Retreat!!

The Quilt guild I belong to had it's annual retreat over the weekend.

I'm always a bit negative about going on retreats.  It seems like such a bother gathering up all my stuff and taking it to a strange place to sew. When I already have an organized routine at home.  

But after getting settled in, I'm happy I did.

Of course:

I packed too much!  

I ate too much.

I laughed too much-no that's not possible! But you know what I mean.

I made some new friends. (Hi Mary Lynne!) and got to know some of the other guild members a little better and attached a few more names to faces. 

And I got a lot done.  

I thought I would get much more done but isn't that how it always is?

The two latest blocks in Jenny's Curve it Up Quilt along were first.

Here's all my blocks so far.

I pieced all 85 of the 90 blocks I need for Urban Candy.  I didn't finish the final five because I didn't have enough of the colored curve pieces cut!  How the heck did that happen!

They are cut now and I will post a picture soon.

They need pressed before I put 'em up on the design wall.

Although I'm not thrilled with the colors, this quilt is not for me and I'm excited to see all the blocks together.

And finally, I pieced 8 of these X blocks.

Four blocks (12 inches each) make an X.  I'm using my strings to make the centers. After all the curved piecing I did, it was very nice to slip back into mindless sewing.

I've finished quilting a huge quilt for Libby and can't wait until she picks it up so I can show a few pictures.  She says she hasn't been on the blog for a while but just in case I want her to see this one in person first.  

Oh and I got a new pattern.

oh my gosh! I can't wait to make this one!!

First finish of' the new year

My first finish is my Strings & Stars quilt.  I finished the binding and washed & dried it on the 6th, took the picture outside!  

 

The temperature was in the 50's yesterday and suppose to be in the 40's all week.  I overheard a lady after church saying 'every week with out snow is one week closer to spring.' 

Strings & Stars is one of the 3 unfinished projects from one of my 2010 lists.  

The others are: 

 my 2nd "The Witch is In" door banner. 

I finished the blanket stitching on that yesterday

and  small treasures 

which is about 1/2 done. 

 I cut it out with the intention of it being a leader/ender project.  But I was so busy quilting in Nov/Dec. that sewing didn't really happen enough to get this one done.  

I know I could just keep on L/E it, but I want it done...must finish all on the list...must finish...which really isn't relevant since I've moved them to the 2012 list.

I have my 'Official 2012 Goals" done and will post it separately.  

I've made a tad bit more progress on the Santa rug.

 But forgot to take a picture. 

I do hope to get at least one row of the OBW sewn together so I can have a new picture for tomorrow's DWMonday.

Strings & Stars and other stuff

The front

(70 x 70)

The back

 I did "dwirling" on it. I did about half of it on New Year's day and then finished it today.  I used it as a break from all the culling, sorting, filing and shredding that somehow started this morning with me looking for one simple document and sort of snowballed into a massive file clean out which is a good thing but not what I had planned on.   

******

I'm working on hooking the grey background on Skinny Santa. I set the timer for 20 minutes this morning.  

I still have hopes of finishing this in January but twenty minutes a day is not going to cut it.

******

 We went up into the attic on Monday.

The stink bugs were every where. But they're hibernating or whatever it is they do so at least they weren't stinky! 

 I was concerned about all the children's books that I packed away and all my cross stitch pieces. 

Whatever possessed me to store them up there!?-who knows.

Oh wait!

 I live in a tiny house with no storage and I probably just lost my mind and did it 

and then something happened (life)

and I forgot I even did it.... 

..yep I think that was it, 

outa sight outa mind.

So I'm happy to report that although, we shouldn't have waited until a FREEZING, SNOWY day to do this (better than in the heat of summer, I know)

 the books were fine. 

not even the tip of the book hoarders iceberg-he he

2 books from MY childhood...oh the memories

My cross stitch pieces were fine too, I had wrapped them carefully-some are coming out of their frames-I framed them all myself so that's to be expected. The masking tape I used to hold them to the mats lost their stickiness-no biggie.

not even 1/2 of them

 Those four little dolls in embroidery hoops-the lace around them has yellowed. 

