I've been making lists......

Very detailed lists, of things I want to get done. Todays list went like this:

Go to the library for audio books............ done
Start Amalia's 3rd wall hanging......... half done  There are 5 in total.
Do 2 Roll roll cotton boll paper units........... done
Do 2 thread lengths on the binding of Nine patch pineapple, which still isn't finished. This is my least favourite thing about doing quilts, and tends to get procrastinated forever............ done
Do one of the 100 block challenge blocks.............. done
Prep some applique shapes for this month's My Tweet's block.......... not done, add to tomorrow
Sew the binding to the Card Trick Quilt. .............. will be done by the end of the night
Do up some ideas for the layout of the "Here Fishy, Fishy" quilt for the grandbaby...... not done, add to tomorrow.

The reason for these lists is that, since finishing up the quilting on Card Trick on Monday, I've been floundering around, unable to figure out what I want to do, therefore not getting a whole lot of anything done. Plus, I want to give myself some push to just do little bits of the things I don't like to do, like hand sewing the bindings to the backs of the quilts. I figure if I write them down, as a reminder to myself, it will put the idea into my brain, and not get pushed to the background. Today is my second day of doing this, and it seems to be working.

Tomorrow's list looks like this:

Do 2 RRCB paper units
Do second 100 block challenge block for the week
Do 2 thread lengths of binding
Prep some applique shapes for My Tweets
Play with EQ5 for "Here, Fishy Fishy"
Finish Amalia's 3rd wall hanging.
Start machine stitching on applique squares. (This is what the audio books are for)

At the end of tomorrow, I'll do another post with pictures of the 3 wall hangings, and the 2 100 block challenge squares. Somewhere in there, I had better do something about some laundry, as well. (yuck)

Stash report Week 8

I have the fabric for the fishy quilt to count this week, and a couple of 100 block challenge squares, so more fabric went out. I'm several weeks behind on the challenge, so I'm hoping to use part of tomorrow to fix that.

Used this week:      4 yards
Used year to date:   39.2 yards
In this week:           0 yards
In year to date:        91.5 yards
Balance                   +52.3

I am hoping this week to get the Chocolate Swirls baby quilt finished and off the frame, to get caught up on the 100 block challenge squares, and to get started on the 2nd My Tweets Bom square. Plus, I need to load, and work on the second of Evelyn's cross stitch quilts. And, I really would like to get that UFO # 10 done, as well. Looks like I know what I'll be doing for part of tomorrow, at least.

100 block challenge squares # 19 & 20

So far today, a lot has been crossed off that list I made yesterday. Here are the next 2 100 block challenge squares. Instead of a snow house, I dug up some old landscape quilt fabrics I had from quite a few years ago, and made an English thatched cottage instead. The other square was named "Versailles" Just 4 more squares, and I can put together the first of the quilts made from them. The cottage square is fusible appliqued. I forgot to reverse the pattern when tracing it, so it came out reversed from the pattern, but it still looks fine, although, looking at the picture, the greens in the trees could have stood to have a bit more contrast. In the Versailles block, I didn't like the placement if the darks and lights, so I switched them a bit in the star points, so that they are in the same spot in each corner. I like the movement it has this way.

100 block challenge squares

I am pleased to say that there are now 5 less blocks on that 100 block challenge to do list today, than there were yesterday. Blocks 102- Norse Bloom, 105- Hope Blooms, 139- Hugs and Kisses, 147- Dot Goes to School, 175- Vanishing Squares, are done. I made modifications to Hope Blooms, by leaving off the corner triangles, and the words in the square, which I might put in later. I have a large collection of finished, but not yet put into a quilt, applique squares that I've done over the years. I think some of these applique squares are going to get added to the ones already there, to make an applique sampler. They are all different sizes, and different background fabrics, so they will sit in their box until I come up with an idea to set them all together.

