Stash Report 7/31/11 & New Curtain

My husband and I have had a running feud about our kitchen window and its covering.  First a little background.  The window faces west so gets LOTS of sun.  One can't sit at the kitchen table in the afternoon without feeling like we're sitting outside in the broiling sun.  There wasn't a problem before because we had a huge Canary Island palm that grew outside and shaded the room for most of the afternoon.  But after 40 some years it grew so big that the city crew came and cut off the top so it wouldn't go in the electrical wires.  Many of you know when you dehead a palm it's dead as that is its growing tip and doesn't branch.  Well, the city then came out and took out the tree and we now have this sun patio that is way too hot for me.  My husband wants a curtain and we did have one but was a bit too narrow and he's been after me to make one that fit.  Says if I can make quilts, I can make a curtain.  I did have a landscape I wanted to make for it, but darn if I can't find the big piece I need for it.  So today, in desperation, I found another piece given to me and says on the selvage 1988 that is big enough.  It is a preprinted cloth (I don't call them cheaters).  I hemmed the sides and made a plackett and hung it up.  Done.  The sun is so bright the camera made the room way darker than it really is.  I guess I should have back lighted with flash - but I'm not much of a photographer.

One good thing is I used a piece 2 1/4 yards so that is good for my stash report.  I used a yard to cut pieces for a 4 block block piece for the BOM program and the girls used about a 1/2 yard to make their placemats, so yes!, I have broken 40 yards.  Here are the numbers:

Used this week: 3.75 yards
Used/Donated Yr to date: 53.21 yards
Added this wk: 0.0 yards
Total Yr to date Added: -11.0 yards
-----------------------------------------
Total Yr to date Use: 42.21 yards

Be sure to go over to Judy's Patchwork Times button on my left sidebar and see what others are doing as far as destashing.

O Canada for Karen Neary

O Canada
As promised, Karen, I took some pictures of your quilt in the O Canada exhibit at the IQF in Long Beach.  It is beautiful.  I had to take a few of the quilt to finally get the wording to show on it.  And as requested you can see some of the other quilts from the exhibit and the show(Click on the  photo and it will take you where you can see it full screen).  I couldn't figure out how to send them to you without reducing them, so I've uploaded them to Picasa where you can see them.  It's a great quilt!

DJ Friday Not

I had made my fridays as a DJ workday, but it was not to be this last friday. My guardian angel, this time she was called Cecilia, called me at 11 on friday and asked what time to come for our co-op group (this is a group of ladies and we have been meeting for 33 years). Yikes, I told here usual time, 7:30, and put aside all sewing plans and cleaned the bathroom, living room, shopped for goodies and made dinner for DH. Phew - was done at 6:30 so got to sit down and applique a few leaves on my UFO - I wasn't up to figuring a DJ block.

So that was my friday - when I meant to show you a block. In place, here's a block a cyber friend made. She did good: http://billiebeesblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/dear-jane-block-k-5-finished.html  I love it, Billie.

Applique Thursday 7/28/11

Hello!  I did work on my applique piece, but not far enough along to show it, so I am going to post one I did a while ago right now.  If I get further along(busy day tomorrow), I'll post again and show it to you.  And I've got the winners to annouce of my giveaway, too!

First the quilt - no, not the one on the bed, but the wall hanging you can see on the dresser.  I called it Oriental Spring and was a guild challenge.  And yes, it is pieced and appliqued.  I had fun with this.  'The back is solid red and you can see my hand quilting very nicely.  There is an iris in the bottom right corner.  If I find another picture of this, I'll post it too.  I just wished I had made the bed quilt - LOL - isn't it breathtaking?  These quilt were on display at our guild quilt show which was held in conjunction with the Historical Society in Redlands, CA. 


And the winners of two of those fabulous needles are


James-Linda said...  I'D LOVE TO TRY THESE NEEDLES-SOUNDS SO MUCH IMPROVED! THANKS FOR YOUR BLOG+IDEAS!

and

Bonni said...  Those needles sound wonderful. Picking one day a week to devote to your applique will be very useful. You don't have to do a lot but eventually your projects will be finished.

Congratulations, ladies - please email me privately with your mailing address and I'll get them out to you.
Thank you all for participating.

And now for the eye candy! 

