finished project - the walker wall hanging

Ahhh... finally, the wall hanging that was started in the summer of 2013 is finished. A church friend from San Diego who had recently redone her living room asked me if I could make a wall hanging for her from fabrics she bought from Joanns and sent to me. She also asked if I could make it using patterns from the beach.

I have to admit that I did minimal quilting on this - I didn't do in much echo stitching. I was afraid if I did too much quilting on it, she would never get it seeing as how we are entering our third trimester next month.

But I'm happy with it, and I hope she is too. This counts as a real finish because I actually sent it out in the mail yesterday instead of holding onto it for months like I usually do with projects.

 I actually did my first wall hanging sleeve using this tutorial.   (Please don't mind the camera cord!) It was a really easy tutorial to follow. I did have to rip out several stitches at times when I first hand sewed the sleeve down because I was scrunching up the fabric too much and it was scrunching the front. I've learned that when hand sewing the sleeve down it's best to lay it on a flat surface and sew.

Below are a few reminiscent pictures of the process. Choosing from the bundle she sent me, matching threads for hand appliqué, prepping the squares for hand work, and finally, getting the top done. It was a fun journey, but I'm glad to be done. =)

Now a cup of tea.... mmmm creamy goodness. 

One from the stack of 2013 projects that followed me finished... ahhhh.... it's so motivating when a project gets finished! Ready to tackle the rest... which will be a while till the next finish considering I move at glacial speed... :sigh:

Happy sewing everyone! =)
K.

Early Morning Energy

Good morning! I woke up at 4:45 this morning with energy - and it felt so good to get up in the early morning hours! Before I was pregnant I woke up every morning at 5:30 for a warm cup of creamy coffee and some quiet time before getting into the morning routine of getting ready for work. Often times,  I was also able to get some hand stitching in. Ahhh those were my favorite times... sitting at the table and putting in a few stitches while listening to the world around me come alive. Hearing the birds wake up, the wind rustling the palm and coconut trees outside, and most especially, watching the sun come up over the water from my favorite windows in the house.

Clockwise: Last block to quilt on the Walker Wall Hanging, Big Breakfast (my local boy ended up adding a scoop of rice to his, very predictable), fresh warm biscuits cooked in my cast iron skillet (a recent birthday present), and a cup of creamy tazo awake tea with a view of the morning waking up.

I see why people call the second trimester the best - because you feel mostly like yourself. There are so many things that I want to get done and that I am excited to finally have energy to do. The last appliquéd block is being hand quilted in the Walker wall hanging and I am straining at the bit to finish this and bind this so I can move on with my life already! This project has been hanging over my head for three quarters of a year - because I couldn't in my right mind work and finish on my family project quilts while having this request weighing on me. Do you ever feel like this? Say "yes" to a request and then have it become more burden than blessing at times? I have a feeling though that when it is finished and sent to its new home, I will appreciate the time and effort that went into this - but honestly, with every burst of energy being so precious and scare, I covet the time put into projects.

Ahhh - but enough of that. The week has been busy with work, and I have two days off to rest and find a love for sewing again. I've been doing a lot of reading on my kindle the past week during the down hours after work. I love the fact that rereading books is such a pleasure and that I get to fall in love with characters already so beloved over and over again. (Also, can't complain about how economical it is to reread books!) I never pegged myself for a kindle girl. When I was little I dreamed of having a library like the one in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. You know, where she's hanging off ladders against the ceiling to floor bookshelves. Ahhh that was the dream I had. Little did I know that I would end up moving to the country - where there was no bookstore, and the few books I did have would end up growing mold due to the constant humidity that we get. ::insert sad face:: But, my saving grace has been my kindle. =)

Well - I better get going on my sewing before the energy boom disappears! =)

Happy Aloha Friday!
K.

Finished wall hanging quilt top!

The quilt top for this wall hanging is finally done! I had a morning where I could cut and sew the sashing on it! 

My friend D chose the colors because she was going off of a sunset picture that she has in her house... seeing the wall hanging in the sun like this makes me really think of a sunset. The orange batik looks like it's on fire. 

Now all I have to do is pick up batting for it when we are in Kona tomorrow! The goal for this project  is by the end of the year. I really gotta get my hustle on! 

This is another hand quilting project... three on my table total! I must be really crazy  motivated!   I'm kind of itching for a project that has all machine quilting. I need a successful quick

experience!

I am trying a new thing and linking up my post to crazy mom quilts finish it up friday. Happy Sewing!

Feeling Human Again

Since my last post I've been sick with a very bad cold virus that has left me in no mood for cooking, cleaning, or being creative. It has been about two weeks and I'm finally starting to feel more like myself again. Does that happen to you? When you're sick does everything suddenly take the backseat to surviving?

