{this moment}

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{this moment} - Every Friday.
A single photo - no words - capturing a simple, special moment from the week.
A moment I want to savor and remember forever.

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If you're inspired to do the same,
leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for others to find and see. (SouleMama)

:: Swooning

After watching Camille's quilting class on Craftsy, I was so excited to start her Swoon quilt and use some of the cutting techniques I learned. (side note: her class is terrific)  We needed a quilt for our guest bedroom, but I wanted to branch out and do something different, and this Chicopee fabric by Denyse Schmidt was just the thing.

After it was all pieced together I tried to straight-line quilt it.   But being 80x80", I had to quilt the same direction each time (rather than rotating), so after about 7 lines, the backing fabric was gradually shifting.  As much as I don't like ripping, I knew it had to come out.

After getting a little advice from some of my Instagram friends, I started over.  Their suggestions made all the difference:  Use spray basting, or use extra pins.  Naturally, I did both.

It worked beautifully - perfectly.  And I'll never straight-line quilt a large quilt again without doing those 2 things. (thanks ladies!)

 The binding I made from my leftover scraps.  Have I ever mentioned I love scrappy bindings?

Pattern: Swoon by Camille Roskelley

Fabric: Chicopee (with a little Anna Maria Horner thrown in)
Solid white: Moda Bella bleached white 97
Backing: king sized sheet (on clearance for $7)

:: Getting around to it

I might have mentioned I've been doing a lot of painting lately: wall painting.  And now I'm starting in on all those pieces of furniture that have been needing redone forever.  Girl 1 and girl 2 just got a white wood bunk-bed to share, which was just the push I needed to paint girl 3's bed. 

I started by giving it a light sand.

After I dusted it off, I primed first in the cracks, and then (because I was feeling lazy) I just used the brush to paint primer on the flat areas too (rather than dirty a roller for such a small amount of flat surface).

After the primer dried, I used Home Depot's Ultra Pure White in semi-gloss (to match the bunk-beds), and finished it off with 2 coats, letting it dry between.

Definitely more feminine for a little girl.  Now she just needs her quilt.

:: Square One quilt finished

Recently I finished up my Square One quilt I blogged about last November.  I began it a few years ago (yes, years), and finally finished up.  One thing I do:  I finish things - even if it takes me a long time.  But that's how it goes when you have a house full of sweet children, summer in swing, painting projects (my family is sick of hearing about my gray paint woes), company in town, and constant trips to the pool.  Sewing is such a great hobby for me, though.  It doesn't have to be rushed, and it's one of the few things in my life that sits patiently and waits for me.

I'm always an equal mixture of nervousness and excitement whenever I prepare to start free-motion quilting.  It's probably one of my favorite parts, because it's the most challenging for me.  I bought my little Bernina 1001 in 1996 with the gift money given to me for my high school graduation.  It's a solid mechanical machine, with no bells and whistles, but it sews smooth straight seams and holds up like a champ.  And I figure if I can learn to free-motion quilt on this little lady, I can upgrade someday without feeling like I'm cheating.  =)

This pattern used honey bun rolls (1.5" strips) and used the leftover strips to make a scrappy, raw-edge binding.  It's the first raw edge binding I've ever done, and I'm in love with the way it instantly makes a quilt look soft and loved.  And it's just plain fun to try something new.

I changed the layout of this quilt to be a longer, narrower rectangle.  Since Colorado cools down so nicely in the evenings, in the morning we use quilts to snuggle under as we have our quiet times.  I wanted this quilt to be just wide enough to cover little toes, but long enough to cover multiple little bodies sitting in a row.

'Finished size: 74"x45"

Quilt fabric: Moda Arcadia

Solid fabric: Moda Bella solid Snow

Pattern: Square One in Camille Roskelley's book Simplify

 My, it feels good to finish something.  And to be able to use it - even better!

:: Summertime

I know this blog of mine has been quiet.  Things here have been so busy it seems I never have time to tell you about it. Between painting (lots and lots of painting), trips to the pool, company, and get-togethers, we are staying happily busy.
Last fall our oldest son turned 8, and was finally old enough to officially join 4-H.  He has 2 older cousins who have done Shooting Sports the last few years, so of course that's what he wanted to try. Even though Jack is the youngest shooter on the team, he absolutely loves it, and is doing really well.  County Shoot is in a few weeks, so everyone's gearing up for that.

(Daniel & Luke - Jack's cousins)

Every Thursday at 5pm, you'll find our family at the local shooting range, watching the boys

shoot, climbing trees, digging in the sand hill, eating a pot-luck dinner with the shotgun team and cousins, and generally getting covered in dirt and dust.  Thankfully the kids have a good time - then I give them baths when we get home. 

Alaina and Ellie

My folks came too

 Yep, it's a good time.