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.

   

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--Quilting again!

I feel like celebrating...I've started to earn a place at my new school.  The kids are working hard, I'm working hard, and so far we (mostly) understand each other.  Hearing them debate the importance of science made me smile--no, grin like a silly person.  I'm aware it sounds too good to be true, so I'll add, it's a colossal amount of work.  I worked from 7 am to 11 pm yesterday (with a dinner break) and then went in at 6:30 to finish this morning. I've always enjoyed time with kids in a classroom (it's the other parts of the job that feel like work), and these kids are no different.  8:30 to 2:05 always flies by!

BUT...all that hard work meant I could quilt tonight!!!

The bunny quilt is finally being quilted!!!

Other works in progress:
Animal echo quilting for the classroom

The charity quilt

The owl quilt (Hooterville by Brandywine Design)...I started this in March!  At least the embroidery needs to be finished soon!

There's lots more, and I really want to start the Giant Granny Panties QAL too!  I'm a crazy person for thinking I've got time for this now that school's started.  But my wonderful (smart) hubby keeps encouraging me and helping out around the house so that we both have time for hobbies.  I say smart because I'm a much nicer person when I'm balancing work with craft.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday...make sure you check out the other fabulous projects there!  So much to inspire!  Also linking to Quilty Embellishment Day at Color Me Quilty...she's got a fabulous guest blogger there too!

WIP Wednesday

It's my last week before returning back to professional development and teaching.  I've been keeping busy quilting...it's been so much fun!  I'm really looking forward to meeting a community of quilters here in Northern VA.  DC Modern Quilt Guild is hosting an event this Saturday, and I'll be there working on some of these things perhaps...

The charity quilt for 100 Quilts for Kids:

I've started quilting it using the circuit board pattern from the Free Motion Quilt Along.

The other bunnies have faces...which do you like best?

I like this one (although I hope he looks shy/embarrassed but not sad!)

And the quilt top is almost finished...I made some log cabin blocks for the four corners of the outer border.  I just need to cut the four strips of white and sew it together!

I'm enjoying them so much I'm not sure what I'll work on next...
I could keep working on the hexies...

 

Or pick up the owl quilt again...

 Or another baby quilt that will allow lots of free-motion practice

Or maybe a modern quilt for myself:

My sister starts her first teaching job tomorrow!  My heart goes out to her as she starts her biggest WIP yet!

I'm linking up to WIP Wednesday, Quilty Embellishment Day, and the Free Motion Quilting Project (even though I'm quite a few weeks behind!)  Check these blogs out...they're wonderful and so are the projects people are linking!

Work in progress..first time fromVA!

Well, the weekend was full of quilting time, but now the work week is back and I'm back to running moving related errands. Today it's getting a drivers license, plates, and registration from Virginia. Obtaining all the necessary inspections and waiting in line pushed the five hour mark :/

But  in other news, quilting and packing to go back to SC for the final load of stuff took priority once finished at the DMV.

Binding was made using the endless binding method.

And I tried a fancy new tool or two from clover while machine binding. (The little red clips...I have a feeling they're not new...just new to me.)

I finished the quilt label using instructions posted by Leah Day. (I'm always so thankful that she seems to have the answers to all my quilting questions :)

I finished the hand stitching on the plane (couldn't believe that).

Then I snapped some shots on my parent's back porch:

I'm linking up to Quilty Embellishment Day with Pat at Color me Quilty...you should check out her blog...it's great!

Tutoring relief...a quilty pursuit

After three different review sessions today I needed a break...so I tried a block that I'll be making soon in Krystal's fabric of choice.

It's from Block Party--The Modern Quilting Bee.

I wanted to try an overall pattern on the large triangle (and I love it...especially that it looks better messy).

 Still not sure about the stripes...stitch in the ditch may be my favorite so far.

 I'll be linking up tomorrow to Quilty Embellishment Day at Pat's Color Me Quilty blog (a new favorite of mine :)