Apples in the Orchard Quilt: The Beginning

Happy Friday!

This morning I went to two fantastic fabric labor day sales!  I might have come home with more than I needed... :]

I found the final purple fabrics!  Since I knew the pattern pretty well, I knew that there would be some excess if I cut up exactly what the pattern calls for.  So to finish of the rest of the requirements, I bought the Modern Domestic layer cake for $20!  I have had my eye on this layer cake for WEEKS! While I only used two 10x10s for my sister's quilt, I have intentions for the rest of it... there may be a surprise fourth quilt that I want to do... it's going to be a surprise for my husband!  I'm going to have to start getting up earlier so that I can work on that quilt and one of the three quilts I am giving as gifts while he is at work so that he doesn't wonder what I was doing all day!

Anyways, the pattern calls for 10 blocks made up of squares.  Here's a picture of them paired - they are not completely sewn together, so if they look off-kilter it's because they're just overlapped.

Here's one of the blocks all put together:

I'm totally in love with the way it is turning out.  And I am grateful that this is going to be a fast quilt because once I picked out the four square matches, it only took me 30 minutes to sew the pairs together! Super excited!

Well, what are you doing for the Labor Day weekend?  I'm headed down to Moab with my mom to meet up with my brother and his wife to go white water rafting!  On the way, my mom and I will be stopping in Springville at the Corn Wagon Quilts Company!  It is an amazing quilt store, but I've only been once because it's so far away!  I'm grateful that we will not only be passing it, but stopping in.

Anyways, I hope y'all have a great and relaxing Labor Day!

xoxM

Currently Listening to: The Wave by Miike Snow

Fourth Set and Next Project!

Good morning my friends!

Here is the fourth and final set of hot pads!  I think these might be my favorite!

I love the hot pads! They were so fun to do!  I bet if I had only done one set I could have gotten it all done in a day.  But I am grateful for the longer project.

So on to the next project!  I am making my sister a quilt for Christmas.  It's one of three quilts that I want to give as Christmas gifts.  I calculate that I have until about the middle of October to get these quilts mostly done.  That means that I'll be shooting for them to all be pieced, basted, quilted, and have the binding attached to the top of the quilt by then.  The hand sewing will be easier to finish during the move and while the hubs and I are traveling for the holidays.  For three quilts, that means that I have roughly two weeks for each quilt.  If I remember correctly, it took me about two weeks to do four sets of hot pads.  Am I in trouble?

Anyways!  The pattern that I will be using is called "Apples in the Orchard".  It is from the Apple a Day project book.  The same one that mom and I are doing the "Core Essentials" journal.  Well, if you happen to look it up, I'm going to stay fairly true to the pattern except for the appliqued apples on the border.  Not only do I think they're cheesy, but my sister is into spiders, gothic things, and decay.  She wants to go to med school and then work with dead people.  She would only like the apples if they were decaying.  Anyways, her favorite colors are purple and black, so I'm aiming to make this a purple and black quilt.  Here are the fabrics I've collected so far.

I need 12 fat quarters and so far I only have 10.  I intend on getting the last two this weekend.  May I just say that it has been SO HARD to find purple fabrics.  I have been to Pine Needles and The Material Girl Quilts a trillion times.  Yesterday I went out of my way and went to Elaine's Quilt Block for the first time and I found two more.

Anyways, I don't know what all the fabrics are, but starting from the left: 1.Spookyville, 2. Heirloom by Joel Dewberry, 3. Guising by Lizzy House,  6. Gypsy Caravan by Amy Butler, 7. Eerie Alley, 10. Renee Nanneman

I am just in love with that Gypsy Caravan!  I think that one is my favorite.

I don't have the backing yet, but I do have the border and the binding.

On the left is the border, which is "a ghastlie crewel" by Alexander Henry.  The binding is on the right and it is "a ghastlie angle" by Alexander Henry.  I love chevrons on binding.

Well, I'm going to get to cutting up my delicious little fat quarters so that when I finally add the last two, I'll be ready to get to work!

I hope y'all have an excellent Thursday!

xxoM

Currently Listening to:  Nothing by Young Man

Sets Two and Three!

Happy Wednesday dear friends!

I have the second and third Great Granny Hot Pads completed!

I am totally in love with how they have turned out!  The second set is bound with Apple of My Eye and the third is bound with Riley Blake Chevrons in grey.  I love it!

