Design Wall Monday 11-28-11

Not too many Design Wall Mondays left this year.  See what others are working on by going to Patchwork Times. Here's what is on my wall.  YEAH! Progress is being made on this quilt! 

I have one more block nearly done but ran out of time yesterday.  I need to make at least 9 more, possibly 13 more.  I'm hoping I can get by with a 1" coping border.  Beth sent me a formula to use but it was coming up with a 5" border.  I realized the applique part is 26" and I could add 3 9" blocks and they would equal 27".  So, couldn't I do a 1" border and have it work?  That's what I'm thinking.  Of course, I'm going to have to find more of that luscious goldy yellow.  I don't have much.  Or, I have a print that all the colors were taken from.  I may need to audition it as the little border.  Or at least use some of it in the blocks.  I think the blocks need to be a bit lighter -- what do you think?  And more pink.  Do you have any favorite 9" blocks you'd like to suggest.  I'm hoping for something more involved than a 9 patch but not a million pieces! 

Goals for Week of 11/21/11

Make a snap purse

Finish blocks for beige and turquoise, sew into top made some but don’t know how many more I need!

Add another round to pink floral quilt √ at least the next row is started

Sew rows together of 16 patch quilt √

Finish clue 3 and start clue 4 of Carolina Christmas √

Pick a UFO to work on Do I need another one to work on?

Have a great Thanksgiving √


Not too bad overall.  Do I really need another snap purse? Maybe not. 

Goals for Week of 11/28/11

Make secret little quilt for a swap…

Layout beige and turquoise quilt, start sewing rows together

Make more blocks for the FCQ Equilter’s Komen quilt

Finish Clue 4 of Carolina Christmas, start putting blocks together

Make a quiltie

Baby sit Sophia

Sew with Sharon


I'm traveling this week so I may not get all of these goals completed -- but I should be able to work a bit on all of them.  I'm looking forward to snuggle time with Sophia.  I haven't seen her for 6 weeks. I wonder what she is saying now! 


Happy Quilting All! 

T-Day & Black Friday All Over

We had a lovely Thanksgiving with your neighbors at Jennie & Del's house.  I didn't get photos of the food before the feast but I did get a picture of the desserts.  Yum!

 From left to right Chocolate Gingerbread cake, pumpkin pie and apple pie.  Look below to see how beautiful that apple pie was. All those little leaves.  I mean, honestly it was too beautiful to eat.  NOT! And the ones I had tasted fabulously.

 We even went outside to play this crazy game.  Let's just say I didn't win.  You can't tell from here but the bean bags were in Virginia Tech colors.  Someone is a big Tech fan.

We briefly talked about doing some Black Friday shopping but really, going out at midnight to try to buy stuff?  Not me.  Pat and I were ready for bed by about 10.  Well stuffed and tired. 

I spent Friday in the studio working on the FCQ Equilter's donation quilt.  I am making blocks to go around the applique piece.  I was tickled to use my V Block Trimmer by Deb Tucker when making a block. I really like Debbie's rulers.  I get really accurate blocks using them. Here's the section I was making. 

 I used the ruler to cut the correct pieces.  Then I trimmed it down to the correct size.

 And, with very little effort I had my pieces sewn and trimmed.  I like that the pointy parts are trimmed while cutting the pieces.

Here is the block that I made.

Which way do you like best?

Does it even matter?

Check back tomorrow to see some of the blocks I've already finished.


Did you support the buy local Saturday?  I did!  I grabbed Diana and went off to our local quilt store.  Jennie met us there because she wanted to buy some fabric for a winter quilt.  I bought some blue fabric to use for a baby quilt and two pieces of red.  Yes, I know I'm adding to my stash but I've blown my acquisitions out of the water so why not buy what you nee  um, want to get?  They were also having a great sale buy two of anything and get the third free.  So I bought 2 half yard pieces and got the third one free.  And, I never have many reds around cause I use them so much.

I've been bad about blogging.  So I'm hopeful I can get about 3 blogs a week written for the rest of the year.  I always do Design Wall Mondays but I need to add a couple of more postings.  Sounds like a great new year's resolution. But let's see how well I do for December.

Happy Quilting All.  

Design Wall Monday 11-21-11

Yep, it's Monday again.  And it is almost Thanksgiving.  Where did the year go?  


I worked late last night so I could mark things off of the goals list and have something to show this morning.  Whatever gets me moving! 

 First up is the center of a quilt to be donated to Komen.  I need to get going on this one as it will be hand quilted by Pam.  The Faithful Circle Equilters are doing this one.  


My thoughts are to make 8 or 9" blocks to go around this center.  I've got to figure out how to trim the excess side corners off.  And then make the extra  blocks.  I may need a coping border.  It would be far easier to make 12" blocks so I may try to get it to a number divisible by 12.  Stay tuned.  You'll be seeing more of this one.

Do you remember the old Alfred Hitchcock show?  You only saw his profile in shadow?  Well, there is my shadow taking the picture. My studio faces east so I get the morning sun.  Hum, that might be why I don't get upstairs in the mornings especially in the summer!   I closed the blinds for the picture of the Komen quilt. I'm sure I showed you these  other blocks last week but I've done a few more and put them the way they should be set.  Hum, I wonder what would happen if I switched them around? As I was moving them this morning I realized these would be perfect blocks to use up small bits and pieces.  The strips are cut 3" by 23", one light and one dark. Sew them together right sides together. Then they are subcut into 5 1/2" pieces and sewn into this arrangement.  Super easy.  I'm going to mail these 4 to Faithful Circle for the drawing but I think I'll make more to make a charity quilt.  I do like easy! 

Did you notice a new button on my side bar?  I'm going to participate in a quilty swap. You make 3 quilties that are 4" x 6". Send them to Sandie and she swaps them out and you get 3 back.  The deadline is Dec. 15th for mailing so you have time to join in if you want. Check out the last swap here. Here are directions for the quilty swap.  Or, if you click on my button you go to her blog page.  Then look at the right hand side for the quilty button that is framed -- if you click that you go to all the posts about quilties... maybe 6 or 7 posts.  Sandie has made some really cute quilties.  I really like the ones she made of her kids as babies.  Neat.  

And mystery fans . . . Fabricholics Anonymous is having their annual New Year's Eve mystery.  It is a one day mystery available for members.  Hum, actually I think several yahoo chat groups get this mystery.  It is fun and if you make the smaller size you'll have a top done by the end of the day if you can keep at it.   (Sorry Marge, I just have to crow about this one.  Are we closing membership on 12/1?) I need to decide if I want to make this one or not and get going with fabric selection.  

I am thrilled with all the progress I made this week.  I got almost everything done on my list. YEAH! 

Goals for Week of 11/14/11

Package up and send Quilts for Kids√

Send fabrics to friend √

Trim and bind red, white and blue twin √

Finish beige and turquoise top

Continue working on Clue 3 of Carolina Christmas √

Finish counted cross stitch ghost ornament√

Add two sections to the pink floral quilt. √  Add triangles to square it up √

Host neighborhood tea√

Clean living rm, dining rm, kitchen √

Goals for Week of 11/21/11

Make a snap purse

Finish blocks for beige and turquoise, sew into top

Add another round to pink floral quilt

Sew rows together of 16 patch quilt

Finish clue 3 and start clue 4 of Carolina Christmas

Pick a UFO to work on

Have a great Thanksgiving

I'm trying to be realistic on the goals this week.  I know I won't get much of anything done on Thursday.  We are spending the day with neighbors.  Our kids are spending turkey day with their other families. 

Do you like to see what people are working on all over the Internet?  Go to Patchwork Times to take a tour.  Happy Quilting All! 

Finishes -- YEAH!

