2014 is Coming to a Close...

...so I better get my last post in before the new year. I am close to my original goal of finishing 12 UnFinished Objects.  I made it to 9 and I am happy with that number.  It has been a busy year outside the sewing room.  Hopefully in 2015 I can accomplish more. 

And to help me, I recently made the commitment to join the Stashbuster's 2015 UFO Challenge. They are a fun group of quilters who offer lots of encouragement and support. And they are definitely the group to go to when your mojo needs boosting! Always motivating you to do "just one thing".

For the record, "finished" means it is quilted, the binding done, and is ready for use - or as Nancy V. says, "for proper aging".  (Love it!)

 My list of finishes for 2014:

1. El Dorado Canyon  (see January post)

 

2.  Summer Days - this quilt is huge - as most Thimbleberies quilts are!

 

3. Boston Creek Mystery - I love the fabrics! Moda of course!

4. Scrappy Nines - now hanging on my daughter's wall. This is so appropriate since her husband is color blind. The neutrals are easy on his eyes!

 

5. Vintage Blue Pinwheel - hand quilted

6. Lori Smith's Sampler

 

 7. Celtic Solstice - How many pieces??

8. Chocolate Covered Cherries - quilted with cherries and leaves. One of my favorites!

9. Kitty Korner - another favorite! Reds, blacks, yellows, greens and taupes. And just a few purples for zap!

Vintage Maple Leaves - Well actually, this is NOT a finish since it has yet to be quilted. It just needed its borders for years and I finally got them on. Half the problem was finding fabric that would go with those vintage calicoes that were so popular in the late 80's and 90's. Now it is ready for the long arm quilter and will have to be included in the 2015 count. Hopefully it will be back in my possession before I find myself Queen of the Week!

Check out those old calicos!

 
I still have a large plastic tub of these VIP fabrics that I just cannot part with. They are not like today's fabrics - a little less in quality I think - but they still charm me. I need to strip out my favorites and let the rest go! Do you have any of these still hanging out with your stash too?

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So I finished the year with 75% of my goal met. Not including the pinwheel table topper, all were full sized quilts and 2 began from scratch. Kitty Korner and Chocolate Covered Cherries. You have to have some new projects in there too!

I spent the month of December playing Project Runway with my American Girl Doll. She was my model for making clothes for my grand-daughters this Christmas. I'll make a special post picturing all her outfits next time. That effort was so much fun!!

And I can't forget the 12 quick table runners I made for Christmas presents. They were the one hour table runners and were so addictive to make.  I'll have to make this a subject for another post with directions. 

One final share -  I was feeling really ambitious one day and cut up a box of strips into bricks for some future mindless sewing. I could almost do snow angels in the scraps. You know it was a productive day when your sewing room looks like this!

Have a happy and safe new year!

Another Post - Another Password

Today I laid the last stitch to finish my "Scrappy Nines" from Pat Wys' book, Spotlight on Neutrals. When Pat tells you to lay the seams open on all those nine patches, take her  seriously! They finish at 1 inch so those seam allowances can be quite thick! Pressing is half your success in piecing a flat quilt. 

I like the quilting pattern we chose. It is a random square stipple-type design. I feel somewhat limited in the designs I can pick from (read - pantographs). At present I am just happy to have these quilts completed, but in time, I hope to develop some confidence in picking out and using some unique quilting designs.

Of course my ultimate goal is to machine quilt these myself with custom designs. I am looking at the Juki TL2010Q machine. Do you have any experience with this machine? I am very interested in hearing what you think! This year's sewing expo will have a Juki dealer on site. I am anxious to attend this event and test drive this machine.

So let this be another official finish! On the wall she goes! 

The colors work well in this room. Maybe I should keep this one....

Another finish is Thimbleberrie's Summer Day. This quilt was a project at "quilt camp" in 2008. A very simple pattern but has such pretty fabrics that I really like the end result. 

It measures at 100" x 120". I'll have to piece the backing but I have a few extra blocks and extra fabric from the top. I will make a few pinwheel blocks, sew them into a row and add to the backing to make it wider. Off to the long-arm quilter to finish. Yay!


