Last Minute Shopping

Have you checked out Craftsy lately? They are constantly adding new classes. And man, there are some good ones right now! Seriously. (Beyond my class, of course.)

And, if you need to do any last minute shopping for yourself or a friend, there is a big sale on right now. I'm picking up a few cooking classes myself. And perhaps some garment sewing because that is a 2014 goal. Go check them out and grab yourself a treat!

Never Gets Old

One would think that after writing the book and making the quilts, after all the Just One Slab blocks, after teaching the class almost a dozen times this year, that after all that I would be tired of making slabs. Nope, not at all.

Perhaps slabs are my default sewing? When in doubt make a slab!

Actually, that is a lesson I teach my students. That once you have the basic technique down it is perfect for when you just need to sew something, anything. If the fabric is there then there is no prep work needed. If you only have a few minutes you can work up a block without even thinking. If the day sucked and your brain hurts you can still sew and not stress about perfection.

Then there are the possibilities! Slabs as blocks, as fabric for making other blocks and more blocks, as background, as the whole quilt... I feel it is impossible to get burnt out on the technique or the possibilities. Maybe you are tired of seeing slabs from me? If you are, then oh well, because I will keep making them.

That mess up there in the top photo? That's what happens when a toddler who has to get into EVERYTHING finds your scrap baskets (also made from slabs) and you let him go to town because it gets you ten minutes of writing. What can I say, though, the boy has good taste. The mess sat there for a few days, taunting me with all the lovely colours. I was head down on a deadline but finally couldn't resist. I figured that if I randomly grabbed fabric and used them as leaders and enders I wasn't technically starting anything new. Whatever we have to tell ourselves.

Pink, orange, yellow, and grey. So loverly and so many possibilities.

Triangles

It took a scary day, medically speaking, to push me to finish The Evil Genius' quilt. It sat on my design wall for well over a month. Frankly, it is so pretty I was content to look at all the triangles and not sew them together. But then my girl needed a pick me up so I finished the top. 

Like her first quilt she picked all the fabrics and layout for this quilt. I will admit to spending a few days strongly suggesting that using red on those edge triangles would not make the quilt look better. I finally had to cut a few options and have her compare. This is the fabric she chose for the backing and I think it works well here (My preference was for a pale grey or white.) She definitely has a future as a quilter.

It finishes out at a twin. Because she wanted a quilt big enough for when she gets her own bed. (My girls share a bed.) With no plans to actually buy new beds that means I have tonnes of time to get it done, right?

Friday Favourites - Douglas the Monsternaut

I cannot tell a lie. I am generally opposed to stuffies. Softies, stuffed animals, teddy bears, whatever you want to call them. I refuse to buy them for my own kids and you will never see me getting them as a gift for someone. To clarify, I am not opposed to the idea of them, or the making of them. But as a mother to three kids I am opposed to the idea of them in my house. And the thing I dread most when a new baby made their appearance in our place was not the sleepless nights or colic, it was the new crop of stuffies people felt the need to bring over.

It would be one thing if they had one special stuffie, like The Evil Genius and her Tiger. But we all know that it is impossible to predict what item will become the special thing, the IT. Tiger was a random hand off from family of friends who had it for some reason and will never have kids. Now that thing is loved on in ways that make you not want to touch it. There is not special person behind it, no outpouring of love. No, those are all in the stuffies that live in a box, never seeing the light of day.

That guy up there is Douglas. He is the first of three stuffies we've ever purchased for our children. Just writing that I am in shock that we bought that many. For the record, two were purchased by Hubby.

Douglas came to us when we were on our last trip before The Evil Genius was born. The Monster was at home with Grandma. Some adult only shopping can be dangerous when you are hormonal and you've never really left the kid before. But how could you resist that face? And then we found out his name was Douglas, which was my FIL's name. And he's Canadian. And well, he's damn cute.

I'm happy to say he is a loved one. Not every night in bed kind of loved, but loved for couch cuddles and make believe. He's sitting in my sewing room right now because his little antenna needs some attention. The Monster just came in here for a morning cuddle and instead of me she went straight for Douglas. It may just take a bit longer for Mama to fix him because I kind of like his company.

Douglas and many more awesome creatures are available from Monster Factory. Just in case you are lacking in stuffies.