Children of the Sea Back Completed

Children of the Sea Back

Today I finished the back for Children of the Sea.  On the front side you have the Ocean and some of it's wonderful inhabitants, and then the back side is tropical floral, it is in some ways brighter than the front, and I like that. There is certainly a vibrancy to the backing don't you agree?  The back picks up all the blues, purples, pinks, and teals without repeating them and adds something more, okay a whole lot more.  I added one of the pictures of the front that you've seen before just in case you wanted a reminder.  This quilt certainly gets points for being one of my more difficult to photograph!

Children of the Sea Front

DD's Lunch

On a different note below is a picture of DD's lunch. I know wheat bread would have made the meal a better one but DH has been doing much of our grocery shopping lately, and still it's none to shabby for a nearly 6 year old.  She selected everything about it herself.  I am very blessed that she isn't a picky child.  Now would you believe she didn't want salad dressing?  Nope she likes a dash of balsamic vinegar - if you can believe that.  Granted she wasn't thrilled with the small portion where the vinegar ran to the corner of the bread.  This happened because she ate her salad first, I know what a shock!  And for the record I don't blame her one bit about the vinegar on her sandwich, she let it go after I tore that bit of bread off and set it aside.

Looking at the picture brings up a question.  How do you like your sandwiches?  Whole, cut in half up the middle to make two rectangles or two triangles, or quartered?  I never cut my own sandwich anymore but I will cut a cheeseburger into quarters; as it seems to result in less of my toppings slipping off that way.  DD always wants squares, personally growing up I always wanted triangles.  Triangles were special cut by someone who put thought into cutting the sandwich and perhaps even asked how I wanted it cut.  Squares were the default.  Granted I started making my own by the time I was going into 1st grade...  

No pictures today, just a short post it.  Friday my new Janome 1600P is arriving!  Yippie!  True mine isn't that exact current model, but everything worked out with a friend of a friend.  Now my quilting frame will no longer be lonely - and I need to invest in some UV blocking film for my living room.  Can you recommend any?

Today I cut all the fabrics for my Children of the Sea quilt back so hopefully that one wont have me scratching my head the way Tropical Waves back is. No worries there I think I stumbled onto the answer earlier today when I was stacking the backing fabric.

Tropical Waves Backing Borders

I've been working on the back for Tropical Waves this afternoon, and I thought I'd show you where I'm stopping today.  I'm really not sure about that Amy Butler Fabric at the top and bottom, but I think it will flow better after I have another border or two on.  Currently the back is 42.5" x 81.25" and ideally I need it to be 59"x98" to give me a 2" comfort zone around the outside of my already made Tropical Waves Top, I don't know about you but I'm feeling like a child's book saying "How many borders will it take?  1, 2, 3, 4... over and over.

In the mean time I thought I'd photograph a picture of my "tidy mess" so you can see I'm not crazy and I have to say if you think it's a real mess, I could certainly show you a mess or two.  Mess what mess?  That's how quilts grow isn't it?

Beginning A Back for Tropical Waves

I've been entertaining the notion of a purple batik for the back of my Tropical Waves Quilt.  But I've been unable to find anything that really sparks my fancy, so today the top caught my eye and I started pulling out fabrics that looked like maybe they would match for the back.  One single orphan block later, it started to come together.  I like the way I grew the first block so well that I made a second just the same. I'm not certain where to go from here, but it's nearly dinner time and I have much to do before I call it time to make dinner.

One thought I had was to grow them up side by side like this, but I think perhaps I'd like to spilt them up a bit more like the picture below.  Or maybe I should flip them again this time off point?  Time will tell and hopefully some inspiration will find me in the next 12 hours or so.  I'm not on a deadline, but it sure would be fun to come back to my tidy little mess and work on this a bit more.  Haha, got you with my tidy little mess didn't I?  Pet the pet, and hug the family, okay?

