2013 Year in Review

Well, 2013 has been a busy, but wonderful year.  We've had one cross country move, one short distance move, lots of additional travels to see family, a new job for Mr. Trio, health highs & health lows, a new (to us) car, weddings-- whew!  And I'm quite sure I'm leaving plenty out!  The Trio family has had plenty to be thankful for this past year, and we are looking forward to what 2014 has in store for us!

Despite all the busyness, I've managed to get quite a bit of sewing in.  Only four quilt finishes this year.  A goal for me in 2014 will be to turn out a few more quilts.  I'd love to say one a month, but that may be aiming to high!

1. Nautical Wonky Star Quilt (a.k.a. a quilt for my mom) 2. Chloe's Graduation Quilt 3. Modern Maples Quilt 4. Herringbone Quilt

You may remember that at the start of 2013 I started my first block of the month (BOM) quilt group... way back when we lived in Colorado still-- it feels like a lifetime ago already.  Sadly I did not get to far into this project before things got in the way.  Between the move and other sewing obligations this project seemed to find itself on the back-burner.  I refuse to beat myself up over it though, and still have hopes of finishing it up, albeit a little late.

Block of the Month- Blocks 1 & 2, 3 & 4, 5 & 6

2013 was the "Year of the Pillow" as far as birthday gifts were concerned.  They are such fun & quick projects.  I only managed to eek out one Swoon block this year.  I just need to accept that my Swoon quilt is a slow sew project for me-- fitting in a block here and there when I can.  I DO want to finish it this year though.  Our master bed desperately needs a homemade quilt!

1. Jenn's Pillow 2. Jess' Pillow 3. Sherry's Pillow 4. Kathy's Pillow 5. Christmas Pillows 6. Swoon Block

 And finally, lots and lots of smaller, miscellaneous projects.  Some blogged about, some not. 

1. Unnamed Block 2. X & + Block 3. Spring & Summer Table Runner 4. PacMan Zippy Pouch 5. Large Make-up Zippy Bag 6. iPad Case 7. Wine Totes 8. Double Sided Table Runner 9. Perfect Tote 10. 241 Tote 11. Terry's iPad Cover 12. Make-up Rolls

 New Years resolutions aren't really a thing I do; however, I do have some sewing goals in mind...

1. Start a sketch book to capture my quilt ideas.

2. Crank out more than 4 quilts this year.  One of them MUST be my Swoon quilt!

3. Practice free motion quilting.

4. Continue to push myself outside my color comfort zone.

5. Learn to use my new (to me) Serger.

6. Try my hand a garment sewing.  A Wiksten Tova top to be specific.

7. Sign up for another craft/art fair.

8. Return to blogging once a week.

How about you, do you have any goals or resolutions this year? 

Wishing everyone a safe and happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

I kept myself super busy this past week finishing up some holiday gifts.  Small stocking stuffers to be precise.  This past weekend we traveled to northern Virginia to celebrate an early Christmas with my family, and I made a little something to put in everyones stocking.  

The ladies all received travel make-up rolls.They were really a lot of fun to put together, and picking out the fabric for each person was a blast.   The pattern for the rolls was created by Rachel at Stitched in Color.  Instead of the button and loop closure I went with simple ties instead... I found I prefer the finished look of a bow tie closure.

The top flap folds down nicely to keep everything in its place.  Then simply roll and tie.  The pattern comes with a variety of pocket options so that you can customize your roll.  I particularly liked that the pockets could be pleated-- it makes them roomy enough for a thick compact to go in if desired. 

 

These make great gifts, and I certainly see more of them in my future! 

I had big sewing plans for this week which will be way-laid-- my machine has the hiccups and needs to be taken into the shop for some TLC.  We head out at the end of this week to spend time with Mr. Trio's family for Christmas.  I hope to be back with a smooth operating machine when we return!

What ever holiday you may celebrate, may it be filled with family, friends, and love!

Happy holidays!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

On an average year I'm grumbling how holidays should be taken one at a time... don't put Christmas out before Thanksgiving... blah, blah, blah.  But this is no average year-- I have been bitten by the Christmas bug and we're not even through Thanksgiving yet!

Today, being cold and snowy, seems to be the perfect time to share my new Christmas pillows with you all.  I have three more to go, but they are going to have to wait.  Tomorrow begins the baking and pre-cooking for Thursday-- Thanksgiving day!

