Still Here..End of Year

I can't believe it has been almost a month since my last post. I have been really busy.  I have some things that are in the process of being "taken care of" and I am hoping beyond hope I will have some good news to share the end of this week. It will definitely explain a lot. 

I have been getting some things done, just not as much as I hoped or to be honest, what I should have been doing.

I finished a scarf and a pair of socks this week and started something new. I will update those on Friday with the Needles post.

I finished my January little houses hand embroidery.

I am almost finished with two more projects. I just have to sew the sleeves and the labels down. So those will actually be my first two finishes for the New Year...yay.

I am hoping to have lots of finishes for 2013 but I don't think that will start to happen until at least March, unless I can use Harry Potter's wand to speed things up.

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year....til next year.

Michelle

Design Wall Monday on Easy Street 12/3/2012

I don't have much to show for this week. I was busy but I don't really know what I was busy doing.  I wasn't online much either, as some of my acquaintances noticed as well.

I did get my Easy Street part 2 done. I am still keeping up for now. I will probably fall a little behind with the next step since my work schedule is a little bit hectic. Oh well..what can you do..

I went ahead and cut the extra rectangles so I would be a little bit ahead.  I spent one day on the right wings and the next day on the left wings, it actually went pretty quick.

 

 

And, then because I never have enough to do I started another BOM..Spring Bouquet from Laundry Basket Quilts.  This one is already pre-cut and pre-fused. I thought it would be quick but really it took longer than I thought. I cut all of the backgrounds out then went to fuse.  Remembered light box so searched for that, found it, then had to search for the tape.  So, what I thought would only be about a 45 minute project took about an hour and a half and I didn't even sew anything down.  Good news is ...block one is now ready, I only have 13 more to do (well 8 blocks and 4 borders).

 

 

 

 

For more Design Wall's head on over to Judy's.

 

For more easy street progress head on over to Bonnie's

 

 

Hope to post a little bit more of my projects this week but who knows...I can only try.

 

 

 

Michelle

 

PS.  Still haven't fixed the dang it block from last design wall Monday...shows you how out of it I was this past week......ugh...

 



Design Wall Monday 11/26/2012

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.  Now, the chaos reigns until Christmas.  I hate the extra traffic and the crazy people but what can you do.

I actually had the whole weekend off and didn't really get to sew except Saturday and Sunday but that was better than not being able to at all. I have to work the next three days and then a 3 day breather until my 7 work day stretch. I don't think I will be getting a lot of sewing in that time but who knows.

I finally finished my first two rows of Sylvia's Bridal Sampler so I put those puppies together. It is kind of weird looking up the stairs now and seing this quilt instead of Dear Jane. No, I am not done with it but I only have a few rows left so it is easier to see laying across the quilt frame. Well, actually the real reason is I was tired of have Sylvia's blocks all over the place and needed a place to put them.

The top half.

Wonky picture, but the only way to view all of the blocks.  The blocks are longer than my design wall so the last row hangs down.

 

The top half.

 

The bottom half.

 

 

I think I may have to get a new design wall soon. My flannel is shredding to pieces on these inexpensive table cloths I bought. Maybe I will just wait until after we move next year.



 

 

For other wall candy go on over to Judy's.

Have a great day everyone,

Michelle

 

 

Easy Street Part 1

And so it begins....I just love Bonnie's quilts and I am sure once this mystery is revealed I will love this.

Started with these fabrics.

Made my 2sies.

Then sewed, ironed, popped the seams in groups of 10.

Gathered into their bucket all nice and cozy until the next clue comes out next week. I only ended up with 12 extra...guess I can't count very well after all.

 

 

I forgot how long this can take at times.  It ended up taking my all day Saturday to complete.  Of course it was sew 10 or 20 then check the laundry, then sew 10, then make lunch, sew 20 then check the laundry...so it ends up taking me twice as long but that is ok.  The last of the laundry is done ( a day early for me) and I can rest and work on other things until next Friday.

 

You can see the progress of others at Quiltville

 

 

Have a great week everyone.

