Oh Dear!

Where did that seam ripper go?

 Did you find my mistake??

Minnesota Fabrics

I have to tell you that this weekend - the 2011 Minnesota Fabrics have been release for sale - for ladies like me, to buy.

Ok ok - I admit - I don't like all the fabrics included in this batch - some of them look like those ugly couches from the early 80s -

but some of them are So gorgeous.

http://www.thequiltingcupboard.com/MN%20Hop/quiltmn11.html

Love these - and they are totally random together - so what would I even do with these fabrics?  I have no idea.

Even Rows

I wish wish wish I was a better quilter - I'm bringing this quilt with me to quilt club tonight - and well - it has uneven rows.  I don't mind the Xs and squares being crazy - they're supposed to be somewhat crazy - it's just my sashing and posts -  oh dear!

It'll take lots of time for an imperfect girl like me to sew in straight rows. 

I had sewn the bottem blocks together and feel frustrated with the posts Part of me wants to just finish it up and not worry about those imperfections - the other part of me stares at those squares and knows they're not right. 

I'll have to bring it to quilt class tonight and ask for advice on how to keep my rows straight.

It's a Mystery (quilt)

Our quilting club is on to a new project.  I'd say that I was pretty proud of the fact that we donated forty quilts to our local salvation army for Christmas presents for needy children in the area, but my quilts were a little lopsided and goofy looking.  Sigh..  Maybe the kids won't notice?

I can only hope.  I like to think I give it my best shot - but ya know what?  I'm not a natural.  Sewing doesn't come easy to me.  My seams are not the perfect 1/4 that others have seemed to perfect.  (no pun intended or maybe it was?)

Now, we are making a mystery quilt.  So, at the last meeting we were instructed to find 15 fat quarters, One contrast fabric, one nuetral fabric, and some sort of backing.  I decided to use batiks - because they are so purdy.

Quilting..

In all, forty quilts were made and donated to the Salvation Army.  We were pretty proud to display them and help pack them up to send them on their way to be under a tree for some little boys and girls in the area!

A Close One

Yesterday morning, I cleared off our dining room table to make room for carving pumpkins.   I put my embroidery machine into its case and put away all of the notions that were scattered throughout the area.

This is the same machine I got about five years ago and tried to make a business out of it - le sigh - it didn't work out because well, yeah... I don't have all that much business sense to tell you the truth.  But I love the machine..  It has many inspired many "Sewing With Nancy" posts and has created many crazy birthday and Christmas presents including embroidered toilet paper = awesome!

I figured I'd take out my machine this morning when the girls were at school and I was trying to fill a few hours before I sub in Kindergarten this afternoon - which have I ever told you- is the hardest job in the entire world - but the kids are cute - and have soft cheeks - so all is well.

After many hours of trick or treating, the girls came home and got their things ready for today.  Allison wanted a picture of her and Nat with their pumpkins.  I was in my room getting my camera when

CRASH

I was so scared of that sound - you know the one- where you wonder how hurt your baby was - Jason ran - and I heard..

"Are you all right?"

"Yes." 

Natalie was crying.

"Good" he said.  I dared to take a peak.

The table was broken - pumpkin guts were scattered all over the ground along with wax dried on the floor.

"Oh ...  Thank God.." I said.  "I thought you were hurt."

Natalie was clearly upset.  She thought for sure that I was mad at her.

"Are you kidding?  I paid five dollars for that table at an auction.  I'm just glad you're ok."

I took a look at the mess on my dining room floor..

I moved pieces of the table away and took a picture of the girls next to their pumpkins with mine - My pumpkin is the one in the middle - the one with the ironic smile.

Sewing With Allie

  

As I was making another table topper....  Allie came to me at the sewing machine...

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Can I help you?"

Cringe...

That's the risk of sewing with kids around.

They want to sew too!  It's magic after all!!!  I gave her the camera.  And she took pictures like this:

Sewww.....  We took out some squares she had cut out a few months ago..  And - I ironed them. I had her set out the squares into a pattern....Allison started pinning squares together.  Then, she sat on my lap

and  started to sew!

And judging by the smile on her face - it was worth it!!!

Things I Do When I Sub

So - when I sub for the elementary school - there is not a lot of extra time.  I'm busy playing with kindergartners or giving sixth graders the look -

High School can be different - a lot of teachers give worksheets when a sub is there - and so - yeah - I walk around asking if the kids need help - give them the eye to keep them quiet  -


VERY Intimidating ---------------------- > right?






Also - I read.... look up.....  read...... walk around.......


Yesterday I memorized a poem from the preface of the book....  El Sonador  --- are you Impressed?

So la poesia
que acecha al poeta
desbrevenido.
Formulo preguntas
de respeustas inagotables.
 No elijo ninguna
y al mismos tiempo todas
Acerte
si eres capaz...

I bet you're impressed.... Right?

Also - the past two weeks - I've almost finished a Christmas present for my bro-in-law....


Of course - it's always more fun to teach a lesson - but that can really be difficult - to make a lesson - and teach someone else how to teach it - I've been there - it's not easy!

I love when I get to learn something too.  In the "Shop Class," I've been subbing for - he's been giving me some History Channel movies entitled "Modern Marvels" - something I never would have picked out for myself - but find myself interested in learning!

Ok ok - Brennie -

I'm making this table topper for Jason's Grandma for Christmas - it's one of the first things I've made that I'm not embarrassed to show anyone -  So my friend Brenda asked - "Bobbi - would you show us something you've made?"

And now I have.

I love looking at all the boxes and diamonds - how easy and difficult it was to make.  I had switched an angle of a square - and when I did that - the whole pattern was lost - so out...  came the seam ripper - I put the blocks on my cutting board and played with them awhile - and ta da!!!!!

This pattern was free!!!!! FREE FREE!   

One thing that I loved about this pattern is that is uses charms - you can buy charm packs in quilt shops  - and well - there's a lot of different fabrics in a pack - that matches- and they're so pretty....  and they're already cut!!!

Sewing With Bobbi

Today, I got some fabric for a quilt I'm making for Allison for her Birthday?  for Christmas?  I haven't decided.... When I showed Natalie the first bit of fabric I had gotten she had said

"You're not making me a quilt for my birthday are you?"  Well...  I HAD been planning on it.  I suppose she's been thinking - "How many quilts does a girl need?"

Well - girlie as many as your mom and grandma make you.

Anyways..  this quilt is going to be a paper doll theme because Allison likes paper dolls.  

I hope it works out better than the 50s girl's dress I made Allie this morning - I'm not even going to show it to you - because it's that bad -  and a seam ripper is going to visit that project real real soon.

YIKES! 

Oooooo.....

So anyhooooooo........  Since I can't spend twenty-four hours a day just cleaning - I've decided to sew a bit.  I'm making my daughter's their Halloween costume...


So - just to let ya all know.


I have become the ultimate stay-at-home mom.