February Wallhanging done

I forgot to post this earlier...but I got February's Button Up wallhanging done. Maybe I'll get March's done by the time March comes and can have it for the whole month! Hmmm, novel idea!Love and kisses to all! :)

Stash report and some finishes!

Oops--a couple days late, again! Maybe it's because I have to report I bought a couple yards of fabric. My Friday night quilt group does an annual block exchange and we are to give little samples of fabric we'd like our blocks made from. We found this is the best way to exchange blocks. They still are allowed to add what they want, but in colors I prefer. We are too varied of a group, in fabric tastes, quilt styles, etc. to do a 'blind' exchange. Well, my colors have been sort of predicatible and so I thought I'd throw them for a loop! :) I'm asking for aqua and red blocks. I love that combination, but don't have a lot of it in my stash. So, I bought 4--1/2 yard pieces to give them samples and add to my own collection. Man, it's hard to find aqua right now! I've been sort of looking in my travels since this summer and not coming up with a lot. I'm thinking that retro aqua color. I did get some quilt tops quilted and bound this past week--so that was good clearing out some stash.

Stash IN this week--2 yards

Stash USED this week--9 yards

Stash IN YTD--39.25 yards

Stash OUT YTD--301.25

Net TOTAL--262 yards BUSTED!!!

And for some finishes!! The first one is ALLEGRO, a Terry Atkinson pattern. I taught this class last spring and used all the fabric from my stash. I really need to find a better way to photograph quilts. This one has 3 more rows to it.

The next one is called BQ, a pattern by Debbie Bowles. I really wanted a quick and simple quilt to practice some more machine quilting on my HQ16. I thought I'd take the plunge and try a pantograph. Loaded the quilt, got everything set and did the first row. I could do it okay, but wasn't happy about the size of it. It was a bit small and it would quilt it a little too heavy for my tastes. So I spent the next two hours graphing it out to be larger. Then it had too many open gaps, so I filled them in free hand. And after all that, because it was an interlocking pattern, I could only advance the quilt 4-5"! Well, what fun is that? So, I just traced the pantograph with my finger to 'lock in the design' somewhat in my brain and just free hand quilted it. It 'reminds' you of the design, but really isn't close at all. But that's okay, it doesn't look too bad. I love all the pantos that Mary does, but for some reason they don't look good on mine. I think because I had a mid-arm vs. a long arm, my designs are smaller and I'm not as happy with them. So, I guess free hand is going to have to be it. I see lots of doodling in the future!! LOL

Feeling good!!

Wow--3 weeks later and I feel like I'm back to normal--whatever that is! LOL And I worked overtime catching up with mail/emails/sewing/cleaning. It feels so good feeling good that I have been working extra hard, and that's a good thing. Follow all that?

I have been trying to tackle old UFO's to finish and here is one that I started in 2001. "Going to the Beach"

I got most of the blocks fused and partly satin stitched, then for some reason went on to something else. Why do we do that to ourselves? I got it out again, found my basket of rayon threads and matching bobbins and went to town stitching the rest of the blocks. Geez--only 3 hours later and they were done. I was so excited that I put them together with the rest of my red fabric and somehow ended up 20" short! Dang. I didn't have more and as would luck would have it, I had just had an Open Sew day at my Studio that day and as I emptied the trash, I found one of my students THREW these away! She claims to have no stash OR scraps at home and now I know why! Why there is perfectly good fabric there and enough to do something with it! I dug it out of the trash, frogged stitched the pieces apart and what do you know? The color is so close it's uncanny and when I pieced them together, I had an extra 1/4" !!! Yes, I said that right--I had enough with 1/4" to spare!! Now, look close, can you see the difference? Yep, life is good again. A few close ups of the blocks in the wallhanging. I am going to put this in my SC house in the laundry room, of all places. :) It really matches the border in there and I'm running out of room to hang quilts. I'm still working on the final border. I had more of that cool water fabric, but not enough to do a whole border, but I have an idea. I'll show you when it's done.

This is post 199 for me, and I mentioned a few posts ago that I am going to do a 200th Blog-avirsary give away so stay tuned........ I'm looking for something good to give away! :)

Finish,cough cough, finish

Finishes in between the coughing. I'm ready to be done coughing--the medicine I am taking is really good about stopping the coughing, but then I find myself on the couch sleeping/snoozing/napping. LOL My choice: no meds, cough my head off--take the meds and sleep half the time! And then I somehow got the OTHER type of flu with it coming out both ends this past weekend. But here is what I got done BEFORE the flu hit last week:
Coral Brick Road..at least 2 years old and all I had to do was add the borders! I quickly finished this one up so I could have it for a practice quilt for my "Zoe" students (I'm teaching others how to use my HQ16 so they can rent my machine). They just did an allover meander and didn't do too bad, considering there were three people doing it. I finished up the binding last week, so it's another 'done' quilt!

