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It’s snowing again tonight so it feels appropriate to share these pictures from last weekend during our last snowstorm. I did manage to get at least one string of lights set up outside for Christmas and we are leaving them there until it’s not so dark anymore. 😍First snow of 2019! And in typical my children fashion, Ellie was super into building a mountain of snow for sledding and Marko wanted to play soccer. 😂 (Also, I would like to point out that my hat has been sparking joy in my winter life for at least 20 years. 😉) . . . Both kids are wearing @mymayuoutdoor boots, which we love. ❤️And as for my actual first finish of 2019: a happy birthday bow tie for Marko! Isn’t that the cutest thing ever?! He requested one and has been wearing it a lot. I used a tutorial from @patternsforpirates and it was SO easy. I will never make a long tie again. I got the apparel flannel from @joann_stores and have plenty left to make Nik a matching bow tie so they can be twins. 😍 Happy 6th birthday my boy!! #salmonandsouvlakisews #bowtiesofinstagram #charmcitysewcialFirst major finish of 2019: 13 baby blankets! I fell off the baby-blanket-making train early in 2018 and then...SO MANY babies were born!! 😂 I actually only made the six girl blankets in the first picture in 2019. I sewed the other seven in November. I had fun distributing a few at church today, gave away two in December and hopefully will be able to track down all the other mamas soon. A 9-month-old needs a blanket just as much as a newborn, right? 😉 #salmonandsouvlakisews #flannelbabyblanket #charmcitysewcialSo you all liked Ellie’s #fancyforestmedallionquilt! So do I! 😍 Here’s to another year of making and creating! Happy New Year! #salmonandsouvlakisews #bestnine2018 (pattern and fabric designers are tagged)So, I decided to jump in on the #yearofcolour2018/#yearofcolor2018 (The British spelling is for you @jon_judge 😉). I must admit to being a little bit surprised by my major colors. I wonder if all the pictures I posted from Northern Ireland this summer contributed to the larger more neutral circles. Anyway, I find this collection of colors very pleasing. 😍(which makes sense, considering I am the one who posted the pictures. 😂)To wrap up my sewing projects of 2018, here’s the official photo shoot of Ellie’s #fancyforestmedallionquilt. Although spread out over a year, the project took about four months. The center panel is from @elizabethagh’s #fancyforestquilt pattern. The outer borders are half-square triangles, flying geese, improv scrappy fun, and extra animals and circles (as inspired by @jessee_artschooldropout’s #pixelatedcirclesquilt pattern). I pieced Ellie’s name on the back using @elizabethagh’s #refrigeratormagnetpattern. It’s backed with quilter’s flannel from @joann_stores, at Ellie’s request. After I finished the quilt top, I discovered it was too long for her bed. So I took off the top border, chopped it into two end pieces it into the backing. All in all, a very fun project and best of all, Ellie allowed it to go into her bed! 😂 #salmonandsouvlakisews #baltimoremqg #quiltersofinstagram #charmcitysewcial #favoritequiltfinishin2018Introducing...my #100daysofsewingbeforechristmas project, the Twister quilt!! This is my second Twister quilt, the first one having been sewn for my brother-in-law and his family back in 2014. Ever since then I’ve been saying that I need to make one for my own family and I’m so glad that this project finally got one made! I put a giant checkerboard on the back and even made the checkers to go with it. Other than a big push at the end, to get it basted and quilted, the entirety of the quilt was generally sewn in 15 minutes segments. It’s pretty amazing what you can accomplish in 15 minutes a day! 😍 I did all all the quilting on the circles before assembling the quilt top so I wouldn’t have to do that while wrestling the entire quilt through my machine. . . . The pattern is my own exact rendering of a real Twister game board. I used some [long hoarded for this quilt] giant Marimekko trees (remnants purchased many years ago at @crateandbarrel) for the back. It’s so nice to finally use them! All the rest of the solids are @robertkaufman #konasolids. The binding is a red polka dot that I got a long time ago, also for this quilt and I don’t remember where I found it. That tells you how long I’ve been planning to make this thing! 😉 The drawstring bag tutorial is a favorite of mine from @jenib320 . #salmonandsouvlakisews #handmadeholidays2018 #quiltsofinstagram #baltimoremqg #charmcitysewcial #twisterquilt*not my work* Inspired by the embroidery that I did on the sly cat tote bag, Ellie decided that she wanted to embroider a little pillow for her cousin, who is just four months younger than her. We used the same embroidery pattern I did (by @wendigratz) but modified it slightly to make it look different. Ellie added the whiskers over the eyes because she said that was more accurate for a real cat. 