Curve it Up

Block 5

I had a little trouble with this one but 'adjusted' the outside pieces and it is 16.5 x  16.5 so all's well.

I also have the January guild blocks done.  I came home from the meeting on the 17th and made them.  It was about all the sewing I did before Christmas.

I have started sewing the rows and sashing together on my Dresden quilt. These are now together-woo hoo.

I have the applique pieces all cut out for my final Christmas project for this year!

 I was planning on having it done for this year but that didn't happen.

My mom had a king size quilt that she had bought at JCPenney (yes one of those quilts!) It's 10-15 years old. She asked me a couple of months ago if I could cut it down to fit one of her twin beds.  After I had cut off 2 rows of blocks, she thought perhaps I could sew the leftovers, blocks and borders together so she would have a matching one, albeit wonky that would match for the other twin bed in the room!
    I didn't take a picture of the original and the 1st cut down twin is already with my mom. I gave it to her on Christmas.  Here is the wonky leftover one.  It is about 62 x 78.

I just sewed the sections together all 3 layers in tact RS together and then loaded it on HQ with a new white backing and straight stitched across the rows just to hold it together.  I did have to make new binding for this one- 1/2 yard I had in my stash.

I think she will be pleased.  I am.

piecing

blocks for this month guild meeting.  The tree is suppose to have crystals added.  I might do that later.  I like it plain.  I'm not big on embellishments.

The snow globe block is 12 inches the smaller one is 6 inches.  We only need to make one of the 12 inch block and as many as we want of the smaller 6 inch.  One was all I found time for. :)

This is block #4 for the Curve it Up quilt along.  It was much easier than I thought it was going to be.  

I got out this top to load and quilt-but I didn't have a thread color that matched.  Talk about getting picky!  I ordered an 'antique' thread today.  I want to do a dense all over on this and just want texture so I really wanted the thread to blend.

I still need to get a backing ready for this so it's no big deal really.  

I've quilted the last customer quilt until after the new year.  Which sounds like a long time but of course it's only a couple weeks away.  

I will not be getting the 3 quilt tops quilted that were on my goal list for 2012.  I'm a bit bummed about that but surely I will get them done in '13.

Christmas Pillows and quilting

20 x 21 

I made two of these pillows. I got the pattern here  They are both gifts.

This is Libby's hand print quilt for her granddaughter.  It's adorable.

Sorry for the shadows, that was a sunny day and I didn't notice the shadows until I snapped the picture.

(50 something X 70-I think)

Block 3

Curved rail fence block

16.5 inches

still piecing the sashing sets!

I'm halfway there!

The back of a customer quilt-love the yellow and the wonky feathers.

and because we're nutz-we took a ride on Sunday!

Brrrrr.

So nice to be quilting again

forgot what a stress reliever it is for me.

Although, having a pile of quilts waiting to be quilted can be stressful...go figure.

One less to do now.  

I'm going to put the binding on it tonight. I will probably have to machine it both front and back as my left thumb is on the verge of splitting again and I know hand stitching the binding down will do it in for sure.

A while back Carol over at Brown Quilts emailed me with a project idea. She wanted to make a quilt top, send it to me to be quilted and then have me donate here in the Pittsburgh area.  

 I thought that was a great idea.  

Carol sent a beautiful top made with soft flannels.

I quilted an all-over wave-y swirl. 

Tomorrow I will be dropping it off at the Community Outreach chair for my quilt guild.  There is a new shelter opening this winter and they've asked the area guilds for quilts.  

This one will keep someone in need very warm indeed!

Thank you, Carol, for reaching out so generously!  

When I drop off our quilt, I'll be picking up some more Quilts for Kids tops that need quilting--yeah I  gripe that I'm so busy, but I'm healthy and have more than I need--shame on me for the gripes whether out loud or in my head.

quilt along block 2

I finally finished the 2nd block in the Curve it up QAL I'm doing.

The blocks are big and although I'm nervous about curves; I haven't had any trouble so far.  

It's back!

I had to fiddle with the tensions, which always makes me sweat.

The CW leftover topper is done and just needs binding.

Autumn Gatherings is loaded and I just need to find the time to quilt it.

I'm running out of year and have 3 of my own tops that I REALLY wanted done and off my to do list and out of my brain.

Too scrappy

so I'm sewing along and all of a sudden looked at the wall and thought um no, this is too much.  I like it but my eyes are sorta jumping around.

It could be in part because Hurricane Sandy is playing havoc with the weather and I'm in migraine land right now.

Regardless, I did this.

Blue and grey, mostly medium and dark with a few fabrics that are blending OK for my eye-a dark purple, brown and perhaps a green. I know I could just go med/dark but I do like a bit of contrast. 

So I'll be spending some quality time with the seam ripper 

While un-sewing I will have to think about whether I want to put all those now defunct setting strips in the backing of this one... hmmm   I hate the thoughts of not using them up as I'm trying to use these things up not create more.
I'm certainly not un sewing all those sets-just the twosies and perhaps a few foursies that have blue/grey squares in them. 

I did put a couple borders on the UFO I had on my wall and it's now a flimsy-woohoo.

A few days ago I was on Kathy's blog. She was part of the Wicked blog hop

I found my way to Debby Kratovil's blog.  She is the block-a-day designer that I spend 2010 with.
I loved her Bat Applique project and started it immediately (if not sooner)*wink*

12" x 12" 

I finished it yesterday-if I had my HQ I would have micro stippled it, which I'll probably do when she comes home. For now it's just stitched around the bats.  The binding is completely by machine too.  My left thumb is split to hand sewing hurts and is so clumsy with a band aid on it.

*******

and yes it's raining here, light and steady and bone chillin' cold.
bleck!

The mailman brought

more than bills and junk mail today!

I've been lurking, snooping looking at wool related blogs lately, and I found Three Sheep Studio . Rose was having a little giveaway and I thought what the heck!

Well I won!  How awesome.

And today the little package arrived.

It's a Beaded Berries Kit with lovely wool too!  I will be making a blueberry strawberry-how fun.

Thanks so much Rose!

*****

In other news, I had the day off today! woo-hoo.  My to do list was so long and in my head (I should have written it down) that I woke up at 4:30am and couldn't go back to sleep.  It's 6:15 pm as I write this and I'm still going strong.  

I started sewing at about 6am and am so happy that I got my block a day blocks together, one more flimsy.

It needs a name. I'll work on that at some point.  I really should get a label made while I'm on the computer and thinking about it. It measures 68 x 90.

I think it's pretty cool.

I've been sewing my Dresden sashing together as my Leader/ender I have a bunch of twosies of 2.5" squares and thought I better sew a few together and audition them to be sure I like it.

I do like it. I cut some of the background fabric for the setting squares and I like that too.

The other side of my design wall has all the other projects I have going on right now-I think that's all of them.

Oh I don't have my guild's block a month up there but that's not anything I can work on until I get the next months pattern.  The piece on the bottom left is some more block a day's that I put together at the beginning of the year, never really decided what to do with it. I'm thinking now of just adding a border and calling it a table topper and just get on with it.

I do have to get going on this.

 

  I want it done for Christmas. I got the pattern sometime this year, early too. Oops, may have just jinxed myself.

Oh and today I mentioned Thanksgiving 

(we have it here) just casually but still, it's been spoken about

time is sure flying by.

Curve it Up QAL

I've started a new QAL.

I know, I know.

I'm not suppose to do this.

I even bought fabric for it.

I know, I know

I'm not suppose to do that either.

I bought Jenny's Quick Curve Ruler and her Urban Pods pattern a couple months ago.

I hadn't started it yet so when Jenny posted that she and her sister were going to do this QAL, I thought about it and decided it would be a good excuse to start another project way to get used to the ruler and sewing curves again.

The first block is called 'Curved Churn Dash'.

16 inches (finish size)

It was quite easy to cut and sew.  

******

Paul and I spent the weekend at The Mount -our 2nd family weekend there!

The weather was beautiful and the leaves on the drive out were spectacular.  Of course, I forgot my camera.  

I had a bit of an adventure, so to speak.  I was stranded at the 'mall' on Thursday evening, in a torrential downpour, with a dead battery. It's a long story, but everything worked out and thank goodness (hindsight) it happened at the mall and not on the turnpike 1/2 way to Emmitsburg--that would have been awful.  

But having it happen just threw all my well laid plans into turmoil. 

We got a late start Friday afternoon and I didn't even think of my camera until I saw the gorgeous mountains while I was driving through Somerset Co. and thought, 'oh dang, if I weren't driving I could take a picture...." LIGHT BULB went off-my camera is on the table at home.

So even though we have no picture record, we had a great time with Br. Paul and even got to drive up to Gettysburg for the afternoon and walk around some more.

fun times, fun times.

Life is Good.

