Happy Monday!

Wow its been awhile.  Almost a month since my last post.  I've been pretty busy though, I had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  My mother-in-law is a wonderful cook and I of course ate way to much and promptly fell asleep after dinner.  Now I'm in full Christmas mode!  I have a rule for myself, more of a law if you ask my husband, I can only watch Christmas movies from Thanksgiving to New years.  Otherwise it would be non stop and drive him crazy.  But that's fine with me, it makes this season even more special.  I love the holidays more than any other time of year.  Just to give you an idea, I started making my Christmas list in June.  I save it on my computer and add to it whenever I think of something new.  I also keep a list of ideas for what I'm going to get everyone else.  It keeps me organized or I would go crazy shopping almost every day and spend way to much money.  Anyway, my husband and I did Thanksgiving with his family so we're doing Christmas with mine.  Which means prime rib and my Grammy's mashed potatoes, yum. 

As far as my sewing is concerned, I have not spent as much time quilting as I would have liked.  I finally finished my black white and yellow quilt and put it for sale on Etsy.  I would have finished much sooner but I got frustrated and took a two week vacation from my sewing room.  But I fought through it and now I'm working on a few projects for Christmas gifts.  I can't say anymore on here just in case they read this.  Once I finish my current projects I'm going to try and make some more quilts to sell.  I would also like to make a little something for me.  I have till January 27th to finish my quilt for me, I figure since I'm turning 25 (yikes) I deserve a quilt!

Well, I've done my best to catch you up on the last month.  I'll try to post a few pictures soon. 
Happy Holidays!

Oh wait... here's the link to my Etsy shop McBlogshop

busy busy busy

Well it's been awhile since I posted anything on here so I better catch you up.  I'm half way done quilting my black, white and yellow quilt.  It has been a struggle, I got a cotton polyester blend batting and I will NEVER buy it ever again.  I've had to re-baste three times, its a pain in the but and my cats really like it so give them little pieces of leftover batting to play with so they don't go after my quilt.  Once I have it quilted I'm selling it on etsy.com.

I also finished one of my quilt tops from the quilt along.  I think it turned out really well!

I'm thinking about selling this one too once its done but I'm not sure yet.  I just love the colors!
But I've decided to quilt my polka dot quilt next!  I need to work on something that really bright and colorful.

Well that all for now.  If I don't post again before Thanksgiving I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

Update

Well I've been working on a few projects this last week and I think I've made some good progress.  I've done a few more squares of my Granny square Afghan.  Also made some more blocks for my fuzzy flannel curves quilt.  I learned how to make a new dish, Carnitas are actually extremely easy, and super yummy if I do say so myself.  But for the most part I've been trying to finalize the layout for my two colorbrick quilts.  This is always the hardest part for me.  Don't get me wrong its also one of my favorite parts but its just so time consuming.  I literally spend hours and hours moving squares around, it drives my husband crazy.  So after a full afternoon of moving things, including the furniture, I finished the layouts for both quilts.
There is also going to be sashing between the rows.

I can't wait to finish these up, I'm hoping to sell at least one, maybe both.

I also got the backing and batting for two other quilts I'm going to start straight line quilting tomorrow.

I'm keeping the polka-dot one but the black white and yellow one I'm going to try and sell as well.  You can see these two quilts in more detail Here.  Once I have a few things done I'm going to put them in my Etsy shop. 

Fall is here!

I love the Fall.  Don't get me wrong I love Summer too, but the Fall brings with it some of my favorite things.  Football, Halloween, watching the leaves change, sitting in my sewing room watching the rain.  And before we know it Thanksgiving and Christmas are here.  I'll miss the warm sunny weather but now its cold enough to pull out my flannel quilt I've been working on. 

The pattern is called fuzzy flannel curves and its by Elia's Backporch.

I bring it out every year when the weather gets nasty.  It gets really hot working with flannel.

Along with my flannel quilt I've also been working on some of my other projects. 

I've cut all the bricks for the colorbrick quilt along, 

added a border to my polka-dot quilt,

took our broken couch back to the store and exchanged it for a new one (thanks mom and dad), made a cake, and I made an Etsy account so that I can start selling my quilts. 

Etsy is like ebay except everything is either handmade or vintage.  I already have some ideas for what I can sell besides quilts.  But for the time being I have one quilt top that's done and ready to be quilted. 

I made this for a store sample but never got around to having it quilted.  Its 72"x61".  I'm hoping to get it done in a week or two so I can try to sell it for Christmas.  I'm also planning to make a few smaller things to sell on Etsy too, table runners, fabric bundles, pot holders, coasters, stuff like that. 

Overall a pretty productive weekend.

 



Lately...

Wow time really flies when you have so many projects going on.  It has been a very busy week, my cat Potter and I have been fighting off a cold, I finished my husband Matt's quilt, and the color brick quilt along has officially started. 

My husbands quilt is only the second one that I have quilted myself.  I normally take my quilts to a cute little shop in Lebanon to be quilted.  Since I recently got a walking foot for my sewing machine I thought I should give it a try.  The first one I did was a large crib quilt for my brother's friend who just had a baby boy.  Matt's quilt is a size up (60"x60") but I felt like I could handle it.  I'm only doing straight line quilting but both have turned out pretty great. 

