One Project completed

I have been so busy with work that for me to sit down and sew is just a challenge. I have gotten some patterns in the mail to quilt on, just finding the time, or more like the energy to do any of them, well, I just haven't had any luck with time or energy here lately.

I thought that if I took this job, I would be home more. Ok, I started out being home about 2 hours a week more, with delivering, you don't get out on time unless you are just so slow. That first few weeks, it was more like 42 hours a week. Since the economy has taken a downturn, we have been very slow, and now I am cut back to 32hours a week. Not good. I would rather work more hours to get more deliveries in, but it hasn't happened yet. That is one thing in this business, if it is slow, you get cut and go home. I don't like that, but it is part of it and eventually it does hurt, but it will pick up too.

I also thought that when I took this job I would have more time to work on projects, to clean house, or to make things. Yeah, no, that doesn't happen a whole lot. I feel that if I am home with Chuck, getting on the sewing machine isn't really fair. So, I don't do that much when he is home. That time is time for us alone, no kids and I guess I need that time to relax some more.

Over the summer the locally owned fabric store went out of business. Good thing she did at that time, because now she would have been really hard hit. She was opened for one year and had some good times, but ultimately, she just couldn't take the financial hit anymore. I got there when the pickins weren't so slim, and I found this material. Oh how I love it, just wondering what to make with it.


Last year when Hancock was going out of business, my neighbor spotted this little patterns. I bought them for a $1 each and they sat there until this year, when I decided to make some of them. I am still learning some things, so it does take me a little longer to figure things out.



I got 2 or 3 done and then realized that I don't know how to applique, and I have to learn how to make the rest of them. I thought about making scented trivets out of these, how cute would that be!

While I was over at Christie's when she was going out of business, I saw this pattern. Now, if you have a black and white kitchen, let me know. I do believe I can make this out of the black and white material that I bought.


So, now on to the one project that I have gotten completed. I have never ever done the quilting that is on a preprinted fabric. So, when I ordered this stuff from Keepsake, I figured it wouldn't be too hard and would be good for a beginner like me. I loved the 4 that I did get and want more. But I started on the one, and I had a time with it. I didn't read the instructions, you know the thing always say read instructions before doing anything. I washed the material like it said to do, but when it came to the batting, and putting it all together, I didn't do it right, not only the first time, but the second time too. Finally, I did it right. Now to sew it for the third time. And I did it, turned it and sewed the opening closed. That was a challege too, 2 times it took me to get it right. It didn't go well for me on this one.

I don't have a walking foot for my machine, so, it makes it a little harder to quilt without it moving, and trust me, with batting this stuff moves. I thought that quilting it would make it nicer, make the pattern "pop" more. Make it look like a quilt. I could have tied it, but that wouldn't have been a challenge for me. I like some challenges. And this was one for me.

I am really inexperienced in quiliting, so this is a learning process for me. And if you ever get something like this as a gift from me, just look as it was made out of love. I will get better as I do more of this.
If I could have gotten a picture of the fabric closer, you all would be able to see that the purple as all kinds of cats on it. I didn't notice it, my neighbor pointed it out to me. I thought it was so cool. I wish I could have gotten a better shot of it.

Now, this is good material. They don't sell this stuff at Walmart. My neighbor told me that this stuff goes for about $9 a yard. Wow! I don't ever buy that stuff! I find stuff on sale, I am kinda picky about that. I know that buying good material produces a nice quilt, so it is smart to either buy the stuff in a kit, that way I have everything.

I love the back of this quilt. The pattern is so pretty

There are some parts that it moved on me, and I made a few mistakes. But I think this is really cute. I am happy with it. It is a little throw or a wall hanging, or just something over the couch or chair. I don't know what it really it. I like it though.

So, that is one thing done. I think tomorrow I will look at the patterns for the place mats. I have everything for it and I have the time alone too. So, breakfast with Chuck, lunch with PJ, dinner of Chicken Enchiladas with all of us, and sometime in between to cut and read patterns.