staying on task

I'll get the glamour shots later when these are completely finished but this is how I have spent my week----quilting, quilting, quilting!

After I posted on Monday, I quilted Kristine and Andy's tree skirt, shown in THIS POST.  It is on the bottom of the pile in this picture.

On Tuesday:  I had my Bama Belles meeting.  I cut the center holeand side slit and got most of the binding attached to it before I went home around 2.  I needed to do the join essentially and did not have what I needed to finish.  I finished off my afternoon evening by completing that and started quilting my paint chip challenge.  That is it on top.

On Wednesday:  finished the challenge piece, put on the binding and tabs.  I marked the wide border and locked in the blocks. Pressed the binding for it.  Then I headed to the kitchen to make cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins and our supper.  I finished off the evening by working on the tree skirt binding for a couple of hours and read part of a e-book on the computer.

Yesterday---yeah, I know it was a holiday but we were not eating our holiday meal until evening.  I told DJ that the Wednesday leftovers needed to be consumed first to make room in the fridge for turkey leftovers. I also needed some of the baking dishes.  So I quilted most of the day, before and after our meal watching "Castle" marathon on TNT.  I was just about done!  More binding and finished the e-book.

This morning:  I finished up between laundry detail.  about half of the last side of little blocks, all around the outside border and slap on the binding.  I remembered to put labels on the challenge piece and the donation quilt too.  I do not know how long that Hopscotch top (Pattern:  Atkinson Designs) has been pinned and waiting but I finished the top in late October 2012---shown here.  I know that I was working on it at the Belles fall sew-in date when my friend Cindy came to join us.  About time it was moved along!  It is about 55 x 68 big so should be good for an older teen and I hope it will work out okay for Gene's Angel project.
Next thing I knew it was time for lunch---fast food run, showered, vacuum up the strings and put things up a bit, now posting.

Now I will spend another 5 or 6 days working on binding.  I WILL make my deadlines even if my bottom is permanently stuck in this desk chair doing it.  Maybe I can finally catch up with the blog hop---yeah, today is the last day but you see, I have been a busy girl! Three more await quilting and that is part of my December goals.

binding, tabs and ties

On Friday I had completed the pieced center of the paint chip challenge with some half square triangle unit trimmings to go.

On Saturday, I trimmed the units and got the borders on it and began the button hole applique that it required.

On Sunday I finished the applique, pieced the batting, marked it and pinned the piece---it is there on top.

This morning I am pressing binding in preparation to quilt those three pieces----the challenge piece, the tree skirt and a donation quilt that I would like to go to Gene Black's Angel Quilt projects along with another I have been holding till I get this one finished.  You can read about the effort on his blog HERE.  I discovered that I had NOT pieced the binding for that particular quilt or another one that is sitting atop my dresser.  I also forgot that the paint chip challenge needed some tabs made, it being a Button Up version and that is how they hang.  I'll do that before I start quilting today.

I follow my dear friend Joy's example of cutting the binding right along with cutting out the quilt top, seaming it when the top is done and then rolling it on section of cardboard like you do embroidery floss.  I pull and prep the backing as well and then pin it when it is convenient (read: corresponds to a meeting date if possible).  Joy often left "the spool" in the folds of the quilt.  I sometimes do that as well but mostly I file it in a couple of containers that I have set aside for this.  I check there first.  Occasionally I slip up or change my mind about what I want to use but I do try to make a habit of it.  Then there are no deterrents to quilting if the quilts are pinned.  If there is no deadline to worry about, I can pick whichever quilt I am in the mood to deal with.

All three of these have a deadline----the tree skirt I want done ASAP, the Angel Quilt before the 12th and the paint chip challenge on December 14th.  I best get cracking!  I'll see how far I get.  Guess that means I am quilting or working on binding at Belles tomorrow.

And sew it goes------

aha!

I have Nancy J. Martin's Perpetual Calendar 365 Quilt Blocks a Year
 atop my computer.  Today's block is a 12 inch block called Indian Mats.  Now I know what my recent "Reflections" most reminds me of!  I thought Delectable Mountains maybe but still, that Southwest vibe.  Not quite it.  

This block according to BlockBase software is attributed to Nancy Cabot and dates to the 30's.  (BlockBase is the Electric Quilt's software version of Barbara Brackman's ground breaking work in Encylopedia of Pieced Quilt Blocks and is derived from print sources from 1830 to 1970.)

On the notecard is a little bit about Nancy Cabot.  I don't know how well the font will show up in the screen capture or of course, who really designed the block.  Do we EVER really know when one is dealing with geometric shapes?

My Billie Lauder version is quite similar in the basic shape outline, though the technique of arriving at that point is quite different.   Visualize lines across the block and a change in coloration.  The Reflection block is slightly rectangular with blocks finishing at 9 1/4 x 10 and working with two pair of essentially 10 inch squares.

