School is in session! 

Today is the first day of school for Ty (Freshman) and JD (4th grader).  I guess you can also say it is the first day of school for me as well (Lunch Monitor at the Middle School).  They boys were easy to get out of bed this morning and the cat is already napping away in silent bliss!

Since my job doesn't start until around 10:30am, this gives me a few moments to get updated on the past couple weeks.  Let me give you a quick peek at what has kept me busy!

As some of you know, I am very involved in Instagram swaps.  I was feeling a little overwhelmed with most of the deadlines looming, so I made myself a digital note to help me keep things sorted.  Here are my swaps, with their prospective deadlines:

#nerdymugrugswap
Ships August 8th
Host +So Charming

#finishedblockswap
Ships August 28th
Host @tessaraewilliams

#makesomeonehappyswap
Ships Sept 1st
Host +So Charming

#trickortreatminiquiltswap
Ships Oct 1st
Host @jesse_artschooldropout

I was blessed to be a "swap angel" for the #nerdymugrugswap for @kgdcraftermath.  Her originally assigned secret partner was not able to ship, so I was glad to step in and create something just for her.  She said she liked several "nerdy" things, including Dr. Who.  I must confess that the only thing I knew about Dr. Who was the bit about time travel and that one of the characters in an espisode had inspired my favorite author, Diana Gabaldon.  Here is a picture of the package I sent on Monday:

This was a super quick, but fun package to send.  I even met a new friend in the process!

Next, on the swap to-do list, is the #finishedblockswap.  This is a known partner swap.  I am making a "Wonky Star" 18" finished block for @raeshadrz.  This is the second time I have been assigned to Raesha.  My first time was my first ever swap, the StarBucksMugRugSwap.  Raesha is such a special gal and so talented and creative.  She is also making a finished block for me.  Here is my progress on Raesha's block:

For this block, I used Tula Pink Bumble (from my stash) and used Kona solids for the star.  Each square is 5", which makes this a perfect 18" finished size.  I have already pieced this and will be selecting the backing and quilting next.  This block is so fun and easy - I can see myself doing more of these.

Well, I better get myself around - School lunch is in an hour and I am excited for the first day as well!

~N~

It has been 6 months since my last post!  That was not intentional, but I finally figured out how to update my BLOG since I started using the Chrome Browser.  Whew!

Lots of sewing adventures have happened over the past half year.
I have joined the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild, participated in a half dozen Instagram swaps and even started my own Etsy Store!

So, I have a project list and am checking it twice.  Right now, I am the in process of making another Queen Sized T-shirt Quilt for a local Scouting family.  It is really fun to make the blocks for this quilt since my own sons have these same shirts.  This past Christmas, I made my father a Tshirt quilt and used the QAYG (quilt as you go) process.  The tutorial I used online was extremely helpful and am using this same technique in this current commission piece.  The size they requested required a total of 25 Tshirts, but they did not have enough.  I was able to use some of the scouting uniform neckerchiefs to fill the block gap.  These turned out pretty good - Check it out!  I am in the quilting stage and soon the parents will get to come over and help me decide on placement.  I am so excited for them!

The next few things on my project list are swaps on Instagram, which will all be due to ship soon.  The first upcoming shipment deadline is for the #FinishedBlockSwap.  If all goes well with this swap, I should be able to assemble an entire quilt in the next year!  The quilt blocks would be made by virtual friends around the country.  I even made an inspirational mosaic to help my partner understand what I have in mind for the block pattern.  I even let my partner know what types of fabrics I was hoping for with a different mosaic.  I need to get started on this next week since August is going to be a very busy month!

Speaking of busy....  I should probably stop signing up to volunteer on committees!  Currently, I am the Director of Merchandise for our Youth Football League (we just launched a new merchandise online store and I now know WAY too much about Wordpress).  I volunteered to be the Popcorn Kernel for my youngest son's Cub Scout Pack.  That should be interesting!  My eldest son will be in High School this year and involved in the Marching Band.  I am the new Co-Chair of the Uniform Committee.  I am still the Service Project Coordinator for the Cub Scouts Pack and also take the lead role in planning a monthly Bunco Group and a Bi-Yearly Sew'N'Sew group.

Well, I better get back to the oven and get our late dinner on the table.  We usually eat pretty late in Football Season, since the practices usually don't end until 8:00pm.

Thanks for taking a peek at my little blog.  I am excited to be back!

~N~

Christmas Table Runners!

At my last sew n' sew, we learned how to make these wonderful Christmas Table Runners with a Half Hexagon template.  These came together so simply and I find myself looking forward to making more.

