Strings with Lime

I have been making a quilt this fall for a 4 year old I have never met.  Her mom asked me to make it and I couldn't say no.  This is my first commissioned quilt.   I posted a bit about it at the beginning, but this quilt has really dominated my sewing time over the past 3 months and I'm happy to finally  have time to share some more of it.

I have loved working on this quilt.  It measures 80" x 87" and it is the first full sized bed quilt I have made and quilted myself.  I've done kings and twins, and plenty of throws, but never a full.  It's a shame I'm not keeping it, I really need a quilt on that full sized guest bed...

 

 The back is Sketch flannel in Royal and it is amazing!  I may just be a flannel back convert after this one.  I pieced Madelyn's name into the back-- the letters are about 4" high.  I hope she likes it.

 I cut and attached the binding to the front today, and plan to spend blissful hours tomorrow hand stitching it down.  That sounds like the perfect way to spend my birthday~

The quilt has taken me longer than I expected.  Is it that the foundation string piecing was more involved than I remembered, or my free time more scarce?  Either way, I made it as fast as I could.  Like every quilt, I learned a lot with this one.  It's the largest piece I've ever quilted on my Janome, and it fit just fine (for the record, I could probably do a queen..).  I underestimated how much thread I'd need to quilt it and ended up waiting in line at JoAnn's on Black Friday.  Never want to do that again (though buy one. get one free is a hard deal to pass up).  I also underestimated how tired I'd be at the end of each day, and how short Jack's naps would be.
When George was a baby, I remember getting a lot of sewing done while he napped.  Somehow I thought things would be the same this time around, but I'll tell you, the biggest shock I had this fall was how much I wanted to be with George when Jack was asleep.  If I'd turn on the tv and sneak off to sew, I felt guilty leaving him alone.  I missed him. 
Other moms of 2 or more can probably relate.  I spent so much time this year focused on the baby, feeding, changing, pureeing, packing and repacking the diaper bag, pushing the stroller.  I miss the feeling of George's hand in mine as we walk to school.  It's like I blinked and he went from being 2 1/2 to being 5.  I can barely pick him up and he doesn't fit in my lap anymore. 
Something has changed (is changing?).  I used to be me first.  A person, a woman, a Smithie, a quilter.  But now, no.  Now I'm Mom first. 
So this quilt took me a long time, but it helped me discover this change, see who I am now.  And I'm glad I can write that here, because I'm not sure non-quilters would quite understand.  I love this quilt, and I'm happy the end is near.  I hope to have it in the mail this weekend and let it become part of someone else's story.

3

Getting into the holiday spirit a bit more.  Today I bought Christmas cards and helped George finish up his book report on his favorite holiday story.  (shocking, we only have 5 Christmas books in the house, and one was in Greek).  I'd like to put up the tree, but it isn't safe until we get another baby gate..

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I didn't mean to whine in yesterday's post.  Actually, I think I'm getting too old to complain.  Thursday is my birthday and I've been giving a lot of thought to it.  Time to grow up a little more.  Time to give more and take less.  Appreciate more and want less.  Time to stop complaining.
But just because I think about it doesn't mean it will be easy to do.

I've been whittling away at my to-do list.  If I make it to the post office today it will be a major accomplishment.  And at some point this week I need to buy George snow boots.
In with all the mundane household stuff, I have snuck in a few stitches.. 

 I started a new hexie pillow that I've been sharing glimpses of on Instagram.  It's for the workshop I'm teaching for the Long Island Quilters Society in January.  I like diamonds made of hexagons (funny, because I spent so many years making hexagons from diamonds..), but these are big.. one unit doesn't fold up well into my sewing kit and I'm still trying to figure out the best stitch sequence.  I'm really feeling the pinks though.  Last night I started following Amy Butler on IG.  I think I'm entering a girly phase-- appreciate more, right?  Who needs to search for something new to inspire and entertain them when there's already so many good things out there that I missed the first time around?  Maybe the key to my stress release will be to just slow down..

The chaos of the season

Somehow I always end up feeling rushed and stressed in December,  no matter how much I prepare or plan ahead.   This year is different but the same.