Christmas Quilt-A-Long Year 2 June BOM

This morning I finished up the BOM's for the Christmas Quilt-A-Long for this month.  Now, I know what you're thinking and I'll tell you this much is certain as long as it's completed in the month it was given you're golden.  Or in this case pink and purple.  I liked the star points even though they gave me fits and I tried to cut off the top of my finger with the rotary cutter (and succeeded in sheering off the corner!)  I like the way they "X" into one another, it's intriguing in it's simplicity.  Perhaps I'll revisit these little "X's" in the future.

I have settled on a machine for the Inspira Frame, and hopefully in the near future I'll be saying things like "on the frame".  Now wouldn't that be nice?  As I didn't want to purchase a second stitch regulator, so I was limited to the Janome 1600, the Pfaff Grand Quilter, and the Viking Mega Quilter.  A friend of a friend just happened to have a Janome 1600P so hopefully very soon it will be happily stitching away for me, or perhaps that's better said "stitching with me".  Either way I'm very exited and happy dreaming of threads, backings, and the oodles of batting I'm sure to need.

In preparation I purchased some plain yardage, just right for stitching a whole cloth for practice.  I plan to draw some directly on the fabric, use my pantograph shelf for others, and of course a bit free form practice as well.  After that I'm hoping to load the Baby Clothes Quilt from way back, but time will tell if I'm ready to switch from the 5' size to the longer 10' size by then.  Would you believe I'm hoping to stitch feathers on my sashing for that quilt?  Here's hoping anyway.  I guess I figure I have already completed the first one (and it's been on the bed for two winters now) so I can't mess it up; this quilt is all "extra".  So we'll have to see how that goes.

Children of the Sea Top Finished

Hooray for my Children of the Sea Quilt top as this one joins the list of quilts waiting to experience the new frame.  I added the waves Thursday and Friday I finished stitching all the dolphins.  So at 70"x90" this top is waiting for me to find the perfect back.  Of course I went shopping today and plum forgot to look for a back for this beauty.

This time the quilt was proving to be very difficult to photograph.  So at the top you have an approximate over all.  In the middle you have a close up of my hand stitched dolphins, thank you Penny and Sue for your insights there.  And lastly is a look at my waves and how they come together on the side of the quilt.

I also kicked out all my mending, yes by actually fixing it if you were wondering and have started on my two Christmas Quilt-a-long BOM's, no real progress there yet, though I will admit I switched the medium fabric for the dark one because it made the cute frog flannel I selected really pop.

Waves for Children of the Sea

Yes, I said I'd get back to you tomorrow, but these curves are more challenging and time consuming than I'd thought as it's taken me since then to get to this point.  Currently I have the top, the bottom, and about 3/4ers of one of the sides done.  What do you think?  I'm also halfway done with my hand stitching on the dolphins - no photos of those as the ones I've just completed mostly look like the ones you already saw, just nine of those left to go.

Christmas Quilt-A-Long Year 2 June Dinner Calls

Well the good news is that I figured out what was wrong with the curvy strips I cut.  You see the directions I had didn't say wrong sides together or anything, it just said "stack", so I thought I was being oh so smart and cut them wrong sides together.  WRONG.  They both should have been "right side up".  So I've been working on dealing trying to save all that I've cut and I'm just starting to see the light at the end of trying to match and recut the random waves I'd already cut.  Here's the update picture.  Not sure if I'll be able to get back to them today or if I'll work on them some more tomorrow.

So for the record these are pieced curves (the next time I hint at that promise to yell at me) not appliqué and my strips are 120" long.  Oh yes, that's because I knew how hard it would be to match essentially random waves and since they had to be 90" why not make them a little longer to help with my future efforts on the sides?  Do you know what 120" does to your arms?  If you have ever done freemotion (at any size) you know, it makes them ache!  LOL.  The waves are looking pretty and I'm glad of that.  Hope everyone had a day full of stitches. Only the laughter and the quilting kinds of course!!!

Christmas Quilt-A-Long Year 2 June Lunch

Yesterday, I had worked myself up for so many days about what I would sew on our Christmas Quilt-a-long day that I went and put in some time on my Earth Turtles, as I couldn't stand it another day, I added two more to my collection.  That brings me up to four and as this will be a twin size quilt unlike it's own twin the full/queen Hawaiian Ocean Appliqué Quilt this one is already half way done!

