Wednesday, September 19, 2012

A charity quilt and lots of papers to grade...

Those are my newest things this week.  Since we're getting into the meat of things now at school, the papers are beginning to flow in, and I'm having to adjust to an A/B block system over a 4x4 block system.  I have more time to grade assignments, but I get a lot of them at once!!!  The kids continue to be great; they're tired just like me, but we're all trying really hard (and trying not to get sick!...anyone else seeing the flu pop up early this year???)

This week I'm really wondering when people do most of their sewing if they work.  Do you mainly quilt on the weekends?  Do you make sure to do a bit each night?  Anyone successfully integrating work, quilting, kids, cooking, etc...and still managing to exercise?

I've been trying to get a bit done each night, but then that turns from "a bit" into "a lot," and I'm up too late still sewing.

Anyway, the mental health break each night is wonderful...it serves me much better than watching TV.

I've started yet ANOTHER work-in-progress.  A second charity quilt for DC Modern's 100 Quilts for Kids. (Now I'm hoping I get them finished!  They may turn into Christmas donations.)

I used the wonky block tutorial links from Sewn by Leila.  That took me to Quilt Dad and I'm doing his basic wonky log cabin and a large bento block for the center.


 I think they'll really pop once they all have white borders...

I've also spent time quilting the bunny quilt.

And working on lava flow for this week's Free Motion Quilt Along.

  Free Motion Quilt Along 

I felt like I had a hard time making lava paisley look like something more than paisley done sloppily.  I think I need to make the first inner loop more wiggly somehow...

So that leaves all the other unfinished projects...
1.) the first charity quilt - needs a little more FMQ and binding
2.) the classroom echo quilting - more FMQ and binding
3.) the Hooterville quilt - a little more applique, then sewing the top...

I'd consider the hexie quilt hibernating :( along with any other quilts I was thinking of starting for myself.  But there's more time to come, and I know I'll be wanting to sew myself through stress and difficult times or just because I'm relaxing after a good day.

Hope everyone has a good day today!  I'm linking up with WIP Wednesday--check out Lee's blog at Freshly Pieced--and QED at Color Me Quilty by Pat.

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

7 comments:

  1. Love your wonky log cabin! and you're doing fabulous on your fmqing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm the daytime custodian at an elementry school and I'd say YES, the stomach flu is on the way! (based on the "clean-up's" I've had) I sew about every other day and like a mad woman on the weekends. Sometimes I have to stop and do petty things like cook and clean;) As for exercising, I depend on my physically demanding job. I could loose a few though. I love your wonky blocks!! And your lava paisley turned out very nice:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's an interesting question to ask. Even though I basically quilt for a living, for the last 2 years I struggled to find time to get on the machine consistently. The computer was always sucking all my time away. Since starting the UFO Sunday program, I've changed my habits. Check out the Question Thursday posts for more details, but to put it simply - I wake up earlier just to have more quiet time to quilt and create.

    Cheers,

    Leah

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your lava paisley looks fabulous - I love the contrast against the purple.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Aubrie,

    I work full time and usually have a couple hours of time in my sewing room a few evenings a week. You're right--it's much better than television. I have a few shows I watch with my DH, but I have cut back in order to have more far-more-rewarding creative time.

    The last two weeks have been crazy busy at work, but I managed to find two weekday nights to spend in my sewing room, and I finished FMQing a quilt. That was great for my sanity! I also usually have larger blocks of time on Saturday and/or Sunday. A dear friend told me long ago to have hobbies outside of my marriage. DH and I each have some things that take up an evening or two a week--mine is quilting!

    Before I forget, I think your lava paisley looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Every time I visit your blog, I am just in awe of your work. Thanks so much for linking up to QED for September!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your comments make my day!