Stash report Week 4

It was a very productive week here, with a good amount of stash used. A quilt backed, quilted and partially bound, lots of applique shapes and a background, and 2 of the 100 block challenge squares finished, plus the setting fabrics for the 100 block challenge quilt cut and assembled, to be seen tomorrow. So, to the numbers:

Used this week:       10 yards
Used year to date:    15.5 yards
Added this week:     0 yards
Added year to date:  66.25 yards

100 block challenge squares

Is it ever a lazy day around our house today. One of those pretty winter days that are best spent indoors. The snow is falling, but there isn't much wind, so the flakes are just kind of softly drifting down. If I were the active, outdoorsy type person, this would be a perfect day for a walk. But, I'm not, or at least not in the winter. However, It isn't supposed to be a lazy day. We have errands to run, and groceries to pick up, but I have no motivation to do anything, except stay put indoors. (sigh) But, the cupboards are close to being bare, and the refrigerator is near empty, after it's annual New Year's purging of out dated stuff. This is the first day since Christmas vacation that Scott and I have actually had a day off, so we have to get some stuff done. Oh well. I managed to get this weeks blocks for the 100 block challenge done. They are both fused to the fabric, but haven't been stitches down yet. I tend to save that step until I have a lot of it to do, since it involves messing with the tension of my machine to get the invisible thread to work properly. So, when I get enough of them, I put a movie in, usually one that I know, so that I can listen to it, and still know what is happening. I should try talking books, sometime. That would work, too. But, I've procrastinated long enough, and the grocery store is beckoning.

Design Wall Monday Week 9

Monday, again, and the last day of February, which means that spring, according to the calendar at least, is only 3 weeks away. I am soooooooooo looking forward to the warmer weather, and the first day that I can take my morning coffee outside and enjoy my swing and the sounds of the birds, and the wind in the leaves, and the breeze on my face. It feels like this winter has lasted forever. And unfortunately in Southern Ontario, it tends to last far into April. But maybe this year it will be an early spring.

 

 

 I've managed to finish, and hang up on the design wall, 2 quilts this past week. Chocolate Swirls is done, and quilted, and waiting for a binding. And my UFO #10 is up to flimsy stage. It was a struggle to get that one done, and had it not been for this challenge, I don't think it would have gotten finished. However, it's not going to get quilted just yet, so it will join the others in that pile of my own quilts waiting for quilting. Since the challenge rules are so flexible, no matter what number she draws tomorrow, it is going to get assigned to the one that has the least left to do on it, or to the hexagon baby one, since I need to get that one done. I'll decide that tomorrow. For sure it will NOT be one that requires a lot of time and thought, since I don't have a lot of either of those, at this point in time. But, since I finished the last of Evelyn's cross stitch quilts yesterday evening, today is going to be a play day. I'm going to see if, in between browsing design walls at Judy's Patchwork Times I can't get caught up with my 100 block challenge squares. I'll post either later today, or tomorrow on my progress. Then tomorrow, it's back to customer quilts again. I think I'm down to 4 left, but one of the is a 100 x 100 kings size, so it will take quite a while to load and finish.

100 block challenge

  
So far today, I have gotten all of the bindings made, and the fourth square for Teaquilt's 100 block challengs  finished. These are picks of the first 4, so far. I'm hoping I'll be able to keep up. So far, it has been an enjoyable thing to do. So, now I'm off to get those bindings actually sewn onto the quilts. Whether I finish them by hand or machine will probably depend on how my shoulders feel after wrestling 3 quilts though my machine. I much prefer the look of hand stitched bindings, but, these are quilts destined for charity, so, I don't know if I want to take the time to do them by hand.

Design Wall Monday Week 2

I just looked at the design wall posts at Patchwork Times and the are already 71 different walls posted. WOW! These are really taking off this year. Tons and tons of eye candy and inspiration. What a lovely way to spend the time over a cup of coffee or 2 while my brain engines try to get into gear. I managed to get all the alternate blocks for the Card trick quilt, UFO #6 done last week, and they are on the wall .My job today, once my brain has cleared, is to figure out the math for the setting triangles. Both EQ5 and Quilt Pro programs show the setting triangles as partial blocks, and the are showing half square triangle units and quarter square triangle units made of the same fabrics. Somehow, that seems like a silly thing to do. So, I want to convert them over to squares and rectangles, which is where the math comes in. Subtract 7/8 inch from measurement given, to find finished size, then add half inch to get cut size, for the half squares. For the quarter squares, subtract 1 1/4 inch from given size to find finished size, ad then add half inch. It's one thing to know the formula, it's another to actually get it to work out.
The other thing on my wall today is the setting I am planning on using for the blocks for the 100 block challenge The idea for this setting came from a book by Judy Martin called "The Block Book" I need six of these to make a twin sized quilt, before borders, so I'm over halfway there with the 12 inch blocks. The nine patches are being done as leaders and enders. Today, I hope to get my next 2 challenge blocks done, and get the setting triangles at least started. But first, another cup of coffee, and some more wall browsing.