During the weeks that I was feeling a lot  little less then human, a package from a new shop that I discovered, westwoodacres, arrived. In one of my previous posts I talked about how when I took stock of my very small stash, it seemed like everything was intended for baby quilts. I felt like my stash was in dire need of more mature colors. One of my favorite reads right now is Chase's blog. I love her use of colors and style, and most of all her hand quilting. She introduced me to Denyse Schmidt's fabric lines. I bought two fat quarter bundles from westwoodacres, as well as some type print that I'm wanting to start stocking for my stash. I'm really excited to finish up some projects that I have on my table so I can start playing with these new additions.

I managed to finish the appliqué for the last block to go into the Walker wall hanging! Although the picture isn't very good this pattern is actually one of my favorites. The sea horses look so happy don't they? I'm hoping to put the sashing on it soon!

I managed to be able to venture outside and head to our local farmer's market. Rambutans are in season!!! I love how they taste so delicate. I also managed to grab some organic asparagus. The guys that sell it always run out so fast! I managed to grab the last bundle ::smile:: At the farmer's market there are also vendors from our town that sell food. My favorite vendor is one that sells Thai food. I've been missing the spicy flavors of Thai curry and Pad Tai. Whenever I get a plate from them, I always look forward to sharing Thai food with Ross when he gets home from Jujitsu.

It has been such a windy day today. Ross and I stayed home for the most part and decontaminated the house of sicky germs. Oh how nice it is when we can breathe and not feel like we are breathing in sick germs that will only reinfect us! I'm so grateful for him - that he helps so much around the house.

Since I was feeling better I wanted to do a bit of baking. Strawberry Oatmeal Bars  have been on my to bake list for a while now, so since we had all the ingredients in stock - I thought today was the perfect day to try them out. I used 1-minute quick oats so they turned out a bit crumbly, but the flavor is really good regardless. Ross really likes them. I'm catching him sneaking back to the kitchen for bites in between breaks during his X-box game. (He likes to play games while he unwinds and I think it is perfect because that gives me a chance to get some sewing in!)

The first bit of sewing that I've managed to do has been to start basting the small hexagons onto the quilt top for my sister. I feel like hand projects are just the right amount of sewing that I want to do to get back into the swing of things. I've missed the slow rhythmic movements of hand sewing. It has been so nice to sit and stitch while drinking tea (honey lemon tea has been my favorite tea right now - it is the only thing that seems to relieve the tightness in my throat and chest). I've been using a mug that I found from the thrift store for only a dollar lately - it has been my favorite cup. Don't you love thrift store finds?  I'm hoping to be able to continue crafting and blogging because to be honest I've really missed it. I've been really bummed that I haven't been able to sew for a couple of weeks. Isn't it a horrible feeling - seeing your projects on your table but not having the energy or clarity of mind to pick it up?

So tonight - I am looking forward to a simple dinner, a lot of tea, and stitches and stitches and stitches  to be accomplished while Ross and I settle into a quiet evening at home - my favorite kind of evening!

A lot of random and a bit of confession

 Osaka Style Okonomiyaki (savory pancake) 

 Do you work while looking at things that inspire you? 

 The wind has been so strong! The sound of the palms and coconut trees make such a soothing sound!

 With the on and off again rain I managed a shot of the clouds while the rain was taking a break

 When you see this do you think pies and breads like me? 

 Because he asked...

Ross' favorite cookie 

The evening has been so nice. We got home from church and I made a dinner that again reminds of me of all of my Oahu family. We use to make Okonomiyaki (a type of savory pancake) on Thursday nights - it was also a favorite food to make for dinner parties with all of my International Grad Student Friends. We use to do International style potlucks - everyone would make something from their home country... since we were an international lot there was food represented from Japan, Korea, Philippines (me!), Vietnam, and Canada. Those were good times. 

So when I miss places that I've been, I tend to make food from those places. It is nice the way that you're transported back to a place and time that made you happy - and now I can make them here and share them with Ross who makes me very very happy. =) He liked the Okonomiyaki. He said he normally doesn't eat food like this - but for some reason it tasted really good to him. He also requested that I make peanut butter cookies for our after school treat. How could I say no to that! ::smile:: 

And since the weather has been so nice and cool and the rain has been coming down so pleasantly, I thought it was a very nice evening to be able to do some baking. 

I've been working on the fourth block for the wall hanging for my friend D. It is the sea horse. This is one of my favorite blocks. The sea horses remind me of the little mermaid and her friends.... my ultimate favorite Disney movie. 

 I have a bit of a confession to make... Do you sometimes pull up pictures on your computer of sewing projects that inspire you while you work or is it just me? Well, Chase's work - over at quarter inch mark is one of my daily doses of inspiration. I pulled up one of her projects on my laptop for eye candy when I look up from my own hand work.... it is such a pretty sight!!! Isn't it nice? Being able to look at the wonderful work that everyone else is doing in their own creative way! Blogs have really changed the crafting community haven't they?! 

