My sister gave me crap...

for not updating my blog enough, can you imagine? This from a person who doesn't even have a blog :)

Ok so a quick update...

I'm going to CUBA!



Trip is not yet booked - but we plan to go with friends in July - will add more info as it develops. I haven't been on a real vacation since I was 21 - that was 21 yrs ago!

I decided to try my hand at making dresses for my great-niece Hailey - this is what I have whipped up so far (completely without a pattern because I hate rules :))



And finally a few Peanut & J pics to make you smile :)

A very late swap post

I joined a sewing swap at Down to earth months ago. We were to make pot holders & a tea towel for our swap partners.

My partner never replied to my emails and so I was given another swap partner who was abandoned by their original partner.

So we were both late getting our packages out and then realized neither of us had taken photos of our creations before mailing them.

So here is what I received from Melanie. I love the colours and isn't that flower sweet?



I'll post what I sent her when she sends me the pics.

Nothing like procrastination...

So I finished the baby quilt just in time for the shower on Sunday.

Once I managed to get it sandwiched (took 3 tries). I planned on quilting it on my new (to me) sewing machine...it had other ideas. I grabbed a practice piece and started quilting only to have the machine act up. As I didn't have time to play around, I figured I would just straight quilt on my regular machine. Which I did successfully until the bobbin thread ran out.

I refilled the bobbin and then proceeded to quilt without first testing the thread. I got a loopy mess on the back of the quilt that I then had to rip out. After playing with the bobbin for about 5 minutes ( I have no idea what I did) I got it to sewing smoothly again and I finished quilting the quilt on Friday evening.

However, as I used high loft batting, I had an area that looked just too poofy to me, so I ripped out another huge section, repinned and requilted it. I then sewed on the binding and hand-stitched the binding to the back on Saturday.

My handstitching is getting better

Front

Back

I have to say I think this quilt has been the most finacky, but I also like it the best.

My neice Amanda - the Mom-to-be

Opening my gift

I finished the baby afghan I started crocheting way back when, and gave that as well.

Also at the baby shower, I got to meet for the first time, the two recipients of the previous baby quilts I made.

My great neice Samantha - this was her quilt

My great nephew Dustin - this was his quilt

My new sewing machine

So I went and test drove the Husqvarna sewing machine yesterday morning. The lady showed me all its features and how it worked.

Which is great! It has so many different attachments that come with it too. I was anticipating having to buy a darning or free motion foot (a $30 value) , but it came with a darning foot, so I don't have to. I love the size of the table that comes with it too.

All the extras - button holer, stitch cams, feet, bobbins etc..

I brought it home and got right to work. Easy to thread and bobbin winding is much easier than my current machine.

So on to free motion quilting. I have determined that the peddle has to be pressed all the way down, to get maximum speed, but my hands have to move at a much slower pace to keep the stitches small.

Attempt 1

You can even see from my first attempt to my 2nd, that I have improved. I will continue to practice until I feel confident enough to work on an actual quilt.

Attempt 2

Fun, fun, fun :)...ya I'm nuts

Oh and while out, I stopped by Walmart to get more wool for my stripped afghan and also picked up these fat quarters to make more napkins - we are still using our Christmas ones.

Laptop bag finished

I got my sewing machine back early. DH picked it up at noon yesterday and brought it home after work. I got started right away on finishing the laptop bag for my sister. It is so nice when a sewing machine runs smoothly.



All done! 2 months late but still done.



I have never done a project like this one before and I am not sure I want to do one again anytime soon. It was not difficult but was finicky at parts.


Tomorrow I will start on the baby quilt.

I am about 80% sure right now that I will be buying that Husqvarna sewing machine. Actually my sister plans to buy it for me as my next birthday and Christmas present (she claims she never knows what to get me).

She just wants me to learn how to do free motion quilting so I can finally quilt her quilt, she's only been waiting about a year for it :)

Monday Musings

Update & question: This morning I found a used Husqvarna Viking 2000 SL sewing machine for $85. It is about 25 yrs old but apparently well serviced. I want to get into free motion quilting, and my current machine does not have that capability (feed dogs don't drop and with cover added, gap is too tight).

So does anyone have any info on this machine? Any advice? Anything? The feed dogs do drop but that is all I know. Will it be a good machine for quilting on? Any help is greatly appreciated!


I took my sewing machine in to be tuned up/repaired on Saturday. Of course once it was no longer in the house, all I wanted to do was sew.

I should get it back Tuesday evening. Once I do, the first thing I have to do is finish my sister's laptop bag. She has been waiting since Christmas for this.

Then I'll be starting the next baby quilt. My niece is due with her first baby in April or May (not sure which). I have sketched out a concept for the baby quilt.

Here are the flannels I'll be using.

All the same ones I used on the previous two baby quilts. Waste not, want not.

I bought 3 balls of satin wool on Saturday, planning to use them for more granny squares, but once I got a feel of them, I realized they were too nice to just make granny squares. So I started a striped lap afghan for myself.

Yes yet another project to work on.

I'll have to buy several more balls of each colour to finish it :) The walls of my office/sewing room are exactly that aqua colour.


I've been helping my son (making him finish) his project on explorer Leif Ericsson. We have made a battle axe, a shield, a tunic, a medallion, a pouch with coins, a weathered map of his voyage route and a fur sash.

Note: It was not until I posted this photo did I realize he forgot to draw the
actual route on the map! All he did was label it. Glad I caught that now!

Here is a picture of my lil viking :)

What I have been up to...

Can you guess what I am making?

My messy sewing table...

Fabric and pattern piecesCut fabric

First completed piece

Here is a clue - my Sister D is returning to school next week (for the first time in 30 some odd years!).

I am making this for her. What was I thinking?! I have only worked from a pattern a couple times before. And this pattern is not one of those marked EASY either.

She asked me to make it only a few days before Christmas...so it will be a late Christmas gift.

Stay tuned - more pics as I progress.

Photos - Snow, puppy, sewing and party

This is a mish-mash post of photos - a bit o everything over the last week or so.

Going to DH's work Christmas party - we had J take our picture.

He was a little shaky with the first one.

Then I think I was talking in the 2nd.

Getting better but DH looks grumpy (he actually looks grumpy in all of them!)

Then he decided to turn on the flash.

Then one of just me.

I sewed some Christmas napkins this weekend.

Peanut was spayed on Dec 16th - she was very sleepy when we brought her home.Enough with the pictures, let me sleep already

We got a fair bit of snow on Friday
Buses were canceled so J stayed home
View from the front door.

View from the back door.J & Peanut decided to venture outside.She started to shiverOk I want in now

Please put the camera down and open the door!Kodi's turn - he's not afraid of snow!

Nope - not afraid of snow at all

J & I made a gingerbread house

And on Saturday - we got even more snow