quilting mode

Well, I had a lot of fun piecing and appliquing in past months but it is time to quilt some of these puppies up.

I started off with Pat's bday present earlier in the week since it was a deadline project. Done and mailed out yesterday. Woohoo! Hurray for a finish!

"Summer" is also a deadline project since it is entered in the Friendship Quilter's quilt show the first weekend in November, making the due date set up day Nov. 4. When DJ spotted me quilting it, he wanted to know where the Fall one was---was I entering it too?? Nope, it is next and not even started; they will have to view just Winter, Spring and Summer at the show. It was time to fix supper last night so I didn't bind it yet. That's first on the list for today's session.

I moved on to the July Button up after supper. Since I just do in the ditch, it doesn't look appreciably different than the last time it was shown. The binding is on this but I still need to add a label and the hanging tabs. By the time I got to this point it was about 8:30 and I had enough machine work for the day.

At some point there will be a good bit of hand work to finish up. "Summer" has button and some embroidery elements to do it as well. Both will help quilt it though embroidery after the fact makes for a messier back. Can't be helped.

Next up: The recently completed "Pumpkins 4 sale" and the recently pinned Gordian Knot. Below that my only donation quilt top ( Habitat BQ2) that I allowed to be pinned while I supposedly "caught up". Yeah, right---I came so close even though that sampler quilt is still waiting.

After that, I have 5 of Linda C's donation tops. There are 3 or 4 more in the closet at the church to be pinned but I have no room to stash them at home. (She moved out of state and the quilts/tops were left behind.) There is also one of Aline's that I volunteered to do. Maybe I will finally have something for the binding volunteers to help with one of these days??

Of course, there will have to be time out for sewing! Pat's bday par-tay is coming up on the 22nd. Some of the group will be doing Terry Atkinson's Minnesota Hot Dish. Pat had a couple of different choices of patterns for us and one was GE Designs Strip Joint. Norma thought it had the same elements as MN Hot dish but with strip piecing. To me it looked more like Faux Log cabin combined with Picket Fence elements. SOOOO I am doing Faux Log Cabin instead since I already have scrappy strips cut to size though I do wonder if they could be used for Strip Joint too. I may try it with some of the stuff I already have in that FLC box. I don't have time to mess with cutting out a whole quilt right now. Hot Dish looks like it relies more on planned fabrics and strip piecing. I will do it at some point, just not now. Pat excused me, LOL.

And, the Belles are having a sew-in date on the 25th, our next meeting date. Really it just a more extended meeting day, with potluck lunch. This time, everybody will bring their machines rather than a couple of us. We are asking people to make a few Pineapple Blossom blocks for a donation quilt. Lois and I will bring out 2 inch strips to share and/or they can cut their own if they want as long as they are scrappy! I need to cut the 3.5 inch muslin squares for this which explains why there is a muslin bolt next to the 3 waiting quilt tops. That is a small morning task for me. I don't often get to sewing till after lunch. Mornings are for goofing off on the computer and household tasks, don'tcha know?

Goofing off time is done for now. DJ needs me to put in his eye drops and I have a date with my Viking. Till next check in--------

WIP Weds?

I did have a WIP till about 30 minutes ago and I was binding it. Now it is officially a finish---yep, Pat's bday present is all done. Of course, I cannot share a picture of it till after the reveal.

So how about two of Lois' quilts turned in at the Belles meeting yesterday? This is 4 in 9 Patch zigzag from a previous Quilter's World magazine. I am going to have to try this one down on the line---add it to the "list"

This one is a planned color scaled down Daisy Chain. Pattern by Atkinson Designs. It is amazing to me how different a quilt can look with different or planned fabrics. I have done one in 30's prints and it just looks so different to me!

I was about half done with pinning my Gordian Knot quilt as the girls began to arrive. A few of the girls were on vacation and another had just returned from a trip but rarely if ever, are we all at a meeting. Life happens. My friend Teresa was able to come again but it was her first time at the regular meeting site.

