June, eyuh...

Is anyone out there like me? I get the June blahs. I used to call it Spring Fever. Every year, about this time, I get a giant case of what the French call ennui. I don't want to do anything, go anywhere, talk to anyone. It took me two hours to pull three fabrics together from my stash when I expected three minutes! (But I do like 'em.)
So that's my excuse for not blogging much. I'll see what I can do. The good news is that I know this will end. I'll perk up and get back to routine. And three posts a week!

Guess What I Did on Memorial Day

That's right. I quilted. More specifically, I attached the binding on the two quilts I got back from Yuki, the Super-Quilter! This one is called "Living Color, " I think. Of course, I always hand-finish my bindings and hand-sew my humble little homemade labels. Yes, I'm still working on it. Got one side and two corners done. The quilt block is a Jacob's Ladder from a block swap. I really like it. I'm planning to put it on the bed in my studio so I'll get to enjoy it. Below is a detail of Yuki's faboo pattern!

My Latest Creative Endeavors

Miss Mousie is done! Well, the top is anyway. Jan is making the back, Therese will put it together, and soon the quilt will be done completely. It's so nice being part of a team!I've been making Mile-a-Minute blocks like crazy. I can't seem to stop! I set up an ironing station in the bathroom because of the heat. I'm using my Little Darlin' in its special table. It's quieter and I've been sewing when everyone's asleep.Also, it was Crazy Hair Day at my DD's school. Last year I turned her into a peacock and this year, well, she was delicious! The hardest part was turning her hair into noodles!Also, I've been writing a part in the Treks in Sci-Fi RPG. It's so much fun! I came up with a character that's a scientist on a Starship. I finally get to write fiction again. And I'm not half bad, if I do say so myself!

Stash Busted!

So I had jury duty this week and last. It kind of ate into my creative time, if you know what I mean. It's not like they encourage knitting in the jury box. Our bailiff made sure we understood that right off the bat. It was a civil case, threatening to last six weeks. Yes, I said six weeks! Ai! Happily, they settled, freeing seventeen civilians back to their various pursuits.

Me, I got into my fabric stash and sorted it out. Things had gotten a bit out of hand, fabric falling on me when I went to get something out of a box, loose quilt blocks flapping around... not a pretty sight. There are still a few fat quarter bundles that need a new box, but I'm working on it. But this is how things look now:

Flannel

I decided that I don't really like working on flannel, so I emptied my flannel box (incidentally making room for another multicolor box) and made kits: two Stitched Scraps, one bright, one muted; and four Disappearing Nine-Patch--and these even have the backs ready to go! And all that's left is shreds and... a few scraps which I'll put up on Freecycle later! Yay!

Leapfrog

So in March I made this frog quilt, using up some of my stash and took it to Prayer Quilt Ministry. Here's a close-up of the top:

V stuck it in the top bank, figuring it was for a juvenile.Well, a request came in just a couple of weeks later for Melanie , who is so sick we want to rush this quilt. In the email, we found out that her favorite color is green and she collects frogs.

No way! If that was in a movie you'd say it was so unbelievable! So I took it out and made a back for it. The VW bug fabric just jumped right out and wanted to be used so I justify it by saying that frogs like bugs.

A Bundle of Joy

Somebody left a bundle on our doorstep! So it's not the typical bundle with a crocheted blanket and a pacifier, but this I can handle! There was no note, no nothing, just a bag of maybe 100 spools of thread. I love this kind of mystery! This is how I think it will wind up:
"Hey, did you get the thread?"
"What thread?
"The bag I left on your doorstep about a month ago. I hadn't heard from you--"
"Oh, that was from you? I was wondering..."
"I told you I'd drop it off. I sent you an email, called you, told you in person, and mailed a card."
"Oh. " Long pause coupled with blank look. "Thank you!"

Trumped!

The baby blanket I've been working on has been trumped. I know, you're saying, "What could possibly trump a blanket made by a cousin who loves her very much?" And the answer is, "The very blanket made by DC's grandmother for when she was an infant." DC (that's dear cousin) was wrapped in it when her mom brought her home from the hospital. That's REALLY special. So I guess it'll go on the back burner for now. I'll put it away with the instructions and I can get it out whenever another baby pops up. It's almost half done...The good news is I can focus my knitting energy more tightly on the dress I'm making for DD. And, hey, she might actually get it before she graduates from high school! Here's the pattern:And here's the progress to date:

Good News

Yes! I finished the Old Sturbridge Village cross-stitch. Putting those two borders on took so long for something so simple. I worked on it in Texas and I worked on it with the Girl Scout Sewing Circle. But it's finished! Finished! Ooh, that's a fun word to type.

Now it gets to sit in my drawer until I can get it to the framers. I refuse to sign it until just before that happens. (Sometimes things wait a while.)
In other news, I got my confirmation for the Long Beach International Quilt Festival. I am taking two classes and I get to be the teacher's pet (tee-hee!) for one of them! (That means I pick up supplies and help at the door and stuff.) Also, I found a hotel two miles away for $80/night less! I could have gotten a room on the Queen Mary and I was tempted, (talk about history!) but TripAdvisor said the beds were terrible--maybe they're historic.

If you come and play, let me know!

The Boy

Here's the back for the larger Christmas quilt. For now, I'm calling it "The Boy." As you can see, the back is scrappy, too. Every single piece of fabric in this quilt was free! Neat, huh?

I decided to machine quilt it, but not bind it. I just sewed the "quilt sandwich" and "birthed it." (For you non-quilters, that means sewing the batting, back, and front together and then turning it right-side out, so that the batting is inside.)
Even the batting was free: leftover white felt from another project! I used two layers because one was just too thin.

What's this? Are there hundreds of colorful bugs eating away at my lovely quilt? Nope. These are safety pins with handles! I bought the handles and gave them and the tool to my DD, who happily attached them all for me. (But don't ask her to do more unless you're willing to pay--she's gotten wise to me!)

I have decided to use this quilt to experiment with pattern quilting. I drew a simple flower pattern on each block and will take it to the machine. Eep! I'm a little nervous about the whole thing. The markings should come off with water.

Twinsies!

Okay, so they're not identical twins, but still... It took some time to separate and resew the medallions. Also, the original borders I cut didn't really work. They were just too busy! So these simpler borders were called in. Now I've got to find backs and batting and pin 'em!