Design Wall Monday& Curve it Up QAL

Block 11 Drunkard's Path

16 inch block

 

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My stack 'n slash has been fun.  I think it's close to being done.

I started with 5 inch charms, alternating white and batiks.

They squared up to 3 3/4".  

 I made a second set of blocks and cut some white squares to fill in and separate them.

I made a 3rd set of blocks and cut some larger white strips and squares.

Two reasons for this: 

1. I really want the color to be spread out.

2.  I was trying to make it work without having to piece another set of blocks.

This is where it is now. 

I do believe I will make that last set of blocks.  If I add a border and sew these together now it will be a bit small for a baby quilt. 

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This weekend I needed a quick little something to go with a birthday gift card so I enlarged a bunny applique and made these two tea towels. 

One was for the birthday girl--one was for me!

and while I was digging around to find the perfect fabric for the bunnies I found this dog panel quilt all done except the binding. 

 

Imagine that! Me, not finishing the binding!!

The binding wasn't even made, what a slacker!

Now it is, sewn on and I'm half way around hand sewing it to the back.

It will be donation quilt for Quilt for Kids.  

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.

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

DWMonday

My design wall is the same.  This is what it looks like when I'm piecing leftover batting together.  I got the bag out and started sewing just for my OB Wonder top and then it becomes like a game of how can I get these pieces to fit.  Then I get bored and  feel like I've wasted time.  I made a good dent with the big leftover pieces but I still have a pile of small pieces that would be better left alone until a little project comes along, which I'm sure will be soon.

First of all, I did get a script for the poison ivy and it has helped a lot, between Prednisone, liquid Benadryl and spray benadryl I was able to deal with the itch until is subsided.  

This past weekend was a bike trip!  fun-fun.

1st fuel/rest stop in Ohio

That's our bike on the left.  We went to Put-in-Bay Ohio

The weather was great.  We stayed in Port Clinton and took the Ferry's to the Island.

 Friday we rented a golf cart and toured around then on Saturday we took a different ferry with our bikes. They were parked mostly since we had brunch and then walked all around, looked in the shops, sat on a covered porch and had smoothies and relaxed. Oh my it was so lovely.  Saturday afternoon we had dinner    on the covered deck of a restaurant on one of the Marina's.  I'm not a big seafood person, but I had fresh yellow perch.  I have been trying to remember a better meal.  It was delicious.  I was so relaxed I could have melted into the chair.  

Um, and all I drink is water and iced tea. 

No alcohol was required.

I did spy a quilt shop and we stopped in.

The Nautical Needle. 

I enjoyed talking to the owner, who was working on a customer quilt. She was doing a panto and once again I'm thinking I really need to take some time (when?) and learn to use them. 

The guys were interested in the Gammill for about 3 minutes and then they just sat in the chairs and enjoyed the AC.  I bought a Schnibbles pattern "George" and a FQ bundle of Bar Harbor fabric (Minick and Simpson). 

We got home Sunday in the early afternoon and although I was doing laundry and getting everything ready for the week, we really tried to maintain the relaxation mode for the rest of the day.

ah.  

yea for summer.

DWMonday

Or should we call this post

"Well hot damn she finally posted something"

Here is Scrappy Happy.  I like the quilt, now that it's quilted better than the name. So that's a good thing -can always change the name.  I did wonky feathers on it and as usual while I'm quilting them I feel a dreadfulness that it's looking horrible and then when it's finished and off the frame it looks very good.

I'm not alone in this feeling w/Wonky feathers so it must be just the perspective while quilting them.  I have to work this afternoon but am hoping to get the binding made and dare I even say-sewn on. This is going to be a donation quilt that I hope to take to guild in a couple weeks and have it taken off  my hands --ie: outta my house!

(60 x 76)

and here is the backing-scrappy too!  Would you believe it took me 2+ hours to piece that all together!  I am always amazed at the time involved in piecing/quilting. I think it's because I lose all track of time when I'm doing it. :)

Here's a shot of the sewing room with my design wall is in full use.

7 Dresden blocks on the right; I have 3 more waiting for their blanket stitch  so they can join the others on the wall.

 19 granny square blocks on the left, there is another row down there that HQ's table is blocking.  I was going to make 20 blocks and arrange 4 x 5 but now am thinking I will make it 5 x 6.  

 

Now it's time to get some house stuff done, some sewing done but first to call the doctor.  I got poison ivy-don't know where/how and it's not horrible but it keeps popping up every day a new little patch of hellish itchiness. 

Everyone is telling me I need to get a shot or something to stop it.  So I am trying to be good and listen to 'everyone'.  Besides I don't know how much longer I can take the pink Benedryl stuff-it is helping the itch but it tastes so nasty-yikes. No wonder children have fits over taking medicine.  

gag, gag.

dwmonday

72 x 90

Fire Escape is all together-the color is off in this picture it's not drab at all.  The new lights in the basement are super bright, which is good for my eyes but I will have to figure out how to take better pictures. maybe.

