First WIPs Be Gone for 2016

And now for some diamonds - this has become a WIP as I have now worked on it for 2 months.  I'll give it a number later once I do inventory for 2015.
Little by little this is getting done...

Since it's a New Year - that calls for a giveaway.  Leave me a comment on how you spent New Year's Eve and/or link what you're working on.  You'll get  100 one inch paper pieces to do your own hexies in the coming months.  Good Luck!  Linky below:


God's Blessings in the Coming Quilty New Year!

Some of This; Some of That

My last stash report for 2015:  I weeded 7 yards from my stash to give to my Guild's Pay N Take corner.  I used .02 yd of fabric to make hexies for my latest hexagon project.  That brings me to a YTD total of 103.35 yards  de-stashed.  I have exceeded my 100 yard de-stashing goal.  Yeah!

What with the holidays, I didn't get as much done on my hexie project as I hoped, but did manage to make 2 rosettes for the next round. I put together the rosettes first making vertical rows and then attaching the three rows together.  In this instance, they seemed to go together faster than sewing on a noodle of hexies - at least that was my impression.



The other project I was working on was a set of ornaments that I will finish by Dec 30th  for the Holiday luncheon of our old Co-Op group.  We've been meeting monthly for the last 37 years. So I can't miss it.  I'll show them to you later this week.  More hand work that has kept me busy as I convalesce.  I'm linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching. Are you slow stitching?

Despite the hip (which everyday is getting a bit better - Praise God!) we attended 4 festivities - 4 in 4 days that is and a bit tiring- so had a wonderful Christmas and hope you did, too!  Looking forward to visiting you in the coming quilty NEW YEAR - 2016.

Blessings from
Angie in SoCal

Some of This, Some of That - Invisible Thread Report

Used 1/4 yard to make binding for baby quilt. Yes, I finished the FMQ.  New YTD total is 96.32 yards  de-stashed.  Now to bind it - lol.

Finished my Hexie medallion.  I've been using invisible thread to put these hexies together.  When I first started doing EPP, all the tutorials suggested one use thread closest to the fabric of the shape. But what about when one is putting two disparate colored hexies together? And I just don't have that many different shades of thread.   I didn't like how the thread stood out on those.  I use invisible thread for machine applique. So why not for hand sewing? So I got out my spool of thread and a needle, some hexies and began.  It wasn't the easiest thing to do at first until I discovered some steps:

1. Use Superior Invisible thread - it supple, soft and strong.  The light version will work will fabrics of light and medium values; the smoke with the dark values.

2.  Use a good lamp to backlight your work.  That means it's in front of you not over a shoulder.
The backlighting makes the thread pop into view.



3. Invisible thread tends to curl from how it is wound. Be sure to thread it onto your needle as it came off the spool. You'll have less knots form and can control it better.  Hold the thread and needle up to the light so it is backlighted - a piece of cake to thread that needle. Also a 12 - 16" length of thread to lessen snags formed.

4.  Since the invisible thread is an extra fine polyester monofilament, do 5 turns around the needle to make a knot big enough to not go through the fabric.

5.  Once you've started your stitching on a hexagon pair:
  • make your stitches 1/16th apart. 
  • use your fingers on your left hand to control the thread.  (of vice-versa if you're a lefty)
  • once the needle has gone through, pull the thread away from you laying it over your index finger. (I'm using black thread here so you can see it better)
  • Give a tug for a tight stitch. Bring your third finger up and over the thread to have it snug on your index finger
  • This will keep the thread behind your work and less likely to snag. Also with the invisible thread lying snug on your finger you'll be able to see (or feel) where the next stitch starts. As you see in the photo the needle is just to the right of the black thread.
Here's my medallion with the border round done. It now measures 15.75" high and 14" wide.
I'm linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching.  How about you?  Leave me a comment and I'll come see what you're up to.  Remember sewing even for 15 minutes will calm your day.

WIPs Be Gone Week #51

Back to a WIP - #3 exactly.
I'm sewing the remaining 33 flowers I made for this project to background squares.  Little by little...

