Friday, March 31, 2017

Checking off some projects......

There's that LIST.  The one I started at the end of 2012 when I gutted my sewing room and figured I would document all the unfinished projects that were in there.  Little by little some of those things are getting checked off.  Of course there are always new things being added to the list.  It's like one step forward and two steps back.

I am going to be bold and show you my personal list (ugh!)  Don't judge me please.

UFO LIST
TOPS NEED TO BE QUILTED
Modern vase quilt (wallhanging-Alex Anderson)
Blue/green charity quilt (backing and binding are made) (October 2014)
Home Sweet Home (backing and binding are made)
Blue Houndstooth baby quilt (backing and binding are made) October 2013
Charcoal Houndstooth baby quilt (backing and binding are made) October 2013
Life Cycle baby quilt  October 2013
Fancy That quilt (gray and yellow) November 2013
Wedding quilt, string, orange and gray December 2013
Swoon (binding is made)                                                                                                                    
Single Swoon block for NICU quilt (backing is made) (quilted, binding made, bound 5-16)
Sunwashed (backing and binding are made) quilted and completed 8-15
Eve’s wallhanging 6-14
Navy/cream Sawtooth(?) quilted/binding April 2015, sleeve/label May 2015
Snowflakes from Heaven (wallhanging) (quilted 3- 2015; binding 4-2015;sleeve/label 5-2015
Celtic Knot –burgundy/pink/black wallhanging /
Black/White w/red “Chinese Coins” quilt (95.5 x 102) (quilted 12-14) (bound 1-15)
Double wedding ring (4 rings only- table topper to be hand quilted.
Valentine doily quilt (backing made)
Black/white w/yellow borders (64x68)
Turning Twenty Christmas Charity quilt (77 sq) (binding made)(quilted 1-9-14; bound 1-11-14)
Purple flannel chevron baby quilt for Ella (quilted 1-20-14) (bound 1-26-14)
Trips Around the World/Hawaiian quilt started in January, top done in April, bound 6-14
Monica’s chevron baby quilt (April 2014)
ABC’s quilt –( June 2014)
Triangle (orphan blocks) baby quilt (quilted  and bound Oct 2014)
Quilts of Valor quilt (November 2014)
Pastel baby panel with added borders w/yellow minkee backing (Nov 2014)
Baby block panel w/white minkee backing – December 2014
Christmas star blocks (17 – 12 ½”) (made alternating blocks, top pieced 1-15) quilted  & bound 8/16
Jelly Roll quilt (top made 1-15) (quilted 2-1-15, bound 2-7-15)
Habitat (brown/blue quilt) pieced and quilted, completed 4-15
Merry and Bright (pieced 3-15) (quilted, bound and attached sleeve  8-16)
9-patch Robyn Pandolph exchange blocks (133+  - 6 ½”)(alternating blocks cut  5-15; top together 6-15); quilted and bound 7-15
Chain Reaction, green baby quilt 6-15
Babes in Farmland quilt, quilted  and bound 6-15 SOLD
Babes in Farmland II quilt top made and quilted, bound 9-15
Thimbles (hand pieced) Rows done 2006 (Rows are together 2-15) top/backing complete 7-15 Bound 11-15
Quilted a charity quilt for guild and put the binding on it  10-15
New binding on double wedding ring quilt for mom/dad
Lil twister pumpkin top (2-7-16; quilted 4-17-16; binding and sleeve 4/19/16 )
Navajo/retro baby quilt for Katrina (6/16)
Carolyn’s baby quilt, purple/teal stars on gray (7/16)
Plus quilt made 2016-taupes; binding  started 12/15/16, finished 12/16
Janelle’s Christmas tree skirt (started & finished 12/16)
Gathering Baskets needs quilting and binding
 Garden Chevrons quilt (blocks  5/2016,top is pieced,)quilted and bound 2/17
Diamond Detour (blocks made and half put together 2016)(top  & backing done 2/2017)
Turning 20 Christmas blocks (50 – 9 ½”)  (blocks laid out) April 28, 2013
Scrappy Star blocks (110– 5”) blocks made 10-15 (top together &quilted  & bound 2-17)
Red/gold/navy scrappy 1600 jelly roll quilt (3-17)(more gold) quilted bound 3-17
Red/gold/navy scrappy 1600 jelly roll quilt (3-17)(more red) quilted/ bound  3-17