This is finally done! I've been working on hand stitching the 'Bubbles' with a utility stitch using different variegated Perle Cotton threads. I'm going to keep it here for my newest granddaughter. All the grand kids have their own quilt when they come to Nana's. Here's a close up of the stitching. It was hard to determine where to stop! :)This is a quilt that a student request I teach. She really wanted to learn how to do the lettering. So I taught the class and showed them how to make their own lettering and personalize their quilts. This was a free pattern here. "Nana's Sweet Shoppe"And a close up of the machine quilting. I used Superior's MonoPoly Thread and did a 'wood grain' design in the bookcase. And my last Stashbusting report: (geez--I'm getting later and later doing my report!)

Stash busted last week: 11 1/2 yards (mostly for backings and bindings)

Stash purchased last week: 0

Total Stash busted YTD: 218.5

Total Stash purchased YTD: 9

Net total busted: 209.5 yards!

What am I doing???

I am SO supposed to be working on my books/taxes and somehow I wandered off to just look at a 'few' blogs...and I happened to see yet another cool signature and I clicked on it and found a site where I could get one too!! Woo hoo! So, of course I had to go do that, play with my name, nicknames, my Passionate Quilter name and then of course, it's the 120 fonts, colors, sizes and slopes! Then trying to figure out how to get it into my post. My question? Do you have to copy and paste the code in EVERY time you post? I tried to find a place in the template where it could just 'be' and I can't seem to see it. I'm in Blogger and if someone knows how to get it to stay there so I don't have to copy/paste each post, I'd sure appreciate a heads up! Thanks!
Now what kind of post would it be without pictures? (and a chance to try my new code!). So I'll show you another quilt that I finished last week. "Crazy Friendships"Another 24 FQ challenge quilts--I used some pretty contemporary fabric with a 'modified' traditional design and thought I'd finish it off with a traditional quilting design, the Baptist Fan. So it has a little of everything in it. Here's the back...an idea picked up from Mary--I love the way it looks instead of having a seam down the middle separating the two fabrics. This spices it up a bit.
and another snow picture....I love this pump--it's a real pump, but never used. I bought it just for decoration. :)

PS..woo hoo..it worked!

Blizzard of 08

Well, that's what they're calling it. LOL It just amuses me that the newscasters love to 'name' events--AS they are happening! Yes, it's true there were blizzard warnings until 4 PM today--which technically means there is low visability, winds over 35 mph and it lasts more than 3 hours. So, by definition, we are 'having a blizzard'. But for those that lived through the Blizzard of '78--this is just a bad winter storm! We have about 20" of snow since yesterday and the roads are hazardous to drive on since the wind blows the snow right back on the roads as soon as it's plowed. We're in a Level 3 Snow Emergency--which means only emergency vehicles--you can get ticketed if caught. Well, you won't get caught--just stranded with no help! In the meantime, we're all holed up here with a pot of vegetable soup going and a pot of homemade chicken noodles cooking.

So, what's a gal to do when housebound--and no husband? Well, shoveling is NOT one of them! LOL I'm calling the snow plow guy when it's all over! I've been a VERY busy gal and finished 10--yes, TEN quilts this week. Granted most of them were small and almost all of them were flimsy's, but hey--done is done! Here's a few:

"Twinkling Stars"--remember I got this done at my retreat. Now it's bound and labeled."Merry, Merry" # 2 and #3--I can't find #1, LOL Oh well, these were very old projects that all they needed was some simple quilting and a few buttons! Why oh why do I wait so long? Not sure what I'll do with them. I'll show more finishes tomorrow. In the meantime, I felt like I was due to play and do something NOT on my list and fun to do. I bought the fabric and pattern for this tote in Houston last year. It's a new line from Lakehouse Fabrics, I can't remember the name right now. But it's now done too! Now 'that was fun'! I think I'll make another one or make an apron tonight. Or maybe be lazy and look through quilt magazines and books.

Ice, ice baby!

Whoa--it's been gorgeous here since we had our ice storm a few days ago! Not too great for the trees who's limbs are snapping with the extra weight or the electric lines getting snagged right and left. But it looks like a crystal paradise! (Edited: I forgot to mention that these photos aren't mine. I'd love to take credit, but I can't. :) They are from our local newspaper, Marion Star website sent in by Mark Blum--thanks Vickie for the comment, it reminded me do give credit where it's due)
It's melting now but, no fear. Another ice storm as well as 6-10 more inches of snow are due Friday and Saturday. That's okay--lock me up with my fabric and sewing machine!

