Monday, September 19, 2011

Getting stuff done...


Boxer Rebellion took a leap forward this weekend...I finished the applique and assembled the blocks.  I need to sneak by my husband's work place and measure the area where this will hang before I decide how to border it.  I need to keep it small (all blocks finish 7.5 inches).  I will sprinkle a few more tiny appliqued hearts around the other two applique blocks, enough to balance the sarcasm and snarkiness in this quilt...I wonder how many dozen THAT will take, LOL?!

Here are close ups of the applique blocks...this one you've seen.


I thought I needed an actual pair of boxer shorts represented...I will add a tiny button on the flap after I've quilted it...


I put an up-side-down block in the mix because I just love to see those on cat and doggie quilts...it feeds my goofy side (and Steve IS my favorite critter, after all)...


And I guess the musical reference to the song about a dog being gone was inevitable...


Someone emailed me and asked me how I was going to finish his face on these appliques.  I had to admit that I considered myself finished.  I am HORRIBLE with faces, which is why I left the bride's face blank in my Civil War Bride quilt, along with the self-portrait block of our family.  Since I had already done Steve that way for that quilt, I thought I would continue that idea for this one.  I would love to find a book or resource about making easy, real looking faces.  I didn't want to put a face on my bride because I thought it would make her look cartoon-ish, with my very limited art skills.



I totally avoided the face situation with my daughter by putting a book in front of her face, which is true to life anyway.


My sad little design wall is, unfortunately, at the bottom of the stairs in the quilt cave.  As usual, I take great care pinning a project to the wall, and then over the course of time, THIS happens.  Maybe it is a subtle message telling me to get on with it!


I have both a teenager and a cat who like to zoom down the stairs and the resulting velocity is just too much for design lay-outs.  Pretty funny when compared to taking each step s-l-o-w-l-y and carefully like I do, thinking about the consequences of reckless abandon with every step.  Ah, stupid youth.

I took some time to sew the blocks together this weekend...HA!  Let's see those two upset my apple cart NOW.  My next step is to decide on a skinny stop border and something for the outer border.  Any suggestions??  I never know what to do with scrappy things to pull all that lovely randomness to a logical conclusion.

I also glanced in my magic box and it was almost empty!  Time to prep the next few basket blocks for casual hand applique.  I manage to get at least one a day done, waiting for my car full of teenagers to materialize after school in the afternoon.  I've got some awaiting me...all ready to cut out with the freezer paper ironed to the right side of the fabric. 


This is the 4th use of these 20 freezer paper patterns...I peel them off carefully each time to re-use them, and I'm trying to see how many times I can use them before having to make another set. Waste not, want not...(really I'm just SUPER lazy!). 



I hope you found a few moments for quality sewing time this weekend.  I'm still having to make the most of small chunks of time...I would LOVE a big block of time with no cooking, no housework, no job, no mothering, no wifing, and no dental appointments for bite adjustments (hey - I've had 3 days of no pain meds!!  THAT'S progress!).  I am continuously motivated by Victoria's idea of 15 minutes of play...you really CAN get something done in 15 minute chunks. 

Small blocks of time are great for working on projects that are already planned and fairly well organized, but I need more uninterrupted time when planning a project I want to start.  Maybe the lack of that is a sign I need to FINISH the things I have started.  Hmmm...

In stitches,
Teresa  :o)

22 comments:

  1. Oh keep the faces as they are!! I like them with just a 'hint'. I have a quilt like what was on your wall. I tend to just bind them - but a dark (blue, green, red) skinny, light border and then dark binding does set 'scrap- a-lots'.

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  2. Love the wall hanging and your sense of humor!

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  3. Love it-just the right a,punt of whimsy. I like the faces the way they are. Anymore and I think you would tend to focus more on that than the whole picture. Love your scrappy goodness. I need to get a scrappy leader/ender project going.

