musings of a neo-Groneck

fabric help!

Hello all--

As I'm sure many of you will be able to relate, I've become quite obsessed with completing my Denyse Schmidt Flea Market Fancy collection.  I am desperately seeking the blue seedlings/sprouts, and also the grey sprouts.  If anyone has either (even a sliver of fabric!) and wants to do a swap, or even allow me to purchase it from you, please me know.  If we do a swap, I have plenty of other FMF prints and would be happy to make it worth your while.  I also recently acquired the Sandy Klop Peas & Carrots in almost all colors that I would be willing to swap.  Thank you much!

Orange Quilt Example

Hey everyone--check out Marlene's take on the orange quilt (which she affectionately named 'Taylor') here and here.

Thanks, Marlene!

Quilt-a-Long Tutorial :: Piecing the Blocks

Piecing the Blocks:

We will be piecing the blocks improvisationally, which means there isn’t really a “defined” or precise way to cut and piece.  This was a tricky process for me, as I like concrete, definitive ways to do things.  It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone.

Although the quilt is wonky, I kept it looking somewhat uniform by keeping the center squares of each block the same size, in this case 3” X 3”.  I alternated between white and print blocks in the center. 

You can do the piecing one of two ways:  1) cut and sew as you go; or 2) cut all of your pieces first and then sew them together.  I opted for option 1, as I wanted the most control in making my blocks the way I wanted them to look.  (if you cut first, you may not have much leeway to change it up later).  I found option 1 to be more time consuming, but provided the best result for me.    

Before we start, be sure to change the needle in your machine.  Also check your stitch settings.  My machine has settings from 0 - 6 and I usually set my stitch at about 2 or so.

We'll be using a quarter inch seam allowance for all of the piecing.  What this means is that your stitching needs to be ¼ inch away from the edge of the fabric.  What I like to do is to keep my presser foot even with the edge of the fabric—it’s a nice way to maintain ¼ inch seam allowance.  Some people like to measure and mark their fabric and sew along the line.  You should do what is easiest for you.

Step 1:  Cut a 3” X 3” square (or whatever size you desire) for the center block. 

Step 2:  Cut two rectangles of differing widths, with lengths of 3”. 

First we will be sewing pieces to the top and bottom of the center square.  Place fabrics right sides together and sew a ¼ inch seam.  I don’t usually use pins for this part, but you can if you wish.  Backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam.  Iron well.  (Some people like to press their seams open; you can do this if you wish).  I press the seams to one side.  Repeat on opposite side of block. 

 

 

Step 3:  Cut two more rectangles of differing widths to match the length of the row you just sewn.  Now we will be sewing these longer pieces to the left and right sides of the block.  Place fabrics right sides together and sew a ¼ inch seam.  Backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam.  Iron well.  Repeat on opposite side of block.  Your block should look something like this: 

 

 

Step 4:  Continue this process with a different print or solid, alternating between prints and solids for each “ring.” 

 

 

 

 

 

Each block should end up measuring about 14” X 14”.  Continue to piece borders around each block until you reached that size, making sure that the final “ring” is white. 

 

Other block examples:

 

 

 

And that's all there is to it! 

July, is that really YOU already?

Can you believe it is July?  I can’t!  Time goes by so quickly!  Today is July 6^th, which means one thing for me:  this is my last week of internship.  !!!!!!!!  WOOHOO!!!!!  This should be a busy week—lots of paperwork to do before I leave.  It will also be a week of celebrations, “going away” parties for the interns (even though I am technically staying next year), cleaning out my office to make room for the new intern, and moving my office over with the big important people. 

Holy cow I can’t believe I made it.

Quilt-a-long :: An Intro and Materials

You asked...so here it is...a tutorial for the orange and white quilt

Materials and Supplies:

To make this quilt (queen size), you'll need the following fabric:

·         Several fat quarters or quarter yard cuts of orange or yellow printed fabric.

·         2 yards of solid white for sashing (I use Kona Cotton)

·         3 yards of a coordinating print or solid for the quilt back (I used plain white)

·         3 yards of batting (I use Warm & White)

·         .75 yards of a coordinating print or solid for binding

When shopping for fabric, I buy 99% of it online.  The remaining 1% I buy at JoAnn’s.  Below are my favorite places to shop online:

·         Purl Soho.  Great selection of fabrics.

·         Fabric dot com.

·         Sew Mama Sew.  Fast service, some of the newest and trendiest fabrics available

·         Etsy.

·         Quilt Home. You can order in ¼ yard increments, which is great.

