Got a flimsy made last night!

Yeah, I had enough time last night to finish the piecing on "Some Bunny Loves Me."  It's now in the pile with the 2 baby boy tops to be basted this weekend.  However, I was looking in my UFO pile and came across THIS quilt that just needs the binding finished.  It's perfect (IMO :-)) for one of the baby boys coming in August, so I'm going to finish binding it this weekend and prep the label (I don't know the baby's name yet) so it will be ready come August.  I think I'll use the construction trucks for the other August baby and put aside the trains for a future boy.

I also made plans to have a sewing night with a friend this Friday.  Her daughter has a teen activity with the youth group at church, so her hubby's going to have a boys night with the two boys, which leaves her free to hang with me :-).  Or maybe I should reverse that - she's hanging with me so that leaves the boys and daddy on their own :-).  As long as I have my camera batteries charged, I should be able to get some pics.

~QB29

Virtual Quilt Day

This coming Sunday is Virtual Quilt Day over on QuiltingBoard.com.  I'm looking forward to getting a lot done since I don't have the boys this weekend.  I've babysat or had other family activities the last several weekends, so it'll be nice to be child-free for the weekend.

Weekend Sewing Plans (Thursday - Sunday :-))

• Assemble "Some Bunny Loves Me"
• Baste "Some Bunny Loves Me", construction trucks baby quilt, and trains baby quilt (next 3 babies on the calendar for church - 2 boys in August & a girl in October)
• Finish QST for book challenge quilt (a local show's challenge theme is to depict a book (or specific scene) in a wallhanging to bed-size quilt.  I'm doing an applique center with several borders - one is QST and another will be hand embroidered w/ phrases from the scene)
• Finish Steelers fleece throw (I think I just need to fold the fleece down for a binding, may need some more quilting)
• Design a stitch 'n' slash wallhanging (a method shown to me from a fellow camper this past May - would like to make a stained-glass cross out of the technique)
• Start quilting the church babies pile of basted quilts

I still need to work on organizing my sewing room, so here's that list of stuff:

• Buy another thread holder & organize threads
• Move remaining flannel to fabric corner
• Go through at least 1 tote (I've got about 6 or 7 to go through :-().

Looks like I'll be a busy girl this weekend, but I'm going to enjoy it.  I've got both boys the following weekend as well as a Sunday School activity.

I hope to post pictures of my progress as the weekend goes on.  Stay tuned!

~QB29

Meet Dorothy!

Last week I was browsing Craig's List while waiting for a program to finish at work.  I came across an ad for a warehouse sale at a local estate sale/auction house.  I decided to check out the photos they had posted and saw a beautiful machine.  At quick glance I thought it was a featherweight and made plans to be first in line when the sale started the next day.  Later that night I realized that it was not a featherweight, but a 301 or the big brother to the feather weight.  Excited I went to the estate sale, found the machine, and purchased it!

So, without further delay, here's Dorothy, my newest machine:
 

According to what I can find online about 301's, Dorothy was made around 1954.

QB29

Done Just in Time

Last night I got an email about a church baby shower for one of the three ladies expecting a little blessing this summer.  The shower was today from 2 - 4!!!  Nothing makes you run faster to your machine than needing a gift last minute, lol.  Thankfully I had already finished all 3 tops for the summer babies and even had this one basted and ready to quilt.  So I did the stitch-in-the-ditch and X's as I had planned (though I did have to take a quick break and run to the Walmart across the street to get the yellow-orange thread as I didn't have any that worked - not my place of choice to shop for anything, but after 9 pm, when the quilt is needed the next day, it will do, lol.).  I got the binding made before calling it quits for the night and then attached the binding and label this morning.  As you can see, it fits her theme of "Jungle Animals" for the nursery.