HQ is working fine.  I called about the stall lights and they said it will not cause any problems. But if I want I can send the front handles in and they'll check it out further....hmmm maybe someday when I don't have a ton of quilting to do.  Or if I really get into panto's (after I re-learn how to do them).

I'm about oh 1/3 of the way done with this quilt.   It's going to be very pretty, if I do say so myself; very feminine.  

My work schedule has calmed down but that just means time to do stuff around here.  

And biking season is here finally.  We went for 5+ hours yesterday. (my butt hurt) and saw Cucumber Falls at Ohiopyle State Park.  

Lovely.

 I've been googling waterfalls, thinking that might be a fun destination idea for rides.  We've done covered bridges in the past.  

DWMonday

The basement is the same with only my smaller design wall up. The carpet install is scheduled...May 29th boo-hoo... sooo  long to wait.  I'm getting antsy about it! :) 

I miss my big design wall terribly, hell; I miss all my stuff and knowing where 90% of it is.  

The part for my HQ came in and Paul installed it.  The stall lights are still on but it seems to work.  I haven't even had time to load anything to try it 'for real'.  Today is my 7th day in a row of work!  Tomorrow I have so many things to do--haha it's not even realistic but I will try!

The design on the wall is called Fire Escape. It's a Terry Atkinson design.  And as is typical with her stuff-clear directions and pictures. It's going together easily.

 I think if I were in my old sewing room (or the new one), I would have had the top cut and pieced in one day.

sigh....the good ole days of efficient sewing at long stretches of time...sigh

I've only had to un-sew one seam as I had one of the  the white 'steps' blocks turned...Easy for me to turn  a block on any day but way easier working on the table top. (yah, that was a little whine-I smacked myself and threatened time out if it happens again...which actually sounds rather appealing at this point)  

buwahahaa

 This quilt will be twin size so it has 12 rows.  The picture shows 4 but I did another late last night.

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BIG NEWS AND MOMMY BRAGGING ALERT!!!

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Meghan was offered and accepted a position in the CV/ICU unit where she is doing her preceptor (interning)!

She has worked several 12 hours shifts and a couple 8hr ones.  She says after the 12 hours ones the 8 hour ones seem to fly by!

Yesterday the family of her patient took her aside and thanked her and said she was the most compassionate nurse they've ever had. 

It made her day.

Mine too.  

Damn I am so proud of this girl!

the official graduation picture!

Design Wall Monday

Well I finally have some blocks done for the Scrappy Dresden's. These six are blanket-stitched.  I have them on the wall on point as I'm thinking about it as a layout....

Underneath the 2 blue blocks are actually going to be pillows to go with the quilt that is on HQ-it's a customer quilt.

The little green piece way down there on the right is the background for a little mini Easter quilt from Bloomin Minds that I hope to get done tomorrow, or Wen. or Thursday. :)

Here is what it will look like when I finish it.

Here's the other design wall with my four (so far) Granny Squares blocks.  I'm thinking I'll try to make one a day. I'm trying to just be scrappy without too much planning.

(9" finish Gr.Square blocks)

And here's a final picture of the primitive pinwheels. 

It's all done.

 I love it.

(11x12)

I'm linking up with Judy today.

DWMonday

The two plates on the top are already blanket stitched to the foundation.

The one on the bottom I just finished sewing together and it's just pinned to the foundation block.  

I'm loving making these...

Last week Libby and I took a little trip to this quilt shop.  Libby needed to pick up a quilt kit she had requested and I wanted to get the additional 6 yards of grey fabric for the Dresden backgrounds.  I was so relieved that they still had enough yardage left.  Since usually I would be a day late and have to scramble to try to find it elsewhere. Whew!

H-o-p-e-f-u-l-l-y I will get it washed, pressed and the rest of the blocks cut out tomorrow.

I finally got going on quilting one of Libby's quilts.  I have the SID done around the applique blocks and the feather border is finished.

It's real pretty.

While we were at Peace by Piece, we also got the primitive pinwheels twister pattern.  I finished sewing the top (11x12) yesterday. 

 At the top of the picture you can see all my dresden blades piled up. It's a very sophisticated organizational process.
I just keep moving them out of the way from the cutting table to the sewing table, to the ironing board....I will probably continue until I drop them and get ticked off and take the time to put them somewhere safe.  I don't want to put them away and get distracted for a month or two and start a new project...
what ME? do something like THAT....Nooooo!

 and I got this pattern too.

 

oh isn't that pretty?   

Could be a possible distraction I was speaking about above....

It's queen size.  

I don't think I'll be making it that large but we'll see.  I just love the blue background.  