 

Michelle

Design Wall Monday 11/19/12

I took a break from the normal sewing and applique and did a little bit of hand work.  It was a nice break and I wish I had a lot more time to do it, maybe after Dear Jane is done.

This one is part of my sewing series.  I now have 2 done and I think 10 more to go.

This one is from This and That and was supposed to be a mini wall hanging. 

 

We needed a 12 block for our block exchange for our work Christmas Party. We held the party a little early this year. I decided to make it smaller and then add borders.  I really enjoyed the hand work.  I guess this will go back into my list of things to make so I can make myself one now. Although, I can see it being a long time coming.

 

 

Head on over to Judy's for more Design Wall Candy.

 

Have a wonderful day everyone and a blessed Thanksgiving.

 



Blitzen

I decided to take a break from my norm and work on a Christmas something. I know..I know...like I didn't have enough to do.  I can admit it was nice to just sit and chain piece a bunch of blocks together.  These samplers take a lot out of you sometimes.

 

 

I oringally planned on quilting it right away but as usual my time is getting away from me and I have tons of things to do.  I won't put it away yet just in case there is a snowballs chance I may get it done...

 

 

Michelle

Ready For A Mystery

As most know Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville hosts a mystery every Thanksgiving.  I finished Orca Bay (except the Binding), Roll Roll Cottonbowl top complete, and those are the only 2 I have participated in so far.  Anyway, a new one starts next week, Easy Street. So of course I had to get my fabrics all ready to go. I just have to decide on a gray.

I also finally finshed my bow tie blocks piecing, well I think I am done.  I still have some fabric left but I want to wait and see how many more I need or if I need more.  I coudln't believe how many I ended up with.  I have been working on them for over a year. 

I took the final tally before taking them out of their groups of 10 and throwing them in a bucket to start pieceing them together.

 

 

Can you believe I ended up with 664 of these little suckers.  I started sewing them into rows of 3's so I can make 9 patches out of them. Of course I couldn't remember the orientation of them to save my life so for every 2 I sewed together I ended up frogging about 10. I think I am now on a roll and have it figured out. I will sew my rows of 3, add to a basket and then after full pin together into 2 rows etc..etc until I have my 9 patches at that point I will move it from leader and ender to quilt put together status.  In the mean time I better start thinking of another project to make as my leader and ender.  I will really miss these.

 

 

Michelle

Applique with help

As most of you know I am working on Dear Jane and have been for 18 months now.  I also started Sylvia's Bridal Sampler in September and sometimes I wonder what the heck I was thinking.  Not to mention I start A Year of Schnibbles in January.  Yes, that ends up being 3 classes a month I teach or facilitate as I like to say.

I have tons of applique blocks and I am just running around crazy trying to get them done.  I am really slow at it and am still not patient enough to get them to come out awesome.  Which leads me to these awesome blocks. 

 

My lovely co-worker Mrs. A volunteered to help me with some of them.  These are the three I picked for her to do (after looking at some of the others I have to do I should have given her more..lol).

 

 

She loves handwork and does awesome applique.  Needless to say a big thank you went out to Anita and I now have 3 more to add to my finish pile.

 

 

Michelle

Design Wall Monday 11-12-2012

I have been really busy and have actually been able to get a lot done for a change.  I started a jelly roll quilt for the Jan. sample at work.  Yes, I actually like to work ahead even though work freaks out at times.  I was able to get the complete top pieced, just not together yet.

 

I love chain piecing.

 

 

Can you believe I was actually able to put this on the design wall.  It doesn't look as bright here as in person. This is a jelly roll from Kate Spain titled Cuzco.  I just love it.  Since taking this picture I have also pinned up the outside border that goes with it as well.

 

It seems quit weird to have pulled Dear Jane down.  No, I am not done with it but after almost 2 years I really needed to see something different.

 

Well off to sew I hope.  Head on ever to Judy's for more design wall candy.

 

Michelle

On the Needles 11/9/2012

I really have been busy and numerous things. I just haven't taken the time to blog about it.  I will a few things to show in the next week or so.

