STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week 0 yards

Fabric used year to date  147.5 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  35.5 yards

Net used 2013  112 yards

 

All my sewing this week has been on Community Quilts projects for my guild.  I finished one of the quilts, a small Christmas wall hanging that will be donated to the boutique at our next show.  I have done the basic quilting (stitch in the ditch) on the remaining 3 quilts, and have just added the binding to the third one.  I'll be rearranging my machines, so the Juki is available for the remainder of the quilting.

 

The quilt in the front is made of flannel squares and strips, which I pieced, but the floral centre quilt and the hexagon "I Spy" quilt had the tops already completed.  I had to piece the backings and prepare the bindings.  Now I have to find a creative way to quilt each one - lots of fun!

 

Check out others' stash reports at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

 

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DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I guess I should just call it "design pile".  I just opened one of the quilt projects that I brought home from our last community quilts get-together.  This one is all flannel, with 3 1/2 inch assorted squares, 12 1/2 inch pale mauve/gray sashing strips with small squares, and the oddest shaped backing I've seen in a while!  I'm really going to stretch my "creative" side to make something out of this!  I always try to make my donation quilts as nice as those for my family - not something that everyone does!

Wish me luck, and check out the creative efforts at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week 21.625 yards

Fabric used year to date  147.5 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  35.5 yards

Net used 2013  112 yards

I finished quilting my latest large project - Dawn and Dusk - pattern by Judy Laquidara of Patchwork Times.  Pattern from Quiltmaker magazine - picture to follow.

I also quickly made a tea cosy for my daughter-in-law - of course forgot to take a picture....  I had a yellow/blue print with tea cups and flowers, so I cut a 5-sided shape from that and placed it in the centre of the Insul-bright and cotton batting sandwich, then stitched various yellow and blue print strips, using a stitch and flip technique.  

We had a great visit with everyone for our early summer birthday get-together.  It was a bit damp at times, but we had a nice lunch out, with much talking and laughter.  My newest daughter-in-law brought her older sister along as well, so we had fun catching up on everyone's news.  The birthday boy and his wife had taken the day off work on Friday and toured all the tall ships that had arrived in Toronto.  They had some wonderful pictures of their day, but said they were both exhausted after walking all day in the sun.  I received some cards and a gift for my birthday, but I like to follow tradition, and brought them home to open on "the day".

Check out Judy's blog, Patchwork Times, to see how everyone's stash grew or shrunk this week.

  

HEXAGON FRIDAY

Progress!  I've made 15 of the 26 needed to complete the next two rows of my quilt!

I hand stitch these in the evenings watching TV or a movie with DH.  I also do a bit of stitching at lunch time, and I have to put heat followed by ice on my knee after doing my stretches and exercises to help my bad knee, so I stitch while waiting for the timer!  It always surprises me how much I can get done!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

Still nothing on my design wall......I'm still quilting my large Dawn and Dusk quilt.  I'm on the final stretch, if I can finally decide what I want to quilt in one area!  I'm sure it will come to me soon.

I have to get a tea cosy made for DDIL1 by next weekend, and she also asked me to make a quick cover for her guitar on a stand, so she doesn't have to dust it!  Now if I can only find the measurements......

Head over to Judy's blog, to check on all the creativity....

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  125.875 yards

Fabric added this week 0 yards

Fabric added year to date  35.5 yards

Net used 2013  90.375 yards 

Nothing to report this week.   I'm slowly making progress quilting my version of Dawn and Dusk -  pattern by Judy Laquidara found in Quiltmaker Jan/Feb 2013 edition.  Since I'm quilting it on my Juki, it takes lots of muscle power to manipulate this large quilt, so I'm working at it in short sessions.

My physiotherapist added more exercises to my list this week, and each session takes at least an hour -twice a day!  This is also cutting into my quilting time, as I find that my knee is tired by the end of the day, so I do the sets first thing in the morning, and before dinner.  The first set seemed to help, but, so far, the second set have not, and I've been having more knee pain overnight.  I'm keeping up with it and hope to see a change by the time I go for my next appointment.

More rain today, after 2 days of sunshine.  It is so unusual to have so much rain this late in June.  I hope the strawberries are going to be OK this year - we look forward to attending the strawberry social at our friends' church each June.  My oldest son's birthday is on the 21st, and when my parents were alive, we used to head there, pick strawberries and make fresh strawberry ice cream to have with his cake each year.  My in-laws used to come as well, and we'd have a great time at the local strawberry pick-your-own patch!

Check out all the stash report news at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

HEXAGON FRIDAY

These "lozenge" shaped blocks are the next to be added to my hexagon quilt.  I've managed to complete 9 of the 26 needed for the next two rows.  They seem to be taking much longer to make, but then they are much larger units!  Larger is a relative term as these are 1/2 inch hexagons 

This is also the last of the pale blue background hexagons required, so when this is completed, I'll be able to move on to the next background fabrics.

The pattern called for just 16 different fabrics to make the blocks, but I've added many more.  I went hunting through my 1 1/2 inch strip bin to find suitable prints and to expand the colour palette as well.

Check out some others working on hexies here!

