4×7 Challenge Week 4: Crib Skirt

This week I buckled down to get my crib skirt done. It was initially challenging as first we had company, then we ended up with several “we thought we might get snow but really didn’t” days which resulted in everyone being home (and in my way and causing extra work for me). But I finally got a couple days to really devote some time to it and get it done.

I used this tutorial I found on Pinterest some time ago. It isn’t the most detailed tutorial but I was able to figure it out well enough. I was hesitant because I am not the most competent gatherer in the world. I used muslin I got cheap for the crib base.

Then I cut, gathered and added the fabric strips one panel at a time.

And then sewed the panels to the base.

Today I put the crib bedding together.

(I bought the sheet. lol.)

(I also can’t remember how to put the breathable bumpers on. I am going to have to work on that. It’ll be a while before the baby starts sleeping in the crib anyway.)

My son’s crib was set much higher and I made a longer crib skirt for him, which has spent most of its life in a puddle on the floor after we lowered the mattress. This one has a little lowering room, but I think will eventually, despite my best calculations, pool a bit on the floor as well.

So, of my sewing goals for the month, I managed to finish my curtains and crib skirt. As I’ve said, it wasn’t as productive as I’d expected, but I did make progress. I also had to work around a couple of pattern tests, a bee block, emptying and setting up an entire room, lots of laundry, company, unexpected days off of school, and I finally got the hospital bag packed the other night too. So, the end result is though I didn’t finish every single sewing project to make the perfect room, I am pretty much ready for the baby to come when he is ready. And that was really the over riding goal. While we wait, I think I will do the changing pad cover next.

I enjoyed participating in this challenge! I think it gave me a little extra accountability when I might have otherwise slacked longer on some of these things. It really is a relief to have some of it done. I really am ready to get back to quilting though.

You may see all my posts about this challenge here.

4×7 Challenge: week 1 FAIL

OK. So I totally failed in my challenge goals this week. So I don’t deserve to be entered for the prize! But still wanted to give my update.

What you need to understand is that last week when I emptied out the guestroom-cum-new-baby’s-room to be painted, all that stuff went into my sewing area, which is the alcove across from that room. So I couldn’t get to anything in my sewing room. It was packed with boxes, etc. I spent a good part of the week finding new places for that stuff (or replacing it in the baby’s room) so that I could get into my sewing room. Then, it was a mess. There was fabric and everything else everywhere from the whirlwind of getting my Tessellated Leaves quilt finished on a tight deadline. So I spent a good bit of time getting the sewing room back to a useable space.

Then when I was finally able to set up my ironing board and access my sewing machine, I opted to make a test block for another pattern test that is coming out this month (so I can’t share that at this time). That’s what I accomplished this week, along with about 100 loads of baby laundry. I did spend some time reading over the curtain pattern but the one part still doesn’t really make sense to me. I think they won’t be sideways, at least, though.

I need to buckle down this week!

February focus

I found a challenge on Berry Barn Designs to focus on sewing for myself in February.This is very well timed as baby will be here in a matter of weeks and I haven’t done the first bit of sewing for him. Last week we got the room painted and the furniture set up. I’ve been going through clothes and attempting to get things put away. Of course, that room was our guest/storage room so all the stuff that used to be in there has now filled my sewing area. I can barely get to my machine let alone have any type of organization or room to work. I am trying to get rid of stuff and find somewhere new to store the clothes (my non-maternity/off season and my son’s too small/save for the baby).

First, here is the fabric I am working with

The room is painted the color of the light blue crabs. The furniture is white. I still have the guest bed in there as well, as we have guests coming in a couple weeks and my mother will be staying with us for a while as well. I got some navy striped sheets and a navy/grey herringbone duvet cover for the bed today.

The wave fabric I got at a clearance sale at my LQS for $2 a yard! I bought everything on the bolt, which was about 8 yards. The sailboats took a lot of searching to find, and I have actually piecemealed it from a couple different shops. I am hoping I have enough for what I want to do. I am still batting around another fabric or two (I really wanted some whales) but I am not sure I will need it.

Anyway, here is my list of things I need to make.

1. Curtains

This is the most important, and also my ALYOF goal for February. It is also the most intimidating. This room has huge south facing windows. The room gets hot and bright. I bought some blackout shade fabric which I intend to put on tension rods behind the blinds (which aren’t enough to block the heat). Then I have a pattern for shade curtains I am trying to decipher. I am so scared of messing this up or miscutting my fabric that I am finding every excuse not to get started. But I can’t do anything else til I do this because I have to make sure I have the fabric for it. Parts of the pattern don’t make sense to me, and I am so scared of cutting sideways. I also have to make a wider space for the curtain rod because it is a wide one, so I have to work that out. Anyway, the waves will be the main part of the curtains. The boats will be the top. The crabs will be the straps. I didn’t finish my older son’s curtains til close to his first birthday, but they are much more vital for this room than his.