BLOCKS, NOT QUILTS YET
First Saturday Basket blocks (12 – 12 ½” )
Embroidered star blocks (12 – 12 ½”)
Red star birthday blocks (19 – 12  ½”)
Hexagons
Dear Jane (47/225 )
Hearts and Hands (64/117 blocks)
Winter Botanical
Karen Stone New York Beauty (brights and batiks)
Thimbleberries quilt
First ever blocks
Add borders to blue/yellow quilt (blocks were won at retreat, center is together)
Halloween Cats 14 /13

WANT TO MAKE-HAVE FABRIC
Gwen Marston – liberated quilting in solids (started)
Rainbow Trail Vest (have cherry wood fabric for this…not sure I want it anymore)
Hankie quilt (with mom and MIL’s hankies)
Adult’s Swing Jacket
Child’s swing jacket
Add handle to origami purse (1-14)
Color Me quilt
BOM seasonal calendar (in progress) 4 +1 made not making more
Gathering Baskets (baskets made and center pieced) top completed 8-1-15; backing made
Yellow basket quilt
Wool kit for round table topper (trees)
Wool table topper pattern (houses)
Baby Flannel quilt w/ contemporary flowers
Three wool Christmas stockings
Two minky hankie blankies
Minkee elephant baby blanket – November 2014
Pink giraffe minky baby blanket 6-15
Wool “wee ones”  Christmas tree (cut out 12/16)  (finished 3/17)
Wool w/picture frame (tree, snowman, stocking) (cut out 12/16)

CLOTHING/ACCESSORIES THAT NEED FINISHING
Tabulations Jacket (almost done)
Wool jacket with appliqué (almost done)
Make lining and pockets for felted purse  2-13
Make hand dyed, striped bag handles made

MISCELLANEOUS
Drapes, ivory  made 3/17
Valance for bathroom (have fabric and lining)
Repair my mother’s antique orange quilt (have fabric for borders that are tattered)
Repair son’s childhood train quilt (all it needs is the binding sewn down)
Put label on son’s quilt from his grandmother.
Put label on daughter’s quilt from grandmother 2-13
Put label on daughter’s quilt from grandmother 2-13
Cover signatures on son’s first wedding quilt. 52 siggys and label May 2016
Make Christmas stocking with crochet cuff. Stocking is made, just need to crochet cuff. 1-15
Make upholstery pillow (black)
Make two red pillows for couch (one block is already quilted)
Mend hole in Double Irish Chain  12-31-12
Embroider slip for christening gowns
Roman shades for Marisa (2) October 2013
Cupcake pillowcase (November 2014)
Teddy bear pillowcase (November 2014
Two sock monkeys (November 2014)
Small pop-up (April 2016)
Bound Heather’s wallhanging 2-17
Mend mother’s double wedding ring quilt (2nd one) (new binding) 2-17
A set of pillow shams for guest bedroom 3/17

Each different colored highlight represents the year that I got them done.   So, I am thinking that little by little the list is looking a little better all the time.

Anyways....I continue to plug away.


This little Wee One's flag was bought in Houston  in November and then cut out before Christmas and there it sat (another UFO).  Since I needed some handwork for the evening, this one got done recently.  I have three more small wool projects that could be very doable and one of those was cut out the same time as this Wee One.  The other two, I don't even want to remember how old they are.
But, progress is progress.  If I could only limit those new things coming in  and then being added to the UFO list, my headway would be a lot better.  

Next is this little wool project.

So easy, so quick.  I wish the powers above could explain to me why these things become UFOs.


I still have to attach the project to the cardboard backing to the frame, but the majority of the work is done.    That makes two more projects checked off my list.

Then I had to get to a customer quilt.  I love this one; and it's BIG.

.  

I can't even display it off the machine because the basement stanchions are in the way.

