More Progress

I worked on DD's quilt again last night and have the side borders on. I used black on either side of the "bamboo" border. I prepped part of the borders for the top and bottom and will have to do some cutting to finish those. The finishing touch will be to add the bonsai fabric all the way around as the last border. I layed out pieces of these fabrics with the top as sort of a preview and it looks great. Of course the camera is home and I am not. I will try to post a pic tonight or tomorrow.

Tuesday is D day for getting this done.

DD's Quilt Progress

Garden Tiles

My large blocks are done for my Random Blocks quilt. They remind me of garden tiles.

Quilting with Mom

When I went to visit Mom earlier this year I took a Jelly Roll and pattern that I wanted us to make together. We gathered our tools and found a place to setup and get started. I let Mom start cutting her pieces first while I read from the pattern to make sure we were getting it right. After she cut for a (short) while she said to me "Why don't you cut, cutting isn't my favorite part." I took over. No problem since I had to cut mine out anyway.

After cutting hers out we went to the sewing machine. Again I had her sew while I read from the directions to make sure we were assembling the block correctly. After the first block was together and we had started assembly line sewing she said "Why don't you sew, sewing isn't my favorite part." I turned to her and asked her "Why do you quilt? Nothing seems to be your favorite part?". We both chuckled. She said she likes to quilt it is just some parts are not her favorite.

When it came time to start pressing my Mother took hold of that iron and went to town. Boy was I happy with that. Because pressing blocks is not my favorite part! Together we managed to get her top together.

We talked about what other projects she had lined up and she told me about a tablerunner she planned to make. I told her I would help her with it if she wanted me to. She asked me to show her how I cut the fabric (anyone see a pattern here?). I got setup and she read the directions to me. This time I showed her some tips on cutting to try to make it easier for her in the future. I cut almost the entire runner out with the exception of the binding and backing. We discussed that she would do that although she doesn't recall that we made that decision.

Some time after I left I got a call from her. She was putting the table runner together and apparently not enough of the border strips were cut. She told me I had to fly back up there and finish the job. She managed to finish that cutting. Here is her result.

Design Wall Craziness

The first two pics are bits and pieces of my Random Blocks quilt. The batiks have a wide range of different color in them which made this an easy "scrappy" quilt for me. I plan to have the blocks done this week.

I have the small blocks sewn and am checking them for square. There are 36 of them. I have one more round to put on the medium blocks shown in the second pic. Then the small blocks form the center of the large blocks. I have to make nine of those. At this point I will be cutting a little and sewing a little to make sure I have the best color mix I can get.

These are the fabrics that I plan to use to make Judy L's most recent quilt for an hour. There is also a white that will be used. I wanted to make sure I liked the colors I chose against that black. I am going to try to get the cutting started so I can sew it this weekend.

Hmmm am I crazy? Does this look familiar? I decided to make a throw for a friend for Christmas. Friend do you know who you are? Do you like it?

Here is DD's quilt. I have the final plan. I have a grey print with black bonsai on it. DD picked it to be the backing but the quilt has outgrown it. There will be a 3" sash between the columns of pinwheels. 2" sash around the "bamboo" border and at the top and bottom. To get the proper length I will be adding a 2" sash at the top and then a border at the bottom of 4" squares from the various prints. There will be a 2" sash/border around this as well. It looks good in my minds eye at the moment. My goal is to top this sucker this week!!!

I have been having fun. Can you tell?

Week 41 Stash Report

I must be crazy. Buying fabric right before my stash report! I bought an orange dot for Judy's latest QFAH quilt borders and then a blue floral just because.

Fabric In: 8 yards
Fabric In YTD: 114 yards

Fabric Out: 0 yards
Fabric Out YTD: 72.33

Net out: -41.67 yards

This truly is a sickness! LOL! I was telling myself I wasn't doing too badly. I think I am kidding somebody.

Week 40 Stash Report

I have been buying asian prints to try to finish up DD's quilt. Then I won some fabrics from a giveaway. This is accumulation from the past three weeks.

Fabric in: 5 yards
Fabric out: 0 yards

Fabric in YTD: 106 yards
Fabric out YTD: 72.33 yards

Net: 33.67 yards more in than out

I am a fabricaholic.....

It's a Wrap is a Wrap

Well it's topped at least. Still have to press it but I had to get it off the floor so I could continue with the pinwheels.



Nothing glares at me in this setting. Well, except the use of so much blue. I had no idea. My current plan is to sash this with the "alternate" blocks from this pattern. Stay tuned.



Remember that big stack of fabric I recently remembered? It went for a spin in the washer and dryer along with some white (WOW) and black fabric. Wonder what will come from that!

Look what the Cat Dragged In


My winnings from Ms Piwacket in honor of her birthday. She sent kitty treats too. I think I will have to share those with Butterball since I am on a diet. He will be pleased since I don't know what kitties like being an all doggy household.






If you didn't notice I have a new profile pic up. I rarely like my own picture but was quite pleased with this one in spite of the poor quality. Cell phone. This is Sadie. She and I were visiting the vet. Can you guess what she is thinking??