I've finished a few things I've been working on for a while...  but none of them are quilting.  Maybe after the weekend I can show some quilted finishes.  First up a pair of socks.  I think Pat gave me the yarn this past Christmas.  I used a different sock pattern and the plan was to make them a bit shorter than I normally do.  Um, er, didn't happen for some reason.  They are a wool blend so will have to wait a bit before I can wear them much.

Next up two little ornaments I cross stitched on a small count plastic canvas.  I have a Halloween tree that for years has had about 6 weird ornaments.  (well maybe now there are only 6 cause Mr. Raggs has gotten some of them in the past...) I've wanted to make counted cross stitch ones but thought I couldn't see well enough to do any counted cross stitch.  Well, guess what, I'm wrong.  I think the ghost is about 3" tall and the candy corn is probably 2".  All that needs to be done is put floss hangers on them.  I'll do that next year when I hang them on the tree.

So, if I can see well enough to work on 10 count plastic, why not work on 11 count waste canvas?  (numbers are approximate . . .  I really don't remember what size the canvas is.)  I had a sweat shirt from years ago all ready to work on -- don't remember when I set it up or what I was going to put on it.  Hey, it would work for Santa -- but oops, not the enough waste canvas.  Put new canvas on and have started this little Santa.  If I were good I'd get it done before Christmas... but don't hold your breath.

How did you like the blue fabric behind all the projects?  It is the same piece of fabric!  Yes, it's a Moda that goes from sky blue morning to dark blue night.  Isn't that cool?  It is in the last bag of fabrics I got at the auction.  I still haven't measured the last bag but I will -- maybe this weekend. 

I had my neighbor ladies over for our monthly tea this week.  The house got cleaned and the fall decorations were put out on the table.  If it hadn't been for them coming over I would have skipped the table decorations.  But they looked great. I just floated the loose leaves down on the table after I had everyone's place mat down.  Looked just like fallen leaves.... 

 This was on the small buffet we have.  It is the wreath I made several weeks ago on top of a table runner.  Unfortunately the table runner is way too wide to use on the table.  And you can't see the cute applique in the center.  Hum, this may one of the only applique projects I've ever finished.  I think I have about 3 more going -- or not going as I seldom work on them.  Sigh.

So my techie friends out in blogland... how come sometimes I can write next to the pictures and sometimes I can write only on the bottom line.  This always drives me crazy.  Does it make a difference it I uploaded more than one picture at a time?  Hum, I'll do a little experiment... all the above were loaded three at a time.

OK, maybe not... except I had to move this so maybe that caused the issue.  We've been having crazy weather recently.  It got in the 80's off and on for a week and then plunged to the 40's.  The poor cherry tree doesn't know whether to bloom or not.  It was a horribly windy, overcast and rainy day when it decided it was time to bloom Thursday.  It was 28º this morning. Ok, so it isn't spring!

I'm heading up to the studio to try to finish a couple more things on my weekly goals.  I've been making great progress on it so far.  Happy Quilting All! 

Design Wall Monday 11-14-11

I changed out my design wall quilt because I am so tired of showing the beige and turquoise top that really looked so messy on the design wall.  Here's what I've been doing between making beige and turquoise blocks. 


I'm working on Carolina Christmas from Bonnie Hunter.  It was originally a mystery quilt in 2009.  I don't see it on Quiltville.com so perhaps it is in one of her books.  I was only going to make a half size quilt.  So, I got things together to do only half the pieces.  Needless to say I lost interest at some point, piled every thing in a plastic box and it became a UFO. 

Fast forward a few years.  Every once and a while I would take it out and sew a piece of two.  Luckily I have learned to keep good notes in the plastic box so all I have to do is glance at it to know what I need to do.  I'm working on clue 3 -- we'll see how long I stick with this project this year.  I needed an ender project so this will serve.  