I'm also halfway done now with the baby quilt I started:
This takes concentration to get the units sewn in the right order.  Had to rip a whole row seam out because I sewed it in the wrong direction.  My quilt design for sewing tips grows. So far

Measure twice, cut once
Label and pin, sew once

I'm sure there'll be more.  What are you up to? Would love to hear about it, whether finished or WIP progress or an old post, or even about what is going on in your life - not necessarily quilty.  Is the season under control at your house?  Share your status in a comment. With Christmas just a week away, no linking here today.  We're all too busy for posting, right?   Merry Christmas!

Some of This, Some of That

Another round has been added to my hexie medallion.
Another .01 used from the stash.  I couldn't find a piece that had teal and gold with a white background so I colored in some of the elements in the black/white fabric to get the effect I wanted. Already found fabric for the next round and that's what I'll be doing tomorrow as I Slow Sunday Stitch.

I've started another baby quilt so that will be another 2.5 yards out for the top.  Feels good to be using the stash again. New YTD total is 96.07 yards  de-stashed.  I only have two more weeks in the year to reach 100 yards.  Better donate some to the local Lutheran church that makes quilt for Africa.

What are you up to?  Why not link to WIPs Be Gone (on previous post - ends Monday, midnight) or leave me a comment.  I love to hear from you.  I can't always comment back, but it's fun going to your blogs and seeing your eye candy.  Try to stitch a few minutes each day to calm the madness of the season.

WIPs Be Gone Week #50

First, Congrats to our winner of last week: Bambi in Sweden.  Send me an email with your address so I can send you your book.


Second, I'm happy to report the Doc says my hip is healing very well.  I"m so glad.  Once I start PT, I hope to graduate to a cane. Woohoo.  And the wonderful thing is that I can machine quilt now for longer than 5 minutes. It's so good to be back behind my Ms Juki. I'm almost finished with this baby quilt on the right!


Can't drive, of course, but that has been an eye opener. My goodness I use to flit around a lot.
And one takes so many things for granted, like putting on socks, making a scrambled egg and all the steps involved, and on and on.  Count your blessings, blog readers.

On my Ms Bernie I have the beginnings of a St. Anne's quilt.  My hope is just getting the top done. Goals have become so much simpler now.
The pile of tops is growing as I'm not sure if I could sandwich one right now as it requires a lot of standing. I sandwich on our dining table and it may take me longer than between breakfast and lunch to do it, so then where would we eat?? Another ponderable.  However, there is still hand stitching to do.  I'm working on my third noodle on my new hexie project.

What WIP am I working on?  Well as you can tell, not one at the moment.  I've still got my Jubilee quilt (WIP #5) on the design wall. Maybe I can get back to it this week.  All I need to do is add the borders once the sashing is done.
What are you up to? Would love to see it, whether finished or WIP progress or an old post, or even about what is going on in your life - not necessarily quilty. Share your goodness. Linky below ends Monday, midnight.  I'm linking to Sarah's Can I get a Whoop, Whoop? and MUV's Free Motion Mavericks.  How about you?


Some of This, Some of That

Used about a .01 yard of fabric on my next round of hexagons - So my new YTD total is 93.56 yards  de-stashed. 

Have been hand stitching and added a round of hexies to my new project:

It's now has a diameter of about 8".  I'm linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching - have some more hexies prepped and ready to sew the next noodle.  I'm also going to link to Judy's Stash Report.

What are you up to?  Leave me a comment and I'll come by.  The hip is progressing. Today I went to an Anointing of the Sick mass. It was good to be out after a month being home.  I was way tired by the time we got home.  It reminded me I have a ways to go to normal.

Blessings.

WIPS Be Gone - A near finish and Giveaway

The binding is half way done and then it will be ready for gifting.  I had hoped to have this done on Nov 13th, but I broke my hip instead.  Oh well.  This will be WIP # 14 added to my WBG page.

What have you been up to?  Would love to see it, whether finished or WIP progress or an old post, or even about what is going on in your life - not necessarily quilty. Share your goodness. Linky below ends Monday, midnight.  I'm linking to Amanda's Finish it Up Friday and Sarah's Can I get a Whoop, Whoop? with this surely finished tomorrow WIP.  And because this is the season of giving, I have a giveaway this week. It's a mystery book for those who link up. Can be to a blog or photostream.  Here are some hints: posters, applique, Lose.  Good luck!  Any post will do.
An InLinkz Link-up

Update - 12/5/15  = It 's finished!

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...