Biking to work

Well, it's been two weeks since I last rode my bicycle to work. Yuk. My legs felt like lead.

But, HEY, I did 23 miles today. Felt a lot better on the way home, even though it was like in the 90s. This morning? Like 70 or maybe in the 60s -- awesome!

So about 2 hours of cardio - the real way. LOL

No sewing tonight. My DGS and DSIL came for dinner. Eli is 3 and a half and full of energy and beans.

No critters in the trap since the possum so maybe no more??

4" D4P is a filmsy!

My 4" Disappearing 4-patch is together (a flimsy)! YEA.

Didn't do much sewing this weekend since DH and I are working on clearing a bunch of privet that have grown tree-sized and making a firewood stand for the wood from the ash tree that we recently cut, although the wood still needs splitting.

We can actually see the well house. Hum, maybe that's not so good.

A place for the wood.

Now this still needs cutting up.

First things, first. A place in the sun to put it.

No additional critters in our trap, inspite of fresh applications of peanut butter. Maybe we got them all? Hummmm...

Went to Southern States and bought too many winter veggies and spent hours getting those planted also. Talk about tired on Sunday night!

SO we have brussel sprouts, Swiss Chard, Kale, Collards, white head lettucd, red leaf lettuce, arugula, spinach, and beets. Ok, I went a little overboard...

But the rosemary likes its spot...

Border blockage & Critters in the Vineyard

What is it with me? I can't seem to put the borders on two of my quilts. It's like I'll be disappointed that they will be official flimsies...? I usually feel a let down after finishing the piecing. I do like that part.

I sewed a bunch of the 5" D4P last night and then finished them all this morning before work.

Straightened the living room and made just one fabric pile so now the sofa is available for use. My youngest grandson (3 yrs old) is coming over tonight for an overnight visit.

DH found a 5th critter in our trap. Our vineyard has been decimated by critters this year.  We have caught 4 racoons and now 1 possum.

FYI - We take them 6 miles away to a park beside the James River and release them.

Here is a picture on one of the racoons.

Looks like we will get ZERO grapes to make into wine due to these suckers.

4" Disappearing 4-patch - in progress

So I didn't get everything done that I had wanted to. Still fighting with my head cold.

DH asked for my help while he cut a huge busted limb from our ash tree. Definitely a worry but he got it down with no problems, resulting in a huge truckload of limbs that he took to the dump the next day. I should have taken pictures...

Here is the tree where the piece came off after he cleaned it up.

And the whole tree... it's a big one..

And here is what is left over to be cut up.... O, and it's not next to the original tree because, well, men and tractors, what can I say? DH shoved it all over the place until he got it where he liked it.

Laid out several WIPs on the design bed this weekend.

Here is my 4" D4P with the individual rows put together, awaiting an ironing prior to the final sew-up.

Then there is the shadow box quilt. Here is the point where I realized I needed 3 more blocks...

It is still not finished but here it is also awaiting an ironing and then more sewing for the white between the rows and on the outsides. I am calling this Fall Shadows.

This morning before work, I got the rest of the 5" D4P sliced up and pinned. It is sitting by the sewing machine waiting for me to get home again.

I sewed the 10th row on one of my 100-patch blocks so that is also awaiting white borders. I have another partial block started as I sewed and added row 2 this weekend.

Made 10-11 more 3.5" unfinished bow-tie blocks this weekend.

Quilt borders are still calling my name....

Friday and a long Weekend!

Going to do some more sewing on this nice long weekend!

Looking back at my last post, I am disappointed to say that not much got done this week. Been feeling a bit under the weather so I also didn't ride my bike in to work all week. <sad face>

I did get a few more 5" D4P squares completed.

I am going to whip out a mini project this weekend with the Shadow box mini quilt-along (https://colorcreatingandquilting.blogspot.com/2016/08/shadow-block-mini-quilt-along.html). This looks like a lot of fun.

I am going to experiment with some of my gifted browns. This is a color that I haven't really liked. In the past, I would say that I actively DISliked it. Since then, I used it in an attic windows quilt and must say that it looked really great, to my vast surprise.

Looking forward to stitching up a storm on this coming long weekend!

To Do List:

1. Shadow Box Mini Quilt 

2. Add the final yellow border to my blue and yellow Ohio Stars flimsy.

3. Add the final white border to my 16-patch star quilt.

4. Do some more quilting on my red and white Storm at Sea wall hanging (a John Flynn kit that I purchased at MAQF in Feb 2015). I am quilting it with my walking foot, easy but I am quilting the snot out of it so it takes time. 

5. Sew some more 2" squares L/E fashion for my 100-block quilt.

6. Sew some more 3.5" bowties for my Bowtie L/E project (Bonnie Hunter bowie pattern but NOT using Cheddar for the background - shudder - I'm using white Kona). These are so cute, I want to pinch their cheeks, if they had any.

7. Sandwich and pin my blue and yellow Ohio Stars top (so that means I have to do #2 right away!!)

Busy planning...

It's the process

It's Friday. Looking forward to the weekend!

I just love my current set up.

I put my piecing machine right in front of my PC. This forces inspires me to also turn on (and USE) my machine (and light) every time I sit down at my PC.

My new machine is set up on a nearby table for quilting my red-and-white "Storm At Sea", my second using John Flynn's pre-cut kit (wall-hanging size). All I can say is "LOVE IT!" Usually I only work on that one on the weekends because I need to be well rested before plunging into that one. I have to put my 'specs on to do it. So I haven't touched it since last Sunday.

Rode in to work today on my bicycle. 11.5 miles in 56 minutes. Not bad. Not my best time. But this is the third day this week. Also did it Monday and Wednesday. DH rode 3.6 miles with me, to the Capitol Trail. Then he went one way and I, the other. He does a 16-mile loop a couple of times a week. 

Finished sewing the five-inch four patches together last night, pressed them and then started slicing them this morning for the Disappearing four patch (D4P) baby quilt I am making. I finished sewing two blocks (of the 30) before work.

The four-inch D4P is finally squared up and waiting for me to layout it out. I will do that first thing tomorrow, so I can get this one into flimsy stage. This is another baby quilt in process.

There are three new babies in the family to sew for and another on the way. I love it.

My quilting group is working on quilts for West Virginia and also knocking out our UFOs (Unfinished Fabric Objects). #4 is the one to finish. Need to check my list and figure out which one is #4.

I will confess to having over 25 at this point. It is SO time to start finishing stuff up.

I have cut out the white Kona for borders on my 16-patch Star quilt. Need to take measurements and cut on (and sew on) the first two borders. This is also at the top of my list for tomorrow.

My Ohio Star flimsy is also awaiting its final yellow border. Must check my EQ7 layout and start cutting the yellow fabric.

A trip to JoAnn's this weekend will probably happen to obtain a wide-back for the Ohio Star quilt.

This quilt has a definite due date (November) and I want to present it early. If I can finish it quick, I am going to enter it into the Va State Fair this year.

My next task is to measure the "Variable Christmas Roots" quilt for backing and batting. If I don't have a backing to fit, this will also be on the Joann's list. Needs a white batting.

Then I need to measure my Cross-Stitch quilt for backing and batting. I think I have that already. Needs a white batting. I may have that one but will not know until I know the exact dimensions.

A new machine

Yup, I did it. I am in love.

Got a Janome 8900 QCP and have been learning to change the feet and do free motion quilting on it. Trying out the quilt by button instead of foot method. WHOO scary! But the stitches look really great!

Here is my older baby, a Janome 9000.

Stuck on my Storm at Sea. My quilting lines are not straight enough to my liking. So I have put it aside.

I need to get over it and continue on.

Now I have three 100-block scrappy squares completed and one laid out to stitch together.. I really like this for taking a break in designing and being frustrated. I need to think about fabric selection for the sashing.

Baby on Point - Laid out and ready for me to re-start the blocks on the edges.

FRQ - Starting to practice some of Leah Day's patterns on placemat-sized sandwiches. Pretty cool. Doesn't look like hers YET!

Quilt List

I have moved my List of Quilts to a spreadsheet in Google. Much easier to keep track of and to sort.

Now working on figuring out how to put a copyright watermark on my personal images so I can start posting my work on this blog. I will then delete my prior postings and start a real blog. Maybe??

Quilting is what I want to do for my enjoyment. It would be nice to make money for it also.

Do I need a newer machine? I think so. My Janome 9K is breaking too often now.

Consider taking off a second day to go to the Quilt show on Wednesday night and Thursday (all day) and check out the machines and quilts of course!!

Quilt update

Ok. Time to update my quilts in progress list. I have NOT been finishing stuff recently, just starting new ones.

New resolution. I cannot start a new one until I finish one or more (how about two??) first.

I need to recheck all my stuff and see if there are any more projects hidden away.

Got a new box of fabric from Mom that was Aunt Margaret's last week. O BOY!

Quilts in active progress

1. Scrappy rail fence stars - 2 blocks done - leader/ender project
2. Table topper kit from my quilt group secret sister - center is complete need the outer row sewn and added to main.
3. Eli's Christmas Quilt - "A Christmas Quilt for a Christmas Boy" - very close. Just about 5 blocks need more free-form quilting. Add a label to the back.
4. Orphan turned Wall hanging - Need to add more quilting with my metallic threads.  Need to add hanging sleeve.
5. All Hallows QAYG quilt - 4 of 12 blocks done. Backing will be black and white with black and red (love fabric) to join. Should I make more squares and make this queen size? Maybe. I'm stuck on this one. The half-square triangles are not all the same size. I need to reqroup on this one.
6. Star Quilt #2 - All 32 blocks done and joined in 4 sections. Center needs more free-form quilting. Ready to quilt the four sections and finished the d*mn thing.
7. Wine Placemat #2 - One finished and given away. One mostly quilted until the Janome broke just before Thanksgiving. Now that it's back, I need to just finish it. 
8. Woodsy wonders small #1 - All squares together for the woodsy part. Still doing the stars on the other side. Ready to join several of the rows. Already pinned several together. Really close to finished. 

Quilts being planned or haven't touched in months

1. Animal ABC quilt - ready to quilt. Need to mark with stencils and pounce. Or should I just do different free-form patterns in each one? 
2. Star Quilt #3 - 0 of 32 blocks needed. Center is sandwiched. Ready to quilt center
3. Wine Placemats- Two pieced and need to be sandwiched.
4. Flower hand quilt - Can I do this with the machine to finish? Pull out and look at it.
5. 3 batik kits from my quilt group secret sister.

Quilts with the cleaner since the fire

1. Dogwood Hand quilt - with the cleaner since the fire - so close! Haven't worked on it in years. Need to pull it out and just do it.
2. Cross-stitch double bed quilt. Need to finish cleaning the back to clip threads. Backing fabric has been purchased as well as batting. Just need to do low-fat quilting.

Quilts being planned

1. 100 patch quilt - all scrappy - see this page: http://weddingdressblue.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/100-patch-quilt-tutorial/
2. Tiny Tailor book panel - all cut out. Just waiting for inspiration.
3.  Woodsy wonders #2 - fabric only. Nothing cut out.
4. ABC panel - really small. Need to figure a design to go around it. Don't really want to cut it.
5. Wine panels - placemats? I have a bunch more of these.
6. 2 cartoon space panels - 2 separate quilts?
7. Noah's Arc panel
8.  Quilt for Connor - Houses or something with a train and some houses/landscape?
9.  Cat and Dog quilt - 9 patch? QAYG strips on the other?
10.  Globe fabric - have 2
11.  Batik quilt? 
12. Pineapple quilt?
13. Log cabin quilt?

To-Do and Done

To Do:

• Take photos of my WIPS and other fabrics and add to blog so I can view them.

Done:

• Bought the backing for the cross-stitch quilt from Joann's - the premium muslin 108". Nice stuff.
• Got dressmaker's stencils at Michael's. Go figure.

Read a post where you can't have more than 3 things on your to-do list or you won't get anything done. sounds like me.

So I am re-sorting everything.