I'm back

I'll be doing general posting now.  I haven't done a lot of quilting lately - little bits here and there.

I support our teacher, Mickey Charleston- our meeting is every Monday.   Even though I don't often like the project - they're very old-fashioned - I make some of them - and it keeps me busy and interested in general in quilting.   The class is making a pumpkin today - since I made several last year, I won't make one now.  I am making the animal blocks that she is making.  They are from Elizabeth Hartmann's selection/quilt.  I've made a bunny and a fox, and have cut out another fox and a dragonfly.  I don't know what I will do with the blocks, maybe a hanging.

On Tuesday's, our friendship group, battGirls, meets.  It's my turn to host this week, and I'm afraid I'll need to swiffer :(  Bugsy is shedding!  I don't like to do it - the house cleaner does it just fine for me.  Not sure what my project will be to do tomorrow - I prefer to do something by hand - maybe put a sleeve on one of the halloween quilts so I can hang it!

The Modern Quilt Guild meets every month - and I always enjoy looking at what people share, even though I never have anything to share.  They have a social time, and I rarely know anything to say to people - just not a social person, unless it's people I know very well.  I finally talked to one of the members - asked what she did - she was a computer scientist too!  different field, but anyway...  I think back now, and talked about myself instead of talking about her - that's a bad thing, and I know that now, but didn't think about that then.  I am very passionate about my work, and expressed that!

I also belong to Flying Geese Quilt Guild - and they meet every month also.  It's fun to see what people share on show and tell, and the speakers are usually very good too.

Hopefully I will blog tomorrow too,

Bags of fabric

I've been going through my fabric - filled 5 big bags with those I want to pass on to others. I was stacking them on my cutting table as I decided which to get rid of, then realized that I couldn't cut/sew with them there. Some fat quarters are still in their original folds - bought for projects long ago.  I can still change my mind on some of the fabrics as long as they're here.  Now I can continue on my octagon blocks.

Snowmen

Our friendship group met at Kathy's today and worked on our snowmen - it's going to be awesome!  After we left, Kathy finished up the borders - beautiful!

I also worked on my UFO list.  There are 6 tops done.  Two of those I am quilting myself, 3 are ready to send to the quilter, and 1 needs the back made.

There are 13 works in progress in boxes - working to make the tops.

Also 13 projects with pattern and fabric, some are kits.

I just realized today that all these projects have all their fabric - and I'm still buying fabric!!  I guess that means I'll be starting more projects!  haha

I am going through WIPs and projects - and fabric.  I know I won't use/make all of them!

I'll offer them to my friendship group, then Mickey's class.  So I'll be opening boxes and looking at fabric - seeing which ones I can let go.  Fun.

Back again

I'm back - hopefully for more regular posts.  I'll try to make short posts - and not take too long and correct every word! ha!

Today was not a quilting day - very tired.  Mickey's class today - always fun - and nice after her month's vacation.  I had nothing to show over this month, working ON things but not finishing.  The Octagon quilt is going slowly - it is going to be beautiful!  I chose the blue kit that Cecile made - wish I had chosen the happy multicolor one, but it's hard to select fabric. I will be very happy with the blue anyway - it's displayed in her shop, and I love it.

Yesterday I read a post about organizing a sewing room - just up my alley!  The first item on the list is to take a before picture, and to list UFOs, then list quilts I'd like to make.  I'm pretty well organized already, but had never listed them.  I searched my quilt piles for the completed tops, and of course had to search ALL my quilts to make sure I'd not forgotten to put them in my quilt book.  Found finished tops - 6 of them - some to quilt and some to send out.  I ordered fabric for the back of one on craftsy - batik for 5.17/yard - 4 yds will be just right - $29 with tax and shipping.  Now on to unfinished quilt tops - some have been in boxes for years!  Found 10, and listed what needed to be done yet.  And there are 13 items in my closet with pattern and all the fabric ready to go - some are kits.

Am inspired to quilt - maybe tomorrow will have more energy.  Mickey wants us to bring fabric for the next block in our row-by-row, and my MQG gave us fabric to make our BOM.  We pull tickets to win all blocks made.  I brought my 18" hanging last week to share with the other members.  The members sure do pretty work.  Mine will get better - need more creativity.

Tomorrow our friendship group will work on our group quilt to be auctioned at the bi-yearly Flying Geese Quilt Auction.  The snowman face blocks are going to be great!

