Sew it up {WIP} Challenge

Lisa over at Vintage Modern Quilts is having a little Work In Progress challenge. List what you need/want to get done this month, either works in progress or things on your TO DO list. Work like crazy. Report back at the end of the month with how much you accomplished. I have a long list and so why not have the extra motivation? ( I was not able to put the little challenge logo here for some bloggity blog blog reason).


So here is my partial list (LOTS of pictures to follow)


Finish sewing this apron. Mostly Hoffman fabric that a friend chose and bought a few years ago (too many to remember) and asked me to sew for her.



Turn this Freebird fabric into an apron for a young teenager friend of mine. Switched out the ric-rac to a green one - I think.




Sew this Songbird fabric into an apron, for a different young teen friend.

Meadowsweet 2 fabric for yet another apron! Again for a friend, who has been waiting a long time for an apron from me.

I didn't post sooner because I was waiting for some packages to arrive so that my list would be complete. NO MAIL was delivered on Thursday. Well that just never happens so I asked hubby what the reason could be. He thought maybe it was because the plow had left a big berm of snow in front of our mailbox. Phooey on that! I was surprised that the mail carrier did not come to the door with the mail then. No notification or anything. Hubby cleared the snow that night.

Friday when hubby came home this is what he had for me. It was all in our box along with the regular mail!! Can you believe that all fit in the mailbox?? It's a good thing it was all fabric and didn't mind if it was folded and mangled just a bit.

Packages with return labels from Over the Rainbow, Today's Quilting, Desperate Quilters, Beaver Creek Quilt Company, Cotton Charm Quilts and an Etsy seller. I was so excited that they were all home that I didn't even open them up that night. I just enjoyed the pile of parcels. All addressed to me.

But finally I did open them and they contained such lovely fabrics.

Bliss for a Christmas apron for a little girl that lives somewhere in CA. Her mom and I are online friends.

Fandango for a border for a quilt - that will be an AFTER Christmas project, but on the list for this month.

This fun Alexander Henry 2D Zoo fabric, along with the Riley Blake dots will be made into two pillowcases for the brothers of the two teen friends that are getting aprons. I never know what to make for the boys. They are also young teens but I'm hoping they get a kick out of the quirky animals. The Terry Atkinson zippers are for some purse projects that probably will not get done this month.

Some Michael Miller Lil Plain Jane fabric also but I can't for the life of me get the picture to load, for a Christmas apron for another little girl. I think she lives in Wisconsin or Illinois. Another friend from cyberspace. The fabric I'm using for the reverse side has not arrived yet. (MORE MAIL!)


HOPEFULLY I will get to use some of this;

to at least get a flimsy done in time for Christmas.

Whew! All of that is on my list and there are a couple of things that I can't even show you here! :0 Yeah, so do you wonder why I'm even on the computer at all?? I do.

Inclunded in the mail but not part of my WIP challenge;
Martinique dots and some Mettler thread. There is also a charm square that they included with my order. This is slated for something but not anything that needs to be done this month.

Finally,in the pile of mail was this from Kelly at Cotton Charm Quilts. I won this in a drawing on her blog. No plans for it for this month. I'll be looking around for ideas though.

Sorry about the wonky spacing and such on this post. Blogger just does not want to cooperate with me tonight. I need to get back to my sewing machine.

Praise - Open House where hubby works went VERY WELL today! College Boy did great on a recent presentation and his latest film assignment.

Prayers - Finals! Tests, projects, papers.

Friday Finishes

Just a quickie post to show that I DO have something done for Amylouwho's Friday Sew & Tell.

This apron I showed in the last post but it was technically done this week. Apron #1 for one of College Girl's roommates;

Apron #2, for second roommate was finished and mailed off this morning;

Don't the aprons show much nicer when a lovely model is posing with them?? It is so difficult to show off an apron when it is on a hanger and against a wall.

I have another post coming up very shortly - my WIP list for December. I'm slowly chipping away at it.

Praise - College Girl found out that she passed her big WEST E test that she took in November.

Prayers - both kids have so much to study for and get done in the next week or two. Praying for their stamina and health.

