Decisions, Decisions

It's always nice to have folks who can give me some ideas about finishing a block or quilt. (Just for the record, I've put away the center of my Talking Turkey wall hanging that I last asked about.  I'll pull it out later and see what needs to be done.  People seemed to like the lighter red and I did too so that's probably what I will use, eventually.)

Today's question has to do with this block I'm making for the quarterly BOM at Faithful Circle Quilters in Maryland.  I am fairly good at getting the monthly blocks done and sent up if I like the block.  I'm not so good with the quarterly opportunity blocks.  I had hoped to get this one done while Sharon was here but no such luck.  I'll see her in a couple of weeks so would like to have this one done so she can take it up.  I used a half of dresden plate I had left from a quilt I haven't worked on in months. (Note to self, need to finish this one up!)  I made up some more blades to make it a circle. I've picked my background fabric and it's time to get the center circle picked.  Sharon said I need two so here's what I came up with after she left.  Which do you like better? Dark center or medium center?  And, yes, they will be circles not folded up rectangles! 

OR

You can't tell but the bottom gold blade has a spider hanging near its web. Too cute for a fall colors block.  The object of this particular challenge was to use a specialty ruler... mine was the dresden ruler.  If you check back to Tuesday's post you can see Sharon's -- the two blocks with the fall colors -- one was the Rapid Fire Hunters Star and the other one I have no idea what the ruler was. 

Here's what's been visiting at our patio. He's big -- 5" or so long.  He's been back a couple of times recently too.  

I'm linking up with Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop? and Fabric Frenzy Friday.

Happy Quilting All! 

15 Minute Studio Spiff Up #15

I've made a dent in some of my scraps.  I gave away 4 big bags of scraps last week when I was in Maryland for the classes with Bonnie Hunter.  It felt good.  I've been working on Love Shack which is all about using scraps so I'm making progress on using scraps.  Unfortunately, I'm not looking forward to when I need to put away all the scraps I pulled out for the two classes.  

This week's assignment is rulers. 

Here's why.  Several weeks before my trip to Maryland I was getting things prepared to go.  I started early.  I made the blocks we were told we could make in advance.  I gathered my strips and strings for both classes.  I gathered the required rulers.  I told Sharon I had an extra ruler she could use because she didn't have one of them.  

Fast forward to packing for the trip.  I stashed the rulers in various pockets of my machine rolly-tote. I couldn't find an extra ruler for Sharon.  Thursday's class did not take the Easy Angle ruler but I noticed I couldn't seem to find it.  Friday's class did take it.  And I was repacking everything and still couldn't find it.  Go figure!  Friday I was unpacking and put my hand into a side zippered compartment and nearly scraped my fingers on the missing ruler.  Except, it is an older version of the ruler although it has most everything I needed to cut the pieces.  I just had to verify the correct lines to use.  See the little blue one?  That's what I used. But the middle black one would have been easier to see the correct cutting lines except I had remembered I owned it nor could I find it.  

Yesterday when sewing I found the middle Easy Angle ruler.  Newer and a little bigger.  Plus I have an Easy Angle II that is an even bigger version and doesn't even have the sizes needed for the class.  Luckily I found one that Sharon could use by chatting with FCQ members on Facebook. 

There's the back story. I have no idea what rulers I have and where they are!   I'm going to list all my rulers on my computer.  I was all set to buy a new Companion Ruler for the class because I couldn't find mine.  But, JoAnns was out of them.  The very next day I found mine.   It would serve me well to actually keep an inventory of my rulers, preferably on my phone so it is always with me!  

Because I have such a large cutting table I have two ruler racks on it.  One looks like this: 

Yep, it's pretty much empty.  I need to restock it with my rulers so they are easy to reach.  (I broke one of my rulers in transit to the class so I will be buying myself a new 6" x 12" ruler one of these days. )

I have two additional wall mounted ruler holders. They too need to be refilled. (Where do you suppose I've put all the rulers that used to be in these?)  I know I've got some of Deb Tucker's rulers out because I'm taking a class in May so the rulers are not in their normal spots. (by the way, the circles are nested and are great for drawing circles but I can't really cut against them and they are too thin to use with the long arm.  But I love having them!)

So, this week clean up your ruler collection.  I'll be listing mine in a spread sheet just so I can keep track of them.  How do you transport your rulers when you take classes or go to retreats?  I've broken rulers several times while I've tried to transport them.  The 24" rulers are always needed and my big square up rulers are good to have but they are so vulnerable to damage.  How do you protect yours?  

Happy Quilting All!  

Design Wall Monday -- 3-2-2015

I'm  so done with winter!  How about you?  We had another snow storm and then just to make sure we didn't get lonely for crummy cold weather we had sleet yesterday morning.  This week we're going to see the 60's during the day and then plummet down to below freezing.  Here's our forecast: sunnny, rainy, rainy and snowy. That's today through Thursday.  ENOUGH!

Here's as far as I've gotten on the Wild Dog Quilt. It may not look all that differently but the first blue border is on. I've still got two more borders to sew on.  Hopefully I'll get those done this week.  I'm making progress on my log cabin quilt too.  I didn't do a whole lot of sewing this week but those are the two I worked on along with finishing the quilt for TAPS. I'll take photos when the weather warms up and post them.  

The weather was ok so a group of us could go to the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival on Friday. We were very happy we hadn't planned to go on Thursday as more snow fell and it would have been a mess getting there. Luckily by Friday the roads were clear.  Although I did spend some time seeing the quilts I can't deny that I spent more time looking at the vendors.  I needed to buy thread for my long arm so that was my big purchase.  

I like to check the vendors for new products and I found something something that struck my fancy.  Evidently this product came out in the last year.  After watching the demo I purchased Quilter Ruler Update Kit.

The kit provides material to update two rulers: a 24" ruler and a 12" ruler.  This picture shows what is to be used on the 12" ruler as I already updated my 24".  The "stuff" on the brown paper is thin, long strips of plastic that is put on the long sides of the ruler.  The yellow piece attaches to the underside of the ruler and is moved for the size of cut you want to make. Here's what it looks like in use. 

It is designed so that fabric snugs up against the yellow piece. The strips on both long edges holds the ruler up and when you press your ruler as you cut, it makes the ruler very steady.  It worked really well yesterday when I cut out a strippy quilt.  No moving and messing up your cutting. The one thing that might get annoying is having to move the yellow part to the size of strip you are cutting. My guess is if I'm cutting a whole quilt out and making multiple cuts for each size it'll be great.  If I'm just trying to do a quick cut of one strip... well, the other 24" ruler might be coming out.  

If you get to one of the big quilt shows check this product out.  I'll let you know how I like it as I continue to use it.  You can see what it is all about by checking the website for Guidelines 4 Quilting. 

And on to the weekly goals. Finally, a week where I got several things done and every item was moved forward! 

Week of February 23, 2015

Finish quilting r, w, b quilt√

Make binding for r, w, and b quilt.√

Finish Wild Dog Borders√  well the 1^st border is done
Attend Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival√

Week of March 2, 2015

Finish Wild Dog; prep backing

Continue on the log cabin blocks

Have fun with an in house quilt retreat with Sharon and Mary Beth! 
Sew the strippy quilt to top stage

I'm linking up with Patchwork Times and Monday Making at Love, Laugh, Quilt.

Happy Quilting All!  

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!