Keeping sane......

one of the Chic Sister quilts

How do you keep sane? Well there is no end to the ways a person finds sanity or relaxation. Me it is sewing and quilting. This week I will cover all the bases in how sewing helps me out from doing it for myself to teaching to enjoying a few moments of fun with my daughter. It is all here today with pictures too!!

Metro Hoops

Our guild(where I am on the program committee) has been working with the It's Sew Wonderful curved ruler. We have had two workshops so far with one more to come. I taught one class the Chic Sisters with spinning flower-looking blocks which I did with 1930's fabric. I decided I didn't want one large quilt so I have with some ingenuity created two quilts that will become Project Linus blankets some day! I have also taken a class that my friend Mallory was the teacher(she is on program with me).She taught the Metro Hoops. I wasn't keen on the round looking hoops so I gave the blocks a quarter turn and SURPRISE!! magic happened. You wouldn't even know it was the same quilt. I have fallen in love with this one, so I might be keeping it for me.

With Christmas coming quickly, I have decided to get all my "have to do" projects out of the way so I can relax and enjoy the season and the shopping I have to do. My friend asked me to make her grandson a stocking. It has become a tradition of sorts...I have made them for her other two grandkids. I think Winston will love Rudolph!!

pinning and cutting

working together

learning what a ripper is for!

My daughter was home on holidays for a week.  She was here to do some deer hunting but had some down time too. On the last evening she decided she would like Christmasy pillow covers for her living room and bedroom throw cushions. So after supper we started and in 2 hours with a simple pattern, we finished them. Six pillow covers in different colours and patterns for her to take home. It was fun for me because we don't normally do sewing things together. She ironed and I cut and sewed. Have to say I sewed one with the wrong side of the fabric out...so she also got to use the ripper too. Let's just say she was not too impressed!!! In all the hurry to get them finished to watch a movie, we didn't get any pictures. Although DH took some of us during the process! Some faces have been hidden to protect the innocent. And this all started because I showed her two pillowcases that I made for charity for another guild I belong to.

charity pillowcases in need of ironing

 So with all this going on today I am trying to slow the pace down a bit. I want to have some instant satisfaction so I will be putting together some blocks for some up-coming block lotteries that I am in charge of. They are snowmen and snowflakes...how appropriate for today as the white stuff is falling outside.
Later today into the evening as always I will pick up my needle and thread and work on the last block of my snowman wonderland quilt. I might even get it finished for this winter...I have been working on it for two winters already!! I will also check in with Kathy and see what she and everyone else is slow stitching on this week.