Ft Knox Army Wives - Monthly Get-together/Craft Exchange?

Hello everyone,

I posted this on a couple sites and I wanted to put it here for those who aren't part of the same groups.

I was just thinking about this today. A Yahoo group I am a part of used to do a monthly get-together and I was just wondering any of you would be interested in doing that. Maybe one day out of the month we can get-together for lunch (kiddos invited of course!).

I was also wondering if anyone would be interested in doing a quilt block exchange or? (Maybe we can exchange them at the monthly luncheon?) We'd need a few people to be interested in doing it for it to work. I had a couple ideas:

1. Quilt block exchange: My idea was to make 8 inch block with whatever design/color you like. Something that represents you. Then a coinciding white 8" square of material talking about yourself, signed, and e-mail address to go with the block for the back of the quilt.

2. Scrap Fabric Exchange: Everyone brings 1 or 2 (amount will be determined if we decide to do this) fat quarter size pieces of scrap fabric that you don't know what to do with and it is the person who receives it's job to make something interesting with it. This would be a 2 luncheon project.

3. Small Holiday Craft Exchange: Set price (say no more than $5) and you have to make something featuring the given holiday that month.

4. Kid Crafts: What is your best craft idea that you do with your kids? Maybe you could bring and example and instructions for everyone.

I'm sure we have tons of crafty people out there of all levels of experience. You might know how to quilt, but know nothing of crocheting. It will be a great way to teach others while we also get to know each other. Something we as Army Wives can pass on to the next base we go to.

Amanda

Free User-made Pattern Site

Hello all my crafty sewing peoples! I just wanted to pass on this site that I just found that has tons of free patterns for anything you can imagine (clothing to shopping bags).

BurbaStyle

Rubber Stamping

Ok so I know nothing about it besides the obvious. Gabriel needed to make a card for his teacher today for Teacher Appreciation Week, so we went to Micheal's and picked up some stamps and cards. So my novice attempt went pretty good. It turned out cute. I have decided to add this to my list of hobbies. So any of you rubber stamping experts, please feel free to share some tips and tricks with me. I would like to use it to make homemade cards for Tom while he's deployed and for holidays/birthdays/occasions.

I Love My Hubby!

Well, after a few weeks of talking and finding one this past week that I absolutely LOVE and didn't think I'd be able to get. Tom has told me that he thought about it and because I have let him get his toys (28' trailer, huge gun safe, etc) and any others that he would want (new truck - Unimog and well anything else he'd want), he's going to let me get it! WOOOO! I was like a kid in a candy store when I saw it online and pretty much drooling over it, until I saw the price. That's when I figured I wouldn't be able to get it and he didn't seem too excited about the price either. He surprised me yesterday morning and told me I could get it because I have and would still let him get whatever he wanted. It's the new Bernina 830. It's a sewing, quilting and embroidery machine. It's the one I want, but they also sale other brands (brother and viking) at the store as well, so I might find something else I like better.

Here are some videos of it on YouTube.

Business Debate

Well, lately I've been thinking about and debating starting my own business. Tom and I have been talking about it and are going to do some more research on it. We are looking into what is needed to get a license, what do I need for tax purposes, etc. It's all very exciting. It's something I love to do and I will be able to work from home. What more can you ask for?

Baby Quilt #2 - Update 2: Almost Done

Well, I finished piecing the front of the quilt together so I thought I'd post a picture of it. I finally got the batting in yesterday so I need to pre-wash it (for shrinkage). Then I'll layer it, sew it together, and put the binding on.

Baby Quilt #2

This one is for Caleb.
I finished getting all the pieces cut out today and I'll hopefully get it done in the next few days.



Update: 5 March 2009 at 0857

I just wanted to add a picture of the pieces pinned together. LOL

Baby Quilt - Finished

Well, I finished pulling the loose threads through the baby quilt this morning. Aside from a few things (mainly my sewing machine) I really enjoyed this. I think I'll just have to get a better sewing machine. I just hope she loves it.

Baby Quilt Part 2

So, I have been hand stitching the binding to the back of the quilt and my fingertips are getting sore because I'm not used to it. Ugh...there has to be a better way. I think I'm gonna experiment on my scraps for an easier way to sew the binding on. I have 2 sides down and 2 to go! It takes me about 40 mins/side, which I know could be worse so I'm not complaining.

Baby Quilt

So I found some Antique Peter Rabbit fabric and decided that is what I was going to make a good friend a baby blanket with. I love it so I ordered a bunch. LOL My friend is having her first and it's a boy. Now if you listen to "old wives tales" when alot of boys are born, we are going to go to war. I know a bunch of people who just had or is about to have boys... I'm hoping that it is wrong (though I have known it to be right in the past...oddly enough). Anyways, back to what I was talking about. I cut everything out yesterday and took maybe a total of 4 hours to sew, pin, iron, and repeat (getting up to check on Victoria several times). I made two mistakes. Now I'm not gonna tell anyone, but whoever tells me my two mistakes will win a basket full of cookies (their choice) along with some cute things I'll make.

