October is a Wrap?!?!

Is it just me or did it seam like this month flew by?  How did I do on my goals?

1.  Ripples and Reflections BOM.  I am to the point where I am doing borders, but there are weird angles in it.  I would like to get all the borders on, and put it in the waiting to be quilted pile.

 I got one border put on, and another set cut and ready to sew.

2.  My Quilt Place BOM.  I have been stuck on a block. It is more mental than anything else.  I would like to finish all of the blocks for this month.  I have 5 more connector blocks, and 9 more blocks.  I have special plans for the border on this quilt.

I finished the block.  Called Split Drunkard's Path.

I also finished this one called Grandmother's Star.  I also finished making my connector blocks which I needed 5. 

You can see my connector blocks here. 

3.  Farmer's Wife I would love to finish putting this together with the cornerstone, and sashing.

I haven't touched this one.  I need to get back to work on this one.

4.   Embroidery on the Barns.  I have one partially done. 

I have made a little progress. 

5.  I am also working on a Dresden turkey table runner.  All I have so far are some squares and a couple of dresden wedges.  Nothing to really show.

The top is done, and now just needs to be quilted and bound.

6.  I would love to work on the red and white drunkard's path. 

 The machine was moved and I have been cutting parts, and sewing them in small groups.

7.  I have some Christmas presents to start. Haven't done a thing, but sometimes the ideas are the hardest part. 

8.  I have a lot of quilting to do.  I just need the time, and decent light.  :D
I started and then had to remove the quilting because it was actually puckering.

My other small ongoing projects.

3 inch squares to make yoyos if the fabric is red, white, blue, or red/white and blue. 

 I actually sewed together some to get an idea of how big my blocks would be.

I really need to finish working this out in EQ7 so I know how many I am going to need.  

1/2 inch hexies.  These will be like a postage stamp quilt.  No pattern, just using up scraps. 

This little box there are 100 hexies so far.  I cut them from scraps while I am cleaning up my scraps boxes and bins.

I also finished up my guild block for the month for the bag ladies group.

This is the last month so I should be getting my bag next meeting.  Can't wait to see mine. 

I also made 3 of these kite table toppers. 

It will be after Halloween, but they will be finished and gifted to family.  I had to figure out a backing, and I could not find a big enough piece of batting so I was piecing batting.  But I finally decided forget it and went and bought a full size batting at JAF to use just for small projects. 

Finally these 3 block are from the Row by Row from a shop called Bits & Pieces in Wayne, Michigan.  I have one more to make, then all of the sewing.  I am getting so I enjoy the applique'.  Even the sewing part. 

I also managed to read 12 books this month.  Reading or listening to a book is a sure way to get Finn to take a morning, and afternoon nap.  

Other October goings on?  The sale, we split, and stacked nearly 8 cords of wood, and have some prepped nearby in case we run out, and stacked behind the wood building.  I cleaned out my closet and separated clothes into two piles.  Those to donate, and those to dispose of...which ended up DH pulled out a bunch he wants a t-shirt quilt and I want to strip the other t-shirts down and make a rag rug.  We also canned 7 quarts of spearmint pears, and 7 pints too.  Finally we cleaned up the laundry room, and moved a dresser downstairs to hold clothing so it ie easier to get dressed in the morning, without disturbing anyone.   

Did it seam like October flew by in a flash to you also?

Keep Them Separated.

Some people have scrap systems.  I never really paid attention completely to what they do,  but for some reason I always keep my batik fabrics separated from my cottons. Not that I won't stoop to mixing cottons and batiks when I am sewing.

 Who's afraid of the Quilt Police?  Not me!

I was teasing the daughter's SO the other day because his sweatshirt pocket was hanging by a few threads.  I was reminded that her sewing machine spool pin was broken, and she had tried other things but it just wouldn't work.  The shop where you can get the part for the machine isn't far, but they are only open Monday through Friday and close by 5 pm.  So The Finn and I had a reason to have an outing, since his mom doesn't have the opportunity that often. 

We got the part for the machine, but there was a wee bit of fabric there and of course we had to make some purchases!