~QB29

Some Bunny Loves Me

Once again I've gone ages without posting.  Most of that time I also was not doing any sewing or quilting, but I did misplace my camera, so I'll use that excuse for the last couple of weeks.  I've been to quilt camp again :-) and had a wonderful time.  Now that I've found my camera I'll need to take pics of the projects I worked on, but for now I'll share a pic of the hand embroidery that I just finished.  Way back whenever I kitted up this baby quilt, I managed to miscut the green.  I was supposed to have 6 large squares to make 12 QST with the white and 12 rectangles to make the flying geese along the border.  Somehow I managed to have 5 squares and 14 rectangles.  I salvaged one of the QST out of the extra 2 rectangles, but needed to do something for that last square since any extra green I would have had is long gone.  I decided to take one of the bunnies in the print, enlarge it, and try my hand at embroidery.  Don't look too closely, but I think it worked out very well.  I'm going to embroider another block in hopes that it will be a little better second time around, but my practice block looks pretty good.  I'm going to call this quilt "Some Bunny Loves Me" in honor of the focus fabric and embroidered square.

The top isn't done yet - it will have a darker purple (about the shade of the embroidery floss if you can make that out) probably about 3" or so.

~QB :-)

Tuesday Sewing

I finished getting the baby quilt pieced. I should have it basted and possibly start quilting by Thursday. My goal is to have it finished and mailed sometime next week.

I liked this pattern. It went together really quick. I made use a similar pattern for more quilts.

~QB29.

4 Patches 4 Hope

This is my friend Regina. She lost her mother earlier this year after a hard-fought battle with cancer. To honor her mom and help raise funds for the fight against cancer, she has come up with "4 Patches 4 Hope". The concept is simple. Make a 4-patch block & send it to Regina. She'll take the 4-patches and assemble them into comfort quilts in honor of her mom and donate it to 2 different medical facilities (I believe one is local to her and the other treated her mom, but don't quote me).

She's also asking that if you send a 4-patch, that you make a small donation ($4) to the American Cancer Society. Of course, you're free to donate more than $4 or donate $4 even if you're not sending a 4-patch.

Please consider helping her. Share this on your blog. Send a block. Make a donation!

~QB29

Fall Quilt Camp 2011

I went to camp again at Camp Horseshoe in September. As usual, it was fantastic! I completed 6 projects. It was probably the most productive I've ever been at a camp or retreat.

Mystery project. If you creatively fold the towel and add ties, you've got an apron. Helps if you put the applique on right side up for the apron, which is wrong side down for the towel. However, if you put the applique on wrong side up for the apron, it is right side up for a towel, which means less work, since you don't have to sew pockets or ties :-). Okay, that only works if you hadn't already made the ties :-).



Quilt for Kids kit that I picked up last spring at Camp Willson. Quilted and bound it at Camp Horseshoe.

Baby Quilt. One of 3 birthday projects from my mom. She gave me 2 packs each of 3 different charm packs. This set was from an Eleanor Burns line and only had 52 charms total (compared to the 84 in the other two). Original design. Was partially pieced when I arrived at camp. Is bound now :-).

Second of the charm packs. Also an original design. Was cut out, with some of the sashing/cornerstones pieced. Also is now bound.



Welcome Sign for door. Is a PIF for FB 2011 project. One of five ... four to go :-).



Was basted when I arrived at camp. Is a project from last fall. Anne Kessel taught the class.




I also started using a way cool binding technique. It uses a faux piping to allow you to machine stitch the binding! It was such a novel idea that I had to give about 2 dozen impromptu lessons on the technique. I found the tutorial here for the technique. She's got some very good photos to show you how to do it.



Last but not least, isn't this the cutest Christmas tree you've ever seen? It was in the silent auction. Nancy I. made it.

Design Wall Monday - 10/3/2011

Yes, I'm back! and I have a Design Wall Monday! The center blocks are actually a white with a yellow polka dot print. I'm using the focus fabric for the backing on this one. It's one of those "just can't cut it" prints. This is a baby quilt for a friend who just had a baby.


You can check out other design walls at Judy's blog!

~QB29

I'm Back!

I've been working on other things and haven't been doing a lot of quilting. But I made it back into my sewing room this weekend :-D. I started a 4-patch posie quilt and worked on a purple quilt. I finished all the posie blocks and hope to get them framed tonight. I also hope to get a set of purple pinwheels done for the purple quilt.

~QB29 :-)

Friday Night Sew In

Tonight's the night! I'm working on a quilt for my boss. He's retiring in the next month or two. The original date has been pushed back a month already, which is nice for me, because i have more time to work on it!

I'm also finishing up my prep work for my upcoming quilt camp :-D. I've got some cutting left to do (not counting the fabric winging its way to me as we speak, since I miscalculated my yardage!) and HST to sew as prep for the main class I'm taking. I also need to pack up some scraps for the mystery project.

Hope you get a chance to join!

~QB29

GO BIG BLUE!

BIG BLUE ROCKS!

I'm a Winner!

Today I fell victim to the (not-so) dreaded Sunday-Afternoon-Nap-Syndrome (SANS). When I woke up, I jumped online for a little bit to check blogs and emails before I have to go back to church. I had a couple of comments on my blog and look what they were congratulating me for ....

Look, what I won:


Yep, I won this month's Friday Night Sew-in sponsored by Heidi over at Handmade by Heidi. Thank you Heidi for hosting this monthly event and thank you Arrow Sewing Cabinets for sponsoring this month's giveaway. I've been wanting a cut 'n' press to take on trips, so this will be perfect. :-)

~QB29

FNSI &NQD updates

I've been working on the apron. I used 25 strips from a honey bun to make the apron and lined it with matching fabric. I added trim to the bottom. I just need to add the straps, which will cover the curved edges that are open still.

~QB29

National Quilting Day

Did any of you know that Saturday is National Quilting Day? I'm celebrating by staying in my sewing room (that is, after I get back from the gym :-)). How will you be celebrating?

~QB29

FNSI tonight!

Don't forget - tonight is Friday Night Sew-In. What are your plans?

I am working on an apron for my upcoming quilt camp. They usually have a special theme for the brunch on Friday. Last time it was "Christmas at Camp Horseshoe." They had the dining hall decorated for Christmas and even gave out little Christmas presents to everyone. A tea party was another theme. This year we've been asked to wear a favorite apron for the brunch. Since the only cute apron I've got is a Christmas apron, I'm making a new one. It's out of a honey bun I won online a few months ago. Shortly after winning it, I happened to pick up some matching yardage off the the $3 table at Fabric Shack :-D. I've just been waiting for the right project to use it. I'll use the scraps to make some little things (potholders/hotpads/placemats, etc.) for my kitchen to coordinate with the apron.

I also would like to finish stitching the binding to Bubba's football quilt so it's ready for me to hand-stitch down.

Looking forward to seeing all the goodies made tonight!

~QB29

Catching Up

Let's see - where do I start? It's been almost 4 weeks since my last post. Since then ...

February Friday Night Sew-in did not happen. I ran home for the weekend to celebrate a family birthday. The boys got to come over for the meal, and unlike last time, they were not multi-colored. :-). When I picked them up last in January, one had purple marker on his check, the other had teal and purple on his check plus a purple eyelid and teal on his head. Plus their puppy (a Beagle mix with light colored, short fur) was purple from the waist (if puppies have waists, lol) to his tail. That weekend went downhill from there :-). This time they were much better behaved.

I then got to hang out with a close friend and her friend the next weekend. We had lots of fun going Goodwilling and I introduced them to the joys of Izzy's, or as we tell my older nephew, the Pickle Place :-).

I've been to quilt camp! I forgot my flash card, so no pics :-(. I had a wonderful time and plan to go back for more camps. The camp was at YMCA Camp Willson in Bellefontaine, OH. They run the fiber arts camp once a year, which is for quilting, knitting, crochet, and scrapbooking. They also run a women's weekend twice a year, which I hope to try sometime soon. I've got a conflict of schedule with the spring one and possibly the fall one, but there's always 2012. I've only got one weekend scheduled that far in advance, lol.

