TOO MANY CHORES, NOT ENOUGH ENERGY

I've been trying to do a thorough house cleaning, vacuuming, floors, dusting, lemon oil on furniture, as well as making the garden more tidy as plants begin to prepare for winter.   Of course, I have a sore throat, which I'm hoping doesn't develop into anything serious.

We're also having a house guest on Thursday night, then a trip to Kitchener on Friday and Saturday to attend the quilt show there.

I do not have time to get sick!

I did  manage to get the flock of sheep machine appliqued and the blocks stitched together.  (The sheep are made of fleece, for a nice soft feel for baby.)  Now I just have to add borders, then I can get the quilting completed!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

 I managed to get lots of stitching on my hexagon quilt this week - a car trip to Kitchener, then back to Toronto then home provided lots of stitching time!

This is the beginning of a baby quilt for my nephew and his wife - baby is due October 20th.  You'll have to wait to see what the alternate blocks look like!

My tall sons were visiting over the weekend, so I took advantage of their height and took pictures of some quilts.

 Pushin' Up Spring

The Orient Visits Baltimore

The Baltimore quilt was made from a pattern by Fat Cat Patterns, using one called "Baltimore Bliss" that was offered as a BOM a while ago.  Pushin' Up Spring was also a BOM offered by AppleBlossom Quilts.  It was made using scraps except for the background of the blocks.

Check out what everyone is working on by visiting Judy's blog. 

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week  12.125 yards

Used year to date  206.625 yards

Added this week  0 yards

Added year to date 53.875 yards

Net used 2011  152.75 yards

I finished quilt number 2 for BFF's granddaughters.  This one began as a Raggedy Ann panel, and a yard each of two coordinating prints that were in my stash.  DH is happy to see the pile of flannel that I had purchased for kids' quilts slowly shrinking.  I try to use flannel on the back for kids, as it is more cuddly.  I am a fabric pre-washer, and the flannel is washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer to pre-shrink it before adding it to a project.

Now I am trying to decide whether to start a new project, or begin making my own "quilt kits" to take south.  We'll be heading that way in just over a month, and with Thanksgiving, family visits, Christmas shopping etc., I know the time will fly as it always does. 

 I had fun quilting stars and hearts in the large dark pink border, then a large stipple in the final border.  This was one of my more favourite panels - perfect for a 2 year old!
Check out everyone's progress at Judy's blog.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

This is quilt number 1 for BFF's granddaughters.  Quilt number 2 is  pin-basted and the quilting has begun!

Here is my progress on my hexagon quilt.  I stitched while taking a break each lunch hour, as well as watching TV in the evening with DH.  Once I get the final diamond shape attached, I plan to work on the rest in segments, then add them as they are completed.  Less weight to carry around......

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week  20.75 yards

Used year to date  194.5 yards

Added this week  0 yards

Added year to date  53.875 yards

Net used 2011  140.625 yards

Thanks to the commissioned place mats and napkins and then completing one of the surprise quilt for my BFF's grandaughters, I made some good strides this week! 

 Close-up pictures of the panel I used in the quilt.....


Check out everyone's stash progress at Judy's blog.

PLACE MATS AND NAPKINS COMPLETED

I even found some silver and gold napkin rings to include in the gift package!  I machine quilted the mats, using Sulky gold mylar thread on the top and a variegated cotton thread in the bobbin.  I used the variegated thread exclusively on the napkin hems.

 One of six completed table settings!

Now back to my regularly scheduled quilting - two single bed quilts for little girls!

A COMMISSION

My BFF commissioned me to make a set of 6 placemats and napkins, to be used as a wedding gift.  She spent about an hour with me on Sunday, looking at patterns, and choosing fabric.  I had a partial bolt of batik that had some of the colours in the china that the happy couple had selected, and we spent some time finding two other coordinating fabrics.  Of course, the pattern that she chose for the placemats had tons of half-square triangle blocks.

Monday, I spent most of the day sewing, pressing and squaring up these.....

Tuesday, I spent the morning waiting for the cable guy - the digital transition isn't going as smoothly in Canada as it did in the US!  I did managed to get to my sewing room after lunch and pieced the centres of the place mats.  They still have a narrow border to be added.

 When we were choosing fabrics, she spotted the cream fabric - leftover from my Baltimore quilt.  I only had a narrow piece, including the fold, after cutting the blocks.  I measured it, and there was just enough to make the blocks for these mats.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I've made some progress on my EPP project this week.....

