vacation is a wonderful thing

Oh, I have had a busy, busy week. Son home from college, Thanksgiving, 3 days vacation, SSCS sent off and the best Black shopping weekend I have ever had.

I put the binding on my niece's quilt and finished that project up. I made a doll quilt for the daughter of our adopted family at work. She asked for a baby doll and what is a doll without a doll quilt. These 2 projects with the baby quilt from last week put me 1 over what I had committed to for Finn's finish challenge. Woo hoo! I have also gotten a number of Christmas presents into various stages of completion. Things are going pretty well in the Christmas readiness department.

I just spent the best, first Christmas shopping weekend ever. I totally avoided the stores and took a 3 day beginning weaving class! Finally, I learned how to use my new/old loom. It was determined in the class that I got a great deal. Every time a tool or gadget was mentioned, it was something I received with my loom. It became a joke. We only found 1, totally optional, item that if I want to use I will have to buy. I came home from the class having learned how to warp, calculate materials, fix the most common errors, different ways to remove projects and how to do 6 different styles of weaving. I need quite a bit of practice to neaten up my selvages and make things more even. There was one rug weaving type I will probably never do again, but all of the others I already have projects swimming around in my head. I'm not sure when I am going to have time to actually weave, but I really enjoy it. Some day I am going to retire. I will have lots and lots to do.
Oops. I almost forgot my stash report:
fabric in none
fabric out 10 1/2 yards.

longarm quilters look away

As promised, a better post from my 2 day quilting vacation with my friend April. She let me borrow her longarm so I could quilt the quilt I made for my niece for Christmas. I started with a baby quilt top I had pieced a while ago to get some practice and a feel for it. Luckily, I don't think you can see the stitches very well. I'm sure if a professional didn't heed the warning in my subject and is looking they are cringing right now. I'm pleased simply because it is done. No home for it yet, but I like to have baby quilts on hand just in case. Another project finish to add to my tally for Finn's challenge.
My niece's quilt is all ready for the binding then I can get it wrapped up for Christmas. That will complete my commitment for project finishes for the challenge. Everything from there out is icing on the cake. :D
I also completed: my SSCS for my partner in Chookyblue's swap; something for another Christmas swap I am doing; and some sock knitting for me. I can't post pictures of the presents until after they are opened, but April really likes them so I am hoping my partners will as well.
I also taught April how to knit cables. She was so excited. I sent her off happily knitting a 3 cable Irish Hiking scarf.
I had a really hard time going to work this morning. It was so much more fun sewing and hanging out.

another week of stashbusting

I was working so late on projects last night that I forgot to do my stashbusting report. This morning I was up and off to my friend April's for a day of sewing. I can't post pictures because most everything is a Christmas present, but I'll have some pictures after our second day tomorrow.

Stashbusting last week:
nothing in
2 1/2 yards out

Yay me!

stashbusting

Not a huge week in terms of fabric usage. Only 1/2 yard used, but I finished this project. I'm delivering it to my friend at work tomorrow. It's good to have it finished. I also finished a pair of socks and started another. DS surprised us by coming home from college for the weekend. We were happy to see him, but it threw off all the things I had planned.
Stash report--
Still nothing in.
1/2 yard out.
1 project to check off on Finn's challenge. :D

happy, happy, joy, joy

I love "fall back". That extra hour really comes in handy. It is also more in tune with my natural body clock. Much easier to get up in the morning.

We started out this weekend picking up our furniture from prison. One of the correction centers in Maine does furniture upholstering. Our living room couch and chairs are almost 20 years old. I have been trying to find new ones for a few years, but couldn't find anything I liked as well as what I have that we could afford. Most people throw away instead of refurbish so there aren't a lot of upholstery shops left. My mom had mentioned that she thought the inmates in Windham did it so I looked it up online and they did. It took me quite a while to find fabric, but I dropped them off 4 weeks ago. The results are just what we were hoping for. I had them do the chair with the reverse of the fabric for a little variation.

I was so happy with my new furniture it made me want to make the curtains I bought fabric for last year. One pair finished, three more to go.

I had a good stashbusting week. I backed my friend's quilt. All that's left is the buttonholes and buttons. I'm also counting my curtains as stashbusting. It's not quilting, but that fabric has been in my stash for a year.

Fabric in - not a thing

Fabric out - 5 1/2 yards

Last thing. I don't know about you guys, but November 4th can not get here soon enough for me. I am so tired of the "approved by" adds. The poll calls and the "vote for" signs everywhere. I'm going to do my part and vote, but I'm tempted not to because at this point they are all just annoying me.