HEXAGON PROGRESS

I managed to finish all 42 of the large motifs and have 9 of the small flowers completed.  I can't wait to get them finished, and begin appliqueing them to the final border of my hexagon quilt.  This should make it large enough to fit on our bed, so I can sleep under all the beautiful colours!

Today DH is out rehearsing - his group is playing on the pool patio Saturday from 1-3.  He has persuaded me to do 3 numbers, accompanying him with my flute.  This afternoon, we head to the grocery store to re-stock for our next visitors.  Since we have little ones coming, I'm going to stock up on healthy snack items to take along on our outings.  I plan to do some baking over the next few days - cookies and squares for desserts.

Sunday, a quilting friend and her DH are stopping by for a quick visit.  They are approaching retirement, and want to see where we spend our winters.

I hope to squeeze a bit of sewing into the time as well.  I decided to put another border on the boxy star quilt, but don't have anything that will do, and I need some backing fabric as well, so that will have to wait until I can find the time to visit my local quilt shop!

COMPANY GOING AND COMING.....

Our guests departed on Wednesday afternoon, so we've been catching up on chores.  DH has been busy, doing loads of laundry, cleaning bathrooms, helping to change beds and running the vacuum around.  Of course, my knee decided to have a "flare", just when it is the most inconvenient.  I've been doing as much as I can to help, but this knee issue is frustrating.

Our next set of company, our BFF's and their 2 granddaughters, age 4 1/2 and 6 1/2 arrive on Monday evening.  We have plans to go to Disney World with them (see why my knee flare is inconvenient?)

They will be here, arriving March 3, and departing March  14.

Our Godson, along with his parents are spending March 8-15 in Orlando, so we have to squeeze in a visit with them as well. 

More wonderful friends are staying nearby for the month of March, and we have to fit in a get-together with them, in between their many golf games as well.

Hopefully my knee will stand up to all the activities planned......

On the plus side, I've finished the 42 larger hexagon units, and have 4 of the smaller ones made.  I'm getting anxious to see this quilt top fully assembled!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I'm working on a scrappy quilt again.  The blocks are Quiltville's Boxy Star pattern.  Some parts were leftover from a previous group project, so I decided to make more for a small quilt.

 The nine-patches for the border were made from my "leader and ender" squares, stitched while making other quilts this winter.  I added triangle corners to each, using 2 alternating prints - the light wouldn't have been my first choice, but I have very little stash in my southern location.  Sorry for the poor perspective on the photo - I placed it on my driveway, and that was the best I could do to capture the whole quilt top.

 My finish for this week is a small wall hanging that will eventually be given to my SDIL2.  I plan to show it in my guild's next show in 2015, but I will let her see it when we return north. 

 Dragonflies are her favourite, and my son found a wonderful picture of one, that he printed poster size so I could use it for a pattern.  It took me a while to figure out how to transfer the pattern to the dark fabric.  My first thought was to use golden tracing paper, but since the wings are thread-painted with metallic thread, I was dreading the chore of removing all the bits of paper.  When having a tidy session in my sewing room, I found an old package of water soluble stabilizer.  I used a hot pink Frixion pen to draw all the tiny lines, then pinned the stabilizer in place over the appliqued body.  I stitched the wings with Superior's gold thread.

Visit Judy at Patchwork Times to see all the creativity this week!

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week 1.625 yards

Used year to date  60.125 yards

Added this week  0 yards

Added year to date 9 yards

Net used 2014  51.125 yards

I finished a project this week that was a long time in the planning stages.  I thought about it for many months, finally figured out the design, then had to figure out how to transfer the design to the dark background fabric.   I did the decorative stitching a while ago, then had to think about how I wanted to quilt and finish this small project.  I was happy when I put the final stitches in the binding.  I still have to make a hanging sleeve and a label, but that can wait.  This will be a gift for a special someone in my life......

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

HEXAGON REPORT

29 of the 42 large units completed so far!

Another busy week with guests visiting, and Olympics to watch!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

This wall hanging is about 40 inches square.  The tea pot blocks had been in my stash for a long time, but I think what stopped me from using them, was that there were only 8.  I decided to make a paper pieced block to round it out to 9, and found this one in my stash of patterns.  The original block was a mystery project from Paper Panache.  It was shared in time for Mother's Day a while back, and has a heart theme (handles, cup and tea pot lid).  There were also hearts on the pot, but I decided to make it all in print fabric instead.  I also used the same print for the binding.  Now I have to find a home for it!

Some things are difficult to photograph, and I find that embroidered blocks, especially those with lots of metallic thread are among the hardest for an amateur to do well......

All of the angel embroideries in this quilt were made with 3 shades of metallic thread, excluding their hair, skin and some small details.  The pot in the bottom right hand corner block is made of silver thread, and hardly shows at all. 

In person, this is a great quilt!  I decided to stop after the first border, but did add a narrow yellow accent strip to the edge before adding the binding.

Here's the star of the show!

 I just love the expressions on the sheep!  This is what attracted me to this project at first.







This project was designed by Natashia Curtin of Smee Designs and is found in the July 2012 edition of Australian Homespun magazine, available as an e-edition at Zinio.com

The designer's humour shows in every block.  My only complaint is that I was having such fun stitching the blocks, I was sad when I completed the last one!

Check out Judy's blog, Patchwork Times, to see all the shared creativity this week!