Some other projects I have been working on are little rice bags for the grandchildren to cuddle up with at night to keep warm. I have an Ohio State University fan, a few Iron Man wannabes, and darling girls who love pink and purple! 
 

I used Jasmine rice to fill these bags because it is known for being fragrant. They are all made with muslin and the covers are made with soft flannel and basted closed. So if they become soiled, the covers can easily be removed, washed, and basted closed again. I did not think of it until I was finished but I should have added some dried lavender buds to the mix. Perhaps after this next growing season I can break them open and add some. Do you know if lavender will break down after repeated zaps in the microwave? Maybe this is not such a good idea. Any suggestions?
 
I also made a little Doc McStuffins coat/jacket for my youngest grand-daughter using a nice white twill fabric. The pattern I used was simply a shirt pattern that I lengthened to mid-thigh length.  I found a cute graphic of a band-aid and will print this, along with her name on fabric that has been pressed on freezer paper. That's right! It goes right through the printer! I will then cut it out and applique it on the front side to personalize. Combined with a purple hairband she will be ready for play!

She has not seen this yet so this is why it is pictured on a hanger. I am so anxious to see her smiles, and spy on her playtime as she mends her stuffed animals. Doc McStuffins is such a sweet pre-school program!

The weather is beginning to warm up and I have onions and peas planted in the garden plot.  That also means time will be divided between working outside and sewing. (I wish I had a housemaid and a cook). My count is progressing though, so hopefully when it becomes too hot to work outside I will be back at the Unfinished Projects.

Another Snow Storm - Another Finish

March is not going out like a lamb here. We are expecting another accumulation of snow tonight and I got the motivation to finish my Border Creek Mystery quilt from 2013. It needed the two final borders to be sewn on. This quilt finished at 78" x 78" and I was stalling on its finish as I contemplated purchasing more of the border print to make it larger. It is finished though and it will make a nice large throw over the bed.

I love the fabrics that were chosen - Moda's Cinnamon Spice by Blackbird Designs. The colors are soft muted shades and the fabrics handle so nicely. Just like all Moda fabrics! I found a nice dark green mini print that will be used as the backing. It was in the clearance room at 40% off so I could not resist. Off to the long-arm quilter to be officially completed!

Another finish that I made mention of in my last post was Lori Smith's sampler. This quilt was a block of the month at our local quilt shop. The setting for this quilt was originally with blocks arranged in rows of 3 x 4 with sashes separating them. I liked this setting much more and again it made a square quilt. 

The colors are richer than what is pictured here. And the border fabric is a mustard yellow. I had enough border fabric so I made the backing entirely using the left overs. It matched nearly perfectly so it is hard to find the seams joined together. Perhaps I will make some pillow shams but...I don't want to get too cutesy! What do you think?  Either way, It is going on our bed in May.

It feels good to have a change in "scenery" in the sewing room. The design wall is ready for the next project to be hung up to inspire me. I'm not going to "wonder" too long on what to work on. Momentum is still humming!

Where did February go?

There sure has been a lot of talk and grumbling about the winter weather we have been having this year. I do not understand what the commotion is about. I guess the only power we have over the weather is to complain about it, but complaints are like excuses - they only satisfy the one who is giving/making them!

So here it is March already and I did not make one post in February. Okay, here is an excuse for you - every time I log on to this blog account my password will not work. I have had to change my password every time (and yes, I write them down)! My cheat-sheet is getting longer and longer. Does anyone else have this problem?

I have still been working on some unfinished projects - moving on towards my goal. In February I finished an old table runner for Valentines day. I picked this up years ago on a remnant table at a local quilt shop. I am not too happy with the finished results because I was in too big of a hurry. I stretched the borders as I was stitching the binding on - thus causing the ripple effect. I am ashamed of myself because it is all I see now. Perhaps next year I will remove the binding and reapply it, but for now, it is on to the next thing.

