Category Archives: Studio

It’s my first WIPocalypse check-in!

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Terri | 11 comments

I haven’t stitched as much as I’d like to so far this year, but it’s because I’m finally painting my sewing room! Almost everything has been packed up, moved, and unpacked as we finish an area. We’re doing it in bits so I don’t become overwhelmed by the messiness of it.

I started with this

I switched the glass doors on the right to my fabric cabinet on the left and moved the solid doors to cover my cross-stitch fabric. The quilt fabric was too long and I’ve spent the past couple of days refolding all of this to get back in my cabinets.

Here’s where I was when I went to bed last night:

2015-01-04 18.05.22

My goal for the year is to sew during the day, and stitch during the late afternoon/evening, with reading thrown in every now and then. I usually read during a lunch break and if I’m by myself while I’m eating breakfast. If I go by how things went the latter part of last year, I know there will be some days that I need a break from sewing and I’ll just sit and stitch all day, or I’ll need a break from both and sit and read all day 😀

I’m beginning with 5 stitching and 5 quilting goals to start out my WIPocalypse. I have a page here.

As to stitching, the plan is to work exclusively on Lizzie*Kate’s Unseen Things mystery until completed, then start working on And They Sinned. My sewing will also include finishing out the two Sam Sarah items from last year into bell pulls. I’m sure some time during this year I’ll be adding things to my WIPocalypse stitching list.

Here’s the last photo I took of Unseen Things.

This was taken December 29, 2014, and is the first part, minus the small bees on the right. I have since moved on to part two and will make sure I have an updated photo on the next check-in.

My first quilting project is to finish my Phoebe’s Flower Box quilt. It needs borders, to be quilted, and then the binding.

As with my stitching, I know I’ll be working on other things in addition to those on my list and will be adding them as necessary.

I’m linking up today with Measi.

11 Comments

Posted in LinkUP, Studio, WIPocalypse

Studio stuff

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Terri | 1 comment

I’m still stitching sporadically on Good Things. I received a new cookbook from Mel last week and have found myself reading it instead of stitching. LOL Thank you Mel. I will definitely be using some of those recipes.

I’ve also been working in my studio. Mister finally got my cork board put up, and cut some shelves for over my computer area. I’ve usually only ever been able to listen to my TV when in my room because it’s an old flat screen that turns everything negative looking unless you’re standing directly in front of it. That rarely happens, even if I’m standing at the cutting table, where the TV is. We went the DirectTV route this week and I now have no TV reception in my room. I’ve decided to get a Wi-Fi DVD box so I can stream Netflix/Amazon movies, and I’m going to be upgrading my TV, too. We took a little shopping trip last week to buy a new router and I found exactly what I’m looking for. I still haven’t painted in there, but my “box of influence” is sitting at the top of the stairs waiting on me to take a piece of it to Lowe’s to match a paint color.

Here’s what the wall looks like for now:

The cork board is going to be trimmed out in white to match the other trim in my room, and I’m going to cover the cork. That’ll have to wait until I get the room painted since I want a fabric that will go with it.

Remember this stack of plaids, in the corner, from Son’s quilt?

I tried to give it away (the person never showed). I am a dunce. I completely forgot that Nephew-J also traveled the world since his dad was in the Air Force. I’ve decided to use it and made him a Bonnie Hunter Bricks and Stepping Stones quilt. This quilt has been high on my to-do list and I know I have plenty of black and neutrals in my stash for the 4-patches. I can’t wait to start cutting into them again.

Tonight I have my very first Quilt Guild meeting. I feel like a kid showing up in a new school district. 😉

1 Comment

Posted in Quilting, Stitching, Studio

Sunday Stash Report

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Terri | 3 comments

I have received a few emails and at least one comment on the amount I’m adding versus the amount I’m using. Y’all are so funny. I do feel like all I ever do is buy, buy, buy, but I’m fairly certain my fabric stash is nowhere near the size of the majority of the people who are participating in the stash busting….thank goodness! LOL This is my whole fabric stash:

The bottom shelf is home to Black Betty, and my small amount of batting and a pillow form. The shelf above that holds the few kits I own, plus the fabric I’ve “kitted” myself. Above that are my pre-cuts and on the left fabric I purchased while living in Japan and during my visit to Australia. That’s all! Oh wait, nope, I have the very large stack of homespun on my cutting table for son’s quilt. So, see I didn’t start with much, but I still wanted to bust what I already had.

Now, down to business!

Just as I thought, I bought fabric on my trip to Nashville. I also kept to my shopping list and bought for the small quilt I’m making:

and blenders for my stash:

Back home I bought a little bit of fabric for a gift which will be going out next week so I’m not counting it in the totals:

and the focus fabric for this month’s Jo Morton Little Women club quilt (Four Square).

