Single Girl Quilt: keep it simple

 {photo by s.j.h.}

Thank you for waiting. Finally, my girl is out and about. She is a little shy in someway or she is just too busy to show up. This quilt started in {January, 2013} and finished in April 26th, 2013.  I had wished to finish this quilt earlier, but with all the other quilts on the table at that time, she got postponed. I intended to make this quilt to match {S' birthday quilt}, so we have something similar, but different.

Before we moved to ND, I did a road trip alone to look up school program and the possible place to live. Then I found out the university owns family housing with a reasonable price. On the same day of visit, I had a chance to look up the apartment. The total size of the apartment is 630 sq feet.  When I return, I decided to give up all our large furniture and beds. We moved what we need to ND. It took a little time to decided the arrangement of the rooms in the new space. We took a room and transferred to working/sewing/ reading/computer room then left the smaller room as a bedroom. We got two twin beds  and a smaller couch. Of course, we added more books, fabric, storage units within last three years.  S and I have lived like college roommate ever since. It has been a great experience for her to share a space with someone. Of course, there were time we both wish to have our own space, but we managed to be kind and sweet to each other.

Now three years later we are moving. We loved the home that we made in ND. It is small, but cozy! We loved having friends crush in our home and cuddle up with our quilts. We loved that the kitchen is too small for 5 people around and we would keep telling each other.. oh excuse me, let me pass to the living room.  We loved  how small our couch is , so everyone needs to make themselves so skinny to sit together.

Then there's a though for me to make a matchy quilts for S and I to remember the good roommate years that we spent together. We both agreed that we will need our own room in our next home even it is small. We might not need a living room, since we spent much of our time in the studio room at home.  So, we can be loud in our own room or a place to be ourselves.

For this single girl quilt, I used bright colors and off whites background. Many of the prints are used in {S' birthday quilt} as well. So that makes them alike, but different at the the same time.  On the left side of the quilt, I have embroidered some writing:


Keep it Simple 

be bold
be thankful
be quiet
be original
be spontaneous
be punctual
be a star
be young
be loving
be crazy
be loud
be random
be adorable
be unique
be daring
be obnoxous
Be YOURSELF 
                              March, 2013


A quilt to remember the isolating and struggling years in ND, but also years that we both have learned to be stronger and appreciate each other more. We learn to keep everything simple and enjoy the moments more. Simple joys throughout the days, weeks, months, and years.  Life with many handmade and imperfectness is part of life.

This quilt has been cuddled and loved since it finished. When we sat on the couch S would tell me, my quilt match to your quilt. I tell her, they are roomie quilts, roomie.  

About Quilt:

Quilt pattern: Single Girl by Denyse Schmidt
Quilting:         Bumble Bee Quilting
Quilt Size: Twin Size

xxc

Weekending

S spotted dandelions this morning and got me some. They are sitting by me as I work.  Last night, we cuddled in the single girl quilt as I bound off the quilt. It was lovely to sit so close and just talk { we have been cheering for this time that mama is listening and giving full attention to S}.  We talk a lot chat a lot on the weekending, anything!  Lately the conversations have been what can I pack? what can I bring? When are we leaving? Can we do this when we get there? Can I show Lucky some music? Can we take grandma and aunt out?   We try our best to list them out and I try my best to tell S,  No, we can't or yes, that's a great idea.

Mail carrier came around noon time and dropped few packages. Finally after many phone calls my naturalization certificate has returned from the passport center.  My heart sets calmer and think more positively! It has another great issue that I've working with. oh dear...

So, the new Tova fabric arrived! Do you think it is too dark?  It is light cotton wight with nice dotty texture on. I love it!  Really love it!!  I used to wear a lot black tops, but I try not to dress in black for many years now. My mom is a totally dress in black lady. That's why most of my clothes were black back then. It is the same print I used for the single girl. Hope S thinks it is a cool fabric and would love to have a matchy top together.

ND is so spring today! The breeze from the windows is just soft and gentle. Our music has been playing since this morning. S is reading her new book and I am working on some scrappy patchworks. Time  to put away the winter sweaters. S is asking for summer shirts and wondered if they fit her, since she had a birthday. It is always wonderful to see her grow few inches taller from last Spring. Hope enough green and blue for her.


xxc

Random: between times

{thank you} for all your sweet words! They are sweet and comfort me in many many ways!  It has been another day that I was on the phone working with the travel agency and the airline. It has not gotten better, but let's hope something will come up in next few days.

