Last quilt-related post for a while

I finally found a travel position, and all the pieces fell into place, so I'll be moving to Tampa in just a few weeks! I've been working toward this for so long, I can hardly say that it's happening quickly, but it's soon anyway. There's sooooo much to do, but one of my priorities was finishing this quilt so that I could pack up my sewing room. My travel assignments will be 13 weeks each, and I'm driving so I can only take what will fit in my car while still leaving room for Boris. So my sewing gear is going into storage (minus one box of WIPs that's going to my mom's sewing room for when I'm on breaks). I'm very sad to be stowing my sewing machine after it's brought me so much joy these last few years, but it's all for a good reason and I hope to be so busy exploring my new cities that it won't leave a gap in my life.

So I'm tweaking my blog a little bit. I'll still post whatever I'm crocheting/knitting (yay for portable crafts!) but I'm also going to post my travels. I feel so lucky and blessed to have this opportunity; hopefully I'll have all kinds of fun and cool things to update on here- if not, then rest assured that I'm just too busy to blog, not that I'm having a horrible time.

So here's the quilt that I finished just in the nick of time. I sent it off to be quilted, then had to do the binding before packing the machine up. I think it was a good project to send it off with.

It's coming with me. I'm bringing a few blankets for decorations, to make wherever I am feel like home. Is there any better way to feel cozy than to snuggle up under a handmade blanket?

Scarf Crazy

I've been on a crochet scarf kick. I love how fast they are, and how endless the possibilities are.

I made a hat to go with this one, too, but left it at work, so I couldn't get a picture of it.

This one I just picked an open crochet stitch and used some leftover yarn I had hanging around.

I finally finished knitting Anne Shirley. I loved making this- the pattern repeat was simple enough that I memorized it, but interesting enough that it was still fun to knit. And I love the fact that it can be worn without blocking, because I hate blocking. So instead I'm going for the more shibori-like effect, which I actually like- the texture is great.

Haven't used my sewing machine much lately because I've been obsessed with finishing this, and I'm so happy that I did.
I'm expecting two exciting packages in the mail this week: I ordered some batting to finish a project or two and some extra supplies to make $50 so I could get free shipping; and the quilt top that I sent off to be quilted is on its way back to me, so I'll just have to bind it and it'll be done. I started this one over a year ago so I'm beyond excited to complete it. Pictures to follow, naturally.

I made the Awesome Lap Quilt from the Moda Bakeshop with the jelly roll of Plume that I won a few weeks ago. I love the fabrics- they're even more vibrant than they appear in the photos.  

Today I'm going to add the borders to the Mozambique quilt, then I'll have 3 quilt tops recently completed that need to be finished, and I guess I'll change my focus for a little bit from piecing to quilting. I really have a lot to learn in that realm, so I'm going to have to throw myself into it wholeheartedly. Wish me luck ;)

I love birds

I fell in love with this bird fabric the first time I saw it ages ago; after pointing it out and drooling over it a million times I finally broke down and bought it. I wanted large blocks to show off the birds as much as possible.

When (if) it stops snowing, I'm going to take it to my local quilt shop to try to find a backing for it. If there's nothing there that'll go with it, I'll order the complement in the Rumba line by Hoodie for Blank Quilting. I'd like the immediate gratification of finding something local, though. With the smaller size of this, I might even be able to quilt it myself. 

I came home to some new fabrics that I ordered, too. Poppies in the Spice colorway by Michael Miller, that made me swoon when I saw it. So maybe today will see me cutting into that. Or into the jelly roll that I won. We'll see what the day brings...I love being able to sew on these snowy days when the thought of going outside makes me cringe. It brings some warmth to my life.

A sunny cold day and some fat quarters

First off, I won some awesome fabric from Lilac Lane in the SewMamaSew Giveaway Day. I was pretty stoked to win, since there were hundreds of entrants to each giveaway I visited. So I'm looking forward to getting that package in the mail, thanks Lilac Lane!

When I want to pick up a new little project but don't know what to do, I usually stand at my ironing board pressing fabrics- fat quarters or scraps or any little leftovers- until inspiration hits. I wound up with 6 fat quarters, cut them up and made half square triangles with them.

Then I had moments of pure joy playing with the squares and realizing that I have soooo many possibilities for layout.

I can do squares:

Or stripes:

Or pinwheels:

Or alternate the triangles:

There's probably even more I can do. How am I going to decide? The fun part will be piecing them all together. I don't think it'll wind up to be very big, so I don't know what I'll do with it, but sometimes it's more about the process than the end results. And sometimes it's the other way around.

Layout for the Moz blocks

I laid out the blocks I cut to get an idea for how they should be arranged. I think I hit the nail on the head on the first try. They look stunning together, don't they? A little lopsided and wonky because I had to lay them out on the bed, over my soft, cozy, warm, inviting bedspread that I got to linger in this morning, thanks to getting called off work. It was a perfect day to sleep in, and now it's a perfect day to get sewing.