Dusting Off My Sewing Machine

I never thought I would say this, but my sewing machine has been gathering dust.  For the last 11 months, I have not been quilting, hence my lack of blog posts.

In October our office went live with a new computer system.  The one it replaced was 30 years old, so it was a big adjustment for everyone.  To make it more complicated it is a system that we have been working with the vendor to develop specifically for California, so it has some issues.  I'm good with computers and my normal job position has been replaced to dealing full time with the training and support of the new computer system.  It has been a fun challenge, but exhausting and overwhelming.  It's involved a lot of long stressful days and a lot of overtime.  Most days I am so exhausted by the time the day ends that I come home and curl up with a book.  I've been reading...a lot.  Quilting has seemed to require more brain power than I'm willing to take on at the end of the day.

The good news is that work is calming down and I've been spending a lot more time thinking about quilting.  I figure that is a good first start, right?  So, I revamped my blog page a bit and finally pulled out my sewing machine.

I finally pulled out my machine this weekend and tackled this table runner project.  (Sorry, the picture is not the best.)  I haven't yet gotten the binding on yet, but I figures this was a good project to ease me back in.  No piecing or accurate cutting required!

I'm trying to decide what project I might try next.  A coworker is having a baby at the end of next month, so I'm thinking an easy baby quilt might be in order.  In the mean time, I'm going to spend some time reading all the blog posts I've been missing out on and work on some more inspiration.

Sunbonnet Sue

Summer is officially over, but that doesn't mean it feels like it around here.  Right about the time all the kids head back to school, it is still nice a warm and around here, but all the tourists have gone home.  It the perfect time of year to hang out at the beach (well at least for a few more weeks until the rain starts up next month).

A while back I bought this book "A Year in the Life of Sunbonnet Sue."




A few weeks ago, I decided I needed a wall quilt for our entry way, so I tackled August.  He're my Sunbonnet Sue at the beach.

She still needs a string for her kite and the kite tail, but she'll be done and ready to go for next summer.  I already can't wait until next summer to put her up!  I think I might start tackling January now so I have something to put up after Christmas.

I just realized this is my 99th post.  I think I might have to do a fun giveaway for the 100th.  Stay tuned!

August's UFO Finally Finished

Well, I didn't find my quilting gloves, but I did buy new ones.  As a result, August's UFO finally got finished.  It's found a new home on my coffee table.

 I've been nervous to try too much free motion quilting on my own.  I usually finish most quilts by stitching in the ditch (which I actually really like and am fairly good at), but this quilt needed something more interesting.  He're the close up of the quilting I chose.  

It is essentially a bunch of small meandering boxes.  I think it makes a nice effect.  I definitely won't be quilting a full sized quilt this way anytime soon, but it looks great on this mini.

First Modern Quilt

I've been busy, I just haven't been blogging, so I'm going to try and play catch up the next few days.

Remember last month when I couldn't find my quilting gloves, so I decided to start a new project?  Here it is.

My first attempt at a modern style quilt.  Finished it is 48" square.  I don't plan to add borders to it, juts finish it with a purple binding.  

Here's the backing (it still needs to be ironed out).  It's also the first time, I have pieced a backing, but I wanted to make it more interesting.  

I don't know if I'm sold on modern quilts yet, but this one was fun and super fast.  I think I might end up being sent to my sister and her husband.  I bought batting last week, so the plan is to get it quilted sometime in the next week or two.  We'll see how motivated I get.