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  7.75 yards

Fabric used year to date  58.5 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  9 yards

Net used 2014  49.5 yards

We've had a busy week with company arriving on Monday evening.  DH's cousin and friend arrived, and we've been having a great time, getting to know one another again, sharing family stories, and just having fun.
Cousin P, a professional musician (guitar), has been having fun playing with DH and his friends.  His specialty is bass guitar, and he's been teaching our friend some new rhythms and little fingering tricks as well.
I did manage to get two projects completed this week!   I completed the quilting and binding on "Long Time Ago in Bethlehem", and then finished "Tea Anyone?" (I had completed most of the top up north, so I just had to add the final border, and quilt it!)   I haven't had time to take any pictures, so I'll try to get them taken so I can share them soon!
Check out the stash progresses at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

MORE HEXAGONS

I thought I was finished making hexagons, but after I appliqued the quilt to the plain border, I decided it needed to be a bit larger to fit our bed comfortably.  I thought about adding a pieced border, but didn't think it would add to the overall design.
My final decision was to make a second plain border, using fabric similar to the final background hexagons used in the quilt top, and then add two alternating hexagon motifs , appliqued to the final border, to finish the quilt.
So now I am back making 42 flower motifs, and 42 lozenge motifs.  I had been complaining to DH that I didn't have any hand stitching to do while watching the Olympics, so now that problem has been solved.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I've been busy getting ready for company arriving this evening.  Both DH and I use our guest room as extra storage - me for quilt stuff and DH for guitars, amplifiers, stands, cables.  We had to be very creative to find accessible storage for all of the items, so our guests will have a room to themselves!

I decided to use the blue fabric with stars that I bought recently, to use as sashing around the embroidered blocks of "Long Time Ago in Bethlehem".  I couldn't find any pale colours with small stars, but I did get a buttery yellow with small polka dots.

  After looking at the completed top, I decided to finish it without the remaining borders in the original design.  I'll be using the same blue for the binding, so I machine basted a small folded strip on each edge to provide a small accent.

 I've been making hexagon units while watching the Olympics.  I want to plan the final appliqued border for my hexagon quilt, so I know how many I have to complete.

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

STASH REPORT WEEK 6

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  50.75 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  9 yards

Net used 2014  41.75 yards

Nothing completed this week - two days were too cold to sew in my room, the weather was cold and rainy for the south.  Nothing like family and friends are suffering at our northern home!

I added the sashing between the embroidered blocks for "A Long Time Ago in Bethlehem".  The original pattern had two of the blocks without sashing on the outside edge of the quilt top, so I adjusted some of the block sizes and added it.  When it was finished, I decided that the quilt is large enough for a wall hanging, so I'm not going to add any more borders.  Now I have to hunt for some backing fabric in my small stash.

Then I decided to work on finishing my hexagon quilt.  I cut the remaining burgundy fabric in strips to add a straight border to the outside edges, and spent 2 afternoons machine appliqueing the top to the border.  After measuring the top, I've decided that it needs to be larger, so I've decided to add an additional border, and I'm back to making motifs that will be appliqued to the final border to bring the hexagons to the outside of the quilt.

DH's music partner found 2 hats to add to their performance wardrobe, but they need new hat bands.  His wife found some great black and white musical striped fabric, so I'll be cutting some bias strips to dress up their new hats.

Check out Judy's blog, Patchwork Times, to see all the progress made this week!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I almost forgot to post!  I was busy completing the quilting and stitching on the binding of the final baby quilt that I'll be making for a while.  I donate most of them to my guild's community quilts program, to be donated in our community and many other places as well.

 I pick up panels whenever I find ones that I like and are on sale!  The yard size ones are becoming more scarce as most of the manufacturers are make panels only 24 inches wide by the width of the fabric.  I often pick them up from clearance sales, so the chance of finding the coordinates is slim to non.  I still have a small collection to work on, and find them wonderful to flex my free-motion machine quilting muscles before starting a new project!  The third in the group will have its binding stitched while watching TV with DH tonight.
I think I really have to figure out how to finish my hexagon project.  I like to add a straight border to the outside edges, and machine applique the hexagons to the border.  I only have small amount of the dark burgundy fabric I used as a hexagon border in the project, so I may only be able to make a narrow straight border, then decide how to finish the edge.....  Our southern weather has been strange this year, and we went from a high of 39F a couple of days ago, to 89F today.  My sewing room was comfortable this morning, but is mighty hot this afternoon, even with breezes and a ceiling fan - too hot to think clearly for a northern girl like me!
Maybe I'll square up my embroidered Christmas blocks and get them ready for sashing etc!
Check out the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY WEEK 5

Fabric used this week  5.75 yards

Fabric used year to date  50.75 yards

Fabric added this week  9 yards

Fabric added year to date  9 yards

Net used 2014  41.75 yards 

My trip to the Suwannee Valley Quilt Shoppe on Wednesday was fun.  I helped a couple of people choose fabric for their projects, and even got some for mine!

These two will be used in my embroidered project, A Long Time Ago in Bethlehem.

I am always attracted to diagonal stripes, and these 3 had to come home with me.  They make wonderful bindings!

Of course, this wonderful striped fabric caught my eye - the colours are so rich,with the metallic gold accents!

 We are going to our neighbours' home for a superbowl party later today.  I have no interest in football, but when I tried to stay home one year, Mrs. neighbour visited me every half hour, bringing food and snacks, and I didn't get anything done!

I still don't have a full picture of my Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla quilt, but did take one on our bed....

Our home is tiny, and it is difficult to step far enough away to take a good picture.  I'll try to get DH and a friend to hold the quilt for a proper picture soon.....

Check out all the stash reports for this week at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.