What a Week!

It's been a busy little bit....as busy as one can be when not working that is.  We had family pics on Sunday.  Bubbs was a total ham so I cannot wait to get edits back from the photographer.  The tie onesie was a success on him, if I do say so myself.  He even managed to hold back all of the spits until we were done, it just doesn't get better than that.

I started my log cabin sewing class.  I might have a bit of a quilting crush on the instructor.  She is amazing and I learned so much in the first 3 hours.  I am so excited for the rest of the classes and the deliciousness that this quilt will be when I am done.  Between now and and finished there is just a whole lot more cutting and sewing to occur.

This is just a little preview of the different pieces chopped up so far.


I also decided to try to fix the wonkiness of my first City Sampler block.  These pieces are just so tiny. SO TINY!  I'm pretty sure that I am going to need to embrace a little bit of wonky.  I know that this quilt is going to be finding it's home with us and I think that my husband will just have to love the "character" that is displayed.  So even though it is still a bit off, it is so much better.  I credit all of the amazing tips that I learned in the first session of the log cabin class.

I still need to square it up but other than that it get rewarded the most improved.

On top of the quilting, I have been playing around with the Etsy shop and trying to learn a bit about how artists are successful using that format.  It is interesting and for some very intense. I have listed a few new things so feel free to check them out at the shop.  I especially like this pillow.  I am a sucker for all things safari themed.

I am thinking that in the next week or so I will be putting some finishing touches on some new collages.  Who loves turtles?

Crafting win! Take that sewing machine.

Since I felt like throwing my sewing machine off of the balcony earlier this week I decided to return to projects that don't require needle and thread, just until some of the angst wears off.  I finally got around to making the tie onesie and it has to be about one of the cutest things that I have ever seen.  I could have also done a zig zag stitch around the tie, but I like the current look and steam a seam doesn't allow the appliqued fabric to fray so it is a win.  I can't wait to see the little guy in this for pics on Sunday!

So cute I can't handle it!  I love that all of the fabrics have a vintage old man feel, particularly the plaid.  I hope that the little guy does the forehead wrinkle that makes him look like he is 102 while he is wearing one of these bad boys.

The adorableness of this also gave me the confidence to head back to the sewing machine and knock out a couple of more pillows.  I was super creative and made a matching set.  I was not initially in love with the pattern on the front...it came in a scrap pack that I bought to make a quilt for my mom.  That said, I love it with the light blue back and feel like it looks very springish.

Next step is to revisit block one from the City Sampler....and I may have found a little tool to help me out.  We will see.

I thought I knew how to use my sewing machine.

So I started the City Sampler quilt this week...I completed block one.  I will be redoing block one.  Who knew that piecing 20 tiny bits of fabric in a 6.5 inch by 6.5 inch square could be so irritating.  I really like how the colors I selected worked out but I can't handle the wonkiness of the not so straight lines.  It looks like the right side wants to collapse in on itself.  Not a win.  I need some serious practice with the 1/4 inch seam.

To make myself feel better I made some more pillows and a new giraffe collage.

Super excited about how the giraffes worked out on the smaller canvas.  Check out the etsy shop to see the pillows.  I love the Summerville collection and used my left over fat quarters from the little guys nursery projects.


I still have the tie onesie to make and that has to happen before family pics on Sunday.  Nothing says fancy like a fake tie sewn to a baby wife beater.

Maternity leave and losing my mind

I had my first baby January 25 this year.  He is amazing....and as insanity provoking as I think every infant is. I am fortunate enough to live in Canada and enjoy the year of maternity leave before having to return to work.  I have been torn for the past few months between loving all of the time that I am able to spend with the little chunker and feeling like I am losing brain cells in the never ending cycle of nursing, changing bums, going for walks and reading only books that rhyme.

To add fuel the isolation of maternity leave, I am a transplant to Canada from Michigan and have been sorely missing friends and family during this transition.  What this all created was the perfect storm to re-engage in a hobby.....and re-engage I have,  with gusto.

I have officially begun building a fabric stash.  I am finally signed up for a quilting class in hopes that I will be able to conquer binding and move beyond rag quilts.  I have stocked up on canvas so that I can collage away, and during this flurry of organizing materials, scouring the web for inspiration, ironing fabric, cutting and cutting and cutting, I have magically stopped feeling torn.  Somehow the feel of the fabric has brought me out of the mommy stupor.  I enjoying my whole day with the Bubbs because I know that I will not just fall into bed exhausted at the end of it.  I will fall in bed exhausted at the end of the day satisfied because I have spent at least a few minutes creating something.  It just feels good for the soul.

So in favor of making my soul feel good I have the following projects underway:

I will be doing the sew along of the City Sampler Quilt from Tula Pink's new book with Sew Sweetness beginning May 20, 2013.

I opened an Etsy store.  This is a terrifying prospect.  I tend to believe that people enjoy my crafts, when they get them for free as cute little presents.  

I am making slews of pillow covers.  There is something very comforting about how simple the pattern and stitches are.  I find it addicting.

The before mentioned canvases are being used to collage fabric animals such as the giraffes below.

 The bubbs is also going to benefit from this as I've decided to try my hand at applique in order to make the adorable onesies with tie.  Stylish pictures of said onesie will be included in the future.