Design Wall Monday

(60x84)

Well, bother, this is the same picture as before.  Honestly, I took an 'it's all together picture' and I must have deleted it...obviously it looks quite the same as this or I would have noticed it...right???? 

I do have to sew an 1/8 inch seam around the entire outside edge so it's ready for quilting. I plan on doing that today and then down it goes for a bit of rest before quilting.

Last night I did finally start making the blades for my Scrappy Dresden Plate blocks from Bunny Hill Designs.  Of course, I cut a bunch of 4 inch blades and then when I started sewing them together decided I wanted 5 inch blades so technically I've started but now I must re start!

I just found this tutorial here for a Granny Square block -using 2.5 inch squares (which are breeding like rabbits in my 2.5 inch drawer) --too graphic for Monday morning?  Perhaps.

I found this link from Denise in PA.  When I looked at the block all I saw was all those little triangles around the edges--yuck bias galore.  But the tutorial shows you use squares and then trim off--excellent.  

Well it's going to be a beautiful day here!  

I have so many things planned for today and tomorrow morning.  

I don't work again until tomorrow afternoon so I've crammed into this day and a half off enough stuff for a week.  

It ain't getting done while I'm on this computer...as we all know. 

And if I even pick up the 3rd book in the Hunger Game Trilogy I'm doomed.  I'm trying not to even look at it sitting there by my chair.....tempting me...

Toodles.

DWMonday

This is on my wall. 

A new project...

How does this stuff happen?

 I do not know.  

I was looking through my 4 inch binder labeled "Quilts I'd LIKE to make".  (if I life to be 402-3)

And I saw a pattern I found here.   

Two days later this is my wall.  Well that blue block top left has been redone all scrappy, it was the first block I pieced thinking I would do a controlled color scheme, but realized I didn't have enough strips in any one fabric to do so. Hence I went scrappy-happy, which might not be a bad name...

This week I want to quilt and finish these two flimsy's:

And the binding  on H Whiskers.  

I finished quilting it yesterday. 

LOVE it!

I took these pictures late last night- will get better ones after binding is done.

And last but not least, I am STILL pulling loops on my Santa rug....finish by January....so close.

His beard gets hooked with 'roving'. That should be interesting.  

Check out what others are working on at Judy's.

DWMonday

It is all together!! 

whoop-whoop!

Someone asked last week if I had a picture of the original fabric.  That's it on the floor.  

I auditioned a few fabrics I had in the stash for borders but didn't like them.  I'm going to set this aside for a bit and ponder it.

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Small Treasures is on the wall now

I have to sew the 3rd row of flying geese together and then decide on fabrics for the rest of the quilt.  You can see a picture of the finished quilt at the end of this post here.

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My Henrietta Whiskers top is loaded on HQ so hopefully I'll get that done this week too.


I'm linking up to Patchwork Times -a great way to see what others are working on.

DWMonday

Here is my wall.

I have 4 rows sewn and the first 2 are sewn together.  Of course, the race horse in me would like all these rows together for next Monday's design wall! 

 I'm going to try but the goal on 'THE LIST' is to just get 1/2 of them together--there are 18 rows. 

Check out other design walls at Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara.

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This is an update picture from my previous post.

Sunday evening

TA-DA!
(and we're still married!)


The completed upgrade track and pole system for my HQ16!
  It is so smooth I had a bit of a learning curve with it.
The quilt loaded is a donation quilt for the guild so I'm not stressing  over it.
Now that we have it together and know how to do it.  It wasn't hard.
The actually doing it took hours....
well worth the time and  effort...
and did I mention--


we're still married.
 :)


Fun times, fun times.  Life is Good!

DWMonday

The wall is the same as last week.  I was hoping to get at least one row on the OBW sewn together but it wasn't to be.

So here is a picture of my 2nd design wall.  It's the same as before Christmas except for the bottom left. The four patch rows I got together yesterday and the four flying geese blocks...

...I only need 104 more for my small treasures mini quilt. I snagged the picture from the All People Quilt web site. 

I'm not even going to comment on the rest of the second design wall who knows how long that stuff will be there.

I've already visited a few other design walls via Judy's.

Design Wall Monday

My 3rd One Block Wonder quilt and my 1st UFO for 2012.  You can read more about it in this post if you're curious.

I've had a nice week between Christmas and New Year's, not a lot of sewing or quilting.  But the break has been good.  Paul goes back to work tomorrow and Meg back to school.  

I'm kinda looking forward to the 'ole routine again.  

In case your wondering we had a crazy, wild New Year's eve.  I was so out of control Annie and Otis had to physically restrain me.

(12:05 am 1/1/12  -5 more minutes and we'll all be asleep)

The temperature on New Year's Day was in the 50's here.  So we bundled up and went on a little "polar bear run" of our own!  A nice 40 minute ride. 

I'm going to link up to Judy's for the first design wall Monday of the new year!

fun times, fun times!

Life is Good.