January Getting it Done

Judy at Patchwork Times has revamped her annual UFO Challenge to help us get more done.  And it will most likely. Having a goal does motivate me to get more done (although I only got 2 of my 12 UFOs done last year).  I'm hoping to do better this year.  So we're to post 4 things we will get done in the following month.  Mine are:

1.  Piece the 4 blocks I have left to do for our Guild's Memories of Riverside BOM. Then I'll be ready for when Susan gives us the flimsie directions in February.

2.  Make the Easy Street units into a flimsie.

3.  Quilt the UFO I finally finished (started in 1997) in the last few days while I've had to sit and keep my leg elevated.
4. Sandwich my Watching All the Birds Go By flimsie

and that's it!  Join us - I'd like to know what you want to get done.  You can link up to Judy's first Getting It Done party here.

Last 2012 Design Wall Monday

I can't believe this is the last one!  They have been so much fun and so inspiring to keep on quilting even if it's only one block at a time, one piece at a time or just 5 minutes of cutting.  Thank you Judy!

On my design wall is my second flimsie(for myself that is) for the year.  This is the block I started for my first applique class. It was a Zena Thorpe workshop put on by my guild in 1997 - yes, 15 years ago!


I've sandwiched it and is ready to quilt.  It will be my first UFO finish in 2013.  I hope this is a good sign for the rest of the year as far as ufos go.  What's on your design wall?  Go on over to Judy's Patchwork Times and check out other walls.

Last stash report of 2012!


I'm so glad I did this!  I never would have thought I would use a little over 142 yards in a year.  And while I know I gave a lot of fabric away to my guild and St. Anne's I was pleasantly surprised that in 2012 I made 8 quilts - 6 of which I gave away; finished 12 charity baby quilts; 12 charity flimsies; quilted three quilts for others; made 7 quilts for our VA hospital; pieced 62 blocks - some will be orphans, some are already in quilts, some are part of BOMs I haven't finished, some for swaps; created one flimsie for me and started 3 NewFOs

Here are my numbers:
Used/Donated last week: 0.7 yards
Used/Donated YTD: 180.86 yards
Added/Bought last week: 0.0 yards
Added/Bought YTD: 38.79 yards
Net Decrease YTD: 142.07 yards  Next year I'm going to add a line to my numbers report that will read Donated  and Donated YTD.  Then I'll really know how productive, or not!, I've been.  It's all fun.  Hope you join in with Judy at Patchwork Times   What's my goal for next year - 150 yards.  What's yours?

Applique Thursday -Last one for 2012

Still recuperating  from Christmas revelry, a cold and a fall, so not much quilting going on. Last Thursday, I fell going up some steps and did a number on my right leg.  Since I could hobble around, didn't think I'd broken any bones, but yesterday, I'd had it with the pain and went to have it checked out.  The good news is yes, I had no broken bones, but am badly bruised and have a hematoma that is causing the pain.  I'm to keep the leg up for a few days so that it can recover.  It has slowed me down.  Time to do hand work on the sofa.  Unfortunately, I don't have either of my blocks prepped and ready to continue work on, so I'm pulling out this ufo and seeing if I can finish it.  This was a block from  Zena Thorpe  who came to share her applique expertise with us at a workshop a long time ago - maybe more than 10 years ago - maybe twenty.  I'll have to find the pattern and see if there is a date on it. 

What are you up to?  I'd love to see your eye candy - past, present, or future - applique or not - it's all new to me!

Design Wall Monday 12/24/12

Doing my Easy Street blocks - here's a batch:

They were easy peasy. 

I'm linking to Bonnie's Easy Street, Judy's Patchwork Times, and Lyn's BOMs Away. 

Hope the Spirit of the Season has filled you with peace and hope for a wonderful New Year.

Stash Report 12/23/12

Are you ready?  If not, remember the only thing you really need to do is celebrate whose birthday is it, rejoice in the wonder of it and give an Alleluia.  The rest will wrok out.

Sewing wise, I've been working on two pieced backs for another two charity quilts which I can't count - the flannel is from St. Anne's not my stash.  However, I did pull .36 yards of scraps for Bonnie's Easy Street.  Here are my numbers:
Used/Donated last week: 0.36 yards
Used/Donated YTD: 180.79 yards
Added/Bought last week: 0.0 yards
Added/Bought YTD: 38.79  yards
Net Decrease YTD: 142.00 yards   One more week to report!  Will you be destashing next year?   Merry Christmas  One and All!

Applique Thursday 12/20/12

Days have been so busy.  I did do applique this week, but neither of my two blocks.  Made this for our guild's BOM.  The building is our Fox Theater.  Back in the 30s, Riverside was far enough from Hollywood to be considered a small town and used to preview films to get an audience's reaction before releasing to the public.  Riversiders were the first to see Gone With the Wind!  I'll stitch the black raw edge applique pieces with black and a straight stitch.  Our BOM Queen is doing a great job with this series.  We have one left to do.