I used  the Prism panto on this 99 x 113" triangle quilt.  I have a 12' Millennium and the backing for this quilt just fit.  There's no way I could have gotten a larger backing loaded onto the machine.  


Anyways, I love the fabrics Nancy chose.  What a great variety of black/white and purple fabrics.   The backing was a black/gray chambray.   It's been a pleasure working on this one.  


Here it is laid out on the floor.


Delivering this one Monday but hope to have something else on the machine by the weekend.  Maybe something I can check off that "list".  

Happy quilting!

Monday, March 27, 2017

Nesting.....

I have been doing a little nesting this week.

Since retiring, my goal was to get a lot of the projects that have been sitting in my sewing room done and a couple of those things were pillow shams and drapes.

The pillow shams were waiting for me to find the perfect fabric and I finally did.


I like the mixture of prints and just knew I would be happy with the big black and cream, linen/cotton, dot fabric for the shams in the guest bedroom.

The next project that has been waiting for a very long time (and I don't even want to hazard to guess how long this fabric has been sitting in the stash) is the drapes that I wanted to make for the master bedroom.  I have been perfectly happy with the 2" blinds that I have in there, but after making the check drapes for the guest bedroom, I was ready for that second layer of window treatment.  

I put my long ago custom drapery classes to work with this fabric.


This is what I came up with.  They are lined with Roc-Lon and I made loopy tabs for hanging.

 


Thank  goodness my thoughts when I bought this fabric were the same as when I finally got around to making them.  I had just enough fabric. 

It's amazing what a difference they make in the room.  

I may wrap my pleats up for a day or two (that's wrapping the pleats up in paper and then letting them sit for a day or two).  Once that is done, you remove the paper and  the pleats should lay perfectly.  

I have felt the need to finally get to these projects not only because they have been waiting  to be done for so long, but I would have resented putting them further down the "to-do" list when my services are going to be  required to chip in at my daughter's house.  She just bought a new house and I know there is going to be some sewing and painting projects that she is going to need help with.  That alone gave me the incentive to get busy on my own projects.  Plus, I put these two projects on my 2017 goal list back in January.  Feels good to check them off.  

Now on to quilting again.  




Sunday, March 19, 2017

Cut up my stash....red/navy/gold.....

I thought I would make a dent in my stash, so I cut up all my red, navy and gold fabrics.


My intent was to make just one scrappy jelly roll quilt as that portion of my stash looked limited.

So, I cut them all up in 2 1/2" strips.


I didn't think the piles looked all that big, but I definitely had more reds, plenty of gold and very little navy.

I sewed all the strips together in the usual Jelly Roll Quilt fashion.  If you are looking for a great tutorial on making different sizes of Jelly Roll quilts, this is a great site for making them for charity.

My first one turned out with a lot of gold as the gold strips were mostly 42" long whereas my other fabrics were pretty much just scraps.


I  still had plenty of strips, so I thought I could make another one.  This time I thought I would double up on the reds since I had so many reds left.


I still had strings left....just not enough for another quilt, so I made up scrappy bindings for both quilts.  One was in gold and the other is in red.


Both quilts were quilted on my Millenium APQS machine using the pantograph called "Patriot".

On the red one I used a gold colored Glide thread with the same color thread on the back as the back (also from my stash) blended well with that color.



On the gold one, I used a red Glide thread with matching thread on the back.   The backing on this one is cream with a little red print so the red thread really blended well on the back.



Well, bindings are done.


There's just one problem.......this DID NOT make a visible dent in my stash. Oh well, I am doomed...or should I say that my kids are when they have to someday go through my sewing room and I will be hearing them say...."what was she thinking?!!!"





Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Putting needles away .....again.....

Wish I didn't like knitting so much.  It keeps my hands busy, but it keeps me away from doing my quilting and there is plenty of that to be done.  

With the yarn that I picked up in Kentucky, I made four scarf-lets.





The loopy fringe was new to me and I watched this YouTube video to figure out how to do it.  It's kind of a scary process as you knit the whole scarf and then you "unravel" the fringe. It  makes you think all your work is going to come undone.  

