Harry Potter Project of Doom

I'm so excited to be working on this (these) quilt(s). Soo excited. If you read back, I started working on two of these quite a while ago - one for my best friend, E, and one for myself. Yah, they got backburnered, at least until Jennifer decided to bring it back as this year's quilt a long. And I now have pictures of my blocks so far! Yay! 

I have decided to do a lot of extra blocks, some of which I am designing on my own, and some that are designed by other quilters on this same journey. So much fun. And I've really been adding a lot of blocks to my quilt. The plan for the original pattern was for a 5 by 6 grid of blocks. Yah. I surpassed that a while ago during my planning. But it just happens that there are a lot of wonderful blocks out there just screaming to be included. So they are getting included. Such is life. 

So that middle block, the one of the finished blocks I have done? That was the one released for this week. And after dealing with trying to piece together my crazy patterns I'm testing for myself, it came together soooo quickly. As in, it took me about a half hour, at most. It was such a wonderful break!

Really, truly back

So over the past month, I have started and not finished quite a few posts about moving and trying to get back to quilting and all that jazz. Yah. It just didn't happen. I moved out of my old place, which was infested with mold, into a new, much brighter space that has, gasp, a craft room! It is still in a state of major mess, but this weekend I finally got to my sewing machine and was able to work on some sewing for the new Project of Doom Quilt Along.

I'm super excited and it has been a lot of fun to watch everyone work on their quilts. It started the first week of January, but I haven't been able to get working on the blocks until now! I have been working on designing patterns requested by other quilters, so I have been participating, just in a slightly different manner. I will be blogging about those in the days and weeks to come, so stay tuned! But, I do have pictures of some of what I was working on this weekend for you, but, as I have been writing this and fighting with the photos, they don't want to do things properly. I won't torture you with sideways pictures, so I will have to retake them tonight and add them later.

And so while this post is woefully lacking photos (the best part of blogging land in my opinion), I am glad to have gotten started back on these blocks and blogging. Can't wait to enjoy the process!

Blargh

Hey there,

So, today really doesn't have much of anything, be it that I had a weekend-long wedding I was at and a day's worth of suffering  through the flu/food poisoning/allergic reaction or whatnot. I finally made it in to work today, which I am starting to think is no small feat. One hour in and all I have been doing is sitting and I'm about ready to nap. This might be a shorter day than normal for me, but at least I showed up. That's my biggest concern, that I don't get in to work because I only work part time during the summer so every hour counts.

But, even besides getting sick, the weekend was wonderful. One of my good friends got married at a beautiful and wonderful ceremony and then we all got to hang out and have lots of fun.

As for quilting and such, I have mostly been working on my Auction quilts. I think I will only have one for this auction, but I feel that is perfectly fine due to the fact that the other quilt I had been thinking about doing for the auction is less of an art quilt and more of a very fun, goofy, tee shirt quilt. Unfortuantely, there are not any pictures right now. I did get my second (and last) borders finished up, so as soon as they are attached, basting, quilting, and binding must be done and then I am done! So optimistic, aren't I?

And that doesn't even begin to list out all of the other quilts I have going. Maybe one day, I will have my footer be an update of where I am on all my quilts or digital copy of my quilt board. I think that might be something for a future post.

Also this last week, I delved into the world of designing my own paper piecing quilts. I really need to learn how to make big pieces first, because I have quite a few pieces for my blocks (try like 15 different small sections on one. I can't remember on the other). I just need to keep practicing. But that really was for my modification of PoD pattern. I'm adding and modifying quite a bit, but that's part of the fun!

Also, I am starting to think through the process of making a Firefly Quilt Along quilt. Not one of those light up bug quilts, though I have a love for them as well, but one based on the ended-before-its-time, one-season-long TV show Firefly. It might also have some pieces of the movie Serenity as well, just because, well, it would be a good idea... We'll see. I'll keep you up to date on that as things progress.

Cleaning and Whatnot

Hey there,

So, these last few days have been my days off. Yay! Whatever I have that resembles summer break, soon to end with returning to work for summer session. I also have been in the process of cleaning. Trying to get rid of everything I don't need for teaching either Ag, Science, or English, as well as organizing everything I still have is quite the endeavor. Which ends up not leaving much time for sewing. I really am trying to get everything done for my two auction quilts for Mercy Project's Art Auction, but life is just taking time.

