Friday 30 May 2014

100th Post - Recap and New Goals

In February 2013 I decided I wanted to blog, I didn't have much direction and wasn't totally sure what I would enjoy writing about. I wanted to write about my quilting for sure, and I found that for the first few months writing about my exercise/fitness/weightloss goals was really motivating. I felt accountable,  it was going great until I put my back out and could hardly move, all motivation was lost for several weeks, and stress at home kept me from getting back on the exercise bandwagon. Then, although it shouldn't be an excuse, the worst winter Calgary has had in a while kept me and kids inside for days and days, it was too icy to navigate with the stroller and wobbly toddlers. Anyway, since starting the blog I feel like I have found my blogging grove. I love sharing my sewing, and don't much feel the need to share lots about the kids or my exercising (maybe if that gets to be more routine again it will come naturally, but for now I am sticking with the sewing).

So here is recap of what I have sewn since starting the blog.
Finished:
LB's rag quilt
The Wedding Quilt for my Brother&Sister-in-Law - this was a huge undertaking, and it is the project I miss having on my design wall the most. So happy I could make it for such an awesome couple


Baby Blanket for Baby P. (Oink-a-doodle-moo)
Playmat for Baby G
Tote bags for my mom and sister-in-law


Hexie Tote Bag (mostly, I want to redo a couple of the seams)
18 diaper covers with gussets and 18 pocket diapers

Some toddler clothing for my daughter and niece

Works in Progress:
X=Y Block - start of a math quilt

5 blocks for the Hexie Block of the Month 
41 block for the Farmer's Wife Quilt Sampler - see them all on their own page

Not Your Grandma's Garden - EPP Hexie Quilt- roughly 1850 hexies basted ~330sewn into rows, and 52 flowers made


Tumbler lunch bag - I have 4 outside pieces, and lining and interfacing, I just need time
Bento Box Quilt for friends - top is ready to be sewn together
The first block for Project Seventy-Two finished this afternoon.

English Paper Piecing - Project Seventy-Two
Block 1 - does it need a name?

Goals for the next 100 posts
1. Write another 100 posts. Seems a little daunting, but if I did 100, I am half way to 200.
2. Publish a couple patterns
3. Learn to Use EQ7 (Electric Quilt) for drafting patterns. So many ideas in my head, and so little time to sew them all.
4. Make 11 more paper (foundation) pieced blocks for a math quilt. 
5. Make 15 more blocks for Project Seventy-Two.
6. Finish the current list of work in progress. 
7. Get more followers and readers. 
8. Make something with equilateral triangles.
9. Make a dress for Monkey
10. Make a dress for myself
11. Learn to longarm quilt. I am already taking steps to make that happen. I have completed a Renter Certification course to use a rental longarm and I am going to finish the Bento Box on it!

There are more things I would like to do, but that is a pretty good start for now. 

Thanks for reading my posts and commenting on them. Here is to 100 more!
GeoMama










Thursday 22 May 2014

WIP: Project Seventy-Two

While away over the weekend I finished the May Hexie BOM. The kids grandmother and great grandma think the butterfly is pretty awesome, so I think I should make them each something with a butterfly on it. Pillows perhaps. 


I also made most of the first block for Project Seventy-Two. Project Seventy-Two is an English Paper Piecing project with 1" half hexagons. Each block will take 72 half hexagons. I have no idea how many blocks there will be, but probably more than is reasonable. Photos of progress can be views on my Instagram, @geomamaquilts
 
Nice picture on my lap in the car.

Thanks for stopping by to have a look. Enjoy the warmer weather!
GeoMama

Wednesday 14 May 2014

WIP: RoadTripSewAlong on Instagram

I am now on Instagram @geomamaquilts if you want to follow me. As we come into summer I love to take my english paper piecing with me. Roads trips, playgrounds, beachside, BBQs at friend's houses, nowhere is off limits. So join me using the hashtag #roadtripsewalong and let us take our sewing out of the studio and enjoy the summer sun.

Besides figuring out the basics on Instagram, I had a 3.5 hour sewing session last night to get the diaper covers done for my friend, I will see them this weekend so it will be good to have them done. 18 covers took a lot of time between cutting, putting snaps in and sewing them together. I think the prefolds will sew together much more quickly when I get back.



I am including 2 laundry bags, a diaper bag sized one, and one for home use.

Today I am packing, doing laundry, baking cookies for in the car, and cutting itsy-bitsy half hexagons for a project that I am calling Seventy-Two until I come up with something more clever.


It was super quick to cut 60 half-hexies of each color by having my paper template taped to the back of my smallest ruler. I cut strips at 1.5" which should each yield 20-21 half hexies with generous 1/4" seam allowances around the paper pieces.

If I get enough done tonight I might even be able to finish my May Hexie Block of the Month. Here is one wing of the butterfly.

I am linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for Work in Progress Wednesday and Lorna for Let's Bee Social.

Thanks for stopping by to have a look and I would love to hear if you have plans to take your sewing on any adventures. If you are on Instagram please join the #roadtripsewalong.

GeoMama

Wednesday 7 May 2014

WIP: Cloth Diapers & A Fabric Pull

I am plugging away on the cloth diapers I am making for a friend. 9 are complete and 2 more cut out with snaps in. I hope to get another 5-7 out of the fabric I have, and thanks to a lovely little surprise in the box I have more fabric than I expected. The flannel I will be using for prefolds inside the covers is on its way.


GeoDad and I have a road trip coming up soon, and my current English Paper Piecing project (Not Your Grandma's Garden) is getting to big to work on in the car (and it is mostly white, and I have toddlers... white + toddlers = bad idea), so I have been planning to start something new. All I can say about it right now is 1" Half-Hexies and these fabrics are dancing wildly in my head. 
They are all Tonga Batiks, listed from left to right with collection-colour:
Boysenberry- Beet, Harvest-Gold, Java Blender - Emerald, Boysenberry-VaVaVoom, Hemmingway-Pollen, Boysenberry-Emerald. 
I am also trying out some new thread, Wonderfil's DecoBob, which is a 80wt cottonized polyester. I have done most of my EPPing with Presencia 50 or 60 wt cotton thread, and find that it breaks often enough that it is a little annoying when sewing by hand. The DecoBob is both finer and significantly stronger, so hopefully it will be nice to sew with. 


Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for Work in Progress Wednesday.
Thanks for stopping by to have a look.

GeoMama