Some new scissors, and this cool pattern.  I had purchased some fabric several months ago, but had not purchased the pattern.  I dug the fabric out, now to read the pattern and figure it all out. 

Also some fun fabric.  Nightmare Before Christmas is the favorite movie of several members of the family.  While it may not be there by Halloween, they will have it to use next year.

Late Tuesday night it started raining, so there was no work for me on Wednesday.  So many things to do, and so little time.  :D  I wasn't too sure where to start.

I used the new fabric and made three of these. 

I tried to fussy cut the image with my kite ruler.  I think they will be loved.  Once I finish them. 

I got the borders cut and sewn for the Ripples and Reflections quilt.  Of course I had one that I cut incorrectly.  Each border is made up of 4 parts which are cut at 45 degree angles.   I then worked at getting the parts for the next border cut out. 

I still have a bunch of subcutting to do, but the main parts are cut out. Now to read the directions and get ready to sew.

I have still been working on cutting up scraps.  I have this little baggie with 1 inch hexies.

I have been working on sewing them when I do hand work while watching the kids.

I also have a little over 200 tumblers cut.  I am not quite 10% of the way with enough enough tumblers.  I think I need to work on getting some neutral/lights cut too. 

Do you mix batiks and cottons when you sew?  Do you have a scrap system.  Do you blend them or separate. 

Sewing Time

I haven't sewn much but I have done a wee bit.

Last block for the bag ladies group from my quilt guild.  I can't wait to see what I get back.  I actually ordered some more of the fabric which was in my bag so I have a tiny idea of what I am going to make.

Here is a wee bit of my yoyo quilt that I am making.  I have been working on the layout in EQ7.  I am slow though so I don't know how many of each color I am going to need yet.

I saw a table runner where they had empty spaces.  I started playing I think I have a rough idea, but it ended up being larger than I wanted, with not enough edge.  Obviously my quilt math needs some help. 

I finished sewing my turkeys.  I decided I wanted mine to be pilgrims.  

DH says my female turkey looks like Martha Washington.  The coif does kind of make her look funny. I can't decide.  Eyes, or no eyes?  I am thinking about just using some buttons.  I had some time to get the runner put together except for borders.

I think it turned out pretty cute.

We also made spearmint pears this week.

This is DH favorite way.  A light simple syrup, spearmint flavoring, and some green food coloring.  One half bushel of pears makes 7 quarts, and 7 pints.  After a weekend of stacking wood, and then peeling and coring pears my hands are shot for a few days. 

Using my evening to the best possible advantage I got the borders for the turkey runner cut, and sewn together.  I also got brave and started cutting and sewing the borders for my Ripples and Reflections quilt.

I am slowly getting there. 

What Were You Thinking?

I know there are times when some things seem like an excellent idea.  But upon further contemplation you start to think What Were You Thinking?

I worked a bit on my quilting for the charity quilt.  I had drawn a rough idea and finally settled on the idea.

I was going to put a star and continue them down the quilt on a diagonal.  But going up to the star I wanted some bars which looked like a ribbon twisting and turning.

I don't know if you can see it but when I started to quilt it up, the quilt actually started to spindle so I need to take it apart and do it again. Idea good, execution not so great.

I haven't sewn much lately.   All my insanity hinged on this problem.  Our main bathroom is downstairs.  Now don't get me wrong it is gorgeous, and it is big!  The laundry room used to be the bathroom.  But now the main bathroom which they remodeled a few years ago, takes up approximately 1/2 of the front of the house.  It is actually what they used to call the front parlor.  There is a big walk-in shower, slipper tub, and a huge vanity which is barely used.  :(

When they remodeled the bathroom, they also added a powder room upstairs.

The powder room was created by taking a closet out of one of the bedrooms.  I would have thought that when they did this they would have put a shower in.  But no.  Now most people when they shower, their clothes are in their bedroom just a few feet away.  Our house you either must carry your clothes downstairs to the bathroom, or you go traipsing through the house upstairs to get dressed which is really not very considerate when you get up at 4:30 am to go to work.  So we end up with clothes piled in the living room, or my sewing room.  My bright idea was "Lets put a dresser in the laundry room" where I can fold clothes, and also have some clothes so I am not piling clothes all over the house.  Starting that had a domino effect. 

