Sunday, November 29, 2009

All my ducks are in a row.....

and in the pond......or at least that is my interpretation since all the blocks are blue. I am just assuming that they represent water. Then again, they are pull toys, so they wouldn't be in the water. Oh well, so much for that scenario.


Anyways...... my "Just Ducky" quilt top is DONE, DONE, DONE!!! Yeah!!! The backing is pieced and the batting is cut to size and it is all hanging on a hanger. I will be calling the quilter tomorrow to see if she can have it quilted by the first week of January. I am sure I will put her in a panic when I call her as I am sure she is swamped with quilts that need to be done by Christmas.

Also, I finished the second Thermis neck warmer. This one I made out of Lamb's Pride (85% wool and 15% mohair). This one I made in the regular size, where the first one was made larger. They are both Christmas gifts for my office mates and the one that will receive the larger one doesn't like tight turtlenecks, so I thought making it bigger would make her feel more comfortable in it. So glad to have these out of the way, too. They were pretty easy and I may make one for myself using the two different yarns that I made these two out of. I have plenty left over and I think the two different yarns would really add to the design and texture.

Then there is my audition of this border fabric for my left over half square triangles. I was thinking that they would make up a cute table topper. I had purchased this "border" fabric "just because I loved it". I didn't have anything in mind when I bought it, but on bringing it home, I thought it would work out well with this small quilt. My thoughts on it were to make fairly large borders and then scallop them with possibly a vine and tons of leaves. Thought I would get a few opinions on this border.


I have a friend, Sharon, who seems to be hooked on leaves lately . Most of her applique quilts are just loaded with leaves and they are all beautiful. I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to a really large quilt with tons of leaves, so I thought if I tried quite a few leaves on this small quilt, that just maybe I would get my fill of them and not find myself doing a queen sized quilt that required 1 million leaves.

Well, on to see what the next project will be. It may be leaves or it could be any one of the numerous projects that I have waiting for me in my sewing room. Still can't understand where all those projects came from.....hmmmm.....

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Twelve little ducklings....

The twelve little "duckies" for the "Just Ducky" quilt are now hand appliqued to the backgrounds. It didn't take that much time since I had all the pieces stitched to each other prior to putting them on the background.
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Next step is to get the rows put together along with their pieced blocks, sashing and pieced border. I am thinking of sending it off to the quilter to do something special for it, but since it is so close to Christmas and the baby shower is early January, I am not sure how lucky I am going to get.
Also, the "Thermis" neck warmer is complete.
This yarn was so nice to work with. I did run out of yarn even though I was assured that there would be enough yarn in "one" skein, but luckily I was able to find a matching skein on Friday and get this all done. I do have another yarn that I wanted to make up a second one of these in, so I bought an extra skein of that so that I wouldn't run out again, but it was a slightly different dye lot so I think I will alternate the two yarns as I go along on it. This is probably my next project to start.
Between now and the time I post again, we will probably all have celebrated Thanksgiving, so it is going to be a very busy week. If I don't get back in here, have fun preparing your big family dinner and Happy Thanksgiving a little ahead of time.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Beaks, wings and wheels......

.....are all appliqued to their respective body parts. The next step for the "Just Ducky" quilt is to get them pinned to their background pieces and get them appliqued down. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel on this quilt.



In between applique, I have been working on the Thermis neck warmer. Got it to a point where I was stumped (the point where I had to cast on with a backwards loop method) and looked online to see how to do the next step. What did we ever do without online help?!! It's like having your mom in your back pocket with all her wisdom. LOL!



Anyways, I am going to give that "backwards loop method" a try and see how it looks so that I can get the last half of the neck warmer done....then I am on to the second one that I need to make for Christmas.
Happy quilting and knitting!!!

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Just Ducky progress....

All pieces are cut and ready to go.....

I made the half square triangles according to the pattern, but was a little worried about them not coming out square so I skimped on my 1/4" seam, but I didn't need to worry as the pattern allowed for some trimming. I did use my Quilt in a Day half square triangle ruler which I LOVE!!! and it worked out great. There was plenty to trim and they all turned out perfect.
So the pinwheels got made and all the pieced blocks are made and in no time at all. The binding is pieced and pressed and ready for the final step and I even put together some of the pieced border sections, but thought I should wait to see if my sewing and cutting come out as precisely as they should.
Now, I have all the "ducky" pieces pinned.....beaks to heads, wings and wheels to bodies and they are ready for applique. Once I put them together, then I will put the completed pieces onto the background and applique the whole ducky in place. This quilt is going to be Sooooooo cute!!!
Another thing I started this weekend is called a "Thermis neck warmer". I just love the whole idea of it and thought it would make a great Christmas gift for a couple of gals at work. The first one here is made with a hand dyed Araucania yarn. It is the most luscious yarn! ....30% alpaca/45% merino/15% silk/10% donegal. I may have to go buy more so that I can make myself one, too.
Now onto a most exciting event this weekend. My youngest dear daughter, Marisa, got engaged to Scott. No wedding date as of yet...most likely in the Spring of 2011. She has the most beautiful engagement ring and here is the happy couple.

So, as you can see.....as usual....it is going to be very busy around here.
Well, gotta get cracking on those quacking ducks. I will keep you posted on their progress.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

"Just Ducky"

The kit for "Just Ducky" came in the mail this week; and "oh!!" this fabric is so soft! (flannel)



If you recall, this was a pattern in this month's Better Homes and Garden, American Patchwork & Quilting. It comes at the most opportune time since a dear friend of my daughter's is having her first baby (a boy!) due on Valentine's Day. So....knowing how busy my life is, I thought I had better get moving on this quilt. Once the fabric was ordered, it came in no time at all. So.....templates are made.



Pieces are traced out for the applique;



and....all applique pieces are now prepped.



Now I just have to get the rest of the blocks cut. So, when I find the time in the next few days or weeks, I can just sit at the machine and start sewing away. I'll keep you posted on my progress. I am hoping to get this one done soon as I am so excited about it. Sure hope working on flannel doesn't give me any problems. Well, I guess I had better get to cutting out the rest of the blocks.

Michigan quilters, take note

  Come see us at our first Quilter's to Quilter's sale.   Don't know what that is?  Well, it will be 28 quilters/vendors selling...