Random: The Last minutes

 { Tova for S}

 { She loves this chestnut print }

 { how could I resist??}

 { drawstring bag: front}

 {drawstring: back}

 { drawstring bag made with inexpensive muslin}

 {great for quilts}

 { as always, S loves be part of mama's doing}

 {made over 10 different sizes of drawstring bags}

{ she was busy in that last minutes doing}

The last minutes before our move was bitter and sweet. I shall skip the bitter part for now, so I can catch up the new lifestyle post here in Taiwan with you. When S asked for another Tova top with her favorite print, chestnut I could not say no! She has a little affair with handmade clothes that I made for her. It makes the outfit extra special when she puts it on.  The fabric is rather soft! She loves the softness and the color in this print. I waited the last minutes to make the top. Thankfully, it fits her perfectly!

How would I resisted DS new collect at Joann's? I probably went back to the store twice a day and three days the same week. I knew I have to get them before they are gone. I love the new collection and oh please don't let me know there are newer collections have already out and about. I might be a little upset! I store fabric stashes in my dear friend, Carol's house. She is so kindly offered one of  her closet to me when I approached her. All the boxes of fabric are safely keep at her home in Iowa. Oh, that makes me so happy and I knew that she will ensure they are happy. She is an amazing quilter as well.

The scrappy drawstring bag was made to give a very special friend that I have been known for a long time. I have a bit of hard time to think what to make for her in the last minutes of makings and doings, but I knew that something simple and me would be a perfect gift! The gifts have been given and I think she is happy!! I shall share more about this...

I have different yardage of muslin that I used for my school's work. I think over 30 yards in 3 years. In the last week of packing I used most of the muslin and made different sizes of drawstring style storage tubes for quilts. I simply roll the quilts into tubes then store them in the drawstring bags. They are perfect for the purpose of archiving and storage.

Here is how I make drawstring style storage tubes:
Measure the length of your quilt after your roll into a tube then add 3 inches on the top for the drawstring bag. Use {French Seam style  drawstring bag} for the top closure. However, since I was in the last minutes doing. I used the overlock to closed the seam allowance and it work nicely as well.

Finally, {1/4" mark} is settled in! Still a bit this and that need a work on, but for now S and I have started our normal weekending. She is fully back to making, creating, and as well as her music. Our second weekending is almost here! A trip to flea market as I mentioned last and a special celebration with my family as the MFA diploma has arrived and I really can call myself completed and an official, no schooling for a little while.

xxC

Weekending

{ stash}

 { found a perfect size box to store all the sewing tools for the trip}

 { basket almost empty}

 { Another box was found for the layer cakes, 

 Farmer's wife Sample blocks, 

stamp blocks, 

nd hourglass blocks}

 { sewing keeps everything going faster}

 { NEVER too many drawstring bags}

 { nearly empty}

{ Spring in ND}

A long spring walk was needed for S and I. We took a long walk yesterday afternoon before the storm came. The sky is grayish, but the tree buds are out and the spring is official here in ND.  We walked around the regular summer walk route and farewell to the houses that we loved and streets that we enjoyed.  It has been raining everyday and it makes everything cleaner and I am so glad that we will be able to see some greens before we head out.

The weather has been comfortable while packing away.  The University Ave is start looking fresh and bright with all the greens on the tree.  The main road we take to stores and S' school is under major construction now, so we have been taking detour road around the city.  It seems like we are visiting the city for the last few weeks that we are here. We drove by new neighborhoods that we normally don't pass by and discovered a little this and that. 

So many items are boxed up and ready to move into the truck! My slightly fear that maybe I will need to give up some items, but we'll see about that. It might be just me being so anxious and worry at the same time. 

We have so many drawstring bags that I made throughout the year that we've been traveling. They are perfect for everything and we need more! The plan is to make a few more for the shoes and a bigger size for laundry during the trip in next few days.

S and I have been enjoying our last weekending here and busy with a little more packing and cleaning. A week from today yesterday we hit the road. Many many { Thank you} for all your comments from last posts. All the best lucks are being collected and we'll take all the well wishes on our journey that is coming so soon!
 
I have just sign up for instagram and you can find me under {quarterinchmark}. I have a few posts there and see you soon~

 xxc 

To Boston with LOVE

 { to Boston with Love}

The week has been slightly overwhelmed with packing and repacking. The fact is " wow, we are moving all these boxes with us". Little by little and all will come together~   Have you read from { Amy at During Quiet time} about { To Boston with Love} project. It has been the project that I thought I'd wait till finish up packing then start working on.  Yesterday morning, I revisited her blog and found out the flag needs to arrive on May 21st. That isn't too far away! I get my hands in this project late last night.