I've also put up this block that I really need to work on. Two sides of the border have been attached.  I need to figure out the corners and just DO IT. Then I'll add the white triangles so it really will sit the way I have it on my design wall.  I need to get going on this as it will need to be done by April -- I'll pass it along to Pam to do the quilting.  It will be a donation to Komen in Baltimore.  It will hang in the Faithful Circle Quilters, Columbia, Maryland show in April and then be donated.  And, honestly I have all the fabric to make this but just need to get off my ... duff.  I did not do the applique although I wish I could do that nicely. 

Here are more pictures of part of my big haul from the live auction my local quilt guild held on Saturday.  Check out the bags before I brought them home here. I measured 3 bags over the weekend and then got tired of that.  I'll do the last bag sometime before the end of November. Here's the first batch of washed fabrics.  I think the yellow with red lady bugs would look great as a dress for Sophia.  And the bottom fabric in bright pink, purples and green will be wonderful for a backing.  Who know what I'll do with the rest.  And, I have stacks more fabric to wash.  I have already used one fat quarter in blocks I'm making for my FCQ Equilter group. 

The sad part about this haul is I've shot my fabric usage to the moon, if not Saturn!  From the three bags I've gone through I have acquired 55 1/2 yards of fabric. (remember, I've got one more bag to go through...) The average cost per yard is about 40¢.  Can you say SCORE? And, honestly, I gave away 4 yards or so before I even got it home.  And, I didn't count the knits and rayons.... Hopefully this stuff will all fit in my shelving. Ooops, I didn't mention that there were some patterns, books and one felt kit in the bags also. NO MORE FABRIC SHOPPING FOR ME FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR! 

Goals for Week of 11/7/11

Package up and send Quilts for Kids

Trim and bind red, white and blue twin

Finish beige & turquoise top ARGH – I got a few more blocks done

Piece backing for beige and turquoise top

Quilt two baby quilts √ √

Finish counted cross stitch ghost ornament

Add two sections to the pink floral quilt.  Add triangles to square it up 

What DID I do all week?  -- I definitely did not have many enjoyable hours in the studio piecing.

This is one of the baby quilts I got done.  Darn, I forgot to take pictures before I gave them back.  Both were so cute.  I did spend an enjoyable day shopping and lunching with my neighbor.  

Goals for Weed of 11/14/11

Package up and send Quilts for Kids

Send fabrics to friend

Trim and bind red, white and blue quilt

Finish beige and turquoise top

Continue working on Clue 3 of Carolina Christmas

Finish counted cross stitch ghost ornament

Add two sections to the pink floral quilt.  Add triangles to square it up

Host neighborhood tea

Clean living rm, dining rm, kitchen 

Ok, so that makes a lot of sense, repeat most goals and add more. HA! Hopefully I will get more done this week than last. It's my time to have the monthly tea with the neighbors so I'll have to do a bit of cleaning and baking before that can happen.  


Remember to visit other design walls by visiting Patchwork Times. 


Happy Quilting All 

UH - OH

I will be having a bad report on fabric usage at the end of this month.  Just warning you. 

Today was the guild's live auction to raise funds to help pay for the batting for our charity quilts.  Last year I got some fabulous greens which I have been using all year long.  This year more items were bundled together. And, um, er, I bought 4 bunches of fabric.

I've gone through one of the bags so far.  It had approximately 16 1/4 yards of fabric -- for $3.00.  I only bid on it because I thought it was ridiculous to let it go for even less than that.  Turns out that each yard cost appx. 18¢ a yard.  Crazy.  And, that was the small bag. 


The second bag I looked at will no doubt have MORE fabric than the first.  Some of it was fabric book panels... which I'm not all that interested in but I might cut them up and frame with go with fabric and make baby quilts for our charity.  And, one piece was a knit.  Hum, maybe Jenny would like it to make something for Sophia.  We'll see.  

Colleen won the blocks at the retreat -- batiks sewn into these blocks.  She's already gotten the blocks sashed and put together.  Wow.  And, don't they look terrific?  When I saw what block we were using I couldn't "see" how they would be put together in a quilt.  She did a great job and now I wish I had won... but I would have had to enter a block or so to win!  