Jane, Aline and Teresa pinned a couple other tops while the table was still set up, two from the closet supply of tops and backs. The first 3 or 4 pulled out the closet were going to need batting pieced so we passed them over for now. I know what we will be doing down the line, LOL. Brenda and I were plugging on binding in between pinning. Betsy was working on cutting up some scraps for the upcoming sew-in block. We are asking the participants to make a couple of Pineapple Blossom blocks so we can make a top(s?) for the kids but I encourage them to work on their own stuff predominantly.

Other than an errand with DJ after lunch it has been a quiet day at home. Nothing wrong with that. I have been gone a good bit lately with this and that so it is fine with me. I don't know if I am going to do anything more creative today or not. Actually my fingers are a little needle bruised from that binding. I am not entirely convinced that the stuff I used was 100% cotton. It just felt thicker and hard to needle. At one point the needle eye was poking into my fingers---owwww.

I would like to watch the Cardinal game if they indeed play it---big chance of rain and tstorms they were saying earlier today. Well, I say that but I get too nervous about the whole deal, mostly when the other team is batting. DJ has to keep me briefed, LOL or tell me that it is safe to look.

And sew it goes--------

Design Wall Monday---wk. 42?

Now that I pulled the "Summer" wall hanging down from the design wall, that area looks so bare! Even though it was not completed at least I got to enjoy what I did have done thru the summer months.

The binding in the bag is for the July Button Up flag and the plaid, for summer. The buttons are needed for embellishments on Summer and Pat's bday present. That stuff is up there so I don't misplace them, to be honest.

Of course my thoughts have turned to fall/autumn and the only one of the four in the Halvorsen "In Seasons" series that is not done. I know it will be the "next up" rewards type project. Maybe leaving the book out will provide some inspiration about which fabrics to use or the push to get some quilting done on these small pieces anyway.

First, I have a few little tasks to complete to get ready for quilt group tomorrow. Possibly an errand or two as well.

In closing, Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to my Canadian readers----

something quilty

I mentioned in my post yesterday that I was going to have to add "another must quilt soon" to my list. Friendship Quilters has a challenge for the group to finish something that was taught at a guild meeting program or class. For me, that would be my Gordian Knot #1. For a full out shot of the top see HERE in March of this year. They need to be done by the Christmas party in early December. I would like to pin it at Belles on Tuesday.

Recently they had a convergence class but I had already made two of those. The one I did as a gift was finished, of course. Mine still needs borders---that should go on my UFO list to get done in 2012. Or when I ever get caught up, LOL. Yeah, right!

I had already prepped the backing for this when I completed the top way back when. I think the binding is done too but I follow up on that tomorrow. I cut the batting and marked the top with a 2 inch wide cross hatching that echoes the width of the lighter blue dot and other of the block components.

I was done with job fairly early in the afternoon and thought what do I do now? Lately I have not had a lot of time nor frankly, inclination to sew, quilt, whatever. Then I remembered that the machine was still set up to button hole applique. My Pumpkins 4 sale fall piece probably last pictured HERE needed most of the applique stitching done. Essentially I had the wagon done and the first letter of the word Pumpkin when I drug it out of the closet.

I finished the stitching about 730 tonight between IM's with two pals. The backing was already cut but I did need to seam the batting. Here it is already to start pinning on the table at home. I have since finished the job.

So a day that I was sure would not be very productive. How about that?

My friend Teresa asked what I was going to work on at the meeting. I replied binding, once I get that one quilt pinned. I supposed tomorrow would be a good day to quilt Pat's bday present! I would like to show the girls how the top came out as they saw it when I was working on some of the embroidery elements.

About time to turn in------so I'm outta here. Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday check in

No quilting or much of anything productive has been going on around here. Not like I don't have quilting to do---in fact, another challenge type thing cropped up today. Another top to pin and get quilted for a different quilt group is added to the list of "things to do".

I thought I would share a few shots from the around the house since I have no new quilty ones I can share. Shown DJ's crazed cosmo plant. I cannot believe all the blooms it still has on it and more appearing daily. Perhaps he should not have planted the whole seed package in one spot but this thing continues to shoot up and out. He tied a rope to the fence to try to keep it erect. Still it one of the few things in bloom around the house. One small white crepe myrtle has some blooms but clear down at the end of our lane.

The leaves have not really started to change yet. Here and there you might see some but not the vivid colors that I remember from IL. It is still a little early for us. I've been all over Etowah, St. Clair and Calhoun County in the past couple days so I think it is safe to make that generalization, LOL.

The dwarf nandina bushes are planted and most of the black paper we need is down. DJ and I ran up to Gadsden yesterday and picked up 4 bags of these marble chip rocks as he could not find what he wanted locally. Initially we thought 3 bags might do it and at the last minute we told the guy to load in one more. Barely a drop in the bucket. I was gone to Pell City to quilt group this morning and 4 didn't even cover the entire length of the space. We looked at some edging material too but he was not entire sure of the measurement required. We may be able to find this same rock in Jacksonville but he won't know till he goes up there in person. It has been a little breezy the last two days so he wanted to put down what he could to weight the paper down.

We had started off the day fairly early with a trip into the Masonic Lodge to the pancake and sausage breakfast. Our friend Jane had given us tickets and her husband Hugh is a member there. I had just barely gotten home from that when I needed to meet Jane, Aline and Terry in Alexandria to go to quilt group.

I had barely walked in the door when a friend from Friendship Quilters handed me this bag of goodies. I had done her a small favor and shared a couple patterns I had already done. She wanted to do something in return. I think that red and white fabric may work will for some QOV things. The messenger tote kit should be fun as well. I had to wonder how she knew I had a busted a couple of Singer needles recently for that machine, LOL.

I took my two QOV tops for show and tell---shown HERE. The woman who is the out going secretary of the group is also the head of the Alabama QOV project and spearheading the area guild's efforts for the veteran's home project. She has been long arming the quilt tops or turning them over to other long arm volunteers. Two less tops will be hanging in my closet for a time! Make that 3 less tops---I am pulling out that gordian knot of mine to pin on Tuesday's Belles' meeting.

Mostly the meeting was about preparations for the quilt show which will occur before the next guild meeting on November 5-6 and set up on the 4th. As expected, I got a bit more stitching done on my basket block----onto the honey stirrer area now, LOL.

I barely got home and was off to get some groceries. One spot where I shop has a 5 buck off coupon with purchase of $25 or more. It helps when the list is long for things I normally get there. Busy day.

Lastly, here is a Skyler shot. I feel like flopping down with him as I still have some issues after my tooth extraction. Meds messing me up plus a few other things going on. UGH! Anyway doesn't he look comfortable if a little bed hoggy? All stretched out and relaxing on the bed after a stint in the window perch. He must get too hot or something and moves over the bed.

I've got my "World Series" quilt on the bed. I hope it continues to bring my team some "good luck". My mom made this one back in 1985 when my St. Louis Cardinals played the Kansas City Royals in the World Series. The name fits because there is a lot of red and blue in it. Originally she had planned it would go to my youngest brother but I said I was the Cardinal fan and had even been to Game 4 of the series games. We barely saw the center fielder all night and sat in the nosebleed section but by golly, DJ and I were there. Unfortunately it was not to be----umpire Denkinger bad call didn't help but they didn't win the 7th deciding game either.

Now in 2011, somehow my beloved Cardinals beat the Phillies to advance to the league championship series. Next up they are facing their national league central division foes the Milwaukee Brewers. Back in 82 the Cards won 4 games to 3 and Milwaukee was the American League representative. What a year both teams have had! Go Cards!

Till next time--------

WIP Thursday

I have been doing a lot of stitching the last two days. Another quilt meeting on Saturday and I probably will finish off the basket part of this one.

Because I had the appointment with the oral surgeon yesterday, I had my stitchery along with me. I had just started part of the hanging down part of the towel on the right side. I had half the basket done by the time I left. You see, it took some time to get back to see the doctor for the consultation---approx. two hours. I was not expecting them to say that they could do the extraction that day. Knowing that DJ's surgery was coming up and that the doctor is only in Anniston two days a week, I didn't necessarily want to come back. I especially did not want to drive all the way home and have to drive back in again. What happened is that there were about 3 of us that went back on the list till the rest of the scheduled appointments were cleared. Once I was numbed up it only took about a minute to get that tooth out of there. By the time I dropped off my script at the pharmacy on the way home, I had been gone a total of 5 hours.

Today, I kept stitching thru the JOY quilt meeting except for when I was doing my program presentation. Jane came and helped me so I could keep talking and field questions. THX, gf! I finally got the July Button Up pinned. These are narrow pieces so I knew we could get it pinned without doing any shifting and re-clamping though I explained what I would have to do for larger tops. Shown is what I carted to the meeting with me, minus the bed risers in the trunk of my car, LOL. The other half of the basket part of the stitchery was almost done.

Good to see some of the quilting friends whose paths do not cross with mine often---traveling in different groups these days.

I got the button hole applique done on Tuesday as well as the last bits of hand embroidery on the TSP bday present. Woohoo! By Wednesday morning I pinned it and "Summer". I could have used basting spray on this one and possibly the TSP but it gave me some time to go over what I wanted to cover for my presentation today.

Once I got the pinning done, I knew I also wanted some data I could use for a handout for my presentation. Google to the rescue yet again! It started at 7 pages and a combination of this:

• http://c-mann.suite101.com/basting-quilts-how-to-pin-baste-a-quilt-a321111 Christine Mann from the sewing/needlework @ Suite 101.com
• Penny Halgren @ http://www.how-to-quilt.com/articles/2323-pin-basting.php
• Linda J’s practical experience with Bama Belles donation quilts since 1999. I know what works and starting from the center does not nor is it necessary in my opinion. We mess up much more when we have to go that route! Mostly I just want people to stand up and pin, not cripple themselves up for days from pinning on the carpet.

Once I was back from the dentist, I put on my pajamas, had an Arby's jamocha shake and edited down to 3 pages to more closely reflect how the Belles and I actually pin. I told the girls that any one of them could have done the program today as we all have passed on what we know to each other.

I don't think that I am going to do anything else creative today. These pain meds are messing with my stomach and I need to go lay down for a while. DJ may be on his own for supper at this rate.

Design Wall Monday---wk. 41?

Oh there is something on the design wall but nothing I can show you till the bday Par-tay later in the month.

Can you tell what I am up today just by looking at some of the tools of the trade? Would the comment to my husband that I needed to vacuum up the mess in here before I made more tip you off? I think that both of these mats are nearing their time to be replaced!

My TSP main part is all pieced though the applique elements need some button hole applique and embellishment. Today it is back to the pieced border and down in the home stretch. I changed some things around in the pattern but that was my choice. Enjoy the process or why do it?

I did some trimming stuff this morning but mostly I was taking care of some of the home tasks to this point. DJ had an app't with the opthalmologist this morning in preparation for his cataract surgery later this month. Lots of eye drops will need to be administered. I will also have to give him a sub-q med since he will be off his regular blood thinner pre-op. To help us both, I made up a med sheet document, similar to what I used while I was still practicing, just to keep it all on track. This week little has changed for him but next week, we will have to be on our toes.

In addition to my trying to get the bday present moved along, I see the oral surgeon on Wednesday. I was lucky that my dentist could get me in fairly quickly to glue the popped off crown back on without the tooth part breaking down any further. The broken, cracked chipped or whatever tooth next to it? Yeah it would be a post, root canal and crown combo to the tune of 1200 bucks. I asked if I could just have it pulled instead. No, I don't really want to be minus a tooth but we just plain cannot afford that kind of money for one stinkin' tooth. The dentist was surprised that it was not causing a lot of pain as apparently the nerve is almost exposed. YIKES! Hopefully we can get this taken care of in a timely manner and before DJ needs me to help him with his situation.

On Thursday I have been asked to do a short program at the JOY group on essentially " you have a top---now what?" Pretty broad subject but I guess they have some new and/or inexperienced quilters in the group. I am to show them how to pin baste but I will incorporate some thoughts about what long arm quilters expect when you take a quilt to them.

And sew it goes--------busy, busy, busy.