Design Wall Monday 3- 31 - 2014

It suddenly dawned on me that the end of the month was almost upon us.  Oops!  That's the deadline to enter quilts in Faithful Circle Quilters' quilt show coming up in May.  I've been organizing and locating photos of the quilts I want to enter.  3 of the 5 I'll enter have been registered.  The last two will be done today after blogging and showering.  

Next epiphany was realizing that I was dropping them off with Sharon this coming weekend.  YIKES, every single one of them needed hanging sleeves.  Alert! Alert!  Quit all other sewing and get those sleeves on.  Yesterday was also Country Piecemakers' Sit N Stitch at our local library. You KNOW what I was doing.  Yep sewing on sleeves.  I'm happy to report that two are now sleeved.  (can I make sleeve a verb? Of course I can!)  Once the sleeve was made the hand stitching took about 2 hours or so.  One issue is the 5th quilt is Natalie's Owls which, of course, she has.  I've begged Jenny to sew a sleeve on but she may not be able to do it.  

So before my panic on Saturday, this is what was getting done in my studio. My Mystery for Relay quilt is sewn together -- at least the center is.  I have once again put it in hibernation so I can finish a few other things before I tackle the borders.  My thought is to use the print fabric that is the center of the dark Xs for the border.  I'll audition it with some additional colors as inner borders to see if I like it when I drag it out again.  This quilt is destined to be donated to my church for a silent auction.  Luckily the auction isn't until September so I have a bit of time to finish it.  

Here's what else has been getting attention.  I am just tickled with this quilt.  I have to figure out the borders as I will have to cut very carefully so I have enough fabric to have the designs going in the correct direction.  I was trying to have this done by Friday also.  As I was looking for pictures of quilts that I was entering in the show I realized I had several additional quilts I'd rather enter.  This will be done in time to be delivered to the Maryland guild when I am up there in May to work the show.  This one will go to Project Linus in Howard County.  This is a dots for tots challenge quilt.  Dots you ask?  Yep, the blue sails are blue on blue dots.  I'll use the second piece of multicolor dots on the back with the left over sailboat fabric.  My guess is Project Linus might like this for older boys but that is there decision, not mine.  I'm just enjoying making it. 

Lots of things need to be getting done in my studio but I've changed my focus to get what needs to be done by Friday done! I've done pretty well on last week's goals.  

Week of March 24, 2014

Quilt Jane’s baby quilts (2)√√

Bind my baby quilt√

Make sample lotto block for CP √

Sew Sailboat Quilt together√

Decide√ and make borders for Sailboat Quilt

Load QOV quilt

And now what am I getting done this week especially considering I am visiting the grands this weekend. 

Week of March 31, 2014

Embroider shirts for Ellie, Natalie and Sophia

Enjoy visit to Natalie and Sophia

Load QOV quilt

Add hanging sleeves on 3 quilts entered in quilt show

Give Sharon my quilts for show

Make embroidered towel at class

Cut fabric for next Christmas Favorites bom

So that's how this week should go.  We'll see if I actually do all that stuff when Design Wall Monday rolls around again.  Don't forget to go to Patchwork Times to use the links to posts across the country.

Happy Quilting All!  

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Teal!

My teal block is done.  And, it is so darn cute! I love making this block each month.  I grab a bunch of different scraps -- lights, mediums and darks -- from the assigned color. I'm using the same background fabric each month.  (I don't have that big of a piece of this so I hope I don't run out before the end of the year!)  So here is my teal although I thought of it more as turquoise.  

And here is what the first three look like together.  They are great. Do you think I'm a bit over-the-top on enthusiasm? You bet!  I am looking forward to April's color.  

Did I ever show you the snowmen Diana taught the Tea Group to make?  I couldn't find any pics of them in my past blogs. Here they are.  So we made these sometime last year.  And then we had this photo shoot. 

