Flimsy Finish

I added the borders to my Scrappy Trip Around the World top. This is one of Bonnie Hunter's free patterns. I made 42 blocks and set them 6 x 7 and added  a 4.5 inch border. The top now measures 80 by 92. If I get the binding done today I can pair it with one of my wide backs and move it out to the quilt shack. This will be one more thing (or pile) out of my way.

Even though I had a lot to do yesterday, a good book had me hooked most of the afternoon. Hope the rest of the week will be more productive.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Planning Ahead

It is the last Sunday in June and the week ahead looks kind of busy. On Tuesday I will take Daddy for his treatment so that pretty much takes the whole day and on Thursday we have a road trip planned to the Guntersville Museum. The Museum has had quilts on display all month and Thursday there is a QOV presentation scheduled. Several of us plan to make the trip and just make a day of it.

It is a good thing I didn't have a long list last week. The stormy weather  kept me out of the quilt shack a big part of the week. I did get one quilted on Tuesday and got it delivered and quilted two small ones on Saturday and one of them was picked up so just have one more to deliver.

This one is for Cindy's granddaughter and she picked out the fabric. She was also able to spot the ones Cindy added. This four year old knows her fabrics.

This little construction/transportation quilt was done for Donna A. I have it bound and ready to deliver either today or tomorrow.  After I got these quilted I loaded the back of the king size embroidery quilt and it is on my list to quilt this week. Hopefully having it loaded will give me a good start.

Weekly Goals for the week of June 25, 2017

1. Quilt embroidery quilt for Laura
2. Bind embroidery quilt
3. add borders to scrappy trip around the world
4. make binding for scrappy trip
5. make HST's for Jacobs Ladder blocks for 4-patch swap
6. make HST's for Blue All Around

Besides the above list I have got to do some cleaning in the sewing room. Once again every flat surface is piled up so I need to take a little time and put some things away.

I have not been keeping up with how much fabric goes in and out, I just know it is not going out fast enough. I didn't purchase any this week but I also didn't finish anything for myself so can't count anything going out.


I am linking with---
Sunday Stash Report
Slow Stitching Sunday
Oh Scrap


Happy Stitching

Teresa

Blue All Around

Yesterday while evaluating what was left on my 12 for 12 list I realized I had no pictures of the one I was calling Blue All Around. The main reason was these blocks were made so long ago, before I started this blog and probably before I had a digital camera. So I pulled out the project bag just to see where I was on this old project. This is what I found.

I had all 35 blocks made and three rows already put together. The pattern is actually called Those Fabulous Blues.

It is in a book by Evelyn Sloopy called 40 Fabulous Quick Cut Quilts.

I have done several quilts from this book over the years.

I got the center of the quilt done, but now the problem. I didn't have all the HST's needed for the pieced border. I have used the same white fabric throughout the quilt and realized as I was putting this together that I had just seen this same white recently but couldn't remember in what. Finally found it with the purple fabric that I was making HST's for the Jacob's Ladder block that I am using for my 4-patch block exchange. I am not sure if there is enough fabric for both projects. I have thought about skipping the inner blue and then the pieced borders and just putting a wider outer border. I think I will do a little more calculating before I make that decision, at least this one is a little closer to the quilting stage. 

I am linking to--

Finished or Not Friday
can I get a Whoop Whoop
Off the Wall Friday
slice of Pi
Needle and Thread Thursday

Half Way

2017 Project List

1. En Province-------March finish
2. Jamestown landing in green
3. Black and White disappearing nine patch--------June finish
4. Split Rail ---------February finish
5. 100 patch
6. Three inch shoe fly
7. North woods - king ----May finish
8. Black white and red rails ---------   January finish
9. Pink 1 x 4 x 16
10. Rick Rack Nines
11. Oversize Dreams   ----- April finish
12. Blue all around





Well I am half way done on my 12 for 12 finish. That is 12 unfinished projects for 12 months. I am afraid I have finished the easy half. What I have left may require some work.

2. Jamestown Landing, the only picture I could find of my work on it was Oct. of 2014. I know I tried to work on it some this time last year when I was recovering from foot surgery but didn't take any more pictures.

5.100 patch --- is ready to quilt

6. Three inch shoe fly--- looks like I started it in Feb of 2016, lots left to do on this one.

9. pink, quilting this pattern on one of Donna's quilts caused this UFO to be started and looking back through my pictures I can't find any of either mine on the design wall or of Donna's quilt as I was quilting it. I may be in trouble trying to remember the pattern.

