Monday Meandering 4 - 30 - 2018

Finished quilt to share! (Because I forgot to share this earlier!  It was finished and delivered at the FCQ quilt show earlier in April.) This quilt is going to TAPS. I fell in love with the dog fabric when shopping in Lancaster County last May.  I bought a yard and some go with fabric too.  Here is my first pull of fabrics for the quilt.  (Check out the dogs carefully. I really liked the little one with the spiked hair and collar. Some designer has such a good sense of humor!) I used one of my go-to patterns Two's Company by Karie Patch Designs.

I swapped out the grey polka dots for white which just looked better. I ran into a problem when I realized I didn't have enough of the theme fabric for the borders.  Sigh.  My solution was to make a pieced border. You can see the side borders where I interspersed red with the print. I chose a nice meander stitch. When finished I decided I'd have liked the meander a little smaller, something that is easily done with a computerized long arm.  (By the way, the blue tape you see in the center is the way I mark next rows when I have to scroll the quilt forward.) 

Here's the finished quilt before giving it to the guild. Hum, the picture isn't quite as clear as I would have liked.  I took this up in Maryland and it didn't get clear and sunny until the day after I passed the quilt on. Oh well. You can see how I pieced the border.   I tried to highlight different dogs in the border.  The bulldog with the Union Jack on it seemed to get in every section! 

Here's my choice of which quilt to work on next (as noted in my goals for last week.) It's a group of opportunity blocks I won from a FCQ block of the month back in November 2015. I'm sure these blocks have aged enough. Now the question -- would you border these blocks or just let them stand on their own? Black binding seems perfect for this group of fabrics.  I'm hoping I can use these for a Hands 2 Help quilt.  Check out the logo on my side bar if you want more information about H2H. 

On to the weekly goals.  I missed getting the charity quilt quilted. I decided it was time to see why the computer drivers weren't working correctly.  I'm waiting a new board that should solve the problem.  I'll be throwing three charity quilts on Ruthie as soon as the she is working correctly.  Or if she still is being cranky, I'll place the rows manually for each row. Not a hard fix but I'd rather let the computer do it! I'd like to get the quilts done before retreat.  

April 23, 2018

Bind Braid Shuffle√

Quilt charity quilt

Work on Jamestown Landing√

Pick and work on a UFO√

April 30, 2018

Sew opportunity blocks (UFO) together 

Work on secret project

Hand quilt on Civil War quilt 

Work on Jamestown Landing

I'm linking up with Oh Scrap!, Main Crush Monday and Moving It Forward. I'll be checking some of the bloggers who post there.  It's aways fun to see what folks are up to.  

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

April OMG Finished

Yes!  I did finish my April OMG at least a week before the deadline.  My goal was to finish my customer's Alabama T-Shirt quilt.  I finished it over the weekend and my customer picked it up Tuesday.  She was thrilled.  I sent her this photo of it the day I let her know it was done.  She immediately posted it to her Facebook account and started getting all sorts of comments about it.  Her Alabama fans love it.  I have to admit I enjoyed these clever  t-shirts.  

I admit I didn't take as many pictures at the beginning as I did at the end.  Here's some of the process I went through.   First up I measured all the elements that were to go into the quilt.  These are mostly backs, but sleeves and small front icons were also included.  Deconstruction was mostly done with my rotary cutter and sometimes scissors.  One thing I was careful with was the shirts with large designs on the back.  I made sure they didn't get cut inadvertently.  I cut them bigger than I needed them to give me some room to change my mind.  

And between cutting, I was thinking.  I measured every element and recorded it based on the smallest it could go.  Once that was done I grabbed graph paper, pencil, and most importantly, an eraser.  I did the paper copy at least twice.  Then I wrote a big note to remind myself when I cut to add the seam allowances! 

Once the plan was figured out it was time to actually construct the top.  I recut to about the needed size and then added the woven stabilizer.  Then I recut to the correct size.  (Yea, three times handling the shirts was a little ridiculous.  Now that I've figured out how to go about this I'd probably only do a rough cut, stabilize and then a final cut.) Below it is beginning to take shape. Nope, the grey as filler doesn't look as good as black...

It was a challenge to get all the rows to end up the same length.  A little tighter seam here, a bigger piece of filler there and they all fit in. Here's the backing fabric. My customer found this houndstooth fabric that matches the hat.  How cool is that?  Except, it was directional.  Once I realized that it was easy to match the design while seaming it.  Lots of fabric! 

I used Classic Stipple by Apricot Moon.  Batting was Pellon 60/40 cotton poly.  I knew the quilt would be heavy so I wanted to lighten it a little using the higher content poly.  

