Free Weekends

I'm not used to free time. Being an architecture student means that you're busy almost all the time- making drawings, making models, complaining to your classmates about how miserable you are, etc. So when we actually do get a moment to ourselves that doesn't involve schoolwork, we don't know how to fill it.

I've had a couple free weekends as of late, and it's bizarre. That's actually one of the reasons why I got into quilting more, so I had something creative do to in my down time. I can't actually sit and relax, I prefer to always be doing something. And quilting has been AWESOME for that. I get to be busy and creative, and it's not stressful!

The only problem is that the TV is downstairs and my machine is in the loft.

I did finish the top of Hanna's quilt this weekend though! It just needs a back. Story of my life, right?

I lined up the diagonals really well.

A Busy, Happy Monday

I presented my mid-term work on Friday, so I've found myself in a rare calm spot work-wise. Even rarer, I had a weekend to myself in my apartment! So, I got busy and worked on a few things I've been eyeballing.

First, I found Maureen Cracknell's Herringbone Quilt on the internet, and was dying to make it. I've never done a "quilt as you go" project before, but I had been collecting bits of batting from other quilts I've finished and figured now was as good a time as any to try something new!

I realized halfway through that none of my strips are really the same size. They're supposed to be 64 inches long, and they're mostly longer than that. Which is great, I can trim a quilt. But still, I felt silly once I realized that. I guess I'll just turn the extra bits into some really nice potholders.

My roommate Hanna has been collecting fat quarters that she likes for a while. She doesn't sew, so she gave me her collection to do something with. As soon as she handed me that bag, this quilt came into my mind. So I added a few pieces from my stash, and the quilt has been coming together nicely! I have two strips left, then I can start putting it together.

Second, I have decided to start piecing a back for the Salty Triangles quilt top I finished in August. I have a bunch of random bits of fabric that I'm slapping together for the back- actual Salt Water prints, a little triangle block I threw together this summer, some extra white fabric from my Sister's Ten quilt, and some nice cream fabric that I found out was actually two king sized pillowcases. So, there you go.

It's not done yet.

But I am so digging this clothesline on my loft. It's a great place to keep my projects (much better than the floor, or on my bed), and it makes a nice fort to hide behind.

Happy Monday, folks!

Working and Progress

I have been silent on the blogosphere lately because of spring break (wooooo!) And because of midterms (not wooooo!)

I'm presenting my work this Friday at 2, so I'm drowning in drawings and ideas right now. I have to go buy materials today too, which is boring when its not fabric.

But I got word today that the triangle quilt was received and is well loved!

A Day at the Beach

I escaped snowy Blacksburg for sunny Florida! It's so nice to be somewhere that isn't cold, for once. It's not hot here, since I'm only about 9 miles south of Georgia, but it's better than snow and ice.

I brought the triangle wedding quilt along for some photos. I made sure to pack it nice and tenderly in my Farmer's Market Tote, to keep the sand off it. I made it all the way down to the beach, pushing our little beach cart with towels and beer (Spring Break woo!), and then I tilted the cart backward... and the quilt fell out into the sand. SAD. I was able to brush it all off though.

The couple who this is for actually honeymooned in the Outer Banks, so this beach setting is fitting for the debut of their quilt.

I saw some people in blog land making half square triangle quilts like this, and it seemed fun and exciting for a gift quilt. So, I picked some pretty bright colors and went to town! The solids are Kona, and the prints are from Architextures and some blue scalloped fabric I got from my grandma.

This isn't a really "wedding"y quilt, especially with all the colors. But I think it's a fun and exciting quilt, weddings be damned! 

Here are the top five uses for this quilt:

1. To snuggle under with the new hunny bunny on the couch (in those cold Chicago winters where the couple lives right now)

2. To have a picnic on (not in those cold Chicago winters)

3. As a cape when the new wife/husband suddenly needs help and they can swoop in to save the day

4. To plop the new baby on to play (if/when they have a baby, preferably after graduation happens)

5. As a headboard for the bed!

I hope they like it!

My New Space

I've had a hard time finding time for sewing this semester. I'm busy with architecture school, my roommates are busy with school, and I haven't had a free weekend to sew since January. To add to the difficulty, my roommate uses our only table to study on, and I feel bad taking it over to sew all the time.

But despite that, I made time to finish the Triangle Wedding Quilt! And let me just say, my new machine quilts like a dream. I love it. That integrated walking foot is the neatest piece of technology. When I want to use it, I just pull it down and it pops into place. Quilting done? I can pop it right back up out of the way. And the throat is huge! It's magnificent!

I had to get the hang of shuffling around fabric.

Quilting this quilt was a bit of a challenge, but in a really random way. I don't have a marking pencil or a chalk pencil, so I was marking some of the straight lines with pins. And I got stuck a lot. Oh man, I had one go under my nail when I reached into my pin tin. That one hurt. And when I was hand sewing the binding on, I realized I didn't have a thimble. So, my right middle finger got a nice prick in it from pushing that needle in.

But the quilt is done! I'm heading to Florida today to escape the winter weather (Seriously, it snowed AGAIN this morning. I am so done), and I brought the quilt along for some photos. 

And I'd like to share with you my new sewing space! My other roommate felt bad at my struggles with the kitchen table, so she brought a card table from home and I made a new (permanent!) sewing space up in my loft. Next to my bed.

 

It's not the most spacious area, but it means I have a place to work that doesn't bother my roomies, which is really important to me. I've actually got the motivation to work on some of my other unfinished quilt tops now! Salty Triangles or Sister's Ten: Octopus Edition anyone? (names pending) But then I have to think about how I'm going to quilt them... and I actually don't have a free motion foot for my machine. Alas!

Be inspired, everyone! Winter is almost over, and a spring of sewing is just around the corner!