Design Wall Monday 12-2-13 & Nov Stashbusting

HEY FOLKS!  It's December!  Yikes! 

Here's what I'm working on, no not piecing it, quilting it on the long arm.  Jenny made this over the last year or so as a quilt along.  Now that it is done I'm doing custom quilting on it.  It's challenging to come up with something different to do in each of the 1" strips between the rows.  Here are some close ups.

I'm doing "water" look in this border.  I'm keeping the lines parallel to the inside of the quilt with the corners done on a diagonal.  I will have to turn the quilt to efficiently do the side borders.  But it is really easy to turn quilts with the snap on system.  

Below is one of the houses.  I am tickled with the roof top.  I carefully marked the places I wanted to start, hit in the middle and end up at.  My "U"s aren't perfect but they certainly look good as a roof! Jenny is going to have a whole lot of threads to tie off on this quilt.  I've been tying off on some but I really need to focus on finishing this as we are going up to Jen's this week. 

I didn't post my Stashbusting stats so here they are. It was a good month. I've almost used more fabric than I have acquired for the whole year.  Yee Haw!  Of course, if I hadn't cut the placemat fabrics wrong I would have USED more fabric for the year.  But I'm getting really close. 

2013	Fabric In Month	Fabric in Year	Fabric Out Month	Fabric Out Year	Total In or Out Year
November	7.0	92.21	12.75	91.265	-0.945

How about my goals this week?  Most items are checked off for at least working on them.  Some need a bit more to finish but I'm pretty happy with what I got done. 

Week of November 25, 2013

Load and quilt Kay’s green quilt√

Make more placemats (I’m aiming for 10)√

Finish hand sewing binding on black, white and bright baby quilt√

Sew last two rows of x block together and on to the rest of the quilt√ blocks are in rows but not on the quilt

Cook and Enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner√

Make one more house block and get it in the mail√ block made but waiting for address – I’ve lost it!

Load Jenny’s Row-by-row quilt√ and several rows are done

And coming up this week: 

Week of December 2, 2013

Finish quilting Jenny’s quilt

Finish and mail a secret project

Keep working on placemats (4 to go)

Make 2 pillow cases for Christmas Quilt

Keep up on the knitting projects

Visit Mt Vernon

Visit with Sophie, Natalie, Jenny and Brian

Sing at the Advent Lessons and Carols service

Check out Patchwork Times to find links to Design Walls across the Web. 

Happy Quilting All! 

Design Wall Monday 11-25-2013

I'm making a few house blocks.  One is done and 2 more need to be made.  I'm not sure why but I don't particularly like making house blocks.  These go to Joan from the FCQ Equilter group.  It was suppose to be done between Sept and October.  Here it is the end of November and I'm finally working on them!  I think the kitty in the window is going to get part of his paw cut off when sewn with other blocks. 

I'm in the process of making 10 placemats for Christmas.  I've had nothing but trouble with them all caused by ME!  First, I cut the border strips the wrong length and then had to go out and buy more fabric.  Then I' misjudged the backing fabric so I decided to use all sorts of different greens that some I cut wrong so I will have different size placemats.  Then I ran out of batting that wasn't all that big a deal as I just used a different type.  I have 3 done, 3 ready to stitch the binding down and 4 cut out and waiting.  I'm tickled because I only had to buy the white and gold border fabric. (Ok, buy it twice...but it'll be a great baby quilt next year!)  The rest came from stash.  If you want to make your own, visit the Quilt Patch and type "placemats" in the search box. They have lots of different patterns for the quilt- as-you-go placemats.  The directions are on a laminated card.  I bought Picture Perfect and left off the corners and added a different border fabric. Most of the batting was a puffy poly that had iron on adhesive.  It worked pretty well and I was tickled to use it up!  

Here's what got done this week.  Remember, I spent three days away from home so I didn't get as much done as I had hoped to. 

Week of November 18, 2013

Play with Natalie as she recuperates √ well, she slept instead

Attend Faithful Circle Guild √

Use x block ruler to cut 9 patches√ and make last two rows of red, white and blue quilt will get them sewn together at some point

Finish baby quilt for CP Guild √ -- 5” short of finishing the quilting and the backing ran out. I took it off Ruthie and will add more.  But it goes to the back of the line now. 