At camp, a teenager named Abigail presented the project she did for her Gold Award for Girl Scouts. She started a Quilt for Kids chapter in her area. She passed out kits, and I picked one up. I've got it pieced and hope to get it quilted/bound by the end of the month to send back. It was a simple pattern, and I hope to make a few more for her this year.


We did a fabric exchange at camp and look at the cute print I picked up. I may use it in a Quilts for Kids quilt :-).


I also finished my Block Lotto blocks for the month:


Lastly, I finished some UFO's. First - my dad's placemats. They're double-sided - fall on one, Christmas on the other. This is #5 on Judy's list, so I'll need to plan a substitution.


No pics, but I also finished the binding on Zoo Parade (#6 on the list) and finished quilting the football quilt. I'm working on the binding now, but should have it done next week or so. It's #2 on the list. I'll get these pictures taken in the next week or so.

Stash updating -
I stopped at Fabric Shack on the way up and purchased 8 1/8 yrds (10 FQ @$1.25 each plus 3 yrds. from the $3.00 cart). I gave away a FQ plus 3 1/4 yrds in the fabric exchange and picked up the 1 yard. I also used 36 5" squares

last recorded week (7):
Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 5 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 20
Net Used for 2011: -15 yards

current week:
used this week: 4 yards
used year to date: 9 yards
added this week: 9 1/2 yards
added year to date: 29 1/2 yards
net used for 2011: -20 1/2 yards

~QB29

I'm Blaming Bonnie!

Goodwill Shopping - Need I say more?

~QB29

Design Wall Monday - 2/14/2011

First up - my picture from Saturday's Christmas Quilt-A-Long showing the 2nd block. Don't worry, I did get more done than just this 2nd block - I pressed quite a number of triangles, sewed (and subcut) the 4 1/2" inch units and added a number of triangles :-).


Do you see the diamonds? While playing with the units for Star Struck, I realized they made diamonds when 4 were arranged in a different manner :-). This is a put-away-for-later idea for a scrap quilt, but I thought I'd share with you anyways.


Head over to Judy's to see more Design Walls!

~QB29

Stash Report Week 7- 2/13/2011

2/6/2011

Gonna go ahead and get this posted tonight:

Added - no adds! :-)
Used some 2 1/2" strips, but once again I forgot to count :-(. When I get them counted, I'll include them as an adjustment.

current week (7):
Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 5 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 20
Net Used for 2011: -15 yards

Quilting A Long with No Pics

I sewed today. I promise, I did. I even worked more on Dad's Star Struck, which is suppose to be his Christmas present. I sewed several strips sets, pressed all the triangles waiting to be pressed, made some pairs, added the dark triangle to the few awaiting one, and finished off the afternoon by making another 16" block, so now I just have 28 to go! Alas, my camera died moments after I turned it on to take some pics. I'll take pics when I get the batteries recharged.

Hoping everyone had a productive Christmas Quilt-A-Long!

Tonight's plans are to eat pizza (in the oven as I type) and bind while watching the movies I picked up from the library earlier today - Anchors Aweigh with Frank Sinatra, Follow the Fleet with Fred Astaire, Boys Town with Mickey Rooney & Spencer Tracy. Can you tell what kind of movies I like to rent?

Talk to y'all later!

