Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Been busy sewing and creating.  Took part of my time to re-organize the room where all my material, projects and the cutting table are located.  On Monday, we put up wonderful shelves on one wall.  I will post before picture and after picture, showing the change.  What a difference this has made in getting work done!  This has helped me work easier and to bust the stash!  

I found small piles and containers of material that are now cut into workable pieces for future or current scrappy quilts.   I have two scrappy quilts in progress.  One is a string quilt and the other is a leader-ender that will become Scrappy Irish Chain, from Bonnie Hunter's book, Adventures with Leader and Enders, make more quilts in less time!

In addition to quick access and more space, I now have a quick view of all my WIP's, or Projects in Plastic.  Two years ago I made a list of all the quilts in progress.  I have been working to finish these or move the material to other projects.  The list is of 104 projects in some shape or form, either started or material gathered, or project others have given to me.  I am working to complete! Problem is that some new quilts pop up and get started.

A recent "pop up" quilt that got started was a Halloween quilt.  I had the material on my shelf.  I bought it in the past when it was on sale thinking it would make a nice fun quilt for my new son-in-law.    My American Patchwork and Quilting magazine arrived.  There was my Halloween quilt pattern just smiling at me on the front cover.

I must get back to sewing.    I am off to take picture of newly organized wall one in sewing room.  I hope it inspires others to take a look at your work areas to gain some space and clear your brain!

Monday, August 5, 2013

Scraps in the Sewing Room

Wow, spent the last three days in my sewing area.  I took a picture from each corner of the room.  When I looked at the four pictures I realized the room is a mess.  So now the goal is to organize, put things away and "fling" items out of the space to make area easier to use!

Part of the sewing area re-organization was prompted by a "gift" of material.  I have just sorted a "trash bag" of beautiful materials to sort and cut so they are usable!  It was a wonderful selection of fat quarters, 1/8 yard cuts and some 1 yard cuts.  What treasures!  Materials I would not usually purchase so this will be a good challenge to use.    In the materials were flower designs small, medium and large.  Material I would not buy, so now need pattern to use with large flower prints.  Found a pattern in my notebook.  The Muskegon Guild had Jan Krueger and Linda Marcou present a trunk show.  They shared handouts on several quilts in the trunk show.  Simplified Railroad Crossing is a Mary Ellen Hopkins patten they shared.  This is the pattern I am going to try.   Their presentation was great.  Quilts were gorgeous.  They explained a challenge they made between each other to use up their stash by not adding to stash, using each others stash and completing tops.  Their enthusiasm was wonderful.  The quilts they shared were great.  I will post a sample block of new quilt in process as soon as it gets completed. 

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

july quilting!

Wow!  So many finishes.   Two queen size quilts are done.  Wall hangings are done including labels.  Doug finished quilt number 3 and gave it to his sister.  He's working to quilt and finish number two.  He is going to number his quilts and not name!

Two more mug rugs for my brother and sister-in-law are completed and going in the mail with the 99 cents baby quilt she picked up at thrift shop.   We offered to fix 'er up and then mail it back to her.  We thought it was just a binding adjustment, as batting was showing through due to unevenness and mismatched edge.  So pulled binding off.  Then realized a little more tender care was needed.  So fixed some edges and squared up and then Doug did the quilting.  Re-applied binding and it is ready to be used!  Someone had fun putting this four patch together.  

Now I am preparing for Collaboration Celebration!  A mini vacation trip to North Carolina and a class with Bonnie Hunter, www.quiltville.com  and Mickey Dupre, http://mdquilts.com/   We are both so excited.  Doug is not going to quilt but I will be doing the class.

So need to gather materials from my stash to take for Collaboration Celebration!
Here are a couple of finishes!

Saturday, June 1, 2013

sewing along, some distractions!

How do I distract myself?  I start sewing and putting pieces together and then distract myself.  Yesterday focused on my mini-wall quilt.  It is moving along, today's task was to add flowers, stems and basket.  This where I distract myself by working on organizing my scraps.  That leds to sewing some scraps together for WHIMM's (Works Hidden in my mind)! Fun but now I need to get back to wall quilt!   So here is where my progress is on the wall quilt.   Looks so empty without any anything in the basket!  but the scraps strips were a fun challenge to sew together.  I am sewing them and then dropping into a basket to design with later!




Saturday, May 18, 2013

Quilting Saturday

Quilting Saturday has arrived.  I am looking forward to make progress on two WIP projects.  First, Spring Mini Wall quilt must get completed this weekend and in the mail on Monday.  Second project, MSU log cabin quilt is a gift to a friend.  My target date for completion is June.  If I don't get myself distracted I should be able to make some progress today on both WIPs! I am off to the sewing room.  Will post some pictures of progess later today!

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Busy, busy! Quilting, organizing and enjoying Spring in Michigan

Wow, I have not posted in a while!  been in my quilting room, organizing and creating wonderful little fabric postcards and mug rugs for my family.  Now that I have made a few of these it is hard to stop.  I did take time to stop and head to Mackinaw City for three-day quilt retreat.

