DWM - Something New to show

I had hoped to work on my blue/brown/green strip stack quilt this weekend, but I still didn't have my 1/4" foot.  I don't like to work on a quilt with more than one machine, so I went with a different project.  I bound two quilts and passed them along to a friend for hand work (thank you, thank you)

This isn't actually new, it is on the UFO list from last year.  It is the canned pears pattern from Fig Tree.  Beware that if you make it larger, your columns will be different lengths.  I put it away last year because I didn't want to deal with how to make them even last year.  It is now in one piece and I have the tiny 4 patches for the checkerboard done also.  It feels great to have this one down to the borders.  Since I made it bigger, I need to figure out what size to make the inner border so that the pieced border will fit.  Time to turn on my math brain again.

My group also played with the quick curve ruler.  I don't live in the Southern Hemisphere, so it is a little out of season.  Several people from the group made pumpkins.  Mine are the tall skinny ones in the middle of the bottom and the fat ones on the lower left.  A few of Ellen's beads also made it into the photo along with pumpkins from the other members.

I really enjoyed using the ruler and I can see me making more projects.  The instructions were easy to understand and the curves were easy to sew.  I love how all the pumpkins turned out so differently.  

I hope to do a little quilting this week and maybe sew a few more strip stack blocks.  My new feet for my machine arrived on Saturday.  Life is too short to spend it looking for lost items (especially ones that can be replaced so easily).

It won't be long and my flowers should be popping up from the long winter rest.

Stop over to Judy's to see what others are working on.

Design Wall Monday

I had a retreat last weekend so I made some progress.  I finished my Valentine's pillow.  It was started and finished in the same year.  So far I am really happy with how my pillow form turned out.  I anxious to see how well the fluff of it holds up.  Those poly filled pillow forms from Joann's just don't keep their shape.  My family can flatten them in no time.

I put the bindings on two log cabin quilts and sent them home with a friend for hand stitching.  It is good to not have them on the final step.

I made several more blocks for my February blue project.  I admit that these are taking longer than I thought, but I am enjoying working with the scraps.  It feels great to use some of my fabrics that I have been accumulating.  I actually had to dip into my fat quarters from more of the dark blues.  I have about 1/3 of the blocks done.  I am making this for a gentleman that has been helping our family out.  I think it has a masculine feel.

Despite the weather conditions, we had a great turn out for the retreat.  It was nice to hear so much chatter and socialization.

Stop over to Judy's to see what others are working on this week.

This week I hope to make 10 more blocks and quilt one quilt.  Stop back on Wednesday to see if I am making any progress.

Design Wall Monday

I had hoped for a little more progress in my studio this weekend, but I decided I better get painting in the boys room.  They selected a great taupe color for the main walls.  Nothing can be that simple, so they want stripes.  I love the background color so much that I bought extra so I can do some painting at the cabin.

I did manage to tackle my mountain of batting scraps.  I wish I had taken a picture of what I started with.  I was shocked at how much I had when I dug it out of every nook and cranny that I had tucked it into.  I ended up getting everything shredded and stuffed into pillows that I made.  I was pleasantly surprised on how much stuffing it took to fill my 25" pillows.  I was able to get 3 pillow forms made.  I hope my batting keeps my pillows nice and firm.  I think I finally have my batting scraps under control an organized.  The red tub has a some poly stuffing and the rest of the batting scraps are labeled and have size tags attached.

On my goal list for February was to play with blue scraps.  Deb keeps teasing me by showing her blue and brown quilt.  I decided I would play with my blue scraps and make a similar quilt.  I am adding a little green to my color scheme.  I am glad I made a sample block because my math brain was not turned on correctly when I cut out the first block.  Most of my blue scraps were either 2 1/4" or 2", so I wanted to use 2" bricks.  I was able to re-figure the block and make it correctly the second time around.  The incorrect block (the one on the top) will be a perfect addition to the quilt backing so it won't go to waste.  I am wondering how many blue scrap projects I will need to do before the drawer shuts without a lot of force.

