Saturday, June 26, 2010

Busy Saturday

I just wanted to make a sample block from Sharon Craig's new book, Layer 'Em Up #3, so I chose an easy block and before I knew it, I had a whole quilt top done. It is a good table-topper size, not my colors at all, and the pink sashing kind of takes center stage.

Here is a close-up of one of the fabrics - a scrap piece of musical instruments that has been in my stash for years.

As long as I got the top done, I decided to also pick out a backing and make a binding. I found this wild wavy stripe in my stash and thought it would finish off the quilt nicely.

After spending part of Friday with my friend, Brenda, who is a master stitcher, I decided to start a new stitching project. This piece also has bright colors that are not my usual choice.
I must be in a wild and crazy mood. : )

Today I am very grateful for air conditioning and my nice, chilly Quilt Studio (in the basement).

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Quilting Today

A finished quilt - pieced, quilted and bound. It is a crazy 9-patch with added rectangles.

The back of the quilt.

A sample of the wonderful quilting my friend Moe did on her new mid-arm quilting machine.

Last Friday I took a class with Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville fame. These are the blocks I made in class.

The rest of the blocks are prepared and ready to sew, but I am going to save the sewing for my upcoming quilting retreat.

This is my latest quilt book purchase and I wanted to try out the technique and make some blocks. I got 8 blocks made tonight and will take pictures tomorrow.
It was so nice to have a day at home and time in my Quilt Studio.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

No Self-Motivation

Here I sit at my desk, not paying bills or taking care of emails, but taking the time to blog about how I lack self-motivation. Not every day, but on more days than I like to admit, I have so little motivation or energy or get-up-and-go that I get upset with myself and then get depressed.

This is one pile of unfinished projects. One out of many.

This is a quilt top that I started to pin baste but got discouraged because I don't think the back is taut enough and I probably will have to pull all the pins out and start over again. Big sigh.
Here is a quilt that I am finishing the hand sewing of the binding. This I enjoy doing, but save it for when there is a good television show. Not many good television shows, so that project is stalled.
This is one of several piles of magazines that I am slowly going through to pull out ideas or techniques. So many, many magazines.........
These are containers of knitting projects - on the needles and far from being completed. It would be so nice to get at least one of those big knitting projects finished.
I need a kick in the pants, or a slap upside the head, or company coming, or a deadline, or notice of inspection, or amazing inspiration. Or perhaps I just need a vanilla cone from McDonald's or a Java Chip from Starbucks.

Thanks for reading my tale of woe. I feel better now. I think I will go mop the kitchen floor.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Finish and Begin

Finished the binding on two little quilts for friend Moe.

Finished the binding on my little patchwork pumpkin quilt.

I will be taking a class next week and need to have 8.5 inch squares cut for the class. I decided on a black and white theme.

Tonight I got all the black squares cut - and thus begins a new quilt.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

DONE !

Finished the second valance and packed it for taking to church.
This project is DONE ! ! !

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A Good Day

This little stocking was fun to stitch. It is from Blackbird Designs in the Sweet August booklet. Although the suggested fabric count is 30, I made it on 28ct and although the suggested beads are Czech glass beads, I used some little wooden beads I had in my stash.
This is the backing fabric I chose.


On to the valance project for church.............I made a sample to make sure I knew what I was doing. The lining has to smaller than the front so that when it is ironed, the backing will not show.
The lining fabric - a 50% off bargain at JoAnn's.
Cutting the lining fabric.
Sewing the lining to the front.
Sewing the rod pocket.
One valance completely done. And I had time this evening to get started on the second valance.
Now, for all my family and friends who think that I am always neat and organized, please enjoy this photo of my very messy fabric/cutting room. This is the way it usually looks. I clean it up only when expecting company.
In addition to the stitching finish and the valance finish, I also worked on some binding. It was a good day!

Monday, June 7, 2010

What did I get myself into????

This is a HUGE roll of toile fabric and a sample valance. I have been asked to make two more valances for the windows in a hallway at church. Straight sewing, right? How hard could it be?Well, getting the ten-year-old cellophane off the roll was the first challenge, then maneuvering it so that I could iron enough fabric to begin cutting.
Then maneuvering the roll back to the cutting table and straight enough to cut. I ended up clipping the edges to the cutting board so that it would not slip and slide while I cut.
I did that much last night, managing to get three lengths cut successfully. I hope to get more cut tonight and begin to sew the lengths together. The window width is 96 inches so I need to make the valance double that, or 192 inches. Oh my. That's a lot of fabric to handle - AND, it has to be lined.

In the meantime, I received my EQ7 upgrade and have been playing. What fun to design quilts. Just wish it were as easy to sew them!