Fair Progress...

Today's post cover's current work's getting some progress done on them and a small snippet of our outing to the local fair!

I'm 'slowly' getting the HST's squared up and ready to make into blocks for a special quilt. I really need to get more time in on this one...its a generous throw size and the recipient's birthday is in the first part of September! I also have a small birthday present to make for my sister-in-law, she already had her birthday, but we aren't celebrating till Labor Day...so I really need to get working on that one too!

I also have a couple of other new projects going... one non-craft related... I'm starting our first year of home schooling on Monday. Liz is starting in Level 1 of ACE... I choose Level 1 because I believe she is ready to start learning to read...but if we have to take it a little slower at the beginning, it will be fine, since she is only 4 :)  So, I've been starting to review the lessons and setting up a school schedule.

She is also very into wanting to do crafts, aka 'sewing' :) ... so, I thought that a knitting loom would be a good start, even though I had never used one before. We purchased one for her when they were on sale a few weeks ago, but I never got it out. Then today, she received a gift from a co-worker of Chad's... a WHOLE set of looms found at a garage sale! So, we tried them out today...

(The red one was the one we purchased...the other 4 were the gift! It was such a blessing and surprise!)

So, helping her takes some time, but it's cute seeing her working on the crafts!
Both girls are definitely interested in the craft stuff...I can always get little helpers on my table :)

Liz also entered a couple of things in our local fair. Some tomatoes (no ribbon) and a embroidered 'picture' [3rd place... out of three :) but at least she got a ribbon]. She was entered against the adults for her tomatoes because she's only 4...the youth age limit was 5-12...but she did get to enter the Youth under 8 category for her embroidery.

We went up to the fair with my in-laws and had a good time seeing the ribbons we won, the animals... especially the horses, and the girls getting to ride some rides!

I'm looking ahead to fall...my favorite :) So, I decided to join the Leafs Me Happy Blog Hop...



So, I need to start working on a block, hope to update the blog for the upcoming season, and need to decorate the house soon! Hope you are having a productive week!

Joining WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced...the button is on the left!

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; 

I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. 

I will be glad and rejoice in thee: 

I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

Psalm 9:1-2

Starting to read through the Psalms for my daily Bible reading... Love the Psalms, especially the ones about singing! Sing a praise to God today!

Skirt to Dress...

On the 4th of July, I was given a skirt that was my size, but fit a little funny around my waist. So, since it was a long skirt and had no slit, a thought came to mind... make it a dress!

So yesterday I transformed it into a dress...

It still falls nicely below my knees, even when sitting :)
...and since it obviously become a strapless dress, I needed to find something to wear over it.

I found a long sleeve shirt in my closet that I hardly wore, looked at a few shirts refashioned into shrugs on Pinterest, and made one of my own. I think it will get a lot of use!

I cut the shirt up the middle, taking out the three buttons where there is now two snaps, and sewed a casing on each side. In the casing is a piece of material used to gather it up. Also, I never really liked the original length of the sleeves so I cut and hemmed them to just over the elbow in length.

Here's a look at it from the back...

And since it was a skirt, it was slightly sack like, so I did some gathering in the back with elastic thread so it looks a little more fitted. This gathered section falls right about at my 'low' waist...

I can't wait to wear my new outfit to one of our evening services at camp :)

Yesterday, I also made Chad and myself washcloth travel kits for camp...similar to the ones floating around on Pinterest.

His is the tan, mine is the burgundy.

However, while working on the stuff for camp, it leaves a pile of fabric just waiting...and really wanting... to become swim dresses for the girls; and I just haven't had time to touch the two piles of squares cut for quilts. They just sit patiently waiting on me!

And like time isn't fleeting enough, Amber has decided to want to start potty training...ugh! She's almost 20 months old, so I knew it was coming soon, but she is speeding things along by (sometimes) telling me she needs to go (or just went...). I haven't gotten into the intense training with her, so she is still doing diapers and pull-ups. Maybe after camp we'll get her some underwear and see what happens!

Hope you are having a great week!
Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

And David said to Solomon his son,

Be strong and of good courage, and do it: 

fear not, nor be dismayed: 

for the Lord God, even my God, 

will be with thee; 

he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, 

until thou has finished all the work 

for the service of the house of the Lord.