Tomorrow I should have the fourth, and final set for you!  I also want to show you the fabric choices for my next project!  I love the satisfaction that comes with finishing a project, and the mystery that comes with starting a new project!

I hope y'all have a great day!

xxoM

Currently Listening to: Je veux te voir by Yelle

First Set, Finished!

Hand sewing by the pool was the best idea I have ever had!  It was so relaxing!  However, I realized that I am an incredibly slow hand sewer.  I was out there for two hours and I got two pot holders done.  Here they are!

I love them! The Pezzy Print binding turned out great!  I'm pretty sure that the binding is still my favorite part.

Hopefully I'll have another set for your tomorrow!

xxoM

Currently Listening to: Breathe In by Frou Frou

Binding Day!

Now that all the pot holders are quilted, I started binding them today!

I didn't have enough of anything that matched to bind the pot holders so I went to Pine Needles to pick fabric for the binding!  Oh, it was so fun.  I love that store.  I probably go there at least once a week.  So I picked up some Pezzy Prints, Apple of My Eye, Riley Blake Chevrons, and some fabric in the same collection by Chez Moi that I used on the fourth set.

I am pretty sure that binding is my favorite part of the whole project.  It's that point where you get a clear window into the finished product.  So far, I love it!  Currently, I have the binding attached to two sets, but I think I'm going to finish attaching them all tonight and then take the hand stitching to the pool tomorrow!  Won't that be delightful?  Sunshine and hand sewing.  Life is good!

Anyways, that's all for today!  I should have some finished products for you tomorrow!

xxoM

Currently Listening to: Trust by the Generationals

Quilty Saturday

Hello friends!

Today has been a slow day with not much to report... I have been quilting the pot holders and I have half of them done!  There's a chance I will get more than that done tonight.

No house updates today.  It's been that slow...

I hope y'all are having a great weekend!

xxM

Currently Listening to: Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men

Final Set of Hot Pads Pieced!

This morning I finished piecing the fourth set of hot pads!  I love them!

Since I went to JoAnns yesterday to get the 6 1/2" square, I can begin quilting them!  I'm excited!  These hot pads are turning out really great!

Also, when I was checking out at JoAnns they gave me some pamphlets about the upcoming sales and such and I just giggled when I read the header, "September is Sewing Month".  You're telling me!! I already came to that conclusion!

In house news, the seller has decided to consider an offer regarding non-refundable earnest money that is put down in 30 day increments.  So that means we might still be able to get this house!  That would relieve some stress!  And it will feel like I get an extra few weeks to focus on the quilts I want to make in October instead of house hunting!  Amazing! We'll see what happens!

Anyways, I need to do the dishes and get started quilting!

Have a great day!

xxM

Currently Listening to: Innocence by Nero

Great Granny Hot Pads, Set #3!

I have been one busy girl!  Here is the third set of hot pads!

I actually pieced this set together yesterday after I posted the second set, which I also did yesterday!

I have the fabrics picked out for the fourth and last (for now!) set and I will be sewing those together today!  I think I'll also go get the 6 1/2 square ruler today as well so that I can square them up and get started on quilting them!  I am SO excited!

While I am sad about the house situation, I am excited to just focus on sewing for a month.  It would be nice to have a sewing room, though.  My poor kitchen tables. Yes, tables.  The hubs came home yesterday and was like, "oh, now you have to take over the other table too, huh?"  *sigh* you'd think that hot pads wouldn't create such a mess!  Quite contrary, though.  Especially when you're working with scraps!  It's a wonderful time, though.

Anyways, time to get to work!

xxM

Currently Listening to: American Pie by Don McLean

More Pot Holders & House Update

This morning was so productive!

I sewed together another pair of pot holders and I think they turned out better than the first set.  Take a look!

We've also received an update on the house from our Realtor... The sellers do not want to agree to a November closing date...  Which is super unfortunate because the hubs and I really liked the house and the neighborhood.  So it looks like we'll have to back out of the contract...  Our Realtor said that we should hit the house hunting hard starting the first of October and we should be able to find something that we like and be able to close by the end of November.  It's an unfortunate situation short term, but we know that this will be for the best in the long run.  I am sure glad I didn't start packing!!!

