sunday stitching

Spent last night sorting through the many scraps accumulated from the past two retreats and scrap bags from friends. I sorted by color, pulled out strings, cut squares and dropped scraps into appropriate containers to wait their turn for a quilt top.   I put the strings by the sewing machine.   I like to lay them on small tv table so I can sew a few each day.
  
Today, Sunday,  I am ready to sew.  First on list is Grand Illusions mystery quilt.  Second is sashing string quilt blocks.  Only have 8 to go and I can then sew rows together.

Happy Sunday Sewing!

Thanksgiving Friday

House is cleaned.   Wonderful Thanksgiving Meal has been shared.  Now to find the stuff I moved around and "out of sight!"   I sewed on my new treadle Singer sewing machine made in 1904.  It will be fun to stitch some quilt tops using this little lady.

Finishing Quilts

It always seem to take longer to finish my quilts.  I have been working steadily on my blue pineapple.  I added 11 blocks to make it bigger.  Completed all blocks yesterday.  So got up early today to sew blocks together to have top completed.  Well, I only got 16 put together.  I think I am too fussy, or distract myself, so don't get as much accomplished as I expect.   Will be back at it tomorrow.

Quilting in Michigan!  been collecting the row by row experience quilt patterns from stores across Michigan. I appreciate the work that went into this summer travel shop hop....I finished my first row by row quilt and took it to Quilted Memories in Montague.   Quilted Memories is in a log cabin building and run by Jill.  She has a nice variety of material and quilting supplies in her shop.

Now I am collecting and starting on a second row by row quilt top.  There are more wonderful patterns to collect and make into quilts.

The priority task for today:   finish the binding on the jelly roll quilt so I can take the top to my daughter's home.  This was a simple top to make out of a jelly roll of bright colors and cute insects.    I picked this roll up on sale at Walmart in Sault Ste. Marie.  They were closing  their sewing department.  Gave me an opportunity to try a jelly roll quilt.   This is also one of our firsts on the long arm machine.  A good one to quilt for practice and to learn the skills of long arm quilting.

National Quilt Day, March 15

Amazing what happens when folks find out your are a quilter.  I received a manila envelope today with two patterns and about 300 2"squares....what a pleasant surprise.

Saturday is National Quilt Day.  I hope you all have plans to enjoy the day and celebrate the wonderful art of quilting.  I am off to a one day retreat sponsored by our guild.  Have two projects to take with me...my leader/ender and a kit I purchased in October, that should go together quickly in 2-3 days.

Happy Quilting.

too busy to blog?

Oh, goodness.  I have been too busy...now need to get back into the routine of blogging about quilting. Been learning and figuring out new long arm machine.  This has been a wonderful addtion to my sewing machines! Takes quite a bit of space but we are enjoying learning this new skill.  I am going to do one more practice sampler on long arm, then will start with the tops that are ready to be quilted. 

I have been working and enjoying "15 Minutes of Play" each day in sewing room.  This is a great way to have fun with material.  It was exciting to see Victoria Findley Wolfe on the Quilt Show broadcast this month.  I had just picked up her book and was grabbing my scraps to play with.  A friend called to tell me she was on the Quilt Show broadcast.  What fun to have the computer running as I stitched and listened.

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!