Present for me!

Woohoo!!!! I got a present J  Well…………………confession……………………I gave myself a present: a new quilt for my bed.  I finished my second quilt.  I think I’m going to call it the Super Nova.  It went so much faster than my first.  Got to love free-time during the summer. 

Please excuse the bad lighting....The morning sun does not bode well for pretty pictures



I really do not know of a great way to design a quilt, so I just did it on excel.

Above is the beginning of my design.  Using excel made the math rather easy and accurate, but I felt limited with color selection.  I think I'm going to do something different next time.

I was originally intending to add an intricate border including diamonds to make it a standard twin size quilt, but it just looked ugly!!! Fortunately, I was able to use some of the border on the back.  I think it adds a little interest to such a dark backing.

I don't know if this picture does it justice, but I quilted using red thread.  I LOVE it.  I am definitely going to experiment with thread color in the future. 

Because I axed the border, it is not a standard size, but it is perfect for a short person, like me :)  I know that I am going to have nothing but sweet dreams when I am sleeping under my own quilt.  *sigh*  I think I am in love with quilting.......

Now, it is time to work on some presents for other people.

Wishing you a life free from stray threads,

Amy

These past couple of days, my dog and I have been waiting by the front door for our mail carrier, but for very different reasons.

She wants an opportunity to remind the mail carrier that this is HER house, and she does not appreciate it when he walks on her front lawn to leave something in her mailbox without giving her the opportunity to inspect the packages to make sure it is safe for her family.  Of course, being an important of my over-dramatic family, she must express her displeasure and frustration.  Every morning, my dog, who is afraid of bubbles, cameras, and earrings, waits for the chance to intimidate the mail carrier by lunging at the door and barking furiously at the poor man.  Secretly, I know she loves him because this is one of the few moments during the day when she actually acts like a dog instead of one of my siblings.

I am waiting for a very different reason……………………….to receive my first online fabric order!

I’m not a big online shopper, unless you count buying books off of amazon.  I like touching my fabric, running my (clean) fingers across all the lined-up bolts.  When I get it from the store, I know exactly what I am getting.  Honestly, I’m a little nervous about buying fabric and thread online.  I hope the colors are just as beautiful as they are on the website.  Below are links of what I ordered.

http://www.connectingthreads.com/Kits/Fairytale_Strips__D4598.HTML

This sampler includes some of my favorite colors.  I’m seriously in LOVE with this color palate. I thought that I would never buy fabric on the internet, but this collection (and awesome price) converted me.

http://www.connectingthreads.com/SipofSummer_CD110.html

A good purple is hard to find, and it was on clearance………………..resistance was impossible

http://www.connectingthreads.com/Tools/Essential_Thread__D20869.HTML

This was such a great price for 1200 yards that I had to take a chance.

I also bought the book Farmer's Wife Quilts.

The cherry on top was that shipping was free for orders over $50.00.  I feel like I’m going on a first date.  I’m so incredibly excited yet nervous and worried about being disappointed.  The fabric perfectly reflects my color preference, the book is going to be amazing, and the thread is an unbelievable deal.  Still, with all of this excitement, nerves and questions like, “What if the fabric isn’t so pretty?” and “What if my sewing machine refuses to use this super cheap thread?” makes the butterflies zoom around my stomach.

What are your favorite, affordable online fabric stores?

Challenge Accepted

This past year, I began my first “grown up” job, started grad school, transferred to another school, continued tutoring, and taught my first class as an adjunct professor.  Although I am dedicated to my students and my education, I need to find a balance in my life before my stress affects my work.  Uncharacteristically, I made a New Year resolution in 2011, which was to go to one family event, spend at least one evening with my friends, and pursue a new hobby (which was sewing but turned to quilting when my best friend asked me to learn it with her) for a minimum of one hour each week. I hope that this blog will not only help me overcome this self-imposed challenge by keeping me accountable but also be a place to contribute to and learn from the quilting community.