11. Rick Rack Nines

I have more rows put together now but still have more to go. At least all the components are done just need assembly.

12. Blue all Around -- These blocks were done before we moved to Hartselle and that was 7 years ago, I think I have everything done except the assembly.  I may pull this one out and work on it today.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Scrappy Trip

I got all the scrappy trip around the world blocks done and set together. This is one of Bonnie Hunter's free patterns. I put them together in sets of four and as I was doing this I was really worried that this was going to be a very ugly quilt. I made 9 of the 4 blocks units and then added half units for the last row. I laid it out on the floor to photograph and decide if I needed to add a border and you know it is not an ugly quilt. I actually think it looks pretty good. I brought Johnny in for an opinion and a border it is. I had thought I might use a fabric that I bought at the guilds nickle auction.

We both think this might be a little much. So then I went back to the stash to see what I had yardage of that might work.

Of these two choices I think the purple, but I may look further tomorrow. Either way I feel pretty good about this one time wise, start to finish I don't think I have two weeks in it yet.


Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Show and Tell

Saturday was stitch day at Somerville. We had a good turnout although some were missing. As always we go around the table and tell what all has been going on in our lives since we last met and some will bring something to show.

Faye finally got one of the block a month from Quilters Refuge put together. I can't say anything she is ahead of me.It is on my to do list of the future.

Cora brought her 3D flowers. This picture is from guild night.

Bonnie has one of Bonnie Hunter's patterns. I think she said this one was Waste Not Want Not. Gina is pointing out that it would be a good pattern for our four patch challenge.

This is one of Ivy's that I have fell in love with. She said for about 3 years she has been getting our scraps and cutting 1.5 inch squares and then making four patches and then putting them together into these little 6 inch blocks. She plans to use the larger four patches from our swap for an outer border.

I can't remember if this one is Bonnie's or Sue's. Need to do the post sooner then I won't forget.

This is Mary Harris's, I think she said it was done like a round robin.

I think this is another Bonnie Hunter pattern called Garlic Knots. Ada made this one and gave it to Ivy for Habitat quilts.

Here is my D9P in black and white. Ada helped me with the binding and we had it done by lunch time. Yes a king size quilt bound in 2 hours, I am fast but Ada just runs away with it.



There were a lot of things being worked on that I didn't get picture of at this time. We all had a great time.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Inspiration Strikes

In the little sewing time I had yesterday morning inspiration struck. I was mindlessly piecing on the last 10 scrappy trip around the world blocks when it hit me what I would do with the four patch challenge blocks. The Somerville Stitch group has been exchanging four patches made from 2.5 inch squares. There are 18 of us participating so we get 17 different four patches each month and man is it a variety. I have a lot of fabric and have worked in three different fabric stores in my lifetime plus the only shopping I still enjoy is fabric shopping, but there are some fabrics here I have never seen. It was running through my mind what can I do to tie them all together. A Jacobs Ladder with a consistent ladder seemed like the answer. I then had to decide what two fabrics for the half square triangles. I was thinking of several color combinations but realistically had to go with something that was in my stash already. Calculating the number of blocks then the amount of fabric for those blocks I had to find something that I had about two yards each, so I chose a purple and white.

Here is the first block. I think this will pull everything together and give it a cohesive look. Made the second one just to see if it felt right.

I think I should have enough four patches by the end of our exchange to make close to 42 blocks so that I can set them 6 x 7 for a nice size quilt and if you are in this group feel free to borrow the idea.

I am linking with ----

Making Monday
Design Wall Monday
Moving it forward


Happy stitching,

Teresa

Father's Day

Today is Father's day and we plan to carry lunch over to see my 86 year old Daddy. He is still very active and independent. He has a huge garden with 100 tomato plants set out. I don't know what he is thinking with that big of a garden but it keeps him busy. He has a greenhouse and starts his own plants. This year he raised over 800 tomato plants. He says he doesn't think  he will try that many next year. It was just a little more than he could take care of each day. He gives the plants away and then will give the tomatoes away, has never sold anything.

Last week started out pretty good I got the first three items on my weekly list done the things just fell apart. So this week I am going to try to finish those items..