While packing away the sewing room, I found so many old projects that were tucked away. The small 8-point star block with paper templates were zipped in a small zippered bag and also found the very first mini quilt that I made with the same pattern back in 2005.


The 8-point star is hand-pieced, but my memory on the hand-piecing is a little vague. I used the 8-point star symbolized that Massachusetts was one of the first 13 colonies joined the United States. Whenever, I see an American Flag,  I feel love and heart.

This Flag will be in the mail today and hope to make it on time. 

xxc 

Happy mama's day

She has been busy like a spring bee. I have not been able to peek and check what she was up to last two weeks after school time. She spent some minutes outside..

She presented this very special gift to me this morning. She used found tree sticks to make a picture frame and made sure all the sticks are glued together, so they won't fall apart.  She made a very simple card for this frame. How I wish to hang this up for now on, but I found a little box for it. It will be safe and saved with all other items and wait for us to return. 

And in the other card she wrote:

my mom is good at many things, one thing she's best at is sewing bags and quilts big and small. 


Happy mama' Day 

xxc

Random: from

 { from: Krista}

 {From: Jackie}

 {From: Jackie}

 { From Jackie}

 {From: Kerry}

{From: Kerry}

It has been a fabulous 2013 that full with excitements and new adventures that awaited us to come forward. It also have been a fabulous year to learn more friends here at {1/4" mark} and friends via {Flickr}. I have joined groups' projects for the first time and felt really amazing how quilters work together as a team! They are sweet, encouraging, supportive, and always generous! We have received many really sweet packages this year and they are way generous and sweet.  

{Kerry} sent the package way back in March when I was about to have my citizenship interview. S and I careful open the package together. When she saw her name in the card she was overly happy~ { You all know how to make a child happy}!  Kerry made her a little pencil case. The pattern can be found in her and Penny's {sew-ichigo}. S just loves her little pencil case! She is bring it with her in her new bag that's almost ready.  We saved the chocolate for the Easter Sunday.. um.. It was so good! The vintage fabrics are always so sweet~ I have been using some of them into projects lately.  It would be so great to make a quilt { this quilt} from all the vintage fabrics that I have been collected! The little tea pot mini quilt is SO lovely made! We hope to hang it with our other mini quilts together.  {Thank you, Kerry} 

Another great mail from {Krista}. It is a super amazing thread catcher. The size is so roomy and perfect for the new {sewing table} I made last week.  The little square piece that attached to the pouch is the pin cushion. Oh.. and the extra fabric to play with.  S and I will have thread-free clothes when we walk out the room.  The big bowl that sits on the table will be gone and that would leave more table space for us. {Thank you, Krista}. 

I have always amazed by {Jackie}'s applique zippered pouches. Isn't the little birdie too cute?  She also made me a travel set of sewing kit which I love so much! I have few things that I would love to add into it to  and take with. Jackie is so sweet and made S a bookmark.  The little bookmark is in the second book that she is reading now. Thank you for always thinking of S. She is a very lucky girl! { Thank you, Jackie}. 

The bag for S is nearly completed! She just pick out the fabric for the cross body strap. It has been really great that she is playing fabric and asking if she can pick out her own fabric.  Adding her little ideas make the project extra special. Of course, they are green and blue.  Another sew day will start fairly soon~ May you sew more and more and again { Thank you} for join the group! 

xxc 

Random: time to time

It has been a wonderful week, even it is Tuesday! It is sunny and warm in ND, but I am in my fall clothes, instead of summer clothes. When the windows are up and the breeze comes in the room is still a little cool for me. Summer clothes is a little too early for me. Unlike me, S is in summer shirt and shorts. She is HOT!

The month of May has been difficult for grocery shopping, since our departure day is approaching us very soon. We ran out of few ingredients already and  I have been alike Arrietty whom borrowing ingredients from friends more like, sugar, coffee, and some spices for cooking. It has been crazy to ask for these, but our friends are just so kind to share their ingredients with us and having us over for dinners to get by till we move. 

S' couch is gone, so we moved all the storage boxes out and the { kitchen sink quilt} is on my chair now. It makes the chair cozy and comfortable to sit on. We actually second the idea of selling the couch, but we both think it is too big to move and put in the storage. It was actually our very first own couch, so we were attached to it more!

Sun is out and about so much earlier now and I love S asked  me what are you making when she walk in the sewing room.  This morning, I spent a good part of the time piecing the new tote that I plan to take for our trip.  For S, I used the same block pattern, but will make a smallish messenger bag for her and her mini travel fund.  What have you been busy sewing lately? Hope some gardening for you as well! We are hoping some gardening this summer as well!
 
P.S. I have a proposal for you tomorrow...

xxc