Normally I buy much more than those two cuts, so I’m thrilled I was able to restrain myself. I know I have plenty of cheddar and neutral fabrics and am looking forward to pulling bits and pieces out of my scraps for the colored 4-patches.

I pulled a tiny bit more fabric for a local group that quilts for women’s shelters. I also cut fabric for a small exchange.

Fabric added this week: 9 1/8
Fabric out this week: 1 3/4
Fabric added this year (April – present): 90 7/8
Fabric out this year (April – present): 21 5/8

3 Comments

Posted in JMLW2013, Studio, Sunday Stash Report

Some days contain good and bad

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Terri | 2 comments

I hate growing older. There are so many things that can go wrong to cut into precious “to-do” time. I’m not a hypochondriac by any stretch of the imagination but I do worry sometimes about illnesses suffered by long gone family members and how it can affect my own health. I also dislike strongly not being able to talk to family members about my own health concerns. My family has never been one to share things, plus I live very far away from them (my choice). Sigh. I also tend to let my imagination get away with me sometimes when the doctor orders certain tests. Anyway, I got my blood work results back today from a couple of weeks ago and I’m a-okay in everything. There are a couple of areas that I’m trying to make better but it was a rough couple of months and I may have splurged on some sugar a bit here and there 😉 so instead of blood sugar levels being better they were the same as they were the last time she tested. However, she also ordered some more blood work and ordered me a referral based on a conversation we had this morning following her “How have you been feeling” question. I hate getting older.

So that was the bad part of my day.

I’ve spent the majority of the rest of the day in my studio. I had hoped to finish up on the gift but I don’t have enough of the binding material to finish. I’ll pick up some more Tuesday when I go to work.

Speaking of work, I’m having fun with it! This past Tuesday I cut so much fabric for customers that I truly thought my arm was going to fall off at the end of the day. The next day it was sore! I’m still doing a little following around, but am feeling more comfortable helping customers on my own. Got my first paycheck too 😉

But I digress. After I ran out of material for my binding, I turned to cutting fabric and piecing a signature block for an exchange I’m signed up for. I’ve never done anything like this before and it’s rather intimidating to think that I need to make 59 of these 6 1/2″ blocks.

I have a couple of baskets of scraps I’m using so none of them will look the same. I have until September to get them all finished and I’m trying to make 5 a day.

2 Comments

Posted in Health, Life, Quilting, Signature Swap, Studio, Work

Yesterday’s labor

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Terri | Comments Off

I’ve added some Au Fil des Reves kits to my Sale page. I’ve included photos for them since they’re no longer in print and it’s hard to find photos online. There is currently one person interested in them, but until she gets back to me I’m not going to mark them as pending.

Here’s where I am in my newest quilting project. I won’t be able to show a finished photo until the end of July since it’s a gift.

It was great spending so much time in front of the machine yesterday and my shoulders were actually stiff last night which proved to me that it’s been far too long. Must not let that happen again. I have many projects cut, I just need to sit my backside down and get to sewing!

I’m off to my Jo Morton Little Women Club meeting today. I’m woefully behind in these, but they’re on my long list of WIPs that I’ll be working my way through soon. One more box to unpack and put away.

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Posted in JMLW2013, Quilting, Studio

Playing with fabric

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Terri | 2 comments

Mister got the light and power plug put up on my new cutting table arrangement yesterday. It’s so much more user-friendly than what I was using. I can actually see the lines on my ruler now without having to put my nose 6″ from the ruler! I still need to hide the cords and put up my ruler holder but that’s a project for next week (maybe).

Today I’m playing with the fabric you see up above. I’ve cut the layer cake into 2″ x 6″ strips and what I’m not using is going to a Annette who’s going to make a coordinating project with it.

Hoping to get my little project finished by Thursday so I can take it into the shop and hunt for the perfect binding. Something in red!

This mean I get to subtract 3.5 yards from my stash!

2 Comments

Posted in Stash Busting, Studio

Halfway there

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Terri | Comments Off

First off, Happy Fathers’ Day to all of the dads! I sent my dad a card this year and received a sweet text from him yesterday saying he’s received my “beautiful card.” I always have such a hard time picking out cards for people. I’m waiting until a little later this afternoon to call him since he usually spends days like this with my brother and sisters (and their families) in Louisiana (where everyone but me lives). I had planned on taking Mister out for a late lunch today but he has decided he’d rather have homemade grilled burgers and slaw. So I’m off to the store to get the ingredients.

But before I head out I wanted to post a quick progress report, for my own need to see that I’m making progress more than anything else. I’m tired of fabric! My hands are so dry (and kind of dirty) feeling after hand ironing for two days. This morning I unfolded and refolded 3 of these drawers.

What you see in there are the plaids I still need to cut into for Son’s quilt and they’re going to stay right there until I cut them and put the rest into the cabinet.

So from last night to this morning:

The box on the bottom shelf (in the right photo) is really 2 boxes deep. I need to pull the one in the back out and refold all the fat quarters that are in there. But not right now.