Below is one of my favorite shirts. The top part says something about the schedule.  Read the part in black.  As a fan of University of Southern California football I understand that sentiment.  In fact one of my friends got married on a big game day (USC vs. Notre Dame at home.)  Needless to say a LOT of the guests were gathered round a big television at the reception site. 

Here are a couple of other shots of the quilt.  Unfortunately the weather was cloudy and rainy which made it hard to get a good picture of it.  Plus it is something like 65 by 75" and remember me saying heavy?  That too.

If you look at the right edge you can see that I used the houndstooth to do the binding.  The original plan was for the black but when I saw the houndstooth... well it just seemed right to me. 

I told my customer I'd have it done by May 1st and I succeeded.  I sometimes take my time making quilts or have other items sneak up that must be done.  So I was very happy to have this one finished in advance. I did not label this quilt but now I'm thinking I might want to get some of the printed labels that also have washing instructions to add to the quilt.  What do you think?  Would you add a small label with the quilt maker's info along with washing instructions?  

This post is proudly being linked with One Monthly Goal April Finish linky party, Midweek Makers, and Needle and Thread Thursday. (I'll be back to link up to tomorrow's linky party.)  Enjoy some time browsing the internet in between your sewing time.  

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie  

Monday Meanderings 4 - 23 - 2018 AND Stashbusting Stats

I'm tired of showing my pieces of Jamestown Landing.  I'm still working on it but I won't be sharing pictures of it for a while. So, what else have I been doing? The t shirt quilt is done!  I'll share it after my customer gets to see it. 

So here is the back of the Braid Shuffle quilt.  Once I finish the binding on that I'll show both of the Braid Shuffle quilts.  I used the braids as my block for 2017  Color Challenge.  (I'm not doing it this year -- I've got enough started projects that need to be finished.)  The quilting design is Ginger Flower by Apricot Moon. Binding is next.  I haven't decided on the color of the binding.  

Here it is 2/3rds through April and I'm about to share my March fabric statistics!  Oops. It wasn't the best month nor the worst.  I've already cut out some of my March fabric purchases so I'm not all that upset with the numbers. 

2018	Fabric In Month	Fabric In Year	Fabric Out Month	Fabric Out Year	Total In or Out Year
Mar	6.125	11.125	5.375	29.750	23.625

So I bought more fabric than I used but it wasn't a huge difference, thank goodness.  

Every goal got a check mark by it this week. Saturday I decided I would see which goals I had achieved and start thinking about next week's goals.  When I was able to mark off three of them I decided I would finish the last goal today.  That's why the purple backing is being shown above. 

April 16, 2018

Bind T-shirt quilt√

Finish little bunny piece√ I do need to put the hanging sleeve on it.... 

Quilt Braid Shuffle√ 

Keep cutting kits for retreat√

And coming up this week: 

April 23, 2018

Bind Braid Shuffle 

Quilt charity quilt

Work on Jamestown Landing 

Pick and work on a UFO

Here's the linky parties I will be joining.  (This blog is being posted on Sunday evening -- yee haw! I'm ahead of the game!)  Oh Scrap, Monday Making, Moving It Forward and Main Crush Monday.  MCM will be back next Monday. 


Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie (Hum, that is pretty weird... but I'm hoping spring will actually arrive soon!)  

Monday Meanderings

It's nice to be home after a great week up in Maryland at the Faithful Circle Quilter's show.  The weather was spectacular on Friday and Saturday.  The crowds came out to see the quilts, shop the vendors and bid in the silent auction.  Although I haven't heard anything about the financial results all other signs point to a very successful show.  And, boy, Sharon and I were exhausted by Saturday evening as we worked all 3 days the show was open.  It takes a day and a half to hang the quilts, display the $10 and under sales items, prep the silent auction and get all the "stuff" organized for the yard sale section, etc.  But at the other end -- take down on Saturday is amazing. 

For the most part all quilts were taken down, folded, bagged and the the poles were down within 2 hours of closing the show.  I felt like a monkey running up and down my ladder removing quilts from poles.  But the section Sharon and I were working in was completely down and poles put away by the time we left at about 5:15.  (The show closed at 4:00. There were a couple more people working on our section.)  I spent the last 30 minutes or so taking quilts to folks who were busy working in other areas.  All in all, it was a great show; so fun for me to see friends I don't get to see often; and spend more time with my friend, Sharon. I didn't take a whole lot of pictures of quilts this year but I do have a few more to share that I will try to do later in the week. 

Do you like to support Quilts of Valor?  I do and sometimes I like to make just a few blocks, not make a whole quilt.  If you like that idea there is time left for you to contribute blocks to the current block drive. Go to Quilts of Valor to see the specifics on the 2018 Block Drive.  I have to say I've seen several blocks made up and I really like how they look.  Blocks need to be received in Texas by May 1, 2018.  They will be distributed at National Conference to State Coordinators based on the number turned in by their state.  So, even though we might mail them to Texas, they'll come back to our own state.  Here's the first one I've made.  I'm hoping to make a couple of more before Wednesday when our guild is collecting them in time to send out to Texas.  