This quilt is made using many different orange and a couple of yellow prints, but of course, can be made using any colorway.  I used the following:

·         Denyse Schmidt KJR & FMF lines

·         Sandi Henderson Farmer’s Market

·         Joel Dewberry Aviary in Orange

·         Alexander Henry Aviary Gold

·         Amy Butler Lotus in Tangerine

·         Heather Ross Mendocino Kelp Forest and Underwater Sisters Gold

·         Solid White Kona Cotton

On Quilt Sizes:

Bedding sizes vary quite a bit by manufacturer.  That said, I use these as guidelines as I’m making a quilt:

·         Crib:  45" x 60"
Twin: 66" x 86"
Queen: 90" x 90"
King: 110" x 90"

The Orange Quilt measures 90" X 90", which is a queen size quilt.  When choosing how big to make this quilt, I measured my mattress size, then added some extra to compensate for how much “hang” I wanted on each side of the mattress. 

This tutorial is designed for making a queen size quilt.  However, you can make your quilt whatever size you like by altering the block sizes and sashing sizes to your taste.  :)

Other Supplies:

            For Cutting…

One think I can say for certain…invest in rotary cutting equipment and a self-healing mat and you definitely won’t be sorry!  Grids and rulers are available in many different shapes and sizes, but I find that I use the square grids from Omnigrid most often.  I use a Fiskars blade and rotary cutter.  My only complaint is that the blades do not seem to last very long at all.  My mat is 24” X 36” and is by Olfa.  I purchased all of my cutting equipment at JoAnn’s, and with a 50% off coupon at that.  Quite the deal.

            Batting

You'll also need a 95" x 95' piece of low-loft batting.  I like to use Warm and White (100% cotton), which is available at JoAnn’s.  I prefer this batting because it's lightweight and works well with free motion quilting.  I think this particular batting is a little on the pricey side, so I wait until it’s on sale or use a coupon.  But trust me, it is well worth it. 

            Thread

I like Guttermann and Coats & Clark thread for both piecing and quilting.  For big projects like this one, I like to buy the huge spool of the Coats & Clark to minimize the risk of running out mid-project. 

            Other…

                        Safety Pins (I like the extra large curved ones)
                        Scissors (any sharp pair will do)
                        Basting Spray (optional)
                        Darning Foot (for free motion quilting) 
                        Walking Foot (for basting quilt sandwich)

[Photo via flickr]
                        
                            Iron and Ironing Board

And of course you need your sewing machine.  I quilted using free motion quilting, but you can also use “stitch in the ditch” or straight quilting lines if you desire.  In order to do free-motion quilting, you'll need a machine whose feed dogs can be lowered, and a darning foot.

Disclaimer on Pre-Washing:

I do not pre-wash anything (gasp!).  I know, I know.  I should, but I don’t.  I have no excuse for not doing it, other than I am too lazy, which is not really a good excuse.  I’ve never had any problems with my quilts, but I’ve heard horror stories about others’ experiences.  The rationale for pre-washing is that your fabric will pre-shrink it before sewing, minimizing the risk of shrinkage after you finish.  I am told that it’s best to set your washer on the gentle cycle, and wash fabrics in cold water with a mild detergent.  Similarly, the dryer setting should be set to a low to medium heat setting.

 

Next up:  Piecing the blocks!

a quick hello

Working on getting a tutorial together for making the orange and white quilt.  Stay tuned!

Happy 4th of July to you all,

Taylor

relaxation station

[photo from flickr] 

Weekends are just awesome, no?

Love love love this quilt from stitchindye.  I may have to lift this design…it’s so dreamy!

I've been asked about posting a tutorial for the orange quilt and think I will do it.  Just have to get a few things in order first.  Thanks for asking.  :)

Sew Mama Sew's Sewing Machine Meme

I decided to partake in the Sew Mama Sew Sewing Machine Meme.  This was fun to fill out. 

What brand and model do you have?

I have the Juki TL-98-Q.

How long have you had it?

About five months.

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?

Around $1,200.

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?

Quilts, quilts, and more quilts.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?

I tend to sew in spurts.  But when I’m in a sewing groove, I sew a lot.  This machine gets a lot of wear and tear, especially with quilting, but has held up so very nicely.      

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?

I LOVE my machine, although I have not yet named her.  She is 100% mechanical, which is great because I don’t have to worry about electronic glitches.  It is all metal and built solid as they come.  It is an industrial strength machine, sews through multiple layers with ease, and winds the best bobbin I have ever seen.  It also sews very fast (1,500 stitches per minute!)