Work in progress Wednesday

In my travels around blog land lately, I've been noticing posts labeled Work in Progress Wednesday where people keep track of their various projects, in various categories, from actively working on, to not touched in years, or at least I have those categories. LOL! It seemed like a useful, if slightly daunting thing to do. So I've spent the last hour or so up in my studio rummaging around in boxes and drawers, taking inventory, trying to come up with an accurate picture of just what is up there. It's pretty bad, but not as bad as I had thought. I like the way Lee organizes her posts on the subject, so I'm going to loosely follow her format.

New projects started this week: none.

Ongoing projects:
My Tweets, a BOM hosted by Erin Russek. I'm a little behind on it, but not by much. This is July's block, and she hasn't posted August's yet. There is still quite a bit to do on this one though, and the new block is expected on Friday. The Rose Log Cabin is making good progress. I have the last ten of the green and cream squares started, and then there are 16 more rose blocks to do before this can be put together. Considering I only started it back in July, that's not bad.

                                 

Ongoing Leaders and Ender Quilts:

-16 patch and pinwheels. This one, if I make it exactly like the pattern, needs almost 400 4 patch squares. I'm up to almost 300 of them. It will shortly be time to move it into the active list.
-Beach Cottage from the Scrap Sensations book

Top being quilted:

Shakespeare in the Park

Tops waiting for quilting:

Round Robin in the Window
Spring Swap
Peas in a Pod
Double Duty
Dot to dot mystery quilt
Burning the Midnight Oil BOM
 Pieceful Kwilter BOM
Orphan blocks
Buckeye Beauty. These last 2 are older than my blog, so I don't have pictures of them.

Tops waiting for binding: 4

Active UFO's: I'm not going to do any more links with these. Most are listed over in the labels, if anyone is interested.

Double Wedding Ring
Cactus Rose
Roll, Roll Cotton Boll
Log Cabin Sampler
Endless Chain
Disappearing Nine Patch
100 block challenge squares

Nearly Dead UFO's these all pre-date this blog, so there aren't pictures of them.
Cosmati Stars
Double sided quilt as you go. The blocks are all done, and just need to be sewn together.
Pansies and Butterflies. This might end up as a table topper, so it might get added to the pile that needs to be quilted.
Hand pieced and Quilted compasses
Antique Rose Sampler. This one needs to have a lot of applique done on the borders.
In Bloom
Baltimore Applique. I have a lot of applique squares, of various sizes that need to go into a quilt. But I've had difficulty with a layout for them, so they sit in a box.
Stained Glass squares
Jacob's ladder.

Wow, that's quite the list, but it has been an extremely helpful and eye opening exercise.

There have also been so far this year,  8 complete finishes. That adds up to one per month, which is encouraging. So, now that I've spent a fair amount of time composing these lists, I can make an effort to finish some of these things, and keep track of where I have been, and where I am going. I would like to be able to say, and mean it, that I'll get one UFO a month done, but I know that isn't realistic. So instead, I'll do a current project and a UFO at the same time. I think I'll get back at Roll roll cotton boll, and see where I can get with it, also while working on the current project. I think I'm going to dedicate wednesdays, if I don't have to work, to UFO's. S, after I finish this extremely lengthy post, I'm off to drag out RRCB's box.

I've had the blahs.........

The February blahs. Plus, I'm adjusting to some medication changes at bedtime, so not sleeping very well. So, what does a girl do, when not feeling like doing anything, when it's cold and grey and dreary outside? Start a new quilt, of course, a bright, fun, cheerful quilt...... silly question. LOL. I took the graph paper sketch, and colouring diagram that I did on the weekend, and put it into real life. I knew I wouldn't be able to wait, once it was planned out. I took all the fun tropical, fishy fabric, and put it into a quilt. This makes four now, that I've stared for this grandbaby that is coming in May. One of them, Chocolate Swirl, is on the longarm, and about 2/3 of the way quilted, which is what I've been doing today. Yesterday was spent loading it, and then trying to figure out what to do with it. The fabric off to the left of the picture are the borders, a narrow purple, Laurie's favourite colour, and then some more fun fishy fabric for a wide outer border. It'll probably be a while before it gets much further than this, but it sure is fun to look at. In the meantime, there are 20 more small crazy curves to sew up, before the next stage of Crazy Curves can progress. And 4 100 Block Challenge squares to do. I'm a week behind. I think that is going to be part of tomorrow's tasks. And Friday, the new My Tweets block is supposed to go up, so I'll probably spend Friday, before going in to work at 3, prepping that block, so I can start to work on it. I love being quilty busy. So much fun, and a sure cure for the blahs.

Catch up time

It is now time, since the holidays are over, to play catch up with all the customer quilts I have waiting to be done. Their owners, when they dropped them off,  knew that I wouldn't be able to get to them until the New Year. So, here is finish  #1, Donna's 4 patch rectangles. I love how the curvy quilting compliments the straight lines.

I'm also now caught up on the blocks for the 100 block challenge . These are blocks 14, 15 and 16. I must confess that I did not like doing the curved seams of block #14, although I'm not sure why. I've done curved seams before, and they've been fine, but these didn't want to cooperate in the least. It is quite visible in the bottom right corner that there were some stretching issues going on, but, it is going to stay that way. I think if I were to do a quilt using this design, I'd skip the curved seams, and fusible applique the shapes that are the leaves fabric to the backgrounds. In the pattern for  block 15 had a Christmas tree in the snow globe, but I decided I wanted something different. I had some fabric with different teddy bear motifs, and thought one of them would look good in the globe. They would make a really fun Christmas wall hanging. My plan, with all of these, is to put them all into the same sampler quilt, regardless of the theme of the blocks. I've been using the same colours in most of the blocks, or colours that are complimentary, so they should all work together, I hope. And #16, well, it was just plain fun to do. I love the different sized polka dots. I'm working on some 9 patches that are going to be part of the setting design, also in colours that will compliment the blocks, and using them as "leaders and enders". So, hopefully by the time I'm ready to put the quilt together, I'll have all the nine patch squares done that I need. And now, hi ho hi ho, it's off to work I go.

Design Wall Monday Week 4

Ah, Monday morning, when all is quiet. A good cup of coffee, and all kinds of design walls and quilts to look at, over at Patchwork Times while my brain clears enough to be able to think coherently. The second coffee, sitting here beside me should help. Unfortunately, I have sleep issues, and need to take medication to help it, which causes brain fog in the morning. So, it takes a while to get the engines running. But they are going now. On my wall today, and for the next few days, is the partially finished design for the setting for the 100 block challenge I need 4 more blocks before I can start putting it together.  I think it needs some more blocks that have a dark background to them, rather that the beiges or creams, so I can now plan the fabric choices of the next few accordingly. So, that is part of my plan for today, to get at least 2 more blocks done for this quilt, and maybe even more. Past that point, I haven't quite decided what I want to do, but at the moment, I'm leaning towards working on a baby quilt, based on hexagon stars, inspired by this one I have all those fun baby fabrics up there calling my name, plus there are more coming in the mail, hopefully sometime this week. Added to that, I'm going to keep on with doing 2 of the string units for RRCB, and at least 2 lengths of thread on the binding for the Card trick quilt, so that I can count it as finish #2 for the year, and as a finish for the UFO challenge for January.

