Design Wall Monday 11-24-2014

I was so busy last week with my big, unshowable quilt project that I didn't get much else done.  So today I will show you the remade sock.  Remember this sad post?  I let the sock sit for quite a while but over the last few weeks I've picked it up and knit for a bit.  20 minutes here, 40 minutes there.  Yesterday in the car I knit for 3+ hours.  And guess what?  I'm almost done with one sock.  All I have left is the toe closing.  (which I hope to do some time today.)  

We are at the beach house and I didn't bring my sewing machine down because starting Tuesday late night the kids and the grands are coming down.  Once everyone is here I shouldn't have a whole lot of time or space to sew.  Thus hope springs eternal that a lot of knitting gets done.  In fact, I'm so hopeful I brought yarn to start a second pair of socks. (Ha!  I'll probably end up taking it back untouched but it wasn't a big deal to bring it down.) 

Thanksgiving dinner will be at a restaurant -- couldn't imagine trying to cook a turkey dinner in a small kitchen. (I'm the first to admit I like my bigger kitchen.)  We aren't being blessed with great fall beach weather like the last time we were down here.  So we will be doing some indoor activities this week with the grands.  All that means, I don't have much time to do anything sewing-wise and my goals list reflects that.  So, here's last week's goals which I didn't get very far on. 

Week of November 17, 2014

Finish quilting my big quilt√

Finish charity quilt on design wall

Make some more blocks for FCQEquilters

Mail blocks for FCQEquilters and Quilting Bee groups

Take Raggs in for grooming√

Make a jar or two of cookies in a jar√

Week of November 24, 2014

Finish turquoise blue sock

Start second turquoise blue sock

Enjoy time with the grands: Ellie, Natalie and Sophia

This is a pretty short posting for me but that's all I've got for you.  Maybe later this week I'll have some cute pics of the grands at the beach -- if we can get to  at least walk on it.  Too cold to really play on the beach this week. Don't forget to visit Patchwork Times.

Happy Quilting All! 

Hands Off!

In October I attended a quilt show in Madison, Virginia.  I was on my way home from helping Kevin with Ellie and it was on my way home.  At some point I'll share the quilt photos but today I'm sharing the very clever signs the group had made to remind us to not touch the quilts. My guess is the members were asked to use their creativity and make a sign to remind folks not to touch the quilts.  There was a wide variety of styles that basically said the same thing: Hands Off!  Unfortunately there were no names to go with these great little signs.  Lots of photos are coming up.  Enjoy! 

If your guild is having a show in the future you just might want to unleash your members creativity.  

Happy Quilting All! 

Design Wall Monday 11-17-2014

Good Day!  Here in Central Virginia it is a cool, rainy day.  It's perfect for spending the day in the studio.  We're expected to get an inch of rain which is great as we are in a deficit this year.  Not horribly so, but the rain will be a benefit. 

Here's what is on the design wall today. 

This is a charity baby quilt destined for the NICU at St. Francis Hospital.  Here's my question.  Should I just slap a blue print down in the open space and call it good?  Or should I mess around with the design. My problem is I didn't have enough of either fabric to make all of the plain blocks.  The magenta really sticks out on this picture and it probably does in the real quilt too. I probably have enough of each fabric to do a couple of more blocks.  Any suggestions?  How about that blue stripe fabric?  Should it all be going the same direction?  

Here's what the block looks like by itself. I've had this computer fabric for years and I'm happy to be putting it into a quilt. Now to get it done.  And, the harder part, finding a backing for it.  I probably have 5 quilts ready except no backing. Sigh. 

I also made this block for the monthly lotto block at Country Piecemakers. It is called The Kitchen Woodblock.  You can find a 9" version over at Quilter's Cache although the corner is more complicated there. If you aren't familiar with Quilter's Cache go spend some time there.  It has been on the internet for a very long time and it's a great source for blocks.  Some are original designs from Marcia who runs the site.  Others are old favorites. It's well worth spending some time there. 

I was lucky enough to get a lot of items checked off my goals list.  Amazing really as I didn't think I would get to that many.  Hum, maybe that was why I put things on it that I knew I was going to do! 

Week of November 10, 2014

Quilt one charity quilt√

Load and begin quilting one of my quilts√

Prep quilt kits for Charity Quilts Sew In√

Attend Charity Quilts Sew In√

Order futon cover for beach house√

Hair cut (yippee!) √

Work on Easy Street (hope springs eternal)sigh!

Knit on turquoise socks√ heal is turned! Woopee!  

Start counted cross stitch ornaments for the grands

Here's what's on the list for the coming week.  Not much except the quilt I'm working on is time consuming.  FYI - if you computerize your long arm you still spend a lot of time getting the quilting placed.  If you do an edge to edge it can be a bit faster but it isn't if you are placing a lot of different motifs. Or the same motif in several different places.  I'm making progress but I wish I could blink my eyes and it would be done.  I've got a lot more to do behind this one. 

Week of November 17, 2014

Finish quilting my big quilt

Finish charity quilt on design wall

Make some more blocks for FCQEquilters

Mail blocks for FCQEquilters and Quilting Bee groups

Take Raggs in for grooming

Make a jar or two of cookies in a jar

Don't forget to check out Patchwork Time's Design Wall Monday posting.  It will lead you to design walls around the internet. 

Happy Quilting All!