What features does your machine have that work well for you?

The auto thread cutter.  Amazing.  It also has a knee lift that raises the presser foot so your hands can remain on the fabric.

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?

Nope.  The one downside, if I had to pick one, is that it is a straight stitch only.  Nope, not even a zig zag.  It works out fine for me because I don’t use decorative stitches.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!

No good stories, unfortunately.  Hopefully in time we will make many memories together.  :)

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?

Absolutely.  It is reliable and dependable, sews whatever you put in front of it, and produces consistently high quality work.  It is also very fast, which makes a big difference in terms of quilt completion time.  And it has just enough bells and whistles to make sewing a cinch.

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?

Budget is obviously an important one.  Think about what features you want and which are essential.  For me, I wanted a machine that would be reliable and could stand up to heavy duty use.  I think it is so important to invest in a machine that will last.  Let’s face it:  sewing machines are expensive, and speaking from personal experience, you don’t want to have to buy more than one!

Before I bought my Juki I bought three different sewing machines at JoAnn’s in the course of a year.  Each machine was marketed as a “quilting” machine but was clearly meant for only occasional sewing because none held up.  With the money I used to buy those three sewing machines, I could have bought one really nice one the first time around. 

Do you have a dream machine?

This is my dream machine.  :)

lame attempt at blogging

50 Questions Meme

1. What color is your toothbrush?
White and Green Sonicare

2. Name one person who made you smile today:
Doug

3. What were you doing at 8 am this morning:
Breakfast then hiking with colleagues

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?
Eating dinner

5. What is your favorite candy bar?
Kit Kat

6. Have you ever been to a strip club?
Nope

7. What is the last thing you said aloud?
Nuh-uh

8. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Cookies and Cream

9. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Diet Sprite

10. Do you like your wallet?
Yes!  My Aunt got me the cutest kate spade wallet for graduation

11. What was the last thing you ate?
Chicken & Stars Soup :)

12. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
Nope, I’m on a buying ban.

13. The last sporting event you watched?
Oh gosh, I can’t remember.  Probably part of a redwings game.

14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?
lots of butter

15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to?
Angie

16. Ever go camping?
yep, but not in a long time

17. Do you take vitamins daily?
No.  I really should, and it is one of the things on my list to do, but my little brain can’t seem to remember to do it on a daily basis.

18. Do you go to church every Sunday?
no

19. Do you have a tan?
Not right now.  I’m having some moles removed so I’m kind of on a “no sun” kick.

20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza?
no, I love pizza

21. Do you drink your soda with a straw?
I strive to

22. What did your last text message say?
“thanks for asking Joel about that”

23. What are you doing tomorrow?
waking up, running errands, birthday party, having a beer, eating chicken wings.  All in that order.

24?

25. Look to your left, what do you see?
nightstand

26. What color is your watch?
silver

27. What do you think of when you hear the word Australia?
Kangaroos, Jay from “The City”, and Crocodile Dundee

28. What is your birthstone?
aquamarine

29. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
depends on my mood

30. What is your favorite number?
7

31. Who's the last person you talked to on the phone?
Adam

32. Plans for today?
blog, shower, bed.

33. How many states have you lived in?
3

34. Biggest annoyance right now?
laundry and ironing

35. Last song listened to?
“Kiss me through the phone” by soldja boy tell em

36. Can you say the alphabet backwards?
Yes, and I’m very proud of it

37. Do you have a maid service clean your house?
no

38. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
flip flops

39. Are you jealous of anyone?
I am insanely jealous of Martha Stewart's organization skills

40. Is anyone jealous of you?
I doubt it

41. Do you love anyone?
yep

42. Do any of your friends have children?
yep

43. What do you usually do during the day?
listen to people’s problems; diagnose; write reports/treatment plans

44. Do you hate anyone that you know right now?
no

45. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
yes

46. What color is your car?
black

47. Do you like cats?
not so much.  Well, I should amend that...I like cats but I like dogs better.

48. Are you thinking about someone right now?
yep

49. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
yep

50. How did you get your worst scar?
I don’t think I have any scars.  Seriously.

orange quilt update

I have been trying to get my butt into gear and get this orange quilt done.  Today I basted it and started the quilting process.  Yeeks, this is going to take forever to finish...

before basting:

with almost 200 pins in it...

and the start of the stippling...

Hope you all had a great weekend!!

new love

I have a confession to make.

I have a new love.

And it’s name is Stendig.

(Be still my heart)

I’ve never seen a calendar this gnarly.

Love the way it looks in the guest bedroom.