I'll be back shortly after Thanksgiving to share a big project with you!
I hope you all have a wonderful time with your families celebrating all that you have to be thankful for!

Pretty Geese All in a Row...

Well, I think I am all caught up on late birthdays now!  Whew!

This pillow was made for my exceptionally nurturing, compassionate, and loving step-mother, Kathy.

Happy (very) belated birthday Kathy!

It feels good to be back at it-- until the past two weeks I hadn't gotten much sewing done for quite awhile.  Something about working on this pillow has gotten me back on a roll though.  I find piecing flying geese blocks very calming... zen like almost.  It was just what I needed.

The finished pillow measured 16" x 16".  The majority of fabrics used are from Pat Bravo's Alhambra II line, with a few Denyse Schmidt prints mixed in, and Kona Solid Navy.  It was pieced and quilted using 50wt Aurifil thread in white.

I used a hidden zipper closure for the back of the pillow.  I've come to really love this method as opposed to just an overlapped pocket in the back.  It gives a nice clean look to the finished product.  

And in other birthday-ish news... three years ago this week we adopted our little guy, Boone!  Although he's not so little nowadays.  While he's been giving us heartburn taking off after deer lately, there is no end to the joy he brings to our lives!

Birthday Catch-up

I'm embarrassed to own up, but this present is for a birthday that was back in early July (insert head hanging in shame).  Funny how time can get the better of you, wouldn't you agree?
But this belated iPad cover has finally made its way to the recipient-- the kindest, most big & warm hearted person I know, our Uncle Terry.  Happy (late) birthday Terry!

  Once again I used One Shabby Chick's iPad cover tutorial.  My only modification was to add the front pocket, which I have started to add every time I make one now.  Terry had expressed some time ago that he liked the deer silhouette I had done on a pillow (here), and asked if I could do the same think with an image of our dog Boone.

Easy enough, Boone's silhouette was added using raw edge applique.  The hardest part was finding a photo of him with a good side profile to base the template on!  For the fabrics I used Parson Gray prints from the Curious Nature line (great line for masculine fabrics!), and my favorite wood grain print from Joel Dewberry's Aviary 2 line.  LOVE the way this project turned out!

Now that I have a chair for my studio, and a way to listen to my tunes, I should start getting a lot more work done up there!  In my game of birthday catch-up I still need to finish Mr. Trio's gift (late July), and my step-mom's (early August) & I will be done!  I'm so lucky to have patient, loving people in my life!

And in the time that has passed since I last blogged I have celebrated my own birthday (with lots of new fabric to share later), and this past weekend the wedding of my sister & her new husband.  Good times were had by all!!!  My mom stayed to visit for a few days after the wedding and we did a mini shop hop of quilt stores in New York and Pennsylvania. We had a wonderful time.  Now I'm ready for life to settle back into routine, and to start hearing the hum of my sewing machine!

Thank you, as always, for stopping by!

A Tote Worthy of Vegas!

Ta-da!  I've finished my tote...

and just in time to take Vegas by storm with it :)

I love how it turned out, and all the bright, fun colors.  I do believe that after 31 years I am finally beginning to warm to the color pink... even if only in certain shades!

Again, this is the "Perfect Tote" pattern by Elizabeth Hartman.  I have a few gripes with the pattern-- mostly that you have to go back and forth through the pages (there are 2 sizes tote in the pattern, and the directions for the two are split throughout), and then a few minor typos that added a smidge of confusion.  But on a whole... what a great tote!  The structure gained by using the duck cloth in her quilt-as-you go method is awesome!  I see another one of these in my future!

Everyone have a wonderful weekend!  I'm off to Vegas for the first time ever (wish me luck), for one of my closest friends' bachelorette parties!!!

Big Project, Little Project

Sometimes when you're cranking away at a big project, you need to take a quick break and spit out a little one.  You know, the kind that is really quick and gives you almost instant gratification.  Well, I was in need just that kind of break.

(I'm beginning to see the end in sight for the big project, you will eventually see it-- I promise!)

 Some time ago, after seeing this pin, I knew exactly how I wanted to patch my next pair of jeans.  At the time though, I had no jeans in need of repair (thankfully).  So when my favorite pair of jeans managed to get a hole in them, I knew exactly what to do! 

