It's Been One of Those Days and a NewFO

Let me backtrack to yesterday. I wrote my blog post and scheduled it to post at 7am because I had a doctor appointment this morning and knew I wouldn't be able to do it before I left. I needed the Geek Squad to look at my computer and see why the security program wouldn't let my printer print and then I was going to come home and update the link to Kate's blog. But it didn't work out that way. The Geek Squad wanted to keep my computer, remove the offending Kaspersky, and clear my computer before loading a new security program. That took 5 hours. Then I had to reload MS Office, reconnect to the internet router, and then load a new security program because they didn't do it after all. Another hour. Then Hubby brought home a new storm door for the back door that keeps leaking when it rains even though we've replaced it and all the weatherstripping twice. It didn't take me very long to do my part helping him with the door; it was cleaning up after burning the chicken I had left on the stove that took a long time. In fact, the house still stinks and I've had all the fans and windows open for three hours.

I've cut out soda, and had cut out sweets starting this week, but this was a night that called for chocolate.

My biggest project for April has been trying to organize my stash.  I'm still working on my sewing room, aka guest room, but having my fabrics scattered throughout the house makes every sewing project so much harder that it is really number one.  While organizing my stash, I found I have too much scrap denim.  So much that the box wouldn't shut.  So last month I made the denim apron, and a few days ago started this quilt project by making the templates and then cut about fifty circles (with regular scissors) until my hand started cramping and my thumb went numb. Oops, I think I need to pace myself. I've still got a lot of jeans to cut but it's a nice, mindless project to do while watching tv. The squares should go quickly; the hardest part will be deciding which fabrics to use.  Right now, it's a UFO, or NewFO as Barbara of Cat Patches calls them. So I'm linking this NewFO to her blog. Maybe that will encourage me to keep going on it.

This is the only project I've started in April, other than the shower curtain, which wasn't much of a project.  I looked back on my April goals, and saw that I had planned to make another apron.  That didn't get done, and I don't think it will get done in May either.  Besides the garden which is breeding weeds like mosquitoes in an old tire, I get to spend some time in St. Louis with my daughter.  I will be sewing curtains for her, so I guess that will be my sewing goal for May.

What projects did you start in April?

15 Minute Challenge, Experimenting with Shower Curtains

For years I've used a clear plastic liner as a shower curtain. Not pretty, but lets in light so we can see to shave. I hate taking a shower in the dark. However, a plastic shower curtain doesn't draw back well and is hard to clean. I put it in the washer and it does fine, but being plastic, it doesn't spin well and doesn't do well in the dryer at all.

I used to have a cloth shower curtain made by a name brand company and I liked it, except it was too short for my current shower. I did like the way it hung and how easy it was to throw into the washer with the sheets every week. But I also wanted to cover the shower rod, and most shower curtains don't do that, so I decided to try making one out of a queen sized sheet. I bought a set with 600 thread count, but it must be a cheapo brand because the hem started fraying after the first wash. They also don't feel like 600 thread count. When I make another, I'll buy some that are better quality, but these were fine for experimenting and now I know what to do next time.

This month, Kate at Life in Pieces has been talking about observation. Last week in particular I wanted to chime in and tell her how observation affects my quilting. Take, for example, my bottle of shampoo. There is a design on it that I just love, kind of a spirograph flower, and I've been contemplating a quilt with that design for several years. Or sometimes I watch shade filtering through a tree, changing the colors of the flowers and grass underneath, and think what a pretty quilt could be made from those colors. Sometimes I see a shape that could become a cartoon character or a cute character for embroidery. Design is all around us; sometimes I just have to take off my glasses to see it.

When I picked up mom's machine from the repair shop, I also shopped for some fabric to make a pinwheel type baby quilt. I ended up with these fabrics (and the quilt pattern is in the book opened beside it).

So, on to the business side of this post, or how I've spent my sewing time. I spent four of the last seven days with needle and thread and the last three days measuring fabric. I'm still trying to get my sewing stuff unpacked and organized, and then I need to find a place for everything in the guest room I'll use as a sewing room.

Next is my stash buster report, which should be named stash collector as I seem to be adding rather than subtracting from it.

One reason I have added when I should be subtracting to the stash is that it is so hard to find a fabric in it. My stash is kept in nine plastic boxes under a guest room bed, and four of the boxes are fairly difficult to reach. My stash inventory just lists general colors which doesn't help at all when it comes to finding a fabric for a project. Like the six yards bought for the baby quilt I need to make. I knew I had some fabric in my stash, but I hadn't been able to find it. But I had an aha moment this week and decided to not only measure each piece of fabric in my stash, but to photograph them and put them on a spreadsheet. That way, I can easily look through pictures of my stash, see the amount of fabric for each, and choose a quilt pattern that uses what I have. It looks like this:

I'm joining Kate at Life in Pieces for her 15 Minute Challenge. Pop over there to see how others have met the challenge this week, and don't be shy, join in and show us what you've been working on.

April in The Year of the Finished Project

In March, the only thing I completed was the apron I remade from a denim dress. I hope to do better in April.



My goal for April is to make another apron, make a cloth shower curtain for my master bath, and make curtains for Lil's bedroom. When I go there, I'll leave her my little Janome, that is if mom's Pfaff comes out of the shop sewing well. I did take it in today and the main repairman raved about that Pfaff, so I'm encouraged that it will be a good machine for me. If not, I know I won't have to ask him twice if he wants to buy it. He said he has been searching for two years for that very machine to give his mother.

I'm linking this up to Never Too Hot to Stitch. These are just goals, check back at the end of the month to see if they were accomplished.

Blessings,
Marti

15 Minute Challenge and A Dress Makeover

I was going to take mom's Pfaff to the shop last Tuesday, but I couldn't get it out of the cabinet by myself. Hubby helped me with that Tuesday night so I could take it Wednesday. The next morning I got up, got dressed, and started to head out. That's when I noticed that there was no power cord. It wasn't connected to the foot feed the way my other machines have been. I spent most of that day looking and finally gave up. It's probably packed in one of our pre-remodel boxes. So instead, I decided to do some regular sewing with the little Janome to see if it would do what Lil needs.

She wants to make some curtains and I'm sure it will be able to do that, but she also wants to learn to sew clothing, and I wasn't sure it could go over those seams. I have been wanting an apron with ties long enough to wrap around front and hang a towel over them. When I'm cooking, I swear I wash my hands every five minutes. Chef's on tv just wipe their hands on a towel, so I thought I could do that too. Except after eggs or raw meat. Ewww.



While searching for fabric, I opened my scrap denim box and found this old dress that no longer fit, and thought I could make it into an apron. Sorry, it seemed silly to iron it since I was going to be washing it after I clipped the edges.



And here's how it turned out after cutting out the back, putting a few tucked rows across the bottom, clipping them, and adding a new neck back, ties, and ruffle out of a floral fabric.



I'm a little concerned that it might be too warm, but I can hang a towel on it, and it will protect my shirt from splatters.



So here is my official chart showing how little sewing I actually got done.



Join us at Kate's Life in Pieces to see how others met the 15 minute challenge and join in too.

Also this week, I've decided to start posting my stash buster report in hopes it will keep me working on the stash.