I completely forgot I had even made them.

dated 1990

I was ruthless in my culling of all the other boxs of treasures crap we brought down.  Amazing how ten years will change treasure to trash!  I carted all the good stuff I no longer need to hold onto down to the local St Vincent de Paul store.  Yeah.

*******


I've been very strong in not starting any new projects this year and we're already FOUR days into 2012.
Whew!
I know I'm a pillar of self control.


It's going to end soon...
I can feel it...

sigh.  

It's a flimsy!

Strings & Stars (70x70)

Otis was happy to help hold that pesky red star in place while I took the picture.

He's trying to get on my good side again over the fact that after having a bath yesterday and looking quite handsome, he lost his mind this morning and rolled in something quite delightful  awful and had to have another bath.
 He feels terrible about this weakness of his.

He should.

I'm here

slaving away  having a good time!

What a crazy busy week, appointments, lunch out with my sister, sewing.

Two days of deconstruction renovation.  They got more wiring done and now I have light switches where I need them! yeah! They made a lot of noise  and now my laundry tubs are moved and the drain is moved and I have more room in what used to be a laundry room.  But it's not a room now as they took the walls down too. Whew!  It looks pretty bad- noooo pictures! 

I spent a long time cleaning (again) after they left.  I cover everything with plastic that I can't move out but it's still a dusty mess.  I've probably cleaned the basement more times in the last 3-4 months than I have in all the years we've lived here.   ewwww, maybe I shouldn't reveal so much about me.

We went to the Penguins home opener! So much fun, but dang Paul and I yawn a lot in between rooting them on!  

I'm still working on piecing Quilts for Kids.  The leftover one is #9 for the year + the 2 NI CU one's I donated earlier this year makes 11.  I had set a goal of 1/month so I'm a little ahead. 

Wow that's different.

this one is with all the leftover blocks from the others!

I finished the baby quilt for my friend's daughter.  She had her baby girl yesterday! whew!

I wasn't able to attend the "newbies" class for guild last week as oldest son came home for fall break and visited!  (I thought he was staying at school) So it was a nice surprise.  

In the class, we were making this little runner.  I made it last night (late-apparently I can no longer drink decaf coffee in the evening; even the shot of Bailey's Irish creme( 'yum') in it didn't have any affect.  I have the binding pinned going to try to do that tonight.  

Would you believe that's the 1st time I used prairie points?  Easy peasy!

I quilted Witchy-poo and the 2 new little jacks quilts.  Witchy-poo is destined to be a pillow and the 2 little jacks I want to put those corner thingy's on the back for hanging-like you're suppose to do for AAQI quilts. I'm definitely gearing up to make one or 2 of those in the future. I think the technique is cool-for the little triangle/hanger.
EDIT: The correct term is "Fast Finish Triangles" .  

I'm also about 1/2 way finished with the blanket stitching on The Witch is In,  

I can not wait to get this on my front door.  

2nd edit:  The blanket stitching is done! woo-hoo!

Oh Strings & Stars is STILL on the design wall!  The center is sewn together I really need to take an hour add an inner border and the 2 side star borders and then I'll be able to see how much more I need to add to it....just an hour....or two.

My to do list is crazy long and I'm not starting another thing until it's caught up.  

A sewing day

Yesterday morning I decided to make it a sewing day.  I quilted most of the day and evening on Monday and needed a break. 

 It felt good and I got a lot done but as always thought I should have accomplished more.

The binding is on the baby quilt I made a little label for it too.

I printed out updates for my photo journal. I still need to print out pictures of finishes. Perhaps today or tomorrow.

I wrestled the big bear put the binding and label on My Christmas quilt.

I put together this Quilts for Kids top.

  I took a few minutes before I started assembling it and wrote down the amount of fabric needed for one.

And then last night I went to Jo Ann's and bought some fabric for another one. It's all been washed and waiting to be pressed and cut.  

I have the center rows sewn together on my string quilt. 

(same ole picture, forgot to take an updated one).