I feel like all the other sewing bloggers write about how relaxing hexies are to make,  but this blogger begs to differ.  I suppose hand sewing really just isn't my thing (although I love hand binding my quilts).  Don't get me wrong-- I love to look at them; love the way the come together in the end... I just appreciate it more when others have bled slaved  lovingly perspired over it.  I'm amazed and awe inspired by anyone who can make a whole quilt like this.

With all that said however, I simply adore how my patch came out.

I will patch this way again-- but only patches... and a flower of five at the most!

Happy (early) birthday Jessica!

Happy 25th birthday to my (not so little) little sister!  It's not actually until the 4th, but I was really on top of things for once and got  it out earily.  I'm glad she was as anxious to open her gift as I was to have it opened... I couldn't wait to share it with you all!

It's a simple gray and orange zig-zag pillow cover.  Jess' current favorite color is orange, and her couch is a gray, so I thought this would go perfectly.  

The zigs and the zags and were made using half square triangles, and a plain gray border added to the outside.  It was made to cover an 18 x 18 inch pillow form.  To quilt it I just sewed a quarter inch on each side of the seams, following the zig-zag pattern.  

For the back I used my coveted Moira in Apricot, by Lotta Jansdotter.  And I mean coveted... I've been saving it for about a year and a half, waiting for just the right project.

This is the first time I have made a pillow cover with a zipper closure, I've typically done just an envelope style.  It was so simple  that I am not sure I will ever take another approach again.  I loosely followed this tutorial from Sew Mama Sew.

The zipper hides beautifully.  I didn't match up the prints on the back where the zipper perfectly hides, but come on... I'm not that OCD.

Also, right before I shipped the package out Jess mentioned that she had just run out of the homemade vanilla we had given her, so we sent out another bottle for her.

Jess, we hope you bake up a storm and enjoy your new pillow!

Happy birthday!

Quiet Friday...

We've had a quiet Friday here.

Did some cleaning.

And worked on the t-shirt quilt layout-- it needs some work still.

Boone helped.  Sweet Boone.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

We're off tomorrow morning to pick up my mother-in-law from the airport!

M.I.A.

Sorry for the absence over the past two weeks.  Life got a hold of me I suppose.

Mr. Trio Beautiful and I took a trip to see my dad, step-mom, and sisters-- it was too short, just a weekend trip, but better than nothing!  I finally had the chance to show my hubby where I grew up.

The creek I played in when I was growing up

We took a beautiful day trip into the Blue Ridge Mountains.  And ate at a wonderful restaurant in Front Royal called Apartment 2G.  It was an amazing dining experience... the chefs even allow you into their kitchen.

Since we returned from the trip I've found myself with little time to do the things I need, and want to be doing.  On Saturday we entered the 21st century and finally got ourselves smartphones.  I thought for sure there would be a huge learning curve, but have found my new iPhone to be delightfully straight forward.

I've managed to squeeze in 30 minutes here and there to keep plowing away at this t-shirt quilt for my niece.  

Chop, chop, chop-- I'm making a dent.  This whole process would have been much faster if I didn't hate ironing interfacing so much!  I am hoping on Friday to have the whole layout done where I can begin piecing it all together.  The piecing will have to wait until after Thanksgiving though, my mother-in-law arrives on Saturday for a week long visit.  We are so excited to have her for the holiday!

 One last item of note... we adopted and brought Boone home with us two years ago today.  I cannot even begin to explain the ways in which he has enriched our lives.  He brings so much joy and love into our little homestead.  I spent the morning looking through his puppy photos and can hardly believe how much he has grown-- both in size and demeanor.  

We decided that to mark this special occasion we would attempt to create a "then and now" photo.

 Lol.  I guess he's gotten a bit too big for napping on the couch with us!

My Week: A Photo Journal

Friday to Friday... in photos:

The little Aspen in our backyard

Getting ready to make my camera case

First time I've ever gotten a workout from sewing!  That foam can be difficult to work with!

Sweet Boone

We were treated to a half dozen fresh eggs from someone who keeps chickens-- so we made a sausage, mushroom, and Swiss cheese quiche

The case lining is coming together

Handsome Mr. Trio Beautiful cracking walnuts.  We celebrated two years of wedded bliss this week!

Roasted chicken with root veggies... and chicken noodle soup the next day

Boone having a blast playing in the snow this morning

Almost done...

Done!

For the drawstring bag I used a home dec weight fabric called Sketchbook in blue, from Anna Maria Horner's Drawing Room collection

A peek inside

And a sneak peek at the new project I started today!

Linked up on {Sew} Modern Monday