Last-Minute Q2 Finish Report

I started the second quarter of the year with an overly ambitious list of sewing goals, but I was sidetracked by some very rewarding printmaking class projects, then preparations for a summer of vending quilts and home dec items at local fairs and farmer's markets. Nonetheless, I managed to complete half of my goals. Here's the original list, along with results.

1. Cedric's zombie shirt -- DONE!! He cuts quite the figure in it, too:

2016 Mom Awards: don't even bother challenging me this year

Young artist at work, in bespoke zombie attire

2. Secret Gift Thing #1 (Birthday shirt for my husband) -- DONE!!

This new goofy circuitry one makes 14 (!) shirts in his summer wardrobe.

3. Secret Gift Thing #2 (Father's Day present) -- DONE, and even (briefly) blogged!!

4. Orange Hexagon wallhanging, with Basic Mixologie mini-charm pack -- DONE!! I love this pattern and I love this fabric.

5. Gypsy Wife quilt -- NOPE. Not even close. But two of my students have finished theirs, so that's something!

6. Kitchen decor for my aunt -- DONE, and delivered! Placemats weren't part of the finished collection, because they didn't fit on the table, so the full set included a runner, four pillow covers, dinner napkins, and a pair of hotpads as a fun little addition.

I combined the Charley Harper fish print with a rich plum that looked like suede. Two pillows in each color combo.

The plum pillows looked spectacular. The fabric was to die for. (I think it was a Ricky Tims Rhapsody print.)

She has a long narrow glass table, so I made the runner 10x80". It was a gorgeous coppery brown that looked nice with all of her prints, including the upholstery sample from her built-in bench. Thin strips of all the other prints and some coordinating scrappy ones stretched the whole way down in a single line.

The mitered double-sided napkins looked spectacular, and so substantial!

7. Craftsy BOM quilt -- DONE!! I love this quilt so much. I did some really impressive custom free-motion work on each individual block, then as I assembled it I added a little more feathering in the negative space (dark grey Plus signs) to anchor the pieces together. I couldn't be happier with the finished project!

Sampler blocks by Amy Gibson for Craftsy (2012)

The back of my Craftsy sampler quilt -- so much delightful orange!!

8. Kandinsky quilt -- NOPE (I have really been slacking on the art quilting)
9. Quilting my Vintage Spin quilt -- NOPE (but it's first up for Q3)

10. Seaside dress -- NOPE
11. Orange batik shirt -- NOPE
12. Summer skirt -- NOPE

Father's Day

As soon as I saw this design, I knew I had to make it for my dad, who lovingly introduced me to John Lennon (and the Beatles) early in my life. I stitched it on some beautiful lightweight denim and made a pillow as a Father's Day gift for his new music studio, which is a really impressive space! Peace.

"Imagine all the people sharing all the world..."

NB: This is Secret Gift Thing #2 (#3 on my list of goals for the Q2 Finish-along).

Finish-Along goals for Q2

Just a few more semester-weeks, which means stitch-related production is about to kick into high gear (despite my commitment to growing some vegetables this summer -- but most of that work is done by the sun).

Q2 goals:

1. Cedric's zombie shirt -- now that we know how big he is, he's ready for me to make his summer button-up from the fabric he picked out in San Diego in January. This boy will cut quite the figure in a shirt made out of this:
   
2. Secret Gift Thing #1 -- can't say publicly what this is, but it's a goal. Scout's honor.
3. Secret Gift Thing #2 -- ditto. Scout's honor x2.
4. Basic Mixologie hexagon wallhanging -- I did the first line of quilting on it, but I need to commit to finishing the thing.
   
5. Gypsy Wife quilt -- I still have to do a bunch of filler blocks, all the strip assembly, and quilt the dang thing. And I might put a big scrappy border on this one just for fun. This is the most ambitious Q2 goal.
   
6. Napkins, placemats, runner, and pillows for my aunt's new kitchen -- she picked out some wonderful fabrics at Loom (my favorite part of the Strip District, although lunch at the Smallman Galley gave it a run for the money this time)
   
7. Finish assembling the Craftsy BOM quilt -- no problem, since I already have the strips together. I still have to decide how much more quilting to add in the grey negative space once the segments are attached to each other. Probably just some simple meandering for simplicity's sake.
   
8. Kandinsky quilt -- this is my journal group's challenge for May. I haven't started anything yet, but the challenge was set in March.

   

   Composition in Red and Black (Wassily Kandinsky, 1920)

9. Vintage Spin quilt -- I made the top last fall, and I want to quilt it soon. Too pretty to leave on a hanger.
   
10. Seaside dress (left)
    
11. Orange batik shirt (center)
12. Summer skirt (right)

I suspect this list is a little too ambitious, but it's nice to have goals.