Speaking of which....the machines are still whirring over in the sweatshop..I mean, the studio! I have still been busy. Hubby's away so dinner's can be simple and I can stay holed up for days sewing! However, I should be doing taxes. I did devote one day so far to them, then I had the urge to sew again. Imagine that! LOL I finally got my Bento Box quilted..the top has been done for a year. (hey--take a peek at the bottom right of the photo--it's the 'ugly' fabric I won at our annual FQ swap. Is that ugly or what? And actually the first time around--it was in the 'pretty' category! And she swore she thought it was pretty! So, now it makes it's annual appearance in the ugly category--but with a little lopped off that has to be included in some quilt along the way.)

Close up of the quilting...

Stashbusting Report and Finishes

Thanks for all the good wishes for my anniversary, sans hubby. :) We'll celebrate when I see him again--not until Mar. 20 though. :( And yes--I was a child bride! I was 17 and he was 19--I got engaged when I was 16 to him. Like WHAT were my parents thinking? LOL Although we were young, we vowed we'd make it no matter what. At first to show up all the naysayers! And then comes the kids and then grandkids and now it all just seems like a few years ago! Time flies when you are having fun!

Another good week--even with 2 grandkids here! I finished 3 more quilts and finished 3 UFO's to the flimsy stage--so that darn list is never going to go down! I'm going to try to keep up the pace, but taxes need to be done sometime! LOL

"Cross My Heart" --part of my Girlfriends 24 FQ challenge"KF Stepping Stones" one of my original 24 FQ challenge quilts. This is a free pattern from Bonnie's site. Picture below is a close up of my free motion quilting. I'm trying to continually push myself to do different things and not be in a hurry to just finish them up. This was on my design wall "Bright HST"(a quilt from about 5 years ago--I messed up the sewing--done at a friends house and we were talking WAAY too much. So came home and put it away) and my granddaughter decided that should be her new quilt! We had just discussed that the quilts they have here at Nana's house were getting just a bit too small for them and I would have to make them new ones. When she walked into my Studio--she immediately fell in love with it! How fortunate for me--that she liked an old UFO! Now the others want bigger ones too and thought I should have them done in a day like hers! I'm going through my UFO's now to see if any would fit the bill for them. Not looking good for the little boys--I just don't do that many 'boy' type quilts. But I guess I'm going to have to now that I have two grandsons!Backing for quilt above--she picked out the backing fabric and there wasn't quite enough--so she picked out two more to add to it. More stash busted! And that brings my 2008 finishes to 15! Pretty soon I'm going to run out of easy ones or ones that are ALMOST done! LOL And we'll see the rate drop.

STASHBUSTING REPORT:

Stash busted week of 2/25/08: 22.5 yards (includes 11 yards donated to church quilt group)

Stash bought week of 2/25/08: 0 yards

Stash busted YTD: 58 yards

Stash bought YTD: 0 yards

Net stash used: 58 YARDS!

Quilts get done regardless of what's going on!

My kitchen is still a mess--although I do have a fridge, microwave, oven and a temporary sink so I guess I could cook if I wanted! I have had the grandkids since last Friday night and they are here until Wed. night. So getting out to quilt is a bit trickier! Plus the fact I'm really tired at night! I'm glad I'm a Nana now and no longer a Mom! AND my hubby left for an extended business trip (around the world--literally--China, Vietnam, Dubai, India, Germany, Switzerland, Paris and London in 26 days), so I've been promoted to taxi driver for my daughter again--2 hours/day back and forth. You know what, now that I think about it--I got all my stuff done before all this happened! I guess next week's report won't be so good! LOL

I was able to finish two more quilts this past week and one more UFO to the flimsy state. My personal goal is to finish two to the flimsy state and get two quilted, not necessarily the same ones. My UFO list is going down, but my flimsy list is growing! It was so scary to think that if I quilted just two per week, it would take me at least 4 months to get caught up--and that doesn't include finishing other tops! My poor Zoe is going to be worn out. But I like the fact that I am sticking to my guns so far (okay--it's just been a month so far, hahaha) and not even looking at anything new!

