Fall/Winter sewing camp: the planner

After looking through all the fabric, patterns, and the few clothes Asha can still wear from last winter, Alison helped me come up with a good plan for fall/winter sewing.  I made a chart to organize it in my binder.  Here is one of the pages.  If you are interested in the books I am getting the patterns from, you can check our Japanese sewing blog.  

We are deep into the canning season.  My kids are loving all the fruit and tomatoes.    

Quinn likes to talk to the birds.  "Birbie, birbie" he calls, and then gets sad when they fly away.  

Here is Kai grinding the wheat for me.  He takes this job very seriously, and does a great job.  

Fall/Winter sewing camp

Alison and her family came, and we had another fun visit.  Here is a post about our last sewing camp.  We talked fabric all evening and then looked through patterns the following morning.  I now have solid plans for Asha's fall/winter clothes.  I can't wait to get started.  

Alison is expecting a boy in February, which will be their seventh child.  I am so excited for her. 

     

Here is Asha in the skirt Alison made for her.  Asha already wore it to church today, and received many compliments.  

James and Jerome, the Joy School buddies, are up to their old tricks again.  Here they are making a Icosidodecahedron from the math book they both own.    

We already miss them and can't wait to have another visit.  A special thank you goes to Paul and Scott who took the kids on a hike so Alison and I could enjoy a quiet morning.     

100 Quilts in 100 days: twin-size quilt, finished

This is what it looked like when I was quilting last night.  I think I am getting the hang of free motion quilting.  It is not perfect yet, but good enough to want to keep doing it.  Scott told me he will make an extension table like this one, which should really help.  

       

I LOVE all the colors in this quilt.  I am starting to feel sad that I have to let it go.  I wanted to make something I would be happy receiving and this feeling tells me that I did.    

Here is the back.   I used a twin-size flat sheet, to which I added the two strips of colors to make it big enough.  I had problems keeping the flat sheet flat, and got many creases.  Starching the sheet heavily would have helped, but I didn't think about it until I was too far into quilting.  I use those quilter's safety pins and I should have pinned more closely.  I just didn't have enough pins.  I am not very proud of the back, but it is done.      
Next up:  fall/winter sewing for the kids and myself

100 Quilts in 100 days: Chinese Coin Stack, finished

It is quilted and finished with a scrappy binding.  I had forgotten how fun it is to make a baby quilt.  It had been a couple years.    

I quilted it with diagonal lines, two inches apart.  My seam guide attachment worked perfectly for that, and it was very quick.  I think it is a good look for this contemporary quilt.   
I put a strip of coin stack in the back, too.  I love the back just as much as the front.  
Cousin Hannah and her family was visiting last week, and Kai enjoyed a joyous reunion.  It had been a year since we moved away from them in San Diego, but the two still remembered how much they love each other.     

100 Quilts in 100 days: Chinese Coin Stack

I finished the top of a baby quilt.  I used the pattern from Last-minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts but changed the size to fit the required 36x60 size.  Now off to quilting.    

  

Pay it forward

This is what my kids and I have been eating.  Tri-berry jam on home made whole wheat bread.  Who knew jam and bread could be so good? 

Several months ago, I signed up for a crafty "Pay it forward" on my friend, Kiersten's blog.  I had no idea she was going to send me such a yummy treat.  Thank you so much, Kiersten!    

I was supposed to post the same thing on my blog right away, and ask for people who wanted to participate.  Unfortunately, life got busy and it got forgotten.  Now that Kiersten has sent me her yummy creation, I had better post mine.  So here goes.  I hope you sign up!  

The deal: The first 5 people to respond to this post will receive something made by me for you! It will be my choice, but custom designed especially for you. Just so we’re on the same page, here are the details: No guarantees my gift will make you feel absolute true love, but possibly some happiness, slight fervor, or maybe chocolate. It will be done sometime this year. You will have no clue what it will be… cookies, a photograph, a piece of homemade jewelry. It may be some other random thing I am capable of making or doing that would be enjoyable to you! I may bake something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you! That’s for sure. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The fine print (which is actually the same size, but whatever): You must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on their blog. When you get your lovely homemade goods from me, post a picture on your blog so I know my love arrived without a hitch. Who wants to play?    

Tagged

I got tagged by Dawn, a friend who used to be my neighbor long ago.  

8 things I did yesterday:

8. Got up early and worked out

7. Listened to the Book of Mormon CDs for six hours  (The Campbell cousins are having a BOM marathon this week.)

6. Helped Asha with her piano practice (I love it that she wants me to sit by her and help.)

 

5. Made a berry smoothie ( Loving my Blentec blender!)

4. Talked to my mom about our next reunion (We have been talking about it everyday since we got back.)

3. Set up crib tent on Quinn's crib

2. Vacuumed the tile floor with ErgoRapido (I sweep after every meal, and this little vacuum makes it so easy and fun.)

1. Realized I was tagged

8 favorite shows

8. Antiques Road Show

7. American Idol

6. Burn Notice

5.Psyche

4. Monk

3. The Amazing Race

2. West Wing

1. Project Runaway

8 favorite restaurants

8. Joe's Pizza in Philadelphia 

7.  The Prime Rib in Philadelphia

6. Minar Palace in Philadelphia 

5. Trattoria Acqua in San Diego 

4. The Red Door in Moscow, ID 

3. Patty's in Moscow, ID 

2. The best Thai restaurant I can't remember the name of on Oahu  

1.  Chipotle

8 things I'm looking forward to

8. more sewing and quilting when school starts

7. working out with Scott without interruption (Some day...)

6. start skiing as a family 

5. my sister's wedding

4. traveling all around Japan with Scott and kids 

3. painting the kids' rooms   

2. canning tomatoes

1. harvesting Kabocha, the Japanese pumpkins 

8 people I tag

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I am not going to tag anybody, but let me know if you decide to play along.  I would love to see your post.