Fabric Tuesday 1/31/12

Progress is being made on my UFO, but it will be in February before I'm done.  It's been good to practice my FMQ on.  Here's one block - you can see I practiced Leah's edit of sewing straight lines and stippling.  If you click on the photo you can see an enlargment.  I'm using a 70/10 sharp needle, 100 wt Wonderfil Invisifil, my feed dogs up with my stitch length set to zero.

And here is a photo with a closer look:
Go to my sidebar and click on Leah's FMQ project and Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday.  Happy stippling or straight line stitching!

Design Wall Monday 1/30/12

It's kind of big to be on my design wall, but it is what I'm working on!  May not finish by Wednesday, but hope to finish by next Saturday as this is one of those weeks where I don't have any appts, kids to watch, board meetings, etc - knock on wood! I've added the 2 inner borders all around.  Now for the outer border.  It isn't as bad as it sounds as this is a QAYG project and 90% of the quilting is already done.
What's on your design wall?  To see what others are working on, go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times or Lynn's BOMs Away.  You'll find them in my sidebar.

Stash Report 1/29/12

I finished the first Promises & Borders block, so I cut into the two yards I bought from Connecting Threads.  For me, when I cut into a fabric or remove it from my stash for a specific project I have started, it then counts as out of my stash and is fair game for stash reporting.  So there went 2 yards!  Then I started my 3rd block of my Jubilee Album quilt and made some Just Takes 2 blocks so there's another fat quarter. By the way:  you can still win a fat quarter for naming my block (ends Wednesday) - just need to come up with three words. (you can read the post here).  Oh, and I"m cutting a yard of flannel for my charity quilt, so there's another yard.  Here are my numbers:
Used/Donated this week: 3.25 yards
Used/Donated YTD:     10.46 yards
Added/Bought this week:  0.0 yards
Added/Bought YTD:      2.00 yards
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Net YTD                       8.46 yards


Okay, this is the fifth reporting Sunday.  But I'm thinking the first one really should have counted for 2011 since it was stuff we did that year.  So by my counting my total should be 8 yards to stay on track for my 100 yards used in December.  Therefore, I'm ahead of the game!

Go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times (see my sidebar) and see how others are doing.

Favorite Things Friday

are my flowers.  Right now there is a dearth of flowers in my garden, but there is statis. I love this plant.  It gives beautiful deep purple flowers with white centers.  They stay looking good for a long time and then you can cut them and use them as dried flowers inside.

I'm looking forward to more flowers.  Pretty soon my yellow Lady Banks will be showing color like here last year - this was just the start of the season:









I'm linking over on Shay's Favorite Things Friday.  Go on over to my sidebar and see what others are enjoying.

Applique Thursday and More 1/26/12

Finally, I'm back to applique.  I was able to trace and begin back basting the third Jubilee Album block. Here's how far I've gotten. 
How's that for strange?  Can you give me a title for this one?  It should be three words - like Eyebrows raised high - whatever phrase you come up with that comes close to what this block is.  Hint - you can go back to 2011 posts about these blocks to help you win.  I'll send a fabric fat quarter to whoever's phrase I pick.  Winner will be announced next Wednesday.  Oh, yes, you can guess as many times as you can think of phrases.  Good luck!

And I'd love to see your eye candy whether it's applique or other - it's fun to see what you post.  Use the blue button below.

I've been featured


The blog, Pocketchange, (with great and useful information, loads of links to how-to-places, and lots of tips, photos, as well as places to shop, etc)   asked me if I'd like to be featured on their Best of the Web segment which comes out on Wednesdays.  And I'm in today's!  So hello to all the new readers, welcome. And to all of you, stop by tomorrow if you're interested in a quilty related "giveaway".

WIP Wednesday 1/25/12

Slowly getting back to quilting.  My cough is still around but the sneezing is gone.  Just found out my DGS, Frank, has pneumonia.  Has gone from viral pneumonia to bacterial - I'm going over to watch him tomorrow so Mom can work and he can rest one more day.  She's off Thursday, so he doesn't have to go to school until Friday.  Hopefully with the antibiotics he'll be better.  He just sounds awful.