OK, 20 minutes - not going to agonize over every word.  Tomorrow is another day.

A whole year

Ha!  It's been a YEAR since my last post.  I vow to post more - really because it helps me focus on what I'm doing and document my decision-making.  This is what I've been doing...

At our holiday party in December, we had another quilt block race! We made this philanthropy quilt top in less than an hour!
  

The last Mickey class of the year     A workshop with David Taylor

         

In summer, several of us went on a road trip to a wonderful modern quilt shop in Temecula.  I got lots of fabric and the kit to make this table topper.
   

Our friendship group made this butterfly quilt to be auctioned at the guild show last summer.
I entered this spring flowers quilt in the show also.



Our group made friendship quilts using blocks we exchanged with our name and a quilty quote.


I've been focused on emptying my orphan blocks box.

I made these 16-patches from Wanda Hanson's blog post a few years ago.  Mickey suggested alternating the blocks with plain blocks and setting them on point.  Here is a mockup on my design wall:


These hand-appliqued blocks were made as part Mickey's class many years ago.  I didn't finish all the blocks for the quilt and didn't know what to do with these.  I like them for a table runner, and I'll sash and border it with the speckled fabric.



These two blocks were part of a Becky Goldsmith quilt class.  I didn't finish the rest of the blocks, so I sashed these and made a small hanging.


The 3D flowers were made in Mickey's class.  I found the perfect fabric for binding - I hope there is enough!


and here is our neighborhood egret!  I love the shadow!


Hopefully I will continue to post...

Sewing Machine Troubles

My sewing machines are not cooperating...

I went to our guild's sew-in today to make pillowcases for philanthropy.  I had made 12 pillowcase kits - using up some of my inherited stash.  They're old-fashioned but I think they're pretty.  I sewed 3 pillowcases at the sew-in, but it was hard going.  My baby-lock gathers, and I had to stretch the fabric seam as I sewed.  Very frustrating.  I adjusted the tension up then down but nothing seemed to help.  I  will take it to San Juan Capistrano to a fix-it shop down there that I've used.  Janet was making a zipper bag, and said she would help me on the next sew-in.

I did make 2 of Mickey's octagon mug rugs.  I used some of my new internet-bought fabric.  I even machine quilted a little in the center.  I also started machine quilting the witch quilt (at 2 am), and the Bernina's tension is off there.  I'm using invisible thread on the top and black in the bobbin, and the black shows as dots on the top!  I again tried adjusting the tension up and down but nothing helped there either.  The backing is black, so I need to match it.  I'll delay doing more work on it until I figure it out.

I need to find out and fix both machines.  In the meantime, I can sew on the Bernina I think.  The problem is using the invisible thread.  I will choose fabric for the 'Bloom' challenge quilt.  I should be able to make the blocks and decide how they're configured.

Progress

Journaling is a way of pushing me to work so that I have something TO journal!

So, I finished the paper-pieced house and tree at least - may work more on it another time.  But I FINISHED the 2 blocks I started.  Cute - isn't it!

At our guild meeting, we were encouraged to make pillow cases to put toward the million pillowcase challenge. Our philanthropy chair made 75 kits for us to take home and make.  I just chose 3 because I've never made one.  These are the easy turn-inside-out ones.  Here is my first one - that I FINISHED, didn't leave half-done.

I'm looking at ideas for our 'Bloom' guild challenge - here is an idea I found online.  I'm thinking about making a large flower off-center and petals here and there - or scattered improvisational as the designer suggests.  It's and orange peel, using a stitch-and-flip method.








One of our guild members suggested a group BOM block and will email us the pattern.

Well, it's a start, and I'm hoping to continue working in February.

No finishes

Not much progress this month - lots of 'starting' and 'still working on', but no finished.  I sure hope to change that.  One reason is that I've still been doing a lot of reading - more Linda Barnes, Nora Roberts' bride series again, and restarting J. D. Robb's 'in Death' series.  A new book is 'Outlander' -  I loved it - looking forward to the second in that series.  I've also been doing PT and I think it may be helping some.

I have several projects in work.  The butterfly quilt my friendship group is doing is coming along - I wish we were working at a slower pace though.  My monday quilt group is doing a paper-pieced house hanging - it will be beautiful, but is really slow-going.  I've done paper-piecing once long ago, and have a hard time starting each unit.  I have almost finished 1 house and half a tree - haha.  There are 4 houses and a tree in each of 5 rows I think.