So while there was no fabric brought in and no fabric used, at least I now am figuring out just exactly what fabric I have!

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Posted in Decorating, Studio

Still working away on my studio

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Terri | Comments Off

and feel like I keep running up against “won’t work.” 🙁 I spent almost all day refolding fabric. Once I got the cabinet cleared out enough for Mister to install the doors, they won’t all fit! So, this is what I’m looking at for now. (Naturally he purchased them long enough ago that we can’t return them.)

Now I need to load it back up and decide how I’m going to arrange everything since I know I have more fabric than what will fit on those 3 shelves. I hate it when a plan falls apart. I’m trying to decide if I’m just going to hide part of my stash, or remove the doors altogether.

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Posted in Life, Studio

I’ve been busy!

Posted on June 9, 2013 by Terri | 4 comments

Haha. I disappeared again, didn’t I. I have a good excuse, or rather several of them. They all fall under “I’ve been busy.”

I’ve been busy taking Petite Mexican Sampler to the framer.

I’ve been busy taking care of the yard and veggie garden while Mister went to California to surf and visit with Son for 12 days.

I’ve been busy stitching on And They Sinned.

I’ve been busy going to my Jo Morton Little Women Club meeting and buying more fabric for the next quilt.

Jo Morton yellow, blacks, and oranges

I’ve been busy buying more fabric. Period 😀

Jo Morton various 1/2 yard cuts

New quilt project

I’ve been busy snuggling puppies.

Harley and Jasper being Harley and Jasper

I’ve been busy ripping things off the wall of my downstairs powder room and installing a new mirror and small cabinet, and ordering new glass rod towel bar and tissue holder. (I’ll be busy putting the new holders up, then pulling everything down, patching old holes, then painting and putting everything back up as soon as those holders come in 😉 )

I’ve been busy reading the latest Black Dagger Brotherhood book.

I’ve been busy out by the pool since our temps are consistently 105+ everyday.

I was busy learning what a geek I am while volunteering for Phoenix Comicon over the Memorial Day weekend.

Hung out here a lot when not on “duty.” There was tons of interesting things going on here.

I’ve been busy winning a contest on the Quiltmaker blog.

I’ve been busy taking an applique class.

I’ve been busy tearing my craft room apart.

I’ve been busy rearranging furniture.

I’m supposed to be busy putting it back to rights right now, but decided to do this instead.

I’ve been busy pulling more things to add to my sale page, both stitching and quilting books.

and

I’ve been busy getting a part-time job at my local quilt shop!

4 Comments

Posted in And They Sinned, JMLW2013, Petite Mexican Sampler, Puppies, Studio, Work

Accountability and finding time to craft

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Terri | 6 comments

Mirriam-Webster defines accountability as “an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.

I’ve seen several quilting bloggers keeping track of how much of their fabric stash they’re using this year. Since I just started actively following some of them I don’t know how they started, but I get the feeling they’re trying to “bust” their stash. Starting today I am going to keep a running list of how much fabric I’m using this year. With the exception of what I purchased recently, I’m not going to go back and “measure” all of the fabric I currently have, but I am going to keep a running total on the sidebar of what I buy and use from my stash with the hope that by the end of the year, what I use out of my stash will have the larger number.

The second part of my subject line is regarding a comment made on one of the email quilt groups I belong to. We got into a discussion about organizing our stash and projects to make us more productive. One of the members offered the following response (I have her permission to post her comment):

One thing that I have found and am not sure if others have commented on is the time we spend on the computer and shopping. I have found that I spent so much time on the computer looking at other’s completed projects I wasn’t getting down to working on my own. I would dream of making all the wonderful quilts others have done and downloading patterns that I will probably never get to. In the past month or so I have just walked away from the computer and I am finishing of some of my UFO’s. I have friends that spend all their free time out buying more and more stuff and not even beginning to start on a project. It is very easy to be lured in to it. We let ourselves become fabric, books and notion hoarders. We need to step back and be happy with what we have to work on and not let ourselves loose our objective in getting the sewing done. I don’t want to leave my children with a pile of fabric and stuff. I want them to have the quilts I have dreamed of making them and to know that there is hug from me in every one that I completed.

This is what repeats over and over in my head since she first posted that:

…spend all their free time out buying more and more stuff and not even beginning to start on a project…We let ourselves become … hoarders…We need to step back and be happy with what we have to work on…I don’t want to leave my [family/friends] with a pile of fabric and stuff.

I don’t want to be that person anymore. And it’s not just in my quilting. I have gotten myself so surrounded by things that I feel like I’m going to suffocate sometimes when I’m in my craft room. It’s hard to be creative when I’m feeling that way, which is why I’m selling off a whole bunch of stuff. Stitching, clothes, polish — I’m sorting through it and simplifying so I feel less surrounded by stuff.