WIP Wednesday 7/27/11

The quilting is all done on the curvy block.  All I need to do now is find the left over batik I used for the border and bind this quiltlet with it.  I'm showing the back because the quilting doesn't show up as much on the front.  Ay de mí.

Go over to my left sidebar and click on WIP Wednesdays by freshly pieced to see what other are working on. 

What are you working on?

Fabric Tuesday 7/26/11

Today, my girls (yes, I borrowed them, Christie) finished their placemats.  But first let me share with your their quilts they made with a some help from me and my mom. 

Lauren and Megan are 10 and 9 years old respectively.  They are home schooled, and I offered to do a unit on sewing this summer.  So they came over last week to have their lessons. 

We first started by planning the quilts.  Boy, were they surprised to learn they needed to use math to figure out their design.  They had to do the division and multiplication to figure it out.  They decided on a quilt 36" by 48" as a good size.  So they did the math.  As my batting could be quilted up to 5 inches apart we made them 35" x 45" - close enough.  And they calculated that they would need 63 blocks of fabric.

Then I gave them a box (copy paper size) of fat quarters and asked them to group them by color family and decide colors they would like to use. 
Lauren picked purple and yellow:













Megan picked green and blue.

Without any color theory instruction, Lauren had picked complementary colors and Megan picked analogous colors.  Amazing.  They had to pick a third color family in order to get their 63 squares, however I think they did great!

As they ironed the fqs, I cut squares for them and they would lay them out.  After all were cut, it was time to arrange them as they wanted and label them with masking tape and numbers - so they wouldn't get out of order.  Then we started sewing them.  Since we only had a week, I sewed pairs and then my mom came over and helped do the chain sewing.  We were done in a flash!

Next I taught them about sandwiching and picked out backing material.  We then proceeded to baste the quilts in preparation for tieing them.  The girls then tied their quilts. 
Here they are hard at work tieing their quilts.   Since they were still in the practicing using the machine stage, I went ahead and bound the quilts.  By friday, we had finished the two quilts. 

Later,  I'll share the practice pieces they made almost all by themselves as they mastered the sewing machine.

For more fabric tuesdays stories, go to the Fabric Tuesday by Quilt Story button on my left sidebar and see what others are up to.


Design Wall Monday 7/26/11

I'm still working on the ufo for my daughter, so I put up on my design wall my ufo challenge for July which is some blocks from Women's Voices.  These blocks were made by my former neighbor, Dorothy.  I have 18 of hers, but I don't want such a big quilt as these are 15 " when finished.  First row put together.

What's on your design wall?  Go over to my left sidebar and click on Judy's Patchwork Times button and you'll see lots of eye candy.

Stash Report 7/25/11

Thought I had made some headway - well I didn't.  The girls and I used 5 yards to make their quilts and  a quarter yard of scraps to begin to make their placemats.  I used a half yard to make the back of my curvy block.  So that was  5.75 yards for the week -  that's good! 

However, my guild had a super sale and I bought these:

What was I thinking?!  I fell into this purchase like an addict at her last resistance.  Going off the wagon big time - 7 yards!! Oh well, I may throw in some browns and tans and make a fall quilt - but not this year, LOL.

Used this week: 5.75 yards
Used/Donated Yr to date: 49.46 yards
Added this wk: 7.0 yards
Total Yr to date Added: -11.0 yards
-----------------------------------------
Total Yr to date Use: 39.46 yards

So didn't break the 40 yards this time. I went backwards about a 1/3rd of a yard - not as bad as I thought.  Maybe next week.
 
Go on over to my left sidebar and click on Judy's Patchwork Times button.  She has a lot of people who have successfully diminished their stash - haha.

My Friday Fun

Another busy, busy day - most of it waiting. I went to Kaiser for my yearly mammo and waited 2hours. Then went to Costco and waited for tires and hot dog. Then onto the freeway where we waited for an accident. Then onto my daughter-in-law's where thankfully I didn't have to wait and came home with DGS2 5 hours later.

So this evening, I was determined to do my 15 minutes in the sewing room and here is what I came up with:
Here is Dear Jane Block F-4, Old Windmill
I've complete my friday assignment to work on Dear Jane on fridays, and since it is still friday here, barely, I've posted it.  Now off to bed. 
Go on over to Quilting in my Pyjamas Favourite Things Friday... to see what others are keen on today.

