Restart-refresh.

It's...been a while. I did what I said I wasn't going to do-start a blog, then abandon it (again!) Habits and all...

So, let's start again, shall we? :)

My Kaleidoscope QAL never got started. Best intentions and all, but honestly, I couldn't see buying more fabric (cause I'd buy more fabric instead of stashbusting) when I have like 18 million projects that have their fabric dedicated to them and all. I'm going to do it, but I think I need to get some of these others out of the way first.

Currently in an attempt-to-quilt stage is "Gypsy Change", based on the Sugar Pop N Change quilt I saw on Moda Bake Shop. Instead of using a couple of packs of charm squares, I used 2 half-jelly rolls I purchased from a chain store. Not a whole lot of variety in the prints (each half-jelly is 20 strips, 2 of 10 different prints), but I love the colors. Sashing with white and burgundy & gold print cornerstones. I've never seen these prints on the shelves of the chain store in yardage, so I'm going to have to find appropriate border prints/colors. I'm trying to machine quilt individual blocks instead of putting the whole quilt top together first-hopefully this means it'll actually be finished sometime this year! Doing it this way also lets me be silly with the backing-some of the backing will be pieced squares, some will be solid pieces. Hopefully the back is just as pretty as the front (and I can make a small dent in the fabrics I'm not really using in the stash).

In the pieces-sewn-but-need-layout category is a pattern that could've been SO much more complicated and fiddly! I'm so glad I decided to stick to larger sized blocks instead of driving myself insane trying to make TONS of little blocks. They're 4 matching HSTs sewn together in a 4 patch-the plan is to set the 4 patches on point with no sashing so it's just a complete riot of color :) I used 6 charm packs of Hoopla for the project-ended up with 63 blocks that finished 8.5"x8.5". I think part of the reason this took SO long is I made sure to do each step correctly-I trimmed down the HSTs to make sure they're as equal as possible...I think I actually have almost all the points! :D Usually I'm lazy (oops) and don't trim, but finding a 4.5" square ruler made this process so easy. Also-the trimmings are so pretty, they'll make a super cute extra project that's become a slight obsession for me to do for each project...

My Sugar Pop strips are still waiting to be sewn-so weird I cut them before these other two projects, but they've been sitting the longest. I guess I have a good layout in mind that will also use my ridiculously splurgtastic Sugar Pop FQ set, so I might be finally ready to sew them. I was wavering between just sewn strip blocks or something more Irish Chain looking...

Assignment for Wednesday's blog-take pics of Gypsy Change, the Hoopla blocks (maybe even laid out????). I'm going to count out 5 projects (so adding 2 to these 3) that will be in rotation til they're finished or I want to scream & burn them ;) My sister is STILL waiting for at least 1 of the 2 quilts I promised her so long ago...at least the second one is only 7+months late....?

eBay is evil.

A necessary evil, however. Being a broke-college-kid-who-isn't-in-college-anymore, finding bargains are pretty important. Add in a desire to have "pretty things"-jerseys, fabrics, etc. Over half of my baseball jersey collection & almost all of my hockey sweaters are eBay purchases. Almost all of my fancy Moda fabrics are from eBay. I guess the key is knowing what your limit is...

Which I have pushed. Several times. Usually successfully. Barely.

I like to look at what charm packs, layer cakes, etc are available and for how much. I usually pounce on jellies & cakes that start around $20. I like lots of charm packs in one listing. (I noticed they only offer up to 3-guess because a 4th would basically be a cut up layer cake? Some lines aren't available in a cake at that time though...wish they'd offer an option to add a 4th.)

Uhh...where was I? Oh yes...shopping :)

I've found several lines that I'm trying to collect enough of to make actual bed sized quilts. I think I might have enough Chrysalis and Sugar Pop to work...need more retro Hello Betty and now I want Central Park. Basically all have some combo of teal, orange, brown-which I never thought I would like as a combo. Actually, it's a pretty grown up combo, if I do say so myself. Coming from someone who was *obsessed* with Bollywood type colors and wanted lots of orange, pink & acid green, I think this might be a step in the right direction! 

...assuming I actually *finish* the quilts. and paint the walls. and either frame or remove my Brad Nowell poster that I've had for 15ish years. and make some new curtains.

It's not easy trying to find pretty fabrics on a tight ass budget. Maybe someday I'll actually have a job that pays me enough so I can buy what I want at full retail price. Knowing me, however-I'll still troll eBay, thinking that extra money can buy me more ;)