What a joy it is to have daylight later in the day!!! I LOVE it!
Design Wall
Piecing:
Circles – borders on and it is sandwiched ….
Frolic: All the rows are joined and trimming is the next step. I do need to do the trimming Continue reading
Stash Report
Yesterday was, Today is
Yesterday, when my blog failed to post, I did a quick re-write, but, I didn’t add in all of the extra things that I usually post on Sunday or Monday … so I’m doing that today!
First up: The winners of Faded Blue Jeans fabric
Progress
First: Week 3 Island Batik Blog HOP!!!
If you want to see a recap of Week 1, click HERE. Week 2, click HERE. If you haven’t seen the fabulous Log Cabin quilts, it will be well worth your time to visit the 2 Island Batik blog posts … beautiful eye candy!!! Here’s who’s in line for this week! I can’t wait to see what they create! Continue reading
A late weekly report …
Did you see my Island Batik Log Cabin post yesterday?
You can read about this quilt HERE. And, if you haven’t entered a comment, there is also a chance to win a give-away from me.
Island Batik “Log Cabin Blog Hop”
Island Batik Blog HOP!!!
Island Batik “Log Cabin Blog Hop” Starts Today! Be sure to visit Island Batik Blog each week to enter to win a pre-cut of one of the fabric collections highlighted that week. These fabric collections are from the Fall 2019 line-up and should be available in quilt stores shortly.
I have seen a few of the quilts finished and a few in progress … oh my!!! Fantastic eye candy for sure!!! Be sure to visit each of the blogs!
Here is the schedule for this week: Continue reading
Keeping Records
Every Sunday, or Monday, I post a bit about what I’m working on. It’s my way of keeping records, keeping on track and getting a LOT of quilting done!
Here’s an explanation of all the blogs that I regularly link up to have a category for them every Sunday or Monday.
- Judy’s “Design Wall Monday” to show you what I’m piecing and quilting. I think it’s fun to show you progress …
- Roseanne & Sue’s “To Do” Tuesday“, to publicly say what I hope to do in the coming week. I find it’s OK to have a list and it’s perfectly OK to not get everything on the list done. It’s all progress and that’s what counts!
- Donna’s “Stash Report” has really helped me to cut down on my fabric buying binges. Very seldom do I ever buy “just because,” or “it’s on sale,” or “it’s pretty” or whatever reason I can dream up at the time!!! I’m not saying that I never make these types of purchases, but knowing that I need to report what I buy, makes me think twice … and those that follow my blog, know very well that I make frivolous purchases sometimes.
- Kate’s “Stitchin’ Time” helps pull me to the sewing machine on those days that I’ve been too busy to sew, or just don’t feel like it. Sometimes, I even set an alarm for 15 minutes and actually get up to turn the alarm off and also turn off my machine. Other times, I get up and turn off the alarm and sit back down to sew … I never know which will happen!
And of course, I alway have my own PHD in 2020 report!
Design Wall
Piecing:
Summer Solstice: I’ve started piecing the lone star. Row 1 – 4 are completed. Now to sew each of the 8 star points. I think it’s going to be a pretty quilt! Continue reading
What do you do when you hate …??
I Hate sewing curves.
I Hate sewing circles.
Last year, I got a Block on Board die from Accuquilt … Cleopatra’s Fan … it had curves. I perservered, and made several blocks. I was not happy. I liked the block in the end, but I was not happy sewing it!
This year, I received another Block on Board die … it has CURVES. (Can you hear the loud groan??? !!!)
The guild was offering a one day workshop on sewing circles. SIGH!!! I figured that I better take the workshop. Here’s a sample of what happened at the workshop. Lots of curved piecing.
Monday, Monday …
Yesterday, I showed what I got done at the retreat and I just knew you’d want to see more details!
Ode to 30’s
When I started this quilt … a long time ago … I wasn’t aware that there was a quilt genre called “30s.” I just picked the pink fabric (1st border) and picked out complementary colours.
I did a diagonal backing on Ode to 30’s. I love how some of the blocks really shine through with the sun shining! When I made the back, I was tired of putting a stripe vertical or horizontal … I’d worry about it looking crooked. SEW, I made sure that the diagonal did not reach the corners … this way, if the diagonal was off a degree or 2 (or 10!), it wouldn’t matter. I think it worked!
Some custom quilting in Ode to 30’s … and some blocks just had an all-over motif in each block.
My husband loved the birds in the tree!
Details:
- 58″ x 66″
- Hobbs 80/20 batting
- Pieced with Aurifil thread
- Quilted with Glide thread
- Binding is 2 colour/flange binding (1¼” dark & 1½” light)
Design Wall
Piecing:
Summer Solstice: I did not work on this at the retreat. Pat, one of the other retreaters, helped me get my head around the lone star piecing, so I hope to make some progress on that this week!
Frolic: Bonnie Hunter’s Mystery: The reveal came out on Friday … I have some cutting to do before I can start putting the blocks together. I think I will like it when it’s done!
52 Blocks in 52 weeks: Need to make the last 4 blocks.
Quilting:
Hope to sandwich and start quilting Bento Box “Rag Log Cabin.”
TO DO
I’m linking up to Roseanne & Sue’s “TO DO” Tuesday. Their blog is “Home Sewn by Us.”
A Gladys Taber quote “Contentment is a list with half of it crossed off.”
This week my list is ALL crossed off!
Last week’s list:
- Finish Ode to 30’s √ done
- Work on
Bento BoxRag Log Cabin UFO √ done - Make Maple leaf block for Australia √ done
This week’s list:
- Sandwhich Rag Log Cabin
- Start Quilting Rag Log Cabin
- Make at least 2 “Frolic” blocks
- Make the last 4 “52 blocks in 52 weeks”
- Put “52 blocks in 52 weeks” on design wall and arrange
- Start the lone star portion of Summer Solstice.
Stash Report
The 2 finished quilts used 21 yards of fabric, plus ½ yard for the maple-leaf blocks for Australia. I did go shopping at the retreat but only bought zippers and a thingy-ma-jig to hold stuff at my machine. No fabric added.
- Fabric Used this week 21.5 yards
- Fabric Used this year: 21.5 yards
- Fabric Bought this week: 0 yards
- Fabric Added this year: 0
- Net Fabric used 21.5
- –
- Husband’s Purchases 0
Stitchin’ Time
- January 1-19 : 12 out of 19 100%
For more Stitchin’ Time, you can check out Kate’s blog: Life in Pieces
I finished 2 UFOs. And I’ve finished 2 of my 2020 starts. There’s another 2020 start for Island Batik that I’ve put in the sheet, but I actually haven’t started it yet.
If you are working on your PHD in 2020, be sure to link up to the mid-January linky party and show us your progress! (HERE)
One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!
Happy Quilting!
Gail
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Linking to:
- What I Made Monday @ Pretty Piney Quilts
- Monday Making @ Love, Laugh, Quilt
- Design Wall Monday @ Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
- Moving it Forward Monday @ Em’s Scrapbag
- To-Do Tuesday @ Home Sewn By Us
- Colour Inspiration Tuesday @ Clever Chameleon Quilting
Monday … and I’m off to a retreat!
YEAH, I LOVE retreats!!! They are always lots of fun! Lots of chatting and laughing and eating and sewing and laughing and eating and … oh ya, lots of fun!
I hope to work on a few UFOs … we’ll see how that goes!
Design Wall
Piecing:
Summer Solstice: This section of 8 is done! Spending 15 min / day worked! Often it turned out to be closer to an hour … it takes a LOT of time when you need to take out the little tiny stitches that you can barely see!
Frolic: Bonnie Hunter’s Mystery: All caught up .. and everything fits in this container. I suspect that the reveal may come soon … either this week or next … and I’ll be ready! Continue reading
First Monday of the Roaring 20s
OK … so things are NOT roaring around here … they are plodding along … slowly …
If you want to decrease your UFOs … and not make your UFO list any bigger, Join me for your PHD in 2020! Check out this blog post for details … and scroll WAY down for the linky party so that you can join in! You can join in on the PHD in 2020 until Jan. 14. Then on the 1st and 15th of each month, there will be a linky party for you to show your progress. Continue reading
Last Monday of 2019! Plans for 2020!
Plans for 2020
I don’t make resolutions … they never work for me. However, I do make PLANS. Plans can be changed … in my mind, resolutions are sort-of set in stone and unchangeable.
