Weekending : catch up

What a fabulous week we have had here! {Thank you. thank you. thank you.} for all the congratulate comments and emails.  Today, I took a weekending nap for the first time in three years when I woke up that really felt good and full of energy!  S was quietly reading her new books from the library. S and I have been hanging out together more, have had full meals together { i won't excused myself in the middle of meal and return to work}, watch movies together and laugh so hard together,  Talking more about the moving plans and our coming very soon visit to our family in Taiwan... really. crazy!

Today's post will be a bit of catch up the week rather than our normal weekending post if you don't mind. Julie's signature's didn't finish when she got here. {Oh dear}... that's what I said to her.. After came home from the celebration dinner, I picked up the binding part and Julie was sitting next to me. We cuddled in her quilt together while I was working on the binding. I really loved the moment that our Iowa family was with us! To celebrate our big time together! They drove 468 miles north to see us and that mean so much to S and I; so much! It is a flat drive and very long as well, but they came.

Peter was so busy even though he was here! Stella secretly put his quilt in their bed for him, but he didn't even notice on the quilt in the bed and there was a note that S wrote {sleep well.}.  Peter had no idea that quilt is for him! Two Stellas { Stella, the pup and Stella, the girl} went in the room and got the quilt out. We began to sing the birthday song. Oh, Peter was shocked and kept asking ..the quilt is for me? for me? How did you have time to do this quilt for me? Of course, there's always time for making quilt to  dearest friends.  It is no my usual color; purple, brown, yellow, and gray. There were many questions that I had ...what if he is not liking the colors and maybe it is wrong purple?  Julie and I have had so many emails on the process of making Peter's quilt. Yes! he loves his quilt!! They both used their quilt while they were here!

We took a {family} photo on the snowy Sunday in N.D. The light was really dim and cold, too! We are so warm in our own quilts. So, here are four of my finished quilt of 2013. I love them all together! It shows each of our personality and the friendship that we gained over the years.

Today, S was playing for {Walk for Autism program} and we are slowly back to our normal schedule. Spring flowers are here and so pretty! Even though our home is full of boxes, but we really enjoy being home and have a few days quiet to ourselves. No sewing for the week, which I miss so much! It feels the itch in the back hasn't get reach and really need to get it.

Do you know my {single girl} is on her way home? She should be here early next week! I'll be working on the binding and few things still needed to take care! more later ...

xxc 

Random: April, the 10th

{Thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you}

My friends....It's a PASS!

more later... preparing the reception food and tea for tomorrow night..  this afternoon.

xxc

Random: Hello

The weekend and the week have been really busy for us! {1/4"mark home} is not very neat nor clean. Each morning, we woke up with full day schedule and left home as is! Packing has started here and it is not as fun as I would like. I have decided to sell all the vintage sheets { on the first photo/ not the quilts} it is a very hard decision making, but I think the 10 feet truck won't carry all. I'll share more on the vintage sheets soon once I could take clear photos.

Sorry for a such short post, but I'd like to let you know all goes well. Tomorrow is my final review! Finger crossed!

xxc 

A birthday quilt: log cabin quilt final step

Finally, the {log cabin quilt} is completed! It started in July 2012 and took 8 months to made it all together. It is not a difficult quilt to make, but I think that's the turn out for most of the quilts I made. I take time to make them and let them sat for a little time.  If you check on the {Flickr} you could see the process photos. Documenting each quilt's process from the beginning of fabric pulling, pattern designing, piecing blocks, more piecing, looking for backing fabric, quilting pattern, then last to the binding fabric. Quilters are busy, but surely enjoy all these decision makings, chatting about the new quilts, rewarding self with a good movie along with sewing and maybe a cup of tea and lots sweets. 

The original plan was have this quilt done before October 2012 and it was planned to be a birthday quilt to myself. It might sound a bit strange to make a birthday quilt to myself. Even though there are many quilts {here} are being loved and used each day, but none of these are for {Chase}. They are family quilts that we share together and rotate throughout the years.

Early on there were few {layouts} that I played around then I took everyone's suggestion on the barn raising layout and the quilt really turn out very sweet {me}. There are 7 different low value prints contrast dark value prints which made this quilt special.  I used up most of my favorite prints that time for this quilt and the dark blue/ retro look stands out its own and that's how I feel being 34, bold and calm{when I can}. Each print is cut in 1.5" wide and roughly 1/2 yard of each prints.

I look forward being 34 when I just turn 30. At that time, it took me a year to prepared graduate school portfolio. I didn't think I would make to any school or able to take care of S and going to school at the same time. However, I got accepted into two schools at the time, but I decided to come to N.D. With all the wavier and graduate teaching assistantship opportunity offer we were able to live and start a simple life.

Before we made our journey to ND,  I math in my head when I will graduate and how old I will be; 34 is the age. To be very honest, I felt 34 is so old at that time, but today I feel perfect being 34.  Graduate school surely taught me a lot more than academically. It also involved real world task, social connections, and a must is stands out for our own work and defense for it. 

In past three years, I gained..............

-  much more gray hair and that worries S a bit. There were Friday nights that I felt asleep on the couch and miss S was trying to pull my gray hair out. ouch.. yes! that woke me up..

-  much more confidence in myself that I will received the degree soon { in a week to have the show up and have my last review}.

- much trust in the friendship that built over the years and hope these friendship remain even after we move away.