Our winner for last week's book is Auntjunifer. Unfortunately, she is a noreply-comment blog reader.  So I'm posting here in the hopes she will see this and reply with her snail mail address in a private email, so I can send her the book.  A note to readers:  If you want to win, we have to have a way to contact you. So you might want to go into your settings and set email visible in your profile.  Hope to hear from you soon!  Also, I'd like to apologize to my last two winners - their books should have gone out a long time ago, but they will be in the mail TODAY.  No more letting this depression drag me down.

Since it will be madness around here for the next ten days, I'm calling a hiatus to giveaways on Applique Thursday for a couple of weeks.  But I'd still love to see your eye candy of any kind - past, present or future - remember it's all new to me.  It will help me endure this winter fog that settles in my head.

NewFO 2013

2013NewFO

Barbara over at Cat Patches has opened a linky party and giveaway for her 2013 NewFO Challenge.  It's easy.  You just decide what new projects you want to start in 2013 and list them.  LOL - I'm always starting new projects, so this is a natural for me - and it gives me permission to start another one.  I love to start things. Don't even ask me how many UFOs I have - hehe.  But it is hard for me to commit to twelve.  I don't know what quilts I'll just have to make are coming up in the new year. I've already seen some really wonderful quilts on Barbara's and Teresa's list! Therefore, I'm going to show you only one - my birthday present.  Thank you, DH!!  It's a kit:

This is Simpatico of Robert Kaufmann Fabrics, Pattern by Heidi Pridemore adapted for different fabric choices.  It is about 68" square.  I saw it on the wall of our local Bulebird Quilts & Gallery store and just had to have it.  The colors are so vibrant!

So that's my list for now. Others have 12. I'll just have to surprise you for the rest of the year.  Go on over to Cat Patches and see more.  Join in - you know you want to start some new quilts next year!

On My Design Wall this Monday 12/17/12

Still time to visit Applique Thursday Giveaway for two chances (link or comment or both) to win a nice book. This week it's Celtic applique blocks

On my design wall is my Easy Street units.  I'm happy to say I'm all caught up.  I picked up my Bernina on Thursday and got busy on Saturday and finished part 3. Yesterday  I finished part 4!

Now don't be amazed - remember I'm only doing a 1/4 of the quilt -that means only a 1/4 of the units and that was only 16 for Part 4.  I'm really loving Bonnie's method for making geese.  Here's the tiny bit of trimmings from truing up my 16 - isn't that great.  Thanks so much, Bonnie, for teaching us how to do these your way. 
I'm linking to Judy's Design Wall Monday, Bonnie's Easy Street and Lyn's BOMs Away.  Lots of eye candy there!

Stash Report 12/16/12

Again, do visit Applique Thursday Giveaway for a chance to win a nice book. This week it's Celtic applique blocks.

Hardly any sewing since Thursday.  I took my Bernina in for maintenance.  So couldn't even do Easy Street because I like to sew all units for a quilt on the same machine.  I've found one can get into piecing problems otherwise.  I did finish the rag quilt using my Janome  and then passed it on to the next St. Anne's member.  There was only five of us - I'm sure because of the cold and rain.  Made for a lovely sunset:
So the only stash busting I got done was pulling a fat quarter for part 4 of Easy Street - and yes,  I got my machine and started on the units for part 3.  It is humming again. Grin!  Here are my numbers:
Used/Donated last week:         0.25 yards
Used/Donated YTD:           180.07 yards
Added/Bought last week:        0.0   yards
Added/Bought YTD:            38.79 yards
Net Decrease YTD:           141.28 yards  Moved forward a teeny bit - phew!

How are you doing? I'm linking to Judy's Patchwork Times.  See you there.

Applique Thursday Giveaway

Again this is the very busy week of the month, and being December lots going on.  And then I couldn't find my block to take a photo!  I had worked on it earlier and it was nowhere to be found.  But I finally did find it.  You know how it is - it gets buried under stuff that you move cuz company is coming and you're serving dessert and rushing to put on a fresh tablecloth. Geesh! Well here it is - a little further along.

The winner of last week's book is Bonnie L!  I've sent Bonnie an email.  Thank you very much readers.  There were 25 entries this month and I was thrilled.  Lots of good eye candy and if you didn't  leave a link, I visited a lot of neat sites and saw some candy that way.  Always fun!.  Here is this week's giveaway:

These are marvelous, but I'm not there yet in handling the complexity of them - LOL - that spatial gene just can't handle it.  Makes lovely blocks.  I've always been intrigued by the shapes formed.  To win this copy, all you need to do is comment or link to have a chance for it to be yours. Or do both and have two chances. And for extra chances, tell your friends about this giveaway. If they comment or link and mention you in their comment, you'll automatically get another entry in this giveaway. Submissions end Wednesday night. Use the blue link below. And remember, it doesn't have to be applique (that you share that is) -  all sorts of eye candy is eligible.

ES on Design Wall Monday 12/10/12

Up on my design wall - barely - is part 3 of Easy Street.

Had a superbusy last three days, but I was determined to move forward on this so have most of it cut out and a couple of the units done to check the size.