1. Piece Embroidery Blocks
2. Quilt at least one of Elaine's tops
3. finish piecing the scrappy trip blocks

Hopefully I can get at least this much done and then anything else I get done will be a bonus.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

2048

I finally got the borders added to my 100 patch quilt project. I ended up making 20 blocks using 2 inch squares so that is 2000 pieces. Then I sashed it with 3.5 inch strips and used more 2 inch squares for the 4-patch corner stones. Twelve corner stones equal 48 squares for a total of 2048 . I really like how this one turned out. I think the blue was the right choice even though that is not the color I had thought I would use when I first started piecing these blocks.

Hobby Lobby has this wide back in the blue floral and I have the binding made to it is ready to go to the quilt shack. This is one of my 12 for 12 projects and hopefully it will be my July finish. I have a lot of other quilting ahead of it.


I am going to link up tonight with:
WOW wip on Wednesday


Happy Stitching

Teresa

B & W

I finally got my B & W D9P quilted and this morning I got the binding sewn on the quilt. I will take it with me on Saturday to our Somerville Stitch Day. This is one that is on my 12 for 12 list so hopefully it will be June's finish. It is intended for my nephew Tyler and his wife Roberta as a wedding gift. They have now been married 3 years, guess I am a little late.

I quilted it with a variegated thread that Ivy had and was not ever happy using, but I think it worked fine on this one. Really didn't have floor space big enough to spread it out.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Design Floor Monday

I still have Garden Party on the design wall so I laid these blocks on the floor just to see how things were coming together. On my list of weekly goals yesterday was to cut enough strips for 42 blocks. I had 22 strips sets done in various stages so I needed 20 more.

I got those cut and paired up here. I would like to say that there is nothing in my 2.5 inch drawer longer than 16 inches but I can't. Despite cutting 252 strips from the drawer there is still some long strips left. I brought my laundry basket in and dumped the whole drawer into it so that I could sift through it and get the best variety. I found fabrics that I have not seen in years. I put everything except the smallest pieces that I will cut a 2.5 inch square from back in the drawer and it still looks full, but I do feel better about it now.

I have everything in these strip sets, 30's, batiks, civil war, Thimbleberrys, brights, Alabama prints, Halloween and Christmas. You name it and it is in there. But put them all together and it will still make a pretty quilt. This will be something I can sew on when I just have a short time at the machine or when I just want mindless sewing. Does anyone else need projects like this?

linking with:

Making Monday
Design Wall Monday
 Making Monday

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Busy Week

Looking back on last week I am really surprised I got anything accomplished. I had two guild meetings, both of which required taking food. We got a new roof and on Friday Johnny and I went to Daddy's to help out with a little yard work. There were areas that need a chain saw and Daddy is no longer strong enough to do that kind of thing. We really should not have let it go so long but he is not one accept help much less ask for it. We will be going back to do more. The yard was always Mother's domain and she has been gone 3 and a half years and was not able to do that kind of thing for probably that many years before she passed away. Things have really grown up but just a half of a day in the heat was all we could handle at one time. This being said I didn't get a lot of sewing done this week so not all of last weeks list got done and some will reappear on this weeks list and others will be pushed back even further.

Weekly goals for the week of June 11, 2017

1. Borders, binding and back of 100 patch to get it ready for quilting. Same as last week except I did the the top and bottom borders attached. Also realize I will need more fabric for binding.

2. Quilt B&W D9P -- still on list because it is my 12 for 12 project for June. I need it quilted this week so that I will have a binding project for the Somerville Stitch Group when we meet of Saturday.

3. cut enough 2.5 by 16 inch strips for scrap drawer for 30 or 42 Scrappy Trip Around the World blocks. Yes some of the little time I had sewing Friday and Saturday, I started another project. This one is intended for the Habitat project.

4. Piece embroidery block -- I have a neighbor that embroideries these pre-stamped blocks and then I put them together and quilt them for her. She brought 36 blocks to me yesterday.

5. Quilt at least one of Elaine's quilts, there are 3 and she says she is in no hurry so I will space them out some.

I am going to stop with these 5 items this week and just hope for the best.

 Here are 4 of the scrappy trip blocks. I am not sure how I will set them together this time, will have to try a few variations when more blocks are done.

If I get bored with these I will either work on Garden Party or my Rainbow Challenge blocks.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Nickle Auction

The Quilt Lovers Guild met Tuesday night for our summer picnic and nickle auction. It was my first time to attend the auction . The guild also does a UFO victim each month. If your name is pulled then you have to finish a UFO and bring it to next months meeting. Cora was last months victim and she finished this beautiful 3D wall hanging.

