Weekending

Oh.... the flowers are blooming, indoor and I have been sneezing since then and haven't stop! oh dear.. Windows are open { a few of them} and the fresh air is in!  This week has been off the schedule with an unexpected visit at the doctor's office and a fussy child who seems getting better now, but tasteless medicine made things rough on her. I am glad, she eating again, which is a great improvement for the week.

The gift to the dear friend is wrapped and ready to mail out. I think she might be reading, so I'll keep it secrete till she receives the package! These feedsack fabric are so great to work with! The hand-quilting added some special touch to it. There's so many cheerful spring colors in it! Perfect for the spring time.

I started the quilt label yesterday and so pleased with how it turns out so far. I think Fifi aka my sister will love it! I planned a long "love" letter to her, but I think she might like the simple message instead. Once the quilt label is done, I'll be assemble the last row to the rest. The backing fabric has been ordered! None of what I picked out last made it to the final shopping cart then I spent another few days looking for the "right" backing fabric. Let's say, Fifi is a little picky sometimes.

Lots fabric pieces on the table to sort through, but the amazing weather is so inviting! It is hard to decided to stay in or out and about! Since I've been sneezing, out and about speaks louder in my ears. Another early weekending post since we plan out and about. A Sunday drive date is made a week ago. We'll probably see the field has been changed since last we drove by and enjoy this spring season.

xxc

work in process: that girl

Oh.. if this is too much! This is pretty much you've seen from me on IG and Flickr lately. My mind is occupied of making this single girl quilt.  I have Skyped with Fifi aka my sister for a few times while working on this quilt and she has no idea what I've been up to. She knew that " she ( that would be me) is sewing something again", but has not idea she would be the one who is getting this girl.

Last few days, I've spent a few hours on this quilt, took few hours off on smaller project, and search for the backing fabric again! I plan on using one print fabric for the entire quilt backing rather than patchwork style; to simplify the backing and place the label in quilt top!

Spring is here, friends!! The weather has been so gorgeous over last weekending. S has been on her bike and I, on the walk with her. We walked to the coffee house, to the park, to get fresh air, and get to smell the dirt from the ground! We love being out and about and loving the sunshine shines on our faces rather than reflections from the windows! This spring has been hard to wait for!!

The book club was great and we devoured a full bag of crackers! "Oh, I am the other Edward Tulane?" That was what I have had when I finished the book! I've learn to love and being loved since S is born. Learn not to hide the loves and cares I have for people and feeling thankful being loved by many friends, families, and special S. I travelled from places to places and met various people, kind, unkind, sharing, open mind, rejecting... but these are all such great life experiences that added to my view of life, be open and learn to accept each person individually!  Once the birthday quilt is bound and wrapped, Edward Tulane will travel with the quilt to Fifi! I think she is going to love this book as well as we loved it! Oh my, the parcel will be heavy as we have start a small list what to sent along with.

Are you feedsack lover? I am! I've been lucky and collect them for a few years now! Today I pulled out a few prints to make a special gift to a friend. I am not sure if she is a feedsack lover, but something special and different from her collection, maybe?

Thank you for join {Pack Patch MINI quilt along}! I though, maybe 5 people will join, but there are almost 40 friends in the group! It is really exciting that you are join along! I have the first two themes ready for you, but will announce it on Friday!

xxc

Are you in? : Pack Patch MINI Quilt Along

Welcome to { Pack Patch MINI Quilt Along}! Oh, I am so excited to launch this quilt along; not just to fulfilled my promise from last year, but also to have some FUN! Here are few things that I would like to start before I go to far.

How to play along:

1) What type of fabric to use?
This quilt along's fabric is encourage to use from your scrap bins, ONLY! It is a great way to use scrap fabric and play with scraps that you've received from your swaps and generous fabric scraps that your sewing friends might have sent to you.

2)  How long would this quilt along be?
This quilt along will be 10 weeks long.

3) What is special about this quilt along?
Each Friday, there will be a sticky announcement in {Flickr Group} group discussion. Within the announcement, there will be a theme for each block and plan on two themes per a week. Please upload your blocks before the new sticky thread. If you have a little hiccup time, don't worry; we'll keep the threads, so you can catch later on.

4) How difficult is the quilt blocks?  

The blocks will be made from basic twelve patch block. This quilt along is suitable from the beginning quilters to advanced quilters.

5) How big is this mini quilt?
It will be 22"x24". However, the border measurement can be modify as desired!

6) Where is this quilt along being hosted?
{Pack Patch MINI quilt along} is hosted in Filckr {click}, so you will be able to visit each other's blocks and maybe meet new quilters from worldwide.

7)  Hiccup time
There would be a time that we are traveling or time we are ready to pack up our belong to our next destination. There might be a chance that will conflict the quilt along schedule, therefore the quilt along might run longer than 10 weeks, but our plan is 10 weeks at this moment.

8) Enjoy!

