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.

Candy Club

I am excited about next month's meeting and starting candy club.  Moda candy - 42 squares  2 1/2" of delicious colors.   One piece of each fabric in the line (if there are less than 42 fabrics in the line, there may be a repeat) .  One quarter of a charm pack.  What could be better than a new pack of candies each month?  I am looking forward to playing with fabrics that I wouldn't normally purchase.   Do you find that you get stuck in a color rut?  Do you have a particular style of fabric you like? This is a fun way to play without making a significant purchase.

The first candy is Simply Style from V and Co.

The first thing I did was rip off the paper wrapper and sort them by color.  So many possibilities!  They look good at every angle.  A lovely selection of lights, mediums, and darks.  I haven't decided what I am making yet, but I just keep arranging them.  

WIP Wednesday

I am still plugging away at my February goals.  I was tired of looking at the plus quilt in pieces on my design wall, so I managed to get it sewn together.

Yesterday we were off school due to another snow storm.  Today we are melting like crazy!  I thought I would try my hand as snow photography since the weather was so nice today.  This is the view to my walk out basement - notice the snow is about to the top.

I thought this lovely drift by my patio would be a perfect spot for a photo.









Even my dog thinks I am a little crazy and wondering what I am doing!  Look his collar even matches my quilt

This is the best I could do.  Those snow photo takers must have  a wind barrier or be much faster than me.

I love how the blue and white looks against the snow.  I couldn't move fast enough after I smoothed it out to take the picture before the wind arranged it differently.

 I thought I would try a different snow location.  This is the pile of snow at the end of my driveway.  I ran into the same wind difficulties and two dogs that kept photo bombing me.

I love how the few dark blue blocks keep my eye moving.

I am linking up with Lee @ Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday.  Stop over and see what others are working on.

 

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.

Almost Friday

I am hoping for a Friday finish this week.  I didn't have anything to report last week and I was sad.  I have my plus quilt in columns.

I am hoping for a little Olympic sewing tonight.  Aren't the patchwork ski jackets amazing?  That was the first thing I noticed during the skiing competition.  It makes me want to make a quilt with those low volume colors.






















I am really looking forward to retreat sewing this weekend.  I plan to put the borders on 2 quilts and work on some new stuff.

I have the border pieces mostly pieced for my country log cabin quilt.  I should be able to complete the adding border portion of my goals for this month.






I am having lots of trouble trying to decide what fabrics I want to work with! I am anxious to play with the Hex N More ruler.  I will be working on small projects like baby quilts or pillows so I don't generate more UFOs.  There are so many fun things you can create with the hexagons and half hexagons that don't require set in seams.

It looks like we are going to have some melting tomorrow.  I was secretly hoping for a few more snow days this winter (sorry Ellen)

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.

Snow Day progress

I quilted this Bonnie Hunter pattern Virginia Bound lap quilt for my sister.  She used some of her Thimbleberries scraps for this one.  I quilted it with the same pattern as the Grandmother's Flower Garden.  I like how the baptist fan gives the quilt texture.  I used Thinsulate batting to give it a nice loft and warmth without the weight. 

Another snow day today!  What should I work on......