I just got the call from my long arm quilter last Friday and my Lori Smith Sampler quilt is finished and ready for pickup! Yay! Now I can look forward to some quiet hand stitching in the evenings. I think I will baste the binding on first before sewing on the machine so not to stretch the edges again. What application works best for you when attaching binding? Is there an easier way?

As I think over all the UFO's I have stored away, I have come to the realization that some of these projects are items I purchased unfinished! I am such a sucker for these as I make the excuse, "well, it is half finished so it won't take so long to complete." Ha! Some UFO's are rejects because they are not square, or the stitching is coming apart, or the construction is not all that good. But I am pretty picky about the quality - it has to be worth my time. My time loss is their storage time while I own them. I do like pondering what the original maker was thinking when she started it though.

Another start??

I forgot I committed to another Block of the Month program back in December until it arrived in the mail recently. I could not resist Di Ford's new mystery quilt called "Mountmellick", named after a town in Queen's County, Ireland. Mountmellick was well known for textiles in the 19th century and Di Ford is well known for her antique Old World designs, so I am certain this will be a thrill to work on. 

Block One is 20 inches square with a basket and broderie perse flowers appliqued. Little half inch flowers (hexagons) are appliqued in the corners so I will be trying the English Paper Piecing techniques. I'll post some pictures when I actually get these pieces together. I hope to have them ready for applying on Super Bowl Sunday.

Two quilts have been sent out to the machine quilter and I expect them back sometime in March. I already have the binding cut and the labels completed, ready to attach. I'll post pictures when they are officially finished.

It has been a record cold January here in Ohio and this week we experienced "snow rolls" one morning. An amazing but rare weather phenomena where the wind actually blows the snow into rolls. They were numerous! Our neighbors had what looked to be hundreds. Here is a view of our backyard. 

They look like toilet paper rolls, don't they?


I finished a table topper last week made from a few vintage pinwheel blocks I had saved years ago. I do not even remember where I got these. Most likely from an auction or garage sale. I alternated the blocks with plain muslin blocks and added a small border. It is hand quilted and now sitting on the dining table looking appropriate (blue) during these cold months. So this was an unexpected finish. I'll tick this one off my list!

I do not consider myself a expert hand quilter but here is a closeup of the blocks showing the old style fabric. I do not know what the original maker used for the plain triangles but it was a tight weave and I could feel the difference in drag on my needle. I wonder what she had planned for these blocks...or maybe they were extras from another project. I can only hope she would be pleased that they are now used in something pretty on our table.



So back to the sewing room to add the borders on the last year's Border Creek Station Mystery Quilt using Moda's line, "Cinnamon Spice" fabrics. I am very happy with how this quilt came together, but I wish it was a little larger as it finishes at 77" square. It will make a nice Christmas throw and I have already purchased backing fabric so once the borders are on, it is on its way to be quilted too! 

Border Creek's mystery for this year was a temptation to begin. The fabric line they are using is 3 Sister's "Vin du Jour" but no more BOMs until I get these other projects finished! Isn't that what this blog is about??

I like the word, 'distracted". That is what it is - I get "distracted". This year is the year for no distractions and to focus on the goals I have set. It will feel so good to achieve!!

I hope you are accomplishing your goals and staying warm this winter. It will soon enough be spring and then we will be splitting time sewing with the outdoor chores.  So let us make good use of this time and -  "Let it snow, let it snow, let me sew!" 

An Easy First Finish for 2014

I am so happy to have this one done. It was nicely machine quilted by Dottie at Just Quilt It Quilt Shop and is presently hanging in her shop as a "sample". The pattern is El Dorado Canyon and the fabric line is Stonehenge's Woodland.

I've been wanting to make something using these fabrics so when Dottie asked me to sew this one up I was thrilled. 

For the label I used one of the tree sections from the border, then using a pigma pen, I added the verse from Psalm 1, "He who meditates and delights in God's law is like a tree planted by the rivers of water. Whatever he does will prosper." (my paraphrase) 

 
Then, of course I add my name, date, and hometown. 


