Needle and ThREAD

The Sewing Machine is actually getting lots of use this week! I've set a goal to finish the five quilts that I have in process before I leave for Summer vacation in July. I intend to drop all five quilts with my quilter and head to the Outer Banks with my family. So, here is another Just 'Tween Us Girls quilt. I managed to sew half of it yesterday, but I'm totally frustrated that I can't get some of the seams to line up properly. This is the second quilt I've made using this pattern and I'm having the same problem again despite being even more accurate during the cutting process.

 This fabric is Nantucket Summer (Don't you just love the name of this fabric?) and I purchased it a couple of years ago most likely at the Fat Quarter Shop. This fabric has become difficult to find. When I purchased this collection of fat quarters, I intended to use them to make the quilt above. I didn't however, buy the fabric for either the binding or backing. I've learned my lesson to buy all the fabric at once for a project. I easily matched the fabric to some quilting fabric found at Jo-Ann. I used to buy fat quarters, Layer Cakes, and jelly rolls without any project in mind. I figured I'd design something on my own, but I've learned to design first and then buy! It's a way better strategy. It definitely ensures that I won't come up short on any given quilting project!

I cut and sewed the backings for all five quilts. I still need to cut the binding for all these quilts as well. Sewing large pieces of fabric together for backing is not what I would call exciting sewing, but at least it's easy.

As for reading, I read You Are What You Wear. Now, I didn't learn much that I haven't already learned from watching countless episodes of What Not To Wear. (I did review this book on Goodreads as well.) I was motivated from reading this book to purge my closet. Last Saturday, I took everything out. That didn't take long because I have a very minimal wardrobe at best, but I thought I'd re-assess everything. Even though I have a small wardrobe, there were still pieces I'd been hanging on to despite the fact that I never wore them. I took the no-mercy approach and let them go.After taking everything out, it's clear that I have a very monochromatic wardrobe. I shy away from bright colors and I think I look hideous in prints. I've known for a long time that my clothes are what I would describe as a total Snooze-Fest. In other words, they're boring. Functional, but boring. As I put what survived the cut back into my closet, I wondered when my clothing had gotten so ho-hum. I'm sure that most of my energy going to raising little people is at the heart of it. I've neglected myself and I realized that I am ready for some small changes. It's time to add those small details that give my outfits a little zing. If I am what I wear, I don't want my clothing saying that I'm boring.

It's an interesting read and not all of the chapters applied to me in the least, but this psychological approach to clothing choices is eye-opening.

Don't forget to head on over to Elizabeth's for more of Needle and Thread