One Billion Squares

Honestly, that is a slight exaggeration, only half a billion.  At least a brazillion.

At least, that is what it feels like.  

When my son was married in May, I jumped at the chance to make them a signature quilt.  I made a mountain of squares in the wedding colors.  It was mostly fun and I felt like I had a great idea.

My Momma graciously helped.

At the reception they were all signed, and some were sent out to family that could not make it.  I'm still waiting for some to be returned, so there hasn't been a quilt made yet, but I so love this idea!

I love it so much, when my cousin asked if I would make one for them for their wedding in September, I said, well, of course!

Her colors were so scrumptious, I even love the scraps.

So many of these squares were made for her and some were sent off to our far flung family.  As my family is humongous, and I have yet another cousin who is getting married on the exact same day on the opposite side of the country (literally WA and RI), and I just felt, well if I am making one, I should make the other too.  I can't be cousin selective, except for the part where I can only attend one wedding.  I tried to clone myself like Fred Flintstone and the results were pretty much the same as his.

Through the summer, both weddings are on September 2, I am washing fabrics, cutting squares and sewing little squares onto the corners of big squares.

Now, here is the crap part.  I made the very first ones for my son and bride 5", a nice round number.  I made the pink wedding 5 1/2", why?  I have no idea.  I made the blue wedding 5", made more pink ones just so I could confuse myself, and then made some blue wedding 5 1/2".  And because I was so ahead of the game,  I sent off the 5 1/2" blue ones to family members to sign.  

Do you see what happened there?  Ahead, right?  I am never ahead.

I had to recall those, at that point I had many more 5" than 5 1/2".  And thinking I was so close to being done with squares, I had to pull an almost all nighter to get them done for the wedding in WA next weekend because I screwed up the measurement. 

 I so enjoy making more work for myself.  And wasting fabric.  And counting.  How many possible times can you count to 10, and then think, wait?  was that 10?  I tell you, a LOT, especially after 1 a.m.  I don't want to count squares for a very long time.

I have - mostly - enjoyed this project and I do enjoy reading what people write on their square.  Now, these squares are going with me to RI, and the other ones are in WA and I can drink much wine this weekend.  Much needed wine.

My friend pointed this out to me Pinterest, and coffee came out my nose.

Keep Calm and ummm, Sew On

Can't really look at the sewing table the same can you?

FAL - Third Quarter 2012

First of all, can I just hyperventilate for a moment - We are in the the third quarter of 2012!!!!!  Where has the year gone?  I have to get motivated to finish a few projects, and here is my motivation, I'm linking up with Rhonda's Finish Along 2012 for the third quarter, because there are prizes!  

My List of UFO's that I want off my shelf in the next three months:

1.  Tokyo Subway Map:  This top I finally completed here, in March.  I have pieces for the back cut, but not together yet.

This one is just for fun, I have no one in mind to give this too, I just love the colors and the patterns.  

2.  Sunflowers:  This one has been up on my wall for way too long - I would like this top together and quilted.  Really, someone paid me for this one and it has been months.  Luckily, they are patient or afraid me - one or the other.

3.  Wedding Quilt:  For my son and his bride who were married in May - a signature quilt, everyone at the reception signed one of these squares.  

4.  Aqua and Orange Bee Blocks:  I want to get this one finished mostly because I have fabrics set aside for the blocks that I would like to drop back into my fabric pool.  I'm still playing with the configuration of the blocks, this is a photo of one way the blocks could go.  This Bee has been over for a few months now, and I think I have had my blocks for not quite a year, I think I should get them together before I hit that year mark.

5.  Aqua and Red from NuBees:  Now this one, I am getting this together!!!  I came across this photo looking up UFO's and I have totally altogether forgotten these blocks existed.  I got them all after several months in NuBees Flickr Group last year.  I love this monthly group, because you can hop in and out as your schedule requires.  Honestly, I don't even know where these blocks are, and it looks from the photo as if they are ready to go, I can sew a few seams, and done.  I'm hunting these up today!

That's five, which is slightly ambitious on top of other things for the quarter.  I need to get sewing.  Like, right now.  It's 110 degrees here today anyway, and I'm planning on not setting foot outside.  

Keep Calm and Sew On!

Not panicking, not at all

Uggh, I dislike washing my fabrics before using them.  However, I read somewhere that washing fabrics first for siggy blocks was a good idea.  I like good ideas more than I dislike pre-washing fabrics, so washing it is.  

More of what the dryer spits out.  I think this may be the first time I have ever pre-washed fabrics.  Not fond of the extra steps.  Especially the washing.  And the ironing, gadz, pressing fabric, the worst!  Ok, it isn't really that bad, the pressing I mean, the washing is still pretty bad, ranks right of there with not being able to sew.

I had a BRILLIANT idea, I am making a signature quilt for my son and my new daughter in law to be for their wedding.  This brilliant idea occurred and was uttered before they moved their wedding date to only 3 weeks from the date we began talking about a wedding at all.  Brilliant.  Also I had almost none of her preferred colors of teal and orange.  I do, on the other hand, like to fabric shop, and any excuse to do that, well, I'm free all day, so it was sort of OMG/YAY kind of feeling.

I, who never says 'no' to any bee, hemming emergency, patch sewing on, or child, am up to the challenge of getting all these siggy blocks ready for the reception.  

No panic going on here, all the way up until the guest list swelled to over 120.  Only 70 more siggy blocks to go and 3 days until wedding.  Lallallaaa, I am not panicking.

I even finished some Granny Squares for a Bee.  I will be right back, I promise.