Finishes and getting close to finished....

I  finally put a clothes line up along the fence for taking pictures of smaller quilts (been wanting to do that for a long time). 

Here's the first picture using it.

and the back.

Aster Manor it done too even the binding.  

I've had some days off in a row and have been keeping my nose to the grindstone!

When I needed a break from quilting, I blanket-stitched the last 6 Dresden plate to their background.  

This is it-seriously-no matter what I am not making anymore of these dang blocks.

Remember these?  They're from March/April.  I started them on a whim.  I really wish I wouldn't do that.

I pieced another 3  X blocks.  After I sew them on the layout will be 3 x4 and approximately 72 x 96. No idea what I will do with this one-perhaps take it to 'Camp diamond in the rough'.  

Which isn't quite so rough anymore--Paul and I've stayed over twice this month, but that's another post for another day.

I hoped the X's would use up a lot of strip scraps; alas, they did not.

I have a couple customer quilts to do and then I'm hoping to get 2-3 more of my own quilts quilted in September.

Aster Manor is quilted (bad weather and bad timing) so no finished photos yet...this week...

After taking it off HQ I made the binding and sewed it and the label on! whew!  

I even have about 24 inches of the binding hand sewn to the back.  

The label says "finished August 2013" so I better get busy. :)

A couple weeks ago I had been looking over my 2013 goals--it's starting to look like I won't get everything done again. 

One of the things was to finish the two embroidery pieces I have.

They've been sitting on top of my bookcase next to HQ all year, well at least since maybe March (?)

They caught my eye and before I had time to overthink anything I loaded them and got them quilted.

Now they're pinned to the 2nd design wall.  

Wonder how long they'll stay there!

I'm finishing up an adorable quilt for Libby and then my signature quilt goes on HQ.

I really like how it turned out. I'm going to quilt all over feathers on it.

The pattern is Basic Math by Debbie Grifka. 

The layer cake I used is from French General, but I can't remember the line right now.

Well one side of the family has left the 'burgh

 and this week my sister and family are in town! 

My niece walking Annie

and trying on all of Meg's and my high heels.
We painted our nails too!

 It's a whirlwind.

I get a little cranky and overwhelmed to be walking past my quilt room day after day and not having time to sew a seam.

So between Tuesday and yesterday I got in a pretty good 'sewing fix'.

The signature quilt is as together as I can get it-still need 2 blocks signed.  I took it down so I would just have the medallion blocks up. The fabrics of the 2 quilts beside each other on the DW clashed so badly it was distracting to me hurt my eyes.

The medallion blocks are pieced and arranged and now I am going back to add the corner triangles to form diamonds when sewn together. You can see a diamond down on the lower right. I'm using the same fabric for all the diamonds.

I finally finished this pillow from my Metro Rings sample block.

20' x 20"

Oh and I forgot to show Happy Jack!  He's all sewn together and now hanging in the closet.  I will have to have a free day to 'twister him up'.  

Another picnic weekend coming up and a couple long bike rides planned; if the weather cooperates.  

Lotsa quilting coming in too-so Aster Manor, which has been loaded since the 17th needs to have some major attention. I'm going to do that today, before work at 3 and after I take the car in for inspection...

fun times, fun times...

life is good!

Change of plans

Yesterday was suppose to be a Dr appt. shopping etc. But a morning call from the Dr's saying they needed to reschedule changed all that.

I decided to turn it into a sew day for me! woo-hoo!

Here are my 16 completed Metro Medallion Blocks.Of course, I'm going to make it bigger! 

Why would I ever just follow the plan and be happy that I'm ahead of the schedule?

The blocks are big 13 x 16, so this layout

 (4 x 4) makes it 52 x 64. 

If I add one more row each way (5 x 5) it will be 65 x 80.  

I have the pieces for 9 more blocks cut and I am going to add a small triangle shape to the corners of each block to make a diamond where the blocks come together. This was an option added to the QAL after it started and it really adds to the design.  

I've also been slowly sewing the blocks for my twister jack  pattern. As you see below right now he has a splitting headache ~ackk did I just say that?? 

yep! I did.  ha!

As soon as I get the top together, (maybe today) it's coming down as I have another signature quilt project started...I'm using this pattern and a layer cake of 

Chateau Rouge and I need the design wall space for that.

And I'm super excited that I finally decided to put my Aster Manor flimsy on HQ.  It's 86 x 98 and a block-a-day top. I'm going to quilt my all-over feathers in the center and do the borders separately. The back is ready too. I have a little note pinned to it saying I finished the top in Sept 2010 and I prepped the back in Aug. 2011!  