My plans for 2020 include:
- Obtaining my PHD in 2020 (obviously, eh?)
- Learn how to sew curves!!! I’ve signed up for a class in January! I want to master, or at least feel more comfortable sewing curves!
- Use up my stash!!! Dare I aim for using at least 100 yards? Can I avoid purchasing fabric??? Lofty plans … but I’ll try!
- Having a Baby Quilt Marathon on the blog … likely in July – but subject to change. And, same as last year, if participants want to work on specific projects and not baby quilts- that’s fine! All that is required is a concentrated effort to work on a project for 26 hours during the time from ?? date to ?? date. See HERE, HERE and HERE for some posts about the 2019 Baby Quilt Marathon.
- Have a Baby Quilt Sew-a-long … the EQ picture is done, just need to write out the pattern and figure out the details. This may happen during the marathon, I haven’t decided yet.
OK … OK … I know you’re wondering, why so many Baby Quilts? The quilt guild I belong to makes baby quilts for several different charities. I have TONS of fabric and it’s fun to make small quilts. Usually they are pretty quick to make. Occasionally, I practice a different free motion motif on them, sometimes it’s just straight stitching. Anything goes.
YES!!! I have completed my PHD in 2019!!!!
Emily, from The Darling Dogwood, also completed her PHD in 2019. YAY, Emily!!!
I haven’t heard from the others, so am not sure if anyone else has completed their PHD in 2019. Continue reading
PHD in 2019! DONE!!!
These are the 3 baby quilts that were started this fall. They were all donated to the guild. And they were fun to do. The one in the middle and the one on the right had flannel on both sides. I learned that it is difficult to FMQ a 2-sided flannel quilt. When I tackled the pink one, I just did straight lines with my walking foot. The quilt didn’t stretch as much and it was way easier to do! The one on the left had quilting cotton on the top with flannel on the back. It was very easy to free-motion quilt the wavy lines. Continue reading
Late Monday catch-up!
Design Wall
Piecing:
Frolic: Bonnie Hunter’s Mystery … Part 1, 2, & 3 are done …. waiting for Part 4. So far, I’m following Bonnie’s colours!
3D Challenge #2
I posted about Challenge # 1 HERE.
Island Batik did not say we needed to do 2 challenges this month … this was my choice. Especially since this project is also 3D. And, since I need to make sewing machine covers, this just made sense to me!
3D Challenge #1
When this challenge was first mentioned, it sort-of indicated that it was to be something 3D … so I got to thinking … bags, sewing machine covers … oh the possibilities. Then, in late September, a quilt was indicated. Something with a 3D effect. I knew exactly which quilt to make and which fabric to use!! Continue reading
Monday update
Isn’t he cute?
Meet Randy the Rhino!!! He is one of the wonderful patterns available at Funky Friends Factory! If you sign up for the Funky Friends newsletter, you can get a free pattern for a bear! And Funky Friends provide fantastic directions as well as pictorial tutorials. Continue reading
Retreat accomplishments – some …
Oh my! The retreat was a great time. They always are! So many different projects, so many ideas, so much help … so much food … and 2 people brought halloween jellies and candy corn … groan! … too much sugar … click HERE to see the slide show of other people’s projects.
SEW … What did I get done?
A Retreating I will go …
Oh YEAH!! A retreat!!!
I love retreats!!!
There are a group of 18 17 of us going to Edenvale in Abbotsford. 17 because one lady is too ill to attend! 😦
What am I taking? A zillion things … WAY more than I’ll get done!
How to get rid of a UFO without going crazy
I’m working on Smith Mountain Morning from Bonnie Hunter’s book “Scraps & Shirtails II.” You’ve seen the odd picture in recent posts … It’s a UFO from 2015 that was started in a workshop with Bonnie at Camp Arnold – near Seattle. Washington. The workshop was fantastic!! The quilt will be fantastic!! (visit Bonnie’s blog Quiltville.com for lots of eye candy and free patterns.)
I think I might be going crazy! Who in their right mind starts a quilt with 3 million pieces (don’t count them, I just might be exaggerating! but not by much). And then decides that she wants to make it bigger? YUP – I was crazy when I made that decision! Continue reading
Quilting Gail 