Catching up ...

In photos. TONS of them.

Sorry.

Chowder in the flowers


Baby Bake quilt top


Chowder being all historic


POISON


A bib


Whatever this turns out to be


These(!)


Whatever this becomes


Sweet


Oh man


The process


Love


Flowers


BFF


Hiking


A (#&@$!) FINISH




With some assistance


Cleaning, and whiskey


I like this


I really branched out while purchasing new shoes


OMG this


OK ... I haven't posted in FOREVER.

Fish


Backpack


Adorbs


Pants




The truth is ...

I AM Iron Man

More pants




Seriously. There's SNOW in this photo.

This finish

Sewing again!

Nothing screws with your sewing time like starting a new job. And moving to a new town for that job.

Things were (still are, actually) in boxes and belongings were split between apartments.

But now life is settling into place (and my sewing table is back!)

Here's what I'm working on:

This baby quilt, from a fat-quarter bundle from Fabricworm. There's some Bella by Lotta Jansdotter and some organic fabric, Mod Basics by jay-cyn designs for Birch Fabrics.



I started by fussy cutting the Bella tree print and building log cabin blocks. Then I filled in the space with random bits of fabric.

This top is small -- about 40 by 40 inches. I've got some grey dots and leftovers from the fat quarters for the back.

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I've been doing paper piecing the last few nights.

When I get home from work, I'm pretty fried and not feeling creative at all. The by-the-numbers feel of paper piecing is just what my brain needs.



The print is a Denyse Schmidt one I found at JoAnn and the background is Kona Bone.

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I spent a fair amount of time at the Butte house during the move (doing prep for a new tenant).



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On one of my million drives from the old town to the new one, I got a killer old Hudson Bay point blanket for half off at an antique shop that was closing.



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I did sneak in a quick iPad sleeve.



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During the move, I was without my beloved sewing table for weeks! I set up my machine on the old post office desk I used when I first started sewing, and I can't believe I ever used that setup.

But now, the big guy is back!


(There's more on the walls now ... I promise)

My new place is small. REALLY tiny. I've lived in small places (about 800 square feet) since I got out of college. And those never seemed that small to me.

But this place is 600 square feet, tops. Maybe 500.

At first, I planned on renting a small office for my sewing stuff. But I do most of my sewing late at night, and decided that -- if the table would fit in my house -- that was the best place for it.

It takes up most of the living room, but that's OK. :)

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And now, the standard cute-dog shots.

Something new, sort of

Not that wonky log-cabin blocks are new turf around here. :)



It might be a little bit crazy.



I started with a Fabric Fiesta Blogger's Bundle from Pink Castle Fabrics, with 12 fat quarters.

I was worried about having enough fabric, so I'm mixing in some of what I have on-hand (those bikes). But now I'm worried about it being too busy (those bikes) ... I'll have keep putting squares up on the design board as I go to check how it all looks.

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Rough life.







Holy shallow river.



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I scored this old Cosco step stool/chair at an estate sale on Thursday. And a little bowl that goes with another old one I already have.



I plan on covering the stool with some beautiful Anna Maria Horner Field Study Laminated Cotton. I ordered it yesterday and am trying to be patient while it gets delivered.

I think I'll spruce up the chrome with some Rustoleum spray and make steps and brown parts orange, also with Rustoleum!

A jacket for a little guy!

I've been sewing, but not sharing any of it.

I traveled north and west recently and crashed with friends who have the cutest little guy ever. They've been nice enough to put me up several times this summer, so I wanted to reciprocate their kindness with a sewn gift for their kiddo. And I really, really, really wanted to sew a little-kid jacket.



The pattern is School Days Jacket by Oliver+S. I have the Little Things to Sew book, so I was familiar with their patterns and how well-written and easy to follow they are.

The outer fabric is wool that I bought for probably $4 a yard at the Knittn Kitten in Portland two summers ago and have been hoarding ever since. I'm so glad I saved it for this project. I was nervous about sewing with wool (all I've used it for is to sew a stuffed fish ... how very Montana of me). But it was awesome to work with.

I used my walking foot for the whole thing, and had no problems. The lining is an organic sherpa by Robert Kaufman that I can't find online anywhere. I got it at the quilt store in Bozeman for half off, so all in this jacket probably cost $15. And I had all the materials on-hand, except the leather button loops and buttons.





I seriously love sewing clothes for little kids. It doesn't take long (I taped together and traced the pattern onto freezer paper one night after work and sewed the whole thing the next day) and the payoff is awesome. I still get amazed every time when I follow a pattern and it turns out to be a real coat or pair of pants or whatever. It's like magic. :)

The little guy it's for loves bikes, so I added a patch of bike fabric. He LOVED it. He turns 2 in February and I made the 18-24 months size. It fit perfectly and looks like it'll last through winter.



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I hectically finished a baby quilt recently, too.



First time using a flannel back, and it went great.



I love corners.


My friend made half the blocks, and I made the other half and quilted and bound it.







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And now, the usual dog shots. :)



Buddies ...