Worked on a MSU quilt which will be a gift when I am done. Green and white log cabins and blocks are being pieced together to create this interesting quilt.

Received my "Dreaming of Spring" Mini quilt from may swap partner.  This mini quilt is a wonderful.  Four 3-d pinwheels that are bright and springy!

Saturday, March 2, 2013

spots of color

When I got up this morning and headed to the kitchen, I was greeted by three little quilts.  My mug rugs were smiling at me from the counter top and table.  I wondered recently why I do these silly little quilts.  Today I recognize it is just for fun, to add a little color around the house. 

I looked in the living room and there sit three quilts, adding color to that room.  Beside adding comfort when we snuggle up with them.  There is a purpose behind my silliness.  I do enjoy the process of quilting form start to finish. I love the finished products and can share quilts with others.  This adds some color and comfort to their homes.  So I am off to dig through my scraps.  I can complete a few more mug rugs.   I will throw in a fabric postcard for my sister-in-law and take a few steps to move another UFO quilt toward completion.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Sunny Sunday Stitching

Sunny day for stitching.  Just makes you feel great!  Another mug rug completed this morning.  Now time to work on one of my UFO's.   I am also working to learn and complete the mug rugs for the swap.  Learned some more details on applique today.  Now to put it to work.

Going to dig out a baby quilt top that is completed and put the top, batting and back so it is ready to quilt this week.

Watch out sewing work room, I continue to get things more organized and easier to find.  Easier to find and use makes for a happy quilting family.


Sunday, February 17, 2013

Stitching and creating!

Stitching up a storm and loving every minute of my day.  We are both stitching today.   Doug has attached the borders on his quilt.  He's now working on his backing project.   I finished another fabric postcard!   had it almost done this week, just had to connect the back with address and message.  Will mail on Tuesday as post office closed tomorrow. 

UFO's:   Finished two mug rugs.  What a fun project to use up scraps, practice free-motion and to learn applique. My own method of applique.  Taking introduction class on Tuesday afternoon.   I have been tossing items for constructing fabric cards in a plastic container.   It made it so easy to then be at work table and put together.

This morning I went to Denise's blog  justquiltin.wordpress.com and downloaded her pattern for "Living The Tweet Life."  Of course, this is a new project added to my list of quilt projects.  Pulled material from my stash and hope to start cutting tonight or will work to complete quilting baby quilt for the guild charity.  This baby quilt has been sitting on back of couch just waiting to be completed.

Off to dinner and then more Sunday stitching later!  Wonder if there are any good movies on later today.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Update on projects! & snowfall

Magic Star quilting progress:  pulled center quilting stitches out and quilted area again.  Second time looks nicer...so I have put it away until next Friday as I have other tasks to get done...BUT

At Sunday Stitchers today I supported folks in getting pages done on their Stitch Bibles.  Fabric pages of stitch samples that they can make on their sewing machines.  We buy these great machines or have small simple ones, but do we really get to know the machine.   The Stitch Bible allows you to attempt and learn the stitches your sewing machine can make.   Now that my stitch bible is complete I can use.   I have a "Stupendous Stitching" art quilt in progress. Working to complete this by end of March.

I came home this afternoon and just had to make my first Fabric Postcard, which can use the decorative stitches I have discovered on my machine.  Attached a picture for readers!

 Now I have put sewing away for a few days as I have student papers to grade and maybe pick up some things around the house!  Will be quilting again on Friday! or will squeeze some time in for therapy after paper grading completed.  

15 " of snow fell Thursday night!
Snow February 8, 2013

Snow came on Thursday night!  Enjoyed all day Friday and Saturday.  Today warm weather and rain is making snow disappear quickly!


Saturday, February 9, 2013

I am getting off the computer and blogging and other quilt sites to get my magic star quilted.  I will give you an update later.  Doug is harping as he wants to get on the sewing machine to attach his borders....We need to get the old machines, his grandma's treadle and another one I picked up years ago and see if they work.  I have been thinking these would be good for exercise!

Friday, February 8, 2013

Friday, February 8, after the Michigan snowstorm.  We woke up to 15 inches of beautiful snow and sunshine today.  By 11:00 a.m, I was plowing down the subdivision streets, which had not been plowed, to get to the main road.  I was off to the work session of our "two person  quilting bee."   I spent the afternoon working to complete a table runner!  One side left on hemming the binding to complete and can check this off my project list.  Funny how you get a project going, almost to completion, and then set it aside!  Started the table runner in the fall, so four months later I am finishing.

Watched as my buddy prepared her "material pages" to start her "Stitch Bible."   She did complete one page of stitches.  She has 300 some stitches on her Janome!  Making a "stitch bible" is a great way to introduce yourself to your sewing machine.   When you finish each page of your machine's stitches, you have a nice reference point for the stitches that can be created by you and your sewing machine.   Finished my "Stitch Bible" in December.  A great reference tool for me.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

 "Colorful Stars"  Magic Card Trick #1

"Colorful Stars" was a fun wall hanging to put together.  Points and insets were new skills for me. Already have quilt #2 idea.  I am going to use material from my stash with dots.  I am surprised at the large selection available in my stash.   Been thinking that I could put four stars together to make larger wall hanging or lap quilt.