- much new hobbies such as collection dishes, sewing pins, and much more... cook books are one of them..

- much fabric stashes.. of course.. a must for a sewer/ quilter. It is always what I buy for myself for birthdays, Christmas, Mother's days... S' birthdays..

- much close relationship with my sister who have been another great supporter throughout my grad study. We skype weekly and she is the the one that I can just {talk} to any little thing.. yes, included S pulling my hair..

- many new friendships via {1/4" mark} and {Flickr} that never reached my head that you come here read, comment, sending emails,  share your stories with me, watch out little S's growth...

- much more comfortable to live what we have and own! Simple and enjoy little things that's happen in our life!

- much respect to miss S for being a kind and sweet girl who has been always the cheerleader and supporter of mine! Thank her allow me to grow and learn to be an cool awesome mama. 

- a respectful citizenship in the new country, which I still am not sure how to introduce myself

so on..

34 is perfect age that I finally feel that I am able to handle events in positive and negative. I hope to keep this post and to remember why 34 is a great year to myself .  When S' turns 34, I will pass this quilt to her and she'll have access to read this post. At that time I will be 59.. closed to 60.. I will make a 60th birthday to myself, but before that I sure many more quilts will be made, loved, and used. I think that's a  good cause of making quilts. It contains stories, love, moments, time, and families as well. I am half way through being 34 and looking forward 35 to arrived!


About the Quilt-

Quilt Pattern: Log Cabin;  BIG book of Scraps Quilts: log cabin diagram
Fabric cuts: 1/2 yards for each fabric print cuts.
Binding: DS Fabric for Joann
Backing: DS fabric for Joann
Quilting: Hand-quilting throughout the entire quilt. The center was quilted 1/4" apart. Then I went with 1/4" away from the seam allowance.
Quilt size: 66"x66"

xxc

Random: How about you?

 { a room full of quilts}

 { can't go wrong with cabbage}

 { quilting label}

 { hers on the left and mine on the right}

 { quilts}

 { almost as tall as S}

 { I can take them all down.. but they are really heavy}

 { almost 2 years old}

 { the window that i'll for sure miss.. x time repeating}

 { last batch before the move}

{ finished}

All the preparations for the exhibition is nearly done, but poster hasn't get printed! Artist statement is onto last revising. The week has gone so fast and I knew that I have a bit of nerve bugs in me. S has been a very kind and sweet listener this week since I might have repeated things over and over to her about the exhibition and supply list.  It feels good to cross out the to-do list, but boy there are still have many needed to cross out before Monday comes...  

The sewing machine hasn't made any sound since Sunday.  I started the quilt label for Julie's signature quilt and just finished it! Lately, I have been photographing a lot more during the early afternoons after we arrived home. The hope is to capture our last spring in ND. The lighting has been perfect these days for the room.  Then I blame on the first photo I took earlier this week with a room full of quilts that cause my curiosity of how many quilts I have made since I started in 2007. 

I started pile all the quilts that have been love and use throughout the years. The pile of quilts has the first quilt I made and the most recent quilt that got completed.  S asked me if she can {hop} on the top of the pile, but all the quilts start falling down...   She stood next to the pile and I was amazed the pile of quilts is almost as tall as S.  S probably has no idea that she will be person who gets to keep all these quilts someday besides her birthday quilts.  There are few more quilts haven't been added to the pile. I have stored them away. Have you ever counted and wondered how many quilts you have made?

We made so many dumplings together last night, they are our next few days' dinners.  These are times that we miss being home and cook together in a slowly paste rather than have dinners on the table. We miss a bit of chat of how the day went in our schools. We miss a bit of good night giggles about seeing Lucky's new photos sent by Aunt Fifi { my sister}.  We miss a bit of Friday movie and dinner.

Today, I made my mind to stay home and work on Julie's signature quilt. Somehow I considered that's my rest and break. I could finally enjoy the speed of the machine and enjoy movie and sewing again. The quilt has been basted and started quilting this morning before I headed to S' school for lunch and her presentation. Now, I am sitting in the kitchen writing this post and waiting the kettle to whistle.  A good cup of tea is needed to ease the tense of the nerve bugs.  

Tomorrow, I have a quilt to show you.. the kettle is whistling now ... oh dear..  let's catch up soon..

xxc

Random: oh, my.. April 1st

Nothing like walk in to a store and found yummy cookies and the pretty flowers. We wish we stay for a bit longer. We spent our mini get away screaming, eating, and spoiling our stomach as much as we could handle.

These daffodils are so pretty! This morning I found them blooming and lighten up our space a bit more in spring. The salty taffy are delicious! It was hard to walk away the candy store without getting any for ourselves.  Of course, she got her favorites and most of them are gone by now!

I couldn't help to finish the binding last night! I experimented the machine binding on large quilts for the first time. There are pros and cons about machine-binding. The time is definitely the key issue! Since there are many children comes to P & J's house. I though machine binding might be more secure when the kids plays with the quilt. The binding fabric is a perfect print for this quilt!  I couldn't be more than happy to found this print for the quilt. I must admit I start loving this purple quilt more.

S and I are trying to get back to the normal schedule and getting ready return to a full week activities! I will be excuse myself for another few days here as my MFA exhibition comes in a week and many last minutes touch up needed to get ready!

Will share both quilts soon

xxc