Design Wall Monday Week 7

I've been working on my UFO challenge which was # 10 on my list of 12, which turned out to be my Crazy Curves. It's a good thing this number was pulled, since it is totally out of my style range, which is, I guess, the reason why I wanted to try it, last year.  I suspect, though, if I hadn't added it onto my list, it would have sat, all cut in pieces, in its box, unfinished, for years. I'm still not sure if I like it or not. I think I'm going to put a fairly bright green 1 1/2 inch border around it, and then a border of smaller crazy curves, aka drunkards path, blocks, that finish at 3 or 3 1/2 inches. I have a bunch of those cut, and ready to sew. There might not be enough of them to go around the whole quilt, in which case, I will put them on opposite sides, or around opposite corners, and finish with plain fabric of some sort. Once these are done, I don't think I'll be doing more. I'm mostly a speed, don't pin things, sort of piecer, and these things need pinning. I know there is a way out there to do it without pinning, and I've watched the video on how to do it, but just can't seem to master it. (sigh). So, I think that's what I'm partly going to do today. I might give myself a daily assignment of 10 or 12, to get them done. I have a customer coming this afternoon, to drop of a quilt, and I need to get working on my 100 block challenge squares, as well. To see more inspirational design walls, go on over to Judy's place at Patchwork Times It's always a great way to spend part of Monday.

Wednesday goals

Judy Laquidara pulled a new number yesterday for the UFO Challenge and drew #10, which on my list is Crazy Curves It hadn't progressed any further than what was in that old post. There are enough pieces cut to make 56 of the 7 inch squares, and 30 of the small ones. So, I'll do them up, and see where it goes from there. The good news is, the big ones sew up fast. I did 17 of them last evening in about 20 minutes. The 3 1/2 inch ones are a bit more challenging.

I finished Amalia's last quilt yesterday, and it is HUGE! There is no place in my house big enough to spread it out. I think it must be for a large king size bed. It's a double 4 patch with Civil War type fabrics, which called for the always classic baptist fan quilting design. I really like the way she laid out her squares to get the barn raising design with the light squares around the outside, and the cross hatch in the middle.

Now, to today's to do list:

1. Load, and start quilting Shakespeare in the Park
2. Sew a couple more rows of the baby quilt
3. Laundry
4. Sew some more crazy curves
5. call Amalia
6. Prep applique shapes for 100 block challenge square.

Design Wall Monday Dec 27

Most everyone's post that I have read today, has expressed the same thing I am feeling, how is it possible that it is the last Monday of the year. How is it possible that 2010 is almost over. I have enjoyed participating in the design wall Mondays, since I started, and find that it gives me motivation to get at least something small done, and often a whole lot more than that. Today is one of the small days. I have one of my 100 block challenge blocks done, and one more to go to make sure I keep up to date. The last one is all cut out, but it has curved seams, and I don't seem to have the patience to do the curved seams.


We had a great Christmas up in Collingwood with our children, and Laurie's grandmother was there as well. She's a sweet lady. Some of my quilts and other crafty stuff from the past year found new homes at Christmas. Here are 6 pictures of the different hand made gifts.

This is the One block Wonder that I did earlier this year. It went to live at Noel and Laurie's

This is a kit that I ordered from Keepsake Quilter. Matt and Becca are both outdoors type people, and Matt has a thing for moose sightings, so this was a perfect quilt to go and live at their house.

This is a wreath that I made up for Matt and Becca. It used the bells that we had on the tables for their wedding. I added some red and green bells, just to give it colour

These are some little 5 inch stockings that I did up for Noel and Laurie to put on their Christmas tree. They always get a huge tree, since they have a cathedral ceiling in their living room, 12 feet tall, at least.

These are some mini pocket warmers. They have 1/2 cup of rice in each. A pair of pocket warmers  go into the microwave for 30 seconds, and then get tucked into pockets to keep hands warm. I found the idea here each of the kids got a pair.

This is a table runner for Noel and Laurie, also from a kits from Keepsake quilts. It had an interesting way of doing the applique. The shapes were cut out from the gold fabric, while reserving the parts of the gold fabric that the shapes were cut from, giving a positive and negative effect

Stash report Week 2

At the end of last year Thousands of Bolts had their year end sale. I have 12 unquilted tops sitting upstairs, as well as the coming Ufo's that will be finished, and all will need backings. So, I took advantage of the sale, and ordered eight 6 yard cuts to be designated as backing. There are more coming from equilter as well. Now remember, I did say I'm doing this, not as an attempt to use only stash, but as a curiosity thing to see how much comes and goes, over the course of this year. I've decided that as a portion of a quilt is finished during the week, I will count it. So, this week, I got all the alternate blocks for the Card Trick quilt done. For the 100 block challenge squares, I'm going to figure them as if they used 2 1/2 inch squares, which adds up to 36 per block, for a total of approx. 6 inches  of yardage. So, on to the numbers:

Used this week:        2.6 yards
Used year to date:     3.2 yards
Added this week:      48 yards
Added year to date:  48 yards

And, those added numbers are going to go way up, as I start adding in fabric for all the luscious grandson sewing I plan to do. So much fun. I was playing with some stuff for him on Friday night, and got a couple of tropical fish cut out and fused. I'm going to be doing a wall hanging for his room based on these patterns from Fat Cat Patterns Judy, over at Patchwork Times hosts a weekly stash report linky. So, if you want to see how much other people are adding and using, go on over and take a look.

Design Wall Monday Week 8

I haven't accomplished a thing today. I had all these good intentions, but all I've done is sit on the couch, with my computer in my lap, watching the "Pillars of the Earth", which I've already seen. I finally got up the oomph to take some pictures of what on my wall. The Tropical fish quilt, which I wrote about here is still up there. Then there are my 100 block challenge blocks. The one on the left is in its beginning stages of sewing down, and there are still some pieces left to go on it. The one in the center is all stitched down. There are supposed to be little circles at the tip, and on either side of the gold points, but I don't think those are going to get put on. Then, if you go past these 3 pictures........................

there is a picture of the first of the My Tweets blocks. It is so close to being done. All it needs are those teeny tiny top knots for the second bird finished, and then I can sew it down. However, because they are so teeny tiny, I've been putting off doing them. If I ever get up off this couch today, LOL, I just might add that to the list of the things I wanted to do today, that have yet to be accomplished, because I have yet to get up off this couch. (sigh) I can always blame it on having worked the weekend, but it's more that I've simply lost my oomph. But, sitting here won't find it, So, I'll post this, link to Patchwork times where there are a whole lot of other design walls to see, and to tempt me to stay on the couch, and then get up and get something accomplished for the day.

Design Wall Monday Dec 6

 Today is an excellent day to stay inside and sew. We are getting slammed with snow. Schools have been closed, the roads are a mess, and the snow continues to fall. So far, according to the Weather Network, we've had between 30 to 40 centimetres, which translates over to 12 to 16 inches of snow since yesterday. And, it's forecasted to continue like this for all of today, tonight, and into tomorrow. It's all coming in off Lake Huron, like an arrow, pointed straight at us. It's a good thing I've got lots I want to do, and no place I need to go. My poor husband, though, had to go out in it this morning to go to work. I can only begin to imagine the number of calls the hospital got from people not able to get in to work (he and I work at the same hospital). They called this morning wanting to know I could come in this afternoon. I very politely declined. If this snow keeps up, the people working this afternoon won't be able to get home. My Son and Daughter-in-love, who live in Collingwood, have at least twice as much as we do. It a ski place, so that community will be glad of the snow So, I've spent my morning, and early afternoon working on my 100 block challenge
 blocks, pictured here, at the side, along with a picture of all 8 blocks done so far. And now, since there is no place else to go, I'm heading back upstairs to finish off my step 2 triangles, and start my step 3 string pieced foundation squares for the
RRCB mystery sponsored by Bonnie Hunter. It seems like there are a lot of us in blog land working on this mystery. It is going to be a lot of fun to see everyone's finished quilts, once the mystery is done.

Design Wall Monday Dec 20

Wow, December 20, already. Four days from now, we'll be heading up to Collingwood to spend Christmas with our son and daughter-in-law, Noel and Laurie. Our daughter, Rebecca, and her husband, Matt, are going to be there too. I am praying that the weather cooperates, and we don't have any of the heavy snow squalls that have been hitting us this month. Laurie, who is around 4 months pregnant, is having an ultrasound on the 22nd, so they will, hopefully, know the sex of the baby by the time we get there. And then, the true fun begins, when I can seriously think about a customized baby quilt, just for that precious child. Woohoo! I was hoping to have all day today, after working the weekend, to relax, and play in my sewing room. But, Rebecca called, and wants to head out to do some Christmas shopping, and how can I pass up an opportunity to spend time with my daughter. However, I
did manage to get one more of the 100 block challenge blocks made this morning, so I'm up to date. Go on over to Patchwork Times to see more design walls