 The centre star is complete, and I'm starting to add the diamonds to form the next round.
My friend and I picked fabrics for her set of placemats and napkins, so I'll be busy cutting and stitching today.  The surprise quilts are put away, and will have to wait until the placemats are completed, then pin basting will begin.  The tops and backings are ready to go - I'll have to "fluff" the batting tonight to get the wrinkles out...
Check out what everyone else is working on at Judy's blog.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

I finally finished my Baltimore quilt this week, so I can count the fabric!!!!

Used this week 20.25 yards

Used year to date 173.75 yards

Added this week 0 yards

Added year to date 53.875 yards

Net Used 2011  119.875 yards

I have two single bed quilt tops and backings prepared, as a gift for BFF's granddaughters, but she is coming over this afternoon, so I can't work on them until tomorrow.  She has also commissioned me to make 6 place mats and napkins to use as a wedding gift, so we'll be combing my stash for just the right fabric when she arrives.

I have 4 loaves of whole wheat bread heading to the oven, and with DH's help, there is a giant pot of fruit chili sauce simmering on the stovetop!

Check out everyone's progress at Judy's blog.

TWO MORE PROJECTS STARTED

I spent the afternoon choosing fabrics for quilts for my BFF's two granddaughters.  I began with a panel for one, and yardage for the other, then played with EQ7 to make the quilts big enough for their single beds.
The hardest part was finding pieces of fabric from my stash with enough yardage to complete the borders!  Many of my pieces are a yard or less, and although I have some fabric wrapped on bolts, nothing seemed to be the right colour for these quilts!  I kept hunting, making design/colour changes as I went, and managed to find enough to make the two quilt tops!
EQ makes my job easier, as I make notes of all the measurements for the borders, and cut them all before beginning the quilt.  I mark the centre point of each border on each edge to help lining them up.  Once the borders were cut, I placed them on a hanger in the order I'd use them.  This certainly sped up the whole assembly process.

Quilt one, uses a Raggedy Ann panel that I found last fall, and then I found 2 coordinating prints at a shop in Houston, while visiting the quilt festival.

Quilt two uses a 1 1/2 yard panel of cute quilt blocks that has been waiting in my stash for the perfect requirement.


Off to the cutting table!  More later.......

FINISHED MY BALTIMORE QUILT!

I made the final quilting stitches yesterday morning, then spent an hour or so checking for thread ends on the back, etc.  I try to be a tidy quilter, but I use my thread cutter on the Juki without thinking, and then need to hunt down the pesky thread ends!

I decided to call this one 

" The Orient Visits Baltimore"

The pattern is Baltimore Bliss by Fat Cat Patterns.  I took a few pictures of the quilting, but I'll have to wait until we get some help to take a picture of the whole quilt.

 The feathers in the sashing was stitched with Sulky gold "sliver" thread, a flat mylar filament.  It sparkles much more in person!

I used the same thread to stitch the swirl in the cornerstones.

I stitched the background pattern in the neutral areas of each block.  The decorative stitching on the appliques was done before the top was assembled.

 This is the best shot that I could get of the quilt top, and it doesn't show the borders at all.  The colours are a bit washed out from the lighting - I'll have to figure out a better way to photograph my quilts!
If you want to see the border fabric, it is shown here.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

This week I needed some hand sewing to do in the evening, and I began a project that I swore I would never do!

English paper piecing hexagons!

I was inspired by the project that Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville, has been working on for the past few months.  Her top is made from red, green and neutral scraps, but I decided to use some of the half-shelf full of Christmas prints that I have collected over the past many years.

The good and bad news is that you can cut 224 squares of fabric at  two and one half inches square from a yard of fabric.  I don't know how many hexies I'll make by the time I finish this project, but I'll keep track!

Check out the other creative endeavours at Judy's blog.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week 0 yards

Used Year to Date 153.5 yards

Added this Week 1.5 yards

Added Year to Date 53.875 yards

Net Used 2011  99.625 yards

I lost a day this week due to recurring illness, but at least I know how to treat the symptoms!  I'm on the final phase of quilting my big Baltimore project!

DH and I took a drive to Watertown NY - went out to lunch and did a bit of shopping (mostly for him), but I did stop at Joanns and use my coupon!

 DH saw this fabric and insisted that I get some, so I brought home 1 1/2 yards!

Check out Judy's blog to see everyone's progress.