Some of this, Lots of That and Winnings!

YTD stash reduction = 4.67 yards.  Used 2/3 yard to make some arm rest covers.  My husband has been after me to make something for his recliner for months because the cover we bought is falling apart on the back side.

What with the broken hip and not knowing where I had stashed the fabric, it hadn't got done.  Yesterday, I was searching the bottom shelf of my stash for another project and found the fabric. Yes! So I promptly cut the covers and started to stitch them. Then the power went out mid-afternoon. I had to come up with something else to do, even as the light was fading fast. I jerry rigged a light source using the flashlight I had just gotten the day before.

Yes, it looks bright outside, but there was no way I could haul that chair over to the window.  I sat there and stitched on my hexies til I realized the power wasn't coming back any time soon (out for 4 hours total) so started getting out the candles and battery powered lights. Wish I'd taken of picture of me cooking  - that new flashlight was hanging from a magnetic hook on my exhaust fan over the stove as I grilled some lamb chops. Fortunately, we have a gas stove, and with a match I could light the burners. Bonus was we ate by candlelight.  Haven't done that in years.

Once the lights came back on, the covers got finished.  The fabric is the same one I used on the sofa and this chair.  I'm making a  quilted cover now for the back of the recliner.

And going back to that handy flashlight (it's nine LED), it came in a box from Shelly. She hosts the 350 Blocks Project of which I was a part of last year.  She holds this fun activity year round.  What I love about it is that you don't have to make something new.  It's you making blocks from your UFO, WIP or stalled new projects.  It gets one moving on those quilts half done. Plus at the end of the year, she awards prizes. And this year I won!

Here's what was in the goodie box besides the Missouri Star Quilt Co gift card that came via the Net:

Thank you so much, Shelly! So Fine by Superior is my go to thread. Those leaf pins are great; have the ruler for that pattern, a useful flashlight as I've noted, a delicious smelling bar of soap. Last, but not least a great 4 pack of solid fatquarters from Clothworks - American Made Brand. Woohoo!  Go here if you'd like to learn more about this fun way to move forward, and here if you'd like to read comments from quilters reporting on their first month.  Last year we made a total of 33,875 blocks!

Now back to life over here.  I'm so happy to report that I'm walker-less.  Here's my constant companion now:

I just have to remember to place him to my left when I sit. I tend to walk off without him, LOL.  And I can feel it.  If I go 10-15 minutes without him, my hip starts to ache.  This tells me I do need to keep him around.

What kept me busy besides hand stitching? I finished the St. Anne's baby quilt top -the one I had to rip out all those edge stitches.  It's quilted and off to the next member of our group to get clipped and washed. It's a modified rag quilt.

Ruler and walking foot work

Just Loop-de-lo for FMQ in the border

So what are you up to?  Would love to hear.  Leave me a comment and I'll come by to see your eye candy.  And please if you are a no-reply blogger, leave your.name(at)host(dot)com so I can reply. Not sure? Please check - finding a lot of those these days.
Blessings!

WIPs Be Gone

Argggghhh!  I don't like it.  Why didn't I stop and take a photo?  I was so into making diamonds, I didn't stop and see what I was creating.  And now it's all together and darn if I didn't lose my center circle and those blue ones make for odd shaped rosettes!

They have to come out.  I made some various hexies and tried them out and found a solution.  But it's going to take a while.  So far I've taken three out and what a chore that was with invisible thread! I learned:

1. It's going to be tricky since I removed the papers from the hexagons. So the ones I use to reconstruct will have to have the papers, so that means new ones - not using the old ones I take off elsewhere as I first thought.
2. In order to rip out the stitches (which are very hard to see) I must put the two hexies with the seam between them right sides together, sit where the lamp is shining over my shoulder to make the stitches appear. Then I can see to rip.
3. It's a good thing I ties off at both ends of each small seam or the hexies would fall apart with this deconstruction
4. Sew the three I am removing into a shape before I add them back.

Little by little....

