It's a Wrap!

As of December 15th... Christmas 2012 is done... all sewn... wrapped...bagged and tagged and ready to be put on the chair ( we don't have a tree... the cats climb it) So now I have time to play........... so UFO # 15 gets completed and is now on the WOB pile......... the black and gold skinny runner is now complete!! I also had time to play with the PIeced Hexies...... wow! what fun that is! The Book is called Pieced Hexies and the author is coming to our Quilt Guild in January so I thought I'd get the book and play...... what fun!!!! You make pieced blocks and then do your EPP hexies with pieced blocks.... there are pics of the first two I did........ one is called Spike and the other is called Tumbler

I also had time to make up some of Embroidery Garden's tealight reindeer and santas... the tealight goes thru the nose so it flashes and changes color... too cute!!!

I'm hoping to get another UFO done yet this year........... and then finish them ALL up in 2013. I did really well this year at not creating new ones... at least not in the sewing pit.... the knitting basket, however, is another story! Perhaps I'll work on that pile next year. The WOB pile has quite a bit on it.... some placemats......the skinny runner..... and the Pocket Wall Hanging that will be going to work soon as the binding is sewn...... All in all it's been a good year............ Whatever your reason for the season.... may it be safe and healthy and happy

Sometimes Goals make me crazy!

Ok...so one of the goals for 2012 was to NOT create anymore UFO's.... let me tell you a story............ Yesterday I got the black/gold runner done…. What a flippin’ chore…. I tried doing this at retreat a couple weeks ago…. Couldn't figure out the strips……….. so I stopped…………. I finally got the strips together at home the following week… trying to keep the goal of no UFO’s for this year…………so it was a Quilt as you go deal…. Put down the strip… sew… flip… next strip…sew… flip etc…. well after three tries at that and ripping out all three tries I put it aside………..so yesterday I was determined to meet the goal and do this runner….. this time I decided to just put the top together as normal and then back and bat it…. Ok…. So the directions sucked but by using the pictures I managed…. It’s all done on the diagonal…. So there is a small block that sticks out on one side going one way and the other side going the other way…. Well I got it done………….. yay me!! So now since I have the backing and batting all ready to go….. I put it on …. Get it ironed and pinned! Woooo hooooo………. So I’m looking at how pretty the black… gold… black… gold… black …gold … white…. Gol…utoh………….. shouldn’t be white………. Dang it!!! So three rows up from the bottom…. There is a boo boo………. Now what…. Continue along and pretend I didn’t notice??? Too late… I noticed………. Put it aside for another time??? we know what will happen if I do that………..so I’m looking at this and determine that the strip itself is sewn incorrectly… the last three blocks are reversed! Ok….. so I grab the ripper…. Remove only what I have to so I can get at those three blocks…. Yes... I can hear you gasping.... Unpin only what I need to……again... I hear those gasps... lol...…take the three blocks off…. Reverse them and resew…. Resew the strips together… repin to the batting… voila!!! Done!! And beautimous!!! It’s quilted now and trimmed and ready for the binding… The binding is done .... as is the binding for the 6 placemats I'm quilting.... I have 4 more to do then I can switch feet and sew the binding on the placemats and runner and once again the WOB pile is piled high! lol I've added 4 mug rugs to the pile as well as two christmas placemats..........and 2 christmas skinny runners.. I'm leaving for PA next week so these will go in the truck with me along with the half finished ruffle scarf that go put on hold while I finished up stuff to take back east with me............ hopefully the trip will be productive!

Pics of the placemats and mugrugs are on flickr if you would like to see those too Have a safe and Happy Turkey day... Gobble til you Wobble Lish

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd CUT!!!!

Thanksgiving Christmas goodies are done! Bagged...tagged and boxed!! Woooohooo!!! Next weekend I'll be baking cookies and breads......then when I get back from PA I can finish up what I need for Christmas here in Indiana...... The weather here is soooooooooo strange.... yesterday is was 70 and gorgeous...this morning it was 33 and snow flurbies........ right now it's 37 and it's expected to be back in the fifties by the weekend......... I'm just gonna leave all my clothes out all year long... cuz it seems I need something from each season every week! lol Other than my fantastic finish... I don't have much else to report....... there are pics up on flickr and a few more to be posted....... the binding pile has a bit more on it now.... 4 placemats........2 long skinny table runners and I found a wallet that needed binding done on the bottom of the WOB container........ I will probably take that along in the truck and work on it on the way back east........... I started a ruffled scarf with the net *net* yarn.... so far it's pretty nice... slow going for sure but it will be really nice when it's finished.......... I think it may become a christmas pressie....... Well I really think that's it for now.......... Normal is almost back again soon it will be a new year......... new goals... new challenges...... Have a wonderful Holiday Season..........

Well things are kinda at a stand still right now........ I doubt there will be anymore UFO's done by year end..........and I'm working on finishing up christmas which goes back to PA at Thanksgiving I got on a plane........... I don't do planes............last plane ride was about 30 years ago........... but my dad was in the hospital and the only way to get there quickly was by plane........ I survived.......unfortunatly my dad didn't. The weather in Indiana is in the 80's again........ but tomorrow it'll be down to 46.... it's amazing how quickly things can change out here!! Just boggles the mind lol I have some fun stuff on flickr now.... some of the treat bags i'm doing ... cookie bags...Triathalon towels......... ( oh no! not ME!! geeeze! do they give you 24 hours to do the 13 miles?? lol) a bit of this and a bit of that! I currently have only one swap going..... a pincushion swap.... I hope to get that done this weekend so it's ready to mail next weekend......... So check out the pics if you'd like...... and hopefully I can have a cheerier update in a week or so!! happy sewing! Lish

It's september???

Seriously?? Where did the summer go?? I've been pretty busy... but not in a productive way........ Now I did get some stuff done....but not as much as I usually do.... but we went on a lot of last minute weekend trips...so that was good too! We did a Lighthouse tour in wisconsin and a mini quilt shop hop on the way home. We took a flying trip to Buffalo NewYork... with a mini quilt shop hop on the way out! Get the idea? So now I have lots and lots ( and lots) of fun fabric to play with. I did get my challenge project for the Quilting Book Club done... you had to choose 3 colors plus one color for accent/background and make something holiday oriented. My colors were gold, green, red and cream accent. I made a set of Kitchen Window place mats...and a set of Play Date placemats... pics of the fabrics and the mats are on flickr. The mats are on the wob pile and need to have their bindings done and pics taken by september 30th. I did quite a few swaps this summer also........and just mailed the last of them yesterday...so right now I'm swapless! lol I think I'll skip the next round of swaps (maybe) and get back to working on the Subway Quilt...and the Christmas Quilt and the rest of the christmas goodies that need to be done. I currently have 40 mini totes cut and ready for handles........these are for our work christmas party... need to make 40 tissue packet covers for that also...... So fall is here.....it was 39 degrees this morning........hmmmmmmm not sure I like that yet... but who knows what winter might bring..........it should be interesting for sure!! I'll try now to get back on track........and keep my posts current and get back to knocking out another few UFO's before the end of the year.......I'm at 14 right now... that's one more than last year...... so if I can get another 2 or three done... next year will be a breeze.... I haven't created any ufo's this year either so I need to get working on the subway quilt before it becomes one! Check out www.flickr.com/sewwunderful to see the goodies that did get done this summer Lish

Hot and Hazy and Humid...........

Yep... it's no different here than it is everywhere else although I've heard that Minnesota has rain and crops!! yay!!! The foot is just about back to normal.........it's my machine pedal foot so I know when I've been sewing too long ( if there is such a thing) ...... had another medical issue a few weeks ago that's being worked on.......but I've been able to just about empty the WOB pile!! I have 1/2 of one quilt to finish binding and then the pile is empty... I've been trying to finish as I go.... sometimes not too easy! Still working on the knitted fingerless mitts for fall...... I'm up to the thumb on one........lol. I'm trying a cotton/elastic yarn... it's a bit weird to work with but I think the mitts will fit better I made myself a cute little lunch bucket... pics on flickr... and a birthday mat for a friend......that's on flickr also.....not much else has been done since we got back from vacation........ The lighthouses were beautiful!!!! The lake was gorgeous and the weather that week was perfect!!! We quilt shop hopped our way back home... there are some nice stores in wisconsin... but I can't believe the prices! They are about 2.00/yard more than here in Indiana and the novelty prints were as high as 14.00 per yard! I like novelty fabrics... but not that much! I picked up some stuff that was on sale.... their sale prices were normal prices here....and a few patterns... the lunch bucket was one of them... There was just one store that I doubt I'll ever go back to.... I spent a bunch of bucks...... bought a kit for some feedsack type potholders... I got home and the one panel wasn't cut correctly...there was no way to even square it up to be able to use it without cutting off part of the design.... so I emailed them about it... sent a picture of the small panel... only about 5x7 and a copy of my receipt.... not a word......... not even a too bad so sad sorry bout your luck!!!! So as much as I liked the store and their style......ain't gonna go there again!!!! The rest of the stores were great! My checkbook is still recovering! lol Hopefully August will bring a totally healed foot.......and resolution on other issues..........and I can get back into the swing of things.........my sewing machine misses me and I her!! lol There are pics on flickr.... but I haven't finished up the lighthouse pics yet... that's next on my list of stuff I GOTTA do!!! Til next time Lish

Been a long busy month

The past month has been busy in so many ways!! I managed to get two inflamed tendons in my foot... wow! talk about hurt! geeeze.... the foot guy taped it for a week and when that didn't work I got a boot brace... two weeks and lots of ibprofen later i can now walk without the brace.... it still twinges a bit... but it's sooooooo much better now! I finished my 6 weeks of six sigma training and got my certificate of training!!! That frees up some time now.... since I don't need to spend as much time studying... I still have to complete my project to receive my Green Belt... but I can work on that at my own pace now.... I have til the end of september to complete it and that should give me plenty of time....... The kitchen window quilt is still on the wob pile but it's halfway done... I took it along to quilt guild the other nite and worked on it there....... the feed sack quilt...3 skinny mini runners and a table runner are on the wob pile... my plan is to take them along with me on vacay next week and work on them in the truck as we drive from here to there and back again.......... we'll see how that goes....... not alot else has been done in the sewing pit.... I finished up the large Zakka nesting box.... it's ok... i don't particularly care for the way she does some of her construction... but i'll make the other two boxes as she suggests.... I have my quilting book club summer project started... it's an applique lighthouse wall hanging... I have the fusing done...so next is the applique and then putting it together.... the summer mug rug is on it's way to my partner and the mini magnets for the RATZ swap are somewhere in the postal system.......... the weather has been really hot with just a teaser of rain here and there....the crops are sooooo dry... my lawn looks like a desert..... all of the pics are out on flickr.... i'll be posting vacay pics also... we're going on a lighthouse tour in wisconsin so it should be lots of fun!! for now... that's it stay cool and happy crafting Lish

And so it grows............ again!!

The WOB pile is growing again!! That's a good thing for sure. The feedsack quilt and the kitchen window quilts are now quilted and on the WOB pile... 3 table runners have been added to it also. It still contains the snowman wallhanging and I found the red/white/blue table mat folded inside the snowman... so that's there also. I got the newest atkinson pattern. It's called Tankini and it's pretty cool! You can make the smallest mat with just 3 jelly roll strips! I'm in a table runner swap and I wanted to test these out and see if my partner likes them...and if she does... I'll make them in her colors. Next up on the to be quilted pile is the frog face quilt from several years ago and a second snowman wall hanging.... both UFO's....... I didn't get to work on the Tokyo Subway Quilt this week... but 2 complete rows are done and together! Hopefully this week I can get another block or two done! I'm getting excited about finishing it.... I need to practice the quilting I want to do...... guess I'll have to make another table runner! lol The quilting is called orangepeel and Elizabeth has it on her ohfransson site. It looks simple to do... so I'm thinking with a bit of practice ahead of time I should be fine! The weather here has been sooooooooooooooooooo hot! This morning we finally got some rain and a thunderstorm... it's supposed to storm now the rest of today and tomorrow... but that's ok.... I'll take the noise as long as the rain comes with it! I'll post a few pics below and you can see the rest on flickr! Oh..and the Indianapolis Zoo has a new bird exhibit...very cool and mostly interactive...pics are on flickr also Oh... I almost forgot! I won a gift certificate to SewMamaSew on the Zakka Sew Along... Mr Random picked my number in the mini magnets project! I'll put a picture of those here also... I got some summersville fabric in blacks and white and a very colorful charmpack of the same...... I also got some cute fabric for see thru pencil cases.. it looks like the connect the dots stuff! till next time......... Lish

Ok...so I've been busy.............

I really have been busy............ doing stuff around the house ......... set up a network between my computers so when I'm upstairs on the laptop I can print to the printer attached to my desk top........... I'm in a 6 week program called SixSigma that's kicking my butt........and I've been working on my subway quilt... I have two complete rows done now........ 15 more blocks to go! I'm really getting excited!! The WOB pile was down to one thing.......... the snowman wall hanging.......... now the Kitchen Window Quilt has joined it.... it's quilted and ready to have the binding stitched down!! I can't wait to display this one! So I went to the guild auction last week.......... oh holy mother of fabric!! There was sooooooooooooooooo much stuff there!!! It was incredible! Anything you could possibly imagine! I got 6 magazines... older editions of quiltmaker and minature quilter............ 6 patterns..........one of which is a really cool wallhanging that's just calling my name.... funny thing is... this is so far out of my box.... it's just not me... but I had to have it and I've gathered my fabrics and I'm gonna do this!! I also bought an old plastic sewing box.... you know... the amber colored plastic with the handle and tray that lifts out.... cost me two bucks.......i'm gonna throw the box away but there were all sorts of goodies inside... a cute christmas wall hanging kit... complete.... crayons and colored pencils... two old scissors that just need a bit of sharpening.... a package of new mechanical pencils... a brand new pen... 4 soapstone marking sticks and an assortment of snaps... hooks... needles... and assorted stuff.... I think I got my two bucks worth there! The i spotted a bag of pearle cotton... about 15 or so balls... some used... but very little... assorted colors.. I had to have it!! I use if for the hand quilting on my mini's... so I watched it.... and I see them pick it up and oh no!!! they are putting it in a can with a whole bunch of other stuff.... I don't want the other stuff... I just want that bag!!! I guess Igroaned kinda loudly...so the wonderful auction lady took that bag out and took it up to the front.... then I see them bundling... what?? oh man!!! oh well... wait a minute.... they put my bag of wondrous pearle cotton with a brand new... in the box... never used... pink sidewinder! I got it for 5.00!!! yup! Just 5.00! what a deal... I was a very happy camper.... I started to get the itch... you know... that auction gotta have it... here's my 2 bucks itch... so I left... besides.. the season finale of criminal minds was coming on soon.... I didn't need to be buying more fabric... heck... I'm trying to use up what I have.... but there was such wondrous stuff there!!! oh my! Well I'm sure I'll find some goodies at the next guild auction in two years! lol I worked on a few odds and ends.... some baguettes from the new Terry Atkinson pattern.........and the Zakka magnets...........and cleaned out here...and rummaged thru there............ the organizing continues and probably will go on for a looooooooooooooong time!!! lol but right now the subway quilt is really calling to me............ I have a chorus in my sewing pit.... subway quilt and wall hanging.... do the come to me duet! Maybe this week......... there are pics on the flickr site........and if I do the wall hanging this week... I'll post it here! til next time Lish

3 More UFO's bite the dust

Many Many months ago I started quilting fat quarter sandwichs....... one reason was to practice my free motion and cross hatch quilting skills and the other was to make humbug bags and lazy girl nikita pouches... I got the quilting done... and there they sat........ the migrated their way into the ufo box.... yesterday I got them out and took care of 4 quilt sandwiches! The comical zebra fabric and the comical hippo fabric turned into 3 humbug bags and 1 tissue cover EACH!! and the remaining two sandwiches turned into Nikita Bags... one from each... and there's probably enough left to make one or two tissue covers from each sandwich. The Nikita Bags are the boxy brick shaped bags from Lazy Girl designs Purse-nikities pattern... one of my very fav's!! I also completed block one of the Subway Quilt.... 12 drink me bottle bitty blocks for the Alice in Wonderland Swap... the center star of my Quilting Book Club Challenge Project... a hexagon pin cushion and a Bishcornu Pincushion for the pin cushion swap! Saturday and Sunday were busy days!!! I'll post a pic or two here since I haven't done that for awhile and the rest are out on flickr.. http://www.flickr.com/sewwunderful Here is block one of the Subway quilt

Here is the Bishcornu I like this and I think I'm going to enlarge it to make a cushion for the living room........

Lots of things left to do........ more subway blocks.... more christmas quilt blocks..........got about a dozen of those down now......... 3 quilts that need to be backed and batted and quilted.......... plus new bitty blocks for May! This month is houses!! I think when I get these... i'll add them to my other house blocks and tree bitty blocks and make a small throw for the back of the sofa or maybe a wall hanging............ we'll see.......... I think that might be it for now.... be sure to check out flickr Have a great week Lish

back to basics!

Whew! All of the * gotta do for others * stuff is done! I did two vests.. lined...and two bow ties for twin 10 month olds for a wedding.... I forgot how much I enjoyed garment sewing...but these were little! They are so cute though...and pics will be going up on flickr a bit later today.

I got all of the blocks cut now for the Subway Quilt... what a job that was!! I hope to get to sewing up a block or two this week

Tomorrow nite is embroidery club and I have 12 blocks done of the Christmas Quilt we are doing. It's Lunch box quilts... machine appliqued...not sure yet if I'll make the big quilt for me or make 3 or 4 smaller ones for christmas gifts.........but I've started...so that's good. We're shooting for an october/november finish and that equates to about 20 blocks or so a month plus assembly time. I think a sew day or two this summer will be quite helpful

I joined Quilt Guild last week. It seems to be a fun group.......and they have lots of fun stuff coming up.... Eleanor Burns sister in June.... Auction in May.... Sulky workshop in July.... yep... I think I might like this.........

Didn't get anything done on the snowman wall hanging on the WOB pile... it's still there...all by itself.......but maybe this week....... the hubster might have to help plant plots in Ohio so that means some extra time in the sewing pit! wooohooo!!!

The doctor visit was good!! Cholestrol is down....... BP is holding it's own.... blood glucose levels are normal and all is well with the world! lol

Thats about it for now... hope to have more progress to show you soon!

Happy Sewing

Moving Right Along

All three books are read and they were great!!!

I have a little bit to finish on the two baby vests for a wedding.... oh wait... I didn't tell you bout those, did I? A coworkers daughter is getting married very soon... she has twin grandsons... 10 months old..... who needed vests for their aunts wedding... so I made the vests and bowties...... I need to do a little bit of side adjustments and the button holes and then the vests will be done and I just need to add some velcro or snaps to the ribbons for the bow ties... I'll take pics when they are all done and get them posted.........

I have 6 of the 12 colors cut for the subway quilt........6 more colors then 940 white squares and I can start putting the blocks together.... I've decided to shoot for an end of summer finish for this one.........

I have all my templates and block sizes drawn and printed for the embroidered quilt and hope to get a few trial blocks done this weekend...... after the vests are finished......... we'll officially be starting that quilt next tuesday

Tonite I'm going to a quilt guild meeting. I've heard so many things both good and bad about quilds that I decided to just go and see for myself!
I know several ladies that go to the guild so I'm guessing it will be more good than bad!

Tomorrow is doctor day......... biannual checkup so we'll see how we do! I've been basically good... with occasional meltdowns lol..... as long as I'm sewing I'm good......... when I'm not sewing I get antsy and antsy leads to munchies and munchies leads to chips and cookies! not a good trail for sure! so we'll see

The binding pile has ONE.... yes ONE thing on it!!! The snowman wall hanging is the last thing on the current WOB pile!!!! Time to get busy and build it up again.... I have a frog UFO quilt ready for quilting......... the two current quilts... Kitchen Window and FeedSack need to be backed and batted and one Turning 20 UFO that needs to be sandwiched....... those will be the next 4 quilts to be done and wob'd! lol There are so many more to be done.........but I think up next will be my Giant Postage Stamp UFO....and my Eleanor Burns Goose Chase.......... also a UFO.... I think these lil buggers breed when I'm not looking! lol

Hopefully I'll have a good and productive rest of the week and have lots of fun things to tell you about next time!

Lish

March is gone already??

How can it be? Three months of 2012 is already gone!! But there's been lots of progress in those three months. Many Many completed ufos.... many new quilt tops....and two containers are now empty!! wooohooo!

I didn't get much more of my list done... the WOB pile is still at the same spot it was two weeks ago.... and the alice blocks and black and white plus one blocks aren't started yet.... BUT i've been reading........ I got the Hunger Games books for my nook. I've finished The Hunger Games... Catching Fire and I'm 3/4 thru The MOckingjay book. once those are done I think I can resume doing what I've planned to do in the sewing pit! lol

I did get two cabinet things for in there. I'm going to remove the one table I put in since it's not serving the purpose I intended it to... it's become a catch all and I don't want that! I got a small two door 3 shelf cabinet that's stackable...so I'll probably get at least one more of that and I got a 6 cube unit that has fabric boxes that go in the cubes... that's also stackable so there will be another one of those also... I plan to have the cubes hold the WIP's.... such as the Farmers Wife Sampler....and the two scrappy quilts I've decided I want to do....as well as the Christmas Quilt we'll be doing in embroidery club. I think that will help keep things organized and I can work on the quilt...and keep things together...especially on the scrappy ones.

The Farmers Wife Sampler uses up whatever fabrics I have that match the colors used on the block. I think I have 6 blocks done so far........

The first scrappy quilt I want to do is Bonnie Hunters Scrappy Trips around the World... probably a throw size quilt...that should use up a goodly amount of scraps..

The second scrap quilt will be a Tokyo Subway Map quilt. These just fascinate me! I haven't decided on the size of this one yet. Each size takes the same amount of pieces... 1600... yes... you read that correctly One thousand six hundred pieces!!!

The size of the pieces determines the size of the finished product.... a 40 x 40 wall hanging starts with pieces that are 1 1/2" the 60 x 60 uses 2" squares and the 80 x 80 uses 2 1/2" pieces... there are 960 white squares... 60 black squares representing the station stops and the rest are the lines. There are 12 colors with an assorted amount of pieces to make the lines.......... I'm wanting to do the 80 x 80 simply because 2 1/2" squares are a doable size............ and the quilting would either be straight line channel quilting .... which I can do ..... or orange peel quilting... which is new to me but also doable....

I hope to print the patterns and being the fabric gathering process this weekend......I know I have enough scraps to pull off both of these with ease! I also have some nice white that will work well for the TSM background.

I have no time frame set to complete any of these... but definitely by the end of the year.

The Christmas Quilt is by Lunch Box Quilts and its' machine appliqued.... its a 60 x 60 quilt with varying size blocks and a total of 8 different applique designs. We're going to be starting this in May.......and we're shooting for a November finish... it's got around 210 blocks....but some of the designs are small... stars and light bulbs and they will go really quick... The holly is a bit more involved and will take longer to do...

So that's the game plan for the next few months........ I will post progress pics on all of the above projects as well as other projects that I hope to do in between working on these.........

and if this doesn't convince you that I'm certifiable... I don't know what will! bwaaahhhahahaahahahahah

til next time

Lish

Two More UFO's Bite the Dust

The Amish BOM quilt is quilted and the binding is halfway done........ just one short side and half of a long side to go......... it looks a bit better with the quilting...but it's still gonna become my car quilt!

The other UFO is a sewing machine mat with pockets... I got the kit for it almost 3 years ago in Illinois.... took about 90 minutes to make including the quilting... hmmmmm why do I do this? The mat is totally complete... binding is all done too!

The Purdue Quilt is now bound and off the pile........ one table runner is halfway bound......so that leaves 2 more table runners... a snowman wallhanging....a red/white/blue wall hanging... a wallet.......and ummmmmmm hmmmmmmmmmm that might be all! wow

I guess I'd better get going and get that WOB pile up again!

There are pics out on flickr of some of the projects I recently completed.... I have a birthday coming up in april and it's all done already! wow! I have to find some yellow or green for binding for the frog face quilt... its a limey green with yellow and has flying geese in bright orange and fuschia..so I could probably go with a bright orange also....... need to do some stash diggin!

I hope to work on aprils bitty blocks this weekend between basketball games..... NCAA weekend!

I'm doing an Alice in Wonderland Swap.... I have a cool idea for the cheshire cat and i'm doing a black/white plus 1 block... my plus one is a lime green......

if I get those done soon.... I plan on adding 12 birdhouse blocks.... but only after I get the other two sets complete........ I'm trying hard not to take on too much at one time.... I need to work on more UFO"s! However I did join a table top swap.... the first round is a set of 4 napkins...... I can do that pretty easily... I love making napkins!!

also on the to do list for the next 2 weeks is back and bat the feedsack and kitchen window quilts...... and back and bat a set of UFO placemats.... 2 UFO table toppers and a UFO baby quilt............ I have lots of batting.... the backing is a problem sometimes..........

The weather in Indiana has been very spring like........ bordering on summer! It was 68 this morning at 5 am.......... we had temps in the very high 70's almost every day this week too! Can it last?? Is mother nature just messin' with us?? Farmers almanac says snow storms the end of march...... we'll see.........

don't forget to check out the pics. www.flickr.com/sewwunderful

Ok... I guess that's it for now....... til next time......

Lish

March update

I got quite a bit accomplished over the last few weeks....... I have 2 new quilt tops done and on the ready to be backed and batted pile.......these are the Kitchen Window quilt and the feed sack quilt.... the feed sack quilt is made all from scraps....... no yardage was harmed in the making of that quilt!

On the to be quilted pile are two UFO's.... one is a frog throw.... big happy frog faces and the other is a UFO from eons' ago.......... near as I can figure... it has to be circa 2004ish......... it was an amish block of the month...... and I added two sunbonnet sues in the middle........ when I look at the construction it makes me itch! lol puckers... pleats... wonkiness.... I considered trashing it.... but then decided to do it up anyway.... it shows how far I've come in the world of quilting....

The binding pile is reducing nicely.... The Island Chain is done... The 30's BOM UFO is done...the Trip Around the World is done....the itty bitty Twister is done.......that leaves table runners and the Purdue Baby Quilt...and a small wall hanging left to do!! Guess I need to get busy and build it back up!!

All of my mug mats are bound and ready to be packed up for mailing... my FLQS swap is done and just needs a label...then it also is ready for mailing and so are my March Landscape Bitty blocks........ that should keep the post office going for another month or two! lol

There are a few new pics out on flickr of the more recent goodies........and there are few things on deck that I hope to complete this week.

Have a wonderful week.....
Til Next time....
Quilt On!!

Still Moving Along........

The hand mitts are done and pics are on flickr. The 30's BOM from 2010 is now quilted and bound and on the WOB pile. A Purdue Quilt from 2 summers ago is finally bound and on the pile also...........

I've really been concentrating on completing what I've started and also finishing up the vast assortment of UFO's that I have. I have to get the Feed Sack Quilt backed and batted....and decide on my next stash quilt...... I've been contemplating do the Kitchen Window Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman or one by Terri Atkinson... Urban Cabin.... both of these lend themselves well to using up stash and large scraps.......I'm also thinking about doing a throw size Feng Shui by Blue Underground.......

I want to do another one or two UFO's before I cut the next current quilt though.

I still need to finish up the white lacey scarf in the knitting UFO box......which is actually the ONLY knitting UFO at the moment....... I found a nice cowl pattern that I want to try and maybe use for xmas presents for some of the family... it doesn't look like it will take long.......but do I start before or after that darn scarf ... lol I'm betting before!

The weather is getting nice......warming up with bits of sunshine... I'm loving it!! maybe soon I can sit on the deck and sew and watch the silly squirrels run around playing.........

I guess that's it for this update........

be sure to check www.flickr.com/sewwunderful for pictures

Moving Right Along

NOw that my infection is gone and my bout of flu is done I've got my energy back and I'm feeling great! I didn't realize how bad I felt until I got better! lol I started another quilt throw this past weekend... it's the Feed Sack Quilt from the Scrapbasket Surprises book. I used up scraps of my 30's fabric. I didn't have to cut into even one fat quarter... I had plenty of leftover pieces to make the 20 blocks required for the top. The center squares are an off white with a small small small print... 4 in pale yellow and 16 in pale green...yellow will be the corners at this time all 20 blocks have been made and are awaiting layout. Each block has twelve fabrics plus the center and non of the blocks have duplicate fabrics in the same block! wooo hoooo! Had to do some shuffeling down towards the end but it all worked out!

The skinny table runner and the yellow table mat are now complete and off the binding pile... still on the WOB pile are two placemats... one wallhanging...the tiny twister mat.. the Island Chain Quilt... a wallet... and the Trip Around the World Quilt....

The fingerless mitts are coming along.... both hands are done and all that's left are the thumbs........ i'm hoping to complete them this weekend.

The weather has been varying greatly.... 60 one day.... 22 the next... rain.. snow... major fog... you name it we've had it within the last week... geeeze I love Indiana! lol

The table runners are up next to be quilted... have to find some bindings for them... after the Feed Sack Quilt is done I plan to finish up two UFO quilts... one will be the Purdue throw from 2011 and the other the 30's BOM ...from 2010

The next knitting UFO will be the white lacy scarf from 2010... it's about 1/2 way done ... I'll work on that after the mitts are complete.........

So that's about it for now....... next update I hope will bring more completions and maybe even an empty WOB pile ( but I doubt that) lol

Til then
Stitch Happy!

Happy February!

The groundhogs saw their shadows so it's 6 more weeks of winter... but if the next 6 weeks are going to be like the last 6 weeks.... i'll take it!! temps in the 50's and 60s' cold in the morning... sunny and crisp in the afternoon... oh yes!!!

I finished quilting the Island Chain Quilt... it's not ready for trimming and binding along with the trip around the world quilt........

Three more UFO's have advanced.... 3 table runners that were cut last summer have been pieced... backed and batted and are up for quilting....... one thing about trying to piece stuff that was cut a long time ago.... apparently I did some adjusting... but didn't note it... and one has some extra pieces so I don't know what I was thinking when I cut it out... unless they were just extras incase I screwed up... dunno.... but I'll have three new table runners soon.......

So far I'm staying on track.... totally completing what I start new....... and filling in with UFO's....... I've been using up stash and had batting pieces in the batting bag that worked fine for the runners.......

I got a new sewing machine which is wonderful! A Janome 6600.... what a dream! The accufeed foot is incredible! I did some of the quilting on the Island Chain with it and it just rocks!!! I also did freemotion on two more fat quarter sandwiches and that is really nice also! It has a big table that comes with it but I haven't used that yet.......maybe on the smaller stuff......

I've got 4 pennie pockets ( from Moda Bake Shop and Happie Zombie) cut and ready to sew up.......and I'll make a few more humbug bags and tissue covers from the now quilted fat quarter sandwiches.... they aren't really UFO's.... they just needed to be quilted so I can proceed with some other projects.

I think I'm finally healthy again too! It took 4 rounds of increasingly stronger antibiotics over 3 months to knock out a UTI.... then I got a case of intestinal flu...what a joy that was.......but now I think I'm finally over it all! Energy is coming back and I'm feeling fine!

On the knitting front I'm working on a pair of fingerless mitts.... I have one mitt almost completed.. just need to finish the top ribbing and pickup and knit the thumb... I'm using leftover yarn from the first pair of socks I did last year... the next set of mitts will use some pretty yarn from my stash... if I can find my angora I'd like to add a bit of that in with it also..... I have one UFO scarf on the needles that needs to be done... perhaps after this pair of mitts is completed... we'll see......

I did one really challenging project this past month... I have a pattern called Itty Bitty Primitive .... it's one of the twister patterns... I started with 81 2 1/2" squares... 9 x 9 then added a 2" border....... then you take this itty bitty 1 1/2" square tool... and line up the lines and cut out pieces... then resew these pieces back together....... you have to use a small rotary cutter.....and trust me... if you put in a new blade... you will bleed! 4 bandaids later I had this thing put together....it is now a 10" square........ made up of 100 1" blocks..... there wasn't near enough contrast in the blocks that I used... it looks ok... but not like I would have hoped... but I seriously doubt there will be another one! geeeze... lol but it's done...and quilted and on the WOB pile......

Pictures of everything.. except the mitts.... are out on flickr...... I hope to have more progress this weekend and more pictures up....

Have a wonderful week!

Lish

Happy January!

January is more than half gone already! Wow! We've had a bit of snow.... a lot of warm 50's weather...and a kickass hail storm the other nite! I love Indiana! lol

So far for this year I've made the Island Chain quilt...... it's halfway quilted right now and I hope to be able to finish it and get the binding on this weekend....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewwunderful/6663114483/in/photostream

I also made a Trip Around the World Throw with some fabrics I received for christmas...that one is quilted and on the WOB pile

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewwunderful/6704755287/in/photostream

Two UFO's have been completed... a set of Pine tree placemats and a set of Criss Cross Coasters........
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewwunderful/6704694295/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewwunderful/6663114625/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewwunderful/6663114419/in/photostream


Samples made for Classes this quarter......... another Flip Pillow for a March Class... a Petite Quilters Wallet for a February class and 2 Shooting Star table mats for a class this saturday..... The wallet needs it's binding stitched down...as does the tablemats... they'll be done tonite and the wallet finished this weekend also......

I also made small friendship bag tote and teeny key chain totes for the goals for January for 25Weeks til Christmas group

All the goodies except the wallet can be seen on the flickr site....
www.flickr.com/sewwunderful

So far I've been sticking to the finish all new starts and do up the UFO's resolution I made this year....... the toughest thing is the completions... I love starting new stuff ( which is obvious by my UFO box) and I hate the finishing details ( also obvious by the UFO box) but I'm determined to stick to it as best I can!

More updates to come.... so stay tuned!!