never gonna get better at posting...

I'm terrible at blogging. I don't know why I try.
It doesn't matter because I'm writing now anyway.
The sewing for the 56 blocks of my quilt are done.
BUT! Some still need ironing, and they all need their dimensions checked and/or fixed.
Then, put those together, check dimensions, add borders, check dimensions, make the back, check dimensions.
Then off to be quilted I guess. :)
I still need to decide on a backing fabric, possibly solid gray, and binding fabric, no ideas there...decisions, decisions.
Pictures forth coming. I hope.

Work Continues...

I don't have a lot to show for the last few weeks.
I've been sewing away on the quilt, a little each night. And I have part of the center of each block sewn and ironed. But nothing really worth taking a picture of.
The groups of fabrics are all sorted and in rows on my bedroom floor. Teagan likes to play with her fish toy on them. She knows she shouldn't be on the fabric, but it gets my attention. And like any good toddler, any attention is good attention.
Teagan is a dog, for anyone who doesn't know. She's almost 4, but she acts like she's a puppy still.
As for spinning, I've finished the singles from a batt of merino/silk. For the record, it spun like butter, so smooth and perfect. I also spun AND plied a skein of yarn for a trade I'm making with someone locally that makes box bags. I learned the hard way why singles need to rest. Plying was not fun.
And in the knitting part of my world I've finished the sweater I was working on, and it just needs buttons. I can knit an entire sweater in 3 weeks but putting buttons on it is proving to be the challenge. I also knit a shop sample for Knit & Knot in Iowa, just a simple Turn a Square hat. Now I'm just trying to finish up some socks before starting something new.
I really will try to get pictures soon. Promise.

Lots of Pieces

I have made several hundred pieces for my quilt. They look like this:They satisfy that little bit of OCD that creeps up from time to time.
The next step? Layout the entire quilt, or well, the blocks. I created an Excel spreadsheet matching the fabric patterns to create all unique blocks. But because some of the patterns have an "up" and a "down" I want to make sure each block is made with all of the fabrics "up".
I'll grab a picture of that before I try to label it, stack it, and start sewing.
Closeup:So many perfect little pieces! Nearly perfect, at least.

First Quilt: Fabric and Cutting Pieces Day #1

After a lovely weekend in Iowa with knitters and quilters, the crafting bug really bit me.
Hard.
Before I even started my trip back to PA, I had purchased a pattern. A nice, simply modern pattern. Completely my style.
I had also decided on a color scheme: light purple, butter yellow and soft gray.
So, this last weekend I went to Loom and came home with this:
Left: accent color and a skinny border
Moving right: blues as one of my main colors
Next column: grays as my other main color
Right: the white is a medium width border, the yellow is the outside, and widest, border.
Most of the fabrics are not traditional, and have decently large repeating patterns, but I really love all of them.
Lastly, this afternoon I started the cutting. All of the blue and gray fabrics were cut into strips, which will later be cut into smaller pieces.
This is 80 strips, and only 2/3 of the strips I will need before continuing the cutting process:
That top piece has a picture of a ship in the hair of a silhouette. Adorable.
Next up: the remainder of the cutting. By my rough calculations I'll have at least 540 individual pieces!
P.S. This weekend I've also spun 8oz of fiber and knit a sleeve for a sweater. The crafting is not slowing down. Not in the least.

Five Things

1. I've been drinking 64oz of fluids per day as part of a contest with a friend. The rules: up to half can be something other than water, but only 25% can contain calories and only 25% can contain caffiene. Which means a 16oz latte leaves me with 48oz of water to drink for the day. But a 16oz Diet Coke and a 16oz glass of juice (which would be a lot) would leave me with only 32oz of water for the day. Drinking that much fluid is actually pretty easy, my hunger is more even throughout the day, and I've lost a pound or two in two weeks. It is a little bit of thought and effort, but so worth it.
2. I have too many hobbies. Between knitting and spinning, I could keep myself busy for hours a day, and I kind of do. But read #3...
3. I maybe, kind of, really want to start sewing a quilt. Go big or go home.
4. I love my dog. She's the best.
5. Hi Zoe!

Desires

I’ve never been one for resolutions based on the New Year. No one in my family has ever been really into it, so I’ve never really been encouraged to have my own. This year is no exception; I’m not dedicating myself to anything that I can fail at. I find that to be particularly discouraging. So instead, in 2012 I want to remember this:

There is almost always more of something that is desirable.

I feel like this applies to many parts of my life. For instance, I don’t need to eat something as if I’ll never have it ever again. Because the chances are really good that I’ll have an opportunity to have it again. I’ve heard we need food to survive, and that there are whole stores where you can get pretty much whatever you want. As for the non-edible parts of my life, I have a large yarn and fiber stash. As much fun as it is to build said stash, there is always more to be had. And I have found that waiting is worth it when I find something I love even more than what I passed up before.

So this year I want to exercise a little restraint. Indulge the cravings when they are unbearable, but remember that there is absolutely no need to over indulge either.

I’m hoping to work through the yarn and fiber stashes in the first half of the year and then maintain a lower inventory the remainder of the year. I’ve successfully sold a couple dozen skeins of yarn on Ravelry, and I’m hoping to continue in that direction. And maybe I’ll sell some of my own yarn later in the year as well.

As for food, I am making a conscious decision to eat healthier, but I’m definitely not counting anything.

Lastly, instead of a resolution, a good friend and I are having a friendly contest to drink more water, my daily goal is 64oz. We’ll post daily how we’ve done; rules will be available somewhere on there too. My first impression: that’s a lot of water.

In crafting news, I knit baby booties, two pairs of socks, an infinity scarf, and a big stranded hat for Christmas gifts. I am now knitting and spinning for myself for a while. First up: a 2-ply mash-up of a 4oz braid and 4+oz batt of purples and yellows and a pair of Gothic Spire socks by Cookie A. Pictures soon.

One of THOSE days...

Ever have one of those days where you did something you know you shouldn't have? Hello, Tuesday, June 7th, 2011.

Reminder to self: Keep it to yourself. When in doubt, keep your mouth closed. Even when NOT in doubt, also keep your mouth closed.

Not productive to the conversation? Don't say it.
Going to hurt someone's feelings if they hear it? Also: shhh.

Payment: A lot of feeling pretty, no, very dumb.
Oh, and the karma payment? Several hundred dollars in fixes to my car.

Knitting-wise, I'm working on the edging to my Bridgewater shawl. It will be impressive when I finish.

I have FOs to show as well, but have not added the pictures yet. Soon, though.