Guild Block a Month

The guild is having a 6 month BOM.  We took home the patterns and yesterday and today I decided on my fabrics, THAT took forever.  My biggest sticking point was the background.  I kept going between a dark background, I had enough stash in grey and black.  But this is going to be a Christmas BOM so I just didn't think I would really like those choices.  So it's going to be the neutral background and then from my stash:dark reds, greens, black and gold/brown.  Our instructions were to make the large star block and change up the center if we wanted.  The pattern showed four patches in the center.  So I did four 9-patches instead.  And then the smaller 6 inch block they suggested making 2 or 3 or more.  I haven't had time yet but I will for sure.  I totally enjoyed piecing these-brought back block-a-day memories!

Quilt Guild meeting

was tonight.

  

Linda M Poole was our speaker.

I am not exaggerating when I say her lecture and quilts were more than worth the price of membership!  

I so regret forgetting my dang camera.  

(but I remembered my name tag!) ha

Take a look at her schedule and if you are anywhere near where she's going to be speaking---GO!  You will not be sorry.  

moving forward on the Dresden quilt

There in the top left you can see the first pieced sashing section.  

I need 48 more!

I do believe I have cut enough 2.5 inch squares to accomplish that...686.

and yes I used a calculator. ;)

The plan is to make these and then decide on the corner squares (setting squares?).

I'm thinking I'm going to want that to be all the same fabric and dark...time will tell.

While I was rummaging around in my 3.5" strips bin, I found several hst leftover from something (?) so of course in typical ocd fashion I started playing with them and ended up with this star block and added a round of squares to it and lo and behold then found a leftover already sewn together set of pinwheels that I added to the top

 I think I have a new project....it never ends.

These are 7 block a days that go with nothing but each other.

I saw inspiration on Pinterest and think I found a background fabric in my stash that will work and I have enough of....hoping to get this together soon .

*******

I painted my bedroom yesterday.  

Paint was purchased months and months ago.

Am so glad that is done.  

But now it's been made even more clear that the rest of the house needs painted too.

Desperately.

Today

I work the afternoon shift at Hallmark.  

It's ornament debut weekend.  

Hopefully the hordes of collectors were in first thing this morning.

  

;)

I spent the morning making a simple table runner for my SIL.

18 x 94 -ruffle is about 8"

I used Osenburg fabric for it.  Now I will need to get some more to finish my new living room curtains--I cut it wrong which is why I used it for the runner..he he.

Just doing simple panels for my curtains, won't take long...famous last words.

  I finished the binding on Granny Squares.  It seems like I've been working on the binding for weeks, well I have because it's been mostly sitting on the back of a chair, not being worked on.  I have to do a label for it.  I was shocked that I didn't do one before I quilted it, but I was trying to get all the tops I had done before vacation and HQ went in to the spa. 

Um, yes, that will be my official excuse.  

63 x 84

I do love this quilt. 

and I started the machine blanket stitching on Autumn Gatherings. 

sigh...some days I just don't want to go anywhere. 

It's usually on days I have to.

Fun times, fun times.

Life is good!

a batik pumpkin

I ran out of time yesterday to visit a quilt shop for orange batiks.
I really am trying to be good and use my stash. I find it easier now that the stash is shrinking to say "oh I don't have anything that will work-must go shop." and sometimes that's true.
But what kept going through my head this evening was what if I couldn't just hop in the car and get some fabric; how would I finish this.
And suddenly I thought why couldn't I just use one batik fabric for the pumpkin instead of 4-5 like the pattern suggests.
So I did.

(Edit:  I actually used two batiks----my mind is a sieve-what can I say! :)

but you'd never know probably they are very close-which only shows the stash is more than adequate.

I really like it.  

I really, really like that I don't have to go out tomorrow morning and that I used a bit more of the stash.  

The top still needs it's outer border but I'll wait until after the machine blanket stitching is done before adding it.

HQ has been in spa treatment for a month now.  

Oh please oh please let the backlog of machines dissipate and get my machine CO &A pronto!!! 

4 to 6 weeks is becoming unbearable.  

I may break out in hives.  

I didn't think the separation would be so difficult.

whahh!  

:(

I started a new project

--could you even believe it!?

I have had this pattern for oh a hundred years it seems.

I bought it on my first Shop Hop.  I went downstairs yesterday not to start a new project for sure!  I think it's probably the only pattern I've had this long and still want to make.
I pulled all the fabrics from my stash and except for the crow fabric, which I bought with the pattern and have been saving (unbelievable) all this time, I used all batiks.  I am going to have to go get some orange batiks for the pumpkin, I need 3.  I did use 2 'regular' fabrics for 2 of the pumpkin sections but I just need something different than what I have.  I might be able to squeeze in a quick visit to The Quilting Needle tomorrow, if not it will have to be Saturday.