I have quite a ways to go on my February goals, so I need to get busy.  I need to get my projects organized for my retreat this weekend so I can utilize my sewing time.  Ahhh therapy!

Stop over at Patchwork Times to see what others are working on this week.

Design Wall Monday

Mostly my wall is empty, but I put up the next piecing project that I hope to work on this week.  I have a considerable number of UFOs ready to quilt, so I hope to work on that this week too.

My Swoon blocks have made it out of the box this week.  I had this idea to sash them with something other than the background color in hopes to make them not quite so pink.  I just put random squares on the design wall to see how it would look.  I am not thrilled with it, but maybe this will spark another idea.

I managed to quilt one of my Valentine's runners yesterday,  I did a simple freehand design of hearts on it.  I wanted a little bit lighter thread, but I didn't have it.

1 Red project quilted, 3 more to go.  

I am linking up with Judy for Design Wall Monday. Stop over and see what others are working on this week.

Unexpected Event

I had lots of quilting planned for this weekend until I experienced an expected event.  It was certainly an act of gracefulness.  While taking a walk I rolled my ankle on a section of sidewalk that had been partially removed.  I experienced quite a roll as I tumbled to the ground.  I now have a beautiful elephant ankle that is all sorts of pretty colors.  Yesterday was spent icing and elevating.

I managed to put together a quilt top for charity.  These blocks have lived with me for many years.  It was a group project where everyone brought in a fat quarter of his/her ugliest fabric.  We swapped these fabrics and everyone made the same block (or mostly the same).  It was a great way to experiment with color.  Many used the Joen Wolfrum Color Tool  .  I made several blocks because I thought it was a great exercise.  Besides - I didn't want any of the fabric I received to remain in my stash.

I had enough blocks, that I sorted them,  The first 12 blocks were mostly dark and country fabrics,  I had the perfect sashing and border fabric in my stash.  Can you spot which fabrics were deemed the ugly fabric in the blocks.

 This is the second set of blocks.  I don't have them together yet, but I plan to put this set together without sashing and make a baby quilt version.

I plan to get these together this week and work on a few more UFOs.


Does anyone recognize the block they made?

In the Studio again

I had a fabulous weekend in the studio.  I spent most of the weekend cleaning so there was a path.  I can now walk around all obstacles!  Finishing more UFOs will certainly give me more space.

I had to find my cutting table so I could start working my January plan.  On the list was to finish the 4 red projects I started- 3 table runners and a pillow.  I have them all put together, I just need to get them quilted and bound.  These projects made a big dent in my little bits of fabric.  I plan to make more of them from the Stripology book this year.  These projects did NOT make a dent in my red/pink scraps.  It looks like I have more red/pink projects in my future.

I even found some great backing fabrics finish them off.  The fabric on the heart will be the backing to the pillow.

I plan to get these quilted with something quick this weekend.

I looked through my blue scraps (not nearly as many as I thought) and picked a project.  

I still need to quilt one UFO this month.  I have plenty to pick from here.

I hope to squeeze in some more studio time this week along with helping my hubby work on projects.

Stop over to Patchwork Times to see what others are working on this week.

Retreat Recap

I greatly needed my weekend with friends.  It was great to have some sewing therapy.  I started by sewing this new quilt on Friday.  I worked on sewing the last 4 border pieces on this UFO.  It is ready to quilt - Yeah!  These 4 lonely sampler blocks are no longer in a box.  

I also worked on completing the sampler quilt that seems to have been living on my design wall for way too long.  It didn't take me long to pick the border fabrics for this one.  I am pleased with how the border fabric brings out all the colors in the sampler blocks.

I moved on to something new after finishing....(not really finished, but they are ready to be quilted), two items from the UFO parade.  I was a few days late in completing this for candy club, so I wanted to post it on my blog.  I used Moda Linen Mochi Dot for the background.  I have been seeing so many quilters playing with linen that I wanted to give it a try.  I love the earthy texture and elegant feeling it gives the table runner.  The candy pack is from French General, and I added some 2 1/2" square from my stash to make it larger.

