Buttons and Butterflies

WIP Wednesday: Checklist

2013-05-22T01:38:00.000-05:00

I was feeling productive until I looked around the studio and realized that I didn't get as much as I "thought" I would this week.

Like last week, my worst enemy got in the way a bit.

I am created havoc this week by organizing my area and shredding batting.

However, I made a small amount of progress on my list, so I have given myself some leeway!

First "Client" Quilt

Long arm quilting finished!

Photo shoot of the quilt later and then off to the post office to return to its home!

Rosary Bags

I was asked to make and embroider some pouches for some of the teachers at my sons' school.

Check that off the list!

Hex on the Beach

I will be perfectly honest. The pre-cut fabric is a little bit of a disappointment. The fabric itself is AMAZING. But the kit's hexies are just not giving me enough seam allowance to baste them like I like here. Instead? I am using a glue stick.

I'm not thrilled, but as you can see, it is getting the job done!

End of the Year Teacher Gifts

Do your remember this stack from last year?

Mug Rugs!!!

I hated my quick binding job, so I have ripped them all out.

I re-trimmed the mug rugs to re-attach them more cleanly. Two need to be done by Thursday, the rest? By June 3rd!!

In the meantime, I will try not to get distracted.

By my worst enemy #2.

Linking up

Shredding

2013-05-20T00:32:00.000-05:00

Not pounds.

BATTING!

I seriously wish I had heard of this years ago. Thanks to my shout out for Batting Scrap Organization tips a few weeks ago, I learned that shredding batting makes great stuffing.

I have used batting scraps for stuffing before and have been disappointed with the strange lumpiness I tend to get.

Shredding it? Amazing.

I'm not sure if this is the "correct" way, but this is how I did it.

I, um...er....took out some of my aggression and *cough* frustration on it?
Just make sure that you are safe. I only layered 1-3 pieces on top of each other. I also never had my hand on the mat while slicing back and forth. I cherish my hands too much. I would also recommend shredding in the middle of your mat. Do as I say, not as I do.

I kept all my larger pieces of batting that are definitely usable. I took some of the suggestions from last week and I put the smaller sizes that were similar to each other in ziplock bags. I pressed all the air out so they could lay flat with the larger folded pieces in my batting drawer.

I had no qualms of cutting up all the small, awkward pieces. Triangles. Goofy trapeziod pieces.
Not to mention the long 1 inch strips? What was I thinking saving those?

Why to stuff this bag full, right!

At least, that is my story and I'm sticking too it.

P.S. I actually AM trying to shred some pounds on this body, so if you follow my Instagram?
You might see occasional photos with #sweatnsew.
You can find out more about it at Sarcastic Quilter!

Tumbleweed {Blogger's Quilt Festival}

2013-05-17T00:15:00.000-05:00

No. No need to rub your eyes.

Yes, this is another quilt for the

I had to show you my Tumbleweed Quilt, my favorite quilt so far this year.

The quilt for ME!

I have to admit. This is my absolute favorite quilt right now. It is not at all my normal taste of fabric, but it was FREE! I won it from another quilter on her blog!

I love the Houston Rodeo and really wanted to not lose the novelty of the prints so that I could have it out during the time it is in town. However, I also wanted to have a bit of modern flair, so I tried something new with the tumbler pattern.

End to end horizontally instead of vertically. (you can see the layout at the top photo).

But the reason this is my most favorite quilt and why I am sharing this quilt for the festival is the QUILTING!!!!

Yeehaw!!!

Cowboy hats!

Horseshoes with loops

More loops with....horseshoes.

Last but not least, boots....with spurs.
Cute no?

I had a TON of fun doing these freemotion all over the quilt on my longarm machine.

I did not have enough of the free fabric for a backing so I chose this brown fabric.

The flowers reminded me of Texas bluebonnets.

I am pretending the roses are some sort of Texas rose too!

Don't burst my bubble, okay?

I had enough of the scraps to do a binding, but I really liked this print when I saw it at the LQS.
It is Moda Grace Bias Stripe by 3 Sisters

I had intended to just put the label in a random corner, but I just didn't like the way it was glaringly popping out on the brown fabric.

I decided to piece some scraps at an angle and then needle-turned it to the center of the strip where I had a large expanse anyway.

Worked out brilliantly.

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Quilt Stats:

Measures: 54" x 63"

Pattern: Tumblers (end to end horizontally)

Fabric: Various floral and cowboy motif fabrics from

Moda and other high quality quilting fabric lines (fabrics were all scraps)

Quilt Pattern: Loops with Rodeo motifs by myself on my HQ Avante 18"

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I have to laugh because as I was editing the pictures I noticed a stray thread from my EPP project on the left of the backing strip a few photos above!

Proof that I have already snuggled under this with Button!

Who has somehow managed to steal MY rodeo quilt and renamed it from my awesome name of Tumbleweed quilt to

Little Horsey's quilt.

Nothing is sacred in this house.

P.S. Thanks for stopping by if you are from Blogger's Quilt Festival.
To return to the Festival, click on the image at the top!!!!!!!

Imagination {Blogger's Quilt Festival}

2013-05-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

It's time!!! Are you ready for some quilt yumminess throughout the quilt blogesphere?

Imagine is the name of the quilting bee circle I am a member of for do. Good Stitches.

This is Imagination.

The quilt makes me think of philosophers, staring into the skies and seeing stars...imagining what life beyond is.

This quilt had many challenges and road blocks for me. The original, Imagination post walks you through it all. For the sake of the festival, I will keep it simple!!!

The blocks:

The sashing....and a pretty cool shot of the quilting!

I loved this scrappy piano key border.

A cool "on the longarm" shot of the quilting.

Scallops!

Simple backing for somewhat complicated quilting.

Close up of the back.

Binding

Solid Red.

I was so happy with the results. The amazing blocks from my bee friends made it so wonderful!
I couldn't be more thrilled.

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 66" x 86"

Blocks Pieced by: Imagine @do.Good Stitches quilting bee. Fabrics from their stash.

Sashing, Border fabrics: A variety of strips from my stash.

Backing: Blank Quilting Pattern #6239 and Kona Ash

Binding: Kona Cardinal

Quilted: By myself on my longarm HQ Avante 18.

This beauty went off to Threading Hope.

I hope it brings comfort and joy to its recipient.

Thanks for stopping by! I now must commence my perusal of the entries. Every single "season" I start recognizing my favorite quilts or I see some that have me meeting some new blogger friends!!!

My Worst Enemy

2013-05-15T01:40:00.001-05:00

ME!

I am on a mission to start hitting things hard. I have a long list that needs to be tackled and I need to really spend every second I can working on it. I just need to start ignoring "me" for a bit.

I have already been sidelined to make myself this cute Go Faster Box Bag the other weekend.

And I managed to work up a tutorial for my do.Good stitches bee blocks last week.

Card Trick Block in two different sizes!

Saturday, I managed to pull out all of my Fat Quarters out of their bins and get them out on a shelf so I can see them.

This past Sunday, I kinda-sorta tackled the list by finally making a new throw pillow out of placemats I bought for the family room.

And late night Mother's day, I was thinking about my little girl, and decided to design a Butterfly Kiss block.

It is paper pieced and am hoping to find a tester or two after I figure out how to get it into .pdf form. I was able to finish it up yesterday morning.

Otherwise? I have been working on this.

I promised myself I would NOT take this up. No knitting or crocheting.

But then I found the DVD I had thought I had given away and I just couldn't resist.

The first starts were rough, and I do NOT plan on making sweaters any time soon. But I have a project in mind for a simple square. We shall see!

Now to get focused on everything else on my list. I can't even seem to blog regularly lately! "Me" needs to settle herself down!!!

Linking up!

Go Faster Box Bag

2013-05-11T15:39:00.001-05:00

Last week, I finished the last hexi rows for my Stars and Stripes quilt.

I still need to applique the stripe rows on their backgrounds, address my stars on the hexagon blue star panel, piece the sashing and borders, oh...and quilt and bind! So there is still quite a bit to go. However, I am feeling very good about getting it done by the end of June like I had hoped. Memorial Day weekend might be out of my reach, but it IS possible. We shall see.

And since I finished the last stripes, like I promised myself...

I get to start my Hex on the Beach quilt!!!

There are still plenty of opportunities for me to be EPPing on the go!

And because I have spent a bit of time on projects for others, I felt like I had earned a special small project for ME!

She is cute, right?

The Go Faster Box Bag from the HexaGoGo book!

It took me a few hours, but I have to say it is pretty cute. I used some fabrics I had acquired on an Instagram destash by Don't Call Me Betsy! The only thing I added from my own stash was the Painted Canvas by Laura Gunn. If ever you need a textured solid, I HIGHLY recommend it! It is really nice design. And of course. I have to let you know about some of the changes and some of the foibles I encountered. I must promise you. Pattern and instructions are wonderful. It always makes a project so much smoother!!!!

First off, I did not have a good fusible interfacing. It says in the book heavy, but I don't think she ever meant for someone to use Pellon's double fused interfacing. It was all I had on hand and I did not want to go on a interfacing run. It just isn't my nature to buy something when I can make do with something I already had. I ended up fusing muslin to one side and the side and bottom panels on the others side.

It stands up nicely, but stitching it together was NOT fun.

I also added a pocket to the end. The one thing I like to do when I am on the go is to have my scissors handy at all times.

Hindsight, I wish I had thought of it before I stitched it together. I ended up hand stitching it onto the side panel. It works, but I would feel more comfortable with a lined pocket for scissors, perhaps even the full size of the side panel.

Inside? I added a small fabric tube with a velcro tab at the end.

I have bobbins on mine because my spools are huge. I tried to wind some thread from my big ones onto smaller spools I had, but had no luck. Anyone else try that?

I also added a small felt pad on the inside for my needles.

I tend to just thread them through any bag/pouch liner and thought using a small white rectangle might be smarter to find it more easily? I don't know, but it is fun.

And can we just address the hexagons? Are these roosters? I nabbed them on a Instagram destash. The pattern calls for 1/2 inch hexagons, but I didn't have anything really small...so I went with 3/4" hexagons!

Things have been crazy around here (when are they not, may I ask?) and I am really itching to do another to-go bag.

So don't be surprised to see one in the future.

Card Trick Block {Tutorial}

2013-05-02T01:55:00.000-05:00

It's my turn to come up with an idea for the month of May for Imagine @ do.Good Stitches charity bee.

I have loved the card trick block ever since I first started quilting 16 years ago. I actually pulled out my Singer's Quilting Bible (circa 1997...whew...getting old here) and lo and behold? I still had the quilt block marked! However, I have different sizes planned then the ones in the book. One 12" block and one 9" block! Hopefully, my bee friends won't curse me like they were when they were paper piecing their blocks for Imagination! I plan to share it as a free quilt pattern in the very near future. In the meantime, I will share the tutorial for both blocks.

Shuffle The Deck Quilt

Free Quilt Pattern .pdf download will come in the near future.

Hopefully, I can replace the image below with the real thing in June with all the blocks my bee comrades have won!

12" Card Trick Block {Tutorial}
Unfinished 12.5" blocks

IMPORTANT: Fabric Choices.

I recommend high contrast or value fabrics for this block. Each “card” will stand out more effectively while overlapping. Too low of contrast will cause them to blend more. For the sake of the bee quilt, I am requesting white backgrounds, but I think this would be an amazing quilt with a low volume background print!

1. Cut one 5 1/4" square fabric each of background and four "card" fabrics. A total of five squares.
2. Cut two 4 7/8" square fabric of background and one of each four "card" fabrics. A total of six squares.

3. Cut through the larger squares (5 1/4") twice diagonally to make four sets of triangles.

4. Cut through the smaller squares (4 7/8") once diagonally to make two sets of triangles.
Note: the photo below is missing the second background triangle.
It fell on the floor when I was taking photos *blush*

5. Layout your triangle to create the overlapping square effect. Use this photo as a guide.

Note: You will have two small triangles of each card fabric leftover. Keep them for a future project. I'm planning on using these on the back of the quilt (flying geese?)

Stitch your triangles together.

Chain-stitching can be your friend.

6. Start with the larger triangles in the corners.

Stitch the background triangles to the card triangles.

7. Stitch the marked triangles.

Stitch the smaller triangles first.

Then stitch the pieced triangle to the larger triangle.

8. Stitch the center block.

Stitch two small blocks and then the piece triangles together.

9. Press your triangles and trim off your points.

10. Assemble each row. Then each row to each other.

11. Press block.

9" Card Trick Block {Tutorial}

Unfinished 9.5" block
Optional sashed block for an unfinished 12.5" block

Note: Fabric Choices. I decided to do blocks to show that sometimes your fabric choices might be similar. The pink in this selection has orange and can read orange when cut into triangles.