What inspires you? 

~ K 

Walker Wall Hanging

When I was in San Diego with Ross last summer an old church friend invited us to her house for tea. It is kind of a tradition that we have had since I was a teenager and living in San Diego. D would make tea and biscuits and fruit and we would sit and visit and talk about everything and nothing. We still carry on the tradition. Every visit Ross and I make, we know it will include a visit with D and her family.

Well, this past visit, when we came over for tea, we noticed that D had done a lot of home improvement projects. She had knocked down a wall that separated a room and her living room, and now the living room was twice as big! When I asked her what she would do to decorate all of the empty space she had mentioned that she would like to have quilts on the wall so that it would warm up the house.

She asked me if I knew any body who would be willing to take on a project. Although I recently joined a Hawaiian quilt club in Waimea, I wasn't sure if any body would be willing to take this project on. Everybody is really busy preparing for crafting events that they are signed up for.

Well - she seemed so intent on having one - I told her I would do it.... although I'm still new to quilting. She got really excited when I said that and it made me happy - although my heart was racing. I am one of those personality types that wants to make everyone really happy - making people happy makes me really happy. So - although I had the Coming Home to Kuiipo  quilt on my plate - I told her yes. Yes I would be happy to do it. And truly I was.

She sent me the fabric and told me that she wanted it to be beach themed - you see in her living room she has pictures of sunsets and sand and seashells and she has seashells on her walls - so I knew just the patterns that I would use. All four of those patterns actually appear in my Coming Home to Kuiipo quilt, so I was already familiar with the needle turn applique for those blocks.

When I got the fabric, she had actually sent me a lot of fat quarters. Apparently JoAnn was having a sale on fq so she sent me a lot to choose from. The dusty sunset colors were what my eyes gravitated towards. I like the fact that they were vibrant but at the same time soft.

As I write this I am working on applique for the last block - the orange sea horse block. I hope to finish quilting this by the end of the year so that I can start hand quilting my Coming Home quilt in the new year.

Sometimes I get discouraged at how much time goes into this project - but the thought of her receiving her finished wall hanging pushes me forward and keeps my hands moving on it.

I hope my post's about the Walker Wall Hanging are clear now. Sorry I never introduced it before. =)

Well - I better close this up.

Happy Sewing!

Crossed off!

 Taking the basting stitches out! =) 

 removed basting threads 

 third applique block! =) 

 project on the calendar

 highlight and two sticker reward! 

Another goal for this month was crossed off! =) I am actually more than a week early on this goal's deadline. I set it for the 25th, but I finished it today on the 16th! =) Good stuff yeah!

When To DO lists get waylaid

Familiar smells of fall 

My dad's handwriting 

 What I wish I could sit down and do... 

 Calling my name! "Play with me! Play with me!" 

 Where do you keep your threads? 

 Elsie - my sewing table friend. A friend brought it back for me from a visit to the churches in Nepal. 

What my hands seem to be drifting to lately

Yesterday I had all these grand plans of rushing home from work and finishing my Coming Home quilt top - (ever happened to you?) but then I realized that we needed food for the week and mail needed to be checked - all of those little daily tasks that add up to big chunks of time. (We don't even have kids yet! Can't imagine what it will be like when we do!)  I ended up spending a very much needed day in the kitchen making breakfast bread (I usually like a little sweet bread for my morning coffee - I'll sit and eat that while Ross eats a heavier protein (eggs and meat). So even though in Hawaii we don't have an autumn, I miss the smell of pumpkin treats baking... my sister was always really big on seasonal treats - and usually around this time the October smells of pumpkin, and cinnamon, and nutmeg begin to surface.  So in trying to appease the tugging of the heart strings that usually appears when I miss my family - I made things that reminded me of them.

I baked a pumpkin loaf and some muffins, and we shared the muffins with Ross' mother and some of our friends. Everyone has been really busy lately so I wanted to make something that they could grab and go before flying out the door.

I also made a dish that my family calls apritada - but here on the islands they call it pork and peas. Several years ago my dad sat down and wrote out all of the family recipes that I wanted when I moved to Hawaii. He wanted me to be able to eat the familiar things of home. So I made enough for us to take to work for a couple of days....

Since a lot of energy has been going into cooking - I haven't been able to sit at my machine. So I've been working peacefully on the dolphin block for a friend's promised wall hanging. I'm almost half way done with the needle turn applique and it's a nice feeling, because it's also on my TO DO list for this month -

Needle turn applique is one of my favorite things to do to relax. There is something soothing about sitting and stitching from beginning to end. Usually when my heart is anxious, I'll sit and do a few stitches, and something about the rhythmic movement of it calms me. Isn't it the same for you? Does sewing calm your heart as it does mine?