Radom: in process

In process....

to be continue..

xxC

Random: Get ready

I have been requested by many of you to write up a {patchwork bucket} tutorial. So first step, pick up a right size round shape you like to work on! Any items that would make a round circle! so, get ready everyone! stay turn.....

xxC

Update: { 1/4" mark shop}

The shop update is finished.

Here are destash that I listed

A completed fat quarter bundle of Prince Charming collection by Tula Pink, but please read the descrptions.
Chestnut Hill by Joel Drewberry { here, here, here, here}
Love collection by Amy Butler
August Field by Amy Butler { here, here, here}
Many Halloween prints {here, here, here, here }
Summersault by Erin McMorris { here, here}
Willow Shroom by Alexander Henry
Wee Play panel by American Jane 

many more fabrics are listed! Thank you for your great support! 

Also I have added some Japanese fabric. If you are Merry Bon Bon fan, don't miss the new print that I just listed. 

xxC

W.I.P. : log cabin

 { light value gathering}

{dark value gathering}

Last night I posted these two photos on my Flickr and asked everyone which value gathering is better. After reading a few comments I realized that I will get these two values either way as I place them. I must not thinking clear when I posted.  I have finished 26 blocks and have another 74 blocks to go!  What do you think? I have a few log cabin books and realized there are so many possibilities with this quilt block!

It is a great feeling that I am getting back to the swing of things and getting our home together and enjoy the cooler temperature along with great movies and sewing projects. I will be destashing some of fabric in next couple of days. Please come back and check them out!  As I am approaching the last year of schooling, I am also thinking about moving and reduce the moving boxes that we might have. Two years ago, I had 12 boxes of fabric, tools, and material etc. I hope I am not over exceed 20 boxes this time. Each year, we seemed to gain more household items and my studio at home is full of goodies that I bough back from trips or sent by friends.  It is scare to think that we'll be moving in 10 months and we aren't sure where we will be at this point. However, I really enjoy each day that I am home sewing and make plans for the time being. I think I sounded a little worry! I will be focus in school once it starts { in 2 weeks}. I think blogging will be a once or twice a week event for me to share with some fun sewing projects and some of our weekending events. 

This coming week I have a big job to do besides sewings! I must fill in my citizenship application form {It is my incoming week goal}. It has been delay for 3 years now! I am just not that focus on applying the citizenship. It is 20 pages long and lots information involved from past 5 years. On the other hand, I won't need to think about it anymore. Wish me good luck and no mistake that will be made! 

Off more photo taking and sewing more.. 

xxC

Random: Weekending

It seems like we needed this week just to catch up from our vacation. Loads of Landry, big grocery shopping list, a smelled like banana kitchen { did I mention I left two bananas out for two weeks?}, and a long list of errands to run. I am glad that all is catch up and we are slowly back to the regular retinue. S had a violin performance at the Farmer's market this morning and I bought the camera with, but the SD card was left in the computer. It was a little disappointed, but we came home with some fresh veggies and some tasty cookies. In 2006, when I moved back to U.S. again, I learned to eat healthier and support local farmers when I can. I have many friends who have gardens or farms. During the summer time, we would swap food. Normally I am the one who bake and they swap their veggies with us. I have always enjoy knowing the people and knowing where is the food came from. It also helps S to appreciated the the food that serve at the dinner table each day. 

 A trip to Joann's sometimes can be dangerous. All I needed was three zipperes, but I cam home with a small stashes of fabric. The between three prints are Denyse Schmidt's new fabric line for Joann's. It is called Richmond.  The last print is Alexander Henry's Harvest from the 2004.  

The sewing scissors is 50% at Joann's till the 5th of August. Additionally I have had a total 25% off coupon. So, I finally bough my first pair of Gingher scissors. It is a dream scissors that I have been wanted! It is amazing how a good pair of scissors can do! I highly recommended it! I think I paid less than 15 dollars for it! Go get a pair.. You won't feel sorry!

Once I have all the laundry folded and put away! I turned my movie on and have my raspberry tea.  Of course, the sewing machine was being clean and I finished what I left before the trip. I will show and tell later on..

I am glad that we got an ipad! It has been a great tool for S. She is able to use it as part of her summer research and some games during her free time.  Today she is busy working with the undersea animals. I do wish I have one, too, but I think we might be able to share...

The mint is growing and finally I transferred it to a bigger pot! I hope the leaves can get a little bigger, so I can dry them for the winter. Mint is great for cooking and raspberry tea as well!