I am halfway done with my goals for April.  It is a really good start at checking some more things off the list.  My pile of projects to get quilted is starting to add up.

Thanks for visiting, and stop back at Judy's to see what others are working on this week.

April Goals/March Recap

I fell a little short on my April goals.  I still need to quilt my pillows and bind 3 more quilts from January.



April starts baseball/softball/track stuff so that doesn't leave much sewing time.  I have a retreat this weekend which should help me to get a few things done.

This is what I will be working on in April -

1. Quilt 2 more customer quilts.
2. Put together the blocks for Lewis and Clark quilt.  I did manage to get the alternate blocks made in March
3. Put borders on my 4-patch quilts set on point.
4. Put the last border on the Churn dash blocks
5. Bind the remaining 4 quilts from January
6. Put together a new project that I cut out
7. Quilt the pillows/runners that I made in February (after number 1-4 is completed)

Focus!!  I seem to be having some trouble with this lately.

I am ready for borders for this old scrap quilt.  I made the sashing in October.  I put it together earlier this year.  Now I am having some trouble picking the border fabrics.  I may just go with large bricks of several fabrics.  It is so large that I have to gather it in the middle to make it fit on the design wall.  I think it will be about 118" with borders.  Do you have a border preference?

We are still waiting (rather impatiently) for a city assignment for my daughter.  I don't know why this is harder than waiting for the country assignment.  I did manage to put together this cute little mug rug as a test block. The pear pattern is from Fig Tree quilts.  I love how it turned out.   

Stop over Judy's to see what others are working on on this week.

Design Wall Monday

Well not much has been happening in the sewing room.  I have failed miserably on my goals for this month, but that will be another post.  I did manage to get these orphan blocks put together. I was contemplating tossing these blocks, but I am glad I took the time to set them.  I still have to add a border or two, but it is closer to completion.  I am also working on the setting for my Lewis and Clark quilt.  Maybe by the end of the week I will have some progress to report on that as well.

Spring break is over!  I am not sure how that happened, but I didn't get much done during my week off.  All my children will be starting up again with new sports this week.  It will once again be a hectic spring.

It won't be long and my oldest will be off to her year long exchange to Australia.  We are busy with preparations for departure.  She has started a blog to document her adventures if you would like to follow her.

Stop over to Judy's to see what others are working on this week.

Design Wall Monday

I worked on some new things over the weekend.  I have a deadline of sorts with them so I wanted to get started early.  I started them on Saturday.  I love the dynamic effect of the spicy spiral pattern.  It looks so complicated, but really it is quite easy.  I have all 3 runners put together and ready to quilt.  The one in the middle is my favorite.  I hope they will be well received in Australia.  It is ironic that their flag is the same colors as ours.  Perhaps these will bless their tables on Australia day.

I haven't had time to work much on my goals this month.  I did bind 3 more quilts at the retreat (which was on my goal list).  This leaves me with 4 more small ones to finish.  I have a plan for my red/tan blocks that have been hanging on my design wall.  I hope to work on that this week.

UPDATE:  The pattern is by School House quilts.  It can be ordered directly from the author if you can not find it at your local quilt shop (latpatt@aol.com).  

Design Wall Monday

Where have I been?  I haven't been sewing, so I don't have much sewing related to post.  I haven't even posted my goals for March and the month is half over.

I have been watching a whole lot of this.

 Don't ask me how my boys got interested in wrestling.  It does keep them active, but it is a very intense sport to watch.  As a parent, it is hard to watch their bodies bend at such unnatural angles.

I insisted Sunday morning that I have a little play time myself!  I had about a 2 hour window to work with.  I stitched up this pillow top using my Moda Candy pack. This pattern took 48 squares, so I used 6 squares from my 2 1/2" square bin.  I love how it turned out.  The green fabric is an older RJR line, but I think it matches perfectly.

If you are interested in making this pattern, it takes 48 - 2 1/2" and 1/4 yard of accent fabric.

