Still Pregnant

 Here are the next two (May, June) blocks for the Quilt Block of the Month a-long.

By my quilt block calculations, I should be due any day now.

There are a lot of things that go through a 9 month pregnant woman's mind. Many are heavy and philosophical, others are more mundane. For example, when I drop things on the floor (which I do hundreds of times a day it seems!) I ponder a few things: 1.) Can I pick up said object with my feet? 2.) Is my toddler around anywhere to pick it up for me? 3.) Do I really need to pick it up or can I just leave it there? 4.) Why does the universe hate me?

As I spend the next few days wondering about these things, I'll be resting my enormous self on the couch and anxiously awaiting the baby's arrival. I know crafting will be non-existent for awhile, but hopefully July's quilt block will coax me back into craftland again.

Girls Night and Block of the Month: March

Here is my finished quilt block for March. I got a crazy idea last month that I was going to start another quilt in addition to this current project. I even started looking at fabric lines that I liked online and even bookmarked a few.

Then I realized I was having a baby in the not too distant future, and I was completely insane for thinking I would have the time for something like that. So it's back to focusing on this one little quilt and taking my time with one square a month. I know (from experience) that this little lull before the baby comes is the calm before the storm. I don't think it's the best idea to start something big right about now. Maybe in a few years I'll start that next quilt!

Speaking of babies/ pregnancy, our old friend A. was in from the opposite coast for Girl Nights a couple weeks ago.  It was great to see her and her pregnant belly. (She's due a month after me). K. hosted (I'm still dreaming of her baked ziti, spinach dip, and oreo truffles!) and it was so fun to get the old gang back together, even if it was just for a short time. Sigh. Of course I forgot to take any photos.

I'm still enjoying making quilt blocks each month, and I just saw the new design for April-fun pinwheels! I'll have to get the girls to update me with their blocks and get started on mine soon too.

Quilt Block of the Month: February





Believe it or not, I am just recovering from yet ANOTHER bad cold. What gives? This is really getting ridiculous.  I figured I better post something and get some craft/ knitting work done quickly before I get sick with my next one! I'm sure the rhinovirus is not done with me yet.

I finished my next quilt block for the Quilt Block of the Month-along. This is a variation of a flying geese pattern. I tried to be very precise again. It's only slightly off here and there. Not too shabby.

I hosted Girls Night last week and we talked a little about our quilt blocks. K. brought her Feb. block but I forgot to take a picture. Here's a shot of Jan.'s block that she emailed me. She's using It's a Hoot fabric by Moda. (I'm using Sassy by Moda).

I think P. is making two each month for her two boys? I'll have to double check with her. That's a good idea. I'm sure at the end of the year, I'll have wished I had done that too!

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In other crafty news: I almost have C's Big Boy blanket completed; I just have to weave in some ends.
I'm also 75% done a little Presto Chango sweater for the new baby. AND, I ordered some beautiful, quality yarn to make the little baby some things for next winter. It's so soft-I can't wait to use it. It was all on sale from here.

I CAN be Precise! Quilt Block of the Month: January

A little while ago I made a mini quilted table runner for Christmas. Even though I'm proud of it, it was basically a major fail. I didn't bother with pressing, or even measuring everything by the end. I don't really know what I was thinking. However, it taught me a very valuable lesson about precision. Maybe I can fudge some stuff when it comes to knitting, crochet, painting, or cooking, but if I was ever going to dive into quilting I was going to have to have the precision of a surgeon.

So basically I figured my commencement as a quilt maker would never happen. Or at least not at this juncture in my life. Who has time to be precise with a demanding toddler all over you, and another little one on the way? Not me.

But the quilt gods have been guiding me toward quilting ever so gradually over the past few years. A few things happened since I made the mini quilt that truly inspired me jump right in. First, I noticed that a quilting blogger I follow was going to start a quilt block of the month series for 2012. The quilt block for January was eye-catching, I loved the colors she chose, and her tutorial looked beautiful. Then a little later I saw another blogger I follow decided to participate in this quilt-a-long. He (yes, it's a he) made his own quilt block following the tutorial; I also loved his color choices. I was impressed with his block because he's new to quilting too, and I figured if he could do it, I probably could too. (Also, he's a dude! If a man can do it, I can do it too; I am woman, etc...and all that banter).

Then the final straw? I was out to tea (we're really not that gentrified but we did have a lovely little tea outing a few weeks ago) with the girls and P. brought up how she wanted to do a quilt block a month this year and was looking for patterns. I emailed her the link to the blog and didn't think much about it for a few days. But the seed had already been planted and it started growing, and growing....

I literally feel like I woke up one morning and was all, "That's it! I'm doing the Quilt Block a Month-along. Let me order my fabric." I notified P. who also decided to participate and then we asked K. to join us and she obliged.

I can't explain enough how great this project is for me:

1.  I committed myself to measuring everything precisely--no eyeballing on this one.
2.  having an entire month to complete 1 square is perfect for my lifestyle. A whole quilt would be overwhelming for me to contemplate, but one little quilt block is easy to accomplish and focus on.
3.  Following a step by step tutorial takes all the guesswork and uncertainty away from me, a newbie.
4.  It's exciting to anticipate what the next blocks will look like--she has not revealed them in advance. So the compulsive in me can't jump ahead. It forces me to practice patience and pace myself. This is such an important lesson for me--I'm always in a race.

I'll have to say a thank you to those quilt gods for directing me to this place. I'm really enjoying working with fabric and learning something new. It's so fun to have the girls on the same journey too (there's already been a handful of emails going back and forth about fabric lines, pressed seams, and selvage). And finally, the thought of having  a full quilt in a year's time is really amazing to me b/c it always seemed so out of my reach.