 Tutorial for Twelve Patch 

Cut 2 pieces of A print in 1.5"x4.75"
Cut 2 pieces of B print in 1.5"x4.75"
( They don't need to be exact in lengthwise)

 Lay four pieces of fabric in A.B.A.B order


 Sew A print to B print, repeat for the other set

Sew first set of AB prints to second set of AB prints

 Gental press the seam allowance to the same direction

 Bring the sewn block to the cutting mat; Cut ABAB blocks into 1.5" and will get three ABAB columns  { p.s. I save the semi large scraps after cutting}

 Three ABAB columns

Start with two ABAB columns. The prints will need to be opposite from each other; match the seam allowance

 Sew two ABAB columns together

 Repeat for last column

Here is the 12 patch block

—————————————— a little more talk 

This is the scrap bin I've started three years ago and it is PACK!!  Thank you to my swap friends and generous sewing friends who have contributed and enriched the scrap bins. I've made a {quilt} used from scraps only and blocks that's left from other quilts that've been made two years ago with lots stories behind it. We love it so much. It has been a be loved quilt here and the second quilt is on its way, but slowly!

{Pack Patch Mini Quilt Along} comes with a different concept approach! We'll mainly use two prints per each block and each block comes with a theme. It could be Summer jump on top grass! It sounds so vague, but try to think about summer on top grass? What color of fabric you think of it? what prints would work together? Be surprise yourself and think outside of box!  It might be BIG v.s. small?  

Some examples:

 Retro sewing room??

 simple elements?

 a letter to oversea?

 Not work so well?

 Rarely colors in my stash?

 Dots ONLY?

graphic and repetition?

value change?

busy and regular ? 

The first announcement for the first two blocks will be April 11th then so on.  I've started a first thread to introduce myself and hope to see you there, too!  If there's new thoughts will be discuss in the Flickr discussion board. 

see you at {Pack Patch MINI Quilt Along}

xxc

Weekending

Friday is always exciting here. S gets to take bus and I get an extra hour at home to touch up the projects.  We woke up with a "deep" 5 inches snow on the ground and two hours late for schools. While waiting for the school time, I started piecing and pieced more when I got home. You see, sometimes, it is hard to stop after you started!

Now, I am worry! This quilt is going to be too bright and colorful for Fifi, aka my sister. Somehow in my head has a voice of "she is going to scream", but it would be a good one I promise!  The center four prints might help to calm down the colors and the French General { upper left print in the center} works!! There will be more cutting for the center fabric and outer ring fabric. It is also time to think about backing fabric! I am thinking {this one} {this one} {this one} {this one}...

This week has been the typical April days; rainy and with gloomy sky; cold and wet! Hot soups on the stove were mostly severed on the dinner table, but we are counting  on some sweet corns that have appeared in the store cart this weekending.

I've been working on a very simple tutorial for the quilt along and hope will start this weekending.  It will be host via Flickr. I thought it will be a nice place where we can visit each other's work and "talk" to each other. Everyone can join the group and the main idea for this quilt along is have fun and sew together. I'll share more later on this quilt along.

Another early weekending post, since S and I have a book club. Yes, we finished { The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane} and my next reading is {this book}.

xxc

Random: April 2nd

on to next step: piecing

xxc

April and a tip

April-
April arrived in the windy and cold day here in Northwest Iowa. We both decided to keep the winter gears for a little longer now { we were in our spring jacket yesterday}. The forecast looks like a snow storm is on its way to us. We sure will stock up more crackers and hot coco in house and hope extra movie from the library. S and I broke the record this past weekending; we watched 7 movies. My favorite would still be UP; my eyes were pretty water whenever I watch it and I finished binding the memory quilt for Julie, my friend { sorry, I didn't get to take photos, since I left the quilt with them after finished it}.  It feels really good the quilt is being loved by the family and on my side I felt so good that I was able to contribute some to her and her family.

Single Girl Quilt # 3
After selected the fabrics yesterday. I went ahead and start cutting last night, but made a big mistake on the first template cut. Oh, "trace template on the right side of fabric" and I did " trace template on the wrong side of the fabric" that result opposite of the fabric direction. Glad I cough it on the first cut.  I still prefer trace my fabric in the wrong side of fabric where I can see the lines better and you?

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
It just arrived at noon today! This book has been in the book cart of last 5 months and finally I check it out last week. Oh.. I am so close to finish chapter one, but I plan to save it for bedtime reading now.  Indeed I flipped to the last page and read the last paragraph... Um. I'll finish this book and share with you... So far it is so lovely and I bet S will finish it before I do... then book club starts.. discussion. cookies. tea time..

Tip
Since most of the sewing supplies are in the storage. I have to find different way of sewing. I have a sand board which I used for tracing fabric, but it is somewhere deep in the storage. The alternative solution is; Trim the sand paper to the size of a thick catalog and taped a #200 sand paper on top of  a thick catalog and use it as tracing board for fabric tracing. It is nothing fancy, but it holds fabric nicely and will not damage the fabric.

Quilt with quarter inch mark
I like to fulfill my promise from last year.. would you join me?



xxc