Project completion for February

January projects have been 98% completed.   One quilt top is at quilter's to be completed.  Scrappy Stars and "Stars" Magic Card Trick #1 are both sitting next to sewing machine.  I will be doing the quilting on these in next two weeks!  February projects will be the guild challenge, which will be real challenge for me!  Several ideas sketched out, some material being auditioned and then start cutting and sewing.   Second project will be "Strictly for the Birds"  a pattern being shared by Denise Russart at her blog.  http://justquiltin.wordpress.com/   Check out her blog and her creative quilts patterns.

I took an afternoon break and put together two mug rugs...and re-organized my scrap fabrics.  In the process I found two more quilt tops that are ready to be completed.  So they have been added to project list.

Scraps are being organized by color and others organized by size, the strip width or squares.  Have wonderful scraps but was too cumbersome to get at them.  Explained the system to my husband.   He loved it.  Material selection is better organized and the next scrap quilt can get started.   

Thank you to Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville for insightful ideas on organizing.  Also thanks to folks who post their organized sewing rooms on Pinterest!

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Sunday Stitchers

Getting ready to go to my Sunday Stitchers gathering this afternoon.  The Sunday Stitchers meet twice a month to work on current individual projects, share ideas, ask questions or get assistance from each other on  a technique.  Today, I am sharing my Stitcher's Bible.  Making this stitch bible was a wonderful way for me to get to know how my machine works and see all the wonderful stitches available for future projects.  I put my pages of sample stitches in plastic sleeves and put them all in a light weight three-ring notebook.  I can easily carry this around with me for stitch reference on projects.  It has a home in the drawer next to my machine along with the machine manual.   A nice plastic reference guide did come with my Janome but  I found that in making the stitch bible the stitches came to life.  I can easily select stitches for the project I am creating.

I am taking along scrappy stars to put the three layers together to prepare for machine quilting.  I have been in love with this quilt top since the day I stitched it together.  Now I am getting it to the final stages, quilting the top and adding the binding!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Autumn Surprise | October/November 2009 | McCall's Quilting

I did find the queen size quilt pattern for Autumn Surprise.  I loved it when I saw it in the magazine.  Purchased several charms packs, put material and magazine with pattern in a wonderful plastic case.  Actually took it all to as weekend retreat, but never worked on this one.  Thinking this might be my February completion project.I think is spend too much time organizing.    Enjoy the pattern from McCall's Quick Quilts website.

Autumn Surprise | October/November 2009 | McCall's Quilting

Bohemian Hearts | May/June 2011 | McCall's Quilting

 Just what we all need, more ideas or patterns.  I stumbled on this one today as I was researching another pattern.   I thought with February coming and most of us taking the challenge to use our stash, this was a delightful pillow or wall  hanging or small quilt.  Check it out.

Bohemian Hearts | May/June 2011 | McCall's Quilting

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Been quickly learning new things about blogging.  As I visit other sites I am getting ideas for more quilts and learning tips from other quilters.  I visited other sites and have included some of them as links. 

I did get two borders on my quilt, but distracted by the development of this blog.   Also distracted as I putter in my sewing room, re-organizing and getting ready to put together a quilt for our guild challenge.  More to share on this one as I go along. 

The quilt I have been calling "Scrappy Stars" is a quilt pattern from Bonnie Hunter, "Star Struck."   It can be found at her site under Free Patterns tab.

Enjoy your time quilting!  

Friday, January 18, 2013

Scrappy Stars Before Borders January UFO

All material in "Scrappy Stars" or "Star Scrappy" came from my stash. This is my selection to complete for the month of  January! Next step add borders and get ready to quilt the top.



Close up of my January completion project.
I am off to my sewing machine to get the borders on "Scrappy Stars."  Then will decide on a quilting pattern and continue improving my free motion quilting skills.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

UFO Quilt challenge to self

Here goes!  Day one of a blog about quilting.  

I currently have a list of 80 WIP's (works in progress) or UFO's (unfinished objects) or UFQ (unfinished quilts).  The WIP's include completed tops needing quilting.  Tops needing binding.  Tops in various stages of development.  Some tops have material cut, others are blocks already together or material with a pattern ready to be cut and then sewn back together.  I have quilts in various stages.  In visiting another Blog it was suggested that you make a commitment to completing your unfinished objects.  I have followed the clever idea and made an excel spread sheet of my current state of affairs.  

I knew I had many projects in various stages of construction, but to find 80 projects, including two new patterns today, was unbelievable.  This has now become my challenge for 2013.  

I selected 12 unfinished projects from my lovely excel spread sheet and designated these quilts to their own special month.   I gave the list of 80 projects with the quilts selected to be completed to my quilting coach.  She has agreed to keep me on target.  

Any other quilters want to take on your own personal quilt completion challenge for 2013?