Since my last post, I mentioned opening an Etsy store to showcase the remaining pillowcases from a recent Craft Fair.  I decided to add a couple of the Christmas Table Runners and these seemed to go over pretty well with the Etsy shoppers!

It is supposed to snow tomorrow so I have stocked up on all the notions and fabrics needed for a sewing day on Saturday.  I finished this one on the top left this evening and listed in my shop.  The other two have been shipped to their new owners!

Let me know what you think and check my store to see what new things I add!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SewMuchMooreInStore

~N~

   

First Craft Show and New Business (no, I'm not quitting my day job)...

A New Adventure Begins!

This weekend, I had a booth at the local Holiday Craft Fair.  I showcased hand-made pillowcases, table runners and MugRugs.  I learned right away that I needed business cards!  I sold pillowcases, took a few custom orders and was inspired (by my neighbor crafters) to open an Etsy shop!  

After toying with a few different names (and trying to find something that wasn't already taken), I decided upon the following: SewMuchMooreInStore.  On Etsy, you have to omit spacing between words.

Come and check out my new store - I have one item featured and will be posting more in the future!  

Here is a custom Pillowcase I did today - I'm really excited about this new adventure!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SewMuchMooreInStore

Follow me on Instagram as well!

Hexies, Hexies and more Hexies!

My Mom inspired me to start creating hexies, in my spare time.  I usually put these together when I am waiting in the car-rider line to pick up the kids from school.  Since I have (2) kids with completely different pick-up times, I can usually get a dozen or so done each day.  The fabric I used in this picture are some scraps that I had left over from my first Chevron quilt.  Again, thank you Mom for the fabric!

I have a feeling that this fabric is quite dated so I will need to just start pulling all sorts of scraps into this and making flowers from various pieces...

So far, so good!

Stay tuned and I will post additional progress pics as this gets going!

Sew N Sew Spring 2014

What a fun weekend we just had!  I counted 14 ladies (and a precious little girl) who were busily sewing, ironing and piecing together Chevron Quilts at our Spring 2014 Sew N Sew.  Most of the group created either a Chevron Quilt or table runner using the Tutorial by Jenny Doan (MSQC).

Click Here to watch the Tutorial

The progress was much quicker than a typical quilt would take and the results were simply beautiful!

 
 

 

 
 




We are looking forward to getting together in the fall at Sharon's house in Central Kansas.  Our group project will be a half dresden plate with a turkey appliqué in the middle.  We will also involve a fabric  swap in order to put our plates together.  I am so excited!

Until then, I have another Chevron quilt to finish.  The one pictured above was done with some fabric I forgot that I had!  I need to finish JD's quilt (University of Kansas Chevron quilt).  I hope to get some progress on this, this week.

Well, I am off to make sense of all this laundry that has piled up since we have been gone on Spring Break this whole week!  Maybe if I am lucky, I can sneak a nap into this afternoon!

The Anticipation of Spring

I might be going a little overboard with Chevron lately.  I have two completed and two unfinished projects that share this main design.  I was first inspired by a Pinterest Pin (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/176907091586047179/) and it went crazy from there. 

I even have fabric ear-marked for a 5th Chevron project, but it is a Christmas pattern so I won't be too anxious to work on that for some time.

Tomorrow, I will finish sewing my 10" squares together, cut the squares in fourths and iron.  This will leave me with two unfinished queen sized quilts, ready for assembly when we return from our Spring Break trip.

Only one more day until Spring Break!  I am ready to let the sleeping in begin!  Fingers crossed that the weather will be as warm in Tx as it has been up here. 

We are looking forward to visiting my Dad.  We will get to help my Dad celebrate his 74th birthday!  Maybe we will get to do some fishing as well.  My Dad mentioned something about some bicycles for the boys?  I don't dare mention anything to them and just wait to see what happens.  Hopefully we can also stop by to see my cousin and his family as well.

The only thing that is not exciting about Spring Break is the driving that we need to do in order to get to Grandpa's house.  I'm figuring it will take us a good 8-10 hours at least (one way).  Gas prices are not too great so this will be a hefty fuel guzzling trip for sure!  Thank goodness for a newer, reliable car (Troy's company car) with Roadside Service (fingers crossed we won't need that!).

When we get back, we will have the weekend left to savor until the final stretch of 7th and 2nd grade.

Check back in a couple weeks with a report on how my Spring 2014 Sew N Sew turned out!  I found a much easier way to make the Chevron quilt (http://youtu.be/BUNGH9B0Ohw).  

Check it out!

~Nicole~