Unique Rulers Put to Use

Speaking of unusual rulers...do you ever use the unusual rulers you buy?  In the last year I've used 3 or 4 rulers I had bought but not used.  I used the X Block for a quilt for QOV.  It will be heading to Colorado after the quilt show in Maryland. I really like how this version really sparkles. 

I put this triangle ruler into a brown bag project at Country Piecemakers. The bag goes to a different member each month.  Here's the beginning of my sample block that shows the ruler. 

Here's are a few finished blocks.  I won't get my project back until August.  Every month I work on someone else's project.  It feels good to use some of these older tools! Of course, I bought a new one at the Hampton Roads quilt show this winter so I'll still have a new ruler to try! Here's a plain and a sewn block. I've asked folks to use the floral print in the middle of each block and to pick a fabric that matches the floral one.  

Today Pat and I spent the afternoon seeing Wicked at the old Landmark theater.  It was a great musical.  Good story, dancing and singing.  It's been a long time since we've been to any musical.  The afternoon was capped by dinner at the Tobacco Company.  The building was an old tobacco warehouse that has been restored.  Very nice surroundings and very good food too.  Back to sewing tomorrow. 

Happy Quilting All! 

Design Wall Monday 12-30-13

How can we be so close to saying good bye to 2013?  It was only 109 posts ago that we welcomed it.  Sigh.  Not much quilting going on this past week but yesterday I started back in the studio with the goal of finishing one more quilt before the end of the month. 

This is what I am trying to finish before midnight tomorrow!  I still need to actually sew those mitered corners.  I have Susan Cleveland's book, Marvelous Miters.  It is my go to book for how to miter corners quickly and easily.  Except, it took forever to make the borders for this one, or so it seemed. Today I'll sew the corners. Piece the backing and get it loaded on Ruthie.  Then if I still am motivated, I'll start quilting it.  It will get an all over design that has lots of curves on it. 

Here are the finished ornaments I made for the girls.  I learned as I finished each one.  May need to rethink how long a hanger I need for future ornaments. 

My kids know me so well.  They gave me quilt books for Christmas.  I requested the log cabin one.  Wow!  I want to make several of the ones in it. Argh, it will take me forever to do any from there but I really like the look.  I'm hoping to do the one Aimee picked out sometime.  I really need to finish a few UFO's before I start anything new. Jenny hit the nail on the head with In the Studio.  I always need new ideas for what to quilt on my quilts.  I've taken a Craftsy class with Angela Walters so this will reinforce that and add to it. Fun!  

I did remarkably well on my goals this past week.  Perhaps because it was stuff I absolutely had to do! 

Week of December 23, 2013

Clean house√

Make whatever food can be done in advance√

Finish T Shirts√

Finish secret project√

Do final prep for anything needing to be done by Christmas√

Sing Christmas Eve service√

Enjoy time with all the kids here!√

Visit Ginter Gardens√

Make borders for red, white and blue X block quilt√

Sew backing for X block quilt oops, not yet!

And, for the last few days of the year I'm not quite as focused except on the X Block quilt.

Week of December 30, 2013

Sew backing for X block quilt

Load and quilt X Block quilt

Bind X Block quilt

Clean and put away stuff in the studio

Try my new Sizzix cutter

Make FCQEquilter blocks

Get back to working on A Tisket, A Tasket

Finish baby quilt

Set up new Mac Power Book YIPPEE!

I've been a modern grammy long before selfie became a word!  I've been taking selfies with the grands since the first grand.  And here we are Grammy and Ellie.  I'm not so thriled with the wrinkles on Grammy's face but I do like this picture of us.  Hum, maybe this should be printed and framed. 

Time to get up to the studio.  Please take some time this week to visit Patchwork Times to see what folks are up to in their studios. 

Happy Quilting All!