Gehring Road

another finish

Pictures should not have been taken yesterday, it was dark as anything and oh, so rainy... but I wanted to show you this lovely finished quilt! I'm on a bit of a roll and loving it. I'm finding that if I work on finishing while also allowing myself time to work on projects I'm still in the honeymoon phase with (hello, geese!) I don't lose interest and enjoy the finishing so much more. That being said, I've yet to quilt this guy! Speaking of guys, when talking to Rob about some projects and finishing he said, "How many quilts do you need?" I laughed and laughed. I said, "Have you seen all that fabric?!?" Oh, poor man... Anyway, it's Thursday, and another top is finished, I'm thrilled and it's a great feeling. Happy Thursday! 

stashing, planning, backing and hoarding

I have my eyes set on another finished quilt top this weekend, we shall see. I took advantage of Fabricworm's amazing sale to do some stashing, get some backing and possibly continue hoarding, ahem. Those Chicopee prints are getting more and more difficult to find. I have plans to finish this quilt and one of the brighter prints will be binding.

That Field Study FQ bundle only has 30 of the 36 prints, but again, this line is getting difficult to find so I scooped it up. Eventually, I'd love to finally start on a feather quilt, made with Anna Maria's free pattern. Eventually.

The seagulls/whales are destined for some sweet projects for some very small ones. There's a bit of a baby boom happening at work and I know a few projects I'd like to make with those for some wee babes. 

That Lizzy House print towards the back (the green and white print for those of us who don't obsessively hoard Lizzy House fabric) is one of my favorite prints ever. I'd like to use it as a backing for whatever comes out of that stack and that color pallette that I can't stop thinking about. I'm still really undecided about the look of that quilt. I do have time to sort that out though. When not finishing my Chicopee Quilt, I'll be working on some flying geese this weekend. 

on the couch

I really should title this post "the one where I try to photograph the (finished!) quilt without getting the dog in the shot". I try, and I fail. She loves this quilt... as do we. I love how warm it is and the pop of color (finally) on the couch is just really lovely. This quilt is a long, long time in the making, years really. I need to bottle this feeling and remember I love finished quilts! On to the next one! Happy Wednesday (that feels like a Monday, sigh)! 

snow days

(Ignore those threads in that shot, I love to take care of those at the end!) I spent the day quilting, it was quite nice actually. This quilt is one of the biggest I've made yet and I'm taking this a little at a time. Episodes of Pride and Prejudice are keeping me company but also marking the hours (yes, hours) it is taking to quilt this baby. My internal clock says I just started quilting but my Pride and Prejudice clock says, Mrs. Bennet's "Oh, Mister Collins!" cry is a good two hours into the film... oy. It's then that I take a break. 

I just started Maria Semple's Where'd You Go, Bernadette, after finishing Gone Girl in record time. Gone Girl was so great, I mean, so, so good. Total blindside that book, just couldn't put it down. And, I'm already loving Where'd You Go... Amazing what one can accomplish when work is not in the picture! And not a single paper has been graded during this "break". I'm quite sure I'll regret that when we finally do go back to school (rumor has it Wednesday). Until then, I'm enjoying these few moments, relishing the time that is my own and feeling good about what has been accomplished. Happy Monday everyone! 

today... so far.

The snow is piling up outside, but inside, it's been a day of sewing and resting. So, so good. I decided to spend a bit of time basting (finally!) my Strips and Bricks quilt. I cut fabric for this quilt in 2010, yes 2010. When I laid it out on the floor in the living Rob walked by and said, "When did you make that?" Ha ha. I really wanted to back this quilt in Kona Ash, but I recently used some of the yardage I bought for it in my Semiology Quilt and was just shy of what I needed. I went with Kona Coal because I had it on hand and didn't want to lose momentum. Probably for the best as Kona Ash is almost the same color as our couch. Change is good. It will be quilted tomorrow if the power stays on. Cross your fingers. I also had some time to work on some Anna Karenina blocks. All in all, I've loved this snow day turned sewing day. Rob would like you to know I didn't bake or get out of my pajamas. Just how snow days should be, don't you think? 

preoccupation

Do I have several quilts that need finishing, piecing, binding and quilting, well, yes, yes I do. Did I resolve to be better in this new year about finishing projects once begun, well, yes, yes I did. And yet, I cannot get this photo and those colors out of my head. It's a lovely preoccupation as it turns out. I purchased a few a whole bunch of solids from Pink Chalk Fabrics (I love their selection of solids) after giving my color cards a good workout. I'm so glad I have them. 

I haven't totally committed to one pattern yet for this stack. Sometimes I think, vintage squares:

Image found here and on Pinterest...all over Pinterest.

Sometimes, I think just strips with some neutrals thrown in. Sometimes, I think log cabin (because I don't already have a log cabin in progress, do I?). Sometimes I think crosses, like those on the cover of Modern Log Cabins. Hmm... this appears to be my favorite plan, for today at least. Maybe small crosses, mixed with bigger ones. Hmm... see, preoccupied I tell you.

