Crib Quilt Complete!

I am very pleased with how the matching quilts turned out. I just guessed the size without measuring the crib mattress and it is quite close! It is a nice weight so that it will help keep Dori warm in the winter.

Doll Quilt Complete!

It turned out really cute. I did red floss ties on the corners of the blocks.

Top of Crib Quilt Pieced

The top of the crib size quilt is pieced. It is crooked like the other one! I think I could use some rotary cutting lessons! I am not going to fret about it since both these quilts will be dragged around, played with, and thrown into the washer.

Like my fuzzy purple slippers?

Top of Doll Quilt Pieced

I got the top of the doll quilt all put together. It is crooked!! Now you know why I don't do a lot of traditional quilting! UGH!

Blocks Completed!

I was able to put together blocks for the 2 smaller quilts pretty quickly. I'd like to finish it right away, but I need to go to the store and get some fabric for the sashing. The 6 in the right column are for the doll quilt.

Back to Work!

I am back to work on more 100 Good Wishes projects. I have started working on a smaller (crib size) quilt that Dori can drag all over if she wants. I am making a small doll size one to match so her 'babies' can match! I am doing crazy quilt design and will probably put light yellow sashing in between all the blocks.

I've been busy getting things ready for our new addition. I have my sewing room all cleaned up and organized. I will be moving all my sewing and craft stuff out to make way for our teen to move in. Then each kid will have their own room.

A Baby to go with the Quilt!!!

We have a daughter!!

Introducing:

Feng Yu (rain) Quan (spring)
DOB 12-6-05
Fengcheng, Jiangxi, China

The QUILT is DONE!!!!

FRONT
BACK

The QUILT is DONE!!!!

Detailing~

The QUILT is DONE!!!!

Can you tell I am excited????

Try to imagine how excited I will be when we get our referral...which should be within 21 days!!!

It's Almost Done!!

I just got a call from the quilter saying that the quilting is done and that the binding just arrived. She just needs to put it on and then it is DONE!!! I am soooo excited!!!

Quilt Binding

Today I made the quilt binding. I think the fabric that I picked will tie in nicely and really bring out the colors in the quilt. I am getting it to Connie so that she can sew it on. Then when I go to pick up the quilt...it will be 100% complete!! How exciting!!!

Time for Quilting

I have been putting a lot of thought into the quilt lately and how I want it professionally quilted. Today I took to a very nice lady named Connie. She said that I did a pretty good job of squaring it up and ironing it, so she should have no problems quilting it. I know it might possibly have a pucker or 2 in back because of all the seams and varying thickness of fabric, but that is OK. She is going to use red thread and do a meandering heart design. I am so relieved and excited!! It should be done in about 3-4 weeks. I will cut and prepare binding to have ready so that I can bind it when I get it back. The quilt should be complete very close to the time we get our referral! YEA!!!

New Blog

I have started a sewing blog to keep track of all my sewing creations. Click here!

Fabric Store

Today I went to JoAnn Fabrics to pick up a few supplies. I noticed that some of the batting was on sale, so I asked a sales person for some advise. A few customers also chimed in. One lady thought that the quilt sounded strange and had her doubts. What does she know? This other lady hung around until after the others left and gave me some great advise. She said that we can build a quilt frame quite easily and strongly suggested that I tie the quilt since there are so many seams on both sides. She suggested using yarn.

I am going to do a google search and figure out how to make a frame. I will use read embroidery floss to tie it. I think it will be nicer to work with than yarn, plus that builds on the whole red thread theme. Then Michele and I might be able to finish it off.

Since I am not sending the quilt to be quilted, I will also need to bind it. My friend, Dana, taught me a fairly straight forward way to do binding. It might be a little challenging since the quilt is so big, but I think I will be able to handle it.

I am guessing that we will get the quilt done in August. Certainly before we expect our referral near the end of August.

Thanks, Michele!

