The scrap pile

runneth over.  Which in my house isn't anything unusual.  I was procrastinating again on DJ, what's new right?  I had asked some of my co-workers for some 2 x 7 in strips for my bow tie blocks. I had already exhausted my 2" strip drawers and I really didn't want to cut into my stash for such a small section.  Anyway, it is nice going into work and seeing scraps in my folder.  I also had Mrs. F drop off a nice little package for me and then a couple of days later she brought me some bags.  I haven't really had the time to go through them all but I cut all of the other bags into the sets I needed and I figure I will get to the other ones...a little bit here and there as needed.

The small bags emptied and this is my pile.

I cut my bow tie sets and then cut what was left into usable sections following the scrap user system that Bonnie Hunter uses.

I go tired of standing so I went and sat at my machine table to get a few more done.

The second set of scraps from Mrs. F, although alot of these are big enough pieces to be used for other things and I think there is one or two that could be used for backings.

I would love to say that I keep up with all of my scraps but I don't.  I try real hard to sort after I am done with the quilt or when my 2 little buckets fill up.  I have been working on emptying a very large laundry basket for a couple of years that have tons of scraps in them.  I would work for 15 minutes a day then after a few days I would get sidetracked.  Guess that should be something I think about

getting into again.

See that wonderful wicker basket there on the left...the tall brown one...that is filled with scraps...agghhh...

Have a wonderful day.

Michelle

Bow Tie Blocks

I follow Bonnie over at Quiltville and last year she put out a bow tie challenge, you can find more here. I had told myself I wasn't going to join but as usual I caved in.  I have been working on them pretty much since the beginning and only using them as leaders and enders. I have stopped a couple of times to work on something else but...I have found that these little wonders are just too addicting to put aside for long.

Sunday before starting on the DJ project I took some time to cut some more pieces. I finished up a chunk of my cheddar and then cut 45 more blocks. I had about 20 left so now I have another small stash to keep me going for awhile. I just love these little rascals.

I don't know how many I have nor how many I will need. I just keep going.  I pile them in a bucket and then every so often I stop and bundle them into groups of 10. I wonder how many I will end up with by the time I tire of them?

Have a good day everyone.

Michelle

Design Wall Monday 3/5/12

I finished up my QOV3 and now have to put everything aside to work on more "have to dos". I have a few extra days off this week so maybe I can get some things done, especially since next week I work a full week.

Picture didn't turn out to well but it is done. Bought the backing fabric so hopefully sometime this month I can get this one and the other QOV I have quilted.

My plan for this week is to get my charm school for March done and box step top done (black and yellow blocks). I also have DJ blocks for April to do and need to start on Sylvia's Bridal Sampler.
I also need to start a wall hanging my mom asked for...I think my list is getting longer and longer.

Better go get busy...I have sewing to do and red beans and rice to make before our employee meeting tonight.

For more design walls head on over to Patchwork Times


Michelle

Design Wall Monday 2/27/12

I didn't make a whole lot progress last week.  The only thing I worked on was my knitted project and my Dear Jane blocks. 

Yesterday I was finally able to spend some time in the sewing room and some progress was made.

These are still my leaders and enders between my QOV3 project. I was able to get 6 more blocks done.

These are the frist 4 rows of my QOV3.  It is turning out a little bit busier than I thought but I think it will be ok.

A closer look. These were all strips from my scrap bin.  I don't think it will be big enough once it is all sewn together but I figure I can just add a border.

I also started a new knitting project. It will be a baby blanket.  No one I know needs one but it will be good practice. It is still very simple knitting but I actually will have a small pattern to follow. Still getting used to working with circular needles as well.

For more design wall updates head on over to Judy's.

I am off to work this afternoon but I am off tomorrow. I hope to get the top finished tomorrow then to get it ready to quilt.  I have another QOV ready to quilt as well.  If I can get both of those done soon I will be 1/3 of the way to meeting my goal for the year.

Michelle



It's A Hoot (a finish and a start)

It's A Hoot is finished.  My first hand embroidery is finally done. I finished the block itself last week sometime. Then Friday it was a snow day so I stayed inside and finished the little top. I have been working on the binding for a couple of days now. I am a very slow binder...my thumbs can only handle a very little bit at a time so it is like molasses in winter ...very slow..but I do get them done.

If I would of thought about it I may not have used that lime green but I was intent on using stash only and that is what I had.  So it is done and it even has a sleeve sewn on the back.  When I get around to it I will actually order one of those small table top hangers for this one and then I can rotate them out with some others I have plans to make in the future.

So another finish on my list ...it may be small but it is a finish none the less.

Remember this....

Right out of the hoop..no ironing yet....



Here it is completed.  It even has a hanging sleeve.  I just remembered I still need to get some buttons for the inside of the flowers but they are over at my moms house, maybe this weekend I can go over and find something that will work.

It's really sad that it took me over 2 weeks to bind this little thing.  I just can't do much binding at a time because it really hurts my thumbs.  Oh well it is done.

I now have another one ready to go...how long will it take to finish who knows...

I am off this weekend and I hope to get alot done.  I do have to clean the house and get laundry done and yeah by them groceries....the kids for some reason think we need cereal and milk....go figure. 

Talk about procrastination..I have to spend some time this week finishing up my DJ blocks, class is on the 7th and I only have 2 done....aaggghhh

Sew long for now,

Michelle



Another flimsie

I started this top sometime in Sept. or Oct last year. It was put on the back burner over the holidays.  I only had the rows left to put together.  So that was my major accomplishment this week. This will be our Strip Club at the store in April, so luckily I have some time to figure out how I want to quilt it.

I also pulled all of my 2 1/2 strips from a swap last year and sorted and cut them for my next QOV.  I was planning on working on that a little bit this week but with the hubby gone it was kinda crazy.  I ended up spending the nights working on a crochet project and trying to finish my first knitting project.

I ended up using all precut strips out of my drawers except for the WOW.  I had to cut into some yardage. I probably ended up using about 1/3 of a yard but it is all cut and ready to be worked on as leaders and enders between my Dear Jane blocks.

I won't get any sewing done this weekend since it is the Anniversary on Saturday.  I will be gone all weekend so I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Michelle

Bow Tuck Saturday

I was at a loss yesterday on what project I wanted to work on. I have a few UFO's to do and of course I still have those 11 quilts that need to be basted, yes I admit I am procrastinating on those big time, so I decided to do a Mini Bow Tuck purse that a friend of mine wanted. So off I go to my stash I pull out the fabrics and I start working on it.  I know from experience that it only takes me a couple of hours to get one done. Well I get on a roll, get all of the fabric cut, the fusible fleece cut, get everything going and start quilting the front and back then low and behold my husband gets a phone call. YES he finally has a job.  He starts a week from tomorrow. I am so excited. So needless to say no more quilting was done, but we did go out and have a celebration dinner.

So between going to my niece's soccer tournament  today,(two games one at 11am and one at 5pm - couldn't get them any farther apart that is for sure), I was able to get the purse done. Although I did not do it with out having problems. I mean come on, I have made at least 15 of these purses, well either the regular Bow Tuck or the Mini, so I should be able to almost make them with my eyes closed. But no......I put the magnetic button on the wrong end so I have to remove that. Well of course we know the button will leave a hole, so in my moment of ingenuity I grab a 2 in square of fabric, sign my name and the date and sew it right over the hole, of course this was in a perfect place, the bottom of the bag, so it looks like I planned it.  Then I go and sew the two pieces  of lining together wrong, so un-sewing that was a pain in the behind, because fusible fleece is not good to be seam ripping.  Finally, about an hour longer than I had planned I did get the purse done.  And NO I do not plan on making another purse anytime in the near future, no matter who asks for one, that is my final word and I am sticking to it, well.....I may make one for me in the near future...hmmm.

I finally decided that I would procrastinate sewing down some binding so off to the quilt room I go.  I happen to have an extra one of those 5 gallon plastic buckets, I use mine to make my laundry soap, so I shoved as many scraps from my large tote in there as possible and headed over to the brand new pressing surface, which I still am in uber love with, and I listened/watched football and ironed. I now have a large stack of scraps ready to be cut and stored when the time permits.  I try to do at least 15 minutes a day and even some while cooking dinner since the cutting table is right around the corner.

Well it hasn't been a real eventful or productive time but I am getting a little bit done at a time.

Guess I will try and figure out what I want to do tomorrow. I really should get these baby quilts done, but Christmas fabric is calling my big time........

Until next time
Sew in piece.

Michelle