I just realized I didn't think about a stop border fabric for this quilt. I could have picked that up last night too. Dang, I'm going to have to go shopping again! Dang!

 ;)

I did not get to my 1/2 bushel of apples for apple butter yet.  

Today I must clean. 

 I think I can put off grocery's for a few more days. 

Then I'm going to try for another sewing day. 

I finally got this kit in. I ordered it a while ago but it was on back order.  I remember I wanted to get it last year, but the same deal (back ordered) so I just forgot about it.  I'd seen a sample when I was on that "Spooktakular Bus Tour" a few years ago and was really sorry that I didn't purchase the pattern then. It's been one of those things that kept bugging me: " you should have got it when you had the chance, you should have got it..."  

I also have a paper piecing block of a witch that I downloaded who knows when last year that I found and was going to attempt yesterday but I had no solid black fabric in my stash!!  I couldn't believe it.  Isn't that a staple or something? Like sugar and flour in the pantry. 

Oh and I don't think I showed this picture.

I finally made pillowcases (using that cool tube method). 

I know everyone has been making these for e.v.e.r.  I'm just late to the party. Two of these have been gifted but the rest will be donated for one of  my guild's community service project.   

I took a kit home from the meeting last month and after making it went and got all this fun fabric to make more.  

Oh, the sun did come out yesterday.

 I'm hoping it shows up again today. 

 I missed it.

Fun times, fun times. Life is Good!

We've got it figured out

I think!

Molly's 1st night with us



Molly is a shy, sweet English Setter.  Otis fell in love w/her at first sight. 

Dominate Annie did not share this feeling, she couldn't even conjure up polite hospitality-as her humans would require- or even mild disinterest. Nope, Annie wants to fight.  I understand the dog hierarchy thing. 

 I'm a bossy control freak, I admit it.  Call me the Alpha and I will say 'damn right'.

If my family were behind me right now, they'd be nodding their heads up and down furiously in agreement. But even my alpha-ness hasn't been able to make Annie tolerate Molly. Unfortunately, Otis got in the way and Annie went after him-I didn't anticipate that one! So now Otis is staying far, far away from Annie, which really makes us feel bad. 

So we're keeping them separated. 

It's a pain, yes, but workable. Annie and Otis upstairs and when no humans are around Annie in a bedroom away from Otis, for Otis's peace of mind.  Molly is in the basement.Saturday night and last night she slept there, where we put her bed. 

Happily, I have a working bathroom down there and the priming is done on the walls so I plan on quilting this week, as I normally would and keep Molly company.   I quilted on HQ last night; my Evening Shadows Bl-a-Day sampler, and Molly slept the whole

 time. 

Yesterday afternoon I was down sewing some strings blocks and realized I was bored out of my mind.  So I counted how many blocks I had (35) and made one more. I arranged them 6 x 6 on my design wall and am calling it quits on the string quilts.  (for now anyway)

I realized, while trying to put the blocks on my design wall, my HQ is too close to the wall for me to work comfortably.  So now I need to try to rethink HQ's spot or a new place for the design wall. 

******

Oh man it is getting so dark here and I can hear thunder rumbling.  Otis and Molly are afraid of storms....this should be interesting.

******

Fun times, fun times...Life is Good!

work continues

on the basement (the walls are up! I can 'see' how it's going to look: good!)

And I'm sewing upstairs, which can be a pain when I need something that is downstairs, but I'm adjusting and it's a good reminder of how I used to sew all the time and how lucky I am to have a dedicated area for sewing/quilting now.

 I made these string blocks

and then when I was culling my binder of "Quilts I want to make some day"--you know the one that I'd have to live to be 400 to even come close and that's if I would quit adding to it; I found a free pattern that was given out at one of the Shop Hops from years gone by.

It's called Stack of Scraps by Susan Fuquay

These 3 rows are 6.5" wide and 60" long and then you're suppose to put a stripe fabric in between the rows (4.5 inches, I think) and then a wider one (6.5 inches) for the outer borders.  But I'm thinking of making another row or two with the stars. I got tired of making them and put it aside. 