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  4. Love your work and ideas. I am so happy to know your dental problems are gone!
    I enjoy reading your blog. You in spire me to think out side of the box!
    The boxer quilt is soooooo cute! Is he really going to hang it in his office at work? too funny

    hugs from south Louisiana
    beebee

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  5. I don't think you need to add anything to the faces. They work very well the way they are. I really like all that you are doing. The quilt for your DH is quite wonderful. It will be quite the conversation starter.

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  6. Such a great post. Your Boxer Rebellion is too funny, and your scrappy top is great, too. Love the baskets!

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  7. So many yummy things in one post! Boxer Rebellion is coming along nicely and I am IN LOVE with that scrappy quilt. I would go with something DARK and narrow for a stop border and then something more on the medium side for a larger outer border. Scrappy ones always need that definite END of a good stop border. Can't wait to see it.

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  8. excellent... you rock the undies!

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  9. Love your boxer rebellion!! That could go well in our house, due to our last name, our nickname is Mr and Mrs Undies!! I think the faces are perfect, don't need anything else. Fabulous! xo

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  10. I agree. I wouldn't add more to the faces. Just the glasses are expressive enough and more detail would make it cartoony! Loving this quilt!

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  11. Where do I begin? Your boxers quilt is hilarious, I can't wait to show my quilting friends.
    Those basket blocks are on my list, yours are just beautiful. Your design wall is awe inspiring, thanks for sharing.

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  12. Leave well enough alone. Steve would probably appreciate some slight anonymity.

    Whatever colour stop border you put on the scrap quilt will make that colour stand out in the scrap section. So choose a colour you like.
    I really enjoyed reading your blog and looking at your work.

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  13. your boxer rebellion is a hoot! leave the faces as is - wonderful. my husband would never ever ever in a million years display a quilt in his work area. and one this personal? not a chance. your husband sounds like a treasure! I don't think it needs lots of hearts - doesnt' come across as snarky at all to me.

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  14. The applique blocks are so funny - my husband would never hang anything like this at his work - your husband must have a very good sense of humor :0)
    Love the baskets - one a day is pretty good progress. I can relate to the desire to have a big chunk of time to quilt. I find many projects of mine get stuck once they get big and it takes time to pull them out and make decisions/measure/think... Easier to just pull out some fabrics and start something new - oh dear!

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  15. I love the Boxer Rebellion and I'll add my voice to everyone saying to let the faces alone. We can't be perfect at every little thing-and WOW, do I know that!- so enjoy it as it is, it's beautiful.

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  16. Your Boxer Rebellion is just perfect, what fun! If your husband doesn't like it, there's something wrong with him...besides being pantless!

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  17. you are such a riot. I love this funny quilt and I love that he will hang it in his office. The faces are perfect. I love your CWB blocks and the book is totally perfect.
    Guuurrrrllll you've been busy and it looks like you are having sewing fun!

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  18. Love the Boxer Rebellion. Your applique blocks are wonderful. Faceless is okay for me. I am not good at faces, either. I love your scrappy quilt. Glad you had time to sew it together. Small bits of time are better than no bits of time.

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  19. I love your faces just as they are. However, my DD drew faces (with a Sharpie) for me if I left them blank. :( My solution was 2 pin-dot eyes with a pilot pen and some actual blush put on with a Q-tip!

    What a fun quilt! doni @ Oregon coast

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  20. Love the results of the Boxer Rebellion quilt11 It is wonderful. I have been preppeing things today for working in the car.Love the handwork. Your baskets are so cute.

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  21. Oh, your underpants quilt is coming along. I love it. I think the faces are great just the way they are.
    You did a lot of sewing and got a really nice top done. Great job.
    I will use my freezer paper over and over too as long as it sticks. I guess I am lazy too. lol

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  22. Your boxer quilt is so funny! What a good sense of humor you have. I should look at the thrift stores for cotton boxer shorts. Maybe a new source of old fabric.

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