Tonight I was at the pool and hanging out with some good friends. I was telling my friend, Michele, how bummed I was about putting so much work into the quilt and it not working out to be professionally quilted. She offered a few suggestions and then came up with a stitching party. She said we could get some friends together and divide the quilt into fourths or so. Then each of us could hand quilt a section. We can have snacks and gossip! It sounds like a lot of fun...plus a special addition to such a special quilt. My bummed feelings have been replaced with some excitement!!

Bummed!

I have contacted a few people about top quilting it for me and they said that it would not work well because it is 2 sided. I am feeling bummed that these months of work won't end as I hoped. I think I will have 2 choices: get someone to quilt it and risk puckers on the back or just try to hand quilt it myself. I have never tried hand quilting before, so it might not look any better than puckers.

The Bottom is Done!!

Yea!!! Quilt piecing is complete!!! The back is made a little larger than the top to account for movement when top quilting is done.

I am in the process of trying to find someone to do the top quilting for me.
(sorry for the crookedness of the pic, my guys tried their best to hold it up straight...and then I turned the pic to make it upright)

The Top is Done!!!

Yea!!!! I just finished stitching the top of the quilt. I have about 1/4 of the bottom to finish, so the quilt should be done this weekend. I am going to send it to be professionally quilted.

7/13 Update

I worked on the quilt this evening. I got one side and one bottom border and 3 corner blocks on. It looks like the final measurements will be 73" x 95". no pics

Last Fabric!

Today I got the last of the fabric for the quilt. If anyone sends anything now...it won't make it. Now I feel freed up and can finish it. (ok...I've been busy with other things...so I can't blame it on fabric! LOL!)

Front is almost done!

Today I finished the last row of fabric on the front. All I have left to do is put on the borders and 4 corner blocks. The quilt turned out larger than I thought, so I need to get some different border. The four borders are going to be a fabrics submitted by the four of us. Jake's green snoopy fabric is already sewn on. I have a old flannel bed cover that has ships on it for Eric's fabric. I am just a few inches short on my sewing notions fabric and Parker's blue snoopy fabric, so I have to find a substitute.

The picture is just of the top row that I completed today. Time to head to the pool!

Make a Wish!

I have been busy working the past few days so I didn't get back to the quilt til today. I added the bottom border to the quilt (no pic) and created the 4th corner block.

Since I am waiting on 2 more submissions, I decided to make the cover for the wish book. I will have to wait until the book is filled before I know how wide the spine will be, but here is the front and back.

BACK on track!

Literally! I worked on the backside for a few hours today. The back is now about 78% done. The front is about 62% done. So overall, I have 70% of the quilt done. The front will have corner blocks and borders, which will go quickly.

Here is how the back looks now~

New Iron!

Happy 4th of July! We were going to go out to the lake and go sailing today, but it was rainy this morning so we skipped it. The boys got too much sun yesterday and did not want to go to the pool again, so we are having a lazy day around here. I did take the time to run up to JoAnn Fabrics and purchase a new iron. It is a Rowena Powerglide 2. I have only used it a little bit but I can tell a BIG difference from all the cheapies I have had in the past.

I am at a tough spot in the quilt where I try to make everything fit! Since I am not using a pattern, I am just figuring it out as I go. I just called a friend to bug her for her submission. I have one other that wants to participate, but I need it ASAP! I am thinking that I might not have enough fabric to make the complete back that I want. I may just have to add other fabrics (as a submission from me) or maybe I will even create something on fabric describing the quilt or a poem or something. I will figure it out! (Maybe I just want to nap instead of use my brain right now! LOL!)

Started again, but...

I started working on the quilt again this afternoon, BUT my iron is not operating properly. Hum.... I didn't spend much on it, so I guess I got what I paid for it. I don't want to use it and have it ruin anything, so I will need to get another iron ASAP!

Work Stoppage

I need to stop working on the quilt as I need to go to Phoenix to take care of some family matters.