(2 strips of accent fabric 1 1/2", and 2 strips of accent fabric 2 1/2")

The pillow is 20"

Thanks for visiting.  Stop over to Judy's to see what others are working on.

Design Wall Monday

Last week was so busy, and this one is going to be even busier.  I probably won't be posting any more this week.  I didn't get any sewing done after I finished putting my plus quilt together.  I did pull out the next 2 project to be completed.

This sealed envelope is what will be consuming all my time this week.  My daughter's destination for next year is sealed in it.  She has been accepted by the Rotary Youth Exchange program and her country assignment is inside.  We received it on Saturday, and we are planning a reveal party for this coming Sunday.  We came up with the idea because every day at least 3 or 4 people asked us if we knew where she was going next year.  It is so exciting for all of us!

The project on the left is from a Lewis and Clark journey.  I have 12 blocks and I am not sure how I want to set them.  I believe I want to make 12 more alternate blocks.  I may even set them straights.

The other blocks are more sampler blocks.  They are also 12".  They definitely look better square than long.  I won't get to them this week, but having them out is the first step to finishing them.

I did manage to finish the binding on Kameryn's quilt during my orientation this weekend.  I still have to add the label then it will be ready to gift before the first birthday.

Stop over to Judy's to see what others are working on this week.

Design Wall Monday

This winter is just flying by for me.  I can't believe it is already the middle of February.  I am still working away on my February goals.  At my quilt retreat this weekend, I worked on goal #3 - put borders on 2 quilts.  I put the border on my Kansas Troubles Wall hanging that I started at the end of 2013.

 I also put the borders on this oldie.  I started this quilt about 5 years ago, but I ran out of the stripe that I used for the sashing.  I never did find an exact match to the Super Stripe fabric, but I found something really similar.  If you look really closely, you can tell.  I am happy to have borders on this quilt so I can get it quilted.  My daughter is no longer into monkeys like she was, but think she will still appreciate it.  She still sleeps with her sock monkey that my friend Sue made her, so I think there is hope.



















I put the first border on an older mystery by Bonnie Hunter called orange crush.  I should say I put the border on again.  I must not have measured correctly the first time and the border looked wavy.  I measured very carefully this time and I am satisfied with how it looks.  I hope to put the pieced border on in the near future.  All the units are made so I will use it as a leader/ender project soon.

The last project I worked on at the retreat was with the Hex n' More ruler.  I had a lot of fun coming up with a design.  I used part of a scrap bag from Moda.  It looks like a line from 3 sisters, but I really am not sure.  It is not my normal palette and I enjoyed working out of my comfort zone.  I will either make this into a pillow or a small wallhanging.  I can see myself making a few more things with the ruler.  It was fun to use and the pieces lined up really well.

It was a great weekend retreating with friends.  I can't wait until next month to do it again!  I really enjoyed working on something new.  I finally have my plus quilt in columns, so I hope to put that together this week. 

I am linking up with Judy for some weekly inspiration. Stop on over and check out what others are working on this week.

Weekly Agenda

It looks like this is actually going to be a full week of school for my kids.  This will be their first full week since Christmas break.  They had a hard time getting out of bed this morning.

I have been focusing on my February goals for the most part this month.  The month is almost half over and I have about half my goals completed.  I found it works best for me if I make my goals specific.  So if I want to put borders on 2 quilts, I need to name the projects.  If I don't get specific enough, my attention wanders to other things and I find myself dabbling off the beaten path.

My focus this week is actually putting together my blue plus quilt.  I started sewing the block in pairs, but I didn't make it very far.  Goal number 4 for the month was to finish applique on a whole bunch of small projects.  I have the applique completed on 4 banners.  Perhaps I can even get the spring banner quilted in time for spring this year.

I also did the applique on 2 more snowman wall hangings.  I kept all the faces going the same direction on these.  I will add buttons for noses after they are quilted.  I can't decide if I want to add the snowflake to the center square on the green snowman wall hanging.  I may just quilt a snowflake instead.