Also, this week, I took the 2 1/2 strips that I cut up from my stash (which by the way shows absolutely NO dent) and made two....yes, two, scrappy jelly roll quilts.

This one is heavy on the "golds" since they were full widths of the fabric.


I had so many reds left that I doubled up on the reds for the second one.


My pile of strips still was quite large, so I made my scrappy bindings for each of these two quilts.

So, these two quilts are the next things on the docket.  

I have backings from my stash and  I pieced batting pieces for the insides.  How can you not see a dent in the stash?  I think it is really true that fabric  multiplies in the dark.

Anyways, I will be posting pix of the two completed charity quilts once they have reached that point; but I am glad to say that I am still on a roll when it comes to sewing.  

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

New Projects.....

I don't need new projects.  There are plenty of things in my sewing room that need to be finished or even just started that I have bought fabric for long ago; but on my way home from Kentucky last week I made the comment to Sharon that if she were interested, we could find a knit shop when we stopped for lunch.  

Well, I now have at least two lanes of Kentucky drivers  who are probably thinking "that crazy Michigander" who flew across two lanes when Sharon said "TAKE THIS EXIT!!!".  There was this cute little yarn shop called Knitwits Contemporary Yarn Shop that was just a hop, skip and jump from the exit.

I bought four skeins of yarn.  If you remember, I said I was going to put my needles away for awhile and that only lasted a month.

Anyways, there was this adorable little scarf made up in this cotton yarn and I ended up buying four skeins.


As you can see, one of the scarves is already made up.  They are quick and easy with a new-to-me loopy fringe.  The pattern was free with purchase of the yarn and I plan on making four.  Stay tuned for more scarves AND better pictures of the scarves

Then Sharon and I were talking about being buried in our fabric stash and that we needed to come up with something to make up quickly that would make us feel good about getting rid of some of that stash.

Sharon found this website that gives great dimensions on making the jelly roll quilts in all sizes using your stash rather than just purchasing a jelly roll.  

So, I pulled my navy, gold and red fabrics last night. 


I cut up 99% of them into 2 1/2" strips.  Of course, a lot of this fabric was not full widths, so I will probably sew like fabrics together to make my 42" strips.


I will do some measuring to make sure I have enough to make a good size quilt and probably donate this one to a Veteran's group.  

As to destashing.....unfortunately, this did not make a dent like I thought it would, but as quick as these string quilts go, there are always more to make.  

Ok, I need to get busy so I don't fall behind on my goal of getting things done this year.  

Monday, March 6, 2017

Two Bobbins Short......


Why does that title sound similar to "the lights are on, but no one is home"?  LOL

Anyways, I left a customer quilt on the machine because I ran out of my Fil-Tec prewound bobbins and was headed down to Kentucky to go to some classes with Judi Madsen at Quilted Joy and I knew she carried them.  Well, I made my purchases.


I was good and pretty much only bought what was on my shopping list. 


There are two containers of bobbins and I was just two bobbins short for Nancy's quilt which by the way I just finished a couple of hours ago.

It's a big one!





But let me tell you about my trip down to Kentucky.

Like I said it was at Quilted Joy which is run by my friend Angela Huffman.  It's an APQS showroom where you can rent machines, buy lots of sewing goodies and take classes.  She, also, hosts big name quilters who come and give classes which brings me to the reason I was there.

Judi Madsen from http://greenfairyquilts.com/Green Fairy Quilts.  

I could inundate this blog post with her wonderful quilts, but here are just a few of her samples that she demonstrated for us.  









I do believe that her mantra is not "less is more" but "once you think there is enough, do more".  Her quilts and quilting are fabulous.  

Here's one of her great quilts.  


I hope you can see her quilting on this one.  It was amazing.  

Here's another one of her quilts.




Judi is adorable, funny and very talented.  


I will post more about the trip next time, but right now I am feeling like I want to try some of Judi's intense quilting and see how well I can do.  So, stay tuned for the rest of the trip and what I will have on the machine next.  Lots need to be done around here.















Michigan quilters, take note

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