The label on Abigail's quilt has the priests blessing from Numbers 6:22-27. I made four miniature pinwheel blocks with leftover fabrics from the top. This fabric is one of my favorites because it is the scraps of a maternity blouse I made when expecting Sarah, Abigail's mother. Unfortunately, I cannot find a photo of this quilt finished. I'll have to take a shot the next time I am visiting for my scrapbook. Do you have pictures of all your quilts too?

Bonnie Hunter's Christmas Lights Mystery Quilt was completed a couple of years ago and I gave it to my niece. Here I made a label for the back using a simple nine patch block and included my rubber stamp of a girl doing her needlework.

So labels can be as simple or ornate as you desire. I think using leftover scraps and a miniature block that compliments or replicates a piece of the front is a fun addition to the work. Ideally, it would be perfect to have the label attached to the backing before it is quilted but by stitching it on afterwards I am sure it is where I want it, and is square to the edges. Once it is "appliqued" on, I use accent quilting stitches to secure it in the middle without going through all the layers.

I hope you are motivated to create your own original labels for your quilts. It is never too late to add them. Have fun, and share your work with us.

Looking Forward in 2014

I love new years! The Christmas decorations and tree is packed away. The house is swept and clean. Pork & Sauerkraut are roasting in the oven and filling the house with the smells of an upcoming delicious dinner. And the sewing room is ready for some focused work! We are expecting a winter storm and I have the song stuck in my head that goes,

"Well, the weather outside is frightful, but my fabrics are so delightful. I have no other place to go. Let it snow, let it snow, LET ME SEW!"

In the sewing room, I went through the cupboards and drawers and took inventory of all the works in progress, blocks, quilts needing only the borders, quilts needing quilted and binding put on, and unopened kits. I am so thankful to be blessed with so much. But I am also so convicted to be a better steward of my time and gifts that I seriously need to clean up, finish up, give up, and move on. 

So this new year, in 2014, my goal is to finish 12 items! I feel this is a realistic goal as there are a few items that should finish rather quickly.  My motivation and accountability will be to get them completed and journal the progress here. The only fuzzy part of this challenge is defining what completed is. I am happy to have the top finished and ready to be sent out to be quilted, so if I only make it that far, then I will be satisfied. Please forgive me if I am wimping out.

Today, the project in my lap is the El Dorado Canyon quilt I have pictured in a previous post. I picked it up yesterday at the machine quilter's and today I am stitching on the binding. This is the ONLY easy project that counts towards the 12 to reach my goal. Is that fair? 

I really enjoy attaching bindings. I really enjoy handwork. In high school, I made my homecoming gown with an over-skirt of chiffon that had a hand-rolled, bias hem of what seemed like 20 yards! We only had an old Kenmore sewing machine, and I didn't have a clue how to use the hem rolled presser foot (if there even was one). The tension on that machine was so fickle it would have likely ate the sheer fabric anyway, so to save the frustration, I hand stitched it and LOVED the process! It took me a week working in the evenings. How I now wish I learned to quilt at 17!!

To make the binding, I cut my binding at a width of 2.5 inches, across the width of the fabric. I prefer cutting along the length of the fabric because it has no stretch but this time I did not. I do not use bias binding nor do I make bias binding, even though it really wears the best. I sew the lengths of binding together on the bias and trim the dog ears. This is so there is no bump when turning it over and stitching it down to the back of the quilt. I love the look of mitered corners. To see how this is done, you can check out a video on YouTube. It is not complicated but would be for me to explain the process here.

Fold over your binding and blind stitch to the back. I try to keep my stitches about 3/8 inches apart except smaller around corners and seams. How about you? Are yours smaller? Larger? I certainly do not want a "toe-catcher" but I guess it depends on the expected use of the quilt. A child's quilt would have heavy use and frequent washings.

I found Roxanne applique needles at the quilt store and I am in love. They glide through the fabric like a hot knife through butter!

Once the binding is finished, I will make my label, attach it, and cross this one off my list! BOOYAH! And happy new year!

Making labels will be a good subject for my next post.