1 Chronicles 29:20 

When I read this yesterday, it was a good admonish to keep on doing the work God has called us to...and in that work God with be with us, guiding us, and comforting us. We do not need to worry or fear over what is going on...because we know that if we are doing the work of the Lord we will run into some contentions and hard situations. But God is always there for us! A verse earlier in the chapter, when Solomon was getting the charge to build the temple, he was told to "Take heed now....be strong, and do it."

We need to just do the will and work of God.

Another Change...

The pile of flannel that I've had plans for since this time last year is finally cut, however, not for the first two patterns I had picked out for it. I went from the Log Cabin Chairs pattern I had designed...to the Stars & Diamonds...then on to one of these...

(Love this one! ~click on picture for source info~)

Third times a charm, right?
So, the final choice of pattern...a Plus Quilt.

After picking out the pattern, I used a free quilt program and colored in the blocks to correspond with the material I'm using. However, I did have to find a few extra materials to finish having enough blocks. Also, I decide to go with all the same size blocks rather than making the longer middle sections of the plus sign.

So, I do have all 210 6.5"x6.5" squares cut out and ready to sew together, however, I'm going to be working on another quilt for a little while, so this one will be on hold again... just not as far back in the pile as it had been!

The other quilt is a lattice type quilt... like this, only in different colors :)

(~click on picture for source info~)

The material for this has been cut for a couple of months, but I really need to start sewing it together. I did about 10 of the HST triangles last night... I have a BUNCH more to go :)

I also need to do a couple of small projects, one includes making up some of these blocks...

These blocks will be sent to Michigan to Margaret's Hope Chest to be sewn into quilts for kids. You can read all about it and see the tutorial on making these squares all at the Margaret's Hope Chest Blog. A bonus, the deadline was extended to the end of July, so there is still plenty of time to join in!

I'm excited to try out some monochromatic sewing... I think this will be fun!

Have a great mid-week... hope to join up with Lee on WIP Wednesday tomorrow at Freshly Pieced (if I remember!)

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God, and keep His commandments:

for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Change of Mind...

Last year about this time I came up with a quilt design that I drew out on the computer and had the material all picked out for it...

But it kept getting pushed aside... and pushed aside... and pushed aside... well, you get the idea!

However, about two months ago (I think) I made one of the blocks.

In this modified Log Cabin block, I had a few problem areas. The one block helped me see where my errors were and I reconfigured a couple of small things....and then it got pushed aside, AGAIN!

Well, Saturday night I pulled the pattern out again and decided that the problem area I have to work with is just to much for me right now!

So, I think that this beautiful pile of flannel needs to become a quilt soon...just in a different pattern!

Changing your mind is a woman's prerogative, right? :)

So, on to picking out a different pattern...
which I think I found this morning sketched out on graph paper under the Log Cabin pattern papers.

It has stars and diamonds :)

I was thinking about making the diamonds as 9-patch...what do you think?

UPDATE: Here it is with some colors added...

Still thinking about what to do with the Diamond sections.

...I could get some HST's going...
I think there could be a bunch of possibilities with this one. Any suggestions?
Also, I have to make sure that this pattern is alright with the recipient...my husband!

I'll probably include this post on the WIP Wednesday, with Lee at Freshly Pieced, when the link becomes available!

So they sat down with him upon the ground 

seven days and seven nights,

 and none spake a word unto him: 

for they saw that his grief was great.

Job 2:13

Sometimes there are occasions when our friends go through a particular rough spot in life and we may not know what exactly to say to them. Here in Job, just after he lost everything, his friends came and comforted with just their presence. Are we willing to just be there for our friends, even we we don't know what to say?

Sometimes not saying anything is better, 'cause as we follow the rest of Job's story we find that once the friends started talking, they weren't much help! Be there for your friends and ask God for guidance in what to say!

Amanda

Mini Friendship Quilts...

Liz and I are reading through an American Girl book, Happy Birthday, Kirsten (which is difficult on me...my sister's name is Kristen...so that's what I want to say) and they were starting to make a Friendship Quilt. I decided Liz and I would make a tiny quilt for in her lap-book that goes with the story...however, this turned into an even bigger project :)

6 - 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 Mini 9-Patch Friendship Quilts for the girls in our Glow Kids class at church (and Liz)...