This is a quilt top, Holiday Lights, that I had ALMOST done for about 5 years--geez or even more! I made the piano key borders and somehow must not have done them quite right, because they would not miter properly, so I put it away. Got it out again a few years ago, got frustrated and put it away. Got it out again a few weeks ago and gee--I whacked off the ends, added plain black corners and whaddya know? It's done! I promised myself I would not meander every quilt I got done and I was going to force myself to start challenging myself on the quilting. (I'm still on a learning curve on a mid-arm machine). So for this quilt, I tried some of the rulers--hmm, not so good yet, but I did get the straight ruler going for the zigzag in the inner border, did some free hand stuff in the 4patch/sq. in square block--not bad and then smaller stippling behind the light bulbs to make them pop--great, and free handed a ribbon-y vine with holly leaves in the outer border--not bad. The best thing is that it's done and I'm fairly proud of it. :)The next one is my Hopscotchin' with Friends, another Challenge quilt and it's the first time that I ever used a pantograph. I had a little trouble figuring out the placement--and remembered AGAIN how hard it is to follow an exact line with a laser! But I knew that if I just kept my movements fluid and if I swung out too far on a leaf or whatever, no one would know. So--all in all--not too bad! I think it's hard to see my quilting--I use So Fine on the top (it really blends in well--less prone to showing mistakes! LOL) and Bottom Line in the bobbin

I also finished my Kaffe Fassett Stepping Stones--and for crying out loud--all it needed was the outside border! It's loaded on Zoe right now and I hope to get out there tonight or tomorrow and do that one. I'm trying another panto--thanks to Mary for sharing all her resources on the pantos she uses.

Woo hoo! Some finishes!!

Man, I've been putting my nose to the grindstone and working on getting some things done. After going through my UFO's and lists, I decided to really buckle down. Real life is going to get in the way soon though, so I hope I can continue knocking these out. This is what I finished yesterday. The Leaf Challenge: Although it meant a challenge to work One Hour a Day, per Judy, this quilt was one of the more challenging to me. NO--it wasn't hard--I made MORE mistakes on this quilt, due to inattention and being in a hurry and not double checking my measurements than I have made on any OTHER quilt! LOL When I started this quilt, I thought is was so serindiputious (I know that's not how you spell it, but my spell checker is on break!)that I found all these maple blocks in the right size from another project I had put away. Piece of cake I thought! And I had all these bonus triangles! Woo hoo! I plotted it all out in EQ6 and away I went. I thought I would add an applique leaf in the plain squares. Nah, not that good at applique. I'll photo copy leaves from my yard! Great idea--put the block fabric behind the leaf, so it looks like the leaf just fell on the quilt. Great in theory--oh, the leaves looked fine, but my color printer depicted the background fabric a bit differently. Oh well, good enough. But OOPS! I did NOT know that the June Taylor printer fabric shrinks 1" after washing! And guess what? I planned on the whole width of the fabric sheet. Now what? I had to dig in the trash, pull out the trimmings and sew them on two sides of my block to make it work. Not a great start. But I fixed it and moved on. Things are moving along until the nezxt to last border...why doesn't it fit? Oh look--I made one of the borders narrower than I planned and now my pieced triangles dont' fit. Of course, there wasn't an even amount of triangles that I could easily hide an insert. But what else is a girl to do? Fast forward to last week...okay, time to get her quilted. Oops! I do think I have a piece in there backwards! Dagnabbit! I tried to justify it as my humilty block..but I have had enough humble experiences with this quilt, I don't need a glaring mistake on top of it. Take it out, put it back in correctly. Now to piece the back...oh good, here are the measurements. Even though I had to piece the back with two different pieces,looks good. Stitch them to the leaders for my HQ16. Hmm, do it again (backwards doesn't work!) Load the quilt and then the backing and hey--what's wrong? I don't know where I got my measurements, but they sure weren't for this quilt!!! I had to take the leaders off, find more fabric and make the back larger--now it looks really wierd! I almost was afraid to quilt it knowing that the history of this quilt meant more mistakes were to come. But no problems and now it's done! Yee HAW!

My little Snowmen in Trees is an OLD, old top. Kind of simple but fun. I thought it would be a perfect piece to practice using my rulers and special gadgets to outline things. Wow, it's a good thing this isn't an important quilt! Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT enlarge this picture!

Let's just say that I need a little more work! My hats are off to the longarmers who make their quilts look SO good! I USED to be pretty good on my regular sewing machine, but this is another whole ball game!

My last quilt, Stained Glass Iris (a class sample using bias tape) is a wallhanging that was ALMOST done, except for the border corners. I used my own hand dyed fabric for the flower and borders and was trying to figure out how to eek out enough to make a 9 patch in each corner so it looked like it was woven. I had used too much of my fabric and it wouldn't work. So I put it away--10 minutes from being done! Silly me! I finished it, quilted it, bound it, labeled it and took a picture. Geez, what's wrong with me sometimes? Do you ever do that? Get something SO close to being done and then put it away. And then when you finally do get it out and finish it, you wonder what your problem was? LOL I know that sometimes 'obstacles' in our way are discouraging and bringing it out another day, with a clear head, helps us overcome those obstacles and we can bring closure!

And how was YOUR day?