  I'm going to load it today.  OH MY Gosh binding?? I don't have anything written about making the binding...

fun times, fun times!

Life is good.

Quilting

 I did this all freehand. 

 I need to get some arc shaped rulers and learn to use them...

 I did the dresden on the left first and then thought of the squiggly rays that I did on the blue one.  

 The signature quilt is done.

This morning before work I made the binding and sewed it on this evening.

I just need to hand stitch it to the back.  

Our co-worker, whom this quilt is for, is back in the hospital so I feel an urgency to get this done.

Saturday sewing

After Shop Hopping all day Wednesday, working Thursday and finishing the Shop Hop on Friday, I was ready for some serious sewing time.

First thing was to finish the binding (by hand) on my Opal Pillow. I sat on the deck  while stitching.

 Next, I sewed the last signature block together, which meant I could sew the final row together and add it to the rest of the top!  

(54 x 64)

 I sewed a border around the Metro Rings block to get it up to size for a 20 inch pillow  and then cut the leftover batting and muslin for it and the two Dresden blocks, also destined to be pillows.  Now just need to finish a quilt that's waiting on HQ to be able to quilt these up.

And finally it was on to Curve it Up Sampler. 

I sewed the first row together and then decided I wanted to add a narrow strip between the blocks.  I measured the small piece of grey fabric I had left and figured that if I didn't make a single cutting error I would just have enough for

1 1/4 inch strips.  I would have preferred 1 1/2.

So after un-sewing the first row I got busy and have the top together now and one row of the outer sashing on...I see a flimsy in the near future.

You may remember that I LOL when Jenny & her sister challenged us to get the top done by July 1. 

But then they added that those who did would be entered to win 3 of her patterns....that stopped the lol-ing. :)

Is there a method to this madness?

After running around this morning trying to get an organized list for

 Shop Hop, I thought perhaps I'd sit down and sew a small border around the MetroRings block I made yesterday and have it ready to quilt.  

But I didn't do that.

and get these 2 ready for quilting too. I didn't do that either.

 I took down the signature quilt rows---it's as together as I can get it until I have the last 2 signed blocks.

I was going to put up the Curve it up blocks and figure out the fabrics for the final outside border (keep it the same grey/white or instead of the grey use one of the yellow prints I bought but hardly used for it oh and make sure I have enough)

um, I didn't do that.

I was sick of looking at the Bl-a-days in rows  on the other side of the design wall so I started sewing them together and after a few hours;

a new flimsy.

(61 x 77)

Oh and after looking at the picture of the curve it up blocks while I'm writing this post, I think I will be using the grey/white to finish the top.

Design Wall Monday

This is a sample block of MetroRings 

I purchased the pattern and one for Metro Hoops so I could take the patterns with me on Shop Hop this week and get the fabrics for it.

This is Jenny's curved interpretation of the classic Double Wedding ring block.  I've never been a big fan of DWR probably because most that I've seen are done in 30's feed sack colors, which I am not fond of, and also those pieced arcs--yikes!

After downloading the pattern and reading it over, I thought perhaps I better sew a sample before spending a lot of $.  

~~wisdom comes with age~~

The  pieced arcs are sewn first using 2.5 inch strips-I used a partial jelly roll I had.

Of course I don't have enough of the jelly roll left to make the entire quilt.

But that's OK. This block is going to be a pillow gift.  Pillows are happening a lot here lately!

I did have enough of the jelly roll and some random 2.5 inch strips in the bin for the Metro Rings quilt.  woo-hoo 

*****

Today I am going to try to get the signature quilt as together as I can.

I still need two signature blocks returned to me but I can get most of it together.

almost a ta-da.

I have the blocks all sashed but need to made 28 more units to go round the outside to frame it nicely.

The challenge was thrown down to have the quilt together by July 1.

I laughed....out loud.

One of my coworkers had a stroke.  She's doing well but it will be a long recovery.

This is the signature quilt I'm making for her.  I have all the blocks ready now, just need all the ladies I work with to get the signed pieces back to me...

The colors are a bit off, it's very soft, feminine and has a peaceful feel. I think it fits the bill. It's all from stash and most of it is actually charm packs,  French General some light CW...forget the designer

I finally finished quilting a H.U.G.E. customer quilt 102" x 121"

all over feathers, I never thought it would end.  I timed myself and it took me an hour and 15 minutes for one pass...yikes!

 Jenny  is having a new QAL-perfect timing as our local Shop Hop is next week and now I have something to actually shop for.

I quilted up this pillow yesterday morning, forgot to take a picture. I'm going to make binding for it now and then I'll show it all finished.  

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.