2. Bed skirt

I keep debating between the kind I made for my son – which seems too long and took a lot of pleat making – and a tutorial I found on pinterest which looks shorter and possibly quicker and maybe less fabric,  but requires ruffling. It’s a draw.

3. Lamps

I have decided to make my own lamp shades using my fabrics rather than pay ridiculous amounts for the cute lamps I want. I am having a hard time finding white lamp bases that aren’t a ton of money though.

4. (possibly) crib sheets

I bought a couple cute sheets because I knew this would probably not happen in time or I might not have enough fabric. I also have some sheets I could swipe from my son. He still sleeps in his toddler bed and uses crib sheets. As cute as it is to have matching sheets, I learned last time around I really do prefer the jersey or muslin sheets to quilting cotton, so I knew this would probably not be a priority.

5. Other possible accessories

Like a crib organizer. I made (a crappy) one for my son and really it was never anything more than decoration. Or an accent pillow. A changing pad cover. Teething pads?

6. Quilt(s)

Let’s be honest. This isn’t happening this month. But I will get to it. I had planned to make a storm at sea quilt using some nice fabrics, and then I’d also like another with the leftovers from the fabrics from the room.

I am certain there were other things I wanted to make which are escaping me now. It feels so overwhelming when I go to do it but now I am realizing there are really two main things I need to get done. If I would buckle down and do it, it wouldn’t take that long. Anything else would really be bonus at this point.

May review/June goals

Ok. I know before I even look that this month is gonna be bad in goal achievement. It was a crazy busy month. My main goal was to finish my piggy quilt, and I have gotten very little done since. I am also over run with swap sewing again too.

 

May Goals
This is a super busy month for me, so we will see

1. Investigate tank mass extinction – Oh wow. I am still in fish mourning. My snails still seem completely unaffected. So, now that things are calming down I may risk getting a single fish and see what happens.

2. Make back for Pixel. Finish? Done!

3. Make back for bloom bloom pow No 😦

4. Make back for Chevron I tried to buy the fabric and instead of the 5 yards I ordered, I got less than two. I tabled it again.

5. Finish Anchor quilt top. Make back? Finished the top.

6. Kaleidoscope I’ve started playing with some piecing. That’s about as far as I’ve gotten.

7. economy top I am making steady progress with this. However, have set it aside for other things again. I think I had more than 60 blocks made last count?

8. Finish tula top Nope. I did some squaring. Then moved on.

9. Keep to cleaning regimen Yeah…. We are going to try again this month.

10. Clean out office and/or baby’s closets Oh hey! I worked on the baby’s closet a bit this weekend. Not the whole thing, but the bottom couple shelves and the floor. Then he proceeded to put all kinds of crap in there and lock himself in. I did (at some point?) do a lot of good work on the office, but of course, the baby happened in there as well. Never ending, I tell you.

11. Have a successful bday party Debatable. But done. Thank god.

12. Read Pathetic. I am in the middle of like 3 books. I keep starting and then moving on to another. I never used to be like this. In all things – reading, sewing, cleaning – I seem to have no focus lately.

 

June goals –

1. Supernova swap for June

2. Mini quilt swap

3. Make back for bloom bloom pow

4. Make back for Chevron

5. Make anchor quilt back. Finish?

6. Kaleidoscope

7. economy top

8. Finish tula top

9. Reinstate cleaning regimen

10. Clean out office and/or baby’s closets. Guest room? Gather stuff to sell

11. Scrappy trip swap

12. Read

 

 

April review/ May goals

My laptop died this weekend. So did my entire tank of fish. I am assuming these events are unrelated. In any case, I have a harder time getting on the computer now:(

My goals tend to look the same month to month, but it really does help me to focus and accomplish when I make lists. Without them, I tend to flounder from thing to thing as another thing I “need” to do occurs to me and I leave a terrible trail of partial done in my wake.

April Review

1. Finish Bento – I did!

2. Make back for Pixel. Finish? Nope. This is my goal for this month

3. Make back for bloom bloom pow I did not, and I really expected to.

4. Make back for Chevron Still waiting on a sale code!!

5. Work on Anchor quilt This is almost done. I could complete it today or tomorrow if I really push.

6. Cut/work on Kaleidoscope I did cut most of  it, but have not worked on it

7. economy? I am getting these done! I am working them as leaders and enders as I work on my anchor top.