She thinks because she is between me and the wall that she is invisible. The vet burst out laughing when he saw her because he knew immediately that is what she thought.

More Beige or Yellow?

I didn't want to be too gold.

Design Wall

Wow has it really been two weeks since I last posted? I have landed upon a better layout that I can live with. The bluish color is the design wall. The fill in will be assorted golds shown below.

L@@K

I played a little more with the layout. I left it where it is for the weekend so I can think about it a little more. The issue I have is that I followed the directions on the pattern. She recommends dark and medium for the large portion of the block and medium and light for the part that forms the pinwheels. I know lights would make it but that means buying more fabric. I probably will to not ruin my first scrappy quilt. Ruin meaning I do not like it at this point.



And what's this on the floor? I started sashing the "It's a Wrap". I can't wait to finish this one.

Design Wall

Not sure I am meant to do scrappy.....

.......I will keep working at it.

Stash Report

As soon as I gave my updated stash report I noticed a tote I bought at Walmart earlier this year and remembered there was something not reported in there.....

Something to the tune of 28 yards. So much for breaking even!

Back to Texas I Go

Part of travelling back and forth is making sure I carry whatever I need from one place to the other. I am always carrying some quilty thing with the desire to work on it but never seem to deliver. Two weekends ago I made huge progress on all the fleece blankets that I carried home with me. Every one finished and delivered to it's recipient.

I am heading home today and packed last night. I was tempted to take my "It's a Wrap" with me but didn't want to mess up my layout. So I decided to take dd's quilt I am making for her birthday. I have carried it back and forth so many times and not sewn a stitch yet. I caught myself reaching for other things to take too. I stopped myself and added the RR I need to work on plus my accessories. I must finish this quilt. I plan on a sewing marathon. Want to join me?

I have also been on a sorting, tossing, organizing mission. When I am not sewing I will be sorting, tossing and organizing. I am still missing two pieces of fabric that I had pulled out to kit up earlier this year. What the heck did I do with that stuff????

Come sew or organize with me over this long weekend! I may toss something your way.

Layout 2

I think I got a good distribution.

Test Layout

Any glaring lump of one color? What do you think?

Goals for 2009

Do you read Judy L's blog? She has a great post talking about your goals for the year and where you are on them. I am trying to remember if I set any goals....going to go look on the blog...brb...

Yep I did. Here they are from end of December.

• make and donate a QOV
• make a scrappy quilt
• make a blooming 9 patch for ds
• make one of dd's quilts
• finish what I start within a reasonable time frame
• low buy. I accumulated too much this year
• organize and cull my sewing room/supplies
• continue kitting fabric and patterns

The QOV was done as well as the blooming ninepatch. You saw my stash report. I am breaking even there. I didn't want to just collect fabric that doesn't get used for ages so tracking my habits has helped there. I am working on organization often and am considering selling or swapping books I bought early on that I have since outgrown. I do make a kit now and again but have been working from the kits I made late last year.

Life got in the way in a BIG way this year. But I think I have done well with getting to sew. Recently I have spent more time at it and have seen some real progress. DD's quilt is one of the three that I mentioned having cut and started. Looks like I need to move that up on the priority list with her birthday in October.

How are you progressing on your goals?

Design Wall Monday

My first design wall post. Here are a few of my blocks. The bow tops are done. I will finish the bows tonight. The boxes should go together quickly after that.

Here is the top Mom and I made while I was visiting my parents in July.

Week 35, 2009 Stash Report

I have had 4 finishes this past week and 2 the week before. I may be tweaking the report as I go since I haven't updated it since May.

Used this Week: 11-1/3 yards
Used year to Date: 72-1/3 yards

Added this Week: nothing but I did buy a bolt of black Kona bay earlier this year!
Added Year to Date: 73 yards

Net Used for 2009: -2/3 yards

I think I am doing rather well. Have several tops in progress and plan to have more finishes this year.

Finished the Fourth

This is a blanket I made earlier this year for a friend battling cancer. I have finished four of these blankets since last Saturday and they are all now gifted. Now to finish mine waiting for me in LA.

Checking In

No pictures at the moment but I didn't want to let that prevent me from checking in. I had the kids with me in LA for 2 weeks. We returned last Thursday so we had a little extra time to finish up the school preparations. So kids are in school now and all seems well.

I have managed to get some sewing in. I layered 5 fleece blankets while I was in LA and brought 4 of them back to TX with me. All 4 are sewn and three have been fringed and gifted now. Two baby gifts and one birthday gift. The last will be fringed and gifted before I go back to LA. The fifth is mine and I will fringe it next week.

Of course with back to school I had to hem pants. Ick. I got three pair done in LA and was up early this a.m. to get another pair ready for today. I have two more to go and will get them done tonight. I hope this is it but dd's friends mother heard I can hem pants and asked me to help her. Sigh....lol... My reward for hemming those last two pair of pants will be fun sewing on my quilts I brought home with me. I will get pics of those to share soon!