So now August is almost over, October is going to be house hunting month, November and December are going to be crazy packing/unpacking/painting the house/getting ready for Christmas and family...  So what does that mean for Camilla and my sewing projects?  September.  September is going to be the month of sewing!  I don't know if I have shared this with y'all, but I had the ambition to decide that I want to make three quilts for Christmas gifts this year... I have no clue how much I can actually get done in September.

My life is going to be crazy!  Are you with me?

xxM

Currently Listening to: Surprise, Surprise by Brett Dennen

Happy Tuesday!

Tuesdays are great days.  I find that they are one of my favorites of the week.

Today I embarked on a new project.  I know, I'm insane.  It's reaching a clinical level, isn't it?  I just haven't been feeling like working in the studio lately... all I want to do is sew!  And so I indulge.

The current project I found on Lori Holt's blog, Bee in My Bonnet.  They are pot holders made from the fantastic Great Granny pattern!  The minute I saw the pattern, I fell in love.  And then I saw these pot holders and I was like, "well look at that! I can fall in love without even leaving the house!"  I said hello to my scrap box and got to work!  I have decided to make at least 4 pairs - one birthday gift and three for Christmas gifts!

Here is the first set pieced together:

If you look at Lori's blog, you can see what they look like finished and they're incredible!  I just need to get the 6 1/2" square ruler to square them up!  I'm so excited!

Also, a bit sadder news... instead of closing on the house next month, like we were intending, we're not going to be able to close until November.  We're not yet sure if we're going to be able to keep the house or if we'll have to find a different one.  It's sad, but I have faith that it will all work out either way.  That just means that all the Christmas gifts that I plan to make will need to be done or really, really close to being done by the time we close on the house.  I'm going to be one crazy quilter for the next few months!

xxM

Currently listening to: The Lucky Ones by Brendan James

Weekend Update & 30 Days Restart...

I just knew I wasn't going to post this past weekend! Oh well... Here's to another 30 day attempt!

The weekend was busy, but it was great!  Boating with my aunt and uncle was so fun!  It was so relaxing to just hang out on the lake and soak up some vitamin D.  The hubs and I did go tubing for awhile and my uncle was going so fast and making such sharp turns that when I woke up Sunday my body hurt every where just from when I was trying to hold on to the tube an not fall off!  I still hurt so bad, but it was way worth it!

After boating with the family, the hubs dropped me and Camilla (my sewing machine) off at my moms where we worked on our Core Essentials books!  We started our adventure off by going out to get the remaining needed supplies, coke, and brownie mix - all very important.  Then we got to work!

This was the first time either of us had ever worked with vinyl... it was NOT easy.  Here are front and back pictures of the first page:

While it was very fun to work on these pages, it was a serious challenge!  Mom and I were up until 3:30 in the morning just to complete this first page!

We did improve on our ability to work with the vinyl, though.  Sunday we got up at about 11:30, ate some cereal real quick, and then we went to work on page two.

This page probably took about 3 hours.  It was way easier though because it didn't have all those zippers!  I am pretty certain that mom and I did the hardest page first.  Now all we have to do is the last page, which holds a notepad, and the cover!  We should be able to finish it up whenever we have our next sleep over.  Progress!

The rest of Sunday I spent relaxing with the hubs at home.  He is also super sore, so we didn't do much.  But it was a good weekend.  Now I have to get ready for the week!


xxM

Currently Listening to: Heartkiller by Kat Graham

I Failed!!

I failed to post yesterday!  Does that mean the 30 days starts over?! Ugghhh...

Yesterday I mostly worked on that table runner that I said I wasn't going to start until I had some of my other projects finished... Clearly I lied.  I have the top all finished! 

The fabric is Oh Deer by MoMo for Moda.  As soon as I saw this charm pack, I knew I had to have it and make something from it!  I love those little deer!! I won't be able to finish this until one of my local fabric stores gets the bolts for this line in stock so that I can buy fabric for the back and then quilt it! (sorry the picture is fuzzy... rocking the iPhone pictures today... :( )

Other than completing that quilt top for my table runner, the hubs and I have been trying to get all the paperwork in order for buying the house!  There have been a few bumps in the road, but everything is coming together.

This weekend I have some fun plans, so I may not be blogging until Sunday or Monday... I'm never going to get through these 30 days!!!  Saturday is going to start early with boat with my aunt and uncle and then I am spending the rest of the day, evening, and into the wee hours of Sunday morning sewing with my mom! Exciting! Hopefully we can get most, if not all, of that fabric journal finished up so that I can check that off my list and start enjoying it!