I learned a few things while doing the applique that I thought I would share:

1. Put a new needle in your machine before you start.  I don't know why I never thought of this!  It was amazing the difference this made.  I did not use any stabilizer, and I had no puckering.
2. My open toe applique foot from Viking is a joke!  I thought it was me that was doing it wrong, but it simply does not grip the fabric for applique no matter what I did.
3. Reduce the top tension just a bit.  I wasn't having a problem with the bobbin thread showing, but this made the stitches look a lot nicer.
4. The clear plastic foot is my new favorite foot for applique (thank you Eleanor).
5. The setting I liked best on my machine was 2.5 for width and 1.4 for length.  This gave me the perfect not quite satin stitch and did not look thready.  I did the first several appliques at a length of 1.2, but Eleanor suggest I lengthen it a bit more, and I liked it better.
6. Applique is sort of fun in small doses.  I used the fusing method for mine, and I used Steam-A-Seam 2 lite.  I think this might be my new favorite adhesive.

Design Wall Monday

Sadly, my design wall looks much the same as last week.  I did make some more of the darker blocks and I like how the addition make the muted colors shine.  I plan to make 5 more of the darker blocks.  My logic is that I will have 10% dark blocks.


























I did this pillow topper for a customer.  She requested an older pantograph that is widely spaced - Feather Meander.   I loosely follow it because it has some wonkiness to it.

 It really shows up well on the muslin on the back.  Perhaps a little too well!  I do love how this pantograph looks.

 Today I hope to finish quilting the matching quilt.  It is a mammoth 100" X 96".  The batiks in it are really great.

This is my mountain of quilts to bind.  I have 21 of them ready to bind.  I must be a batch processor.  Trimming these edges has my scrap bin overflowing!

It is hard to believe it is February already.  I had an amazing month of sewing and quilting in January.  Today am going to post my goals for February and see what I am going to "tackle" this month.

Stop over at Judy's and see what others are working on.

Monday Madness

It is still blowing snow and extremely cold here, so another day without school.  I can't recall ever missing this many days of school even as a child.  This is the view out my dining room window.

I have had lots of sewing and quilting time, so I don't mind at all.  I am thankful we have a a warm house and plenty of food.

I finished quilting a snowman wall hanging/table decoration yesterday.  This is from a class I taught, so I have 2 more samples yet to complete.  I need to add the eyes to make it look finished.  I am adding it to my completed page for January and crossing it off my UFO list.

 I have my Carolina crossroads rows pinned and I am ready to get these sewn together.

Unfortunately while cleaning, I came across yet another project I started in 2013.  I am adding it to my UFO list, and I added it to this post so it wouldn't be forgotten.

I have all my "plus" blocks made and I hope to put them together this week in between other projects.  Stop back later this week to see my progress.

This is the view out mu studio door.  The walkout is nearly full of snow.  It is so pretty as the sun shines upon it.  My son's 4 wheeler is barely visible under the snow.

Stop over to Judy's to see what others are working on this week.

What's up for this week

I had a fabulous time sewing with my sister and other friends at a retreat this weekend.  I made some progress on both some older projects and a new one.

I put these blocks together.  I have blogged about this quilt when I started it after Christmas.  I don't want this project to get forgotten.  I am ready to cut the border pieces and put them on.

 This is a older quilt that I worked on at Shipse several years ago.  It is ready for borders now also.

I wish I could credit the designer, but it was from  a blog post long ago and I have looked and looked for the original post.  It is a great pattern and it is cut from 2" strips.  The white stars get finished in the first border.

I also finished putting the blocks together from a really old lodge quilt.  I didn't take a picture this quilt, but I am deciding if I need to put a border on it.

This is my new project that I recently started.  I am using light blues and Kona Snow.  I used it as my leader ender project at the retreat.  I have lots more blocks half finished that I hope to work on this week.

My goal for this week is to quilt 3 of my larger quilts that I pieced the backings for last week.




I have one finish to report this weekend.  I moved this table topper to a new home.  I decided it was just best to abandon this project.  I am sure it will be loved where it went.  This makes 11 finishes for me in January.  I am energized by the UFO progress I am making.

