Ups and Downs!

Don't you hate when you can't sleep? Not sure what was the problem - but anyway there I am - 3 AM and wide awake. I read for a bit - that didn't help. I decided I should get up and do some sewing. I know  - how wild is that!!!

Now the question was what to do???  I have learned that I am a GOOD prep person. Without blinking an eye - I cut out a new project. I know - how did that happen???   Perhaps I was sleep walking!!

I think you will like it -

This is what I started with - TWO scrap bags of fabric from the Moda Bake  Shop. 

I had purchased these scrap bags a while ago - can't even remember where. They are the ends from the jelly roll cuts perhaps???   Not sure since they were a consistent 31" long - not even the width of the fabric.

I had been puzzling as to what to do with them. They were NOT all the same width. Then I borrowed a jelly row book from the library and had a peek through. Ah - here is something that might work.

Sorted the strips - the ones on the left are at least 2 1/2" - the ones on the right - 2"

Trimming off the selvedges and making them 2 1/2"

All the strips cut - well just the 2 1/2" ones - I left the others for another day.

 As I was cutting - I was trying to decide how big this quilt is going to be. Do I have enough fabric - the usual thing except that I am working with a very limited amount of fabric and strips at that. After some trusty calculations which also caused me some angst. Why - well often I see people who have these neat design books. They have snippets of fabric - their pattern - the details. I decided that I want to do that as well. I needed to make all kinds of calculations and normally I just throw it on a piece of paper. Nope - let's do that in a book instead!!!

My NEW design book

Page 2 - with fabric snippets!!!!

As I was calculating, I realized that I needed some more fabric - not much - just cornerstones and binding. A quick peek on the internet revealed that there is NOT much of this line (Frolic by Sandy Gervais) around anymore. I managed to snag two fat quarter bundles - one in the light backgrounds for the cornerstones and the pinks for the binding. Everything was cut and ordered BEFORE 6 AM.  I had picked out a light coloured backing from my stash, but then decided it wasn't appropriate. I have chosen another, but will wait until the fabric comes so I can better match the light backgrounds.

Wow - where did that come from???   Anyway - it was fun. I am trying to get projects together for the upcoming retreat. This would make a good one - lots of sewing strips together. Perfect for mindless sewing.

My overflowing scrap basket. Got to find a bag to empty it into.

Then at 8 AM when I was about to blog - I crashed!!!   I was so tired, I could barely make it to the sofa for a much needed nap!!!!

However there is good news. After much perseverance, I managed to find that missing photograph. There were a bunch of quilt pictures in a folder and this particular folder got inside another folder labeled DUCK RACE. Who would have looked in there for quilt pictures??????   So I have added that to the FLICKR page. Yeah!!!!!   And I also have rearranged all the photos on my laptop into ONE directory. Wait - not ONE directory, but ONE central directory. There are hundreds of sub directories, but bottom line - they are all in one place, not THREE central directories as they were before. Yes - there is hope that someday I can get that cleaned up. Lots that need to be filed in the proper folder, and tons that need to be deleted. 

I was also missing some other paperwork. And it was right where I filed it!!!   That was nice to put my hands on that as I need to get working on an article and someone asked to borrow part of those papers. But if I had of thought of my philosophy of putting like things (and subject related together), I would have found it right off the bat!!!!

Now - I have been working on quilt stuff as well. A lot actually........

My pillow cases - all pressed and folded

Birthday pillow cases

Remember the animal prints???   - Well it is a kit that I bought this summer.  Pre cut strips of minky that you sew together to make a quilt top. The top is done - just need to get some backing (flannel) and get it quilted!

Finished little bag

This bag just needed to be serged together. I have several others to do, but only had time to complete one. 

Let's see - Oh yes - here is ANOTHER Halloween project. My third for this season. 

The bottom part of the project

My Witch!!!!   table topper

The little squares are fused onto the fusible grid. Now it needs to be sewn - then turned inside out and embellished. Still a lot of work. But I am trying to get all the serging done that is sitting here BEFORE I get the sewing machine back up. I can't hold off much longer - I have a TON of sewing to do and not much time!!!

Got some more hand work done while I listen to my mystery audio book. 

Spider web done

Spider web almost done!

As I do more of the stem stitch (which goes pretty fast), I think I am learning how to do the stem stitch better. The direction you stitch makes a difference!  How much you pay attention makes a difference and how big you make the stitch makes a difference!!!   By the end - I will have a perfect stem stitch.

Table topper  - still a long way to go, as I have stitching around the images as well as the spider webs. 

Marian, Jim, Jeffrey and myself (with the geodogs) were supposed to go geocaching yesterday. Well - we got off to a late start. The one we chose (one I have wanted to hit for a while, but didn't want to go alone because of the terrain) was going to be hard to get to. We get down the HILL - a wicked hill I went down last year. The one Sparky did not want to go down. This year - she was fine. The cache was 400 M from the bottom of the stairs along side the CLIFF. I get 70 M from the cache and we run out of time!!!!!    ARE YOU KIDDING ME????????    Should have taken my own car!!!!!!!   GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!    And the worse thing - I KNOW BETTER. Stupid - stupid - stupid!!!!   All that clambering up and down over rocks for nothing!  Well - I did come home and iced my knee which was a tad sore, but I think we are finally past the worst of that injury. Yeah!!!!!

Kaylee leaning on her GUY!!!!    That dog LOVES to lean on people. 

This is going to be an exciting week as I have LOTS of stuff coming in the mail!!!!   

And now I have a quilt to finish and pies to make for dinner!!!

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!