Appliqué Thursdays 7/21/11

So far, Appliqué Thursdays for me is working.  Didn't get far, but work was done!  Got 4 leaves and a flower  appliquéd and that much closer to being done with this side. 

Boy, did I find a wonderful needle for this technique!  It all started with a blog post by Kay MacKensie at All About Applique.  She was recommending these for batiks, but I love them so far for everything.  It is like slicing through soft butter.  They're are so smooth!  And with the gold eye, they are so easy to thread.  Just as Kathy Delaney said on her website,
     "You will absolutely LOVE these #11 applique needles. They are coated to make them glide through fabric with such ease! The gold eye make the needles easier to thread. "  you will love these for appliqué.

In fact, I'm going to giveaway  two needles to two quilters who comment on this post.  Add your link to the list below and you'll have another chance to win.  Follow me and that will be your third chance to win.  Be sure to leave your email if you use anonymous.



WIP Wednesday or what I can squeeze in

Well not I squeeze into something - LOL - but what I can squeeze in between the girls here and Alan.  We got the quilt tops personalized, sandwiched and pin basted.  Tomorrow we will tie them.  And as for my own quilting, I got a bit of the curvey block sandwiched and started the quilting.  I'm doing this free motion so it isn't perfect, but it will do for this piece.  I haven't decided yet what to do for the border.  Any suggestions?

Go on over to my left sidebar and click on WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced to see what others are working on.

Fabric Tuesday 7/19/11

The girls had a great time yesterday planning their quilt, working on a needlecase, and learning about two different stitches and choosing colors.  I was delighted to see them pick complementary colors (Lauren) and analogous colors (Megan)  They're making a simple squares quilt 7 x 9 of 5 1/2" squares.  Then we'll tie them.

Since I'm busy with the girls - not much done that I cans show you for fabric tuesday, but I thought I'd share my progress on my June UFO.  
The center is done and I've added one of the outer sashings - seen on right.  As this is a QAYG - I'm doing it a little different than before so I'll get the effect I want on the back. I'll keep plugging along on this. Don't know when I'll get back to it as my mom is coming tomorrow, Alan in afternoon and Quilt Guild in PM.

Go on over to the button for Fabric Tuesday by Quilt Story on my left sidebar.  There are some great projects getting done over there.  Check them out.

Design Wall Monday 7/18/11

New on my design wall is a different kind of crumb block.
And to continue my adding applique to my piecing I machine appliqued a rose in the center block.  Following a tip I read in a blog (I'm so sorry I didn't make a note of it), I placed a bead of fray check around the edges of the applique fabric so it wouldn't unravel.  If I run my finger over the edge I can feel the fray check,  but you can't see it.  This block came about because I was browsing my bookshelf and discovered the book and template that came with it tucked in there.  Thank you Ami Simm for a well designed template and pattern. 
I have made a quilt from this pattern, but not used it since.  Then I got the idea from seeing Ami's scrappy quilt on the right side of the cover.  Don't know what I'll do with these.  I'll probably make some more because I like how it calls for bigger scraps - yeah, more out the door!

What's on your design wall?  Go on over to my left sidebar and click on Judy's Patchwork Times button and see what others are doing.

Stash Report 7/17/11

Made a charity quilt top and backing, but none of that was from my stash, so can't count it.  It's from the St. Ann's stash of donated fabric we use to make these.  We already have 8 completed quilts stored.  I'm done - it now goes to the members who sandwich and tie.  Then back to me to bind.

Did make a crumb block from a possible new pattern, but Í'll post about that tomorrow.  However I'm counting the fat 8th of scraps today.  Cut up some material for donation, but that was given to me, so can't count that either - it didn't come from my stash.  Did use from the stash for the cardinal, so I'll add a quarter yard for that. So I have a grand total of .38 yards to add to my numbers.

Used this week: .38 yards

Used/Donated Yr to date: 43.71 yards
Added this wk: 0.0 yards
Total Yr to date Added: -4.0 yards
-------------------------------------------
Total Yr to date Use: 39.71 yards

So didn't break the 40 yards this time.  Maybe next week.

He's growing up so fast!

Here's Alan at 8 months:
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He likes sitting up now and plays for a while.  Here he is without his braces, but he can balance with them just as well as without.  Some times he'll fall backwards - hence the pillows.  He's trying to turn over now also.  Oh, the adventures of a baby!