In December, 2012 I was very pregnant and trying to plan Christmas around prepping final exams and grading for 5 (6?) classes. I was also finalizing layouts and edits for the book.  I made a Christmas quilt but didn't get it quilted in time.

In contrast,  this year I have no end-of-the-semester stress, no snowy frozen commutes , and almost all of my Christmas shopping was done before Thanksgiving.  But still I feel like I'm running around trying to get a million things done at the same time.  That there will never be enough time to do it all.  Ahhhhgh.

Does anyone have any secrets for staying calm and sane during the holidays?  Please share!

(We did manage a nearly stress-free Thanksgiving though.  My secret: baked sweet potatoes)

Quilting, as always, is great stress relief,  but all of the sudden lately it seems when I take time to quilt instead of doing some other chore,  I just fall behind in my routine and spend the rest of the week recovering.   

Gone are the ideas of handmade presents, care packages to far away friends, and planning holiday parties.   I'll be lucky if my Christmas cards make it on time (the international ones, anyway).  And the quilt from last year? Which sat, basted in my closet for 11 months ... I have 24 days.   I hope I'll find the time..

Winner!

Many many thanks to all who entered my Giveaway~
The winner is Laura of Prairie Sewn Studios!  (Laura, I have send you an email.)

It was fun getting people talking about the Greek Island retreat-- there were lots of oohs and aahs, I guess lots of people haven't considered Greece as a retreat destination yet.  I suppose the Greek islands have more of a reputation for romantic getaways (Santorini) or wild partying (Mykonos).  Quilters relaxing and sewing together on Paros?  It may be a first.  But it will be a lovely and refreshing retreat, full of simple pleasures and hopefully stress free.  It will also be quite small-- there is room for a maximum of 16 participants.  We don't want to overrun the island with quilters, do we?

I know it may seem like a dream, but if you are giving it any thought at all, please request a registration packet and read all the details.  It may become more of a reality than you thought..

Giveaway Time!

I love talking about English paper piecing, and since the book came out, I've had a lot of fun talking to so many quilters and hearing about their EPP projects, goals, or fears.  (Seems lots and lots of people have WIPs..)
Talk is great, but what I really need is time to sit and sew, so I am arranging an EPP quilt retreat in Greece next summer.  I would LOVE it if a bunch of you would join me there.

It's a week-long handwork-only get together at the beautiful Anezina Village Hotel on the island of Paros.  You can read more about it here, or request a registration packet by emailing me (jessunderquilts at yahoo dot com). 
We will play with a bunch of EPP shapes and ideas and get in some good stitching (and relaxation) hanging out poolside, at cafes, at the beach (!), and anywhere else we can find on this picturesque island.  Included is a Greek cooking class, lecture on traditional Greek needlework, and ample time to explore the area.  Registration is open until February 1st and quilters from everywhere are welcome (classes will be taught in English).

In order to get people thinking about the idea (and hopefully deciding to do it!), today I'm offering a giveaway if you help me spread the word about the retreat..
Would you like to win a copy of my book and two packs of English paper piecing templates?

To enter, do any (or all) of the following:
1.  Blog about the retreat and giveaway (go ahead and borrow the images in this post!), then come back and leave a comment with the link to your blog post.
2.  Find me on Instagram (@jessica_alex) and regram the giveaway pic with the tag #greekislandquiltretreat
3.  Post about the retreat/giveaway on Facebook with a link to this post, then come back and comment that you did.

I'll choose a winner on November 25th.
The giveaway and the retreat are open to everyone.  Thanks for helping me get the word out!
Good luck!!

Ribbon!

I put some quilts in the local show this weekend and look what I got!

 

I took first place in my category (pieced quilts over 245", professionally quilted), yippee! 

But the best was the judge's note, "meticulous workmanship."  I read that in the car after pick up last night and I was beaming.  I wanted to put the paper up on our fridge, but it's better to post it here.

It was a very good show over all, but made for a busy weekend.  I've got lots to catch up on, and after that, maybe a blog post on the quilt top I finished last week?