gosh! It's been ages!

Happy New Year! My plans for the year include 2 very important resolutions: stay positive and finish what I start!  I had a couple others that I joked about on facebook, but I have already busted those wide open!  This is going to be a great year!  (See, the positive one is already taking effect!)

I haven't worked on Jane for several months because I have been dealing with other, regular-life stuff. 

I did go to Houston for the quilt festival and had a great time.  Stayed with my aunt who I haven't seen in years.  Saw my sister, my grandmother and my high-school best friend while I was there. didn't buy as much stuff as I thought I might.  I actually didn't buy much fabric at all, but I used all the cool things that I learned to make many of my Christmas gifts this year.  I am addicted to my Kaleidoscope Kreator! good times!

I have been busy this weekend trying to finish BOM projects before this year's start up on Saturday. It's the little deal I make with myself every year when I sign up for new ones. I was in three clubs last year and have almost finished the tops from two of them. I have only signed up for two clubs this year.  What will i do with all my time?  Probably make my projects in two or more colorways,like I do every year.

I will post some pictures of what I completed, but tomorrow.  I have to go catch up on my sleep now.  I'm too old to stay up on New Year's Eve anymore.  Either that or my body needs to stop waking up at 5 AM even on the weekends!

Until tomorrow!

Piece out!
Kris

Patiently Waiting Jane

Dear Jane,
Oh how excited I have been to start our journey together.  Even the preliminary “practice” blocks I have done get me swooning.  However, Jane, I will have to delay a bit more as I have over-extended myself once again.  Either that or I am just lazy.  (I am more inclined to believe the lazy part!)

I still have 20 blocks for my Michael Miller BOM (yes, I am behind) & 6 paper-pieced stars for my chain gang & 2 new blocks for the Nifty Nine Patch.  The project I am working on at work is stressing me out & occupying my brain outside of work hours. And I still haven’t finished the great sewing room migration.  My new bedroom works very well, but the sewing room looks like a tornado hit! This is in addition to normal everyday things like grocery shopping, laundry & dishes.

One piece of good news, Jane!  I no longer have all of my Saturdays full!  I only have clubs on the first & third Saturdays of the month, so next month looks really good!  Also, a good friend came over & installed my garbage disposal this week, so I am a happy camper!

I did spend some time with Dear Jane-EQ last week, so I am still familiarizing myself with that.  It’s a pretty cool program, but I wish it had all the functionality of the regular EQ programs.  I can’t edit the blocks except to change the colors.  I would like to change the rotary cutting instructions to use fewer pieces, but it won’t let me do it.

If I can get my butt in gear today & wake up, I am sure I can whip out those 20 blocks.  I think the stars will take considerably longer since I am no pro at paper-piecing, so I might leave them for next weekend.  We’ll see.  Oh, but first I have to make peanut butter banana bread for work tomorrow.  One more distraction!

I really want to get going so I will leave you here.  Dear, dear Jane.  I so look forward to seeing you again!

Piece out!

K

Today's Doin's

Well, I got three blocks done & sorted out my hair.

I usually do a practice block for my block of the month.  This one is the practice block:

 

This one is the real one:

 

This is one of the Chain Gang blocks:

 

So...now on to the hair!

This was me yesterday, before I started drinking margaritas!

 

And this is me now!

 

Bit of a change!  Now I always have to wear makeup otherwise I look washed out. Oh well, I suppose there are worse things in life.

Maybe I should change my profile pic?

Piece out!

K



Sew many projects. Sew little time

I took today off work so that I could catch up on a bunch of stuff.  It’s supposed to be a really nice day, so it would be a shame to spend the whole day inside.

I still have to finish moving all my bedroom stuff into the small bedroom & the guestroom/sewing stuff into the big bedroom.  The quest to move my sewing into a contained space is still going forth!  I finally moved all my fabric stash onto a table in the new sewing room.  It still needs to be sorted & put into the cabinets or donated to my guild.  At least I can sleep in my own bed now instead of the daybed as it’s no longer covered with the fabric from my cabinets.   

I also have many sewing projects that need to be caught up:
o   Nifty Nine Patch block of the month (club tomorrow)-I have 2 months worth to do.
o   Rosie’s Chain Gang block of the month (club next Saturday)-I have 2 months of the chain & several months of the paper-pieced stars to finish.  At least this is the last meeting of this club.
o   Michael Miller Clubhouse (third Saturday of the month) –I have 2 months of blocks (6-8 each) to catch up on.
o   Baby quilt for a friend, but I don’t have to have that for a while.  It sure would be nice to get it finished early so I don’t have to rush at the end.
o   And of course, I want to get to my Jane blocks.

 In addition, I need to do something with my hair.  It is out of control!

 So, what do I do first?  I think I will start off with breakfast & tea.  Then make my decision!

I’ll let you know what I accomplish today.

Piece out!

K

My new software's here! My new software's here!

I made an executive decision. I ordered the EQ Dear Jane software. AND IT'S HERE!

I was having a harder time drafting the blocks than I thought I would. I still would like to learn to draft the patterns myself, but I can live with myself even if I use the software. :)

What am I doing typing? I'm going to play with my new toy!!

Piece out!

K

Some like it hot, me, not so much...

Ever let your fingers get too close to the iron when pressing? How about handling those freshly pressed pieces for your block? I don't know about you, Precious, but I am tired of burning my fingerses.

 I remember a Fons & Porter episode where the girls got a tip from a hairdresser. Apparently I have been out of the hair biz too long to not know about this!



It's a glove that stylists can use when working with really hot flat or curling irons. (Not so much for the iron itself, but that hair is smokin' hot when it comes off the iron!)

Now I don't have to worry about my tender little digits! I can't wait to try it out!

BTW, I got mine on sale at Sally's Beauty Supply this week, for $6.99 minus my pro discount! Great deal!

Institute the draft! (of patterns)

OMG! Four & a half inch blocks are really small! Drafting the patterns are very challenging. Not that I am not up to that challenge...I just have to put my mind in it completely.  After drafting several & figuring out instructions, I can't wait until I can get the EQ Dear Jane!

Other ideas are flowing through my brain while I contemplate the measurements and procedures. What if I did it this way? What about this? Question is, how many times will I do the same block until I am satisfied?  I may just start doing a bunch of the easy ones so I feel like I am accomplishing something! 

I'm spending this weekend working on my house. Spring cleaning in July (now that the weather doesn't act like it's winter anymore!) I'm tired of all my sewing stuff gravitating from the dining room into the living room & even the kitchen. So I am putting a stop to it. I am switching the bedrooms around & using the big room as my sewing room. I just have to figure out how to disassemble my IKEA daybed since it won't fit through the door!

More progress next week, I hope...

Piece out!

K

UPDATE: Disassemmbled daybed with no trouble.  The cabinets on the other hand...let's just say I will need all the ibuprofen I can handle the rest of the day & tomorrow!