2019- A Year of Jane

For almost 20 years I've been thinking about making the Dear Jane quilt. In all that time I could never make a final decision about what fabrics to use- I have thought about blue and white, red and white, reproduction, scrappy, all neutrals... and I have just never been able to make up my mind...until now. 

Here are the two fabrics that are my inspiration!

Then I debated size. I was thinking what a great challenge it would be to shrink those blocks from 4-1/2" to 3"! I've seen a few photos of a smaller sized Dear Jane and have loved them! But once I finally made a decision on fabrics I decided to do it in full size and I am going to quilt it as I go. 

I think the challenge will just be to get it done! 

So 2019 will be my Year of Jane! And I made a bit of a head start.. here are the first 9.

 I have 4 more prepped that just need appliques added but I'll show them later.

Then I have been debating joining the annual American Patchwork and Quilting UFO challenge...I have a few. I thought maybe it will inspire me to work on some of those things I have tucked away. 

This week I will start making my list of UFO's. 

The rest of my week is the quiet before storm so to speak! Our first Christmas dinner is on Saturday but I am all done so I can spend the rest of the week playing!

Merry Christmas Stitchers! 

On the Home Stretch!

I've got just one more gift to make and one that is mostly finished to get done! It's been a busy month but I have still found the time to play a bit just for me in my sewing room! 

I spend a few nights with my dad every second week or so and I always have a project to work on. After the last hexagon project, I got working on finishing some bindings while visiting him and then I got working on my Christmas socks!

Here is a little baby quilt I finished! It is made with flannel on the top and bottom so it is soft and cuddly! The soon to be parents love it!

The Christmas socks are finished! While knitting the first sock I decided not to worry about the striping pattern matching and look what happened!!! They matched without trying!!! 

That never happens if you want it to match...

So now I need a new hand project to work on while staying with my dad. In my quest to use things I have I decided to use some of my wool. I only have a very small container with wool and very limited colors but I wanted to use it up so I decided to work on some Little Wooly basket blocks from a Linen Closet  BOM I had downloaded a few years ago. The little basket blocks are just 6" square. I prepped the first 6 blocks and I'll use my time with my dad to stitch them down. 

The photo doesn't do it justice! 

While I was looking for other things, I found these leftover fabrics from another project and was just in the mood to do something different and fast so I made a few pincushions! 

I also finished off some needle punch projects. I was originally thinking I would frame them (there are actually 2 angels and 3 snowmen) but that was a lot of frames so I decided to just back them and add hangers. They will eventually be sent to some people I know will love them.

I also made my own cording with some perle cotton I had to finish off the edges.

I have a Cricut Maker so I have been cutting a few iron on things to make for gifts. These I can show because I am fairly confident the receivers will never look at my blog!

This book bag is for a reader and library user! I know she will love it! 

And I made a couple of football t-shirts for the football fans on my list! 

So now to finish those last gifts...

Happy Stitching and Merry Christmas! 

Obsessive Sewing- Done!

The 49 large pineapple blocks I've been piecing are done! 

 I am going to love them when I get them put together in a quilt top. The quilt is going to finish at about 100" square and I plan to use a wool batting so it will be warm and cozy.  I have decided to quilt this myself and I am going to try a Quilt as You Go technique. For my first go at QAYG, I thought I would keep the quilting simple - just in the ditch perhaps. Time to learn about it...

For now though the blocks are going to go away because it is time to get going on a few Christmas gifts- Christmas is less than 6 weeks away now! 

Happy Stitching!

Christmas Procrastinating

Yes I am procrastinating making Christmas gifts. I'm not sure why this year I am having difficulties getting at it because usually I dive right in! I normally LOVE making Christmas gifts. I don't even have much I'm planning to make!

But my procrastinating has led me back to an old UFO that I am now obsessing about. It is a large scrappy Pineapple quilt. I'm making 49 -14" blocks. 

Now that I am back at it I am sewing every spare chance I get like a crazy obsessed person. I have the next two days off so I know where I will be - in my sewing room!!!! In fact I should have taken a new picture - there are a few more rows added on since this one was taken! 

And finally I have back my sewing machine. When I first got it back the tension wasn't right so back it went to the shop the next day. I tried four different threads, 4 different bobbins and a couple different needles. Nothing helped. They couldn't find any issues????? So home it came and in the first couple inches my thread breaks. So I got out my flashlight and followed the thread path. And there wrapped around the thread take up was a small clump of white thread. What in the world???I was using grey thread so it wasn't mine and I have certainly never seen that happen. I was able to get it unwound with tweezers. My tension has been OK since then but that was a frustrating experience! I miss my old mechanical machine that I could service myself! 

Happy Stitching! 

A What Was I Thinking Moment!

Sometimes you do something and afterwards you think "Why didn't I think of that?"

I have been trying a new ways to machine applique. I prefer hand applique but since that is a little hard on my hands now I have been playing with different types of machine applique. I much prefer turned edges so I have tried the apliquick method for this block. I like it except....