Diana got creative and then showed me how to make a bunny using the same concept of white tube sox and holiday sox.  He'll be joined by my stuffed bunnies once I have time to find them.  This picture was taken at Diana's house with her bunny plate. 

I'm linking up at soscrappy for the last linky party with the teal scraps.  These linky parties are a great jumping off point to visit additional blogs.  I try to spend some time after each link I post to go visit others blogs. Hope you will too.  Enjoy! 

I'm off to get those sailboats together.  Everything is ready to sew the blocks into the center of the top.  Then I need to figure out the borders.  I don't think I'm going to make it as big as the pattern suggests.  Time will tell.  

Happy Quilting All! 

Design Wall Monday 3-24-2014

Monday has rolled around after a semi-busy week.  At first I thought I had gotten little done during the week.  Then I went to the studio to take some pictures.  Surprise! Surprise!  I did do a bit that I will show you.

First off I got one of the big sailboats made  Here's what it looks with a few of the little ones around.  Too cute.  I've got the second one half done.  I cut one of the triangles the wrong size.  (Small rant:  I hate it when magazines or patterns don't tell you the size of a sub-unit.  If I had known the triangle for the big boat's sail was to be cut 5 3/4" right off I wouldn't have miscut and then have to figure out what the correct size was.  I prefer to cut my triangles slightly larger and then cut to the exact right size. End of rant.) I'm looking forward to getting the top together and then figuring out the borders.  It's a charity quilt for Project Linus in Columbia, Maryland.  Hopefully it will be done in time to be in the Faithful Circle Quilter's show May 1, 2, and 3.  If you are in the area please plan on attending. In the past we have hung about 300 quilts of every style.  I'll have 5 quilts hung but I've only decided on 2 for sure.  I still need to go through my quilts to see what to include.  Registration deadline is at the end of this month.  

Next up are the napkins I made at an embroidery class I am taking at the local Bernina dealer.  Free class but buying the designs is adding up.  That said I would never have thought to buy a design to embroider the edges of napkins.  But look how cute they are.  I'm hoping I'll have time to make four placemats to go with them and then donate all of it to the local Lions Club's auction at their bull roast in April.  

These new fabrics came in Saturday.  I was surprised to see green again but when I checked their website I saw that this month's were a darker green.  Hum, Not really as dark as I would have thought.  The far left fab is very much the color received in the fall.  I love getting these fabrics each month even if it does shoot the heck out of my fabric usage.  I have 2 more months until I've been with them for a year.  I'll probably cancel in 3 months as I really liked the grays sent the first month I was a member and you can always use a nice gray.  I still have reds and yellows to come.  If you want to join go to http://www.pinkcastlefabrics.com and click on Monthly Clubs. 

We've had another small snowstorm since last I wrote.  The one predicted for Tuesday has been downgraded to a rainstorm.  And look what I found this week when the weather hit the 70's!  The forsythia has started blooming but isn't going wild yet.  We moved three bushes this winter so they would have room to spread out and fill in.  I doubt they'll bloom as nicely as they will in years to come.  They might still be a bit shocked that we moved them.  

Take time this week to peruse the design walls across the internet.  Go visit Patchwork Times to find the links. 

Here's a quick look at my goals last week. 

Week of March 17, 2014

Quilt a baby quilt√

Make turquoise Color Challenge block√

Play on EQ 7 to continue learning the program√

Sew Mystery Quilt Blocks together√ in rows

Make sailboat blocks√ Need to finish one

Sew center of sailboat quilt together oops

And here is what I've got planned for this week.  

Week of March 24, 2014

Quilt Jane’s baby quilts (2)

Make a bunny 

Bind my baby quilt

Make sample lotto block for CP

Sew Sailboat Quilt together

Decide and make borders for Sailboat Quilt

Load QOV quilt

We'll see how I do.  I do try hard to focus on what I've put on the list but sometimes I just wander.  Or more likely, I start reading a book and don't spend as much time in the studio.  Not a bad way to spend some time but it doesn't get me through the items I want to get done.  

Happy Quilting All!