Sewing is such a great stress reliever for me (hense me working on it so much this week!), so maybe I can take some cross-stitch or something with me. Hum...are they going to allow needles and scissors on the plane? Probably not! (It is 1am...not thinking clearly!)

6/21 Update

I did a little work on the top today. It is now back to one piece. I will put the previous pic and this new one up together so you can see the changes. I basically cut it apart and cut down the size of a few of the bigger pieces. Now I feel like none of the prints really stick out. I especially didn't like the 2 yellows that met in the middle. I cut one down and put some blue between them.
BEFORE
AFTER

6/20 Update

I did more work on the reverse side today. The quilt is going to have all kinds of textures on it which should be fun for Dori to touch!

6/19 Update

Today I did a tiny bit of work on one edge of the top of the quilt.

Then I started working on the back this evening. This is going to be the same non-patterned rectangles design, but much bigger pieces. Many people sent t-shirts or other large items that I prepped for the back today. I had to put stablizer on all the knits and thin fabrics.

Today's Work

I worked on half of the quilt today. I took a little more off to even things out, then added some new fabrics. This half of it is ready to be sewn to the other half, once that gets fixed!

Work Resumes!

I am not sure why, but today I felt compelled to work on the quilt again. I took the seam ripper to it and ripped and cut out a few pieces of fabric that were quite large. I have received 118 donations and several people have sent more than one fabric. I am determined to use it all. If I kept things as is, the quilt would be big enough to cover several beds!

I also straightened up the sewing room and sorted fabrics that still need to be used. I am going to need to go back to my spreadsheet to determine who send a few of the fabrics. The 3+ month break from the project has made me quite forgetful!

I sent out emails to the last handful of people that were interested in participating. I keep extending the deadline (mostly due to my procrastination!), but I am now determined to finish it soon. I will need things in the next week or 2...or it will be too late!

***For those of you who have submitted a fabric (or I have submitted a fabric on your behalf) and haven't gotten your wish to me, you do still have time for that. I suppose I will start bugging you guys (and myself) for wishes in another few months.***


FYI~ Delays keep happening, so we have no idea when we will go to China.

Here is how the quilt looked after I ripped it apart~

I have been sewing...

just not on the quilt.

I wanted to share some of the things that I have sewn over the last few months. I made gifts for several babies, grads, and others. Enjoy!

Hi

I was looking over this blog today and realized that the recent posts sound like such a bummer! I just haven't been able to bring myself back to working on the quilt. Our agency is predicting that we will get our referral in July or Sept. I just don't want to get everything done (quilt, crib set up, clothes, ect) and then wait. It just seems like it would be a reminder to me of the delays. So for now, I am enjoying spring. I have been spending lots of time outside. The warmth, flowers, gardening, and chirping birds have really helped me get over my frustration with the delays. At this point, I will probably resume the quilt when it gets too hot to be outside during the day.

Why Bother?

We got an email from our agency asking us to get refingerprinted for USCIS. They said we won't be traveling by the time our current prints expire (July 23). UGH! Now we have to reapply and go up to Chicago to be printed again.

So my feelings today...why bother working on the quilt? Looks like Dori might not be home for 5-7 months.

CONTROL!

As I was emailing an e-buddy this morning, I reflected on why I feel so good about ripping apart the quilt. Here is what I came up with:

I don't like the slow-downs with the adoption, but I have no control over it.
I don't like some parts of the quilt, but I DO have control over it!

So...rip away!!! Gosh if I take all this power to heart...I may have the quilt back into 100+ pieces by this afternoon!!

Ripped!

What does someone who is a little bummed, bored cause work is too slow, and is trying to adjust from a great trip do?

They rip apart a quilt!!

Yup! I took the seam ripper to the quilt today and it is now in 2 pieces. There were a few parts of it that I wish were different. Since I am in no hurry to finish it cause no referral is within site...I took it apart! I was bothered by 2 big blocks of yellow that touched each other in the middle, so I split them apart. I will go fill in a row between them to break it up a little.