COMMUNITY QUILTS DAY

Tuesday was community quilts work day for my guild.  Almost a dozen quilters attended, some for the full day, and some only to drop off and pick up!
I went for the morning, as we were having an out-of-town guest in the afternoon.  The goal this time was to finish as many of the older projects as possible.  Three of us tackled a basket of finished quilt tops - finding backing fabric, and often binding to coordinate with each one.  This is challenging, as we work with donations, and although the larger pieces were sorted by colour, there was lots of unfolding and refolding done to find just the "right" piece.  Some of the others were making binding and pressing it, and at least 2 quilts were pin-basted before I left at 1p.m.  There were also 5 sewing machines at work, and a line-up at the iron.  I missed the always delicious pot luck lunch, but I enjoyed getting caught up with our visiting friend!

These are the four projects that I brought home to complete.  Two are finished tops with fabric to fabricate the backing and binding, one is a Christmas wallhanging kit that someone purchased and donated, and the last one is a whole bunch of flannel 3 1/2 inch squares, along with sashing strips and what I hope is the backing fabric.  These should keep me occupied for a while, although it doesn't improve my stash reports, as all I'll be using of my own is thread and batting!!!!  I'll just remember that they will bring comfort and happiness to someone in the future.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

My design wall is currently empty!  I decided that it was time to complete the quilting on a project that I pin basted while in the south.  It had been pushed aside, and I hate having UFO's hanging over my head - I'm known as a finisher, and have to keep up my reputation......

The pattern is "Dawn and Dusk", designed by Judy Laquidara of Patchwork Times.  It was in the January/February 2013 edition of Quiltmaker magazine.  I made my own fabric selections, but kept the feel of the original in the magazine.  I usually take my cue for quilting from the magazine, but since this was quilted on a longarm machine, I'll have to come up with my own plan.

Check out the weekly creativity being shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  8.325 yards

Fabric used year to date  125.875 yards

Fabric added this week 0 yards

Fabric added year to date  35.5 yards

Net used 2013  90.375 yards

I managed to have two finishes this week.....one was a small table topper made with Christmas fabric, and the other was a kid's quilt made from a panel.  I have to as DH to hold that one for a picture!

 The bright alphabet panel had 4 plain printed "blocks", so I used them to quilt the numbers one to four.

 I just stitched loops in the final border.  The jig saw fabric was so cute, I just wanted to quilt it, not detract from the great graphic shapes and colours.

Check out Judy's blog, Patchwork Times to see how others have progressed this week.

HEXAGON FRIDAY

I managed to get rows 4 and 5 added to the piece, along with the dark burgundy border.  I'm working from the centre out, making blocks for 2 rows at a time, so I can balance the colours.  

This is the next unit, and I need to make 26 to complete the next 2 rows.  This is also the last part of the quilt that uses the light blue background.  The next background is used in the rest of the quilt centre, and in the borders closest to the burgundy frame.  There will be a third colour for the background on the outside edges of the final pieced borders.
Check out other hexagon projects here!http://quiltingreadersgarden.blogspot.com/2013/06/its-hexie-friday-6713.html

ANOTHER CHRISTMAS PROJECT DONE!

I completed the quilting and the binding on my Christmas table topper.  The pattern was a bonus block of the month pattern from my guild, and comes in 3 sizes.  I decided to make the largest size, and mine finished at 33.5 inches at the widest points.

This is the type of project that doesn't photograph well.  The main fabric is white pointsettia flowers with dusty green leaves and lots of silver.  I quilted the green triangles and the main fabric areas with silver thread, and it really sparkles!

This one will probably be donated to the "Every Child Counts Abaco" project to use as a fund raising item.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I've had another busy week, working on "quick to finish" projects.

I found this cute alphabet panel hidden away, and decided it would make a cute kid's quilt.  I added a narrow black dotted border, then a bright jigsaw puzzle fabric for the final border.  I plan on more dots in the binding fabric.

  I then hunted through my dwindling pile of flannels to find a good backing, and found one with school supplies - pencils, scissors, glue, eraser, paper clips etc., but although the length was great, it was too narrow.
Off to my pile of finished 4-patches (leaders and enders while sewing other things).  I found a collection made with solids and prints, and pieced them together into a long strip, with the colours forming diagonal lines - lots of bright colours, just like the borders on the top of the quilt!

Then I realized that I hadn't tried the bonus block of the month table topper pattern from my guild that was available in April.  In my plan to use Christmas fabrics, I pulled out a soft silver, white and dusty green print with pointsettias for the focal fabric, with green star point, and a cream with evergreen design. (The green points are a much softer colour than in the photo).  I had to make bias binding for this one, also in the soft green.  It will be my main project for today, as I want to have it completed to take for "show and tell" at our final meeting of the season on Wednesday!

Head over to Judy's blog, Patchwork Times, to be inspired by all the creativity linked there.

 

 

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  6.125 yards

Fabric used year to date  117.25 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  35.75 yards

Net used 2013  81.75 yards

I had a productive week, finishing a set of 4 Christmas stockings and a large baby quilt.  I also have another bright kid's quilt top and backing made but not counted, as well as a Christmas table topper, using a pattern from my guild!

I'm off to have a sewing day with the group from "Every Child Counts", a charity that supports a special needs school in the Bahamas. 

Check out everyone's stash progress at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.