And at three feet by four feet, it's definitely a statement piece.

What do you guys think?

last night

Last night was the first night in, oh, about a year that I decided to wear my retainer to bed.  Words cannot describe the amount of oral pain I am in today.  Moral of the story:  A year’s worth of orthodontic non-compliance is not so fun.

Found the best sheer pink lip gloss ever….MAC lipgloss in pinkarat

Ironed a week’s worth of shirts for work

Found amazing inspiration online

 

[image via ohhappyday]

 

[image via decor8]

Enjoyed this beautiful weather!

what does a cow say?

I finally received my Moo Mini Cards in the mail.  They are so cute.  Not quite sure yet exactly what I'm going to do with them, but they are fun to play around with....

(excuse my wrinkly bed sheets....ahem....)

Anyway, you get the idea.

SO.

I'm back.

Crazy, right?  Truth is, it's been a really hectic couple of weeks.  First there was graduation weekend.  The following weekend was graduation party weekend.  And the weekend after that was a friend's wedding.

Lucky for me my camera accompanied me along the way.

Here's a look at what I've been up to the past couple of weekends...

Graduation party:

Bernadettes Wedding....

Lisa and I in the limo:

Jamie, Jill, Julie, Angela....

The beautiful bride and her Maid of Honor Ali....

I totally did not realize that, in my heels, I am taller than the groom!

Peek-a-boo....

To be clear, I was not a big fan of the disaster that was known as my hair....

But the Bride was absolutely stunning.  I cried like a baby when she walked down the aisle....

Congrats Mr. & Mrs. Borla!!!

Cheese Dat There....

And one of my faves....

 

************************************

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

hi!

Wow.  I feel so badly that I’ve been a bad blogger.  Actually, I don’t even think bad is the right word.  Awful, maybe?

Despite that, I feel like I’ve needed a bit of a break from blogland.  A time out, of sorts, to recharge and be ready to come back with something worthwhile to say.  Although this post hardly qualifies as such, I do hope to make my presence more regular around here.  

If you feel like it, drop me a line and let me know what you’ve been up to.  I’ve missed everyone :)

eye candy

images I’m loving lately…

[photo by me; advertisement via veer]

[could totally see myself curling up with a book here; image via blackeiffel]

[love the orange and yellow combo; image via decor8]

[and this one brings me peace for reasons I can't explain; image via decor8]

***************
What images are eye candy for you lately?

Hope your Tuesday was fabulous!

Happy Girl

Well, I’m a happy girl.  I have a doctoral degree.  And a job.

My new job is at Purdue.  I am beyond flattered, really, and cannot believe they want to hire me on.  I definitely was not expecting a job offer.  Or an interview, for that matter.  But here we are.

I got the job offer from Purdue the day before our anniversary.  I took a couple of days to think about it.  We discussed our options.  We weighed the pros and cons.  Wednesday I called to formally accept.  Soon after, my inbox at work was flooded with congratulatory emails and virtual “woo-hoos” from co-workers.  So sweet.  :)

So I guess that’s it.  I’m continuing the Boilermaker tradition.  :)

 

Our new living situation is icing on the cake.  We weren't sure how things would work out with Adam's employer, but everything ended up working out in our favor.  Here’s the scoop: Adam has made an arrangement with his work in which he will work from home (well, my apartment in Indiana) and only have to go into work sporadically.  We are beyond grateful that his employer is being so flexible with the situation. 

 

The downside:  since my post-doc arrangement is another one-year contract, (with the option of a second year renewal) we won’t be purchasing a house up here, but will, instead, remain in my apartment.  The upside:  no moving costs, and we will get to stay in my lovely apartment.  :)  Downside:  being away from family.  Upside:  being together. 

I am lucky.

**********************

Here are some pics from graduation...

Jeez.  I am so behind on this blog.  Believe it or not, I actually have a lot to write about.  Unfortunately something is getting in the way of sharing said updates here, and if i knew what it was, I would even share that.  And correct the roadblock, because it's annoying. 

But seriously, I promise I will pick up the slack and start talking (writing) about real stuff soon.

So, to remind myself for later….stuff to talk about:

Job stuff.

Graduation.

Life stuff.

*******************

Be back soon!

some pics

here are some pics from Florida....

[the hotel]

[the pool]

[the dude]

[looking outside]

[more outside]

[shopping]

[dining]

[walking]

[goofing] 

dude

After much negotiation, contemplation, and discussion, I have a job for next year!

Details to follow...

Greetings from Florida!

