Progess.

Kitchen project...full day #2.

This is where we stood last night.  One side done minus doors and drawers.  That's the sink base in front of the installed cupboards.  

Looking into the room...that is the left hand corner's corner base cabinet on its side.  The leveling feet are being added.

Last night we went and picked counter top samples.  One has been chosen.  I'm not telling, though. We kind of-sort of didn't agree.  There was an absolute 'no' vote on the one I was starting to get serious about.  The one we chose is currently a promotional color and I'm not one to pass up a deal so that's how we ended up deciding. 

It was time to find a little sewing space so I headed upstairs with the folding table.  We don't even have chairs but the little stool should be ok for short spurts of sewing.   I have to cut, clean up the cutting stuff, then set my machine on the table.

I am making this quilt from a Jodi Barrows' book.

These are my fabrics.  The project has been in my stash for a few years.

I will soon be needed in the kitchen again so I'm off until tomorrow.

Pam

The adventure begins.

I was not on hand for the demolishing of the original kitchen so I only have a couple pictures to show the progress.  I will spare you the pictures of the electrical and plumbing 'things'.

The kitchen is pretty simple.  A U shape with a breakfast bar (not shown) at the end of the left side. 

I think the contractor was mainly showing us how well the floor was protected.

These photos do not show what was yet to be revealed.  A moldy mess that involved the need for this:

That is how our entire kitchen was sealed off so the mold could be removed. 

I can't even begin to say how happy I am that we decided to hire someone to come in to demolish the old kitchen.  The mess that was uncovered would have been more than we could manage in our scheduled one week construction window.

I arrived yesterday just in time to inventory all the boxes as they were hauled in.  

Anything kitchen-y needs to be done creatively. One of my first shopping expeditions will be to buy a stove and microwave. 

Coffee a-la-floor.

Here is the empty space.

First thing this morning the work began.

The first two bottom cabinets are in place.  It's easier to start with the uppers first but our corner cupboards sit right on the counter top so we have to set the corner first.

I am mainly just extra help.  I lift, measure, fit, direct and whatever else needs doing.  In between I am keeping busy with other little things.  Unpacking, vacuuming, laundry, and odds and ends as they come up.  Took me half an hour to find a dish to have cereal out of this morning! 

More to come as progress is made.

Pam

A finish and an adventure.

Last night I finished Charmed Shoreline by Hinzeit. 

I really like Hinzeit patterns but this one had too many errors.  Even the correction online was wrong.  So, I was just glad to get it done.  It will be put away for a while so I didn't iron it before snapping a picture. 

Later this morning I am heading south for a month.  Woot.  I've gone for longish stretches before but not as long as a month.  I've packed an entire suitcase of sewing projects.  'Cause, you know, there aren't any fabric stores!  Ha.  Such a lie.  But still, I would rather work on projects I already have. 

We are also remodeling a kitchen.  We had the old one torn out and the basics completed prior to our arrival.  Phew.  So glad we did that because there were a variety of issues that needed to be dealt with.  I will chronicle the project once I am there.  My computer went on ahead of me and I don't have pictures here and now. 

We are 'serial remodelers'.  We've remodeled two houses and built our current one...we were even our own contractor.  Fun. It's too bad I didn't blog back then.  An adventure of a lifetime. Anyhow,  I think the kitchens and the baths are the hardest but the most fun.  

Today the cupboards are scheduled for arrival...as am I...at the very same time.  Luckily, we have a plan.  Now, I just need all the unrelated parties (the airline and the delivery service) to hold to the schedule! 

Stay tuned to watch this non-sewing project take shape. 

Pam

Grand Illusions is

finished.  The quilting will have to wait but I couldn't get the top done fast enough.

I was not real happy with the end result.  I did take the blue squares out of the sashing.  It was just way too chaotic for me.  I know that those blue squares were the center of a secondary block that was formed by the corners of the main blocks and the sashing...but I just couldn't take it.  The main blocks just didn't pop enough with all that other stuff going on.



I saw a few examples with the center of the main block altered.  I much preferred that look but I was too far gone to change 25 centers.  After changing the corner stones in the sashing I would have liked to have eliminated the black squares but, again, I was too far into the project to go that far backwards.  I am hoping the quilting will mellow it all a little...or draw out the main blocks and let the secondary blocks recede.


I am a sucker for a good mystery.  You just never know what you'll get.  I knew I wasn't in love with the color pallet but didn't have enough confidence to change it.  Sometimes that can lead to a disaster with colors falling in places you don't like.

I can always hope one of my kids likes it enough to want it.  And, you never know, maybe after some time apart I'll change my mind.

Pam

A finish-finish just in time

to pack it away until next year. 

Bent Creek's Christmas Mantel from 2010 has been waiting around all these years for me to figure out what to do with it.  I finally make it into a pillow. 

It was a mystery released bit by bit that year.
 

The thing was...it used Pearl Cotton #5 on a large weave fabric.  I have no idea what, at this point.  It was part of the kit.

That big open weave just didn't lend itself to framing.  I'm sure it would look nice but it just wasn't what I wanted. 

I am glad to finally have it off the work table.  If I had it to do over I'd use regular DMC floss on a much higher count linen.  I really don't have any interest in doing it over so it is what it is. 

The quilt the pillow is on is a sneak peak at another finished project.  I am participating in a blog hop later this month hosted by Cindy of Quilt Doodle Designs.  I know you've seen me working away at this project but the embellishments are new.  It was hard to stop adding details to the cute rows.  Can't wait to see what other people did. 

Pam

More sewing room creations.

Recently I made a few more hot pads using two different methods. 

First, I used the same quilt as you go that I'd used on previous hot pads.  For the third one I saw the cutest pattern for a pillow and just used the same idea and appliqued the layers together.  

I gave these to a friend for her birthday.  Her fourth grade daughter placed the snowflake one in the middle of the table right away.  When her mother explained that they were hot pads...to set hot dishes on when serving food...she said that couldn't be right...that they were too cute to be used for something like that!  So cute. 

I am working my way through a variety of projects.  I am going south for a month and hope to finish as many things as possible since I'll be taking all new projects with me.  I thought I might inventory my WIP's but then thought there wasn't any point.  I would finish what I could and add to the pile when I return.  I hope to bring home finishes, though.  What should grow is my pile of projects waiting to be quilted. 

It is bitter cold today so there is no better place to be than my sewing room.

Pam

Monday link up

My Monday link-up with Bonnie's blog is not so impressive.

I had less time in my sewing room than expected even though I thought I was making huge progress when I was there.

I mean...there are like a million pieces in each block and I have them almost done...except all that sashing...and the borders....and the corner stones in the sashing, not to mention assembly.  Yup.  Right.  Almost done. NOT.

I piled up my pieces...25 of each.  You just can't spend a lot of time worrying about what fabric is next to what because the over all quilt will just be so busy you'd never notice.  Below you can see the top row is assembled and the first two blocks of the middle row.

These tools are a must when joining so many seams, angles and pieces.

At first I was pinning every intersection.  I thought I'd be at it for a month at that rate so I just started taking my chances since I operate pinless most of the time anyhow.  

I might have 10 blocks completely finished but not the sashing or borders so I have a lot of work ahead.

I am not sure what I think of this pattern.  I find it hard to find anywhere for my eye to rest. Maybe once I have more of it finished something will jump out as a focal point.  I am not sure what I would have done differently, though, had I known the pattern.  I just don't see what I would have wanted to stand out and what I would have wanted to recede into the background.  Hmmm.  I sure do like all those bright colors during the bitter cold dreary January weather.

Pam