1st Finish For 2013 / Chenille Baby Blanket

Well, it's not a QUILT. But...it IS my first finish for 2013. I started this blanket the 2nd week of January, but then I got the FLU. This weekend is the first weekend that I have felt 100%. Well 98%. Still tire easily, but I just wanted to FINISH something. And I wanted to get it off my sewing table.

This picture shows the channels all sewn & ready to be cut open.

I admit, this was BORING. Very boring....

Sewing the binding on.

This is BEFORE being washed.

AFTER washing.

AFTER washing.

Close up, after washing.

I sewed the binding to the back, turned it to the front & then machine sewed it down. I thought the stitching would be really noticible, but it's not!

I love this print!

I did n't have a pattern. honestly? I didn't figure I needed one. I bought 2 yards of the print flannel to use as the front and the binding. And then I bought 1.25 yards of each yellow, green & pink flannel. I started my diagonal sewing lines at one corner. If I EVER do this again, I think I will start in the center. It was difficult to keep my sewing lines straight. I stopped trying after about getting 20 or more rows sewn. As I expected, the fabric shifts, and becasue I started on one corner (or not, I don't really know...) the edges of the project didn't stay aligned. After I finished sewing the channels, I cut them open. Leaving the print side uncut. I tried using one of those special chenille cutters, I felt like I was tearing the seams apart, so I started using scissors. I cut the print fabric once. I appliqued a little patch over it & you can't see it. You can FEEL it, but you can't SEE it! I got a blister on one of my fingers from the cutting. I had to go really slow so I wouldn't cut the print fabric with the scissors. Flannel cuts easy!

I love the finished project. But I am not jumping on starting another one. While I like the 3 different colors of the chenille part, this is being gifted to a baby girl & I think it would have looked more sweet in just pink & white.

I have seen some of these done on Pinterest in a chevron pattern & I'd like to try that!

Overall I am satisfied with the finished blanket.

Oh yah....remember I said they were 1.25 yards in length? The FINISHED blanket, after sewing, cutting, TRIMMING, washing & drying, it is 35 inches square. How odd is that?

Sam

Spool Quilt ~ Progress

I have the length & the width that I want.

Now to finish the other half & to find something to use as an inner border. It only has to be like 1.5" wide. Just enough color to break up the side setting triangles & the outer border fabric. (which are going to be the same fabric)

I can't get the stinking pictures to load. I'll try this again later.

Sam

Back In The Saddle Again ! Sort Of.....

Again, no sewing.

Today was my first day back in the OFFICE in 10 days. Actually got out of pajamas for longer than it takes to go to the doctors office! Ha! An accomplishment.

That FLU kicked my butt. Royally. The ear infections? I am still recuperating. Still on antibiotics for those buggers. It still hurts my teeth when I chew - sounds odd, I know. But it's all connected. Stinking antibiotics do other stuff to you that I am not even going to bother to blog about.

I am so THANKFUL for SO MANY things while I have been ill this past week or so...Incluldng but not limited to: My loving husband & beautiful girls. They put up with my foul moods, my yelling trists & my all around sick self. During , through, before & after all my coughing & puking..... My Employer. I have great benifits & I used a bunch of those this week, I was also allowed to work from home for half the time I was out. (I didn't HAVE TO, I WANTED to...but they ALLOWED me to!) My Dog. Bourbon has been my constant companion & I had to literally peel him off me several times this week. No joke....He even stayed right there with me when I yelled at him for NOTHING. I hate being sick. I really do!

I am still getting over those stinking ear infections. But YAY ME I have my taste back! And I can hear. Sort of.

I got well just in time for our Annual CPR/1st Aid Training on Saturday. Yay.......

I hope I get some sewing time in this weekend. Just some.

Stay Well Y'all!
Sam

More Being Sick

Well, I called my doctor this morning. I have not been able to swallow without pain in my ears. Got there at 11AM he says, after sticking a long q-tip down my throat..., that I still negative for strep, but positive for ear infections! Yes, plural. One super bad in my left ear & one almost as bad in my right. They popped me with a shot in my butt & gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 10 more days of pills. Yay me! I hate taking pills. At least it's not a liquid. Heck, I'd puke every time I had to swallow it, if it were!

I hate being sick. And I hate complaining about it too. And....yah, and....I have been the absolute WORST person to be around. Zero personality. I have even yelled at the dog today, and I have not been able to peel him off me for the last week! He knows I don't feel well, so he's staying close! And it's getting on my very last nerve. All I want to be is well. WELL.

Hopefully soon.

Sam

Sick With The FLU

Last Tuesday I had scheduled the day off to spend with a group of my freinds. We all got in Sally's van & went down to Alabama to have our sewing machines serviced at Ken's. When I woke up on Tuesday I had a little tickle in my throat. (as of this post? My sewing machine is still in the case on the floor waiting to be used...)

Wednesday that tickle was on FIRE all day while I was at work.

Thursday I stayed home from work & went to the Dr. They swabbed my throat & swabbed my nose. Dr said "Good News & Bad News" - Bad News? Nose swab was positive for the FLU, good news? Throat swab negative for strep. 

I have been IN BED since Thursday. THURSDAY!!! Swallowing has been painful. Coughing has been painful. Sleeping has been painful. My ears ache, my tummy aches, my throat aches, my muscles ache.

This FLU has totally kicked my butt.

Next year? Next Year when they offer FLU shots for free? I'm gonna be first in line.

I feel like I am well enough to go back to work on Tuesday the 15th. I'm not 100%. Far from it. But I'm better. I hope that great ladies I was with last Tuesday didn't get this from me! I got it from someone.....unknown WHO, but I got it from someone....but I wouldn't want to be the one to GIVE it to someone else.

Sam

Sometimes I Laugh At Myself

And laughing at myself is a good thing.

I finished my spool blocks sometime before Christmas. I just have had ZERO time to sew for myself, so I didn't even try. That...and my fingers hurt in the winter. So much sewing makes them hurt more.

Today , bieng the 1st of January, was a holiday & I didn't have work so I did a little piddling around in my sewing room & decided I was going to "shop my stash" for fabric for the side setting triangles & borders for my SPOOLS QUILT. I wanted something brown. No reason, just because. Well I found 6 yards of a brown print in my stash. That's WHY I was laughing at myself. I have no clue when I bought this fabric. It was definately OVER 5 years ago! Is it older than that? Maybe! I really don't know & I really don't care. I am just glad I had 6 yards. That's enough for the setting triangles & borders AND binding!! Yay Me!

It's a Fons & Porter / Benartex Print with Pheasants on it. I think I may have purchased it after Prince Charming came back from hunting Pheasants one year. He brought the most beautiful wreaths back for me from those hunting trips...but, I digress. Here is the print:

This is the piece I have set aside to use for the borders & binding.

(ignore the doll in the background, she's a work in progress - that heart knit? I bought 3 of those shirts from Wal Mart to put appliqued letters on...Let's just say that my embroidery machine did NOT like that knit. It ate 2 of the 3. The 3rd one did not get monogrmammed! - you can see the doll dress I made HERE )

Yep - Gonna set the bolcks on-point. I find it easier to sew squares & then trim them. I'm lazy like that.

See all my blocks??? There are like 700 of them!

Row #1 !

Just my mess.....

See y'all later! No promises, but MAYBE I'll have it pieced before our guild meeting in 2 weeks.

Sam