I Forgot!

to show you the back of my cardinal wall hanging. Here it is:
Ya still can't see the feathers - LOL.

Tropical Applique: Fast, Easy, Tiny Circles - By Hand - Perfect Every...

As this is Applique Thursday, I thought I'd share this great post for making tiny circles. Thank you, Mercy! Enjoy.
Tropical Applique: Fast, Easy, Tiny Circles - By Hand - Perfect Every...: "OK gang - I have finally found by my preferred method for making circles!   If you do not hand appliqué (or if you have not made a grape wre..."

Applique Thursdays 7/14/11

Well I didn't do this applique, but I want to share it with you.  Some have already seen it in the past few days.  The cardinal is pieced, the berries and the leaves are appliqued. I really like blocks that are pieced and have some applique. I did embroider an eye.  Here is the finished Christmas wall hanging.  I like it but I would have liked another border (green) around it.  Oh, well.

Would love to see your applique (past, present or in process).

WIP Wednesday 7/13/11

I have now quilted the cardinal - stitched in the ditch on the straight borders and around the bird and holly.  The red backing you see is because I am going to bring it to the front and make it my binding.  I like to do this with small projects.  It makes for a fast finish.  I fold the backing in half and iron it.  Then I fold it onto the top and stitch down with a straight stitch doing opposites sides first and then the other two.  Think I'll add an eye.  There are also feathers quilted in the corners, but you can't see them as the print is so busy - another practice session - hehe.

Go on over to my left sidebar and click on WIP Wednesdays by Freshly Pieced and see what others are working on.

Fabric Tuesday 7/12/11

Since the bird makes the block on point, I added setting triangles to it.  Yikes that makes it almost 20" square.  While I'd like to add a border, it crys for that green of the inner border, and I don't have any of that. Another small wall hanging.

Go over to my left sidebar and click on fabric tuesday by Quilt Story.  The ladies were away last week, so this week there should be a lot of entries.

Design Wall Monday 7/11/11

New to my design wall:
The LQG is having a show N share featuring Christmas in July.  I came across this block I won about 5 years ago at our Christmas exchange and decided I'd do something with it as my contribution to the guild call for Christmas quilts.  As you can see this has applique on it - Yeah! It came wrapped in a coordinating fat quarter.  Now to decide what to do with it next.

Go on over the Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times on my left side bar.  Lots of people post what they are doing and it's always fun to see what they're up to.  WAYWO?

Stash Report 7/10/11

Between the curvy block, the ufo, and the mug rug, I've used about a half yard of this and that from my stash to work on these three projects.  So:
Used this week: .50 yards
Used/Donated Yr to date: 43.33 yards
Added this wk: 0.0 yards
Total Yr to date Added: -4.0 yards
-------------------------------------------
Total Yr to date Use: 39.33 yards

Summertime and the stash breaking is slowly happening what with all the 100+ days we've had this week.
Hope to cut some squares for the Sewdality this afternoon.

What are you working on?

Curvy Block Grows Again

Thank you all for your suggestions.  I pulled all my purples, greens, burgundy, and rose/berry and tried to make them work, but they just didn't do it for me. Of the greens, it had to be the green of the leaves in the floral print - a sort of bland avocado green and I just don't have any big enough to use as the border.  Then of the purples, they weren't of the right hue, same with the burgundy and rose/berry - ugghh.  Color can be so troublesome.  Then I found a batik that didn't minimalize the block.  It had some orange, brownish tones, even some muted green and in the end that's what I chose. So here is Curvy Contained (my name for it) - no longer a potential orphan block.  Now to quilt it.

Applique Thursday! 7/7/11

Good Morning!  I'm so glad you are here.  This is my first official Applique Thursday.  I have designated thursdays as my day to do some applique.  If you'd like to read how this came about, click on the tab Applique Thursdays below the header to read why I'm doing this.

So, what am I working on?  I'm back to adding applique to one of the UFOs I didn't get done from my list with Judy Laquidara's UFO challenge.  This is a comforter I am making for our bed and I had hoped to have it done for this summer.  LOL - maybe late summer.

I'm using applique for the most part on this inner border using both hand and machine applique.  Right now I am working on a bud in one of the corners.  I use for the most part applique tricks I learned in a Linda Cantrell workshop.  This means I cut out my templates from freezer paper and iron the 1/4 seam to the shiny side of the paper.  When I'm done with my ironing, the piece is ready to be ironed on to the background and appliqued.  Quick!

