Measure twice, cut once...

I was cutting out my orange fabrics for my Zuzu's Petals quilt.  Not that I'm flitting from project to project, mind you, but only because I wanted to get the stack of oranges I had pulled cut and put back away in my nice, neat sewing room!

I have 50 different orange fabrics, and I have cut half of them.  I was reviewing the pattern again this morning and realized I'd made a big boo-boo.  I was cutting squares a little larger than I needed for the center 1/4 square triangles, so I was cutting 8" squares.  I realized I needed 8-1/2" squares for the setting triangles!  Ooops!  Well, at least I still have half the orange fabrics that I can use to cut the larger setting triangles with.  I'm so glad I took the time to look at the pattern again this morning before any more cutting commenced!

I'm a biker chick

After watching the triathlon Saturday, I decided I needed to spend a whole lot more time out on my bike.  I went out on the Interurban trail when I got home and had a nice ride.  It is off-road and has a challenging incline at the end.  I also wanted to be able to explore it without the kids to see if it is somewhere I might like to take them.

This morning after 60 minutes on my stationary bike, I went out trail riding for 30 minutes before work.  Boy, there is just no comparison between road biking and stationary biking!  My legs felt like jello afterwards, but what an exhilarating ride.  I just loved it!  My sit-down parts are quite sore, even though I have a nice seat and I got a gel seat cover.  I think I will break down and get myself some padded cycling shorts, even though I vowed I'd never be seen in public with them.

I love my new bike and it feels really good to get out and ride.  I feel like a kid again!

Saturday Insanity!

My buddy and I wanted to go to Issaquah to watch the triathlon that our tri-swimming classmate was competing in on Saturday. I got up at 5 a.m. and left the house at 5:30 in order to meet her and carpool to the event. As I was leaving at the crack of dawn, I was seriously questioning my sanity!

We actually got a chance to see and talk to our friend Carla before she started, even though she didn't know we were coming, so that was pretty cool. We also had a great conversation with a woman that was competing in this triathlon - she gave us a really warm and fuzzy feeling about the Danskin tri that we are registered for. It took a lot of the mystery out of the event to come and actually witness the transitions and such.

It was very interesting to watch - especially the jocks that finished in under 50 minutes!  I'm still worried about the swim. My physical therapist says absolutely no swimming until after my last therapy appointment on June 23. I really feel the need to get back in the water, but I know it won't do me any good to push myself while I'm still nursing this injury.....

I'm back in business!!!

I got my sewing machine back yesterday and she's purring like a kitten again.  I only got to do a little bit of chain sewing on my red/black quilt pieces.  I was busy last night baking a cake for the cake walk at the kids' school carnival tonight.

This weekend I will be putting the binding on my daughter's teacher's quilt so I can get that finished - the school year is just screaming by!  Soon they will be out for summer vacation - unbelieveable.

I'd also like to piece the backing for my stepsister's baby quilt so I can get that to the quilter in the next week or so.  Her baby is due at the end of July, so I do have a little time.

Sorting through my stash this weekend and being only able to dream about quilting, I came up with another project that I would like to make.  I saw a beautiful white and orange quilt on someone's blog and would like to make something along those lines.  I wanted to do kind of a buzz saw looking block, and going through my pattern stash, found one I really liked - Zuzu's Petals by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company (who else?).  This will be another 'make from the stash' quilt, made from white, cream and orange and very scrappy.

June 2006 will be my month of BUY NOTHING.  I already made it through one day, and even that was tough!  lol

SPOTLESS!

I spent the better part of the last 2 days organizing every scrap of fabric in my sewing room.  Everying is sorted either by project or color, placed in a Rubbermaid container, labeled and stacked neatly in the closet.  There is NOTHING piled on the floor, tables or any other surface of my room.  The transformation is truly amazing.  I'd show before and after pictures, but then I would have to publicly admit what a true slob I had become!  The room is so pleasant now, I can hardly believe it.  So one good thing came of me being without my sewing machine this weekend!  Though I can hardly wait to begin sewing again!

Wow!

I completely LOVE the new long-arm quilter I found.  I picked up the quilt yesterday and was very pleased with the job she did - my other quilter NEVER quilted right to the edge, even when we asked her to (my SIL still uses this other person, though I refuse to use her ever again!).  Anyhoo - I know these pictures aren't very clear, but she did a dense overall pattern of small hearts and vines.  And it's gorgeous, I love it!

I have the Johnny & Buck baby quilt to give her next, after I get a chance to piece a backing for it.  My stepsister's baby is due at the end of July, but even if I don't get the quilt to her before the birth, I'm sure she won't mind!

9 Days????

I won't get my sewing machine back for 9 long days, and it will cost a minimum of $99.95.... <heavy sigh>

I will miss my Pfaff over the holiday weekend.  I guess I willl either work on cutting out some future quilt projects or cleaning my sewing room in preparation for my dad's visit in June.  Hmmm - which do you think is more likely to happen?

My long-arm quilter is finished with my DD's teacher's quilt!  I will meet her to pick it up tomorrow - yay!  Of course, I won't be able to put the binding on right away - dang it.  But I'm excited to see what she's done with it!  Pictures tomorrow!