Misfit Quilters DQS

Have you noticed that there are so many swap groups out there that seem clique-ish? It's more like a popularity contest. They have a million rules and the same people swap all the time, while so many others who have been waiting for a long time to participate, are passed up yet again. I believe that swaps should be for fun. And apparently, other people do too. A couple of my twitter friends decided to start a group for misfit quilters. You know, like the misfit toys? The ones that no one loves and sends them off to their own little island to be pathetic while not bothering others with their pathetic-ness? Well, we don't have our own island (damn it), but we do have our own swap now.

Our first swap is for a doll quilt (since that was the swap most of us were discussing not being allowed to participate in). A doll quilt is about 13" x 19" and I just love how adorable they look hanging on the wall. I got started on my doll quilt a couple nights ago. It took a little time to figure out what I wanted to make for my partner since I don't know anything about her. I have been reading her blog, and looking at her favorite photos on Flickr. After I got an idea of what she might like, I started cutting and sewing.

I decided to make a Dresden Plate (gasp). I know. I thought it was a little ridiculous since I've never made one - and quite frankly, I never planned to make one either. But I found a tutorial HERE that made it seem really easy. And you know what? It was!

Sewing the top of the wedges together and turning them right side out is ingenious! I used a pencil to poke the points out. The tutorial says you need 20 wedges. That's if you use the special ruler, which I did not. I made my own template by guessing on a size. So I ended up needing 31 wedges based on the size I made them.

I made a giant yo-yo for the center. That was the hardest part. I still have a bit more to do before I can start quilting it. I'm unsure of the quilting design I want to use and I'm also undecided as to whether I want to machine or hand quilt.

When all is said and done, I hope that my partner loves it and I hope that all the other swaps that didn't want us, regret passing us up. Just because we don't have thousands of photos on Flickr or haven't participated in hundreds of swaps, doesn't mean we are bad quilters. As a matter of fact, I have seen the work of my fellow Misfits, and I have to say, we are damn good.

Selina

Finished Quilt and a New Restaurant

I finished my sample quilt! I think I was excited because I've never ever finished a quilt in a week before. Next week I'll be driving to West Seattle to drop it off. I hope she likes it. I can't wait to see a quilt I made hanging on the wall of a fabric shop!

I didn't get creative with the quilting. I quilted it just like it showed on the pattern cover. As this is my first, I decided to follow it to the letter. I think it will be nice for her customers to see an example of the finished quilt in person, rather than just a picture.

Next week when I take this in, I will also be picking up the pattern and fabrics to make a sample for the class I'll be teaching next month. I'm so nervous!!! I hope I don't ramble on while teaching. I tend to do that.

In other news, a brand new Ivar's opened just a few blocks from my house on Tuesday. If you aren't familiar with Ivar's, it's a fast food seafood chain that is Seattle through and through. Their food is so delicious. We just had to go. I put on my walking shoes and rounded up the kids and the hubs. We were way more excited than is normal and/or appropriate for a fast food dinner. We ordered clams, fish and chips, and a TANKER of clam chowder. Yeah. A tanker. 32 ounces of creamy clammy goodness. I got a hilarious snapshot of the hubs carrying his loot:

My kids even got their photo taken with a giant clam. All in all, I'd say it was a great evening with the family.

Selina

My first sample quilt

I've been spending the last couple of days working on my first sample quilt for The West Seattle Fabric Company. The pattern we picked out is called Mod Tweet. I'm really not good at applique, but it didn't look complicated so I decided to give it a shot.

I chose to use a raw edge applique since that's the only method I know. I think it's turning out pretty well.

I really love how the more masculine fabrics give the quilt such a different look. When we first chose the pattern and fabrics, I liked them, but wasn't crazy about them. Now I absolutely love this quilt! I guess that's the point of having samples in a shop, eh? I'm loving this job already because it's pushing me to use patterns and/or fabrics that I wouldn't normally choose for myself (although, I did manage to get a bit of Sunkissed in there... so sneaky. Heehee.)

Alright, back to quilting. If everything goes as planned - which it rarely ever does - I'll be binding this baby tomorrow!

Selina

Bernina Makeover Contest

I have a huge favor to ask. I entered to win a Bernina sewing room makeover contest on Facebook. I wrote a blog post for this already over on my other blog HERE. If you don't mind, please take a look at the post and vote for my disaster of a room. Here are a couple photos so you can see what kind of space I'm dealing with:

Just to clarify, I promise I am not just too lazy to clean, and I am not a hoarder. We had a small flood a couple of years ago that turned into a big mess and we don't have the money to finish remodeling it. Life kinda gets in the way, you know? Between my husbands stupid car breaking down a gazillion times (FYI, don't ever buy a Volkswagon), trying to feed and clothe 4 children, and losing my job it's just been one hurdle after another. If you'd rather not jump through the hoops of reading another post before you vote, here is a link directly to my page of the contest where you can vote Bernina Makeover Contest

You can vote once per day until the 25th of this month.