I was glue basting my pieces down...I had my light box , the paper pattern and then the background. Here is what happened when I lifted the glue basted block off the paper...

It stuck!!!! Yes, glue can go through your background! I never thought of using some kind of barrier in between. I am thinking I'll try press and seal on my paper pattern for my next block. What do other people do?

I do have a couple finishes too ! This little fall quilt is finally finished. I had been wanting to big stitch it hoping my hands would be able to do that for such a small quilt but no. This is the little quilt that sent my sewing machine to the shop but I finished it on my spare machine and finished the binding this week. It is almost a little late for fall now. We are quickly slipping into winter.

My hexagons are pieced! Now I just have to take all those 3/8" paper out! Once I get at it it won't take long but I'll have to be in the mood! 

And here is a Christmas gift I am able to show. There is a new baby in the family so I made her a Christmas stocking. I originally had a different plan but I decided to use what fabric I had. If I was to do it over I would use a lighter brown for the snowman arms. In person they show up a bit better though! 

And I am still waiting for my sewing machine...They did not find anything obvious for the burning smell so they did a tuneup on it. I had it back for one day but it came back with the tension out of wack so it promptly went back to get that fixed. I'm more than a little frustrated! My tension was perfect when I dropped it off. 

My spare machine is back on my sewing desk so that is where my day will be! 

Happy Stitching! 

Oh No!

Wednesday I was happily machine quilting a little wall hanging and all of a sudden...

I smelled burning...I checked all over but nothing and then I sat down again in front of my sewing machine and I could smell it again and when I touched it was HOT! I don't think that is a good thing.

It is now off to the repair man to see if it can be saved or maybe I'll be shopping for a new machine.

I've brought out the spare machine but it is pretty basic - good for small projects so for now I'll have to change up some projects! 

And on a secretive note - I've started making my gift making Christmas list!

That means less showing in the next couple of months.

Happy Stitching!

A little catch up!

My sewing room has been taken over by a guest so not much has been happening here.

I had been working on this large blue and white scrappy star. I got all the star points pieced before I had to set up the sewing room as a guest room.

As each star point was finished I was laying them on the floor in no particular way. One day my husband walked in and he was completely mesmerized! I'm not sure if that is good or bad yet!  

Then I started cutting pieces for the border...

I won't have my room back until later this week, so I have been working on my pile of handwork! I started this sweet little granny square afghan for a little girls Christmas gift. 

This will be my first finished Christmas gift this year. Every year I make several Christmas presents for people I care about. I have been thinking about what I want to do this year but I'm not coming up with any great ideas. I wonder if this will be one of those years I don't make much or if it will be one of those years I am making things to the last minute?

Happy Stitching! 

One Fall Finish!

One little fall quilt is finished and is now hanging on my condo door! 

You can tell a quilter lives here!

 

And while I was adding binding...

Why is it that almost every time I put on binding ( large quilt or small quilt) a seam ends up in the corner?

Happy Stitching!

Fall Fever and a Bit of Catching Up!

Fall fever has hit me hard!

I've been doing my fall cleaning and hadn't thought I had been spending much time in my sewing room but then I started to take some pictures! 

In keeping with my UFO's I have worked on a couple projects. I decided my hexagons would have one last border and then it will fit perfectly on my coffee table! 

I have 3 side sections done and ready to sew on.

I had been cutting blue and neutral strips for some time from scraps and my stash. I finally assembled and re-cut and now I am ready to start putting together a star! Each point has 10 strips so it will take me a while to get this made. It is precision piecing! 

Then fall has struck early here both in my sewing room and outside. I don't think I have ever seen the trees turning this early. It has inspired me in the sewing room though. 

I pieced this little top for my condo door!

It is a small quilt  that I will machine quilt so I thought I would try pin basting!

It went really fast!

Then I pieced this one just for fun! I am planning on big stitching it for lots of texture.

The colors are not quite right in the photo but here are the threads I am using. I am using the darker thread around the appliques for contrast to separate those sunflowers from the background.

With these two quilts I have been playing with different machine applique techniques - both turned edge. I bought these Easy Threading needles to help bring my threads to the back to tie off and I LOVE them!!! Why have I never bought these before?

And finally I picked up this wool to make myself a fun pair of Christmas socks! 

My feet are going to look fabulous on Christmas morning!

I am going to try to blog a bit more often so I keep caught up! 

Happy Stitching

Basting Day

Today was basting day. My goal was to get 3 of 4 quilt tops basted and ready to quilt. I glue basted  again but I really am not all that happy with it. It's faster for sure but I really wonder if that glue really all comes out! Next time I am going to try safety pins for the first time. ( I've always thread basted)

Here are the first two! 

The dresden will be going on my table and the birds will be a summer quilt for my sewing room wall. Both quilts are from fabrics I never buy or use.

 I was in a strange mood that day while I was shopping. 

This next quilt is all hand appliqued and I when I started it I had such a vision! 

Embroidery, beads and big stitch quilting with fabulous colors!