This is a small piece of hand-pieced and hand-quilted quilt that has been saved from my friend's family. I think this quilt has been in the family for several generations. My friend gave it to me a while ago and I have been saving it. There were many ideas that I have had, but I never taken any deeper though about what to make.  I think I am about to cut this piece down and make something fun!

I am slow preparing myself to the back to school mode and getting ready for the class that I will be teaching. Many preparations need to be taking care! My last year in Graduate school is a little overwhelming, but I must tell you I am excited that I will be able to have a full degree in hand and move on!  It has been a cool and resting day. S is working on her undersea project and I am ready to sew more. Today I am making another jar of raspberry tea. Are you a tea drinker?

xxC

Random: found

On my trip, I found these fabric. The last two photos are the vintage feedsack! I am just thrilled to found them! I will be able to use them for some fun project soon!  I love the feedsack texture! The woven fabric feels organic.

The IKEA fabric { the first photo} is very soft. This is my first attempt buying fabric from IKEA! I think I might need to visit again some other day. I got some children print and I think these will be great for making some new totes for S.

The small fat quarter pieces are actually vintage fabric that being cut. They actually came in different sizes, some are larger than the other ones. I love all the yellow prints that I found. This time I try to focus on small prints instead. I think these are going to be great for some of the paper piecing work that I tried earlier.

xxC

Random: Check In

 

Happy August! I am back! We had great time while we were away. On the departure day, we drove through the rainstorm and was cold all the way to our first destination. We have made many  stops on the first day. We headed to IKEA for the first time in the states. It was so fun! We found an apartment sitting in a 588 square feet { closed to our apartment size}. S and I started to talk about how to transfer our place into the IKEA home. We really need their wonderful storage space! We spent our Saturday morning in IKEA and of course I did a little fabric shopping { will get some photos later on}. 

The big adventure for S this summer is that she visited the amusement park for the first time. In the past, she was too small for all the rides and it was always not so fun for her. This year, she is so proud of herself stood in front of each ride's measurement board and tip up her chin as high as she can and announced she is { TALL} enough to get on the ride.  I am still dizzy as I write! S took 14 rides and I did 11 rides. I think by the 10th ride I was about to give up! We didn't eat much that night  since we both got so upset and dizzy! We scream so hard and had most amazing crazy summer vacation that we have had in years! We did all the school shopping already! It was a way to spent extra two hours at the outlet stores. It is just amazing how S needs a new pair of shoes each school year. We were able to get two pairs for one pair price! It was a score for us! 

We finally drove through the corn and bean fields after our adventures in the twin city! We spent rest of our vacation back in Iowa. Some of you might knew that I lived in Iowa for 10 years before I moved away. I have always considered myself an Iowan and love our friends there! We like to call it our home in states. It was just relaxing and catching up with old friends and had lots Iowa sweet corns and of course the pork chop!  

J's quilt has been delivered! It was a surprise to her and she loves it so much! She has Stella the pup and I have Stella the girl! Isn't that cute? Two Stellas were in the same house for three years and the kids were never get confused about them together! We love Stella the pup so much! She a golden doodle and just as cute as you seen from the picture.

The wedding was the highlight of our trip! I was taking the photos during the wedding rehearsal and the wedding day! It was beautiful and very cozy!  There's so much to talk about the wedding and I was surprised that I ran into a quilt friend that I have not seen in 4 years. She was invited by the groom side and I was the brides friend. The world is so small! We chat and chat.. it felt like a little reunion for us! I saw so many old neighborhood friends and spent the nice evening together in the beautiful wedding.

I did { a little} fabric shopping, but nothing modern or fancy!  I was looking for retro and feedsack and I found some!  You probably would think that I am crazy! I bough a table in Iowa, but wasn't able to take it with me, so I left it with the store owner! It is a wooden table, but needs a little love and care to make it shine! We wish we could have stay forever, but I was ready to come home and have my own bed. I miss sitting in my sewing chair and hearing the clunk clunk sound. I miss my raspberry tea while I was away and I had to make some right away when I got home! S misses her animals and of course reading time that she regular does every afternoon.

Thank you for all the sweet comments and email about the {patchwork bucket}. I will have more to share later on! It might take me a few extra days to get our home ready and I can enjoy the raspberry tea and sewing again.  Thank you for all the orders that made during the shop break! Your orders are being pack and will be ship on August 1st. 

We are happy to be home! I love { Home sweet Home}! 

xxC