Christmas Placemats - YEA!

I finished one placemat yesterday and then did the other three today, just in time for Christmas dinner!

2 Placemats have fabric on the back

View of the table with the four placemats in place

Full placemat view

2 Placemats have this blue on the back

Another closeup of one of the placemats

Counting UFOs

I have now finished piecing 4 placemats. Need to get them quilted but it's going to be hard to find the time.

My sister arrived from Wyoming to visit with Mom who is living with me and we (DS & I) stayed up until 1:30 am this morning talking.

I only have to work 4 hours today so it's not so bad. Then I am OFF until Jan 3rd! YEAH!

I decided to join the Stashbusters 2018 UFO challenge. So I need to select 2 fat quarters and send them and $1 off to the holder of the FQ kitty. I am officially declaring that I have 49 UFOs.

Just One Thing

Started selecting and cutting more Christmas/Winter fabrics for two more placemats. These bowtie blocks are too stinking cute!

I'm also continuing with my selvage edge blocks that are 10.5" with a fabric stabilizer as a foundation. I used up all my old thin muslim. (YAY!) Now I'm using some old cotton sheeting; very old, very washed and quite supple. So that's also a win.

I have hardly made a dent in my box of selvages.

My nieces came down from Maryland and visited with my Mom last week. That was nice!

Shannon, Mom, and Jennifer

DH, our two DGSs and I went to the UVA basketball game on Saturday in JPJ arena. This was DGSs first experience with basketball. We had a lot of fun!

Aftterwards, DH and I got to celebrate youngest DGS's birthday on Saturday with an ice cream cake.

He blew out the candles before I could take the pic!

The remote control two-car race track present was a success. DH and both DGSs loved it. I played with it too. LOL

O, yea! We also got our Christmas tree, put it up, and the DGSs helped to decorate. YAY!

Looking forward to having the grandsons at Christmas!

Christmas Placemats

Decided to make some Winter/Christmas placemats this weekend. Used the pattern here: http://freshlypieced.com/2011/05/scrappy-rainbow-placemats-tutorial.html

24 different Christmas or Winter prints plus white. Only took a 2.5" strip of fabric each, really less but I don't cut small pieces off my fabrics. The longest part was moving around the fabrics to get it how I wanted.

I don't have an empty table near my sewing machine so I partially unfolded my cardboard cutting mat and put it on the floor. That was a lot bending over and once I actually sat on the floor. OOF! I don't like sitting on the floor. Or rather, I don't like getting up from that position... I'm not a flexible as I once was.

I managed to piece one entire mat by the end of last night (11:30 pm) and started on the second one. Will have to take photos.

It's a big-ish placemat but that's not a bad thing. The bowties look so cute too.

Saturday was taken up by a work emergency. City Hall completely lost power and the computer systems all crashed. Since I am in IT, this means working on the weekend. At least, it was remote work but still.

I made a little more progress on my 10.5" Selvage Squares. They have a 2.5" strip of black fabric crosswise down the middle first. I haven't decided what it will become yet. I cut some more muslin foundations and pinned some black strips down the middle. They really are pretty.

I paid a blogger I follow postage only for a STUFFED priority mail box of selvage edge strips and boy was it stuffed! I even found a few regular strips of fabric in it. I guess she didn't like them or else they fell into the box by accident. LOL

I need to take photos of them too. I'll also have to count exactly how many I have completed so far. I like that kind of work!

I am a little overwhelmed by the amount of stash increase that I have recently experienced. After my Mom's stroke and spending time with her in NC, I came back with three or more large plastic containers of FAB fabric! I am slowly ironing and ruler-folding it and placing them into my stash shelves.

In fact, one of my shelves collapsed onto my computer table; they were in the wall behind my computer and the shelving was not secure, i.e. the shelf just rested on a couple of boards. If I pressed too hard on the edge, it just shoved all the fabric in my face and onto my table. GAH!

DH fixed the shelf with a long screw on both sides. I am now a happy camper. But I also had to straighten all of the fabrics and re-shelve them.

OH NO! So far I have found two of my mother's UFOs! One just needs the binding and a hanging sleeve (and a label). Another is an applique baby quilt that requires some embroidery before proceeding. At least all the applique is attached! It is weird finding Mom's UFOs.

I don't think she will take up sewing any more. She says she doesn't have time for it. Really? I can't imagine. She is 86, after all. I'm only 60 and still working. LOL

2 new flimsies!

Updated photo of my Blue Irish Chain with the borders added.

Irish Chain flimsy

I finished the farm kalido to flimsy stage. YAH!

Kaliedo Time

Been working on my Kaliedo Baby with farm materials.

Stitching on my 221 Featherweight.

Blocks with no corners on the design wall.

Kaliedo blocks with no corners

Finally got all the corners on this weekend.

Kaleidos with corners!

I will start stitching the columns and rows together tonight.