I have cleaned out my bookshelves, which means that I am now 53 books lighter, plus the books that have been returning to people. I also have been working on my Dr. Who embroidery quilt. My first square is finished! (well, at least mostly finished)

I'm excited. It is definitely something fun and it is broadening my crafting world as well, which is always good. My other projects (PoD and my Dr. Who QAL) have been shelved for a little bit. I have to finish those auction quilts first.

Almost there

** Written Last week**

My students. I really should have just a blog to keep track of their antics, but I guess I will just mention today’s entertainment here. As an ESL support individual, I am here to help them in their regular classes, specifically English. Right now, we are prepping for finals, which include an essay during their testing period. I had to have a conversation with one of them telling them that if they don’t finish their essay, they won’t get a chance to finish it. This was after telling the same student that their activity for the day was to write a practice essay. I had to tell him about a dozen times. Only then did he put his computer away. Yes, this is my life on a daily basis.

But, that aside, I was able to finish up some wonderful things yesterday, one of which being a test for my licensure in Washington. I am still waiting for my scores for my writing portion, but I passed everything else. Yay! One step closer to being a productive member of society in Seattle!

In addition to my test, I also have finished up a gift quilt for one of my friends. I’ve been working on this one for a while now, trying to get everything put together with this. Handprints and verses were done by other members of the small group I am in, but assembling it and finishing it has been on me. 

Also, I have more finished blocks to share. I didn't do all of these in the last day, but I am excited to document them. The two starburst stars are from this tutorial which I really like. I might just have to make more of these in the future. 

And, as always, there are blocks for PoD. These are blocks two and three. Slowly working on it. 

It seems to keep getting backburnered with everything else going on, such as quilts for the Mercy Project art auction, my random desires to clean, and such. Such is life though. That's why I have started it so early. That way, I know they will be finished. 

Is it over yet?

Hey world,

So, I am back. Or I think I am. It has been kind of crazy around here. Teaching and what not means that there is this thing called graduation. And they kinda like teachers going to all the stuff for seniors. Yep. Well, and then there is family. Even though they are a few thousand miles away, still doesn't mean they don't shake things up. And then there is the process of getting up to Seattle and everything that goes along with that. I'm moving in August, so I've been trying to get my teaching license and everything transferred  That equals lots of testing. Blah. So yah. I have been busy with that and cleaning and napping and quilting and vacuuming. All that to say, I have my reasons for not being here. There are going to be some quilts coming out of the crazy, I promise, but for now, I'll just show what I have been working on.

Not a lot of pictures of what I have been getting in my swaps, just because things became so busy, but I have continued to do swaps. And I have picked up doing quilt alongs. I'm having fun with those. I even am going to try my hand at embroidery for one. Yes, I know, just a little crazy. I'm happy with it though.

So, in looking at my photos, this is the only current quilt along that I have a picture of. I am working on an old quilt along called a Project of Doom quilt. Well, that leads you to the hosting website, but you get the idea. Lots of fun.

And before you say anything, I do know that two of them look somewhat similar. Trial and error. Playing around with paper piecing. I actually started this project before I did the TARDIS one. After doing that one, I have no complaints whatsoever about the PoD squares. So much easier.

Also in the midst of everything, I got to help a friend of mine make her first quilt! Isn't she adorable! Yes there are some issues with it, but she made it pretty much on her own. I coached, but she did everything from fabric shopping, which was an adventure, to quilting and binding!

Last, but not least, would be my squares for my swap-bot swaps. I only have pictures of one round right now, but I will get up more as I can. I do different square swaps and to memorialize them, I also sew a square in my colors, which are black and white (yes, I know, let's just not talk about how many quilts and sewing projects I have going). 

The blue and white one went to my swap partner and the black and white one stayed with me! I really love how it turned out, especially with the white on white prints I used. I don't think they really show in the picture, but I like them. 

And that's it. There will be more to come in the coming days, I promise!