4Q FAL and 2017 in Review

I set my quarterly goals here. It is my laundry list of my UFOs and WIPs. I did accomplish a few of them.

There was my Purple Cow baby BQ. Then Ricci’s quilt. Both finished in the 4th quarter.

For the rest of the year I finished:

- 2 big bags.
- churndash table topper
- Hugs and Kisses
- 2 sided bandana shirt
- wool pincushion
- Matchstick Marimba
- Happy Blocks table topper
- 3 pillowcases

13 little finishes. I’ll take it!

Now that was complete finishes. How about some flimsy (unquilted top) action?

- Wanderlust
- Writers Block
- 3D Bowtie
- Crossroads
- Matchstick Marimba
- 2 wall hangings
- Double Fourpatch

8 projects moved along. Major progress on a double wedding ring. New start on Bright Hope blocks. There’s another new start so watch this space 😁

Here’s to a productive 2017 and hopes for an even more productive 2018.

Hugs,

Swooze

Purple Cow Finished

I started this quilt back in 2009. I love cow print and had this lavender in my stash so decided to make a purple cow. I didn’t have my Avante back then and hadn’t really given the quilting design a thought.

I had cow print I planned to use for the back. After some thought I decided to outline the cow spots from the back. When I practiced moving the machine over the quilt I quickly decided all those starts and stops weren’t going to work for me. I landed on a design that pretty much is a meander. I think it turned out well.

it’s 47” square and the BQ pattern by Maple Island quilts. I accidentally cut the binding strips at 2”. Was a bit of a squeeze but it worked.

I set my 4Q quarterly goals here. This was #17.

Hugs,

Swooze

OMG Finish

It’s swimming in the tub right now but I declare it done!

My goal was to quilt and bind this quilt. After several missteps through the year I finally got it together and finished it last night.

Linking up with Elm Street Quilts for December finishes. I set my 4Q quarterly goals here. This was #44.

Hugs,

Swooze

OMG Progress

This has been loaded for a bit. Quilted it today with embroidery thread of all things! Also did ruler work.

Now to trim and bind. I’m pleased with how it came out.

Hugs,

Swooze

Bright Hopes Block

Earlier this year the stashbuster yahoogroup was talking about Bright Hope blocks. I thought they were cute and a little more interesting than Happy blocks. I have the rest of the year off so decided to go to my favorite LQS and sew. I took a mystery quilt to work on that is being offered through this same store but decided to start something new. More about the mystery later.

My friend Renee was having a little destash sale several months ago. I bought three jelly rolls from her. Two of them are plaid fabrics in multiple colors. When I got them I decided to make Bright Hope blocks. I did a little math and decided to cut 2 2.5” squares from each strip then cut the remainder into 2.5” x 4.5” segments. This will yield about 38 6.5” blocks from each roll.

I used this pattern to make the blocks. It uses a partial seam on the first segment. I sewed the partial seam and realized I had accidentally used an 1/8” seam. I corrected that and sewed again. I went to sew the next segment on and it was too short. I measured the length of my segment and it was the right size. I measured the width of my segments and found it was at least 1/16” too large. I had to go back and trim all the pieces I had cut.

Luckily I had only cut half the strips into 4.5” segments.

Once I got that worked out I sewed the first two segments to the square. I trimmed the remaining strips and subcut them. I’m ready for my next sewing session.

Hugs,
Swooze

Double Wedding Ring

Six years ago I bought a partially made Double Wedding Ring quilt from a Project Linus garage sale. There was a bunch of melons made and then even more arcs ready to put into melons.

The pattern they followed was John Flynn’s and the book and templates were included. If you are not familiar with his method he strip pieces the arcs and then there is additional sewing and trimming to achieve the curve. It includes several sizes.

The background they used was a purple that I would use, just not in this project. In fact I would call it hideous in this project.

