Browsing Tag
work in progress
It’s been a while since I’ve worked on anything with a color palette that didn’t involve some sort of orange, and I can only compare it to this: it’s like eating pizza every night for dinner and then finally eating some vegetables. You still really love pizza, but sometimes a salad is just the thing you need to keep yourself feeling well. That’s what it was like to pull out these gypsy wife fabrics, which have been accumulating in the closet since April! They were a delicious, good-for-my-soul treat!
The fact that I am so behind the schedule of most others working on this BOM really helped me to enjoy the process, too. There was no pressure to get things done within a specific time frame. I just allowed myself to play with all of the pieces of fabric, (and my new Alison Glass stash) and feel the creativity flow. Ahhhhhhhhh.
Next up, starting to tackle the 60 or so filler blocks!
So! How about you? What’s on the agenda for this week? Will you be sewing much over the 4th of July weekend? Hope you have a relaxing time, however you spend it!
Linking up with Lee at WIP Wednesday!
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about my home. Specifically our space. How we use it. How much we have in it. How it’s decorated. I want our home to be a place of comfort, of safety; and I want everything in the home to add value to our lives. I want everything to have a place. And to feel calm, not chaotic. I know that sounds a little ridiculous with three boys ages 5, 3 and 2. (Especially if you read this, which is really accurate – and funny). But, to the extent that this can be achievable (and here’s an article that has some tips for doing so), I want to try. I want to pare down our “stuff.” And make the belongings we have, more meaningful. So far, I’ve been tossing or donating one item a day. It’s been a few weeks, so there’s been some progress, but in full disclosure — it hasn’t made much of a dent!
So, what’s this got to do with quilting you ask? Well, to make an already long story short (sorry!), you may remember that I currently sew at my dining room table. Which is not ideal, because it’s the only table in the house. It means I have to move my works-in-progress and put them away. A LOT. But I do it, because sewing is my creative and emotional outlet. Amidst the chaos, it brings me calm. But lately. . .that’s just the sewing time. The rest of the time, when I see my machine on the table, and the ironing board out, and pieces of fabric all over the chairs, and I know I’m going to have to move it because it’s almost time to eat. . . well, it stresses me out!
So, can you help a girl out?!?! Please tell me: what are some of your solutions for keeping things related to your sewing manageable and contained? Do you have a dedicated “studio” space in your house? Do you limit yourself to specific-sized projects? a specific-sized stash? or do you have other ways to make sure your sewing doesn’t creep in and overwhelm the non-sewing spaces in your house? I’d love to know!
Okay, so here’s my progress report! I finished the From the Heart block for Gypsy Wife last night, only to realize that (a) I was supposed to start the next block as well, and (b) I was also supposed to start working on the “filler” blocks for the quilt. Oh well, there is only so much time in the day, between soccer games, grocery store visits, birthday parties and the likes!
I also finished my paper-pieced block for LIMOD, but the sun is already too far down to allow me to get a decent picture of it, so I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to show you.
Finally, the last, and most exciting (scary, terrifying, thinking-about-it-when-I-can’t-sleep) thing to share is my fabrics which arrived for my first-ever queen-sized quilt. I was worried that the orange would be too orange-y, if you know what I mean, but I am very happy that they lean toward the papaya/cheddar side of the orange spectrum.
Whaddya think?!?! I added just a pop of peacock blue in there and may add a speck of ash grey if it works, but there is lots and lots of white to keep it fresh and light, and I think this quilt is going to remind me of sunshine and citrus as I work! Okay, that’s all for now! Happy Day!