Load green quilt on Ruthie it’s ready to go

Make a couple of placemats√√

Try to do SOMETHING, any thing for shaded 9 patch ARGH!

Get binding on black, white and bright baby quilt. √

Week of November 25, 2013

Load and quilt Kay’s green quilt

Make more placemats 

Finish hand sewing binding on black, white and bright baby quilt

Sew last two rows of x block together and on to the rest of the quilt

Cook and Enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner

Make at least one more house block and get it in the mail

Load Jenny’s Row-by-row quilt

Knit on any of the various projects I have going! 

Sophia has started preschool at Univ. of Maryland. She was showing me her pictures so we recreated it at home.  

I leave you with this little shocker.  Yep, here in Central Virginia at the end of November it was 18 degrees this morning.  YIKES.  

Take a gander at other design walls by visiting Patchwork Times. 

Happy Quilting All and Happy Thanksgiving to those who are celebrating this week. 

Down Time With Natalie

I had a lovely visit with my Maryland guild, Faithful Circle Quilters, last night.  It was great catching up with my old friends and meeting new ones.  I saw a couple of gorgeous quilts.  I only got one picture as I was helping Sharon baste a quilt.

Barb B had a wonderful Easy Street done except the binding.  I loved her border which she used with permission of another Bonnie Hunter fan. I may need to try it too. I sure hope mine turns out as well when it is together. 

Today I'm babysitting Natalie who has been sick for the last few days. I spent the morning being a human mattress. After I woke up I was able to move Nat to a quilt on the floor. She's still asleep as of  2:30. Oh yeah, did I mention she was awake much of last night?  

She hasn't moved much since I put her down 3 hours ago. I sure hope she sleeps tonight!  

Happy quilting all! Bonnie 

Design Wall Monday 11-18-13

This past week got away from me.  

I spent one day making place mats with my neighbors.  They got several done, I got one done.  I proceeded to cut out more while they were sewing.  We had a great morning chatting and working.  Except, I cut both borders too short.  ARGH!  I was able to cut the 2 smaller pieces from the long pieces that were wrong.  The wrong short pieces are going to become bricks in a baby quilt.  And, off to JoAnns I went the next day to get more of the border fabric which they actually still had. Thank goodness. 

I spent a day being a Christmas Mother "shopper".  I'd never heard of that organization until I came here.  There are lots of toys, clothing, books and games organized on tables at the old Armory.  The shoppers get a list from either a needy family or children of what they'd like for Christmas from the organization. Shoppers try to find what they want in all the items there.   I thought it would take me an hour or so.  Wrong, I was there for nearly 3 hours.  Then it was on to JoAnns. 

Thursday I got a little sewing done and Friday we were off to visit Ellie and her parents.  No wonder I don't have a lot of finishes on my to do list.  And this week doesn't look like it will be much better. 

Here's what I've done recently: 

This is a pattern shown on Missouri Star Quilting on You Tube.  The pattern idea comes from 3 Dudes Quilting in Phoenix, AZ.  You can watch the video here to make your own. 

I haven't decided if I am going to put a border on it or not.  These strips were gathered from here and there.  Many of the strips were duplicated but some were just one or part of one strip.  It isn't a particularly fast way to make a quilt but it is a little more interesting than the basic 1600 Quilt.  

I finished this little quilt last week.  It was the March challenge on Small Quilt Talk Yahoo group.  I went a little crazy.  The half square triangles finished 3/4" or so?  I'd have to run upstairs to measure them.  I think it ended up 7 x 10" in the end.  I used a decorative stitch on Bubbles in the border.  Some how the corners all came out pretty good.  Amazing.  Below I've let one of my bears hold it. 

As noted above, I was busy this week and sewing wasn't the main thing! Maybe this coming week I'll get more accomplished on my list.  (Or, maybe I should put everything on my list I know I will be doing!) 

Week of November 11, 2013

Border shaded 9 patch

Use x block ruler to cut 9 patches and make last two rows of red, white and blue quilt

Spend a day making baby quilts: blue one, more pinwheel blocks into quilt top and cut fish quilt out√√ actually I sewed a little on the fish one

Spend a day sewing some Christmas placemats with Jennie and Diana√

Visit Ellie and her parents! √

Load a baby quilt on Ruthie and quilt it? √ started at least

Week of November 18, 2013

Play with Natalie as she recuperates

Attend Faithful Circle Guild

Use x block ruler to cut 9 patches and make last two rows of red, white and blue quilt

Finish baby quilt for CP Guild

Load green quilt on Ruthie

Make a couple of placemats

Try to do SOMETHING, any thing on shaded 9 patch!

Get binding on black, white and bright baby quilt.

By the way,  Cassie, the yellow lab, mentioned that she wanted equal time. So here she is with Ellie.

Don't forget to take a look at Design Walls across the Internet by starting at Patchwork Times. 

Happy Quilting All! 

Design Wall Monday 11-11-13

Wow, did this past week zoom by.  And, this week doesn't look like it will be any slower.  Does time speed up the closer we get to the big holidays?  ie, Christmas and Thanksgiving? 

First off, I made the block for Queen Bee, Ashley.  Lots of triangles but not all that hard.  I like that it is a big block! It will go in the mail to her soon.  (Note to self, get it mailed!) 

Both of these baby quilts were turned in to Country Piecemakers this past weekend.  They will go to the neonatal unit at one of our local hospitals.  I had a third one almost ready but it didn't get finished.  Don't I look bored in the green quilt pic?  

On to the goals. I thought I hadn't gotten much done so I was surprised when I got to the end to realize I had gotten quite a bit done -- there's was a lot on the list. 

Week of November 4, 2013

Finish binding on bright and white√

Quilt Michelle’s Black and White√

Make binding and bind Michelle’s Black and White nope!

Load and quilt Kate’s green 1600 quilt√

Border shaded 9 patch nope

Use x block ruler to cut 9 patches and make last two rows of red, white and blue quilt um, no again

Plan Christmas placemats√

Sew three more pillowcases√

Make labels for quilt group√

And this week's list is a little more reasonable as I'll be visiting Ellie this week. 

Week of November 11, 2013

Border shaded 9 patch

Use x block ruler to cut 9 patches and make last two rows of red, white and blue quilt

Spend a day making baby quilts: blue one, more pinwheel blocks into quilt top and cut fish quilt out

Spend a day sewing some Christmas placemats with Jennie and Diana

Visit Ellie and her parents!

Load a baby quilt on Ruthie and quilt it?

Speaking of Ellie -- Kevin sent us a couple of pictures last night.  I thought this one is too cute.  The white to the right is Mommy keeping her snug. 

Ellie, 2 weeks old and Homer -- um 7 or so? maybe 8?

Take a look at Design Walls around the internet by first visiting at Patchwork Times. 

 Happy Quilting All! 

Triangle Thursday #26

Ribbon Quilt

This design is number 1160 in Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns. It is attributed to Nancy Page.  Look for the printer friendly version here. 

Cutting directions are for 6”

Fabric	Number to cut	6”
Triangles –	8 green, 8 red	Use the 2” template.  Or cut 4 green  sqs., 4 red squares at 3”. Draw a line down the center and sew ¼” from each side, trim to 2 1/2” unfinished. If you have trouble making half triangle squares cutting the squares slightly larger helps to make more accurate units.
Square	1 green	2 1/2”

Make half square triangles:  Sew the  red and green triangle sections together. I actually cut 4 squares of each color, paired the red and green squares together. and then sewed ¼” from the center diagonal line I drew.  Cut the squares diagonally after you sew the two sides. I pressed my triangle squares to the red triangles.  If you are using a light and dark fabric I suggest you iron to the dark fabric. After you iron the seam, trim up your squares to 2 ½” squares.  You will end up with 8 red/green squares. 

Layout all the pieces as shown above.  Be careful to keep the half triangle units going the correct direction when you sew them together. Sew the blocks into rows.  I ironed the center row seams to the plain block and the top and bottom rows away from the center. Then sew the rows together. 

This makes a great quilt all by itself.  The ribbon look is enhanced with several blocks together.  I only need 3 more blocks for my little quilt – so look for more blocks in red/green/yellow and rust. 

Happy Quilting All!