Here is my July finish. I have really been trying to grow my skills on the long arm. I both learned and accomplished a lot on this quilt. I found a great foot in my box of Janome feet that is clear and has a little red arrow that keeps my needle perfectly on the edge of the binding as I topstitched it down.
This pattern is from Terry Atkinson's book Allegro.
This was my goal for July. I'm linking to Elm Street Quilts July OMG Finish linkup.
Hugs.
Swooze
I've been quilting. Started out with free hand flowers. Added pebbling. Finally a diamond pattern. More pebbling. This repeats three times ending in a row of flowers.
Trying to grow my skills. Done is better than perfect.
Happy quilting!
Swooze
Last quarter was not very successful. I only finished my shirt. So here is my entire list of UFOs.
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 - ? Find and quilt all the charity quilts I have lingering here
I have had this quilt top done for probably 7 years, maybe more. I have quite a few unquilted tops and really need to get them finished.
i loaded it on the frame last week but finally convinced myself today to get started.
I have the quilting design all drawn out so now it's a matter of executing.
My goal is to quilt and bind this quilt this month. I'm linking up with Elm Street Quilts for the July OMG linkup.
Hugs,
Swooze
My goal was to finish the top for Crossroads.
I love this quilt and have a load of scraps to work with.
Linking up with Elm Street Quilts finish linkup.
Hugs,
Swooze
Over the years I have collected wool applique patterns. I have never tried making one because I was afraid to ruin the wool. I had visions of jagged or frayed edges. When a wool applique class was offered at my local quilt store I jumped at the chance. They were offering a really cute pattern as a kit.
I showed up on the day with a few skeins of DMC floss, a package of embroidery needles and a pair of scissors. Everything else was provided. The instructor showed different methods of applique and provided the materials for each. She had a sample that had all the methods so you could feel the hand of the fabric and see the results. I went with the fusible using Heat N Bond.
She also had several types of scissors to try. She had Kay Buckley. I loved the feel of them in my hand but not the feel as I cut the wool. They did the job but when I tried the Fiskars Easy Action Micro Tip I fell in love with them. They cut smoothly and easily.
During class I managed to cut out the entire project and get all the fusing done. I had all the wool applique stitches done and only had backstitching of the letters and the embellishments left.
Here is the final project.
Wicked Chickens Lay Deviled Eggs. Hilarious!
The pattern can be found at Briar Root Primitives here.
It was a great class and I got over my fear of cutting into wool.
Hugs,
Swooze
The Mesquite Guild asked for mini quilts to be donated for silent auction to benefit the ROTC. The ROTC is going to be helping setup and take down the quilt racks for the show. The money raised will go to scholarships for ROTC students.
I finished this little mini back in January. I was just not pleased with it.
The binding was just not applied well and didn't match well. I tipped it off last week and applied a new one.
It was delivered today for the show on the 23rd and 24th of this month. I hope it raises a little money for the ROTC students.
Hugs,
Swooze
June? Really?
I've been doing well with achieving my goals with the One Monthly Goal, hosted by Patty at Elm Street Quilts, this year.
Here us my June goal. I am going to finish this quilt top. It is my Crossroads BOM that was hosted by my LQS, Wattafind. It was only 6 months long so not too drawn out. I am currently working on month 5 and ready to tackle month 6 with all the pieces for that row already assembled.
Here is where I left off.
Wish me luck! I'm linking up with Elm Street Quilts.
Hugs,
Swooze
My goal for May was to make two flimsies from my row by row quilt and to finish my bandana shirt. You've already seen the two flimsies:
They will be quilted later on.
Tonight I finished my bandana shirt. The iriginsl pattern called for using 6 bandanas. While I was shopping I decided to make it reversible. 12 bandanas. This is one of my 2Q goals for the finish along.
I plan to wear it as a windbreaker on the motorcycle.
Linking up with Elm Street Quilts and She Can Quilt for 2Q FAL. My list if FAL goals is here.
Hugs,
Swooze
Here is the second wall hanging. I was thinking I had cut the border a little too narrow but now that it's sewn I think it looks great.
Now onto the bandana shirt!
Hugs,
Swooze
I've been working on this quilt pretty regularly at different venues over the last month or so. This is round five of six. I have a green solid border that I'm adding and actually have the two sides done already. The sixth round is more slab borders with another pieced border that goes at the top and bottom. Those borders are already made and will just need to be cut to size and attached.
This quilt is called Crossroads and is designed by Ashley Newcomb of Film in The Fridge.
Hugs,
Swooze
My goal is to make 2 wall hangings flimsies and finish my bandana shirt. Yesterday I decided to quit moping around and DO something sewing wise at home.
Here is wall hanging one. I quite like it.
Here is planned wall hanging two. I layed everything out to get a sense of size of borders. I am going to cut 3.5" strips for the borders to make the most of the backing I bought for it.
Hoping this little bit of activity will get me moving again.
Hugs,
Swooze
Yup. That's me. Suzette. Did you ever wonder why I was helping Sandra so much? Other than the fact I was unemployed with lots of free time on my hands? Well I am a bit of a clutterbug myself. I must admit I do hoard a bit in the fabric department. Reluctant to let things go and always accepting things from others. I do try to share with others as often as I can to keep it in check.
Rewind to last fall. My daughter moved out and I immediately took over her room creating a storage area for things like Christmas dishes, my sewing machine collection and tons of fabric! I setup my cutting table so that I could always leave it up. I was in heaven. Well a very messy cluttered heaven.
