It seems like a good time to...

Just after Christmas each year, I find it is a good time to re-evaluate all my projects, UFO's, things I want to make and things I 'have' to make. I look at it all and try to figure it out!

 

What do I do first? What about 2nd? Is there anything I don't want to do now?

 

This year is a bit different because after moving I am still not completely organized. In fact just yesterday I couldn't find something (I still haven't figured out where it went!)

 

But in the process so far I found 3 skeins of Handicrafter cotton to make dishcloths...and guess what!

 

 

Yes I got busy and they are done!

 

Then I found my spindles and wool fiber and realized I am way out of practice, so I got to making yarn!

 

 

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed it! Now I have to keep it up! I have a couple special people who are knitters and someday I'd like to make a yarn so wonderful that it is worthy of gift giving.

 

Remember, my big apple core pieces? Christmas interrupted that project.

I'm going to start arranging them soon!

 

 

And then these scraps surfaced again. They are all cut to make a scrappy braid quilt. I am almost tempted to abandon the project because I keep thinking they are UGLY...

 

 But after looking at the picture I think there may be hope.

I'm going to keep going and have faith! 

 

 

Then although not started I am joining a 9 patch exchange group with some of the wonderful quilters from my old town!

 

There will be more to show but for now this is enough to concentrate on!

 

 

Happy Stitching!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One last thing....

The rush was on to get one last thing done...and perhaps it was the most important of all the Christmas gifts I made this year!

 

Christmas stockings are important in my family and my new husband doesn't have one. How is Santa supposed to leave him gifts without a stocking?

And he has been a good man this year.

I am sure Santa knows this.

 

So to the 'workshop' I go to get this very important item made. Here is creativity at work!

 

 

I am making him a Cowboy Boot Stocking from Prairie Moon Quilts.

 

 

After fusing I got busy with some stitching!

 

 

And then the final product....

 

 

It turned out fabulous!

 

I can't wait to see his face on Christmas morning!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Stitching!

 

 

 

 

I'm Breaking My Rules!

I usually do not post anything about Christmas gifts I am making unless I know for sure the recipient will never see my blog...but these are SO CUTE!!! I just have to share!

 

I am making these super cute bags!

 

I am making sets of three...the pattern is from Atkinson Designs.

 

 

But the best thing is this fabulous zipper pull....it's the leftover zipper!!!! It is so fabulous!!!!

 

 

It's going to be a great Christmas for a few people!

 

And I finished quilting and binding my cute hexagons.

I still have to wash it to get the chalk marks out. I can't wait to hang it!

 

Happy Stitching!

Catching Up!

I have lots to catch up on...

First my little hexagon quilt is coming along!

I decided to big stitch it so after appliqueing my flowers to the background, I cut away the background so I have one less layer of fabric to quilt through.

 

 

 

When I started basting I noticed that I didn't sew all the hexagon blocks in the same direction. I guess when I was putting this together I was just happily sewing away without much thought about what I was doing...

 

Can you spot the wonky ones???

 

 

So it was decision time...do I take it apart or do I leave it? I left it! I decided it was part of the charm!

 

Here is my thread choice.

 

 

And some progress...

 

 

 

I also worked on this cute little guy for my door. He is adorable!

 

 

The pattern was from The Wooden Bear Quilt Designs.

 

I finished machine quilting this quilt...

 

 

I basted this one for machine quilting...

 

 

 

And this beauty is ready to start hand quilting!!!!!!

 

 

So I am mostly caught up other than a few Christmas gifts I am making that I can't show...yet!

 

Happy Stitching!

 

 

 

 

A day to catch up!

I have a day off work and a bit of time to just play and get caught up!

 

I've gotten all my hexagons pieced and pinned to the backgrounds.

Now I have to hand sew them on...

 

One down..eleven to go...

 

To get ready to cut my apple cores out, I made my own cardboard template with a bit of glue and 2 layers of cereal box cardboard. I glued the pattern on the first box, let it dry and cut it out with scissors. One layer at a time is easy to cut. Then I glued the second layer of cardboard down, let it dry and cut it out...

 

 

On the back I added some adhesive backed sandpaper to prevent slipping on my fabrics.

 

 

My template is ready to go. I like using my small rotary cutter with curved templates.  It is much easier to navigate and also easier to avoid cutting into your template.

 

Because this is a tight fit on my fat quarters I cut out two paper patterns just to help lay out where everything is going...

 

 

I'm all cut and ready to play with the layout!

 

 

I also got ready backings and batting to baste two quilts!

 

 

I hear my sewing machine calling my name.....

 

Happy Stitching!

 

Time for a Catch Up!

A month has gone by...already....I had not thought I had been doing much but looking back on the month I have gotten a bit done to show!

 

First I basted the next quilt to be machine quilted...

 

 

 I moved from a home with fabulous carpet and underlay to a home with hard floors. Basting is a killer on the knees on a hard floor. I bought myself a new tool...knee pads! I found these great knee pads with a hard plastic shell so you actually slide a bit and don't get stuck to your quilt! 

 

 

Not the best photo of my knees! But at least my knees are happy!

 

I set up my Mom's old feather weight sewing machine and started sewing a little quilt together using just the scraps from that churn dash I just finished. It is such a cute machine. I set it up on the kitchen counter so I could piece and keep my other machine set up for machine quilting. It is working out well so far.

 

 

Here is the finished quilt. It measures 15"x 24". I am smitten with it!

 

 

Then I started a new project...

 

I have had this spray starch and have always meant to try it to see if I like using it on my quilting fabric so I sprayed a bunch of scraps for my next little project.

 

 

 

I printed off a sheet of hexagons on cardstock...

 

 

I've been busy basting...and so far have not been minding the spray starch at all.

 

 

And I'm also going to get started on another new project...a giant apple core quilt! I had bought a fat quarter pack and had a thought that it would make a great apple core quilt. I should be able to get 3 apple cores from each fat quarter with careful arranging!

 

 

Hopefully I'll update my progress a little sooner...

 

Happy Stitching!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another quilt done!

I finished machine quilting another quilt! Straight grid lines...I LOVE them...I have always loved straight grid lines (preferring the hand quilted ones)!

 

  

Here is a closer look! I still have to throw it in the wash to get rid of those basting stitches.

This quilt is going to be a gift for a family member...got to keep that a secret for now!

 

 

I have to mention I am still not fond of machine quilting, but I can't imagine trying to hand quilt all the quilt tops I have done and I can't imagine hand quilting a quilt to give to someone where you just know they are going to use it lots and wash it lots!

 

And I counted up my quilt tops this week...I have four to machine quilt and one to hand quilt.

 

Here is another pair of socks- almost done. I just have to finish up the toes and weave in the ends. These will be a gift too!

 

 

Now with everything I have going on you would think that I would try to stay untempted by new projects, but that really isn't the case...

 

My temptations right now are...a couple of projects I have wanted to make for a long time, both of which I've started at least once and abandoned...Dear Jane or Farmer's Wife????

 

Or how about this temptation (I am VERY close to giving in)...a primitive sew a long from Jeni from the Willow

 

She is up to 6 blocks...

 

Happy Stitching!

I found OLD UFO's!

One thing about moving and getting re-organized is that you find things! This weekend I found old UFO's I had almost forgotten about.

 

Here are the UFO's I will actually do something with....

 

Two sashiko panels I originally thought I would frame, but now maybe they will be tote bags!

 

 

 

 

 

...And two stitcheries that will become part of  Christmas gift bags...

 

 

 

Here is a 'Promise Stitch' aka Double Stitch project. Many years ago my Mom and I each did one. She framed hers and I was going to do the same thing but never got around to it.

It's back on my list of things to do.

 

 

And here is one I may do something with...someday...

 

...Some very old Dear Jane blocks. I really am not sure If I will ever use them but you never know!

 

  

 

...And two samples I won't use but I will make these blocks again...for a quilt, not a sample. They are both quilts I have always wanted to make.

 

 

 

Happy Stitching!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas is coming...and other stuff too!

It is feeling a bit like fall already and it seems like a good time to start thinking about Christmas.

 

When I got married, I gained three young adult men...so what do I decide to do for them for Christmas...make quilts of course!

 

Son number one is a HUGE Saskatchewan Roughrider fan. It only seems right to make him a football themed quilt. I had bought a kit and added the football fabric to it. The pattern is "Crazy Eights" by Bits 'n Pieces. It is fast to cut and fast to sew. It's a fun quilt to make and perfect for a quick gift!  

 

 

So the important theme fabrics are the footballs and the watermelons (I am not sure why the fans wear watermelons on their heads, but they do!).

 

 

 

 

I finished piecing the quilt top yesterday. The kit included a pattern for an applique football but it just got lost on the quilt top with all the busy fabric.  It is a nice lap size...54"x62". Now I am going to see if I can find some football themed flannel for the backing to make it cozy.

And as a bonus...I have enough of the football fabric left that I can make a matching pillowcase.

 

********

 

And now that I am living in a city I thought it was time to join a quilt guild. The first meeting was Tuesday night so I went and joined the Prairie Piecemakers Quilters Guild. They seem like an active guild...I am really looking forward to being a member! They are doing a mystery quilt in their newsletter this year so I may just start that and see where it goes!

 

********

 

 I've been shopping for coasters and not finding anything I like. I wanted something different...after lots of wasted time Googling DIY coasters, I found this tutorial...I had some jute, found some round cork coasters at Michaels and got my glue gun out of hiding....

 

 

After the outside row is done, it gets much easier. My first coaster I had hot glue everywhere! I was really out of practice!

 

 

It was a fun and easy project and now I have coasters!!!

 

 

Now it is time to start thinking about a quilt for the next son...this one is going to be western themed. He loves cowboy boots...it's a place to start...

 

Happy Stitching!