Tag: Orange

It’s Spooky time!

Last weekend I got crazy and used my AccuCut to cut some pumpkins and bats! It turned out pretty cute! I have a giant AccuCut. I had it long before it was popular. Maybe 20 years? So, I have a friend that is a teacher and she brought it home from school one time and I decided I needed to give it a whirl with fabric. She was cutting out shapes for her bulletin board at school. I loved it and bought my own! She would borrow dies for me because the dies were expensive. Over time I collected some of my own. Honestly, I haven’t used it in forever.

I am pleased with the outcome. I was too lazy to put fusible backing on, so I just used a glue stick to hold them down. It worked pretty well, although I prefer fusible. I used a blanket stitch to go around the edges. The spider web fabric I have had forever, likely years. Still cute though.

So I did straight line quilting, which I did not think I was going to like after a couple of lines, but it turned out OK. I don’t mind it.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Mystery Quilt Clue #5 – Orange Dreams

Something is changing. I have made 2 blog posts in the same month. OMG am I returning to normal? Unlikely (not sure I have ever been normal). I am however beginning to make progress. I have started to try and do something every day. I am not successful every day, but more is defiantly happening. Last night I cut out another table runner (Christmas gift) and pinned together a few pillow cases for the guild. I have also created a project list for things that need to get done at home. Instead of laying around looking at the cobwebs, I have put a list together that the whole family can assist with. We have already been productive. Cleaned out our filing cabinet and threw away manuals for appliances and things we have not had in years. Cleaned out one of the buffets in our dining room. Things are starting to get done.

Orange Dreams or Orange Nightmare?

I am starting to like it a bit more. I don’t follow instructions well, so I have reversed color schemes and turned blocks around. I think it is becoming less of a nightmare. It will be interesting to finish. I am hoping that the center of this quilt can distract from the orangeness.

Fall is here

Not my beautiful fall tree (next Door Neighbor’s), but it is my view from the hot tub, which I can finally get in without being too hot. The weather in Ohio is still weird. It has been in the 50’s for nearly a week and today it may reach 80. Furnace, air conditioner, furnace, air conditioner. Ohio, please pick a season and stay with it.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

I Tried this out over the weekend. The results are good.

OK, so I tried out the freezer paper method for quilting.  The results are good, but there are a few things I would do differently.  So, I ironed on all my circle drawings to the whole piece.  I found this not the best approach.  So, with the all of the freezer paper over the entire quilt, I found it difficult to move the quilt around without crinkling and loosening the designs.  Plus, since I was making a complete circle for each one, I had to totally turn the quilt around on each piece.  That is a lot of turning and manipulating.  So, I took them all off and only put on those for the area I was directly working.  Once I did this, I did not have any more issues here.  So, I think that circles are hard.  I found that I had to go very slow, which is OK.  I also found that I could not quilt a circle with feed dogs down, but rather did a lot of pressure foot lifting.

So, you can see from my photo, that my quilted circle is not too bad.  It is not perfect, but I’ll take it.  The first one I attempted, I took out, but once I figured everything out, I was good to go.

So, I finally successfully used my knee pressure foot lifter (for the most part).  I find it very hard to remember to lift my foot before lifting the pressure foot with my knee.  I did eventually manage to coordinate this, but it took me getting everything in the right spot.  Then, I found it easier to quilt the circles.  I will continue this freezer paper method for this quilt and will likely use it again.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

 

My One Monthly Goal

So, for my one monthly goal, I am going to finish my hugs and kisses wall hanging, in entirety.  Thank you, Red Rooster Quilts, for giving this to me, block by block every two weeks.  I also need to thank them for allowing me to deposit my paycheck at their store every two weeks when I went to get my “free” quilt block.  I would love to see the statistics on their sales and see the benefits of this way to get more money from us quilters.  I don’t blame them, I love the shop.  I would imagine that people may have went more often and bought things they really did not need (not talking about myself, no I am not). I think of the 26 weeks, I only went three times and walked out with nothing, and that was likely due to being short on time.  And yes, should they do this again, I will fall prey to their clever marketing schemes.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, it is about a mile from where I work.  So, when the nerds start getting on my nerves, I must go to a happy place. $$$

So, last week-end, Lynn and I had our own Sew in. She brought this beautiful quilt she had done.  She had such awesome quilting.  I asked how she did.  She told me she traced her design on freezer paper, ironed it on and then follow along.  Sounded like something I needed to try, which is why you see the freezer paper all over my Hugs and Kisses quilt. Hoping it makes my quilting less scary. I had a picture on my phone, but some how bunches of my photo’s keep disappearing.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Need a little Color Advice and I fell off the wagon

So , I am trying to decide what color thread I should use to quilt my “Hugs and Kisses” wall hanging.  If you look closely, you can see my blue chalk lines.  I plan to quilt circles (hugs).  So, I was thinking gray, but I am just not sure.  I really like this piece, so I don’t want to make the wrong decision.  I am also concerned about quilting circles.  I think it will require a lot of accuracy.  Wondering if I should use a walking foot?  Might have to try a test circle on some scraps to see what happens.  If you have thoughts on the color, please let me know.  I always get great advice from all my quilting friends.

20180121_112137_resizedYes, that is my Moka wearing an activity monitor.  Seemed like  a good idea.

It is not really hers.  My daughter got a new one that will monitor her swimming and I thought I should check how lazy Moka was.  Totally lazy was the answer.  I did way more steps than her today.  I was all excited about that and then Kev told me that since she has four legs I had to double her step count.  Not sure I agree with his logic.

So, I don’t really make New Year’s resolutions, but I am on a mission to lose some weight.  Decided that I totally need to give up steroids (not the build muscles kind, the reduce inflammation kind).  They were causing weight gain.  They took away the pain, but I am pretty sure extra pounds cause more stress on joints, so it is a catch 22.  I did good for about a week and half and then fell off the wagon.  Stress did it to me.  It has always been my trigger.  Back on the straight and narrow path again.  Ugh.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Finally got Caught up on my Free Quilt Blocks, but lack inspiration

I really like this quilt.  I think it might be because I love Orange Fabrics.  I never feel like any shop has enough Orange Fabric or it is because Red Rooster Quilts gives me the fabric for free.  One block every two weeks.  It is not just for fall or Halloween.  My daughter Haley actually likes this quilt.  That is a surprise since she usually has something negative to say about my quilts.  This is a quilt I will keep for me and hang up somewhere in the house.

Been feeling a little uninspired lately.  I have many many projects started, but don’t feel like working on any of them.  I have like 4 quilts that need quilted, laying on the pool table, multiple other projects started.  Yet, I just stare off into oblivion.  I usually have more time on the weekends to work on my craft, but I always get a pile of things ready for during the week, even if I only have a few minutes, I usually sit down and sew some of these things, so they are ready for the weekend.  The pile is still sitting there untouched and then there is Block #6 for I wish you a Merry Quilt Along.  Need to get that done.  It does not look to hard, some piecing, some applique.  I will get to it, eventually.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting