Dallas Quilt Show Mini 2

Here are minis and small quilts that were judged. Artist statement to follow.

Guess which one was my favorite!

Traditional quilts coming soon.

Swooze

Dallas Quilt Show - Minis

Chantal asked to see some minis from the show. The first batch were donated for the auction. No artist statement available.

Some are small quilts rather than minis.

What are your favorites and why?

Do you have a quilt show coming up?

Swooze

Dallas Quilt Show and Shift Happens

I took a half day from work to attend the Dallas Quilt show. Lots of quilts to see and plenty of vendors. I took lots of photos to share with a home bound friend. I seem to be taking less photos of traditional quilts unless there is a color way that grabs me.

Best of Show - Beckey Prior

I had a very short shopping list. I did not find 2 fabrics I was looking for. One was a suitable sashing for the antique top I showed last time. The other was a pink and/or green 30’s print to serve as the lost binding. I saw a few but decided to wait. There’ll be more!

What I did find was an adorable panel of baby jungle animals. 2 in fact. Elephants are the nursery theme these days. I’ll whip them up for babies in my life. I was also looking for a print suitable to widen a coral quilt back I have. I found a beauty with pretty blues and corals.

I’ve also been on the lookout fir a pair of Karen Kay Buckley scissors at a local store. I mentioned this to my wool instructor, Amy, who had a booth at the show. She told me if I could find Tim Holtz scissors to get those. I had just seen them in three sizes so went back and bought the smallest size. Wow, I love the feel of these scissors in my hand. They cut extremely smoothly.

Found my jeans pattern! Yeah! I also know many many places my bindings are NOT. I was up until after 11:30 searching Saturday night. I got so mad at myself for spending so much time searching that I decided to sew Sunday. I did peek here and there but got lots accomplished on my 216 HSTs.

Want to see more quilt show pics? Art? Modern? Mini? Traditional?

Happy quilting!

Swooze

What Was Lost Is Found...Sort Of

Some time ago I posed a question on my yahoo group Stashbuster. What is your oldest UFO and what are your plans to finish it? I told the group about the antique top I bought back in the late 80’s or early 90’s. I told them my plan was to find the top and then make a plan to move it forward towards a finish. I could not find it.

I have a window in my sewing room. I had this top sitting on a quilt rack in front of that window. At some point the top fell off the rack and against the window sill. There was condensation on the window that got to the quilt top and damaged it. When I discovered it I saw that there were red and blue spots that had faded. I saw shiva sticks at a quilt show in those colors and bought them with the intention to color in the faded spots.

I have looked off and on for that top with no luck. About three weeks ago I quilted a top and went looking for the premade binding. Same story, can’t find it. I have looked every where that I thought it could be. No luck and then.... I found the lost UFO top. I took it to the LQS to discuss that plan.

While we were examining it and discussing the age we realized how thread bare the sashing was. The current opinion is it is from 1960’s. My friends suggested I replace all the sashings rather than try to color them. We tried color matching. It looks like a teal blue but the original color was probably navy. I’m going to take it with me to the Dallas quilt show to try to find something suitable. I’ll be thinking of a backing and binding too while I’m at it. I do plan to hand quilt this so will be considering thread color as well.

What’s your oldest UFO and what are your plans for finishing it?

Swooze who is still looking for the bindings

Happy Progress

Last night was my sewi in at the church. I took 4 things with me. Two got a glance which was their purpose. One for border ideas and the other to show and share the quilting I did. I had hoped to trim it but was making such good progress on the other two that I put that off.

Project number 3 was strip cutting on my mystery to make progress on my needed 216 2” finished HSTs. No time for subcutting.

Here is what took the lions share of my time. I finished the rows for the footer block of rail fence blocks. I finished off the header and footer to bring it to size. I attached them to the center piece with brown sashing. I added sashing to the sides and have the sash cut to add to the top and bottom. I was going to cut the final border which is black but am trying to decide if I need a strip of color between the sash and the border. Hmmmm...

What do you think? Are you sewing today?

Swooze

March OMG Setting

When I posted my February finish I began thinking about March. I struggled a little trying to decide. I remembered my list of 12 quilts I’d like to finish this year and chose from that list. Duh!

It’s my tumbler quilt. I want the backing to be red but the quilt isn’t agreeing with me. I may just use the same blue as the border or even the gray of the inner border. Thoughts?

