Do I look like a hoarder?

These pictures I am about to show you are awful.  Last year we redid the sewing room and when we were done I showed fabulous pictures of the beautiful room, what I failed to show was the crap I couldn't get back in there.  I had planned on going thru it, sorting it and finding a place to put it all.  So far that hasn't happened.

I figured having company would help get me motivated..no such luck.  I just had hubby move it all into our bedroom and then after they left move it all back.  Sad so sad it is.

spare bedroom

spare bedroom

our room

\

We have company coming again the end of July. My goal this time is to only work 15 - 20 minutes a day and get some of this organized.  See that nook in the corner of the picture, it used to be a closet and my parents used it for their TV.  Since it is just empty, well...sorta...I am going to try and sort and pile everything in there neatly so that at least I can have the room look a little bit better.

In my defense I can say that there are 3 - 4 huge tubs of fabric that are kits for the store that I organized.  I was waiting for them to figure out how many more kits they needed cut and to get everything ready. I think now I will just sort into the kits that I can (most of these are BOM) and sending them back to work and letting them do with them as they may.

Hopefully in a couple of  weeks (or months) I can show you some progress.

Michelle

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

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

Quilts of Valor Progress

I am making progress on my QOV challenge of the year.  I have 2 tops completely done and ready to mail, 2 tops ready to quilt and 2 cut out ready to sew.  Now I just hope I can get the hang of my BettyLou (midarm) so that I can get them totally done.

I have been collecting red, white, and blue fabrics.  Right here is 42 different ones..perfect for home made jelly rolls.

Some fq's and yardage that will be used as well.

Three Jelly Rolls cut up....still didn't put a big dent in the piles either.

With my first jelly roll I decided to do my own little Jelly roll race.  No..I didn't time myself I know it took my a while but I had to keep getting up since my butt was getting sore.  I can tell you that the first two rows were the most difficult...they seemed to take forever and then it was...wow...I'm done.

The top done or so I thought...after further pondering I decided to add two borders.

I was having a hard time deciding what color to put as the inside border.  I decided on a goldish yellow. If I would have thought about it more I would have made it 1.5 or 2 inches instead of the 2.5 I used.  It is a little bit more yellow than I thought.

I then added a 4.5 inch border and called it good. It only took me the afternoon to get it done since I did the cutting yesterday.  I am sure I would have had it done quicker if I wouldn't have kept stopping to do other things.

I think with the other jelly roll I cut out I will do another one of these.  They aren't difficult and with all of my upcoming commitments it will be nice to do.  I only have 8 more to go before the end of the year.

This is the quilt that is on Betty Lou so hopefully I can report a completed top, well except for the binding of course by next week.  Wish me luck.

Michelle

PS...The best part is that all of the fabric including the backing and batting came out of my stash...yeppers this was all already in the studio. Maybe my numbers will start looking good here soon.