Flying Geese Guild is starting a UFO challenge - hosted by our friend Marjie!  I made my list of 6 items: the witch hanging, philanthropy baby quilt, Christmas cat, hunter star, the Mama quilt, and the sashiko moon and waves.  The first one is due in March.

Our Modern Quilt Guild met last night is always so inspiring! - the show and tell quilts and people going to Quiltcon in Austin.  I shared my new book - 100 Modern Quilt Blocks - several members had the book already.  Our current guild challenge is a Bloom quilt - due at March meeting.  I'm thinking about what I will do for it.  The national modern quilt guild is supporting a riley blake challenge - Cottage Garden fabric - due in July - we post pics in instagram.

On to quilt!

New Year

New year - yayyy!  I promise to quilt more - I swear!  I don't make new years' resolutions, but there are a few things that I do every year - clean out my purse, my wallet, the refrigerator (anything that's green and not a veggie), and the freezer (anything that's all frost).  I also ready an envelope to hold the income tax forms that will come soon.

I still read a lot - 15 books in the last 3 weeks.  I finished the Asimovs, caught up on Evanovitch and Grafton, and found a few new authors (Linda Barnes) that I like.  And I have a new toy - an iPhone 6+ that I LOVE!  And I have really fallen for SIRI - say good morning to her even - except that she's not speaking to me right now - I need to call the apple store.

My Bernina is being serviced - it's still under warrantee.  I took it in the day before Christmas and it will be gone a month!!  I can use my go-to machine but I don't really want to, and there are things I want to start!!  My friendship group, the battGirls, is making a butterfly quilt - a stack and slash(?).  We chose the fabrics and cut them, and I have a portion to do and hope my group won't be disappointed that I'm not starting for 3 weeks.  Here it is:

 At Christmas time, I got a photo of all my grandchildren with me - not often that they are all in place at one time.

At our MQG Christmas party, we had a block race.  Here are my race mates and me - we got 2nd place.

 We brought lots of dishes, talked a bunch, and took a group picture - that I haven't got a copy of yet.

I made a table runner for our Yankee Swap - a friendship braid.  I'm very proud of it!  I've forgotten the name of the fabric I used, but the binding is a Philip Jacobs that matched it perfectly.  The person who ended up with it was really happy with it! I'm told the fabric I used is by Anna Marie Horner.


Well, now that I've caught up, I will quilt more and blog less.

Books and Fabric

I've decided to blog about anything at all that I am interested in - not just about quilts.

Books:  I've finished the series of J.D.Robb's 'In Death' series through 'Concealed in Death.'   I don't think her latest two are up to the standards of her 30-some earlier ones.

I decided to read Asimov's science fiction series.  Here they are in logical order (not published order):

• the Robot Novels: I, Robot, Caves of Steel, Naked Sun, Robots of Dawn, Robots and Empire
• Galactic Empire Novels: Currents of Space, Stars Like Dust, Pebble in the Sky
• Foundation Series: Prelude to Foundation, Forward the Foundation, Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation, Foundation's Edge, Foundation and Earth

Fabric: Most of my fabric is inherited and 20-30 years old.  I have used very little of it, and it's time to get rid of it - find new homes for it if possible.  I want to get new fabric - contemporary fabric, and have very little of it.  The old fabric is in grocery bags ready to go, but Joan suggested I wait awhile until I'm sure that it should go, and I think that's a good idea.  Now, what fabric will I get.  One of the ladies in the Modern Quilt Guild uses very contemporary fabric, and I talked to her to find how she finds her fabric.  There are several really good ones there at Moore's and I will get some of it today maybe.  Some of it is "Paint" by Carrie Bloomston for Windham, and I've been looking online at her other lines.  I found another online - "Meadowlark" by Melanie Teste for Windham also.  It's fun to browse online!  I'll also look among my fabrics for the designers I like.

Long Dry Spell

I haven't posted or finished any projects for awhile.  Posting makes me more productive, so I need to post more.  Besides blogging is fun!

We learned to make these cute folded flowers in Mickey's class.  It has a bit of sashiko in the corner.  I haven't done sashiko in awhile - forgot how much I enjoyed it!  She has a collection of 25 different blocks - all different beautiful flowers!  This one is clover.

We also made this cute bed runner in Mickey's class.  Abby (the cat!) likes to lie on it!