Helpful Grandsons and Bountiful Harvests

I decided to bring in one of my wall hangings to spice up the office.

Storm At Sea #1 Wall Hanging

I love it.

Of course, my DGSs needed to help me with my quilting. Got to love the little monsters under my extension table! I'm working on quilting another Storm at Sea, this time in blues.

It is that time of year when the harvests are arriving. We have been having fun learning what edible mushrooms are available in our yard. The eggplants and tomatoes are kicking and a few of the sweet peppers are coming available.

Then the important harvest! Our wine grapes. DH and the grapes, getting ready for crushing.

Loading up

Ready to start crushing

The beginning of the results

Tied Completion

I finished my inherited UFO. This quilt was started by my Aunt Margaret. She had layered it and pin-basted it. I decided to tie it and use buttons I already had. (I have WAY TOO MANY buttons!) I used only white and red buttons. I love it! It went immediately on my bed.

Finished 8/24/17. 

Pieced Backs

I finished piecing a quilt backing yesterday for my 16-patch Jewel quilt I am quite happy with it.

Searched for the batting this morning and I think I have found it. I still need to measure it. Good Grief!

My grandchildren are coming for dinner tonight so I'm not layering the quilt top YET. As a reminder, this is the quilt top:

16-patch Jewel Quilt top

No new critters in the trap this morning. We are up to 2 raccoons and 1 opossum.

Pictures!

Ok, I was good last night. I dragged a bunch of my quilt tops out and took pictures. I really like the afternoon the best for pictures.

Variable Christmas Roots

Close-up of the center of Variable Christmas Roots

Straight Furrows Lap Quilt

Streak of Lightning Lap Quilt

Storm at Sea in Blues Wall Hanging

Shadows of Fall Wall Hanging, mostly quilted

Fade to Black Miniature Wall Hanging

Double Irish Chain - Still needs borders

100-Patch Quilt

 My 100-patch Quilt is a pattern by https://weddingdressblue.wordpress.com.

Still working on another pattern by the same author, Film at Five. I have about 7 or more of the 25 blocks that are needed. They are 25-patch blocks at 2.5 inches. They seem so huge compared to the miniatures I have been creating.

New Project

Started a new project this week. I am working on Film At Five. I have a ton of 2.5 inch scrappy squares and this will be perfect for those.

I already wiped out most of my 2 inch squares when I made my 100-Patch quilt. I know, I know. Need to take a picture of the completed top.

I also have Growing up Odd in my sights for a quilt soon. But my 2 inch squares need to build up some first.

I have recently been working with miniature quilts for a challenge group but I am not allowed to post any photos anywhere on them. <POUT>

It feels really weird to be sewing 2.5 inch squares are the miniatures. They are huge compared to one-inch strips I was sewing. Well, they ARE huge in comparison. What I love about the miniatures is that they come together with very little fabric as they are so small and it is different seeing the quilt come together "in person" so to speak as opposed to on the computer.

I use EQ7   -- A LOT. But it is not the same as seeing it in fabric in front of your eyes. EQ7 is like a preview but it's not the same at all, really.

I'm having so much fun doing all the piecing on my Featherweight.

I was having a bunch of issues loading bobbins from my Superior cone thread. I have figured out a method that works now. I actually let the thread run through my pinched figures as it goes around the spindle, in the thread guide, and on to the rest of the mechanical process.

I still need to take a picture of my wood surround for it. I totally love it.

Caught One!

We caught one of the little buggers that have been lurking around our backyard. Some critters have already completely stripped our three apple trees bare and are now going after our wine grapes and tomatos.  Well, one down!

Ok. Not really down. He is going to be relocated. We believe in trap-and-release. We baited the trap with peanut butter. Look at those wicked little paws/hands. We have had to bungy-cord the trap down or these critters roll the trap down the hill. That's an old grape vine trunk that the cord is attached to.

Then I as I was leaving the house this morning I saw a bit of a snake's tail slithering into the shrubbery at the steps. Hopefully it was just a baby black snake.

Here is a test slideshow of my quilts. Trying to help Bonnie Hunter find an alternative to Youtube slides which are going away. It was pretty easy to do it. Never done it before.

View my Quilting Slideshow

One Picture -- a bunch of X!X! Words

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Mine is worth some expletive-deleted words!

Yup. Did not see the block going the wrong way until I was admiring the freaking picture!! There will be un-sewing in my very near future.

The blocks are fairly large and it was interesting to see them in a variety of layouts on the conference table at work.

Love this one.

Love this one too.

Didn't like this one. Not symmetrical enough for me.

Did  not like this one. The pale blocks are too prominent. I want the green ones to rule.

Update: This is my very first log cabin.

New Start

I got tired of the teeny tiny piecing so I have started a blue double Irish Chain with 2.5" strips and two different blues. Gorgeous! 1 block is done and appears to be about 10.25" square.