Anyway, I made some progress on my slouch sock so I am now about 3/4 done.  Maybe by next needle post I will have the first sock done.

I also decided to start a project that I could learn a new stitch and it was simple for travel.  I found this simple scarf on Yarn Harlot via Ravelry.  I don't remember the name but it is a simple 4 stitch repeat and I was able to use some yarn I had bought to make some more thick socks that I decided not to do.

It really doesn't look this pink in real life.  It is just a basic red. But something will be made and I will have reduced a smidgen of my yarn stash.

I am off to check out the other projects over at Judy's On the Needles.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Michelle

On the Needles 10/26/2012

I haven't done a lot of knitting lately. I have either been appliqueing or reading...alot or reading. I started this sock over a month ago but finally decided to do a little bit here and there so I am making progress..just a little on the slow side. These are slouch socks and aren't as long as I thought but I added a couple of extra rows and figure they will work out for someone.  But, I am trying something new so that is what counts right?

I can say that my sock yarn stash has grown but my productivity has not.  We rearranged the family room for winter, I know weird huh, but we had to move the furniture around so that the fire place will spread its warmth more evenly. After doing that my recliner ended up kind of in the middle of nowhere and I had very little light. I ended up buying a new lamp so I hope that helps. Trying to do all of my stuff on the couch is not conducive to my well being. I don't sit on the couch properly so every part of my body will hurt after an extended period of time. Now, with the light I am back in business and I will be the warmest come winter because I am closest to the fire place. 

For more needle projects head on over to Judy's.

I am off to sew and maybe some more knitting tonight..it is a cold one here today..so not looking forward to winter..a lovely 25 outside right now.

Michelle

Because....

I'm crazy, I don't have anything else to do, I'm nuts...well the list could go on.

I fell in love with this quilt and of course since I am certifiably insane I figured I would do it.  I will try and forget Dear Jane, and Sylvia's and Year of Schnibbles, and the load of BOM I have, Bonnie Hunters mystery starts next month,  and all of the UFO's...I will start this quilt.  Well, I figured I would just start the cutting since it takes a bazillion pieces.

 

These are the starting scraps of my cutting frenzy.

 

 

I figured it could take me a year to cut the fabric even though I have 3 drawers of 2.5 inch strips. I would love to have no repeats of fabric as well. But, here's the catch...or the craziness. To make the quilt the size on the cover page (78.5 x 80.5) I need a total of 1560 squares which includes 281 sets of 5 matching squares plus some other sets, this equals 1560 squares.  Not to bad..but..I was kinda thinking of making this a king to replace the one on my bed now...so that means  470 sets of 5 plus other sets which equals 550 different fabrics and a whopping 2350 squares.

 

 

So this will be my pet project for the next  who knows how long. But that is ok. I have a tendency to make quilts that take forever and then squeeze some little ones in between.

 

But won't it look awesome when it is done.  I decided on a whatever approach and to use all of my fabric,originally I was going to stick with muted and Civil War types, I want a everything but the kitchen sink (well no Christmas) with Civil War, Batiks, Brights etc.  Wish me luck.

 

Michelle

I Have Been Busy

really....I have.  I just don't ever seem to have a lot to show for it. I finally finished my O's candy Little Bites so now I just have to quilt them both. Oh the someday list just keeps getting longer and longer.

I also took time to do something with a few blocks, uh more like what was supposed to be the whole quilt, that I had cut wrong and just sewed them together and put the other cut pieces into the scrap bin.  What it will be who knows. I will either put it in the back of some quilt or maybe make a small table topper for somebody or something.  The good news is that it is no longer taking up a spot on my sewing table. (Next time I will read the directions a little bit better)

I am now off to do some cutting of a new BOM for work, then to sew and maybe a few chores.

Have a great day everyone,

Michelle

Design Wall Monday 10/15/2012

I have been busy it just doesn't always seem like I am getting a bunch done. I have been working, a little bit more than planned but that is ok.