The directions are on the web site.  Read them carefully because they have specific requests about color and placement of the colors.  I really like this block a lot.  They also give Accuquilt die numbers too.  I suspect I'll use this block again for some other quilts. 

I'm still getting some sewing time in on my Jamestown Landing.  Here's what my ironing board looked like after my last sewing session before leaving for Maryland.

Let's see -- finished string blocks, telephone book foundations, finished broken dishes units, string blocks waiting to trimmed and a few pieces to make into broken dishes.  Hum, that plastic container?  I had some nuts in it for a snack. At this point I don't have many more broken dishes to do but I do have another 80 or so string blocks to finish.  Ugh.  Not my favorite block.  Slowly, but surely, I am making progress on this quilt. Are you sick of reading about it yet??? 

Last weeks goals were done with one exception. Nothing more was done on the T Shirt quilt. You'll be seeing it on my list again this week. (And hopefully that will be the last time you see it on my list!) 

April 9, 2018

Bind T-shirt quilt

Continue to work on Jamestown Landing√

Visit Sharon & work the FCQ Quilt Show √

Stitch on little bunny piece√

And this coming week I'll be trying to get these 4 items done.

April 16, 2018

Bind T-shirt quilt

Finish little bunny piece

Quilt Braid Shuffle

Keep cutting kits for retreat*

*I'm hoping to have several baby quilts available to sew at retreat.  I like variety and have learned that I need simple things to work on that have already been cut.  I've got a couple of groupings of fabric for smaller quilts so that is what I'm working on.  

I'll be linking up with my regular linky parties.  I've missed spending time on the various quilting blogs so I hope to spend more time this week. Here are the links: Monday Making, Oh Scrap!, Moving It Forward, and Main Crush Monday that will be available tomorrow. (So hopefully I'll remember to come back and update the link!) 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 
  

It's Quilt Show Time -- Alphabet Challenge

Once again the Faithful Circle Quilters have risen to a challenge.  Last year volunteers were given a brown bag with fabric in it.  The challenge was to make a Project Linus quilt with the fabric given (which had to be used on the front of the quilt) and use the alphabet some how.  All the quilts will be given to Project Linus of Howard County, Maryland.  Here's a few of the challenge quilts being shown at our quilt show. (If I know who made the quilt I have given their name.  Unfortunately, I didn't do a great job of figuring out who made which quilt.  I'll try to get the quilter's name on Saturday. These folks did such a great job they need to get a lot of accolades.)

Lauren Swanger's Quilt

My quilt: 

I hope to be able to post some more shots in some more of my posts.  Enjoy! 

I'm linking up with Needle and Thread Thursday and Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 4 - 9 - 2018

How can a week roll by so fast?  For pity sakes, I'm retired.  My life is mostly quilting, reading and singing in groups.  Why does it feel like time just flies by?  Do you feel that times just goes by at a fast clip? 

Most of my week was spent on the Alabama T Shirt quilt. I had it sewn together and then loaded on Ruthie 2.  Since it was loaded by Friday afternoon/Saturday morning I decided I might as well get to the quilting part.  I finished the quilting on Sunday afternoon.  Yee haw!  Next up is binding.  Although I may start it tomorrow, I doubt I will finish it until next week.  

This Wednesday I drive to Columbia, Maryland to work at the Faithful Circle Quilters' show.  It is always a fun time for me as I get to spend time with lots of my old friends and make some new ones too.  Do you live anywhere near Columbia?  If so please stop in to view the show.  Here's the show flier with all the details.  I believe we will be hanging over 250 quilts.  And, there are vendors.  Somehow I always seem to come home with some goodies from the vendors. I hope to see you there! 

In my spare sewing time I've been making Garlic Knots.  The pattern was originally in the January/February 2014 Quiltmaker. Bonnie Hunter used the block in her column Addicted to Scraps. I've enjoy making the block several times.  This time it was Beth's choice for FCQEquilter's block. I went a bit wild making them -- they are so easy.  And, I also was able to find some of the squares in my 2" squares bin. Double bonus.  Here are the 9 (yes, I did go wild!) 9 blocks! Hum, didn't notice I left one block leaning the wrong way.  We were told to use bright colors. 

Progress is being made on my goals except cutting a kit for the May retreat.  It's started but I haven't done much except to move it out of the way recently.  Sigh.  The other three projects saw progress.  I'm continuing to make the string blocks for the Jamestown Landing quilt.  Not my favorite blocks but they are progressing.  

April 2, 2018

Sew T Shirt quilt into a top√

Sew backing for T shirt quilt√

Cut one quilt kit for May retreat UGH Nope!

