Hiatus, UFO's and Cake

So I bet you've been wondering what has been with the hiatus lately. I finished one of my UFO's this past week. It is the lovely purple log cabin. Took me forever to do it. I don't mind the piecing so much as the I do the actual quilting. I've also been working on a Mickey Mouse Quilt. I'm just about done with the top. I'm hoping to actually get it quilted. I have vowed to not let this one go into the new year with me next year.

I have also started doing a Wilton method class a few weeks ago. Tomorrow will be my first attempt at decorating a cake. Even with the heavy storming and the power going out I managed to get all the prep done. Not too sure about the icing. Used a different flavoring recipe this time and it tastes a little off. Tomorrow will be my second class so I'll have pictures to follow.

As always thank you for listening.

Chaos and Crooked seams

I haven't blogged in a while and thought today would be a great day to do it. I started working on my Civil War block of the month in earnest today. I started the piecing last week and started working on the borders of the first block today and realized that my flying geese were out of whack. Luckily for me I have more than enough fabric to redo them and still have enough fabric for the other blocks that require the remnants from this month's block.
   I've also been working on my cross stitching. I have a bit of deadline with the Pirate one. As I get closer to finishing it, I'm finding myself getting tired of it and ready to go to something else. I'm hoping to have it done by Friday so I can drop it off to the frame shop. I've been taking the Joan Elliot Fairy to work and working on it at lunch. I have maybe 20 or so stitches in it already and it looks like drops of red paint on the fabric.
   In other news, I bought this shiny firefly fabric from Jo Ann's a few weeks ago and I've been trying to figure out what to do with. A friend of mine gave me a book with some old patterns in it and one of them is a LeMoyne star pattern that I'd really like to try with dark jewel tones. I'm going to one of the quilt shops here tomorrow to ask some advice on what would look good before I embark on that journey. The good news is if I need to order the fat quarters from work, I can. The only fly in the ointment is I'll have way more fabric than I'll need. So it's a serious Catch-22.
   Anyway, that's everything that's new in my world. Thanks for listening.

PS If anyone has any suggestions for flying geese, I'd totally appreciate it.

Petal Pillow

So this is my very first photo post. This is the petal pillow courtesy of the tutorial from Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew. I'm so excited to be experimenting. Tonight I am finishing up A Friend is like a Bra by Sue Hillis. Have a busy week ahead with one other cross stitch and starting a Block of the Month program from Keepsake Quilting. Thank you all for listening.

Feeling Lonely and scared

Tonight I feel lonelier than I've ever felt. I've been through hell and back and still can't bring myself to feel happy again. The only happy news I have from the home front is I've thrown myself into my crafting. The pillow from the tutorial is almost done and both cross stitches are just about done. If I can shovel through the three of them then possibly I can move to something else.
    I have all this pent up frustration and anxiety inside me and trying to keep going on a daily basis is hard. I have no clue if anyone is listening but it feels good just to write. I figured out why I love playing with the fabric and sewing. It feels like I'm trying to put the pieces of me back together. Haven't felt the same since I lost my dad last year and as it gets closer to the anniversary, it keeps getting harder. I just wanted to write and pour out some of the things inside me. Maybe tomorrow will be brighter.

Pillows and a chance of Lady Bugs

So I got a little bit more done on my Sue Hillis cross stitch. Getting closer to finishing it although a part of me is saying enough already and lets go to a new project. I was perusing a blog that I found through a magazine at work and found a nifty tutorial on making a pillow. http://www.cluckclucksew.com/2008/09/petal-pillow-tutorial.html I'm going to head to Jo Ann's tomorrow and get the fabric I need to make this nifty little pillow just to break the monotony. I also have the lovely pleasure of going to my quilting bee tomorrow and basting one of the log cabins I have. Will post pictures as I finish.
     As I was sleeping last night I had a great idea for an item that I want to put together and either sell or give as a gift. It depends on how well it turns out. I want to do a lady bug set. I have a design in my head for a wooden box and a quilt and a set of pillows. The main event of this lovely set will be a cross stitch by Joan Elliot called the Lady Bird. I've bought the backing fabric and have decided to turn this into a pillow.
   Just trying to throw my ideas out before they vanish from my head. As always thanks for listening.

Setting up for the rest of the year

So Saturday I was at working working on my current cross stitch and I thought about the projects I've started but never finished. I made a list of them and have some sort of a plan in conquering them.

1) The current cross stitch by Sue Hillis. I am in the process of finishing it this week. I still have a lot of filling in to do before I detail it but I'm closer than I was.
2) A purple and green log cabin quilt. The top is done but I need to quilt it. I have a quilting bee on Wednesday where I plan on basting it so i can get it quilting this week.
3) A green and brown log cabin ( yes I love log cabins!) that was supposed to be an anniversary gift to my husband a few years ago. I have it sorta basted and partially quilted. I'm hoping to have it done in the next few weeks.
4) A coca cola quilt. My goal is to have it done by Christmas. It is....... a mess. I've been working on it for at least two years and never quite finished the piecing.
5) American Beauty Sampler Quilt- Saw the ladies at my bee working on this a year or so ago and thought it looked idiot proof enough so I ordered it from Keepsake Quilting. I have one and a half of the blocks pieced. As I get time I'm going to try and get a block done once a week and go from there. That's another one I would love to have done by Christmas.
6) The Jo Ann's BOM quilt from last fall. I have most of the blocks pieced. just need to finished the blocks and buy the kit it takes to put it together. Not sure on a time frame yet
7) Cinderella Cross stitch by Joan Elliot. Have enough of the stitching done it to call it a UFO. I really want to have it done in time for a gift for a friend's little girl's birthday in May.
8) Garden Fairy cross stitch by Joan Elliot. I have something special in mind for this one. I've had a thing for lady bugs lately and I plan on turning it into a pillow and putting a corresponding quilt with it using a pattern by Jennifer Chiaverini.

As you can see it is a long list but with bits and pieces done here and there I might be able to feel like I've accomplished something this year. As each project is finished I will post pictures and would love opinions. Thank you again for listening.

An Introduction

    My name is Wendy and I'm 30 years old. I've been a quilter for nearly three years. I actually got my introduction in quilting with reading the Elm Creek Quilter series by Jennifer Chiaverini. I looked for a teacher and got one when I started working for Goodwill. The first quilt I made was actually finished by someone I met through an online group. The second quilt I made was the one that got me my job at Michael's.
    For the past three years I've been trying to find niche by trying different things. I have a few UFO's that I'm going to try to finish this year. I'm facing a few problems getting them done. 1) I have the worse case of ADD. I see something that I want to try and I immediately race out to do it. I get maybe three quarters of the way into it and get bored with it. After talking to several other people who craft this is not uncommon. A lady who owns a blog that I follow has been going through her UFO stash and quilting like a mad woman and she's been my inspiration for getting my butt in gear.
2) I have a hard time trusting myself and my decisions. Nothing seems like a good idea at the time and I'm not sure where my next step is going to be.
3) I have a severe crutch that I've been having a hard time letting go of. I lost my dad last summer and I feel like everything I ever wanted to be or ever could be went with him. It's been so hard letting go and it's been hard finding my way.
  I'm hoping this blog will be a way to conquer these things and maybe let go some of the hurt, anger and fear I have inside me. I want to be able to make friends and share my triumphs and have someone to push me if I stray from this goal.