So what was I to do today?  Work on the ocean wave border for Children of the Sea of course.  Not much to show there, as after at least an hour of ironing and a while of cutting curves; few minutes ago I found myself quite lost when I started to line up everything to sew and thought it best to take a time out for lunch.

DD has gotten into the swing of things and did a bit of artwork of her own on fabric.  Not bad for a first try, especially as I'm sure we've all tried to write on fabric for some reason at some point and know what a challenge it can be.  Just in case you're wondering I'm nearly certain the girl in purple is sticking her tongue out.  Hooray for the Christmas Spirit.

Happy Stitching!

I Stitched after all

Sorry about complaining like that yesterday.  I try very hard to hold my peace but on days like that sometimes my emotions get the best of me.  It's just to irksome to know what you want, to have all the fabrics, the thread, the idea, the concept, and your own body says "Nope not today!"

Things did simmer down in the late afternoon, and I started on my dolphins for the rings.  I have them all drawn, and have stitched the four corner dolphins.  Which are actually slightly larger as well as two tiny dolphins for the center small size circles.

I started on the first of the 14 that make up the other intermediary rings.  For my stitching I drew a dolphin, cut it out, and started with that as a paper template and cut it down or redrew it as needed.  I am using a thickness of four threads for the embroidery.  The thread is the 100 weight silk I used on the Dresden plates.  I might like to pick up a couple more colors of that in the future just to have on hand, it's nice to work with.

I'm a little nervous about the wavy curve border, even know in my mind I know exactly how to do it in reality I'm feeling timid.  I'm not certain if I'm going to start on that today or if I'm going to finish hand stitching the dolphins first.


Sunny has been a real lover lately, happy to curl up with whomever is willing to pet him.  When I saw this I knew I just had to have a picture.

Not a good day!

I'm so happy to tell you I've figured out the border for my Children of the Sea Quilt.  This will be a 9 inch border which will bring the quilt up to a 70"x90", a generous twin sized quilt.  I have 6 blue fabrics selected ranging from medium to light tones which I will cut gentle curves into and then piece them together in a loose artistic interpretation of the gentle movement of the ocean echoing the still waters in the panel.

I know exactly how I need to cut and sew the fabric, but I didn't sleep well last night and my leg is protesting my every thought.  I call this feeling the snake in my veins because I feel I have little control over my tongue much less how I'm feeling.  Right now it's akin to feeling like my blood is boiling.  While this pain is never welcome, I'm rather furious about it right now.  Why?  Because these curves are a new technique for me and I would never dare to quilt anything, much less a new technique feeling like this.  I pushed through it one single time when I first started quilting and then I hated everything I'd done while I'd been in pain so I had to rip it all out again.

So while I dearly want to get back to sewing, today is clearly becoming a forced day of rest.  It's times like these that I am reminded of my Snake and Meerkat Quilt.  Since starting that quilt my bad days have been less and less.   Wouldn't it be nice to pretend that when it's finished the pain will simply go away and stay away?

Children of the Sea Settles on a Size

Thank you for your border suggestions!  Penny suggested embroidered dolphins for the centers of the circles and Sue suggested quilting dolphins into the centers.  I love both of those ideas.  Not sure which one I'll go with; at this point I'm still thinking about it.  I honestly hadn't dreamed up either idea and will be torn to pick one over the other.  Perhaps I might even consider every other circle embroidered, and then a quilted one between?  It's a thought.

Here's what I have added over the past two days:  a purple batik that picks up a bit of pink from the inner border.  I have also taken the dolphin suggestions to heart and in anticipation I have added this dolphin batik.