In this case, make sure that the two fabrics are not adjacent to each other and use your other fabrics to have your high contrast!

1. Cut one 4 1/4" square fabric each of background fabric and four "card" fabrics. A total of five squares.

2. Cut two 3 7/8" square fabric of background fabric and one of each four "card" fabrics. A total of six squares

Optional Sashing: For the purpose of my quilt design there is sashing to take the 9" block to 12"

3. Cut two 2" x 9.5" strips from background fabric.

4. Cut two 2" x 12.5" from background fabric.

5. Repeat steps 3 through 11 from the 12" block tutorial to have a complete 9" block. The layout is the exact same, just smaller pieces!

Optional: Once you have pressed the block, add the 2 short background strips (2"x 9.5") to each side of the 9" card block. Press the seams. Add the 2 longer background strips (2" x 12.5") to the top and bottom.

Press block.

Hope this tutorial is helpful! Stay tuned for the entire free quilt pattern!

Sew-jo is Back! {WIP Wednesday}

2013-05-01T00:16:00.001-05:00

The Calm Before the Storm REALLY did give me my sew-jo back!

I don't want to mess it up by spending too much time on the computer, so I will just do a QUICK rundown.

Cat in the Hat

For my nephew. Pressed and laid out the blocks!

I pieced it this weekend!

Binding cut and prepped!

I'm really into having these all ready to go when I am done quilting!

Yaaay!

April do. Good Stitches Blocks

Done!

Square in a Square blocks

I have to admit.

I did NOT want to mail these today!

May do. Good Stitches Quilt

Time for me to figure out what our bee will be doing for this month.

Inspired by the nature all over our neighborhood!

Well, I have figured it out, but now have to work up a tutorial today for the ladies!

Wish me luck!

Run for the Roses

I donated my longarm quilting services on this quilt.

It is for a class project for our school auction.

I even spent a little time organizing my Batting Scraps.

It isn't complete yet, but progress has been made!

If you want to chime in HERE with tips or thoughts, I would love it!

Finally getting back in the saddle and regularly linking up with Lee!

Batting Scraps {Organization}

2013-04-29T19:03:00.001-05:00

Let's talk about this mess.

I have had the habit over the years to just stuff the usable scraps right back into the bag. It was REALLY starting to drive me crazy recently because I like to use them for small projects. Tablerunners, placemats, mug rugs, purses, bags...you name it. Sometimes even piece them together to make a decent size quilt.

I end up digging all of them out and trying to find the right size I need.

Now that I have a huge roll that measures 90 inches across?

I have some significant pieces leftover when I do smaller baby/toddler quilts.

Well...you know my organizing soul.

I sat and measured all the large pieces.

Folded them nicely and pinned the measurements to them.

Tucked them in a drawer.

I still need to address the smaller pieces. Folding seems silly. Maybe rolling and tying them up in bundles?

Any suggestions? What do you do with your batting scraps? What is your requirement for "keeping" a batting scrap? What is "too small" or unusable to you?

I am desperate to know!!

The Calm After the Storm {Longarm Quilting}

2013-04-28T02:42:00.000-05:00

I know it is backwards because the calm is supposed to be before the storm, but I am praying for some calm after the storm.

Boy, what a storm it has been since I last posted on WIP Wednesday last week. I am actually in shock when I look at the calendar. Bronchitis. Croup. Ear Infections. Sinusitis.

A scrapbook retreat in between!

It was a war zone!

We also knew Button was due for surgery for ear tubes and adenoid removal this past Friday. But he was bumped unexpectedly to Thursday! Which really messed up all of my plans for this action quilt.

I was supposed to be quilting all day Thursday.

Instead? I had to manage it while Button was still in recovery mode on Friday.

Fun. Times.

I know! I know! If you have been with me awhile, you might remember that I swore off all future school auction quilts!

Not my finest quilting job, I will be perfectly honest, but it was done and finished for the mom that made the top! I am really only sharing it because I think it is a really great idea for a school auction project!

She and her mom pieced the quilt top together. It was really neat to hear her talk about how her mom dusted off her machine and might start get back into quilting again!

Instead of stumping a bunch of third graders and asking them to draw something for the derby theme "Run for the Roses"? She printed off coloring pages for her classroom, had them color them, scanned them, and printed them off on fabric.

She did mention that she wishes she had printed just the coloring book images and let them color with the crayons directly onto the fabric.

My job? Quilt! I simply did a meander/stipple quilting in black thread on the sashing and border. I didn't capture it in the photos, but you get the idea, right?

At first, I tried a few different things for the blocks, but finally settled for invisible thread.

I made the binding and attached it for her too. I have to admit, she considered it a favor...I considered it awesome because I love doing binding. Am I the only one that could bind quilts all day long?

The good thing about the whole thing?

I am back in the quilting saddle. Lots of sew-jo going on around here.

Keep your eye out on Instagram or Facebook and here!

Retreat

2013-04-27T22:34:00.002-05:00

There is only one way left to escape the alienation of present day society:
to retreat ahead of it.

~Roland Barthes

The gorgeous view at the house we stayed at!

This spring's scrapbook retreat was at a new location. I am not sure if you can tell but those trees in the distance are in water. Sure, it's a swamp, but nice to look at all the same!

I was not really prepared for this retreat due to all the illness in our house. I was still recovering from bronchitis and Button woke up last Friday morning with a horrible croupy cough. And an ear infection. I arrived late to the retreat so I could take him to the doctor and get him all fixed up for daddy duty!

I did MORE resting than scrapping at this retreat. They had couches IN the scrapping room! I could grab my Tumbleweed quilt and curl up and take a nap or just rest and listen to the chatter!

I was able to work on this year's album and am officially done with our family albums from 2008 through mid-April 2013! No need to remind me that I have '96-'07. And vacation albums. And three of the five baby books.

A few of my scrapping friends and I bought a few t-shirts from Two Chicks Design. I also picked up a few quilting shirts too. I am not usually into these types of shirts and PROMISED hubby that they were retreat/home only shirts.

I don't want to become one of "those" scrapbookers!

Now, my next goal?

To try to find a group of girls to go on a quilt retreat with!

Ain't Nooobody Got Time For That

2013-04-16T23:53:00.001-05:00

It's been a rough week.