One of the items that was donated to the auction was an applique block donated by Francine. Well since Francine was the one to teach me the basics of applique I decided I had to have it. Last night I turned it into a pillow. Thank you Francine.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Three Stars

Guess I wasn't thinking when I made my weekly goals on Sunday because I didn't include quilting and binding this little three star wall hanging on my list. I got that done yesterday so I'll count it as a bonus project. I also made 11 more of the Garden Posey blocks for the Garden Party quilt. I am going to work more on those today since the roofers are here and the noise would make it hard to concentrate on anything to complicated.

I have also gotten this little Linus project quilted. That is the last charity quilt that I have lined up at this time. Ivy says we have two families getting habitat homes this fall and each have 3 children so we will get started on those quilts soon.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa 

Monday Goals

It is Monday again and Garden Party is still on my design wall with no change. Yes it was one of those impulse starts that get me in trouble, but how could I not start it after visiting a Bonnie Hunter lecture. I do hope to find a little time to work on it this week. I have a quilt loaded on the long arm and I have this little patriotic project that I will probably quilt on my Janome here in the house today.

 The guy doing our new roof just stopped by this morning and said our house was next and in fact was already loaded on the truck. They are just watching the weather. It is supposed to rain here today but then clear up most of the week so I guess we will get a new roof and watch our savings dwindle away. We are at that stage in life where we are retired and comfortable but then everything starts wearing out. We need new carpet, a new mattress and would really like new living room furniture but a roof over our head comes first. Oh well, should be an interesting week, maybe I will get some quilting done.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

WG June 4th

It was a busy week and one that I didn't exactly stay on track, oh well. I have to let the creative juices  direct my path and some days that means not doing anything I had planned, and that happened a couple of times in the last few days of the week.

I was in a patriotic mood and made this little flag start to finish in one day. I made another variation yesterday but will show it when it is quilted. Despite these little side projects I did get 3  quilts quilted and my 100 patch put together except for the borders so I think it was a productive week.

For this week I would like to see the following get done.

1. Borders, binding and back to get 100 patch ready to quilt
2. quilt Linus project for Becky
3. quilt Toni's quilt
4. rainbow challenge blocks
5. Garden Party
6. Rick Rack Nines
7. quilt B&W D9P

I am behind on the rainbow challenge blocks and didn't touch Garden Party last week. The rick rack nines is one of my 12 for 12 projects that needs attention. I have two guild meetings this week and have to carry food to both plus the grass is about to take over the garden so it needs attention as well. Going to be another busy week.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

Fabric Box

I made this little fabric box back the first of May. This photo was made before I added the buttons on the flaps. I have had making them again in Alabama and Auburn fabric on my weekly goals list for a couple of weeks. Well I finally got to them this week.

Here is the Alabama one, you can barely see the football buttons in this picture.

Here is the Auburn one before folding down the flaps and sewing on the football buttons. I have done another little project yesterday but have not photographed it for the blog. I will try to do that today and post it later.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa

More Charity Quilts

I quilted again yesterday and this is another quilt for the New Beginnings Quilt Guild. For this one we were asked to bring 2.5 x 5.5 brights, the guild would provide the white fabric. I really wanted to try something different in the open space but it was too large for my mid arm machine. From top to bottom of the white square on point it was 17 inches and as best I have 14 inches. Usually I don't try a pattern that is more than 9 or 10 inches deep. I ended up just stippling this one.

This little one is for Project Linus and the snowball blocks in the center were about 8 inches so I tried this swirl feather I had seen in one of my quilting books. Even after 9 attempts it is not exactly like the picture but was pretty close.

I am a lot more at ease quilting one of my own or one for charity than when I quilt for someone else. I always worry that they won't like the pattern I tried to quilt, although I tell everyone that I only free motion and that it is not perfect. I tell everybody that the quilt tells me what to quilt on it.

 Well I now have 6 of the 8 quilts finished and hopefully will get the other two done this weekend or Monday. I have already delivered two and hope to deliver two to each guild meeting next week. The last one I want see her until the Somerville stitch group meets again on the 17th. I have a couple of my own that I would like to finish, and someone has called and is bringing me some to the guild meeting.

As I was sewing the binding on one of the charity quilts that I finish to completion I was thinking about the type and amount of quilting people choose to put into a quilt, but I think I will leave that discussion for a later date.

Happy Stitching,

Teresa