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Saturday, March 3, 2012

Just a Little Bit of Everything

Welcome [back] to my new blog, with a new and wonderful look!! The beautiful design was made by the ever talented Holly of Bijoux Lovely. Don't you love it? I know I do!! We worked out a swap for all of this loveliness, so be on the lookout for my end of the deal. ;)

Lately I have not really been finishing anything, but have rather hand my hand in a bit of everything. I feel a bit ADD, which is nice for the creative process when you want to switch it up, but sometimes it just overwhelms me more to have so many WIPs. Not to mention the looooong list of additional projects I want to make!

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of trying out the Go! Baby cutter that belongs to the BMQG. I have been collecting fabric for a year and a half to make a drunkard's path quilt for my son, so the drunkard's path die has been a big 'yes, please!' for me.

Not bad for my first drunkard's path block. Not big enough for some of my prints (giant octopi, fish in bags). Anyone know a good 5" template?

While I love how the cutter works and greatly appreciate not having to hand-cut all of those curves (boy is it nice!), I think the finished 3.5" blocks are a bit too small for some of the fabrics I have chosen that have a larger scale (such as the giant octopi from Heather Ross's Mendocino line). I did, however, find a great tutorial for making your own template in whatever size you want, so as soon as I find my compass I will get to work.

I also got a new dresden ruler recently, the EZ Dresden by Darlene Zimmerman. I wanted to try it out with some fabric that I bought last fall, all of the above at my favorite LQS Strawberry Patches. I don't even know what the line is called, though I do know the notebook paper print is by Basic Grey. Anyhow, it was super easy and came together rather quickly. It still needs a center and I'm pretty sure I'm going to turn it into a pillow, but who knows when that finish will come because, as I said, it was something fun that satisfied my crafty appetite that day. ;)

Done! It's not laying flat. I hope it corrects when I attach it to a background. :/

Last, but not least, my family room has been in complete disarray for over a week while I've pulled, paired, and chopped fabric to make a Granny Square Quilt.

I've taken over...still...and it's driving me nuts! I need my own sewing room. ;)

If you are not familiar with the crazy phenomenon that has swept Flickr and the online quilting community, short and sweet it was inspired by this beauty by Jolene of Blue Elephant Stitches. Old Red Barn Co. is even having a quilt along (though I had made my mind up to make one even before this...as if that matters, lol!). Check out the Flickr group.for more info if you're interested. Last night I finally was satisfied with the amount of squares cut (though I still need to cut about 20 more prints) and made my first block. I.am.in.love! Let's hope the rest of them look this good. ;)

I made my first granny last night!!

Okay, so I know I can't be the only one who dabbles with dozens of projects at a time. How many do you have going right now? And for those of you who do not have crafty ADD, how in the world do you stay focused??

13 comments:

  1. I like the new layout. When I have about 5 UFOs, I tell myself that I can't start anything new till I finish at least one project. Unfortunately, there are two projects that stay at the bottom of the list, but I've promised myself at least one of them will be completed this year. Good luck with your granny block - purple is always a fav of mine!

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  2. Hey Jen! I'm not a quilter and just learning to sew but the stuff you have on here looks GREAT to me!! I understand how it feels to have crafty ADD but only with crocheting. I start tons of projects and either get busy or don't like how its turning out. The ones I usually get finished are the things I'm making for gifts and that's usually because I have to get it done in time to give it to them. Other than the crafting ADD how have you been?

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  3. Love your granny square! I'm up to 10! And as for how many projects I have going? hmm... I think around 5?! I love the new blog!! I've just taken the leap as well!!! Visit me here! http://sewpeachey.blogspot.com/2012/03/whirling-spring-mini.html

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  4. I can't even count the number of UFOs I have awaiting completion! Looks like you've had fun with all these projects.

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  5. Hi Jen, I saw your block on flickr and love it! I haven't started mine yet because I'm a lot like you :) I am a little afraid to add up all my WIP's I do find that I love being able to work on a lot of different projects at a time. So I don't get board and it's nice to switch things up, but I sometimes loose track of all that I have going on. Maybe I need to make a peg board to keep my list on of all the things I'm doing...I guess I'll add that one to the list ;) I will be following you now and would love for you to stop by my blog when you have a minute. I hope our having a great day! Sewsewgo.blogspot.com

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  6. Hooray Jen! I'm so excited to see you blogging! I have about 15 UFO projects going. I jut never know what's going to inspire me day to day. I like to keep a few long term projects around and accessible (like hexies or handquilting) and then I have THE LIST. You know, the type that never seems to shrink but grows when I'm distracted by AMH and other pretty fabric:)

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  7. Hey Jen - I love the DP block, and sorry it's not gonna work for you and the Go Baby.......but I think I have a larger DP template which must be cut with a rotary cutter. Let me know if you want to borrow it. It's from Elisa's Backporch and makes an 8" finished block - there are 3 pieces, but you can use only two and make a drunkards path block. Mine is the Rainbow 8" finished. Here's the link to the templates. http://www.backporchdesign.com/templates.htm

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  8. I'm so glad you're happy with your blog Jen :) All of your projects look great so far! And I'm with you on the lack of crafty focus, I constantly struggle with that too! There are just too many fun things to make to work on them one at a time :)

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  9. I love your granny square! And I am scared to count how many projects I have going because it would just be too embarrassing. LOL

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  10. beautiful first granny square block! You are on your way to one lovely quilt!! And your blog looks great - congrats on the redo! I've just changed mine up a bit too - very fun!

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  11. I am not telling you how many I have... that would mean that I would have to count myself... and that would mean that I would feel even more awful about my grand ideas that have not come to fruition yet! BUT, I have complete confidence/illusion that one of these days I will stop taking on so many other crazy things and SIMPLIFY so I can sew in peace-- and keep up with YOU!

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  12. they are quite lovely. I love the look of your couch covered in all that yummy fabric!

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