Vintage Holiday QAL Week 2: Blocks 3 & 4

Thanks to all of you who encouraged me last week through my lack of sewing time. Thanks to my sweet husband, I was able to spend a few hours with my sewing machine this afternoon -- heaven! Not only did I finish this week's QAL blocks, but I also got started on another project which I hope to show you later this week. But for now, here are the stars of the hour...

Block 3

Block 4

 I just can't tell you how much I enjoy putting these blocks together. So simple yet so fun. And the variety in our flickr group is fantastic -- everyone is turning out great stuff. Some of you incredible people are even doing more than one quilt at the same time! Be sure to stop by and check out the awesomeness...

Here are all my blocks together. I can't wait to add more!

Linking up to the Let's Get Acquainted Monday Link Up.

No Sew

Have you ever had a week with no sewing? Not a week when you're not doing anything because you're burned out on sewing, but a week when you desperately want to sew but have no time to do it? That's me right now. I keep walking past the classroom and throwing longing looks at my sewing corner...

Last night I finally got about half an hour to start cutting fabric. What a treat! I absolutely love the new Madrona Road collection -- my fat eighth bundle is from Amanda's wonderful Etsy shop -- and it was great to pull it out and start to play with it. There are at least two projects in the works here...I can't wait to see how they come together. My husband has promised me more time to sew this weekend, and I'm so looking forward to it.

There are now more than eighty of you in the Vintage Holiday flickr group, and I love seeing all the great pictures you're putting up of your blocks. I'll have the next two ready to show on Monday. These quilts are going to be so beautiful!

Meanwhile, I'd love to hear how all of you fit in your sewing time around your jobs and family life. How do you make it work?

On the Road Again

Just a quick post today...Bunny is chomping at the bit for her first day of school to get started!

This makes the third time this year that my sewing space has moved, but I think the third time really is the charm for me. I'm loving this new area, and hopefully my machine and I can put up our feet and stay a while. We're now occupying a corner of the classroom/playroom, using some old family furniture that has turned out to be quite a delight.

My mom suggested that I take over the old secretary desk that she once used for her sewing stuff, and I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before. There are a ton of little nooks and crannies in here that are perfect for storing notions.

The glass cupboard up top now showcases my smaller precuts and fat quarters along with my scrap buckets.

I also have an old cupboard next to the desk for holding extra fabric and thread as well as smaller pieces of batting.  A sideboard from IKEA works as my cutting table and storage for my machine when it's not in use. The light coming through the window is wonderful, and I love having a view right out to our little rose garden in the backyard.

This little quote that I copied years ago is staying where I can see it while I work:

 

That sounds about right for the day ahead. :)

Linking up to WIP Wednesday.

Vintage Holiday QAL Week 1: Blocks 1 & 2

I'm so excited to finally welcome you to start of the Vintage Holiday Quilt Along! Since several of you have mentioned that this is your first QAL, I figured that it would be good to lay down a few ground rules before we get started...

1. No guilt allowed. We all have life going on every day: deadlines, illnesses, and children who don't let us sleep at night (that would be me). If you can't keep up with the weekly pace, don't worry about it. Do what you can when you can. We'll all still be here when you're ready to join us.

2. Please share. If you haven't joined the flickr group yet, do it as soon as possible (just ask if you're new to that and need help). It's a great way to get ideas and be encouraged. When you have the time to drop by, leave nice comments for others to read -- they mean more than you know.

3. Forget perfection. If you try to get every cut and seam in this quilt perfect, you will not only suck all the joy out of the project, but you will drive yourself (and probably several people around you) crazy. Do your best and let it go.

Every Monday I'll be posting my version of the assignment for that week. If you have any questions, you can email me at hjstaples@gmail.com, leave a comment on any post at Fabric Mutt, or leave a comment on the questions discussion thread in the flickr group. We're here to help!

When I decided to use my hoard of Denyse Schmidt prints, I realized that this quilt wasn't going to look quite as Christmassy as I had originally planned. Yet when I sat down to cut the fabric this weekend, I loved the way things started coming together. Our family Christmas decorations are a mix of old and new, lots of little things with personal meaning and definitely leaning toward the vintage side of things. I think this quilt is going be right at home with us.

We're doing blocks one and two this week, and here they are...

Block One

Block Two

I warn you, these blocks are addictive. Once I got started, I couldn't stop. It's incredible to me how adding the grey ornament top and white sashing along the edge just transforms them. I love that the blocks are fairly simple to put together and that they have so much room for creativity. We're all going to end up with such unique versions of this quilt.

I'm so happy to be doing this quilt along with all of you!

Linking up to the Let's Get Acquainted Monday Link-up.

Support Your Local Library

Last night we dropped by the library so that my husband could pick up a few last minute resources for lesson planning today. I dropped by the quilting section to see if there was anything interesting, and lo and behold, this is what I found. What a great surprise! I hadn't honestly expected much in the way of modern quilting books. Can't wait to curl up with these for a while and get some new ideas...

The Vintage Holiday Quilt Along starts this Monday, so be sure to get all your stuff together this weekend. I can't wait to finally get started!

Happy Mail

I am thrilled -- thrilled, I tell you! -- with the package that showed up in my mailbox yesterday. My Modernista Swap partner put together a gift for me that I just adore. Look at all this loveliness!

Not only did she make me a beautiful, reversible cover that perfectly fits my machine, she also included a fabric basket...

...a pincushion...

...and a set of adorable fat eighths of Japanese fabric and twill tape! All the fabrics she used for the project are prints and colors that I love. She even included some Melody Miller, always a favorite with me.

I just couldn't be happier. Thanks, partner.

Farewell to Summer

It's the close of another month, and in our home, the end of summer as well. This Friday my husband goes back to the local middle school and his advanced history students. A week later I'll be starting up home schooling again. My Bunny is so proud to be entering first grade, and I'm beginning preschool activities with Bear and Mouse as well this year. It means going back on a set routine, lots of planning ahead, and moving my sewing time to the evenings and weekends. It's all a little overwhelming, but exciting too in a way. I love a new challenge, and I want to make this year a great one for our family.

I was a little shocked when I looked at the pictures for July -- I accomplished less than half of what I did in June. I have no regrets though. This month I tried to slow down, make projects that I truly enjoyed, and take time with the people I love.

It's been a great summer.

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day and WIP Wednesday.