I've been continuing the Zentangling. 

On Sunday, I brought my quilts out of hiding. There is going to be a cedar closet for quilt storage and I wanted to see how many I could fit.

This is a pile of 30!
It's not all of them. 
I refolded them to measure 14 x 35 as I think that's the inside area of the closet.
This stack measures about 40 inches high! 
Reminds me of the story The Princess and the Pea!

I started the Schnibble Winter White but couldn't find where I had put the pieces.  I found them finally yesterday and this afternoon I had a flimsy.
The fun continues.

Block-a-Day Quilt Week 3

Here are week #3's blocks.

I also finished my Color wheel Strings quilt, (68 x 86) in fact just about 15 minutes ago!  (no binding yet)I did a free hand Baptist Fans and Blue variegated Superior thread on top and So Fine, ecru in bobbin.

Here's a picture of the quilting. 

One of the things on my goal list for 2010 was to use my leftover blocks for the backing on a quilt.  These leftovers are very random and I just wanted to get them used. 

This week when I've had a chance I've been working on sewing my small crazy curve blocks together. I'm using the Morris Workshop fabric line for this quilt and it should finish queen size. 

And here is Libby's quilt made with the same fabric line and using same pattern.  She didn't want a queen size quilt so she pieced the front and used the rest for the back to make it reversible.

Design Wall Monday Week 3

The design wall is in the background; it's empty.  This is the next Block-a-day block. As you can see from my calendar, I'm on the 19th! One day ahead-Woohoo for me, I'm sure I'll fall behind at some point!  This week I will work on the Bl-a-days and I have 2 quilts I'm going to try to get done. 

Design Wall Monday Week 2

The block is January 11th's Block-a-Day . I cut it out last night so it's already to go.  I'm going to try to use fabrics that 'go together' for each weeks blocks.   It will help when I go to make a quilt from all these blocks.


And here is the 'cut and ready for fusing' t-shirt pile for the 2nd quilt!  I'm real happy with the progress made on them.

And here is my strings quilt that was last weeks DWM post. I put the border on yesterday; just squeaked by with the 1 1/2 yards of this fabric that I had in the stash.

Design Wall Monday

  I got the string blocks sewn together yesterday and it's to heavy to pin back up on the wall.  I need to add a border, right now this measures 54 x 72. I arranged the blocks for  a  color wheel effect going around the black and brown blocks in the center--that's about as artsy as I'm getting!  

I used up almost all of my light strips.  I have a ton of the different colored ones though.  I was thinking of another one but all  random darks with a light center strip...still letting that one simmer.

Design Wall Monday

This is on my wall. The 2 blocks off to the upper right are my BOM from Shannon's blog that I decided to do this year. It started in November, but I didn't make mine until last week--made 'em both at same time so if you think you'd like to do this, you're not too far behind!

The string quilt I'm not sure if I'm going to make another set for a 4th row of squares to make it twin size--going to have to think on that.  I do want to put wide borders around this one though, we'll see.

Remember to go to Judy's to see what's on other's design walls.  This is the last one for '09!

I'm ready, I think

and if it's not done, it's not getting done.  I enjoyed baking cookies yesterday and I finished today.  The food it bought, the few gifts we have are wrapped and under the tree.  My very own quilt is fresh out of the dryer and I can't wait until this evening to sit under it and maybe finally finish The Hour I First Believed  by Wally Lamb.  It's taking me forever to read and it's good.  It looks like Otis approves; it's good for napping.

Last night I stayed up way too late and made 2 quilt blocks.  I'm going to make a BOM quilt this year. I saw it on Shannon's blog a few weeks ago.  

I bought background fabric for it last week, a light brown batik, but when I started pulling from my batiks the brown was not giving me enough contrast so I nixed that.  Amazingly, *wink* I had enough of another lighter batik already on the shelf that will work fine.

The pink one is November's block, but it was a bit more challenging so I made December's block (purple one) first. 

I've made a little process on the strings quilt too.  I need to go and organize the sewing room and maybe make a list of my ufo's and new projects etc.