~QB29

Weekend Plans

Well, no sewing's going to happen tonight. I'm beat. Tonight was the Valentine Banquet @ church and I worked nursery. I had 11 girls ages 5 to 7. They were all good and I only had to remind them a couple of times that we use our manners and say please, thank you, and you're welcome and that we say nice things to each other. The girls played hopscotch and pretend during drop off and while we waited for supper. Pizza was delivered about 7:15 for all of the kids and the nursery director provided juice boxes and a cookie for dessert. After eating, we made our pasta hearts (colored pasta glued onto a heart shaped piece of cardstock) and then made bookmarks. My helper, J., led them in a game of "Horsey, Horsey, Where's Your Heart?" (the V-day take on "Doggy, Doggy, where's your bone?" since we had a heart cutout that we were using). Then we had the Rice Krispy treats I made and finished out the evening with a quick game of musical chairs - to Christmas music. Apparently the 3 year-old's (the classroom we met in for the evening) haven't changed their CD since December :-). I gave all the kids goodie bags to take home - a Frisch's kids meal coupon, 1 small sheet of stickers, a heart shaped mini-notepad, 2 pieces of candy, and a pink hairband.

But, my tomorrow looks pretty free! I'm planning on going to the gym in the morning since I didn't get to go tonight. Then I need to take care of some basic housekeeping issues around my house and then I get to sew! Saturday is the 2nd Saturday, so it's the Christmas Quilt-A-Long, which means that at least some of my sewing needs to be Christmas related - either for me or for a present. Lucky for me, I get to kill 2 birds with one stone by working on dad's star struck UFO. So without further ado, my goals for the weekend:

1. mail BL blocks. PO opens @ 9, not 8 on Saturdays (my first fail). Envelopes are completely sealed and addressed (my 2nd fail). Hopefully 3rd time's a charm and I'll get to the post office with everything ready to go when it's open :-).

2. Dad's Star Struck - UFO #10 on Judy's list. Also qualifies for the Christmas Quilt-A-Long. I've got enough units cut for 18 16" blocks, but need need a total of 30 12" blocks or about 200 more 4" units. So my goal is to cut enough darks so that I can finish piecing the 4" units and maybe even start making the 16" blocks. I've got plenty of lights cut.

3. Dad's placemats. His bday is later this month and I want to give these to him with his present. I did not finish binding all of them before Christmas, so I had to take back 3. I think this is the first I'll have seen him since then, so I better have them ready!

4. Zoo Parade binding - need to finish binding this quilt, it's my UFO #6 from last month that I never finished

5. Make "fabric" out of 2" violet squares to use for either a purse or a Bible case. Quilt it if I get a chance. Qualifies for Judy's monochromatic challenge for the month.

Since I've got some hand work going on, I may see if I can run by the library and rent a DVD or two to watch.

Hope y'all have a good 2nd Saturday tomorrow!

~QB29

FNSI signups - Feb. 18th!

FNSI signups are up - go visit craftyvegasmom's blog to sign up - she's Heidi's co-host this month.

~QB29

I have a date on Tuesday!

With Mr. Hamilton Beach!


We will be pressing these:


They are more units for the Star Struck quilt. Don't ask me how many - I've totally lost count. I know I still don't have enough, but I'm getting there. If I haven't mentioned it before, this is UFO #10 or Judy's pick for the month. This project is a multi-month project - 1 for piecing, 1 for quilting, and 1 for finishing :-). So I need to have this all pieced by the end of the month!!!!

~QB29

design w all monday

I've actually got a design wall monday post!

4 8" blocks sewn into a 16" block for my dad's Star Stuck quilt. Made using Bonnie Hunter's Star Struck pattern. Only 29 16" blocks left to go :-). This was my oops, it's not actually a Christmas Quilt-A-Long Saturday project. I'm making the quilt 5 x 6 blocks, with no borders, for a finished size of about 80 x 96.

Check Judy's page for more DWM posts!

~QB29

Week 5/6 Stash Report 2011

2/6/2011

Well, I didn't get to post my report last Sunday, so this one is for two weeks combined. I've decided I am going to add my fleece in (as a separate total), but I need to measure that, so it will be added next week. Doing so will give me accountability in using it.