I managed to score a trip to my asthma/allergist yesterday to find out I have bronchitis. I've been fighting allergies for over a month and a horrible cough for over a week now and they won.
Why did I fight so long?
Frankly, to quote Sweet Brown,
"Ain't nobody got time for that!"

It figures. I finally was cruising and things have to come to a standstill. Again. But progress. Enough progress for WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced!

At the Cutting Table:

Blush and Bashful Quilt

My aunt's quilt pieces are all cut out.

Including the color with the dreadful name, Pale Flesh. Not Kona's finest moment. But I have to admit, it is a GREAT color for dolls like my Not So Raggedy Ann.

I felt like Hannibal Lecter cutting into it. I also was watching Snow White and the Huntsman at the time. All the talk about cutting out her heart and eating it will forever be burned in my mind!

But I am pleased with the choice now that I have committed to it. I think it will bring a soft feminine touch to the deep browns and reds that are in the prints.

At the Sewing Machine:

Cat in the Hat

I finished cutting out all the pieces and have made significant progress piecing it.

I am getting really close to the layout process!

On the Design Board:

Stars and Stripes Quilt

The star hexi panel is 95% complete. I finished piecing it, but need to address the falling stars.

I posted on Facebook my feelings about it. I finished it while riveted to the Boston Marathon coverage on television. Irony or destiny that the last stitches were made when the doctors came out to update on all the victims statuses? I'm not sure, but it was perfect timing. I had looked down sad and dejected. My view? This on my lap. And suddenly, I couldn't help think about the history of our flag in this country. I had the image from my childhood memories. A cartoon of a lady in a rocking chair, stitching the original Stars and Stripes while a war for freedom raged. I know our nation is still in it's infancy, in many respects, and I know that we are feisty and strong. We will endure.

The red, white/black hexies demanded to be started right away. Layout commenced Sunday night, so two full rows have already been completed by the time I closed my eyes last night.

See? Feisty and strong.

I am actually getting more and more excited about this project because Mr. Boss and I have decided that it will be a wall hanging, not a throw like my plan.

Oh, and clarification...this is NOT my own design. It is from the book HexaGoGo

On the Long Arm:

I have my first "customer" quilt ready and willing to be sandwiched by me! But first, I have to get better so I can stand at long enough increments. In the meantime, I am making final decisions about thread color and quilt design!

But. Like always. It will all have to halt soon. My second scrapbook retreat of the year approaches and I am not ready for it. I need to select, edit, and print February through now. As long as I am done coughing up a lung by Friday, that is.

What is everyone else up to? Anything stopping you from using up your sew-jo?

WIP: Missing in Action

2013-04-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

I have been terrible about sharing my in progress projects lately! I have been jumping in with finishes, which isn't really what I like to do around here. However, two separate Spring breaks spanning the month of March about dug me in a grave! I love my boys being home. I love a break from homework.

But the house gets ~~slightly~~ VERY chaotic around here!!

Finishes (since my last visit to WIP Wednesday)

Tumbleweed Quilt

Going from recent to oldest. I just finished my Rodeo quilt this past weekend!

The quilt that is a nod to our Houston Rodeo that I love and adore every year.

This quilt has been stolen from me. You HAVE to go see by whom.

Primarily Sean's Quilt

Finished this right in time for an Easter visit from my sister and her gang!

Whether I would finish it WELL was a shaky at one point, but I am pretty darn happy with the finish and I still loved his name foundation pieced on the back HERE.

Spiders and Webs, part deux

My second go round with my Spiders and Webs tutorial.

It is staying home. Two of the three quilts in March are mine, mine, mine....or *cough* "ours".

Snowflake Row

I have to admit, I was asked if I'd like to join the Winter Wonderland Round Robin when I was under the influence of pain killers in December.

When I came back to my normal lucid?
I was thinking, "What did I sign up for? A tutorial? For a whole ROW!?!?? Not a block?"

But it all worked out. It even got me to finish fixing my EPP tutorial from last November.
I am pretty excited about finishing the other rows in the Round Robin.

Not too late to join in!!!

In Progress

Do. Good Stitches

Scrappy Feather Block

I'm late. March blocks.

One down, one to go

Cat in the Hat

My other nephew's quilt is in the cutting stage.
He is my godson, so I have to do this one perfectly this time!

When I started cutting, I started to get concerned about the massive EXCESSIVE amounts of fabric I had ordered. (pssst..do not order fabric under the influence either, okay?) I was a bit intimidated at the thought of making a bunch of Dr. Seuss quilts for my Etsy shop. I REALLY didn't want to do that many quilts with this fabric. Luckily, a good friend has given me an idea...but it is top secret since my sister already knows about the quilt. Some things must remain sacred around here!

Blush Quilt

I have finally had some time to dive in on the quilt I am making for my aunt that was diagnosed with breast cancer this past summer. She is still fighting, so I want to send this too her ASAP.

I have made my block fabric choices and am still auditioning background fabrics.

From Left to Right: Stone, Pale Flesh (ewww for the name, right?), Snow
Getting ready to cut out. Which one do you like?

Stars and Stripes

This hexie quilt is clipping along at a decent pace. I have almost all of my blue/white rows sewn together. Not only the rows themselves, but rows together. Just three more left to make the rectangle.

Layout phase

I have had to take out the cardstock as I have been working because it was getting so large and difficult to take along with me.

Action shot. Watching a movie. My lap is fully covered!

I am also getting excited because I now have a plan on what I am going to do with it and now can go back to the original design with the borders from the pattern (I was leaving them out before).

New Project

Look what came in the mail two weeks ago.

Hex on the Beach with Tula Pink!

Can you say?
Mmmmmmmmm.....

However, I have laid down the law. I am not allowed to start basting those sweet little hexies until Stars and Stripes is done. There. I said it. It's in writing.

Linking up with Lee

Did I tire you out after this post?

I tired myself out!

Tumbleweed Quilt

2013-04-09T21:28:00.001-05:00

My first April finish (because I am secretly hoping for more this month)

My rodeo quilt!!

I have to admit.

I had reservations if I could make this into a quilt I love. I am am still not exactly over the moon about all the fabric. But free fabric? FREE fabric?

It'll do!

I think I mentioned it before, but I won a bundle of cowboy/cowboy inspired fabric last year on Carla's blog, Lollyquiltz. I guessed her least favorite color! Magenta

I am really happy with the tumbler pattern layout. It really showcases the more novelty prints.