Happy Quilting All!

WoW! What an Offer

This is the opportunity quilt for Faithful Circle Quilters in Columbia, Maryland. And, all I can say is wow. If you know anyone in the guild you can buy tickets from them.  Or better yet, plan to attend the quilt show in Columbia Thursday, April 26 through Sat, April 28, 2012. The quilt is usually designed by a group of members and made by as many members who can piece and applique.  It was quilted by Maria O'Haver. 


Personally, I hope we don't sell too many tickets because I want to win this one!  The winning ticket will be drawn at the quilt show on Saturday, April 28th.  Wish me luck.
                                                       
                                                                        

Design Wall Monday 11-7-11

Eureka!  I finally figured out what was driving me crazy about this quilt that I am working on. 

See those bright turquoise and navy print strips.  YUCH! I've been steadily working on this quilt and have lots more done but I still wasn't thrilled. Saturday night I ripped all of those pieces out and Sunday I added a few more pieces.  Ah yes, so much better.  Although, honestly the whole thing looks awful in this picture.  The design wall isn't big enough, the cork behind the flannel is red, I have to pin the bottom pieces... honestly, the quilt looks much better than this shows! But it does show that I need to move some pieces around. 

This quilt is headed to Alycia Quilts for Quilts of Valor.  Did you read her post last Monday? Her cabinet is bare.  She needs quilts for the folks on her waiting list.  This seems a perfect quilt to send her -- masculine colors, a subtle cowboy theme (in the main fabric which I haven't used much on the front) and it will be easy to get it to the right size.  And, I'm using up some of my stash! No, it isn't done yet but it is my primary quilt until it is done. 


Do you ever sew something, leave it in your machine as an ender and the next time you come back you have NO IDEA what it is for?  Yep, that happened to me. Here's my mystery piece.  Yesterday I had no idea why I sewed these two pieces together.  This morning I remembered. I want to try Elaine's rebuilt log cabin so I am making a few log cabin blocks to try it out.  Duh.  Check out Elaine's tutorial on her blog. 

Goals for Week of 10/31/11

Finish binding on Quilt for Kids √

Wash√, package up and send Quilts for Kids quilts

Keep plugging away on beige and turquoise√

Sew rows together on 16 patch quilt

Load red, white and blue twin size quilt on Ruthie√ & it’s quilted!

Make lavender wreath√ 

Not too bad as I actually finished quilting the red, white and blue. Below is what I'm going to work on getting finished this week. We'll see how successful I am. 

Goals for Week of 11/7/11

Package up and send Quilts for Kids

Trim and bind red, white and blue twin

Finish beige and turquoise top

Piece backing for beige and turquoise top

Quilt two baby quilts

Finish counted cross stitch ghost ornament

Add two sections to the pink floral quilt.  Add triangles to square it up 

Yes, I started to do a little counted cross stitch.  I have a halloween tree with a few ornaments on it.  Not very attractive ornaments at that.  So I borrowed some patterns from Diana, a cross stitch queen if I've ever met one.  I gathered the supplies and started ... er, in early October.  For a while all I could do was one or two 18" strings a night. But, surprisingly, last night I got fired up.  I have the head and outline stitching left to do.  Yippee.  It will be done in time for next year.  I have a little candy corn I want to do also.  But the big motivating factor is I want to do a cross stitch Santa on a sweatshirt.  I've had the sweatshirt for years.  I had at least half of the floss.  So while shopping the big sale at JoAnns yesterday I bought the rest of the floss and another piece of waste canvas.  I'm ready to start after I finish the ghost.  I sure hope I am motivated to get it done before Christmas but don't hold your breath.  I tend to flit from project to project.  But, I might get really serious about this after I get my quilting projects done this month... I'll keep you posted. 

Do you like to see what is on other design walls?  Go over to Patchwork Times to  link to other's design walls. I'm going to finish this up and add my link.  Happy quilting all!