Category: quilting

May One Monthly Goal Success

So, I managed to finish my one monthly goal for May.  Still don’t have plans for the border, but I’m rolling a couple of ideas around in my head.  I will get to it.

This piece was made from 4 mini charm packs by Monday called “Prints Charming”.  I did not really like it as it was up on the design board, but I like it a lot more now that it is all sewn together.  I will have to say they sewing these small pieces together, is a test of your piecing skills.

I had big plans to work on quilting this holiday weekend.  Did not turn out that way.  Had lot’s of plans that did not seem to work out.  Sleeping in would have been nice…LOL.  No chance of that happening.  Managed to burn each finger on my right hand this morning, making bacon.  Did not realize that the dish towel I grabbed to get the bacon out of the over was damp.  My choice was to drop hot bacon grease and bacon on the dogs at my feet wanting bacon, or to burn my fingers.  Easier for me to suffer than them.

Need to come up with my June Monthly Goal.  Have to be easy on myself because this RA medication is still kicking my butt.

On this Memorial Day, I honor all those that have lost their lives protecting us.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure Your Family

One of the Many Uses of Our Pool Table

You think it would be so we could play pool.  Nope.  It is really there so I can lay out quilts.  I went to Lowe’s and bought a board that fit perfectly on top. While it is not quite tall enough for me, it certainly beats trying to do it on the floor.  Then I would have dogs walking across it or laying on it.  Using the pool table just means the dogs are laying underneath it or at my feet.

This is totally a UFO, circa 1990’s.  But it has a bit of special meaning.  The second quilt I ever made was exactly the same.  This was from leftover fabric (obviously bought way too much).  It has special meaning, because I gave that quilt to my mother.  It was the first time she was ever impressed with something that I did.  Mom is not with us anymore, and I think one of my older sisters has the quilt.

I can tell that I did this quilt top a long time ago.  Still had not figured everything about quilting.  Totally ironed the seams like a rookie (open).  The sashing…”Good God” … horrible.  My use of a ruler was truly an issue back then.

I managed to fix it enough to get is square so I could quilt it.  I wanted to find the same thread I used on Mom’s, but could not find it anywhere.  It was a multi-color Sulky that was Black, Red and gold.  It really looked awesome of the quilt.  I wound up with a variegated black/gray.  It will have to do.

This is a simple quilt (basic 9 patch), so I will do simple quilting.  I will likely do a loopy meandering.

That is about the only thing I got done this weekend.  New Rheumatoid Arthritis drug, sort of kicked my butt on Saturday.  Crossing my fingers that this one works.  I am on Drug #4 in the last six months.  I do feel much better today though.  Just need to keep my immune system up since all these drugs kill your immune system.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family

Ever heard of this one????

So, I wrote about this UFO before.  The black fabric was sort of falling apart.  It was very fragile.  I got lots of good advice on what to do.

So, I got the blocks and pieces out and decided that I would make a couple more blocks and I would try to gently quilt it.

Well, I could not sew the blocks together.  The black fabric was too fragile.  SO, I started to throw away all the black.  Right about the time I was getting ready to throw the blocks in the trash, I decided to see how fragile a whole block was.

Crazy thing….they are fine.  Strong as can be.

So, what is the difference?  I stored the pieces in Ziploc bags (actual Ziploc Brand).  It seems that the Ziploc bag affected the black fabric.  Anyone else ever heard of that?  The Batik fabric I had in the Ziplocs was fine.  Only seemed to affect the black fabric.

Please let me know your thoughts or if anything crazy like that has ever happened to you.

I have a lot of stuff stored in Ziploc bags.  Now I am scared.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure Your Family

Sewing for Charity with help from the kids

So, since joining a Quilting guild, that does lots of charity work, On Friday night, I decided to work on a few of those items.

Since my 13 year old was in trouble, I decided that she was going to be my assistant.  At first she made a face at me and then I told her potentially wat the alternative could be (something crappy), so she quickly changed her mind.

I explained to her that we would be making these hearts for the local Hospice.  Once someone is hospice passes, they write a message on one side of the heart and then all the nurses that cared for that person sign the back.  A very sweet gesture at a difficult time.

So, I let Haley pick fabric out of the scrap basket.  Then I gave her a pattern and had her cut out the batting for the hearts.  Of course she informed me that she was not good at that and I told her that she would have to practice until she got it right.  Then, Miranda felt left out and joined the party.  She became the chief ironer.

They did not do too badly, there were a few rejects, but overall a success.

Since I am finally feeling a bit better, I also go to work on my one monthly goal project.  I totally need to get it off my design board so I can put something else up there.