I did get my 10 blocks of Dear Jane done, almost, I still have the applique done. So now I am down to 63..YAY. I have Sylvia's class this week and those blocks are done as well. I get a "break" now since I don't have classes in December. Maybe, just maybe I will be able to get some more, a lot more done before the first of the year.  Who knows.

Yesterday I took a break from the those quilts and worked on a baby quilt for a friend of the family's daughter who is due in January. I decided to make a simple strip quilt as you go quilt. I did 20 strips yesterday and have 20 more to do this week. I just pooped out yesterday and called it quits. Of course that doesn't have anything to do with the block I had started first that I ended up doing wrong.  Nothing is worse than sewing 64 total squares with HST included and then the block coming out the wrong side..aggghhhh. 

We have our work party early this year, in November, and we do a block swap. So I decided to work on my 12" block and did the calculating and cut and sewed, and cut and sewed then once all completed it only came out to 11"...not good..so I decided I won't be doing that block and now have to come up with something new. Not fun for sure.

I also finished my Fat Quarter Shop BOM block this weekend as well. I am actually staying up with that one for a change.


The baby quilt is made out of a jelly roll of flannel, to be cuddly, but boy I forget how clingy flannel is.

 

 

 

For other design walls head on over to Judy's .  I love to see how much other people get done, makes me feel really slow for sure.

 

Have a wonderful day.

 

Michelle

Oh Dear

That is my motto for the day.  I decided I would work on Dear Jane.  Then I remembered Dear Niece was going to be here.  OK..no worries.  Yeah..well...

First...off to print off my Dear Jane's I need for next month.  Well my Dear Jane program didn't want to work. Reboot 1 of the computer. 

Second..computer back up..Dear Jane software working, go to print..Dear Printer not working. Reboot 2 of the computer.

Third..computer back up,printer back up..Dear Jane and printer not working.. Reboot 3 of the computer.

Fourth...yeah everything back online and working...oh it is time to feed Dear Niece, Dear lunch...ok back to printing....oh look time for Dear Niece's Dear Nap....ok..good to go...off to sew.

Finally, I get a block ready to applique....oh Dear...I can't count...I need 6 petals but for some reason I only make 4...turn the iron back on finish the other petals...oh look Dear Niece is awake now...

Finally, second attempt...down to applique...Dear Niece is hungry...ok...snack time...back to applique...oh wait look at the time....Dear Dinner needs to be made for Dear Family....

OK..Now food is going, Dear Niece is situated and oh look the Dear Family will be home in 10 minutes.

Conclusion...all the Dearness in this house today has led to a long and not productive day but maybe just maybe after Dear Niece leaves I will have a few minutes to applique.  Question is will I have the energy.

Michelle

My Dear Jane

Here are the blocks from my October class.  I now have to start on November...the never ending Dear Jane cycle. 

While going over the blocks in class I was again talking about those dreaded set in seams on the block. It will be the second pink one on the bottom left. I was stating that I can do them (the set in seams) I am just not very good at them and I don't like them.  Well...there are a lot of appliquers in the class so the response I received " Why didn't you just applique it then?"  I responded with a very simple " Duh!  I didn't think about it".  I can say that it would have probably been a whole heck of a lot easier that's for sure. Good thing I label myself as a facilitator rather than a teacher that is for sure.

At the end of class I realized that we were going to be doing a lot of triangles the last couple of months and no one really wanted that so I spent the morning rearranging the order of the remaining months so that we have at least 4 triangles and 6 regular blocks making life more simple.

Then I realized I only have 73 more blocks.....I know it still seems like a lot but when you figure you start with 225 that is nothing ( I am including both the blocks and the triangles).  I ONLY HAVE 73 MORE BLOCKS ...I should dance a jig...wait...I will save that for when I have less than 20 or maybe less than 10..I do know there will be a dance of epic proportions when the top is put together that is for sure.

Then I started thinking, which is dangerous in itself. Can I get this finished by the end of the year? That has been my goal but life keeps getting in the way. There is approximately 88 days left in the year.  That means less than one block a day..hmmm....I think I can...I think I can...