Added:
batiks: 6.5
safari: 2.5
sun bonnet sue: 2
purse kit: 1.25
secret sister stash: .5
total: 12.75

used - haven't measured, so going to have to count them as a zero this week. Will measure for next week:
some violet 2" squares
some 2 1/2" strips for dad's quilt
binding for Zoo parade


week 4:
Used this Week: 3.75 yards
Used year to Date: 5 yards
Added this Week: 7.25
Added Year to Date: 7.25
Net Used for 2011: -2.25 yards

current week (5/6):
Used this Week: 3.75 yards
Used year to Date: 5 yards
Added this Week: 12.75
Added Year to Date: 20
Net Used for 2011: -15 yards

Check Judy's page for other stashes :-)

~QB29

Saturday Sewing

I did actually get to sew some today. Not as much as I planned, but I got side tracked organizing my sewing stuff. I got a lot of the cleaning/organizing done and then started to cut fabric down to 2 1/2" strips. Rather than keep random amounts of fabric, I'm going to start cutting them down. For now I'm only doing 2 1/2" strips, as I can use jelly roll patterns with those. Once I get more of my fabrics cut down and am organizing my scraps better, I'll cut other sizes too.

Cutting the fabric made me think of my dad's Christmas quilt. It is UFO's 10, 11, and 12 on Judy's list (piecing, quilting, finishing). Since #10 was drawn this month, I need to get it all pieced this month. So tonight seemed like a good opportunity to work on it. Plus, someone mentioned on their blog that today was the February Christmas Quilt-A-Long, so working on the blocks would kill two birds with one stone. However, the Christmas Quilt-A-Long is actually next week :).

My dad's quilt is Bonnie Hunter's Star Struck pattern. I started it over a year ago when I took her workshop. Well, tonight I got several strip sets made and cut down to 4 1/2". I started adding the corner blocks and have run out of 2 bobbins, so I'm going to call it a night. I'm hoping to get some more work done tomorrow on it :-).

~QB29

Skating

Wow, it's been years since I've skated. I forgot certain muscles existed! At first, I had to sit down every couple of laps because my shins were hurting so bad. By the end of the evening, I could go 6 - 8 laps without sitting :-).

The brown leather and orange wheeled skates are gone. I kinda missed them.

The days of having to skate up to the DJ and request a song are over. Now you can text your requests directly to him.

The rink has $2.50 Tuesdays, so I'm going to try to go every week. I hope to take my nephew in about a month when my church back home (the one he gets to go to with me when I'm in town). But I need to get back in the saddle, so to speak, so it's practice, practice, practice for me.

Did you know the kids text and skate know-a-days? or talk and skate? I was amazed that they could hear over the music to carry on a conversation.

Back when I skated all the time, no one wore their book bags on the rink, yet probably 2 dozen were wearing them tonight. One nearly wacked me with his a few times as he weaved past me (the straps weren't tight enough and it swayed back and forth).

Did you know you should wear pants with ventilation when skating? Seriously - at least half a dozen girls had jeans with holes in them. :-). Another half a dozen must have thought they were sleeping at the rink and were wearing pajama bottoms.

Lastly, I must have been an annoying kid, as I constantly weaved through people back in the day. I was at the rink nearly every Saturday morning/early afternoon unless I had a ball game for quite a few years.

Times have changed at the skating rink!

We'll see if I can move in the morning :-).

~QB29

Weekend Sewing Goals

Very little Friday Night Sewing for me - I'm going rollerskating tonight! A co-worker and I are meeting up for it @ the local rink :-).

But my Saturday looks pretty clear for a sew day, so here are my goals:
1. Finish binding Zoo Parade (my #6 UFO on Judy's list - did not get done in January)
2. Work on monochromatic challenge for month - violet purse made using 2" squares left over from a doll quilt project. (if I can find the fleece batting @ Joann's today).
3. Block Lotto string blocks (need 9).
4. mail out January BL blocks.
5. piece backing (or search stash for big enough piece) and baste Gold Coins

I know the Big Game is Sunday, so I may do some Super Sunday Sewing in the afternoon before church :-). Or fall victim to the "Sunday Afternoon Nap" :-).

What are your plans for the weekend?

~QB29