A year later my parents were visiting me at my house. We had just spent a week together at my brothers house then they came to mine. I had had a house fire one year previous and they wanted to see the remodel. I came down with a stomache bug and didn’t want to infect them so I hid in my bedroom. I asked my mother to pick apart the melons and remove the purple. She happily did so to avoid boredom. I call this the last quilt “we” worked on together.

Fast forward to earlier this year. My stashbuster pals can correct me here. There was a discussion on the list about curved projects. Anything curved. Over the course of the year I searched through my stash and found a white on white that looks like lace.

I started cutting out the melon shapes and the centers of the blocks. I decided on a size that will be a bed topper so about 60x80. I needed 71 of the melons.

In the most recent months I’ve been piecing the melons back together. Do you know me? Have you read my previous stories? I got down to 65 melons and ran out of the fabric I was using for the connecting squares. Dated fabric!

I am part of a club at my LQS called PhD club. Projects half done. Back in September we made a list of 6 projects we wanted to finish. Yep you guessed it. My goal for yesterdays meeting was to finish my melons. Argh!

I lucked out and met with my sewing group at the church Friday night. Several of them looked at what I was trying to match. I sent a pic, crossed my fingers and went shopping the next day. I got a text asking if some fabrics one of the ladies had would work. I went and visited and will let you decide how well they worked. I did meet my goal on Sunday.

What do you think?

Hugs!!

Swooze

Progress on OMG

When I found myself struggling with the quilt I repaired last year I realized I was not following the right approach. The repair job was fine but the reassembly got way off track.

First mistake. I tried fixing the back when what it needed was replacing. Second mistake. I tried fixing the “batting” which also needed replacing. I have now replaced both. It was all loaded on my frame tonight.

For the past few weeks I have been looking for the right thread. I had one in my stash that I wasn’t sure about but decided to go with it. It’s a lightweight embroidery thread. I talked to my Handiquilter dealer and she encouraged me to go for it.

Now for the quilting design. I had thought about stitching along the seam lines and then quilt wavy lines in between. My issue is the lines of the quilt are not straight so will that just highlight the fact? My other idea is to just quilt wavy lines across the top without regard to the seams.

If you click on the picture you can see the gentle slope on the top of the ruler. You can also see one of the strips where the width varies...tucks and all. I left the tucks. His grandma made them. It’s part of the quilts character.

If you have any suggestions just leave me a comment please.

Hugs

Swooze

December OMG

Repeating Novembers goal.

I plan to quilt and bind Ricci’s quilt this month. I am currently working to get it loaded on my frame. It’s a tad wavy but I’ll get it! Semi have a quilting plan but the placement of the first stitches will tell for sure.

Linking up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts.
Hugs!

Swooze

Petroglyphs

Well due to the colors I could argue this is a petroglyph. Sadly it is just the casualty of a closed door. That was probably a kinder death than some of his siblings or cousins experience at my house. I remember finding babies on the fur of my dogs. They’d drop onto them for a free ride into the house. I try not to think about that too much.

Now that Artemis lives here let me just say there is carnage. We try to rescue them....
Bad cat!!
Hugs,
Swooze

Cats Beg?

My daughters cat sat in my lap while I was eating dinner the other night. Mind you I was sitting in a recliner so it isn’t hard for her to get on me. All of a sudden I had a paw in my bowl. At least a dog whines when they want something....

Hugs,

Swooze

I Would Ask What Was I Thinking....

...but apparently I’m not. Ive been wasting time and resources on this quilt repair.


- What I did was try to patch the sheer backing and add other fabrics that matched in color to make it big enough. I then loaded this flimsy, stretchy, oddly shaped thing on my frame. I will unload it tonight
- What I should have done is find a suitable new back and load it. I bought that backing last night and got it pieced and pressed. Will load it tonight

THEN

- What I did was try to piece additional batting onto a too small, lumpy, mixed material filler. I will unload it tonight
- What I should have done is load a nice, shiny new batting onto the frame. I might load it tonight

At least I’m working at it. I’m not quite sure why my mind isn’t right about this project but it will soon be complete!

Hugs,

Swooze

November OMG

I plan to quilt and bind Ricci’s quilt this month. I am currently working to get it loaded on my frame. It’s a tad wavy but I’ll get it! Semi have a quilting plan but the placement of the first stitches will tell for sure.

Linking up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts.

Hugs!

Swooze

Maybe It Wasn’t the Best Idea

I measured the top, center and back I showed yesterday. Each time I got different measurements and realized the top isn’t square.

There was a 3” difference in length from one side to the other. Then on the width there was a difference of 2”. Obviouly I needed to even it up.

I folded it lengthwise on my kitchen floor and could immediately see the issue. I got the scissors and measuring tape. Glen, you might want to go pee before reading further. I got down on the floor... I measured the length again to confirm what needed to be trimmed and trimmed it. I now needed to refold it to take care of the width.

Here is where the “Not the Best Idea” comes in. Back on August 22nd I was walking out of the office and I heard the bone in my right foot snap. I have neuropathy so it didn’t really hurt. Long story short I have a Jones fracture and a lovely new accessory...a boot.

It hasn’t been the easiest thing to get around with but I’m better at it. Well as soon as I sat on the tile floor I thought...this isn’t going to work out for me. Luckily I carry my cell phone around like a life alert.

I called Ray, my significant other, and asked if he could help me with a couple things. He walked in and gave me that look. He knew. We started with the most important thing which was refolding and trimming the quilt. Mission accomplished.

Then came the fun part. Can he get me off the floor? I got to my knees and he grabbed me to stand me up. I said wait! I walked on my knees to the kitchen counter. I pulled myself up on the counter while he pulled me around the waist. I needed the extra boost to get that boot out from under me and stand upright again.

Now I have a trimmed top. Do you think he’ll rescue me when I work on the backing??

Hugs!

Swooze

The Hurrier You Go the Behinder You Get

Are you familiar with that phrase? I first learned it when I visited Amish country in Lancaster, PA.

Sometimes I chastise myself for being so slow to do things. In this case it was getting the next quilt loaded on the frame.

I’m glad I was so slow because while working on enlarging the back I remembered that I wanted to load this with it running from side to side so that I can avoid the thick seams. This also meant I needed to enlarge the backing differently, more width than length.

If I had rushed I would have had to do a lot of rework. I layed out all the layers and took measurements tonight. The white part which is very gauzy and thin is the “batting”. I’m trying to decide what to do with it. Will probably enlarge it and use it too.

There are a lot of different fabrics in this quilt. I am just going to keep it simple and quilt straight lines to anchor evetything down.

Hugs!

Swooze

OMG Finish

I put the final stitches in this Matchstick Marimba on Friday night. I was commissioned to make this quilt by a high school friend that had admired the other one I completed.

She and I discussed possible colors for the backing and binding. We decided on pink or purple with purple as our first choice if it went with the top. Purple and white were our school colors. We thought it would be a nice touch.



I went shopping for the fabric Saturday and found three possibilities. Of course my favorite was the blue which wasn’t in our plan. We texted back and forth after I shared the picture. Her response was...Oh I really like the blue. I laughed and told her me too. She wasn’t ready to give up on the purple so I suggested blue back and purple binding. Now to quilt it!

Getting the top completed was my October OMG. I’ll be linking up to Elm Street Quilts.

Hugs,

Swooze

Purple Cow

I quilted this today....finally. I just told myself I won’t inow if something will work if I don’t try. I certainly won’t I prove if I don’t try. So at 9:30 this morning I stood at the machine and got started. I’m a member of a PHD club. Projects Half Done. I knew that this quilt was the selected item for probably two minths. It was also my September OMG which Obviously was not done.

So maybe the inventive of winning a $25 gift certificate from my LQS was what I needed to get me moving. The meeting was at 2 p.m. today and I was pulling this off the machine at 1:40. Luckily the declared goal was quilted and not finished!

I loaded this one with the top face down and had decided I was going to quilt it from the back. I had this crazy idea I wouls stitch around all those spots with all those stops and starts. Maybe that’s why I let it sit. Then I decided to try and stitch around the white sort of like the black spot idea but the white was all connected. Hmmm....a stipple. I don’t care for stipple. But it is done. It is cute. The recipient won’t care.

Now to load another one and continue the momentum. Oh, my next PHD is in December. I have to make 80 DWR melons. Arcs are all done and the melons have half the arcs atrached. I can do it!

Hugs!!

Swooze

4Q FAL

Last quarter was not very successful. I only finished my Matchstick Marimba. So here is my entire list of UFOs. Plus I was asked to make another Matchstick Marimba but longer.

Leanne at She Can Quilt hosts a Finish Along each quarter. You link to her blog, or one of the other hostesses, with a post about your proposed finishes.

1 Strip Stacks - purple borders
2 Strip Stacks - red border
3 Double Four Patch
4 tumbler
5 4 patch on point - black green pink
6 Avignon Picnic
7 Matchstick Marimba
8 Strip Stacks - green and pink
9 Renees navy top
10 Nancies Floral and White Blocks
11 Pieced together contest
12 Pink Poppy BQ
13 Bloomers
14 Garden Party - Bonnie Mystery
15 Wanderlust
16 Pfefferneusse
17 Baby BQ
18 Lazy Sunday
19 Strip Stacks - green and pink
20 Original Orca Bay
21 Rainbow Orca Bay
22 Stepping Stones
23 30's Dog prints
24 Happy Block Jean Quilt - Jason
25 Row by Row Quilt
26 Antique top to quilt
27 Garage Sale top to be quilted
28 Dizzy
29 Grand Illusion
30 Freeze Frame
31 Double Wedding Ring
32 Nancies 30's Red
33 Nancies 30's Green
34 Christmas Packages
35 Razzle Dazzle
36 Stepping Up - yellow lavendar
37 Awareness - red black
38 Hopscotch - yellow green
39 Red and White bow tie
40 Red and White Burgoyne Surrounded
41 Turquoise blocks
42 Crossroads
43 Renees yellow top
44 - Ricci’s quilt

45 - ? Find and quilt all the charity quilts I have lingering here

Here’s to a more successful quarter.
Swooze

October OMG

I almost didn’t join this month. It won’t hurt to join and not do. But I can’t join later.

I was commissioned to remake a quilt I finished earlier this year but longer. Here is where I am today.

My goal is to make the top to flimsy stage. Linking up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts.

Hugs,
Swooze

UFO Volley Fired

So a volley was fired from Baton Rouge. Glen from Quilts and Dogs let me know through this blog post that she has more quilts quilted and more backs lined up for her queue of quilt tops. While we were watching Americas Got Talent "together" we discussed how many were quilted exactly and how many were bound. 2.5 quilted, none bound. It's not done til it's done! This news did not spur me on to jump up and start quilting.

Also, as a result of our earlier UFO discussion, Patty the quilt lady got involved here. She has managed to take apart a UFO and get it quilted again. She too lacks that finishing step of a binding. Her log cabin, seen here, is lovely.

I didn't share this with Glen but I have managed to accumulate three more flimsies this year that were made by others. If I don't quilt them this year onto the UFO list they will go.

Argh! I'm heading in the wrong direction! I have all the power yet I don't take action. Sigh...

At least someone is using my quilting setup...

That is my grandcat Artemis...

She's taunting me...

Hugs!

Swooze

I Misremembered

Back in March of 2007 I bought the fabric and pattern to make this quilt.

I got a great deal on this fabric and thought it was especially great because I had enough fabric to make two!

Fast forward to 2010 when I actually made the top. I was surprised that I would not have quite enough to make that second quilt. I was in no hurry to make the second one so figured I'd pick up what I needed as I came across it.

Over time I would look for a piece of turquoise fabric to fill in what I needed. Eventually I found something that would work and put it with the rest of the fabric.

I pulled out the book to refresh my memory because when I showed the above quilt I got a commission to make the quilt again just another row longer. I took out all the fabric to prep it for cutting. It was at this point I realized it wasn't the turquoise color I needed it was the purples and I needed three of them. I misremembered!

I sort of set it aside and didn't think too much about it. As I came across purples that I thought would work I set them aside. I decided to cut the white I needed for this quilt. I also pressed the other fabrics as well and it dawned on me the pinks weren't even in the stack. I misremembered that I took that pink out and did who knows what with it.

Regardless, I realized I was going to need three more pinks just like the purples. Look at the ends of the quilt. You will notice that there is an "extra" row of these two colors. This extra came from my second set of fabric when I made the first.

I cut and sewed and cut what I did have. I will be stash diving for the rest. I plan to get this done in the next few weeks so I can stop misremembering!

Hugs!

Swooze

Glen Started It!

No really she did with this post. She had been texting me the previous night and mentioned she was at her guild meeting. She relayed the story she shared in her post via text.

When I read her post it had me thursting for details. I wanted to know exactly how many UFOs she had and how many of them were completed tops. She lured me into divulging my sordid details.

I tossed some number out then felt the desire to know the specifics. I went to my handy dandy spreadsheet and counted. I have 42 UFOs with 4 of them in the piecing stage.

Why do I have so many unquilted when I have this Avante sitting here. I'm still trying to get over my "what if I'm not good enough" syndrome. I've even tried to convince myself to work on them in 15 minute increments a day. It hasn't worked yet. I will say that I made progress by getting backings made and battings ready for several.

So today what do I see? Glen's true confession here. And she has almost as many UFOs as me. And she also has an Avante. Why isn't she whipping them out? She also made progress by trying to pull backings together. She must have the same disease as me. I'll have to consult with her.

After reading her post I decided I am going to quilt that quilt on my frame today! I need to get even with her. I was all set to start working and I couldn't turn my overhead light on. Got that resolved then decided I was hungry so made lunch. When I finished eating I decided a nap is in order. Hopefully the urge will be there when I awake.

I'll leave you with a picture of my quilt ladder laden with unquilted tops. I really have some pretty things here and need to get them finished up.

I hope you and yours are safe from the path of Irma.

Quilty hugs!

Swooze

Attention All Quilters

I've been a member of the yahoo group "stashbusters" whose mission is to encourage us to use our stash. This was posted just a day ago and i wanted to share with you. Betty is a longtime member. Of the group. I am including the contact info for Betty as some of you might be able to help...imagine if ALL your stash were lost, your UFOs, your quilts

THIS IS THE MESSAGE THAT WAS POSTED IN RESPONSE TO QUERY:

Gosh, how do I ask..

The storage unit with about 40 full sized disaster quilts, 80+ Nursing home quilts, 60+ Linus Quilts, Christmas Stockings, a new roll of batting, about 40 Preemie quilts, and untold yards of fabric, cutting boards, shelving,, and so on were lost due to flooding from Hurricane Harvey.

One of my best friends (Nita Beard - chairman of WHQG Comfort Quilts) is just devastated. They had over 4 feet of water in the storage unit where we store this stuff... The Storage place said it is a total loss as it has been under water for over a week, and is too toxic to even come and look at, and is still underwater (at least 2 feet) as long as the Addicks reservoir is still releasing water.

Of course all Nita's Bee members have donated a bunch of fabric. but, this was a storage unit 10 x 20 foot FULL of fabric.

Last week, I asked for jelly rolls for Tri-County Quilt guild. They had OVERWHELMING success. Standing room only, making jelly roll quilts.

This is for West Houston Quilters Guild. Our meeting location (Bear Creek and in the the middle of the Addicks Reservoir) is under several feet of water. Closed until further notice. The storage unit is in the midst of this.