Hope you are all having a great week!  Be back soon with lots of pics!  :)

ode to us

In celebration of our three years of being married, here's a little look at  our seven years of togetherness...

In the beginning there was a boy named Adam and a girl named Taylor.

They grew into lovely people and met one day at a bank. 

Adam asked Taylor out on a date and out they went.

They soon became smitten with eachother. 

And out came the camera.

They took lots of photos...

Soon fall grew to winter and they celebrated their first Thanksgiving and Christmas together...

And so they had a lot of fun together.

And acted really silly.

And they went on a lot of trips together.

And they fell deeper in love.

And they dressed up for Halloween...

And they found their favorite restaurant.

And kissed the moose there.

And went to the beach a lot.

And then Adam asked Taylor to marry him.

And she said yes.

And soon they were married...

And they were scared that being married would change them.

But.

They had even more fun married.

 

*************************
To my best friend, and the best husband I could ever ask for.  Thank you for loving me, just as I am.  Here's to three years, and many many more.

I love you!

well hello there

1.      Looking back on this entry written on this day last year.  Tomorrow is a big day for us. 

2.      Okay so Day 1 of vacation.  And I already have a sunburn.  And I used SPF36.  Yikes.  This could be not good for my planned week of sunbathing.

3.      Negotiating job offers.  Brand new territory for me.  Completely uncharted.  Completely different from the “please please please accept me onto your staff and pay me with peanuts” stance required for internship placement.  I’m wobbling all over the place like a toddler trying to navigate this new phase.

4.      My throat is still all red and scratchy.  And probably saying things like, “muuuuwwwaaahahahahahahahahahaha” and I’m like, “dude get over yourself already.”

5.      This week, I’m wearing my contacts instead of my glasses, and I swear, I almost don’t recognize myself.

6.      Some spring lovelies for you…

Happy Monday to you all!

it's in the bag

Okay.  Because I’m running out of blog ideas, and because an upcoming pass through airport security checkpoints necessitates a purse cleaning, I’ll give you guys the run-down.  Besides, it’s fun to celebrate nothing.  Am I right?

So I dumped out everything in the bag and started from scratch.  It started out easy enough.

And then I realized the extent of the CRAP I carry around with my in my purse. 

However.

I was able to purge the junk and pare down to the absolute essentials.  And this is what’s left:

And a close up...

Trusty Nail file, three journals (well, two Moleskines and a planner + a little notepad that says “of course it buys happiness”…hehe), stray bobby pins, iPod, phone, three glossimer lip glosses…

Pressed powder (best stuff ever for getting rid of shiny-ness), Dramamine (I get carsick really easily), three pairs of earrings (for days when I can’t decide), more lip stuff (Vaseline and Kiehl’s lip balms, pink juicy tube, and an old limited edition tube of VS lipstick ).

 

Work badge, stray hair band (just in case, for those bad hair days), pens, and hand cream.

Phew.

Now that I've exposed myself as the crazy lipbalm/lipstick/lipgloss lady, I'm curious.....

What's in your bag?

simple answers

Taylor:  "Babe, what's it called when you have a sore throat and a fever?"

Adam:  "Sick."

************************

Short post today....I just wanted to say "thank you" for your kind thoughts and prayers about Molly.  It's very heartwarming to have this wonderful community of bloggers and blog readers who provide such wonderful support.  (Okay, end gush). 

several things...

1.      So not feeling well today.  Sore throat.  I think it is allergies.  Of course, the hypochondriac in me is convinced it’s the swine flu.  Any suggestions for good sore throat remedies?  I have my trusty Halls cough drops but need a Percocet something a bit stronger.

2.      On the topic of swine flu, I am now terrified to travel.  Which is great, given that Adam and I are leaving for Florida on Sunday.  I can see it now…me, on the plane, wearing a mask, Purel in hand, Adam rolling his eyes.

3.      I’m searching for good reads for vacation.  I’ve already stockpiled the latest USWeekly, InTouch, Allure, Elle, and InStyle.  Still looking for a good novel to read, though.  Any recommendations?

4.      My graduation is coming up and I am so very excited.  Not so much about the whole walking across the stage and getting hooded thing as much as the seeing old friends and engaging in some much needed imbibery thing.  No shame here.

5.      Tried on my bridesmaid dress for Bernadette’s wedding and it fits much better than it did two weeks ago.  Good thing because a starvation diet is not in my plans.  Still trying to decide how to wear the hair, though.  Hmm….

6.      Have I mentioned how happy the sunshine makes me?  No?  Well good, now you are aware.

7.      Happy Wednesday!