Now the blue and purple floral fabric that you see in the bottom of the image is the backing.  I know how strange it is for me that I've already picked my backing fabric so soon.  I actually picked it as soon as I brought the panel into the sewing room.  It was as though they were destined to be together.  I'm planning on using that darker blue from the bias tape to make my binding.  At this point the quilt is 52 x 72 and I've decided it is destined to be twin bed size quilt.  That means just one or two more borders.  I considered the pink again for another small border but I'm not sure.  I almost want to use a lightener blue in maybe a pieced border?  You can tell how certain I am.  No worries though, this quilt has been quite the talker and I'm certain I will hear the answer in the next few days.

Second Bias Tape Added

Not sure what comes next, any thoughts?

How Do You Eat?

My husband and I are considering a Walt Disney World Resort Vacation this summer 2011.  We'd like to get the deluxe dining plan because then we can eat whatever we want and for once not have to think about how much it costs.  There is a certain value in that alone, but really how do the dining plans stand up?  In all of my online digging I haven't found anyone matching point for point, this is what we eat and how we eat vs. the dining plan.  So for the past hour or more I've done just that.

What exactly am I talking about?  The Disney Deluxe Dining Plan this includes 3 sit down meals per day.  As a handicapped gal I do not like work-a-raunts as a general rule, and what else is Disney for besides to eat the best food in all of the United States?  LOL.

We are considering a trip for 7 days 6 nights.  That is 2 adults, and 1 child 3 sit down meals a day for a total meal allowance of 18 meals for the entire trip.

As a general rule we will grab a cereal bar in the am or a cup of coffee depending on the person, have a nice lunch, and a meaty dinner.  We sometimes switch that up with a late breakfast and an early dinner.  This will give us many extra meal vouchers that you will note I have put towards eating at Dinner Shows, and Disney's Signature Restaurants.  Prices come from both Disney's reservation site and Allears as of the posted date.  Total includes, tip, food, and non alcoholic beverage for each of 3 people.  Tip is calculated at Disney's recommended 18% on all bills for continuity.

Day 1 - Arrival Day
$156.97 Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue Category 2: 2 meal credits

Day 2 - Magic Kingdom Day
$143.63 Breakfast @ Cinderella's Royal Table:  2 meal credits
$166.97 Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show Category 2:  2 meal credits

Day 3 - Epcot Day
$122.72 Lunch @ Coral Reef Restaurant
$148.29 Dinner @ Yachtsman's Steakhouse: 2 meal credits

Day  4 - Hollywood Studios Day
$167.14 Lunch @ Hollywood Brown Derby:  2 meal credits
$226.21 California Grill: 2 meal credits

Day 5 - Magic Kingdom 2nd Day
$69.20 Lunch @ Tony's Town Square
$96.72 Dinner @ 'Ohana

Day  6 - Animal Kingdom Day
$121.80 Lunch @ Yak & Yeti
$115.60 Dinner @ The Boma

Day 7 - Departure
$58.13 Breakfast @ The Wave

This totals out at $1593.38 out of pocket, total out of pocket with the Deluxe Dining Plan onsite is $171.90 with a prepayment of 1079.82, for a total meal cost using the Dining Plan to be 1251.72  but wait.  What did I plan to eat?  You're going to love this, do not continue reading if hungry.

Day 1 - Arrival
Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue Family Style

Day 2 - Magic Kingdom Day
Cinderella's Royal Table Pre-plated all you care to eat breakfast
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show Family Style Luau

Day 3 - Epcot Day
Coral Reef Restaurant Seasonal Soup X2, Seared Chicken Breast, Grilled NY Strip, The Chocolate Wave, Almond Gelato, Kids Meal
Yachtsman's Steakhouse 24 oz Porterhouse X2, Mushrooms, Tomato and Buffalo Mozzarella - DD to share

Day 4 - Hollywood Studios Day
Hollywood Brown Derby Curly Spinach Watercress Strawberry Salad, Char-Grilled Fillet of Beef x2, Chocolate 3 ways x2, Kid's Celery and Carrots, Kids Grilled Chicken w/ BBQ Sauce, Kids Ice Cream Desert
California Grill Cheese Board - all five, Roasted Heirloom Beets, Hearts of Romaine, Oak-Fired Filet of Beef x2, Mascarpone & Meyer Lemon Cheesecake x2, Kid's Mac & Cheese, Kids Chocolate Pudding