Now to the quilting - I finished block 9 of the Just Takes 2 BOM  second part for January.  I"m having trouble with the dimensions given.  Brenda gives generous sizes with which to paper piece, but I'm doing conventional piecing trying to conserve my background fabric. Here is #9:
What WIP are you working on?  I'm linking to WIP Wednesday at Esther Aliu's blog.  You can see the button on my sidebar.

Fabric Tuesday - First P&B BOM block Done

Now I can take it slow with this block out of the way.  Here it is and as instructed with sashing added on one side.  This block is the first of Jenny of Elefantz's 2012 BOM.  You can go and see her lovely BOM at the button in my sidebar.  Look for the little blue bird.
Now I have some questions for you embroiderers.  What do you use for marking the fabric?  Is there a good way to center a design on the block? 

I'm linking to Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story.  Pay a visit and read their stories.

Design Wall Monday 1/23/12

Not much quilting getting done. Besides still feeling poorly, the sewing room is too cold for me. Today, I went in there and it was 62. Brrr. I do have a portable heater but it blows air and so the wind chill keeps it not to my liking. In the meantime, I've been sitting in the living room and keeping warm and embroidering. Almost done - have a few leaves and a corner to do.  This is the first block of Jenny of Elefantz BOM for 2012. See my sidebar.

What's on your design wall? Go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times and BOM's Away (on sidebar) and see how others are staying out of mischief.

Stash Report 1/22/12

Not much sewing or quilting done as I was poorly a few days - still a tiny bit under the weather. Used a fat quarter's worth of pieces to make two Just Take 2 blocks. Bought 2 yards of fabric from Connecting Thread for my Promises and Borders BOM. Used a yard for the back of a charity quilt. So here are my numbers:
Used/Donated this week: 1.25 yards
Used/Donated YTD: 7.21 yards
Added/Bought this week: 2.00 yards
Added/Bought YTD: 2.00 yards
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Net YTD 5.21 yards

So I'm behind already by a little more than a 3/4s of a yard. Could be worse. How are you doing? Go on over and see how others are doing at Judy's Patchwork Times. Her button is on my sidebar. Have a quilty week!

Applique Thursday and More Late 1/19/12

Spent thursday coughing and sneezing and not much quilting, I'm afraid.  So here's a book I longingly go through now and then, dreaming of when I'm going to make some of these lovelies:
What are you working on? - applique or other wise.  Sure could use some eye candy to get me through the day.


WIP Wednesday 1/18/12

Arrghhhh!  I made it so many times - sometimes seams 3 times - I just can't foundation piece/paper piece, so that's why I went to regular piecing with this Just Take 2 #8 block. 

I'll have to take a class or something.  I don't seem to have problems when the pieces are odd, but this trying to construct a traditional block just stops me cold.  Ah me - any one have a tutorial for this kind of block?

Go see the great works in progress at Esther's blog (button on sidebar) or at freshly pieced.  I know I'll feel better after I do that.

Just Takes 2 #7

And this is my Fabric Tuesday tale.  See more at Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story on my sidebar.

Design Wall Monday 1/16/12

Gosh, we're already at the middle of the month!  The next 5 blocks for Just Takes 2 are out so I'll be busy with those, but I wanted to show you I did start on the Promises and Borders by Jenny at Elephantz (see sidebar). Here's as far as I've gotten:
This is a step out of my box for me - doing embroidery.  My mom taught me way back when I was 8 or so, but I haven't done much lately - so not sure what I'm doing.  I used pencil to mark the design - didn't have a non permanent marker with a thin enough dib to make the small lettering.  What do you use?  Jenny said to use a back stitch, so had to hunt the internet to find out what that was - I don't know the names of the stitches.  Then I had to figure out how to do the curves with the back stitch - settled for taking tiny stitches around the curves.  The fabrics above the hoop are the parts for piecing the block.  I had the multicolor print in my stash, but had to buy the other two.  I was thrilled that the color swatches (on paper) at Connecting Threads came out so true to what I needed.  You never know when you are ordering something from a catalog.  