I cleaned out my closet.  This pile needs to be washed and will be donated to a woman's organization.  These are all of the clothes that I wore for work, when I worked for one of the big 3-mostly business attire.

The next pile are from DH.  These will be taken apart to use to make a rag rug (I have a bug and am determined,  old T-shirts will work wonderful).  Also there are a bunch of John Deere shirts which DH has kind of hinted that he would like a T-Shirt quilt made. 

I think I bit off a lot to get accomplished within a couple of days, and I ended up creating another project for myself. I better get hopping I have lots of laundry to get done now. 

Talkin Turkey

I can't believe it has been a over a week since I posted.  Life happens!

I drove the front loader one evening, while DH loaded the bucket full of logs so I could take them over and dump them near the splitter.  Another evening, DH cut down an Elm which had died recently on the other side of the field.  Then one day I had to go pick up DH from his work because Boomer (the Cavalier) that I had been driving all week, broke down on his way to work.  I know it was not kind to say, but all I thought was better him than me. 

How cool to have quilty friends that send you gifties.  Makes all the other stuff seem like nothing.

Kris at Kris Loves Fabric sent me a book on making Kanzashi flowers and the clover template to make one kind.  I love making these, and they are fun to make for the grand daughters.

I also received these super cute fabrics for my turkey table runner from Barbara at Wont-To-Be Quilter.  Check out her turkey runner!

I have done a wee bit  sewing here and there.

 The patchwork which goes in the turkey runner was put together this morning.

Here is one turkey.  The feathers, body, and legs have all been sewn down using a blind hem stitch.  I still have the body, beak, and collar to sew down.  Then I have turkey number 2 to sew.  I decided that I wanted to make mine look more like pilgrims, so I changed up the collar, and will add a pilgrim's hat for a male, and female.

The other sewing I did was for my daughter.  She signed the boys up for scouts.  Her sewing machine is broken, and she tried to iron them on, but as we all know, anything iron on just does not always work out for the best.

I had two of these to sew!  I don't mind helping her out.

I know that we have not celebrated Halloween yet, but I am planning for Thanksgiving.  It will be fun to have my runner on the table. 

Great Big Smile

I have had another busy week.  I did accomplish a little bit though.

Thursday was quilt guild.  It was time to present my challenge quilt. 

Thirty people paid for the challenge fabric.  Unfortunately only 6 people met the requirements of a quilt larger than 12 inches on a side, but not larger than 40 inches.  The quilt must be quilted, bound,  labeled, and  have the focal fabric on the front.  The quilt must demonstrate your initials.  Mine was Churn dash, Sunset (colors), Links (CSL).  My quilt won first place.  OK I know not such a huge achievement with only 6 entries, but hey, I won which means I received a $20 gift certificate to the LQS. 

I worked on my block.  I want to call it bane of my existence, but it is done.  Let's just say I took it apart many times.  Sometimes you just have to call something good enough!  Don't look too close to my intersections or points. 

It is called a Split Drunkard's Path Star. 

While I have not had much time to sew, I have had time to shop. 

I have some Halloween fabrics and I wanted to make a small quilt, using a Halloween text for the background.  Of course I am always a day late or a dollar short. 

This is Boo Crew by Sweetwater for Moda.  It was out a couple of years ago.  I managed to find a yard on Ebay.  I think it will work for what I want.

I have also been contemplating a Thanksgiving Turkey table runner.  I saw this and had to have it.  Again from Ebay, it is Posh Pumpkins by Sandy Gervais for Moda.  Love the colors and think it will add a very nice touch to my table runner. 

Finally I like using the little mylar templates from Brandy's to do my handwork.  I finally found inspiration on Pinterest so I needed to order another baggie of 1 inch mylar hexie templates.  I also needed some triangles, and diamonds to execute what I want to do.  While ordering they have acrylic templates so I ordered one of each too to make it easier for me to cut, including the 1/2 inch hexies I have been working on. 

I think these are some mighty fine reasons to smile.