Here's the picture:

Jumble of Randomness

Ok so I am just gonna clump all my thoughts into one post.

1) Tom was finally able to find a Wii Fit and surprised me yesterday with it! He does love me. LOL So I got it out today and I must say I am sore, but it was fun. I spent 47 mins on it and it didn't seem that long! I love to hula (though I'm sure I look ridiculous!). I am so out of shape!

2) We almost have the play/family/sitting room done (yes it's one room). I just need to get my console radio from my uncle's house (he bought my nana's house) and sort toys into toyboxs. I plan on using the plastic totes we used to move with and customizing them for each kiddo.

3) I need to find curtains for our bedroom. We are so picky when it comes to patterns it isn't funny. LOL We also will have to then get a paint color that will look good with it. That is one bonus for not living on post. I like that I can paint the walls and not have to worry about repainting before I move out!

4) We are also going to re-tile part of the bathrooms and get new cabinets. Take the border down in the kitchen/dining room and paint. Paint the living room and hang curtains. Get rugs. All at the same time trying to stay under budget (which is hard). Everything is getting put on a priority list and we get things as we get the money for it (lol which will probably take at least a year if not more to get everything done that we want done...we are also doing alot of it ourselves to save on labor costs).

5) Victoria is wanting to sit up more now! She actually fusses if I don't hold her in an upright sitting position (unless she is going to sleep). She is growing so much! I'm glad that Tom is here to see it. He missed alot with Katheryn.

Halloween Fabric Ornaments

Well, I was trying to wait until I got these done before I posted pictures, but it doesn't seem like I am. The Walmart here stopped saleing fabric and pretty much alot of the craft supplies (unless you like to make jewelry or paint). So I've had to rely on the the online sites that I find. Well, I wanted to put bat, pumpkin, or some other halloween buttons on them to hold the ribbon/cord to hang it, but I can't find any. What I did find is on backorder and keeps getting bumped further and further into October. Ugh... Anyways, I just wanted to post what I made. I found the panels and added batting and a back to them. I somewhat quilted them and then used pinking sheers on the edges.

Kindergarten Memory Quilt

So, I was thinking the other day that there will be a TON of stuff that I would want to keep from his school work. I was just thinking of how much space it would take up. I did read somewhere, where a mom would let her kids decorate pizza boxes and they would only save what would fit in the box each school year to cut down on clutter. Well, I also got a order form for a school t-shirt. So that got me thinking. Since we will only be at this school for half the year, I was going to go ahead and get the shirt. I am going to make a memory quilt for him. The t-shirt logo will be the center of it and I'll print off 1st day of school photos and scan in work he does to make the other squares of the quilt. It will be something that can be folded, rolled, etc and will be easy to move with.

UK Blanket

I just finished putting a satin binding on a fleece blanket for my sister. it measures 60" x 83". Another project crossed off the list! YAY! Now just to keep Katheryn from taking it before I can get it to my sister. LOL

Two Finished Projects

So I just thought that I'd post pics of my latest projects that I finished (Yes I actually finished 2 recently!). I'm slowly going through my list (more like boxes) of projects to do. I feel so accomplished! Now my scrap fabric box is filling up, but I bought a quilting magazine the other day and it had a really cool idea for making flowers out of scrap fabric. So I'll probably make scrappy bouquets, hair barrettes, yo yos, etc with it.

Pledge of Allegiance Quilted Wall Hanging

I finally found a background fabric that I liked, but I neglected to realize that it was much lighter than the front and the thread needed to used left outlines in the back. Oh well, it's going to be hanging on the wall so no one should see the back. lol

Cross Stitched Winter Welcome Sign

This one took me a little longer than I had thought, but it turned out good. I didn't add the tassel to the bottom like it called for because I just don't like them. So I am going to try and find 3 different sized snowflakes to hang staggered on the bottom.

Busy Day

Well, I finally found a trellis that I liked better than the rest that would look good in the pot with the Devil's Ivy plant. I also got around to washing whatever film was on the leaves. It looks sooo much happier now! I just need to come up with a good name for it. It looks like a girl to me.






While I was adding pictures, I figured I'd add the picture of the snake that we had on our back porch the second day we were here. It was about 5 feet long.






I also figured that since Tom wasn't going to be using the BDU name tape anymore that I would use it to put Gabriel's last name on his bookbag. I am going to add an engineer castle from the BDUs onto his bookbag as well when I find one.