Between packing and waiting phone calls. I have made another two Tovas; as you see one is for S and one is for me, but this time is a dress. The neckline on S' turned out perfect this time, but the armholes needed to adjust an inch higher to give more lift when S raise her arms ( the armholes are too big in the pattern and need to get smaller).  She plans to wear it for her Sunday piano recital and pair with her blue legging. Let's say, she is still in green and blue mood.

For  Tova dress, I used 100% linen and set the stitch length to 2.5 and rather pulling the fabric towards to me, I push the fabric forward to the machine. It is super fun to sew with lightweight linen. The only fear I have is I must wear something under or it might see through under the sunlight. I think legging and cami would be a great way to go.

That's five Tova makings in less than 2 weeks for me + two small size Tova for S. It would be sweet to make matchy tops for us, but add something different on each one, but S might not sold that the fabric is in black. I might need to use some of convincing skill on her. 

Finally, I started binding the single girl quilt. The machine binding was done two weekends ago, but it has been putting on hold as my Tova madness is taking over here.  oh dear.......


xxc

Random: waiting...

It is quite empty in some part of {1/4" mark home}. Boxes are everywhere, empty shelves, and trying to use last bit of the free time to sew more TOVA! I am working on a Tova dress this time. Linen is somewhat my top sewing Tova fabric, but I am waiting for another fabric to arrive that would be light weight cotton almost lawn fabric. 

Baking pans are in the box this morning and the baking pan family grew a little over last three years and there are few things still aren't in there yet! S and I are talking about making a batch of cookies before the move and a promise cheese cake to make for our dear friend before we go.

A month from today we'll hit the road and it is getting excited and nervous for us! S has packed her box {the blue one} it is the very first gift that my dad picked it up and sent to her last year. It means a lot to her.  I try not to check what she has there and the little pouches on the side are her traveling fund. She likes to find little souvenir for herself  when we travel.

Our windows are finally open during the day, but still cold. It feels really fresh to have the window open during the daytime and cozy up again at night time. I am waiting calmly these days to hear more from my travel agency.  I do feel need some good Lucks lately, but it'll all be ok at the end! 


xxc

Random: spring stitches..

 oh dear.. another one!  love all the small roses on the print and it looks a bit of spring in the one....
now..a little break from making the tops.. onto patchwork now..

xxc

Random: Monday

 {tova #2; photo by s.j.h.}

 { while sun shines, mama sews, S reads}

 {tova #3}

 { 100% linen, but i love it}

 {storing quilts}

 { need to make a pattern}

 { for S}

{tova #5}

Over the weekending, the sewing machine didn't stop much! It was clunking most of the time! Tova# 3 was born! It is lawn fabric which is silky in texture and super soft.  I have been looking for another lawn fabric to make other top that I have and would like to make a pattern from it { the one with a row of buttons}.  Then, I got more linen fabric to make more garments. The tova # 4 was made in 100% linen. I have pre-wash all the fabrics before I cut into them. The linen shrunk about 2 inches after the wash. It is super fine to sew with  and not much stretch. I pinned as much sewing pins as I could to make the lines stable.

S was resting on the couch most of time as she got another cold in this spring winter.  According to her that her nose is plug and hard to breath. She found resting in couch helps! S enjoys her new books from the library and of course the warm and cozy sunlight.

Tova #5 is ready to cut! The color is a little retro and I love the little roses on them. The fabric is from Moda by Cosmo cricket; odds and ends.  It is hard to stop making more garments lately. It feels like discovered a big treasure box;  finally there's a shirt fits me and I look fine in. 

S, asked for a TOVA shirt as soon as I made the first one. This morning I did all the pattern tracing and will re-size down to the right measurement for her. The paper I used to trace is a roll of tracing paper that I purchased from art supply store a few years ago. It is a great investment if you make many kids garments. I was able to make same pattern, but in different sizes that way. 

Oh.. yes! S is hosting a {blog} and she will talk more about it soon! She needs a little time to work on the first post. 

Packing is good! As you see that quilts are being {roll up} and piles of linen sheets to make storage {container}. More soon, I promise!

xxc

Random: my stars of learning

{coming soon}..