Below my quilt for comparison.

Back to sewing---at the moment I am working on the ties for the tree skirt before I change out the thread and start sewing on the paint chip challenge.  The applique stuff is all ready to roll and I hope to have this completed by tomorrow evening.   We'll see!

this and that

When I was back in Illinois last month visiting with family, Mom and I were discussing some possible quilt choices for the grandkids.  She has been working steadily on making full sized quilts starting with the older grands and working down from oldest to youngest, more or less.  Two are married now and received their quilts as wedding presents.  Allison was engaged and has her quilt.  Other tops are done, one or more quilted and waiting.  Another in the works that she laid out for preview.

Mom has some thoughts on what she is making for the younger set based on their color choices.  Anyway, this block came up though neither of us could remember what Judy Martin had called it and could not lay hands on her Scrap Quilts book right away either.  It is called "Country Cousin" and has sort of a "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" positive/negative deal going on.  (ED:  11-28 on the 365 Quilt Blocks perpetual calendar calls this 4 Knaves.  BlockBase #1197 Nancy Cabot 1938)

We had done  this years ago as a block raffle at Hands All Around Quilt Guild.  I won a pile of them and have obviously done little with them.  However, I did make a more, even hand piecing some of them in the car on vacation even.    There are 45 in the stack, 4 are joined even as it makes a secondary pattern when the blocks are joined.  BUT check the year on the postmark!  While I still like the blocks, like the red and lights combo etc after this length of time am I really going to ever get to them??

I told Mom that she was welcome to them to jump start her granddaughter's/my niece's quilt proposed quilt.   I keep forgetting to box them up and she had to remind me at one point too. That "remember-er" is not working as well as it once did or I am more easily distracted and less able to do 4 things at once, LOL.   First I needed a small box, then needed printer ink.  I've been a little busy sewing and quilting lately, really busy and it is not apt to slow down for a couple more weeks either. Well, they are boxed and ready, Mom and I'll be making a post office run as I have another outside errand (or two) to tend to before I hit the machine.

Skyler rousted me at 6:15 wanting his treat bit of Fancy Feast.  Unfortunately that hour was after only about 3 hours of sleep.  SIGH, one of those nights where I could not get settled, restless, uncomfortable in bed, pj's kept getting all twisted up.  Little booger rousts me so HE can climb back in.  Well, forget making the bed for awhile, LOL.  Normally I am up at 7 or so but there was no going back to sleep.

Instead I have been preparing that mailing and found a box that might work for the tree skirt mailing while I was it.  I have pre-washed some fabric for a friendship project (requiring two loads of wash be done).  I actually made oatmeal for breakfast instead of my usual peanut butter on one slice of whole wheat bread . I hate cooking in the morning!  Also not all that fond of cooked cereal but toss in some walnuts, raisins and cinnamon, it was not that bad.  Looked for a decent recipe for cooking steel cut oats in the crockpot thinking I could just re-heat a portion.   Checked my email, checked facebook and a few headlines that caught my eye.  Looks like the Cardinals can forget a trade with the Rangers that might include Ian Kinsler as he is headed to Detroit in place of Prince Fielder.  Detroit loses about umpteen million dollars and 7 year left on that contract.  HMMMMM.  Will need to catch up with the blog hop when I have time for a computer break, here and there.

I have also done a bit of prep work for the applique elements of the paint chip challenge.  I cut out all I could of the pieced elements yesterday.  Because of the adjustments I made in the width a couple things will have to wait.  I can start sewing but there are a couple of appliqued elements that can be stitched into seam lines so I'll get that part ready to go.  The fabrics are pulled and pressed already, waiting.

And sew it goes----you know where to find me! 

finished to flimsy

The color is not correct as it looks far too yellow but I was taking this at night and in a different room than normal.   The color DOES look "right" in the post for a few days ago.   Woohoo, the tree skirt piecing is all done as of yesterday afternoon.  I had 5 blocks to piece, the lower 3 rows to join and borders to put on.  Then a lot of fabric pressing for the binding and back piecing.  . Even had to piece the batting.  The binding is cut but I still need to seam it but that meant a trip to the store for the correct shade of rusty red.  I was thankful to get my jammies on and hit the bed as my back was really squawking at me by 8:30.

I got the okay to go over to the church fellowship hall to pin this morning.  The pastor was there and came in to put up some of the tables that were set up for Bible Study as the congregants will be having their Thanksgiving meal this evening.  I was especially mindful of getting any loose strings up off the floor before I left.

SO I could be quilting but I am leaning towards piecing my guild paint chip challenge first.  What I have in mind for the challenge will not take long to cut or piece.  Quilting means swapping out machines, relocating the sewing table and generally tearing up the room for a bit.  And then dragging out the preferred piecing machine all over again.  I'm thinking that I can quilt the paint chip piece, one more donation quilt that I want to turn in and of course, the tree skirt after I am done with the challenge piece.  I estimate about 3 or 4 days of quilting.  Then, oh boy, spend a week doing binding.   Yep, that I what I think I'll do---as soon as I clear off the stuff I dumped on the table on my return from pinning, errands and the library.  I've got Bama Belles next week and a couple of sew in days coming up on the 6th and 7th of December.  Paint Chip Challenge is due on the 14th.  Belles have a challenge too supposedly due on the 10th but I am not so worried about that.  If it gets done then or a week from then---we are pretty loose about deadlines.  We have not even decided what to do about the Christmas party either, LOL.

Okay, talking about it will NOT get any of that done----------hope you have had a good day so far.

Black Tie Boogie Schedule

While I am not participating this round, II did have an idea for this round but NOT the time to do it. I DO want to support the bloggers that are featuring their work in a chicken/rooster theme that Mdm Samm of Sew We Quilt chose.  Head cheerleader this round is Vickie of More Stars in Comanche who does beautiful work herself. Vickie's love for chickens has been shown in some of her blog pieces in the past so I have no doubt she has something good up her sleeve! The schedule is posted below the logo.

Black Tie Boogie Schedule

Tuesday, November 19

Selina Quilts

Sew Peace To Peace

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
The Quilting Queen Online
Marla's Crafts

Wednesday, November 20

Debby Kratovil Quilts

Seams To Be Sew

Robins Fabric Nest

Scrapbook-ChickADoodle

 

Thursday,November 21  

Pigtales and Quilts ~ Happy Birthday Thearica !

Just Let Me quilt

Quiltscapes

Life on the Farmlet

Friday, November 22

Vroomans Quilts

Meadowbrook

BQuiltin Studio

Janes Quilting

Monday, November 25

Stitchin by the Lake

Georgia-Girl Quilter
In the Boon Docks
More Stars in Comanche

Tuesday, November 26

Sew Mollie Sue, Quilt Much?

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Bumbleberry Stitches
Words & Stitches
Quilting, paper piecing and crafts

Wednesday, November 27

How Art you?

Living with Purpose

Sew many yarns

Grandmama's Stories

Thursday, November 28

Celtic Thistle Stitches

Crafting 365 Days

Hill Valley Quilter

Thimblemouse & Spouse

Friday, November 29
Sew Incredibly Crazy

Lixie Makes It

The Quilted Cat

Sew We Quilt

changing holiday theme

 Since last week's blog hop, I have been stitching intermittently on Kristine and Andy's promised Christmas tree skirt.  At this writing I am at the half way point.  The plate and measuring tape show where it will be cut to accomodate the tree trunk.  The edge with the quarter square setting triangles would be the front edge of the skirt.

You may recall that earlier this summer I had made two tree skirts for the HO HO HO hop?  They are shown in THIS POST.  One went to my niece/godchild Allison and the other to my nephew Blake and his bride Julia as delayed wedding gift,  Well, Kristine has been married a bit longer than her brother Blake and I asked if she might want one for her holiday decorating.  Obviously she said yes or why make another?

When pointed to the photos of the other two, she liked the style of Allison's better so I said I would do something similar but use a different block pattern.  Since I over-cut on Allison's project, this has allowed me to use quite a few of the leftovers from that going with a modern and traditional palette of holiday prints.  I did get one charm pack that blends with the border and binding choices though to carry those colors out a bit more.  I hope it looks like little sparkly jewels against the neutrals of the block.

These are 8 inch finished Patience Corner blocks and use 3.5 inch cut squares and then strips cut 1.5 x 3.5 and 1.5 by 4.5.  It is not a hard block but you DO have to pay attention!  If it does not look like a right leaning figure of 8, then you have done something wrong and get out the ripper.

I cut the setting triangles one inch larger than I needed them to actually be.  I may elect NOT to trim then down and in fact, add a fabric strip on the corners for a mock inner border.  I'll decide that later.

And sew it goes--------I hope to have this done by Thursday and possibly pin on Friday.  My original goal was that she would have it by Thanksgiving and it may be close!

On another note:
I want to thank all the blog hoppers who dropped by and made my feature day so special.  I had a several people tell me that they would take the quilt I made off my hands since my husband is apparently not too enthralled with it. LOL.  Good to know!

There will be another hop starting in a few days to end up 2013 but I will be cheering the others on with that.  Hoping to get my deadline items done in early December, quilt up the ones in my stack (currently 4) and then see what Mdm Samm has in mind for the latter half of January.  I've got a mental list about a mile long of things I would like to make but maybe can narrow that down to a workable goal list.  Pipe dream or not.