Day 5 - Magic Kingdom 2
Tony's Town Square Tomato and Buffalo Mozzarella, Bianca Flatbread, Spaghetti & Meat Sauce, Kid's Meal
'Ohana Family Style

Day 6 - Animal Kingdom
Yak and Yeti Salad x2, Baby Back Ribs x2, Egg Rolls,  Kid's meal, Kid's desert
The Boma Buffet Style

As you can see sometimes I had us eat desert sometimes not, sometimes appetizers sometimes not.  I did not plan it that we always had an appetizer, an entrée, and desert with lunch and dinner the way the meal plan allows.  I felt this allowed me to chart our more normal way of eating.  All of my math can requested for personal use in the form of an Excel doc.  Some of these are places we've been to before in that we'd love to visit again, as well as other places we'd like to go.  I had trouble using up our extra meal credits and as I am not done researching where we would like to eat thereby some dining locations are less likely than others.

Now what about those pesky snack credits?  Well if you estimate them to be worth the cost of a Mickey Mouse Ice Cream at $3.50 that is 3 people 2 snack credits a day for 6 days, 36 snack credits it works out to $126 in snacks.  Sometimes we'll be using those to snag a bottle of water or a piece of fruit, but if you think that's low try $4.00 per snack which brings it to $144.  At the lower estimate - if you think you'd snack that much brings your cash out of pocket to 1719.38.

I did this purely for my own knowledge with out any kickbacks and you are welcome to use it for personal use and research.  For republication purposes please contact me first.

Children of The Sea How about This?

What do you think?  Na I wouldn't want a quilt full of pins either.  That's why I finished up the first go round of bias on this border.  A second bias will be added in the dark blue of the Killer Whales, not sure how I will move that one over the quilt.  Any suggestions?  A simple mirror around perhaps?

Making the bias reminded me why I hate my bias tape maker and everything that goes along with it.  One of the little dresses I made for DD's Kailey doll used the shortest piece of bias ever, a mere 9" or so, didn't even need to use a "maker" for it, this on the other hand was much less fun.  I figured I needed 120" and made about 130", my scrap piece is right around 15" so I couldn't have cut it much closer.

DD helped me hold the quilt, so let's take a look at our happy model.  Not bad for an afternoon of sewing.  I was concerned that I didn't have any thread to match so I went with white bobbin thread and it blended in just right.

Bye-bye Kindergarten

Today was DD's last day of Kindergarten.  It was a delightful ceremony in her classroom and already DD is watching the DVD the teacher made of the class.  Yes, that is what I said.  Please explain to me how the private school she was in last year made me pay for everything, and the public school she is in now is so much different?

We had a nice lunch out afterwards and DD was able to come home and see her new quilt decked out on her bed complete with new sheets.  This is the Tennessee Waltz Quilt that I recently finished, I washed it and saved it until she boarded the bus this morning before changing to her new sheets and new quilt.

Today was also the day she got my little quilted basket tote, which I had added hand sewn goodies for her American Girl Doll Kailey.  While I know this picture is crazy out of focus I actually like how well it illustrates our crazy world wind morning.  Look at that face next to her quilt below.  I can tell she's just thrilled over my efforts, can't you?  LOL.


Just in the past month ago things have really started clicking for DD in the reading department, so I began looking around for options to keep her sharp this summer.  I'm happy to say I've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid review. Time4Learning can be used for homeschool, afterschool and summer skill sharpening. Be sure to come back and read about my experience.

Children of the Sea: Begins with Borders

Yesterday I started adding the borders to the Children of the Sea Panel.  The first border is a folded pink batik border, which I'd intended to fold out and onto the second border.  I didn't foresee the trouble this would cause with the mitered corners of the second border, so instead the border folds in on the panel.   

The next border is 8.5" because I'm going be adding  biased scallops on to it.  The colors will be pulled from two of the colors in the killer whales, a light periwinkle blue, and a darker rich almost navy blue.  Once those are complete we'll take a good long look and see what it wants next.