Met the challenge

and then some! Not very often that I am an overachiever (take today for instance) but I was able to meet the One Week One Thing Challenge and actually make something else too!

The two table runners;


These were mailed and well received.


Upcycled sweater pillow;
Those are VINTAGE buttons on the side. I have a big jar of buttons that belonged to my mom. These were all on the card still and the price - 79 cents. For FIVE buttons!

Close-up of the flowers.


BONUS project;

this is for one of College Girl's roomies for Christmas. I'm working on the other one today.

Praise - BOTH of my college kids got back to school safely. Thank you, Lord! They both said it was an easier trip than the one home. We had a great time and it was hard to say good-bye.

Prayers - It is soon the end of a quarter for College Girl and the semester for College Boy - they need stamina, good health, good use of their time, good recall for their tests.

It isn't even winter yet

I don't remember the last time we had this much snow for Thanksgiving weekend


Hubby has plowed twice.


If you look at the previous post you can see the difference in just a couple of days.


Looks like we'll get a break from the snow for a couple of days but then there is more in the 10 day forecast.

I even got a bit of sewing done, just need to take a picture while I still have a model here.

Praise - we've had such a wonderful family time this weekend. I love being with my hubby and kids.

Prayers - College girl is going to head out fairly early tomorrow. Snow is forecast for the pass she has to cross and she would like to make the drive in the daylight. Prayers for safe travel back to school.

Baby it's COLD outside!

Making progress here so I thought I would get the pictures up now when I had a quiet moment. Taken very late last night as they came out of the dryer...so needed flash and overhead lights on.

Moda Glace without any of the blues. Pattern by Anka's Treasures.


Moda Fruitcake. I saw a table runner like this on Flickr so created my own.


I like the crosshatch in the corners;


Yes, I went OUTSIDE to take these pictures. It was 17 degrees out there. SEVENTEEN! It is a bit windy too, no idea what the temperature is with the wind chill figured in.

I WON these fabrics on the Fat Quarterly blog! Erin McMorris Irving Street Flannels. Nice and cozy feel to these flannels. I'm thinking three cute baby/toddler quilts would be great for these.



Both of the kids are on their way home!!! College girl a day early. Classes were cancelled for today and she was going to come home a day early but was struggling with missing classes for tomorrow. She finally got notification that classes for Wednesday are cancelled too! College boy left earlier than he planned. He wanted some daylight. Went to his last class but left part way through. His car temp said MINUS THREE when he headed out. Brrrrrrrrr. College girl is over the pass but still has lots of miles of snow covered roads to cover. College boy still has a pass to go over and has snow and ice to contend with.

Off to work on the next thing.

Praise - the kids are on their way and we get some precious family time.

Prayers - again for safety on the road for both of my kiddos as well as others out on the roads.

Taking the Challenge

Amy has posted her One Week, One Thing Challenge and I am going to take her up on it this time.



Although this is obviously more than ONE THING, I do think that I can get 'er done.


My goal - get the two table runners DONE. The binding is all ready to hand stitch to the back which I will be starting as soon as I post this blog entry. I need to get them washed/dried, photographed and mailed. Then, choosing one of the three sweaters pictured I want to make a pillow.

I did my grocery shopping yesterday so I have no reason to go out in the frightful weather. I can just sit inside, stitch and enjoy the beauty of the snow covered scene through the windows.

Praise - I LOVE SNOW! It is snowing here.

Prayers - it is snowing here and where both of my children are. They are going to be heading home for Thanksgiving and I am praying for clear roads and safe travel. Trusting in the Lord! Being anxious will accomplish nothing but prayers will!!

Friday Night Sew In- results

I do wish I would have gotten the top of this runner completely finished last night so that I would be sandwiching and quilting right now.


As it is, I need to get busy and get this done, get it sandwiched and quilted as well as the Moda Fruitcake runner flimsy that is waiting in the wings.

I do love Friday Night Sew-In! Now back to the sewing machine.

Praise - College Girl made her travels safely, even in the snow that the storm brought.

Prayers - for hubby's safety while he is out hunting.