Worked on my Featherweight to make sure my seams with a scant .25" and not too much less. It was much less before the adjustment.

Had a wonderful weekend, celebrating our 17th anniversary. SO, not much sewing happened.

Potato Covering

I had a lot of fun this weekend creating a cover for our pototos that sit on a wire rack.

I brought my upholstery skills to bear in creating it. I used a piece of denim that was about 4 inches or so wider and longer than the shelf and then cut the holes for the legs and sewed down the flaps of denim. I then added rectangles of denim to the front and back at the same width and then larger (by about 3-4") on the sides to extend it almost to the floor. I top-stitched where I added the additional fabric.

Then I created a  TON of binding in a cute red and white using just full lengths of fabric, about 6 lengths of 2.5" cuts and bound all the edges. It turned out GREAT!

This was brand new denim that someone gifted me a long time ago. So all of it was made from my STASH! That's a big win. Took me most of Saturday to make it but I love the results.

O! I forgot to add that I made this with my Singer Featherweight. Sewed like a champ through the thick layers of the denim. Even the top-stitching through two layers of denim went together easy-peasy!

View from the back

View from the side

View from the front

A view of the potatoes!

Mini #4 is completely together and I am thinking about how I want to quilt it.

Mini #2 is still being pieced. I changed machines and now my scant quarter-inch is even scant-er. So my new blocks need to be trimmed down. Humm...

I had an issue with my Janome 9000.  I was sewing along when the needle fell out and jammed in the bobbin case. Now the machine makes a weird noise when the bobbin turns and I may need to get a new one. I do have an extra; I just need to find it.

So now I am using my Singer 221 Featherweight. I also got out my new hand-made wooden surround for it that I purchased at the February MAQF. So lovely. That's the next picture I need to take -- to show you my set up.

Mini #3 has more pieces per block and is also suffering from the change in machines. It is making me crazy!

Sewing -- ERROR!

So this weekend, I was sewing merrily along and WHAM! My needle dropped out and jammed in the bobbin case. UCK! Now my machine is making an awful sound every time the bobbin spins around.

So I cleaned it out, reassembled, did this a couple of times. NOPE. Still making the bad sounds.

Time to swap machines.

SO I brought out my Featherweight and set it up. Also opened up my new surround for it. Bought it back in February at the MAQF (Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival). O wow, this is fantastic.

This is a lovely handmade wood surround and it is so lovely. I am really enjoying using it.

So my mini #1 is on the back burner, waiting for me to get better with free motion quilting. It's already half quilted.

Mini #2 is stalled in the thought process. I have 8 of those blocks together but need at least another 8.

Mini #3 is slowly coming together. It sure takes a lot of ironing.

Mini #4 is speeding to the finish line, as far as the piecing goes.

Miniature Quilts

I have plunged into the world of miniatures! Unfortunately the nature of this particular challenge requires that I not publish any pictures. 😡

SO I may have to write my comments privately and not show anything for like a year! Wow. Humm...

I am part of team 220 in the IMQE from The Quilt Show. My quilt will not be due until Jan 2018.

Some quilting occurred

Cleared off the kitchen table, set up my newest machine, and got some quilting done on my mini shadow blocks quilt that I have named Reflections of Fall.  I really like how it is coming along.

Took pictures of the farm Kalido blocks on my design wall. But still need to cut the corner blocks but I haven't decided what I am doing for the corners. Also need to cut a new strip of the John Deere fabric. Need more of the striped cows too.

Did not get a chance to baste the Blue Storm at Sea wallhanging but I have the backing and batting cut and ready.

I'm very happy with how it looks.

New Storm at sea

I started a kit I have had for a couple of years last Monday. As of Sunday, it is now a filmsy! YEA.

Here is the last pic before it got sewed together.

En Provence!

Here she is in all her glory!

En Provence is a Flimsy!

Whoo hoo! En Provence is a top! So happy. It looks so wonderful. Unfortunately it's too late to take a picture. Tomorrow! Yea!!

En Provence - slow progress

Well, my bee meets tomorrow but I don't know if I can stay for more than an hour as I will also have my two young grandsons over for the weekend. However, I have GOT to go!

I am diligently sewing on En Provence. All of the separate clues are made and now I am assembling the sashing and the 16 blocks. Only one block is currently made but quite a few of the sashing strips. 

It has been so much fun to see all of the completed quilts but a little disheartening too because I work and there is no way for me to do that much sewing right now. So many of the quilts look like my pieces and parts but OF COURSE they should since I am using the same color scheme that Bonnie picked for us.

I have several UFOs just poised to be finished but my attention was captured by En Provence so they are stagnating.

En Provence - Block reveal!

Here is my first block of En Provence, the Bonnie Hunter Mystery. I love it!

With our weather (8.5 to 9.5 inches of snow and 2 degrees F), it was easy to sew up a storm!

It was a bit snowy today...