Design Wall Monday - January 30, 2012

Currently on my design wall is class sample #3 for the fused fabric wreath workshop I will be giving in April. Once I get this one all quilted and bound I will be done with all the samples I am making up. Glad to get them done way early.

I did well with my goals for last week getting all of them done. This week I have a couple of eye/medical appointments for myself or my daughter plus my day time guild meeting so I am not going to make to ambitious of a list for this week.

1. continue making more blocks for Mandy's graduation/dorm quilt (about 3/4 of the blocks are done).

2. deliver a bag of quilts to hospice house.

3. quilt a charity quilt

4. make another hexagon runner

Mandy is on pins and needles this week. Rumor has it that the University of Maryland is going to be sending out their acceptance/rejection letters this week. I think she has fingers, toes and everything else crossed. It is a hard school to get into. I think she has a chance but also think she is counting on it to much and is going to be very upset if she doesn't get accepted. I will just be glad when she knows one way or another.

Kathie

Sunday Stash Report - Week 5 for 2012

I have gradually been using lots of yardage on my daughters graduation/dorm quilt but won't report that until the top is done. I did use yardage in a backing, a couple of minor projects and this table runner which I cut out using my Accuquilt GO.

I made another purchase this week but it was for a specific project which are kits I am making up for an April workshop. I glad to see that my numbers are still in the black though barely.

My stats for the week are:

Fabric used this week: 4.5 yards
Fabric used YTD: 20.5 yards
Fabric purchased this week: 4 yards
Fabric purchased YTD: 17.5
Net fabric used in 2012: 3 yards

I had my hand doctor appointment on friday to find out that it is a different problem than what I had with my other hand last year. This has to do with an arthritic bone on the palm side of my hand right below the thumb. It can cause some of the same pain etc. as the trigger finger. Had a painful steroid shot in my hand and will now wear a brace at night for the next two months and keep my fingers crossed that it works. If this doesn't relieve it I will be in store for more surgery.

Kathie

Mid Week Update

I have been back to setting weekly goals for myself. This is what I posted on monday...

1. Finish cutting out hexagons (with my accuquilt GO)
2. Quilt customer table runner
3. Quilt customer lap quilt
4. Make up a few more blocks of Mandy's quilt
5. Continue to rest my hand as much as possible (doctors visit friday)

So far #1 is done and this is what I am starting to do with them, it is eventually going to be a table runner

#2 is completed and back to the customer.

#3 is partially loaded on the frame and will probably quilt that tomorrow or friday.

#4 I did sew a few more blocks for Mandy's quilt yesterday

and #5, I am continuing to only quilt on the frame not more than 3 days a week and am trying to do as little as possible that puts pressure on my hand (hubby and daughter opening all jars etc.). I am sure hoping the doc will say on friday that maybe more rest of it and a shot will do the trick, sure don't want surgery again.

So my list is doing well this week.

Kathie

Design Wall Monday - January 23, 2012

Well my design wall is a jumble of all sorts of things. In the bottom right hand corner are the two hidden 4-patch blocks I made for February's BOM for quilt guild. The bottom left hand corner holds a small fused fabric wreath that is one of my examples for a workshop I am giving in April. I have it tacked here to remind myself that I never put a hanging sleeve on it.

Lastly all the blocks on top are the first few blocks made for my daughters graduation/dorm quilt for next fall. It is just a rail fence variation so easy to piece.

I met all my goals for last week so need to set some more for this week. Since I have two doctors appointments and a meeting this week I am not going to set to many things to do.

1. Finish cutting out hexagons (with my accuquilt GO)
2. Quilt customer table runner
3. Quilt customer lap quilt
4. Make up a few more blocks of Mandy's quilt
5. Continue to rest my hand as much as possible (doctors visit friday)

Hope everyone has a great week.

kathie

Sunday Stash Report - January 22, 2012

Well I managed to stay in the black on my usage this week but just barely.

Mandy and I purchased fabric both at JoAnns and the quilt shop to make her a dorm quilt for next fall. It was fun to have her pick out all the fabrics.

I also took advantage of JoAnn's 40% off fabric sale and purchased several creams and whites for kits I am making up for a spring workshop.

I used fabric by cutting kits, a backing for a couple of runners and these blocks of the month for our February guild meeting and a couple other small projects.

My stats for the week:

Fabric used this week: 6.25 yards
Fabric used YTD: 16 yards
Fabric purchased this week: 10 yards
Fabric purchased YTD: 13.5 yards
Net fabric used in 2012: 2.5 yards

Hope you are managing to stay in the black so far this year.

Kathie

Another Charity Quilt

I had mentioned that I had 7 charity quilt tops here waiting to be quilted. I am trying to get them all quilted up gradually and then turn the hospice philanthropy effort over to someone else at my guild.

I quilted this top up one day last week and forgot to post the picture. This was from a 1/2 square triangle kit I cut using my accuquilt GO cutter. It was pieced by Pat, quilted by myself and has not gone off to Jane to do the binding.

I love how cute these quilts using the donated State Flower fabrics have been coming out.

I also wanted to post a picture of the little wall hanging I won at the guild meeting last week. Love these snowmen and goes perfectly in my house.

How are you doing on your weekly goals if you have them? I am doing good this week.

kathie

Midweek Update

Doing good on the few goals I set. I finished up the chisel runner top that I was working on...

Doesn't this just look like spring? The pieces were cut with the accuquilt GO chisel die.

I also sewed the ribbons and elastics on my daughter's newest pointe shoes so two items crossed off my list.

In addition we picked out fabrics (will be on sunday's stash report) for her dorm quilt for next fall and I have all that fabric washed and ironed and ready to cut. I am going to cut just a few pieces a day until it is all done.

Kathie

Design Wall Monday - January 16, 2012

Hope everyone will be enjoying a nice relaxing day off of work today.

This actually isn't on my design wall anymore but didn't want to show a picture of pins and loose threads...lol

This is a fused fabric wreath that I made as example #2 for a workshop that I will be teaching in April. I finished this up by adding some pink, lavendar and clear crystals to it. Love the way it turned out.

As for goals for the week. I completed all my goals last week so for this week:

1. quilt customer tree skirt
2. finish chisel runner I am working on
3. sew ribbons and elastic on pointe shoes
4. rest hand as much as possible.

kathie

Sunday Stash Report - January 15, 2012

Well not much sewing this week. First there were a couple of customer quilts to take care of, then getting ready for weekend company and on top of that I am having problems with my right hand so wanted to give it a rest. I had surgery on the left hand for trigger finger back in may and am afraid the same thing is starting in my right hand.

Stats for the week are:

Fabric used this week: 1 yard
Fabric used YTD: 9.75 yards
Fabric purchased this week: 0
Fabric purchased YTD: 3.5
Net fabric used this year: 6.25 yards

Hope your numbers are doing better.

kathie

More Charity Quilts

I wanted to share more pictures of some charity quilts I got back from binding on monday.

These first two quilts I quilted and Jane did the binding.

This batik rails quilt was made by Elsie. Can you believe someone donated these beautiful batiks?

This next kit was pieced by Cindy from a kit that I made up, also from donated fabrics.

The next two quilts were donated by Eileen from my quilt guild. The first one was made in memory of a friend she recently lost to cancer. What a beautiful tribute.

The next quilt she made out of some wonderful fall fabrics. Now why don't I have a fall quilt for my house?

I have completed all my listed goals for the week, yipee!!! Now does that mean I have nothing to do the rest of the week? Well no since we are having company this weekend and I was only reminded of that YESTERDAY. Somehow I lost a week and thought it was the following week. Since it is only wednesday if I do a little bit a day I won't have to spend all day saturday cleaning.

Hope your week is going well.

kathie

Charity Downsizing

I have been the "hospice philanthropy" person at my guild for I believe about 2 1/2 years. I told them last night that I will be stepping down in May. I really enjoy the coordination of the whole thing. I have made kits, pieced together batting, made some backings and delivered the quilts to Hospice House which always makes my day when I can take a huge bag of wonderful quilts. When I took on the job I tried to keep it mostly the coordination effort and to quilt one of the quilts now and then between customer jobs.

In the last year I have had to beg people to help me keep on top of the quilting load with very little success making the job a chore instead of something I love to do.

So I kind of feel bad/guilty that I won't be doing it anymore but feel a sense of freedom also in that I will be able to make some charity quilts from start to finish for a change. Hospice will still by my charity of choice for quilting but will be a lesser scale.

I hope that someone who feels the same about hospice will pick up the job and energize the guild to get quilts done. I really think a new person tackling jobs every couple of years really freshens up ideas etc.

I did receive a couple donations of finished hospice quilts last night and a couple more back from binding so will try and have those pictures to post later.

kathie

Design Wall Monday - January 9, 2012

These two runners are not technically still on my design wall but they were until last night. I had recently made 8 of the twister blocks and then decided to set them a little differently. One runner with sashing ...

and one without...

I think I like the one with sashing best but like them both.

Guess I will try and set some goals for myself this week. Since I have a meeting this week and a doctors appointment in addition to all the regular errands will not put to much on the list to make sure I have time to get them done.

1. quilt customer table runner
2. quilt customer quilt
3. finish my fused fabric wreath top
4. quilt both fall and spring fused wreaths

Other than the customer quilt these should all be quick and easy.

Kathie

Sunday Stash Report - 8 January 2012

Well my buying fabric only lasted one week but hey, at least it was for a project. Here are my stats for the week:

Fabric used this week: 5.25 yards
Fabric used YTD: 8.75 yards
Fabric purchased this week: 3.5 yards
Fabric purchased YTD: 3.5 yards
NET Fabric used in 2012: 5.25 yards

At least I am still in the black and will try and stay that way but not sure if I will. I will soon be purchasing fabric for my daughter's dorm quilt for next fall so I might go into the red for awhile unless I get a whole lot of sewing done.

I made two table runners this week and they are still on my design wall so that is the picture you will be seeing tomorrow. I also made a backing, used some of my fabric in combination with donated fabrics for a charity quilt and am in the process of making a spring fused fabric wreath.

Hope you have accomplished a lot in the last week.

Kathie

Charity Thursday

Wanted to show all the latest charity quilts that have been completed. The first are 3 of the 5 charity quilts that I quilted over the holidays and just got back from binding (thanks Jane) yesterday.

This first quilt is from a batik half square triangle kit I cut using my Accuquilt GO. This was pieced by Eileen and bound by Jane)

The next quilt is a floral strippy quilted that I made a few months ago out of donated flowers of the month fabric. When I got the strippy part done it looked so blah I added the flowers. Binding again done by Jane.

This third quilt was made by Jan G. Beautiful applique flowers. I am sure one of the ladies at hospice house is going to love this one.

Lastly this last quilt was made and quilted by Sue F from my day time guild using the warm wishes pattern.

All of these quilts are great and will be going to our local Hospice House as soon as a few more are finished.

Kathie

Wednesday Update

Since I made no weekly goals for this week I guess I am doing ok..lol

I have finished 3 1/2 customer quilts in the last week and will be delivering two of them today at my day time guild meeting. I also should be getting back 2 or 3 charity quilts from one of my binding fairies so should have pictures to share in the next day or so.

I also started putting together one of my twister runners last night so hope to have those tops done in the next couple of days.

Lots of teen drama going on this week so that has taken up some of my time. I would like to have the no aches and pains that a teenager in good shape has but I sure wouldn't want to go back to being that age. I must have also driven my parents nuts and for that I am sorry but guess it is all part of the process. You are not a kid but treated like one sometimes, not an adult but you want to be treated like one but of course don't want adult responsibilities and I think the worse part of it is you feel every set back is a crisis. I remember feeling like every problem was the end of the earth and no one else had the same issues. Guess that is the best part of getting older, you go with the flow.

Kathie

Design Wall Monday - January 2, 2012

In some form or another these have been on my design wall all week. Yesterday I finally got the rest of the twister blocks done.

These will be made into two (4 blocks each) table runners. Plan on having two borders but have not decided yet if I am going to have sashing between the blocks or not. Maybe I will do one each way.

Today I am trying to help hubby get the rest of the Christmas decorations down and put away and then this afternoon I need to start on the next customer quilt so I can get a couple delivered on wednesday.

Maybe these blocks will just stay up for awhile to remind myself to work on the runners when I get a chance, hopefully in a couple of days.

kathie

Sunday Stash Report - January 1, 2012

First off Happy New Years. I hope that 2012 will be a happy and healthy year for you. I can't believe 2012 is actually here! This is going to be a huge year for my family, my daughter will turn 18 in May, graduate high school in June and go off to college in late August!! Talk about a lot of changes that I don't feel quite ready for.

I fell off of reporting on the stash report the end of 2011 as I was snowed under with customer quilts and just had no time. Because of that I was sewing little and buying lots of Christmas fabric as it went on sale. I didn't keep track but know I ended up 2011 still in the black on using more fabric than purchasing and that was my goal.

My stash of regular fabrics feels a little "fresher" with some of the real old fabrics having been used up in backings and some of the newer colors and those wonderful batiks finding their way to my stash.

So again this year I think my goal will be to use more than I purchase, keep up on my reporting which helps keep the purchases under control and continue to use up some of the old stuff. Still have MANY panels that I had wanted to try and use up last year and never got to. Guess that will be back on my mental to do list for this year.

Fabric used this week: 3.5 yards (kitty quilt)
Fabric used YTD: 3.5 yards
Fabric purchased this week: 0 yards
Fabric purchased YTD: 0 yards
Net total used in 2012: 3.5 yards

A friend of mine that passed a few years ago always said to be sure and do something fun on New Years day, start the year with something that you want to be doing all year. So as always I will be sure and do a little sewing today, even if it is just a couple of seams.

Kathie