8. Keep to cleaning regimen No not really.

9. Read

 

 

 

May Goals
This is a super busy month for me, so we will see

1. Investigate tank mass extinction

2. Make back for Pixel. Finish?

3. Make back for bloom bloom pow

4. Make back for Chevron ?

5. Finish Anchor quilt top. Make back?

6. Kaleidoscope

7. economy top

8. Finish tula top

9. Keep to cleaning regimen

10. Clean out office and/or baby’s closets

11. Have a successful bday party

12. Read

April goals

I’m falling behind again. But that just means I’m cleaning and sewing and getting outside instead of sitting on the computer so much!

March review:

1. Make a back for my bento DONE

2. Make a back for Chevron Waiting for a sale on the fabric I want

3. Economy blocks Pshaw

4. Make a back for pixel I ordered and received the fabric

5. As long as I have black thread in my machine maybe I should finish my botm blocks. And maybe the top? DONE

6. baby’s bathroom (finish installing and then clean/organize I did install the cabinets and hooks! I did some clearing of the countertops into the cabinet but not much else. In fact, the tools are still in the bathroom.

7. So last year in March I did a big spring cleaning of my downstairs. I meant to do the upstairs in the fall, but we had such other things going on it didn’t register as important. I had planned to do spring cleaning again this year, but now that I am facing it down, I so don’t feel up for it. But I am going to tackle it. Ugh. I absolutely have to.

I just didn’t have it in me. I hate that. I tried. I can never seem to get past the toy pick up or kitchen cleaning. I decided instead to make a list of chores for each day and to focus on one room a week. I’ve done ok with that. There are still chores I skip or days I can’t get to anything, but my bed is getting made (something I have NEVER done, but am finding I like) and rooms picked up and counters cleared more regularly. It is going to take some time to get through my entire house this way, but better than nothing.

8.Finish Tula squares (the only reason this is so low on the list is that I am involved in yet another swap and I am anxious about picking out these last fabrics.) No. Been consumed with other projects and still haven’t gotten that swap back.

9. read I am almost done with one book! WOO!

 

April Goals – STASH BASH!

1. Finish Bento

2. Make back for Pixel. Finish?

3. Make back for bloom bloom pow

4. Make back for Chevron

5. Work on Anchor quilt

6. Cut/work on Kaleidoscope

7. economy?

8. Keep to cleaning regimin

9. Read

March Goals

Hey guys! This is my 100th post!!

March goals –

So for the first time in a long time, I find myself without many quilts in the hopper. Which I guess means it is time to cycle back around to making backs and finishing quilts. Hmm. I am sure I will find something to start on…

1. Make a back for my bento

2. Make a back for Chevron

3. Economy blocks

4. Make a back for pixel

5. As long as I have black thread in my machine maybe I should finish my botm blocks. And maybe the top?

6. baby’s bathroom (finish installing and then clean/organize

7. So last year in March I did a big spring cleaning of my downstairs. I meant to do the upstairs in the fall, but we had such other things going on it didn’t register as important. I had planned to do spring cleaning again this year, but now that I am facing it down, I so don’t feel up for it. But I am going to tackle it. Ugh. I absolutely have to.

8.Finish Tula squares (the only reason this is so low on the list is that I am involved in yet another swap and I am anxious about picking out these last fabrics.)

9. read

February review

Wow… March kind of snuck up on me. I am feeling good about February, so let’s see how I did –

February goals

1. finish pixel top – YES!

2. finish chevron top – YES!

3. work on economy blocks. (make some!) – I have a bunch of squares cut for it, but haven’t started assembling yet. Mainly (excuse lol) because I’ve had black thread in my machine half the month.

4. Make a back for my bento – Ok so. I pulled out the fabrics and considered it and decided 1. I didn’t have enough fabric and 2. The fabrics were very orange. I got a killer deal on some green fabric in a clearance sale – though not as much as I ordered. I have another perfect fabric picked out  but as I am shopping for 4 backs right now plus another quilt and been doing other spending I am having trouble pulling triggers. Felling money guilty. I just have to suck it up.  Because I HAVE to finish this!! 

5. baby’s bathroom – We bought a bunch of stuff for it and I put the medicine cabinet together and that’s where things stand. We had a disappointing discussion about stud placement and wiring and I don’t know what I am doing. Maybe this weekend we will get everything installed and then I will clean and organize the bathroom real well. I also realized that the cabinet I got doesn’t have a shelf inside it which is annoying. I’ll have to find something I can use – otherwise it is wasted vertical space!

