Taking a Break From the Leaf Quilt

I'm taking a break from my leaf quilt, but don't worry it for a good reason.
1) It's the first Christmas living with my boyfriend! Therefore, we need stockings! But not just any old purchased stockings.... Pieced and quilted stockings of course...

    And a new Christmas tree skirt!

2) I start student teaching shortly after Christmas. I feel like I won't be doing art for personal fun, but instead practicing projects for making with students! Just as fun, but not sewing, lol.

Leaf Quilt: Aug - Dec

So WAAAAY back in January I bought (what I thought to be) all the fabric I needed to make this leaf applique quilt. And then I cut MOST of the pieces: 8x8 squares and 2x2 squares and wonky strips.

In August, I actually started to put the pieces together... 8x8s cut into 2 and wonky strips sewn in between. Then cutting out the 120 leaves... Here's a photo of me (and Zoey) cutting the wonky squares back into 6x6 squares.

Then came the LONG (everything in this quilt feels like a long time) task of sewing all the 2x2 squares into 4 square strips (with Jody).

Then I decided that it would be a GREAT idea to hand stitch all the edges of the leaves... did I mention that this quilt is taking a long time? So that took me into November, when I realized that I was 20 leaf squares short and had to do all the steps over again for 20 more! But they look super nice all hand stitched and stuff...

Into December, I needed a fabric for the lime squares and decided that the quilt needs to be 6" larger on all sides SO had to order fabric. After very careful measuring, I bought the wrong amount (too little), couldn't buy more of the same pattern, and ordered some online... only to find that I still didn't order enough. New order and 1 yard too much, I'm set to keep going!! I cut the little squares for the inside and long strips for the outside and started to sew rows.

Cats are bad for this. They like to run across all my carefully laid out/planned pieces before I pick them up so that I have to do it all over again... they did this no less than 5 times... I just can't bear to lock them out!!

Then I sewed all the pieces together to make strips.

And devised this nifty, high tech way to make sure I sew them in order...

Now I'm sewing all the rows together. I'm 10 rows in with 19 more to go... the ironing is SO time consuming, I wish someone else would do that and I could just sew :-)

Here's the 10 rows...

Bridget's Ribbits Update

Since posting in September I've reactivated 29 pieces on Etsy and sold 7 of those!! (but no through Etsy.. lol) I've added 22 pieces to Etsy and sold 4 not on Etsy and 2 through Etsy!!
My mom brought my items to work with her in November and sold a BUNCH of stuff and got lots of custom orders. Many of the pieces on Etsy are from custom orders. I like to make at least 2 pieces for people to pick from but usually I try to make 3. Then the extras go up Etsy for everyone's enjoyment!!
Here's some of the goodies I've been making lately...

Now... should I  do a craft show is February or March?!

New Business Cards

I spent ALL DAY making these and getting them to print right. I hope get to use them soon!!

Front:

Back:

Starting Up Again!

I'm working on getting my shop back up and running. Hopefully I'll generate a little income! I'm working on posting lots of new jewelry since I'm sewing something for myself right now ;-) Maybe I'll put a little peek at that up sometime. Here's a taste of what's up in my etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/BridgetsRibbits) right now.