What's on your design wall? I'm linking over at Judy's Patchwork Times, Bonnie's Easy Street, and Lyn's BOMs Away.  See you there!

Oh, and the giveaway is still ongoing!  Go to my Post Applique Thursday to enter.  Good Luck!

Stash Report 12/09/12

First off, do visit Applique Thursday Giveaway for a chance to win a nice book.  Next here is my antidote for grey and gloomy days.
here's my view from my kitchen window - the cosmos in full bloom.  And yes the ground is higher than my kitchen floor.

I pulled 2 yards from my stash and started on a quilt for Alan's infant class - they need a couple to wrap kids up in during the afternoon and what they have is pretty shoddy. That's it for stash busting for me.
Here are my numbers:
Used/Donated last week: 2.0 yards
Used/Donated YTD:    179.82 yards
Added/Bought last weeks: 0.0 yards
Added/Bought YTD:   38.79 yards
Net Decrease YTD:  141.03 yards
How's your stash? I'm linking over at Judy's Patchwork Times.

The Steal Game

Last year for the Christmas Steal Game at our guild, we were to bring an ornament.  I made this star:
but due to being spatially challenged I didn't finish it in time. See post here for link to pattern.  This year I had it finished and was all set to wrap it when they changed what we were to bring - an 18" pillow cover.  But by golly, I was going to give my ornament!  So I wrapped it up, included a pillow cover flimsie, and filled the box with more Christmas fabric and took it to our meeting.  It was the first opened and stolen.  Here's what I got:

I'm thrilled with it!  Raw edge applique of suede pieces. A wonderful winter scene. Thank you Deanna for your choice.  Just what I like - applique and nature.

Applique Thursday Giveaway

A little closer to done.  Last night was the start of festivities for this Christmas.  Groan - what temptation.  I was successful with my one plate plan for indulging during this holiday season.

The winner of last week's book, Four Blocks Say More... is Linda.  I've sent her an email.  Thank you to all who commented or shared their eye candy.  I wish I had had time to reply to all of you, but computer time is limited right now, or else I'd never have my little blocks of quilting.

This week's giveaway is a wonderful book titled:  Crazy but Pieceable by Hollie Milne.  Eight projects (they have a bit of applique).  Hollie teaches you how to make blocks of crazy piecing to use in your quilts in a different way than in a crazy quilt.  Great way to use scraps in the same color family.  It is a technique ahead of its time.  Kay MacKenzie has just published a book using this method - but her pieced fabric made from scraps is the makings of applique pieces and she doesn't paper piece.

To win this copy, all you need to do is comment or link to have a chance for it to be yours. Or do both and have two chances. And for extra chances, tell your friends about this giveaway.  If they comment or link and mention you in their comment, you'll automatically get another entry in this giveaway. Submissions end Wednesday night. Use the blue link below. And remember, it doesn't have to be applique (that you share that is) - I love all sorts of eye candy.

Fabric Tuesday Not

Here are my 2 two-year old DGKs :  Lily and Alan
on the Grandpa's birthday (one of those many Nov celebrations).  They are seven months apart.  No quilting today - spending all day with Alan and afternoon with Will.  I get to go to Infant class and Tennis - keeping busy!

What are you doing today? 

Design Wall Monday, Easy Street & BOMs Away 12/3/12

Easy Street is back on my design table - part of part 2 that is.  I am doing them in 15 minute spots and as many as I can do in that time.

I really, really like Bonnie's method of making flying geese with the two E-Z rulers.  What a time saver! No more drawing lines and true-ing up and all those triangles to angst about.  Thank you so much, Bonnie!

A reminder the giveaway is still on.  If you want to win this quilting book for a bed quilt in a weekend, roll down to the Applique Thursday post of 11/29 to get the details.  All you need to do is comment or link or both to win - and it doesn't have to be applique to post.  Any eye candy will do, even old stuff.

I'm linking to Judy's Patchwork Times, Lyn's BOMs Away and Bonnie's Easy Street linkys. Go see all the fun stuff.

Stash Report 12/2/12 & Reminder

Besides the 2.75 yards I bought last week (which I already reported), I pulled 2 yards Sunday from my stash for Bonnie Hunter's mystery. So that gets counted this week.  I also made another St. Anne's top -

using another yard from the stash.  It's pretty bright.  I also assembled another rag quilt, but all that wasn't from my stash so I can't count it.  All I do is make the top and others finish it for St. Anne's.

This is the back.  The front has that cute leaf fabric everywhere you see the solid beige flannel here.  I only assemble, others clip and wash. Next step is to quilt an "x"in each pair and then sew the rows. Here are my numbers:
Used/Donated last week:      3.0 yards
Used/Donated YTD:       177.82 yards
Added/Bought last weeks:   0.0 yards
Added/Bought YTD:       38.79 yards
Net Decrease YTD:      139.03 yards
How's your stash?  I'm linking over at Judy's Patchwork Times.  And oh yes!  A reminder that the givewaway for the Four Blocks say More book is still on and you can win it for a comment or link or both.  See my post before this one of 11/29.

I'm linking to Barb's NewFO challenge. See what others have started.

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...