit of finishing going on here. Therapeutic finishing. I'm linking up to Finish it Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts. Now I am going to go look at other finishes to keep me in this calmer state of mind :) Hope you're having a great Friday!

Busy Week!

So. It has been over a week since my last post! But I have not been idle- far from it.

First, the BEST news. I have officially finished ALL of the homework and papers and paperwork necessary to graduate!!! I am so, so thrilled to be finished!! In a month or so I will have a shiny new diploma to tell the world that I have a Master's degree. YAY! I didn't take a break between undergrad and grad school, so I am absolutely exhausted on the school front. You have no idea what I relief it is to not have to worry about homework anymore! :D

That was the main reason I have been so quiet. I just wanted to focus on getting my school work done as much as possible. Not that I haven't been crafting, mind you. How could I not when my amazing, wonderful, PERFECT boyfriend bought me this for my birthday?

A new sewing machine!! Ahhh! I'm so happy :) Isn't he the best? And it's over two weeks early! I got it Friday and my birthday isn't until the 16th! He got it as a Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal, I think. I got it to replace one of my old ones, a Brother, that has had tension problems almost every single day and has been nothing but frustrating. The other old one, another Brother, but a very basic model, has never given me a lick of trouble- but it is also really small and has limited capabilities. Still, I plan on keeping it as a back up because it has been so faithful!

I have been playing with my new toy non-stop, but I had to finish my homework I could open it (isn't he smart?). As a result, I finished all my work over a week before it was actually due just so I could spend the weekend with my new machine.

So what have I been doing? All of this :

Work on Holiday Throw for Mario's parents

Free motion quilting practice! Weee!

Pretty Potholders- first ever!

Finished Table Topper (didn't actually use the new machine for this, but isn't it fun?)

See? I have been busy. I know the free motion example is pretty terrible- but it was my first go! I have a couple of books on my Christmas wish list. I may also add a Craftsy class or two to that list as well :) I really want to learn how to do it well!

It hasn't just been my sewing machine that has been busy, though. I also made *most* of another hat! Bringing the total up to 4 in the past couple of weeks!

The owl hat is clearly not finished. I still need to stitch on his face and get some buttons for eyes. I just love all of these hats, though! Most are destined to give away... But I might have to make myself my own owl hat. It is just too cute! I used the pattern from Repeat Crafter Me: Owl Hat. It was a great pattern- easy, well written, and most importantly- Cute! I also really want to make one of these Penguin Hats, but I need some black yarn first...

Last thing- promise! Thanksgiving pictures!

My first Turkey :) It was delicious!

Me and Mario's sister- excited about the turkey while his other sister  laughs
at our ridiculousness in the background 

It was such a fun day! There were so many people in my house- I was definitely stressing. But everything went so smoothly! And having a couple of beers helped calm my nerves on the actual day ;)

Thanks for stopping by! Now that school is done, I should have more time to post more often and in smaller chunks :)

And Dessert :) I made the "pretty" pies- the others were gluten and dairy free for my brother
so they weren't terribly pretty, but they tasted good!