Image found here 

I had a brief, split second feeling I should be doing something round, like the inspiration photo. That was promptly nixed when I considered sewing in the round. Shudder. Any favorites? Anyway, I'm loving where the fabric pulls and purchases are taking me, which is just fine for now. I've got a few projects that need finishing. Just a few. Happy Monday to you! 

anna progress

I've made some progress on my Anna Karenina log cabin quilt, here and there. I have fourteen of twenty blocks made, my sashing fabric chosen and my backing fabric (bought on sale!) ready to go. Though I'm anxious for this top to come together, I think I'll miss the making of this quilt. I know I've said it many times, but the method I'm using to make those log cabins makes the process of pulling these blocks together so much easier, and truly enjoyable. How about that new bookcase as a design wall? Some washi tape and I'm set! It is very nice to peer over and see which combinations I've used and which prints I've over used (Anna Maria Horner feathers in orange, ahem). I need to find a space for a design wall in the future. We're expecting a bit of snow tomorrow. Not much, but the timing (just before dawn) of its arrival makes things interesting for school tomorrow. You know where to find me if the snow gods smile on us, though you might just know where to find me if they don't. Keep your fingers crossed! Happy Tuesday! 

into the loft

It's into the loft today here on the blog. Organizing and rearranging things in my creative space was one of the most important items ticked off my list during my vacation. Things needed to find cover (like my ironing board, ack! But, that will be for another day...), fabric needed to be folded and put away, and I desperately needed a bookcase. So, here's what was done...

A trip to Ikea, much hemming and hawing (of course) and I settled on the Hemnes bookcase with glass doors. We have a wood burning stove and often dust and soot from the fire settle on things I love, making them a little dusty. This cabinet was the perfect answer. I love it and it has so much space. Those beautiful brightly colored books are Mr. Boddington's Penguin Classics found at Anthropologie. A Christmas gift to me from me, I'm like that. That basket now holding my fabric hoard was found at Target, also something that I love, it's the perfect size for bolts and bigger cuts. 

On the other side of the wall, closest to the stairs and our bedroom, my fabric stash is still contained (mostly) in that linen cabinet purchased from Ikea a few years ago. They now have it in red and it's also lovely. But the new in the corner is the removal of the totes full of backing fabric and Heather Ross fabrics I'm not ready to use on the right side of the cabinet. It was wasted space with those big plastic container and I've moved the fabric into a closet to make better use of this area. 

In the middle of the loft, around my sewing area, I've moved the bookcases that used to be on the back wall. They're holding just a few notions and things I often grab when sewing. I purchased the longer file cabinet from Ikea last year and just adore how well it keeps patterns, templates and now AccuQuilt supplies in order.

An old vintage time card holder now keeps my rulers in order, perfect for next to my cutting table. I really need to get the heights of my cutting and sewing table right this year. My back reminds me after I've been cutting for a while that I am either cutting on a table too low or I am getting old. Unclear which. Scraps are hidden under my cutting table for easy (ha!) storage of scraps after I've been cutting. But truth be told, they usually end up in a pile that makes me cringe each time I see them. Hooks are now on the wall to hold works in progress. 

I'm still undecided about the back wall, we will probably just paint it the same color as the rest of the main house and call it a day. I'd love to find a wall paper or a color that might add some interest to the back wall, but the sun and my supplies kind of do that already. My long suffering ironing board (apologies if you have glimpsed it in these photos, I tried to keep it out of shots!) really needs some love, and I think I'll have to get on that sooner rather than later. It's holy... and not in a good way.

I'm thrilled with everything having its own spot in the loft. Though it's difficult to see into the loft from our living room, I knew the state of disorder up there and am so happy with its organization. The evolution of my favorite space in the house has certainly been a process, but one I've grown into and one I continue to love. I am so lucky to have this space for my own. Happy weekending to you... I hope you find yourself in the places you love to be most! 

weekend work

This weekend was lovely... two days given (almost) totally to working on my Anna Karenina Quilt blocks. I love all six (six!) of them and really owe my speediness and excitement to this method of making log cabins. So fast, so enjoyable, just what a weekend spent sewing should be. To the right of my machine, I created a little seam steaming and trimming station, which was just perfect for this project. To the left of my machine, I have my trusty clementine box filled with fabrics. Each block has a bit of fabric uniquely (in my mind at least!) connected with this beautiful novel... scripted french writing, city block Liberty lawn, woodland scenes, bits of "lace", bold colors, beautiful geometric prints, even a moustache (Vronsky!) and some small mushrooms (Kitty!) will be hidden within these blocks. I began a board on Pinterest to gather some inspiration and have been using some of those color combinations in the images to create the blocks as I go. I love how it is coming together and am delighted with this quilt in the making. Very Russia, very Anna...so far. Happy Tuesday to you! 

home today

My "box" from the Sample Sale has a new home... and is filled with notions. I love it. 

I find myself at home today... the cold I have been fighting for what feels like forever has finally gotten the better of me. My body told me it was time to rest, and I listened. I watched some loved shows and headed into the loft in the afternoon to iron and cut strips for my Anna Karenina quilt. It's a bit of a color riot, but I'm loving it like that. Perfect scrappy kind of quilt this will be. I'm undecided as to the center block fabric... still. Any ideas? I love that lace fabric but think it won't really show and might look a little muddled in the center block. The grey "Geo-Style" fabric that is next to it is another favorite for those center blocks...it looks like snow to me... kind of perfect for this themed quilt. I also contemplated red and yellow here. Maybe dark purple? How's that for indecision? Ha! The plan in the meantime is to give it a few days, get some of your wonderful opinions (help!) and maybe even make a test block. This weekend will be devoted to finishing either this or this. I'm anxious to quilt those zig zag before fall becomes winter again, but the one started in 2010 probably gets preference, don't you think? Must be that indecision comes with headcolds. I hope this day finds you much more decisive and much less congested than me! Happy Wednesday everyone!