Yep, that is my goal for the year...finish this lovely top..then I can concentrate on Sylvia's.  I figure if Dear Jane is done then I can just whip through Sylvia's and then the only thing I have to do every month is my Schnibble'.  I can then concentrate on getting the stuff done I have put on hold and at the same time start cleaning, sorting, and packing for our move next summer.

I think I am off to work on Dear Jane.

Have a wonderful day,

Michelle

Waldo Canyon Update 10

This should be my last update for awhile.  We have our final disbursement this Saturday.  So, anyone wanting a quilt after that will request individually and then we will get them one, and honestly there should not be that many (if any) left to receive one.   This will take some pressure off of me finishing them all right away.  All of the "extra" ones will be forwarded to other fire victims in other areas as the need arises.

The following quilts were quilted by Jenny M  She did an awesome job.  I really love the tools she quilted on the tool quilt. I tried to get a close up.

I just love them all. And as evidenced so did the cat...he loves getting in the middle of all of my stuff. Right next to him...the little shoes and bag..well they are from my niece.  She has taken over the house.  I love her to pieces but I forget how energetic a 2 year old can be.

Off to get some applique ready for Sylvia's then Dear Jane class this afternoon. I would love to say I will be sewing all day tomorrow but...Miss T will be here so I will be lucky to get anything done...lol.

Have a blessed day,
Michelle

Design Wall Monday 10/1/2012

I have a finish..finally...yeah!!!!! So this is the only thing on/off my design wall other than that lovely Dear Jane and the lovely Sylvia.

I spent all day yesterday finishing this puppy up.  I had to sew the buttons on, fix the bees (which I still don't like to much), make the bees path, and machine sew the binding down (which I am still not that great at).  But it is done done done.

I only work 3 days this week plus a class (yeppers that dreaded Dear Jane) so I had planned on getting a lot done...but then I remembered...

My parents are out of town so I am the designated back up to get older niece to school and watch the younger niece.  So my plans are now to try to get something small done period.  My little niece is only 2 and a sweetie pie...I love having her and spending time with her but boy oh boy is she a busy little bee.  Oh well...I only 2 days the following two weeks and one class so I will have plenty of time them..I hope.

Have a great day everyone I am off to work.

For more design walls head on over to Judy's...I just love looking at what everyone is working on.  It seems like everyone gets more done than me.

Michelle

A Little Break

I have been working on Dear Jane and Sylvia's forever now it seems and finally I just needed a little break. 

I had ordered some patterns the other day from Mrs. Rosies Quilt Company that uses the new Moda precuts..candy (which are little 2 1/2 inch squares or mini charm packs).

I had enough fabric to acutally do both patterns but I only finished one so far, although the other is all cut out and ready to go.

 

I used Odds and Ends charm pack, this is the X topper and the O topper is ready to go next. 

 

 The lovely thing is that they don't take a lot of fabric and they are not very big so it is a nice change of pace (other than cutting 160 1.25 in squares that is), and no I was not going to draw a line on each on of those life the directions said.  I have the Angler so there you go.

 

Now to find time to quilt and bind this puppy and I will have a little finish for the year. 

 

 

Have a wonderful day.

 

Michelle

Waldo Canyon Update 9 - Finished Quilts

I finally had some time today to take some pictures of the finished quilts I have. I had a wonderful long armer volunteer to quilt some of the tops I had...I sent her 6 large ones and she finished them pronto and even put the binding and label.  Barb even sent 2 extras finished back with the others. 

They will all be delivered tomorrow to the quilt guild for the next disbursement on the 6th of Oct.  Oh happy day.

We have delivered 67 finished quilts. I still have 53 tops to quilt and fabrics and squares to do probably 10 or so more.  It is a wonderful thing and I can't wait to get all of these done.

I loved this backing.

Ready to be loaded into the van by the hubster tonight for drop off tomorrow.

 

 

I hope everyone has a blessed day. 

 

Michelle