Yeehaw!!!

Cowboy hats!

Horseshoes with loops

More loops with....horseshoes.

Last but not least, boots....with spurs. Cute no?

All of the above quilting was freehand by tracing pencil on paper, over and over, the images I pulled from the internet.

Except for the boots.

I needed a little guide for the first few to get a rhythm.

The toe/shoe angle was tough for me to get right on my own.

My trick? I moved my laser for pantographs to the front and traced the boot off to the side. You might have noticed I ran over loops in the image above because I was busy trying to race the pattern the first time! But I finally got the hang of it and didn't need it anymore.

Side note: I love the pattern so much that it is on my wish list for the next batch of pantographs I plan to buy soon! I am sure that I will need it for a few Texas clients!

I did not have enough of the free fabric for a backing so I chose this brown fabric.

The flowers reminded me of Texas bluebonnets.

I am pretending the roses are some sort of Texas rose too!

Don't burst my bubble, okay?

I had enough of the scraps to do a binding, but I really liked this print when I saw it at the LQS.

I definitely used it to bring interest to the backing.

I had intended to just put the label in a random corner, but I just didn't like the way it was glaringly popping out.

I decided to piece some scraps at an angle and then needle-turned it to the center of the strip where I had a large expanse anyway.

Worked out brilliantly.

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Quilt Stats:

Measures: 54" x 63"

Pattern: Tumblers (end to end horizontally)

Fabric: Various floral and cowboy motif fabrics from

Moda and other high quality quilting fabric lines

Quilt Pattern: Loops with Rodeo motifs by myself.

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I have to laugh because as I was editing the pictures I noticed a stray thread from my EPP project on the left of the backing strip a few photos above!

Proof that I have already snuggled under this with Button!

Who has somehow managed to steal MY rodeo quilt and renamed it from my awesome name of Tumbleweed quilt to

Little Horsey's quilt.

Nothing is sacred in this house.

Primarily Sean's Quilt

2013-04-04T01:28:00.000-05:00

The name of this quilt has two different meanings to me. Originally, I named it because my sister had pinned a million things on her Pinterest board when he was a baby...all of them with Primary Colors.

The alphabet accents are also her theme for him. So I decided to combine the two!

Now?

I realize that the quilt is perfectly named because..yes..the quilt IS primarily for my nephew, but my sister might just keep it for herself!!!

Here is the part where I tell it to you straight. I am sorta glad to see it go. This quilt has either been hanging over my head or given me heartache since I started in August!! The piecing of the stacked coins from all of my scraps was a breeze. The foundation piecing was pretty straight forward, time consuming like usual, but not over complicated. Piecing my backing proved to be a bit challenging, but not anything I couldn't handle.

Quilting. Quilting. Quilting.

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have caught whiff of my problems when I started to quilt!

The first major oopsie was on my longarm machine!

I was swirling away in the Kona White parts...having a ball. It felt natural and I was cruising.

However, I didn't trust my original measurements. I was worried that if I had the name too low, the name wouldn't fit on the quilt. Why I moved it down about 4 inches is beyond me!!! I am absolutely dumbfounded why I went off the grid like that!

Guess how much I was short?

Yup. 4 inches!!!

Luckily, I was able to cut the extra four inches from the top and pieced it to the bottom. This led to a new problem. I couldn't put back the quilt on the longarm. *insert sad face*

I managed to do my swirls on my domestic. Getting my stitch length to match the original was tricky, but I was on my way!

My biggest oopsie? I had planned to just swirl the background and let the stacked coins be un-quilted.

I'm not sure if it was an oopsie or just bad judgement or just a personal preference, but I did NOT like the way the fabric puffed up so aggressively. Almost twisting as if batting was folded inside. The picture above does not do it justice...but needless to say, I was not happy.

My plan of attack was to pebble the strips. I cannot express how thrilled I am. Not only did the front look better, but the backing did too!

The minky/cuddle fabric gave the hint of the quilting, but the softness of a stuffed animal. All the stitches seem to sink into it. I just love it on a baby quilt!

And I especially love how the foundation pieced blocks turned out on the back! It also looked a little strange with quilting on half of it and no quilting on the other. The one lesson I learned? It makes me completely appreciate my longarm even more that I did before! My arms took a good long while recovering from all the pebbles and swirls!

The only other panic moment was the binding. I loved the alphabet fabric from the start. It just seemed the perfect accent for what could just be another boring stacked coin quilt. However, when I started to stitch it on, something nagged me.

I realized as I was handstitching it on out in the backyard while watching Button shoot some hoops, the background of the binding fabric was VERY white and the Kona Snow is definitely not the same color.

But I couldn't resist. I could have picked a solid fabric for the binding, but I couldn't take it off. I love it too much. My sister will just have to keep it inside or look at it by lamplight. You can't tell at all then!

Now what? Start my other nephew's quilt. Stay tuned!!

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 44in x 54in

Pattern: Stacked Coins

Fabric: Coins-scraps, Background-Kona Snow,

Alphabet Binding and Backing-Joann's fabric

Batting:Warm and Natural

Quilting: Pebbles (DSM) and Swirls (80% LA/20% DSM) by Me!

Spiders and Webs Quilt (part deux)

2013-03-29T13:42:00.003-05:00

It's finally finished!

I am not sure why it excites me because it is the same Spider and Web pattern I have already have done before, which usually bores me. However, I wonder if it is more the fact that I love getting things done that are "hanging over my head" like this quilt. It certainly isn't needed right now since it is for Halloween, but it was a quilt top that was haunting me (pun intended?) for awhile and just getting in the way!

I am super happy with the choice of a black background and love the scrappy black and white binding.

The quilting was fun and easy on my brain this time. I stitched in the ditch along each triangle to emphasize the "web" and then did squiggly lines all around each stripe.

And I tried my hand again at meandering/stippling. It just is strange to me and very amoeba-like, but I wanted to practice in case a client asked me to do so on theirs. Never hurts to practice. And I am really pleased with the way it flowed to the outer borders.

I am still in love with the enlarged web on the back. I had a completely different pieced plan, but as I was laying it out, my eyes started crossing at all the strips I had laid out. The choice to make it a big "web" in the middle of a sea of black ended up giving me the "rest" I needed.

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Now, by now, I am sure you all know that I can't let all the oopsies not be shouted to the rooftops.