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.  Be sure to go to the linky party tab above to see where I'll be linking.  You might want to join us.  The NET is so big it is nice to hear from you this way, so I can visit.  Thanks!

An InLinkz Link-up

Some of This, Some of That

As to stash, I used 2 yards for part of the front and all of the back of the latest baby quilt, and a 1/3rd yd to finish a preemie quilt top. My YTD total now stands at 4.34 yards destashed.

Here's the next to the last baby quilt with the top all finished.

If I made this pattern again, think I'd make the square in the center a square in a square so th it would be a solid block and show off the print more.  Now to sandwich and quilt. BTW:  this pattern is from Moda's Big Block 2  booklet.  It has some really nice 32" blocks. You can easily make a big lap quilt with four of these blocks.  I make one block for a neonatal quilt.

As to slow Sunday stitching, I'm happy to report I was able to do some every day of last week and today also.  So:

I only have one side of a diamond left to whip stitch to my large hexagon and I can show it to you.

What are you up to?  Would love to know.  Leave me a comment and I'll come by and see your work.

Blessings!

WIPs Be Gone

How did this happen??  I now have 6 baby quilts in the process of being completed!  I'm suppose to be reducing my WIPs not adding to them. Woe is me.  Here are the last two I added to my WTBQ pile:

 My RSC2016 challenge for January is met.  Now to get it quilted.

I found this panel and before I knew it I had it cut apart for a St. Anne's quilt.  26x42 is not conducive for a baby quilt - too narrow.  So I tried to square it up.  It's 35 x 36 - more baby friendly. Another for quilting.  The front is flannel.  Should I make the back flannel also?  If so, should it have batting then? So many decisions.

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.

An InLinkz Link-up

See the Linky Parties tab for where I link on Fridays. Enjoy!

Slow Sunday Stitching and Unstitching

I'm still stitching on my hexagon project and my old 2nd ever project. Finished all the block center motifs and have started on the sashing:

As can happen in 28 years, I've lost the template I chose for the sashing! I saw it not too long ago. Why didn't I grab it and put it with the quilt?  But I'm not going through those other 19 boxes looking for it.  There's something to be said for project boxes.  So I made a freezer paper template based on one of the sashings I'd already done on the quilt to test the lost template years ago.  It works great.

So once I've done one line of these, I'll work on today's unstitching task - lol.

I got ahead of myself and sewed the edge seam on this flannel rag quilt before basting it. Of course there are pleats here and there. Today's the day I will take out the seam - all four sides - and smooth out the quilt so that I can machine quilt it. Sigh.

What are you up to?  I also made one star block so my YTD total has gone up by a teeny .01 yard.  Now I have 2.01 yds out - LOL.Leave me a comment and let me know what you've been destashing.  And be sure to check the linky party tab under the header to see where I'm linking today. You can too.

RSC16

This is as far as I've gotten with the RSC16 challenge for this month.  As you can see I made 4 blocks in blue with purple accents.  Now what?  This will finish to a 30" square as a preemie quilt for our local NICU.  How are you doing?  I'd like to know.

Blessings!

WIPs Be Gone

I won't be showing you my WIPs this week.  Oh, I worked on them, but they're just a little farther along -  all three of them, so instead of boring you with the very similar photos of them, here's a little news for you.

First, I'd like to announce the winner of last week's mystery item.  It was a book and won by Marsha at Quilter in Motion.

This is the book I read and used to make my elephant quilt:

Now that I understand the concept, I thought I'd pass it along to another quilter. So as soon as I hear from Marsha, I'll be sending it. And no, Gretchen, I haven't forgotten that I need to send you the hexagons. I've just not had someone in the past week to go to the post office for me.  It's frustrating not being able to drive.

Secondly, as I browsed and found the Blenders book, I found a couple more books that I want to send to new homes.  These are free for the cost of shipping.  First one who is willing to pay the media mail shipping via PayPal gets it.  1/19 - these are taken. More later. I found some duplicates of others.

cost of shipping in US: $3.22

cost of shipping in US: $3.22

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.