Linking up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts for One Monthly Goal.

What’s your goal?

Swooze

First UFO Finish of 2018

I just finished the binding on another Matchstick Marimba. It’s swimming in the washing machine right now and I have hopes of mailing it off tomorrow.

First UFO finish and one of my FAL goals for 1Q.

Do you have UFO goals?

Swooze

February OMG Complete

I set my goal to catch up with my mystery quilt and to fix my horse quilt. I set stretch goals too. They were to finish the next installment of the mystery and get the next border on the horse quilt. I made strides on those but didn’t meet them.

The mystery quilt now has the flying geese, some with corner squares, the pinwheels, the strata joined and 76 of the 216 HSTs needed.

I worked at a retreat yesterday for a solid 8 hours sewing on the next border for my horse quilt. The goal was to cut down the first border and reattach the chevron border. I am making a header and footer of rail fence blcks. I originally decided to make them the same size of 4 rows each. As I workedon it I decided I wanted the symmetry of odd rows so went with 5 rows on top and 3 on bottom. By splitting it this way it will keep the horses on the bed below the pillows and still keep the design on the top of the mattress. This is subject to change as I go.

Pictured here are the parts laying on the bed. I was short 1 x 1.5” blue strip to complete the last rail fence row needed!

Open to your ideas and thoughts if you care to voice them.

What’s under your needle?

Swooze

Quilted Another Strip Stacks

I freehand quilted hearts and flowers using my Avante. The quilt pattern is Strip Stacks.

I immediately loaded another quilt and am trying to decide how to quilt it. It is a sampler quilt. The last sampler I quilted, I quilted in each block and in the sashing. I will probably do the same for this one. I think the key is going to be to just get started.

How are things in your quilty world?

Swooze

Valentines and Lips and Quilting

IWow I’ve had a full week and now my blog content has stacked up.

First I pulled this off the frame this week. My goal is to bind it over the weekend.

Then Valentines arrived and I was most definitely honored on that day. Gifts and cards galore.

Finally, did you see the Mardi Gras swag Glen, from Quilts and Dogs, received? They were lovely red lips embroidered with Artemis as they came from the krewe of that same name. I asked what she intended to do with them since Artemis lives here. She gifted them to me and threw in a few bonus spools of Sigma poly thread. I look forward to trying it (or maybe not based on her feedback).

How is your week going?

Swooze

OMG Update and Getting Unstuck

I had a date with the seam ripper this past week and got the chevron border off the horse quilt. I ripped the borders down and have to sew two of them back together where I spliced a block out rather than taking the corners off too.

Everything is pressed and ready to sew for the borders. I’ll cut the brown border down and add the shortened chevron borders back on.

Why did I take the borders off? I didn’t like how it lay on the bed. I wanted the chevron completely on top. Plus the brown border looked too chunky to me. When you make it up as you go along that is how it goes. Sew a little. Rip a little. Repeat.

I own a Handiquilter and they have a ruler club going on right now. My meeting was today. There was discussion and demos. I asked everyone how they get started quilting when they feel stuck. The shop owner suggested I keep a practice piece on the side and wsrm up on that before I start quilting. Will try that out!

The other part of my OMG goal is getting caught up on the Border Creek Station mystery. I have to make six pinwheels, which are now done but need trimming, and make 24 flying geese. I have to cut a few more strips and subcut them but have 1 done and 16 half done.

How are you doing with your quilty goals?

Swooze

February OMG

I didn’t meet my January goal so let’s hope this month is better. This month is going to be two piecing goals.

1) catch up on my Border Creek Station Mystery through installment 4. I have to make pinwheels and flying geese to do this. My stretch goal will be to get installment 5 done too but won’t keep me from declaring this goal complete.

2) I am going to remove the borders from my horse quilt, cut the first one down and put it back together. My stretch goal is to get the next border on after this.

Linking up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts for OMG linkup.

Swooze

From Sunrise to Sunset

I sewed and trimmed and sewed. I had a pile of half chevrons that were half trimmed. It took 1.5 hours to finish the trimming.

I started making the chevrons then joining them together into borders. Once I got the borders made I had to figure out how to turn the corner. It took me at least 5 hours to get to this point.

I made my corners and started attaching everything to the center. I had a plan up until this point but now I’m starting to rethink my plan. I will take a break to think and plan some more.