Over the past few weeks there had been trouble at her place. She easn't getting along with her roommate. He holds the lease. So no surprise she was asked to move out. She hurriedly tried to find a place. She found one and we thought things were going to work out. Then there was an incorrect negative item on her credit report. No choice. She moved back in with me last week while we get her report corrected.
I got home last Thursday and there she was with three helpers. We made a plan of where things would go and they started moving. Most of my stuff is now stacked in my living room behind my recliner so I don't have to see it, if I don't look. I made sure my sewing room didn't get totally blocked off and that I still have free access to my long arm.
By the next day she was all moved back into her room. I was once again surrounded by all my stuff.
I had plans to go sew at the church with my friends Friday night. This whole experience took a direct hit on my mojo. I got there and I was missing things from my sewing bag like pins and scissors. I had misplaced my final months kit for the BOM I'm working on so that weighed on my mind. I didn't bring the extra fabric from the month I was currently working on and needed a few things from it. It was just not a happy time. I persevered and managed to get one border side done and the majority of the second done.
I went home. Not relaxed nor energized. I sat in the middle of my stuff all weekend and never made a single stitch. I did manage to locate the missing kit. To say I am overwhelmed is an understatement. I need to do something.
My plan tonight is to work on something for a short amount of time to try and get myself rolling again. It's been hard since I felt I had really made some progress on getting things under control. The clutter was way down. I will persevere.
Sorry this is such a downer post. Hopefully I'll have some quilty content soon.
Hugs,
Swooze
I've been considering the possibilities. Here are some additional options.
Clamshells with the beach scene. I love it just as it is with no additional borders. Will have to do more ripping and sewing on this.
I thought I would audition the splash or wave row with the umbrellas. I don't love this. I'll have to continue stewing on this for a bit.
Hugs,
Swooze
I took my row by row apart. I have some rows still sewn together that I might group.
The armadillo row will be surrounded with bluebonnets more than likely.
The magician fish will probably be surrounded by a fireworks print I just bought. There will be words appliqued on it too.
Finally the umbrella row. I am not sure what to do with that one. I may play with the 30's prints used in the umbrellas.
Open to suggestions on any of these.
The remaining four rows are in two sections now. I'm seriously considering sewing them together. I have fabric that has starfish and other shells on it. I also have anchor fabric. I really need suggestions on what to do with these rows.
Please give your ideas!
Hugs,
Swooze
As I was finishing up last months goal I started thinking about what I would work on this month. I even posted a list of potential "nexts". As I typed I thought how ridiculous it was that I had not finished my bandana shirt. I also got a response from one of my readers that knows I'm struggling with confidence on my longarm. She suggested I go with my row by row which will create lots of small projects that may help me get on my machine more.
So my goal is to finish my reversible bandana shirt.
To make the goal a little more of a stretch I'm also going to disassemble my row by row quilt and add borders to at least two of them to make wall hangings.
Join us at Elm Street Quilts and set an achievable goal. Then link up at the end of the month with your finish. You could win a prize! I have won a few times now.
Hugs,
Swooze
I just finished my 3D bowtie quilt. Piecing it at least. I find myself at that point of deciding what's next.
Lately I have had a project I work on only when I go sew with friends. When I'm home sewing I have been working on a different project. The bowtie quilt was my home project so I'm trying to choose something that fits for my workspace.
What does that mean? I tend to do cutting of borders and major cutting away from home where I have a little more room to spread out. I could do these things at home but that would require me to clean off my cutting table. I'm still on lifting and bending restrictions so that will happen after that is over. Although I could enlist others to help me clean it up.
So what do I have on my very long list of projects in progress? There are many that just require quilting. I even have one on my machine. I really should just work on that and get more practice at quilting. My plan is to spend at least 15 minutes a day on quilting something to get me into that habit. I have some things that have piled up in front of the frame so another cleaning project. Again I coukd enlist others help.
Other piecing options are:
- Crossroads. My current away project
- Garden Party. Needs borders.
- Dizzy. Basically it needs a decision of whether I want to add borders
- Double 4 Patch. This one needs a good round of cutting then piecing
- Bandana shirt. I just need to hem the sleeves and waist then close the neck.
- Double Wedding Ring. I have all the pieced arcs. Need to cut the centers and melons. I am hoping my GO die matches the size of the arcs
- Row by row Quilt. I won a prize with this quilt but don't love it. I plan to cut it down and make wall hangings out of the rows
So you've just heard a whole bunch of excuses. What do you think my next home project should be?
Hugs,
Swooze
I went back to work on the 10th full time. Mix in with that two eye surgeries and a couple eye procedures. Then we have a little dog that misses me now that I'm gone all day so we've been sitting in our chair watching tv. I havent teally been working on my bowtie quilt.
Last night I pressed two sections of the quilt and sewed them together. In the process I made a fold in the seam. I left it figuring if I did the same to the second section I woukd fix them at the same time.
Today I gave myself a little talking to. I told myself it's ridiculous that I can't take the time to finish piecing this top together. After watching a recorded show and eating dinner I pressed and sewed the second section with ease. I quickly unpicked my troublesome seam on the first section and resewed it. I then sewed the two sections together.
I give you my finished 3D bowtie quilt top. My goal for my April OMG.
Linking up with Elm Street Quilts.
Hugs,
Swooze
Last week I managed to get the last of the four quadrants sewn together for my 3D bowtie. I stopped there because I wanted to press them on the big board at the church Friday night. I only got one pressed and had to leave. Over the weekend I cleaned off my own ironing board and will press the remaining three quadrants and then assemble the top this week. This quilt top is my one monthly goal for April.
I'm linking up with Judy at Patchworktimes.
Hugs,
Swooze