An InLinkz Link-up

Some of this, Some of That

First, the mystery quilting gift giveaway is ongoing.  Just go to the previous post to this one and check it out.

Using 1.5 yards to make another preemie quilt.  I'm also using my RSC2016 blocks for it. YTD total for destashing is now 2.0 yards. 

One down and three to go.


Slow stitching this week was mainly on my old quilt top and my hexies.  I have 4 centers to go and then I'll start on the sashing.







Then I decided to do Shelly's  Studio Organizing, Week 1 challenge - organize your papers. That's what I did.  I have (had) a box with files folders in it for the 30 years I've been quilting.  Hadn't looked at them in years, so I went through them and got rid of 90% of those clippings - they don't appeal to me any more, learned those techniques, etc.

 Half that pile on the plastic bin was on this box. It made my entry into the room so narrow.

 I consolidated it to one expandable folder. It's going into my quilting bookshelf so I'll be tempted to look in it more often. And that box is gone! Only 19 more to go (but they don't have papers in them).

Now I have lots of room to go in with my walker and no squeezing around that box.  Little by little!

2nd WIPs Be Gone & Giveaway

Okay, went through my blog and identified what # WIP my Hexie project has become - #18.  I'm calling it hexies and more.  Here are the diamonds I've made so far for it.  Two more to go and I can start assembling the diamonds together.


Made another row for that baby quilt I started before the break.  I have to keep telling myself "
little by little".



I've been good and worked on my 28-year-old hand quilting project. Yes, 28 years.  It was the second quilt I started way back in 1988.  The top went together pretty quickly even though I didn't have a rotary cutter in those days.  I made the usual new quilter mistakes - picked a block with set-in seams and the quilt is queen size. LOL.  Plus I hadn't a clue how to actually quilt.  So I'm calling it WIP #19 and telling myself I'm doing something on it every day - little by little.

One of the things I didn't know then was that one is suppose to mark the quilt for quilting before it is sandwiched. Didn't do that.  I also learned last week that the freezer paper method (that I use when machine quilting) doesn't work when hand quilting because of all the manipulation one does when quilting in a hoop causes the freezer paper to easily come off.  So I just use it to iron it place on the square and trace around it with a marking pen and then quilt it.

And lastly, congrats to Gretchen of Gretchen's corner who won the 100 hexagon paper pieces!  I've commented on her blog and hope to send them out soon. I want to thank everyone who came by and gave me a chance to visit your blog.  I enjoy your eye candy.   Let's have another giveaway this week, too.  This time it's a mystery item - may be a book, or fabric, or a pattern, or even more hexie papers. Leave a comment or a link or both to win.  Linky below.

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.  Did the Magi bring you any gifts?  I got a lovely sewing tote and a great candle with holder.  Blessings!

An InLinkz Link-up

I'm linking to Sarah's Can I get a Whoop, Whoop? and Esther's WOW. See you there. PS all the linky party buttons now have their own special tab at the top of the blog. Check them out!

Some of This, Some of That

Okay! used two fat quarters to make two 12" blocks and to start off my de-stashing for 2016. My YTD total is .5 yard.  Off to a positive start.

Today I'll still be working on those diamonds I'm making for my current Hexie Project - still doesn't have a WIP number - see my previous post for what they look like, and the giveway is still on there.  I'm sharing a few ornaments I made before Christmas as I sat on that recliner favoring my broken hip.  These have been gifted so I can show them to you:

The flowers were a Christmas gift from a friend.

These mittens were fun to make. I got to remember some embroidery stitches from long ago.

Th directions called for black thread blanket stitches for all the edges - I decided to use some of the leftover strands.

These mitten ornaments were a kit from Connecting Threads.  I gave them to my Nastursium Society sisters at our December 30th meeting. We've met for 37 years (meeting monthly). We use to be a babysitting co-op.

What are you slow stitching?  I'm off to see what Kathy is slow stitching this Sunday and link to her party.  You can find her button under my linky party tab.

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:

An InLinkz Link-up

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

The Greatest Gift

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

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?

An InLinkz Link-up

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!