Dresden plates

I made a new "list of things to do". It's taped to the side of my sewing machine.  The last one worked really well.  I don't put anything like 

TO BE DONE THIS WEEK!! on it.

I just list some things and leave it open ended.  

It's keeping me on task without making me stressed.  

The Dresden's are on the list.  You may recall how I posted about wanting to set these on point.  Well, I'm over that.  

*smile*

The setting is going to be 4 x 5 plus sashing and borders.  I will aim for a nice queen size for my bed.  

The above picture was taken yesterday morning after the rearrangement. I now have all the plates made and only 5 more to blanket stitch to their foundations, woo-hoo.

You can see I still only have 4 NY Beauty blocks made.  I do need to make at least one soon here so I don't forget the technique!

And a way down at the end of the wall are 8 random block-a-days.  I want to put them together with a solid fabric--saw an inspiration  quilt for it on Pinterest; forgot to pin it or pinned to wrong board (done that before)-- but that's OK as I saw another inspiration quilt today. 

***

Last Saturday Paul-michael called.  

He was in the 'burgh and wanted to know if he could stop for a little visit before having to head back to Emmitsburg on Sunday morning.

"HECK YAH, come on over!"  I said calmly.  ;)

After lunch he and Meg went out on the deck.

I was cleaning up and spied them out the kitchen window.

One of those moments, 

                  nothing special really 

but it made my heart swell.

You know what I mean.  

 Sometimes life is so good it wells up and leaks out my eyes.

the first 4

New York Beauties

I'm happy with them all.  The one on top left is the only one a little off- you can see the bottom of the outside background piece is too narrow by a good 1/4 inch.  I'm not sure what went wrong but I can always re do it.  

I'm going to wait since I need 36 total blocks the chances of having more like that are high.  If I have 2 like that next to each other it won't stick out as off.

NYB Simplified

Here is my first block.

6 1/2 inch block

Last night was our first quilt guild meeting of the year.  Linda J Hahn was our speaker.  She gave an excellent trunk show of all the quilts in her book and is a very funny lady too!

Today was the workshop, but I wasn't sure if I could make it with vacation and all so I didn't sign up.  

I had bought this book months ago when I decided I really wanted to make a NYB one day.

As you might recall, paper piecing and I don't get along.  So after a successful newbies class on the subject last year through the guild I got all excited, bought the book and then just as quickly was distracted!  

This morning I thought I better give it an attempt.

  This 6 1/2 inch block took me 2 solid hours.  I messed up 3 times and then turned the book upside down -and wallah I could do it.  I sewed right on the printer paper that I had.  I'm going to head out now and see if I can find some EQ printable foundation that Linda recommends-it doesn't have to be removed.  We felt her quilts after the lecture and you can not tell there's anything in there.

I also want to get a 9 1/2 inch square ruler. 

I need rotary cutter blades too- 45mm and 28mm.  Last night while I had 5 minutes before I had to leave to pick up Libby (she finally decided to try the guild!) I changed the blades on my cutters---none of them worked well.   I hate doing that 

little job.  I'm afraid of those things.

*******

fun times, fun times.  Life is Good.

Vacation 2

Yesterday, the 12th, I got up before the sunrise so I could get myself down to the beach to watch it.  It always takes me a couple days here before I can get up for it.  It always amazes me how fast the sun comes up once it peeks over the horizon.

*****

September 13

Today although the forecast was saying sunny and 80.  It is very cloudy & windy.  When the sun does peak out it is probably 80!  I went for a very long walk this  morning and along the shore was a huge, dead sea turtle.  I called Paul and told him to get down there with the camera!  I heard one of the others standing by saying they had called it in.  Which I assume meant to some authority to come and remove it and or document it.

When we here last year, we saw a couple of the NEST volunteers watching/guarding a turtle nest.

I did sit at the beach for a few hours today reading State of Wonder

It's really good!!

Tomorrow is Friday.  

We leave Saturday. 

 How can this be? 

We just got here.

******
September 14

Our last day on the beach.  The weather was perfect.  The water warm, the waves huge (a little too huge for me, thank you very much).

I finished my book.  We went out for dinner.
We got our stuff packed up.
It was the fastest vacation yet-and we did next to nothing.

I'm already dreaming of next year!