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!

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

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!  

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.

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?