😍😺 She also decided to use a sharpie for the eyeballs. I never would’ve thought of doing that and it actually looks great! Ellie learned how to use a back stitch on this project and sewed it entirely herself by hand from beginning to end. I only provided a little technical assistance. She is becoming quite the accomplished sewist, at eight years old. #salmonandsouvlakisews #selfdirectedlearning #handmadeholidays2018 #proudmamaContinuing with my series of projects I sewed in 2018 but didn’t officially document on Instagram, here’s a little quilt that I ended up donating through @baltimoremqg to the Early Headstart program here in Baltimore. I started out with some disappearing nine-patch blocks sewn as part of a quilting class that I taught in the spring. It is amazing how quickly a quilt goes together when you use large pieces of fabric. (Ellie’s #fancyforestmedallionquilt is a good example of the opposite end of the spectrum. 😂) I mostly used up scraps and fabric that I didn’t want in my stash anymore and this was a very satisfying little project. (It finished at around 36” square.) #salmonandsouvlakisews #baltimoremqg #charmcitysewcial*not my work* By request, I am sharing pictures of the gingerbread village that Ellie and Marko made with Yiayia. I am super grateful to have a mother-in-law who is interested in doing these things with my children. Otherwise, they would probably never make a gingerbread house. 😂 The large house in the middle was a collaboration; the two small house on the left are Ellie’s; the two in the right are Marko’s. Thanks Yiayia!!Next in my series, “Sewn in 2018 but never officially documented on IG”, a birthday present pillow for my mother-in-law! Begun in the spring at a @baltimoremqg class with @duringquiettime, this is an improv paper pieced block, designed by yours truly (with a grateful nod to @quietplay, whose geometric designs heavily influenced the way I placed the fabric in the red and green star section). This is also the second year in a row that I used my quilt guild class to sew a birthday present for Tina. When one’s sewing time is limited, one must capitalize on all one can get. 😉 Swipe to the last picture to see the two pillows together. 😍 (The other pillow was started in a class with @victoriafindlaywolfe.) backing/binding fabric is a gorgeous Marimekko print that I got from another BMQG member a couple years ago. #salmonandsouvlakisews #handmadeholidays2018 (I sewed it in December so it counts as holiday sewing, right? 😉) #improvpaperpiecing #duringquiettime #baltimoremqg #charmcitysewcialCategories
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Category Archives: cleaning
My Life, Under New Management
Two weeks ago, I went to a workshop led by one of the founders of Agile Learning Centers (ALC). The workshop was focused on learning how to use agile management tools in support of self-directed learning. I’m in the process … Continue reading
Posted in cleaning, cooking, house/neighborhood, reflecting
2 Comments
A New Thanksgiving Tradition
We certainly have some Thanksgiving traditions in our family. I always make these pumpkin orange rolls, of course we eat cranbrosia, and we (for three years running now) braise our turkey for the most incredibly delicious and moist turkey you’ve … Continue reading
Misappropriation of Party Planning and Preparation Time
Last Saturday afternoon, I had the fun of hosting a bridal open house (like a shower only with no presents involved) for one of my best friends. I had allocated the day before (Friday) for house cleaning and food preparation, … Continue reading
Posted in cleaning, friends, gardening
6 Comments
Folding Laundry (shades of “Journal of Best Practices”)
Here’s how I like to fold laundry, in my ideal world. First, I sort it into piles – Ellie, Mark, Nik, Laura, bath towels, sheets, kitchen (wash clothes, towels), napkins, etc. (I didn’t do this initial step until I had … Continue reading
Life Hack: Make Your Clean Space Attractive Enough to Motivate You to Keep It That Way
I love how our dining room table looks when it’s clean. Chairs pushed in and totally clear of clutter The vase was a Christmas present from Nik’s brother and sister-in-law. I love the structural beauty of it so I leave … Continue reading
Posted in cleaning, useful beautiful
5 Comments
KIOS: Grooming, Part 4: In Praise of Infrequent Flushing
This post is part of my series, “Kickin’ It Old Skool: Why and How We Are Old-Fashioned” or KIOS for short. If you’re new to the series, please read my disclaimer before continuing on. I’m keeping a table of contents … Continue reading
When Principles Meet Nostalgia
Nik and I have some fairly strong convictions on what kind of toys we want to have in our house. I blogged about this more extensively in this post. Specifically, we decided that we didn’t want to have any plastic … Continue reading
Posted in cleaning, Ellie, parenting, useful beautiful
8 Comments