Shiny side of paper & back of fabric. 1/4 seam shown.
Fold over seam and iron with tip of iron.

Piece ready to be ironed onto background:

Would love to see your applique! Leave a comment on this post and include the link to your work. I love eye candy!




WIP Wednesday 7/6/11

Remember that curvy block on my Design Wall?  Found an inner border for it.  Now to look for the next border.  Any suggestions as to color?

Fabric Tuesday - 7/5/11

I accidentally did part of the local quilt run. LOL, I didn't even know it was going on til I was in the store. They had it for 2 weekends this year as some of the stores are quite far apart. I was there to buy the half yard I needed to finish the May UFO. I got the free block from the Quilter's Cocoon.  There was a cute charm and the instructions for a winter block - a Christmas ornament.  Also included was a coupon for 15% off for coming to the store during the Run.  And another 5% if you made the block and brought it into the store during July.  Although I'm on a fabric diet - thought I'd go and buy a new Creative Grid ruler as I've worn off the lines on my 6 x 12" ruler.  And since I only have one block from the run, I made mine into a mug rug:

Here's the back:

Measure's 6 1/2" square.
Want the pattern?  Leave a comment and I'll make another and take pictures while I construct it. Took about  a 1/2 hour.

Go on over to the left sidebar and click on the Fabric Tuesday button from Quilt Story, and see what all the others are keeping busy with now.  Enjoy!

Applique Thursdays

I love applique, so why don't I do more of it?  I love applique and patchwork together, but do I make some?  I've put a couple of UFOs that have some applique in my challenge list, and still that hasn't motivated me.  What has motivated me has been those buttons on the left sidebar to get at least something done to post.  So I thought I'd make a button for thursdays and make that day my applique day.  The button has a block I made for one of my ufo's so it's my first applique work I'm posting under this category.  Want to be motivated to applique on at least one day a week or show off your beautiful work, or a WIP in progress or a tip on appliquing?  I'm going to put a linky here as soon as I can figure out how - LOL.  For now if you'd like to join me, please leave a comment with a link to your applique post.  Look forward to seeing yours!

Design Wall Monday 7/4/11

I have the curvy block and parts of the June UFO on my wall - same as before.  New this week is the first two rows of my practice piece for when Judy Laquidara shows us how to quilt feathers.  I'm looking forward to that.

My piece will not be as big as Judy's - this will be a charity quilt.  Since neonatal babies don't know what feathers are - they won't mind what mine look like - LOL.

Stash Report 7/3/11

Well, it's way hot today also.  The high was 106.3   My DH put our portable AC in the living room together so it has kept the air around 82 so far.  I will gradually move a sewing station into it so that I can do some quilting in the coolest place in the house.  They're saying it will be in the mid 90s tomorrow.  I hope so.
Praying for rain for Texas or a vacuum to suck up the water in Missouri and drop it gently on the states still affected by drought.  Lord, hear our prayer!

Didn't use up much fabric - a total of 1/2 yard of 3 fabrics to start my practice piece when Judy Laquidara teaches us how to quilt feathers.  This has a lot of seams.  How do you handle units where flying geese meet a seam right at the middle where they are the thickest?  I thought I'd be smart and instead of having all those seams make flying geese to take out some seams from the pattern, but made thicker seams that way.  Help.  Your suggestions eagerly awaited.

For now since I've cut the pieces I'm turning over the rows and ironing the seams so that they nestle.

Since I only worked on my June UFO which didn't require more fabric, here are my numbers:
Used this week: .50 yards

Used/Donated Yr to date: 42.83 yards
Added this wk: 0.0 yards
Total Yr to date Added: -4.0 yards
-------------------------------------------
Total Yr to date Use: 38.83 yards

How did you do this week?  Go on over to Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times on my left sidebar and see how others are doing.

Too hot

Hi, The high today was 105.  Right now it's a mere 103.5.  Wouldn't you know I would pick this day to do the laundry and hang it outside?  I hung up a nightgown and within 3 minutes it was dry.  I'm going to have to give in and use the dryer for the last load.  I can't take the heat while I'm hanging them outside.

Hope you are all cooler,

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...