So what's on your design wall?  Go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times on my sidebar to see what others are up to.

Stash Report 1/15/12

My first week was spent sick, but I did better using my stash that week than this one - drat!  Only used a 1/2 yard total to make 8 blocks and start another.  No wonder it is hard to use up stash.  So I'm about 1.5 yards behind in my per week usage. Happily there is always tomorrow.  Here are my numbers:
Used/Donated this week:   .50 yards

Used/Donated YTD:       5.96 yards
Added/Bought this week:  0.0 yards
Added/Bought YTD:        0.0 yards 
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Net YTD 9.46 yards       5.96 yards

Well, actually, I'm only .04 yards from being at the goal to date - hadn't looked at it that way!  But I did order 2 yards for my Promises and Borders BOM, so I'll have to use extra fabric to stay on track.  How are you doing destashing?  Go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times button on my sidebar and see how others are doing.

Favorite Things Friday 1/13/12 - Done

I like these colorful blocks - may continue to try and make them bright in this BOM.
Go on over to Shay's Favorite Things Friday post. You'll find the button on my left sidebar.  It's fun to see what people are enthusiastic about.

FMQ Project #1 Done

At Leah's Free Motion Quilting project we were to practice stippling. I decided to stipple a changing table pad I found at a thrift store. It looked like the creator never got around to quilting it and when I washed it the batting started to move around. I straightened it out and set aside to quilt. Here is the back side - the quilting shows up better.  I chalked a rectangle in the center of the pad and then stippled using the line as my base. Then I went around the edge about an inch away from the edge.  Took me only about 12 minutes to do the whole 17" by 37" pad!   The best thing I learned
from Leah is to leave my feed dogs up and set the stitch length to zero - this worked great on my Bernina to eliminate any thread problems (I had a lot of them before).  This one tip is a life saver!  Thank you, Leah!

Go over to my sidebar and click on the FMQ project button.  You'll be impressed by the practice pieces posted. I am.

Applique Thursday and More 1/12/12

I'm participating in Just Takes 2 this year - a BOM, sort of, in which blocks in Red and White quilts exhibited have been chosen to make a representative quilt of that glorious collection.  You can learn more about it by clicking on the red/white button on my sidebar. I love to make blocks so this seemed like one to do this year. And some of the blocks have applique.  You know how much I love applique!  Above are the two that are - you guessed it - applique blocks. The pink hearts were done with back basting and machine appliqued using a zig zag stitch.  The purple one was done with freezer paper and machine applique using a zig zag stitch also. 

WIP - Craftsy BOM

I guess this is the year to make samplers for me. I've committed to two so far!  Also an embroidered block BOM, and two FMQ challenges.  Looks like I'll have plenty of blocks to quilt as I go.  One of my Yahoo Online groups is making the Craftsy BOM blocks as an activity for all of us.  I think we are doing 2 blocks each month and they will be blocks that we learn new tricks from.  Here are my two for this month:
I have a lot of flower material and chose to make this one with that from my stash.  Another way to destash.
What are your plans for 2012?  Go to my sidebar and click on Esther's WIPs on Wednesday to see what others are doing in 2012.

More Blocks 1/10/11

Two more of the pieced Just Takes 2 blocks done.  I'm showing them here with the one I did Sunday.  I could make a whole quilt out of the yellow block - it's so pretty!  One more and I'll be done before the 15th when we get the next installment.
Don't know why the color came out so dark in the square in a square.  Here's what it really looks like:

Linking to Fabric Tuesday by Quilt Story and WOW Wednesday at Esther Aliu's blog - buttons both on my sidebar.  What are you working on?

Design Wall Monday 1/9/12

First pieced block for the Just Take 2 Quilt.  You can learn about it at the red and white button on my sidebar.  Have 4 more to do and 2 appliqued blocks.  I've decided to make mine scrappy with as much of the background the same as I can get from the piece I found in my stash.  I'll use the colors in the sparse background print to pull fabrics for the piecing.  On the whole, I want to use only 2 fabrics per block.  The quilt will be offered in four parts, so I'm not sure if I want to make four small quilts or the 78" by 90(?) that it will be.  Guess it depends on if I keep up with the blocks or not.  I would have loved to have made it red and white, but I don't have the 9 yards of white it takes nor the 6 of red to make it all the same.  And since I want to reduce my stash --scrappy it is.