I have already declared February as the month of B's.  I will be working on BORDERS AND BINDING(s)

I hope to are off to a great start on your goals this year.  Stop over to Judy's to see what others are working on this week.

Design Wall Monday

It's Monday again and I am back to work.  It was fabulous to have an extra week off! I think I could be a hermit as it really didn't bother me to stay home for 5 days straight.  My kids really enjoyed the extra time off, but they were ready to go back to school today.

I have been working extra hard on my own projects during this time. I have been piecing projects 2 at a time which is working really well for me.  I have also started pinning my blocks together in the evenings while watching football with the kids.

I have finally finished this spring table runner.  I have had it in the pile to quilt for ages but I wasn't sure what I wanted to quilt on it.  I decided to use it as a practice piece (which means I had a no rip policy).  There are areas which could be lots better, so don't look to closely.  Overall I think the designs I chose worked well together.

 I have this quilt half quilted.  I need to finish quilting it so I can mark it off my list too.











This Oldie from the UFO list is now in rows.  I am not willing to admit how old, but I will tell you it was the very first Bonnie Hunter mystery.  I started 2 of them at that time.  I finished the other one, but this one has been sitting around for a long time.  I did not sew my 9 patches in strips (I used 1 1/2" squares).  I hope to get the rows sewn together this week.  Those 1 1/2" squares take a lot of pinning.

Please ignore my piles below the quilt.  It looks like I need to go a little cleaning from my flurry of sewing.
















It is hard to believe, but this beauty is now 16.  I am so thankful that she will be driving soon.  She is such a great kid and helper to me.  I will miss her so much when she studies abroad for 12 months.  She will be leaving in just 6 short months.  She purchased her rotary blazer last week and she was so excited.  We should find out later this month where she will be traveling to.  It will be such an amazing experience for her.

She insisted on making her own birthday cake.  She still let us sing the birthday song to her, but she insisted on no candles this year.  Perhaps that is because her wish of being an exchange student is coming true.  Her brother never misses an opportunity to pick on her.  She is a good sport about it most of the time.

I hope you have a productive quilting week!

The word of the year TACKLE.  It applies to so many things in my life right now.

Monday Madness

Lots of snow and extreme temperatures make the best sewing weather.  I had a fabulous day sewing in the studio, and it looks like I will get some more sewing time tomorrow.

I spent the day piecing an old project from the UFO parade.  I never dreamed it would have taken me all day to put this quilt together.  I had it in rows before the day started.  I learned quite a few things during this quilt.  I would like to share some of the mistakes I made along the way.

1. If you spin the seams of 4 patches to get them to nest together perfectly, all the spins MUST go the same direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise).  This was my first pitfall that caused me to put the quilt away.  I had to take my sashing units apart and sew them differently so all the seams matched.
2. Sewing the sashing strips to the top of the blocks only works when the size is increasing.  
3. If you do not do number 2 correctly, you can fix the error by sewing partial seams (which is not the most fun)
4. Double check that the blocks are going the correct directions before you sew the rows together.
5. Large quilts take a lot of time to sew the rows together.

I would like to give you a visual of the problem I had with the sashing.  I had sewn the 4 patch sashing to the tops of all the rows (shown in the first picture).  I thought I was good to go, so I attached all the setting triangles.  

When I took a closer look, I noticed the problem.  Since the quilt was set on point, as the rows decreased in size, the sashing strips didn't border the larger previous row.  I had to remove the setting triangles and go to plan "B"

I removed all the setting triangles and added the 4 patch sashing strips to each of them.  Next I removed about 1" of the stitching of the setting triangle in the previous row.  



I Joined the rows and trimmed the over-sized sashing triangle.  This left me with a partial seam to complete from the previous triangle.

It is all together, now I need to figure out what color border to add.  I love the 4 patch sashing, but it was a lot of extra work.

Tomorrow I hope to work on some quilting so I can report some finishes in the new year.