First, how 'bout that crazy shadowed photo shot of the back above? Way to make an effort, Heidi!

Second, I had a few big oopsies when I was trying to create the web on the back!!

I was short because some of my strips were 42" and some were 44". Instead cutting a new stack of 2" strips to make two more triangles, I just pieced in some scraps as needed.

Two of the triangles have them. Gives them character, right?

However, the biggest foible with this quilt?

Natural and Warm batting.

Showing through at the bottom. The white specks are not my dandruff, swear! They are bits of batting. *insert hummph face* I noticed it a bit at the top when I was quilting, but I was shocked when I looked at the back. It is pretty horrendous.

I will be honest, I have never run across any advice about black quilts. Why? Probably because I have never actually made a predominately black quilt before.

Irony? I happened to come across some advice during my research while creating my longarm quiting service website after this bad boy was already started.

Purchase black/dark batting for black quilts.

Couldn't I have read this sooner?!?!?!?

Anyone know how to fix this? It looks a bit better after washing, not worse. I am really bummed because isn't the pattern on the back pretty cool above? The tufts really ruin the look.

Photo taken before attaching

I also went back to attaching my labels after quilting. With the last few quilts, I haven't been completely happy about how the quilting from the front looked on the back with the labels pieced into the back. Sometimes it is just best to admit defeat!

But hey. It's a quilt. Just for us. It will do the trick!

Snowflake Hexagon Row

2013-03-25T18:34:00.004-05:00

Do you like it?

My tutorial is over at the Winter Wonderland Round Robin at Patchwork Posse!

It includes .pdf patterns and templates for each snowflake design


Snowflake #1


Snowflake #2

Snowflakes #3 and #4

Snowflake #5

Get over there and get stitchin'!

English Paper Piecing {Tutorial}

2013-03-24T22:42:00.000-05:00

Note: This post was meant to be posted on November 17, 2012...but unfortunately, not only was the virtual sewing event cancelled for low participation, my post didn't upload correctly when I was ready to just share it at that time. I have an EPP project that will be posted tomorrow, so I thought this would be a good time to resurrect it from draft status. Hope it is helpful!

This tutorial is the basis of any paper pieced project. I want to be clear that this is MY favorite way to baste and stitch English Paper Piecing (EPP). However, there are many more ways to baste and stitch your pieces together!

English Paper Piecing Tutorial

I couldn't just leave you with just a bunch of hexagons and nothing to do with the, so
I had to show you a quick decorative hoop project!

Supplies
Cardstock
Fabric (scraps, fat quarters, whatever!!)
Scissors/Needle/Thread
One 8 inch Hoop
Coordinating embroidery floss

Prepare Your EPP Templates and Fabric

Print the .pdf HERE on card stock.

IMPORTANT: For all English Paper piecing (EPP). When a pattern states the size of a hexagon, the measurement is usually based on the side measurement, not the width or height of the entire hexagon.

After you have printed cut the hexagon...steady hand. I try to cut it right on the inside of the line. The key is to make sure the method you choose to cut is consistent for each piece.

This is optional, but I find it helpful later to punch a hole in the hexagon...two if you plan to pin them. Grab your hole punch!

*Note: If you are planning a large project, you can purchase plastic and cardboard templates in many stores and online. I even used my die cut machine to punch them out for a massive future project!

Next, grab your fabric scraps. They can be random or you can have five in one print and one completely different!

Grab your template and trace your hexagon.

Trim your fabric scrap to a 1/4- 3/8 inch seam allowance or more.
My preference is 3/8".

Can you rough cut them?
ABSOLUTELY!

Do you need more than just a few?

I explained HERE how I used my Sissix die cut machine with an Accuquilt die cut. I was able to cut 100+ in less than 20 minutes. Another option is to purchase pre-cut fabric hexagons that are available online, at your LQS, and big store fronts like Joann fabrics. Even now Moda is carrying Honeycombs and I have seen a few Kona solids out there, too!

Baste Your EPPs

Here is the technique I think works the best for me to secure my hexagon template to the fabric

Yup. A paper clip! I actually found these cute colorful ones!
Since I wrote this post originally, I tried a few different ways to secure them
and have also fallen in love with these teeny tiny ones I found in the scrapbook aisle.

After you secure your template?
You will get your needle and thread.
I am using a size 7 Quilter's Between needle and Gutermanns cotton here.

I always keep my length to no more than 18 inches. It is something I learned with all my needlework...more is not always better. The thread can get very tangled!

Once you have your knot, start to the left of your paperclip.

You will fold the first hexie side down.

Grab a bit of the fabric with your needle.

Make a single stitch.

Travel to the next corner. Yes, it shows. But not a big deal. It will never get seen on the front!

While you are doing this, keep pressure in the seam allowance. You want your fabric to be taut on the edge to get a nice crisp side edge!

Then you will be at your last side which is also your beginning.

Un-clip the paperclip and tuck the last side down

Secure your thread and knot.

You will repeat this for five or more hexagons for THIS project.

Piece Your EPPs Together

First, keep your templates inside your finished hexies...not time for then to come out yet!

If you are doing this flower or any other design, I recommend laying them out just like you would do for any block in Quilting. For this project, I stretched a piece of scrap muslin on a 8" hoop.

Like the layout? Grab the first two.

Place them together with the right sides facing each other.

I start my first stitch in the crevice of a corner.

Then move to the other side and grab the other corner.

That way I am sure to have matching points/corners at the front.

Then travel back and forth with a ladder or whip stitch.

This does not have to be pretty!!! It will all be covered up.

The point is to make sure your stitches are secure and snug!

You can do your stitches close to the edge, but your stitches will show.

If you grab lower like I do below.

I feel that you can hide the stitches much better.

When you get to the corner grab hexi number three,

Snug your corners in.

You may have to bend the previous hexagon (see arrow). Whipstitch again.

This part is my favorite. When you find that you need to move your needle and thread. Don't worry about knotting and trimming.

Just travel!

Go under at bottom arrow and come up where the top arrow is.

Completely hidden! Now move your way from the center arrow, out.

Continue whip-stitching and traveling until you have a flower!

Hexi Application

Time to pop out your templates. Remember the hole?

Just slip the end of your snips in the hole, or grab your seam ripper and pop those puppies out!

Forgot the hole?

No worries! Slide the ends of your snips under a flap and wiggle that template out!

You could machine applique or needle turn appliqué at this point.

It is pretty with just the hexagons, but you why stop there?

Grab your embroidery floss and do outlines.

If you don't feel like doing the flower, just place them on your hoop fabric in a pleasing manner and embroider around each hexi with a coordinating color like this sweet pouch my friend, Sharon at Lilabelle Lane, made for me.

Hexie bag made by Sharon at Lilabelle Lane for a hoop swap (sweet, right?)

The possibilities are endless with English paper piecing. Triangles, hexagons, squares. You name it!

My favorite hexie project to date is my doll quilt set.

So if you aren't inspired to do a hoop project and want to start small?
A doll quilt or wall hanging is are a great choice!

I can't tell you how happy I am having handwork other than crosstitch makes me!
I love it so much that I currently have a project that involves 600+.

They are so portable!
I need handwork desperately when I feel like I will never touch my sewing machine again.

You know that feeling, right?

Sitting in the car for carpool line, watching tennis, and waiting for basketball practice to end. Not to mention a good sit in front of the TV with a loved one! I can't stand when my hands are idle!

So join the madness with me!!!

March MADness

2013-03-22T10:42:00.001-05:00

I have been a busy bee this week and I do have some posts with finished quilts and a tutorial coming up....buuuut I can't share yet.

So in the meantime...because I hate leaving people hanging like that.

For your enjoyment.

My boys watching the final seconds of the First Round Game of Marquette vs Davidson (NCAA Basketball Tournament).

It was a nail biter.

Mr. Boss and I agreed that the intensity, passion, and MADness the boys have while watching the game might be a bit much. But ooooh, so funny!! It really proves that people go crazy over college hoops. At least we Marquette U Alumni do!!!

And yes!

Even the teenager agrees that his reaction to me is pretty funny now, too.

I swear!

Who Knew?

2013-03-16T09:53:00.007-05:00

You have to claim your blog on Bloglovin.

Thank you to the 45 followers I have on there!!!

Anywhere else I need to claim it?

It has taken me months to verify my website on Pinterest...still no luck!!!!

Feedly

2013-03-15T13:25:00.000-05:00

By now, most of you already know Google Reader is disappearing as of July 1, 2013 if you see the buzz on blogs! So funny to me because Google thinks we don't use it and it is all I see in my feeds since it was announced!!! I think you all know that I loved it so much for the organizational aspect!

No worries though! There are alternatives! USA Today had their top four choices HERE.

I narrowed it down to Bloglovin and Feedly.

I went with Feedly.

Why?

I liked the easy transfer. I did not even have to download my Google reader file to my computer. It just asks permission to access Google.
It not only transferred everything. It also kept my organization files. The left side has all of my categories still!!
It is very appealing to the eye. Each post now shows a photo to the left of the post. In Google reader, it was just the title of the post.
I picked up on the navigation within seconds. I found the "mark as read" right away because sometimes I don't need to read certain blogs...just look at the eye candy.
I love how it shows featured posts at the top, but still has all of the posts that I have not read.
It feels like a magazine! It even says so on the home login page! I find it ironic because Mr. Boss thinks I am stalking people when I read blogs. My response to him is that I feel like I am just reading my magazines electronically. All the quilting trends are there! A great alternative to 25 printed magazines. right?

I will admit. I am not sure how to add new blogs and how to make new organizational groups.

I did find a great link for Google Readers to migrate to Feedly easier HERE.

The biggest issue for me? I need to take a hard look at all of the blogs I follow. I am in over my head at 946.

Ouch!

Good luck and let me know why you think another alternative might be better. It isn't set in stone for me. I have a few friends trying different ones at the same time. I just don't want to go crazy, myself!

My biggest worry is that it keeps asking me permission to access my Reader. I am worried that something is going to go very wrong in July. I admit, I saved my reader files to my computer, just in case. However, Feedly did address the issue here:

I just hope they are right!

EDITED TO ADD: I just found this interesting article and it confirms that Feedly was the right choice for me. But please take a look at it's comparison of the two HERE to see which might fit you the best!

WIP: Last minute post

2013-03-13T18:29:00.001-05:00

I was about to type up my WIP post earlier, but was distracted by white smoke!

I don't expect everyone to understand all the hype about the Pope, but it is a very exciting thing for us in our home! I am not one to wave my Catholic flag because I respect that so many others have other religious organizations they belong to or not at all! I am just super glad that the boys were home from Spring Break to see it live!

Now that I just gushed my excitement...back to quilting!!!

Things are relatively quiet since we had company in town taking advantage of the fact that the boys are home from school this week!

I had a finish RIGHT before they arrived and did some hand sewing late in the evenings!

Finishes:

The Giant Star

Still love this quilt today as much as I did Monday!!! I highly recommend this quilt to anyone looking to use their large motif prints, especially if you have Fat Quarter bundles waiting for a good project.

In Progress:

Spiders and Webs, part deux Quilt

I have been working on the binding the last few days.

Actually...it is done, but I haven't done a quilt label yet. I am determined to do a quilt label before I call it a full finish.

Stars and Stripes

35 white hexies basted

15 to go. Not to mention that I still have to address the blue stars. I am still thinking hand embroidered stars. I still have 3 more months to get it done, right?

No Progress:

I was going to list all of my quilts, but decided that I would list the quilt that is next in line and needs my attention.

Rodeo Quilt

It is waiting for me to get quilted. The Houston Rodeo is almost over. My goal is to have it all done by the Championships on Saturday. Why? Just because.

I am also actually chuckling...as if a quilt has the ability to beg and whine for me to quilt it!

I must be a quilter if I think my quilts can *speak* to me!

Hope everyone is doing well this week!

Since it is on my mind...do other religions have interesting traditions for the "passing of the baton" of leadership like the Catholic Church? I have learned a bit through the years about other religions, but do not pretend to know them well!

I am really truly interested!!!

Linkin up!

Giant Star Quilt

2013-03-10T21:54:00.000-05:00

This quilt was a tough one to let go.

My only regret?

Not getting a better photo of it!!

A good friend that I scrapbook with asked me if I would make her coming granddaughter a quilt as a gift. I have decided that baby quilts are some of my favorites. There is something very satisfying about making something for someone so tiny.

My friend sent me this photo of the twin bedset that was going to go in the room with the crib.

Source: Unknown

I have learned that mommas normally have plans for their nurseries, so I try to get something that matches the set, but the pattern can be a bit different so it can live in the room on a chair or on the floor for tummy time...unless of course, they DO want it in their crib.