We'll still have to make a tiny quilt for in the lap-book :)
But these have been my working project since Saturday morning...Friday night the sleepiness overtook me!

Oh and here is our late April snow that came on Monday and melted on Tuesday...

It has been a while since I gave a WIP Update...
so here goes!

Liz's Sashed Postage Stamp Quilt is finally complete (see here for the complete post) and she has been happily sleeping under it since it's been finished.

I have fabric and a plan for a new quilt that I hope to start cutting out later today. Here are the fabrics (except one I couldn't find online)...

I also am at the beginning stages of picking out a pattern and colors for another quilt that I'll need to start soon! Let the fun continue...

Now for a Little Catch-up Review...
New Projects: 2

[Two quilts...one cutting later today and one to decide on a pattern ]

Completed Projects: 3 

[Liz's Sashed Postage Stamp Quilt, Mini Friendship Quilts, 2 Bible Bags]

Continuing Projects: 4

[Log Cabin Block Chairs Quilt (on hold), Scallop Quilt (just needs quilted and bound), the Table Topper, and 'the lost' Quiet book]

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

 with so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us lay aside every weight, 

and the sin which doth so easily beset us,

 and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

Hebrews 12:1

There is a lot in this verse that could be explained or expounded upon... which is obvious when I heard two different message preached from this passage this weekend! Both were good messages btw! :)

However, today I just want to share mostly about the running of the race set before us. I especially need to remember that God has a perfect race map for me and that I need to be continually looking to Him for the directions for reading the map correctly. Although for now things seem on a steady path, I know at anytime there could be a curve ahead that He knows about and how to make it the best way through the curve...

As we see curves approach, some may be exciting to see a good blessing ahead...however, some curves bring along not-so-pleasant situation...in them all God is willing to guide and wants us to lean to Him to see us through. I am so glad that He knows the path and I don't have to worry about it!

Look to Jesus for strength!

Amanda 

An Early WIP...

Wow! a Tuesday night early Wednesday morning Work.in.Progress Wednesday update...probably one of the very few :) I usually do mine on Wednesday afternoon! Will link up with Lee from Freshly Pieced later today.

It's been a busy sewing week. I think the Curves class has added to that, but enjoyably so, well mostly enjoyable!

Thursday, and part of Friday, I worked on the Clamshell Table Runner. That was fun!

Then for the next three days, I worked on the Improv curves project that involved a tree - not a great success, but Chad didn't mind it. I told him I might just finish it for him to hang in his office :)

I like the tree...not so sure about the hills :)

Since that project was done, I decided on Monday I wanted something more...um...personal, easy, less pressured...I'm not sure what to call the feeling, but it made me start a quilt that I had the idea for and designed on the computer in MAY 2011! I've even had the fabric since then...it was easier to not use it in other projects because it's flannel and was already labeled for this quilt!

I named it 'Log Cabin Block Chairs'. The idea came while I was in the nursery at church and playing blocks with one of the little girls. We had them set up in the configuration that the Log Cabin blocks make and they looked like big, boxy chairs. I decide that flannel with a fleece backing would just seem to fit this pattern.

So, I FINALLY cut into it... and now this pile of flannel is at the end of my work table and I have one block done.

However, there are a couple of design fixes, so this one block will be slightly off from the rest that I make...it'll probably end up on the back or as a doll quilt for the girls...or maybe even for the little one that help develop the idea...hmmm...she'll be turning 3 in June :)

Cutting and sewing Monday was a great relaxation. No time pressure. A great feeling of personal design...even if it is using a basic and classic base as the main design element :) ...and it's really nice to be able to sit down and make the changes on paper the computer before going and mass cutting the rest of the pieces!

It was great to get started working on a good sized quilt rather than just all small stuff...but tomorrow I also get to start a lap quilt for Curves Class - this is really exciting!!!

Tuesday, I worked on some DP practice pieces for Curves Class. I made three blocks, but only finished one completely.

My first and third practice (unfinished) blocks...

 

My second is also the one I decided to finish because while sewing it together I had an idea for FMQing it and wanted to give it to Chad as a new mug rug for his office desk... so, now he can take it to work tomorrow :) It finished at 7.5" x 7.5".