This throw was for the Michael Miller challenge in July.  We were given several fat eighths to use, and I added some of his that I already had.  I forgot that I wasn't to use any other printed fabric and used this pretty Kaffe Fassett print as binding and back.  Oh well!  I posted the picture on flickr just 15 minutes before the deadline.  It was fun to participate!

I finally finished the top of this Riley Blake challenge quilt - it was supposed to be done in March!  I got the idea from Jenny on Missouri Star Quilt Co.  The quilts on that site are usually traditional, but this was more contemporary.  Half hexagons are pieced into each column, then matched to the hex in the next column.  I've hand basted the quilt and am stumped on quilting it.  I've gotten several suggestions - still deciding.

To have something to work on with my hands, I got out this cute Halloween hanging.  It's glue-basted hand-appliqued.  The accessories are just pinned on - I can appliqué them while watching tv now.

Here is the Advent Calendar I made a few weeks ago.  I bought the kit some years ago - it was on sale for $9.











I belong to a new friendship group!  I think it's going to be fun!  We meet every 2 weeks at each other's homes.  Next meeting we are going on a road trip to the National Quilt Exhibition at the Oceanside Art Museum!

End of March

It's the end of March and I have nothing finished or even in work to show for this month!  I follow ExuberantColor's blog - read it every morning with my coffee, and wish I accomplished a fraction of her work.  Part of my reason is many of my projects are very long term - elaborate hand appliqué begun by my mother and continued by me - hopefully in my lifetime!  And I'm also a non-finisher - good intentions, bad follow-through.

I just learned that one of my quilting buddies has cancer.  I'm putting off visiting her until I can do so without crying.  I remember doing the same with my mother, and when I finally got to the hospital, she was happily talking with one of the hospital attendants about his daughter!  I'm at loose ends today.

I encourage my family to take quilts that they like, but that just doesn't happen.  At first it bothered me that they just don't like/appreciate them, but I realize that I really make them for ME.  Some I don't like anymore - some are purple, some are old-fashioned jewel tones, but I look back and see that I learned something from each one and that is important to me.  I take photos and give those to philanthropy and document what I learned in my quilting book.

I'm going to quilt some today - more appliqué and a fabric Easter basket.

Morning Glory Progress

No quilting finishes at all so far this year!  I got a new mac early this year and have been taking classes, learning everything I can.  I transferred all photos from my PC, and I now know a LOT about iPhoto.  I have basic knowledge on most other things, but still have trouble printing.

I finally finished the last bit of appliqué on this second corner of my morning glory quilt.  I also pieced the rest of the flower and leaf units for the remaining two corners.

I have a good start on the stems of the 3rd corner.  The stems are my least favorite part!

Mama took this photo of the finished quilt.  Jeri Lopes designed it, and she sent me instructions after mama died so that I could finish what mama started.  There was no pattern.  Mama had bought the fabric - so much that both my cousin Marce and I had enough to complete our quilts.  We began in 1995, and Marce finished hers long ago!  Hopefully I won't take too many more years to finish mine.

Here is my Riley Blake challenge quilt - that was due to be 'flicker'd a week ago.  It's still in strips on my design wall.

I had a visitor a few weeks ago - a heron, I believe.  I don't know why he is so far inland.  

Maybe I'll finish something in March. 

Last of 2013

I would love to post my 2013 finishes and progresses!  I bungled around Picasa 3 this morning and couldn't see how to use it to collage my year's work.  So I will just post what I'm doing currently!

 I am working on the 'red quilt.'  It's layered and the quilting on the inner part is finished - I quilt 'near the ditch' often, and am slowly getting more accurate.  I am deciding what to quilt the border.  The layers slip - maybe I need more pins.

These small pin cushions were fun to make.  They are 4 1/2 inches and were made with charm squares, buttons, and poly pellets.  I will share them with the ladies in my friendship group as New Year's gifts!

My cat Abby has decided she likes to stretch out in my lap if I'm cuddled in a quilt - especially if I'm hand sewing.  She's fascinated by the thread traveling in and out!

I won't make any New Year's resolutions - it is too disheartening when broken! But I find myself automatically making new starts by cleaning out my purse and closets - and the MOST fun, re-organizing my fabric!  I bought some nice size boxes on sale at Costco and put my small, less-used, old-fashioned fabric in them.  I can still see the fabrics because I (compulsively) ordered them so that each one, no matter how small, can still be seen.  The larger, multi-yard pieces I keep separate for backs.  Now I can use the extra saved space to spread out my batiks and contemporary fabrics.