It was not to be but it took me a long time to accept. I can still do some handwork with my Rheumatoid Arthritis but there are certain things that just hurt too much. The first to go was the embroidery, the second thing to go was the big stitching. I really wanted that thick thread look so I am going to machine quilt it. It is going to be quite a project and I am hoping in the end that I am happy with it.

Other than making backings I really have only completed one thing...a new bag for work! This was the same pattern as my old worn out and shredding work bag. I made one alteration- longer handles so it can be a shoulder bag. I made it from the leftover fabrics from my first tuffett.

I love it so much I am going to make a second bag for everyday with some fake leather fabric I have. I have one other alteration to make in that - to add a center inside dividing pocket

So...

I've been thinking about something. I have been spending TOO MUCH TIME on the internet. I was remembering my life before the internet. Don't get me wrong here - I love the internet. I am a naturally curious person and I love all sharing and ideas but life was simpler without it. I had just a few quilts that were on my soon to make list. Now it seems that there are hundreds of ideas swimming around in my head. It has become overwhelming because my brain never turns off. It seems like I spend more time checking out Pinterest or my Facebook groups ( I have resisted  all other sharing formats!) than I have actually enjoying making things. I know there is no turning back from life with the internet but the last couple of weeks I've been taking an internet vacation. I've been trying to limit my time looking...and it has been great! 

So , you may not see me posting very often for a while as I see where this will take me. I'll still be checking things out once in a while and I'll still be checking out the blogs I like to follow. 

More importantly I will be making things!

Happy Stitching! 

UFO #5 and 6 done and almost done

The tuffet is done and in use! I am loving it! 

Here is the Dresden plate table topper all pieced.

As I was making it I wondered why in the world I ever bought that fabric.

But then I remembered I was thinking of my mom that day and she would have loved it.

After the top was made I pieced the backing from large 'scraps' from other backings and just fabrics I want to use up. Piecing backings takes more time than you realize. Most of my backings right now have been pieced because I am trying to use up what I have. 

It really is quite satisfying despite the time it takes!

I'll be basting this quilt and a couple more quilts near the end of the month.

So now UFO #5 and #6 are done (or almost)

So onto some small fun projects to use up some supplies...I think I'll be looking at Pinterest a bit! 

Happy Stitching!

UFO #5 and other sewing room adventures!

UFO #5 is well under way! Here is the tuffet shell all made!

Now it is time for construction, but since my Mr. is working nights at the moment and my next step is staple gunning, it will have to wait until I have the time and he is up!

Getting all my supplies together though was an adventure. I had the string and the staple gun..somewhere..I looked everywhere. I opened EVERY container in my sewing room, some of them twice and could I find my string...no... but I found lots of other things!

Then I remembered I had a rolling drawer in the bedroom closet where I keep my batting and a few other supplies and there were the things I was needing..string, staple gun and a 12" needle!

I also got two backings made for my next quilts. 

My RA has been giving me a bit of a kicking lately so I will get those basted on a day my hands are feeling better.

And I finished the next row of my little hexagons. I laid it out on my coffee table and loved it there. I want to finish it with a dark row so a dark binding will blend in, so I think I'll do one row of  lights and then one row of a dark and then the top is done. Me and handwork are not getting along well right now so it is slow going!

One of my next UFO's...a giant dresden plate. The dresden is about 32" across. This quilt is being made for my round dining table.I enjoy having a quilt on the table and I wanted one that would look good in the spring and summer. This will be UFO #6!

And I know that I said I was going to be working on UFO's and technically this probably isn't one but...The Civil War Bride Quilt pattern was given to me by my bother many years ago and I have always wanted to make it. In fact I pull this pattern out all the time and look at it. 

My brother would have been 50 this year and I feel now is the time to finally start it. 

I know that I could never manage appliqueing this by hand anymore but I also want a turned edge, so when I saw the Apliquick tools and method I thought this would be great! I could still machine applique but it wouldn't look like raw edge.

So I started picking out fabric. It didn't take long before I had a full bin! 

And finally...when I was looking for my tuffet supplies and tools, I found these. How many times do I buy something and say I have to try that and I never do? So here are three things to try and use.

Texture Magic...I have had this for YEARS

Key Fob hardware...only a couple of years

Walnut shells for pincushions..I guess I thought I needed a new pincushion

After my tuffet and dresden pate are complete I am going to play with a couple of smaller projects and use these up! 

So I've got lots of happy times ahead in my sewing room!

Happy Stitching!

Bindings are Done!

While I was at my dad's I got my binding finished on my two quilts I took with me. I didn't get anything else done though - despite my good intentions!

I love this snowball quilt! It is going to be perfect for my table this winter!

And finally 'Nine' is done. 

I went back and checked...I started it in early 2016 and it is finally finished! 

Only 2+ years to complete!

Here is a closer look! 

I am already dreaming of another quilt with tiny pieces!

This week I have to get my sewing room back together after it was used as a guest room and then back to my UFO's.

Next up...UFO #5 ...a tuffet! 

Happy Stitching!