The Comfort Quilters will begin again. We are starting from scratch. Nita had about 40 kits in her car,, and that is what we have to start with.

We have some Hobbs UPC codes to try to get some batting again.

****We could use:
--Hobbs UPC codes - ANY Hobbs product.
--Yardage to get us started again.
--Quilt tops
--Finished quilts

Just devastated at what we lost, to help others.... Very discouraged. Nita with her positive attitude says that all will be well, and that God will take care.

***Any donations can be sent to me or I can give you Nita's address.

Betty Baker
Attn: WHQG Disaster
17412 Bobcat Trail
Cypress TX 77429

We will start over... gosh, still grieving over what was lost. Our Thursday Bee is starting with a sew-in in a next week to piece tops. A couple of Bee members with longarms and I have volunteered to quilt anything that comes in.

This is a different group from Tri-County. I am a member of both.

Betty
Cypress TX
www.TShirtQuiltsTX. com

September OMG

I've had this quilt sitting on my frame for weeks. It's about time I get it quilted and bound. It's time has come!

I'm linking up with Elm Street Quilts goal setting linkup.

Hugs,

Swooze

Eclipse from Dallas

These photos were shared with me.

This picture was taken with a cell phone through special glasses.

This picture was taken on a roof. The trees leaves filtered the rays and you can see the crescent.

I took these last photos with my cell phone just out of curiosity. What will I catch?

Hope you got to experience the eclipse where ever you are.

Swooze

Double Wedding Ring Quilts

I think I own every single pattern and template there is to make a Double Wedding Ring quilt. I was driven by my mothers desire to own one. Ultimately, I bought an antique one and gifted it to her. She passed four years ago and that quilt is now in my collection.

In November of 2012 I pulled out a Double Wedding Ring quilt UFO that I bought at a garage sale and asked Mom to pick out the hideous purple pieces that were used as the background. She happily did so and sadly I came down with some sort of flu so we didn't spend much time together. At the time I did not know this would be the last project she and I would work on together before she passed the following May.

This is the background.

Here are my choices for a replacement. Preferences?

Here are all the choices together. Which do you prefer?

I bought the Accuquilt GO die. I hope the pieces are the same size. Will report back but help me choose first!

Hugs,

Swooze

Glitter Bomb!!

While thinking about how I'll be quilting the purple cow I chose the fabric to make a backing for the double four patch.

I bought the rest of the bolt of a glittery grey that I used in this top. I decided to prewash it because I wasn't sure how the machine would handle the glittery fabric.

So sparkly....

So glittery!!!

Now I know what it feels like to be glitter bombed!!

Hugs,

Swooze

p.s. That's the garage floor in front of the dryer in that last picture.

Happy Blocks Finish

I finished quilting this little gem Thursday night. Trimmed, made the binding and attached it Friday night. Saturday a.m. I got up and finished the job.

I took it to the LQS for a little show and share. Tossed it in the washer and dryer. That evening I gifted it to my friend.

Friday night at church I think was the first time I finished everything I took with me to work on. I trimmed the little quilt above. I made and attached the binding. I added the borders to my double four patch. I dethreaded a quilt top that had been washed and frayed that I plan to quilt next.

My double four patch.

I plan to quilt it on the diagonal with wavy lines.

My next quilting subject. A baby BQ that I call purple cow.

I'm going to load the top as if it were the back then load the cow patterned back as the top and outline the spots. I am still trying to decide how I'll transition from spot to spot. Any suggestions?

The Happy Blocks were my IMG finish. I'm linking up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts.

Hugs!

Swooze

August OMG

I will be finishing up the quilting on this little table topper and binding it.

I am stitching in the ditch around the blocks and the inside square. Then in the black space I am stitch ditching to give the appearance of the happy block. Pardon the chalk lines.

i am gifting this to a friend that just finished her sewing room in turquoise and black. Her husband gave her a treadle and I made it to use as a table topper for that machine.

Linking up with Elm Street Quilts OMG goal linkup.