6. set up a schoolroom and schedule – Considering my kid isn’t quite 3, we’ve been doing ok with this. I have been following along some homeschool curricula … loosely. We are doing calendar and mostly I am letting him do the activities he wants to and not pushing the stuff he doesn’t get or doesn’t have the patience for. He is really smart, but also really focused on the things he wants to do, and not so much on the things that he doesn’t or are new. We really only manage it 2-3 days a week and, like, this week we didn’t at all because we had other stuff going on.

7. general clean/declutter – Isn’t this the never ending goal? I got sick and things went to hell. I’ve been working this week to get things back to a point where it doesn’t make me want to run screaming from the house. It’s getting there. But tomorrow starts March. Not ready for that.

8. read – Oh this is so awful. I haven’t read anything. I started a book, but then it was due back so I had to return it. I’ve dabbled in some parenting books but not really read any through. I am reading a book now, but only manage a few pages a night (and the type is SO SMALL! Am I just getting old?). So. Yeah.

February Goals/ January review

January

1. Finish stack the deck Yes!

2. start chevron Yes!

3. Room to work on: Baby’s bathroom No…. Other stuff going on and expensive car repairs

4. establish toy rotation Yes!

5. go through, cull and store clothing yeah… mostly. I did do a good bit. Not sure I am done.

6. read Pfft. My one whole book…

Overall, not too bad.

February goals

1. finish pixel top

2. finish chevron top

3. work on economy blocks. (make some!)

4. Make a back for my bento

5. baby’s bathroom

6. set up a schoolroom and schedule

7. general clean/declutter

8. read

Nothing to sew here…

I am in a mug rug swap on flickr. Our theme for this swap is hearts. Because, you know, for Valentine’s day next month. I decided to chance it and try to get my mug rug made since it has to be mailed out by the end of the month, and I am going to lose time having my machine serviced and going out of town. I think my design was heavily influenced by my chevrons that are staring at me, forlorn, from my design wall.

This is the front of my mug rug and the binding. I am really pleased with it so far. I also FMQ’d hearts in red thread. It went well and looks really cute, I think.

This is the back. You can see the quilting better here.

I ran into trouble when I tried to attach the binding. I was actually surprised I got this far. It started skipping stitches and looping again while I was doing the binding. So, I pulled it off and took my machine in yesterday morning. I was there soon after opening, hoping against hope he might be able to get it back same day, but he had a pile of machines to work on. So I have a whole week without my sewing machine. I will have 6 days, roughly, left in the month where I and my machine will both be here. That should be enough time to finish up my stack the deck January goal. I wish I had taken my machine in earlier though, so I am not so up against the wall.

I am really thinking about getting a second (better) machine for times like this. Maybe a Janome or Bernina? A good quality machine that can be my main quilting machine and this one can be a backup. The Singer’s been a good machine to me, and has quite a few bells and whistles. It wasn’t cheap either. But maybe it is time for a good quality quilting machine. I don’t know, just something I’ve been mulling over.

Anyway, the service guy is at my favorite shop on Thursdays. So, as long as I was in there I thought I’d have a look around. I haven’t been there in a few months, because the good cotton went away and usually it is many months to a year before it resurfaces. They were having a “year end clearance sale”. They did have about a half a table with some designer cottons. I grabbed a few of them. I wonder if there were more a few weeks ago or if they will be putting out more. Oh well. It wasn’t the piles and piles they have when they are doing the cotton only sales.

my fabric grabs.

So, while my machine is away, I am doing some cutting for swaps. My swap is doing Denyse Schmidt and I am signed up for I spy and Lizzy House swaps. And some drawing/planning for future quilts. And lots of shopping.

I’ve also been working on cleaning. I have been following along the 52 week challenge, more or less. Last week was to clear off the counters. I did ok there, but it really does pile up. I am trying to be better about cleaning up and clearing off daily, though. Especially as we have been battling really bad ant invasion for weeks. I’ve been doing the borax traps that can be found on pinterest, and it works like a charm getting rid of them for a while, but then they came back. 😦 Not in as great numbers, though. So I am hoping as I keep doing this they will get fewer and fewer. I’ve been working this week on our drawers and cabinets. Just the lower ones because I can’t reach the uppers. And I’ve worked a section a day so it doesn’t take too long or isn’t too overwhelming. I probably won’t finish, but any work I do is better than I was.

I am also working on the toys. I’ve decided to divide them up and do a weekly rotation. Less toys out, less toys to clean up, less cluttery looking, “new” toys to play with every week. We’ll see how that goes.