Two New Finishes (almost) and Show Choir Glitter

The last couple of weeks have been fairly stressful.  We lost my father-in-law quite suddenly.  Nathan did a wonderful job coordinating the funeral arrangements.  He was much more diplomatic than I would have been.  Because of this, our life has been a bit chaotic.  Nathan had to finish a drill one night because of the funeral schedule and had to work for 21 1/2 hours straight.  We had family in and out for various reasons and are just getting back to a normal schedule this week....except, I was sick last night and today the kids are both sick and stayed home from school.  In spite of this I have got some things done.  I picked up a top from the quilters.  I call it my pond quilt.  It is a traditional quilt pattern named "Jacob's Ladder"

The quilter quilted it with swirly lines in a variegated blue thread.  I am going to bind it in dark blue.

I also finished quilting a twin sized quilt called film strip.

I did a plaid type of pattern and I think that I am going to bind it in the purple.

I also did a pieced back.  I used some large scale Amy Butler that I picked up at FM fabric in Springfield, Mo.  Love that place.

I also made a sample block.  This cross block finishes at 5 inches and I think that I will make up a throw sized quilt with these.  I am keeping the color palate on the cool side, only using blues, greens, purples, and greys.

On the family front, Iris participated in her first show choir competition.  They won 1st place in the morning competition and won 2nd in the evening.  The kids have to wear all matching make up and have their hair the same.

There is alot of them.  About 60 kids are in the middle school show choir.  Iris is in the back row.

She looks so grown up with make up. It was a long day.  The kids had to leave the school, with hair done at 6:15 in the morning.  We did not get back home till after midnight.  I have volunteered to do hair at all competitions and am not sure what I have gotten myself into.  Well I am off to make binding.

Finished! Basement Sewing Room Redo

Last year when I worked on the bead room I started on the sewing room.  I never really finished.  Over Christmas break Nathan helped me move some furniture that was not working in there, and hung some shelves.  I cleaned and sorted and now it is finished!!!  It was inspired by my Christmas present from Nathan.  So far I love this iron! just the fact that it can sit for more than 5 minutes without having to wait for it to reheat is soooo handy.  I have not had any trouble adjusting to not tipping it on end when I am finished. Another project for another day is a new ironing surface...

My sewing table has not changed that much.  I found the table at What Cheer Flea Market and it is very solid.  I do not get any shaking, even when I am sewing at full speed.  I did order an acrylic table and it works well.  I can do much more with quilting without having to fight the quilt the whole time.  Above my sewing area I have put index card with pictures of my WIPs and what I have left to do on them.  I think it is working.  I have finished most of the projects I posted.

In another part of the room, I had a large cabinet/counter.  It was the original cabinet that was in this room when we moved into the house.  It was too tall for me to use effectively and It collected junk.  There was another piece of cabinetry in the laundry room that was lower and I thought it would work better.  After examining it I believe that it is original to the house.  It was a free standing dry sink that someone put a piece of modern counter top on.  The back is traditional bead board and I can see where the hardware was attached.  It was HEAVY.  I put it in the room and it works much better.  It is now my cutting station.  I hung a pendant over it for some light and now have my scraps organized.  Under the counter I have all my batting and other large bulky items.

Scraps are so pretty

I also took my fabric out of bins.  Nathan hung these shelves and I think I will like having all my fabric out for me to see.  I am not worried about fading.  It is a basement after all and does not get very much sun.

Under my fabric I have all the WIPs that I plan on tackling this year as part of our guild challenge.
I still have the couch down in this room, because this room has to be able to function as a guest room when needed.  I am hanging some of my smaller projects on the wall above it.

This room is such a wonky shape.  There is a bump out for the bay window in the dining room.  I put an old dresser from mom and dad that I painted white in the bump out.  I put some organizational cubbies on top.  In the dresser I store part of the sewing machines and other supplies.

The pink Chandy might have to be moved.  In the cubbies I put my fabric groups that I want to keep separate from the general stash.  My favorite fabric right now is Etchings from moda.

All this sorting and cleaning I hope will make my time more productive.  It is nice to have a space of my own that I can do all this with.  I am making progress on finishing things that I have started.  "Finishing" is my theme of 2012.  Here is a quilt that I have finished lately.  It got quilted with pretty leaves and swirls. 

I do not have a "home" for it yet, but it is finished!