Hope you sewed today!

Swooze

Cut. Press. Trim. Rinse and Repeat

I have all the units sewn. Half are trimmed to their final size with one a .25” short. I’ll finish trimming and address that last.

I have an all day sit and sew Saturday. This quilt will be my focus for the day. I will have a backup project in case I finish or get bored. 🤣🤣

How goes your sewing and quilting?

Swooze

Cut a Little Sew a Little

I’m trying to not over make units for my chevron row. After I sewed what I had cut I inventoried and cut a little more. Still a little more cutting then my units will be done!

I started this quilt on New Years Eve and is my highest number UFO.

Are you sewing?

Swooze

Round 2 and a Win

I have round 2 of Ray’s quilt under construction.

The buckskin color really draws out the light brown in the first round. My initial design called for this row to have three colors but I decided to simplify.

I am already thinking ahead to the third and fourth round. I have to plan how I want to turn the corners and that will decide round three.

I also had a win. It is a cute little FQ bundle that Sarah Goer picked for a lucky winner. Me!! I landed on her blog because of reading about the temperature quilt sew along. Visit Sarah here.

What quilty things are you up to?

Swooze

Round 1

I’ve been working on Ray’s quilt. Round 1 was applied. Needs a good pressing. I have the overall plan for his quilt just need cutting sizes. I’ve been sketching and planning round 2. Pretty sure I have it figured out.

If you enlarge the photo you can see the brown looks like tooled leather.

I took a little time to pull out the 12 quilts on my FAL list. The flimsies are all now together with their designated back if I have one. 1 needs repair. All the bad spots are marked. 3 are in the piecing stage. 5 have their backings ready to go. Now to pull thread, cut batting and binding and get busy quilting!

How are you doing qith your quilting goals?

Swooze

UFO and Finishing Challenges

I started this year with 50 UFOs. The majority are unquilted tops. As I mentioned before I made a list of 12 quilts that I’d really like to finish this year. I am also using that list for the first quarter finish along.

One challenge I haven’t mentioned is the Stashbuster UFO Challenge. Each month, one the ladies chooses a number between 1-12 and then a high number between 13 and 100. If you don’t have 100 some just work on their highest number or make a free choice. For most of last year and starting this year I mostly worked on my high number. The goal is to finish one or both in the month.

Stashbuster 2 is my Matchstick Marimba which is also my January OMG.

Stashbuster 79 is my high number 50. This is a quilt I’m designing around this panel I bought for Ray for Christmas with the promise of a quilt.

Just for fun I have my Border Creek Station mystery offered by my LQS that I’m trying to get and stay caught up on.

I have spent some time on each of these this week. I’ve been planning the quilting design for Matchstick Marimba. I’ve been designing Ray’s quilt and made the first cuts. I did a little more piecing on the mystery quilt. I’m not caught up but I know where I need to catch up.

How are your quilty goals coming along?

Hugs,

Swooze

1Q FAL and Prairie Moon 2017 Final Countdown Challenge

When the FAL challenge comes around I have been laundry listing all my UFOs. Sort of cheating really. Not very thoughtful about what I really hope to accomplish. Then Shelly at Prairie Moon Quilts had her 2017 Final Countdown challenges. The third challenge is to make a list of 12 quilts you really hope to finish in 2018. In other words, a call to be thoughtful about what you want to accomplish.

Here is my list no particular order.

1) Carleens Matchstick Marimba
2) Double Four Patch
3) Strip Stacks - green and pink
4) Mystery Quilt LQS
5) Renees navy top
6) 4 patch on point - black green pink
7) Happy Block Jean Quilt - Jason
8) Pieced together contest
9) Double Wedding Ring
10) Renees yellow top
11) tumbler
12) Rays Horse Quilt
13) Any charity quilt I have languishing here for FAL purposes.

Most of these are unquilted tops. 3 are in beginning stages of piecing. 2 need to be checked over for popped seams and then quilted.

Quilting is my stumbling block but I’m trying to get over that. I am linking with Shelly at the above link for her challenge and Leanne at She Can Quilt for 1Q FAL 2018.

Hugs,

Swooze

January OMG

Time to declare my January OMG. I will finish my second Matchstick Marimba. It needs to be quilted and bound.

Linking up with Elm Street Quilts.

Hugs,

Swooze