Go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times and see what others have on their design wall.  I really like how participating in this keeps me moving forward in my quilting.  How did you do?

Stash Report 1/8/12

Well, despite being sick (have to do something sitting around here) the two charity quilts are flimsies - that's the part I do.  They go on to other members of St. Anne's who sandwich, tie and sometimes bind.  The rag quilt gets clipped by another member - I get sore fingers doing it.
So I used 1 yard for backing the blue and purple charity quilt; half yard for the last small border and the binding.  Then I put together (all from stash) a top using some old blocks that came my way (hand pieced) plus borders and backing for another 2 yards.  This will be a present for one of my friends plus my practice piece for stippling in the FMQ project Leah Day is hosting (see my side bar).  Here are my numbers:
Used/Donated this week: 3.5 yards
Used/Donated YTD: 5.46 yards
Bought this week 0.00
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Net YTD 5.46 yards

Go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times and see how others are doing this second report in 2012.  How did you do?

FMQ Challenge 1/6/12

I'm taking part in the FMQ Challenge for 2012. And I've decided instead of making sandwiches or sample quilts, I'm going to do my FMQ quilting practice on whatever I am working on at the time each segment is posted once a month. This month I was working on a charity quilt, so that is what I tried the continuous leaf pattern provided by Frances Moore. It is a rag quilt and perfect to try on small squares. At right are my first 4 squares (if you click on the photo you can see the enlargement and see the quilting better). Going clockwise from upper left, you see the pattern going from bad to better.  I used an 80/12 needle with blue thread in bobbin and pink thread on top.  You are looking at the back.  I had to adjust the tension to be a little looser so that the pink thread would not show on the back.  So here are the blocks incorporated into the rag quilt.
I'm liking this pattern.  I can see using it on sashing or a border.  It's my favorite thing this friday as I cough and shiver through my day.  On my sidebar, you'll find the button for both the 2012 FMQ Challenge and Shay's Favorite Thing Friday.  Go see what others are liking.

Applique Thursday and More 1/5/12

Hello.  I hoped to have the start of my third Jubilee Album block to show you, but down with some bug, so not up to much.  So here is Birds n Roses - a quilt I dream of someday making:
What's on your wish list?



Design Wall Monday 1/2/11

Beside #5 UFO, I have two charity quilts on my design wall.  The one on the left is a scrappy quilt where I used the left overs to make crumb blocks to get enough blocks to make this 36" square.  The one on the right is a stack of squares for the next rag quilt.

What do have on your design wall?  Would love to take a peek.  And don't forget to go over to Judy's Patchwork Times in the side bar to see what others are sharing.  Enjoy.

Stash Report 1/1/11

Happy New Year!  It is a glorious day here.  At 11am, I went along the south side of the house and opened all the windows.  Reason being:  79.4 temp outside; 69.6  inside.  We live about one hour and a half north of paradise (aka San Diego) and we get weather like that some years.

I was happy with my numbers for the Stash Report 2011 and hope to duplicate the numbers this year.  So my goal is 100 yards again.  And thanks to Judy's Stash Report blog post each Sunday, I will keep motivated.  My weekly goal is to have something positive to report.  It may not be much sometimes, we'll see.

This week I backed some squares (1.33 yards worth) for our Guild Sampler BOM Raffle.  Used  1/4 yard to bind a charity quilt.  Used a fat eighth to make some squares and another 1/4 yard to make a table runner out of scraps.

So my numbers are:
Used/Donated this week:  1.96
Used/Donated YTD:         1.96
Bought this week               0.00
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Used/Donated YTD          1.96

Woohoo!  I'm in the black!
How about you?  Go on over to Judy's blog and see how others did and report your numbers.

SAHRR Round 5 and 6

  Ready to show rounds 5 and 6. Actually, the prompt for 5 was make 4 of something. So I chose four patch, and actually since that made my q...