Cuckoo Divided Basket

I like to make handmade gifts for people, especially those that I know appreciate the time and effort that go into making something myself. My sister is one of those people. I couldn't come up with an idea for her for Christmas, but then she rearranged her bedroom and needed a better way to organize some of the stuff she keeps by the side of her bed. Enter the divided basket pattern by Anna at Noodlehead. I had bought the pattern a little while before, but hadn't yet tried it out. So, I gathered the needed supplies and went to work.



I picked this cuckoo clock print as my focal fabric and then pulled some other prints from my stash.

I decided not to cover the webbing with fabric to eliminate an extra step, but I do think that the baskets I've seen that have fabric covered handles are super cute.

I also think that the center divider needs something a little stiffer. It definitely serves its purpose by separating the items in the basket, but I think I'll switch it up a little bit next time. I also want to play around with adding more dividers. My mom asked for a basket like this and that she can insert into her ginormous purse that can help organize the contents a little better. I'll have to fiddle with the pattern a bit to get it to work the way I want.

I'm really pleased with how the basket turned out and plan to make a bunch more. I can see a lot of fun color combos playing well in this basket. I think it would be fun too to leave out the divider and have a nice big basket for storing some of my little one's toys in downstairs in the living room.

WIP Tracking: February Update

We’re about six weeks into 2013 and I thought it’d be fun to check in and talk a little about how my WIP tracking is going.

I’m happy to report that I’ve finished FIVE quilts this year. Five quilts in six weeks! I have to admit that this spreadsheet is probably the sole reason I have been so productive this year and how I’ve been almost 100% good at sticking to my goals (that pixelated heart quilt snuck in there before I knew what I was doing – more on that later). The nerd in me gets really excited to cross each item off my list. It really is quite motivating.

Another thing that I think has helped me this year is creating more of a balance in my life. As a full-time working mother of three little ones, it’s difficult to find/make time for myself. I used to try to eke out sewing time anytime I could get it, which unfortunately meant I wasn’t always focusing on the other things in my life that need attention. I read an article several months ago about multi-tasking and how it can make you less efficient. The article really struck a chord with me. I’ve found myself trying to do 50 things at once and it’s no wonder why I stress out so easily. While multi-tasking has its benefits, it often tends to deprive my mind of the ability to put all my brain-power into one thing and really “be present.” So, I’ve made a few small changes this year.

1. I no longer try to sew on the weekends. I choose to “be present” with my family as our time all together is so rare and precious. I may sew a little bit Sunday nights after my kids are asleep.
2. I only sew when my kids have gone to bed for the night. I choose to “be present” for my kids when I get home from work. Some days, that means I sew from 7:30 to 11. Other nights, I sew from 7:30 to 8:30.
3. I don’t sew at all on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Mondays and Wednesdays are my longer days at work, so I don’t even try to get in any sewing time. Those days are busy enough.
4. I don’t sew on the nights when my husband is home. I choose to “be present” with him and enjoy our time together.

Basically, I only sew Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights, with maybe the occasional Sunday night thrown in for good measure.

At first, it was hard to decide not to sew this day or that day, but over time, I’ve found it easier to not even plan on sewing during the times I mentioned above because then I’m not disappointed if it doesn’t work out. It also makes me a lot more productive during the sewing time that I do have. I make a plan of attack for each sewing session and spend less time trying to figure out what I’m in the mood to work on. Plus, other tasks don’t get delayed because I’m trying to finish just one more thing… (Dinner and bedtime were often delayed because I didn’t stop when I should have.)

 

Overall, I’m really pleased with how 2013 is shaping up to be. I’m well on my way to finishing the projects I started over the last two years. (Pretty much six to go!)

 

On the fabric-buying front, I’ve been really good with my use the stash goal. I’ve made a few purchases, but most were using gift cards, and they were for projects for which I needed more of a specific fabric to finish it up.

 

If any of you have started tracking your WIPs, I’d love to hear about it. Any tips that work for you that you’d like to share?

Quilting To Do List

A few weeks back, the mister and I took time off work to do some home improvement projects. No sewing got done that week, but I finally made a list of the quilts I wanted to make based on some of the fabric in my stash. (There's something about knowing what my fabric will be used for that makes me feel a little more in control and organized.) After making the list I realized that there are a lot of to-be quilts designated as "for me." I hope that's not as selfish as it sounds.


A few of the quilts are going to be designs that I want to try: stacked coins, Oh Fransson's New Wave, disappearing nine-patch. Not on the list yet is a half-square triangle turned zig zag quilt (which I've heard from a few in my quilt guild group can be scary) for my sister's birthday.


I was thinking last night about the advent calendar I want to make. The mister's grandma has an embroidery machine and I'm half tempted to ask her if she can help me embroider the numbers on each pocket. The idea of appliquéing all those teeny numbers makes me a little crazy. The only problem is that she lives about 2 hours away. But, then again, it could be a nice day trip for us to head up as a family and she can spend some time with her great-grandkids.

*Did you see at the bottom of the list "Arcadia - wonky blocks - Josh"? That's the mister's quilt project. I'm pleased as punch that he wanted to make a quilt by himself for himself!

Springing to finish

I made a to-do list a while back. It really helped me to feel like I had some sort of order amid all the chaos that can sometimes be my life. As an extension of making that list (I love lists, by the way), I joined Jacquie from Tallgrass Prairie Studios in her Spring to Finish Challenge.

The idea is to complete all those unfinished projects (or UFOs as she calls them) you've got lying around by May 31st. I think it's a great idea because I can apply it not only to sewing/quilting, but also to my house projects. Of course, the bulk of what I'm attempting to complete will be sewing related, but I also have a few organizational things in mind for around the house. And since the mister is planning on taking a few days off in the next little while, we'll be all set to get some things done together.

So, whether you're into quilting or not, I hope you'll consider joining us in this challenge.

Organizing my stash

I went to get goodies for our Easter baskets yesterday. Since my two kiddos are young and just starting to get a feel for holidays (well, at least the oldest is) we haven't done Easter baskets before. Instead of just doing junk, we opted to get them a couple sweets and a toy. While I was shopping, I decided to get gifts for my husband and myself as well. For me, some bins to start organizing my fabric stash.

Here is most of my fabric. Keep in mind that I'm a beginner and didn't really start buying fabric until December 09. I have some more fabric that wouldn't fit in this three-drawer organizer. It's still in my cedar chest.


The top drawer has most of the designer fabric I've bought. There's some Blush, Oz, Panache, the fat quarter pack I won, Figgy Pudding, Cutie Pie, Arcadia, Goodnight Monkey, and some others that I can't think of off the top of my head.


The second drawer has most of what I've bought at Joann's for different projects. Skirts and pillow covers, the spring quilt, scraps from my sister and mom, etc.


The bottom drawer has my flannel. There is flannel for two rag quilts to be made in there as well as the leftovers from the two rag quilts I made in the last few months for my kiddos.


I love having my fabric better organized. Although I need to buy at least one more unit, it's nice getting the fabric out of the plastic bags they came home in and into something a little more see-through and accessible.


Maybe organizing my stash this way will be a good way of getting the big TV off the floor. Maybe we'll have to get a new flat screen to hang on the wall and make floor space for the fabric bins. The mister would love that!

Stay tuned: This weekend I'm going to work on finishing piecing the top of my Life Is What You Make It quilt as well as piecing the eight remaining stars/pinwheels for my Swirling Stars quilt.