30 May 2012

A Slight Little Problem

I was sewing along at an awesome rate.  Just busting through these Sylvia's blocks..no house cleaning, no cooking...nothing because I was on a roll...and then this happened.

Here is the block in all of its glory...its beautiful...well ignore the spare strings... and then the brain started working....

These blocks are 6.5 unfinished.
Can you see the problem?...that ruler is 6.5 and it is sure as heck not the same size as the block.  I have no clue what I did or how I did it but I will most definitely need to redo this block.  Honestly the only thing I can think of is I cut way wrong but I redrafted the block in EQ and the measurements matched the book so that was all good.


I guess I will have to put this example in the orphan block bucket and label this experience as the quilting fairies were messing with my head.

Off to work and sew have a great day.

Michelle


28 May 2012

Design Wall Monday 5/28/12

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday weekend. I actually ended up with a 4 day weekend. I am off thru Tuesday and so far I have not done as much sewing as I thought.

We ended up chopping one tree down...turned out easier than I thought..of course I wasn't the one crouched down with the chain saw either.

I did end up finishing up the applique for my last DJ block..just need to sew it together and I am finally done with DJ for this month...a little over a week early to boot.  I then did another row of knitting...of course the rows take forever since there is 414 stitches.

Sunday..my normal sew day was spent putting bedding on the clothes line and we spent most of the day at the flea market..it was nice but I ended up getting a little sun burnt.

I picked up the first few blocks of our new block of the month at the store..I get to do the sample which I am super excited about. So I spent the early evening hours finishing up month 1...(Mama B if you are reading this change the directions in your book to include cutting the red 2 7/8 squares in half diagonally book doesn't tell you to do that)...so that is what is on my design table..

Birds Eye View BOM with Kansas Troubles fabric.
Month 1 - Hummingbirds.



I did make progress this week on Sylvias as well...I now have 20/140 completed.  I'm gonna try and get Birds Eye done asap and then get back to Sylvias and Dear Jane.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week. For more design walls head on over to Judys

Michelle

23 May 2012

Sylvias Progress etc..

I was off yesterday so I spent the day in the sewing room. I was hoping to get a lot more done but some progress is made.  Do you ever think that you will be able to get twice as much done as you actually do? It happens to me all the time.

I started by finishing another block for DJ..now I only have one left to applique then sew together and i am done....almost a week early too.hmm wonder if I can do that next month to..doubt it.

I then spent the rest of the day working on my Sylvia's. I thought I would lots done but these blocks were a little more intricate than I thought.  I had a lot of set in seams which means, for me anyway, drawing lines and points and sewing really slow to get everything matched up. I also redrafted a block in EQ so that I did not have to deal with more set in seams. I would rather have HST or stitch and flip corners than to have to do those SIS (set in seams), so that is what I did. I figure it is my quilt and I can do what I want.  I will also be able to teach the block using either method.  I bet most of the students won't want to do the seams either.

The middle one and the one on the right had those pesky set in seams and the middle one had enough bulk behind the center for sure. I trimmed and used that wonderful method of smash and push and sqush.

The middle block is the one I changed.

Two of the easier ones. You can see the Sweet Treats pattern I printed off from Patchwork Times..that is on my list soon.



I also have a block that I need to redo by hand. I tried and couldn't get it done for love or money..as seen below..why do I keep forcing myself to try and get it all to fit when I know it is going to look like crap anyway...clueless!



I get a 4 day weekend coming up and Saturday we will spend working in the yard. Here is the updated pictures after the bushes came out.  We will work on chopping those 2 trees down by the front yard and then the limbs picked up and the spreading of the dirt and such.  Hopefully by August we will have the rock and grass in and be done with it.





Then between all of the starkness there was this...love them..

I work today then I am off tomorrow. I have the garage door repairmen coming but I am hoping to get lots more done on the sewing front.

Hopefully my handwork will get caught up and done soon too.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Michelle




21 May 2012

Design Wall Monday - 5/21/12

I was busy yesterday...I really was..it just doesn't seem like I accomplished very much.

I did make a temporary design wall for my Sylvia's... I really did not want to move my DJ that would be a really big hassle.

I finished a couple more blocks for Jane, these are kind of a pain. I appliqued  two blocks so they are done. I even hand pieced the center for one..I hope it looks better after ironing than it does now because I really don't want to have to re-do it. I have one more to applique then I am done for the June blocks.

I finished a couple blocks for Sylvia's..I have 2 to applique and a couple difficult blocks coming up soon. I say difficult because I hate partial seams and Y- seams.  I can not seem to find a simple way to do these and I get frustrated. I guess I will just start hand piecing those sections because it is easier that way for me for some reason.

I only work every other day this week and I get a 4 day weekend so hopefully I will be able to get a lot done this week.  Even though we have some major yardwork to do this Saturday..yuck.

I hope to finish this block this afternoon.  More set in seams..yuck.

My temporary DW for Sylvia's.

My next QOV.

Close up..I have had this top waiting to be quilted for at least 2 years.  Yep..I'm kind of slow.



Maybe some progress will be made this week.

For more DW head on over to Judy's.

Hope you have a wonderful week.

Michelle

20 May 2012

Stash Report Week 21 - 5/20/2012

Well I did get a finish this week. It is not a lot of fabric but it was used none the less.

I finished Raspberry Swirl for Jo's club and it used a total of 2.5. I did use most of my stash but bought backing fabric for it and then Vintage Modern precuts came in so I had to scoop up a couple of those. So with the jelly roll and 2 charm packs I ended up bringing in 6.25. Still one step forward and ten back with me but oh well.

I also finished most of my DJ blocks for this month. I still have 3 to do one to hand piece and 2 to applique so hopefully I can finish those this week. I am now going to ..hopefully...load a quilt on the frame and then get busy working on Sylvia's.

Raspberry Swirl

Vintage Modern..waiting for the yardage so I can figure out what I want to do with them.

Dear Jane for June...only 3 more to go.



Used this Week: 2.5 yards
Used year to Date: 101.29  yards
Added this Week: 6.25
yards
Added Year to Date: 127.59 yards
Net Used for 2012: -26.3 yards


Maybe I can actually get some stuff done this week and my numbers will improve.  I have a ton to quilt..I really should take the time to count how many but that may be a little bit scary. I also still have Orca Bay that needs the binding done as well.

Off to sew. I have a few more peaceful moments by myself...the clan went to the movies to see Battleship.

Have a great day.

Michelle


18 May 2012

Raspberry Swirl is Done

I did it! I have a finished quilt top. I even finished the binding and have it sewn down.  I didn't get a whole lot else done but I beat the deadline.  I finished it last night so it is already for class tomorrow. I will then bring it home wash and dry it and hang it up on my Jo's wall.

Now granted it wasn't a big quilt but hey these days anything is better than nothing. I spent 4 hours yesterday on two blocks for DJ and didn't get either of them finished. I was at the point that I needed to just step away before everything was flying out of the window. So hopefully by Sunday I will be ready to tackle them again. I did finish the applique last night on two other DJ so I am not too far behind yet. I still have until the first Wed. of the month.







It really feels nice to get something completely done and it really felt nice to work on something different for a change. Now off to celebrate my middles one's 13th birthday, hubby coming home and all of the fun weekend stuff...like cleaning, laundry etc.  I hope Sunday will be a day to sew...



Have a stitchin' fun weekend everyone.

Michelle

14 May 2012

Design Wall Monday 5/14/2012

Yesterday was Mother's Day so I took a day for me, well sorta.  I did not work on Sylvia's or Dear Jane. 

I didn't wanna..instead I worked on Raspberry Swirl which is a Jo's Club quilt.  I am am part of the club but I am always working or working on another quilt so I haven't made any of them this year or part of last year for that matter. I am going to be teaching that class this Saturday since the normal teacher had a family emergency so I figured what the heck..I will spend the day doing something different.

So out comes the Jo fabric and sorting and deciding began.  I ended up using pinks because I had 9 different ones and I wanted each block to be different and I also had enough for the outside border.  I really wanted to do it in the poison greens but I didn't have anything for the border. So off I went.  I realized I will need to check out work tomorrow for something for the sashings. I have a fabric that will work but I am not too happy with it.  So I am hoping to find something get the top all finished and then quilted and bound (GULP) by Saturday morning.

I might just do it since I don't have a hubsters here this week, but I also have tons of blocks to get crack a lackin on for Sylvia's....does it ever end? I don't think so.


Here is the partial blocks that I was working on. I was chain piecing three at a time and was down to my last three..which would mean I had already done six...well

Does this look off to you? Why after doing so many do I decide that I need to do some creative sewing..not on all of the pieces mind you just some.  So out comes the seam ripper and off I go.

Here is a close up of one of the finished blocks. I keep looking at it and personally I think the "spikes" are off in size compared to the rest but the block does come out right.

If I had a lighter background I would have used it but this was all out of my stash and it was the only shirting I had that didn't have blue or black in it or "something just not right".  I think it will grow on me.



I only have two quilts up on my Jo's club area so this will be a nice addition.  Oh...well now that I remember I do have another quilt top that is Jo's that just needs quilting...hmmm maybe I can find time in the next 100 years to get some of these tops done....well dreaming is allowed right?

For more design walls head on over to Judy's.


I have to work this morning but then that is it.  We will have leftovers tonight so I can sew, sew, sew, the night away. Well, unless work kicks my bum.


Have a blessed day everyone.


Michelle

13 May 2012

Stash Report 5/13/12 - A Finish Too

Hoping everyone a Happy Mother's Day...mine will be spent sewing. I sent hubsters off this morning to the airport for the week, he will be in VA for work.  So it will be a little busier week for me since I will be both mom and dad..oh well nothing new on that front..just haven't had to do it for awhile.

Well I finally have a finish..it took me awhile but it is done.  This is my QOV #3...



I even labeled it....It is kind of hard so see since I already washed it but.  I used a CD for labels that I have.  I ran a fabric sheet through the printer then I used colored pencils to color it in then my fabric pen to write, heat set it and slapped the puppy on and off to the washer it went.   I was glad that it didn't really fade. I used two color catchers as well...they came out a little red but not too bad considering I don't pre-wash my fabric.



I am hoping to get another QOV on the frame today and get working on some of my SBS or DJ blocks although honestly I would really rather work on something fun and totally for me today...hmm since it is Mother's Day I might just do that.


Since most of my shows are over maybe I can spend some more time in the studio....yeah right.



 I ended up using 4.5 yards for the backing and .5 yards for the binding so my numbers this week have changed...one of these days I will be on the good .....but nothing came in this week so that is a plus in my book.


Used this Week: 24.84 yards
Used year to Date: 98.79 yards
Added this Week: 0
yards
Added Year to Date: 121.34 yards
Net Used for 2012: -22.55 yards


Head on over to Judy's for more stash reports.

Michelle

07 May 2012

Sylvia's Progress 1 - Design Wall Monday 5/7/12

I was working on the first few blocks of the quilt, pulling fabric and I was already getting tired of the few fabric choices I have.  It is kind of hard because this is a scrappy quilt but we will probably be making some kits so I don't want to get too many fabrics. So after hemming and hawing I decided the heck with it..so off I went to the store and picked up a few more fabrics. I had a hard time finding some blues (since they read more of a blue gray) and I really wanted some darker ones but no luck. I ended up purchasing some grays although I did pick up one with polka dots and I really don't know if it will work but we shall see. I also would rally like a darker pink/maroon but couldn't find anything so I am at a make do point.  I will pick up more backgrounds tomorrow since I need to cut my sashing out first and it is rather unique since my sashing will be scrappy. 


A1 - Mosaic No. 3 (paper pieced)

A2 - Shoo Fly

A2 - Bright Hopes

A5 - Amethyst (paper pieced)

A7 - Cats and Mice

A8 - Star of the Orient
(partial seam construction and paper piecing)



I skipped a few A's for now. I need to get them done but I know these are a little time consuming as far as blocks go since I had already done them with my other color scheme.  One needs to be appliqued and the other one is major y-seams (yay..my favorite..NOT).

My goal is to get 10 blocks done a week so that in 14 weeks I can put the rows together and get it done to hang in the shop before class. I am thinking I may have to change to order of completing the blocks from horizontal to vertical that way I can sew the rows together as I go.  The long sashing is vertical so that might make it quicker. As you can tell from the blocks I am putting the sashing on the bottoms of each as I go...less to do later...and it is scrappy. Of course I just realized as I was typing this up and looking at the blocks above that I put the same sashing on both 7 and 8 which will be next to each other in the quilt.  Guess the seam ripper will come out early today.

Have a wonderful day.

Michelle

For more design wall update head on over to Judy's








05 May 2012

Dear Jane gets me again

I don't know what I was thinking. I really don't.  Acutally to be honest I really wasn't thinking at all. At least that is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

I was working on the last block for class this Month (which really was last Weds.) and I didn't finish appliquing it because I wanted to explain it to the class. Now I have looked and looked and looked at this block...maybe I need my eyes checked..and I didn't notice the problem..even in class I didn't notice the problem until Mrs. N said something.

See,  the directions said make HST, I read make HST, I knew to make HST and I ended up making 4 patches...I mean what the heck right?

So the students all laughed at me and I after I gave the correct instructions they informed me that they knew I would probably leave it the way it was.  If I keep doing that with some of the blocks I have made it will no longer be  a Dear Jane quilt but rather a "How I Rebelled Against Dear Jane Quilt". So last night after finishing Mr's A's quilt I figured I would show them, and I will....lol


Here is my block "wrong" in all of its glory. I can admit that if I would have completed all of the applique and squared it up Iprobably would not have remade it.


Here is the correct block.  No..I have not appliqued it at all yet. It is now downstairs next to my chair wating for its turn.  I really isn't a major difference in the grand scheme of DJ but enough none the less.


My lesson learned...stay calm and just keep sewing..it will all work out in the end. Now if I only had that mantra this last Sunday when I came down stairs yelling

 "What the heck was Jane Stickle thinking...was she even in her right mind?"
Husbands response, "Who is Jane Stickle?"
Me..."Nevermind" and stomping back upstairs....man I sure cant get sympathy anywhere that is for sure.


As this posts I will be at the little ones last football game and then the end of season BBQ and it is supposed to be a hot one as well....guess there will be no sewing today.

Michelle

04 May 2012

Mrs. A's Quilt

I have a co-worker/friend who asked me to do a favor for her. So of course I jumped right on it.  Mrs. A has the first quilt she ever did over 35 years ago that was hand pieced and hand quilted.  Now this quilt has seen a lot of love and it was starting to fall apart. So she bought some backing and asked me if I would quilt in the ditch around all of the squares and borders so that she could add some new binding.  Her goal was to keep it together for a little bit longer..so I said no problem.  I can tell you if I could have kept this quilt I would have.  It was so soft, warm and cuddly.  She is just hoping that she could get some more wear and tear out of it before it becomes a cutter quilt.  I just loved it and it was super easy to quilt back together.

Enjoy Mrs. A.




Just keep sewing,

Michelle

03 May 2012

Dear Jane Moving Along

My design wall is coming along rather nicely.  I have almsot 100 blocks/triangles done.  After my class this month I think I might even have my second complete row done....yay.. I might even sneak in the finishing of my A row...I think that is a difficult block that I have slated for later ..hmmm...its a thought but I would rather work on something else so we shall see.





Sew Today and Be Happy.

Michelle

02 May 2012

Too Cute

I am always on the lookout for something quilty, crafty, unique etc..to add to my studio.  Well, I found this last week..



I have to decide now it I want to paint it because this definetly does not match the decor in the quilt room for sure.

Have a great day everyone.


Michelle

01 May 2012

May Day May Day....I should have stayed home

really I should have.  I figured going to a yarn store would not be that bad right? I mean no fabric what harm could there be...well...I know now I can not go into any yarn stores or fabric stores without some serious damage to the pocketbook.

I am taking a beginning knitting class at a local yarn store. I had taken quite a few classes and a big box store and spent a lot of money and learned nothing. I mean I had already you tubed a bagillion videos on knitting and purling so I pretty much had that done...well once I realized I was purling wrong but that is besides the point. Anyway, I came home from one of my last classes and I was really upset. I spent all this time and couldn't figure anything out...I didn't know how to TINK, recognize my stitches, etc. etc.

So my trusty yahoo search brought up Green Valley Weavers and "oh! they are open on Sunday" so back in the car I go to browse and then "oh! you have a beginning knitting class starting in a couple of weeks and it is on a Sunday"...well you know how that went. Anyway, I have been to three classes and honestly in the first hour of the first class I learned more than all of my other classes combined.   Our project is a teddy bear sweater and I am almost done but the best part of this whole scenario is that I LOVE LOVE LOVE to knit. I am not very good at it and I am slow but that is OK. (My family loves it as well because I am not screaming out my numbers so that they don't interrupt me because now I know how to figure out where i am at if I stop.)

Fast forward to today...I was procrastinating getting up into the studio. Why? I don't really know. So I figured I would head on down to Green Valley...well...here is what happened.

I had seen this pattern on Purlbee, The Sunshine Scarf,  and fell in love with it.  I don't know if it was the colors or what and the best part is that it is a very simple pattern (as a newbie I like this even more). I also wanted to pick up a couple of those thingamajigs that have the crochet hook on one end and knitting needle on the other. I figured that was a very good reason to head on down there (it is about a 25 minute drive from my house if the weather is good..you know the complete other side of town).

Can you tell where this is going?

These are my choices.

The gray one is Quicksilver, and the gold is Gold Dust (makes sense huh). These two come from a local dyer. Spruce Dragon, LLC out of Divide, Co.  The last one is Cascade Yarns Heritage Silk Paints color 9801. I told myself I couldn't start working on this until after I get at least half way done on my crochet project.  Lets see how long that will last. 

I am also waiting for a sock class to start that coincides with my schedule.  I really want to make socks so this is what I ended up with.  These are just some worsted weight yarns in my favorite color (of the moment).  I was instructed to make my first pair with worsted weight yarn and then move on from there to the light weight and fingering which made perfect sense to me.  Who knows maybe one of these days I can actually make a pair of socks out of the book my hubby bought for me..(The Joy of Socks"

Then of course I needed the needles, and the tapestry needles, and the highlighter tape (which I think is totally awesome) and of course my thingamajigs.



So the moral of my story...stay out of the fabric, yarn and of course the book store unless I go in with an allowance or  no checkbook, no credit card, no debit card and maybe I should take a kiddo or hubby with me...hmmm not a good idea either.


Happy May Day,

Michelle