I enjoy reading Exuberant Color's blog every morning with my morning coffee.  Hopefully I will find the time and quilting progress to blog more often in the new year.

December already

Christmas is creeping up on me.  I've finished making the gifts for my children, have been given a few ideas for giving to my grands, and have partially made little pin cushions for my quilty friends.

This hanging is my homage to my Alaska cruise.  The zentangle animals were cut from fabric I bought there.  I'm trying to place the animals and select fabrics all at once. This will be a modular quilt - quite a departure for me!

I want to sometimes change the quilt hanging in my loft, and felt this one deserved to be seen.  I smile every time I come upstairs!

 I didn't shop Black Friday, but my daughter-in-law and her mom and aunt did.  Here they are looking over the ads and making a list of shops and intended purchases. 





I have a lot of gift shopping to do before Christmas and I'm trying to quilt a few things in between trips.  I'd like to finish this Alaskan animal quilt and get a good start on the 'red' MQG quilt and Riley Blake challenge.

Christmas Progress

The Snow family is finished except for the child's nose and a bit of hand-binding that I am leaving for something to do in quilt class today. I don't know what I'll do to make that nose.  It's so small...

I brought out the box of tall Christmas trees that I work on each year.  I made a stack of pieces so that I just need to sit down and start sewing.  I'm not sure who they will go to, but I love making them.

Working more on my witch.  All is turn-edged, placed, and appliqued onto the background except for the shoes, broom, and objects that are falling out of her pocket.  The jack-o-lantern took all one morning - has 11 pieces! I needed to get that witch off of my design wall so that I can continue with other projects.

The Riley Blake charm pack arrived in the mail and luckily go with 2 of the pieces that I am required to use.  This is for the Riley Blake challenge due in February.  I am planning on a throw with an easy hex pattern.

This 2-handed pot-holder was a gift for me as an exchange challenge last month at my modern quilt guild meeting.  I will take it today to quilt class as an example of an easy gift to make for Christmas.  It's 24 inches long, but I would suggest making it a bit longer so that it will hold a casserole.

I've never crazy-quilted, so this rose is my learning experience.  My sides keep getting larger and melding, and I don't know how to avoid that.  I will ask for help at the class today.


I will continue working on the colorwash challenge due in the January modern quilt guild meeting, and the Riley Blake taupe quilt due in February, and more Christmas gifts of course.  Only 5 weeks until Christmas!

witchy woman

Even though Halloween is past, I'm working on my witch.  Her body is complete except for the hands, and I need to applique her pocket contents that have fallen out when she hit the tree.  I thought I could get away without doing those items, but it is unbalanced without them.  I'm doing glue turned-edge applique with this hanging.  It seemed to be easier than needle-turning here because of the difficulty in placing the pieces.

I'm still working on the snow family.  Have to complete the bow, the cap, and the kid's nose.  I will crazy quilt a border.  I leaped ahead and added the buttons forgetting that I need to wait until the quilting is done.

When I took my sampler quilt into class for help in basting, we found that my basting is ok except for the borders!  Yayy - I don't need to take it apart!  I found a simple braid pattern to use on the sashing, and will begin work on it after Christmas.

There are two challenges due in the new year for my Modern Quilt Guild.  One, due in January, is for a quilt with red in it(!!??)  I'm planning a color wash in taupes, with bits of red in it.  I need a wider range of color than I have so far.

I am making a quilt for a Riley Blake challenge - due in February.  I'm not crazy about her fabric - her groups tend to be a novelty with blenders, but found some  online that I will use.  I'm thinking about making hex groups on a bold background.

My poor avocado seed was not doing anything after several weeks, so I turned it over and put the large end down.  I don't remember which end produces the roots.  We'll see if it does better now.

A Step Backward

My lovely sampler will have to wait to be re-layered...  My table is not big enough to hold the whole quilt and the backing bunched!  I need to layer it on the floor or take it to class for friends to help with it.

I thought I might work on this nativity scene since Christmas is coming.  The background is complete, but there are a LOT of figures and animals,and lots of pieces to each one. I think it will be really pretty, but it's really intimidating, and I can't work on it just now.




The cable guy is coming tomorrow, so I am watching Harry Potter movies!  It's just too quiet otherwise.