Really enjoying that my FMQing is going so much nicer... maybe I should have had my machine looked at a long time ago ;0) ...however, my 'a' still didn't get closed in 'praise' - so, I still have something that needs worked on. LOL!

Weekly Review...
New Projects: 4

[Improv Tree, DP Blocks, Log Cabin Block Chairs Quilt, Scallop Quilt {will start on it later today :) }]

Completed Projects: 3 ...well, at least the tops of the first two...

[Improv Tree, DP Blocks, Clamshell Table Runner]

Continuing Projects: 5

[Log Cabin Block Chairs Quilt, Scallop Quilt, Liz's Sashed Postage Stamp Quilt, the Table Topper, and 'the lost' Quiet book]

So that ye were ensamples to all that believe

in Macedonia and Achaia.

For from you sounded out the word of the Lord

not only in Macedonia and Achaia,

but also in every place your faith

 to God-ward is spread abroad;

so that we need not to speak any thing.

1 Thessalonians 1:7-8

The Thessalonians had a REAL faith in Jesus and they did not hide it. It was known everywhere that they were believers of God and trust Him.

If we are Christians, true Christians, bought by the blood of Jesus and His victory over death in the Resurrection, then shouldn't we be living lives that reflect the virtues of Jesus...and that they'd be so evident that we wouldn't even need to say anything?

Preach the gospel, and when necessary, add words.

Amanda

A Full Wednesday Report...

It's that time in the week to gauge our progress in our sewing...WIP Wednesday with Lee from Freshly Pieced. Although I haven't been blogging this past week, I have been sewing...and we were also away for the weekend :)

Last week was the first sewing week for our Curves Class with Rachel from Stitched in Color. I chose the bib project so Amber would have a few new bibs for the weekend...they turned out cute!

 

The other project from last week that I wanted to work on did not get very far...due to our going away and having a major migraine on Thursday...
So, this is all the farther my clamshell project is...

Planning on working on this some today.

Yesterday, Valentine's Day, Liz and I worked on a few yarn hearts.

And I did yesterday's class work, Improv Notecards...

 

For most Valentine's days, Chad and I go to our church's Valentine's Banquet. Well, this year before going to the restaurant, we stopped at the LQS so I could pick out a free FQ I received for participating in the contest they had on FB. Well, Chad also purchased one for me...

So, I got these two beautiful pieces of material for Valentine's Day :) [I told Chad when we first got married to never buy me flowers...they are a waste of money because they just die in a week - he has bought me a few plants, but I tend to kill those!] Fabric with flowers on it much more useful to me :) !!!!

Last week I also decide Amber need a new diaper bag to take on our weekend trip.

I like the way it looks, but I made it a little to long and narrow...but it serves it's purpose. I'd probably just LOVE it if I had made it have a bigger bottom area and shorter side...now I know :)

Week Review...

New Projects: 1 [Scallop project]
Completed Projects: a bunch of little ones covered in this post

Continuing Projects: 4 [Scallop project, Liz's Sashed Postage Stamp Quilt, the Table Topper, and 'the lost' Quiet book]

We had a wonderful weekend trip from NW PA to Rochester, NY. It took about 3 hours to get there, the roads were bare (rare for this time of year in this part of the country...but this whole winter has been rare!) and we stayed at a lovely hotel - Holiday Inn Express in Webster, NY. It was close to the church we were visiting for the weekend. However, the trip home on Saturday was about 2 hours longer due to snow [mostly in PA :)].

It wasn't a site-seeing type trip... We went to Family School! It's a conference held by Southeast Bible Baptist Church. (this is also Commonground Baptist Ministries - see this post for more info)

We had a wonderful time and even received a free family portrait from a photographer at the church. She is the photographer at Cobblestone Photography and gave us a small free print while we were there...and we can order more (professionally printed copies) from her site if we want.

This is a scan of the copy we received...so the quality is a little grainy [and I added the writing for various reasons ;0)], but the picture is great!

Hope you and your family had a great weekend...and beginning of this week!

For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you

some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established.

Romans 1:11

Paul wrote Romans to impart some great truths to us, to learn and grow in our Christian lives. I enjoy being able to share some of the things I get when I read the Bible. My prayer is that they in some part help you, encourage you!

Amanda