Anyways, that's all for today! Hopefully I'll be able to pop on tomorrow?

xxM

Currently Listening to: This Fire by Franz Ferdinand

Inspection Cleared!

Hello!

Today will be a short post because I don't have much time, but I want to keep my commitment to post for 30 days!

Today was our home inspection and it went great!  While the inspector did point out every little detail, it was good and there is nothing major wrong with the home.

We intend on moving forward with purchasing the house!

Exciting!

xxM

currently listening to Change your Mind by the Killers

Is It Still Awkward?

Yes. Yes it is.

I feel like it will be awkward for awhile.

Today is a fairly quiet day and in all the quietness I have decided that I need to set some concrete deadlines for the projects I mentioned in the last post.  I am going to share them with you to offer myself some sort of accountability. 

It only makes sense for me to finish the two unfinished paintings and the "Core Essentials" fabric notebook before starting my commissioned painting and the table runner.  Since I'm working on the notebook with my mother, that just leaves the paintings that I can set deadlines for.

I am going to aim to have the first unfinished painting done by August 25th.  The second will need to be done August 30th.  September is just going to be too insane to paint canvases... On Labor Day, the hubs and I are helping my mom paint her house, the following weekend we will be in St. George for the hubs' brother's wedding, and the weekend after we close on the house! (Holy cow, that's a month away!)  Then I'll be painting alright, but painting the walls of my home instead of a canvas! Not to mention the weekend after we close (September 21st) is the exhibit opening for Thomas Aaron at the Nox Contemporary.

Alright, enough rambling - I need to get to my studio/spare bedroom/ office and get to work!

xoxoM

currently listening to: Boys of Summer by Don Henley

Awkward Stage

Starting blogs are awkward.

I have attempted to keep a blog going before, but I have previously failed.  This time, I'm determined... They say that if you do something for 30 days it's a habit, right?  So for the next 30 days I am going to blog about the exciting and the mundane.  Lucky for me, (or you?) life is about to get real exciting...

Before I get into the exciting things, allow me to introduce myself:

My name is Megan. I am an artist, quilter, Texan, wife, mother of two (tiny dogs), and now, blogger.
Another attribute that will soon be added to the list is... homeowner!

My hubby and I decided a few months ago that we were tired of renting (mostly the high cost of rent), and we wanted to buy a house.  Three weeks of looking and we found the perfect fit!  Last Friday we went under contract to purchase our very first home.  Other than getting out of an apartment, I am excited for our own home for a number of reasons:
1. We'll have a backyard for the little girls! No more leashing up before going outside! Not to mention that I won't have to go out with them!
2. I can paint the walls!
3. I'll have a studio space!
4. I'll have a sewing room!
5. #3 and #4 will be DIFFERENT SPACES!
6. Garage! No more scraping ice from my windshield!

I am certain there are lots others, but those are the big ones.

Currently, our close date is September 14th.  While I am SO excited for that date to hurry up and get here, there are a number of unfinished projects that are currently plaguing my spare bedroom/studio space/office.  Since I had the great ambition to start a trillion things at once (something that usually doesn't bother me), I need to muster up the even greater ambition to FINISH as many as possible before we move.  I currently have two unfinished paintings, one that has been commissioned, but not started, the "Core Essentials" fabric book (mom and I are doing this one together!), and a table runner that technically isn't started yet, but I really want to do!  Okay, so when it's written out like that, it doesn't seem like so much, but it's really a lot of work!  And pretty soon I'm going to have to add packing to my to-do list.  It's also going to be important to get as much of these projects done as soon as possible because I have three quilts that I want to make for Christmas gifts, and that's going to be a lot of work.

In addition to finishing up projects and getting ready for a move, I have also been trying to mentally set myself up for a completely new neighborhood and a chance to start fresh.  I am typically a fairly shy person, but I have been living in this apartment complex for a year and a half and the one person that I instantly recognized and knew has already moved away... shy isn't working for me.  I love to be social, but I'm scared of putting myself out there... So no more! I'm going to make myself be outgoing.  Fake it 'til you make it... right?

Well, that will be all for Day #1 of blogging.  More tomorrow!

xxM

currently listening to: Home by Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeroes