Thursday, March 31, 2011

UFO #1 is Done

Since I will be gone tomorrow and saturday I wanted to post pictures of my completed UFO #1.

This was the wall hanging I started hand quilting about 10 or 11 years ago. I decided hand quilting wasn't for me so it has been sitting on a shelf ever since.

I pulled the hand quilting out and got it quilted on my machine then added the binding and hanging sleeve. This will be hung in my guest room as soon as I get a rod the correct length.


We got SAT results today and I am a happy mom, the kid did well. Her smarts are definitely from her dad!! Now when we get back from our vacation in April we need to get very serious with college visits. This is actually getting REAL.

Kathie

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Midweek Update

Didn't have time to take any pictures for this posting. I did get a customer baby quilt quilted yesterday and a hospice charity quilt quilted this morning.

I am now spending time trying to get all my supplies etc. ready for this weekends Fiber Arts Conference. What did I ever do without those huge zip lock plastic bags? I have one filled with all the supplies for the 3 classes I am taking (fabric, templates, special rulers) and another huge bag filled with things for the longarm tips class I am giving.

Also have a sick kid home from school (strep) so that changes my daily schedule. Since tomorrow is only a half day of school and they are off on friday she won't be going back to school this week. It will give her a great opportunity to get well. She started allergy shots on monday so at first thought she was having a reaction to that. Took till today to realize that she was actually sick, poor kid.

Hope your week is going smoothly.

kathie

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Warm Wishes

I have posted many pictures of Warm Wishes quilts as it is one of my favorite patterns and make it at least 3 or 4 times a year.

I wanted to post a picture of this customer quilt that I quilted yesterday as it is a little different. Instead of just using one fabric as the center squares she has three different ones. It gives the quilt a whole different look.


Doesn't this quilt just look like spring?

I spent most of yesterday on this quilt so didn't get any of my own sewing done. I did piece a backing for a customer baby quilt last night so that will be ready to load on the frame later today.

I called the doctors office AGAIN on my thumb yesterday. No improvement in 4 weeks, in fact I can't even bend my thumb now. I was able to move up my follow up appointment by two weeks so glad about that. I am sure I will have to have surgery so that will still be several weeks away but at least moving things up so I can get it over with will be good.

Having our last sunny day of the week if you can believe the news so think I will go get a couple of errands run this morning so I won't have to go out in the rain tomorrow.

Kathie

Monday, March 28, 2011

Design Wall Monday - March 28, 2011

This Carpenter's Star quilt is what is currently pinned to the design wall. I sewed some of the blocks into 3 rows last night but that is the only difference from this picture.


This is my "why did I start another project" quilt. I have a couple in progress and will have 3 more in progress after an upcoming fiber arts conference this coming weekend. I didn't NEED another project to work on.

One day I looked in a bin of fabrics that there was the gold floral and the green that went with it. I had just been tossing patterns that I would never use and in looking through my binder saw the Carpenter's Star. Well after finding that fabric I just had to start this quilt. I gout out my Accuquilt GO and my 6 1/2 half square triangle die and went to town and had it cut out in no time.

I love the way it is turning out. It will only be about 48 x 48 so I need to think up what to do for borders and will probably have to buy some fabric for that.

Today I am going to try and get a customer quilt done I started yesterday. It is larger than I can comfortably do right now with my injured thumb so loaded and did a little on it yesterday and hope I can get it done today.

This is going to be a busy week so I am only making daily goals, nothing longer term. I did get UFO #1 done so will be posting pictures of that closer to the end of the week because I will not be here on the 1st to do so.

Kathie

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Sunday Stash Report - March 27, 2011

The year is now 1/3 over, boy time has gone by quickly.

I did use a lot of fabric this week making two quilt backings and cutting out another quilt (will show as part of design wall monday) but still my numbers did a back slide. I don't feel bad about the lower numbers at all as it was all planned.

I purchased backing fabric for one quilt and the rest of the purchases were creams and white on whites that I needed for a couple of projects and to just have on hand.

I am declaring 2011 the year of the scrap quilt for myself to try and use up lots of bits and pieces so the neutrals are necessary for that.

My current stats are:

Fabric used this week: 10 yards
Fabric used YTD: 91 yards
Fabric purchased this week: 15 yards
Fabric purchased YTD: 63.5
Net fabric used in 2011 (end of first quarter) - 27.5 yards

I had a great week. Had a two day retreat right on the water so lots of time to spend with friends and lots of sewing and my hubby got back from travel. Nice.

This next week is going to be very busy. Have a couple of appointments to take care of, a couple of customer quilts to get done and need to finish preparations for a Fiber Arts Retreat/Conference next weekend.

My family helped yesterday, hubby printed out some of my business cards and daughter made up a longarm quilting tips flier for me to give out at the retreat. Nice for them to help out.

It is snowing right now in Maryland, nice day to put dinner in the crock pot (Italian chicken recipe from my friend Betty), sew, relax and just not leave the nice warm house.

Have a great week.

Kathie

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Two Day Retreat

The second day of the retreat was just as fun as the first. Lots of friends, food (a little chocolate) and sewing machines humming.

I still feel like I should have accomplished way more than I did but I had a great time.

I got this backing pieced together for my bright tumbler quilt.


I got all my blocks made for the kids Warm Wishes quilt.


I worked on sewing together some charity half square triangles also.

When I got home tuesday evening believe it or not I still felt like sewing so worked a little bit more on my Carpenters Wheel.


Everything will have to be squared up before I start to sew the rows together but I am really liking what I have so far.

Today is back to reality with shopping, many errands and getting the next customer quilt on the frame.

Hope you had a wonderful week, I sure did.

Kathie

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Retreat Day 1

Had a great day with the ladies. Lots of yacking, goodies to eat and I actually got a fair amount accomplished. I pieced together a backing out of 10 1/2 squares for my tumbler quilt and I also got about half the strips sets sewn for a kids warm wishes quilt.

I was going to work on a quilt on the frame when I got home but just wasn't in the mood. I did get a binding sewn on my fish quilt. I have worked out a deal with a friend of mine. She is going to do some of my binding hand work for awhile since I am having difficulty doing it with my trigger finger and in return I will do some quilting for her. Sounds like a win win for both of us.

Day 2 of the retreat is tomorrow. Once it is over I will try to take pictures of what I accomplished over the two days.

Kathie

Monday, March 21, 2011

Design Wall Monday - March 21, 2011

Well my design wall is VERY boring, only these few pieces tacked up which will become the first row of a quilt I will be working on.



Like I NEED another project to be working on. I am trying to finish up UFO #1. I have a kids quilt cut out (and several smaller things) to take to a retreat tomorrow. I will be then going to a fiber arts retreat April 1 and 2 and have 3 classes I will be taking there which will each result in another quilt in process.

With all that the last thing I needed was to start another project but............

I was looking for something else and came across this yellow/gold fabric and the green. I think I bought this several years ago when I went to visit my friend Lou in Mass. I had just been looking at patterns and had come across the perfect pattern for only 3 fabrics (one background). Since I had just bought some white fabric yesterday and it was freshly out of the wash I decided to start cutting out the quilt with my GO.

Now I just need more hours in the day and maybe I will get everything done.

I did put one of my craft show quilts on the frame yesterday. This was the one that I made out of left over blocks from a quilt that I made for a co-worker of my husband.


A good portion of today I will be spending at a meeting. When I get home I will have to gather up all my tools and supplies for the retreat tomorrow. At least I have all my projects together, just need to gather thread, pins, rotary cutter and all that other misc sewing stuff.

Have a great day and stay dry (it is raining her in Maryland).

Kathie

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sunday Stash Report - First Day of Spring

Wow I just heard on the news that it is the first day of spring. I could have told them that because of allergies starting but nice to feel that real spring weather is getting close.

I had a great week on my stash reduction. I made a backing, a warm wishes, and a table runner kit up to take to my retreat tuesday/wednesday. Of course since I have already counted this fabric in my stash usage as I sew it this week my usage numbers will probably stay the same.

I also resisted and didn't buy any fabric this week but will be heading off to JoAnns this morning. Their quilting fabric is 40% off starting today and I definitely need some white on white fabric and a couple spools of cream thread.

Stats for the week:

Fabric used this week: 10 yards
Fabric used YTD: 81 yards
Fabric purchased this week: 0
Fabric purchased YTD: 48.5
Net fabric used in 2011: 32.5

I have the house all to myself this morning so my goals for today are to get the quilt on the frame quilted (small fish craft show quilt) and cut strips to get ready for a class I will be taking on April 2nd.

Enjoy your day.

Kathie

Saturday, March 19, 2011

National Quilting Day

Happy National Quilting Day!!! I make sure and quilt at least a tiny bit on every national quilting day even if I am busy with other things.

This morning I am off to the library to a sew in. Because of other committments I can only stay about an hour and a half so I am going to take UFO #1 with me to work on the binding and not haul a bunch of stuff with me for that limited of a time.

Do you like scrap quilts? Some people love scrap quilts and other people don't care for the looks. This was the customer quilt I quilted yesterday. It is partially crumb blocks made out of scraps and partially a constant background fabric. I think even people that don't care for scrap quilts that much would like something like this one.


Have a great day and get some quilting time in.

Kathie

Thursday, March 17, 2011

More Hospice Quilts

I got labels sewn on the rest of the hospice quilts that I received monday night so wanted to show you a mini quilt show of those.


This first butterfly quilt was made by Jan and quilted and bound by Lee. It had a small section where the seam wasn't caught so I fussed the blue flower on it. Figure a flower would go with butterflies and it was the only think I had that was quick and I thought might work.


This rail fence quilt was made out of a kit I cut. It was made by a mother/daughter team of Melissa and Lee.



This last quilt that I call Moon and Stars was made by Patty W. I love the way she fussy cut pictures for this.

I had a very productive day yesterday. I quilted a customer kids quilt, got my UFO #1 quilted (step closer to being done) and delivered 10 quilts to hospice house and then attended a winter sports reception at the high school. No wonder I am tired this morning!!

Kathie

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Midweek Update (Hospice Quilts)

I wanted to share pictures of some of the recent donations of hospice quilts.



This first Chinese Coins quilt was made and bound by Elsie and quilted by Lee. In fact she made two quilts exactly alike but no need to take two pictures.


This next quilt was made by Eileen. She is our philanthropy chairperson and the most prolific charity quilter in the guild.


This last star quilt was made by Jean and quilted on her new to her longarm.

Thanks ladies they are all terrific.

I plan on taking a huge bag of 10 quilts to hospice house today. I probably have just as many more (some still need labels sewn on) but since I don't have any help to carry them figured will just take the one bag today. I have found that it is very handy to hold a few back anyway as I have been getting calls for specific needs.

Today I have a cute blue and yellow customer quilt on the frame to quilt. I have a blue and yellow variegated thread I have not used in awhile and think that will be perfect for this quilt.

I did do some cutting/kitting yesterday so think I have enough projects lined up for next weeks retreat. Now have to start working on getting my fabrics ready for two classes I am taking at a fiber arts retreat the following week.

Kathie

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

It's Only Tuesday?

Maybe it is because last night was quilt guild but it sure seems like it should be at least wednesday by now!


This is the customer quilt I quilted yesterday. The colors are a LOT more vibrant than this shows. This was another quilt made by a young girl at a class in our local quilt shop. Another great job from a young girl.

I spent the entire morning with a doctors appointment and running errands. Now I need to get going on things around here.

I got several hospice quilts donated last night so I want to sew labels on those today and take pictures of them. Hopefully I can get over to hospice tomorrow to drop off at least one big bag of quilts.

I started cutting out a kids quilt to take to the retreat I am going to next week. It will be another Warm Wishes quilt. This fabric I bought at least two years ago and has been bundled up ready to make a quilt out of. Figured this will be the time and best is I won't have to buy anything for it unless I need a backing at some point in the future.

Hope to finish getting that cut out after quilting my customer quilt of the day. This is a fairly small kids quilt so shouldn't take to long to do.

kathie

Monday, March 14, 2011

Design Wall Monday - March 14, 2011

The only thing on my design wall currently are these two blocks. This is the pattern for April's block of the month that I did in 1930's prints for my entry at the guild.


Any of the BOMs that I like I am making in Christmas fabrics through the year and that way I will have all the blocks for a sampler quilt by the end of summer.

I still need to make the March block in Christmas fabrics but this one was quick and easy to do so I made it up first.

On the agenda for today is trying to get a customer quilt done so I can deliver it at our guild meeting tonight. We have a trunk show on quilted jackets so that should be a good evening.

I guess my goals for this week are just to get as much done on customer quilts as possible as I have several other things going on next week and want to get ahead. I have both a long meeting plus a two day retreat next week so won't leave much time to get anything else done.

Have a great week.

Kathie

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Sunday Stash Report - March 13, 2011

It was a good stash reduction week. I made two backings for quilts, several small sample backings for a quilting talk I will be giving and a few other misc. things.

I had several quilts that needed backings. Looked at my box of 10 1/2 squares already cut and had a few in the brown family so decided to make the backing for my small left over fish quilt first as I only had to find and cut half of the fabric.


Even though it is taking awhile to make backings I am glad I didn't buy any of the wide backing fabric the other day at JoAnns. I will save buying backing fabric for when I have to get the quilt done in a hurry or there is NOTHING in my stash at all that I can use for the quilt.

My stats for the week are:

Fabric used this week: 10 yards
Fabric used YTD: 71 yards
Fabric purchased this week: 2 yards (pretty pink stripe)
Fabric purchased YTD: 48.5 yards
Net used in 2011: 22.5 yards

At least my net is getting up there a slight bit.

Kathie

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Saturday

Kind of a lazy day, doing a little bit on chores and a little on sewing and a little just relaxing, nice.

The kiddo is off taking her SAT tests. Gee it seems not that long ago we were worrying about signing up for summer camps and day care and now she is taking the first steps towards college. They sure grow up to quickly.

I made three miniture sample backings this morning for a talk I am giving on April 1st about preparing your quilt to go to a long arm quilter. Not very intersting to make up but don't want too wait till the last minuute. It is the type of thing that I put off doing and then regret when I am in a hurry.

Hope you are enjoying your day and getting lots done. My stash report should look much better tomorrow than it has lately.

Kathie

Friday, March 11, 2011

Hawaii

Wow did you see the pictures this morning of Japan from the 8.9 quake in Japan. I feel so sorry for those people. I went to Tokyo many years on business and the people were so very nice and friendly. My husband was just there on business in January so I am thankful he isn't over there now.

Hubby has a business trip to Hawaii in a few weeks and just last night (due to many frequent flier miles) we were able to book flights to go with him. I have always dreamed of going there one day but figured it would never happen due to the cost. Strange to wake up this morning and hear that they are under a Tsunami warning. A lady I used to work for lives there now so sure hope everything will be ok.

This is the little charity quilt top I had been working on this week. I thought the strips of all the different donated state flower fabrics would make a nice strippy top. I really don't like how it turned out but hopefully with quilting and a colorful binding it will be better.


For now this will just go with the other charity tops that need backings made.

Today I need to catch up on a couple of errands I put off due to all the rain we had yesterday. Hope to get to the quilt room this afternoon and load something on the frame and maybe also work on a backing I am piecing.

Kathie

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Customer Quilting

Just finished up quilting this customer quilt. I wanted to show it because I have never seen this pattern before and it looks very unique. I love the way roses were fussy cut for this. You can't tell it from the picture but the white fabric has a sheen to it and really adds a lot to the quilt.


I did go to Joanns yesterday to look at their backing fabric. The bolt of red they had was gone so I didn't buy a thing. Guess I will try and piece backings for a couple of the quilts I have on my shelf.

As to the question about my thumb? No it isn't any better, in fact maybe a little more sore. Unfortunately I didn't ask the doctor when I should expect to see some sort of change if the injection worked. It has been two weeks so maybe I need to give the office a call and see what they say.

Wind and rain today so I am just staying inside and getting things done around here. Grocery shopping can wait until tomorrow.

Kathie

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Mid Week Update

I did get my Christmas Ribbons quilt quilted yesterday. Here it is just off the frame.


I got it trimmed up and binding sewn on also and hand stitched down one side of the binding last night. Tonight is American Idol night so will probably get another side or two stitched.

I have lots of errands to do this morning. Trying to combine errands as much as possible with the cost of gas. Gas stations here were at $3.45 on monday, don't know what they will be today.

I will be quilting a small customer wall hanging when I get home and at least get the next customer quilt (lap quilt) loaded and hopefully get that one quilted also.

I am slowly working on the floral strippy charity quilt and once that top is done I am going to spend my piecing time getting some backings ready to go. I need a backing for UFO #1, a Christmas quilt and a Patriotic tumblers quilt plus the bright mini tumblers quilt top I finished the other day. I might break down and use one of my Joann's coupons on some wide backing for one of them but intend on piecing the rest of the backs. Takes a lot of extra time but I like the look of a pieced backing plus it sure does use up some of that stash.

Kathie

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Charity Day

I didn't intend on yesterday being a total charity day but thats how it ended up. I started the day quilting this little charity quilt that Jane made. I practiced Ziggle Fern on it from the most recent Pajama Quilter DVD. Since this was so colorful I used one of my favorite colors of thread, King Tut Joseph's Coat. Its multi-colored variegation goes with anything really bright.


This quilt was so fun to do I decided to do its twin charity quilt since the thread was already loaded. That quilt I practiced an overall design that kind of looks like water.

At that point I was on a roll so I decided to zig zag together some smaller charity batting pieces, then cut cream HST to go with some florals I had already cut and made up another charity kit.

I ended the day sewing a bunch of different floral 2 1/2 inch strips together. I am going to make a strippy type of charity top out of those.

I am going to load my Christmas Ribbons quilt on the frame this morning to get something of mine quilted and will then be back to customer quilts.

and yes I did feel a whole lot better yesterday after a large cup of coffee from Dunkin Donuts.

Kathie

Monday, March 7, 2011

Design Wall Monday - March 7, 2011

This was the last thing on my design wall right after I finished putting the borders on the quilt last night. I gradually worked on this all last week between other things. Love all the bright colors in the tumblers. Most were left over fabrics from a quilt I made my daughter a couple of years ago with 3 or 4 extra FQs tossed in. Plus the hot pink border fabric was given to me last week so no new purchases in this top.



No coffee this morning as I will be off to get some lab work done. I am a cranky person with my morning caffine!!

kathie

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Sunday Stash Report - March 6, 2011

It was a busy few days with errands, quilting customer quilts and do some piecing on my next quilt. I really should have been working on UFO #1 but have spent time working on a scrappy tumbler quilt.

I did add a couple yards of batik to my recently begun batik stash but I used up more than I purchased so I count that as a successful week.

Fabric Used this week: 3 1/2 yards
Fabric Used YTD: 61 yards
Fabric Purchased this week: 2 yards (batik)
Fabric Purchased YTD: 46.5 yards
Net fabric used in 2011: 14.5 yards

This is one of the customer quilts I quilted this week. A young girl made it and I thought she did a wonderful job of making her first quilt. Nice and flat and square and seams well pressed, wonderful to quilt.



I also was given 3 donation quilts this week for hospice. This is the first of the quilts, a very cute quilt made and quilted by Betty.



Kathie

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Play Day

Yesterday was my "play day." It was my monthly day time guild meeting which starts in the morning and goes until after lunch. We always have a great time, friends, good food and much show and tell.

Over the last few days in addition to quilting customer quilts and doing the usual errands and housework I spent a lot of time piecing. I find after 2 or 3 hours at the frame my thumb is really bothering me but I can piece for hours with no problem.

I had pieced the March block of the month for my other guild a few days ago. April's block was easy so I got out some 1930's strips and pieced two of the April block. I have a lot going on the next few weeks (a retreat and a fiber arts conference) so nice to get these done early.



I also received my new GO small tumbler die last week and spent time over the weekend cutting up strips left over from a quilt I made my daughter (two years ago) and a couple of addition FQs into the small tumblers. I am enjoying spending some time every afternoon working on this. It is nice to get all those strips off my shelf since there was no way to keep them folded neatly.

Another great thing about this is that a lady brought a few pieces of fabric to the guild yesterday that she didn't want anymore. I took one home thinking it might make a great backing but it is hot pink with lime, blue etc. polka dots on it and I think it will be a perfect border for this quilt.



Off to run some errands but will be spending the afternoon in the quilt room finishing up the latest customer quilt.

Kathie

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

and the number is..................#1

The number one was drawn in Judy L's UFO challenge yesterday for the month of March.

This is my number one UFO.



This is the oldest of all my UFOs and definitely has a story.

I started quilting in the fall of 1998. During 1999 I decided that I wanted to try and applique. I had an upcoming business trip to Taiwan and needed something to do on the LONG plane trip (back when needles etc. were not a no no).

I did applique several pieces on the plane and also decided that applique is not for me. I did finish all the blocks though and decided to try something else new. I was going to hand quilt this.

Well after quilting parts of a couple of the blocks I decided that hand work just wasn't for me so this was folded up and put on my shelf. I would get it out maybe once a year and look at it and right back it went on the shelf.

So for this challenge I decided I would finally get this done. I took all the pins out last month and removed all the hand quilting that was on it to get ready for whatever month #1 was called.

Now I need to decide if I am just going to quilt, bind it and put a hanging sleeve on it to use for a wall hanging or add a couple of borders and make it into a lap quilt, any suggestions?

Kathie

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

UFO Challenge #10 - Complete


I finished the last of the binding on my Goose in the Pond UFO #10 the middle of last week. It feels so good to get this one done since the blocks I know were swapped about 10 years ago.

I wonder what number will be pulled today for our March UFO?

Yesterday I was back to machine quilting and quilted this heart quilt that my friend Betty made. I absolutely love this quilt and can see myself making one in the future. I can picture it in red/white and blue, or maybe even in purples which is my favorite color.


I quilted this with King Tut Red Sea thread. I have no clue why they call it Red Sea as the thread is a hot pink varigated thread!!

kathie