I started with the colors and grabbed up these two fat quarter bundles by Free Spirit.

Free Spirit Bundles:::: Left: Novella by Valori Wells, Right: The Painted Garden by Dana Designs.

The Painted Garden by Dana Designs for Free Spirit

and Novella fat quarter by Valori Wells for Free Spirit

I then fell in love with this Giant Vintage Star pattern by In Color Order.

I hope you can tell how amazing the large motifs played out in my rendition!
One important note! I DID not go with the 18 inch squares that she has in the tutorial. I went much smaller and used 12 inch squares so my final size was 40 x 40 inches.

Most of the points are made up of fat quarters from The Painted Garden. I used one Novella fat quarter that had the orange "seeds" because I needed one more softer blue to match the original bedroom set.

I also went with the Madrona Road Memoirs text fabric instead of the gray fabrics from The Painted Garden. It wasn't that they would have been awful, but I craved a bit of consistency for the background in order not to distract from the amazing star point prints!

I mean, seriously?

How can you resist the words "Sweet Dreams" or "Prince" or "gypsy" that are in it!

Madrona Road Memoirs Text in cream

I don't know if you can tell, but there is a faint beige/off white design in the background of the already amazing text. It finalized my decision to choose a beige thread for quilting to blend in.

Pantograph Design: Lida on Handiquilter Avante

I'm also extremely happy with the pantograph design called Lida by Golden Threads. The swirls are just the right density to make a nice overall pattern for a pattern that didn't need "help".

Rosebud Minky

I am in love with this rosebud minky. It is super soft. The one drawback is that it actually didn't enhance the quilting on the backside, but rather, hid it. But, I didn't mind because I really did adore the pattern the swirls make!!

My friend wanted to have her granddaughter's name embroidered somewhere on the quilt. By choosing the text fabric print for the background, I felt that no matter what font or color I chose, it would compete with the text.

I admit, I haphazardly made a star block out of white with the remaining scraps from one of the star points from the front. But I am pretty happy with the results

Binding: Tula Pink Lazy Stripe

The binding is again...one of those things meant to be! I really didn't want to go scrappy with the leftover fat quarters, so I hunted my own shelves for some choices. This cool orange and pink striped fabric popped out at me and did not want to be ignored. The oranges and pinks were an exact match and I just couldn't get over it.

I didn't really realize how fate decided to help me out until I was typing up the post and checking my selvage edges.

It is designed by none other than Birds and Bees by Tula Pink for Free Spirit.
Yup....Meant to be.

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 40 x 40 inches

Pattern: Giant Vintage Star by Incoloroder.com

Quilt Top: The Painted Garden by Dana Designs for Free Spirit

and Novella fat quarter by Valori Wells for Free Spirit
Backing: Rosebud in Pink (Hobby Lobby)
Binding: Lazy Stripe in Orange and Pink from Birds and Bees by Tula Pink for Free Spirit
Pantograph Pattern: Lida by Golden Threads
Quilted by: Heidi Grohs (me) on my Handiquilter Longarm Avante

I will miss this quilt dearly.

Stunned

2013-03-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

I honestly don't think I have ever made such progress in one week, like I have this past week! I will try to be short and sweet with my comments because this is going to be a full post!

Finishes:

Teen Boy's Throw Pillows

His Marquette U. logo pillow that came with a big surprise on his birthday.

And the other boring *yawn* pillows.

I have to admit...I like the four quadrant striped one!

Turtle Quilt

Finally done!

The process took much longer than I wanted, but you can see all the details HERE finally made me happy.

In Progress:

Giant Vintage Star

Quilted it this weekend.

Binding is attached and on to hand sewing!

Rodeo Quilt

Cut my binding!

I opted for WOF cuts so that I could keep the diagonal stripe. I just have to finish piecing the back and it is next on my list.

Primarily Sean's Quilt

Quilted swirls.

However, a debacle.

Me. Doubting my original measurements when I loaded it.

Do you see that I am 4 inches short on my backing?!?!? I now have to piece more backing to my already pieced backing. I am a bit frustrated...so it sits and waits for me to gird my loins, as they say.

Spiders and Webs

On Ole Betsy as we speak.

Opted to make sure I remembered how to meander in case someone asks me to do it for them. It isn't my favorite style, but it was a welcome and brainless after the debacle on the one above!

No Progress:

Who cares?!?! Did you see all that stuff up above??

Linking up

Just Keep Swimming...

2013-03-05T13:07:00.002-06:00

Oh wait! I'm not swimming anymore! I'm DONE!!

The turtle applique quilt is on its way home!! This quilt idea has been interesting, frustrating, and quite a journey. I was commissioned by a special mom that I had worked on a Butterfly Kiss project for her other daughter. She contacted me because she had a Pottery Barn crib set, but she couldn't get the actual quilt.

Pottery Barn Kids

I had her send me pictures from her room and all of the bedding she did have so I could make sure I coordinated as best as I could. The pink quilt she bought was plain, but had some actually really pretty hand quilted effects.

It was at that point, I knew that I wouldn't feel "right" about just machine appliqueing on some turtles and sending it back. I found this sweet seersucker fabric so that the turtle backs would have some texture.

My biggest concern was that it would look like I added the turtles after it was quilted. Granted, yes, I was adding them after, but I really wanted it to feel like the end result was exactly how it would be if I were making the quilt from the start!

To get a bit of dimension that I was looking for, I fused some batting to the backside before appliqueing the turtle backs on. I did hand needle turn applique on all of the pieces.

I added some seersucker flowers because one of the prints that she had for nursery had "girl" turtles with flowers tucked in behind their "ears". I also added embroidery floss stitches on each turtle back bout 1/2 inch from the edges.

I wasn't truly happy with the entire quilt until I decided to blanket stitch all of the solid pieces. I started with the seaweed first because it was the making me the least happy.

And when I finished them, I realized that the turtle bodies needed the added touch too!.

It made them look less "glued" on that way.

I also changed my mind about doing a machine embroidered name.

It seemed that it just was too commercial looking when I went to all the trouble of doing the handwork on the rest of the quilt.

The only downfall? I still have chronic swelling of my hands and finger from my surgery. The process that normally would be pretty quick for me, became laboriously slow and tedious.

But it was worth it!

Now I just hope Momma and Finley are happy with it!!!