As well as quilting for myself I also tried spray basting for the first time, and let me just say it was SO much easier.  I will never go back to pinning ever again.  Not once did the layers shift (even when my cats decide to wrestle on it).

I read that painters tape helps keep your lines straight when you

 are new to quilting.

I decided to do diamonds since the whole quilt is squares.  And Matt wanted black thread so that it would stand out.  I wasn't sure how it would look, but I really like it and so does Matt

 After I finished quilting it I had to get myself excited to do the binding, which is my least favorite part of the quilt process.  Normally I take it to my Mom and have her sew the binding on.  (Thanks Mom, Love you!)  But I really wanted to finish this 100% on my own.  So I went out and bought a new movie!

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST!!!  I'm not sure if I've mentioned it yet but I am a huge Disney fan.  Some might say I'm obsessed but I think I'm just a kid at heart.  Also I can't work on a quilt unless there is a movie or a show on for me to listen to.  I have quite a collection.

In alphabetical order.  I'm OCD about my movies.

Once I had a new movie to watch I was ready to get started on the binding.  I have decided that the reason I don't like to do the binding is because I'm not a big fan of hand stitching, so I used one of the "fancy" stitches on my machine to sew it on.

Got the binding on,

fresh out of the dryer,

Potter approved.

Quilt Along

Well I joined the color brick quilt along last week and I'm super excited for it to start later this week.  This is my first quilt along and I think I'm really going to like it.  I've taken a few quilt classes at the Sister quilt show and at quit shops.  Its always so fun to see how all the quilts comes out. 

So it took me a few days to find all the fabric I wanted to use, but I finally decided. 

These are the fabrics I picked.  I got almost all of the fabric from my stash. 

But wait theres more...

I went to the fabric store with my Mom over the weekend and I found a fat quarter bundle that I fell in love with.  And go figure the quilt along calls for ten fat quarters.  So I guess I have no choice but to make two quilts for the quilt along.  right?

Every quilt I've ever made has been really really bright.  When I saw these fabrics I thought they would make a really relaxing quilt.  I hope I can get them both done.  I can't wait to see how they come out.  they are going to be so different.

Great weekend!

What a weekend!  Matt and I went to see our parents over the weekend.  I spent Saturday afternoon fabric shopping with my Mom, while Matt was helping paint his parents house.  Then it was early to bed so we could drive to Seattle at 5am with Matt's parents and sister.  We went to watch the Chargers play the Seahawks.  Had a good time except the Chargers didn't win, but its still early in the season. 

Here is a picture from our seats.  50 yard line one row from the very back.

So many projects...

Well I've done it again.  I have started working on multiple projects at once.  I would normally be angry with myself, since I never seem to finish a single project when I take on so many.  But I'm much more confident this time around.  I've made a commitment to blogging about my quilting adventures and I think that will keep me on track and motivated.

So here is what I've started...

 

I finished the quilt top I made for my husband.  I got the backing and batting, so this is ready to be quilted.

Still working on my Granny squares Charger afghan

I've cut all my fabric for the quilt I'm making for me.  I got the pattern @ Sisters Quilt Show and I promised myself I would finish it for my birthday (January 27th)

And last but not least I have joined a Quilt along that I found on the Stitched in Color blog.  The Colorbrick beginners quilt along,

I think I can do it!  Wish me luck

Projects

Took some pictures today of some projects I'm working on.  Also a few projects I'm planning.  Let me know what you think.

This is for my husband

This one is a store sample I made and just got back.

I've been collecting Poka-dots for a while.

First quilt I ever made.  My Mom designed this fabric.  Lindin by P&B

My Christmas quilt

Almost done with this quilt top, jsut need to add a few boarders.  Made while at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 2010.

I'm going to make a Halloween quilt at some point.

My first blog

Hello!  I guess I should start by telling you a little about myself.  My name is Meg and I was born and raised in Oregon.  I married my high school sweetheart in August of '09.  His name is Matt, he is my very best friend and partner in crime.  We live in a little two bedroom on the coast with our cats, Chandler and Potter.  Chandler is super big and fluffy and hates to be picked up.  Potter on the other hand is long and skinny looks like a jersey cow and acts like a dog.  They are the best, most entertaining pets anyone could ask for.

I decided to start this blog because I enjoy reading other peoples blogs.  Also my Mom just started a blog of her own and she made it sound really fun.  For the most part my blog will be about my life and the things I enjoy doing.  My hobbies mainly revolve around different craft projects.  I love to quilt!  I haven't been quilting for very long so I'm excited to learn everything I can.  I'm interested in everything from designing fabric lines to how to use a long arm.  I also recently taught myself how to crochet, though I am not very good at it yet (I hear it takes practice).  While the majority of my posts will be devoted to quilting/crafts I will also blog about my everyday life.  So be prepared to hear about my cats, movies, games or books I like, and probably some football as well.  I'm a BIG San Diego Charger fan and I won't be able to help myself.

Comments are very welcome and appreciated.  Especially if you have thoughts comments or ideas about a quilt I've made or that I should make.  Enjoy!

Potter

Chandler

Matt and I in Disneyland