We're Home...

and worn out! I had planned on jumping right back into sewing, but I will take it slow. I didn't miss the rumors and speculation of the online adoption community (OK...I just don't want to hear the news that slowdowns are getting slower!) at all, but I don't think I need to be in any hurry to finish the quilt.

I did get 3 submissions while we were gone. I got a package from my cousin and his wife that had some beautiful fabric with roses, a cute card, and some adorable clothes. I also got 2 squares and wishes from someone that I sent one too but didn't ask for one back. Oh well...more adorable fabric and wishes to include!

Extended Spring Break

Well, I haven't touched the quilt since Thursday and won't again until after Spring Break. We leave on Saturday and I have a lot to get done by then. So the quilt is on hold til the 27th or so.

You can follow our trip at biloxibound.blogspot.com

I Couldn't Do It!

I really tried to stay away from the machine, BUT...I am in charge of our church's annual day of service tomorrow. Each year we make fleece tie blankets for residents of one of the local women's shelter. I donated a bunch of fleece (left over from my fleece sewing biz) and a few pieces were too narrow to tie. I stitched the side seams of the 7 narrow blankets so that the ends can be tied. So I had a good reason to sew!

Taking a Break

I am taking a day or 2 off from the quilt. I need to do some scrapbooking for a charity auction and try to regroup my thoughts! Let's see if I can keep myself away from the machine!

WOW! About 32% Done!

I did a bunch of stitching in the past 24 hours. The quilt is about 32% done. I do anticipate the rest of it going quickly since I am almost done with Side A. I will start working on Side B next.

3/8 Update

I didn't spend too much time on the quilt today cause I worked on our taxes. Good news-->We don't owe any more taxes!!

Yup! Bigger is Better!

I like this a little bit wider!

Bigger!

I have decided to make the quilt a little bigger. I was concerned that I would not fit all the great fabrics in...so I decided bigger is better! It is now going to measure 74" x 90". That means a step back in how much is completed. It is now 14% of the way done!

It's Square!

At this point the quilt measures 52" x 52". That is almost 23% complete. I took this pic the opposite way...so it looks strange!! Hum...I got 2 yellow-oranges next to each other in the middle. I'll pay more attention to that!!! As you can tell by the pics I have been posting...I do a 52" wide strip and then sew it on. I'll watch my color alignment more carefully!

I am starting to worry about getting all the fabrics in! LOL! I am glad that it will be a 2 sided quilt! If submissions arrive after I have sewn the front or back, then they will be included in the lap size quilt that I will make out of the remaining fabric. I have been keeping all the extras and will be able to get a few extra items out of them! Maybe a doll size quilt and a wall hanging.

3/5 PM Update

I spent a little time on the quilt this evening.

16% Done

A little more work today!

Saturday Stitching

I didn't get much sewing done today, but here is what I did do. I hope to put in a few hours tomorrow!Spring Break starts in 2 weeks...so I don't think that I will finish by then. Maybe 50% complete?

3/1 PM Update

It is coming along!!!
I spent a few more hours on the quilt this evening and I got a lot done. I figure that the quilt is going to be 66" x 90", which works out to 11,880 square inches. So as of tonight I have completed 9% of the quilt. I have probably put 5 or so hours into stitching so far, which means I have about 56 hours left. I think that I should be able to complete it before we leave for Spring Break on March 18. That means that if anyone else is planning on submitting any fabric for the quilt...IT MUST BE SENT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS!!! I will either call or send email reminders!!

Stitched!

Here is the beginning of Dori's 100 Good Wishes Quilt! I really like it and am having fun putting it together. Unfortunately I can only squeeze in about an hour or so a day this week. But it will slowly and surely come together! I am glad that I changed to a random square/rectangle design. I will use the same design for the back, but those will be much bigger blocks.