Category Archives: quilts

Swoon – 3 + 4

 I got a little behind, but I’m back on track now.
It’s week 5 and I have Swoon blocks 3 & 4 completed. With any luck, block 5 will be done by the end of the week. Cross your fingers. 

Week Two, Block Two

I am really making an effort to get some things made this week. I turned off the t.v., am limiting my time on the computer and I am trying really hard to stay focused. I have my little list of things I want to accomplish this week and I am working through it. Block # 2 of the Swoon Quilt is crossed off the list. 

One Down

I just finished piecing together the first block for the Swoon quilt. Man, I don’t know if I’m rusty at piecing or what, but that took me the better half of the day. I had to think too much on this one. I’m kinda mad at myself because right out of the gate I cut the fabric wrong. I wanted the dark fabric to be where the light fabric is and the light where the dark is. Only eight more to go…. I was going to try to make this quilt quickly, but I think I might shoot for completing one block a week. That sounds more
 do-able. It is good to be quilting again, though. Even if I did have to match a bunch of points. ;)

Longest Post Ever

Shew… it’s been a little while since I’ve posted. There has been so much going on, I’m not quite sure where to begin. The Holidays were a whirlwind. As much as I tried to get most things done to prepare for the holiday early, I was still making preparations right up to the bitter end. For some reason I had pictured in my mind a December where I would sit back and relax while knitting and quilting by the fire. Uhhh… that didn’t happen. I actually don’t know why I ever thought it would.  I managed to get Nolan’s Christmas stocking knitted and hung by the fire with care by the night before Christmas Eve. Nothing like waiting til the 11th hour. I’ll have to post pictures of it later. (I just realized I forgot to take one.) If I am adding it all up correctly, Nolan’s stocking would be the 17th stocking I have knitted for family members over the years. I have an 18th to make this year, as my sister is due in February. Last year I was on bed rest during the holidays, so I think this year I was trying to make up for that. I baked waaay to much, tried to make waaay to many handmade gifts, and ran around completing errands waaay to much. It was Nolan’s first Christmas and I wanted everything to be special and to begin to make some new traditions.
Let’s see… what else. I went ahead and got a jump on my New Years Resolution. This is the year I am going to lose weight. I am damn determined to finally get it off. All 50 lbs. of it! I decided after a shopping trip that I was going to have to get serious about losing weight. I was having trouble fitting into the clothes at store I used to always shop at. Apparently these stores don’t want the big girls sportin’ their style. I used to be a solid size 6. I used to walk in these stores and pick something off the rack and take it home. I wouldn’t even need to try it on. Not so much now. Shirts don’t button up over my boobs and if they do they have that oh so lovely gap. Pants don’t look right, (i.e. muffin top) etc… You know the story. Anyway… it was pretty depressing. So after I binged on some holiday cookies and feeling sorry for myself for a little while, I bit the bullet and got myself a personal trainer. I started my workouts the Monday after Thanksgiving. I know what you’re thinking…the holidays are only like the worst time ever to start a diet, but I figured it was just like any other day. It was just another excuse to not diet. I have been lifting weight with the trainer 3 times a week and following his diet and I am proud to say that as of today, six weeks into it, I am 13 lbs. lighter. I still have a long way to go, but 13 pounds is 13 pounds! (and that is during the holidays… I kinda feel like saying Boo-ya!) Now I am adding in cardio. I’m signing up to do the Cooper River Bridge Run at the end of March. I am making goals and sticking with it. (hide yo boyfriends laaaadies! I’m bringing Sexyback. tee hee.)
Okay, next. Anthony, Nolan, Fletcher, my mom and I did the Running of the Lights at Tanglewood on New Years Eve. It’s a 5.5K race that takes you thru the Festival of the Lights at Tanglewood Park. It starts at midnight and it is a lot of fun. We walked it, but maybe next year I’ll run it. Who knows.
Ummm, what else…. Nolan turns one tomorrow. I can’t believe it’s been a year. At this time last year I was having contractions and trying really hard to deny that I was having contractions. He is such a great baby. I am so lucky to be his and Fletcher’s mom! I’ll post pictures of his party. We are going with the Animal Cookies Theme. It came out kind cute. If anyone has suggestions on how to make red icing with out it tasting super nasty from all the food coloring you have to add to it, I’d be glad to know.
To sum up the longest post ever…. everything is good here, boys are happy and healthy which makes me happy. I’m working on the healthy- that’s top priority. I WANT to quilt. I did not make or finish very many quilts last year and I plan to do better this year. I have some to complete and many I want to start. I have my brain full of new ideas that I want to make for Flaunt. I have tutorials I want to share….blah, blah,blah. I want to thank you all for stopping by my blog and taking the time to read it. It’s kinda a good feeling knowing that there are people out there that stop by.
Oh yeah, that picture way, way, way back up there at the top is the beginnings of a new quilt.
I’ll just say… Swoon, Pat Bravo, Kona. Stay tuned ….

Lots To Do

It seems like I have an endless “To Do” list lately. I guess the best thing about that is I seem to stay more focused and get more done when I have a lot to do. Here’s a sneak peak of the latest quilt I am working on. I hope to have it done by the end of the weekend.

In the middle of everything… this is going on in my kitchen. After ten years of a counter top I never liked, I am finally getting new ones. So, today is demo day in the kitchen. The hubby already tore down the old back splash and today he is taking off the old counter tops. Darn… I planned on cooking a nice big dinner, too. Oh well, guess I can’t. (Yeah right, like I was going to cook. But that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.) New counter tops get here Friday. I can’t wait! After that, hubby has to put up a new back splash. I’m thinking subway tile. Then I need to make a new window treatment for the window over the sink, then we need to recover the bar stools, then we need………the list goes on.

I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Quilt Sampler Magazine

The Spring 2011 issue of Quilt Sampler Magazine put out by Better Homes and Gardens is now on stands. The magazine features my favorite shop and good friend, Karen Gray. If you get a chance, stop by her shop and pick one up. It has a great pattern by her in it and I got to quilt it for her.

I feel like a superstar, because my name is in the magazine. She has kits all ready to go, so pick one of those up too, while you’re there.

Finished Quilts and Four Month Olds

I finally finished a quilt! It’s for my sweet little niece who turns 2 this week. I made it using this pattern, which I have to say, was super easy.
And I had to throw in a picture of this major cutie! He is now four months old. Time sure does go by fast. He is getting so big!

Block #2 = Done

Moving right along on my applique quilt, I am happy to say that I am a block ahead of my planned one block a month. Here’s hoping that I can keep this pace up.
On a side note; I heard on the news the other day that lack of sleep can make you appear uglier than you really are. Great! They really give the mother of a newborn a lot to feel confident about. Ugggh!

Baby + Quilt

Nolan is one month this week. I can’t believe it, one month already. Times goes by so fast. I already can’t remember Fletcher being this small (even though I know he was), so I am trying really hard to soak up every moment of it. In some of the quiet time, when Nolan is sleeping and Fletcher is at preschool, I put together another version of this baby quilt. It went together so quickly. (Rumor has it Karen has put together some kits with this pattern for the shop.)

Field Trip

Today I took my first official outing with Nolan. (I’m talking about going somewhere besides the pediatrician.) You know exactly where we went, too. Of course, we went to the fabric store. Of course, I bought fabric. Of course, I am thinking of starting another quilt. Of course, (as established in the last post) I am crazy!