Continue to work on Jamestown Landing√

I'll be up in Columbia, Maryland for half of the coming week.  So I don't have high expectations in terms of quilting goals.  But I'll definitely make progress on some of these goals. 

April 9, 2018

Bind T shirt quilt

Continue to work on Jamestown Landing

Visit Sharon & work the FCQ Quilt Show

Stitch on little bunny piece

Are you experiencing weird spring weather?  We certainly are!  We woke up to snow on the grass and deck Sunday morning.  April snow?  Yep.  It was pretty much gone by Monday morning.  Today we've had more flurries but no accumulation.  I'm ready for a little my warmth.  Rumor has it that it will hit 80º(F) on Friday.  Good grief... it was below freezing at night just a day or so ago and then up to 80?  

I'm linking up with my normal parties:  Oh Scrap, Monday Making, Main Crush Monday, and Moving It Forward.  You know the drill:  spend a few minutes seeing what folks are doing across the internet!  I will be. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

April One Monthly Goal

Here it is time to select a new goal.  This one is pretty much a no-brainer for me.  I need to have this quilt completed by May -- so why not add the pressure of OMG to it too.  Hum, that sounds weird.  But I do need to get this done even though I'll be out of town for half a week and we're almost a week into April.  So here it is: 

I started this quilt in early February.  This collection of t shirts came from Marlene. (Thanks Marlene for letting me share pictures with everyone.) It took me way too long to get them trimmed and backed and trimmed again. At the beginning of April the left large column and the middle large column were sewn together. My goal is to finish sewing the top together, quilt it and bind it. 

Truth be told over the weekend and Tuesday I've been working on it.  So the top is done.  Now it's time to sew the backing together and load it on Ruthie 2.  I know the pattern my customer wants but must consult on the thread color.  I'm thinking a nice crimson!  (Hey it goes with the whole Alabama mystic.)  I've had fun working on this great set of T shirts. But I'm ready to finish it off.

I'm linking up at Elm Street Quilt with the goal setting link-up.  And then I'm off to a quilting afternoon with friends. (I'll be working on Jamestown Landing -- specifically the string blocks.) 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 4 - 2 - 2018

I have moved several projects forward this week.  The only one finished was the quilt for the Taps project.  I still need to take pictures of it so I can share it.  

Here's the next hand project I'm going to be working on.  Yea, it isn't very big (3 1/4" x 8") so it may get done in a week or two.  Or if I go wild, a day or two and it may be finished!  Must read the directions.  I bought this at the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show.  It's aged enough. It's hard to tell on the picture but it is hanging on a very small hanger that I also bought.  I'll probably need to figure out some additional projects to hang on it through the year.  The kit came with a  solid black fabric that looked flat to me.  So I auditioned the bunny on several fabrics -- purple, beige, pink and green.  Each of those colors washed out something -- the buttons used as flowers, the green stems and the bunny himself.  So I found this mottled blue-black in my stash and thought this would do just fine.  Bunny will become a mini flag quilt from a quite by Plays With Wool.  There are a lot of additional mini flag patterns I can try.  

I've also decided that posting my goals on any day but Monday isn't working.  Most of the weeks I either didn't post them or posted them too late.  So, as of today, I'm posting my goals on Monday again.  One thing I'm going to try to do is limit myself to 4 major goals a week.  I may start a secondary list that is more specific.  My plan is to give myself enough on my list to keep me focused on projects I really want to finish and not to bore my readers with a list of 6 or 8 little things.  We'll see if I can find a good balance.  Do you use To Do Lists or Goals? 

Here's my last set of goals, dated Mar 27 although I don't think I put them into a blog post. 

March 27, 2018

Sew all the columns together of T Shirt quilt Nope

Continue to work on Jamestown Landing√

Sew borders on Braid Shuffle√

Work on Rail Fence Nope

Bind Patriotic Dog quilt for Taps √

Cut one quilt kit for May retreat Nope

And this week my main goals are: 

April 2, 2018

Sew T Shirt quilt into a top

Sew backing for T shirt quilt

Cut one quilt kit for May retreat

Continue to work on Jamestown Landing

Jenny, Brian and the grands came over Saturday for a visit.  We hadn't seen them in several months.  Some shorter person got hold of my phone and was able to take some pictures...actually video.  Must speak with Jenny to see who was fussing with my phone!  I have a password on it and try hard not to let anyone see it when I unlock it.  Evidently some short person is very adept with iPhones! 

Jenny and Brian captured by a stealth photographer. 

That's it for me today.  I'm linking up with my normal Monday Linky parties: Oh Scrap, Monday Making, Moving It Forward and Main Crush Monday.  I'll be taking some time to see what's being worked on. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie