Monday Meandering - 2 - 13 - 2017

Happy Day Before Valentine's Day

Last week I finally realized that Valentine's Day was almost upon us.  And, I hadn't really made sure I had shirts to embroider for the girls. And, Theo.  I nearly left him out this year but I did find some more nice onesies so he's rocking Valentine's day too.  I took care of that and then had to figure out the designs. Here's what I did last week: 

All designs came from Designs by Juju. And a close up of all the designs.

I had all of these shirts done by Wednesday morning so Pat could mail them for me.  I then started cutting pieces for a big tote bag I was making with my friends in Powhatan.  I was at Dorothy's house at 9:30am even after an hour, fifteen minute drive.  Believe me, I never arrived that early when I lived 25 minutes away!  We spent the day with Kay and Janet trying to get this huge tote bag made.  A little before 4, I gave up on mine and came on home.  I'll be working on it again this week hopefully.  

Pat and I came down to the beach house as we (really Pat) had some work to do.  Good thing we did because we found out the garbage disposal wasn't working so Pat was able to replace it.  I did a little sewing on my OMG project but I didn't get that far along on it.  

Here's a sunset picture over the sound.  We are across the street from this.  It was cold on Friday but was better on Saturday and warm on Sunday.  Nice weekend.  

So here's how I did on my goals last week: 

February 6, 2017

Knit on sweater√

Cut out bag pieces and begin to make√

Cut sashing pieces for 16 patch/OMG√

Embroider Valentine’s Day shirts for the grands√

Quilt and bind pinwheel quilt I didn’t even touch this one.  Bummer as I wanted to give it to Janet on Thursday. 

And this week: 

February 13, 2017

Trim 16 patch blocks and add the horizontal sashing

Knit on sweater – finish that last sleeve and start to put together

Work on tote bag

Quilt pinwheel quilt

Put more crafting/quilting items away in the closet

That's it for today.  I'm linking to the regular linky parties: Monday Makers and Main Crush Monday.  I hope to spend some time with them later this week as today is really busy. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 2 - 6 - 2017

Not much of what I did this past week made it to a photograph.  Some I'm saving until the project is quilted and bound to show off.  But here's what the little pinwheel quilt looks like. I opted for the small green border.  Unfortunately it is now at 40" and the red print is only about 41" wide.  UGH.  I have another blue and white pinwheel which I'm going to try to put on the back but I haven't decided how I'll do that yet and make it a little wider. 


Here's what the fabrics for the backing looks like so far.  Yea, I haven't really gotten very far.  I always need about 10" more length  to attach the quilt to the long arm. 

I'd really like to get this one completed before Thursday so I can take it to Janet then.  I'm going to a sewing day with my friends in Powhatan.  We are making a big tote bag. (Think big enough to hold a queen-sized quit.)  If it isn't done before then I'm not sure when I'll be back down and be able to give it to her.  

I did fairly well on my goals this week.  Even though I could check off nearly all of them, sometimes it was for a small amount of work.  But I did clean off the cutting table that was a goal way too many times in January.  So I feel good about that! 

January 30, 2017

Knit on sweater√

Put more crafting/quilting items away in the closet√

Finish the R,W,B Orphan Block quilt top√

Finish the pinwheel quilt top√

Work on next OMG quilt nothing done really…

Finish Stacy's small 9 patch quilt I moved it from one place to another... that's it. 

February 6, 2017

Knit on sweater (I'm on the last sleeve before starting to put it together!) 

Cut out bag pieces and begin to make it

Cut sashing pieces for 16 patch/OMG and sew some of it together 

Embroider Valentine’s Day shirts for the grands

Quilt and bind pinwheel quilt

Not a long list but most of it needs to be done before Wednesday or Thursday.  I'm hoping to get the grands' shirts in the mail Wednesday morning.  Time will tell. 

I'm linking up with the regular Monday linky parties, Monday Making and Main Crush Monday.  It's a lot of fun to check out what other folks are doing in their studios.  What are you up to this week? 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

January Stash Busting Statistics

I'm trying to stay on track with my stash busting statistics this year.  I guess posting these on the 4 of a new month is a lot better than posting them 4+ months late!  That little internet shopping experience at the beginning of the month really put a dent in how successful I was using up some fabric.  On the other hand, I used several pieces of it in a baby quilt that is almost done. 

Not a bad month, all considered.  Although, I am going to the local quilt store today to buy some fabric to make a bag on Thursday with my Powhatan buddies.  Hopefully, the bag will be finished this month.  The good news is I found two fabrics from stash I can use so I only need to buy a yard and a half. Whoop! Whoop!. 

2017	Fabric In Month	Fabric in Year	Fabric Out Month	Fabric Out Year	Total In or Out Year
January	10.875	10.875	13.00	13.00	2.125

Let's review my method of fabric accountability.  When new fabric comes in it is recorded that month.  I'm pretty consistent in that fabric that is new to me whether given to me or purchased gets listed.  I only count fabric as out once the quilt or bag or whatever is finished.  If I'm sending blocks off to someone I count that as a finish once the blocks are given over or mailed out.  I'm pretty hard on myself this way but it does help to motivate me to finish things.

Here's a hint of what I worked on last weekend. (Hey, I like to include photos...plus it helps to have a photo on the linky parties!) 

I'm linking up with Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. You know the drill -- take some time to see what every one is working on this weekend.  

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

February One Monthly Goal

I start thinking of my next one monthly goal long before the current one is finished. This particular UFO wasn't the one I was thinking of doing.  I started going through the bins and boxes of UFOs to find one that I wanted to get finished soon.  This one using 16 patches caught my eye. All the blocks are done although I may replace one of the brighter blue ones.  These blocks came from my friends in the FCQ Equilters group in late 2010/January 2011.  I think they have aged enough.  Time to get on with finishing them.  And, I can always donate it to TAPS. 

So my goal this month is to get the top finished.  It will have dark red sashing (cut 1.25 if I remember correctly.)  Then it will be getting a piano key border.  So, doable but I'll have to keep focused on it as February is a short month.  Hum, this is definitely not laid out correctly.  I need to check all the blocks to make sure they all have a dark fabric in the top left corner.  And, yes, I am tired of working in red, white and blue but I have a great use for them once finished.  Hopefully, I'll be having the quilting and the binding as my March goal.  Unless I go all super efficient and get it all done this month.  That could happen. Or not. 

And, here's what we saw Monday morning when we went to work out.  Trees with a dusting of snow.  

I'm linking up with Elm Creek Quilts February Goal Setting and Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication.  I hope you'll join me on a tea break to see all the great things happening around the internet.  

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 1 - 30 - 2017

OMG √√√


Yes, I finished my One Monthly Goal last week.  I was enjoying my time with Sharon so I didn't get my finish posted to the blog right away. The quilting went very smoothly and I finished it in a day or two.  I used Ginger Star as the edge to edge design with So Fine thread in white on the top and in the bobbin.  I've been calling it Gems so that will be its name henceforth. 


This quilt was a variation of Go! Diamonds Jubilee quilt pattern from Accuquilt.  I made it larger and used only red, white and blue fabrics.  I had planned to give it to TAPS for the May event they sponsor in Washington, DC. I am now rethinking that as Country Piecemakers are making quilts for veterans in transition housing.  They are looking for twin size quilts while TAPS is looking for smaller quilts.  I have two smaller quilts in the works so this one may be diverted. You can read more about the program here: TAPS.  I donate my quilts through Faithful Circle Quilters and Project Linus. 

I've been thinking about what my next OMG project should be but I haven't made any decisions yet.  

Here's a couple more photos of Gems in progress. First, my print out of the EQ drawing I did. I had a hard time figuring out how many of each piece I needed.  As I got closer to the end of piecing I was cutting more of several units. And then, I ended up with too many. Sigh.

Do you chain iron?  I do when it works -- basically after chain piecing. I line up the pieced units and iron.  After ironing I often clip the connected threads. As long as the chain of pieces isn't too long this works well. This photo was taken at our beach house.  I frequently bring quilting projects with me to work on there. 

I had a great time up with Sharon. We spent a lot of time sewing so I will have some tops to show you soon.  But now, it's time to see how the goals went this week. Not too bad.  I'm down to just one sleeve to knit on the sweater and then it is on to putting it together and knitting the front band. 

January 22, 2017

Quilt RWB Gems Quilt√

Bind black and bright colored quilt√

Prep for the bargello class and attend it√

Finish bargello top except borders oops, I’m expanding mine so didn't work on it

Gather all red, white and blue orphan blocks √

Knit on sweater√

January 30, 2017

Knit on sweater

Put more crafting/quilting items away in the closet

Finish the R,W,B Orphan Block quilt top

Finish the pinwheel quilt top

Finish Stacy's small 9 patch quilt

This isn't a very long list as I'm trying to decide what to focus on next. 

That's it for today.  I'm connecting with Monday Making, Main Crush Monday and   Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal link up. I'm looking forward to cruising the Internet for some great ideas. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

A Finish!

Here it is -- a finished quilt. The blocks were lotto blocks from a retreat several years ago.  Sharon and I combined ours.  She put the quilt together and added borders.  I quilted it and did the binding. It is being donated through our Maryland guild. Because it is a twin size I don't know if it will go to Project Linus or some other organization.  Sorry I don't have a full on picture -- we just don't have a lot of places that I can get far enough away.  And, it's rained so much recently the backyard is soggy. 

I'm heading up to Sharon's house for a weekend of sewing.  Saturday we're taking a bargello class.  I have my strata from the 199?s that has now been ironed.  I may be taking some of the strips apart and redoing them as the strips are slightly gathered.  Ugh.  Look for future pictures and info on this.  

We decided we were going to make a quilt together using red, white and blue orphan blocks.  For years I've been making all sorts of blocks in red, white, and blue so I could make a quilt out of them.  It's time to actually do that.  Sharon was all in favor of doing it together.  I texted her this picture of my blocks which, by the way, is only a partial collection. Turns out she doesn't have a lot of orphan blocks and thus she has only 1 block to give.  Oh well. I have enough for at least one quilt and maybe two.  I'd love to get these out of the UFO container and into a finished quilt. I also grabbed a bunch of units -- half square triangles mostly.  These should all play nicely together. (I don't think the triangle log cabin block is going to make it into this quilt. It is leftover from one of the first quilted items I made.  I made a jacket with the triangle log cabins in about 1982 or 83!  Yikes! I've been quilting a long time.) 

That's it for me today.  I need to get breakfast, get dressed, packed and on the road. I'm linking up with Needle and Thread Thursday. I hope to have some time later today to look some blogs to see what folks are working on.

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie