Lunch Lady with Style

My friend Jennifer is going away to college in a few days, albeit not across the country away, but enough that I had to make her a little something.  Because she has started her cafeteria job at GVSU, we acquired on a fun expedition to Wal Mart an apron for her to wear at work.

Here is my addition!

Beading in Circles

The first photo is my bag of goodies, including a gazillion seed beads, a locking bead storage container, a bead nabber (that thing is amazing so far!), Wichelt Imports Antique White 28ct Jobelan, and DMC embroidery floss numbers 53 (goes with grey/silver beads), 93 (blue beads), 125 (green beads), and 310 (black beads).  The floss is variegated... no clue what it will look like stitched up with the beads, but it might show a little bit as the beads are somewhat translucent (except black).  I've started the black outlining on page 1 of the pattern and it really pops, even from across the room.  I am very excited!  The second photo is the Ink Circles pattern shrunken down version included to show the layout of the pages, and I used the closest I could match of Prismacolor colored pencils to draw the basic layout of my color scheme.  This is about the 4th different version of the same colors placed on the pattern, and I am pleased with it so far.  It may change as I stitch but I was a little anxious to get started, and the placement of the black beads is decided.  Comments are welcome, thank you for reading!!

Haircut

Ha, my mother just texted me this photo from her phone.  Photo was taken December 2008 in Florida.  This was the donation phase... 11 inches.  I believe she cut off 2 more after washing.  Haircuts feel so amazing.. you know that feeling that your head should spring forward or something because all the weight is gone? lol

Togo

Well here's the latest progress on my Flag of Togo and Cal Poly inspired quilt.

I've cut a sheet a scrapbook paper to mock the size of the blocks I need to create the "stripe" strips.  If it hadn't been a confusing phrase, I would have left out the quotation marks for my pure amusement.  Then I finished making my green calico blob large enough and cut down the first block to size.  The second block went together pretty well, except I need to figure out a better system to organize the fabric.  And possibly change around my workstation set-up.  Leaning across the table to iron isn't such a good idea for my back, I'm thinking.  I thought that putting the table out of the way I'd have more space, but it prevents me from walking around to the other side of the table.  Oof, maybe this weekend I will start packing and things will get consolidated into boxes.  *tear*  In about 30-33 days I will have to say goodbye to this house, maybe forever.  This means I have to do like at least 2 quilt blocks every day to finish them all (it's never gonna happen)... leaving some days to do the white star in a red rectangle section.. and putting them all together will take a day or two if the backing on my last quilt is any indication.  This one will be slightly larger than a Twin XL comforter needs to be.  I think!  I sort of rounded up to easily divisible numbers to get around the Golden Ratio for length and width.  Yeah I think I'm starting a trend with the quilt themes.  I absolutely love projects that have many meanings to me personally.  And surprisingly enough, when someone else looks at it they'll certainly say something about it I had never considered before.   
 
The photos will happen here as soon as my Windows Explorer decides to stop being stupid!  I mean really, Microsoft?  Isn't that program fundamental to Windows? o_o  How can you crash and somehow still have full access to the internet, Excel, etc... I also have a giggle-worthy WIP of Princess of Light for later.

Two Percent

I finished another section of the page, so this is just over 2% of the final design.  Cheers!  I'm trying parking in larger sections, like 3 or 4 rows of a page at a time.  Maybe smaller sections for the next page where there are more color changes.  By the time I finish something, I'll have tried so many different ways that one is bound to become my favorite.  So far I like highlighting in pink and when the stitches are complete, coloring over the boxes in blue.  Can you tell what my favorite color is?  And side note, I can't believe how many colors were used in the bottom right portion of this.  Green, purple, pink, blue, gray, and I swear there were like 2 odd stitches of brown? lol  How cool is that?!

I must add - quilt progress is happening slowly.  Soon I will have to migrate to the bonus room to block some more random greens into almost square rectangles.  Here's what I have so far before I cut the first block.  The blocks will eventually go together in rows to make 2x60 and 1x90 inch by 11 inch strips of green, and 1x60 and 1x90 inch by 11 inch strips of yellow.  Then I'll sew those together and sew on a rectangular 30x33 inch section of red with a big white star.  Imagine the American flag except with 5 stripes and one star.. Or look at a photo.  The red and white portion will be pieced with random "scraps" I get from a BUNCH of fabric quarter patterns that seemed to go decently together in similar toned white/red prints.  Anyway, back to the photo.  I changed my mind from trying to do one huge piece to doing a series of smaller rectangles, but I'm sure it will be fine since the point was for the patchwork to be as random as possible.

Can I have another BACKGROUND?

/attempt at pop culture reference

Emphasis on attempt.

The purple and grey rectangular blob is growing.  Here is my latest.

A Short Ordeal

 I really wanted to try and embroider my fraternity letters onto something.  Nothing that I own particularly called out to me, and if it did there's no way my first attempt at it was going on something expensive or sentimental.  Besides, perhaps my favorite and oldest pair of shorts I own are bright purple with SWIM in white letters across the back side.  I traced the letters of my sweatshirt to make 6 stencils, for this and for future reference if my insanity actually works.  The stripes on the purple print were vertical..but I thought it looked pretty awesome to slant the letters on it.  I like the result! 

The photos are my first attempt at satin stitches, or a zig-zag stitch at the smallest stitch length.  Oh my goodness I was afraid it would be difficult to maneuver the sewing machine around the shorts.. and it is already causing issues.  Just like half of the one piece of the first letter took a very long time to do.  I wonder why the machine sews so slowly.. bahh this project is a bit of a nightmare.  I went out for fusible web and stabilizer, but a lazy at the fabric store showing me where the stuff was somehow convinced me past my better judgment that I needed interfacing.  Doesn't help me too much when it only attaches fabric to one side.  I was going for the made with love look anyway! *blinks repeatedly*  No the hours I spent trying to make the stencils look just right.. lol  You know, some day I'm going to learn how to sew for real and then I won't have to fake it anymore.  And next time I'll do an APX scarf instead LOL or *gasp* iron-on letters!  Or dang it.. I could have made the letters into a patch and sewn/fused them on.