Thank you friends! I know it's a long shot, but a girl can hope, right? :)

Selina

Eeeeek! and OMG! and all that other stuff. Oh, and a quilt.

I have a finished quilt to share with you today, but first I have something to say.

Monica, the owner of the West Seattle Fabric Company called me this morning! She said she was browsing online last night and stumbled upon my other blog that I write with Lizze and loved all of the quilts we have made, and that she was really impressed with our work. And then, to her surprise, she had an email from little me sitting in her inbox later that evening! To make a long story short, we hit it off on the phone right off the bat. I'm meeting her at her store tomorrow and YES I can do the work from home! Also she wants to talk to me about teaching quilting classes. What?!?!?! Yes, you read that correctly. Yours truly teaching a class! Holy s***balls that's exciting! So, thank you for all of your crossed body parts!

Ahem. Okay. Time to regain composure...

I finished my Royal Garden quilt this morning and we actually had sunshine so I could get some decent pictures (God must be happy with me today, all these lovely surprises and all).

I'm much too anxious and excited to write a normal post right now so I'm just going to show you pictures.

I linked up for the Bloggers Quilt Festival over on Amy's blog with this quilt on my other blog over here. The post I wrote over there is normal and not full of OMG's and exclamation points.

Wish me luck tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes. Hopefully I don't vomit on her (yes, I'm THAT nervous).

Selina

Cross Everything!!!

Okay folks. You probably don't know this but I have been looking for decent job for quite some time. I have applied all kinds of places and haven't heard a word from any of them. At the moment I am working at a fast food restaurant. Have I mentioned that I am a 31 year old woman?!?! Working with teenage girls all day can really start to grate on a woman's nerves after, oh, 5 minutes or so.

The other day Lizze told me that The West Seattle Fabric Company posted a note on Facebook saying that they are looking for sample quilt makers. West Seattle is quite a drive for me as I live about 30 miles south of there. Working there would really be impractical for me, especially with the price of gas being what it is right now. I just sent an e-mail to the owner asking if this would be a position that she would consider allowing someone to do from home. I know it's a long shot, but it would be such a great opportunity. I really hope that she doesn't shoot me down!

So here's hoping. Please cross all your fingers and toes (and anything else that can be crossed) for me! I'll post an update once I hear back. In the meantime, I'll just be sitting here biting my nails...

Selina

Weekend Update

Hey everyone! I hope you have had a wonderful weekend so far. Mine has been very unproductive and lazy. I have one more day of weekend tomorrow that I hope to use to remedy that. I plan to make a scrap vomit quilt, and I have a huge amount of 2.5 inch squares to cut for this project. I am also swapping squares with a few other folks who are making the quilt as well. Katy of I'm A Ginger Monkey started the scrap vomit craze. A link to Katy's blog where she will tell you all about the scrap vomit - if you're curious - is here. So tomorrow I will be working on cutting hundreds of squares; some for me and some to send off to their new homes.

 I also need to work on getting my Royal Garden quilt finished. I told myself on Thursday that I'd have it done by Sunday... Um... that might not be happening. In fact, I know it won't be. I still have quite a bit to do and I really wanted to check it off my list before I start on something new.

 

Royal Garden Quilt

I'm also going to be making some quilt blocks for a charity quilt that several folks are working on. All the blocks are being shipped to me and then I'll start putting them all together. I can't wait to get all the blocks and see how they will look.

So, I obviously have a busy week ahead of me. Tomorrow I plan to start my day early and hit the ground running. I'd better get the coffee pot ready tonight!

Selina

Starting Fresh

I've had this blog for a long time and I decided to start over. I have another blog that has been given my full attention for about a year now. My friend, Lizze and I opened a shop on Etsy last spring and we have been slowly building on that business using the other blog. If you care to visit, that blog can be found at http://wanderingstarsonetsy.wordpress.com

I want to have this blog for the purpose of showing things I have made, tutorials, and also showing a bit about my everyday family life as well. I'll talk about sewing, cooking, kids, and probably my dog too.

Here's the princess now. This is Bijou. Be prepared to hear much about this puppy as she is pretty darn special in this house.

Here are three of my heathens, er, I mean kids. We were on a camping trip up at Moses Lake here in the lovely state of Washington. My other daughter was not present in this photo because she was here:

Nothing like sleeping in when you're on vacation. And she is a bear if you wake her up before she's ready. Trust this.

No sewing news in this post. I just wanted to reintroduce myself. Next time I'll have some sew sweet goodness for you. I'm participating in a mug rug swap AND a doll quilt swap, so I'll have a lot to show off in the next couple of days.

Selina