My projects have expanded out of my sewing room and are not taking over other parts of the family room.  I have stolen the pool table and placed a board on top of it so I could use it as a work area.  I also put my design board in the pool room.  My shape cutter is sitting next to the bar with several plastic tubs of important stuff and then of course I store a couple of things in the corner of the kid’s family room.  Then there is the long table on the other side of the bar where I usually do my quilting.

I should probably real it in a bit before I have a full scale family revolt on my hands.

Happy sewing

Happy quilting

Treasure your Family

One Monthly Goal for May….

I am still not quite 100% after getting pneumonia, however I did manage to go near my studio and determine what my May monthly Goal would be.  I am at about 70%.  Back to work, but by the time I get home, I am totally done.  It gets slightly better each day, but at this slow rate, Ugh….

So, my daughter Haley laid this out for me.  She sometimes like to think of her self as the “Designer”  These are from Mini charm packs.  I love them and usually use them for my English paper piecing, but I had multiple of the same ones.  So, I decided that I would make a smaller piece.  mostly because I want to try to make a scalloped border.  I have never done it before and bought one of those fancy scalloped border rulers.  I figured this would be the perfect thing to try it on.

My goal is to sew together all the little tiny pieces for the center.  I also need to get them off of my design wall so I can put something else up there.

I do have to admit, the One Monthly Goal does prevent me from being a total slacker or letting my quilting ADD take over.

 

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family

And the winner of the give away is…….

Thanks to everyone that entered my charm pack contest.  I did the non nerd version of a drawing.  Basically put everyone’s name in a bowl and then drew out a name.

These beautiful charm packs go to one of my email followers.

Congratulations to Lynn Parker.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family

 

One Monthly Goal Miracle Finish……

While I know it does not look like much, but since I have had pneumonia, it is pretty monumental.  Good thing I got this done earlier in the month or I would not have made it.  I have not sewn anything in over a week.  That is a sure sign that I am am really sick.  Managed to make it to work today, but I am pretty sure by the time the day is over, I will be done and there will be no sewing.  I do need to figure out my goal for May though.

This is already on Kevin’s nightstand.  I am not sure he recognizes any of this as a shirt he used to wear (blue and white plaid dog bone).

If you haven’t registered for my give away, don’t miss it.  See my previous post. 

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family

Charm Packs to give away and Show my appreciation

I have been truly amazed at how much enjoyment and satisfaction I get from my blog.  It makes me feel like I am surrounded by like minded friends who all love the same thing. I managed to get over 200 followers and more than 7000 views.   So, to say thank you, I am giving away 2 charm packs.  They are Soho calico’s.  I love the colors.  Lots of teals and greens.  I figured that 2 charm packs can easily be turned into something awesome.  I have recently started a “Zipper Quilt” with two of my favorite charm packs.  I am sure I will show some photos as soon as I have a bit more to show.

Even though I spend my days at work as a “Nerd Whisperer”.  I am going to do this the Non-scientific or non nerdy way.  Just leave me a comment with your first name and name of a favorite quilt that you made.  You have until the last day of April to comment and then on May 1st, I will put everyone’s name in a bowl and have someone from my house draw the lucky winner.  I will notify you all of the winner.  Best of luck to everyone.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your family

 

 

 

A Great Idea for Quilt Blocks……Thanks again to Lynn

So, once again, I borrowed this idea from my friend Lynn.  She keeps all her quilt blocks in pizza boxes.  What a truly awesome idea.  My nicely ironed blocks stay that way, and everything stays together.  It took me a while, but the other day I stopped by my local pizza shop and asked if I could buy some boxes.  They gave me a bunch of ones that were misprinted or printed crooked (didn’t bother me).  They work just as well as the perfect ones and I did not have to pay for them.  I am still in the process of getting all my projects ironed and put in my pizza boxes, but I am almost there.  Just wanted to pass along a pretty good idea!

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family

OMG…..I Finished a Quilt

How truly unusual.  I feel like I am sometimes on the 10 year plan.
20170406_191847_resized_1This one is older than my daughter (she is the one peaking over the top).  That makes it 13+ years and I am pretty sure it may have actually been started in the late 1990’s….It was definitely prior to 2002.  I remember the house I was living in when I started this.

So, all that aside, I actually like this quilt.  While it is sort of scrappy, it sort of isn’t.  There are a lot of Asian themed fabrics, which I always find 20170329_192333_resizedpretty.  So, I don’t hate the quilting.  It was a new venture for me to do something other than meandering.  Although there is
some meandering.  I remember that I bought the backing a long time ago also.  It looked like bamboo leaves, so I remember grabbing it when I saw it.  Of course I see every quilting mistake (and there are a lot), but I am trying not to focus on those.  I think this has 20170406_192000_resized_1helped me to move onto quilting or at least try quilting other designs in my quilts.  I have no idea what I am doing it with it.  For now, I will hang on to it and wait until the right time to give it away or donate it to charity.

 

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Treasure your Family